4/23: NASA PL meet recap
Decided to get up at 0500 and drive 2 hours to meet…Bad idea should have stayed the night
Squats (went well, got what I wanted)
- 375
- 408.85
- 429.90
Bench Press
- 325
- 380.29 Failed
- 380.29 Failed
Both times, kept letting my elbows flare out…Damnn!!!
Deadlift
- 496
- 529
- 556 Failed
Overall, I learned the most from the meet and what I need to do before next meet in 6 months in October.
I am happy with my training, but my execution when it counted sucked. In my Deadlifts, I just could not get my ass down and hips back so I started with a rounded lower back. So, I lost over 100 lbs projected in this meet due to failed attempts. Oh well, live and learn and time to hit the drawing board.
4/25: Really starting to like training around lunch time. All the serious bodybuilders who actually compete are there and we all lift. I’m the only PLer there, but we all get along and nobody bothers anyone…great environment.
So, after analyzing what I have been doing wrong and right over the past two years and what has worked and what has not, here is the following that has worked:
5/3/1 Program
ME exercises
Training the Big 3 on the same day
Here is how I will approach my training…I will run at least 1 cycle maybe 2 on 5/3/1. Then 8 weeks prior, run ME exercises for 3 weeks on weakness, then for 3 weeks peak while hitting the big 3 in the same training session but only hit one of the big 3 at a higher percentage while the other two lifts remain low reps (3x3) at max of 60%. For example, if I squat, It will be a 90% day (1 rep max) and then DL and Bench Press will be at 60% at (3x3).
4/25: Forgot to put my training info
Squat:
135x3x2
185x2
225x1
265x5
305x5
345x5
Last two sets at this percentage rep scheme was hard mentally because I love the singles. Anything past 1 is considered high rep high volume in my book…
Straight Leg Deadlifts
135x10
225x10
275x10 Lower back is fried
Sled Calf raises (hit 3 angles with 10 reps each of pointing toes in-out-middle) The freaking burn
290x10x2
Hamstring Curls
110x15
125x11
1-Leg Leg press
200x10
220x10
240x10
4/27: Bench Day (Decided to take the arch out of benching which seems to make me more apt to have elbow flaring. I still have leg drive (somewhat) but I have a flatter back. Able to keep elbows tucked in better.)
Bench Press (All presses performed slow going down and explosive as possible going up)
135x10
225x5
Working Sets
240x5
275x5
315x2
Since I couldn’t hit this for 5 I took it down 20lbs. The calculation for the 3rd set at 85% was too much for 5 reps.
295x5
Curls for the girls Some x Some
Dips
BWx10
BW+45Lbs 3 sets of 10
Weighted pushups with 45Lb plate on back
1 set of 30
4/29: DL day
Deadlift
135x3
315x1
working sets
340x5
395x5
450x5
My transition from vibrams to my Oly shoes really helped me get my hips low and puts my back in proper alignment for getter explosion and form for DLs. I will use these for the rest of the time.
Pendlay Rows
225x10
275x7x2
I really felt the beginning lift of the DL while doing these. I think these will have a pretty good carryover to improving my DL numbers.
Curls for the girls
some x some
Shrugs
315x10
405x10x2
5/2: Squat Day
Squats
135x3
225x2
working sets no belt
285x3
325x3
365x3
Standing Press
135x5
150x5
185x3
Leg Press (Just counted the weight not the weight of the sled)
200x20
400x15
500x8
Calves seated
100x20x2
Sled Calf (toes pointed in, middle, out)
200x10
290x8
5/4: Bench Day
135x10
225x5
Working Sets
260x3
295x3
330x2
Incline Bench Press
225x6
225x5x2
Curls for the girls
some x some
Dips
BW*10
BW+45 2 sets of 10
5/6: Deadlifts
DL’s
135x10
225x1
315x1x3
working sets all stop, reset and then lift (much harder than touch n go)
370x3
420x3
470x3–should have been 475 but misloaded the bar
Pendlay Rows
225x10
275x7
295x5
315x4
Shrugs
225x10
315x8
405x8
455x6
Pullups
BW*8
BW+25Lb (3 sets of 3)
Curls for the girls
some x some
5/9: Dead Monday
Deadlifts
245x1
335x1
working sets (Stop and go’s are taxing as hell, but I pushed through it)
395x5
445x3
500x2 (Decided to shoot for a solid 2)
Dumbell Rows
120x10
120x8
Wide Grip Pullups
BWx5x2
Rack Pulls
425x5x3
5/11: bench Press Day
Bench
135x10
225x10
280x5
320x3 A hard 3rd rep by the way
355x1 Felt real explosive. Could have went two reps for a hard 2.
Incline Dumbell Bench Press
85x15
95x12
110x10
Curls for the girls
some x some
Close Grip Bench Press
135x10
225x10
275x7
275x3
Dips
BWx15x2
5/12: Squat Day
Squats
135x2
185x1 (3 second pause at bottom)
225x1 (3 second pause at bottom)
250x1 (3 second pause at bottom)
275x1
working sets
305x5
345x3
385x2
Standing Press
135x10
165x3x3
185x2
Thats all I had time for at lunch.
5/18: Instead of the prescribed deload of 5/3/1 I utilized a different deload and went 60% on all big 3 plus standing military press all on same day
Squat
135x3 3 sec pause
185x1 3 sec pause
225x1 3 sec pause
275x3x3
Bench Press
135x10
185x5
225x3x3
Deadlift with EFS mini bands (50%)
245x3x3
Standing Press
135x5
160x5
170x5
After taking 2 weeks off due to Uncle Sam moving me back to OKC, today was my first day back in the gym. Gotta say the legs felt pretty good but didn’t last too long as I wanted them to for squat day. Oh well,
Still doing 5/3/1 since I am so far away from competition. I also purchased the 5/3/1 for powerlifting and took some things from that as well…very good read and info.
Squat
warmups some x some
275x5
315x5
350x5
All were PR’s and I was suprised I was able to push through my barrier for squats of 2 to 3 reps max with this weight.
Romanian DL’s
225x5x3
Leg Press (Legs were wably by the time I got to this exercise)
270x10 Just counting the plate weight and not the weight of the sled cuz I don’t know what it is)
360x8
360x4
Calves( with toes point out, middle and inward)
180x10
270x8x2
6/7: Still trying to find a schedule I can keep due to my move and new work schedule. Hopefully, this new schedule works out to hit the weights and cardio. Continued to week 1 with new training max’s. already hit squat a week ago.
DL
135x1x3 (EFS mini bands)
225x1 (Mini bands)
315x1 (mini bands)
Working sets
365x5
415x5
470x5 Last rep had to wait 30 seconds to recover.
Standing Press
135x5
170x2x3
Pendlay Rows
315x3x3
Rack Pulls
405x10
Wide Grip Pulls up
1 set of 10
6/9: Bench Day
Bench Press
135x20
205x15
255x5
295x5
325x3
Dumb Incline
85x10
95x9
105x8
Did a ton of pushups with weights on back and situps.
6/14: Missed a training day on Saturday so decided to hit Squats and DL on same day with 5/3/1
Squats
Warmups x warmpus
295x3
335x3
375x3
Deadlifts
385x3
440x3
500x3 a very hard 3rd rep
1 set of wide grip pull ups with body weight only x 10 reps
6/16: Bench Day
Bench Press
Warmups x warmups
Working sets
265x3
315x3
335x3 Last cycle I barely hit 2. So I increased the weight still for this cycle but I kept this second week weight the same so I could hit a solid 3. Next cycle week I will be able to move up.
Close grip Bench Press
275x8
285x5
Did a crap load of weighted pushups working up to 135lbs on my back.
Just found your training log and want to say it’s awesome! Do you have a meet lined up for anytime soon? I am doing my first meet in August.
[quote]Killerb521 wrote:
Just found your training log and want to say it’s awesome! Do you have a meet lined up for anytime soon? I am doing my first meet in August. [/quote]
Thanks for the compliment. The next meet I am doing is in October with NASA in OKC.
If you have any questions, hit me up. I am not an expert but I have been through almost 2 years of trial and error with a ton of mistakes and maybe I can stray you away from the same mistakes I made so you can make progress faster.
Good luck on your first meet.
6/20: 3rd Week Squat day
Squat
Warmups x warmups
working sets
315x5
355x3
405x2
All I can say is I wish I would have stuck to this program a long time ago and not deviated or made any changes that “I” thought would help. I have made more gains on the squat and DL on 2 cycles then doing things on my own. Lesson learned!
