T Nation

Intermediate Lifter Needs Assistance

Powerlifting
#1

Hello, I call myself an intermediate lifter though I know most of you would probably still call me a beginner. I started getting serious about powerlifting again back in Dec of 07 and was doing the Elite FTS basic training regiment.

I saw huge gains because it had been a long time since I’d done anything in the gym. Training went on and the gains stopped coming. So I tried a Sheiko program for a couple weeks did not see any gains so went on to a Smolov Program for a couple weeks.

Now I’m just forcing myself to go to the gym and do anything. I need some encouragement and direction. When the numbers stop jumping like they were before I started losing focus on the program I started out with so I start program hunting until I’m just flailing madly looking for anything.

Please help to set me on the right path. My current maxes are 315 squat 235 bench and 335 deadlift (training lifts).

Thank you ahead of time for your assistance

NCOs’ Lead from the front!

#2

http://www.elitefts.com/documents/getting_ready.htm

#3

The numbers and poundages aren’t always going to jump up. If you want to make gains you have to stick with it and be persistent.

There’s no magic program, either. Pick something and stick to it. If you commit yourself and bust your ass, your strength will improve.

#4

[quote]Rampage74 wrote:
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/getting_ready.htm

http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1627924[/quote]

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll try training like a bodybuilder and seeing how that works for me.

#5

[quote]malonetd wrote:
The numbers and poundages aren’t always going to jump up. If you want to make gains you have to stick with it and be persistent.

There’s no magic program, either. Pick something and stick to it. If you commit yourself and bust your ass, your strength will improve.[/quote]

Thanks for the good advice I plan on trying the Elite FTS program previously suggested and see where it takes me.

#6

If an internet forum is your desired source of inspiration, then bud, you’re fucked.

#7

[quote]Mah-lur wrote:
If an internet forum is your desired source of inspiration, then bud, you’re fucked.[/quote]

Unfortunately, the only gyms I can afford to go to have the kind of people I do not wish to surround myself with for success in powerlifting, My comrades are only concerned with passing an APFT and my wife hates the fact that the training I like to do eats up so much time. So I have to find someone somewhere who might be willing to guide me along and help me on the right track. Being in a country where I don’t speak the lingo doesn’t help much either but what the fuck. Maybe if I could find out where some powerlifting meets in holland are I could hook up with some powerlifters and get inspiration from them or maybe I’m just as you say fuct!

#8

Try switching up your reps. For example bench.

After 1-2 sets of warmups. @ your current lift I’d say 45’s then 55’s for 10-14.

Then switch to the 2-6 rep limit.

Go for 6 and force rep as many as you can if you can’t 6.

For 65’s 75’s 85’s.

Or try 9 9 9 9 9, when 9 fails. 6 6 6 6. when 6 fails. 3 3 3 3 3. then 1 1 1 1 til you cant even lower the bar down with control.

So to make this more understandable.

135lbs x 12
155lbs x 10
165lbs x 6
175lbs x 6
185lbs x 6
195lbs x 3
205lbs x 3
215lbs x 1
225lbs x 1

Then do Negatives
255 x 1 negative. Have a spotter help lift-off. Then under your own power lower it all the way down fighting every second of the way making it a 5 count.
255 x 1 negative. same

255 x 1 negative. same thing.

Unrack it back to 135 and pump out another 10 reps.

That is one way to jack your bench up.

There are several. You could use this for a 1-2 months. But raise the weight up 5-10 lbs each week. Don’t limit yourself tho. If you feel stronger do another 2-3 reps, or jack the weight up 10-20 lbs. or raise your negative rep weights up to 315.

If you want motivation and you like negative replies go post your pics up on the Rate My Physique Section. Hehe.

#9

If you are particularly amped, by a consistent period of proper nutrition.

Try this method.

some rotator work for 10 minutes.
145x 10 no rest
185x 3 no rest
225x 3 no rest
255x 3 no rest
315x 1 no rest

Then you could throttle down to
185 x 6-8
165 x 10
145 x 12

You and your spotter basically rack and re-rack in under 10 seconds and your at it again.

No Rest. But this is toned down weight wise and volume wise because of your current strength limitations. So consider this the PG-13 only because of cuss words.

Other things like learning controlled breathing, tightening up your whole body, stablizing your legs. The little arch in the back. Expanding your chest pre-lift, tucking your shoulder blades together. Using a spotter for every liftoff.
Lots of things can help.

Oh deadlifting, barbell rows will help your bench. Along with tricep work ~ Front shoulder work and some forearm work.

There are tons of ways to get past the numbers you currently are listing. It is how hard/smart you train + your ability to connect to your muscles. Nutrition and Rest.

#10

Another way :

Warmup.

Then go do 185 for 8.

Then go do something else.

Lifting a weight once is cool and all but if you do 215 for 1.

That is 215 lbs of work.

now multiply 185 x 8. How much work did you do.

But take some time and look through the site there are articles and forum posts about it galore that stretch back YEARSSSSSSSSSS. You’ll find your answer if these methods aren’t to your liking.

#11

kinein

Thank you for all your advice and time you put into it. I’m gonna go with the plan Rampage suggested from EliteFTS and try to stick with that for more than 4 weeks because week 4 is usually when I feel it’s necessary to change plans.

#12

You need to stick with a plan for more than 4 weeks, especially considering your numbers.

#13

Here is my plan. 3 days a week every other week will be cycles as
mon lowerbody(DE), wed upperbody(DE), fri lowerbody(ME)

mon upperbody(DE), wed lowerbody(DE), fri upperbody(ME)

Using the training template outlined on this website: http://www.elitefts.com/documents/getting_ready.htm

I can only do training 3 days per week on top of my Army physical training that is why I have designed my program this way. The most difficult part for me will be writing everything down. It’s tough for me to remember to do a journal.

#14

Are you competing with gear? I ask because if not, I would recommend nixing the DE work. I don’t think it’ll help you much if you don’t use gear. I’d just put in a rep day.

#15

[quote]Ryan P. McCarter wrote:
Are you competing with gear? I ask because if not, I would recommend nixing the DE work. I don’t think it’ll help you much if you don’t use gear. I’d just put in a rep day.[/quote]

I’m not sure if you had the opportunity to look at the template I’ll be following but what you said is basically that. The DE will be the accessory day just a short way of putting it. I would like to compete in any kind of powerlifting competition however until I get back to the states in a few years I’m not sure how I’ll accomplish that here in Holland.