With Winning in Mind

[Vince Cifani]

11/09/2016


1. Deadlift w/belt:

390 x 4 @6
415 x 4 @7.5
415 x 4 @8
415 x 4 @8
415 x 4 @8.5
415 x 4 @9

5-min. rest periods
E1RM: 506

Did conventional deadlift with mixed grip for the first time in awhile. Felt great.


2. 3-count pause bench:

207 x 3 @6
217 x 3 @7
230 x 3 @8
230 x 3 @8
230 x 3 @8
230 x 3 @8.5

5-min. rest periods
E1RM: 267.5



3. Ab wheel:

bw x 10 @7
bw x 10 @8
bw x 10 @9
bw x 7 @9

3-min. rest periods


I'm recovering very well from the meet. Moderate soreness. Motivation is high.

[Sean Herbison]

1. Deadlift w/belt:
...
Did conventional deadlift with mixed grip for the first time in awhile. Felt great.

Welcome back, Vince.

[Vince Cifani]

Welcome back, Vince.

Good to be back.


11/11/2016


1. Front squat:

240 x 6 @6
255 x 6 @7
270 x 6 @8.5
255 x 6 @8.5

5-min. rest periods
E1RM: 227.5 (+10.5)



2. TnG bench:

235 x 5 @7
247 x 5 @8
235 x 5 @7.5
235 x 5 @8

5-min. rest periods
E1RM: 301.5 (-7.5)

[Vince Cifani]

11/12/2016


1. Close-grip cable row:

160 x 10 @7
170 x 10 @8
180 x 10 @9
170 x 10 @9

5-min. rest periods



2. Close-grip cable rows:

150 x 10 @7
160 x 10 @8
170 x 10 @9
160 x 10 @9

5-min. rest periods


End of Week 1 of my Recovery Block. Feeling great so far.

[Vince Cifani]

11/15/2016


1. Squat:

365 x 4 @6
385 x 4 @7
405 x 4 @8
405 x 4 @8.5
405 x 4 @8.5
405 x 4 @9

5-min. rest periods
E1RM: 482 (+6)


2. Competition bench:

225 x 4 @6
237 x 4 @7
250 x 4 @8.5
250 x 4 @9
250 x 4 @9
250 x 4 @9.5

5-min. rest periods
E1RM: 294 (-0.5)


3. Press:

125 x 6 @7
132 x 6 @8
140 x 6 @9
132 x 6 @9

5-min. rest periods
E1RM: 173 (+3.5)

[Vince Cifani]

11/17/2016


1. Deadlift w/belt:

370 x 4 @6
395 x 4 @7
420 x 4 @8
420 x 4 @8.5
420 x 4 @9
420 x 4 @9

5-min. rest periods
E1RM: 500 (+6)


2. 3-count pause bench:

210 x 3 @6
220 x 3 @7
232 x 3 @8
232 x 3 @8.5
232 x 3 @9

5-min. rest periods
E1RM: 270 (+2.5)


3. Ab wheel:

bw x 11 @7
bw x 9 @8
bw x 7 @9
bw x 7 @9

3-min. rest periods


4. GPP:

Close-grip cable rows, 170 x 10 min.

[Vince Cifani]

Finally back to logging. I had taken a break from recording my workouts here as well as a seven-month break from competition, although I have been training this whole time.

Long story short, I stopped using RTS Guided Programming for a while, tried doing my own programming, lost weight, lost a bunch of strength, then re-started Guided Programming and got most of it back.

Early this year, I started doing the "Two Steps Forward, One Step Back" program from PPST. I think the volume was way too low and my strength plummeted. I got back on Guided Programming five weeks before a meet in early June and my lifts went back up, somewhat. I don't remember my exact numbers but I hit somewhere in the ballpark of 465, 282, 551 at the competition. Not great, but I was able to salvage some of my strength.

So, now I'm back with Guided Programming and my lifts are steadily increasing. I think I'm better prepared to handle the training load this time around. The next meet is in early September and I will be competing in the 105 kg weight class.

Also, I lost more weight early this year, getting down to 210-215 lbs. I was eating about 2500 calories which allowed a 1-2 lb drop in weight each week. It was impossible to train on such low calories. I was weak and extremely grumpy. I signed up for Avatar Nutrition and started a "reverse diet" which involves increasing the metabolism by slowly adding more calories to my diet. I'm currently eating 3500 calories, maintaining my weight, and feeling much, much better.

I'm going to stick with Guided Programming and continue to reverse diet for a couple more months at least. I'm going to see how much I can eat while maintaining my bodyweight. I've given up any thought of competing as a 93kg lifter and will be happy as a 105 or even a 120.


07/24/2017

1. Squat w/belt:

395 x 1 @6
420 x 1 @7
445 x 1 @8
345 x 5 @6.5
345 x 5 @7
345 x 5 @7
345 x 5 @7
345 x 2 - I felt a very uncomfortable tightness in the right side of my groin so I decided to stop the set and skip the remaining three sets. Better safe than sorry.

E1RM: 483.5 (+5.5)


2. Competition raw bench:

235 x 1 @6
250 x 1 @7
265 x 1 @8
250 x 2 x 8

E1RM: 288 (+5.5)

Bench is going GREAT. I really exaggerate "chest up" when unracking the bar, going so far to look backwards behind the bench. This keeps my shoulders back PERFECTLY. What a difference.


3. Wide-grip bench:

200 x 5 @6
210 x 5 @6.5
215 x 5 @8
215 x 5 @8
215 x 5 @8.5
215 x 5 @8.5

E1RM: 265.5 (+4)


Bonus Fun Fact: I ran the Warrior Dash on Saturday. Despite having done no running for four years, I was able to complete the race easily, and felt practically no soreness or fatigue the next few days. Strength really is the most fundamental physical adaptation.

[manveer]

Welcome back.

[Vince Cifani]

Welcome back.

Thanks, dude!

[Sean Herbison]

Finally back to logging.

Yay.

I've given up any thought of competing as a 93kg lifter and will be happy as a 105 or even a 120.

Doooo it.