Wednesday 31st May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 87.5x5, 105x5, 122.5x5x2, 131.5x4x5

Pulldowns:  50x12x4

Single arm pushdowns: 10x20x4

Notes

Nice session.  Everything hurt to start with but freed up with a bit more warmth.

Tuesday 30th May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups

Highbar squats: warmups, 160x8x2

Stepups: 20x8x3

Leg extension: 20x30, +black bandx25, x30

Chins: red bandx5x2, redbandx6

Notes

Harder than it should have been, smacked the edge of the rack on the second set which threw things off and made it worse.  

Sunday 28th May 2023

Walk: 10mins

Warmups

2board: warmups, 172x3, 177.5x3, 181.5x3

Cable rows: 50x12, 70x12x3

Side raise: red bandx15+15x3, redbandx15+15+10-15

Single arm Pushdowns: 10x12, 15x10, 17.5x8, 10x12

Lots of forearm stuff

Notes

Good session.  Lower body was toasted, but upper felt good.  Had to go to 181.5 so I could get the 400lb mark.  Feeling like its improving week on week.  So the current plan is to include 2board until I get to my nationals block, then switch back to pin press.  Repeating what I had sorta done for the Nations 2019 block.   Not quite the same, but trying.  

Saturday 27th May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups

Squats: warmups, 207.5x1, 180x5x2

Bench: warmups, 170x1, 145x4x3

Deadlifts: warmups, 220x1, 180x4, 190x4

Notes

Squat moved ok considering I felt pretty bleh.  Bench was good, long paused.   Ribs didn't hurt during early stuff.  Warmups for deadlifts is where it reared its head.  Cannot put the belt high enough to get into the positioning that I need for a big pull, because it hurts.   Doh.  But messed around pulling 100 for a few tries to get something that allowed me to do it.  Wasn't quite in position for the mainset, but the reps worked well.  Wasn't hard per se.  So I need to figure out that first rep.  

Thursday 25th May 2023

Walk: ~12 mins

RDL: warmups, 100x8, 120x8, 140x8

Standing Leg Curl: 10x12, 20x8, 25x8x2

Copenhagen: 10x3

Notes

Didn't feel like training this morning, so didn't.  Did some this afternoon.  The rib is now an ache, rather than sharp pain.  But gave the floaters a break to give it more rest.  Did the RDL and it was fine.  Felt the hammies.  

Wednesday 24th May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 87.5x8, 96x7, 105x6, 113.5x6(oops), 122.5x4, 131x3x2, 140x2x2, 148.5x1x2, 140x2x2, 131x3x2, 122.5x4, 113.5x6, 105x8, 96x10, 87.5x12

Pulldowns: 50x12x3

Single arm pushdowns: 10x20x3

Notes

Weeeee.  Much fun.  Thats some good work.  Always enjoyed these monster pyramids.  Its not easy, but solid hard work.  

Tuesday 23rd May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups

Highbar squat: warmups, 150x8x3

Stepups: 15x8x4

Leg extensions: 20x30, 20+bandx30, 20+2bandsx30

Chins: black band x5x3

Notes

Not a bad day considering I was pretty tired.  Moved ok.   Could tell the rib was sore, but it didn't change anything.  

Sunday 21st May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups

2board: warmups, 160x3, 170x3, 172x3

Cable row: 50x12, 70x12x3

Band side raise: redx10+10, blackx10+10, Blackx10+10+20

Pushdowns: 10x12, 15x12, 20x8, 15x12

Notes

Did the side raise with 10 partials, 10 full rage, and then the final set with a bunch of partials.  Did pump.  

Saturday 20th May 2023

Walk: 12mins

Warmups

Squat: warmups, 205x1, 175x5x2

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 160x1, 142.5x4x3

Deadlifts: warmups, 210x1, 180x4

Notes

Stupid rib is sore.  Survived squats but possibly was a little heavy for those.  Feeling weak really :)

Thursday 18th May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups

Floating deadlifts: warmups, 160x3, 180x3x2

RDL: 140x8x3

Lying legcurls: 20x30x3

Copenhagen things: 12x3

Notes

Aggravated the rib on the left hand side.  I thought that was a lat insertion pain and it didn't impact me, but my warmup belt position really screwed it.  Didn't impact the lifting on the day, but hurt over the course of the day. Couldn't cough.

Wednesday 17th May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 88x5, 105.5x4, 123x3x2, 140.5x2x3, 131.5x3x2, 123x4, 105.5x6, 88x8

Pulldowns: 1 1/2 reps: 5-x9, 1/2 reps 70x12x2, 80x12, full: 60x12

Single arm pushdowns: 10x15x3  with a few 1/2 reps at the beginning.

Notes

Struggling with diet adherence at the moment.  But meant everything went well.  Was listening to the partial reps for hypertrophy on Iron Culture, so did the assistance exercise with some partial reps in the stretch position.  The pulldowns were the first 1/2 of the movement.  The single arm pushdowns, I did 5-6 1/2 reps at the beginning, and then full range 15.   Pump was nice.

Tuesday 16th May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups

High-bar squats: warmups, 140x8x3

Step-ups: +10x12x3

Leg extensions: 20x30x3

Chins: Purplex6x3

Notes

Nice session.  Hate mornings.

Saturday 13th May 2023

Walk: 18mins

Warmups

Comp squat: warmups, 180x1, 156x5

Comp bench: warmups, 152.5x1, 134.5x4x2

Comp deadlift: warmups, 215x1, 189x4

Notes

Nice first SBD day.  Was quick than I thought, but it was also light.

Thursday 11th May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups
Floating DL: warmups, 140x3, 160x3

RDL: 100x8x2

Standing leg curl: 10x15, 20x15x3

Copenhagen stuff: 12x3

Notes

A running late session, but everything moved ok.  Still have a weird little pain on the bottom of my left lat, but didn't hurt during the movement.  Happy to have day off tomorrow.

Wednesday 10th May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups

Comp bench: warmups, 87.5x6, 105x5, 122.5x4x2, 131.5x3x2, 140x2x2, 131.5x3x2, 122.5x4, 113.5x6, 105x8, 87.5x10

Pulldowns: 50x15x4

Pushups: bwx12x2

Single arm pushdowns: 10x15, 12x12x3

Notes

Weeeeeeeeee.  I haven't done a Sheiko style pyramid for ages and thought it would make for a fun inter-competition day.  Certainly gonna feel this for a few days.

Tuesday 9th May 2023

Walk: 8mins

Warmups

Highbar squat (With sleeves): warmups, 130x8x2

Stepups: BWx12x3

Leg extensions: 20x25x2, 20x20

Chins: purplex5x3

Notes

Last week I did a few really light sessions, a lot of walking and some stretching.  Had been debating a few ways of setting up the inter-competition period, but have come up with something a little different to normal in terms of structure

Wellington and Central Powerlifting Association Regional Powerlifting Championships 2023, Zenith Fitness, Papaioea

Another year, another regionals.  But this time I did the whole thing.   I didn't really diet into this, I actually increased my food intake significantly, but I still lost weight.  Maybe the lack of creatine, maybe the lack of training, but it dropped by about a kilogram. 

This was my first competition as a M2 lifter, as I turn 50 this year.  

Weighed in at 116.4kg, which means the weight class was 120kg by a good margin.  Ate a bunch, drank a bunch.

Watched some lifting, and then went for a walk to warmup like normal, did my adductor squeeze and my side lunges.  Started squatting.  Moderately mixed warmup, but felt ok.  

Squats

First attempt: 210kg - always concerned about depth, but sunk the lift and 3 whites, fast.

Second attempt: 220kg - a little slower but three whites.  120kg M2 WCPA Record.

Third attempt: 230kg - a good grind, but moved ok, 3 whites.  120kg M2 WCPA Record.

Warmed up bench a little more, but still wasn't standard flow.  

Bench

First attempt: 160.5kg - bench felt low.  Weight felt ok and moved quickly.  3 whites.  120kg M1/M2 WCPA Record.

Second attempt: 170kg - bench still felt low.  Moved ok. 3 whites. 120kg M1/M2 WCPA Record.

Third attempt: 175.5kg - bench felt low.  Weight felt ok, but got stuck 75% of the way up. 3 reds.

Felt a little stiff, so warmed up deadlifts a little more at the lower end, and then jumped quite quickly.  

Deadlifts

First attempt: 235kg - moved fast.  3 whites.  120kg M2 WCPA Record.

Second attempt: 252.5kg - moved fast.  3 whites.  120kg M2 WCPA Record.

Third attempt: 260kg - moved reasonably fast.  3 whites.  120kg M2 WCPA Record.

Total: 660kg.  120kg M1 WCPA Record.  120kg M2 WCPA Record.  

This was the highest total I have ever had, equipped or unequipped.  Not by much, but above.  It was my highest raw squat, but below my best 250kg equipped (injured - I repped more at the gym and was meant to open at 270-280 :|).  Wasn't my best bench.  But the deadlift was the most I have ever done, regardless.  I know I had moved 252.5 when I was a junior, and 255 back in 2009.  But 260 felt like it moved fast enough to be good for 265-270. 

So, the whole thing was a successful meet.  8/9 lifts.  

For my competitions since I returned to real lifting in 2018 I have hit 38/42 lifts.  Over 90%.

Time to ramp it up.