Return of the King

BossArky

RidleyRider wrote: »

Just incase you haven't noticed the heels rising a tad.

Yeah I know... that's why I said the stuff in bold below. Wasn't my usual stance.

BossArky wrote: »

Monday March 17th:
127.5kg - 3x5 ... Weird Squatting. First set easy, second set fell over, third set fine. Video of all 3 sets to come

First time I've managed to almost fall over when Squatting. Check out the video of the 2nd set. Luckily managed to control it after shuffling back a few steps. Could have been dangerous if I'd hit the back of the cage. Weight itself was pretty easy... just messing about with different setups. btween 1st, 2nd and 3rd sets.

Did a totally close stance 1st set. My quad strength has really come on and the weight felt like nothing.

Didn't like the look of that set on video replay so tried to widen stance a bit which caused me to fall over on 2nd set. Never a good idea to mess with things on your top sets.

BossArky

Thursday March 20th:

Sumo Deadlift (with belt)
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x2
130kg - 1x2
140kg - 3x5 ... Handy enough. Video'd all of these from the front.
---
Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
90kg - 3x5 ... good good good form!
---
Front Squat
60kg - 3x5 ... light stuff

Glute Ham Raise
3x5 ... light stuff
---

And.... my deadlift is back to semi respectability.

140kg 3x5 is a number I had in the back of my mind. I can now say I've taken the beginner wheels off with my sumo. Looking forward to driving it higher now and surpassing my conventional 1RM of 180kg in the future.

Training buddy commented on my lack of rebound, how I pause and then explode out of the hole on the light squats. I explained I'm always wary of my lowerback these days and wanna avoid rounding through rebound. Squats felt good.

Another training buddy just came back from the Arnold having placed 3rd in the equipped bench with 332.5kg. Tonight I side spotted him doing a handy 350kg 3 board triple. Jaysus.

Feeling good.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Thursday March 20th:

Sumo Deadlift (with belt)
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x2
130kg - 1x2
140kg - 3x5 ... Handy enough. Video'd all of these from the front.
---

And.... my deadlift is back to semi respectability.

140kg 3x5 is a number I had in the back of my mind from which I can say I've taken off the beginner wheels with my sumo. Looking forward to driving it higher now and surpassing my conventional 1RM of 180kg in the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxtdcUpvFpU

BossArky

Friday March 21st: Smolov Jr. Cycle 3 - Bench Day 8 of 12

Bench *all paused*
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 1x3
82.5kg - 1x2
90kg - 1x1
95kg - 10x3 ... fine, forgot elbow sleeves... but elbows were fine.
*add slingshot*
100kg - 1x3
107.5 - 1x3
110kg - 1x1 ... fine

Chin Ups (wide V handle grip)
bodyweight - 3x6

BB Row
50kg - 3x10

One Arm DB Row
25kg per arm - 3x10
---

95kg 10x3 was the peak of cycle two of Smolov Jr.Bench about 5 weeks ago. Tonight it marks 2/3rds of the way through cycle 3. Felt quite alright. Very confident I'll finsh out cycle 3 easily now and finish off with 97.5kg 10x3 in two weeks time.

Music was so loud in the gym tonight that I went out and bought ear plugs the next day. Will test them out on Monday. Ears ringing after 5 mins sitting under one of the new gym speakers. There is a difference between hardcore loud music and just stupidly damaging your ear drums.

BossArky

Sunday March 23rd:

Swim 250m ... 10x25m alternating bs & fc
---

Man..., swimming feels good.

BossArky

Monday March 24th:

Sumo Deadlift (with belt)
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 3x5
---
Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
90kg - 1x3
110kg - 1x2
122.5kg - 1x1
132.5kg - 3x5 ... got through them alright. Videos of all 3 sets to follow
---
Front Squat
60kg - 3x5

Stiff Leg Deadlift
50kg - 3x10 ... nice & light
---

Got through it fine.

Weight the past 4 mornings has been as follows:
- Saturday 84.1kg
- Sunday 84.5kg
- Monday 84.7kg
- Tuesday 84.9kg

... which means I should comfortably make the 83kg bodyweight category for the upcoming competition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc3yTf8P4NI

BossArky

Training has went well in the past ~5 months since last comp.

Squat should finish 10kg up after next week:

• 125kg 3x5 in Oct to 135kg 3x5 now
• 132.5kg 2x2 in Oct to 142.5kg 2x2 now

Deadlift should finish 17.5kg-20kg up after next week:

• 125kg 3x5 in Oct to 142.5kg 3x5 now
• 130kg 2x2 in Oct to 150kg 2x2 now

In Oct I got the following in comp: 145/97.5/157.5.

If I take the Oct comp numbers and add on the progress in the past 5 months (Squat +10kg, Deadlift +17.5kg) I'm looking at the following for upcoming comp: 155/102.5+/175. That would give me 432.5 @83kg for a total PR.

I'm assuming I'm finally gonna bench 102.5kg+ after 4.5 months of Smolov Jr. which is going well.

BossArky

Tuesday March 25th: Smolov Jr. Cycle 3 - Bench Day 9 of 12

Bench *all paused*
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 1x3
82.5kg - 6x6 ... easy, but still racking miles to the right
*add slingshot*
100kg - 1x3
107.5 - 1x3
110kg - 1x1 ... fine

Chin Ups (wide V handle grip)
bodyweight - 3x6

BB Row
50kg - 3x10

One Arm DB Row
25kg per arm - 3x10
---

Dude spotting slingshot bench reckons I'm flaring right arm too much, but keeping left tucked. This means the bar comes down level but too far too the right. This may explain why the bar is always racked a mile to the right hand side after each set. I've been working on my setup and think that is a bitter more centered. Need to make a video looking down on myself benching.

Anyway, bench weight itself is easy. Elbows a bit achey after chin ups.

BossArky

Thursday March 27th:

Sumo Deadlift (with belt)
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x2
132.5kg - 1x1
142.5kg - 3x5 ... easy & fast. Video'd all of these from the side. Third was especially fast.
---
Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
90kg - 3x5

Dead Bugz (Abz)
3x20
---
Front Squat
60kg - 3x5 ... light stuff

Glute Ham Raise
3x5 ... light stuff
---

Deadlift 3x5s finished tonight. 142.5 felt so easy. Pretty happy with how these are building up.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Thursday March 20th:

Sumo Deadlift (with belt)
142.5kg - 3x5 ... easy & fast. Video'd all of these from the side. Third was especially fast.
---

Deadlift 3x5s finished tonight. 142.5 felt so easy. Pretty happy with how these are building up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaIMkwuINQU

BossArky

Friday March 28th: Smolov Jr. Cycle 3 - Bench Day 10 of 12

Bench *all paused*
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 1x3
82.5kg - 1x1
87.5kg - 7x5 ... fine. Videos of 2nd and 3rd sets to identify why I'm pressing unevenly
*add slingshot*
100kg - 1x3
107.5 - 1x3
110kg - 1x1 ... fine

Chin Ups (wide V handle grip)
bodyweight - 3x6

BB Row
50kg - 3x10

One Arm DB Row
25kg per arm - 3x10
---

Video'd sets 2 and 3 of the 87.5kg paused bench 7x5. Numerous people have told me how I'm uneven, and you'll have read in recent log entries of how I'm racking the bar miles to the right.

Turns out that I'm coming down further on the right side. Left pec may be tighter or I may be subconciously tucking left elbow slightly more. Slightly tweaked something on the left side about 5 months ago. Dosen't feel injured nowadays, but I'm wondering if my body is slightly protecting it by now flaring as much on the left.

Weight itself felt fine. Just two more bench sessions to go...

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Friday March 28th: Smolov Jr. Cycle 3 - Bench Day 10 of 12

Bench *all paused*
87.5kg - 7x5 ... fine. Videos of 2nd and 3rd sets to identify why I'm pressing unevenly
---

Video'd sets 2 and 3 of the 87.5kg paused bench 7x5. Numerous people have told me how I'm uneven, and you'll have read in recent log entries of how I'm racking the bar miles to the right.

Turns out that I'm coming down further on the right side. Left pec may be tighter or I may be subconciously tucking left elbow slightly more. Slightly tweaked something on the left side about 5 months ago. Dosen't feel injured nowadays, but I'm wondering if my body is slightly protecting it by now flaring as much on the left.

Weight itself felt fine. Just two more bench sessions to go...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKNoUJs9xzk

BossArky

Sunday March 30th:

Swim 250m ... 10x25m alternating bs & fc
---

BossArky

Monday March 31st:

Sumo Deadlift (with belt)
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 3x5
---
Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
90kg - 1x3
110kg - 1x2
120kg - 1x1
127.5kg - 1x1
135kg - 3x5 ... all time personal best for 3x5. Felt like I had another 2.5 to 5kg in me. 140kg 3x5 cannot be too far away based upon tonight. Videos of all 3 sets to follow
---
Front Squat
60kg - 3x5

Stiff Leg Deadlift
50kg - 3x10 ... nice & light

Dead Bugz (Abz)
3x20
---

Cannot describe how satisfying it is to hit a Squat personal best for the first time in 2.5 years. Very pleased. Looks like I'm setting up for a good competition pb in the coming weeks. Tonight felt easier than some of the other lighter Squat sessions in recent weeks. Peaking at the right time. Bodyweight is just a tiny bit under 85kg in the mornings.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Monday March 31st:

Squat
135kg - 3x5 ... all time personal best for 3x5. Felt like I had another 2.5 to 5kg in me. 140kg 3x5 cannot be too far away based upon tonight. Videos of all 3 sets to follow

Cannot describe how satisfying it is to hit a Squat personal best for the first time in 2.5 years. Very pleased. Looks like I'm setting up for a good competition pb in the coming weeks. Tonight felt easier than some of the other lighter Squat sessions in recent weeks. Peaking at the right time. Bodyweight is just a tiny bit under 85kg in the mornings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59Irb1w2VMw

BossArky

Tuesday April 1st: Smolov Jr. Cycle 3 - Bench Day 11 of 12

Bench
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 1x3
85kg - 1x1
92.5kg - 3x4 ... supposed to be 8x4 but had to can it after 3 sets. Elbows aching so much I just wanted to lie down. Weight wasn't an issue but elbows in bits. Arms felt like straw.

Chin Ups (wide V handle grip)
bodyweight - 3x6
---
BB Curlz ... emergency curls to try fix up elbows. Not much help
20kg - 3x10
---
BB Row
50kg - 3x10

One Arm DB Row
25kg per arm - 3x10
---

Living the highs and lows of Powerlifting at the moment. All time Squat PB yesterday ... followed today by hitting the wall on bench on weights that are a dead certainty given recent performances.

To be honest I don't find the elbow sleeves helping much at all to relieve achey elbows. Squat must have taken it out of them last night.

Just wanted to lie down on the ground tonight I was in so much achey elbow pain. Could barely shake my bottle after third bench set. Decided to rattle through the assistance and then come back to bench at the end to see if aching had subsided. It didn't, so I just called it a night. Did first set all paused. Paused first rep of 2nd set... before having to resort to touch and go, as the pause on chest made eblows want to explode. Third set was all touch and go.

Will see how things go... and mentally prepare myself to attempt the last day of this third Smolov Jr cycle on Friday. I should be doing 97.5kg 10x3. Let's see what happens. At a minimum I'll aim for 3x3... see what state elbows are in and then made an informed decision. Post Friday I'll have 8 days to deload ahead of comp. Need to be careful not to do something stupid like trying to push through if I've already peaked... and risk injury... or going backwards.

Still... I'm miles stronger on bench now than I was 4.5 months ago. Cannot complain.

BossArky

Seven years ago today I started this log.

Seven years!

BossArky

Thursday April 3rd:

Sumo Deadlift (with belt)
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
120kg - 1x2
132.5kg - 1x1
142.5kg - 1x1
150kg - 2x2 ... fine. First rep of first set got out in front of me a bit. No big deal with the weight. Videos of both sets to follow.
---
Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
90kg - 3x5

Dead Bugz (Abz)
3x20
---
Front Squat
60kg - 3x5 ... light stuff

Glute Ham Raise
3x5 ... light stuff
---

Another successful deadlift cycle complete.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Thursday April 3rd:

Sumo Deadlift (with belt)
150kg - 2x2 ... fine. First rep of first set got out in front of me a bit. No big deal with the weight. Videos of both sets to follow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4dGPNAFvOE

BossArky

Friday April 4th: Smolov Jr. Cycle 3 - Bench Day 12 of 12

Bench
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 1x3
85kg - 1x1
92.5kg - 1x1
97.5kg - 10x3 ... oh yeah! success!

BB Row
50kg - 10x10 ... a few some were 45kg... who cares... just assistance.
---
BB Curlz
40kg - 1x8
---

Did the above after a 4 hour cross country flight from Perth to Melbourne.

2nd last warm up on 85kg felt heavy and awkward. Was outside in the main Melb uni gym. Decided to call it quits as wasn't feeling good. Accidently bumped into some friends from the heavy weights room on the way out... decided to do one last warm up on 92.5kg in the heavy weights room. It went up fine... so powered on with the prescribed reps for the day and successfully finished this 3rd Smolov. Jr bench cycle on 97.5kg - 10x3.

Happy.

Did the lot touch and go, which gives a different kind of DOMs than paused. Feeling it more in my pecs.

BossArky

Sunday April 6th:

Swim 400 or 500m ... 8 or 10x50m alternating bs & fc ... lost count
---

Also walked 2x50m in the physio lane for the sake of it.

Nice bit of cardio in the sun to get the cross country flights and DOMs out of the system.

BossArky

Monday March 31st:

Sumo Deadlift (with belt)
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 3x5
---
Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt*
90kg - 1x3
112.5kg - 1x2
130kg - 1x1
142.5kg - 2x2 ... all time personal best for 2x2. Video'd both sets. Good depth.
---
Front Squat
60kg - 3x5

Stiff Leg Deadlift
50kg - 3x10

Dead Bugz (Abz)
3x20
---

Good Squatting.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Monday March 31st:

Squat
142.5kg - 2x2 ... all time personal best for 2x2. Video'd both sets. Good depth.
---

Good Squatting.

2.5kg up on last cycle / forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xgCw-eP9rQ

Hanley

...looks like you coulda done 4/5 on that first set!

BossArky

Just finished waterloading ahead of competition tomorrow (Saturday). It's now 2pm Friday afternoon. Weigh-in is 12:30pm tomorrow afternoon with competition starting at 2pm.

I'm gonna go as follows with my attempts:
- Squat 145 / 155 / 160
- Bench 97.5 / 102.5 / 105
- Deadlift 152.5 / 162.5 / 170

This morning I was about 84kg. Hopefully with all this water loading and taking it easy on the food I'll be under 83kg tomorrow morning.

There will be 28 competitors split into 2 separate groups (not flights). I'm doing my national refs exam (upgrade from regional) so will be head ref for the first group. Not ideal cos I won't be able to eat or drink until after weigh-in at 12:30pm, and will probably be hungry/thirsty whilst ref-ing the first lot.

Looking forward to it. Confident of some personal bests on both Squat and Bench. Let's go!

COH

Good luck!

Mr. Manager

Good luck Boss! Keep us posted

BossArky

Saturday April 12th: PTC Open Perth - Powerlifting Competition

Squat 155kg (2.5kg PR) / Bench 102.5kg (2.5kg PR) / Deadlift 172.5kg for a 430kg total at 82.5kg. That total is also a 2.5 kg PR.

Weighed in at 82.5kg, so a good half a kg under the 83kg category limit. Lost that 0.5kg whilst fulfilling my chief referee duties in the first session that morning. Qualified successfully with 100% score to upgrade to national referee status.

Once weighed in I had 2 hours to rehydrate and eat before lifting. Made it slightly awkward to be chief ref giving commands, etc, whilst mouth was full of half eaten banana and peanut butter sandwiches. In the first minute after weighing in I had knocked back 4 x 350mls of sports drinks. Had 6 of them by the end of the day, along with 4 mini cans of mother, 3 or 4 bananas, and some of the aforementioned peanut butter sandwiches.

Managed to get some kind of tonsolitis in the days preceding the competition. For the 2 days immediatly before competing I was on antibiotics. On the day I was feeling more or less ok, so I don't think it brought my performance down in any way.

On to the lifting...

Warm Ups went like this:
- Squat: 60kg x5, 90kg x3, 115kg x1, 130kg x1
- Bench: 20kg x5, 60kg x5, 75kg x3, 90kg x1
- Deadlift: 60kg x5, 100kg x3, 125kg x1, 142.5kg x1

Competition lifts went like this:

Squat #1: 145kg - Good
Squat #2: 155kg - Good & 2.5kg PR
Squat #3: 160kg - Fail

Squat: Was feeling good enough in warm ups. Was pretty confident of getting 155kg on the second attempt. It was slow and a tough grind, but got it. Opted for 160kg on third attempt (vs. 157.5kg) as wanted to get a feel of it on my back to break the mental barrier for next competition when I'm strong enough to lift it. The 155kg on second attempt was really on the limit, so I know that is my real max right now. Nothing left in the tank after that.

Bench #1: 97.5kg - Fail (technicality - heels not flat, pressed it out fine)
Bench #2: 102.5kg - Fail (same technicality, but also couldn't press it out)
Bench #3: 102.5kg - Good & 2.5kg PR

Bench: Almost bombed on bench, failing first two attempts (first attempt 97.5kg on technicality as left foot wasn't flat, and second attempt of 102.5k as just couldn't press it out). Managed to avoid bombing out by pulling a PR out on last attempt. Pretty happy! I don't usually do elaborate physc up routines these days. I used to slap myself around in the past before a heavy attempt. These days I'm a bit more calm.

I decided that the potential of bombing out on bench was a opportune moment for a few hard fists to the cheeks and forehead. Woke me up, got the lift and was delighted. Unfortunately the video dosen't catch the physc up at beginning or celebration at the end of the lift. Probably my finest powerlifting moment in terms of drama. Really snatched that one from the jaws of defeat.

Jaysus. I've done 3 Smolov Jr Bench cycles over the past 4.5 months, 99% of reps paused, combined with 3 sets of slingshot bench at the end of every session. 2 hour bench sessions twice a week makes it 72 hours of benching for a 2.5kg PR. Holy Moly. Talk about slow going. Still... I'm happy to have finally got the bench moving again. Prior to the comp I had thought that 105kg was there for the taking. Next time...

Deadlift #1: 155kg - Good
Deadlift #2: 165kg - Good & sumo up to doublebodyweight
Deadlift #3: 172.5kg - Good

Deadlift: were feeling light in the warm up so I increased all planned attempts by 2.5kg. First attempt of 155kg and second attempt of 165kg felt like nothing. Final attempt of 172.5kg wasn't too hard. Got slightly pulled forward. Reckon I've got more in the deadlift tank. That was the one lift of the three on the day that wasn't right on the limit.

Writing this log entry the day after is the first time in a long while that I've had erector DOMS (due to sumo pulling these days vs conventional a couple of years ago). Erectors only got a bit of work when I got pulled forward on the 172.5kg final deadlift.

Very pleased with the day. Cannot complain with three PRs (Squat, Bench & Total). Will compete again mid July, which goes me approx 3 months to fit in 2 mini cycles to peak. Looking forward to driving these numbers higher.

As usual, immense feeling of internal satisfaction when you see the numbers climbing after putting in the hard work in the gym. This is also my first competition post injury where I don't have any niggling sciatica or aggravation from going heavy. The PRs are all on numbers from almost 3 years ago. Finally feeling like I'm going forwards again.

Immediate goals are to add 30kg to my total in the next competitions, to bring total from 430kg to 460kg, so that my year end I'll be around the B grade of 460kg to qualify for next years nationals.

Video of 8 of the 9 lifts above to follow. My first deadlift wasn't recorded.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Saturday April 12th: PTC Open Perth - Powerlifting Competition

Squat 155kg (2.5kg PR) / Bench 102.5kg (2.5kg PR) / Deadlift 172.5kg for a 430kg total at 82.5kg. That total is also a 2.5 kg PR.

Competition lifts went like this:

Squat #1: 145kg - Good
Squat #2: 155kg - Good & 2.5kg PR
Squat #3: 160kg - Fail

Bench #1: 97.5kg - Fail (technicality - heels not flat, pressed it out fine)
Bench #2: 102.5kg - Fail (same technicality, but also couldn't press it out)
Bench #3: 102.5kg - Good & 2.5kg PR

Deadlift #1: 155kg - Good
Deadlift #2: 165kg - Good & sumo up to doublebodyweight
Deadlift #3: 172.5kg - Good

Video of 8 of the 9 lifts above to follow. My first deadlift wasn't recorded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ra3XiScb8c

BossArky

Sunday April 13th:

Swim 200 ... 4x50m alternating bs & fc
---

Some easy recovery swimming after yesterdays exertions.