This is my first shot at an online log. Hoping it’ll motivate me a little more. Training has been getting a little stagnant and boring lately.
A little about me. I’m 29, 5’7, 181 lbs. I’m a fireman in the Cincinnati area. I love lifting heavy and getting stronger. I think lifting has a good carryover to my everyday life as I’m involved in strenuous activities throughout the day. Whether it be in firefighting activities or medical details, strength plays a part every day.
Lifting background. I’ve been lifting since Freshman year in High School, 1999. I started to get stronger in baseball. So I have about 14 years under my belt. The majority of my training was bodybuilding type. In '04 I did a Bench Press only competition. I hit 265 @ 142 lbs. In '05 I started getting into heavier lifting. Hurt my back doing rep deadlifts with straps. Compressed some discs. Could barely walk for weeks. Definitely couldn’t squat or deadlift. Thought my heavy lifting days were over before they even started. So I spent the next few years doing mostly upper body stuff, back to bodybuilding type training. In '09 I started reading into some Westside Barbell material as suggested by my gym owner Wayne Smallwood (holds national bench press records in the 60 and 70 year old divisions). I had been doing DE bench for years under Wayne’s suggestion, not knowing where he got the idea from. So I picked up the Book of Methods and watched hours of Westside guys and seminars on youtube. Every article I could find. Finally, I started squatting and deadlifting again. I was determined to get back out there. I was rehabbing on my own, seeing a chiropractor 3x a week. Did a Police and Fire competition last year. Finished 2nd in the push/pull 181’s with a 765 total. Looking to top that this year in June, full power meet.
So I ran Conjugate Periodization for most of my powerlifting training. Pretty much up until last year. I voluntarily transferred to one of the busiest companies in Ohio, and it has taken a toll on my recovery. Not sleeping much, if at all, every 3rd day. So, I decided I needed a change from the constant ME days. I also had to leave my gym due to my schedule and preparing myself for the baby I have on the way. Due April 16th! So, I’ve built my own gym in the basement of my home. Forced to train solo. Saved up some money and went shopping at Rogue Fitness in Columbus, OH. Awesome equipment and good prices. Most importantly its AMERICAN MADE!!
I’ve played around with linear periodization, 5/3/1, Juggernaut Training, Sheiko, RTS, and now Block Periodization. I really enjoyed Mike T’s RTS, which pretty much is Block Periodization. I just needed the actual numbers to start out with as opposed to the RPE’s. I’m learning the RPE’s and have started incorporating them in my workouts. Especially on lifts I don’t have 1RM’s for.
So hopefully, someone will read this and maybe learn something or someone will have some words of wisdom for me. Hope you enjoy.
Best All-Time Gym Lifts
Bench 360 @ 199
Bench 330 @ 181
Deadlift 490 @ 181
Squat 325 @ 181
Best Comp Lifts
Bench 290 paused @ 181
Deadlift 475 @ 181
Numbers are a little everywhere, I know. I did some experimenting with gaining weight. And, well, it worked! However, my back injuries came back. I learned the lighter I was, the less my back hurt. Unfortunately, my numbers suffered from that. So, I’m actually trying to get into the 170’s and build up to 181. That seems to work pretty well for me approaching a meet. I’m right around 181-185, now.