I just found this log- looking good
Thanks. I hope you find it informative or, at least, entertaining
Week 3 - day 2 deadlift
Deadlift - suit bottoms
135-2x5
225-2
275-1 add belt
305-1 straps up
325-2x1
285-2x2 straps down
I started out in an old super centurian. The first couple of weeks Iāve been using a Titan Velocity to see how it feels. In the past Iāve preferred the centurian over the velocity because itās stiffer in the hips and gave more pop off the floor. However, after being out of gear for so long, the centurian felt too stiff. I couldnāt push my knees out and get close enough to the bar. Everything up to 225 was in the centurian. When I tried to pull 275 it was too hard and pulled out from me. My positioning was terrible. I changed into the velocity and everything was good.
Barbell rows
120-3x8
SSB squats
50-5
127.5-15
127.5-10
Shrugs
205-10
225-10
245-10
Barbell roll outs
3x10
325 felt heavy(ish). I was thinking Iād open at 335-340 so weāll see. Iāve learned though, that deadlifts in competition are different than in the gym. With squat and bench Iām more likely to perform better in the gym but deadlift is better in contest. Part of it is that our training bar is stiff (tpb) and the bar used in competition has more flex so it comes off the floor much more easily. Plus the adrenaline that may negatively impact squat and bench when technique has to be super dialed in blows the bar off the floor for deadlift.
Video is 2nd rep at 325
Week 3 - day 3 Bench
Squat
45-10
135-2x3
145-5x5
Bench
45-10
95-3
105-2
115-1
135-bunch shirt on
145-2
155-1
157.5-1, 0, 1
Struggles with the shirt. On the top set the first rep sailed up, the second slid off the bubble onto my stomach and the third was really hard. We were also moving pretty quickly and I was doing lift offs for my husband. Loading bars and lifting off in a shirt isnāt recommended.
Leg raises
3x10
band pull aparts
bunch of sets throughout squats to warm up my shoulder
banded face pulls
3x20
Week 4 - Day 1 squat
Squat
bar-10
135-2x3
185-1
225-2 suit bottoms
255-2 straps up
275-2
295-1
300-2x1 add wraps
285-1
The second single at 300 got out of position. It came up but it was slow, hard and all back. I decided to drop back to 285 rather than hit a third at 300. I think my opener will be around 285.
Bench
bar-10
100-4x5
RDL:
135-10
155-10
175-10
superset with
standing overhead tricep extensions
30-3x15
The rest of the week will be rolling from one Christmas function to another. Tomorrow is my favourite; lunch at the Mandarin with one of our builders. I love the Mandarin and I love this function because there isnāt really much socializing required. Last Friday was a reception at a microbrewery. The beer was good but I donāt drink much at work functions. You run the risk of saying what you think and thatās never really a good idea. We have a lot of irons in the fire with proposals and itās good to been seen and shake peoples hands but itās not something that comes easily to me.
First single at 300. I pulled the suit legs up a bit and that seems to be helping. Overall, I felt much more confident with the weight on my back this week. Many people who have never lifted in gear are under the misapprehension that you put it on and it does magic for you. The fact is, you have much more weight loaded on your back or over your face than typical and itās scary.
This is my fourth week back in a suit and Iām just now starting to feel a bit more confident.
Week 4 - day 2 deadlift
Deadlift
135-2x5
225-2
275-1 suit bottoms belt
315-1 straps up
335-2x1
Reps at 315 and 335 felt a bit off, like my hands werenāt centred and it was leaning to the left.
Barbell rows
125-3x8
SSB squat
50-5
132.5-15, 10
Shrug
205-10
225-10
245-10
Static hold on last rep
Bar roll outs
3x10
I thought deadlift would be easier since I still had my Mandarin/sodium bloat from Tuesday lunch.
Second rep at 335. Itās a bit slow but it got a bit wrapped up in the legs of my sweat pants. I think the pants ended up halfway up my shins by the time I got past them.
This spoke to me.
Drinking at any type of work function can have a bad consequence. Things suddenly seem brilliant when theyāre really stupid. Through the Christmas season, many of our clientās host lunches for the trades. One recently had an open bar and I watched one of our guys drink 4 bottles of beer with his lunch. Because we are a roofing company, he lost a half days work. There was no way he was going up on a roof after drinking.
On the other hand, itās a good opportunity to chat with our guys and find out whatās going on with other trades. Everyone likes to gossip over lunch. I work inside doing estimating and contracts for builders and am not typically on site.
Week 4 - day 3 bench
Squat
45-2x10
135-2x5
146.5-4x5
It was cold af in the basement. I was cold when I got home. The heater isnāt working in my jeep and Iād had a couple of long cold drives and hadnāt warmed up yet.
Bench
45-10
95-3
105-2
135-3 add shirt
150-1 second rep slid off the bubble to my face but Frank caught the bar
157.5-1
160-0,1
At this point I got frustrated and decided to dig out a couple of my older shirts. Theyāre a bit less restrictive and easier to handle
First I tried my old size 36 Fury from 2008. I hit 135 for a double and it felt horrible; like some awkward sweater knit by a beginner that was tight in the wrong places.
Next I tried my size 34 F6 and it was better. It went
135-2
145-1
157.5-0
I donāt know if it was because I was done or it wasnāt enough. I think Iāll stick with the Super K and make it work somehow.
Leg raises
3x10
Banded face pulls
3x15
Week 5 - day 1 squat
Squat
45-10
135-2x3
185-1
225-3 suit bottoms/belt
265-1 (or 2 I canāt remember) straps up
285 - 1 add wraps
295-1
307.5-1
285-2x1
It was freezing again in the basements. Thatās another issue with gear. It difficult to layer up with knee wrapping and pulling up straps. Itās also very crisp when you have to strip down to pull a suit on. These went fairly smoothly which makes me confident of how Iāll do when Iām bit warmer.
Bench
45-10
102.5-4x4
Banded pull throughs
3x10
Skull crushers
45-3x10
Week 5 - day 2 deadlift
Deadlift
135-2x5 suit bottoms
225-2
275-1 add belt
315-1 straps up
345-0 This came up quickly but the fingers on my left hand caught my knee and pulled open.
345-1 add powder. I donāt typically powder my legs in training. This may be the only time Iāve done it out of contest
BB rows
125-3x8
SSB squat
50-5
137.5-10, 15
Shrugs
205-10
225-10
245-10
BB roll outs
3x10
The meets in just over two weeks and this is the last heavy deadlift day. I typically shut it down a couple of weeks out and have had solid success with it. Recovery is harder than squat and bench.
Next week we squat heavy and bench heavy.
Rep at 345
Week 5 - day 3 bench
Squat
45-10
135-2x3
150-4x5
Bench-
45-10
95-3
105-2
135-3,2 add shirt
155-0
That was the end of that. Last week I started to develop an inflamed bursa sac in my right elbow from the sleeve of the shirt. It was really aggravating me today and when I went down at 155 it got even worse and more inflamed. I donāt have the confidence at the moment to bench through the pain. My husband has had it a few times in the past and trained through it but itās different if youāve got the confidence in gear.
I took off the shirt, very gently, iced my elbow and did one rep at 110, my typical unequipped opener. Iām going to see if I can change to unequipped for the meet. If I canāt, Iāll squat and bench raw and go for a national deadlift record equipped.
Iāve competed raw before after training equipped. Several years ago at nationals I was supposed to compete equipped. I woke up the day of competition barfing. I decided to compete but left the gear off because I didnāt have the mental focus for the attention required,
Leg raises
3x10
Banded face pulls
3x20
Banded pull aparts
3x25
Hammer curls
10-3x15
I did these because my shoulder issue often extends to my brachial nerve and my husband recommended them to get blood flowing to the area. It wasnāt bad.
Picture is my inflamed elbow, The picture doesnāt do it justice.
Week 6 - day 1 Squat
So itās official that Iām doing the regional championships unequipped. It wasnāt too late to change my classification.
Squat
bar-10
135-2x3
185-2
205-1 add belt
225-3x1
185-2x3 beltless
Bench
bar-10
97.5-4x5
Weighted swings
50-3x15
standing tricep extensions
30-3x15
hammer curls
10-3x10
band pull aparts
3x25
This morning I decided to see if it was worth it to get up early and try for some boxing day deals. My daughter and I hit the mall at 7 am. It wasnāt horrible but wasnāt worth it either. I got a pair of leather driving gloves and tea. Thatās it. She was shopping with her friend so I mostly just wandered around for a few hours. I saw some winter boots that I would have liked to have gotten but putting a price on a red tag doesnāt actually mean itās on sale. It only means itās a price on a red tag. Iād looked around online for the boots and the āsale priceā was the same as the regular price. I didnāt buy them.
I did have a nice afternoon nap on the sofa with the fire going. My dog enjoyed it too.
Week 6 - day 2 deadlift
This is all without gear
Deadlift
135-2x5
225-2
255-1 add belt
275-1
I think Iāll open deadlift at 135-137.5. It would be nice to hit 150 this time.
Barbell row
130-3x8
SSB
140-5x5
Last week when we did these I asked my husband to tape a set. They were lopsided. Because my shoulders are narrow, they start to slide between the handles. When we got the bar, I took the pads off the handles because they felt weird. Due to the lopsided issue, I put them back on. It made it harder. It forces the bar to sit right up by my neck and the pads push the handles, and therefore, the camber in the bar, forward.
Bar roll outs
3x10
hammer curls
10-10, 12, 14, 16
band pull aparts
4x25
Hey do you have and tips on how to go about taking in the legs of a squat suit? And if so any pictures of how its done. The rule book is a bit confusing when it comes to this.
@josh_bahadur This is a link to an old t-nation thread. How Do I Tailor My Squat Suit? IPF
On the original thread I posted pictures of how and where I sew to alter my suits. I show the straps and hips but you can tighten the hips down to the bottom of the leg openings. If itās IPF, alterations have to be made on the inside and on an original seam only. You canāt pleat the material.
Week 6 - day 3 Bench
Squat
45-10
135-2x3
152.5-4x5
Bench
45-10
95-3
105-2
110-2x1
Leg raises
3x10
Banded face pulls
3x15
Banded pull aparts
4x25
Hammer curls
10-4x10
Thatās it for training. Next week is just light pre-meet deload stuff.
We had a late Christmas dinner today with my sisterās family. My brother reminded me of the time the boyfriend (when I was 15) did push ups to impress my dad and he just stared at him like he was an idiot. I should get my 16 year old daughters boyfriend to do pushups to impress me