The Syla5 Files

[BigPecsPeter]

Eh, aside from questions of muscle fibre recruitment, there's one very good reason to avoid the decline barbell bench press: without a spotter, it is potentially extremely dangerous. No rolls of shame, baby. (don't get me wrong, it's a good exercise)

Also, DOMS doesn't correlate with muscle damage, but is a connective tissue thing. We all know from experience that when switching to a new exercise we tend to get DOMS for the first couple goes, then thereafter it feels little different to anything else.

 

[MoNkeE]

No it's the case fullstop, why do you think powerlifters learned to develop an arch? It turns the flat bench in to as close to a decline as it can. It brings more chest in to the movement.

And happens to make the ROM even smaller. Why lift a weight 30" when you could get away with only lifting it 25"? The fact your decline benching has higher numbers than your flat isn't indicative of your chest suddenly exploding with hidden powahz, it's because the lift is easier.

 

[LiE]

Oh the controversy!

Glad to hear you're getting on well with the decline, seems to work well for you.

With flat bench press, I'm strongest when my chest is up and the arch is good. Not to reduce ROM, but to create tension and torque in the right places. Some people struggle with this and decline can help. Flat isn't very flat when benching properly.

 

[MoNkeE]

Flat also isn't as declined as Syla5 imagines tho. Not in any powerlifting comps I've seen anyway!

 

[Syla5]

Squats
Barx10
60x6
90x5
110x3
125x5
125x5
125x5
125x5
125x5
Shorts split on the last rep of the last set, not good, however I will blame it on bigger legs

RDL’s
75x5
75x5
75x5
75x5
75x5

Band Squats
95x8
95x8
95x8

OH squats
Bar x8
Bar x8
25x8
Damn my lack of range, heels lifting at the bottom of each rep, more mobility required. Bar line seems improved from last week however.

BSS (db weight per hand, reps per leg)
16x8
16x8
16x8

 

[mrthingyx]

OH squats look a lot better.

This might sound odd, but push your hips forward as you squat. This should force your core to keep you more upright.

Good work on the mobility, too!

 

[LiE]

You tried a slightly narrower stance to help with knees?

Some movement in your back.

 

[Freefaller]

Last rep is the video skipping or do your knees just go "bang" outwards?

 

[Syla5]

Shorts go ping!

 

[Deception]

When they go ping, you're able to push your knee's out more (well in that instance anyway). Could that be a sign that they were restricting your movement?

 

[Syla5]

Not really because I lose a lot of torque as soon as they go ping and I bring my knees back to where they were before to finish off the rep.

 

[Freefaller]

Ah that's what you meant! Looks pretty brutal!

 

[Syla5]

Chest day (and a little bit of back)

Decline Bench Press
Bar x20
50x10
80x5
95x5
95x5
95x5
95x5
95x4+1 (spot)

Flat Bench
60x3
72.5x5
72.5x5
72.5x5
72.5x5
72.5x4+1

CGBP
60x6
60x5
60x4+1 just wasnt happening today.

Standing Cable 1arm Rows
50x10
50x10
50x10

Inclined DB Bench
28x8
28x7
28x6

Dips
BWx5
10x8
15x8
15x7

Face Pulls
27x8
27x8
27x8

Please with how things are going, first spot required on decline bench so far, things felt good. Happy that i am still able to push my flat bench progress even after decline.

 

[LiE]

Niiiice. 100x5x5 on decline soon, dem gains!

 

[Deception]

As above. Can see you hitting 100 easily for sets and reps. Gains incoming!

 

[Syla5]

I want to be hitting the 100 mark for sets and reps on my flat bench really, but progress is progress, just hoping it nicely crosses over to Flat.

 

[Syla5]

Weight update, fat, up to 12st 5lb, been really slack since coming back from holiday....need to sort this out

 

[LiE]

Must be all them gains

 

[Syla5]

Nah I have been extremely lazy since returning from holiday!

11st 4lb in January 12st on returning from holiday with some fat gains, last 4 weeks i have gone out a hole on my belt, it's all gut haha.

Gonna redo prep week on my next Deload and combine it with some breach weight sessions maybe

 

[Delvis]

Bulk, bulk, bulk