Countdown to first Comp

Alf Veedersane

will56 wrote: »

I think I was getting confused because strenghtshop have idfpa approved sleeves on the site

IPF-approved

For certain levels of IPF competition, only specific makes of belts, sleeves and wraps allowed.

will56

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

IPF-approved

For certain levels of IPF competition, only specific makes of belts, sleeves and wraps allowed.

Sorry, meant IPF, was getting the 2 diff federations mixed up for equipment

will56

Wed 22/08/2017

Speed Deadlifts 6*3 @ 75% 145kg
Good but not great

Paused Deadlifts 6*3 120kg
No real issues

Bent over Rows 5*8 80kg

Band hamstring curls 3*15 - Black Band

Side Planks 3*30s each side

will56

Thurs 24/08/2017

Bench 3*5@ 80%+5 85kg Heavy and found it hard to stay tight - hardly still beat up from earlier in the week ?

Spotto Press 3*5 80kg

Close grip 3*5 80kg Surprisingly heavy and felt very weird in my shoulders

Barbell Rows 4*10 80kg

Black band triceps push downs Sets fo 15-20

Surprised with the CGBP last night, usually a comfortable lift for me, might have started a bit heavy on it

Alf Veedersane

Sometimes bench can just feel heavy but given that you'd done bench and Spoto press before CGBP, it's not a huge surprise that it felt heavier again.

will56

Fri 25/08/2017

Squat 4@80%, 3@87.5%, 2@95% (120kg, 130kg, 142.5)
Squat saga continues
4 at 80% was okish, 3 at 87.5% less so, 95% was a bit of a right off:( Only managed one rep and that was a battle from about 1/2 way up

Pause out of the hole 3*3 90kg
Actually not too bad, think I would have benefited more with the paused work at the start.

Bench Press 6*3 @ 70% 75kg
Fine, no issues at all

BB Back 4x5 80kg

I'm not sitting back enough on my squats, therefore the bar is too far forward and its all quads as well.


If I take away nothing else from this cycle and comp its the importance of getting technique right at the lower weights and sticking with it as the weights get higher. Its not that I've gotten really sloppy but I know as I've passed 80% in the past technique would have changed (fear/adrenaline) - not letting that happen in the future.

will56

Mon 28/08/2017

Squat 80% 6*3 120kg

Paused Squats 5*3 @ 95kg
Same as last week, felt nice and smooth

Single arm DB overhead press 3*12 20kg

1 Arm row 3*12 28kg kettlebell

4 weeks left now to be happy with my squats
First set was attrocious, only got 2 reps and they were terrible.
Took my feet in about an inch each side and lo and behold the weight flew up for 5 sets. What the actual F**k !

Not sure how I managed to get my foot placement so wrong but it had better not happen at the comp

coffee_cake

Get into the habit of stepping into that ideal foot placement from the rack so you don't end up dancing around with a heavy weight on your back. It'll mean one less thing to worry about later

will56

bluewolf wrote: »

Get into the habit of stepping into that ideal foot placement from the rack so you don't end up dancing around with a heavy weight on your back. It'll mean one less thing to worry about later

Yeah tried to get it right on the later sets and seemed to fine.
Keep thinking I've missed/not taken advantage of training sessions now because of either bad foot placement or lack of back tightness

coffee_cake

Sure all ya can do is learn

will56

bluewolf wrote: »

Sure all ya can do is learn

Yup, that's what I'm taking away form this 12 weeks, (even if I don't get PR's)

I've done loads of squats in the last couple years but never thought about the technique as much as the last couple of weeks

Alf Veedersane

It took 3 competitions before I figured out that the 'start' command on the bench wasn't like the starting gun of the 100m and I didn't have to start straight away. Resulted in a bench PR.

Point is, there's no training cycle or competition that's wasted where you have put in the training. Worst case scenario, you've leaked kilos/reps by not having the optimal stance but if you've found the stance that allows you to lift the most weight, then that will benefit your next training cycle. Possibly even in the comp.

will56

Wed 22/08/2017

Deadlifts 6*3 @ 80% kg 152.5kg

Paused Deadlifts 6*3 135kg

Bent over Rows 5*8 85kg

Band hamstring curls 3*15 - Black Band

Deadlifts finally make sense :D
152.5kg moved quicker and easier than 145kg last week
Have my cues set in my head now so much more confident.
Getting shins more vertical in the set up has me leaning back more and loading the hamstrings.

will56

Fri 01/09/2017

Bench 3*5@ 80%+7.5 87.5kg No problem at all

Spotto Press 3*5 80kg

Close grip 3*5 80kg

KB rows 3*10 28kg

Black band triceps push downs Sets for 15-20

Spotto ang CGBP much better this week

will56

Squat 5@80%, 4@87.5%, 3@95% (120kg, 130kg, 142.5)
Squat saga continues (again)
5 at 80% was grand, 4 at 87.5% surprisingly comfortable,
95% just didn't happen again. First rep was better than last week
Went to **** on the second one and got stuck in the hole

Pause out of the hole 3*3 90kg, 95kg 100kg

Squats are in my head now and I know its late in the day so hoping I hit my old pr on the day, not expecting anything else really

I'm going to swap the heavy day to Monday to see if that changes anything, because I should be hitting those reps at this stage

COH

I just had a quick look through your log - what programme are you following? You seem to be going disproportionately heavy (and subsequently missing reps) on the squat compared to the other lifts?

will56

COH wrote: »

I just had a quick look through your log - what programme are you following? You seem to be going disproportionately heavy (and subsequently missing reps) on the squat compared to the other lifts?

I don't know if it's a programme, training has been laid for me by my coach.

Squat is part technique and part weight. Well that's what I'm thinking. One of the other guys in the gym who squats less than me has got all the reps at higher percentages, but having said that he's missed some days.

COH

will56 wrote: »

I don't know if it's a programme

I hope it is

training has been laid for me by my coach.

Cool, far be it from me to question the methods of other coaches (I am one myself and understand that sometimes what we prescribe an individual might look odd to outside eyes as we don't get the context of the programming, but you should know the rationale:) )
I just don't get the wisdom behind sessions at or above 90% if you are missing reps. Like last week was supposed to be 95% x2 and you found doing 1 rep difficult, then this week you are expected to do the same weight for a triple because someone else in your gym was able to do it?

Squat is part technique and part weight. Well that's what I'm thinking.

I'm not sure what you mean by this - technique is technique irrespective of the weight.

One of the other guys in the gym who squats less than me has got all the reps at higher percentages, but having said that he's missed some days.

There could be plenty of reasons for that. All that tells me is that you are doing someone else's programme because its working for them and not for you.

What someone else did is irrelevant though, this is powerlifting - the only person who matters is you :cool:

Anyway I'm not trying to criticize or attack, just understand. I take lots of people to compete - they understand the training process (its my job to make sure they understand the big picture) and that process (barring catastrophe) means that they know before going into comp that the process has made them definitively stronger, more technically efficient and confident based on positive performance markers along the way.

Sometimes programmes don't work for someone for any one or more of a billion reasons, its the coaches job to identify why and make adjustments based on the individual needs of the athlete.

I've spammed up your log enough at this stage but if I can help at all just PM me. Always happy to chat

will56

Squat 5@80%, 4@87.5%, 3@95% (120kg, 130kg, 142.5)

So tonight was a surprise
Did 5@80%
Did 4 at 87.5%

and

Did 3 at 95%


Pause out of the hole 4*3 97.5
Fine, no issues

Bench 4*6 @70% 77.5kg
Tired by the last set but otherwise alright


So glad I got that set of squats, big boost to my confidence now for the last couple of training sessions before the comp.
3rd rep actually moved better than the 2nd

will56

Wednesday 06/09/2017

Deadlift opener.
Old max is 190kg so the aim for tonight was to see how 80%+ felt as a possible opener.
80% 150 felt fine, moved quick and smooth
90% 170kg Not as easy, but didn't stick at any point and never felt like a battle. Felt like I had at least another rep if not 2 in me

I'm thinking 90% as an opener ?
I would like to get my old PR as the second lift and then aim for 200 on the third ?
Even better would be 200 as a second and then 200+ for the third

I know this can change on the day, esp as deadlifts are last and I imagine adrenaline etc will have me a bit drained coming to the last pull ?

How do people normally decide openers, seconds and thirds ?

We usually just test to technical failure in the gym so the idea of picking the numbers now is very new to me.

On the squat and Bench I'm not expecting big jumps, aiming for maybe 5kg PRs

Alf Veedersane

Usually go for something along the lines of 90% opener, 97% for second.

Bear in mind, it's the total that counts so try not to overshoot for your second. If you're max is 190kg, then I'd go with 170, then 185. If you have 200 in you, you'll get it on third.

will56

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Usually go for something along the lines of 90% opener, 97% for second.

Bear in mind, it's the total that counts so try not to overshoot for your second. If you're max is 190kg, then I'd go with 170, then 185. If you have 200 in you, you'll get it on third.

Kinda like doing the warm ups ? Stay fresh(ish) for the third rather than over doing it on the first two ?

Alf Veedersane

will56 wrote: »

Kinda like doing the warm ups ? Stay fresh(ish) for the third rather than over doing it on the first two ?

Exactly.

Besides, it's your first comp - get a good total. And if you get 185 on your second, base your third on how that feels. If it feels like 200 is a bridge too far, but 195 is doable, so be it.

will56

Fri 08/09/2017
Comp Bench Press 90% 5 x 1 97.5kg
Spotto 3 x 5 80kg
CGB 3 x 5 77.5kg
Tricep Ext Black Band 3*15

+ DB Back 3*10 24kg

will56

Sat 09/09/2017
Squat 80% 86% 92.5%x2

120kg *2
130kg*2
137.5kg * .5rep (got stuck in the hole)
Bar didn't feel great when I unracked it - not best please

Pause Out of Hole 3 x 3 100kg

will56

Squat 6x3 80% 120kg

First 2 sets were poor at best. Last four sets were so easy it was unbelieveable.
All I did was turn my feet out a little bit more.

Coincidence ??

Pause (3sec) 3x3 60% Misread the program and did pause bench instead of pause squat

Shoulders 3x10-12 + Back
Usual 20kg and 28kg KB

will56

Wed 13/09/2017

Took another run up at my opener

170kg feeling good, tried 180kg, felt heavier(obvs) but no struggle really once it broke the floor.

Good Mornings 3*6 60kg Really would have liked these programmed in from the start, I'll be looking for them if we do another cycle

will56

Fri 15/09/2017

Bench 5*1 @92.5% 100kg
5 straight forward sets, all with at least a 1sec pause at the bottom
Got a lift off for the middle sets and it felt better so hopefully that helps come comp day

Spotto 3*5 80kg - All Fine

CGBP 3*5 80kg Dropped to 77.5 for the last set

will56

Sat 16/09/2017

Squat opener 92.5-95%
Finished at 145kg

Bit of a fight about half way up but never really felt like it wasn't going up.

Coach suggested re-testing old max, took a 5 minute breather and went for 152.5kg (max plus 2.5) and got stuck coming out of the hole.

A bit disappointed but it felt better than my other squats so far this cycle (if that makes sense)
I know now that if I had to do another 12 week cycle I would be squatting better and would get more benefit from the program.

will56

Right, countdown is officially on now.
Comp is Sunday, weigh in some stage Sun morning.
Plan to get in and weigh as early as possible then get some food into me and chill.
No idea of timetable, numbers in my category or anything yet so dunno how I'll work out warm ups, timings etc, but I guess this is what a first comp is for ?

At the moment I'm looking for a 460 total at 82kg ish BW
150 squat - old PB
110 Bench - new PB set a few weeks ago
200 Deadlift - hopefully a new PB set Sunday

If I was testing these lifts individually in the gym I'd be aiming higher but I think current PBs are bit more realistic for a first comp ?