I’ve had several requests for a log, so let’s give this a go. Hopefully, if you are reading this you find a useful nugget, motivation, or entertainment. You can find me on IG @baumbodies, if you need to DM.
Goals
Qualify for USAPL raw nationals
Maintain 32in waist
Add 4lbs of muscle
I’ve been training for 10 years, mostly focusing on the big 3, but just started competing in 2019. So far I’ve done 3 meets. After the first I realized I had a shot at nationals, that sounded like a good goal, so here we are.
Some may say I am too light for my weight class. At a hair under 6 feet I am always the tallest person in my weight class. Would I be more competitive if I moved up to the 93kg class, maybe? But 205lbs is not a good look for me (straight to the face). I also care about my health and enjoy maintaining abs year-round.
National Qualifying Total = 625kg
Current Total = 617.5kg
To go = 7.5kg
Currently, I am running a modified version of the Best Damn Strength Plan for Natural Lifters. My weight has been at 179 for every weigh-in, so I’m trying to get that up to 183 to max out the class. This program seemed to balance integration of the big 3 while remaining size focused. It’s a 6 day program, but I’ve been a bit run down, so I’m working on cutting it down to 4.
Right. Well, I have no experience with meets, but I feel as if I vaguely recollect from reading other people’s experiences that training can suffer for a while after that. But obviously, you have more experience here. How do you intend to restructure your training moving to a four workouts a week?
Hehe, this stands out to me. When I did my cut I got down to a 28in waist and I never got abs like ravioli. Ah, the joys of being stupid and bullheaded.
Sorry to bring you bad news, but the new qualifying total for the 83kg open class is 682.5. I heard the other day that they raised the QTs to something ridiculous and now maybe a third of lifters at this year’s nationals would qualify.
And yes, the qualifying totals for equipped are lower. Apparently gear is for the weak.
You would think that moving up a weight class would improve your chances, but for 93kg it’s 750 and for some reason it’s only 745 for 105kg. Looks like you need to gain 20kg.
I think they need more drug testing. When you have several guys in a single weight class all beating all time world records and claiming to be clean, something isn’t right.
Damn. I thought the current totals were locked in for 3 years. I do wonder how many people are using drugs at least in the off season. Frustrating when there’s untested federations to choose from.
Part of the problem is that the drug testing is totally random, instead of going after the top lifters who obviously are the ones most likely to be using. But it’s funny, there are some people who are on a whole bunch of shit and still suck. I looked at the USAPL suspension list and there is one guy who got busted for several things including tren, I looked him up on Open Powerlifting and he is a masters lifter with around 300 wilks. In Canada there was a bench-only guy whose best lift was something like 350lbs in the 105 class, he tested positive for 10 different PEDs plus weed. Some people are going to suck no matter what they try, but it’s not even worth trying to catch people like that as far as I’m concerned.
First day back in the gym after cutting my program from a six day push/pull to a 4 day upper lower. I started feeling tired, unmotivated, and uninterested in going to the gym.
New program schedule:
Lower 1: Squat
Upper 1: Bench
Off
Lower 2: Deadlift
Off
Upper 2: Close Grip Bench
Off
All sets listed (on accessories) are sets taken to failure. Usually, I’m doing 1-3 easy to moderate warmup sets. Trying a lower volume, training to failure approach for gaining muscle.
Lower 1: 11/16
Squat: 405x4
Squat felt pretty good for not squatting in 9 days. Wanted 5 to hit the projected max I’m trying to maintain. Probably could’ve ground it out, but not worth it. Happy with 4 reps considering I was out hunting this morning so my legs were already a bit fatigued. I also dropped down to 1x per weekafter doing a squat every day program for about 10 weeks. I thought I’d lose the gains, but based on a calculated 1RM I’ve maintained.
RDL: 275x8 (slow ecc + pause)
Hip Thrust: 225x12,11
Haven’t done these in a long time. My glutes were bigger when I was. Felt good.
Leg Extension: 130x12, 130x15*
*Rep PR
Abs: 8x2
DB Walking Lunge: 50x12/side
*Doing 1 set of these on each leg day to keep some single leg work in and have a challenge set to end with
I assume the either the expense of testing or inconvenience of the process as to why so few are actually tested? An Olympic style approach would probably be overkill.
Mostly the cost, but like I said it makes no sense for it to be totally random rather than going after the top lifters. The IPF made a new rule maybe a year or so ago that medallists and people who break records no longer automatically get tested, totally random instead. Also last year USAPL was given some warnings about the number of positive drug tests, from what I heard the IPF was threatening to kick them out of the IPF if so many people kept testing positive. So USAPL actually has an incentive to let people get away with drug use, and the same can be assumed with the IPF since there was a similar thing going on with all the weightlifters testing positive in the Olympics. Weightlifting is the dirtiest Olympic sport in that regard, and for the IPF to have any chance of making it into the Olympics they have to minimize positive tests. It’s pretty fucked up.
I thought it might be interesting to include a bit about what I eat since that’s an often overlooked aspect of training.
Overall my diet is geared toward health. My philosophy is that a healthy body will be the most likely to make gains, especially in the long term. So, most of my eating is focused around whole foods. Lots of vegetables, moderate protein (NOT HIGH), and moderate carbohydrate intake, and mostly unsaturated fats. I limit sugar and high GI carbs because it makes me crave more carbs. This simple strategy has allowed me to maintain leanness for many years.
My macros right now likely fall around 50/20/30 (C/P/F). Calories likely upper 2000s. Protein intake is probably about 130-150g/day including plant sources. I followed the 1g/lb rule for a long time and never saw any difference in results. It was just a waste of chewing and money. Plus carbs or fat taste way better than meat. PLUS high protein intake is associated with increased disease risk. So it’s likely best to err on the side of caution.
Here’s something related to our previous discussion. The question I have is whether powerlifters are less likely to use drugs than crossfitters. 12 positive tests so far (5 more than the previous 7).
