Just trying to get big

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Incline Bench
2 x 10 x bar (1 set medium grip, 1 set close)
8 x 125
4 x 165
2 x 185
1 x 205
1 x 5 x 185
1 x 4 x 185
4 x 5 x 165 -20 lbs. from last heavy w/o

Around 3 weeks ago, I wrote this about getting all 5x5 with 185 on my heavy incline day:

I got all 25 reps, but I'm not satisfied with how the last 2 sets went. I came all the way down and touched the chest, but I didn't give complete pauses: it felt like I would've failed on rep 5 if I gave full pauses. I'm gonna use 185 for another workout and aim for full pauses on every rep.

Since then, my strength has gone down. It seems that I must've either been not pausing or pausing very briefly at the chest for several workouts. It's time to reset!
The 1x5x185 I did tonight was with full pauses at the chest, and so was the 1x4x185. However, I wanted a complete 5x5 workout tonight. When I saw that my strength was quickly fading, I reset to 165 and completed the other 4x5. Like I said, the pauses at the chest were full this time -- ridiculously full, really. But I'd rather make slow progress with full pauses than quick progress with sh!tty pauses or no pauses. I wouldn't be surprised if pausing itself builds strength and mass; well, that's what I'm after, not an ego boost by loading up the bar with weight I can't handle.

I'm kinda discouraged at having to reset, but all my other lifts are steadily improving (and you can't really fake deadlift). All signs point to me not having been benching right for quite a while. I need to take the next 2-4 weeks to get back on track and advance to 195.

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Squat (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
8 x 135 (pause @ bottom for first 4)
4 x 225
1 x 255
5 x 4 x 205

Press (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 95
4 x 115
1 x 130
5 x 4 x 105

I was in a rush, so I warmed up with 1 less set per movement.

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Deadlift
8 x 135 (suicide grip)
4 x 225 (matched grip)
2 x 315 (begin mixed grip)
1 x 375
1 x 4 x 350
2 x 5 x 335
2 x 5 x 315

First workout after a 1-week layoff: I had tweaked my left rotator cuff. The warmup sets were easy, but I didn't have the same pulling power for my work sets as I had before the layoff. I hope this is temporary because that's quite a big dip in strength.

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Incline Bench (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
2 x 10 x bar (1 set medium grip, 1 set close)
8 x 105
4 x 135
2 x 150
1 x 165
5 x 4 x 135

First work set felt so light, I paused mid-rep to see if I put on 45s and not 35s.
This workout makes me think I should've pulled light on deadlifts Tuesday. I went heavy because that was the next scheduled workout. Probably coming off a layoff, even a short one, I should've started with all light days for the first week.

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Squat (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 135 (pause @ bottom for first 4)
4 x 225
2 x 240
1 x 255
5 x 4 x 205

Press (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 95
4 x 115
1 x 135
5 x 4 x 105