Originally Posted by
Michael Wolf
Last night, I mailed - with a handwritten form, check, and postage stamp - my entry form for the USAPL meet in NJ on August 2, so my hat is officially in the ring now. I guess that inspired my training today, because I had a really solid day. Though I will probably not have enough time to fully regain my paused bench PR, if I can stay healthy and have a good mini-cycle leading up to the meet, I expect squat and DL PRs and likely a PR total as well.
Squat (belt + XXL SBD)
505x1 @7
525x1 @7.5 (YES!)
545x1 - PR!!! @9.5
555xf (got loose and forward for no reason, absolutely can make this weight)
465x3 @8; 455x3 @8
Notes: After the 525 was so fast, I knew I had 545 no problem. 545 wasn't a great rep, got loose and also got out of my hips, but I clearly have some reserve strength beyond 545 because I still made it with room to spare. Might've had a second rep had I gone for it, despite using the extra energy on rep 1. Rested 7ish minutes and went for 555, felt light on my back and solid going down, but just got too loose and forward in the hole and set it on the pins. Would've likely had 555 if I'd gone for it again, or went straight from 525, but I had too much other stuff to do to try again.
I'm very happy 1) to FINALLY make this plate milestone after nearly a year since I PRd my 1-rep squat and 2) Do this without a peak or taper. This week did have slightly lower squat volume, but was far from a real, full peak.
Bench Press (beltless, reps 1&3 paused)
275x3x3 @ 5.5
CGBP
245x5x2 @ 5.5
Notes: Easy, but could feel the fatigue from all the benching and pressing already done this week. Served as a nice break before deadlifts.
Power Clean Warmup
135x2, 165x2, 195x1, 225x1
Deadlift
275x3, 365x2, 455x2 (hookgrip, put on belt here)
505x5 @6.5 (hook+belt)
560x5 @8 (hook+belt)
435x5 @ 7.5 (beltless, straps, man was I tired by this point)
Notes: Holy Toledo Batman, my pulling has come roaring back from a year of utter mediocrity (excepting maybe 2 months in the winter when it was OK but not great). 560x5 is only 15lb off my all time PR, but even after the heavy squatting it still went up fast and with a solidly held back - both WAY better than when I was doing similar weights for sets of 5 last year. My hook grip is also solidly back, after having problems with it for 8 months.
To be honest, I'm not really sure what happened to cause this improvement. I can't identify what's changed. But it's nice to be riding it.