03 Feb Byrd: Bench PRs, Just A Few Weeks Left!

Currently training for the XPC Finals at the Arnold. Working my body weight up to 290lbs and making the cut down to 275 class. I will use the protocols from Brian’s Manual“CUTTING WEIGHT”

As always I am fighting off nagging injuries from my past years of complete dumb ass training. This maybe the first time in 3 years that I can call myself healthy (by powerlifting standards).

I was in desperate need for a solid bench day. Last weeks 730×1 off the 1board was a good start, but until this point I have not expected much out of my bench. Honestly my pec only works when it wants to work, but normally it works in the gear. Honestly its a nightmare, and hard to work around. For those who do not know, I tore the tendon from the bone on my left pec as well as a major muscle belly tear in it. One of those “You will never lift again” type things. Anyway, I have hit a ton of bench prs in meets since then, so they can kiss my ass.

Paul Key has been helping me with my bench again, and I am lucky for that. I guess the time out of gear has made my equipped bench a shit show haha. He wasnt happy with my lockout so he decided on some overload work vs bands.

Raw
work up to 380+100band off 2board
shirt on
520+100 band from 3board
610+100 band from 3board
700+100 band from 2board
750+100 band from 2board

4×20 band push downs and fly

DEAD!

I was really happy with tonight, bench moved well, and lockout was solid. I switched to a new shirt that my training partner Jason had been breaking in for me. It is by far the tightest shirt I have had on, but I managed to work it well. It should be broken in perfect by meet day!

Also, Larry Allen is the best offensive lineman in NFL history, that is all.

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Jonathan Byrd

Jonathan Byrd is a competitive powerlifter, with over 16 years of training experience. Byrd has been ranked nationally for the past 6 years under multiple categories. His total has ranked as high as second nationally in the 275 class. He currently has a best total of 2500lbs. Best individual lifts include a 1040lb squat, a 750lb bench press, and 735lb deadlift. His 1040lb squat ranks him 26th all-time squats at the 308 class. Jonathan currently trains out of Team Samson Gym in Jacksonville, FL. Before powerlifting Jonathan was a college athlete at Methodist University as both an all-conference football player and track athlete. Following graduation he played four years of arena football in various leagues.

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