Tuesday, July 3, 2018

A New Training Block Begins Week 1 Day 1 and 2

My last blog post was May 6 and my competition was on June 23 so I'll try and fill in the gaps and go from their. Nothing fancy with my training leading up to the competition. Did my last real heavy training week from May 22 to May 26. Squatted 375 lbs for 3 reps, benched 355 for 1 rep and deadlifted 515 lbs for 1 rep. On May 30th my back went out while warming up for my squats. It was my L4 but after a few chiro adjustments from Wade and a few anti-inflammatories I was back under the bar in no time. This injury did not surprise me after all the abuse I pushed my body thru outside of the gym up to this point. Training in June was mainly the primary lifts only with occasional assistance exercises with my heaviest squat being 365 lbs for 1 rep and deadlift 455 lbs for 1 rep. The week leading up to the competition I backed off on my carb intake (not keto levels) and then ramped them back up the day before. Worked pretty good my energy levels where gtg for the day.
My goals leading up to this competition where to exceed my deadlifting record and get a personnel best on my squat. I had no aspirations for my bench press except hopefully hit 365 lbs. For my third attempt goals I  took my best 1 rep max calculation achieved in this training cycle and wrote it down. These numbers where squat 425 lbs, bench press 365 lbs and deadlift 530 lbs. All weights I never attempted except for the bench in this training cycle. When the dust settled at the competition my heaviest lifts were squat 425 lbs a new PR for me, bench press 340 lbs with two failed attempts at 365 lbs and a deadlift for 530 lbs which was a BC provincial record for my age and weight category. 
My next competition is Sept 7 at the Western Canadian Powerlifing Championships in Edmonton. Basically only about two months for training time so I'm taking a different approach to this one for my training. I'm going to plug along following the 5/3/1 like normal with some first set last thrown in for my squats, same old approach for my deadlift and a whole bunch of change for my bench press. Since the competition all my workouts have been lower intensity and volume for recovery. Today was my second normal workout and I managed a new PR in my squat 340 lbs for 8 reps!! 
Bench press is getting an overhaul, its been going nowhere for many months so it's time to change up the training for this one. I started by taking a wider grip on the bar by about 2 inches which brings my pecs into play more. This month will involve lots of benching with this grip width with maybe some dead benching programmed in, depending on how it feels. Also more sets of military press but using the first set last technique.
My goals for the next competition is to exceed all my numbers from this last competition of course!! But I'm not going to attempt any heavier sets, only what the program calculates for me.

First set last means first working set weight (in this case 105 lbs or 280lbs) and you do 5 sets of 5 reps. To amp up the intensity I normally shorten up the rest interval to under 1:30 mins.

Day 1
Military Press 65 x 10, 95 x 10, 105 x 5, 115 x 5, 130 x 10
Military Press first set last 105 x 5 for 5 sets
Bench Press feet up new grip width
bar x 10, 95 x 10, 135 x 10, 185 x 5, 225 x 5, 245 x 5, 245 x 5
One Arm DB Rows 50 x 10, 100 x 10 3 sets nice strict reps!!
V bar cable pressdowns supersetted rope cable curls
4 sets

Day 2 here is what went down and up. Lots of squats!
Back Squat bar x 10, 95 x 10, 135 x 10, 185 x 10, 225 x 5, 280 x 5, 300 x 5, 340 x 8 new PR!
Back Squat first set last 280 x 5 for 5 sets
RDL 135 x 10, 185 x 7, 225 x 6, 275 x 6, 315 x 6, 315 x 6
Air Dyne Bike 12 mins interval 20 on 10 off



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