Always Another Chance

Well for those of you who followed me before, I recently went to IPF Jr worlds in Poland on August 28th, 2012. After my first Canadian Nationals in April 2012 (300/200/267.5 at 93kg Jr), I went to worlds:
Squats:
290kg - destroyed it
305kg - back rounded a bit but still came up fine
312.5kg - lost my balance… shoulda had it.

Bench:
215x
215x
215x
Planned opener was 222.5 but felt shitty. What happened was after I pulled out my suit slippers (which idiot me never bothered to do in training), the shirt rode up too far. This shortened the lever arm from seam to seam, made the shirt have way less pop, and alack I bombed for the first time ever… at my first worlds…

Deadliff - heart was not in it:
260kg - easy
272.5x - misgripped the bar
277.5x - out of position so came forward and dropped it

So overall a huge shitfest. Time to fix it!

After worlds, I came to China where I will be until Jan 30, 2013. I have been training at this small gym I found with shitty bars and plates. Gets the job done but not very well hahaha… Been able to get in only maybe 4 times a week.

Highlights thus far include:
Bench… everything has sucked because the benches are slippery, the rack has super long pins so you have to unrack really far, bench is too low to the ground, and I can’t set the bar at the right height to unrack properly. Anyways, hit plenty of 130kg x5, 140 x3, even got 155 x1 a couple times wihtout much trouble.

Squat: Hit 220kg on Saturday. Have also hit 200kg x2. Got 180kgx3 beltless. Did 230kg belt/wrap. Not bad.

Deadlift: got 200kg 3x5 from the ground last week. The thing is, is that the plates here are quite small so this was actually maybe 1-1.5in deficit. Have hit 245kg x3 from probably a 1.5in elevation. Got 220kg x3 from probably floor height about. Deadlift is going quite well actually. Might be the whippy bars.

Also been working on back a lot and trying to get in some abs also.

Also, as eating is more difficult I am down from 95kg to maybe 91kg. Definitely a bit leaner but also a bit smaller. Not to worried about it.

Goals for China:

Squat 230kg raw for my first 500+ raw squat
Bench 170kg which would be a ‘PR’ (done 160kg x3) but given the shitty setup a good sign
Deadlift 275kg - this would be a huge achievement for me but I think it is possible
Do a 20rep set of pullups - improving back strength is essential for me. Will make handling my bench shirt easier, will improve my deadlift positioning and lockout, and will improve my back tightness in the squat which is often why I fail. My legs are very strong but my weak back props me forward so I miss.
Maintain bodyweight at something like 90kg… Will likely be going to the USA next September and the USAPL uses the old weight classes so 90kg would be my desired weight. I hate cutting weight and in the future will always try to stay within 1kg of my weight. THOUGH, as the IPF uses 93kg, will probably be more like 93kg and just cut the extra weight at any local USAPL meets should I be in the USA. Long time down the road.

Anyways, hope some people will follow along and give me their input. My training is very much ‘sheiko’ or Russian style and involves lots of volume and lots of core lifts. Might be a bit boring, but I always say, ‘to be good at something, you better practise it… a lot’.

Monday Oct 15th:

Squatted the last 2 days (220kg on sunday, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140 5x10 on tuesday) so was an easy day:

CGBP:
120 2x5
125 2x4
130 2x3
135 2x3
120 x5

Conventionals (from floor, so 1.5in deficit):
100 x5 - dbl overhand
120 x5 - dbl overhand
140 4x5 - first rep dbl overhand
Not too shabby I would say all things considered. Obviously weight was easy but grip was a bitch.

Couple sets of curls, rear delts, and chest flyes

Good to see that your alive

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday:
Deadlift (start with 1in deficit):
90 x5
120 x5
140 x5
160 x5
*belt
180 x5
*add 3 mats - .5in elevation
200kg 6x5
Awesome. Bar was flying up.

CGBP with feet in air - Had like no time:
90 x7
100 x6
110 x5
120 x4
130 3x3
Speed slow on top sets but I was blazing through the sets.

Leg raises: 3x15

Hopefully will get in again tonight (Thursday night).

Glad to hear from you to Ryan! How was the festival of strength!?!?

Damn just checked results! Congrats on the 9/9 dude! 562.5kg is a monstrous PR for you! Also congrats on breaking the 300 bench! Now it wont be so embarrassing for you to bench besides be :wink:

It went really well actually. You were spot on with guessing my numbers before you left. I went 9/9 with 202.5/140/220 for a 562.5kg total. I didn’t leave weight on the platform atleast this time. Managed an 80kg PR total. The atmosphere was nothing I have ever experienced before, I plan on doing it next year. Not sure what meet is next for me though. I actually managed to fix my upper back rounding when I squat by squatting without a belt and going crazy with pendlay rows. Hopefully I’ll be able to get out to nationals, but it all depends on when my exams fall and when I’m supposed to lift

[quote]arramzy wrote:
Damn just checked results! Congrats on the 9/9 dude! 562.5kg is a monstrous PR for you! Also congrats on breaking the 300 bench! Now it wont be so embarrassing for you to bench besides be ;)[/quote]

There was a few first, 300+lb bench, 400+lb squat and first 200+kg deadlift

Sorry Worlds did not go your way.

Do you have someone help you with your gear? I’m trying to understand exactly what went wrong with your shirt.

Good stuff.

Whoa, insane that you get 70kg+ out of your singly-ply squat suit. Would you say that this is normal or that you are pretty good at getting kilos out of it? How steep is the learning curve for getting into singly-ply gear?

At some point I plan to lift in the IPF. To think I could be squatting 310kg+ now with gear (and a lot of practice) is funny.

[quote]kpsnap wrote:
Sorry Worlds did not go your way.

Do you have someone help you with your gear? I’m trying to understand exactly what went wrong with your shirt.[/quote]

It was just the coach who helped me. I very nice guy, but not overly experienced and I was an idiot in trianing because I never bothered to take out the slippers.

What happened was that the shirt went on too far essentially. What happens when you pull out slippers (which I didn’t think about…) is that it yanks the skin outwards, so that when they come fully out, the shirt pops up another 1 cm or 1/1 inch. So what happened, was the shirt was too far on. Now the whole function of the shirt is to stretch along the chest plate, and provide achorage accross the arm to create a ‘fake’ pec/shoulder/tricep. When the shirt is on further, the lever arm across which the shirt stretches shortens (IE cuff of sleeve to sleeve), which obviously decreases the ammount of support. Ergo, instead of being able to press 222.5kg (planned opener) without much trouble, I couldn’t move 215kg.

[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
Good stuff.

Whoa, insane that you get 70kg+ out of your singly-ply squat suit. Would you say that this is normal or that you are pretty good at getting kilos out of it? How steep is the learning curve for getting into singly-ply gear?

At some point I plan to lift in the IPF. To think I could be squatting 310kg+ now with gear (and a lot of practice) is funny.[/quote]

I don’t get 70kg from the suit…
On the day of worlds I could probably have hit 240kg raw, 275kg in wraps, and 325kg in the suit if my technique was really on. More people wont get 85kg out of their gear, but I train in it constantly so get more from it than most. If you get 70kg out of wraps+IPF suit, then it is pretty decent. Some people get like 50kg out of IPF wraps, some people get less than 40kg from wraps AND the suit together.

No updates for ages…

Highlights:

CGBP:
145kg (320lb) 3x3 - very easy
Bench: 140kg (308lb) 5x4 - good speed
Bench: 155kg x1 - flew up

Squat:
200kg (441lb) 2x2 - right on

Deadlift:
Yesterday did 210kg 5x2
Have done: 200kg 3x5 - belted
Have done: 180 2x5, 190 2x4, 200 2x3 beltless one workout
Have done conventionals 150 6x6

Pullups are getting better finally… still embarassing but done 6x6 and 4x8 and 12 once. Going to get 20 within a month or two I am hoping… Definitely making the deadlift feel better having done all of this.

Also, bodyweight is now sub 90kg (89.5kg or about 197lb) in the morning. I am pretty happy with this. Thinking that when I get back to Calgary I will be in the 88kg range. Will eat up and get back in the gear. Nationals 2013 will be a great comeback meet. Trying to decide if worlds or North American’s or even the classic cup are in the cards for 2013. I will see. Probably wont qualify for classic cup and seeing how I plan to travel with the family in July/August, it’s looking like North Americans is the best bet. Given the reasonably low competition, might even hit the podium there!

Must be nice to be getting lighter, seems like I’m just getting heavier. I think I’ve finally figured it out back down to ~255 from getting up to over 270 for a few weeks. Going to try and get somewhat closer to the 105s. for nationals if I can manage to get out. Looks like training is going well for you.

Thanks Ryan. All in all not bad training. How are things going for you? T-Nation is soooo slow in china I can barely ever get on. Glad to hear you will be going to nats next year! I will give you a call when I am back in town and we can start training together.

Today was a good session:

Squats: 175kg (385lb) 5x3
CGBP: 130kg (286lb) 5x5
Pullups: 14 (PR)

Looking like I got the 400lb raw bench in me now. Probably will try for 175kg in a few weeks but probably wont be trying for the full 182.5 here in china given the shitty equipment and lack of reliable spotters/safety rack. Also gonna start putting on the wraps a bit more for squats. Knees are starting to feel SLIGHTLY cricky once in a while so figures theres no point developing pain. Anyways, fricking exhausted and got work at 730am tomorrow.

I squatted 455 on friday, my bench is probably about the same and My dead more than likely close to 500. training’s going to be all over the place next semester since I’ve got class till 4 on mondays and wednesdays. I’m working with brandon lilly up until nationals, so training might be a little bit tricky. I haven’t pulled heavy in about 3 weeks since I’ve been destroying

Wednesday Session:
Squat:
100 x5
120 x5
140 x5
*belt
160 x5
*wraps
180 x5 (very loose wraps)
200 x5
220 3x3
Not bad. Speed was a bit slow but that is mostly because the wraps hurt like hell as I am not used to them.

CGBP:
80 x6
100 x6
120 x6
140 x4,4,3,4
Hell yeah.

I am going to try and really start logging now.

Congrats on all the good lifting Ryan. Best of luck with all your training. I will see you in Calgary in February!

Thursday session:
Squat
100 x5
120 x5
140 3x5
160 x3
180 2x2
160 x3

Bench:
80 x8
100 x7
120 x6
140 x3,4,5,5,5

Pullups: 4x6
Chest flyes: 4x8
Rear delts: 4x10

Friday:
Deadlift:
100 x5
120 x5
140 x5
160 3x5 - No straps. My grip isn’t amazing and these bars are TERRIBLE.
180 6x3 - When I put on the straps this moved like air. Remember this is like a 2cm deficit. :slight_smile:

CGBP:
100 x10
120 3x5
Ran out of time. Also felt pretty tired from the two prior days being pretty hard.

Saturday:
Squat
100 x5
120 x5
140 x5
*belt
160 x5
*wraps
180 x5
200 5x5
Wow that was easy… Huh…

CGBP:
100 2x5 - feet up, long pause
120 x5 - feet up, long pause
130 x5- long pause
150 2x2
120 x5
130 x5
Good benching. Felt fast.

Sunday:
Deadlift:
100 x5
120 x5
140 x5
160 x5
*belt
180 x5
200 x5
210 4x3
220 x3 - Moved like air. Probably got that 272.5kg RAW at this point. Finally.

600lb deadlift is no joke. I see a lot of squatting and close grip. I’ll be doing each 4 times a week starting Monday with Smolov. Anyway, you’re a pretty strong mofo so thought I’d say hi.