[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
That’s some damn fine lifting man, cant wait to see what you can do with just a few more years training.[/quote]
BlackLabel, appreciate the compliment. That is exactly what I am excited about, just have to stay healthy and take it a session at a time (which I have a hell of a time not looking ahead).
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Modi wrote:
Great work mrodock! 9 for 9, are you serious!?!
You definitely did us proud!
Thanks Modi! Was there a particular lift you would have recommended missing? ;o)[/quote]
Actually, I really prefer missing my second Bench attempt due to a lack of concentration. My second choice would be to miss my opening Squat on depth. And I haven’t taken a third DL attempt since 2007. 
[quote]Modi wrote:
mrodock wrote:
Modi wrote:
Great work mrodock! 9 for 9, are you serious!?!
You definitely did us proud!
Thanks Modi! Was there a particular lift you would have recommended missing? ;o)
Actually, I really prefer missing my second Bench attempt due to a lack of concentration. My second choice would be to miss my opening Squat on depth. And I haven’t taken a third DL attempt since 2007. ;)[/quote]
Should I be encouraging you to go 8 for 8 at raw nationals? The cool thing about pulling sumo is it doesn’t take a lot out of you. I feel like I could do a double squat session today.
By the way, those do look like fun reasons to miss, thanks for clearing it up!
[quote]mrodock wrote:
undesired08 wrote:
Great lifting. Keep your nose to the grindstone and the rest of your year will be awesome. One tip (it is something I am guilty of as well): work on your walk-outs to minimize your steps and fidgeting before you squat. It will help you conserve energy in the long run.
Way to represent the Nation!
I assure you I won’t start slacking now. Through the good times or the bad consistently hard training is the constant.
Yeah the walkouts were fucking ugly, couldn’t agree more. Not that it made a huge difference but I really think the rack was too high . . . and how I got that wrong I don’t have an idea in the world. I’ll get a lot more walkout practice in my 12 week before the state meet than I did during this most recent cycle (only squatting in equipment 3 times).
[/quote]
I noticed that it seemed a little high, but you already knew that so I didn’t need to mention it. It’s not like you had an issue unracking it this time. But when you go heavier, you may. Again, great job!
[quote]undesired08 wrote:
I noticed that it seemed a little high, but you already knew that so I didn’t need to mention it. It’s not like you had an issue unracking it this time. But when you go heavier, you may. Again, great job![/quote]
Thanks again undesired!
Yeah, if I had a little more weight on the bar it could have been a big issue. I actually didn’t put two and two together and figure out the rack was too high; rather, my wife said something to me about it after the meet.
Random things I’ve learned during the last 15 weeks:
It doesn’t matter if things feel heavy the last few sessions of the cycle, you can still set PR’s in the meet. You aren’t getting amped up for those lifts or days because the weights are extremely light. They are just about drilling technique and staying sharp, don’t think about the way the weights feel, it is irrelevant.
Error on setting the squat rack a touch too low rather than too high. What feels about right when you are checking it without equipment on will end up being too high.
Do a lot of soft tissue work on meet week and then don’t do any the Friday before the meet (just some mobility work).
Continue to take an epsom salt bath Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights of meet week.
Get your neck and upper back muscles as relaxed as possible during the meet week, don’t tighten your back much on benches during meet week.
There is no reason in the world to try to get amped up before the meet. Stay as calm as possible and wait until the right instant to use the couple of bursts of adrenaline you have at your disposal. Do not use them before you even start lifting!
Not eating any solid food during meet day (except for apples) worked really well. Meal replacement shakes, protein and slow absorbing carbs (1 after squat, 1 after bench) were the closest things I had to a meal during the competition.
When you set up for squat make sure the bar is solidly on your back. Because otherwise it can start to slip off your back and you have to hold onto it with your wrists for about 30 seconds. If you must make this mistake don’t do it on your final attempt next time . . . well shit, first or second would be similarly terrible.
Spend most of your time between attempts getting as relaxed as possible while visualizing a positive result.
Believe in your bench, it WILL come along for the ride.
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Random things I’ve learned during the last 15 weeks:
[/quote]
Another PR! You managed a full top 10 list this time. 
There were some good insights there.
How are you feeling now? Some people feel great and hit the gym hard the next day or so, others feel like they’ve been hit by a bus.
[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
mrodock wrote:
Random things I’ve learned during the last 15 weeks:
Another PR! You managed a full top 10 list this time.
There were some good insights there.
How are you feeling now? Some people feel great and hit the gym hard the next day or so, others feel like they’ve been hit by a bus.[/quote]
Yeah I’m getting better at these lists!
I felt ready to train on Monday, waited until today and kept things fairly easy. I won’t be going too hard for a couple weeks from today because I’ll be doing a 12 week volume block and I’ll need to be very ready for that.
Light session
Bench (~4 sec. eccentric)
3x5x150 (harder than I thought it would be, that slow eccentric is a killer)
DB Flyes
3x8x25
BW Pull-ups
1x7
2x5
DB Swings
1x10x100
2x10x120
Kroc Rows
1x8x75
Setting some baselines for exercises today and getting in a little volume. Nothing exciting.
Light session #2
Squat (beltless)
1x5x205 (50%)
3x5x245 (60%)
3 Board Press (grip just inside rings)
3x6x175
*DC Tricep stretch
40 pound dumbbell
Lat Pulldowns (touch chest)
3x10x100
*DC Lat Stretch
Sumo Zercher squat (beltless)
3x5x185
Wow, those Zerchers are quite a core challenge. I will keep those in for at least the first 8 weeks of this program and probably all 14 weeks. Just feels great being back in the gym.
This week moreless sucks doesn’t it? But it’s only a few more days and then you’ll be back at hard training.
[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
This week moreless sucks doesn’t it? But it’s only a few more days and then you’ll be back at hard training.[/quote]
Yeah it isn’t the best. It was definitely nice to do a little squatting again though and Zerchers were a helluva lot of fun so overall today was great. I got my deadlift suit yesterday so it was hard not to throw that on today and work up to something near my max.
Tomorrow I will write out my 16 week cycle so I am just generally excited.
ummmm…is your new 16 week cycle going to include you benching straight instead of always being crooked?
[quote]dropshot001 wrote:
ummmm…is your new 16 week cycle going to include you benching straight instead of always being crooked?[/quote]
Doubt it . . . all questions are appreciated, even if they come from a smart ass training partner.
Light Session #3/3
Deadlift
1x4x250 (50%)
3x4x300 (60%)
Tried deadlift suit, didn’t work so well.
DB Reverse Lunges
3x5x40’s
Glute-Ham Raise
1x10
1x9
DC Hamstring Stretch
I will up the volume and intensity next week and then after next week I will start the first of 3 volume blocks on my 16 week cycle.
[quote]
Doubt it . . . all questions are appreciated, even if they come from a smart ass training partner.[/quote]
oh good, i’m so glad you’re open to questions and comments
Training is looking good man, are you looking at doing another comp. anytime soon.
[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
Training is looking good man, are you looking at doing another comp. anytime soon.[/quote]
I was considering doing a comp at the end of October but will wait until the end of January instead. This will give me some time to upgrade my equipment (deadlift suit and tighter bench shirt) experiment a little with bench training and hopefully improve my deadlift and bench technique a fair amount before I compete next. The goal is to compete a minimum of 2 times a year.
[quote]mrodock wrote:
BlackLabel wrote:
Training is looking good man, are you looking at doing another comp. anytime soon.
I was considering doing a comp at the end of October but will wait until the end of January instead. This will give me some time to upgrade my equipment (deadlift suit and tighter bench shirt) experiment a little with bench training and hopefully improve my deadlift and bench technique a fair amount before I compete next. The goal is to compete a minimum of 2 times a year.[/quote]
Yeah, like your deadlift needs work!
Do you have a summary of your training template you’re planning on using? Are you continuing with Sheiko style training or trying out something else?
[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
mrodock wrote:
BlackLabel wrote:
Training is looking good man, are you looking at doing another comp. anytime soon.
I was considering doing a comp at the end of October but will wait until the end of January instead. This will give me some time to upgrade my equipment (deadlift suit and tighter bench shirt) experiment a little with bench training and hopefully improve my deadlift and bench technique a fair amount before I compete next. The goal is to compete a minimum of 2 times a year.
Yeah, like your deadlift needs work!
Do you have a summary of your training template you’re planning on using? Are you continuing with Sheiko style training or trying out something else?[/quote]
If I can do things right over the next 30 weeks and learn how to use the suit properly I think I can get pretty close to 600.
Training next 16 weeks:
Bench, first 6 weeks:
-goal: build some upper body mass and tricep strength
-when: every other session
-what: rotate among 4x5, 4x4, 4x3 with a 4 sec. eccentric for bench press
rotate among 4x6, 4x5, 4x4 for 3 board press
do 2 heavy sets 6-12 reps of dumbbell press
After that first bench program is over I will continue with a Sheiko protocol with slightly (~2% more volume than I have previously used). I will bench a little less often and throw in board presses and incline presses 1 day of the week in place of bench press.
Throughout the 16 weeks I will be doing Sheiko style programming on squats and deadlifts. I will be adding some volume and keeping intensity about the same. I will no longer be following individual Sheiko programs but continuing to add volume over the coming years relatively gradually (no more than 5% increases between cycles). Once the increases in volume no longer seem to increase my strength I will add intensity.
I will be putting in regular upper back work. Since the sessions can get really long I will just add an upper back day on Mondays. I’ll start out with pull-ups, Kroc rows, wide-grip lat pulldowns, DC lat stretch, face pulls, band pullaparts, and hammer curls. Once progress stalls I will switch exercises.