Going to use this space as my training log. I leave my stuff written down at the gym, so I’ll grab it and update accordingly.
Currently:
5’8 190
31 years old
Maxes:
Squat: 402 in December 2018
Bench: 285 Tested August 2018, 270 in Comp December 2018
Conventional Deadlift: 435 Tested August 2018, 429 in comp December 2018
Sumo deadlift: 405 (tested Dec 2017), recently 355 for 3x5
Next Move: Meet in May - Classic Raw
Goals:
Open with 425
Open with 270
Open with 429
Unofficially Break Drug Tested records, but break them even more officially in Sept
First meet in Classic Raw
First time trying sumo - going back to conventional after this prep
Starting a few weeks of Bulgarian Light today, and then going to work with my coach for programming. Let’s see how this goes!
Week 1:
Day1
Squat - Daily Minimum of 355, felt a little grindy
Bench - Daily Minimum of 260, misgrooved a little, but 255 moved well.
Note - these were my PR’s right before my 2nd meet in April 2017, so it’s great to know I can hit these without any real peaking.
Week 1, Day2:
Squat - Daily minimum of 365 - felt grindy and my teammate asked me if it was a tempo squat
Bench - Daily minimum of 245 with 2x3 of 210 for back off sets. Everything moved fast as hell, but elbows and wrists kinda hurting and I felt it on a warmup set of 185, so I might switch to a duffalo bar for a few weeks.
This session, I’ll also swap the order and try Benching first, then Squatting.
Used the duffalo bar and switched up bench and squat order. Felt good on my wrists and elbows.
Worked up to 247, then back off sets of 222 for doubles (57 lb bar) on bench
For squat, 347 and back off sets of 287 for triples
Hit some deadlifts for 345 for 5 singles. Going to progress this by adding one set till I hit 10, then adding 10-20lbs.
Traveling for the week so I did my last session at a commercial gym. It’s kinda far so it’s thrown me off my frequency.
Got 355 on squat, with back off sets at 320 for a double. Called it at one back off set since it felt slow.
245 on bench, with back off sets for triples at 210.
Probably only getting one more session in this week, but going back in full frequency when i get back home.
Spreading out sessions farther apart than intended during my holiday schedule, but i see nothing wrong with enjoying my vacation
Started with bench, worked up to 255, 2 back off sets at 215 for easy triples.
Followed by squat to 355, followed by a set of doubles at 320 again. Cut it off after one back off set because it was slow. Probably going to do triples at 85% next session.
My A7 shirt was great last session, but it was hard to pull off the last session in a normal shirt when the bar didn’t have center knurling and the bench was slippery. I don’t think it would have made much difference but woulda given me some peace of mind. Also forgot wrist wraps again…
Not much at the moment, I was doing a lot in other cycles.
I do single leg deadlifts and ecentric leg curls pre and post workout for warmup/cooldown and lat pulldown/band pull apart before bench, and facepull after.
But in other cycles I do lots of bodybuilding work and variations of the main lifts, so I’ll probably add that back in next cycle.
My gym has a deadlift bar, so I didnt want to try deadlifting in the commercial gym I was at this week. Waited till I got home yesterday to deadlift today at my gym and still fit it in the week.
5 singles of 345 and felt kinda hard. But I’m also not doing these reps with straps. Other than that, I had some time and energy, so I banged out some bench. Worked up to 255 and then did back off doubles at 230. Wanted the duffalo bar but some kid was using it for big squats.
A few years back my 260 PR was grindy as hell. The fact that my 255 moved fast, makes me confident to sneak on more weight. Probably doing that tomorrow.
Worked up to 350 for squat. Warm ups felt slow even at 225, so I stopped early. I also did have deadlifts yesterday so that could be a factor.
Did Duffalo bar bench to 257, then did a back off set of 237 for a double - felt a lil wonky so on the bar path.
I think this is the first two days in a row I’ve done in a while, and I’m probably not doing the Bulgarian Method as originally intended. Hopefully the time I put in with lifting every other day can help me ease into more frequency.
Because I know volume isn’t too high, I’m trying to build volume in the warmup - most of my warm ups are 3s and 2s till right before I start ramping up to my daily minimum.
I started working with a physical therapist for preventative care who recommended more hamstring and glute work. He’s a USAW lvl1, and was a PT for one of my old coaches, so he’s also in the loop of my training and understands it. It was important for me to get a doctor who lifts so that he’s not like “Oh this hurts? Then dont put this heavy thing on your back/in front of you. Omg don’t arch on bench!”
One of the changes I made were doing hip circle with my toes pointed slightly inward with partial hip hinge. Yesterday, I did the hip circle outside the gym for more space and my felt a strong glute, maybe also abductor, pump. I also goofed and forgot to lat pulldown/band pull apart before bench, but I got that in after.
Worked up to 262 Duffalo Bar bench then 350 on squat.
Squats felt kinda choppy because I skimped on my warmup. Was kind of in a rush. No back off sets today either.
Because I been stuck at the 350-355 range for squat without having to/needing to grind, I’m thinking of loading 325, and then adding 40lbs of chains to get the feel of walking out and locking out 365, but only having 325 at the bottom, and then doing it again once I can do 365 in straight weight without grinding.
EDIT: Watched the videos again and they didn’t look too bad, but I don’t think there was any harm in one light day. I should probably spend more time in warmup sets to build volume and reinforce technique.
Did some SSB Squat to take strain off my wrists and elbows. Felt great and I got a choppy single of 360. Ill count 340 as my daily minimum. Did a set of 290 for triples.
Duffalo bench after, and did 257 for a daily minimum and 2 sets of 217 for triples.
OH YEAH! Felt good today. Met up with another trainer in the area who came to visit my gym.
Worked up to 267 on Duffalo Bench, did some back off doubles at 237
Worked up to 380 on SSB to match my old Squat PR (on a barbell tho), so confident I can smash my goal of 405 in the very near future. Admittedly, the 380 was a little grindy (moved .18 m/s), but 360 looked clean today (moved like .3 m/s). Counting 360 as my daily minimum today.
Worked up to a grindy-ish 360 because 340 felt fresh to death. 360 moved 2.1 m/s and 340 moved like .4 m/s. Called it there.
Worked up to 257 Duffalo, called it because my elbows started hurting.
Wrapped up with some light band curls and the stuff my PT showed me.
Poverty deadlift today. Took a break yesterday, back in today.
345 for 6 singles. Transitioning to hook grip so thumbs feel thrashed. I don’t know how I’ll do rep work on hook grip.
All moved slow, like .2ish m/s. My very last one was .34 m/s because I think I finally got my shit together. Hopefully squatting more (especially on SSB) helps my shit
Rep work is useless on hook grip over 5 reps - it just has to be unbreakable for 1 rep. My thing with hook grip was getting comfortable enough to realize that the point where it feels like your hands are about to slip is 1. The strongest part of hook grip and 2. Shortens your ROM by about an inch.
Yeah fo sho, I need to practice this more. Before, I was doing hook grip for warmup sets and then straps. I’ve done a 365 on hook grip before, but this is more volume than I’ve done lately. My old 405 PR from April 2017/391 in meet was mixed grip.
Worked up to a BLAZING fast 280, this time on the eleiko power bar. Going for 300 before September and hopefully 315 after meet prep in December. Back off sets of 240 for ez triples.
Squats felt rough. Worked up to a grindy 360 and went again for another grindy 375.
Squatting first tomorrow, considering using a barbell. Then back to duffalo bench.
Tried squats on barbells and it felt like trash. Maybe I do a better job at staying tight on SSB. Stopped at 345 today and even unracking felt like a struggle, but the squat itself moved quick. My velocity tracker was out of battery today.
Bench felt good so I made big jumps. Got bold and tried 285, but missed.
Going back to building back up on barbell squats and going back to duffalo bench. Deadlifts tomorrow if I feel like it
