Return of the King

Thursday May 26th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench
50kg - 1x5 ... wide grip
65kg - 3x5 ... close grip

Lying Twist
bodyweight - 1x5
bodyweight + 3.3kg ball between ankles - 2x5
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
*belt*
130kg - 1x2
150kg - 3x5 ... felt easy enough. Backside lifting too early. Need to kep chest up. Videos to come
---
Glute Ham Raise (2 off max height, 2 off max horiztonal)
2x10

Chin Ups
bodyweight - 2x10 ... oki doki
---
Squat
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 3x5

Decline Situps
bodyweight +10kg held overhead - 2x10
---

Deadlifts felt easy. Form wasn't the best. It's heavy. Need to work on keeping arse down & chest up. Happiness stems from getting through them with little sleep this week. 2.5kg below last cycles pb of 152.5kg 3x5. Next week is 155kg 3x5, then 160kg 3x5 the week after.

Monday May 30th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x2
86kg - 3x5 ... 0.5kg under pb 3x5s set 2.5 months ago
---
DB Bench
25kg per arm - 2x10 ... easy accessory
---
Mini BB Curl
20kg - 2x10 ... easy accessory
---
EZ Bar
25kg - 2x10 ... easy accessory
---
Speed Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 3x5

---

Squat
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
*belt*
110kg - 1x2
125kg - 3x5 ... tough enough. 2.5kg below last cycle pb levels. Videos to come
---

Still making the reps which is the main thing. Thought bench was a pb tonight, but I've done 0.5kg heavier last cycle. Next week is 88kg 3x5, then 90kg 3x5. 86kg 3x5 today wasn't too bad.

Squats were flakey. Nearly fell over during third set. At least that's what it felt like, but dosen't seem to come across on the video. First couple of reps were terrible, then staged a great comeback to smash the last ones :pac:

Bodyweight somewhere around 84.5kg.

Thursday June 2nd: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench
50kg - 1x5 ... wide grip
65kg - 3x5 ... close grip

Lying Twist
bodyweight - 1x5
bodyweight + 3.3kg ball between ankles - 2x5
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
*belt*
135kg - 1x2 ... felt heavy :eek:
155kg - 3x5 ... pb by 2.5kg on last cycle. Felt heavy. Videos to come
---
Glute Ham Raise (3 off max height, 2 off max horiztonal)
2x10

Chin Ups
bodyweight - 2x5 ... couldn't face 2x10 after the deadlifts ^^
---
Squat
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 3x5

Decline Situps
bodyweight +10kg held overhead - 2x10
---

Got the 155kg 3x5 deadlift pb. Next week is the final week of 3x5s where I'll try 160kg 3x5, before doubles on 170kg, then comp.

Two cycles ago I tried 155kg 3x5 but my cycle imploded as I only got 5, 3, 2 and then tried to squat heavy two days later.

So, happy to have prevailed today. Videos later.

Bodyweight 87.5kg ish on the gym scales fully clothed and hydrated. 85kg ish in the mornings at home. The truth is in the middle somewhere (as home scales underestimate a bit).

Ok, so I've rejigged the order of the videos in the post above. i.e. they are now in the correct order, so you can see the first set actually is the first set and not the third one as I had posted incorrectly earlier.

Monday June 6th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x2
88.5kg - 3x5 ... 2kg pb on 3x5s since 2.5 months ago
---
DB Bench
25kg per arm - 2x10 ... easy accessory

Mini BB Curl
22.5kg - 2x10 ... easy accessory
---
Mini BB Tri Extension
22.5kg - 2x10 ... easy accessory
---
Speed Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
95kg - 3x5

---

Squat
60kg - 1x5
95kg - 1x3
*belt*
117.5kg - 1x2
130kg - 3x5 ... tough. 2.5kg pb over last cycle. Videos to come
---

Happy to pb on both bench and squat.

Bench: 88.5kg 3x5 bench felt fine. 90kg 3x5 next week should be manageable based upon today. Just last rep was a bit of a battle but got there. Should have video'd them I guess, but forgot.

Squats: 130kg 3x5 - 1st rep of both 1st and 2nd sets was brutal. Looked down at feet and didn't set up properly after unracking. Literally saw stars during the first set due to almost caving forward & the associated blood rush to neck/head. Spotter confirmed he didn't touch it. On the 2nd set first rep the left spotter touched it a bit... but I'm calling it a pb as all the rest of each set was fine, and set 3 perfect. On 3rd set I purposely set up more slowly and didn't dive-bomb it as I had the other opening reps. Was fine. 132.5kg 3x5 next week. Will eat for it, and try and make them 100% clean reps.

Thursday June 9th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

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

Lying Twist
bodyweight - 1x5
bodyweight + 4.1kg ball between ankles - 2x5
---
Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
*belt*
130kg - 1x1
145kg - 1x1
160kg - 5, 5, 3 ... pb. Felt alright. Failed with a rep and a half to go on last set. Just dropped it half way up as didn't want to risk my back which was starting to cave. Videos to come
---
Glute Ham Raise (3 off max height, 3 off max horiztonal)
2x10

Chin Ups
bodyweight - 2x5 ... couldn't face 2x10 after the deadlifts ^^ i.e. same as last week
---
Squat
60kg - 1x5
*belt* ... as lower back tired and wanted to be safe
75kg - 3x5

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

I'm afraid of the numbers, not the weight. On paper 160kg deadlift 3x5 was freaking me out during the day. First and second sets were "easy" as heavy deadlifts go. Felt much better than last weeks 155kg 3x5s. Last set of 160kg saw me get into an awkward position on the 4th rep, so I dropped it after the hardest part! Looking at the video I probably could have finished off the set in an ugly way... but hey, I live to deadlift another day and my back is still intact. Happy enough. Coach wanted me to quickly finish off the two reps after a brief break, or else do a drop set of 150kg for 5 reps....but I opted to call it quits.

Last cycle finished on 152.5kg 3x5, so this cycle I'm almost up the full 7.5kg. Hopefully that will translate to near enough a 7.5kg increase on my 1 rep max.

My training buddy reckons I'd have 190kg in me, for a 10kg pb on last comp. Maybe I should suck it up and go for it. He finished his 3x5s on 172.5kg, and has deadlift 215kg in the past, in the 83kg category. We were discussing the fear/lack of fear for your back which goes into a heavy 1 rep max. I think he's over the risks of snapping his back in half. I'm not, and thus don't go 100%.

Light bench saw my shoulders and arms sore in a non muscular way. Probably the heavy squats from a few days ago. Headache all day and wasn't feeling the best in the gym. Not making excuses, just recording the facts :cool:

Monday June 13th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
77.5kg - 1x1
85kg - 1x1
90kg - 3x5 ... 1.5kg pb on last week, which is a 3.5kg pb on 3x5s since 2.5 months ago. Videos to come. Felt alright
---
Mini BB Curl
22.5kg - 2x10 ... easy accessory

DB Bench
25kg per arm - 2x10 ... easy accessory
---
Mini BB Tri Extension
22.5kg - 2x10 ... easy accessory
---
Speed Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
95kg - 3x5

---

Squat
60kg - 1x5
90kg - 1x3
*belt*
110kg - 1x1
122.5kg - 1x1
132.5kg - 3x5 ... very tough but got through them all. Each was like a 1RM. 2.5kg pb over last week, and 5kg pb on last cycle. Videos to come
---
Foam Rolling ~5 mins @home
---

Finished the cycle very strong. Bench was good. Delighted to have hit 90kg 3x5.

Squat was truely the hardest sets I've ever done. The roar of spotters and others helped on the final set.

Very happy.

Thursday June 16th: 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
60kg - 1x5
100kg - 1x3
*belt*
130kg - 1x1
150kg - 1x1
167.5kg - 2x2 ... pb. Felt very heavy
---
Squat
*belt*
60kg - 1x5
75kg - 3x5

Decline Situps
bodyweight - 3x10

Glute Ham Raise (3 off max height, 5 off max horiztonal)
1x10 ... taking it very very easy
---
External Rotation
green band - various ~3x10
---
Face Pulls
10kg - 1x10
12.5kg - 1x10
15kg - 1x10
---

Been sick since those heavy squats on Monday last. They destroyed me. Too much stress on the system I guess. Sniffling and coughing the past few days. Affected deadlifts today. They felt soooo heavy. Got through the doubles at 167.5kg. Originally was supposed to do 170kg, but took it down a notch due to sickness and the fact that I missed 2 reps on the last set of 5's at 160kg last week.

Coach reckons I should open on 172.5kg, then 182.5kg, then 190kg.

Weighed in at on the gym scales! Heaviest ever. That was with my tracksuit top. Took it off and weight droppped about 500g.

Before gym and after shower at home I was about 87kg on home scales, which underestimate by a kg or so.

The upshot of this is that I'll probably not bother trying to make weigh for the 83kg category for the competition next week, and just lift in the 93kg category.

Shoulders are sore from the recent heavy week's benching, so going to do more shoulder prehab over the next while i.e. external rotations, face pulls, band pulls.

Monday June 13th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Speed Deadlift

Bench Press
60kg - 1x5
70kg - 1x3
80kg - 1x1
87.5kg - 1x1
93.5kg - 2x2 PAUSED... 1kg pb on last cycle. Heavy. Shoulder & Elbows sore from cumulative stress of the cycle
---
Speed Deadlift
60kg - 1x5
95kg - 3x5

---

Squat
60kg - 1x5 ... started squat warm up then stopped as realised that I had to do speed deads first
60kg - 1x5 ... 25 mins later.. actual squat warm ups
*belt*
92.5kg - 1x3
115kg - 1x1
127.5kg - 1x1
140kg - 2x2 ... 5kg pb on last cycle. As with bench, shoulders and elbows sore due to cumulative stress of the cycle
---

Bench & Squat pbs on doubles. Thankfully this cycle finishes successfully. I couldn't take much more. Hip flexors a bit sore, but shoulders and elbows are taking a beating on heavy squats which is affecting my bench. The rest of this week will be a deload ahead of next Sunday's competition.

Contray to what I said in a recent post, I'm going aim to drop from my heaviest of 90.35kg two days ago, down to 83kg for the competition. A lot of that weight loss will be water weight from A) milk and creatine. Going to flush all that stuff out by drinking heaps of water.

86.6kg ish at home after training. Didn't eat much, just sandwich & porridge & protein shakes.

30 years old today. Birthday steak coming up!

I was reading back through my log the past few days and picking out all the events I particpated in: triathlons, gladiator contender try-outs, crossfit invitational, 531, powerlifting competitions, bodyweights and various nuggets of wisdom. I added them all into the first post of the log as an index/table of contents to help myself find stuff when I want to refer back.

Funny looking back on this log, the longest active one on this forum, and thinking what my goals were at various times. Often I didn't really have goals, and just trained for enjoyment. I've definetly made my best progress in the year and a half I've focused on powerlifting with my current club. If anyone new to training is reading this --> pick a goal and commit to it. Save yourself taking the scenic route like I did.

Did a powerlifting coaching course over the weekend for 2 days. Was pretty interesting. Exam was fine too. Too get my coaching credentials I need to train a couple of people at my gym over the next cycle June-Sept for 30 hours.

All in all, things going well.

Thanks for the bday wishes, Hanley.

God yeah.. like 4+ year on this logging business. We're old timers!

It's become like an online diary mashed in with a training log. Looking back on it reminded me of some many things which happened and brought me back to major events: getting engaged, getting married, etc. Even the seemingly trivial comments added to the end of a training session help to bring back exactly what I was thinking or doing years ago. I still need to tidy up that index a bit with dates, results, better descriptions.

If you want to update your log with one let me know when you have all the links and bits.

Nope, never expected to be heavier than you! Trying to gain a bit of weight and muscle. Milk helped!

Sunday June 26th: Powerlifting Competition & Hawthorn, Melbourne

Short version: dropped 7kgs in 10 days to make weight, 2 personal bests, crapped myself during first squat with a nice bit of clear diahorea, benched 100kg, then woeful deadlifting due to the rush to hop onto plane to KL.

Long version: read on...

Weigh in:
9am at venue, first in queue: 82.65kg

Hurdle number 1 was getting from 90.35kg down to the 83kg weight class limit, in the last 10 days or so before the competition. For the record, here is how my weight was on the home scales first thing in the morning in the nip, so that I’ll know for next time. Cut calories & water a bit too much in last two days.

Thursday: 85.5kg
Friday: 85.5kg
Saturday: 84.9kg
Sunday (comp day) 82.2kg

Eating:

Managed to sneak in a tiny breakfast as my home weighing scales was telling me I was a bit under the 83kg limit. I took the home scales to the comp venue last night to check they aligned with the comp scales. The home scales were under estimating my weight by 400g-ish. I had a slight headache and couldn’t sleep, as I cut water intake at 10am the day before the competition. In the middle of the night I got up and saw that I was 82.2kg, and so could afford 100mls of milk and a spoon of peanut butter. A few hours later before breakfast I had the same. Breakfast was about 100ml of milk and 30g of oats. Still under the weight limit, which was good, and I’d managed to recharge a tiny bit of energy after the past week of calorie cutting (which was kinda drastic in the last 3 days – 2 cans of tuna a day, 2 slices of dry toast with peanut butter, and then just protein shakes and water). The lack of solid food and increased water intake had me experiencing the runs post weigh in. More about that on squat 1 below.

Warm Ups:
SQ: 60kg x5, 90kg x3, 110kg x1, 130kg x1 ... all felt fine
BP: 60kg x5, 75kg x2, 87.5g x1 PAUSED ... all felt fine
DL: 60kg x5, 105kg x2, 135kg x1, 155kg x1 ... all quick & easy

After Squat warm ups I was up to 86kg through 1.5 rounds of ham sandwiches, 2 bananas, 2 shakes of water, protein, creatine and rehydration salts mixed with Gatorade, plus a couple of standalone Gatorades. It was going right through me though and I ended up getting the runs pre first squats. Following the Bench warm ups I was up to 87kg through more of the above. Probably up past 88kg after Deadlift warm ups, but didn’t check.

Comp lifts:
Squat 1: 142.5kg ... good. Pressure of it caused a bit of a diahorea squirt. Disgusting, eh?

Squat 2: 152.5kg ... fail. Took a stance which was too wide. Almost had it. Ground it out for a good 5 seconds but lost power mms from sticking point. Sooooooooo close. Almost vomited

Squat 3: 152.5kg ... good & 2.5kg pb. Took stance in a bit as I seem to be more quad dominant. Handy enough. Reckon I would have been good for 155kg if I didn’t waste to much energy on the second attempt

Bench 1: 95kg ... good

Bench 2: 100kg ... fail. Another long grinding rep of 5 seconds or so. Locked out left arm I think but right was lagging behind. It was still moving up but right spotter took it, so I got a retake with a 3 minute rest period.

Bench 3: 100kg ... good & 2.5kg pb. Retake of attempt above. Training buddy who was my nominated coach surprised me and bust out an ammonia capsule. Took a good sniff and went forth and benched 100kg. Finally 100kg! Delighted!

Bench 4: 102.5kg ... fail. Another ammonia capsule appeared. Took too deep a whiff and nearly choked. Head out on platform with tears in my eyes. Setup tight but 102.5kg wasn’t going anywhere. Cannot really remember where it failed

Deadlift 1: 170kg ... good

Deadlift 2: 182.5kg ... fail. Would have been a 2.5kg pb, but was way too rushed. I had a flight at 3pm (it was 1:45pm as I start Deadlifting) so I was distracted. The meet director allowed me to take my Deadlfts attempts back to back so that I could get away early. I waited just a minute or two between the 170kg and 182.5kg attempt. It wasn’t long enough. Just got in a couple of inches off the floor. Backside up too early and lost it. It’s a pity, cos the warm ups were easy and quick. Should really have pulled 187.5kg as my training would indicate a 7.5kg increase on my 1RM was on the cards.
Deadlift 3: N/A ... ran for plane

Legged it off after 2nd Deadlift to drive myself to airport. Missed flight to Kuala Lumpur. Writing this as I sit on a hastily rearranged flight to Singapore, with a stench of chalk, sweat and the soiled jocks from the first squat emanating off me. Never thought I'd end up in that situation!

Pleading with the check in girl at Malaysian Airlines probably wasn’t helped by the fact that my face and hair were covered in chalk from slapping myself in the head and not having time to shower. Definitely worth it for the 100kg bench though. In the end managed wrangle my way onto a flight to Singapore instead. This means I’ll have to spend 4 hours in a taxi to get from Singapore to KL. Worth it though in the name of Powerlifting! Got to airport and had to sprint approx 1km through customs, etc to get to Singapore flight just before boarding. Had trouble catching my breath on the plane for the first 15 minutes. Thought I was developing an asthma attack (I never had asthma before). An hour later and I’m fine. I guess it is my bodys way of telling me not to go sprinting 1km after a powerlifting competition.

Summary: couple of points:
Don’t try to cut from 90.35kg to 83kg in a week. Too much weight loss robbed me of some extra power. Should have done better on Squat and Deadlift

Don’t book an intercontinental flight on the day of a Powerlifting meet. Too much rushing screwed up my Deadlifts

Eating tuna for breakfast for a few days wasn’t as bad as I expected. I should probably do that during the 3x10s and 3x8s of my next cycle to lean out a bit

My training partners smashed it. One guy at 82kg squat 160kg, the other at 87kg squat 170kg. Both also managed the 100kg bench, which we all congratulated each other on. Healthy competition = good for spurring each other on. They have probably Deadlift something big too, I’ll find out later once I land.

My total went backwards because of my rushed Deadlift. Squat = +2.5kg, Bench = +2.5kg, Deadlift = - 10kg, for a total of 422.5kg @83.65kg. I’ll fix that next time. Happy enough with two pbs anyway.

Clothing after Squat 1... i.e. bring a second pair of jocks.

Don't cross the land border between Singapore and Malaysia when wearing deadlifting socks. Way too warm.

d'Oracle wrote: »

Good job though.

Cheers.

colman1212 wrote: »

Well done man. Great log. I'm dying to get my 100kg bench at the moment. don't think I'm too far off. What's the program called you've been using?

Thanks.

I'm following a simple periodization program. Here's how it works:
- figure out your current max for 3x5s e.g. 90kg for me now with a paused 1RM of 100kg.
- have a light bench day (Thursday) and heavy day (Monday)
- aim to start light and peak for a competition or 1RM attempt in 10 to 12 weeks
- structure your weights and reps like this...noting my comments on the perceived exertion

Heavy Day: Normal Bench
Wk 01 Mon: 50kg 3x10 ... really easy
Wk 02 Mon: 60kg 3x8 ... easy
Wk 03 Mon: 65kg 3x8 ... easy
Wk 04 Mon: 70kg 3x6
Wk 05 Mon: 75kg 3x6 ... moderate
Wk 06 Mon: 80kg 3x6
Wk 07 Mon: 83kg 3x6 ... getting harder
Wk 08 Mon: 85kg 3x5
Wk 09 Mon: 88kg 3x5
Wk 10 Mon: 91kg 3x5 ... slight pb by 1kg
Wk 11 Mon: 93kg 3x5 ... bigger pb
Wk 12 Mon: 95kg 2x2 PAUSED

Light Day: Close Grip Bench
Wk 01 Thu: 40kg 3x10 ... really easy
Wk 02 Thu: 45kg 3x8
Wk 03 Thu: 45kg 3x8
Wk 04 Thu: 50kg 3x6
Wk 05 Thu: 55kg 3x6
Wk 06 Thu: 60kg 3x6
Wk 07 Thu: 60kg 3x6
Wk 08 Thu: 65kg 3x5
Wk 09 Thu: 65kg 3x5
Wk 10 Thu: 65kg 3x5
Wk 11 Thu: 65kg 3x5
Wk 12 Thu: N/A

Assistance on Mondays:
DB Bench
Curls
Tricep Extension

Assistance follows the reps and sets of heavy bench days, but backs off to 2x10s at 70% when you get to the heavy 3x5s. I.e. assistance work peaks on the final heavy bench 3x6 day... but tapers down afterwards into maintainence mode whilst you are hammering yourself on the flat bench.

Hope that makes sense.

Sunday July 10th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Light Deadlift

Bench
30kg – 1x8
40kg – 1x5
50kg – 1x5
62.5kg – 3x8

Seated Row
40kg - 3x10
---
Curl (mini BB)
27.5kg – 3x8

DB Bench
25kg per arm – 3x8
---
Lying Tricep (mini bb)
27.5kg – 3x8

Deadlift (off studio step)
65kg – 3x8
---
Squat
60kg – 1x8
72.5kg – 3x8

Calf Raise (standing weight pulley)
bodyweight + 20kg - 3x10
---

Did this on the Sunday instead of Monday as was flying to Perth for a couple of days work, then on to Sydney.

Whilst in Perth I checked out a great Powerlifting & Strength focused gym on the outskirts of the city. If I end up moving to Perth I'll probably train there. Here's a nice youtube which sums the gym up.



Gonna have a steak and then head to the gym to catch up on my Thursday training i.e. heavy deads.