Meet Prep With Basic Barbell Training

[ReconquistaBarbell]

Week 1: light week, ascending 5's and 3's mostly, some back-off sets, only to regain some conditioning and establish some starting weights.

Weeks 2-4: accumulation phase. Goal for squats is to work up to a 3x5 PR on regular squats, get about half way to a PR on front squats and get used to SSB squats. For bench is simply to improve my numbers from the last run, maybe a 5x5 PR on volume day. For deadlifts is to beat some PRs for different combinations of sets, reps and bars, maybe throw some block pulls and haltings into the mix. Power cleans and presses are in for light pulls, I'll try some PRs on the clean and use strict presses this time.

Also, throw some heavyish singles here and there.

Weeks 5-7: intensification phase. Goal for squats is to use SSB squats for speed work, PR on front squats and a heavy double or triple on regular squats, now on intensity day. For bench, same as phase one, but now with triples, and probably switch close-grips for pin bench presses. For deadlifts, keep seeking PRs, now with more partial pulls for more overload. As for cleans and presses, I'll let the spirits of the universe be my guide, but overall, reduce volume and increase load.

Also, heavy singles.

Week 8: peaking and deload.

[ReconquistaBarbell]

Week 2
09-25
Squat
325x5x3

Bench Press
238x5
242x5
247x5
265x1

Close-Grip Bench Press
220x5

Power Clean
198x3

Bodyweight: 197.7
----------

09-27
Front Squat
277x3x3

Press
150x5
158x3
135x7

Deficit Deadlift 1"
405x5x2
427x1

Chin-up
3x6

Back Extension
3x10

Bodyweight: 197.1
----------

09-29
SSB Squat + 25-35lb of band tension
330x3
345x1
265x8

Bench Press
233x5x5

Power Clean
190x3x3

Barbell Curl
75x10
83x6
66x12

Bodyweight: 197.3
----------

[ReconquistaBarbell]

Week 3
10-02
Squat
365x5x3

Bench Press
238x5
247x5
255x5
268x1
282x1

Close-Grip Bench Press
220x6

Power Clean
207x3

Chin-up
3x8

Bodyweight: 197.7
----------

10-04
Front Squat
287x3x3

Press (strict)
152x5
160x3
135x8

Deadlift
432x5x2
455x1

Back Extension
22x10x2

Bodyweight: 198.0
----------

10-06
SSB Squat + 25-35lb of band tension
340x3
350x1
277x8

Bench Press
247x5x5

Power Clean
194x3x3

Barbell Curl
77x10
88x6
66x13

Bodyweight: 198.0
----------

[ReconquistaBarbell]

Week 4
10-09
Squat
405x5x3

Bench Press
242x5
250x5
265x3 +1 +1
277x1
287x1

Close-Grip Bench Press
220x6 +1

Power Clean
214x3

Chin-up
3x10, 10, 8

Bodyweight: 198.0
----------

10-11
Front Squat
295x3x3

Press (strict)
154x5
163x3
140x6

Deadlift
458x5
485x1

Back Extension
22x10
44x10
66x10

Bodyweight: 197.8
----------

10-13
SSB Squat + 25-35lb of band tension
344x2
365x1
277x10

Bench Press
258x5x5

Barbell Curl
80x10
90x5
66x14

Bodyweight: 197.5
----------

The "+1s" in Monday's training were rest-pause reps. On Wednesday's I gassed out after the main deadlift set and couldn't pull the single. On Friday's I had to skip power cleans because the bench press consumed too much time. Overall it was a good week, but my bodyweight is not going up despite increasing carbs.

[ReconquistaBarbell]

Week 5
10-16
SSB Squat + 25-35lb of band tension
285x3x8

Bench Press
242x3
255x3
270x3
282x1
290x1

Close-Grip Bench Press
225x6

Power Clean
198x2
220x1
198x3

Chin-up
3x12, 10, 6

Bodyweight: 199.5
----------

10-18
Front Squat
300x3x3

Press (strict)
156x5
165x3
140x7

Halting Deadlift
436x5

Back Extension
22-100x10x5

Bodyweight: 197.8
----------

10-20
Squat
350x5
395x3
427x2
440x1

Bench Press
270x3x3

Pin Bench Press
270x2x3

Power Clean
198x1
175x3

Barbell Curl
82x10
92x5
70x8

Bodyweight: 198.0
----------

I'm surprised with my squats, satisfied with presses, worried about pulls.

[ReconquistaBarbell]

Week 6
10-23
SSB Squat + 25-35lb of band tension
310x3x7

Bench Press
253x3
265x3
275x3
287x1
302x1

Close-Grip Bench Press
230x7

Power Clean
198x3
212x2
225x1

Chin-up
3x13, 10, 7

Bodyweight: 198.6
----------

10-25
Front Squat
265x3x3

Press (strict)
158x5
167x3
140x8

Block Pull
500x5
530x1
550x1

Bodyweight: 198.4
----------

10-27
Squat
350x3
375x1

Bench Press
265x2x4

Pin Bench Press
273x1x3

Pulldowns
3x10-12

Barbell Curl
3x10-12

Bodyweight: 197.8
----------

Not worried about pulls anymore, but I didn't expect to get so much soreness... Friday's training was crap.

225x2 would have been a power clean PR for me, if not for the douchebag that walked behind me dangerously close and threw me off balance and made me miss the second rep.

[ReconquistaBarbell]

Week 7
10-30
SSB Squat + 25-35lb of band tension
330x3x5

Bench Press
255x3
268x3
282x2
290x1
304x1

Close-Grip Bench Press
233x5

Power Clean
198x3
212x2
220x1
231x1

Chin-up
3x14, 9, 9

Bodyweight: 198.4
----------

11-01
Front Squat
287x3x3

Press (strict)
160x5
170x3
140x8 +1

Deadlift
463x1
485x1
440x3

Bodyweight: 198.8
----------

11-03
Squat
418x1
440x1
450x1
395x3

Bench Press
275x3x3

Pin Bench Press
275x1x3

Barbell Curl
3x10-12

Bodyweight: 198.6
----------

[ReconquistaBarbell]

Week 8
11-06
Bench Press
255x3
268x3
282x3
295x1

Close-Grip Bench Press
238x5

Press
140x6x3

Light bis and tris

Bodyweight: 198.6
----------

11-07
Squat
440x1
310x5

Deadlift
475x1

Chin-up
3x8

Back Extension
3x10

Bodyweight: 198.6
----------

[ReconquistaBarbell]

GPA/IPO Worlds

11-11

Squat: raw with sleeves, monolift and squat bar
Bench: as usual
Deadlift: deadlift bar

Weight-in: 196.0

Squat
440
452
463 - Sleeve PR

Bench
280
292
303

Deadlift
475
507
540

Total
1,262

Left the meet with a sour taste. Don't know if was the flu I caught about 10 days before the meet, the heat, humidity and possible dehydration, or the traveling to another state, but I got tired very fast. Everything was easy, and then it wasn't, and I didn't hit the numbers I expected.

[Cole Gorton]

well congrats on a decent total anyways