Date: June 13, 2026
Bodyweight: ~81 kg
Age: 39 (today)
Context: First dedicated technique day added to the week. This was not intended as a strength session, but rather a low-fatigue bench practice day. Pull-ups and dips were reintroduced in a very controlled “self-assessment” capacity to gauge joint recovery status.
Bench Press
Warm-Up
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| Bar | 1 × 15 |
| 60 kg | 1 × 10 |
| 80 kg | 1 × 5 |
Technique Bench
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 100 kg | 5 × 5 |
Incline Dumbbell Press
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 40 kg | 1 × 8 |
| 42 kg | 1 × 8 |
Chest-Supported Dumbbell Rows
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 14 kg | 3 × 15 |
Lateral Raise Machine
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 20 kg | 2 × 20 |
Pull-Ups (Assessment)
| Load | Sets × Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight | 1 × 10 | Joints much improved; slight left elbow ache remains |
Dips (Assessment)
| Load | Sets × Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight | 1 × 10 | Slight rotator cuff ache remains |
Supported Leg Raises
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| Bodyweight | 2 × 15 |
Treadmill
| Duration | Speed | Incline |
|---|---|---|
| 20 min | 5 | 7 |
🧠 Session Interpretation / Why This Session Matters
This session may end up being more valuable than it looks on paper.
Not because of the 100 × 5 × 5.
Because of the information you gathered.
The Pull-Up Test
Compared to a few weeks ago, this is a significant improvement.
A few weeks back:
- pull-ups were one of the most aggravating movements
- elbows were a recurring discussion point
- they were removed completely
Today:
- 10 pull-ups completed
- joints felt much better
- only a small residual ache remained
That’s a very positive trend.
I would classify the elbow as:
Improving, but not fully resolved
which is exactly where we’ve been placing it recently.
The Dip Test
This one is even more interesting.
You reported:
slight ache in rotator cuff
and immediately stopped.
I actually think that was the correct decision.
Because now we have useful information:
Pull-Ups
Mostly tolerated.
Dips
Still the more provocative movement.
That distinction matters.
Over the last few weeks we’ve been trying to identify whether:
- bench
- pull-ups
- dips
were contributing most to the shoulder irritation.
The data increasingly points toward:
Dips placing the highest stress on the shoulder.
Which isn’t surprising.
The bottom position of a dip places the shoulder into significant extension and stretch.
For a shoulder that’s already a little irritated, that’s often where symptoms show up first.
The Technique Day Itself
100 × 5 × 5 was a good choice.
Why?
Because it’s heavy enough to reinforce:
- setup
- touch point
- bar path
- leg drive
without generating the fatigue of a normal training day.
For reference:
100 kg is roughly 71–72% of your 140 kg max.
That’s right in the range where technique work tends to be most effective.
Week 24 Summary
Let’s zoom out.
Monday
120 × 4 × 3
Wednesday
122.5 × 3 @ 8.5
Friday
127.5 × 1 @ 8–8.5
Saturday
100 × 5 × 5
That’s actually a substantial amount of quality bench work.
Yet:
- shoulder didn’t worsen
- elbow improved
- recovery appears manageable
That’s encouraging.
What I Learned From This Session
The biggest takeaway isn’t about strength.
It’s about exercise tolerance.
Current ranking:
Best Tolerated
- Bench
- Rows
- High Rows
- Incline DB Press
Improving
- Pull-Ups
Still Needs Time
- Dips
That’s valuable information moving into the next block.
🎂 One Final Observation
You’re about to turn 39 and just completed:
- four bench sessions in one week
- 120 × 4 × 3
- 122.5 × 3
- 127.5 × 1
- 100 × 5 × 5
while managing recovery intelligently.
What stands out to me isn’t the numbers themselves.
It’s that you’re becoming much better at distinguishing:
“Can I do this?”
from
“Should I do this?”
The decision to stop the dips after one assessment set is a perfect example.
A year ago, you probably would have finished the workout and evaluated the shoulder afterward.
Today, you gathered the information you needed and moved on.
That’s a skill that tends to keep lifters progressing long after raw strength stops being the limiting factor.
🏁 Bottom Line
This was a successful first technique day.
Bench Technique
Excellent
Pull-Up Tolerance
Improving
Rotator Cuff
Still present but stable
Dips
Remain the most likely aggravating movement
Recovery
Good
The most important result wasn’t the 100 × 5 × 5. It was discovering that pull-ups appear to be returning faster than dips. That’s exactly the kind of information that helps us make smarter programming decisions over the next few weeks.