Primal Power Systems, Ben's Powerlifting

[Ben Brizendine]

I’ve been competing for 3 years now. I’ve lifted full power in the past but back issues have sidelined my deads for awhile. I’m saving up for a Rev Hyper that I’m convinced will improve my situation, but until then I’m doing what I can and focused on my bench for now.

I’ve been lifting wt's now for 4 years following many years of competing in wrestling for the all army team and a local club. I’ve also done a little MMA and basically just enjoy competing in general.

I’ve been really enjoying the PL style training and have repaired several long standing injuries thru training.

Being new to this whole thing I realize I have allot to learn and welcome any advice anyone can offer.

In my last comp the wt cut sucked as always. And I missed my opener. But I put a new shirt on for my 2nd and 3rd and ended up benching 662@198. At the comp I learned several things I need to work on so Ill be incorporating paused sets and a new shirt setup in the next 2 months to get ready for WABDL worlds.....

[Ben Brizendine]

ME Bench - 3bd week

Good warmup (Bies, tris, grip and cuff)

BB Bench
135 x 45 (2 hand poss)
225 x 10
315 x 6
405 x 2
Add 3 bd
515 x 3
Add SP 46 super Katana (New shirt)
605 x 5
695 x 2
785 x 1
835 x 1 (PR)
855 x 1 (PR)

BW 208 - Good night. I wish I had time to hit a little more tries and rear delt. Ill get it tommorow with shoulders.

[Ben Brizendine]

No Warmup

BB Bench
135 x 45
225 x 15
325 x 6
add 4" Foam
425 x 3
475 x 3
Add SP Super Katana 46
605 x 2 (Crappy press totally out of possition)
Remove foam and add 2bd
715 x 2
Mark helppedme really jack the shirt way more than Ive ever been able to. It felt great but the groove was a little different. Overall I liked it.
765 x 1

Really fun night, Huge group with lts of energy.

[Ben Brizendine]

Im starting to feel a little beatup today. This was my 3 heavy day in the last 10. So Im going to slowdown and take it a little easier this week.

Short Warmup

BB Bench
135 x 45
225 x 15
315 x 6
add 2bd
405 x 3
Add SP Super Katana 46
495 x 6
585 x 3
635 x 2

All sets with a good pause and fast presses.

BW 210

[Ben Brizendine]

Standard Warm-up (Grip/Bi's/Tri's)

Band Snatches w/Pull Aparts
Green band: 8 x 5 sets

DB Shrugs
125 x 10 x 2
150 x 8 x 5

Front Lat Pulldowns
158 x 10 x 3

[Ben Brizendine]

Standard Warm-up

BB Bench
135 x 30 (3 hand positions)
add 100lbs of chains
185 + chains for 3 sets of 3 reps (3 hand positions)
225 + chains for 6 sets of 3 reps
275 + chains for 3 sets of 3 reps


A little wore out. Everyone in the house has been sick. I think Im just fighting it....

[Ben Brizendine]

135x30
225x15
315x8
425x3
shirted up single ply katana
Add 3bd
545 x 3
Full Range
605x1
695x1
705x0 Very Close but just wore out

Smith Rack lock out shoulder press (Top 4"), Long pause at the top
315x5
405x5
475x5
525x5
585x3



Good night! Felt ok, 2 weeks to go.

[Ben Brizendine]

Oh I think this will be a long one. If you like skip to the bottom and the video and results from worlds are there.


So I haven’t posted in about 2 weeks I see. Looking back I think I better understand what was going on leading up to the comp. In the month before worlds the kids and wife were fighting off a pretty bad bug that has been going around Oregon. I didn’t think much of it. I was taking a good supplement regime and felt fine. 1 week out from the comp I realized I was only 10 lbs over and had absolutely no appetite. I ate my last solid meal on Sunday and then just had protein shakes and liquids. The wt cut started on Wednesday and was a joke. On Thursday I made wt easy and ate as much as I could but felt really light. Friday before the comp I was 207. Gaining 9 back was pretty good considering.

I opened at 605 in my old shirt. I planned on going for my second in a new shirt I just got from Ken. I didn’t figure I could touch less than 625 in the new shirt. I missed the opener at the top on the right side. I could feel there was an issue with my tries’, I tore it earlier this year but it had been fine until the last month or so. Now it seemed like it was really acting up. The wt felt fine. In fact looking at the video I was really sloppy with it. Went down really fast and went up fast until the last 2" on the right side.

But I stuck with the plan and went to 625 in the new shirt. It felt great, I touched a little low and the wt flew up.... Except the right side. I got within an inch and held it there. No lift.

So I figured I just touched too low. So I went up to 635 and same thing.

Now I’m freaking pissed. After I calmed down I went and checked my wt and was down to 206. So I decided to cut the 7.5 and compete the next day in Open. So I bundled up and hit the sauna. I made it within a couple hours and tried to go on an eating binge but there was just no way. I couldn’t keep anything down and after 2 hours of sleep and the rest of the morning hovering over the jon I headed down tot he comp at 10.

I checked my wt and was surprised to see 196 on the scale. I’ve never competed so light. No idea how the shirt will fit. The tries’ is hurting pretty good now too.

So I lowered my opener to 570. (I didn’t think I could possibly touch anything lighter) And did a quick warm-up. Basically it went just like the day before, except I stayed at 570 and the last try the spotters had to save me.

All in all it was a great meet. I think it was the best I have ever been to. The people were really cool and there were some great performances.

I learned allot also. I see some real issues with my training and I think I’ve gotten lazy (or burnt out) in the past few months. So we will see some really positive steps to fix these issues over the next 5 months.

Goals: 3 years ago when I started lifting. I made a three year plan for my self and the milestones were 500 first year (got it), 600 second year (Missed by 1 month) and 700 3rd year (going to miss it by 3 months). So now time for new goals. I going to say 800 in single ply next year.

[snagency]

nice goal Ben.
where you at in OR? I used to live in Medford for awhile myself, yrs ago.

[larsen540]

Ben it is time to get back to work. You are the best 198lb bencher