Competitive Bench Training Log

[Ricardo Costa]

Extra Work
Sat 11-5-11

3 rounds of:
Sledgehammer x 40
Kettlebell Snatches x 30

Rolling Ropes
3 rounds

~Costa~
Abs Were feelin' the Burn

[Ricardo Costa]

ME Bench
Mon 11-7-11

Bench
135 x 8
135 x 8
225 x 6
275 x 3
315 x 3
365 x 5 - padded 1 brd
405 x 3 - padded 1 brd

Shirt work w/ boards
495 x 3 - 3 brd
545 x 2 - 2 brd
585 x 1 - 2 brd
610 x 1 - 2 brd
635 x 1 - 3 brd
660 x 1 - 3 brd

Felt good to get in my new shirt again, my low end strength isn't really ready for what my top end is putting out right now. I've taken a break from my speed work to mix it up with repetition work and its been a nice break but i will start getting my speed work going again with bands so i can work some speed and low end strength.

I really liked the close grip floor press work i added in on speed day before my last meet, so will throw that back in the mix and now i can mix it up with my slingshot.

Not sure what meet is next in my sights, but all 242'ers better watch out cause i'm starting to get a little motivated and for the competition that is never good!

~Costa~
Shut up and Bench!!!

[Ricardo Costa]

Back - Abs
Wed 11-9-11

Similar back, abs, and bi work.

I have playing with the "metal militia" set up on the bench which helps you arch more and bench on your toes, but as I've been doing it again it really stress your back and causes you to cramp up as you attempt to stay super tight and really bend as far as possible so the back work i have been working on is to help get this style of set up to work to its fullest capability!

Had a busy end of the week, with the Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day. A big thanks to Chili's and Applebees restaurants for giving free meals to Veterans who have served their country!!!

~Costa~
Semper Fi

[Ricardo Costa]

Speed Work
Sat 11-12-11

Speed Bench
Bar x 20
Bar x 20
135 x 8
135 x 8
185 x 3 - 6 sets (2 close, 2 med, & 2 wide)

Floor Press
225 x 6 - 4 sets

Dips - BW
2 sets to Failure

Bike 15 min
Sauna 15 min

Getting back to speed work and it felt great to really concentrate on perfecting the technique with SPEED! Can't wait to start incorporating the bands again, I really feel that mixing in the bands, really help to take your lifts to the next level! Hopefully you guys can follow along and see how I do it and how it works for me.

~Costa~
Speed Kills!

[Ricardo Costa]

ME Bench
Mon 11-14-11

Mobility Warm up

Bench
135 x 8 - 2 sets
185 x 6
225 x 6
275 x 6
315 x 6

Bench - 2 board w/ Monster Mini's
225 x 8
275 x 3
315 x 1
275 x 6
250 x 7
250 x 7

Gotta love the band work, it felt great to really push through the bands and lockout strong. That is one thing that is great about the bands it teaches you to explode off your chest and really push "through" to the top! Now all i need is to get my supplements going again so i can start working towards a meet again.

~Costa~
Bench Big or Go Home

[Ricardo Costa]

Back & Abs
Wed 11-16-11

Warm up

Hammer Strength High Row
1 x 20
4 x 10
1 x 13

Shrugs
4 x 8
** Super set w/
Inc Db Curls
4 x 8

Decline Abs
4 x 15
** Super Set w/
Back ext
4 x 8

Elliptical 15 min
Sauna 10 min

~Costa~
Baby got Back

[Ricardo Costa]

Speed Bench
Sat 11-19-11

Mobility Warm Up

Speed Bench
Bar x 15 (2x)
135 x 6 (2x)
185 x 3 Close
185 x 3 med
185 x 3 wide

Standing Military Press
135 x 10
185 x 6
185 x 6

Crow Stands
3 sets
Super set w/
Dips
3 sets of 10

~Costa~
Eye of the Tiger

[Ricardo Costa]

ME Bench
Mon 11-21-11

Mobiloity warm up

Bench
135 x 8
135 x 8
225 x 6
275 x 6
315 x 5
365 x 5 - padded 1 brd
395 x 3 - padded 1 brd

Close Grip Bench - slingshot
315 x 10 - 3 sets

Tri pushdowns
2 sets of 10
3 sets of 10 - w/ monster mini behind neck

Got to keep getting those bands in there and working on explosion and speed to lockout. I like the slingshot because it makes you go full range and sometimes i just get use to the boards . Just trying to get a little stronger before we start ramping up with the Shirt.

~Costa~
Stronger

[Ricardo Costa]

Back & ABs
Wed 11-23-11

Rack Pulls
135 x 10
225 x 6
315 x 6
405 x 3
455 x 3
315 x 20

DB Curls
3 sets of 8
**Super set w/
Shrugs
3 sets of 12

Rear Delts
5 sets of 8
** Super set w/
Decline Abs
3 sets of 10

Bike 15 min

Gotta luv some rack pulls, although i was a little pissed because i haven't done these in awhile and feel weak so thats why i had to pull off a set of 20. Weights get moving when i get motivated, haha.

~Costa~
Back it Up

[Steve Burke]

Impressive 3 board a few posts back mate!