T Nation

4 Week Peaking for a Meet

#1

Hello, comrades

I need your help on deciding what is the best thing to do 4 weeks out programming wise. This is my second meet, I did the same meet about the same time last year. Last time I tried a lot of different stuff, because I didn’t know any better. I peaked with some kind of Sheiko program that I found online. It was rough. Around 3 hours long training sessions and I felt terrible. I was planning on doing it again but things didn’t work out. I did 2 cycles of some Omar Isuf programs where I combined 2x week squatting and 3x a week benching and deadlifting. My bench is feeling great, my squat hasn’t seen much progress because I’ve been dealing with knee issues. From the lack of proper squatting and accessory movements my deadlift is stuck at 170 kgs. I can’t pull 180kg, it just doesn’t move.

I have lately been doing a lot of kettlebell swings and some condioning related stuff to help my posterior chain, and have been trying to hit accessory stuff hard. I do not know how to proceed with the peaking, tho.

Should I run the same program for like 3 weeks and then get a deload the last week or should i just do some kind of 5/3/1 thing where 1 week out i try my second attempts as heaviest? What would you do if you were in my shoes?

I can always just chill and do something like westside template with the max effort and dynamic effort sh*t. Would love to hear your advise.

Much love

#2

Wha do your sets reps and weight look like for your deadlift workout

#3

week 1 day 1 - 80% 6x4; day 2 60% 20x1 beltless EMOM; day 3 opposite stance 3x6 + accessory

week 2 day 1 - 85% 5x3; day 2 60% 25x1 beltless EMOM; day 3 - opposite stance 4x6 + accessory

week 3 day 1 - 90% 4x1; day 2 60% 15x1 beltless EMOM; day 3 accessory, no deadlifting

week 4 day 1 - NEW 1RM; day 2 60% 30x1 beltless EMOM; day 3 opposite stance 5x6 + accessory

I’ve been doing this for 2 cycles - 2 months. The first month I did it sumo and I kinda PRed, because previously i hadn’t pulled more than 150 sumo, now I pulled 170. Then did the second cycle conventional and couldn’t pull 180

I know miracles can’t happen for 3 weeks, but at this point anything can help

#4

Ain’t no expert but I would say, just lift as per normal, 1 week out from the meet, test your openers. Say your meet is on a Saturday, you’ll probably test it on the Monday of the same week and maybe get one or two EXTREMELY LIGHT workouts done on Wednesday/Thursday. Maybe a 5x5 at 50% of your max on Wednesday and 50% of your openers on Friday(if you’re really itching to go to the gym). Good luck and tell us how it went.

#5

I’d go with that. It’s what I did for my first three meets.

Otherwise, I generally go:

  • last heavy DL 14 days out
  • last heavy squat 10 days out
  • last heavy bench 7 days out

Those will generally all be within 2.5-5 kg of my planned third attempt.

#6

I’ll use the topic to ask you about openers too. I’ve seen Josh Hancott talk about the percentages he uses for his attempts but I wanna hear some more opinions.

Atm my bench is roughly at 125 kg. I’ve hit 120 a couple months ago and according to the calculator in the program i should be able to hit 125. Today I did 115 and it was easy, a bit slow but easy. Should I use that as an opener or should I go 110, which I have hit for a 3 easily? I really want to shoot for 130kg as last attempt. So 110, 120 and 130, or 115-122,5-130 or maybe 125, if the first are too heavy? What do you guys think?

#7

Here’s how I set my attempts out:

1A 88% of goal

2A 94% of goal
2B 2.5-10 kg less

3A goal
3B 2.5-10 kg less

That way, you’ve got a lot of leeway on what you take depending how you feel on the day and after each attempt. I usually go 2.5 kg for bench and 5 to 7.5 kg for squat and DL between A and B. Generally, I look at my first and second attempt as my last warm ups. The third I want to have hit or come within 5 kg three or so weeks out so I know what to expect.

#8

Hey, guys.

The meet was last Sunday and it did not go as I planned it to.

Went 3/3 on the squat with 150 last attempt. When it came time to bench I missed my first lift, because the judges said my ass came off, I do not think it went and we were like looking at different things or something :lol: I missed the second attempt due to the same reason, and on the third I put my legs like really wide and that fcked me really up. So I couldn’t even lift it. I bombed out on bench cause of my technique. Also, the bench we were on was lower to the ground than the one I train on, I think that fcked with my technique.
After that fail I just went home, didn’t want to deadlift at all. Much sadness

#9

Did you cut weight?. What was your opener for bench

#10

Remember next time to make sure you are able to smoke your opener. If you don’t know what that is, open with something you can hit for a heavy triple then go from there. Equipment is never the same as what you train with.

You’ll get em next time. Keep your head up.

#11

No. I stayed where I was. The opener was pretty easy, it fcking flew. It’s just that the technique is not on point. I opened with 110 (i’ve done it for a triple RPE 7,5ish). The goal was to get 125.

I really wanted to learn the fcking leg drive, cause it was hard for me to figure it out. I finally did, but it is ugly as f

I am sure that my butt is touching the bench, or at least a part of it is, but this movement is retarded

I saw Silent Mike talking about how you can eliminate this problem just by putting your pelvis back more or something of that nature. I tried doing that and my low back was about to cramp up. I will have to play with my feet a lot

#12

Your butt is definitely coming off the bench though that video isn’t the best. I make it a point to keep my but touching the bench. And I usually tighten up before the lift off so my leg drive is consistant through out the move rather than trying to drive with the legs after the pause. Heres a video of me working up to a paused 350, my body doesn’t move much but I’m driving hard against the ground with my legs.