I’m trying to figure out how the #@$% I haven’t been here yet.
Your techniquelooks pretty dialled in across the board, certainly on lighter weights. Your pitch on SSB squats is just SSB squatting. Simply doing SSB squats will make you able to fight that when it happens on a straight bar.
Thanks @MarkKO! Maybe thats why I’ve been fortunate with a lack of injuries so far. Heavier weights expose the weak points for all of us
That and being sensible with heavy attempts too? I’ll almost never try a weight I’m not reasonably sure I’ll get. Doesn’t mean I never miss, but when I do it is something I can kind of control.
TUESDAY 8/23/2016 - LOWER BODY DELOAD
First planned deload of the meet cycle. For me a deload is taking competition lifts at about 50-60% and keeping assistance work relatively the same. Functions mostly to give the CNS and joints a break. Also, I’m taking the family upstate to my grandmother’s house for a 4 day weekend and won’t be training. So the assistance work is actually stepped up a bit for today and Thursday to make up for the days off.
Bodyweight - 243.5. Consistent, but I was bloated as shit today. Happens when I eat shitty carbs for a while, which has become necessary with the weight gain being difficult. Going to clean up the diet over the next few days and let the bloat dissipate. The calories will be made up for this weekend.
Started today off with some extended stretching and foam rolling, which I have been slacking on. It was mostly diagnostic to see where I am tight. Turns out I need to work on my quads with the foam roller and get a better groin stretch. Either way I felt great after.
Squat: 240 3x3 (50% intensity)
Speed Deadlifts: 325x4x1 (50% of 1st wave volume)
KB Swings: 30 lb x 20; 35 lb 2x20. Unfortunately this is the heaviest kettlebell my gym has.
Band Good Mornings: EFS gray average band: 100 total reps
Leg Curls: 45 lb 100 total reps
Leg Extensions: 40 lb 100 total reps
Standing Cable Crunches: 37.5 lbs 5x30
This was about as productive as deloads get, which is fantastic. Going to hit bench / upper body on Thursday before I take a much needed break for the weekend.
THURSDAY 8/25/2016 - 8 WEEKS OUT
Upper Body Deload
Bodyweight 243
Bench : 180x3x5
Push Ups - 3 sets max reps
Lat Pulldowns - 105x3x10, 120x10
Chest-Supported DB Rows 50’s 4x10
DB Skull Crushers: 40’s 3x10, 4th set to failure
Band Pressdowns - 100 reps, Band Pull Aparts - 300 reps (both with red mini)
Just some light bench and lots of upper body hypertrophy. Had a good triceps pump. Taking the family upstate for the weekend and will be back in the gym for heavy squats and deads on Monday.
MONDAY 8/29/2016 - 8 WEEKS OUT
Got back from my weekend away today. A bit sluggish off the deload tonight but got work done. Not a concern aside from figuring out how to mitigate that when I deload for the meet.
Squat 400x2x3; 420x3x2
Deadlift 420x2x3; 440x3x2
That was the second set @ 440. The third turned into two quick singles as I quickly re-chalked between reps. Felt a major callus tear incoming and was able to avoid it.
SSB Good Mornings: worked up to 280x8.
I do these to the pins set a few inches above my belly button. Now that I see them on video they don’t look nearly deep enough. Will re-evaluate. Got these from the following video from JL Holdsworth.
Cable Pull Throughs 57.5 lbs 3x20
DB Stiff Leg Deadlifts 60’s 3x20
Decline Sit Ups: 4 sets of not many. Was fried at this point.
Back to work tomorrow.
What I do - assuming the meet is on Sunday:
Monday
Work up to light bench set of five (maybe 60%)
Minimal assistance
Tuesday:
As above for squat
Wednesday through to Saturday
Rest, cut if necessary
Yeah my plan right now is similar. Work up to 50-60% with some assistance just to stay fresh. I may have been sluggish because of the long weekend though, so we’ll see how I feel after my next deload in 4 weeks and I’ll re-evaluate
WEDNESDAY 8/31/2016
Bodyweight 245
Bench 265x2x3; 280x3x2
280 will be a tentative opener. I’ll take it for a paused single next week. Would be a 10 lb meet PR, and a good starting point in catching my comp bench up to my gym bench.
Took out the 1-board and hit 265x3, 285x3, 305x3 (5 lb PR)
Skull Crushers 100 lb x8; 105 lb x8; 110 lb 2x8
Incline Tate Press 35’s x15, x11; 30’s x15
Band Pressdowns (red mini): 150 total reps
Rear Delt Raises: 10’s 5x20
Felt great today. PR triple to a one-board wasn’t that much of a grind, all my accessories moved well and no elbow or shoulder stiffness.
Very good call. You could go 280/300/320.
I love your ambition for me! But 320 is pretty lofty lol. At 3 weeks out I have a “test” day where I will feel out my strength level and go for a PR. If 320 is on the table I would be ecstatic. Right now I think 280/295/305 or something similar is the goal.
hehehe your phone went through an earth quake LIGHT WEIGHT!!! YEAAA BUUUUUDDY!!!
Lol yes it did … Not quite on Ronnie’s level but I’ll take it
FRIDAY 9/2/2016
Bodyweight 245
Speed Squats 275x12x2 (57.5%, 30 sec rest)
SSB Squats worked up to 325x8 - 10 lb PR. Could have had 335 but I’m glad I didn’t go for it because the rest of the workout was a holy grind
Speed Deadlifts 340x7x1 (67.5% 30 sec rest)
Dimel Deadlifts 155x4x15
Bulgarian Split Squats - did a set and a half and figured out that I’m not nearly coordinated enough to do these productively. So instead did -
Front Foot Elevated Reverse Lunges - w/ 25 lb DB’s 2x10 (each leg)
Leg Curls 35 lb 5x30
Standing Band Crunches (grey avg band) 4x20
SUNDAY 9/4/2016 - 7 WEEKS OUT
Speed Bench 175x9x3 (57.5%, 30 sec rest)
Wide-Grip Bench 175x10, 195x10, 215x10
Incline DB Press: 60’s 3x8
Assisted Wide-Grip Pullups: 3 sets, 29 total reps
DB Rows: 45’s 3x12
Chuck V Rows: 35x12, 50x12, 57.5x12
Red Mini Band Face Pulls: 5x30
Getting closer to the meet. Taking my first squats in wraps tomorrow.
MONDAY 9/5/2016 - LABOR DAY WRAPPED SQUATS
Bodyweight 244 (down a lb 
)
Squats - first time ever in wraps. Pyramided up to 410 for a single. Wrapped so tight the first time that i nearly lost my balance unracking the weight.
Went up to 430 for 2 more singles. First one I wrapped loose, then for the second one I got it just right. I definitely felt a difference and didnt expect to this early. It was more difficult to find the hole so I think I went super deep to compensate but I think wraps will work out well for me.
Finished with 455 for a single with reverse mini’s. Hit it deep and clean. (You can see my wrap job wasn’t the best for my right knee, but I will get better at it).
Moved on to deadlifts- hit 425 for a double then 450 for a double off of blocks. The 450 was easy and felt good in my hands.
GHR x15, x10, x9
Cambered Bar Good Mornings 175x6, 265x6, 355x6 (PR)
Dumbbell Stiff Leg DL: 65’s x20, x14; 60’s x15
Weighted Sit Ups w/plate: 4x10
First wrapped squats a success. Need more practice wrapping though.
TUESDAY 9/6/2016
Weighed in a shade under 244 this morning. Though I started this training cycle at 239, I’m really just back to where I was at my last meet, which was 244-245 before a slight cut. I really haven’t gained anything. It seems my commitment to eat healthier has gotten in the way of my goal to get up to 250. Its not too late to still make it but at 6.5 weeks out I’d probably have to pig out, which I don’t want to do. Even had a cheat meal last night and the scale didn’t budge.
I still feel I’ve gotten stronger and thats what matters of course. And I still have some room to grow in the 242’s. I WILL get to 250 but it may not be for this meet.
I have a tendency to do this. It helps to cut your squats high, because you’ll probably be at depth anyway. Even better is having someone call depth until you can feel it.
True! I’ll try to get a side-angle shot next time. It will most likely just take more practice feeling out the hole with wraps. I know instinctively where it is unwrapped so I think I just need more reps.
Possibly, but wraps make it feel different with the wad behind your knee. Profile video usually works well.