Way behind on updates because of life stuff making me busy.
I did the WDC trap bar DL meet.
My best pull was 860 (WR). I missed 900.
My doc friend got 500. He was super happy.
My strong friend who thinks he's weaker than me pulled 900!
My wife pulled 425 I think, WR!
Mrs Cha & I went to Vegas for a week and I was very sick at the beginning, but recovered pretty quickly thanks to doing my doc friend's advice for getting over viruses. We got into Vegas Friday night 8/11 and I stayed in the room all day Saturday and slept about 16 hours. The rest and the doc's suggestions got me better fast. I was well enough to drive to the Grand Canyon Sunday.
We decided to drive out to the LA area to lift with my friend Priest Burdette and his buddy Scot Mendleson at Mendy's Gym. It went awesome. These two guys are two of the greatest bench pressers in history, period. Their knowledge is incredible, and they were excellent to us.
Priest has been training with a pro arm wrestler recently, so he wanted to show me some technique stuff. He brought out one of Mendy's arm wrestling table before Mendy got there and I messed around doing that for a while. Priest is one of the strongest people I know, and now he knows how to arm wrestle very well, so I did not have a chance to beat him without some kind of edge. After he showed me some things, he gave me about a 1/3 head start and I actually pinned him! My arm was fried after that, so we stopped.
Mrs Cha came to bench. She is already a great bencher, having many American and some world records for her age / weight class, but almost no one benches perfectly, and Priest spots leaks better than anyone. Priest immediately noticed she was not using as much leg drive as she could. He spent about 10-15 minutes working with her on leg drive off to the side while others were benching. That helped a lot.
Her previous 1 board PR was 355 in a 3 ply SDP. Mendy came in and noticed the same thing Priest did. He was working with her the rest of the time we were there. He let her use one of his Mendy band shirts, a single ply, that he had previously let a teammate use. It fit perfectly. She pressed 385 off 2 boards easy! I don't think she knew the weight because it was kilo plates.
She was not done. I wanted her to do more and so did Mendy. He picked her next attempt without telling her the weight. I told the guy holding the board to use a 1 board. Priest handed off, giving quiet instructions to her as Mendy was more actively coaching her through it. Their team spotted the sides. I just stood back and held the camera. In 99% of situations when I am watching someone bench press, I feel like I see and know more than anyone else watching. I was a distant 3rd in this place, lol. The handoff was perfect, and she pressed it nearly perfectly.
429 lbs!!
She was pretty gassed after this. It was awesome. In the video, after she pressed it, the guy holding the board and another guy in the background had great reactions, like they were in disbelief, because I am fairly sure neither of them can press that kind of weight.
https://rumble.com/v3isl0i-lisa-429-...f-1-board.html
Mendy got all excited, telling her how great she is and can be. He said his sister was having a big meet in Long Island in a few weeks, and he wanted her to lift in it. He said the meet was full, but he would not only get her into it, he'd pay her entry and coach her. We could not make it to that meet, but the gesture was very cool. We bought the shirt from him though. We got a little off regular price plus no shipping, and we know the shirt fits her perfectly, so while we didn't intend to spend that kind of money, this was a unique situation, so we bought it.
Afterwards, Mendy saw the arm wrestling table sitting out. He wanted to fool around with it too. In addition to being one of the greatest bench pressers ever, Mendy is also a professional arm wrestler. He wanted to teach me some things. My arm hurt, but when Mendy wants to show me stuff about arm wrestling, who am I to say no? My arm was pretty messed up after, but it was worth it. I had zero chance of moving him at all. The dude has hands the size of a gorilla, and is probably as strong as one.
Priest arm wrestled Mendy afterwards. Mendy was talking about technique while Priest was giving it eveyrthing he had. Mendy was just holding it. Then when Mendy decided to put Priest down, he just kept talking and put Priest (one of the strongest people I know) down like he was not even trying. Priest just laughed. Good times.
My left triceps tendon is healing, but its a few months from being 100%.
My right knee - similar.
I have figured out that I can press off 3 boards ok, but off the chest, or even 2 boards isnt good. I worked up to 600 in my band shirt a few weeks ago off 3 boards and that was fine. A week later, I took 600 down to 2 boards, and it felt like **** for a couple days after. I took a week of from benching.
I got a new, used F-8 shirt, 2 ply with a collar, and it fits tighter/better than my other one. Yesterday, 9/17, I did 505 off 3 boards for a triple in just the 2 plies and I could have done 5+ reps easy, but the handoff guy took it. I put the insert in so it was 3 plies, & it went up to 615 and doubled it easy. I then did 645x2 and that went well too. Elbow is feeling pretty ok today.
I have been squatting to a ~20" box in briefs. 425 seems to be the sweet spot. 475 feels like too much for the knee. When I do several doubles with 425, the knee feels better afterwards.
I've been DLing and increasing weight as I feel is appropriate. Last Tuesday, I went up to 630x1 off the floor, then worked up to a reverse band 685. GHRs feel good lately, and they seem to be helping the knee too.