Week 2/9 - Thursday PM

Bench:
225 x5
255 x4
285 x3
315 8x2
MUCH better today.  Really brought the feet in really hard back towards my head and had solid pauses and reasonable speed.

Deadlift:
325 5x4
Every set was alternating mixed grip.  By set 4 I really got into the groove and I was really squeezing the bar tight, had an ultra tight upper body, and the shoulders were getting tucked into position really nicely and felt not any hint of pain/discomfort.  Next week will continue to make slow progress.  Looking at trying 365 5x3 give or take.

Week 2/9 - Thursday

Wednesday night I did a short 30 minute conditioning workout with jump rope and a tabata of OHP/bent over rows

Thursday:
Squat:
235 x5
285 x5
335 x5
*belt
385 x5
*wraps
435 x5
485 x3
*bottoms - again the loose suit
535 2x3
565 3x3
Not an awful day.  My back was quite sore so I was having a little trouble keeping in good position.  Nevertheless, only minor loss of tightness due to an instable eccentric phase and most top reps were safely to depth (all 3rd reps of each set were safely 2-3inches below parallel).

Good mornings: 125lb 3x20

On the bike for 10 minutes

Week 2/9 - Wednesday

Bench:
225 x8
255 x6
285 2x4
315 2x3
340 x2
Filmed this lat set and was very unhappy... I have developed an awful habit and have a major weakness... Since I have lost weight my chest thickness is way down... So during my time in China my butt started coming up.  Also, my hips are like 2 inches smaller so less meat on my butt with which to touch the bench!  Augh...
340 x1 - with the butt down I could not have squeezed out 2...
*slingshot
365 3x2
*take off the slingshot
315 x2
295 x2
275 x2
Back to the drawing board!!

chest flyes, rear delts, curls

Week 2/9 - tuesday PM

Front squats:
225 x5
265 x4
295 5x3
I hate front squats.

dbl overhand deadlifts: 18 reps in 4 minutes with 235lb - the rib feels fully healed lately.  On Thursday I am hoping to try mid 300's with a regular bar.  If that goes well then really I think it is healed but just prone to re-popping should form not stay tight.

Rowing for 10 minutes

Week 2/9 - Tuesday AM

Squat:
235 x5
285 x5
335 x4
385 x3
*belt
435 x3
*wraps
485 x3
*bottoms - still using the stretched out 40 w/s super centurion.  Since coming home bodyweight is similar (86.8kg today) but thighs have grown somehow.  The new 40 suit is VERY tight in the legs unfortunately...  I might wait until I drop 1-2kg more before cramming into it.
535 3x3
565 3x2
Great work today.  The suited sets were quite fast, in good position, and most interestingly I am almost certain that every rep of 565 and most at 535 was to depth.

Week 2/9 - Monday

Bench - 3ct pause:
225 x5
255 x5
275 x4
295 3x3
315 3x2
295 2x3

Pullups: 5 sets

DB Bench: 55lb 3x30

Incline walking: 15 minutes

Week 2/9 - Sunday

Needed to get in 2 sessions today but only had before 3pm so they were only seperated by like 90 minutes or less really..

Squat:
235 x5
285 x5
335 x5
375 x5
*belt
415 x5 - the type of set that makes it all feel worth it.  Moved SO well :)
*wraps
455 3x5 - the 2nd set in particular was phenomenal.  Felt like RPE of 7.5 or so on that set so that reallllly makes me happy.

Bench:
225 x5
255 x5
285 x5
300 x5
315 2x5
330 5x2
Not bad.  The 2nd set with 315 was slow but all the doubles with 330 moved great.

Deadlift with fat bar:
295 4x6 with alternating mixed grip

If anyone cares about my weird deadlifting lately it is because I have been having problems with my damn rib again and I really don't want to make this a lifetime issue.  As a result, I have taking some time off and now I am working to fix issues:
1. Imbalances from always mixing the grip the same way
2. Poor grip from over use of straps
3. Poor tightness in upper back as a result of now squeezing the bar because of overuse of straps

So my fat bar deadlift makes it pain free and makes me feel way tighter.  Hopefully within 3-4 weeks I will be back into the 200kg+ range pain free and in tighter form.

Week 1/9 - CPU Nationals 2013 Prep

Friday:
Bench:
225 x5
265 2x5
295 5x5
*shirt - 46 superk.  I can slide it on myself
355 x3 - maybe to a 1bd on the third rep
385 2x1 - to chest and a solid pause on both reps with about 15 seconds rest in between.  Moved very easily.

Deadlift with fat bar, dbl overhand: few sets before I had to run.

Week 1/9 - Thursday

Squat:
235 x5
285 x5
335 x5
*belt
385 3x5
395 x5
405 x5
Not bad.  Bit of goodmorning for sure but not awful.

Bench:
205 x5
245 x5
285 2x4
305 2x4
315 2x4
325 x4
Meh, bit slower than I would like for sure.

EDIT: Fixed my squats to say sets of 5 not 3.  Thurs Jan 24, 10:00pm.

Nationals Prep - Week 1/9

Wednesday:
Squats
235 x5
285 x5
335 x5
385 x4
*belt
425 x3
*wraps
465 x3
485 x3
*bottoms - my suit that I used at nationals and worlds... Needless to say it fits like a singlet.
505 x3
525 x3
545 3x3
Given that probably 6/9 of the 545 reps were to depth I am pretty darn happy with this.  I think this is a great place to start nationals prep.

Week 1/9 - Nationals 2013 Prep

Squat:
235 x5
285 x5
335 x5
375 x5 - great set
*belt
415 x3
435 x3
445 x2
415 2x3
Not bad.  After the 375 set I was expecting big things.  The 435 was very strong as well but the 445 was not where it should have been.

Bench:
205 x8
225 x7
245 x6
265 x5
285 x4
305 x3
315 x3
325 x2
335 x2
345 x1
355 x1
325 x2
305 x3
285 x4
265 x5
245 x6
225 x8
205 x10
18 set pyramid, 80 total reps.  Again, felt strong other than the singles.  Unracking the top weights from these big V pins gives me trouble.  Not used to performing singles.

Fat bar deadlift, double overhand:
185 3x6
225 3x5
The 225 was pretty hard to hold on to.

Easy rowing for 15 minutes

Saturday and Sunday

Squat:
235 x5
285 x5
335 x5
375 x3
*belt
415 x3
*wraps
455 x3
475 x3
485 x3
Pretty straight forward.

Bench:
205 x5
235 x5
265 x5
295 2x5
325 2x4


Sunday:
Bench:
205 x5
245 x5
285 x5
315 x4
345 x2
*shirt - ultra loose f6... was more of a nuissance than an aid really
325 33
355 2x2

Squat:
235 x5
285 x5
335 3x5
Purely a recovery squat.


Going to start the real training tomorrow.

5 Months in China

Well I am back from China!  Been there since right after worlds.

Major changes:
Bodyweight: dropped from 211 to 191lb (~96kg- ~87kg)
Been training solely raw so need to be back in gear ASAP

Major lifts in China:

Squat:
170kg x5 - beltless
180kg 5x3 - beltless
200kg 2x2 - beltless

180kg 5x5 *belt
200kg 4x3 *belt
220kg x1 *belt

230kg x4 - belt/wrap

Bench:
135kg x7
140kg 6x4 - cgbp
140kg 3x5
150kg 5x3
155kg 3x2
165kg 2x1

Deadlift:
200kg 5x5 - beltless
220kg 5x3 - belt
Deadlift has felt good other than lately the subluxated rib was bugging me a little.  Note that these lifts are done off of a 1-2cm deficit because the plates were small... :)

I think I am going to try and get to 83kg for nationals and do both raw and equipped.  Would very much like to do worlds at 83kg where I think that I would have a legitimate chance (winners for the past while are always 830-850kg in this class).  Anyways, that is a ways away so we will see what happens.  Going to be back in gear ASAP as nationals is just over 8 weeks away.  Still uncertain if I will bother with the raw lifting.  Probably if I do, it won't be the best performance as I will be purely in gear for a while and wouldn't want to push too hard 2 days before the main event.