I Want 1600

Training Training Logs
221

squats (CAT)
against mini bands
345 x 3 x 8 (14 min)

box jumps
from box squat
35" x 3 x 4

crazybell bench
245 (+70) x 2 x 6

GHR / standing ab wheel
4 sets of 6

Day 1 of final meet prep. 4 weeks out today. I’ve decided to continue with the CAT squats, dialing back the weight on the bar and adding band resistance. I squat with some rebound out of the hole, so the bands are to aid in descending a little quicker and accelerating to lockout. The band setup today added about 40 lbs to lockout and 0 in the hole. In addition, figured it would be a good day to add in some jumps. So I guess you could call it a “speed” day.

I’m also going to give Smolov Jr another shot to peak for the bench portion. It worked well the last time I used it and the frequency does a lot of good for my bench. Starts on Tuesday.

222

[quote]mahwah wrote:

It’s hard to say this far out Chobbs, but this week’s numbers would make good openers. So, as of this 5 minutes, if training goes as planned for the next 4 weeks…
squat 485 - 510 - 530
bench 345 - 365 - 385
deadlift 525 - 560 - 590

It’s my first USAPL meet and so also my first time competing without knee wraps. With that said, if I hit all the numbers above, I will tie my best total. I’ve also decided this year that I’m gonna hold on to some weight and not worry with cutting weight so I can just chase some numbers (6/4/6). Walking around between 214-217 right now.[/quote]

I have a meet coming up the end of March and my attempts look fairly similar to what you have projected. Been following your log for a bit now, keep up the good work!

223

Thx NS! I’ve been keeping my eyes on you as well. Good luck in your training.

squats
465 x 3
485 x 3 (5lb PR)
add reverse band
505 x 3
515 x 3

btn push press
230 x 2 x 3

wtd decline crunches / pullups
55 x 8 x 4 / bw x 10 x 4

cbl pullthroughs
5 sets of 12

Cut the first rep a touch high, but feel real good about the third. While I feel this is a good opener, I am a bit concerned about letting the depth get in my head. I may open a bit lighter just to know I can absolutely bury it and maybe make a little bigger jump somewhere. Of course, I will try to feel the judges out in earlier flights come meet day.

Reverse bands gave me about 50 in the hole and nothing at lockout.

224

I’m by no means a squatting expert but I need to copy you on how well you keep your elbows under the bar.

225

Chobbs. Took a lot of work to get there and is an ongoing process to dial in technique. The elbows forward cue helps me to keep my chest up when driving out of the hole and keep me from losing the weight forward. I also try to cue myself to pull down on the bar to lock it in place and keep my upper back and arch tight. It can beat up your elbows, so make the change gradual.

Smolov Jr Week 1 Day 1

bench
265 x 6 x 6

bent over row
235 x 10 x 5

db pullovers
85 x 12 x 4

Zipped right through an easy one today. Really thought about adding more pressing work but gotta trust the system. Excited to see what will come of this cycle. I think the lower intensity of the smolov will play well with the higher intensities of the squats and deads. Give me some easy(ish) work in there so I’m not constantly beat down.

226

Really enjoyed the exchange between you and Reed over on the other thread, I think anyone that read that learned alot, couple strong guys talking shop !

I’ve been going through a liitle self doubt with my squat, it’s been stuck for a couple months, and I got to the point where I was doubting what I was doing, this leads to trying random shit. I know better, but anyway listening to you two, and going over your logs, has been real helpful. Going to take a couple steps back with my squat, spend some time on speed and form, with a little lighter weight. It’s good to have guys breaking ground ahead of you, and keeping a log, so thanks, and good luck at the meet.

227

Absolutely Jake! I enjoy talking shop without all the bullshit from some of the forums here.

And I was going to speak up in that thread, but didn’t want to further get you off track. I know it could be hard to decipher from a log, but I squat 3 days a week. For me, I squat “heavy” on Mondays, I front squat (intensities vary) as an accessory to my deadlifts on Thursdays, and I do my CAT squats on Saturdays. I consider the CAT work more of a condtioning and technique session. While the intent will change somewhat leading up to a meet, I will keep squats on all 3 of those days. I have gotten used to that frequency.

As far as you being stuck, the squat is a technical lift and IMO if you take a step back and analyze (or have someone else) and find what’s holding you back, you may find you are over-complicating things.

228

SmJr W1 D2

bench
285 x 5 x 7

deadlifts
510 x 3
535 x 3 (10lb PR!)

block pulls
7" block
545 x 1
565 x 1
585 x 1

front squats
255 x 3
305 x 3
305 x 5

Adding in the benches ate up some time and I wasn’t able to front squat as I had planned, but still got to push a little. Probably time to trim some of the fat in my sessions anyway, with the meet getting closer. Benches felt a little “muddy”. Strength was there, no soreness, just a little sluggish. Huge dead PR. I’m really getting in to a lot better position above my knees to lockout with the changes to my setup. It’s still a little slow, but progress is what it is.

229

squats (cat)
against monster minis
355 x 3 x 7 (14 min)

box jumps
4 sets of 3

bench
smjr w1d3
300 x 4 x 8

standing ab wheel
4 sets of 7

ghr
against monster mini
4 sets of 6

230

squats
455 x 2
475 x 2 x 3
add reverse band
495 x 1
515 x 1
535 x 1

bench
SmJr W1D4
320 x 3 x 10

pullups / wt’d decline crunches
4 sets of 10

Squats were heavy tonight, or my back was just weak. Was planning on 475 for 4, but that wasn’t gonna happen. Instead of scrapping it, decided to get in what I could and come back with a vengeance next week. Only 1 more heavy squat workout til the meet.

231

bench
smjr w2d1
275 x 6 x 6

t bar row
6 sets of 12

With the final heavy deadlift and squat days coming up, and the benching coming 4 days a week, I’ve decided to keep today short and sweet. A mini deload, if you will.

232

bench
smjr w2d2
295 x 5 x 7

deadlifts
525 x 1
555 x 2 (10lb PR!)

block pull
7" block
565 x 1
595 x 1
615 x 1 (PR)

BOOM!

Seems this change to my setup has absolutely strengthened my lockout. Feeling real confident in my pulls. It’s been a looong time coming.

233

squats(cat)
vs monster minis
365 x 3 x 5 (9 min)

bench
smjr w2d3
310 x 4 x 8

234

squats
495 x 2
505 x 2 (1 rep PR)
walkout
585 x 10 sec.

bench
w2d4
330 x 3 x 10

ghr
monster mini x 6 x 3

ab wheel
standing x 8 x 3

Maybe not USAPL depth on the top set, but I don’t know that I’d call them high

235

bench
w3d1
280 x 6 x 6

cable row / abs
5 sets of 15

236

bench
w3d2
300 x 5 x 7

deadlift
opener
535 x 1

Had to keep myself from doing more. Training has gone as planned and I just have to trust that. I have 2 more days of Smolov Jr. and squat opener this Saturday. After that, lots of foam rolling, maybe a massage, and some easy pump work for the next week.

237

squat
opener
485 x 1 x 2
walkout
585 x 10 sec x 2

bench
w3d3
315 x 4 x 8

ghr / abs
3 sets of 12

My first single with 485 was a little slower than I would have liked, but way deep. I tightened up my belt a notch and decided to give it another go. It was a little better, but I think I will bump it down a bit for ease of mind.

1 week out

238

bench
w3d4
335 x 3 x 10

seated row
3 sets of 12

pullups / abs
3 sets of 12

All done with Smolov Jr. I didn’t think I was going to get through all of today’s reps. Needless to say, every 3rd rep was a slow grind, but I paused every rep and got it done. Anxious to see the results. Did a little light back work to get some blood flowing and some foam rolling and trigger point work.

And now we wait…

239

“USAPL Alabama State Championships”

Lifting in the “Hanger Pavillion” right next to the USS Alabama was a very cool venue. The attempt was made to separate the weight classes for a smoother, quicker meet which put me in the Saturday afternoon session starting at 2.

I got there just before 12 for weigh-ins and hoped to get to tour the battleship and sub before lifting. Bureaucracy decided against that. Between the equipment check and getting rack heights and getting weighed in, I waited in various lines for well over an hour.

Of course, the morning session went a little long and lifting for our group didn’t get started til 3. With the flights split by weight class, my 220 group would be the 3rd flight.

squats
473
501
523miss

bench
341
363
380miss

deadlift
523
562 (vid)
589miss

1427 @ 208

Not thrilled with the outcome, but many lessons learned.

I did not peak well with my squats. I seemed to drop too deep into the squat on all attempts and could not power through the third. Also, it seems to me, that when I miss in a meet, it is due to my core. I think that I need to include more supramax stuff in meet prep to get accustomed to having heavier weight on my back.

Smolov Jr did not work its magic on me this time. That’s fine, it was an experiment and didn’t pan out. I did make too big of a jump on my last attempt chasing numbers.

My sorry attempt at a deadlift is probably what upsets me most. First 2 attempts were my best of the meet and then I absolutely rushed my setup for my third attempt and didn’t get my hips into the lift. With my hips too high, I broke the weight for about 4 inches and knew it was a no go. Up until I hit this pull plateau, I would get psyched up and jerk the shit out of the bar and finish the lift. That won’t cut it anymore and I need to take a more measured approach. I have to break that bad habit.

All that said, I have got to pick better attempts. I easily left 30-50 lbs on the platform due to my chasing numbers. Had I been honest with myself instead of letting my training get to my head, I would have come away with a much better feeling for my performance. Still would have come in second place though.

As an aside. The thing I dislike most about competing has got to be the fact that it takes ALL day. I expected this to be a compact meet, but once you add in the bench only guys, and the push pull guys, and the unavoidable issues that always show up, you end up sitting in a metal folding chair or standing on concrete for 8-10 hours. I’d pay extra to lift in a meet where there is a cap on number of competitors.

240

squat
515 x 1 x 2 (knees wrapped)
beltless, paused squats
365 x 3 x 5

front squat
beltless
245 x 8 x 2

klokov press
145 x 6 x 6

facepulls
4 sets of 25

step ups / abs
3 sets of 8 / 20