I weighed in at 291lbs. I made some mistakes that cost me 1825 but I learned a lot. This is my fourth meet and two years ago at my first I totaled 1400 even…so progress is progress. Next step is going down to 275 where there is more competition and going for 1925+ with knee wraps.
I edited the original post and took the meet write up out since it was a little long…any feedback is welcomed.
Damn dude, that was awesome! Big congrats and great to have you here. 695 looked pretty smooth, 700 looks like it could have gone up no problem!
Thanks man…I pulled 705 in my last meet. I wanted 710 on my second but I was tired as hell so instead of chancing on missing it I went with 695 to get my 1800 total.
What kind of programming have you been running the past two years?
Strong work. Congratulations
Good looking lifts, also interested in what your training has looked like the past 2 years to increase your total like that.
Thank you guys, I appreciate it.
Well, I had been in the gym since I was 14 for football just like most people start. For 10 years I just went to the gym and did normal gym rat/bodybuilding style training but I was able to develop a decent base on the bench and deadlift. I only did the close stance quarter squats most people at commercial gyms do. I went to Iraq and was at the gym and noticed a few guys who were quite smaller then me but also noticeably stronger then me too. I became intrigued and watched them a few times I was in there. One day I walked over and asked them what type of training they did and they started talking to me about powerlifting and such. I went back to my CHU and read every article and watched every video I could for the next few months until I came back state side and did my first meet where I totaled 1400lbs raw. The last year I was in the Army I trained all conjugate style. I followed the Westside template to the tee. I made pretty decent gains using that. I got out the Army last year on 11/11/11 and I had a 505lb raw squat, 395lb paused bench and a 615lb raw deadlift. I started training at Detroit Barbell and got in a circle with a few knowledgable guys. One of them who is a pro strongman and raw competitor in powerlifting, started tweaking my training. From then on I have done very very high volume on squat and bench…deadlift I am still figuring out what works best for me. I am just a naturally decent puller but I think once I figure out some things I will shoot past 750 pretty quickly.
For the past year or so my template as far as days go has been
Sunday - Deadlift day
Monday - Bench Accessory/Bodybuilding/Overhead day
Weds - Squat Day
Friday - Bench Day
Just to give you an idea of the type of training I do…my last 6 weeks of my bench program going into this meet is as follows:
Week 6: Paused double with 410lbs followed by 6 sets of 4 with 365lbs with a timed 60 seconds rest
week 5: Paused double with 420lbs followed by 8 sets of 4 with 370lbs with a timed 60 seconds rest
Week 4: Paused double with 430lbs followed by 10 sets of 4 with 375lbs with a timed 60 seconds rest
Week 3: Paused single 440lbs followed by 5 sets of 3 with 380lbs with 75 seconds rest’
Week 2: Paused single 445lbs followed by 7 sets of 3 with 385lbs with 75 seconds rest
Week 1: Paused single with 450lbs followed by 9 sets of 3 with 390lbs with 75 seconds
The volume is burtal, and at times, somewhat painful. It gets to a point where you don’t feel you are going to get all the prescribed reps. As you can see from the video, my 455 was somewhat easy. I called for 465 on my 3rd and I should have gotten it but I made a techincal mistake that cost me the lift…that was a good learning experience.
My squat has made the most progress. I was actually off on squat that day. I was planning on 675 but I had to sink them more then I was anticipating but thats part of the game.
Squat micro cycle for the last 4 weeks went like this:
Week 4: 2x4 w/ 540 x 4 then 570 x 4, ascending rest/pause 315x3, 345x3,375x3,405x3 all w/ 60 seconds rest between then pause squats with a “one -one thousand” count in the hole 445x2, 475x2
Week 3: Heavy triple working up to 600x3, ascending rest/pause 335x3, 365x3,395x3,425x3 all w/ 60 seconds rest between, pause squats 465x2, 495x2
Week 2: Heavy double working up to 610x2, ascending rest/pause 355x3,385x3,415x3,445x3 all w/ 60 seconds rest between, pause squats 485x2,515x2
Week 1: Heavy double working up to 615x2, ascending rest/pause 385x3,415x3,455x3,505x3 all w/ 60 seconds rest between, pause squats 525x1, 565x1,600x1
All accessory work was a unilateral hammstring movement of some sort and heavy standing abs on squat days. It doesn’t sound like much but after all that squatting you are SMOKED.
Bench accessory work is usually heavy triceps, a shoulder movement and some rear delts and abs
Deadlift day I rotate heavy pulls for reps with speed pulls against accommodating resistance this training cycle. I don’t think it worked as well. I think I could have pulled 710-715 had I had the balls to call for it on my second. I pulled 705 last meet back in July though…not much of an improvement. I am toying with some ideas about what to implement next.
Looking good Chad. I wish some of our guys would have made it up. Congrats on the total
Awesome lifting man. Looking forward to the next meet you do even more!
425 pound increase on total in 2 years. With 4 meets in between. That’s crazy man. What weight were you when you had your first meet?