Wednesday 18th December 2019

Warmups
Incline Bench: warmups, 110x12, 120x12, 130x12
Paused deadlift: warmups, 120x10, 140x10
Pendlay rows: warmups, 90x10, 100x10, 110x10
Band curls: purplex12x3

Notes
Weee, not a bad day and a reasonable deadlift. 

Monday 16th December 2019

Warmups
Tempo bench: warmups, 110x8, 120x8, 130x8
Squats: warmups, 110x10, 125x10, 140x10
Pulldowns: warmups, 60x15, 65x15x2

Notes
Good day.  Heaviest squat for months.  Humid as shit so it sorta sucked, but eh...

Friday 13th December 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 140x10, 170x8, 140x10, 140x18
Paused squat: warmups, 110x6x3
Chins: bwx8x3
Hamstring curls: purplex15x3

Notes
Weee, suckors.  Oh well, cant be perfect every day. 

Wednesday 12th December 2019

Warmups
Incline bench: warmups, 100x12x4
Paused deadlifts: warmups, 110x10x2
Rows: warmups, 80x10x3
Band curls: purplex12x3

Notes
Weee, not bad but it was pretty toasty. 

Monday 10th December 2019

Warmups
Tempo larson press: warmups, 100x8x3
Squats: warmups, 102.5x10x3
Pulldowns: few sets to 60x15x2

Notes
Felt ok, quite warm.  Overall pretty good.

Friday 6th December 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 140x10, 160x10, 140x10, 140x20
Paused squat: warmups, 100x6x3
Chins: bwx8x3
Band leg curls: purplex20x3

Notes
Nice session really, in-spite of being the end of the week.  Happy.  Except for the AMRAP set at 140, cos I dropped out 1-2reps before failure, and if I had done one more I would have hit a PR. 

Wednesday 5th December 2019

Warmups
Incline Bench: warmups, 90x12x3
Deadlifts: warmups, 100x10x2
Rows: 70x10x3
Curls: purplex12x4

Notes
Bleh

Monday 3rd December 2019 (late at night)

Warmups
Slow eccentric bench: warmups, 90x8x3
Squats: warmups, 95x10x2
Pulldowns: bunch of stuff

Notes
Weee, 11pm fun.  Plus hot.

Wednesday 27th November 2019 version 2

Week Five, Day two repeat
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 186x5, 187.5x5, 190x5, 191x5messy
Deadlifts off plates: warmups, 90x10x2
St arm pulldowns

Notes
Repeated the morning session, selected slightly lower weights and the 190 went way better this time with a bit more oomph.  The 191 would have been better if I didn't think failure on the last rep.  Still got it up, just not tidy.

Wednesday 27th November 2019

Week Five, Day Two
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 190x5 just

Notes
Well that sucked.  What I can tell, trying to hit the same weight as your PR with no real 'psyching up' is probably not going to go well.  First four were ok, but the right tricep dropped off on the last rep to just failure my way to the top.  Should work on that.

Monday 25th November 2019

Week Five, Day One
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 160x7x3
Highbar squats: warmups, 60x10, 80x10, 87.5x10
1board: warmups, 179x6

Notes
Tired, absolutely toasted.  Survived through the training ok but struggling with the remainder of the day afterwards, even caffeinated.  Warmups felt great, the main sets could have been better.  Squats were ok.  Just working.

Saturday 23rd November 2019

Week Four, Day Four
Warmups
Bench: warmups
Liftout: 228.5x1
Bench: 207x1, 189.5x4x4
Pendlay rows: 60x8, 80x8, 100x8, 120x8
Pin Presses: warmups, 194.5x3x3

Notes
Hard day but overall worked nicely. 

Friday 22nd November 2019

Week Four, Day Three
Stepups and other stuff

Notes
Short late session

Wednesday 20th November 2019

Week Four, Day Two
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 184.5x5x4
Deadlifts off plates: 60x10x2, 80x10x2

Notes
Ok day, not particularly fast but ok.

Monday 18th November 2019

Week Four, Day One
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 154.5x7x3
High bar squat: warmups, 60x10, 80x10x2
1board: warmups, 173.5x6x3

Notes
Still tired from Saturdays session.  Triceps and shoulders feeling pretty beat.  But with that, it was a good solid day and did not really take a lot of effort to get through.  Just doing some high bar to see if that lets me progress.  Nice and easy start to the week.

Saturday 16th November 2019

Week Three, Day Four
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 201.5x1, 184x4x3
Mess around
Pin press: warmups, 189x3x2
Pulldowns, pushdowns: x lots

Notes
Garbage day.  Not great sleep for the last two days and suffering from it.  Got work done.

Wednesday 13th November 2019

Week Three, Day Two (pm)
Warmups
Deadlifts: up to 92x5
Pendlay rows: 82x8x3
Standing hamstring curls: 10x20x3 per leg

Wednesday 13th November 2019

Week Three, Day Two
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 179x5x4
Pulldowns: 50x15x5

Notes
Pretty eh day, but got through them all.  Back feeling funky again.  Adductor still being stupid.

Monday 11th November 2019

Week Three, Day One
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 149x7x3
Squat: stupid, barx10x2, 60x10x2, 80x10x3
1board: warmups, 168x6x3

Notes
Bench was comfortable, boards were good.  Squats sucked.  Adductor started being a dick on the bar, so I kept on it and it never tweaked, it just was 'there', and I feel it afterwards.  Upping the protein, for a few days to see how that makes it feel.  I was ok throughout my last cycle when protein was up.  Could be luck, but will see.

Saturday 9th November 2019

Week Two, Day Four
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 196x1, 178.5x4x3
Pendlay rows (off plates): 60x8x2, 80x8x2
Liftout: 217.5x1
Pin press: warmups, 183.5x3x2

Notes
Nice day, nothing too strenuous about it all.

Thursday 7th November 2019

Week Two, Day Three
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 60x10x2, 80x10, 100x10x2
Stepups: bwx10, 15x10x2
Chins: bwx5x4

Notes
Decided to get this done early.

Wednesday 6th November 2019

Week Two, Day Two
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 173.5x5x3

Notes
Quick session after a garbage sleep.  Was going to do some deads but will catch those up tonight.  First two sets were fine, but the third was a bit trash.

Monday 4th November 2019

Week Two, Day One
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 143.5x7x2
Squats: warmups, warmups, warmups, 60x10x2, 80x10x2, 100x10
1board: warmups, 162.5x6x3

Notes
Nice simple session.  Felt better than last week for bench and board press, but then I wasn't two days after a max effort session this week.  Squats felt ok, lots of warmups, and reasonably simple reps.  Will progress slowly upwards, keeping in the high rep ranges for a bit.

Saturday 2nd November 2019

Week One, Day Four
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 185x1, 173x4x2
Liftout: 212x1
Deadlift off plate: 60x10x4
Rows: 60x10x3
Chins: BWx3x3
Pin press: warmups, 178x3
Pushdowns: warmup, 40x8, 45x8, 50x8

Notes
Ok day, nothing too hard.  The deadlift was lots of warmups and just super easy sets of 10.  The pin press was off angle but thats ok.  Onwards.

Friday 1st November 2019

Week One, Day Three
Warmups, so many warmups
Squats (wide with knee band): 20x10x2, 60x10x2, 80x10x4
Stepups super-setted with walking lunges

Notes
Leg is still being a piece of shit, so I am reduced to lifting pathetic garbage and warming up for longer than i lift.  Felt reasonable, with out any adductor garage.  I start with a glute band around my knees for the lighter weights, but then change it for a normal band, which I then squat quite wide, and force my knees out hard.  Seems to be ok.

Wednesday 30th October 2019

Week One, Day Two
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 168x5x2
Stuff for the lower body

Notes
Majorly eh.  First week fun and fatigue from the heavy work on Saturday.  Plus not quite energetic from waking up early.  Oh well.  The stuff for the lower body was similar to Monday but unweighted.

Monday 28th October 2019

Week One, Day One
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 138x7x2
Squat stuff xlots
1board: warmups, 158x6x2
Shoulders, back and triceps

Notes
First of new block, more programmed, less RPE.

Saturday 26th October 2019

Final day of block
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 180x1, 200x1, 210x1
Squat stuff
1board: warmups, 180x1, 200x1, 215x1, 222.5x1, 230x1

Notes
Bench was garbage and 1board was good.  I think its the solid base on the 1board that is helping me at the moment, but normally the differential is not quite 20kg.  Happy to have >500 on 1board though, it shows I can move it. 

Friday 25th October 2019

Week Three, Day four
Squats, stretching and other crap

Notes
Stupid asshole legs.  Not content with the fkn SI join playing up, I sorta tweaked my adductor again and then when just doing really stupidly light squats, it also decided to go again.  It is a giant dick to go with 60kg on the stupid bar while doing low reps and really slow movements.  Back to work on the stupid thing. 

Wednesday 23rd October 2019

Week Three, Day Three
Warmups
Paused pin press: warmups, 180x1, 140x5x2
Pulldowns x lots, facepulls

Notes
Felt like hot trash.  Chest is feeling beat and there was no speed at all.  I don't like pin presses as a main movement, or for higher reps.  The next block will drop them to 3's, and controlled loading. 

Monday 21st October 2019

Week Three, Day Two
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 140x8x3
Closegrip: warmups, 140x6, 150x6, 160x6
Pushdowns: warmups, 40x12x2

Notes
Backs feeling a little better but still not perfect, will give another week before doing anything, and then just take it stupidly slowly.  Doing some rower on off days, but it hammers the lower back too :|

Saturday 19th October 2019

Week Three, Day One
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 180x1, 200x1, 180x4x2, 185x4x2
Pulldowns: a ton
1board: warmups, 185x5, 190x5, 200x5

Notes
Weeee.  Back still a dickhole.  But bench was ok, and the SI pain did not impact the back during lifting, just if I got up off the bench on a funny angle.  Bench felt pretty good, and 1board felt strong enough that i jumped to a big number of the last set.  Shouldn't have gone that heavy, but it became harder because my breath ran out about rep 3, and I had to breathe for the last two, which ruins my setup.  Still locked it out.

Wednesday 16th October 2019

Week Two, Day Three
Warmups
Paused pin press: warmups, 195x1, 170x5x3 (ithink)
Deadlifts: warmups, 210x1, 180x5, 180xpopstupidshit

Notes
Shit ass shit.  Everything around my lower back had been feeling like shit for days on end.  Mainly SI joint being tight as shit and not wanting to relax/release.  So instead it does it during the deadlift, on a weight that was easy as shit, first set was basically 180x5 @4-5.  So the first SI joint goes pop under load, which means i have a sharp stabbing pain, that has been slowly reducing in the days since.  Its been releasing since then, but still a little stabby pain, so likely inflamed and angry for a bit.  On Saturday I stretched my arms over my head and the other side started getting stabby.  But still bench is ok. 

Monday 14th October 2019

Week Two, Day Two
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 138.5x8x3
Squats: warmups, 160x1, 180x1, 140x8x3
Adductor thing: Px20, P+Bx15, P+Bx11, P+Bx13
Close grip: warmups, 140x6, 145x6x2

Notes
Nice day really, considering the lack of sleep.  Bench was easy, as it should be.  Squats felt good, easy and no adductor issues.  The eights were easy but hard, mainly due to endurance, or the lack of it.  Weight was comfortable.  Closegrip felt fine, only 5kg off my best at this rep range.

Saturday 12th October 2019

Week Two, Day One
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 180x1, 195x1, 170x4x3
RDL: warmups, 110x8x3
Pendlay Rows: 70x8x4
1board: warmups, 170x5, 180x5, 185x5
Pushdowns: warmups, 30x8, 40x8, 45x8

Notes
Not the greatest feeling day but finished well.

Friday 11th October 2019

Week One, Day Four
Warmups
Squats: 60x5x3, 100x6, 120x6, 140x6
Adductor work: purplex20, purple+blackx8x3
Glute thrusts: purplex12, purple+blackx12x3
superset with
Frog glute thing: 0x20x3
Stepups: bw x10x3
Chins: bw x10x2

Notes
Took squats easy, to feel out how the adductor was.  It was making itself apparent, but still ok, so did slow reps, paused at the bottom slightly.  will work my way up to 20's with the two bands at that exercise, and then raise the band tension.  Felt pretty good afterwards. 

Wednesday 9th October 2019

Week One, Day Three
Warmups
Paused pin press: warmups, 180x1, 185x1, 157x5, 157.5x5 @6
Deadlifts: warmups, 180x1, 200x1, 170x5x2 @6

Notes
Adductor is still a bitch, but survived the deadlifts.  Pin press felt eh, but it is only the first week back into it, so it should all progress nicely.   Called the deadlifts early, likely the 200 was @6

Monday 6th October 2019

Week One, Day Two
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 131x8x2
Squats: warmups, 190x1, 142.5x2, 60x8x2
Adductor crap
Closegrip: warmups, 130x6, 140x6

Notes
Well, bench was just easy which is the target.  Squats felt ok considering the general back pain I have.  But the 190 flared up the stupid adductor.  Maybe didn't warmup to the correct amount or something.  The 190 was easy enough, RPE 7-7.5 range.  But didn't want to continue with the work if it hurts.  Back to the strengthening board, will see how it goes later this week.

Saturday 5th October 2019

Week One, Day One
Bench: warmups, 180x1, 190x1, 160x4x2
SLDL: warmups, 100x8x3
Pendlay rows: 60x8x4
1board: warmups, 165x5, 170x5
Pushdowns: warmups, 40x8x3

Notes
First day of new block, no rest for the wicked.  Starting the SLDL/Pendlay rows really low and adding week on week.  Felt drained and fat, but that will improve. 

Friday 4th October 2019

Warmups
Narrow stance squats: warmups, 60x8, 75x8, 90x8, 110x8
Single leg leg curls: purplex20x2
Split squat: bwx10x2, 10x10

Notes
Just getting some work in.  Legs pumped up nicely.  Starting things from tomorrow.

Wednesday 2nd October 2019

Warmups
Pin press: warmups, 170x1 @6, 140x5x3 @5

Notes
Was going to deadlift but gave up in the end.  Need to get back to mornings, likely next week. 

New Zealand Powerlifting Federation National Bench Press Championships 2019, Atlas Gymnasium, Ōtautahi

2019 NZPF National Bench Press Championships
Atlas Gymnasium, Christchurch, New Zealand

Ok, the primary competition of the year.  Been a long series of preps, competitions, injuries, and a whole host of PR's

This year they have been:

Bench
100x60
165x8
175x7 (also 165x7 and 172.5x7)
190x5 (also 182.5x5 and 183.75x5)
195x4 (also 190x4)
198x3 (also 197.5x3 and 195x3)
210x2 (also 195x2, 197.5x2 and 205x2)
215x1

2board
227.5x3 (also 217.5x3 and 210x3)

1board
207.5x2
227.5x1

Pin Press
200x3 (also 190x3)

Closegrip
180x3 (also 175x3)
165x6 (also 162.5x6 nad 150x6)

So, its been a very successful year of training, and the reality was, I was expecting good numbers.  So how did it go.

First, weight.  I came into the peaking phase heavy, around 124.  So I cut for a few weeks, nothing too drastic, and did one practice water cut, then final water cut heading into the last week.  The issue was compounded by not really knowing the difference between my scales and competition scales. So I weighed 120.5 ish on my last weigh-in at home, then water restricted.  Normally, that last day gives me about a kilo of weight loss, maybe 1.2kg.  I weighed in at 118.55kg, which would mean my scales are approximately 600g overweight.  So, comfortable weight session.  Then fluided up.  Basically my normal sports drink with added sodium chloride.  A cookie, and some sour gummies.  Drank my way through the best part of 1.8L by warmups, then just kept topping up as I went.

I warmed up early, getting banded work in and then bar.  70kg, then 100kg, then 140kg, 160kg and 180kg.  All felt good.  On an Eleiko bar in an Eleiko rack.

First attempt: 200kg
Felt light, but the bar was shaking in my hands.  Felt like it was floppy.  Got the start command, then took it down, command, then back up, easily enough, touched the rack with my right hand.  It was also a little low, as I tend to do.

Second attempt: 210kg
The first attempt felt more difficult than it should have, and the wobbling bar meant I kept it lower than planned.  Took it out, it also shook.  Down, up a little harder (looks easier in the clip than it felt).

Third attempt: 212.5kg
Small jump, and didn't really feel that confident.  Hindsight might have pushed me to 215.5kg for the win and National record, but a conversation they were having made me think the record was higher, and much less likely for me to hit.  If I didn't make it, I would have been lower IPF points.  So, 212.5kg it was.  Shakey again, but down, paused (right side lower again), up, with uneven extension, and locked out.

Three attempts, three good lifts and nine white lights.

Could not ask for better, other than lifting more.  I think I got all I was capable of on the day.  The winner took 215kg for a second attempt and was going 217.5kg  for a third.  He had been discussing with the table about a record attempt around 217.0kg, which didnt really make sense to me, but they made it seem like the NZ Masters record was 217.0kg and he had to go 217.5kg to break it.  He set the Masters 1 record with 215kg on his second (according to the updated record sheet).   He failed the 217.5kg.  Because of that I thought I would have to jump to at least 218 for the last attempt, so just left it at my one.  Which was good, as while I placed second in my class, which was an OK outcome for my first Nationals in 16 years, I placed third overall in the Mens category.

So, since November last year, I have done

HB Champs: 195kg bench (three good attempts)
Masterton club lift: 200kg bench (three good attempts, the 200kg was dodgy)
WCPA Regional bench champs: 202.5kg bench (two good attempts)
NZPF National Bench champs: 212.5kg bench (three good attempts)

So far, the bench has gone up 17.5kg, and I have hit 11/12 attempts.

No idea about the shakey bar, it didn't happen on the Eleiko from last week, nor did it happen on warmup, just on the competition bar.  It was brand new, so maybe something there? so I am unsure how to combat that.  Other than getting stronger, and thats the goal.

This time, no break really, other than one day off, so straight into training.  Have a fun lift in early December, and will see how much weight I can move then.

Tuesday 24th September 2019

Week 9, Day what
Bench: warmups, 160x3x3

Notes
Last session before Nationals.  Easy.

Saturday 21st September 2019

Week 8, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 180x1, 200x1, 215x1, 205x2, 210x2
Bunch of cooldowns

Notes
Last day.  Done at The Platform gym in town, with Eleiko bar, plates and on a comp spec bench.  Felt solid, but took most of the warmups to get on terms with the bar/plate combo.  180 was stupid fast, 200 was comfortable and 215 was solid.  205 was easy for a double and the yolo 210 was a bit slopping but shit... 210 is 210.

Wednesday 18th September 2019

Week 8, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 195x3x3
Deadlifts: warmups, 220x1, 242.5x1

Notes
Weeee, sucky.  Day was ok considering lack of sleep, gut feeling a little off.  Deadlifts sucked, but just shows morning performance, especially low key mornings are not quite the same as evening hype.  Two more days then rest.  Also practice water cut this week.  Should have done it last week but shit happens, will know how this impacts the performance really.

Monday 16th September 2019

Week 8, Day 1
Bench: warmups, 182.5x5x3
Squat: warmups, 205x1, 220x1, 210x2, 215x2
Paused pin press: warmups, 160x5x3

Notes
Weeee.  Chest/shoulders felt ok yesterday, but pretty fatigued this morning.  Chugged through the work tho.  Squats felt rough, but got through to 220 for the first time in a couple of years.  Then 215 for a double, which is best for ages.  Kept the pin presses pretty light today.

Saturday 14th September 2019

Week 7, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 210x1, 202.5x2x2, 205x2
Pulldowns: eh
Paused pin press: warmups, 195x3, 200x2 doh

Notes
Good day, well the important lift.  Practicing my water drop for the competition, as I am fat.  So rehydrated after weighing in and then lifted.  210 was solid, real happy with that, and the doubles were good until I touched the rack with the second rep of 205, had a lean on.

Was over everything by the pin press, was too unco under the bar so just called it.

Wednesday 11th September 2019

Week 7, Day 2 (night)
Warmups
Deadlifts: warmup, 180x1, 220x1, 235x1, 242.5x1, 250x1

Notes
Woooooooooooooot.  Solids lists.  Chest hurts after this :|

Wednesday 11th September 2019

Week 7, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 192.5x4x2

Notes
Quick session, missed the deadlifts but will do them tonight.  Youtube terminated my youtube account so was dealing with the feedback process and being distracted.  Very upset little boy is devastated that he has lost all of his videos, likes and views.  Happy with the distracted Wednedsays at 192.5, not easy, but ok.

Monday 9th September 2019

Week 7, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 175x6x2
Squats: warmups, 197.5x2, 205x2, 210x2
Paused pin press: warmups, 160x5, 165x5, 170x5

Notes
Felt pretty good.  Cut volume again, just feeling out recovery between sessions to see how things move.  Pin presses took a target of RPE6, felt pretty simple really, even with a long pause.

Saturday 7th September 2019

Week 6, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 205x1, 195x3x2, 198x3
Paused deadlifts: warmups, 192.5x3x2
Pendlay Rows (rip): warmups, 150x5, 157.5x5
Paused pin press: warmups, 190x3, 200x3

Notes
Bench was pretty shit.  But paused pin presses were goodo.

Friday 6th September 2019

Week 6, Day 3
Warmups
Squat: warmups, 177.5x5x2
Chins: 0x10x4
Glute thrust: banded xlots

Notes
eh

Wednesday 4th September 2019 - Evening

Week 6, Day 2 evening

Single arm rows: 30x12, 40x12x3

Adductor stuff

Notes

Adductor being a dick after the deadlifts.  It even cramped, which I have never had before and felt like the worst cramp I have had.  

Wednesday 4th September 2019

Week 6, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 187.5x4x3
Deadlifts: warmups, 225x2, 230x2x2

Notes
Garbage day.  About 3-4 hours of sleep, followed by laying awake half the night.  Still got the work done but just a little slower than I prefer.  Still, on a bad day was benching pretty solidly.

Monday 2nd September 2019

Week 6, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 170x5x2
Squats: warmups, 190x3, 195x3, 200x3
Paused pin press: warmups, 170x5, 177.5x3

Notes
Deload.  Felt good.  Shoulders feeling it (Mr Crabs) but nowhere near that pain of last block.  But cut back my sets even more this week than planned.  Way lower total weight volume.  But goal is to bring up the weight and not screw my shoulders :D   Squats felt great.

Saturday 31st August 2019

Week 5, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 200x1, 190x4x2, 195x4

Paused deadlifts: warmups, 190x3x3

Pendlay rows: warmups, 140x5x3

Paused pin press: warmups, 187.5x3, 195x3

Notes

Cut a few sets out of the day, but it was pretty good overall.  Just managing the shoulder stress into the peaking block.  First week of a fast single before the main work.  It felt heavy even though the real work almost got to that same load for reps.  

Friday 30th August 2019

Week 5, Day 3

Warmups

Highbar squats: warmups, 172.5x7x3

Chins: 0x10x4

Glute thrusts standing

Notes

Eh, awful squats.  

Wednesday 28th August 2019

Week 5, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 185x5x4, 190x5
Deadlifts: warmups, 212.5x4x2, 220x4

Notes
Took some time, but the fatigue in the chest/shoulders/triceps meant I was getting pumped early.  But, still was easy enough and pushed up to a solid 190.  Fresh it would have been easier and heavier.  Strongest I have ever been.  Deadlifts felt rough to start with, but then I cranked my belt tighter and sucked it up, heaviest I have done for these reps

Monday 26th August 2019

Week 5, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 175x7x4
Squats: warmups, 180x5x2, 182.5x5, 185x5
Paused pin press: warmups, 165x6, 172.5x6, 165.5x6x2

Notes
Wooot, big assed day.  The last set of the 7's was pump city and that showed up again in the last set of pin presses.  Back felt bad to start with during squats, but worked through it and added a little.

Saturday 24th August 2019

Week 4, Day 4

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 185x4x4

Squats: warmups, 167.5x7

Paused deadlifts: warmups, 185x3x2

Pendlay rows: warmups, 150x5, 156x5, 150x5x2

Paused pin press: warmups, 177.5x3, 185x3, 190x3, 182.5x3

Notes

Weeeee.  Took forever, but I had combined Friday and Saturdays workout because of travelling over the past couple of days. Dropped a few sets, but the warmups take the time.  Two hours later...   Bench was fine, not great.  Squats felt ok for once.  Rows were good and pin presses were pretty great.  Solid progress upwards.

Wednesday 21st August 2019

Week 4, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 180x5x5
Deadlifts: warmups, 207.5x4x3

Notes
Took long enough to warmup, but weights were all good.  Fatiguing by the end of each exercise but good.  Looking forward to next week where I will destroy new territory. 

Monday 19th August 2019

Week 4, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 170x7x4
Squats: warmups, 175x5x4
Paused pin press: warmups, 160x6, 165x6, 170x6, 160x6


Evening
Chins: 0x8x4
Side raises, pushdowns

Notes
Back to early mornings for the first time in 3 ish weeks.  Sucks.  But session was fine considering the cold (4.5deg in the garage, 1deg out).  Now, I am trying to define my main lifts with an RPE/RIR value.  But, to my mind there are different types of failure.  One type of failure is the muscles just give out and cannot move the load.  Another is the muscles give out with a pump.  I got the latter today, so the last set of benches was close to a 10RPE, due to shoulder/triceps pump.  The bottom half was easy peasy, just locking out became harder.   Squats were ok, easier when i cranked the belt tighter.  Got some cool numbers to do this week, and next week will blow them all out of the water.

Saturday 17th August 2019

Week 3, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 180x4x4
Paused deadlifts: warmups, 180x3x2
Pendlay rows: warmups, 140x5, 147.5x5, 150x5x2, 152.5x5
Paused pin press: warmups, 170x3, 177.5x3, 180x3

Notes
Pretty chunky session.  Felt sore and tired, but went for a walk and then lifted.  Ended up being pretty spot on and feeling strong.

Friday 16th August 2019

Week 3, Day 3
Warmups
Highbar squats: 162.5x7x2
Chins: 0x10x4
Banded hip thrust: P+Bx12x4

Notes
Bleh, total bleh.

Wednesday 14th August 2019

Week 3, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups,  172.5x5, 175x5x4
Deadlifts: warmups, 202.5x4x3
Single arm cable row: 30x12x2, 35x12, 40x12
Pulldowns and facepulls: 2sets of 20

Notes
Felt pretty good really.  First set of five on bench was misloaded but corrected it.  Rounded number for this week was 172.5, but yeah right.  Deadlift was 200, but easier to just jam 3 plates on my son's deadlift bar than reload.

Monday 12th August 2019

week 3, day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 165x7x3
Squat: warmups, 170x5x4
Paused pin press: warmups, 160x6, 165x6, 167.5x6
Chins: 0x8x4

Notes
Strong day.  A little shoulder pain but strong and happy.  Bench good, squat good, getting tired by the end of it by still good.

Saturday 10th August 2019

Week 2, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 175x4x4
Paused deadlifts: warmups, 175x3x2
Paused pin press: warmups, 170x3, 172.5x3, 175x3

Notes
Tired day, and lots of work

Friday 9th August 2019

Week 2, Day 3
Warmups
High bar squats: warmups, 157.5x7, 157.5x8(or 7?)
Chins: 0x10x4
Standing hip thrust: purplex12x2, purple+blackx12

Notes
Squats nearly killed me, but I think I did 8 on the last set.  Standing hip thrust may not allow as much weight as the barbell thing, but my back did not hurt in the slightest.  Thats a benefit.

Wednesday 7th August 2019

Week 2, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 170x5x4
Deadlift: warmups, 195x4x2
Single arm rows: 30x12x4
Pulldowns: 30x20x2
Facepulls: bandsx30x2

Notes
Good day.  Didn't feel great most of it, but once I got into the swing of it the benches were good and the deadlifts were easy.  Looking forward to the next three weeks of building the load and the volume.  Will be focussed on dieting for another solid week, then adding more carbs for two, then its balancing into competition.  Happy to weigh in at the limit.

Monday 5th August 2019

Week 2, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 160x7x3
Squats: warmups, 165x5x4
Chins: 0x8x4
Paused pin press: warmups, 150x6, 157.5x6, 162.5x6

Notes
Long session in the evening, followed by a few beers.  Cos birthday.  Good session really considering it was cold, and I took a bit of time between lifts for FaceTime calls with family.  Felt strong and comfortable, the biggest problem is I struggled to hold my breath throughout the movements, which is my preference, so sorta breathed randomly through the latter stages of the pin press:

Saturday 3rd August 2019

Week 1, Day 4

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 170x4x3

Paused deadlift: warmups, 167.5x3x2

Pendlay row: warmups, 120x5, 130x5, 140x5

Paused pin press: warmups, 160x3, 170x3 @7

Notes

Weeee, felt stiff and sore to start with.   But turned up in the end.  Pin presses felt way better than last week and much stronger. 

Friday 2nd August 2019

Week 1, Day 3
Warmups (not enough)
High bar squat: warmups, 152.5x7x2
Chins: 0x10x3
Glute garbage: I hate this crap

Notes
Didn't warm up enough and the squats seemed to flep the adductor, but a full twinge but it let me know it was there.   Oh well.  I hate glute shit too.  All is does its tighten up my lower back and hurt like shit.  Screw it, would rather do something productive.

Wednesday 31st July 2019

Week 1, day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 165x5x4
Deadlifts: warmups, 190x4x3
Cable rows: four sets of 6, single armed
Pulldowns, face pulls

Notes
Felt too tired to deal with the morning, so trained in the evening.  Still tired but was pretty solid.

Monday 29th July 2019

Evening
Chins: 0x8x3
Shoulders raises, tricep pushdown and bicep curls

Notes
Additional work

Monday 29th July 2019

Week 1, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 155x7x3
Squat: warmups, 160x5x3
Paused pin press: warmups, 150x6, 152.5x6

Notes
Ok day, tired like normal.

Saturday 27th July 2019

Week -1, Day 4
Bench: warmups, 167.5x4x2
Paused deadlift: warmups, 162.5x3
Pendlay row: warmups, 120x5
Paused pin press: warmups, 160x3, 165x3 @6

Notes
Long day traveling, buying new weights, and eating garbage.  Rushed the warmups so everything hurt.  Time to rest.

Friday 26th July 2019

Week -1, Day 3
Warmups
Highbar squats: warmups, 147.5x7
Chins: 0x8x3
Hip thrust: purplex12, purple+blackx12, purple+black+2redsx12

Notes
Eh, about that.

Wednesday 24th July 2019

Evening extra work
Rows: up to 35kg single arm x10
Pulldowns: up to 50x12x3
Facepull: purple band x12x3

Notes
Additional work in the evenings to get thing moving.  Also did one on Monday for shoulders, triceps and biceps. 

Wednesday 24th July 2019

Week -1, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 160x5x3
Deadlifts: warmups, 185x4x1

Notes
Not a fast session but it was ok.  Light enough for both movements.  Also purchased a few second hand weights.  Likely its somebody profiting off the trademe weights I missed out on, but they are better than nothing, even if I pay a bit more, will give me a total of 345kg of plates, and 20kg of bar.  Likely wont fit on the bar at the same time :) but that' ok.  As long as I can fit over 250kg, I am ok with that.  Will also get a second bar, or a SSB at some point. 

Will do some rows and stuff tonight. 

Monday 22nd July 2019

Week -1 Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 150x7x2
Squat: warmups, 155x5x2
Long pause 1board: warmups, 140x6, 145x6

Notes
Will train some bodybuilder stuff tonight, along with back.  Starting a week early, hence the week -1, mainly to get me on track.  Long pause on the 1board was garbage. Don't know if it was purely from being sore outta Saturday, or that i let it sink too much, or that I tried a metronome to help time it, but it sucked.  Will move to paused pin presses, normal bench grip, set at Rack Height #24, so a good arch, and it touches the chest. 

Saturday 20th July 2019

Warmups
1board: warmups, 180x1, 200x1, 210x1, 217.5x1, 222.5x1, 227.5x1
Bench: 100x60
Walk: 30mins
Tricep extensions, pushdowns and stuff

Notes
Pretty fun mess around day.  Just kept adding weight and ended with a pretty good PR on the top of it all, for 1board (7.5kg heavier than my best ever 11 years ago).  Then my first time doing high rep benches at 100/220, which ended up hurting way more than I thought it would.   Woop.  Gonna start my program for nationals next week. 

Monday 15th July 2019

Warmups
Pause hibar squats: warmups, 140x8 @5-6, 120x8x3
Paused medium grip larson press: warmups, 125x8 @5-6, 110x8x3
Lu raises: 2.5x8, 5x8x3
Overhead tri-ext: 20x8x2, 22.5x8
Db curls: 10x8x3

Notes
A week off.  Had done a couple of messing around workouts, but no real bench work.  Transitioning for a couple of weeks before starting the block leading towards the national bench championships.  Tiem to raise the bar. 

Wellington and Central Powerlifting Association Bench Press Championships, 2019, Viking Brothers Strength and Conditioning , Pito-One

Ok.

Multiple weeks of training for less than an hour of real work.

Left home around 8.30, grabbed some fuel and then drove for ~1.5hours to Lower Hutt, NZ.  Grabbed some online purchases and then to Viking Brothers Strength and Conditioning gym.  Looked a bit smaller than I expected, but packed with lifters and really vocal crowd.  I weighed in at 12, #2 on the list so pretty quick - ~117.7ish kg, guzzled a ton of my drink to rehydrate, then gear check and out to grab some food.  McDonalds :)  Only because I had more time before my lifting than normal, as my bench meet was in the middle of a three lift.

Warmed up quite early, again.  I have to figure this one out a little better.  Started benching, and managed to snag a rack to myself and didn't have any issues with that, bar, 70, 120, 150, 172.5, more at the lower, less at the higher.

First attempt - 190kg - WPCA Open and M1 record.  Got a lift off for this one, waaaaay too low, so had to pull it back into position to start.  Down, up, good lift.

Second attempt - 202.5kg - Competition PR and WPCA Open and M1 record.  Lifted off myself.  Comfortable.  Fast.  Slightly slower on the right hand side, but thats normal.

Third attempt - 213kg - Competition PR, NZPF National M1, WPCA Open and M1 record.  Got a lift out.  Felt heavy as shit.  Got the start command, took it down, paused (which felt quite long) and then drove up, and ran smack into the sticking point and stopped.  No lift.

So, placed first in a class of one.  Placed second overall on IPF points - which I believe I could have achieved if I was a bit less aggressive with my third attempt.

So.  What do I have out of this meet.

Hunger to lift heavier.  That is a normal thing.

Happy that I hit a new PR.  Happy that I have the local records.  Happy that I took the attempt at the National record.  But never happy, ever.

1. I will do self lift-offs for my future competitions.  Its not hard, I am not a massive archer, just pick it up and then I can only blame myself.
2. Train with more of the competition pattern.  So lift off, hold, down, pause, up, hold, down, etc etc.
3. Do some heavier singles/practice during training.  Currently blocking out four weeks of moderate singles across the peaking phase of the block.
4. Considering a few items around the secondary movements.   Considered pin press, but think long pauses will achieve the loading frame I want.  Would also lower the absolute loading I use, so I think its ok. 
5. Follow my RPEish targets much more tightly than I have been.  Having a little freedom to move around the % base is fine, but going from 8 to 10 RPE is not so fine.  A bit of freedom is not an excuse to go for a new PR every week.

I have ~11 weeks until my next competition, the NZPF Bench Press Nationals.  I have a nine week program planned, and then a good 'off-season' aka, losing fat and gaining muscle season.  My next 11 weeks have a good plan.
Next two weeks is adapting to a new dietary pattern, with higher protein.  Then dieting for a few weeks, followed by maintaining until competition.  I want to come in underweight, not excessively, but I want to be able to eat through to my meet.   Not quite grow into the meet.  Then if required, do a small water cut to force through the weight class. 

Wreck on.

Wednesday 3rd July 2019

Week 11, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 155x3x3

Notes
Easy enough day.  Shoulders hurt a bit, but may not have warmed up the best.  Trained in the evening. 

Monday 1st July 2019

Week 11, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 185x1x3

Notes
Ok, sore, tired.  Resting up time.

Saturday 29th June 2019

Week 10, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 190x1 (last warmup), 205x1, 195x2x2

Notes
Last heavy day before competition.  Basically opener and slightly heavier than planned second attempt.  Good day.  Left bicep/shoulder felt a little eh, but strong lifts all around. 

Wednesday 26th June 2019

Week 10, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 190x3x3
Deadlifts: warmups, 222.5x1x2

Notes
Quick session.  Weights ok but still hurt.  Keep on rolling and stretching to see how things improve.

Monday 24th June 2019

Week 10, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 175x5x3
Squats: warmups, 197.5x1, 185x2x2
Closegrip bench: warmups, 160x5, 165x5

Notes
Eh, sore shoulders, tired and slow. 

Saturday 22nd June 2019

Week 9, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 195x2x3, 197.5x2
Paused deadlifts: warmups, 195x2x3
1board press: warmups, 190x2, 195x2, 200x2, 207.5x2

Notes
Not the greatest bench session, but got it done.  Wayy better once I got through to the board press. 

Friday 21st June 2019

Week 9, Day 3
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 177.5x4x3
Chins: 0x8x3
Glute thrust: 70x8x2, 70x12

Notes
Trained in the evening to avoid the cold morning.  Felt pretty good actually.  No back pain.  Been a little off angle with the squats for the last few days, to the right slightly.  Will work on keeping it upright.

Wednesday 19th June 2019

Week 9, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 185x4x4
Deadlifts: warmups, 215x1x3
Rows: warmups, 140x5, 147.5x5, 155x5

Notes
Needed to warm up today... bbbrrr 1-2deg C.  Everything felt cold, slow and tiring.  As usual, Wednesdays are hard days.  But the cold made it more so.  Deadlift felt good, and just went with double overhand hookgrip, but didn't absolutely suck.

Monday 17th June 2019

Week 9, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 167.5x6x4
Squats: warmups, 190x2, 192.5x2, 195x2
Chins: 0x6, 5x6, 10x6
Closegrip bench: warmups, 155x5, 160x5, 165x5

Notes
Weeee...  shoulders didn't really hurt, but had some general muscle pain and fatigue.  Was all ok in the end.  Squats felt better than last week.  Closegrips felt like a good solid effort.  Probably good for 170-172.5 area.

Trolling stuff.co.nz

Stuff.co.nz is a normal modern online media site.  Largest in NZ, full of garbage pieces to keep the clicks and views up as high as possible.

They also posted this overnight https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/113409378/we-tried-powerlifting which is a bit of an abomination. 

I do not often post under my own name on facebook media sites but decided that this one was worthy

Dear Stephen Heard. Over the weekend concluded the IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships. Nearly 1000 women and men competed for their countries in a sport that is often ignored by the media. New Zealand sent a team of fifteen lifters. Those lifters traveled to the other side of the world, to represent New Zealand, and in doing so produced some major results.

The NZ women placed twentieth in the open, fifth in Junior, eighteenth in Masters1, and ninth in Masters 3. Megan-Li Smith won her weight class, and came out with a world junior record in deadlift. Evie Corrigan placed second, and also hit a world junior record deadlift. Hema Govind placed sixth in one of the most competitive M1 classes. Ana De Joux placed tenth, in her weight class. Julianne Taylor placed fourth. Carolina Dillen placed eighth. Anna Claire Thompson placed twentieth. Amanda Foulkes had a rough day but showed her grit and determination to continue through the meet.
The NZ Men placed seventh in open, thirteenth in the juniors, twelfth in the Masters 1. Tim Monigatti placed second in his class, Angus McKay placed eighth, Andy Mahon won his weight class. Kavwa Sichone placed fourth. Chris Kennedy placed sixth. Jamie King placed fourteenth and the 2018 World Champion, Brett Gibbs, placed second in a massively competitive class.

Overall, Brett Gibbs performance placed him third best overall male lifter in the world, and Andy Mahon was third best male M1 in the world.
Instead of writing an article about these lifters, or the hundreds of others around New Zealand (under all the governing bodies), training away with the dream to do the best they can, and maybe represent their country. Rather, you post this. One white light for the pictures para-olympian, and that of Daniel. Two reds for everything else. If you could show half the grit and determination of the lifters throughout NZ, perhaps your next article will be a better performance.

Saturday 15th June 2019

Week 8, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 190x3, 192.5x3x2, 197.5x3, 200x3(cheater)
Warmups
Paused deadlifts: warmups, 187.5x2x2
2board press: warmups, 210x3, 222.5x3, 227.5x3
Rows

Notes
Woooooooooooo.  Getting there, getting there.  Probably shouldn't have pushed to the 200, but it was almost there, just popped the butt up a little at the end.  Still, solid.  Then the boards were off the chain, all time PR.  Stopped at the 501lb as thats all the weight I have.  Dropping back to 1board for the remainder. 

Friday 14th June 2019

Week 8, Day 3
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 172.5x5x2
Chins; 0x8x3
Glute thrust: warmups, 90x8, 120x8

Notes
Ok day.  Trained in the evening again.  Cranked the belt a little too tight on the second set of squats, but otherwise felt ok.  Rolling the hell out of my shoulders every day.

Wednesday 12th June 2019

Week 8, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 180x4x4
Deadlifts: warmups, 210x2x2
Rows: warmups, 140x6, 145x6
Walk: 18mins

Notes
After a lot of roller, stretching and some painkillers overnight, the shoulders (and back) felt a lot better this morning.  First set was rusty, but the remaining three were pretty good, and long pausing.  Deadlifts simple, and rows even felt good.  Building.

Monday 10th June 2019

Week 8, Day 1
Bench: warmups, 162.5x6x4
Squats: warmups, 182.5x3x2
Chins: 0x5, 5x5, 10x5, 0x5x2
Closegrips: warmups, 150x5, 152.5x5, 155x5, 157.5x5, 160x5

Notes
Shoulders still sore from the Saturday.  But I didn't really do much recovery work, so will have to prioritize that a little more...  weights were OK, but just hurt really.  Similar to my last real peaking phase of Sheiko, so really need to ramp up that recovery work, and stuff.   Heat pack, cold pack, roller, stretching, ibuprofen and sleep.

Saturday 8th June 2019

Week 7, Day 4
Bench: Warmups, 185x4x3, 190x4
Paused deadlift: warmups 185x3x2
Rows: warmups, 150x5, 160x5
2board press: warmups, 197.5x3, 210x3, 217.5x3

Notes
Work in progress.

Friday 7th June 2019

Week 7, Day 3
Warmups
Squats: Warmups, 162.5x7, 170x7
Chins: 0x8x3
Glute thing: 50x15, 60x15, 70x15

Notes
Good day.  Trained at night to avoid waking up early.  Misloaded the first set due to missing a 2.5kg plate on one end, so upped it to a nice 170. 

Wednesday 5th June 2019

Week 7, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 180x5x4, 183.7x5
Deadlifts:warmups, 205x4x2
Rows: warmups, 135x6, 140x6, 142.5x6

Notes
Wednesdays tend to be the session that I am most tired, as there is less rest from the Saturday/Monday/Wednesday, than two days off Thu/Fri.  So the first set moved a little like treacle, but then its 10kg up on the last block of training.  The remainder sped up, as the body really warmed up and got up to speed.  Upped the last one to a chip PR, which is an important PR.  Usually my best comes after a 1rm, where the weight feels light and I am less metabolically fatigued.  This came at the end of four sets of already a good weight.  Could have gone the whole level to 185, but there are other days to win that battle. 

Monday 3rd June 2019

Week 7, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 170x7x3, 172.5x7
Squat: warmups, 175x5x2
Chins: 0x6, 5x6, 7.5x6
Closegrip: warmups, 155x6, 160x6, 165x6

Notes
Sore from the last session, back aching, blah blah blah.  Solid weights, comfortable lifts.  Pushed the last set up by a little.  Could have gone higher as well.  All paused, compared to the last block which ended at 165 and some not paused.   Was also an all time PR, as was the closegrip.  Keep pushing forwards.

Saturday 1st June 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 180x4x3, 185x4
Paused Deadlifts: warmups, 180x3x2
Rows: warmups, 145x5, 150x5, 155x5
2board press: warmups, 180x3, 195x3, 210x3

Notes
Back was still shit.  Rolled it for a few minutes to get it moving, and the McGill Big 3, and it felt pretty good.  Bench was heavy but strong, and moved nicely so I moved up a little.  Deads felt good, rows ok, and then 2board felt great.  Haven't done proper boards for years, and this was solid but heavy, 15kg down on my best.  Going to play with some big weights soon. 

Friday 31st May 2019

Week 6, Day 3
Warmups lots of warmups
Squats: warmups, 162.5x7x2
Chins: 0x8x3
Glute things

Notes
Eh, felt like garbage, back has been playing up a little, and gut felt bleh.  Got what I had to do, done.  Eh.  Did some additional glute things at night while others trained.  Pump was real, after that.

Wednesday 29th May 2019

Week 6, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 175x5x5
Deadlifts: warmups, 202.5x4x2
Rows: warmups, 130x6, 135x6, 140x6

Notes
Woke up a little late, and went through the warmups slowly, but weights were all good in the end.  Rows felt good after a week of reduced stress. Shoulders are a little tight/sore.  Trying to minimize sleeping on them, but not always easy.  Belt seems to be the tightest I have had it at this bodyweight before.  Still working on the diet, which has some good days/bad days. 

Monday 27th May 2019

Week 6, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 165x7, 165x6, 165x8, 165x7
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 170x5x3
Chins: 0x6, 3.75x6, 6.25x6x2
Closegrip: warmups, 150x6, 157.5x6, 162.5x6

Notes
Tired again.  But went ok otherwise.  Would help if I could count but made up the missing rep on the next set of bench.  Closegrip went nicely, that is 12.5kg up on last cycle. 

Saturday 25th May 2019

Week 5, Day 4

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 175x4x4

Warmups

Paused deadlifts: warmups, 175x3x3

Rows: warmups, 145x5x5

Closegrip bench: warmups, 170x3, 175x3, 180x3

Band flyes: 200 all up

Notes

WEeeeee.  Almost winter and its sunny at 16deg.  So was warm enough.  Feeling toasted this week.  Everything is adding up, and the combo of hitting the volume peak, and having garbage sleep, means I am not keeping up with the recovery.  So will likely drop back a couple of sets of each of the other lifts (squats/deadlifts/rows etc) to focus on the primary endpoint.  Will up calories a little, a combo of protein and carb and see how I go. 

Friday 24th May 2019

Week 5, Day 3

Warmups

Squats: warmups, 157.5x7x4

Overhead press: warmups, 65x8, 70x8x2

Chins: 0x8x2, 2.5x8

Hip thrust: warmups, 60x8, 90x8, 110x8

Notes

Yea, eh. 

Wednesday 22nd May 2019

Week 5, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 170x5x5
Deadlifts: warmups, 197.5x4x4
Rows: warmups, 130x6x3

Notes
Wee.  Absolute total garbage sleep but got everything done.  All thanks goes to Caffeine. 

Monday 20th May 2019

Week 5, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 160x7x4
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 165x5x5
Chins: bwx6, +2.5x6, +3.75x6, +5x6
Closegrip: warmups, 145x6, 150x6, 155x6 called it

Notes
Sore lower back, roller and McGill Big  three seemed to settle it down long enough to train.  Felt pretty good afterwards but descended into pain again afterwards.  Will work on more stretching and supportive measures.  Bench was good.  Last cycle by this point, I was using 5kg lighter weights, and didn't pause each rep.  Now its paused every rep, sometimes a little longer, and doing it largely on a single breath.  Final set I breathed on rep 5, but continued to rep without setting back up, it was easy enough.  Happy with this, especially since I was still aching a little from Saturday. 

I cut one set off the closegrip.  All that last set would have done for me, is cause my triceps to fail.  Also contemplating moving one of the closegrip days to a board press day.  Will hunt down some decent sized boards to train with. 

The next three weeks will be hard.  I reach a peak across the three loading schemes, 7's, 5's and 4's, before transitioning into peaking. 

Saturday 18th May 2019

Week 4, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 170x4x4
Paused deadlifts: warmups, 167.5x3x3
Rows: warmups, 145x5, 147.5x5, 150x5, 152.5x5
Closegrip: warmups, 165x3, 170x3, 175x3

Notes
Good day really.  Felt like a truck hit me afterwards.

Friday 17th May 2019

Week 4, Day 3

Warmups

Squats: warmups, 150x7x4

Overhead press: warmups, 60x8, 65x8, 70x8

Chins: BWx8, x8, x6

Hip thrusts: warmups, 60x8x2, 80x8

Notes

Felt pretty solid today.  Cold outside but wrapped up nicely.  Squats were easy, even the fourth set.  Everything else was ok.  Hip thrust done in rack, a little fiddly, so will have to adapt.  Maybe use the safeties, or something to help raising it up a bit. 

I am also getting strap safeties (and band pegs).  These should be a little more flexible for certain movements.

Wednesday 15th May 2019

Week 4, Day 2

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 165x5x5

Deadlifts: warmups, 192.5x4x4

Rows: warmups, 125x6, 130x6, 132.5x6, 135x6

Notes

Toasted today.  Not a great sleep and not great recovery from Monday.  Shoulder not feeling the greatest either, just general tightness than sharp pain.  Will do more rolling and stretching.  Deadlifts felt slow, but looked easy on followup.  Stronger on rows than previous cycle, but now I have lat cramps.  

Monday 13th May 2019

Week 4, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 155x7x4
Squats: warmups, 160x5x5
Chins: BWx6, 2.5x6x2, BWx6
Closegrip bench: warmups, 142.5x6, 147.5x6, 152.5x6, 150x5

Notes
Ok day, felt light enough for benching.  Squats felt heavy, but easy enough to complete.  Back is tired/sore.  Rolling helps, but morning is the worst and then it feels better.  Will do some more flexibility work in the evening to help things.  Left shoulder has been feeling a bit tight, but felt pretty good after the warmups today. 

Saturday 11th May 2019

Week 3, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 165x4x3
Paused deadlifts: warmups, 162.5x3x2
Rows: warmups, 135x5, 140x5, 147.5x5
Closegrip bench: warmups, 165x3, 170x3

Notes
Warm day, hard work.  Bench was easy enough really, regardless of the left shoulder starting to hurt.

Friday 10th May 2019

Week 3, Day 3
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 147.5x7x3
Overhead press: warmups, 60x8, 65x8
Chin: BWx8x2, BW-red x8
Hip thrust: warmups, 25x12x, 0x12

Notes
Ok day.  Felt fatigued all up for squats, but everything else went ok.  Overheads felt a little better than last week, but used same method.  Rack height seemed the same, so better measure it, it was the last of the standard spacing, rather than the wider ones.  Had a small band on the knees for the hip thrust and it seemed to kick a bit harder.  Will have to use the barbell at some point, but it felt reasonable otherwise. 

Wednesday 8th May 2019

Week 3, Day 2

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 160x5x4

Warmups

Deadlifts: warmups, 185x4x3

Rows: 120x6, 125x6, 130x6

Notes

Felt ok to start with, then dropped off a cliff.  Trained before lunch, as I decided a sleep in was better than getting up.  Was feeling absolutely exhausted yesterday.  

Monday 6th May 2019

Week 3, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 150x7x3
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 155x5x5
Chins: BWx6, BW+2.5x6, BW+3.75x6
Closegrip: warmups, 132.5x6, 140x6, 147.5x6 @7

Notes
Tired from garbage sleep and eating like an ass.  Focus. 

Saturday 4th May 2019

Week 2, Day 4
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 160x4x4
Paused Deadlifts: warmups, 160x3x3
Rows: warmups, 125x5, 135x5, 140x5 @8
Closegrip: warmups, 150x3, 160x3, 165x3

Notes
Forgot some of the loading for rows/closegrip, but thats about right, will check with the video later.

Friday 3rd May 2019

Week 2, Day 3
Warmups
Squat: warmups, 142.5x7x3
Overhead press: warmups, 57.5x8, 60x8
Chin: BWx8, BW+2.5x5, BW+5x4
Hip thrust: warmups, 25x12x3

Notes
Ok day.  Felt a bit tired from travel the last couple of days, and deadlifts had me sore too.  Overheads were done a new way, seated, from a pin set around nose level.  I never feel natural doing overheads with my structure, so this was a potential solution.  Seemed to be good, hit the shoulders, and upper back (which I used to notice as a newbie, years ago).  Copied the setup from David Liti's instagram story.  He used a bit more weight (105x6), but then he does overhead work more often (and can jerk over 227.5kgs).

Wednesday 1st May 2019

Week 2, Day 2
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 155x5x5
Warmups
Deadlifts: warmups, 180x4x3
Rows: warmups, 110x6, 117.5x6, 120x6 @7

Notes
Rushed early session but was pretty good overall.  Getting colder.

Monday 29th April 2019

Week 2, Day 1
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 145x7x3
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 150x5x5
Chins: BWx6x3
Closegrip Bench: warmups, 125x6, 132.5x6, 137.5x6 @6

Notes
Missed week one with travel, but now hitting ground running with week two.  Low load week, so nothing terribly difficult, other than not enough sleep. 

Saturday 20th April 2019

warmups

Bench: 175x3, 185x3, 195x3

Grips stuff x Lots

Notes

195 was deathly hard sincere my foot moved on rep two and lost tightness, but I will take it as a PR...

Friday 19th April 2019

warmups
Squat: warmups, 160x5, 170x5, 180x5
Bunch a shoulder presses

Notes
This hurt, back stopped aching later that day, after plenty of foam roller.

Wednesday 17th April 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 165x6, 175x6, 177.5x3 paused
Warmups
Deadlifts (no belt): warmups, 160x3, 160x5x5
Chins: bwx5x3, bwx6

Notes
Bench wasn't moving that well, but deadlift felt fine. 

Friday 12th April 2019

Warmups
Overhead press: working on technique through to 50x10
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 140x6, 150x6, 160x6

Notes
Pretty easy day.  Squats felt good, not maximal so will see how I push it next week.

Wednesday 10th April 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 160x6, 165x6, 170x6
Warmups
Banded leg curls: blackx30x3
Romanian DL: warmups, 100x10x4
Pushdowns: five sets to 32.5x10
Ab twists

Notes
Not feeling the greatest.  Cough is back.  But did some work, ate some food. 

8th April 2019

Warmups
Squats: warmups, 125x10, 130x10, 135x naw, my back aint ready for high reps
Bench: warmups, 120x10, 135x10, 150x10
Banded leg curls: 4sets
Bb curls: 20x10, 27.5x10, 35x10
Grip thing: 40x10x3
Plategrips and stuff

Notes
Gonna be sore tomorrow.  Back wasn't ready for doing too high reps on squat, plus first early morning for some time. 

Thursday 4th April 2019

Warmups
Some benches, some rows, some presses.

Messing around

Tuesday 2nd April 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 140x10, 150x10, 160x8
Squats: warmups, 120x10, 130x10

Notes
eh, still sore from the weekend really.

Saturday 30th March 2019

Warmups
Bench (touch'n'go): warmups, 180x1, 200x1, 210x1, 215xtooo close
Squat: warmups, 190x1, 210x1
Deadlift: warmups, 210x1, 227.5x3

Notes
Messed around a bit.  Felt like pushing the bench but ended up doing ok on all three.  First time over 200 for the year on bench.  210 was hard, but 215 was close, but really hard.  Ended up being happy to get it over the lip of the hook :) did not want to put it down after getting it that far.  BEtter than the last attempts in this area, as I got it well off the chest before running into the wall.  Squats looked easier than they felt.  A common problem for me, but perhaps 220 would have gone.  No injury, so thats a plus. Deadlifts I knew I would run out of a weight, so just did an AMRAP on everything.  Possibly could have gone 4, but still happy enough.

Thursday 28th March 2019

Warmups
Deadlift:warmups, 170x5x2
Some benches
Mucking around

Note
Nothing set

Tuesday 26th March 2019

Front squats: some stuff, realised they sucked and did a few back squats
Medium grip bench feet up: warmups, 100x10, 120x10, 140x10
Chins: BWx5x5

Notes
First day doing stuff after meet.  Feeling pretty good.

Wellington and Central Powerlifting Association Club Lift 2019, Wai Weight Gym, Masterton

Ok, so competition time.

Last two and a bit weeks of training were spent in hotels across China and Taiwan.  Last two weeks of training generally involved a treadmill, a cycle, or sporadically, a smiths machine.  I highlighted that in another post.  Then I managed to pick up a sore throat and a cough on the last few days of the China trip, and that has stuck with me.  So once returned, I had one light bench session that I logged earlier too.

So, Saturday morning, 6.45am leave the house and drive to a small town called Masterton.  The competition was being held in a local gym, set beside a house, amongst other houses, and actually set in the backyard.  Wai Weight Private Gym.

In the smaller meets here they tend to do things differently, mainly to make it easier on the team.  So weighins were really early, and the bench only crowd fitted into the normal flow of flights.  So all three flights did their squats, and then when they came back to bench the bench only team fitted in there.

So, weigh in was at 8.30am,  117.05kg, so easily under the cut off.  Lifting started just after 1pm.  So McDonalds breakfast, some mixed stuff to eat, a litre or so of rehydration and all good to go.  Warmed up early, and then timed the last three to the flight before, two singles at 140 and the last bench at 160 when the last lifter of the previous flight hit theirs.

Lifts
Opener: 170kg (good)
Rattle... normal for me to shake a little in competition.  But easy and fast.

Second: 190kg (good)
Rattle, but also comfortable.

Third: 200kg (good)
Felt good, down, and mostly up.  Then the smith machine training got me and I went out of position on the right hand, with the bar heading back towards my feet.  Locked out left, and forced the right hand back and into position to lock out.  Red from centre, white from each end as the bar didn't seem to go down, so its good.  Can't happen in bigger meets, but I shouldn't be training on a smith machine either.

So, a good performance considering some challenges along the way.   Training cycle was good, some progress made on numbers, hit PRs.  Time for the next block.  Target 6th June, Regional Bench Only Meet.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvVax0SAV6y

Wednesday 20th March 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 147.5x3x3

Notes
Last session before my meet.

Last couple of weeks

Left on 1st March for a two-ish week trip to China, so by standard, training was limited.

However, did keep a good level of activity up, and managed to train bench occasionally, only on the Smiths Machines, and then typically only up to ~170-180 range, as thats where the weight limit usually kicked in.

9th March
Up to 180x1 on smiths machine

13th March
Up to 177.5x1 (all of the weights at the gym)

14th March
Up to 175x5x2 (all of the weights in the gym)

16th March
Warmups, 195x1, 200x1, 190x2x2, 190x3

18th March
Warmups, 180x1x3

That was about it for the time.  Felt pretty solid for the movements.  They were all slightly angled smiths machines, so gave a good groove for the bench. 

Monday 25th February 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 157.5x6x4
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 177.5x3x5
Chins: BWx5x5
Close grip bench: warmups, 140x5, 145x5, 150x5, 155x5x2 @9

Notes

Back to the morning, but interrupted because I had to pick up the daughter from work.  OK, but not great.  Left wrist is sore from Saturdays work, never had that before.  Could feel the adductor on the four set of squat, but never more than just that.  

Saturday 23rd February 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 177.5x4x3, 182.5x4
Warmups
Paused deadlift: warmups, 175x3x3
Rows: warmups, 135x5, 142.5x5, 145x5
Glute thrust: 70x5, 110x5, 130x5
Closegrip bench: warmups, 165x3, 170x3, 175x3

Notes
A good session.  Pushed a little with bench, and it was ok, but not used to that sorta load on the new gear so it was a little wobblier than it should have been.  All good though.

Friday 22nd February 2019

Warmups
Squat: warmups, 160x7x4
Overhead press: warmup, suck x suck x suck.
Chins: BW-red band x8x3

Notes
Suck.  Fatigued to shit from Wednesday.  Plus 85% humidity or higher in the garage.  Eh.. suck.  Gotta figure out an alternative for overhead press.  I cannot get it working for me.  Seated I am fine with, but standing is limited by my lower back/long torso giving me shit levers.  Losing balance overhead as well.  Sorta helped by doing overhead pin press, but still really weak compared to my bench.

Wednesday 20th February 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 170x5x5
Warmups
Deadlifts: warmups, 195x4x2, 207.5x4, 215x4
Rows: warmups, 120x6, 127.5x6, 132.5x6 @8

Notes
Weee.  Tired from Mondays bench still, so it was work today.  Then deadlifts I pushed up a bit far, but did some good work.  But oh well, gotta push stuff occasionally.

Monday 18th February 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 165x7x4
Warmups
Squat: warmups, 167.5x5x5
Chins: bwx8, bwx6x2
Closegrips, warmups, 137.5x6, 145x6, 150x6 @8

Notes
Hard day.  Was moderately warm, but the weights went well.  Bench got fatiguing and pumped in the end, but happy to go for repeat sets at that weight.  The most I have done for 7 before was 170, and it was for one set.  Squat is eh at the moment.  Feeling like I am going deep but videos do not really show that level of depth.  Will work on this.  Weights are not good for squat, at least not yet.  Good to have some endurance though, as the fifth set was broadly better than the first.

Saturday 16th February 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 175x4x4
Closegrips: warmups, 165x3, 170x3, 172.5x3 @9.5

Notes
Well...  might have to reconsider doing the single thing all week, as those days off are nice for recovery.  Tired, sore, fatigued.

Friday 15th February 2019

Walk
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 155x7x4
Paused deadlifts: warmups, 170x3x3
Rows: warmups, 127.5x5, 130x5, 135x5, 140x5x2

Notes
tired after a long week, started lifting around 7ish and by the time it finished (wifey had done hers) was closer to 9.  Need a sleep and a beer.  Protein pancakes with sugar free syrup for dinner...

Thursday 14th February 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 167.5x5x5
Overhead press: warmups, 60x8, 65x8, 67.5x8 (messed up into two as I held my breath too long)
Chins: bwx5x4, bwx6

Notes
Shithouse day.  Slow and steady through the bench. First time overhead after benching, this cycle, which was draining.  Eat, sleep, rinse, repeat.

Wednesday 13th February 2019

Warmups
Deadlifts: 190x4x3, 200x4
Rows: 117.5x6, 120x6, 125x6, 127.5x6 @8
Glute bridge: 70x8x3

Notes
Good day, running late though.  Deadlifts were feeling strong so pushed it up, and even that felt good.  I might run out of weights earlier than I thought...  it might be that my weights are lighter than the old gyms, but then last week felt really good too.

Tuesday 12th February 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 160x7x4
rest
Closegrip bench: warmups, 137.5x6, 142.5x6, 145x6, 147.5x6 @9

Notes
Warmish, but solid session.  Longer rests than normal to allow any tricep fatigue to dissipate.  Thats the main limiting factor on higher rep sets, triceps endurance.  Felt strong really.

Monday 11th February 2019

Walk
Warmups
Squat: warmups, 165x5x5
Chins: bwx5x4, bwx6

Notes
First night time session and it was 28deg/83F which is hot for here, so didn't really appreciate it, at least the direct sunlight going into the garage.  But work was done, and wasn't too bad considering distractions.  Chins felt strong, will increase the reps next time through.  Was trying to cook dinner while out squatting, but the oven decided it no longer needed to work.  Stupid thing.

Saturday 9th February 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 170x4x4
Warmups
Paused deadlifts: warmups, 165x3x3
Rows: warmups, 125x5x3, 130x5, 135x5 @9
Closegrip bench: warmups, 160x3, 167.5x3, 172.5x3 @9

Notes
Second day at home.  Ok day.  Gonna take some time to get used to being in the different setup.

Friday 8th February 2019

Walk
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 152.5x7x4
Overhead press: messing around, 60x8x2, 67.5x8
Chins: BWx5x5
Glute thrusts/bridge: 60x6x4
Walk

Note
First session on my home gym setup.  It is not quite finished, but it is a fully functional battle station.  Overheads were done seated, but ended up standing.  Will likely progress to doing them outside of the rack, as when inside it whacks the plate on the upper support.  Glute thrusts were done off the bench for the first set, which then slid across the garage and dropped me on my ass.  The remaining sets were done as a glute bridge, which actually felt better than the thruster.

I started training in gyms 30 years ago.  Most of this time I have spent squatting into a mirror, and squatting against a cable machine is a little change of pace.  Will take some time to get use to just using my internal ques, rather than using some visual. 

Wednesday 6th February 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 165x5x5
Warmups
Deadlifts: warmups, 187.5x4x4
Rows: warmups, 115x6, 120x6, 122.5x6x2
Treadmill: 11mins
Stretch

Notes
Waitangi day today, which is a public holiday, so the gym is only open certain hours.  Today is also the type of day that makes me happy that I am getting my home gym set up.  Idiots everywhere.  Far too many instagram folks videoing their lifting.   Weights went well, could feel the fatigue sneaking in from the benches, but the deadlifts were pretty good.  Was pretty much toasted by the rows though. 

Monday 4th February 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 155x7x4
Warmups
Squat: warmups, 160x5x5
Closegrip bench: warmups, 137.5x6, 142.5x6, 145x6, 140x6 @8
Rows: warmups, four sets to 98.5x6 @8

Notes
Eh, tired, didn't sleep well.  Felt slow and awful.  Bench was ok, but only paused the first few reps of each set.  Squat felt ok, but on my second set I got my little adductor twinge.  Not bad, but I could feel it.  I also had my knee sleeves on, and I believe I squatted a tad wider than I had been.  Warmups were good, everything felt ok, but yeah.  Finished my sets with the narrower normal stance, and it was all ok.  Could feel it at depth, but didn't impact on anything.  Roller, stretch, rinse, repeat. 

Saturday 2nd February 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 165x4x4
Paused deadlifts; warmups, 160x3x3
Rows: warmups, 110x5, 117.5x5, 120x5, 125x5, 130x5 @9
Closegrip bench: warmups, 157.5x3, 162.5x3, 167.5x3 @8
Walk outside: ~20min

Notes
OK day.  Paused sumos are fine, paused conventional sucks.  But worked through it to get the groove down.  Should have gone a little heavier with the closegrips but otherwise, pretty good.  Much cooler today than yesterday.  But then yesterday I ordered a bunch of bumpers for my home setup.  Getting closer!

Friday 1st February 2019

Warmups
Squats: warmups, 145x7x4
Overhead press: warmups, 72.5x8, 80x8x2 @9
Glute thrusts: multiple sets to 50x10x2
Chest supported rows: four working sets to 110x10 @8
Treadmill: 10mins

Notes
Eh... humid night with a garbage sleep.  Still moderately humid at the gym but has settled down to 70% now.   Squats felt ok, but tiring :) and overheads ran out of tricep endurance.  Ehh... back on the program now my visitors have gone. 

Wednesday 30th January 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 157.5x5x5
Warmups
Deadlift: warmups, 182.5x4x4
Rows: warmups, 110x6, 117.5x6x2, 120x6 @8
Treadmill: 10mins

Notes
Not a bad day.  Diet has been a bit hit or miss on holiday with visitors, but still chugging along with training early.  Bench was comfortable.  Deadlift was good, and felt similar to last week, so thats progressing nicely. 

Monday 28th January 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 150x7x4
Warmups
Squat: warmups, 155x5x5
Closegrip bench: warmups, 130x6, 137.5x6, 140x6, 142.5x6 @8.5
Treadmill: 7.5mins
Chest supported row: warmups, four sets to 96x6x2 @8

Notes
Eh... should have drinks the night before training...  but oh well.  Triceps faded fast on the last set of bench, adding the extra set and the body wasn't quite ready, so replaced the bar, and rested for a few seconds before the final rep.  Will see how next weeks goes before I reassess.  Squats were hard but ok.  Closegrip I had got my groove back.

Friday 25th January 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 160x4x3
Warmups
Paused Deadlift: warmups, 155x3x2
Barbell rows: warmups, 110x5, 117.5x5, 122.5x5 @7
Closegrip Bench: warmups, 155x3, 162.5x3 @8.5
Treadmill: 10mins

Notes
Tired but worked through it all.

Thursday 24th January 2019

Warmups
Squats: warmups, 142.5x7x3
Overhead press: warmups, 70x8, 77.5x8 @7
Glute bridge with dumbell: up to 36x12x3, unweighted single leg for 12 reps each side
Treadmill: 10mins
Row machine: up to 104x10 @7

Notes
Feeling a little beat from traveling yesterday, 4-5 hours in a car, plus walking around a fair bit.  Shouldn't have been that long but Wellington traffic is a bit retarded most of the time. 

Tuesday 22nd January 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 152.5x5x4
Warmups
Deadlifts: warmups, 175x4x3
Rows: warmups, 105x6, 115x6, 117.5x6 @8
Walking around

Notes
Slightly abbreviated training this week as I am away tomorrow and the gym strengthening work takes place on Saturday so its closed all day.  Bench was heavier than it should have been.  Deadlifts were heavy, and lower back was a little tired out from yesterday.  But, for the first time in many many years, potentially for ever, the deadlift felt right.  At least, the last three reps of each set.  If I can get that feeling for the first rep I am happy.  Likely will be driven by getting tight in the correct way during the setup. 

Monday 21st January 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 145x7x3
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 150x5x4
Closegrip bench: warmups, 132.5x6, 137.5x6, 140x6 @7
Treadmill: 10mins
Rows: warmups, three sets to 96x6 @7

Notes
Later day as its a public holiday for me.  Humid, so sweating heaps during and after this.  Blowing a gale as well, gusts up to 50km/h.  Overall a good day. 

Saturday 19th January 2019

Treadmill: 5mins

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 155x4x3

Paused deadlift: warmups, 147.5x3x2 (belt on)

Rows: warmups, 100x5, 110x5, 115x5, 117.5x5 @8

Closegrip bench: warmups, 152.5x3, 157.5x3 @7

Notes

Feeling a bit rough today, but session was ok.  Bar the gym being partially closed off for seismic strengthening work, so a rack was out of action.  Students were also back so the NZ version of frat boys arrived to take over every single free space so they can pose into the mirrors.  Alphalete tops and all.  Weight down nicely this week.

Friday 18th January 2019

Treadmill: 5mins
Warmups
Squats: warmups, 137.5x7x3
Overhead press: warmups, 65x8, 75x8 @8
Barbell glute thrust: warmup, 90x4x3, 0x20
Rows: warmups, 3sets to 91.5x10 @7
Treadmill: warmups

Notes
Back is starting to feel a little fatigued. Actually lower back is feeling it, but also upper back, the lats haven't had this much work for some time. 

Wednesday 16th January 2019

Treadmill: 3mins
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 150x5x5
Deadlifts: warmups, 170x4x3
Rows: warmups, 100x6, 110x6, 115x6 @7
Treadmill: 10mins

Notes
Felt pretty good today.  Been foam rolling my shoulders, back, adductors, hamstrings and calves most nights and it appears to be helping.  Either that or eating a good amount of carbs is helping recovery more than I have noticed before. 

Monday 14th January 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 140x7x3
Squats: warmups, 145x5x5
Closegrip bench: warmups, 130x6, 135x6, 137.5x6 @7ish
Rows: up to 89x6 @6
Treadmill: 5mins

Notes
Everything felt slow today.  Heavy and slow.  But worked through it and go there. 

Saturday 12th January 2019

Treadmill: 6mins
Warmups
Bench: warmups, 150x4x3
Paused Deadlifts: warmups, 140x3x2 (no belt)
Rows: warmups, 100x5, 110x5, 115x5, 117.5x5 @7
Closegrip bench: warmups, 150x3, 155x3 @8
Stretch/walk: 10mins

Notes
Ok day.  Felt a little stiff from yesterday but better than expected.  Actually slept right through the night for the first time in a month!!!...

Friday 11th January 2019

Treadmill: 8mins
Warmups
Squat: warmups, 132.5x7x3
Overhead press: warmups, 60x8, 70x8 @8
Rows: 3 sets up to 89x10 @7
Barbell glute thrust: 50x8x3
Treadmill: 10mins

Notes
Eh... had the most awful sleep on Wednesday night, and fatigue just drags on.  Squats were ok, but a little volume kills the quads.  Also moving slower than I would normally, so make sure the legs stay in the right position, and then the adductor behaves.  Glute thrust like a fitspo girl.  Not heavy, just wobbly.  Will progress upwards a lot, but might need to adjust how I do them.  Likely will have to add a little padding to stop the barbell wandering around.  Will likely try some band ones at some point, at least once I get fully up to speed at home, rather than doing them at the gym. Having band pegs will be good.

Wednesday 9th January 2019

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 145x5x4
Deadlifts: warmups, 165x4x3
Rows: warmup, 80x6, 100x6x2 @7
Treadmill: 12mins
Stretching n stuff

Notes
Eh, the a.m. is too early.  Leg are still sore from Monday, and after warmup the addudctor side of the left thigh, the one that has been pissy, was sore.  Not the same sore, just more like apparent DOMs only in that area.  Didn't seem to slow things down, or hurt while deadlifting.  Trying to improve my technique, having a few cues which are easy on the low weights, but will take a little more effort over time to get it working.

Current plans for 2019 competition season

Well...

Its a new year and a new set of plans.

Competitions

NZ powerlifting changed somewhat last year, on the tail end of the IPF fun with PA/Robert Wilkes.  That means that in NZ we now have NZPF continuing under the IPF banner, and then World Powerlifting (obviously) the World Powerlifting banner.   Plan is to stick in the IPF world at the moment, even though I can out lift the WP 120kg class 45-50 Masters record currently (its 190kg, and I did 195kg last year).  The NZ records are even lower, being close to the open 120kg class record.  The larger lifts are in the IPF, and will work towards that, then change my mind later :)

So the current plan is

23rd March - CDPA Qualifier - Wai Weight Gym, Masterton

15th June - CDPA Bench Champs - Platform Gym, Palmerston North

28th September - NZPF Bench Champs - TBC, Canterbury 

November - Bledisbro (WPNZ meet, but will decide closer to the time :))

Training

I like Sheiko training, although my last few blocks of 2018 were not that successful at adding additional weights.  So, what I am planning to do, is provide a little more periodization how I normally structure it.  I have been reading and watching a bunch of stuff over the Christmas period, including Eric Helms Training Pyramid, Boris Sheiko's English translation of his book, the Juggernaut manual, dragging out my old Coan programs from the early 1990's, then listening to the various things around Joey from Flexx Training Systems.  Of the four, Sheiko approaches things slightly differently, but that's OK, The other three have a lot more similarities, in structure and function.  Coan is classical linear periodization with a hypertrophy/accumulation phase, a strength/intensification phase, a peaking/realization phase, and then taper into competition.  Helms, Juggernaut and Joey have these aspects, but they provide a range of things that allow you to modify the actual structure, and differentiate the periodization structure.  Sheiko has aspects of all of this, but it is certainly set up differently.  So what I planned, and developed somewhat, was a linear structure, transitioning into my first competition of the year.  I had set up a couple of weeks, and a rough idea of everything.  But never gotten right to the point of designing the whole thing.  Then TSA updated their freebie intermediate 9-week program, which is a mixture of linear and undulating periodization.  Bryce is also from the Eric Helms school of training programming, so this fitted in nicely with that program, aligns to Erics books, and provides a little structure without me having to think.  Four days a week, two squats, three benches, a few accessories.  Deadlift is planned 2x weekly, but my low back may not handle this, so will be monitoring it and adjusting the frequency to suit.  

Diet

For somebody who has  their primary education in Nutrition and employed in the area, its the thing that I fek around with the least.  And by that, I am always hungry, never full, which is pretty common, but means I can jam in a lot of food in a short time period.  I am good when good, and bad when bad, which on average is pretty eh.  

So, the goal is to be good more often than bad :)  Work my way to a higher carb, moderately high protein mix, with moderate/lower fat.  I don't mind low carb, it just has never done anything special for me, besides mess with my recovery and performance.  

Using the construct from Eric Helms (The Muscle and Strength Nutrition Pyramid) along with my own input.

Energy

Although I have been doing a lot more daily physical activity, its still not major.  My average for last year was 12k steps per day.  My watch tells me I walked 9km per day, or 3285km for the year.  But then, compared to the NZ average of ~4300 its pretty good.   Over double the global average for my age, and nearly triple the average for my BMI.  Obviously this has an implication for total energy expenditure.  So, what would be the total energy requirement?  Three ways I can estimated that.  Guess, estimate from previous intake/weight change data I have, and finally, calculate from public metabolic rate calculators, with estimates for energy intake.  

What would these look like.

1) Guessing - I want to eat more, but need to be less fat :) so not  really useful.   But, instead of pure guessing, I will say the values from my Apple watch are as good as guessing.  My average total energy from last year is 3705kCal.  

2) Estimate from previous intake/weight change (using ~3500kCal/lb of fat as an estimate). I have a range of data on this, with values from last year.  I have some data from a few years ago, along with some statistics from that, but that requires more digging.  Last years estimates put it at 4080kCal.

3) Finally, calculation.  Some use a simple 10kcal/lb estimate, but as I am in NZ, I will use the Schofield equation, which uses weight, height and age to provide a value of 9.413MJ, and then uses physical activity ratios to estimate how much other stuff is done.  PAL ranges from 1.2 (bed rest) to 2.2 (very active or heavy occupational work). They correspond to the following activities: 1.2 – bed rest; 1.4 – very sedentary; 1.6 – light activity; 1.8 – moderate activity; 2.0 – heavy activity; 2.2 – vigorous activity.  PALs of 1.75 and above are consistent with good health.  PALs below 1.4 are incompatible with moving around freely or earning a living.  So that would put me somewhere in the 1.8x area, good amount of walking compared to the average population, plus 4 planned training sessions per week, likely to increase later in the year.  So, 9.413 x 1.8 = 16.94MJ converts to 4049kCal/

So, pretty much all are within a similar range.  But, I will take the lower of the three, just because of past experience.  

Now, my primary goal is weight loss.  So, that requires a deficit.  Because I prefer a slightly larger deficit, I will aim for 1000kcals (for ~0.9kg/week estimated loss, 0.75% BW), which gives me ~2700kcal to play with.  I also do not track my coffee, and the milk that goes into it, so I will cut off 200kcal for that, which is approximately 450mls of the higher protein skim I use in most of my coffee.  

2500kcal target.

Protein

Protein is a never ending lolz fest for research and lay public.  General bbr lore puts protein as high as possible, but typically sets a minimum at 1g/lb, which ends up at 2.2g/kg for those more modern folks in the world.  Going from research the latest systematic review  puts the recommendation at 1.6g/kg, or if the data was presented the same as the typical RDA, the recommendation would be +2SD, so 2.2g/kg/day.  Pretty similar.  Adding to this, there are two recent papers using Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation to identify the requirements for resistance trainers, male and female, which indicate a similar RDA (or Safe Intake, depending on the parlance) of 2.2g/kg, and 1.9g/kg for the males and females, respectively.

So, 2.2g/kg.  If I times that by my, admittedly, fat body weight, it adds up to a lot of protein.  Now, that's based upon muscle mass, or a break point on amino acids/nitrogen, where as the outcome of interest for me is primarily strength.  How can protein help strength?  Less directly.  There is no realistic direct influence, or ergogenic effect of protein on strength.  It will impact strength through other mechanisms, either improved muscular recovery which enables training more, or more time spent at the high %1RM, which will have a large effect.  Or, it will aid in the gaining and retention of muscle, which is a component of strength.  

So, Based upon the above (for Males), a dose of 1.6g/kg will provide adequate protein to maximize muscle, or meet the needs of amino acid/nitrogen for 50% of the population, and a dose of 2.2g/kg will meet the needs of nearly all males (97.5%).  

So for me, that's about 192 - 264g.  I am also quite fat.  Fat tissue is metabolically active, but not a tissue that is a substantial target of dietary protein.  Some recommendations have focused on recommending protein per kg fat free mass, or lean mass.  In the Nutrition Pyramid, they highlight using your height in centimeters as a proxy, so that would be 174g, which will be around that ~2g/kg.  Dieting typically results in greater muscle loss, so a higher protein diet during these periods may be advantageous to prevent muscle loss.  A little more speculative, but typically 10% increase in recommendations, so that would put me at the 200g/day target. Per total body weight, that would be around the 1.7g/kg mark, or right on target for the average recommendation. Wordy, overly wordy, but a good speculative target. 200g would be plus whatever protein is in the milk, which is approximately 25g per 450ml. Which means the protein intake I am targeting will be 175g/day.

175g minimum.

Fat

Fat intake is really poorly defined for athletes.  But, it tastes good, and maintains a good proportion of a normal diet.  Normal dietary guidelines recommend a fat intake below ~35% of energy.  But, if I am trying to reduce energy, and reducing carbohydrate impairs performance, then something has to give.  Louise Burke (Australian Institute of Sport), and some of the natural bodybuilding recommendations highlight the value of 15-25%, or 15-30% of energy, respectively.  The Nutrition Pyramid mentioned earlier highlights the 15-25% range, with a minimum at 0.5g/kg. That sets a range of 42 - 70g, and minimum at 60g. This gives me a target of around 60-70g/day, aka 25%. Going lower than this, with foods I want to consume, is more complex. The fat content of the coffee will be ~1g, so negligible.

70g maximum. (acceptable range ~60-80g/day assuming energy is suitable)

Carbohydrate

Carbs are not essential.  But, eating them tends to help my performance and recovery.  So, what does the literature say on carbohydrate for strength athletes?   Actually, its also pretty poorly defined.  Really poorly.  Lifting weights can deplete glycogen, but more so on higher volume type work.  Which makes sense, as for low rep work, the predominant energy pathway for ATP generation will be the phosphocreatine pathway.  Outside of this, there will be more anaerobic ATP generation, and some aerobic.   But all depends.  If we take a strength athlete, a good proportion, ~50% of volume will be in the 2-5 rep range, which is less glycogen demanding.  The actual optimal amount is unknown.  Eric sets a minimum at 1g/kg, or approximately 120g, which is similar to the RDA that USA sets at 135g.  Various recommendations highlight a range of intakes.  The AIS reference above highlights values of 6-8g/kg/day for weight loss (in athletes, so includes all sports), they also recommend 5-7g/kg/day for athletes with daily recommendations for bodybuilders.  Other researchers recommend a range of 4-7g/kg/day depending on the phase of training, but also note athletes were taking in only 3-7g/kg depending on the exact sport.  They also highlight the actual intakes from surveys show ~3-5g/kg/day carbohydrate intake.  The other way of calculating it, is as recommended by the Nutrition Pyramid, or Erics paper where they say carbohydrates make up the remaining energy.  That would be 1170kCals, or 293g carbohydrate, or 2.4g/kg, so quite low.  But also quite fat, so, perhaps lean mass is a better area, which is approximately 3.2g/kg.  Of course, the coffee will provide ~23g of carbohydrate, but even with this the carbohydrate intake is still at the bottom end of the range.

290g maximum (acceptable range ~260-322g assuming energy intake is suitable)

Supplements

I believe supplements are useful additions to the diet.  The following supplements are included in my program, some for ergogenic effects, others for a nutritional infill.  

1) Creatine Monohydrate - duh

2) Pre-workout - either caffeine/tyrosine mixture, or an Optimum Nutrition product.

3) MyProtein Vitamin/Mineral tablet

4) MyProtein Vitamin D capsule

Other products I will take that some would classify as supplements, but I see them as alternative food sources, including protein powder (usually MyProtein whey), carbohydrate powder (usually VitaSport electrolyte mix) and fish oil (whatever the store has).

Monday 7th January 2019

Warmups
Squat: warmups, 145x5x4
Bench: warmups, 142.5x7x3
Machine row: warmups, 75x6, 84x6x2 @7
Treadmill: 5mins
Closegrip Bench: warmups, 125x6, 130x6, 135x6 @7

Notes
First day back,   Have continued doing my steps/Apple Watch activity, rigbht through Christmas and New Year, plus been doing about 20 chin ups every other day on my rack.  Usually in sets of 1-2-3, as I suck, but its been improving :)
Training is changing up this year somewhat, trying a few new things and see where that hits me.  Still 2-3x weekly but different loading and rep schemes, stolen off TSA free intermediate program, modified a bit to suit me.