03/02/10
ME Bench Presses
Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Presses:
20x2x10
26x8
34x15
34x12
34x11
Lat Pulldowns:
70x12
85x10
90x8
TRX Rear Delt Flyes:
2x10
Not much to say about tonight’s session. I had a bit of a play with the TRX straps they have at my gym and thought they are pretty damn cool.
05/02/10
DE Squats/Deadlifts
Speed Box Squats:
20x2x5
60x3
80x3
100x2
110x8x2
Ab Pulldowns:
90lbx1x12
110lbx1x12
129lbx2x8
Reverse Hypers:
50x1x10
60x2x10
65x1x10
Squats were fast, as you would expect with such a light weight.
07/02/10
DE Bench Presses
Speed Bench Presses:
20x2x8
40x5
60x3
80x3x3
85x3x3
HS Row Machine:
2 platesx10
2.5 platesx10
3 platesx12
Triceps Pushdowns w/Rope attachment:
27.5x20
32.5x15
Dumbbell Lateral Raises:
14x2x10
Scarecrows:
6x2x10
I’m itching to go hard and heavy for two weeks now, and then cruise and recover for a week before the meet.
08/02/10
ME Squats/Deadlifts
Squats:
20x2x5
60x5
80x3
100x3
120x3
140x1
160x1
170xF
170xF
Reverse Band Deadlifts:
(With green bands)
100x5
160x3
180x3
200x1
220x1
240x1
250x1 (PR)
Glute/Ham Raises:
BWx8
BW+5x8
BW+10x7
BWx12
Hanging Leg Raises:
4 sets
I was furious with my squatting yesterday. I didn’t feel strong, or at all comfortable wearing knee wraps, and got squashed twice by 170. I was determined to get a PR last night though, so pulled a very ugly 10kg PR with the assistance of the green bands.
You can see from the video how my levers make pulling conventional a rather ugly experience! My shoulders start right above the bar, which is a good 3-4 inches in front of my shins. Locked out, it has travelled quite a long way backwards. Interesting.
10/02/10
ME Bench Presses
Close Grip Bench Presses (Paused):
20x2x8
40x5
60x5
80x3
90x3
100x1
110x1
115x1
120xF
120x1 (PR)
Presses:
50x10
55x8
60x8
65x4
Lat Pulldowns:
75x12
80x10
85x10
90x8
Face Pulls:
47.5x2x12
Triceps Pushdowns w/Straight Bar Attachment:
35x2x12
I was absolutely delighted with tonight’s session. After missing 120 the first time, my set up was much better the second time around and I managed a hard 5kg PR. All of my assistance work felt good too. Looking forward to the meet now…
11/02/10
DE Squats/Deadlifts
Speed Box Squats:
20x2x5
(Added 2 sets of chains per side)
20x3
60x2
80x2
90x2x2
100x2x2
110x2x2
120x2
130x2
Speed Sumo Deadlifts:
70x3
(Added doubled mini bands)
70x1
90x1
110x3x1
130x2x1
140x1
Ab Pulldowns:
100lbx1x15
110lbx1x12
120lbx2x7
This was a fantastic session. Everything felt good, and the heavy sets went well - as you can see from the videos. This was only the second time that I have experimented with a sumo (or at least semi-sumo) stance, and I equalled my best conventional pull against the doubled mini bands. I’ll be looking at making this my preferred style after the competition.
After working up to heavy squats and deadlifts, I didn’t feel like I needed to do much more, so did a few sets of abs and headed home.
14/02/10
DE Bench Presses
Speed Bench Presses:
20x2x8
(Added 2 sets of chains per side)
20x2x3
40x3
60x4x3
70x4x3
This was my final set (and also one of my best):
Rolling E-Z Bar Triceps Extensions:
20x12
(Added mini band)
20x10
25x8
25x10
T-Bar Rows:
50x1x15
70x2x8
80x1x6
Band Pull-aparts:
3x10 w/light band
I’m dreaming of gearwhoredom already… OK, I haven’t benched with chains for a while, so decided to have a play around with them today. Some of the sets felt rather untidy, but they were largely pretty fast.
I didn’t include bar weight above for the triceps extensions or the rows. The set-up for the extensions was to wrap a mini band behind my back and hold each in my hands with the bar itself. It was pretty good fun.
15/02/10
ME Squats/Deadlifts
Cambered Bar Squats:
30x2x5
70x5
90x3
110x3
130x1
150x1
160x1
170xF
170xF
Deficit Deadlifts:
60x5
100x3
120x3
140x3
160x3
180x2 (PR)
160x2
This is the double with 180. The first rep wasn’t bad, but the second one was a stiff-legged deadlift with a horribly rounded back.
Reverse Hypers:
55x12
60x12
65x12
Roman Chair Sit-ups:
BWx15
BW+10x12
BW+15x8
Another Monday… another godawful squat session. Constantly failing with weights that I’ve lifted before is beginning to get very frustrating indeed. Even token deadlift PRs don’t make up for it.
Not much I can change now. I’ll just get rested and focused before the meet and perhaps re-evaluate my programming afterwards.
Fast, and good form on the speed bp
17/02/10
ME Bench Presses
Bench Presses (with long pause):
20x2x8
40x5
60x3
80x3
100x1
110x1
115x1
120xF
120xF
Presses:
50x10
55x8
60x6
50x12
Lat Pulldowns:
140lbx12
160lbx10
170lbx6
So lame it hurts. I thought Monday was bad.
[quote]whup wrote:
Fast, and good form on the speed bp[/quote]
Thanks dude. I tend to be pretty fast until I’m using weights that are very close to my max, and then this ‘form’ thing you speak of goes out of the window and I up grinding out horrible reps (like the deficit deadlifts from Monday).
19/02/10
DE Squats/Deadlifts
Speed Squats:
20x2x5
60x5
80x3
100x2
110x2x2
120x2x2
130x2x2
Glute/Ham Raises:
BWx10
BW+5x8
BW+10x8
Reverse Hypers:
65x1x10
70x2x10
Barbell Side Bends:
35x2x8/side
40x1x6/side
Nothing too exciting. The squats were fast and easy, and the assistance was pretty standard. I just have to rest up before next Sunday’s competition now.
21/02/10
DE Bench Presses
Bench Presses:
20x2x8
40x5
60x3
80x4x3
90x3
95x3
100x3
105x3
110x3
115x3
T-Bar Rows:
50x12
60x10
70x8
80x7
Face Pulls:
90lbx12
100lbx10
110lbx8
Barbell Curls:
2 sets
Pikes:
2 sets
Last heavy session before the competition. I’m seven days out, so decided to work up to some heavy triples on the bench press after my fast sets, and then cut down on the assistance work. My benching felt MUCH better than it did on Wednesday, so this was a good session.
I’ll train tomorrow, and work up to a single at around 80% in the squat and deadlift, and that’ll be it apart from a very easy session on Wednesday.
22/02/10
ME Squats/Deadlifts
Squats:
20x2x5
60x2x5
80x3
100x3
120x1
140x1
Deadlifts:
60x5
80x5
100x3
120x3
140x1
150x1
160x1
Ab Pulldowns:
60x3x10
[quote]Element_26 wrote:
22/02/10
ME Squats/Deadlifts
Squats:
20x2x5
60x2x5
80x3
100x3
120x1
140x1
Deadlifts:
60x5
80x5
100x3
120x3
140x1
150x1
160x1
Ab Pulldowns:
60x3x10 [/quote]
Just checking that you didn’t do anything stupid;)
Did you see that Lawrence Shalei, the WSM competitor is lifting on Sunday -as a 110! Only kidding, he’ll be at least 40kg heavier.
Cheers,
[quote]Element_26 wrote:
22/02/10
ME Squats/Deadlifts
Squats:
20x2x5
60x2x5
80x3
100x3
120x1
140x1
Deadlifts:
60x5
80x5
100x3
120x3
140x1
150x1
160x1
Ab Pulldowns:
60x3x10 [/quote]
Just checking that you didn’t do anything stupid;)
Did you see that Lawrence Shalei, the WSM competitor is lifting on Sunday -as a 110! Only kidding, he’ll be at least 40kg heavier.
Cheers,
24/02/10
ME Bench Presses
Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Presses:
20x2x10
26x8
34x3x10
Pull-ups:
BWx3x8
Face Pulls:
45x2x15
Triceps Pushdowns w/Rope Attachment:
30x2x12
This was just about getting some blood pumping and making sure that my CNS doesn’t go to sleep this week! Looking forward to Sunday now.
[quote]Youch wrote:
[quote]Element_26 wrote:
22/02/10
ME Squats/Deadlifts
Squats:
20x2x5
60x2x5
80x3
100x3
120x1
140x1
Deadlifts:
60x5
80x5
100x3
120x3
140x1
150x1
160x1
Ab Pulldowns:
60x3x10 [/quote]
Just checking that you didn’t do anything stupid;)
Did you see that Lawrence Shalei, the WSM competitor is lifting on Sunday -as a 110! Only kidding, he’ll be at least 40kg heavier.
Cheers,
[/quote]
Hahaha what were you expecting to see? ‘Felt really good tonight, so squatted and pulled PRs’.
28/02/10
Meet Report
Bodyweight: 105kg
Squats:
160x1
170x1
180xF
Bench Presses:
120x1
125x1
130xF
130x1 (PR)
Deadlifts:
190x1
200x1
210x1 (PR)
215x1 (PR)
Total: 515kg
First off, I’m pretty satisfied with my day. After some awful squat sessions recently, I wasn’t expecting much from my squats, but to press and pull PRs was fantastic.
Anyway. Warm-ups for the squat went well, and I felt very comfortable using a monolift for the first time. 160 and 170 felt extremely good, but I just got completely buried by 180.
Bench pressing was a similar story. The warm-ups were good, my opener and second attempt were smooth as silk, but I stalled on my third attempt a couple of inches off of my chest. Because it was an unsanctioned charity meet, we could take fourth attempts if we donated some money to charity; I figured ‘what the hell’. I took 130 a second time, and smoked it. I just felt tighter that time around.
Onto the deadlifts. My warm-ups were a bit hectic, as the flight before ours was over quickly and there was no break between the two. I had chosen 190 as my opener (despite having only pulled over 180 on two occassions before) but had to take my 160 for my last warm-up. Despite this, I made all four of my attempts and scored a 10kg PR! The confidence was flowing after the first attempt and the adrenaline gave me a few pounds.
All in all, I had a fantastic day and loved the experience. Can’t wait for the next one.
[quote]Element_26 wrote:
28/02/10
Meet Report
Bodyweight: 105kg
Squats:
160x1
170x1
180xF
Bench Presses:
120x1
125x1
130xF
130x1 (PR)
Deadlifts:
190x1
200x1
210x1 (PR)
215x1 (PR)
Total: 515kg
First off, I’m pretty satisfied with my day. After some awful squat sessions recently, I wasn’t expecting much from my squats, but to press and pull PRs was fantastic.
Anyway. Warm-ups for the squat went well, and I felt very comfortable using a monolift for the first time. 160 and 170 felt extremely good, but I just got completely buried by 180.
Bench pressing was a similar story. The warm-ups were good, my opener and second attempt were smooth as silk, but I stalled on my third attempt a couple of inches off of my chest. Because it was an unsanctioned charity meet, we could take fourth attempts if we donated some money to charity; I figured ‘what the hell’. I took 130 a second time, and smoked it. I just felt tighter that time around.
Onto the deadlifts. My warm-ups were a bit hectic, as the flight before ours was over quickly and there was no break between the two. I had chosen 190 as my opener (despite having only pulled over 180 on two occassions before) but had to take my 160 for my last warm-up. Despite this, I made all four of my attempts and scored a 10kg PR! The confidence was flowing after the first attempt and the adrenaline gave me a few pounds.
All in all, I had a fantastic day and loved the experience. Can’t wait for the next one. [/quote]
You did great Buddy,
I loved it when you thought that they’d misloaded your opening Deadlift because it felt light:) It shows what competing can do to your drive.
I’m proud of you Matey, well done.
Chris