EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to the Athlete Journal of world champion powerlifter Chris Duffin. Follow Chris as he trains and competes in various events over the coming year. Chris’s journal will be posted every Tuesday. You can also read about Chris on his personal website Kabuki Warrior.
Athlete Journal, Entry 52 – Putting Weight On the Bar
It’s finally time to start putting some heavy weight back on the bar and quit messing around with the silly stuff. I plan on competing a couple times this summer.
Unfortunately I started off Monday being in pain and distracted from a piece of metal I had gotten embedded in my eye over the weekend.
MONDAY
Bench Press
135×10
185×5
225×5
315×5
365×1
425×3,3,3,3
I left the gym and was having trouble seeing as my eye was closing up and streaming on me. I got the metal removed on Tuesday with a needle by the eye doctor. On the first try he didn’t numb it enough, and it definitely wasn’t fun when he jabbed my eye with the needle.
WEDNESDAY
Warmups x 15min mobility and muscle firing patterns
Squat w/Buffalo Bar
155×10
265×5
375×5
485×2
595×2
660×1,3,1
(Watch video for discussion on squats.)
Leg Press – Wide all adductor
650×12
Leg Press – Single leg wide
225×16,16,16
Glute Ham Raise
Bodyweight x100 total
Band Bad Girls
#2×20,20,20
FRIDAY
Quick workout before packing to leave town:
Hook Grip Rack pulls
225×1
315×1
405×1 – 30sec hold
495×1 – 10sec hold
585×1 – 10sec hold
675×1 – 10sec hold
760×1 – 10sec hold
Incline Bench
45×20
135×15
185×20,20,20 – Getting some blood flow on the left shoulder that is bothering me.
One Arm Snatch
135×1,1,1 per side – Feeling heavy.
Neutral Grip Pullups
Bodyweight x16,16,12
SIDE NOTES:
I’ve been working my right shoulder with bands to ‘reset’ it ala “Super D” Donnie Thompson’s shoulder videos. It’s working well in relieving the aches and pains. However the shoulder is still fatiguing early on bench and feels like I have a strain in there somewhere. I’ve been doing this on a daily basis even while traveling and got a few things from Dr. Philip Snell that I will be adding as well. I’m also working with him and using a few other techniques to get my hip mobility back up for my deadlift. I’ve been working this almost daily.
