THIS WEEK’S STORY

Week 11 was supposed to be conservative. Come back from the cold, re-establish rhythm, confirm bar speed, no heroics. That was the plan.

On Thursday, the plan became irrelevant. The 132.5kg consolidation single moved so cleanly that the decision to attempt 135kg made itself. The lift was a grinder — the second half slowed considerably — but it went. New all-time PR.

This issue covers the full four-session week, the PR attempt in detail, where the weight is sitting now, and a recommendation that's been on my back in the gym all week.

THIS WEEK’S STORY
THE RE-ENTRY THAT WASN’T SUPPOSED TO BE A PR WEEK

The plan for Week 11 was simple: get back in, don't force anything. Four days off with a cold had broken the momentum heading into what should have been a 132.5kg consolidation week. The conservative move was to treat Week 11 as a reset — re-establish the feel of heavy weight, confirm bar speed was back, and push the PR attempt to Week 12.

Monday's session told a different story. Training with about 75–85% recovery, 115kg × 4 × 4 went up at elevated RPE — harder than it should have been, but everything completed. The strength was still there. The illness had cost recovery, not muscle.

Wednesday's speed session confirmed it. 102.5kg × 5 × 3 moved smoothly and consistently. Bar speed was back. Thursday was a low-CNS accessory day to protect readiness for Friday. And on Friday, the week delivered something that wasn't on the schedule.

The warm-up was unremarkable. 132.5kg moved cleanly — controlled descent, slight pause at the chest, good bar acceleration out of the bottom. The kind of rep where you know immediately it wasn't a top effort. So the decision was made: load 135kg.

The descent was controlled. The initial press off the chest was strong. Then, somewhere in the second half, the bar slowed down considerably. This was a true RPE 10 grinder — full wrist wraps, elbow wraps, belt. It went. New PR: 135kg / 297.5lbs.

The sticking point in the upper half of the press is clear information: mid-range to lockout strength is the limiting factor right now. That's where the next phase of training will focus. But for Week 11, the number that wasn't supposed to happen this week happened anyway.

The process, when you follow it, has a way of delivering on its own schedule.

THE CONSERVATIVE PLAN WAS TO
PUSH THE PR TO WEEK 12.
WEEK 11 HAD OTHER IDEAS.

135kg
New Bench PR
4/4
Sessions Done
81.3kg
Bodyweight

FULL TRAINING LOG · WEEK 11
MAR 9–13, 2026

Mon Mar 9 · Bench Heavy Volume — Re-Entry
Bench Press 115kg × 4 × 4
Paused Bench Press 105kg × 3 × 3
Incline DB Press 36kg × 8 × 3
Weighted Dips +20kg × 10 × 3
Pull-Ups BW × 10 × 3
Ab Crunch Machine 35kg × 12 × 3
Cardio Skipped
~75–85% recovered from cold. All volume completed at RPE 9–10. Strength present, systemic fatigue elevated. Cardio skipped to prioritise recovery.
Wed Mar 11 · Bench Speed / Neural Volume
Speed Bench 102.5kg × 3 × 5
Bench Press (volume) 100kg × 10 × 2
Weighted Pull-Ups +15kg × 8 × 3
Lying Triceps Extensions 30kg × 15 / 10 / 10
DB Lateral Raises 12kg × 20 + 2 × drop sets
Hanging Leg Raises BW × 10 × 3
Incline Walk 5km/h · 5% · 20min
Bar speed back. All speed sets smooth and controlled. Significant improvement over Monday — recovery clearly progressing.
Thu Mar 12 · Low CNS — Legs / Shoulders / Biceps
Leg Press 110kg × 12 × 3
Hamstring Curl 50kg × 12 × 3
Leg Extension 65kg × 12 × 3
Machine Lateral Raises 20kg × 20 × 3
High Row Machine 30kg × 15 × 3
Preacher DB Curl 12kg × 12 / 10kg × 12 × 2
Preacher EZ Hammer Curl 20kg × 12 × 3
Ab Crunch Machine 35kg × 12 × 3
Incline Walk 5km/h · 5% · 20min
Intentionally low intensity. Machine-based, no heavy spinal loading. Purpose: protect CNS readiness for Friday's top single.
Fri Mar 13 · Bench Top Single — PR Day
Bench Press — Top Single 132.5kg × 1
Bench Press — PR Attempt 135kg × 1 ★
Back-Off Bench 115kg × 3 × 2
Paused Bench 105kg × 2 × 2
Speed Bench 100kg × 10
Weighted Dips +20kg × 15 × 3
Face Pulls 10kg × 20 × 3
Cable Rope Ab Crunch BW × 10 × 3
Incline Walk 5km/h · 5% · 20min
132.5kg smooth with good bar speed — clear signal to go up. 135kg: strong off the chest, second half slowed significantly, true RPE 10. Completed with wrist wraps, elbow wraps, belt. New all-time PR.

NUTRITION
BACK TO BUILDING

Nothing dramatic this week on the food front — just back to eating properly after the cold disrupted rhythm last week. Weight came back up and fluctuated between 81.5 and 82kg on the days where four meals were in. The 3-meal days kept it at 81.3kg.

That fluctuation is the system working. Three meals keeps the weight stable around 81kg. Four meals pushes it toward 82kg. Right now the goal is to stay closer to the four-meal pattern and consolidate at 82kg heading into the second half of the training block. More mass, more to press with.

Shabu-shabu pork · broccoli · soft egg · dipping sauce

Katsu lunch · daikon · renkon

WEEK AT A GLANCE

Week at a Glance
Week 11 of 16
Sessions Completed 4 of 4
Bench — New 1RM 135kg / 297.5lbs ★
Previous 1RM 132.5kg / 292lbs
Bench — Next Target 137.5kg / 303lbs
Bodyweight 81.3–82kg
Status PR Week · Full Recovery
Next Week Consolidation · Lock in 135kg

WHAT I’M USING

👕
Gear
YoungLA Gold's Iron Legacy Vintage Crewneck (5166) — Just arrived this week. Wearing it in the gym as a pump cover and it's exactly what it should be: heavyweight feel, relaxed fit, doesn't restrict movement overhead or on the bench. The vintage Gold's Gym graphic is a nice touch — nods to the history of the sport without being loud about it. Works just as well off the gym floor. youngla.com if you want to check it out.

UNTIL NEXT WEEK

135kg is the new floor. Next week the goal is simple: make it feel like it belongs there.

No heroics. Just consolidation, bar speed work, and letting the block continue. The number that wasn't supposed to happen this week happened. Now it becomes the baseline.

— Paulo · Sapporo, Japan

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