What with one thing and another, it looks like I have time to train this weekend. Since Monday is out and Friday is out, I figured I’d do press today, deadlift Sunday, bench on Tuesday and then Squat on Thursday. That way I don’t have to do two lifts in one day. Worst case, I’ll deadlift Tuesday and squat and bench on Thursday.
Today’s training:
5x110 lbs press, 6+ RPE
5x126 lbs press, 6ish RPE
11x137 lbs press, 8-9 RPE - I set a goal of 10-12, so I’m pleased with this
5x10 100 lbs press, starting at 6 RPE, ending at 8 RPE. Massive rear delt and upper back pump
5x10 100 lbs DB rows per arm
10 135 lbs prowler sprints over 9.5 m, around 20 second rests between. Took about 5 minutes 15 seconds, sprint times around 5 seconds.
Thanks! I just needed something that helped me get my head around long term goals instead of rushing from meet to meet (I didn’t know that when I started considering 531, but when I’d finished reading it I did).
For the first time since I started training to compete in anything I don’t feel a need to get on the platform as soon as possible. I had a meet; it went just about OK, I achieved my goal (just) and learned some decent things about myself. Overall, it went according to plan. My total went up, so why rush into a meet in 18 weeks just because it’s there? I don’t need to a prove a point, I just need to get stronger. That happens under the bar in the gym - the platform is where you show it.
In other words, I’ve decided to skip the meet in July. I’ll compete at the end of October. That gives me eight months solid work on 531, and I am completely confident by that time I won’t just be adding a few pounds to my total.
Pretty tired. I had a full day assessment for a job I really fucking want yesterday that started off with a physical: beep test level five, 40 second wall sit, 20 m 145 lbs body drag, 10 push ups, 20 sit ups and a dynamometer test with a minimum of 106 lbs. Got through fine, but it was a long day and I had to go straight to work after. Add in the nerves waiting to see if I get an offer…
Anyway, enough bitching. Especially because I got a call for the functional assessment for the job, which i think is to make sure my blood pressure isn’t through the roof.
Today’s training:
Sumo DL
5x340 lbs, 6+RPE
5x385 lbs, 7+RPE
3x440 lbs - slipped at lockout on three
7x440 lbs, 9 RPE
5x10 210 lbs, all 6+RPE but I definitely didn’t want to do more.
5x20 440 lbs reverse hyper, 50 reps jump rope between each set - I think I’ve figured out how to do it, got my first 50 unbroken
Feeling pretty decent after sleeping for more than three hours. Combining squat and bench into one day as the gym is closed tomorrow.
Today’s training:
SSB squat
5x286 lbs, 6 or less RPE (no belt)
5x330 lbs, 6 or less RPE
10x374 lbs, 9 RPE - by the last rep I could barely get any air
5x10 176 lbs SSB squats, all 6 or less RPE but was glad each set was over.
Let’s feel like they’ve been beaten with a stick.
Bench press
Tried a new back stretch prior I got from a Chad Aichs piece on the EFS website that’s meant to help your arch. I think it worked.
5x176 lbs, 6 or less RPE
5x198 lbs, 7 or less RPE
9x231 lbs, 10 RPE
5x10 110 lbs tng bench press, all sets 7 or less RPE but triceps pumped
I was going to do 5x10 220 lbs barbell rows and 5x10 GHR but I’d been in for a while and I was pretty cooked. Decided on an I’m not doing jack shit approach.
5 neutral grip chins
200 reps skipping in under five minutes. Got a massive headache just behind my left eye, but I’m improving at these.
Good job on the 9x231lbs bench! I still recall when I first discovered your training log a buncha months back. You were barely repping out 225lbs back then. Amazing progress!
Thanks man! You know, you’re right. I hadn’t really thought about that. Still got some way though, even locally the guys in the 220s are a good 10-15 kg ahead of me on the bench. Not letting them dictate what I do, but it shows what I can expect of myself.
Easter is happening and I’m getting to spend a good block of time with the other half and the munchkin. I’d normally be training press today, but I’ll just lump it into deadlift day tomorrow. I WON’T drop the assistance work this time though. I know what to expect which helps, especially because tomorrow will be rough given I’ll have had four hours sleep at most because I’m working from 1800 today till 0400. Being threes week is a help too.
I’ve got the functional assessment for the job I want tomorrow at 1000, so I’ll do that and then train. I’m still nervous, but more because I’m trying to figure out whether it’s a formality or if there are still steps to go. Hopefully a formality. I’m really hoping I’ll find out by the end of the week. It’s funny, until it seemed realistic I could get a better job I didn’t mind my current one too much but now I’m close to desperate to get out.
Yesterday walked up and down Mount Ainslie, two kilometres each way. The peak is 864 metres, so it’s a climb of around 250 metres. Carried the munchkin for over half the way up and half the way down.
A bit dirty with myself for being that guy but I ended up not training. I don’t have a great excuse apart from getting just about two hours sleep. I finished the functional assessment and was that tired I decided I’d do better getting some more sleep. In all honesty I do feel better for it.
I was nervous as all fuck through the assessment - and to cap it all I couldn’t be told if I passed or failed because apparently it just determines my ‘degree of risk’. Holy hell I will be relieved when I find out if I get the job or not. I haven’t been this stressed about something petty much as far as I remember.
So, this week’s training is going to look like DL/press tomorrow and squat/bench on Friday.
It’s fine as long as it doesn’t become a habit, mate. Just push your cycle back a day if you don’t have a meet you are prepping for, or squeeze the training in somehow that doesn’t mess with the training week. It probably wouldn’t have been quality training anyway.
Yep. It’s actually zero deal. I’ll get all the training done and move on anyway, it’s just across two sessions instead of four. I tend to freak out over nothing sometimes.
My right shoulder started acting up yesterday, I’m putting it down to not being as tight as I can be when pressing. Mostly it hurts when my arm is horizontal and pointing behind me (around my four o’clock).
Today’s training:
5x10 100 lbs DB rows
These seemed to make my shoulder feel better.
5x20 440 lbs reverse hyper, 50 reps skipping between sets. Second 50 was unbroken
Went and bought a leather skipping rope for myself. The ones at the gym suck, and I like having my own equipment where possible. Plus, this way I’ll be able to jump rope at home which I’m seriously considering for off days.
You know what, you may well be right. I think I’m finally getting a handle on the balance of calories and macros that I need to progress - and part of that is doing conditioning. Skipping is something I figure I can do very often without ill effect, and that doesn’t take much time to have a positive effect.
Vain as it may sound, I liked how I looked when I cut for my last meet. If I can maintain that and even improve on it I’d be pleased. I’ll see how that works out, because my goal is a bigger total. I just want to see if I can improve my body composition a bit too.
That, plus the 220s is a competitive and stacked class in GPC Australia: you need a minimum total of 1450 lbs to qualify for Nationals, and over 1500 to be sure of a spot. In the 242s it’s even worse, I think the minimum to qualify would be 1540 lbs or so. So, staying in the 220s while adding muscle mass is pretty much my best bet.
