More Like a Half Gallon of Milk - Powerlifting for Little Guys

[MannyPrieto]

Maybe I'm just slow, but can you decode the notation for me? What connection do the TRX rollouts and the Bulgarian Split Squats have that makes them "C1" and "C2"? Why not just C and D?

Anyway, I like this log; keep up the strong work. Little guys gotta support each other.

If there are two of the same letter with a number it means I did them as supersets (1 set of TRX Rollouts then 1 set of Bulgarian Split Squats then 2nd set of TRX Rollouts, etc.).

[MannyPrieto]

Week #0, Workout #3 - 2/28/14
Final Deload Before New Program
A1. Press - 45x10, 65x5, 85x3, 95x3, 105x3, 115x1, 120x1
A2. Pullup - BWx6x6 (used a thick bar for these, though the knurling on them is awesome - it's like the Squat Bar of pullup bars)
B1. Close Grip Bench - 70x5, 85x5, 100x5
B2. Meadows Row - 45 lb. Bar, 2x25 lb. plates, 1x5 lb. plate - 3x10 (Yes, my notation for the load on this one is weird. I know for sure that on a Landmine I'm not actually lifting all 100 lbs. since part of the bar is anchored to the attachment, but I can't be bothered to calculate how much weight I'm actually lifting so I just record how many plates are on the damn thing.)

Easy peasy. New program begins on Monday.

[MannyPrieto]

"Offseason" Week #1, Workout #1 - 3/3/14
Today is the official start of my new program, under the coaching of Jason Manenkoff of Iron Arena. As of now the plan is still to compete at the RPS Supreme Iron Warrior World Championships in Newark, NJ in September, though Jason did mention the possibility of doing another between between now and September to gain more meet experience. For now, though, we haven't picked out a meet between now and September, so I will still consider this an "offseason" cycle.

Jason did ask me to track my body weight over the course of this program, so I will do so. Along with weight, I will track HRV and RHR (using the Stress Check and Heart Rate iPhone apps, respectively). Those two numbers are not part of the program but I figured it would be helpful to have that data to see how my body responds to this program. I'm not sure how accurate these apps are compared to heart rate monitor-based apps (such as BioForce or ithlete), but I'm not all that concerned with being 100% accurate, plus it is a hell of a lot more convenient to just grab my phone when I wake up rather than try to remember to wear my heart rate monitor.

Body Weight: 136.0 (Yikes! I need to eat! :O)
Stress Check Results: 30% (Medium) - This was a bit of a cause of concern. I did feel a bit of dry mouth and nasal congestion, so I was wondering if I was coming down with a cold. I felt fine the rest of the day, though.
RHR: 66 (A little high - usually I'm in the high 50s/low 60s)

I worked a couple of hours at Credit Suisse before my normal hours at Morgan Stanley, so I lifted there instead of my normal gym. CS does have a decent amount of equipment, too, including some things that Morgan Stanley doesn't have (like a trap bar, Safety Squat bar, an Econo Prowler, and a GHR that no one actually uses for GHRs). Since I don't have regular access to those things, though, those aren't part of the program. I actually do like the barbells at CS better than MS, but unfortunately space is quite cramped at CS, making it difficult to get a good spot. Therefore I did pretty much everything in a power rack (fortunately they have two, so someone else can do something in the other one).

Squat Warmups: 45x10, 135x5, 185x5, 225x3

A. Squat: 255x4x5 - Tough for sure, and I may have been cutting it close on depth during the third set (better on the last set, probably because I was more conscious of it), but no real danger of missing once I got out of the hole (RPE 8? I'm terrible at these things.)
B. Paused Squat (1 second at bottom): 225x3x3 - I never did paused squats before, but all things considered these weren't too bad.

Bench Warm-ups: 45x10, 95x5, 115x5

C. Bench (regular pause): 135x2x7, 135 (rest-paused: 4, 1, 2), 125 (rest-paused: 5, 2) - I was supposed to do 4x7 - 1st set wasn't too bad, 2nd set was a grinder, then it all went to crap after that. I was starting to run short on time so I may have been rushing through those sets.
D. Bench (3 second pause at chest): 155x2x2 - Sets of 2 felt much easier than sets of 7. The pause may have been more like 2.5 seconds than 3 though - I didn't have anyone around to give me commands so I just counted in my head.
E. Back Extension: 25 lb. plate x4x20 - Again, time became a factor, so I ended up doing the last 2 sets later on in the day (main workout was 10:30a-12p, did the last 2 sets at around 4:30p during my break between CS and MS).

Not that I'm ever one to slack off with regards to recovery, but I have a feeling that's one thing I need to be on top of, because this workout was pretty brutal and this is just the beginning.

[MannyPrieto]

Offseason Week #1 Workout #2 - 3/5/14
No training yesterday. Still felt a little sore from Monday.

Body Weight: 138.4 (Monday was probably just a fluke)
Stress Check Results: 48% (High) - There isn't much distress at my job (heated conversations, mad rushes to meet deadlines, etc.), but maybe these long days are starting to catch up to me. Sleep hasn't been the greatest from a quality or quantity standpoint.
RHR: 67

I came to Morgan Stanley early today because I was scheduled to give a presentation . . . only no one showed up. At least this meant I got to train at my regular gym and didn't have to rush through my workout.

Bench Warm-ups: 45x10, 95x5, 120x5, 140x3 - I definitely felt the chest soreness on the first few warm-up sets, but it didn't bother me on my work sets.

A. Bench (regular pause): 155x5x5 - Benched in weightlifting shoes for the first time today. It felt uncomfortable, but benching isn't supposed to be comfortable anyway, and leg drive felt more solid. I also put a towel over the bench to keep myself from slipping. I didn't have anyone with meet experience to give me commands, so some of the pauses may have been a little short. Still, this was probably the best bench workout I've had on this new bench (http://www.lifefitness.com/commercia...flatbench.html - and no, it wasn't my decision to purchase this thing).
B. Bench (touch-and-go): 155xAMRAP - got 6 reps. I haven't done touch-and-go benches in a while so this was a little sloppy. I did have a spotter so I probably could have tried another rep but I didn't want to risk missing reps.
C1. Seated DB Press: 40x3x12, 35x12 - Another exercise I haven't done in forever. Form was breaking down more than I would've liked in 3rd set, so dropped the weight for the 4th.
C2. Incline DB Row: 40x4x12 - This was pretty easy. The program called for 40s for presses and 30s for rows, but I felt like it should've been the other way around, lol. The program also gave me the option of doing T-bar rows, but we don't have a chest-supported T-bar; I could do a standing T-bar row using the Landmine attachment but that's a fixed attachment on the other side of the gym, so incline DB rows are obviously more convenient.
D1. DB Lateral Raise: 12.5x3x15 - Isolation work?! :O The program gave me the option of 12-15 lbs. - we don't have 12 lb. DBs but do have 12.5s so I used those.
D2. Pulldown Abs: 25x3x20 - I had several options for Weighted Ab work here, but we have a dedicated machine that's like a cable machine except with straps that go over the shoulders, and this machine was the most obvious choice.

My next training day is Friday - the one day I'm not benching! Yay!

[MannyPrieto]

Offseason Week #1 Workout #3 - 3/7/14
The cold symptoms were starting to kick in Wednesday night, so I've been popping DayQuil like candy. Oddly enough, my recovery indices are all improving - soreness in particular is basically gone.

Body Weight: 137.8
Stress Check: 11% (Low)
RHR: 59

I did today's workout at around 11 AM at Credit Suisse. Since this was Deadlift/Back Day the space issue wasn't as huge of a deal but the layout did affect one exercise (more on that later). I do like the barbells at Credit Suisse better, but they all have a weightlifting knurl (instead of a powerlifting one), so my sumo setup took some trial and error.

Deadlift Warm-ups: 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, (add belt) 250x3

A. Deadlift: 275x4x5 - Pretty easy. I did two sets sumo (my competition stance) and two sets conventional just because I felt like it, and neither was bad at all. I didn't even need to chalk up for these.
B. Deadlift from 3" Mats: 305x4, 315x4, 325x4 - First two sets weren't too bad, but grip was starting to be an issue toward the end of the last set. I was trying to figure out the best way to set this exercise up - I figured a power rack wouldn't work (I believe the bottom pin on the Cybex power rack is too high), and because of the layout of the facility and group classes in session, stealing aerobic steps would be too difficult (this would be easier for me to do at Morgan Stanley). I ended up using bumper plates as blocks - of course the problem there was I had to "aim" the weights at the right spot when setting them down.
C. Pendlay Rows: 135x5x10
D. Wide Grip Lat Pulldown: 100x4x10 - Yes, my program called for lat pulldowns during a deadlift workout. I did start to wonder if I was turning into a bodybuilder, but there are two things that have reminded me that I am a powerlifter:

1. I have multiple days in which I am squatting and benching in the same workout (including one tomorrow, the day after deadlifting!).
2. Between the two actual figure/physique competitors who are getting ready for their contests and all the non-competitors who have been feeling a little guilty about letting themselves go during the holidays, apparently I'm the only staff member who isn't dieting (fitting considering I'm the one dietitian on staff).

This workout felt better than the other two. Maybe it's because I'm starting to get recovery dialed in again. Or maybe it's because I got to deadlift and didn't have to bench. Even though RoriMegan deadlifts more than I do (despite squatting and benching less), and my deadlift-to-squat difference isn't as huge as some people's, I still like deadlifting, so it was fun to pull again.

We'll see how those legs feel tomorrow, though.

[MannyPrieto]

Offseason Week #2 Workout #4 - 3/8/14
Body Weight: 136.8
Stress Check: 41% (High)
RHR: 59

Since I didn't have to go to work early today, this was actually the most rested day I've had since starting this program, even though I trained at Iron Arena in Hoboken, NJ (which is further away than the other two gyms where I train). I didn't feel sore, and I came in at around 1:30 PM (more like a "normal" workout time for me).

Squat Warmups: 45x10, 95x5, 135x5, 165x5, 185x3

A. Squat (3-0-3 Tempo): 205x4, 210x3x4 - Slow squats (especially a slow concentric) are something I'm not used to, and holding my air for that long is a challenge, but the weight was manageable.

Bench Warmups: 50x10, 100x5, 120x5, 140x3, 160x3 (This is a 50 lb. bench bar. For those of you who are familiar with RPS meets, the bar and the bench are the same as those used at those meets.)

B. Bench Press: 175x4x3 - The sets weren't all pretty, but there wasn't any real danger of me missing reps (though I did just beat a command on one rep). Thanks to Jason's coaching I finally figured out what was wrong with my bench - I wasn't holding my air long enough, which made it harder to stay tight. This improved on the last set, but is something I know I need to keep working on.
C. Bench Press with Sling Shot: 185x3, 195x2x3 - This was my first time using this thing, and the weights flew up! The program called for all three sets at 185 but based on how that first set went we decided to add 10 lbs. The one challenge was making sure I controlled my groove rather than letting the Sling Shot dictate my groove.
D. Arched touch-and-go Bench Press: 100x5, 140x2x5 - This wasn't originally part of my prescribed program but Jason wanted me to try a new setup on the balls on my feet and a bigger arch (I have been a flat-footed bencher). Getting this setup right will take some practice, but overall these were solid.
E. Standing Abs on GHR: Green Bandx4x20 - First time doing these as well. These were brutal, especially with the thick band we were using.

I do enjoy working for Plus One, but ever since I started working there, I felt like something was missing from my own training. Not that I wasn't having fun in the gym, but I knew my training wasn't going as well - even though I have been hitting PRs at meets, and I've pulled 355 several times in the gym since my first meet, I've only had 1 gym PR (other than the 355 DL) in the entire year and a half that I've been working for the company. I've missed the training partners, coaching, and environment I used to have, and this was the first step in getting all of that back.

[MannyPrieto]

Offseason Week #2 Workout #1: 3/10/14
Body Weight: 138.8
Stress Check: 28% (Medium)
RHR: 60

I went into the city early today so I could train at Morgan Stanley, even though I did a few hours at Credit Suisse before my normal hours. Between my belt, my weightlifting shoes, and everything else I have to carry, I didn't want to have to carry my work uniform along with all that other stuff. At least at my work there's a place where I can store all my stuff overnight, so I don't have to bring it every damn place I go. At least on Mondays I can go to bed earlier, though this does make a long-ass day even longer. Anyway . . .

Squat warm-ups: 45x10, 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 250x3 - Warm-ups felt a bit more sluggish than usual. Not planning these as well as I should have probably didn't help.

A. Squat: 270x4x4 - Yikes! This was, like, a 9.9 RPE or something. Just like last week, the third set was the toughest and I might have been a little high on depth, but I didn't get a chance to record the last two sets as I was working in with a guy who squats "parallel" to some kind of diagonal line or something. I took a little more time before the fourth set and tried to be more form-conscious. None of these sets were "easy" though.

Bench warm-ups: 45x10, 95x5, 115x5, 135x3

B. Bench (normal pause): 145x4x6 - These were much cleaner with the new set-up! I also laid a mat over the bench which helped me stay on the bench.
C. Bench (3-second pause): 155x3x2 - Again, with the new set-up, these were much easier.
D. Back Extension: 25 lb. platex4x20

A day where I would hate squatting (my best lift) more than I hate benching (my worst lift)? I never thought that would happen! I guess we've figured out how I'm going to be benching for the rest of time!

[MannyPrieto]

Offseason Week #2 Workout #2: 3/12/14
Body Weight: 138.6
Stress Check: 31% (Medium)
RHR: 58

I got my first set of wrist wraps from EFS (I got the Enforcers) yesterday, so now was as good a time as any to try them. I did today's workout at Credit Suisse, so the issues with space/spotting were there. I did all my benching in a power rack without a handoff today.

Bench Warm-ups: 45x10, 95x5, 115x5, 135x3, (add wraps) 150x3

A. Bench Press (paused): 165x5x4 - Again using the new setup. I did have some bar speed slow-down at the last rep of every set but didn't miss a rep - I'd probably give this an RPE of 8.
B. Bench Press (touch-and-go): 165x5 - Once again I had a hard time balancing speed and staying tight. In my 5/3/1 days I got as many as 10 reps with this much weight, but I might not have been as lockout-conscious as I am now, plus I could just be fatigued.
C1. Seated DB Press: 35sx4x12 - Went with a lighter weight this time. No missed reps.
C2. Incline DB Row: 40sx4x12 - Strangely, there are multiple pairs of 40s but only one pair of 45s at this gym, and said pair of 45s was being used, so I just stuck with the 40s. I'm not training to be the king of assistance work anyway, so I just focused on getting a good contraction with every rep.
D1. Standing Lateral Raise: 12.5 lb. DBsx3x15 - Again, no need to be a hero with isolation work, so I just stuck with 12.5s for this one. Form was better than last week.
D2. Standing Abs on GHR: 1.5-inch band (I used the bands at the gym and they were all the same color)x3x20 - Credit Suisse doesn't have the same kind of ab machine they have at Morgan Stanley but they do have a GHR so I figured I'd try the same exercise Jason showed me on Saturday. This was tough for sure, but much more manageable than Saturday's resistance - this is probably the right size band to start with.

[MannyPrieto]

Offseason Week #2 Workout #3: 3/14/14
Body Weight: 137.4
Stress Check: 14% (Low)
Heart Rate: 56

I had around 4 hours of sleep last night (yay for 10 AM meetings!) but I felt fine. Today's workout was at Morgan Stanley.

Deadlift Warm-ups: 135x5, 185x5, 225x4, 250x4, (add belt) 275x3

A. Deadlift: 295x4x4
B. Deadlift from ~3" blocks (used an aerobic step and 1 riser under each plate): 325x3x4
C. Pendlay Row: 135x5x10
D. Lat Pulldown: 95?x4x10 - At Morgan Stanley we have a dual-pulley pulldown, which I like because the weight feels more balanced this way. The amount listed on the stack represents the resistance on each "side" so I had it on 42.5 plus one of those incremental weights, so my guess was it was around 95 pounds. Not that it really matters that much since no one cares how much you lat pulldown anyway.

[MannyPrieto]

Offseason Week #2 Workout #4: 3/15/14
Yes, I did train Saturday, but this has been a busy weekend so I'm a bit behind . . .

Body Weight: 136.2 (??? Hopefully the carbs I've been eating will take care of that)
Stress Check: 50% (High)
RHR: 66

Maybe there is something to the whole "the sleep you get two nights before is the most important" thing. I slept without an alarm clock and Friday's workout was relatively easy but because of an early meeting I didn't get much sleep Thursday night.

Between phone calls, social obligations, and everything else, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it to Iron Arena this weekend. I did end up training there, but most of the crew started before I got there. The guys were occupying both EliteFTS racks and squatting a hell of a lot more than I was, so I ended up using the ER Rack instead. It was my first time using the ER Rack, and also my first time squatting with wrist wraps (trying to experiment with a new grip to see if I can get a tighter setup).

Squat Warm-ups: 45x10, 95x5, 135x5, 160x5, 180x3

A. Squats (3-0-3 Tempo): 200x4, 220x3x4 - These are never easy, but the weight didn't feel too bad.

Bench Warm-ups: 45x10, 95x5, 115x3 (Since the guys were using a lot more weight I warmed up on the ER Rack until I got up to the big plates then switched benches), 140x3, 165x3

B. Bench: 185x4x2 - Those 2nd reps were slow but I wasn't in any danger of missing any. RPE 8
C. Sling Shot: 200x3x3 - It's always fun watching a weight just 5 lbs. under your meet PR fly up!
D. Abs - I actually did these Friday because I was feeling good and I wasn't sure how much time I had to train on Saturday. Used the Ab Machine at Morgan Stanley - 30 lbs., 4 sets of 20

Bench has been better, especially with the new setup. And while having a full house made it challenging for me to make sure I didn't get in people's way, it is fun to finally get to train with more people who are stronger than I am again. It helps for me to see what is really possible, and it's nice to be a part of a team again.