Journal headed into my 2nd lifting competition

[K.Diesel]

Peace and best wishes to everyone on this board for strength and health. This is my first time posting online, and I'm doing so at the request of my buddy Locutus, who I met this summer.

Like the thread title says, I'm preparing for my 2nd meet, which is in 5 weeks (11/22) in Annapolis, MD. I compete in squat suit for squat/deadlift, and raw for bench. I have a bench shirt, but sadly I don't know any other powerlifters/enthusiastic helpers near me who can help me get it on properly on a regular basis. I do plan to use it in my 3rd meet though.

My first meet was in August of this year. I weighed 192 1/4lb. Best lifts were -
squat: 453
bench: 275
dead: 512
total: 1240

My goal for the next one is a 1300 total. I'm doing two things differently in my training this time. #1 - training every other day instead of 4 set days per week. #2 - The first training day of the cycle, I train squat, bench, dead together, which I've started to call "competition day". So it looks like
Day 1 - comp. day
Day 2 - off
Day 3 - squat/dead assistance
Day 4 - off
Day 5 - bench assistance
Day 6 - off
Day 7 - comp. day (cycle repeats)

If anyone out there has trained all 3 lifts on the same day for any length of time, please post some feedback and let me know what your results were.I've only read about one person who did this, and I think it was a strongman whose name I can't remember. My rationale was based on a coach/lifter who was helping me made at my 1st meet. He mentioned that I was probably stronger on the bench than I performed, but I never squat before I bench in training. He didn't suggest that I do that, but I thought I would give it a try and see if it made a difference.

Ok, enough background on me. My last training session was Tues. 10/14, and it was my 1st time using the suit since my last meet. FYI - my notes are written weight/reps x sets.

Squat
bar/5
135/5
175/4
225/3
275/2
325/1
375/3
375/6 straps were down on suit for all sets. Wore a belt for the last 2 sets. Had a 7th rep, but I'm not trying to go all out

Bench
bar/6
95/5
135/4
175/3
200/2
225/3
225/5 last set was to failure. didn't plan that - wanted to stop one short but didn't think it would be that tough

Deadlift
225/3
315/1
365/1
415/1 x 8 again straps down. Belt for last warmup and the singles

Had to leave gym a little early, was supposed to do ab work also. Will do that later, and post today's workout tonight or tomorrow. Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for your feedback - supportive praise or constructive criticism

[Locutus]

Hey K.Diesel, welcome to the boards. I think it's more common in America to use sets x reps in the notation.

I think you'll get some good feedback here, as many lifters here are familiar with full body programs.

You may want to consider making a duplicate journal at wannabebigforums.com. They seem to have a very active community.

I'm thinking of doing a Strongman competition in December - (as a "Novice"). Will let you know if I choose to.

Good liftin'!

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

K.Diesel -

I have trained all three lifts together before, but I found that trying to go heavy on squat and deads each time didn't last too long, especially if you train with any appreciable amount of volume. Not sure how familiar you are with speed stuff, but I found that either of the following set ups worked well:

Dynamic Effort Box Squat 12 x 2

Bench Press

Deadlift

or

Heavy Squat

Speed Bench

Rack Pull

Working in the lighter dynamic effort stuff makes the workout more doable (for me) and I actually found my deadlift felt stronger after the explosive box squatting.

With the second model, I found that I could pull with bigger weights if i did so out of the rack so I had less quad involvement which the heavy squats do a thorough job of exhausting.

[Locutus]

Working in the lighter dynamic effort stuff makes the workout more doable (for me) and I actually found my deadlift felt stronger after the explosive box squatting.

With the second model, I found that I could pull with bigger weights if i did so out of the rack so I had less quad involvement which the heavy squats do a thorough job of exhausting.

Interesting ideas here, KSC.

I think I may do the first model (on texas method intensity day) for several weeks at a time, until I want to test my squat 1-5RM (to make sure I'm in the 50-60% range for box squats), and then use the second workout for that purpose.

Some other questions: what are good set/rep schemes for speed bench? I haven't read much about how to go about that. Should one include a pause with speed bench?

Lastly, in some of your templates I've seen you list "1x5" for the deadlift. Why 1x5 as opposed to working to a 1,3, or 5RM? Is it just to ensure that the deadlift at least gets some volume?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Speed Benches - Louie recommends 10 x 3 for speed benches. He also lists several ways in which they can be performed. One is ballistically, where the reps are basically performed as explosively and as fast as possible while still controlling the weight. Generally on these you will stop the bar about an inch or so before you hit your chest. Other methods include a brief pause on the chest (like in a meet) then exploding up, or pausing on pins set a few inches above the chest, or floor presses can also be used for DE benching. I am not an expert on Westside but I have researched the methods quite a bit and expiremented with many of them myself. I have always done between 40-50%. Some guys go heavier than that, but to me, I want to be as explosive as possible, and the weight starts to slow around 55-60%. I wave load the benches meaning week 1 = 40%, wk 2 = 45%, wk 3 = 50%, wk 4 = repeat. I don't use bands or chains, so you'll have to talk to someone who has to get more info on that.

Yeah, sets of 5 are a good happy medium for most of the yearly training cycle. Occassionally I go higher, occassionally I go lower.

Let me know how your Texas Method Plan goes.

[K.Diesel]

Bodyweight is 197 right now.

"Squat rack" at the gym was occupied, so I warmed up with deadlift variations at 135.

Box squat
200+/2 x 9

I know this sounds ridiculous, but the + means that I'm using bands, and I have no idea how much tension the bands add. I just count the bar weight. The crazy thing about this day was that these bands aren't even the ones I normally use. I left mine at home, but the guy who was using the squat rack when I arrived happened to be using some too. Speed was great for each double.

Sumo deadlifts
225/3
315/3
365/3
415/3
465/2 x 3 Happy with these. I lift conventional in competition, so I use sumos as an assistance exercise.

Zercher Squats (These were alternated with sets of the glute/ham raises, about 2-3 minutes rest between each set.)
205/6
225/6
245/5
245/11

Glute/Ham Raise
15, 20, 20 These are done with my ankles hooked under the pad of a lat pulldown machine. I hold onto a pole with one or two hands for balance. Control on the negative, and explode up with hams/glutes on positive.

Hanging leg raises (dip station)
12, 8, 9 - each of these to failure with a 30lb. dumbell between my feet.

By the way, thanks for the feedback, please keep it coming!!

[K.Diesel]

Hope the weekend is good for everyone and hope you start the week even stronger.

Speed bench w/bands (please read yesterday's post for explanation on my band use - today I did use my normal ones)
bar/6; bar+/6; 75+/5; 105+/3 (all warmup sets)

135+/3 x 8 sets - good speed on all of these

2 Phone Book Bench Press - I use phone books since I don't have boards
185/3; 230/3; 260/3 (warm-ups)

285/2 x 3 sets - 1st set easy, 2nd set tougher, 3rd set hard

After those, alternated sets of dips and chins off of rings suspended from/wrapped around chin bar

Dips: 5 x bwt, 5 x bwt, and after getting a whole new respect for gymnasts, went to regular dip station and did 6 reps x 90+bwt

Chins: 8 x bwt, 6 x 45+bwt, 6 x 45+bwt

Pressdowns: 150/12

Had time constraints, so I felt rushed today. Head was not as into it after the phone book presses. Will regroup tomorrow and look forward to Monday's session w/the big 3. Peace

[K.Diesel]

Weighed 198 Sunday morning.

Time was not my friend again today. Did not get off work until 7:30 pm, got in gym at 8:30, had to wait about 5 min for the "squat rack". They close at 9:45. So instead of rushing through the 3 lifts, did just squat and bench.

Squat (squat suit, straps down)
bar/5; 155/5; 200/3; 250/3; 300/2; 350/1 - all warm up sets, added belt on last set

400/2, 400/4 - 1st set was harder than the 2nd. Think I will take smaller jumps in weight as I get closer to working weight. Rested almost 10 minutes before 2nd which felt really good.

Bench
bar/6; 135/5; 175/4; 205/3; 225/2 - warm ups

240/3, 240/4 - probably 1 more in the tank on each. Pause on chest each rep.

Probably good that I didn't have time to do deads. I was thinking of skipping them anyway, since I plan to do heavy sumo singles next workout for assistance work. Will shoot for 425 squat, 255 bench next time.

[K.Diesel]

I apologize to any who have been following this thread for the delayed post on this one.

Bodyweight this morning was 195.5.

Box Squats w/bands
bar+bands/4; 135+/3; 185+/2 (warm-up sets)

225+/2 x 8 sets

Sumo deadlift
225/3; 315/3; 365/2; 405/1 (warm-ups)
435/1
465/1
495/1
515/1 * Big PR! What makes this so satisfying is that I use sumos as an assistance exercise b/c I really think I'm stronger pulling conventional. The 515 is better than my PR from the meet (512). I'm not getting big headed, but this was a big confidence booster 4 1/2 weeks out. Will switch to another exercise next week.

Walking lunge w/dumbells
45s/8 steps each (warm up)
75s/9 each; 75s/11 each - 2nd set to failure

I alternated sets of the next 2 exercises, w/about 60-90 sec. rest between each
Glute/Ham raise - done w/feet hooked under pads of a lat pulldown station
2 x 20 reps

Leg raises -done at dip station w/30 lb. dumbbell between my feet
2 x 15 reps - these were to failure

Ended w/Calf Presses done on a Cybex Leg Press machine w/about 30-60 sec between sets
150/6; 200/5; 250/5; 300/5
350/5 x 4 sets
250/10

[K.Diesel]

Speed Bench w/bands
bar/5; bar+bands/3; 95+/2; 135+/2 (warm-ups)

150+/3 x 9 sets - alternated grip between wide, normal, close

Bench Press w/1 phone book
150/3; 185/3; 225/3; 245/3 (warm-ups)

255/3 x 3 sets - This was my 1st week going from 2 books to 1. Took awhile to find a good working weight. 3rd set was actually easier than the 2nd, think I had at least a 4th rep.

Barbell Rows
135/12; 165/8; 195/7 (warm-ups)
225/8
245/9 - failure, cheated the last 2 or 3

Tricep Pressdowns done at lat pulldown machine.
50/15 (really easy); 70/9 (kinda hard); 90/7 (really hard)
I don't know if it's because of leverage, lever systems, or what, but the weight on this stack feels a lot heavier than the same setting on the normal pressdown station (one of the ones where you can adjust the height of the cable). But if anyone has an explanation for this, please let me know why I can do 11-13 reps w/150(whole stack) on one station, but only 6-7 at 90 on this one.

Finished by alternating sets of the next three exercises, w/1-2 min. rest between each set

Seated Overhead press - done on smith machine (I know, I was working in w/a friend)
100+bar/7; 100+/6; 100+/8

E-Z Bar Curls
30+bar/12; 50+/8; 80+/7, last set to failure

Bent-Over Laterals
45s/12 x 2 sets, each to failure