James Stumbles Through Powerlifting

Sat - Deadlift -Explosive
Deads: 83335
Sumo deads: 38225
Front squats: 36145
DB Rows: 220105
Leg curls and leg ext
Calves
Abs

Good session today. I’m thinking seriously about making the move to sumo from conventional. Right now I’d only be giving up 50 lbs but I think I could catch up. Sumo is actually feeling more natural now, doesn’t make my lower back tight, and is considerably more explosive than my conventional.

Front squats after deads are brutal and I was only able to manage sets of 6 instead of the 8s.

Leg ext and leg curls were high rep and done for the pump and to get blood into my joints.

james

[quote]atypical1 wrote:
I’m thinking seriously about making the move to sumo from conventional. Right now I’d only be giving up 50 lbs but I think I could catch up. Sumo is actually feeling more natural now, doesn’t make my lower back tight, and is considerably more explosive than my conventional.

[/quote]
That’s an exciting change. Just be careful of the hips. It definitely is a back saver. But I’m surprised you’re more explosive with sumo. I mentally struggled with how slow I broke the floor compared to conventional.

Snap - These weights were light but they flew up with much more force than I can ever muster for conventional. That is the main reason I’m leaning towards moving to sumo.

james

Sun training - Bench reps
Bench: 8bar, 95, 135, 155, 175, 195, 205
Band pull aparts: 5
20 in between bench sets
DB Press: 8010, 9, 7
Cable tri ext: 10, 9, 9
Lat pull downs: 160
10, 8, 8
Side raises / front raises
High rep curls
Abs
Calves

Volume sucks. The bench was all done with a pause and the reps really wore me out for the rest of the session. 175 is about 60%, 195 is about 65%, and 205 is 70%. The program only calls for that set of 8 but in order to get the required amount of volume I need to track my warm ups more.

james

I’m with you on the paused bench for reps sucking. Anything in the 70 to 80% range paused really zaps me.

Amen…All my bench was paused for 2 seconds and it really was tough.

Im liking the SS of Bench and pullaparts I do that often.

Great work

Glad I’m not the only one who hates volume.

Squats - worked up to 52325
Front squats: 8135, 145, 155, 165
Split squats
Good mornings: 6
225, 245, 255
Ab work

Written down it sounds so easy. Fack. I did some additional reps at the 60, 65, 70, and 75 percent range to get my totals up. I’m really trying to go off of Prilepin’s chart on the main lift. I did front squats in a way to keep the tension on my legs which is tough on me but I would like to get a bit of size on my legs. Split squats went well as did the good mornings.

james

Fri training - Deads for reps

Sumo deads: 8285, 315, 335
Conv deads: 3
8235
Front squats: 3
8*135
RDLs: 6**315, 335, 365
Abs

Reps on deadlifts wear me out. Did both styles today and both felt good but the weight was obviously light.

It’s brutal squatting after but I hope I adjust quickly. I think that being able to move more weight when fatigued is really going to help my numbers and build my legs. RDLs - going heavy - is what brought my sumo up last cycle so I’m keeping them in the mix. I like them and have gotten out of the habit of utilizing them.

james

Have you ever done your squats first, sort of as a warm up for the deads and RDL work? I use squats first when doing deads quite often and this works well for me.

I have before and am torn between doing them first or last here. The trouble with first is that I don’t want my deads to suffer since they are supposed to be the lift of the day. What are your thoughts? Think it would be more productive to squat first?

james

Sun training

Bench - heavy
2175, 205, 225. 52235
Band pull-aparts: 5
20 in between my warm up sets
DB Press: 21580
Tri ext
Front and side raises
Lat pull downs
Calvs
Abs

Back is still sore from my deads on Friday. Good stuff.

All bench was done paused. Did the band pull aparts between my warm up sets and I like that because it allows me to get the volume in.

I like the lat pull downs enough but might move a row in their place and do these on my BB day. I’m thinking of adding in JM presses on this day too and taking away the tri ext. I’m thinking that rotating some of these every three weeks might be the way to go.

james

I do only DE squatting before deadlifting. The dynamic effort squats are between 60% and 70% of my max so the weight is fairly light and I move it explosively(unless I am feeling slovenly, fat, and lazy). So, yes I think squatting is great before heavy dead work but it depends on the type of squatting.

5 Feb - Squats - Explosive

WUT: 83245
Front squat: 8135, 155, 6185, 5185
GMs: 6
225, 245. 3*275
Ab work
Mobility work

This was much harder than it should have been. My hips were killing me from my sumo session. Gotta up my mobility work yet again. I’m rolling and doing the squat stretch. I am going to add goblet squats and see where that takes me.

james

goblet squats…OH NO! Seriously though we all get days like that…move on.

How wide is your stance in sumo? When I’ve tried to cycle sumo DLs into my training in the past, I would inevitably start out too wide and have to bring the stance in closer and then slowly work out to a wider one. Otherwise it would just be too much strain on my hips from pulling and squatting.

Matty - You’re going to hate what I say today…lol

Novoeer - My stance is wide but I’m tall so I thought it would pan out. You’re right about starting more narrow and slowly working out. Thanks for that advice.

james

Weds - Extra stuffs day
Lots of mobility stuff to get warmed up. Hips still really sore.
5*10 goblet squats. These really helped warm me up.

High bar squats: warm up then 36225
Klokov press: 310bar
Dips: 310
Incline curls: 2
F w/ squeeze at top
Abs

I would call these oly style but they don’t look much different than my low bar squats. I do feel them much more in my quads though. I’m going to keep these on this extra day. I’m thinking that I’ll front squat on deads day and high bar on my squat day after my low bar.

I like the way goblet squats help out my mobility considerably and will be part of my daily routine - sorry Matty.

Lol, I feel the same way with regards to my “oly squats” There really, for me just a closer stance squat with the bar slightly higher.

Sat training - Deads heavy
Deads - conventional: 32375, 32405, 32460 - all beltless
Front squats8135, 155. 6185, 205
RDLs: 6*315, 335, 365
Calves
Abs

Did goblet squats again as part of my warm up and I felt decidedly better for doing so. Much more limber and easier for me to get into position.

Deads went well. I’m going to do sumo style on squat day instead of deadlift day. Front squats went well and I’m slowly getting the weight up

James, great work on your deads and RDLs.