I just made a long ass post detailing my training cycle for a meet in April, which somehow disappeared. Nice work T-Nation forum.
2/29/12 - Squat
Raw Squat - worked up to 505x1 (ties lifetime PR), 415x2x3 paused
Went home.
3/1/12 - Shoulders, etc
Rear Delt Machine - 4x12
LR Machine - 4x10 (last set was a drop set)
Ab Pulldown - 140x2x10
Rotary Calf Machine - 2x10
One of the only redeeming qualities of the commercial gym I frequent is the machine selection. The LR machine is tits.
They also have inexpensive tanning which will be useful in a few months.
3/2/12 - Back
Snatch from Blocks - 95x5, 125x3, 145x3, 155x3x5
Ring Chins - 37 reps
WG Iso Row - 260x10,10,8
NG Iso Row - 260x3x8
Shrug - work up to 545x10
BW - 240
I like the diverse types of exercise you use in some of your sessions. Snatches, rings, machines, barbell bodybuilding work. Nice.
3/5/12 - BP/MP
Raw Bench - 285x2 (partner misloaded bar so I cut it short), 315x5, 335x5
Pause Bench - 335x2x3
MP - 165x5, 195x5, 215x5 - nearly killed myself on the 215 set; missed the upright on the right side as I was putting the weight back. bar swung down and nearly broke my leg. it would be funny if i hadn’t done the exact same thing 10 min earlier with my 135 warmup.
Dip - BWx10, 45x10, 90x8,8,7
-alt with-
EZ Curl - 65x10, 85x10, 105x3x8
Next week will be a speed week with chains to give my shoulders a break so I’m fresh going into meet prep. The meet is April 14, which leaves me enough time for 3 heavy bench sessions. I think that’s plenty of time to peak my raw bench. I will hit 360, 375, and 390, respectively, in those 3 weeks. I will also continue to work the paused bench hard and move that working weight up as well.
3/7/12 - DL
Raw DL - 135,225,315,405x3; 455,495x1; 525x3
Calves and Ab Pulldown - alternated 3 sets of each
Meet prep has begun.
3/8/12 - Shoulders
Rear Delt Machine - 4 sets
LR Machine - 4 sets
Seated DB LR - 2x12
-SS w/-
Seated DB Clean and Press - 2x12
3/9/12 - Back
Snatch - 95x3, 125x3, 145x3, 165x2x3, 145x3
Ring Chin - 40 reps
WG Iso Row - 270x10,10,8
NG Iso Row - 270x10,9,7
BB Shrug - 495x10, 545x8, 585x6
BW = 237
Entire back was fairly sore Saturday. I thought that was strange since Friday’s training wasn’t anything to write home about.
I am buying a new amp this week. Blackstar HT-20. Wanted to upgrade to all-tube and this thing is about as versatile as anything else out there. Can’t wait to pick it up.
3/12/12 - BP
Bench with 120# chain - 225x3, 255x3, 275x3, 225x2x3
Inc DB Press - 80,90,100x10
Dip - 45x3x10
-SS w/-
EZ Curl - 85x3x10 - did this SS with little rest = sick pump
Fuck me I’m behind.
3/14/12 - Squat
w/wraps - worked up to 545x1 - got it but I did the unthinkable and went too heavy first week of meet prep
paused squats (raw) - hit 425x2 the first set, then got fucking buried on the first rep of the second set; first missed squat in probably 5 years.
abs/calve - blah
3/16/12 - Back
Chest Supported BB Row - have to get video of this one; it is awesome if you have a cambered bench bar and some steps to lift the bench
Neutral Grip Pulldown - 4 sets
DB Upright Row - 4 sets
BB Shrug - 315x3x20
3/20/12 - Bench
Some guitar playing over the weekend. I am not good but I’m improving.
3/22/12 - Squat
w/wraps - worked up to 535x1, missed 565
DL - 315x3x3
Ab Pulldown 4x10
-alt with-
Standing Calf Raise 4x12
Programmed too heavy on the squats. I will fix that and should be ok for the meet.
3/24/12 - Back
Chest Supp BB Row - 4x10
NG Pulldown - 3x10
DB Pullover - 2x12
DB Upright Row - 3x12
BB Shrug - 3x20
BW has been sitting around 235 in the mornings.
3/27/12 - BP
Bench - worked up to 375x1; felt light in my hands, but shoulders are beat up from heavy squats so the rep was an 8/10
Pause Bench - 335x3x2
Did some other stuff, not worth sharing really.
3/28/12 - Shoulder Iso work
Rear delt machine, LR machine, DB Press, all for 10-12 reps with short rest.
3/29/12 - DL
DL - worked up to 525x1 - felt heavy as fuck (10/10); lower body is really worn down right now
Assistance stuff was blah.
Someone wrote an article here about needing to know where you are in order to figure out how to get where you want to go. I think that was my issue with squats and deads this cycle. I didn’ realize how close to my max I was. As a result I’ve been training with near max weights every week for about 10 weeks now.
Very dumb. Next time will be smarter. If nothing else goes right at this meet, I will get my 405 bench.
4/2/12 - Bench
worked up to 365 for a single, and it felt like a 1RM; was supposed to go to 385 but shitcanned that idea; did two sets of pauses with 335 which felt decent; do not feel very strong right now
hopefully the next ~2 weeks of rest help a LOT
going to squat pretty light tonight (465 for a triple) and do some light stuff next monday, then the meet next saturday (4/14); will post meet video, even if it sucks
tentative openers:
squat - 505
bench - 345
dead - 525
Did my meet writeup and forum deleted it.
Weighed in at 222. Went 575/375/550. Don’t care to type two fucking massive posts in a row.
Back at it:
4/23/12 - Afternoon session - MP shoulder iso
MP - 95,135,165,185,205x5
Rear Delt Machine - 4x12
LR Machine - 4x15,15,12,7 LOL
Evening session - BP
Raw Bench - 275,300,325x5
Paused Bench - 325x3
Inc DB - 85x10, 100x2x7
4/24/12 - Arms
Rope Pressdown - 85x12, 100x10, 115x10, 130x8, 145x8, 130x10, 115x12
-alt with-
EZ Curl - 60x12, 70x10, 80x10, 90x8, 95x6, 85x8, 65x10 - switched from the fixed weight bars to the Oly bar for last 3 sets; for some reason the 90 lb fixed bars want to rotate away from you, which is annoying.
About the meet:
Squats went much better than expected. I probably had a 600 squat in me but I pussed out. Opened at 495, which felt like a joke. Second attempt 535, same deal. 575 was a 10 lb PR but didn’t feel like it. Next time I guess.
Bench just felt off the entire time. Even my opener was weird, despite being easy. 375 was ok, but again, my bar path was just screwy. I went for 400 on my third attempt and touched too low, out of the groove, and never had a chance. Stalled 4" off my chest.
Deads were worse than bench. Opened at 500, which was easy enough. 550 was SLOOOOOOOW. Went for 585 and a total PR on my third attempt and maybe got it 2" off the floor. No dice.
Maybe the weight cutting had something to do with all of this, maybe not. I will continue to cut to 220 for these meets just because. I’m not big enough at this point to be a 242 lifter, even though I did not make it all the way to 220 (meet went by Wilks anyways, so the actual weight class didn’t matter). Next time I will give myself more time to cut. I didn’t start sweating til 9pm the night before weigh-ins, ended up with the choice of either not sleeping or not making weight, and chose the latter. I had no trouble putting weight back on though, and was back up to 237 the morning of the meet.
Still won the meet (and like $100 worth of free shit) but not thrilled with the outcome.
4/25/2012 - Squat
Raw Squat - worked up to 405x3, then 325x3 paused
calves and abs, etc.
The first squat after a meet is usually pretty awful. This was no exception.
BW was 231 this morning. Time for the summer.
4/27/2012 - Back
Chest Supported BB Row - worked up to 195x6, then back down; around 8 sets total
NG Pulldown - 150x3x12
DB Upright Row - 4 sets
Shrug - 4 sets
Tried Meadows Rows, but my hip wouldn’t let me get into position with my left arm. It was really stiff on Friday. Might give it another shot this week. If it doesn’t work I’ll use DB rows instead.
4/30/12 AM - MP and shoulders
MP - 165,185,205x6
Rear Delt Machine - 4x15
LR Machine - 4x15
Short rest on the iso stuff; 60 sec max. Sick pump.
4/30/12 PM - BP and chest
BP (close grip; pinky on rings) - 275,300x6, 325x5, 325x2 paused
Inc DB Press SS w/Inc Cable Fly - 3x12 each
Moving my grip in just about doubles my ROM. Still felt fairly strong though.
Had almost no energy left for anything else after bench. My chest has poor volume tolerance.
5/1/12 - Arms
Hammer Curl 4x10
-alt with-
Rope Pressdown 4x12
Dips 4x15
-alt with-
EZ Curl 4x10