Finding Out that the Iron Never Lies

[cjangelo]

Good luck at the meet.
I enjoy reading your log - I'm thinking about giving the same program a go, so any advice and comments are appreciated and read with interest.

[bustermonkey2]

Thanks- I'm only 5 weeks into Callador's 4 x 4 program but so far it's been going great. I really like the heavy single/double for every lift so you can gauge progress from week to week. The lack of a similar weekly assessment I found to be one of several drawbacks to 5/3/1. This was my last session until Oct 31st since the meet is on Oct 26th.

[bustermonkey2]

October 26, 2013 Meet Report- NASA Iowa Regionals

I weighed in at 8:00 pm on Oct 25th at 215 lbs. I was 223 lbs on morning of Oct 20th and cut out most carbs at that point. I had last meal on Oct 24th at about 6 p.m. and stopped fluids around 7 a.m. on the 25th. All in all I felt much better than when I've done more drastic cuts (big surprise). After weigh-in I drank a 32 oz gatorade and ate a big meal and felt fine by next morning.

Squats: 185 kg-ok, 200 kg- pretty tough, 205 kg (452 lbs) - pr- tough but got it. After last squat meet director said he wasn't going to red light me but I should make sure knee wraps aren't more than 8 inches from bottom to top. I think mine were probably 9-10". I wasn't even aware of that rule.

Bench: 140 kg-ok;145 kg-meet pr- pretty tough but got it;150 kg (331 lbs) -meet pr- tough and slow but got it. I definitely lose about 20 lbs due to pause over touch and go.

Deadlifts: 200 kg-ok; 215 kg-meet pr- ok; 227.5 kg (502 lbs)-pr- this was pretty tough and slow but I do think I left some weight on the platform here.

Overall my total was 582.5 kg (1284 lbs) and for the first time went 9 for 9. I didn't have even a single red. I also think my weight selection was good as my final attempts were really close to my actual limit on bench and squats. I probably had some left on deadlifts but I was really focused on breaking the 500 lb barrier.

I would say that I think Callador's 4 x 4 program has helped my lifts even in just 5 weeks, especially on deadlifts which were getting stagnant.

[cjangelo]

Nice lifting. 9 for 9 with no reds and PR's in every lift - you should buy whoever picked your attempts a beer.

What kind of wraps did you use?

[Róbert Kovács]

Amazing results! Congrats!

[bustermonkey2]

Thanks! I picked my own attempts and I've bought myself plenty of beers in appreciation. For my attempts I try to pick an opener as a weight that I can comfortably do for a double or triple and then subtract about 20 lbs. That way I know 'll make it, even if ill or wraps are too tight, etc. Then for 2nd attempts on squats and deadlifts I'll move weight up about 15 kilos and move it up 5 kilos for bench. For my final attempts I'll go for a pr or meet pr, but my pr attempts are usually pretty conservative. I'd rather walk away with a small pr and leave weight on the platform then go for broke and fail miserably. My wraps are just plain knee warps, 3" x 78", that I got on bodybuilding.com a few years ago but I don't see them for sale anymore. One thing I forgot to mention about this meet was that Beau Moore competed at a bodyweight of 360 lbs and was going for an all time unequipped belt only (no wraps) record to beat 2100 lbs. I think he did 2105 lbs total. I saw him deadlift over 800 lbs and it was unreal.

[bustermonkey2]

10/31/2013
Bodyweight @ 221 lbs

Squats @ 430 lbs- 1. PR (wrapless). Pretty tough. I've switched to 5/2.5 lb jumps at this point.
Squats @ 340 lbs- 4,4,4 (almost fell forward on 3rd rep but g'morninged it up), 6. Pretty tough by last set.
Paused squats @ 210 lbs- 5,5,5. Tough and tiring.

Hang Leg Raises- 7,7,7.

[idlehands]

How do you feel with and without wraps? I noticed you competed with wraps? I'm getting some sleeves out of curiosity really, and am not curious about wraps.

[bustermonkey2]

I use neoprene knee sleeves when I squat except when I compete and use wraps. The wraps can add maybe 20-30 lbs to my squat but they can be a real pain about timing it right so my legs aren't too numb. I lost a competition squat at least once because my lower legs were too numb by the time I actually squatted. The knee sleeves are too light and loose to offer any real support but they keep my knees warm which seems to reduce knee tendonitis.

[bustermonkey2]

11/1/2013

Bench @ 330 lbs- 1. Ok. Probably had another one but I wasn't real confident in the spotter. I'm switching to 5/2.5 lbs jumps on bench.
Bench @ 260 lbs- 4,4,4,7. Pretty tough by last set.

Close grip bench @ 175 lbs- 10,10,10. Tough by last set.

Dips w/ 35 lbs - 14,14,15.