Return of the King

Mr. CooL ICE

BossArky wrote: »

There are a couple of comps I have in mind now. Oct 5/6 weekend in Ireland & potentially a local one the week beforehand here. Emailed the Irish Powerlifting Fed to see how I can compete as a non resident.

I'm 99% sure you'll have to pay both the annual fee and the comp fee, which are €50 each. And then just show up.

BossArky

Tuesday July 10th: Bench Day 8 of 12

Barbell Row
20kg - 1x10
50kg - 8x8-10
---
Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
90kg - 1x1
100kg - 1x1
110kg - 6x3 ... worksets. Heavy enough but got through them.

Band Pull Apart
6x~15
---
Barbell Curl
20kg - 3x8

DB Press (standing)
6kg per arm - 3x10
---

Trained slightly before 8am.

Bench worksets 110kkg 6x3. Heavy enough but got through them. Respectable weight I suppose.

Sounding like a broken record but really need to eat more. Got boiled eggs, oats, spuds and almonds in the office with me today. Hankering to go downstairs and get a burger right now too. Its 10:51am.

BossArky

Dole Scrounging Vegan Crossfitter wrote: »

I'm 99% sure you'll have to pay both the annual fee and the comp fee, which are €50 each. And then just show up.

Thanks. Was thinking something similar.

Yesterday I signed up for a local comp the last weekend in Sept.

BossArky

Wednesday July 11th: Squat Day 9 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
**add belt & wrist wraps**
100kg - 1x3
115kg - 3x9 ... worksets, easy
---
Ab Wheel (knees)
3x10
---
45 Degree Back Raise
3x10
---
Lying Ham Curl Machine
setting 4 - 1x10
setting 5 - 1x10
setting 6 - 1x10
---

Trained at work which happens to have a Squat rack on one of the floors. Nice. First time training there.

Was feeling knackered this morning after benching yesterday & expected Squats to be slow. However... they were quite easy & felt powerful.

Job done and finished off with a bit of easy high rep assistance for hams & abs.

BossArky

Friday July 13th: Bench Day 9 of 12

Barbell Row
20kg - 1x10
30kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10
---
Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
95kg - 6x6 ... worksets & equal PR for 6x6 (altho I have done a single set of 100kg x6 in recent times as you may remember). Handy enough.

Band Pull Apart
6x~15-20
---
Barbell Curl
20kg - 1x10
25kg - 1x10
29kg - 1x10
---
DB Press (standing)
6kg per arm - 3x12
---

Benching 6x6 at 95kg equals the peak of my heaviest ever cycle. Back when I benched 125kg in the last couple of months of 2017 I did 6x6 at 95kg too. Excited to see where the next few bench sessions go. On that particular cycle at the end of 2017 I continued with 6x5 on 105kg, 6x4 on 110kg and then dropped the 6x3 at 115kg as I just used that day to go up in jumps for a 1RM test. This time I'll aim to get the 6x3 at 115kg in the bag.

A work colleague came over to train. Helped him with elbow tuck, scrap retraction, grip width, etc. He went home with a sick pump.. knackered.

Finished off with various bodybuilding rep ranges on the assistance. Would have included more Barbell Rows or Pull Ups but ran out of time.

Good one.

BossArky

Sunday July 15th: Squat Day 10 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
**add wrist wrap**
120kg - 1x1
130kg - 3x7 ... worksets, easy
---
Ab Wheel (knees)
3x10
---
Good Morning
50kg - 3x8
---
45 Degree Back Raise
3x10
---

Lunchtime Squats 130kg 3x7. Alrighty. Enjoying getting these in during the workday rather than later in evening at home. Productivity++.

Form checking my assistance for hams/glutes: Good Morning 50kg 3x8. My Hammies are tight AF so this is legit as far as I can go without loosing arch/snapping them off the bone. Keeping the assistance varied to keep the body guessing. Went through too many lower body days where I’d Squat/Dead twice per week plus Lunges each day. Knees didn’t like that.

Following a plan at the moment for the sets/reps/days etc... just not sticking religiously to completing the week in a 7 day a week cycle. Due to various things outside the gym some of the recent training weeks have been 8 or 9 days. Kinda enjoying the freestyling and extra recovery. Its also working out well cos it is burning some of the gap between this cycle and the next which was previously slightly too long of a deload on the lead in to the end of Sept competition. Will finish off this cycle in the coming week or so... see how much time is left in between and then get going all guns blazing for the final 6 weeks.

Now, time to eat.

BossArky

Monday July 16th: Bench Day 10 of 12

Barbell Row
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x8
80kg - 1x5
---
Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
95kg - 1x1
105kg - 3x5 ... supposed to be 6x5.
105kg - 2x4 ... failed 5th rep on each of these sets
100kg - 1x6 ... dropped down from 105kg to 100kg and equalled rep PR with 6

Band Pull Apart
6x~15-20
---
Barbell Curl
20kg - 3x10
---
DB Press (standing)
6kg per arm - 3x10
---

Just benching.

Was feeling well able to complete 6x5 on 105kg when suddenly the last rep of set 4 ended in a fail! Possibly got too complacent. Same story on 5th set, so dropped down and equally rep PR for 6.

BossArky

Wednesday July 18th: Deadlift Day ? or ?

Deadlift
70kg - 1x5
110kg - 1x3
**add belt**
130kg - 3x5 ... easy, mixed grip alternating each set
---

Some Deadlifts to keep them ticking over.

BossArky

Thursday July 19th: Squat Day 11 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
**add wrist wrap**
120kg - 1x1
140kg - 3x5 ... worksets, easy
---
Ab Wheel (knees)
3x5 ... keeping volume and intensity light
---
45 Degree Back Raise
3x10 ... for the hammy stretch
---

Mid morning Squats: 140kg 3x5. Pretty handy.

Finished off with Ab Roll Out & 45 Degree Back Raise.

Nice to get through the stuff before lunch and have the rest of the day to recovery/eat.

BossArky

Sunday July 22th: Bench Day 11 of 12

Barbell Row
20kg - 1x10
---
Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
90kg - 1x1
100kg - 1x1
110kg - 6x4 ... equal PR if I hadn't failed final rep on final set. No big deal

Band Pull Apart
6x~15-20
---
Barbell Curl
20kg - 3x10
---
DB Press (standing)
6kg per arm - 3x10
---

Benching 110kg 6x4 is equal PR territory from the 2nd last day of training cycle late last year when I went on to bench 125kg in the next session. Missed the last rep - but who cares - got 23 of the 24... plus am a good 6-7kg lighter in bodyweight versus back then.

Looking forward to having a crack at 115kg 6x3 to finish the cycle in a few days.

BossArky

Monday July 23rd: Squat Day 12 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
**add wrist wrap**
120kg - 1x1
135kg - 1x1
145kg - 3x3 ... worksets, fine
---
Ab Wheel (knees)
3x8
---
Good Morning
60kg 3x8
---

Ended this Squat cycle with 145kg 3x3. Felt fine.

Took Squat grip in slightly. Bottom of thumb nail on knurling. This made it slightly more high bar and probably harder on the quads, but liked the upper back tightness.

Assistance: Ab Wheel & Good Morning.

BossArky

Wednesday July 25th: Bench Day 12 of 12

Barbell Row
20kg - 2x10
---
Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
95kg - 1x1
105kg - 1x1
115kg - 3x3 ... PR
100kg - 1x6f ... i.e. failed on 6th rep
40kg - 3x10 ... close grip, feet up, tempo 3030

Band Pull Apart
3x~15-20
---
DB Press (standing)
8kg per arm - 3x10

Barbell Curl
20kg - 3x10
---

Hit a PR by Benching 115kg 3x3. Program called for 6x3 but quit whilst I was ahead. Wanted to avoid any failed reps in the later sets so I could end the cycle on a positive note.

Quite pleased to get these as am at a significantly lighter bodyweight of 80.7kg right now that when I subbed in a 1RM test on that day of exactly the same program in late 2017.

Bench was definetly the most intensive lift this cycle and I pushed it right to the limit. Probably had a bit more left in me on Squats - left nothing on the table with Bench though.

Dropped back to 100kg and went for AMRAP (as many reps as possible). Failed on 6th. Think I've tried this three times now. Got 6 once or twice. Looking forward to pushing this towards 8 and then 10 when I build up further. Probably would be easier if I wasn't coming down from a max effort triple on 115kg. NFL combine here I come.

Finished off with various bodybuilding to make up for the lack of reps. Close grip tricep death 40kg 3x10 and some DB Shoulder Press and Curls.

TRS30

BossArky wrote: »

Wednesday July 25th: Bench Day 12 of 12

 NFL combine here I come.

Have you seen some of those guys banging out 20+ reps on the bench. Animals.

BossArky

TRS30 wrote: »

Have you seen some of those guys banging out 20+ reps on the bench. Animals.

We live in hope!

BossArky

Sunday July 29th: Deadlift Day ? or ?

Deadlift
70kg - 1x5
120kg - 1x3
**add belt**
160kg - 1x1
180kg - 1x1
190kg - fail
160kg - 1x1
120kg - 3x10 ... rep PR. Alright
---
45 Degree Back Raise
3x10
---
Waiters Walk Ab March (or something)
4kg per side - 1x10
8kg per side - 1x10
22kg per side - 1x10
---
Ab Wheel (knees)
3x5
---

A random day. Was caught between starting a new Deadlift cycle nice and light vs going for broke and seeing where my Deadlift is after minimal specific training in the past 2 months. Went with the later. Up to 180kg was handy enough. 190kg felt a bit too heavy. Didn't really commit to it. Have lost the feeling of the struggle. Need to train this lift more in the coming 7 to 8 weeks ahead of comp to have a chance to pulling 200kg again.

Went for 120kg 3x10 dropsets at the end for the sake of the rep PR. Gonna be sore from that. Could barely get out of bed this morning (the day after).

Watched some Steffi Cohen ab/oblique video recently which is where the Waiters Walk Ab March came from. There was some other day but cannot remember exactly. Basically what you do is hold a kettlebell or dumbbell around shoulder height on just one side and do an on the spot high knees march of 10-12 reps per side. Work up in weight across a few sets and eventually your obliques/abs should be on fire. Not sure if I was doing it correctly. Will try again and see.

Finished off with traditional ab wheel stuff. Keen to mix up the ab work going forwards to spur on new strength gains.

Excited about upcoming comp on Sept 28/29 here in Dubai. No reply from Irish Powerlifting Fed to my email a couple of weeks ago for the comp on the first weekend of Oct. Will see how things go and if I was to do two comps back to back I'd do one a bit more conservatively than the other.

Alf Veedersane

BossArky wrote: »

No reply from Irish Powerlifting Fed to my email a couple of weeks ago for the comp on the first weekend of Oct. Will see how things go and if I was to do two comps back to back I'd do one a bit more conservatively than the other.

The October comp is on 20/21 in Cork now.

BossArky

Tuesday July 31st: Deload

Squat (close stance, high bar, heels)
20kg - 1x10
30kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10
50kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x10
---
45 Degree Back Raise
3x10

DB Shoulder Press (standing)
22kg per arm - 3x6

Chin Ups
3x6
---

Those Deadlifts a couple days before the above totally flattened me for days. The DOMS and associated fatigue was legendary. Writing this 4 days later and just starting to recover.

The close stance high bar Squats in heels really targeted quads. Got a serious pump from them. Nice.

The rest was some random stuff for deload fun. Should probably back off a bit more in the next couple of deload sessions to get ready for the upcoming onslaught in a week or so in the build up to late Sept comp.

BossArky

Friday August 3rd: Deload

Squat (super close stance with feet touching, high bar, heels)
20kg - 1x10
30kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10
---
Barbell Row (Fat Gripz)
20kg - 1x10
30kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10
---
45 Degree Back Raise
3x10
---
DB Shoulder Press (standing)
22kg per arm - 3x6
---
Waiters Walk Ab March (or something)
4kg per side - 1x10
8kg per side - 1x10
22kg per side - 1x10
---
Rev Fly
4kg - 3x10
---

Some deload stuff. Forearms still sore from the Fat Gripz 2 days after the above.

BossArky

Sunday August 5th: Deload

Front Squat (arms crossed BB style)
20kg - 1x5
30kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
---
DB Shoulder Press (standing)
4kg per arm - 1x8
8kg per arm - 1x8
22kg per arm - 1x8
---
Inverted Row
3x10
---
Lunge
bodyweight - 3x6 per leg
---
Calf Raise (decline plate)
3x12
---
Ab Wheel (knees)
3x8
---
Single Leg Ham Curl (standing, DB strapped to leg)
1kg - 1x15 per leg
4kg - 2x15 per leg
---

More deload. Messing about.

Strapped the dbs to leg with gangsta wraps for the standing Ham Curl. Stablilzed knee against bench which put full stress through hammies for a strict ROM. Legs felt like jelly walking to the pool afterwards - even though it was light.

Swam about 8-10 lengths afterwards and generally splashed about in the sun.

Fun.

BossArky

Tuesday August 7th: Squat Day 1 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
**add belt**
100kg - 3x9 ... worksets, nice & easy
---
Good Morning
60kg - 2x8
40kg - 1x12 ... dropped off 20kg to concentrate on greater ROM and technique
---
Lunges
bodyweight - 3x8 per leg
---
Ab Wheel (knees)
3x8
---

Had a good deload. No Back Squats in over 2 weeks and no Deadlifts in 1.5 weeks.

Was over 80kg bodyweight for the past week or two. However this morning I was ~79.8kg which I was surprised at.

Today was Day 1 of 12 Squats. Gonna make this the usual 6 week cycle (3 x 2 mini cycles of two weeks each) but the training week will be over 8 days instead of 7.

Week 1 Day 1: Squat
Week 1 Day 2: Bench
Week 1 Day 3: Off
Week 1 Day 4: Squat
Week 1 Day 5: Bench
Week 1 Day 6: Deadlift
Week 1 Day 7: Off
Week 1 Day 8: Off

Why an 8 day training week? Reasons:

1) Inserting that 8th day gives me an additional day of recovery as want to push Deadlifts hard.

2) To gain weight I'm gonna use that additional day for more recovery and calories in (vs. expenditure training too often)

3) I'm approx 8 weeks out from the competition on the calendar. The 8 day training week means I can stretch the usual 6 weeks out to be 48 days (6 weeks x 8 days) vs the usual 42 days (6 weeks x 7 days). It'll leave me with more recovery time... plus leave me sitting exactly one week out from competition with a week of deload to fully recovery.

Now time to train, eat, sleep & recovery. This cycle ends on the platform.

BossArky

Thursday August 9th: Bench Day 1 of 12

Barbell Row
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 7x8
---
Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
87kg - 6x6 ... worksets. Easy. Lats pumped from Barbell Rows superset before
so got great tightness
20kg - 1x10 ... wider grip - middle finger on rings from here down. Did these at very end of session
30kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10
---
Barbell Curl
30kg - 3x10
---
DB Press (standing)
8kg per arm - 1x12
12kg per arm - 1x10
22g per arm - 1x8
---
DB Fly
1kg per arm - 3x15-20

DB Rev Fly
1kg per arm - 3x15-20
---

Good Bench session. Worksets 87kg 6x6 on Day 1 of 12 is the heaviest I've started a cycle (2kg above previous best ever cycle). Should peak on 117kg 6x3 on Day 12.

Finished off with a heap of Bodybuilding.

Also included some slightly wider grip benching at the very end. Recorded the last set of my 6x6 Bench and was surprised at the "W" (wrists wider than elbows) when looking at video from crotch cam. Didn't realize my wrists were so much wider than elbows. Assumed forearms were more perpendicular to group.

BossArky

Friday August 10th: Squat Day 2 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
**add belt**
115kg - 3x7 ... worksets, fine
---
Front Squat
40kg - 1x6
50kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x6
---
Steinborn Squat
30kg - 2x3 ... light weight practice & fun
---
Ab Wheel (knees)
3x8
---

The highlight of the above was attempting Steinborn Squat for the first time.

Had been discussing home gym training with a colleague. He dosen't have a Squat rack so I was jokingly recommending him to try the Steinborn Squat (where you get the bar onto your back from the floor without a rack). Decided to put my money where my mouth is and try it myself. Did it once on each side - 2 sets of 3 reps with just 30kg. Will increase the weight each time I do it and see where I get to. Good fun.

Mr. CooL ICE

Just googled it (I assume you meant "Steinborn"?) and jayyysus. You'd need strong collars for that.

BossArky

Dole Scrounging Vegan Crossfitter wrote: »

Just googled it (I assume you meant "Steinborn"?) and jayyysus. You'd need strong collars for that.

Good catch - updated the typo above! Yes - Steinborn Squat. Try it!

Alf Veedersane

Martin Licis did a Steinborn squat with ~ 250kg at the Arnolds.

BossArky

Saturday August 11th: Bench Day 2 of 12

Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
97kg - 6x5 ... worksets. Easy.

Face Pulls (band, wide hooked on bench rack uprights)
6x12 ... nice
---
DB Bench
22kg per arm - 3x12 ... the burn
---
Tricep Death (close grip bench, tempo 0505, feet up)
20kg, 30kg, 40kg... not counting reps... just going as slow as possible up/down until triceps internally combusted
---
DB Concentration Curl
1kg per arm - 1x12
4kg per arm - 1x12
8kg per arm - 1x12
---

Some good Bench and subsequent Bodybuilding. Purposely limited the amount of rowing as did a lot on previous Bench day, plus got Deads coming up (& more heavy rowing) the day after this.

Tricep Death and DB Bench were good to really pummel the triceps and pecs after Bench worksets.

Did some super light concentration curls at the end - because why not. Got to include some more cannon fodder for the laugh.

BossArky

Sunday August 12th: Deadlift Day 1 of 6

Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
100kg +16kg chains - 3x8
---
Fat Gripz Deadlift
60kg - 3x8
---
Barbell Rows (straps)
100kg - 3x6 ... nice the greatest ROM as heavy ... more like laying a trap for my traps
---
45 Degree Back Raise
bodyweight - 3x10 ... raised 2nd set back end with 1 red bumper & 3rd set with 2 reds for added ROM. Good.
---
Shoulder Press (Barbell, Standing) .. varying grips: medium, wide, narrow
30kg - 3x (1x5 to front & 1x5 to back of neck)
---
Ab Wheel (knees)
3x8
---
Leg Press in Squat rack
30kg - 3x5-10
---
Various band stretches
adductors, hamstrings, pecs
---

First day of Deadlifts of this cycle. The worksets of 100kg +16kg 3x8 moved nice and snappy. Felt like nothing as should be the case.

Went on to do lots of random experimentation - the highlight being the "Leg Press in Squat rack" or "Self Loaded Leg Press" as I've seen it referred to elsewhere. Basically I lay on the ground in the squat rack as if doing a floor press.... then brought feet over my chest so that soles of feet are against the bottom of bar... and then leg pressed the bar off the safeties. Needs a bit more proprioception - but quite fun. If I was more flexible I should be keeping lower back on the ground and just purely pressing with legs. Supposed to take the strain off the lower back if you are injured and still want to train legs.

A lot of messing around basically. Hooked up my "band with handles" that I got in Houston 10 years ago and probably got the first productive use out of it by stretching adductors in a movement which made it look like my legs were being held open in anticipation of giving birth. Also hooked up a nice medievalist torture device for stretching hams / adductors / pecs.

BossArky

Tuesday August 14th: Squat Day 3 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
**add belt**
125kg - 3x5 ... worksets, ok
100kg - 1x16 ... dropset
---
Lunges
bodyweight - 3x8 per leg
---
Ab Wheel (knees)
3x8
---
Calves (decline plate)
bdyweight - 3x12
---

Squatting 125kg 3x5 was fine. Did this a day earlier than planned as travelling tomorrow.

Dropped 20% off worksets and got 16 reps on 100kg Squats. Bust out the first 7 in record time then got through the rest rest pausey. Did 16 as training partner did 15 so had to 1-up them. My best ever for 100kg AMRAP is 20 from approx this time last year. May try and beat that in the coming weeks, for the laugh/gains.

Got a serious quad pump from the above followed by the Lunges.

Finished off with some Abs and Calves.

Bust out the first 7 in record time then got through the rest rest pausey. Did 16 as training partner did 15 so had to 1-up them

BossArky

Thursday August 16th: Bench Day 3 of 12

Barbell Row
20kg - 1x10
65kg - 7x8 ... actually last 3 sets were 10 reps, but easier to write this way
---
Bench (paused)
20kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
92kg - 1x1
102kg - 6x4 ... worksets. Alright
**add slingshot - size XL** ... way too loose... got little out of it
110kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x2
131kg - FAIL ... slingshot too loose versus a year ago when I was chubbier and this this for a triple
**add slingshot - size M** ... way too tight
40kg - 3x12
---
Barbell Curl
20kg - 1x12
30kg - 1x12
40kg - 1x11 ... PR
---
DB Press (standing)
8kg per arm - 3x25
---
DB Fly
1kg per arm - 3x25

DB Rev Fly
1kg per arm - 3x25
---

The highlight of that was almost dying during a 131kg slingshot Bench attempt. I have previously done 130kg for a triple about a year ago in slingshot. That was when I was about 7kg chubbier/heavier. Slingshot now fits like a wizards sleeve and doubtful it gave me anything on the 110kg x3, 120kg x2 and finally got stapled onto safeties with 131kg for a single attempt. Lucky I had them set.

Note to self: need to get myself a smaller slingshot - size "L". Tried a few sets in one size "M" which was way too small.

I know I say this the whole time these days - but I really need to gain more weight. Still clocking in at barely 80kg bodyweight.

Finished off with a barbell curl PR to celebrate still being alive: 40kg x11, before some nice dumbbell messing about with flys and rev flys for 3x25kg with 1kg. Sounds like nothing but feels great for the stretch and mobilitization. The pec flys were really stretching out the chest fibres and warming them up in a way that I never manage with Bench. As the weeks/months go by perhaps I'll increase these and see what happens. For the moment they are a nice stretch.

BossArky

Saturday August 18th: Squat Day 4 of 12

Squat
20kg - 1x10
60kg - 1x5
**add belt**
100kg - 1x3
**add wrist wraps**
120kg - 1x1
130kg - 3x3 ... worksets, alright
---
GHR
bodyweight - 3x10
---
Ab Wheel (knees)
3x5
---

Today was survival mode. Got through the 130kg 3x3 Squats and finished off with bodyweight GHR 3x10 and Ab Wheel 3x5.

Totally wrecked from 4.5 hours the night before moving home gym from one room to another. Needed to upgrade the room size as got two new pieces of equipment: Glute Ham Raise & Incline Bench.

Picked up the GHR for an incredible deal. Guy was selling them off as he has a heap of brand new gym equipment stock in his yard bought in from China. He had been planning to setup a gym business - which fell through - so now he's just offloading the stock.

All perfect condition & heavy duty. He had 6 GHR! He gave me mine for 400 AED (~100 Euro). Went back later and picked up a heavy duty incline incline bench for 350 AED (~88 Euro).

Quite pleased to have a GHR now - that was always the home gym unicorn!