Right now I just want to get brutally strong. I have goals for each lift.
current stats:
height: 6’
weight: 227
squat: 568 (meet, CPF), 550 (no belt, gym)
bench: 353 (meet, CPF), 365 (tng, gym)
deadlift (no belt): 595 (meet, cpf)
deadlift (belt): 639 (meet, 100% raw and CPF), 655 (gym)
total: 1560 (meet, CPF)
This is somewhat of an in between week as I just finished a cycle of 5/3/1 and I wanted to wait another week to start my final cycle so that the deload would line up with the week of the meet. So I decided to do a few heavy lifts and see where my max was
DAY ONE: SQUAT
dynamic warmup
SQUATS
warmup w/ bar
5 @ 135
5 @ 225
2 @ 315
1 @ 405 → add belt
1 @ 455 → w/ belt
2x1 @ 500 → w/ belt and knee wraps
OLYMPIC SQUATS
2 @ 315 → too gasses at this point
2x5 @ 295
SIDE BENDS + HANGING LEG RAISES
SIDE BENDS + HANGING LEG RAISES
2X6 w/ 150 + 6
6 w/ 135 + 6
the gym I was at had dumbells that went up to 150 so I had to use them
LEG PRESS
20 w/ 5 plates a side
20 w/ 6 plates a side
The squats were a PR of +5 lbs., my previous best was 495 done 2 months ago, however they weren’t pretty. The setup on my first was all over the place and with both I have a crazy hard sticking just out of the hole where I feel like I’m loosing my form a little bit. At least I got the reps though.
I staffed an event at the Hershey Center this weekend and worked about 60 hrs. in four days and had to stay in a hotel near the premise. So sufficet to say, no lifting. This leaves me with exactely four weeks before the competition, enough time for a peaking cycle. I’m working off sheiko 30, it gives lots of practice with the big 3 and the intensity actually ramps up high enough for me to get practice with my openers. I’m not sure if its the best idea but I did the first workout today and really enjoyed it so I’m feeling good about it.
DAY ONE
dynamic warmup
SQUATS
warmup w/ bar
1x5 @ 135
1x5 @ 250
2x4 @ 300
2x3 @ 350
2x2 @ 400 → add belt
3x1 @ 450 → w/ belt
BENCH
1x5 @ 145
1x4 @ 170
2x3 @ 205
2x3 @ 225 (forgot these were suppose to be sets of 2)
4x2 @ 225
SQUATS
1x5 @ 250
1x4 @ 300
2x3 @ 350
1x2 @ 400
I ran out of time for the workout and didn’t get in 3 more doubles at 400 for the squat or the flyes and ab work. I’ll need to make sure I block off more time in the future I almost had to sprint through the last few sets of squats, surprisingly they felt really good. In fact they felt more explosive and the weight felt “lighter” than the first sets. The walkouts are feeling good although a couple of the setups were a little sloppy, overall though an excellent workout, and the gym I found is incredible, has an olympic lifting room with platforms, boxes, chalk and the gym even has a glute ham raise!
DAY TWO
dynamic warmup
DEADLIFT
1x5 @ 135
1x5 @ 250
1x4 @ 300
2x3 @ 350
5x3 @ 400
BENCH
1x5 @ 145
1x4 @ 170
2x4 @ 200
2x3 @ 215
2x2 @ 230
2x3 @ 215
2x5 @ 200
1x7 @ 170
1x9 @ 145
DB FLYES
5x10 w/ 25s or 30s (DB were unmarked so I wasn’t sure of the weight)
DEADLIFT TILL KNEES
1x4 @ 250
1x4 @ 300
5x4 @ 350
4x3 @ 375
REVERSE HYPERS
1x10 w/ 25 kg
3x10 w/ 35 kg
openned the family cottage this weekend, luckily I found a gym in a nearby town open on Sunday. Actually a pretty sweet setup.
DAY THREE
dynamic warmup
BENCH
1x5 @ 140
2x4 @ 165
2x3 @ 200
5x2 @ 230
SQUATS
10 w/ bar
1x5 @ 130
1x5 @ 250
2x5 @ 300
5x5 @ 350 → no belt, this was a pretty big deal for me
BENCH
1x4 @ 160
1x3 @ 185
5x2 @ 215
AXEL PRESS (each set pwr. cleaned)
8 @ 110
6 @ 130
8 @ 120
8 @ 110
4 @ 160 → push pressed
4 @ 120
The axel was pretty cool, a little awkward and tough on the wrists but lots of fun. The squats went very well, usually I use a belt when going for that many reps in the 350+ range but I decided to try them without it and they felt solid. Overall very pleased with the workout.
DAY ONE, WEEK TWO
dynamic warmup
SQUATS
warmup w/ bar
1x5 @ 135
1x5 @ 250
2x4 @ 300
2x3 @ 350
5x3 @ 400 → add belt
(weights may be a little off, all the weights are bumper plates in kilos)
BENCH
1x5 @ 145
1x4 @ 170
2x3 @ 200
5x3 @ 230
SQUATS
1x6 @ 250
1x6 @ 300
4x6 @ 325
BENCH
1x5 @ 160
2x5 @ 185
4x4 @ 215
DB FLYES
5x10 w/ 30s
MILITARY PRESS (each set pwr. cleaned)
5x5 @ 115
My biceps were feeling a little sore today so I took my grip out a bit on the squats and that seemed to fix them. The benching felt off, I couldn’t seem to get my back set nicely and I felt it was rolling out as I pressed, my benching has been feeling pretty good lately though so hopefully this is just an off day. I was beat from this session, it took something like 3.5 hours so I did the military’s light, I’ll try to build them up in the future.
thurs, May 21
DAY TWO, WEEK TWO
dynamic warmup
DEADLIFTS
1x4 @ 250
1x4 @ 300
2x3 @ 350
3x3 @ 400 → add belt, use mixed grip
3x2 @ 425 → w/ belt
BENCH
1x6 @ 145
1x5 @ 170
2x4 @ 200
2x3 @ 215
2x2 @ 230
2x1 @ 245
2x2 @ 230
2x3 @ 215
1x5 @ 200
1x7 @ 185
1x9 @ 170
1x11 @ 155
1x13 @ 145
at this point I had spent close to 3 hours in the gym and I had a job interview to get to so I left and came back about 6 hours later
dynamic warmup
DEADLIFT FROM BOXES
1x5 @ 325
2x5 @ 375 → mixed grip
4x4 @ 425 → add belt, right erector feeling more sore after
DB FLYES
5x10 w/ 35s
REVERSE HYPERS
5x8 @ 50kg (110lbs.)
friday May 22
DAY THREE, WEEK TWO
BENCH
1x5 @ 145
1x4 @ 170
2x3 @ 200
6x3 @ 230
dynamic warmup
SQUATS
10 w/ bar
1x5 @ 135
1x5 @ 250
1x4 @ 300
2x3 @ 350
2x3 @ 400 → add belt
2x2 @ 425 → w/ belt
3x3 @ 400 → w/ belt
ran out of time at this point, might try to get the rest of the benching done over the weekend
Monday, May 25
DAY ONE, WEEK THREE
dynamic warmup
SQUATS
10 w/ bar
1x5 @ 135
1x5 @ 250
1x4 @ 300
2x3 @ 350
2x3 @ 400 → add belt
2x2 @ 425 → w/ belt
2x1 @ 450 → w/ belt
I was thinking about moving the weight up to 475 for the final single and maybe using knee wraps but decided against it, I don’t want to hit anything super heavy this week and burn myself out for the meet
BENCH
1x5 @ 145
1x4 @ 170
2x3 @ 200
2x3 @ 230
2x2 @ 245
2x3 @ 230
SQUATS
1x4 @ 275
1x4 @ 325
5x3 @ 375
at this point the gym closed so I went to a 24hr place to finish
PEC FLYES
5x10 w/ 35s
MILITARY PRESS (each set pwr. cleaned)
3x5 @ 115
3x5 @ 125
ABS
hanging leg raises 1x5
cable pulldown abs 2x10
Tuesday, May 26
DAY TWO, WEEK THREE
dynamic warmup
DEADLIFT TO KNEES
1x3 @ 250
2x3 @ 300
2x3 @ 350
4x3 @ 375
BENCH
1x5 @ 145
1x5 @ 170
2x4 @ 200
2x3 @ 215
2x3 @ 230
1x4 @ 215
1x5 @ 200
1x6 @ 185
1x7 @ 170
1x8 @ 155
1x9 @ 145
DB FLYES
5x10 w/ 35s
REVERSE HYPERS
4x8 @ 50kg (110lbs.)
biceps were killing today, they were feeling a little funny earlier so I took a handful of tylenol extra strength before my workout but after the first couple sets of deads they started throbbing, I must have taken at least 8 more during the workout but I had to take extra long breaks between sets of deads and bench to let them cool down. I figured it would be smartest to skip the second group of deadlifts just to save my biceps some, I’ve torn one before and the last thing I need is to injure myself a week and a half before my first meet. I figured a few extra sets at 400 wasn’t going to make me any stronger but hurting myself could make me ALOT weaker. So I pussied out and did some reverse hypers instead.
Thursday, May 28
DAY THREE, WEEK THREE
dynamic warmup
SQUAT
warmup w/ bar
1x5 @ 135
1x4 @ 300
2x3 @ 350
7x3 @ 400 → add belt
HEAVY WALKOUTS
2 @ 550 → w/ belt and APT knee wraps
BENCH
1x5 @ 145
1x4 @ 170
2x3 @ 200
5-6x3 @ 230 → lost count
1x1 @ 265
I wanted a heavy single to make sure my technique was solid at some heavier weights, and because I’ve never paused a near max bench before. Despite a god-awful liftoff (the person I got lifted ONE side of the bar instead of the middle!) the weight felt easy, good long pause and poped right up. I’m feeling really good about this.
DB FLYES
5x10 @ 30s or 35s (DBs weren’t marked)
SEATED PRESS
4x5 @ 115
ABS
2x5 15lbs. med ball rollout
1x10 glute-ham situps
Tues, June 2nd
DELOAD WEEK
dynamic warmup
DEADLIFT
1x3 @ 250
2x3 @ 300
2x3 @ 350 → add belt
BENCH
1x3 @ 145
2x3 @ 170
2x2 @ 200
2x1 @ 215
ABS → situps on GHR
3x10 w/ 5kg behind head
Weds, June 3rd
DELOAD WEEK, DAY TWO
dynamic warmup
SQUAT
warmup w/ bar
1x5 @ 135
1x3 @ 250
2x3 @ 300
3x2 @ 350 → add belt for set 2, add wraps for set 3
BENCH
1x3 @ 145
2x3 @ 170
3x2 @ 200
last day of training before the meet, I wanted to try the knee wraps as I haven’t used them in a month. I’m feeling good, except for my abs! In retrospect I probably should have skipped ab work yesterday as I haven’t been doing alot of it this training cycle so I’m pretty DOM’d in my midsection right now. Hopefully it’ll go away by saturday…leason learned
Sat, June 6
POWER PIT OPEN & PUSH/PULL
weight: 95.6 kg
SQUAT
195 → good
230 → good
235 → 2 white lights, good
BENCH
260 → misload, no lift
107.5 → no lift, did not wait for “down” command
110 → good
122.5 → good
DEADLIFT
205 → good
232 → good
240 → good, felt easier than 2nd attempt
TOTAL
597.5 kg → 1315 lbs.
So all in all an awesome experience, I set 4 PRs and uped my total by 50 lbs. and with the exception of my first bench I didn’t miss a single lift. I also got a pretty sweet trophy. Definately room for improvment here, my bench especially, but overall I’m incredibly satisfied.
2nd attempt squat
3rd attempt squat
Damn, I never saw your log here before. We were talking for a few minutes before weigh-in.
There were a few T-Nation people competing there actually.
You are one strong bastard! Nice lifting.