Date: August 3, 2026
Age: 39
Bodyweight: ~81 kg
Context: This was your first full training session after returning from your work trip and several additional days away from your normal routine. The objective was to re-establish training rhythm while assessing overall readiness rather than chasing progression.
A positive development was that the scapular knot beneath your right shoulder blade had largely resolved, confirming it was most likely a travel-related issue rather than a lifting injury.
Bench Press
Warm-Up
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| Bar | 1 × 15 |
| 60 kg | 1 × 10 |
| 80 kg | 1 × 8 |
| 100 kg | 1 × 5 |
| 110 kg | 1 × 1 (Paused) |
Working Sets
| Load | Sets × Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 120 kg | 4 × 3 | RPE 8; final few reps of the last set approached RPE 8.5 |
Session Notes
- Overall fatigue felt systemic rather than chest-specific.
- Pressing strength remained solid despite still feeling generally tired after the travel period.
Paused Bench
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 105 kg | 1 × 3 |
Additional Bench Volume
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 100 kg | 1 × 10 |
Incline Dumbbell Press
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 40 kg | 2 × 8 |
High Rows
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 20 kg | 3 × 20 |
Lateral Raise Machine
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 20 kg | 2 × 10 |
Triceps Pushdowns
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 21.25 kg | 2 × 15 |
Pull-Ups
| Sets × Reps |
|---|
| 2 × 8 |
Treadmill
| Duration | Speed | Incline |
|---|---|---|
| 20 min | 5 | 7 |
🧠 Session Interpretation / Why This Session Matters
This was exactly the type of session I was hoping to see after your time away.
Strength Returned Faster Than Freshness
The most important observation wasn’t the RPE—it was where the fatigue showed up.
You wrote:
“Overall body is still feeling general tiredness, not just specific to chest.”
That fits perfectly with what we discussed after your first post-trip session.
Your strength has largely returned, but your work capacity and overall recovery rhythm are still catching up.
That’s a very normal pattern after:
- international travel,
- disrupted sleep,
- inconsistent meal timing,
- and time away from your usual routine.
Bench Is Essentially Back
Let’s compare your recent heavy-volume sessions:
| Date | Performance |
|---|---|
| July 13 | 122.5 × 4 × 3 @ RPE 8 |
| August 3 | 120 × 4 × 3 @ RPE 8–8.5 |
Being only 2.5 kg lower after the interruption is an excellent place to restart.
I don’t see this as lost strength.
I see it as a controlled re-entry.
Scapular Knot
This is probably the best news of the session.
The fact that it’s mostly resolved strongly supports the conclusion that it was caused by the prolonged, awkward sleeping position on the flight rather than by your training.
That’s exactly what we hoped would happen with several days of normal movement and recovery.
Pull-Ups and Rows
You also tolerated:
- high rows,
- pull-ups,
- and pushdowns
without mentioning any recurrence of the shoulder-blade symptoms.
That’s another encouraging sign that your upper back is returning to normal.
Where You Stand Now
Compared with where you were before your trip:
Bench Strength
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Essentially maintained.
Work Capacity
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Still rebuilding after travel.
Rotator Cuff
Continues to trend positively.
Elbows
No indication that they’ve regressed during the time away.
Scapular Knot
Largely resolved.
Plan Going Forward
Assuming tomorrow’s recovery feels normal, I’d return to your pre-trip progression rather than spending multiple weeks rebuilding.
That means over the next week we can likely move back toward:
- 122.5 × 4 × 3
- 125 × 2–3
- 130 kg top singles
before thinking about progressing beyond that again.
Biggest Takeaway
This session tells me the trip temporarily affected your conditioning and recovery, not your strength.
That’s exactly the outcome we were hoping for.
You also made another good coaching decision by recognizing the difference between:
“I’m weaker.”
and
“I’m just not fully fresh yet.”
Those are very different situations.
Given today’s performance and the fact that the travel-related shoulder issue has largely resolved, I think you’re already well on your way back to the level you reached before leaving. I wouldn’t be surprised if within another week your sessions feel almost indistinguishable from where you left off before the trip.