Nice lifting as always Ader. Very strong.

ollie wrote:Nice lifting as always Ader. Very strong.

Thanks but you might not have said that if you'd seen them - Some ugly stuff going on.

Sunday 21 February

Deadlift & bench day - Aim was 217.5 for 2 on deadlift plus some rack pulls & spdeed work...

Deadlift
60 x 3 x 2
100 x 3 x 1
140 x 3 x 1
190 x 2 x 1
217.5 x 2 x 1 - 1st rep was easier but apparently 2nd rep's form was better!

Rack Pulls
220 x 3 x 1 - Standing on floor
240 x 3 x 1 - Standing onfloor
240 x 3 x 1 - Standing on block
240 x 2 x 1 = Standing on block plus half block - 2nd rep was very hard


Speed deadlift
180 x 3 x 3 - Concentrated on form more than speed tbh but still fast

Shrugs
220 x 5 x 2

Bench Press
60 x 3 x 2
90 x 3 x 1
110 x 2 x 1
125 x 1 x 1 - A bit slow so time to stop

Board presses
132.5 x 3 x 1-Low block
140 x 2 x 1 - Medium block
150 x 2 x 1 - High block


Total tonnage / reps 10,248 / 65
Intensity 157.65

Hard session - Dl's always really take it out of me - but 217.5 x 2 was good and rack pulls were fairly solid. Bench went ok - Would have liked teh 125 to be cleaner but I got it up so can't really complain.

Monday 22 February

Slight change of plan today - Normally I'd do my light squat day on Monday as it's sytraight after DL'ing on SUnday. But as Rick ain't around on Thursday to spot me / help on technique I went for the heavy session today. Very hard as my back was really aching from yesterday

Squats
60 x 5 x 3
100 x 5 x 1
140 x 5 x 1
160 x 2 x 1
177.5 x 4 x 1 - Very ugly so decided that 4's was too big an ask and keep my form
178 x 2 x 4 - This was actually 2 reps with a short rest followed by another 2 reps - Then a long rest before repeating - Sort of cluster sets so not far short of 4 rep sets. Form still needs work but I think it's getting better.

Total tonnage / reps 4,550 / 39
Intensity 116.67

And that was it a very short session but very very hard - Pleased with the end result

Weights looking good.

What was wrong with your form?

Coop_de_Ville wrote:What was wrong with your form?

My ass drifts backwards which means I have to half good morning the weight up! Always have done this but am working to correct it - Bascially I don 't get my hips through so I suspect it's glute strength letting me down - But it does mean I have a strong back lol.

Downside of using my back is it gets knackered - ANd this morning was late ffor work as my back siezed up and I had to pull over till it had stopped - Really uncomfortable and I looked a real plonker trying to stretch it / relieve it outside Lego's office this am - What was annoying is I was only about 1/2 mile / 5 mins from work! If I'd pulled over earlier it wouldn't have got so bad but I thought I could make it till suddenly Driving position in the Z4 doesn't help! No lumbar support whatsoever

Ah right i see. I used to have this problem with my form a while ago but since I started doing box squats in the previous cycle i haven't had it anything like it was. I know you are doing the bench squats now, has it got better since you have done more of those? Or is it no difference?

Coop_de_Ville wrote:Ah right i see. I used to have this problem with my form a while ago but since I started doing box squats in the previous cycle i haven't had it anything like it was. I know you are doing the bench squats now, has it got better since you have done more of those? Or is it no difference?

They have helped - I would have done some last night but was too knackered so maybe Thursday - They do show up "the problem" quite often though

Wednesday 24 February

Bench day - Got to gym quite late and had to bench on the squat rack - Good thing about that was the bench is slightly higher so easier to get a good position

Bench
60 x 5 x 2
90 x 3 x 1
110 x 2 x 1
125 x 2 x 1 - PB double very pleased
115 x 4 x 1
110 x 5 x 1
105 x 5 x 1 - Would have liked 6 or but realised 5 was my lot

Incline Bench
80 x 5 x 1
100 x 2 x 1 - Was hoping for 3 but 2 was only just there - Maybe try again next week or maybe 95
90 x 4 x 2 - sets of 4 as didn't seem to have 5 in me

Cable push downs
70 x 8 x 3 - 3 quick sets - Tried to be strict

Pull ups
BW (85ish) x 5 x 3 - I am still useless at these 5 reps seems to be my lot and the 5th is always dodgey


Total tonnage / reps 7,150 / 85
Intensity 84.12

Pleaed with the 125 double - Susssed somehting which made a small difference towards my getting the 2nd rep so maybe go for 127 or 130 next week. De load reps were a bit shy of what I'd have liked - I should be doing 105 for more than 5 reps

Nice PBs! Do you think the bench made a big difference?

Coop_de_Ville wrote:Nice PBs! Do you think the bench made a big difference?

Not a big difference but a difference - The normal bench is actually a bit narrow and a bit low - Using teh slightly higher & wider bench helped no doubt

Are benches in competition set at a defined height?

ollie wrote:Are benches in competition set at a defined height?

There are set parameters for height & width -I know are bench is not comp' regs as it's too narrow and pretty sure it's too low too - Doesn't stop us using it at divisionals though

Anyway being anal 'cos I'm bored and have nowt else to do, these is da rules:

The bench shall be of sturdy construction for maximum stability and conform to the
following dimensions:-
a. Length - not less than 1.22m (4ft 0.03ins) and shall be flat and level.
b. Width - 29 - 32cm (11.4ins - 12.6ins).
c. Height - 42 - 47.5cm (16.54ins - 18.7ins) measured from the floor to the top of
the padded surface of the bench without being depressed or compacted.
d. Height of the uprights - on adjustable benches shall be a minimum of 82cm
(32.3ins) to a maximum of 100cm (39.38ins), measured from the floor to the bar
rest position. On non-adjustable benches, the height of the uprights must be
between 87cm (34.25ins) and 100cm (39.38ins) from the floor to the bar rest
position.
e. Minimum width between insides of bar rests - 1.10m (43.3 ins).

Thursday 25 February

'Light' squat day on the routine I'm following - It said 157.5 for 3 sets of 5 but I couldn't be botrhered with teh small weights so just stuck on 160

Squats
60 x 5 x 1
100 x 5 x 1
140 x 5 x 1
160 x 5 x 3 - Tried to keep form, and did for the most part except the very last rep my ass drifted out slighty

Bench Squats
160 x 3 x 1
190 x 3 x 2
Again concentrating on form and was mostly ok but still not quite there

Total tonnage / reps 5,520 / 39
Intensity 141.54

Was late getting to teh gym and was tired so just did the squats. Was mostly pleased, form is (I think) getting better but I'm still going out of line now & again... and again ....and again

Ader wrote:'Light' squat day on the routine I'm following - It said 157.5 for 3 sets of 5 but I couldn't be botrhered with teh small weights so just stuck on 160

What routine are you following now Ader?

Richard wrote:

Ader wrote:'Light' squat day on the routine I'm following - It said 157.5 for 3 sets of 5 but I couldn't be botrhered with teh small weights so just stuck on 160

What routine are you following now Ader?

Same old same old - Some Russian routine thing - Start off at 75% for 3 sets of 6 and work up to 95% on the 'heavy' day for a double over 5 weeks so something like:

Week 1 - 75% x 6 x 3
Week 2 - 80% x 5 x 3
Week 3 - 85% x 4 x 3 - This is the hardest week and what I did this week
Week 4 - 90% x 2 x 2
Week 5 - 95% x 2 x 1
Week 6 - Competition

Can't remember the light days but week 3 is this week and I did 75% x 5 x 3 so probably 10% less than the heavy day but more reps.

So next week I'll be aiming for 190 x 2 x 2 and the week after 200 x 2 - I should be ready for the comp' then and hopefully a 200 opener followed by 210 or 215 - 3rd lift will depened on what happens

I'm adding bench squats in partly to get used to moving more weight, but also to help me focus on getting my his through and not letting my ass drift - The bench last night was quite low - just above // and about where I go wrong so I had to work hard to keep the hips from drifting. I should be able to move more weight than 190 (and can if I go back to old/bad form) but want to concentrate on doing it right so am not going too heavy. May add in some heavier bench squats from a higher bench from time to time too.

Looks like a good system. May think of putting something like that in for when I am peaking for trials.

Sunday 28 February

Back still feeling a bit frazzled so cut today slightly & missed out the rack pulls & speed work - Also doing bench tomorrow instead as well

Deadlift
60 x 3 x 3
100 x 3 x 1
140 x 3 x 1
180 x 2 x 1
210 x 1 x 1
230 x 1 x 1 - Nose bled and I had a forward fountain going on so dumped the bar & legged it
230 x 2 x 1 - Wanted the double so went again - 2nd rep was ugly & I had to hitch to finish

Decided we'd do some grip work with rack pulls. Start was pretty high & then just held on the bar till close to failure...

Rack Pulls - High - Grip work
220 x 3 x 1
240 x 3 x 1
260 x 2 x 1
280 x 2 x 1
300 x 1 x 2

Total tonnage / reps 5,580 / 33
Intensity 169.09

Nice session - Disappointing wioth not getting a 'proper' double with the 230 but still pretty good and I lifted it 3 times in the end so I cna't really complain.

Very nice deads Ader.

Richard wrote:Very nice deads Ader.

Yes quite pleasing - Had thought I'd posted the video up of the 230 double attempt but it seems to have gone - Maybe it was deleted becasue of all the swearing on it

Saw the vid, it looked good. Maybe slightly harsh saying it was a failed rep but I guess if you are doing competitions you need to get it spot on every time. Although I am not advocating everybody do bad reps and count them as good ones.

Coop_de_Ville wrote:Saw the vid, it looked good. Maybe slightly harsh saying it was a failed rep but I guess if you are doing competitions you need to get it spot on every time. Although I am not advocating everybody do bad reps and count them as good ones.

That was Rick taking the piss/joking

I obviously hitched it, but I was stuck at the top and decided I'd finish it anyway/anyhow - Hey I still did the work which is the point of reps anyway, but it does show up where my technique goes wrong. As you will see in the vid I was laughing

Yeh exactly its a working set so you did the work.

I think part of the issue with not finishing is stamina too, so I may start doing my speed work off blocks to increase the ROM and hence the time I have to keep pulling - May just help me over the plateau.

I read somewhere the idea that rack pulls wonlt necesarily help with finishing and what you need is muscle stamina so doing work with increased ROM may help - Nothing to lose that's for sure.

Sounds good to me! Something I need to address on bench, although i dont usually fail (havnt in a while) but i know if i pushed heavy would be an issue with my long arms and all, so doing a few floor presses this cycle.