IPF Jr Worlds 2012

Squats:
120 x3
*belt
155 x3
*wraps
185 x2
212.5 x2
*bottoms
235 x2
*straps
270 x1
Warmup was minimal but sufficient.

Opener: 290kg
After watching the video I realized that it moved amazing.  Looking like I coulda hit it if 330 was on my back!

Second: 305kg
Definitely lost the upper back and chest came down a bit but it still came up fine

Third: 312.5kg MISS
Just sat back too far and lost my balance backwards.  Strength was definetely there without any question.  Next time.


Bench...
70 x3
100 x3
125 x2
160 x2 - 2bd
*shirt
185 x3 - felt good but I almost touched somehow?
205 x1 - touch????  Lowered opener to 215kg
Then realized I was out of time so yanked out the suit slippers and went out...

Well I always say 'train how you compete'.  Learned my own lesson today.  I never bother pulling out the suit slippers until today.  What happened?  Well thanks to a strong man helping me out, the reason I was touching is that the shirt was on farther than usual.  THEN, we pull out the slippers and it moves up like 1 inch....  Ergo, carryove on top range of motion was nothign.

215 - missed it three times

For deadlifts my head just wasn't in it so I went:
260
272.5x - when I got the bar I grabbed it with just my fingers on the right hand.  Should have stood up and tried again.  Strength was there no problem
277.5x - lost the bar forward.  Strength was there for sure.

Well live and learn!  First wordls, unfathomably dissapointing but I guess that's why they hold them ever year!  Thanks again to all the people who have helped me and to Jessie and the family for being here to support me.  Will be doing some raw training for 5 months now to get the body back on track, and we will see what happens in 2013.

Tues/Wed Training

Tues:
Squats:
105 x3
130 x3
*belt
145 x3
*wraps
185 2x2
195 x2
Can't squat the bar as fast as the 195 moved... :)

Wed AM:
Bench:
Was in a huge rush to get in/out while sharing with like 7 people so...
120 x3
130 2x3
Whatever.  Got in a little practise and was again super fast.

Hopefully will have 45min later to do just a few light sets just to really stretch into the movements and move some blood around.

Sunday Noon

Deadlift:
275 3
330 2x3
385 3x2

Bench:
205 x3
245 2x3
285 2x2
305 2x1

Catching the plane in less than 8 hours!!!!

Friday PM

Squats:
235 x3
285 x3
325 x3
*belt
35 x3
*wraps
445 3x2
Speed was amazing.  Coulda done 3x10 probably.

Couple sets of GM and hb squats and 5 min of walking and some stretching.

Friday Noon

Only had time to bench so far, will go in to squat tonight:

Bench:
205 x3
245 x3
285 2x3
325 5x2
Thats what I am talking about.  325 sets moved flawlessly.  Coulda done it as 2x5.

Chest flyes, rear delt flyes, curls, and lying tri extensions: 4x6 with 15lb for some prehab

Feeling fresh.  In 7 days I will be ready!!!!  Holy crap I am nervous!

Wednesday Noon

Bench:
195 x3
245 2x3
285 2x3
325 5x2
Easy.  Not as easy as I would have wanted.

Deadlift:
225 x3
275 x3
325 x3
345 x3
365 x3
385 x3
415 4x2
Holy crap this was so fast I frightened myself.  Honestly... Bar locked out before I fully exerted myself.  yay!

All I had tiem for.  Going in tonight for prehab, bit of upper back, and lotsa stretching/foam rolling.

Monday AM

Squats:
255 x3
305 x3
*belt
355 x3
*wraps
405 x3
465 4x2
475 x2
Super easy.  Very happy.

Bench:
195 x3
235 x3
285 2x3
305 2x3
325 2x2
Mey.  got it done.

Saturday Noon

CGBP:
205 2x3
245 4x3

Squats:
235 x3
285 x3
325 x3
*belt
375 x3
*wraps
415 3x3
465 2x3
Easy session.  Fatigue is starting to lessen.  Unfortunately elbows were twingy again today - lots of squats/bench lately what with my lack of deadlifts.  Also, the straps up squats kill my elbows from the bar not sinking deep into my back.

Friday PM

Deadlifts:
135 2x5
235 x3
285 x3
325 x3
375 x3
*belt
415 4x3
Very happy with this.  Back felt fully healed FINALLY.  Furthermore, while weight was quite light- 70% of my weight at nationals, the bar moved about as fast as I could physically move 135lb.  Ergo, no way it was more than 70%.... and I had no suit on.

Chest flyes, hammer curls, pullovers, rear delt flys, curls: 3x5 each with 15lb

Good session.  Starting to feel the fatigue coming off.

Friday AM

Bench:
195 x3
245 x3
295 x3
335 x3 - 2bd
365 x3 - 3bg
*shirt on - 44 superk
415 x4
445 x3
475 x2 - ~1bd
490 2x1 - both touched.  First misgrooved and had downward motion.  2nd was clean.

Thursday PM

Bonus technique/recovery day:

Deadlift:
135 3x5
225 3x3
Woohoo!  Back seems fully healed!  Doing real session tmr.

Bench:
135 10x3
Again, just focusing on staying so tight I cramp.

Sqaut:
135 10x3
For blood flow and stretch.  Done in flat shoe.

Felt very fresh after the session.  Super excited for heavy bench and some decent (80%) pulls tmr!

Thursday AM

Squats:
235 x3
285 x3
*belt
325 x3
375 x3
*wraps
415 x3
465 x2
*bottoms
525 x3
*straps up
575 3x2
Very happy with this session.  The 575 (~261kg) sets were insanely fast and surprisingly around depth.  Really was hitting the groove and staying in complete control.  Given that I felt a bit beat down again as the 465 was harder that it should have been, this is really making me excited about what I can do in 15 days of some huge deloading.  Definitely going 290-305-???

Wednesday Noon

Another very easy day:

MGBP:
135 x3
155 x3
175 x3
195 x3
215 x3
235 x3
255 x3
275 3x3
285 2x3
The reason I did so many light sets is because I have recently realized that while I am reasonably tight when I bench, if I want to be pushing 500+ consistently then I need to be way tighter.  Otherwise the bar will never be under control and stay in the groove.  As a result, even with 135lb I was really tightening very hard, squeezing the bar as hard as I physically can, pulling the shoulders back/down under huge tensino, really bending the bar to strongly engage the lats, and building tension throughout the body so that my leg drive isn't a big jerk at the bottom like it has been in the past.  I know in 16 days before a contest you can't 'get stronger' but hopefully some rapid, focused techinque work can help me hit some bigger weights.

Deadlift - again, wanted to stretch the hips out and just do the lift as I haven't been able to for ages...  Thankfully it felt 100% perfect again today.  Absolutely zero anything felt in the back :)  Hitting some 'real' deadlifts on friday is the intent.
135 3x5
225 3x5
275 3x3

Squats - did em in perfectly flat shoes just to reset the old hips which are not used to the technique from squatting in a heel.  Might do a couple proper sessions in flat soles over the next two weeks because in recent training, every time I switched back to heeled from the flat I had the best session ever.  Go figure.
135 3x5

Tuesday Noon

Squats:
235 x3
285 x3
325 x3
*belt
375 x3
415 x3
*wraps
465 2x2
Nice and easy.  Major deloading hapenning now.

Bench with 25lb plates hanging from bands for stability/recovery:
155 9x3 - 3 comp, 3 narrow, 3 medium
205 2x2 - comp grip
This was surprisingly difficult.  Really found myself squeezing the bar like mad and tightening up really well by the end of the session.  Will do these again.

Deadlifts: 145 3x5, 215 2x3
Just wanted to do a few reps to open up the hips.  Back felt perfect so I will try some real deadlifting very soon.

Monday PM

Went back in to do some deadlifts but the back was off unfortunately:
235 x5
285 x3
335 x3
385 x3
435 2x1 - First beltless and it felt bad so I put on the belt for the second and it felt OK but just not worth it.  So called it there.

Bench - get in some volume from lack this morning and get some blood moving:
205 x5
225 x5
245 x5
265 x5
285 x5
295 x3
305 x3
315 x3
325 x3
All sets moved niced and easy.  Surprisingly strong... Suggests that the abismal morning was a technical issue and potentially due to training in the AM after a long fast.  Normally if I train AM there is no real fast, but this time I tried fasting 6pm-10am.  Wont do it again.

Monday AM

Argh... Really upset about this morning:

Bench:
165 x5
225 x4
275 x3
315 x2
350 x1
*shirt on
415 x4
455 x3
495 x0 - touched low and dropped on stomach
495 x0 - shirt was totally uneven so i brought up one side but the other didnt move...
*Realized the shirt was totally uneven so I fixed that and it felt much better.
495 x1 - slooooow but at least it came up.  shirt was completely riding this set.
495 x0 - tried jacking the shirt and it totally made me blast it over my face

Well this is not what I wanted to happen today but you can't win em all.  So long as meet day goes better (IE dont go 1 for 3 or fricking bomb...) then who cares about a trainign day?  I am trying to decide if I should put it on once more.  Probably will put it on again on Friday and just get 1 good press at 495 and call it a day.  Thanks very much to Ryan for being super patient and helpful this morning.  It is highly appreciated!

Saturday PM

Squats:
235 x5
325 x4
*belt
375 x3
*wraps
435 x3
485 x2 - terrible. Strength definitely down today given that the gf prevented me getting a good nights sleep... Not that I am complaining.
*suit bottoms
535 x3
*straps up
575 x1
595 x1
617.5 2x1
The top sets (280kg) were reasonably fast, deep, and easy. Given that strength was down maybe 6-10% today, it makes me feel confident that AT LEAST 305kg will be there at worlds so 290-305-310+ should be perfect.

Saturday AM

CGBP:
175 x5
215 x5
255 6x5
Super easy.

Squats: 135 2x5, 225 2x5

Chest flyes/Rear delt flyes: 2x10 15lb chest flyes, 2x20 15lb rear delt flyes

Friday PM

Some assistance work:
Pendlay rows:
95 2x10
145 x8
165 x6
185 2x5
205 2x5
Great back work.  Rib felt great and form was strict.

OHP:
95 x5
145 x3
165 x2
185 x2 - I think thats a PR
145 2x5
Not bad.  Not particularily hard.

12 mins on the treadmill 7% incline, 3MPH

Friday Noon

Bench:
195 x5
230 x5
265 x5
300 x3
315 3x3
330 4x2
Meh.  Speed wasn't where I wanted it on the top sets but still acceptable.

Pullups of random grips: 6x5
Face pulls: 3x8
Chest flyes/Rear delt machine superset: 90lb 4x12 each

Meh.  Right elbow was twinging slightly.  I might go in again for a very light bench and some upper back assistance work as I have been unable to do much from the rib injury.  Really would like to hit some good pendlay rows as those are the best thing for my shirted bench.

Thursday PM

Argh... Couldn't find my squat suit so tried to put on the tighter one but it wouldn't go on.  The break really ruined my groove:
235 x5
325 x5
*belt
375 x5
*wraps
415 x5
485 3x3
Called it there.  Not terrible

GM of various types for like 80 reps with the bar

Thursday Noon

Recovery work:
Walking 6% incline, 3MPH for 20min
Rowing 1000m in 5min
3x15 high bar squats with the bar
3x12 curls with 25lb

Thats all.  Really feeling like these sessions have been helping alot.  Will of couse make them less frequent as we keep getting closer to the meet. 

Wednesday PM

Bench - middle fingers on rings so just 1 finger narrower than normal.  This just happened because I had a different setup at the gym and couldn't unrack with full width:
205 x5
245 x4
285 2x3
325 6x2 - Unbelievable sets!
350 2x3 - 2bd
Great benching! Felt super strong.

Deadlift off 3inch blocks:
235 x5
325 2x5
415 2x5
Called it there as the back starting twinging again.  Nothing major, but didn't want to do any harm.  Will be pulling again this weekend if the back keeps feelin so great.

Wednesday noon

Went and did some deadlifting again.  Minor pain but feel perfectly fine after the session.

Deadlift:
225 2x5
315 2x4
345 x3
375 x3
405 x3
*belt
435 3x3
465 x3
Not bad really.  Have video and speed wasn't too bad.

CG bench with feet in air - really feel that this is paying off for stability and tricep strength:
225 x5
245 x5
265 x5
285 5x3

Will be back in again tonight.

Tuesday Recovery

Walking 5.5% incline, 3MPH for 20min

Superset:
Chest flyes: 20lb 5x10
Rear delts: 20lb 5x15
Alternating curls: 20lb 5x10
Seated GM: 95lb 5x5
Standing GM: 95lb 5x5

Rowing for 10minutes (1800m)

Monday PM

Really felt tired today and squats showed it again.  Need to be getting better sleep!

235 x3
325 x3
*belt
415 x3
*wraps
485 x3
*suit bottoms
535 x3
565 x3
595 x2
*straps up
625 x1
Not bad really but the single was TERRIBLE.  I really forgot to drive the back into the bar with a big chest and as a result lost balance at the bottom, paused like 2 seconds probably, and finished the lift with my upper back so rounded it was hard to get it in the rack!  Time for a HUGE taper to the meet and hit som monstrous PR's.  Definitely feel like fatigue is peaked, and volume/intensity will go down other than the next 2 monday suited sessions and 1 shirted bench sometime this week.  Lots of work in the range of 70-75% 5-6x2-3.

Sunday and Monday AM

Sunday I had 30 minutes before the gym close so I did:

CGBP, feet up, 5ct pause: 185 2x5, 225 4x5

Pullups: 5x5

DB rows: 2 sets

10min on treadmill 10% incline, 3MPH


Monday AM:
Felt really crappy going into the gym and it showed.

CGBP:
185 x5
225 x4
265 2x3
305 5x3
325 x3 - 2bd
Bleh.

Sqaut - really was terrible.  Also, the rack was too high so it messed me up majorly:
235 x5
325 x4
*belt
415 x3
*wraps
465 3x3
Called it there.  Going in tonight for some suited work.

Saturday

Decided to just suck it up and do some pulls.  Was really easing the weight and keeping flawless form.  Hurt a little but feels fine after.
225 x5
275 x4
325 2x3
*belt - reduces the pain
375 3x3
415 4x3
Super easy.

Bench:
195 x5
235 x5
275 x5
315 2x3
345 2x5 -2bd
375 x5 - 3bd
375 x3 - 2bd PR but boy was the third rep terrible and huge grinder... bad!

Friday Noon

CGBP, feet up, 3ct pause:
165 x5
185 x5
205 x5
225 x5
245 5x5
Very happily surprised with this.  245 was clean and smooth.

Pullups: 3x5 - elbow was twinging so called it

Alternating curls and chest flyes: 3x10 each with 25lb DB

Walking for 10min

Thursday PM

Squat:
225 x5
315 x4
*belt
405 x3
*wraps
455 2x4
Helping out a friend so cut it short.  Felt tired anyways so probably a good call.

Power clean and press: 95 2x5, 145 2x3

Gymnastic ring ab fallouts: 3x10

Bench: 225 x8, 315 2x5

Great session.  Feeling strong and just going to push it for a couple session, then let the taper begin.

Wednesday PM and Thursday AM

Wednesday night did a little recovery work.  30min on the treadmill and some chest flyes.

Thursday AM:
Squats:
235 x5
285 x4
335 x3
*belt
385 x3
*wraps
435 2x3
465 2x3
495 x3
Good session.  Short on time so only 495x3 instead of 3x2 like planned.

CGBP - pointer on inner ring:
185 2x6
225 2x6
265 3x5
Elbow started twinging so called it.

Wednesday Noon

Tried deadlifting again.  It was really close, but just want to fully heal before pushing it.

Ended up just doing 135 4x20 and 225 2x5 without any pain

Close grip floor press: 135 3x5, 225 5x3
Really easy but just doing these to practise pushing back hard off the bottom position.  Think this may help my shirted bench and is easy enough for me to consider them a recovery type session.

Pullups: 6x6

10mins on the treadmill

That's all for now folks.