Tuesday 28th May 2024

Walk

Adductor squeeze, lateral squats

Squats: warmups, 213x1, 157x8x3

Bench: warmups,128x7x3

Pulldowns: 50x20x3

Split squats: warmups, 47x8, 57x8x2

Notes

This sucks ... doh

Saturday 25th May 2024

Walk

Adductor squeeze, RDL

Deadlifts: warmups, 250x DOH, 250x1, 206x5x2

Bench: warmups, 90.5x5, 108.5x4, 126.5x3x2, 145x2x3, 136x3x2, 126.5x4, 108.5x6, 90.5x8

RDL: warmups, 110x8, 130x8, 150x8

Pulldowns: 30x12, 50x8, 70x8, 80x8x2

Notes

Deadlifts did not feel great.  I failed the first top set with fkn around and not having the belt in the right place early on.  The second was better but not great.  The work sets sucked.   Might not use straps next week to see if that improves the work sets.  I am also contemplating the top set may not be the thing for me.  Will keep this in mind.  

Thursday 23rd May 2024

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 167.5x1, 138x5x3

Pulldowns

Lying leg extensions: 20x20x3

Weird leg curls: 20x20x3

Copenhagen Adductor: 12x3

Notes

Shoulder felt better than it has, but things still not really 'moving'.  Trying to do more leg extension/curls at long muscle length.  

Tuesday 21st May 2024

Warmups

Adductor squeeze, lateral squats

Squats: warmups, 210x1, 154x8x3

Bench: warmups, 128x7x3

Pulldowns: 50x12x3

Split squats: 27x8, 37x8, 47x8

Notes

Bleh.  Squats felt ok, bench felt rough.  

Saturday 18th May 2024

Walk

Warmups

Adductor squeeze, RDL

Deadlifts: warmups, 250x1, 206x5x2

Bench: warmups, 90x6, 108x5, 126x4x2, 135x3x2, 144x2x2, 135x3x2, 126x4, 117x6, 108x8, 90x10

RDL; 100x8, 120x8

Pulldowns: 35x12, 60x8, 70x8, 80x8

Notes
Deadlifts felt ok but slow.  Bench was massive and a little pain.  RDLS moved nicely.

Tired, this left me quite fatigued.   Strangely.  

Thursday 16th May 2024

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 165x1, 135x5x2

Leg curls

Leg extensions

Pulldowns

Notes

A nice quick little session.

Tuesday 14th May 2024

Walk

Adductor squeeze, lateral squats

Squats: warmups, 205x1, 151x8x2

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 125x7x2

Pulldowns: 50x12x3

Bulgarian squat: 27x12x2

Standing leg curls; 10x12, 20x12x3

Notes

First real session back in the garage.  

Next few months

So...

I have the target to compete in the Oceania Regional Powerlifting & Bench Press  Championships, Noumea, New Caledonia.   7th-14th October 2024.

My training for that block will be starting roughly in the beginning of August.  

So, we have a little of May, then June and July to work with.  So a slightly reduced off-season block to get some work in, and then a pre-block, followed by a full competition cycle.  

This off-season block will be done three days a week, and largely in the evenings, rather than a.m. to give me a break from the early mornings for a bit.  Unfortunately will be getting back into that for the coldest months, but will survive.  

Looking forward to getting back to moving.  Some good work planned, quite low RPE, but still chugging away with some fun.  The bench will have a bench pyramid in the plan, why? because I enjoy the work from them.  I don't think they are optimal, or required, but enjoyment is always a part of it.  

I am also dieting, but mainly to make my prep into competition easy.  I will be dieting until ~1-2kg under the weight class, and eat my way into the meet.  Ok weighing in at 120 on the dot, but eating into the meet is far superior for gains than dieting.  

Thursday 9th May 2024

Warmups

RDL: warmups, 100x8x2

Bench: warmups, 100x8x2

Notes

talking to home, nice little simple workout.  

Tuesday 7th May 2024

Walk

Warmups

Larson bench: warmups, 100x8x2

Adductor squeeze

Highbar squat: warmups, 100x8x2

Notes

Just getting moving

Wellington and Central Powerlifting Regional Championships 2024, 318 Fitness, Paraparaumu, Kāpiti

Competed as Under 120kg Open lifter

Squat

1st attempt: 200kg

2nd attempt: timed out

3rd attempt: timed out

Bench

1st attempt: 172.5kg

2nd attempt: 180kg

3rd attempt: 185.5kg - WCPA Open under 120 record (+ higher than M1 and M2)

Deadlift

1st attempt: 240kg

2nd attempt: timed out

3rd attempt: timed out

Total: 625.5kg - 3rd place

Notes

This meet was largely just a tune-up, as there is a long break until my next one.  

Three weeks out, injure my shoulder.  Stuck my head down and got into rehab/recovery as fast as possible and did the loads I was capable of on the day.  Self guided, didn't bother with physio as waiting list is pretty long lately.  Training went ok.  Squat/deadlift training were quite good, but squat and dieting do not match.

Dieting was required, as I was heavy.  After Nationals I went overseas and got food poisoning, and the repercussions of that carried on for a month or so, maybe longer.  Then went away to another conference in the South Island, and back home for a bit, then Christmas.  The repercussions of all that was being heavier.  The weekend before the meet was my youngest boys birthday, so cake and food was had, and a bloated 123.6kg was the outcome.  Consistent diet (~2550kcal average), and water loading took me back to 119.5kg on the morning of the meet.   Seven days, 4.1kg.

Helped move some equipment from the lockup into a van for the setup of the meet on Friday.  Got a hire van Saturday morning and mostly relaxed the rest of Saturday (while keeping my steps up).

Drove the van down to the meet, left before 9.20am and arrived around 11am.  Weigh-in was 11.45am, and was again 119.5kg.  Rehydrated with ~1.2L sports drink, a caffeinated version, topped up with more salt.  Taking a hyperhydration approach to retaining fluid.  Some jet plane gummies, and a small can of rice pudding was pre-comp food.  Plus another 1.2L of sugar free sports drink for the remainder of the meet.  

Warmed up for squat, and this felt pretty strong overall.  Walked out, lifted weight up, and it moved as easily as a sub-5rm weight can move.  Timed out for my next two attempts.

Another small can of rice pudding and some more jet planes.  Then pre-workout.  

Bench warmups were fine as well, but the benches in the warmup area were pretty squidgy, and definitely way softer than the Eleiko competition bench.  Opener moved.  The second attempt wasn't as snappy as I hoped, but loaded for the open record that I had targeted.  There was some discussion about the load, probably confused as I was going for all three records, but it was an open record so it really made no difference.  That got me a bit more aggressive, which helped and the 185.5 moved ok.  A tough lockout but 3 whites.  Goal achieved.

Then deadlifts.  Another can of rice, a few more lollies, and did a few warmups.  Went out for 240 which moved OK, and happy considering I just did heavier than that for four on Thursday.  Back felt reasonable.  Then timed out on the next two attempts.

Then packed out, loaded up the van, and got going to home.  Arrived back home just before 9pm.  Then unloaded the van into the lockup the following morning.  That is the bit that tired me out.  

Happy with the meet.  I wanted the bench record.  I wanted to do a lift.  I didn't want to compete in my own age group, as I am the current National record holder and I don't need to rock up to collect medals.  I was happy with the third place (there might have been only three lifters, will check later).  

What is next?

A down week and then a little off-season block.  Wanting to relax a little on bench, and let the shoulder rest up/recover while I hammer the rehab on it.  I do not want this happening later.

I will then have two building blocks before a peaking block into either Oceania Championships (October) if I get selected, or otherwise Nationals (September).  

Then.... dieting.

Onwards.

Thursday 2nd May 2024

Walk

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 152.5x1x2

Adductor squeeze, RDL

Deadlifts: warmups, 230x1, 242.5x4

Notes

Bench didn't really feel good, but then again this day seldom feels great.  Also bloated from waterloading, as I am fat and have to make weight on Sunday.  Deadlifts were ok.  Grip was off, and gut did not feel great - wearing my lifting onesie is not always a positive - but got a good lift done.  While the 242.5 is just a little above the nationals load, its also only my week 2 of 3 heavier weeks, so its 12.5kg up on that same week before the nationals.  So pleased with how it moved.  Grip is off.  I need to increase my workouts on that, plus maybe a stronger gripper to force some load increase.