Earlier this morning at the gym was chest day and I mostly did barbell work for chest. For bench press, I did 70 lbs. for 3 sets and 8 reps each and did one more set for 95 lbs. and one rep. Then I did incline bench for 30 lbs. for 4 sets and 12 reps each. For the bench, I’m training for powerlifting meets and trying to build more strength so to build more strength on that, I just do 3 sets of regular lifting and do 1 rep of heavy lifting to see what my latest personal record is. For now I’m going to stick with 95 lbs. on the bench for a bit before I hit the big 100. I tried the big 100 lbs. just last week but failed that rep so I got a little more work to do. Maybe I’ll try the 100 lbs. next week. I’ll give it a go.

I am liking benching more and more. It’s not that bad really. My goal one day is to hopefully become a super heavy lifter but I’m not gonna rush and take my slow time. That’s how you wanna do it, ya know? So many guys in the gym are in such a rush to lift heavy when they shouldn’t. I know you guys wanna feel tough and feel strong in the gym but you could risk injury the more your ego gets so big.

Next week, I’m going to do something a little different when benching. I’m going to start doing 5 sets of benching every week. First four sets will be regular bodybulding lifts and the final set will be 1 heavy one for powerlifting. That’s how I’m going to do things every week from now on. That’ll be my secret for building strength. Benching is pretty awesome ’cause I do notice more strength the more I do it. If I want to get bigger chest results then bench is the probably the best way to go. If I want to get big pecs like Arnold’s earlier days and pecs like those wrestlers you see on TV, I should stick with benching full time. Yeah, I really want a big muscular look. Get big like those dudes you see in action movies and in pro wrestling. A lot of people think it’s impossible to get that look without steroids but I disagree. It is definitely possible to get that look naturally. As long as you work hard (meaning work out with extreme intensity), eat right, don’t give up… you can easily get a body like Hulk Hogan, Dave Bautista and even Brock Lesnar. That’s the kind of look I’m trying to go for. I feel like I already got that look sort of but I got lots of work to do still. I like what I see so far, though.

It’s part of why I got into powerlifting ’cause it can be pretty useful for my regular bodybuilding too. As far as weightlifting  goes, will I get into Olympic lifting? Ya know, the clean and jerk movement they do? No way.  I don’t think I’ll ever do the Olympic clean and jerk lift. I’m just gonna stick with bench, deadlift and squat. I’m gonna stick with powerlifting, not Olympic lifting ’cause I never want to be an Olympic lifter.

It’s funny ’cause I was never meant to become a powerlifter at all but what changed you ask? Well, I have a few friends that do powerlifting meets and they’re always posting live facebook videos of their meets so that got me interested in giving it a try so those friends of mine ended up asking me to be a part of a powerlifting meet which was how I was able to do that one in Albany. That’s how I got into powerlifting. A few friends of mine talked me into it was pretty much how. I’ve gotten into really liking it a lot so I’m sticking with it. Gonna do both bodybuilding and powerlifting.

In the past, I never really cared how much I could bench or how much weights I could lift. I just wanted to get muscular and get in shape but I guess it is important for me to find out what my personal records are. Now I am curious of how heavy I can lift. You see, I can’t tell my own strength and now powerlifting will help me be able to tell how strong I actually am.

Last time I deadlifted in the gym was a big 180 lbs and tomorrow I’m going to go for a big 190. I think I’ll film myself doing it too.

Back to benching, it is awesome and it’s a real challenge for sure. I actually don’t need a spotter at the gym for benching ’cause the bench there has spotter arms on the sides of them so I’m all good doing bench by myself at the gym.

Kev