A Hebridean Diary
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| Martin1956 |  | ... | 08-01-2026 @ 22:58 |
 Old Age Presser Member 75, 8033 posts SQ 0, BP 200, DL 200400.0 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | Still recovering from the after effects of Tuesday afternoon's eye injections. The local anaesthetic gets into the system... But I hadn't trained for over a week, so decided to go out and do a gentle band session up to whatever today's max would be, and leave it there. Just feel some weight in my hands for the first time this year. Decided to go with the thick red band, which adds 25 to 30. My recent best is 85, so 80 would be nice... Wearing 4 layers and newly acquired thermal work gloves to cope with the ice box. Bar for 10 x 3 sets Band on Bar for 6 30 for 5 40 for 4 50 for 3 60 for 2 70 for 1 - easy 80 for 1 - still easy 90 for 1 - well happy with that 80 for 2 70 for 4 60 for 6 Finish Planned to finish with 50 x 8, but I was done energy wise and struggled to unload the bar. Really happy with that. Weird one today. Was quite shaky on my feet, but felt strong lying down. That equates to a 115 - 120 lockout, which I'm more than happy with, as my target is a 120 bench by the end of February. Hopefully next week I'll get into a better training routine again, but the disruption doesn't seem to have done any damage. My first session as an M4 as well! | ||
| Martin1956 | | ... | 12-01-2026 @ 21:20 |
Old Age Presser Member 75, 8033 posts SQ 0, BP 200, DL 200400.0 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | Monday Bench Trained a day early as the weather was too awful to do anything else. Green band, adds 35 to 40 at lockout. Previous best in recent times is 80, so that's the target... Bar for 10 x 3 sets Band on Bar for 6 30 for 5 40 for 4 50 for 3 60 for 2 70 for 1 80 for 1 - more there 85 for 1 - was never not going up, but pretty much my limit 75 for 2 70 for 3 65 for 3 Finish Wanted 65x4 and 60x5 to finish, but the 60x3 wrecked me. Strength is improving, fitness ain't. Just hanging on in these dark months, too much time indoors in this awful weather, once I get walking and generally moving again things will get better. | ||
| Martin1956 | | ... | 17-01-2026 @ 00:55 |
Old Age Presser Member 75, 8033 posts SQ 0, BP 200, DL 200400.0 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | Friday Bench Feeling really flat and just not up for it, so I made a deal with myself. If it didn't get better, I would just go up to a top single and stop, and do a volume session tomorrow. Bar for 10 x 3 sets 40 for 6 50 for 5 60 for 4 70 for 3 80 for 2 90 for 1 100 for 1 110 for 1 115 - fail, but close Finish Should have gone 112.5, but felt confident the way 110 moved. Confidence was misplaced. Good news is I haven't gone backwards, even on a flat day. | ||
| Martin1956 | | ... | 24-01-2026 @ 02:27 |
Old Age Presser Member 75, 8033 posts SQ 0, BP 200, DL 200400.0 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | Friday Bench I hadn't trained since last Friday - and that wasn't great! A combination of distraction, fatigue and stress stopped me training this week, so I felt I had to do something, even just a few reps So I opted for a pyramid with 65, hopefully I could get up to 10 before I had to stop, better than nothing... Bar for 10 x 3 sets 40 for 6 50 for 4 60 for 2 65 for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Finish Good grief, I did it! The down sets with 9, 8, 7 and 6 were really tough, but got done. Chuffed to bits, all things considered. | ||
| b15ape1 | | ... | 24-01-2026 @ 21:11 |
 British bum sex champ Member 450, 1943 posts SQ 315, BP 212.5, DL 290817.5 kgs @ 137kgs Eq | Martin1956 said:Friday Bench I hadn't trained since last Friday - and that wasn't great! A combination of distraction, fatigue and stress stopped me training this week, so I felt I had to do something, even just a few reps So I opted for a pyramid with 65, hopefully I could get up to 10 before I had to stop, better than nothing... Bar for 10 x 3 sets 40 for 6 50 for 4 60 for 2 65 for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Finish Good grief, I did it! The down sets with 9, 8, 7 and 6 were really tough, but got done. Chuffed to bits, all things considered. Your pryamids still make me feel sick Fletty, keep up the good work mate!!  | ||
| Martin1956 | | ... | 25-01-2026 @ 16:47 |
Old Age Presser Member 75, 8033 posts SQ 0, BP 200, DL 200400.0 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | b15ape1 said: Your pryamids still make me feel sick Fletty, keep up the good work mate!! Cheers Andy. Not been up to volume work much lately, so it was good to get this done. Definitely makes me stronger, maybe a good sign that I was up to it.  | ||
| Martin1956 | | ... | 28-01-2026 @ 14:08 |
Old Age Presser Member 75, 8033 posts SQ 0, BP 200, DL 200400.0 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | Tuesday Bench (reported a day late) I just couldn't get my body to wake up, and the longer I waited, the worse it got. I was going to leave it, but did a deal with myself to just work up to a top single and then stop, on the basis that something is better than nothing. Of course the cold and howling wind didn't help. I long for warmer days, when my bones aren't cold. Bar for 10 x 3 sets Thin red band on (adds 10 to 15 at lockout) 40 for 6 50 for 5 60 for 4 70 for 3 80 for 2 90 for 1 100 for 1 Finish The 100 was a horrible, ugly gym lift, but it equalled my recent best. I never really warmed up, and stopped as planned. There will be better days... | ||
| Martin1956 | | ... | 01-02-2026 @ 13:55 |
Old Age Presser Member 75, 8033 posts SQ 0, BP 200, DL 200400.0 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | Friday Bench (posting late) Bar for 10 x 3 sets 40 for 6 50 for 5 60 for 4 70 for 3 80 for 2 90 for 1 100 for 1 110 for 1 - right on my limit, sadly 100 for 2 Finish I finished because I just couldn't warm up, and began to worry that I'd pull a cold muscle and put myself out for months. There will be warmer days, but I really need to start getting stronger soon if I want to hit my goals in May. | ||
| Billwest |  | ... | 01-02-2026 @ 16:00 |
Member 541, 5267 posts SQ 192.5, BP 120, DL 222.5535.0 kgs @ 92.8kgs UnEq | But at least you got it done,no matter how hard it felt. A lesser man would have stayed in the warm. | ||
| Martin1956 | | ... | 02-02-2026 @ 18:03 |
Old Age Presser Member 75, 8033 posts SQ 0, BP 200, DL 200400.0 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | Billwest said:But at least you got it done,no matter how hard it felt. A lesser man would have stayed in the warm. Thanks Bill. Or a more sensible one... | ||
| Martin1956 | | ... | 02-02-2026 @ 18:10 |
Old Age Presser Member 75, 8033 posts SQ 0, BP 200, DL 200400.0 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | Monday Bench With the continuing cold weather, I decided to do a volume pyramid, but to add weight and aim for a top set of 8 rather than 10. Bar for 10 x 3 sets 40 for 6 50 for 4 60 for 2 70 for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Finish Training was interrupted by an SSPCA inspector following up on a malicious complaint about me. I couldn't get my head out of that and back into training after the visit. There was more there in my top set had I wanted it, but I was saving myself for the down sets that never happened. One more session, on Thursday, as a 69 year old... | ||
| Martin1956 | | ... | 05-02-2026 @ 16:37 |
Old Age Presser Member 75, 8033 posts SQ 0, BP 200, DL 200400.0 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | Thursday Bench The last workout of my 'sixties. Bar for 10 x 3 sets 40 for 6 50 for 5 60 for 4 70 for 3 80 for 2 90 for 1 100 for 1 112.5 for 1 - yesss 100 for 2 90 for 3 80 for 5 Finish 112.5 is my best in recent times. Good to finally go past 110, been there for some time. | ||
| b15ape1 | | ... | 05-02-2026 @ 17:30 |
British bum sex champ Member 450, 1943 posts SQ 315, BP 212.5, DL 290817.5 kgs @ 137kgs Eq | Progress is progress Fletty  | ||
| Martin1956 | | ... | 06-02-2026 @ 13:08 |
Old Age Presser Member 75, 8033 posts SQ 0, BP 200, DL 200400.0 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | b15ape1 said:Progress is progress Fletty Thanks Andy. Small steps and all that... Also worth factoring in I'm not on creatine atm because of ongoing kidney issues. That alone would turn 112.5 into 120+, so there's hope for the old man yet. | ||
| Wayne_Cowdrey | | ... | 07-02-2026 @ 10:47 |
 Still got a little bit of strength Member 400, 22749 posts | Good stuff I know you have some health issues, but do you feel that benching has a positive health effect? | ||
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