Brian Carroll | 10/20/Life new Offseason | Week 5 Bench press with video voice-over

I'm currently training in an offseason approach using the 10/20/Life method. I've only been back to training for about 20 weeks, and shoulder has been cooperative, with very few roadblocks and setbacks. Huge thanks to Andrew Lock for the help in my shoulder progressions and understanding a better way to incorporate more efficient cervical, thoracic, and rotator/shoulder training into my approach. Still so much to learn! I've been working on a lot of things this year, one building my powerlifting Team here at PRS HQ in Jacksonville, Fl. I've also added in more accommodating resistance (bands and chains) during this offseason for a much-needed change! I feel like I need more time to get my shoulder used to load (before getting into an SDP bench shirt)

I will pick out a tune-up meet soon; it's looking like December. I will be attending the WPO Finals this year in IL. It will be helpful to sit back and have no pressure at a high-level meet.

Week 5, Day 2 Monday’s Bench Session 9.16.19

Normal 10/20/Life Warm-up

Training: Doubles

  • Bench w/ average band under bench:top set 325×2
  • Close grip bench with same bands: top set of 245×5
  • Incline DB press: 4×10
  • Spud strap press-down SS Hamer curl: 3×10
  • I was extremely gassed… So no sled drags.

Smoked! I was feeling a little tired before this session – most likely from Saturday’s ball-busting session, but still hit a nice double with 325 + the bands, with some room to spare. 2 weeks in a row with no missed weights! I had a couple of weeks there where I kept overestimating. I haven’t done bands this consistent for a long time, so there will be a learning curve.

Everyone is getting strong! Looking forward to the deload and then coming back to some chains and some powerlifting gear.

I was telling Blue that I will be working on my raw lifts more even when I’m pushing toward a meet to keep my raw strength up. Now that I’m heavier and fuller, I feel the risk is less. I don’t need to go crazy, but being able to do 750, 500, 700-ish would wrap up a solid offseason, without getting too greedy.

After the bench session on Monday my body was pretty beat down and to add to that, I let my nutrition slip for about four days, but I’ve been back on track since Tuesday. My weight got up to 309, which is terrible. I will be working my way down to the 285 range to see how I feel there. 309 is too heavy, and every part of my body felt locked up.

I will be taking it very easy this weekend and next week, then flipping the switch back on for a few weeks until I have some traveling to do.

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Brian Carroll

Owner and Founder at PowerRackStrength.com
Brian is a retired world-class powerlifter with over two decades of world-class powerlifting. From 1999 to 2020, Brian Carroll was a competitive powerlifter, one of the most accomplished lifters in the sport's history. Brian started off competing in bench press competitions 'raw,' then, shortly into the journey, he gravitated toward equipped lifting as there were no "raw" categories then. You only had to choose from single-ply (USPF) and Multi-ply (APF/WPC). Brian went on to total 2730 at 275 and 2651 at 242 with more than ten times his body weight in three different classes (220, 242, 275), and both bench pressed and deadlifted over 800 pounds in two other weight classes. He's totaled 2600 over 20 times in 2 different weight classes in his career. With 60 squats of 1000lbs or more officially, this is the most in powerlifting history, regardless of weight class or federation, by anyone not named David Hoff. Brian realized many ups and downs during his 20+ years competing. After ten years of high-level powerlifting competition and an all-time World Record squat at 220 with 1030, in 2009, Brian was competing for a Police academy scholarship. On a hot and humid July morning, Brian, hurdling over a barricade at 275lbs, landed on, fell, and hurt his back. After years of back pain and failed therapy, Brian met with world-renowned back specialist Prof McGill in 2013, which changed his trajectory more than he could have imagined. In 2017, Brian Carroll and Prof McGill authored the best-selling book about Brian's triumphant comeback to powerlifting in Gift of Injury. Most recently (10.3.20) -Brian set the highest squat of all time (regardless of weight class) with 1306 lbs – being the first man to break the 1300lb squat barrier at a bodyweight of 303 lbs.
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