Return of the King

BossArky

Thursday March 31st

Deadlift (off 2 inch block)
60kg - 1x10
70kg - 1x10
80kg - 3x10
---
Sumo Deadlift (belt)
120kg - 1x3
140kg - 1x3
---
Glute Ham Raise (super easy setting)
3x10

Chin Ups
3x10

Decline Situps
bodyweight - 3x10
---

Emailed coach during the week following last weekends competition and asked him how I should approach training over the next 2 to 3 months with the impending arrival of baby on May 5th. Today his answer was to just keep training. No point in wasting time when unsure when baby will arrive. So, new cycle drafted out and will be on the wall for Monday. Aiming to peak for next competition on June 26th. Will see how things turn up with the arrival of the baby in early May. In the meantime I'll follow this program.

Last night I found an article which was supposed to tell me if I should deadlift conventional or sum based upon the length of my arms, torsu and height. The results were "conventional or sumo".

Today I broached the subject with my coach. He reckons give sumo a shot this cycle and see what happens. Gonna do the standard conventional deadlift off block as per normal, then throw in a couple of sumo triples at a heavier weight. Can only tell when weight is heavier if sumo is giving me a mechanical advantage

So, after tonights 3x10s convo from the block I did the sumo 120 and 140kgs for triples. Felt different alright --> slower, all legs, no back strain, slight inward caving of left leg, back way more upright, bar knurling catching on my tracksuit, grip on smooth part of the bar.

I can see how sumo is attractive & helps keep the back more upright. Coach reckons sumo brings many more variables into place and is therefore more risky i.e. lack of grip as hands on smooth, rubbing hands against thighs on the way up, etc.

He reckons tonights experiment was inconclusive and I should keep up sumos for the next few weeks and see what happens as I get more used to it.

BossArky

Saturday April 2nd: @home

YTWL
2kg DB per arm - 2x5
---
Ab Pull Down
~50kg - 1x5
~70kg - 1x5
~90kg+ (max stack) - 2x10
---
DB Fly
8kg per arm - 1x5
10kg per arm - 2x8

DB Reverse Fly
8kg per arm - 1x5
10kg per arm - 2x8
---
Calf Raise
bodyweight - 1x5
bodyweight + 20kg per arm - 2x10
---
Cross Trainer (15 mins, 9.9km, 80 cals)
---

Burning some calories.

Sangre

Good work at meet and thanks for tips above on deadlift. We seem to similar enough actually. Close enough height/weight as well lifts. Very similar percentages relative to the other lifts too.

I seem to use lower back too much deadlifting. Going to mix up workout next week or so and might take some suggestions on board.

d'Oracle

BossArky wrote: »

I can see how sumo is attractive & helps keep the back more upright. Coach reckons sumo brings many more variables into place and is therefore more risky i.e. lack of grip as hands on smooth, rubbing hands against thighs on the way up, etc.

He reckons tonights experiment was inconclusive and I should keep up sumos for the next few weeks and see what happens as I get more used to it.

Im confused.
You narrow your grip for sumo?

I would have thought that would not be necessary.
I certainly have never found that I had to grab the smooth....

BossArky

Sangre wrote: »

Good work at meet

Cheers! What are you current lifts? Are you going to enter any powerlifting comps? I found joining a club & competing to be a good way to make progress.

I'm aiming for 500kg raw total with a 200kg (200kg+?) deadlift. Just have to keep chipping away adding small pbs here and there every so often. May take a while but will get there eventually.

Sangre wrote: »

I seem to use lower back too much deadlifting.

Widening my stance a small bit when deadlifting conventional seems to take a bit of strain off my lower back and involve the legs more. Only problem is that arms have to go a bit wider too and don't hang straight down. Legs get in the way.

d'Oracle wrote: »

Im confused.
You narrow your grip for sumo?

I would have thought that would not be necessary.
I certainly have never found that I had to grab the smooth....

Optimal arm angle is when they are perpendicular to the bar for either conventional or sumo deadlift. On sumo when my arms hang down straight they grip fully on the smooth part, right inside the knurling. On conventional when they hang straight down they hit my legs, as mentioned to Sangre above, so I have to widen my grip so that my arms are not perpendicular, which causes me to hunch over more.

Letting my arms hand straight down on sumo gives me a way better back angle on sumo vs. deadlift.

Caveat - no expert and am speaking from six reps of sumo deadlift experience. Will see what happens over the coming weeks.

BossArky

Sunday April 3rd: @home

Swimming ~20 mins
---

Tidying up diet and adding in some cardio at the moment.

d'Oracle

BossArky wrote: »

Optimal arm angle is when they are perpendicular to the bar for either conventional or sumo deadlift. On sumo when my arms hang down straight they grip fully on the smooth part, right inside the knurling. On conventional when they hang straight down they hit my legs, as mentioned to Sangre above, so I have to widen my grip so that my arms are not perpendicular, which causes me to hunch over more.

Letting my arms hand straight down on sumo gives me a way better back angle on sumo vs. deadlift.

Caveat - no expert and am speaking from six reps of sumo deadlift experience. Will see what happens over the coming weeks.

Interesting.
I guess that is why you will see people do the whole two arm nazi salute thing before deadlifting?
I will have to think about this and formulate an opinion that no right minded individual should listen to.

Post up a sumo video at some stage.
I'd be interested in seeing where you go in the end and why.

Oh and good job in the comp man, that second squat flew.

BossArky

Monday April 4th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
20kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10
50kg - 3x10 ... pump
---
EZ Curl
40kg - 1x10 ... too heavy so reduced next sets
30kg - 2x10 ... pump

DB Bench
27.5kg per arm - 1x10 ... chest almost cramping here after all the 10s on bb bench
25kg per arm - 1x10
22.5kg per arm - 1x10
---
EZ Tricep Extension
20kg - 3x10
---
Speed Deadlift (off 2 inch block)
30kg - 1x10
60kg - 3x10

---

Squat
60kg - 2x10
62.5kg - 3x10
---
Sumo Deadlift
60kg & 80kg (but mostly 60kg) - a lot of sets x3 reps

---

Military Press
20kg - 1x8
30kg - 1x8
40kg - 1x8
---

230 reps excluding the sumos and military press. Some pump. That's the cardio 10s out of the way for this cycle.

Focusing on technique.

Spent about 20 minutes at the end messing about with some others as they critiqued and aided my sumo. Initially I was starting off too wide and sitting too far back. Towards the later sets I was closer stance and not sitting back so far. This allowed me to place tension on the bar before lifting it. Felt much better. Recorded two sets on 60kg which I haven't watched yet and won't bother posting as what's the point when I'm so new to the movement.

Calories pretty low today, too low actually.

New cycle is up on the board. The lifts will peak with the following-ish towards mid June:

SQ: 132.5kg - 3x5
BP: 90kg - 3x5
DL: 160kg - 3x5

... and somewhere in the midst of all this I'll become a father.

Sangre

BossArky wrote: »

Cheers! What are you current lifts? Are you going to enter any powerlifting comps? I found joining a club & competing to be a good way to make progress.

BP:97.5kg
Squat:142.5kg
DL: 170kg (few months old).

No plans to enter any comps yet anyway! Would compete in the 83kg class if I did though I think.

BossArky

Sangre wrote: »

BP:97.5kg
Squat:142.5kg
DL: 170kg (few months old).

Close enough so. Race you to 500kg!

BossArky

Thursday April 7th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench
30kg - 1x8
50kg - 1x5
40kg - 3x8

Lying Twist
bodyweight - 3x7
---
Deadlift (off 2 inch block)
60kg - 1x8
72.5kg - 1x5
85kg - 1x5
92.5kg - 3x8
---
Glute Ham Raise (height @3 under max setting, legs @three off max)
3x8

Chin Ups
bodyweight +3kg - 3x8

Decline Situps
bodyweight - 3x10
---
Squat
40kg - 1x8
50kg - 3x8
---
Sumo Deadlift
60kg - 1x3
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x3
140kg - 1x1
140kg - 1x0
140kg - 1x1
---

Easy early days. More sumo deadlift practice. Realised walking out of the gym that the 140kgs were all beltless, so I suppose that is a positive.

BossArky

Sunday April 10th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
20kg - 1x8
40kg - 1x8
50kg - 1x8
60kg - 3x8
---
EZ Curl
30kg - 1x8

DB Bench
30kg per arm - 3x8
---
EZ Tricep Extension
30kg - 3x8
---
Speed Deadlift (off 25kg plates)
50kg - 1x8
65kg - 3x8

---

Squat
50kg - 1x8
60kg - 1x8
70kg - 1x8
75kg - 3x8
---
Military Press
25kg - 1x8
35kg - 1x8
45kg - 1x5

Face Pulls
20kg - 3x8
---

Moved this usual Monday stuff to Sunday as heading to Singapore. Will try to get Thurdsay's stuff done on Wednesday, and then next Mondays on next Sunday,.... as getting 3 wisdom teeth out next Monday.

BossArky

Thursday April 13th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Squat
50kg - 2x8
50kg - 3x8
---
Close Grip Bench
20kg - 1x8
40kg - 3x8
---
Deadlift (off 2 10kg plates)
60kg - 1x8 ... no plates
100kg - 3x8 ... on plates
---

Did the big 3 from usual Deadlift day in Singapore work gym. Will do the accessory stuff tomorrow in hotel gym. Took a colleague along and showed them the big 3.

BossArky

Friday April 15th: Accessory stuff left over from Deadlift day

Lying Ham Curl
3x10 ... getting heavier each set

Decline Sit Ups (with 5kg behind head)
3x10
---
Lat Pull Down
3x10 ... getting heavier each set

Standing Machine Calf Raise
bodyweight +40 (lbs or kg?) - 3x10
---
Standing DB Press
15kg per arm - 2x10

Bicep Curl (Mini BB)
60lbs - 2x10
---

In Singapore @hotel gym.

BossArky

Sunday April 17th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
50kg - 1x8
55kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
65kg - 3x8
---
BB Curl
32.5kg - 1x8
---
DB Bench
30kg per arm - 3x8
---
EZ Tricep Extension
32.5kg - 3x8
---
Speed Deadlift (off 25kg plates)
60kg - 1x8
65kg - 3x8 ... did 9 on last one due to a miscount actually

---

Squat
60kg - 1x8
70kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x5
85kg - 3x8
---

Took ages --> 2.5 hours.

Again moved the usual Monday training to Sunday. Getting 3 wisdom teeth out tomorrow.

BossArky

Saturday April 23rd: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench
40kg - 1x6
45kg - 1x5
50kg - 1x3 ... wide grip to here. CG for last set
55kg - 3x6

Lying Twist
bodyweight - 3x6
---
Deadlift (off 2 10kg plates)
60kg - 1x6
100kg - 1x5
115kg - 3x6
---
Squat
50kg - 3x6
---
Lying Ham Curl
30kg - 2x8
---
Chin Ups
bodyweight - 2x8
---
Decline Situps
bodyweight - 2x8 ... jaw throbbing / painful
---

Off for the past 6 days due to extraction of 3 wisdom teeth. Don't think they are healing properly. Rang dentist and they won't see me until Wednesday after Easter holidays, as they reckon it will take at least a week to settle down.

So, went to the gym to take my mind of the jack hammer pain in my jaw. In the midst of my Bench Press I heard an English accent urging someone on with the usual bodybuilding jargon. Looking over I thought it looked like Dorian Yates. The pain-killers I've been taking for my jaw are pretty strong, so I thought I was just halluncinating and was quite dizzy, so forgot about it.

On the way to the deadlift area I passed by the phantom Dorian... and again had a good look at him,... but decided it definetly couldn't be him. Why would he be training in the same gym as me in Melbourne?

During my deadlift rest time I noticed another gym goer videoing phantom Dorian... so I copped on that it must have been him. When he walked closer I noticed he was wearing a Dorian Yates t-shirt (shameless self promo!). I caught his attention with "hey... Dorian??" and he said yes. Got a photo with him, which he postphoned until after his set. He said he was in Oz to promote his nutritional product DY something. I'll upload the photo later. Facebook contacts can see it there now.

The rest of the work out was a blur and I felt like fainting with the pain in my jaw. Got really cold and started sweating. Think I'm developing a fever related to wisdom tooth socket infection. It sucks.

In and out - got the big 3 done and put in some half hearted assistance.

BossArky

Wednesday April 27th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
50kg - 1x6
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 3x6

Seated Row Machine
26kg - 1x10
33kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10
---
Squat (beltless)
60kg - 1x6
80kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
95kg - 3x6
---
Speed Deadlift (off 10kg plates)
60kg - 1x6
65kg - 3x6

DB Bench
32.5kg per arm - 1x4f
30kg per arm - 1x6
27.5kg per arm - 1x6
---
BB Curl
25kg - 2x8

Mini BB Tricep Extension
25kg - 2x8
---

I'm now a dad!

BabyArky was born at 11:58am in Melbourne on April 25th, weighing 2.98kg. Mother and daughter are doing well. All hail the new princess of the day ... and night

Training today was crammed into an hour in a gym close to home whilst BabyArky was feeding. Cut most of the accessory to two sets and supersetted the big 3 to save time. I was up most of the night. Haven't slept or ate the past week due to wisdom teeth and the birth. Feels great to hold your own little girl

kevpants

Wow congratulations man I'm delighted for you. Your life just won't be the same again, for the better! Yep, meeting Dorian Yates really is a special experience.

It's also nice to see you have a daughter now

Daughters are amazing by the way. Prepare to feel constantly concerned about someone you just met while ahving your heart broken every time she makes eye contact or cracks a smile. Seriously it wrecks your buzz in the best possible way! Oh yeah and welcome to the year of no sleep!

BossArky

Saturday April 30th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench
40kg - 1x6 ... wide grip
55kg - 3x6 ... close grip

Lying Twist
bodyweight - 3x6
---
Deadlift (off 2 10kg plates)
60kg - 1x6
85kg - 1x5
105kg - 1x3
*belt*
120kg - 3x6
---
Lying Ham Curl
35kg - 1x6
40kg - 1x6
45kg - 1x6

Chin Ups
bodyweight +4kg - 3x6
---
Squat
60kg - 1x6
65kg - 3x6

Decline Situps (steep)
bodyweight +5kg - 3x6
---

Good. Getting more sleep & eating more. Lower & upper back were a bit tired from holding BabyArky and leaning over the changing table. Deadlifts felt soothing.

Have been free-styling with my big 3 weights the past few weeks, as I forgot to take a copy of it before heading to Singapore/getting wisdom teeth out/having baby. One of the guys at the club took a picture and sent it on, so now I'm back on track. Looking back I can see that the weights I was doing were more or less correct so no damage done.

BossArky

kevpants wrote: »

Wow congratulations man I'm delighted for you. Your life just won't be the same again, for the better! Yep, meeting Dorian Yates really is a special experience.

His motivational spiel goes as follows:
- second last set --> c'mon, pump it out. Pretend you're on the missus
- last set --> c'mon, pump it, pump it. Pretend you're on someone else's missus

kevpants wrote: »

It's also nice to see you have a daughter now

Daughters are amazing by the way. Prepare to feel constantly concerned about someone you just met while ahving your heart broken every time she makes eye contact or cracks a smile. Seriously it wrecks your buzz in the best possible way! Oh yeah and welcome to the year of no sleep!

It is amazing. I want more!

BossArky

Tuesday May 3rd: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
40kg - 1x6
55kg - 1x5
65kg - 1x3
72.5kg - 3x6 ... simple, as it should be
---
Mini BB Curl
32.5kg - 3x6
---
DB Bench
32.5kg per arm - 1x6
32.5kg per arm - 1x5 ... no fail, but knew I didn't have a 6th in me
30kg per arm - 1x6

Speed Deadlift (off 10kg plates)
60kg - 1x6
80kg - 3x6

Mini BB Tricep Extension
27.5kg - 3x6
---
Squat
60kg - 1x6
80kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
100kg (or something that looked like 100kg) - 3x6 ... again = simple
---

That was good. Sped through the lot with supersetting DBs, Speed Deads and Tri stuff.

I like training in this gym close to home. Change from the usual & seeing new faces. The guy I was working in with on the bench asked me if I used supplements. I must look impressive to him

Feeling leaner and massiver --> mutally exclusive, I know. Lost a good bit of padding over the past weeks. Think I'm gonna concoct a 3 week program and flog it. It'll go something like below (the caveat is that you continue to train the big 3 with accessory)

week 1 --> spend it in Asia eating red hot stuff that'll go right through you
week 2 --> wisdom teeth out & eat literally nothing
week 3 --> care for a newborn day and night and get 75% of your calories from protein shakes / milk (not the mothers).

*kicks back and waits for money to roll in*

BossArky

Friday May 6th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench
40kg - 1x6 ... wide grip
60kg - 3x6 ... close grip. Slow down & explosive up ... enough to rattle plates at the op of each rep

Lying Twist
bodyweight - 3x6

Seated Row Machine
47kg - 3x6
---
Deadlift (off 2 10kg plates)
60kg - 1x6
80kg - 1x5
110kg - 1x3
*belt*
127.5kg - 3x6
---
Lying Ham Curl
40kg - 1x6
45kg - 1x6
50kg - 1x6

Chin Ups
bodyweight +5kg - 3x6
---
Squat
60kg - 1x6
65kg - 3x6

Decline Situps (steep)
bodyweight +5kg - 3x6
---
Seated BB Press (behind neck)
20kg - 1x8
30kg - 1x8
40kg - 1x8

Inverted Row
bodyweight - 3x10
---

Fine.

BossArky

Monday May 9th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
40kg - 1x6
55kg - 1x5
67.5kg - 1x3
77.5kg - 3x6 ... ok. felt stronger each set
---
Mini BB Curl
32.5kg - 3x6

DB Bench
30kg per arm - 3x6 ... down from 32.5kg last week as tired and sleep deprived

Speed Deadlift (off 10kg plates)
60kg - 1x6
80kg - 3x6
---
Mini BB Tricep Extension
27.5kg - 3x6

Squat
60kg - 1x6
80kg - 1x5
95kg - 1x3
*belt*
105kg - 3x6 ... ropey
---

Not much sleep recently
Not much food recently
No creatine the 1.5 months
No GOMAD recently

I was thinking the empty bar felt light when setting up for bench. Afterwards I weighed it --> 18.6kg. Used the same one for squats... so both squats and bench were actually 1.4kg lighter than written above.

Hail 2 Da Chimp

BossArky wrote: »

I'm now a dad!

Only seen this now, haven't been on boards for a while - Congrats BossArky

BossArky

Thursday May 12th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench
40kg - 1x6 ... wide grip
60kg - 3x6 ... close grip

Lying Twist
bodyweight - 1x6
bodyweight + 3.3kg ball between ankles - 2x6
---
Deadlift (off 2 inch block)
60kg - 1x6
90kg - 1x5
115kg - 1x3
*belt*
135kg - 3x6
---
Glute Ham Raise (max height, 1 off max horiztonal)
3x6

Chin Ups
bodyweight +6kg - 3x6
---
Squat
60kg - 1x6
70kg - 3x6

Decline Situps
bodyweight - 1x10
bodyweight +5kg - 2x10
---

135kg 3x6 deads off the 2 inch block were hard. First time back in powerlifting club gym in a month, and realised that the 2 inch block is about double the height of the 10kg plates I'd been standing on in the other gym. Thus, it was harder. Thankfully that was the last day of heavy block deadlifts this cycle. Next week I'll be back to 3x5s off the floor.

Everything else was fine. Slight tweak somewhere in my left oxter(spelling?) when hanging at the bottom of chin ups. Need to watch that/rest it. Feel it too when I set up for squat & hang off the bar before getting set up under it.

Good to have access to the GHR again. Hamstrings were cramping up a bit on the first set. Rest were fine.

Showed coach the photo of myself and Dorian Yates. His response "which one is Dorian?" :pac:

Getting stuff sorted out for the equipped nationals at the end of July --> streaming, mics, IT stuff, equipment, etc. Brad Gillingham is coming to town for it.

The club got some new Eliko benches too since last time. They feel so sturdy. Good to be back.

BossArky

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

Only seen this now, haven't been on boards for a while - Congrats BossArky

Cheers!

BossArky

Sunday May 15th: @home

YTWLs ... which ended up being YTVTs or something
2kg - 1x5

Calf Raise
2kg per arm - 2x20

DB Curl
2kg per arm - 1x10
---
Swimming
- 12 lengths (6 bs, 6 fc)
- Stretching hamstrings on step
---

Right hamstring is tighter than left, based upon my stretching in water experiment. Can keep the left leg on a higher rung of the steps without too much discomfort compared to the right.

The YTWLs (or my version) helped warm up shoulders ahead of the swim. Less clicking from shoulders.

BossArky

Monday May 16th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
60kg - 1x6
67.5kg - 1x5
75kg - 1x3
81kg - 3x6 ... failed last rep of last set so needed spotter help to finish
---
EZ Curl
35kg - 3x6

DB Bench
32.5kg per arm - 1x6f
30kg per arm - 1x5f ... should have rested longer before this set
27.5kg per arm - 1x6
---
Speed Deadlift (off 10kg plates)
60kg - 1x6
85kg - 3x6

Mini BB Tricep Extension
30kg - 3x6
---
Squat
60kg - 1x6
80kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
*belt*
110kg - 3x6 ... weak
---

Weak today. Weights are getting heavier now as it is the last day of 3x6s. Need to get my sleep, nutrition and recovery sorted out. Started back into creatine on Saturday, so hopefully will be easier next Thursday for deadlifting.

Bodyweight 83kg after training and hydrated, which isn't good. Need to put on 4 to 5 kg in the next month if I'm going to make it through this cycle without missing reps.

BossArky

Thursday May 19th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench
40kg - 1x5 ... wide grip
65kg - 3x5 ... close grip

Lying Twist
bodyweight - 1x5
bodyweight + 3.3kg ball between ankles - 2x5
---
Deadlift (off 2 inch block)
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
*belt*
125kg - 1x2
142.5kg - 3x5
---
Glute Ham Raise (max height, 1 off max horiztonal)
3x5

Chin Ups
bodyweight +10kg - 3x5
---
Squat
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 3x5

Decline Situps
bodyweight +10kg - 2x10

Ab Wheel Roll-out (on knees)
2x10
---

BossArky

Monday May 23rd: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
77.5kg - 1x2
83.5kg - 3x5 ... good
---
BB Curl
25kg - 2x10

Mini BB Tricep Extension
22.5kg - 2x10
---
Speed Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 3x5

DB Bench
32.5kg per arm - 3x5
---
Squat
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
*belt*
105kg - 1x2
117.5kg - 3x5 ... "ok"
---

Still not sleeping much, but the weights today felt better than last week. Stuffing myself with milk the past week and hit the creatine again. Instant gain of ~2kg and feeling/looking more tank-like.

There was a woman from Powerlifting Japan in today. She must have weighed sub 50kg but was busting out sets of 5 reps at 52.5kg like it was nothing on the bench.

One of my 83kg training buddies has picked up a "Ram" which is supposed to help increase your Raw bench. It's like a catapult you put your arms through and it helps get the bar off your chest. Not sure exactly how that is going to help develop raw strength as the chest will still be weak. He reckons it gets him used to heavier weights. He benches in and around the same as me for 5s at the moment. Last week he went from 85kg 3x6s raw up to 115kg for triples with the Ram. May give it a go myself next week if I have more time.

Happy enough with training :cool: