Testing openers and thoughts about potential lifts.

So today I decided to test openers for the meet, on a positive note everything felt great so once my strength peaks properly I'm looking at some major lifetime PR's going in to next weekend. 

Today I just tested openers for bench and squat, not usually typical however my deadlift is my strongest lift and I feel confident on selecting an opener without testing for one. So my opener for deadlift will be 525! 

Bench: 

Bench felt amazing today, just did some warms up followed by two sets of a single using legit commands (start, press, rack). Everything looked like this: 

135 x 5 

225 x 5 

275 x 3 

315 x 1 (legit commands) 

350 x 1 (legit commands) 

The 350 moved like speed work, so looking at the kilo chart my opener for the bench will be 358, the plan is open with something right at what I hit back in May so I can position myself for a 400+ legit competition bench. 

Squat: 

Not going to lie I was worried about squats ever since my hip injury, thankfully I'm back in full swing and really surprised myself. Squats looked like this: 

135 x 3

225 x 3

315 x 3

405 x 1 

455 x 1 

515 x 1 (in wraps) 

The 515 moved phenomenally and it really surprised myself. I think this is a legit opener for myself and hopefully I can position myself at an attempt for 600ish. 

Overall my openers (515/358/525) puts me at 1,398 which is 7lbs shy of what I totaled 7 months ago, feels great to know I've came that far in such a short amount of time!!!

Throwback Saturday Bench Day w/video

http://youtu.be/iegtw2QVKPY

This video is just a throwback bench day from two months ago, had all these videos on my phone so I figured I'd upload them in their entirety. 

At the time I was using a high volume bench template which starts around 85% and ends just shy of 90% for a total of 10 sets, considering I'm a speed bencher once my triceps start fatiguing my pressing power takes a sharp drop off in performance. 

Bench: 

345 - 5 x 3 

350 - 3 x 3 

355 - 2 x 2 

365 x 2 (in ram) 

405 x 1 (in ram) 

My lifting partner at the time Jordan Jarrell worked up to around 390 for doubles then finished with 460 x 1 in a slingshot. 

Jordan has totaled 1750 @212 via 650/440/660 

Anyways hope everyone enjoys this throwback footage, I'm currently two weeks out from my meet look for some videos of myself testing openers sometime this week coming. 

Deadlift day/going into Deload week

Deadlift day: 

225 x 3 

315 x 3 

385 x 3 (1" deficit) 

415 x 3 (1" deficit) 

Rack pull (with straight bar) 

225 x 3 

315 x 3 

405 x 3 

455 x 3 (w/light reverse bands) 

Band pull aparts: 

4 x 25 

Shrugs: 

4 x 25 

Hanging knee raises: 

4 x 25 

Heavy bag carries: 

5 x 75yds 

Last two weeks I've eased up on the intensity of deadlifts, for the longest time I was pulling 500+ for reps each workout and my CNS started taking a negative impact as a result. 

Next week is Deload week, ill

Probably go in around Tuesday work on the big "3" keeping percentages below 60%. Then rest until Saturday where as of right now I have planned to test some openers that day! 

Bench day/self handouts

Bench day: 

225 x 3 

275 x 4 

315 x 7 

Paused Close Grip Bench: (2 second pauses)  

225 x 5 

275 x 5 

295 x 5 

Band press downs: 

4 x 20 

Incline band flyes: 

2 x 25 

Core work: 

100 reps 

Everything was self handouts today, the 315 x 7 moved nicely probably had 2 reps left in the tank and possibly a legit shot at 10 reps with a spotter. Slowly dialing everything back to help peak and recover for December 6th! 

Deadlift day tomorrow!!!!

Heavy squat day/First day back in wraps/W video

http://youtu.be/xYztXek5aBE


Squat day: 

315 x 3 

365 x 3 

405 x 3 

455 x 2 

505 x 2 

Lunges: 

3 x 25 yds 

Today was basically get in, test the new wraps, move something kinda heavy, and get out kind of day. 

Love the new Rhino wraps by Iron Rebel Power Gear! Most definitely recommend these wraps for a great blend of rebound and support for the knees. 

The 505 x 2 was ok however the second rep looked like garbage, but for my first day back squatting heavy in two months (due to hip injury) I'll take it for now. 

Light accessory day/Three weeks out

Accessory day! 

Machine military press: 

4 x 12 

Machine curls: 

4 x 15 

Lat pulldowns: 

4 x 12 

Chest supported row: 

4 x 12 

Standing dumbbell overhead extensions: 

3 x 15 

Seated row: 

3 x 20 

Core work: 

150 reps 

As of right now accessory day is just a light "fluff and buff" day, keeping all weights light and just working the muscles a bit. Typically the main movement on accessory day is standing military press but I'm playing it smart being 3 weeks out and focusing all my pressing energy on my bench days. 

Off season is already mapped out, taking a break from competing for a while to focus on rehabbing my body. Lifting heavy and cold weather make it feel like hell on my joints and tendon structures, so I'm going to make the first couple months of my off season free from "true" max effort work at least on squatting and deadlifting. 

The main goal of my off season is to: 

1.) rehab any tender/injured areas

2.) maintain strength, only attempting PR's when I know for sure they're sitting in the tank. 

3.) restructure my diet/restrict carbs efficiently as possible

4.) Start my descent "officially" down into the 242 weight class, future blog coming after my meet write up explaining my goals and reasoning for this decision! 

5.) Make damn sure I'm having fun with my training, I almost always look forward to each training day however I'm introducing a template for my off season that allows for variety and since I'm not peaking for a competition I plan to have alot of fun with this new template and really focusing on building myself in a positive manner for a future meet next summer!!! 

Deadlift day/first time rack pulling in over a year

Deadlift day! 

Deadlift: 

315 x 3 

365 x 3 

405 x 5 (from 1" deficit) 

Rack pulls: 

315 x 3 

405 x 3 

455 x 3 (over a year since I've did these, felt super smooth and quick which is a positive feeling considering I'm terrible at breaking the bar off pins) 

Shrugs: 

4 x 25 

Heavy bag carries: 

5 x 75YDS 

Nothing heavy at all today, taking it easy on my central nervous system with the deadlifts so I can better peak in 3 weeks, next week I may take 85% for a set of 4-6 and count that as my top set and prepare to ease in to Deload mode. 

High rep bench day w/video

http://youtu.be/TnNAXuUXTfU

Bench day!

Bench: 

275 x 12 

305 x 8 

Paused close grip bench: 

275 x 5 

300 x 3 

Incline band flye: 

3 x 25 

Dips: 

4 x 15 

Cardio for the day: 

Heavy bag carries- 5 x 75yds 

Everything felt great today, and I believe my peaked strength will be enough to put me over my goal of benching 400+ in competition in 24 days!!! 

Training update, and thoughts about December 6th

Just giving a brief update on how my training has been going, overall my numbers are slowly climbing especially on my bench and deadlift. However a few weeks ago I strained the left part of my hip squatting 385 for a set of 8 this injury kept me from squatting for almost 5 weeks, the good news is I slowly rehabbed it and as of last squat session I hit 425 x 5 without wraps and my body handled it just fine without any pain.

As for my bench and deadlift, I recently hit 365 x 3 on bench with ease and a few weeks back I pulled 500 for a set of 6 leaving a couple reps in the tank. Hoping to really put together a respectable meet next month.

As for the competition I'm really excited about it, I have a much higher total sitting in the tank right now even considering that I have an off day I will blow my old numbers out of the water. However if I can pull it all together and have a day like I had back in May, I'm looking at adding a legit 200+lbs to my total within a 7 month period which is exciting to know.

Expect me to use this blog quite a bit, also stay tuned for meet updates and meet write ups December 6th!