Return of the King

BossArky

Wednesday October 31st:

Cycle ~8.5km with BabyArky in the bike trailer

BossArky

Thursday November 1st:

Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
90kg - 1x3
110kg - 1x2
122.5kg - 1x5
102.5kg - 2x10

Face Pulls
Setting 5 - ~3x10 ... set the pulley about nipple height vs the usual throat height, for a change
---
Bench (all paused reps)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 1x3
85kg - 1x1
92.5kg - 1x1
97.5kg - 1x1

Machine Row
20kg - 4x5 ... some light back between bench
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
85kg - 1x3
102.5kg - 3x5 ... felt fine
---
Incline DB Bench
20kg per arm - 2x12

Barbell Curl
20kg - 2x12
---

That is the heaviest non competition paused bench I've done. Trying to gain some confidence and familiarity with the paused bench so that it isn't so foreign when I go to bust out a 1RM in competition.

Speaking of competition... I'll be doing my first 3 lift in almost 18 months on Nov 24th.

BossArky

Saturday November 3rd:

Cycle ~8.5km with BabyArky in the bike trailer

BossArky

Monday November 5th:

Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
90kg - 1x3
110kg - 1x2
125kg - 1x5
105kg - 2x10

Face Pulls
Setting 6 - ~3x10
---
Bench (all paused reps)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 1x3
85kg - 1x1
95kg - 1x1
100kg - 1x1 ... yeah! That paused 100kg equals my all time competition paused bench. Felt good & more there
65kg - 2x10

Machine Row
30kg - ~5x6 ... some light back between bench
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
85kg - 1x3
100kg - 1x2
110kg - 3x5

Tricep Pushdown
Setting 10 - 1x10
Setting 12 - 1x10
Setting 14 - 1x10
---
DB Bench
30kg per arm - 3x6

One Arm DB Row
30kg per arm - 3x6 ... dead stop on ground
---

That was good. Gym paused bench now = best comp bench.

BossArky

Friday November 9th:

Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
90kg - 1x3
110kg - 1x2
127.5kg - 1x5
107.5kg - 2x10

Face Pulls
Setting 3 - ~3x5 ... with scap retraction first, then pulling from the elbows
---
Bench (all paused reps)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x1
90kg - 1x1
67.5kg - 2x10

Machine Row
35kg - ~4x6 ... some light back between bench
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
85kg - 1x4 ... should have been 3
105kg - 1x2
115kg - 3x5
---

Had all sorts of fun with the Deadlift. Mentally getting used to this exercise again. First rep of first work set saw me pull my left knee sleeve down, so stopped to reset. Feels really heavy off ground but fine from mid to lockout. Left grip was going early. Need to get liquid chalk.

BossArky

Sunday November 11th:

Cycle ~37.6km with BabyArky in the bike trailer

Day trip to Rottnest. The bike trailer catches the wind like a sail which is great when the wind is with you, making hills seem non-existant, but not so great when the wind & hill are against you. Good cardio work out. Out of the 4 of us who went I was the only one with the stamina to complete a lap of the island. I was also the only one lugging 20kg (toddler & accessories) around behind my bike.

BossArky

Tuesday November 13th:

Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
90kg - 1x3
115kg - 1x2
130kg - 1x5 ... fine
110kg - 2x10 ... fine

Face Pulls
Setting 2 - ~3x5 ... lightest setting... experimenting more with scap retraction first, then pulling from the elbows
---
Bench (all paused reps)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
72.5kg - 1x3
82.5kg - 1x1
92.5kg - 1x1
70kg - 2x10

Machine Row
40kg - ~4x6 ... some light back between bench
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
85kg - 1x4 ... should have been 3
105kg - 1x2
120kg - 3x5 ... felt better than 115kg last session
---
Tricep Pushdown
Setting 10 - 1x10
Setting 12 - 1x10
Setting 14 - 1x10

BB Curl
20kg - 2x10
---

Weird. That all felt easier than expected.

I thought that Squatting 130kg x5 would be a battle, but it didn't take much out of me at all. Purposefully took an extra day off, training Tuesday not Monday, due to the amount of hilly cycling I did on Sunday. Pretty confident now I'll manage 132.5kg x5 and 135kg x5 (for a 2.5kg pb) over the next two sessions and finish the cycle successfully before the competition.

Deadlifts felt good too. I had experimented with stance as wide as possible on convo... but now reverting to a bit closer in. Seems to make the lift easier for me.

My deadlift is way undertrained for competition purposes (120kg - 3x5).... it's at around 75% of what I did before/ injury last year (160kg - 3x5).... but I don't care. It'll get back up there in the future. I'll do 130kg for 2x2 next session, then deload until comp where I'll go something like 130/140/150.

If I total 400kg in comp I guess that'll be a mark in the sand where I can progress from. I'm guessing that will be something like Squat 150kg/Bench 100kg/Deadlift 150kg. Pretty happy that injury looks to be behind me and I am back on the road to being able to compete.

BossArky

I have trawled through my log to find out what my past experience of deadlifting around 120kg 3x5 towards the end of a cycle indicates for competition performance.

I had to go back over 2.75 years (jaysus) to a comp I did on 20/2/2010.... where I deadlift 152.5kg in my first Australian comp having finished the cycle on 117.5kg 3x5. For that particular cycle I did 2x2 on 130kg the Thursday 1.5 weeks out from the comp, which is exactly what I was planning to do anyway.

Why am I bothering to look this up? --> so I'll know roughly what I'm capable of.

That being said... my squat now is way strong than back then by like 50kg! (80kg 3x5 vs 130kg x5) so maybe that may carry over to deadlifting heavier than 150kg ish in the upcoming comp.

Thoughts?

Sangre

Boss

I'd say you're good for about 180kg deadlift at a complete guess. Judging from your logs I think we're probably at a similar enough strenght level. I don't deadlift really anymore but I know I can muscle an ugly non-hitched 180kg out of the bag so my thoughts are you probably could too. You're definitely good for more than 150 anyway.

Hanley

Yeah 160-180 for sure based off squat numbers.

BossArky

Sangre wrote: »

Boss

I'd say you're good for about 180kg deadlift at a complete guess. Judging from your logs I think we're probably at a similar enough strenght level. I don't deadlift really anymore but I know I can muscle an ugly non-hitched 180kg out of the bag so my thoughts are you probably could too. You're definitely good for more than 150 anyway.

Hanley wrote: »

Yeah 160-180 for sure based off squat numbers.

Thanks for the suggestions. We'll see! Need to strike a balance between reduced risk of injury from attempting something I'm undertrained for... vs. getting close to double bodyweight/half respectability.

BossArky

Friday November 16th:

Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
90kg - 1x3
117.5kg - 1x2
132.5kg - 1x5 ... equals pb
112.5kg - 2x10 ... equals pb

Face Pulls
Setting 3 - ~3x5 ... lightest setting... experimenting more with scap retraction first, then pulling from the elbows
---
Bench (all paused reps)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 1x3
85kg - 1x1
90kg - 1x1
95kg - 1x1
72.5kg - 2x8 ... not the usual 10 to save myself as almost at peak of cycle

Machine Row
45kg - ~4x6 ... some light back between bench
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
110kg - 1x2
127.5kg - 1x1
135kg - 2x2 ... most I've deadlift in 14 months
---

Squat was good.

Deadlift was foreign, but manageable.

BossArky

Monday November 19th:

Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
95kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x2
135kg - 1x5 ... pb
115kg - 2x10 ... pb

Face Pulls
Setting 3 - ~3x5 ... lightest setting... experimenting more with scap retraction first, then pulling from the elbows
---
Bench (all paused reps)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 1x3
85kg - 1x1
92.5kg - 1x1
97.5kg - 1x1 ... easy
60kg - 2x10

Machine Row
45kg - ~4x6 ... some light back between bench
---

Squat was great. 135kg x5 is a pb. Long time coming. Did 132.5 3x5 back in June last year (2011).... 17 months ago. Confident I'll pb in competition this Saturday (current best is 152.5kg). May attempt 160kg in competition this Saturday depending on how 2nd attempt goes.

Squats may go like this: 142.5/152.5/155-160
Bench will go like this: 95/100/102.5
Deadlift .... ??? : 140/150/160-165

Bodyweight currently 85kg, so should make 83kg nicely on Saturday.

BossArky

Thursday November 22nd: Deload

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 3x5

Face Pulls
Setting 3 - ~3x5 ... lightest setting... experimenting more with scap retraction first, then pulling from the elbows
---
Machine Row
35kg - 3x6

Bench (all paused reps)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 3x5
---

Deload. Light stuff.

Writing this Friday morning after that Thurday night session above ^^. Weighted 83.5kg this morning before breakfast, so need to shed 500g before weigh-in tomorrow at 3pm.

Feeling good.

BossArky

Saturday November 24th: Strength Club Classic (Powerlifting Competition), Mt.Hawthorn, Perth

Weighed in at slightly after 3pm: 82.4kg. Comfortably under the 83kg weight class. Home scales was giving a similar reading, but I had erred on the side of caution as experience told me that sometimes my home scales under estimates by 400g. Not the case this time. They were bang on.

Water loading in the days prior did the trick again and I easily lost 3kg ish. Stopped all liquid intake from 3pm the previous day…. so 24hr to dry out. Snuck in 5 slices of dry bread with peanut butter on the comp morning, plus a banana, plus 100g of pasta… plus pasta the night before too. Looking back I had a lot of weight to play with. Energy levels were fine, just a bit of a headache & dry mouth from the water ban.

Warm ups went like this:
SQ 60kg x5, 90kg x1, 90kg x2, 110kg x1, 130kg x fail, 130kg x1 …. I was all over the place with my warm ups here. Rack was dodgy. It was rocking all over the place & I couldn’t get setup tightly. Got stapled at the bottom of the first 130kg and someone had to lift me out of it. I was like WTF! This was just at the time when everyone was disappearing downstairs to line up for their first lifts… so I was left alone with no spotters having just failed my last warm up. Called one of the guys back and retook 130kg and it was slooooowwww and all left leg… but I mangaed it. Jaysus…. Not the best prep when my opener was locked in at 142.5kg. I was thinking I was in serious danger of bombing out.
BP 60kg x5, 75kg x3, 82.5kg x1, 90kg x1 … all paused
DL 60kg x5, 90kg x3, 110kg x1, 125kg x1

Comp lifts went like this:
Squat #1: 142.5kg – GOOD … fine & easy enough after calamitous warm up
Squat #2: 150kg – GOOD … fine
Squat #3: 155kg – FAIL … felt backwards slightly

Bench #1: 95kg – GOOD … slow
Bench #2: 100kg – GOOD … easy… best 100kg I’ve done probably. Had a great setup on this one
Bench #3: 102.5kg – FAIL … didn’t get set up properly after 3 attempts and just went into the lift loose. Backside came up off bench as feet weren’t tucked under tightly. Should have set up a 4th time

Deadlift #1: 140kg – GOOD … fine
Deadlift #2: 155kg – GOOD … got pulled forward, chest dipped & stiff legged it. Weight didn’t feel particularly heavy though
Deadlift #3: 170kg – FAIL … didn’t budge it. Need more deadlift practice to get used to heavy weights again

Total = 405kg at 82.4kg. Achieved my target of totalling >400kg in my come back comp. Happy enough with Squat and Bench, although I should really have managed both 3rd attempts. Deadlift was pretty hopeless but in or around what I expected with 4 weeks deadlift training.

Got a silver medal for my efforts… but how the table worked out my placing is beyond me. By my counting there were 4 fellows in the 83kg class: a sub junior, 2 open (including myself) and a bench only. The sub junior was the strongest of the lot and must have done around 500kg. The other open guy did 130/100/190… so I was comfortably ahead of him until deads. Anyway, I ended up coming second in the “lightweights” vs. the other open guy in 83kgs who was lumped into the “heavyweights”. Another guy in the “lightweights” did 460kg at <74kg bodyweight. Very lean.

Good competition, although the weigh in time of 3pm and lifting start of 5pm is more awkward to prepare for that my usual experiences of 9am and 11am respectively i.e. you can sleep/starve overnight, go straight to weigh-in, then have breakfast. Also, it was the most “foreign” environment to me hence my squat warm up screw ups. i.e. not used to the racks, slippery floor, etc.

BossArky

It's been a while since I logged due to a lot of travelling. I did manage to continue training, albeit in an improvised manner.

More travels coming up soon for Xmas and the New Year.

Below is what happened for the past month.

BossArky

Wednesday November 28th: Perth

Squat
60kg - 3x10

Bench
60kg - 3x10

Face Pulls
3 sets

Chin Ups
3 sests

Seated Row
3 sets

Curls
3 sets
---

Cannot remember the weight on the assistance stuff. This was right before heading to the airport to fly to Ireland.

BossArky

Saturday December 1st: Ireland

Squat
50kg - 3x10

Military Press
50kg - 3x3
---
Face Pulls
3 sets
---
Deadlift
70kg - 3x5
---

Ripped the shins off myself Deadlifting with non powerlifting bar. 50kg was as much as I wanted to hoist behind my neck from ground without a Squat Rack for Squat and Military Press supersets. Local gym in Ireland. Not the best equipped place.

Swam 2 lengths and went to steam room/jacuzzi.

BossArky

Friday December 7th: Ireland

Squat
50kg - 3x10

Military Press
50kg - 3x3
---
Face Pulls
3 sets
---
Stiff Leg Deadlift
70kg - 3x8?
---
DB Military Press
? x 3x8
---
Glute Bridge
50kg - 3x8
---

Same local gym in Ireland.

BossArky

Friday December 14th: Dubai

Squat
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
70kg - 1x2
80kg - 1x5
60kg - 2x10

Bench Press
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
70kg - 1x2
80kg - 1x5
60kg - 2x8 ... wonky bar angle/bench stands so went for 8 per set instead of 10
---
Face Pulls
20 lbs - 1x10
25 lbs - 1x10
30 lbs - 1x10
---
Pull Ups (wide grip)
bodyweight - 3x3
---
Deadlift
80kg - 3x5
---
BB Curl
20kg - 3x10
---
Tricep Pushdown
30 lbs - 1x10
35 lbs - 1x10
40 lbs - 1x10
---
DB Military Press
10 lbs per arm - 1x10
15 lbs per arm - 1x10
20 lbs per arm - 1x10
---

Best hotel gym I've every seen. i.e. has Squat rack and well equipped. Happy to get a decent work out in.

BossArky

Monday December 17th: Dubai

Squat (beltless)
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x2
90kg - 1x5
70kg - 2x10

Face Pulls
Setting increasing from easy to moderate - 3x10 ... with scap retraction first, then pulling from the elbows

High Row (unilateral machine)
Setting increasing from easy to moderate - 3x10
---
Bench (all paused reps)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x2 … dodgy rack so didn’t go for 5
60kg - 2x10
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x2
90kg - 1x5
---

Trained for second time in hotel gym in Dubai. Best equipped hotel gym I’ve ever seen. It had a decent squat rack and even a 45 deg back raise, along with all the various machines and a number of barbells/DBs. Only criticism is the bench was a bit wonky and the bar was at an angel when resting on the pins, so couldn’t unrack evenly.

Was in Abu Dhabi at Ferrari World, did a city tour, came back… wandered about Dubai… knackered… and then snuck the above session in between 10:30pm-11:45pm. Productive day.

BossArky

Thursday December 20th: back in Perth at usual gym

Squat
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
90kg - 1x2
*belt*
100kg - 1x5
80kg - 2x10

Face Pulls
setting 6 - 1x10
setting 8 - 1x10
setting 8 - 1x10
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 3x5
---
Bench (all paused reps)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x2
85kg - 1x1
60kg - 2x10

Seated Machine Row
30kg - 1x6
35kg - 1x6
40kg - 1x6
45kg - 1x6
50kg - 1x6
55kg - 1x6
---
DB Shrugs
12.5kg - 2x20 ... very light. Getting used to the exercise before going heavier

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight - 2x5
---

Back in Perth at my usual gym. This will be the first of 2 sessions before I head to Japan for a couple of weeks, so again more improvision whilst there. Hopefully I'll find a place to continue the big 3 whilst there... and then will get going on a new program full steam ahead from 2nd week in Jan when back to Perth.

BossArky

Friday December 21st: Perth

Front Squat
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
60kg - 3x5 ... best grip is when index finger is a finger width outside smooth

KB Swing
16kg KB - 3 x 1 minute ... that is the heaviest KB available. Supersetted with Front Squats
---
Glute Bridge (shoulders on 1 Reebok step with boxing cushioning)
20kg - 1x10
40kg - 1x10
60kg - 3x10

DB Shoulder Press (standing)
20kg per arm - 3x8
---
Cross Trainer
15 mins
---

Tried some stuff I don't normally do, after reading up on Deadlift assistance exercises. Front Squats were hard on the abs.

BossArky

Saturday December 22nd:

Cycle ~8.3km with BabyArky in the bike trailer

BossArky

Sunday December 23rd: Perth

Squat
110kg - 1x5
90kg - 2x10

Deadlift
100kg - 3x5 ... done in about 5 mins total

Bench
up to a paused single of 87.5kg?

...and some other assistance stuff I cannot remember. Then headed to airport/Japan.

BossArky

Monday December 31st: Osaka

Messing about in hotel gym:

• bench
• pec fly machine
• rev pec fly machine
• leg curl
• leg ext
• db shoulder press
• light SLDL
• curls
• etc

This was the only training I did in Japan, approx mid way through my 2 week trip. Had a great time.

BossArky

Monday January 7th: Perth, 6:15am-7:45am

Squat (beltless)
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
75kg - 1x2
80kg - 1x5
60kg - 2x10

Face Pulls
setting 5 - 1x10
setting 5 - 1x10
setting 5 - 1x10

Ext Rotation
Setting 2 - 2x10
Setting 1 - 1x10
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 3x5
---
Bench (mostly paused reps)
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
75kg - 1x2
80kg - 1x1
60kg - 2x10

Seated Machine Row
30kg - 3x6
---
DB Shoulder Press (seated)
20kg per arm - 2x6

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight - 2x5
---
Cross Trainer
15 mins
---

Felt so weak. Training has been on the back burner since late Nov due to much travelling around the globe. Had some great holidays/experiences. Now time to get back to training hard for the new year. Looking forward to continuing to make good progress.

Immediate goals for competition by Easter time 2013:

• Squat 160kg
• Bench 102.5kg
• Deadlift 182.5kg

The clock is ticking. Let's go!

BossArky

Monday January 7th: Perth

Cycle ~8.3km with BabyArky in the bike trailer

BossArky

Wednesday January 9th:

Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
70kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x2
85kg - 1x5
65kg - 2x10
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
80kg - 1x3
90kg - 1x2
100kg - 3x5
---
Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight - 3x6
---

Good. Didn't feel as knackered as first session on Monday.

BossArky

Thursday January 10th: Perth

Cycle ~8.6km with BabyArky in the bike trailer