Author Topic: Giving it another go (Read 73184 times)

11venthhour · « **on:** February 24, 2009, 09:46:53 PM »

i have recently decided to take up powerlifting and even stunk up my first meet already!
i have been lifting for almost 8 years but in a BB style of training. i had a kid and then it took me out of consistant training for almost 2.5 years and some where in there i got fat too!

my goals are really just to compete in another meet at 198 and put up some decent numbers.

i will be in between places for about 3 months so my gym situation will up in the air, but i will still get the workouts in and i hope the log will help me keep consistent!

so for next 3 months i want to build a base of weight i can do within the commands and not just gym lifts. i will be doing a 3x5 (kind of like the 5x5 but lazier) with the big 3 and some accessory work. i will be focusing on squat depth, and the pause on the bottom on the bench. after the 3 months i will do some more varied training, ie dynamic lifts and max effort days, this will also give me time to solidify my gym situation.

any suggestions are welcomed!

11venthhour · « **Reply #1 on:** February 24, 2009, 09:52:20 PM »

Leg day @ 220

Squats:
warm up with the bar 20 reps
135x20
185x12
225x5x3

Leg press
4 plates a side x 8
6 plates a side x 8

leg curls
75x18
100x8

standing calf raises
120x12
150x12

15 minutes cardio

I was still pretty sore from the meet on saturday, so the workout was a little tough but it was light enough for me to get through it. i set a box up for the squats just so i knew I was going deep enough on the squats since this was biggest issue at the meet, squat depth!

ripitupbaby · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2009, 04:11:00 AM »

Have you considered training your squats ass to grass for a while? This will give you a good strength foundation and minimize problems getting to depth for competition. Don't forget to stretch.

Also while practice is good and it'll become more important when you get closer to a meet, I am not sure you really need to train with the pause on your BP, at least not all the time.

Good luck!

11venthhour · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2009, 04:55:26 PM »

Quote from: ripitupbaby on February 25, 2009, 04:11:00 AM

Have you considered training your squats ass to grass for a while? This will give you a good strength foundation and minimize problems getting to depth for competition. Don't forget to stretch.

Also while practice is good and it'll become more important when you get closer to a meet, I am not sure you really need to train with the pause on your BP, at least not all the time.

Good luck!

It always seems i can't do anything when i go ass to the grass. i lose my balance and such, but maybe some practice would be good. well i am not pausing with every rep on the bench probably just the last one the rest will be a touch and go type deal.
i will try the ass to the grass squats next week and see how it works out, i am willing to try anything at this point.

Stubborn · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2009, 05:37:01 PM »

Quote from: 11venthhour on February 24, 2009, 09:46:53 PM

i have recently decided to take up powerlifting and even stunk up my first meet already!
i have been lifting for almost 8 years but in a BB style of training. i had a kid and then it took me out of consistant training for almost 2.5 years and some where in there i got fat too!

my goals are really just to compete in another meet at 198 and put up some decent numbers.

i will be in between places for about 3 months so my gym situation will up in the air, but i will still get the workouts in and i hope the log will help me keep consistent!

so for next 3 months i want to build a base of weight i can do within the commands and not just gym lifts. i will be doing a 3x5 (kind of like the 5x5 but lazier) with the big 3 and some accessory work. i will be focusing on squat depth, and the pause on the bottom on the bench. after the 3 months i will do some more varied training, ie dynamic lifts and max effort days, this will also give me time to solidify my gym situation.

any suggestions are welcomed!

Glad to hear you are holding yourself accountable and putting the work in.

Rip gives good advice, listen to her. Just focus on full ROM and the right accessory work and you will be fine. Dont forget though, nutrition applies to PLers too!

11venthhour · « **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2009, 09:11:10 PM »

Since i am trying to lose like 20 lbs i am trying to eat cleanish. right now i am focusing on cutting out junk food. its hard since i work weird hours and i flip from day light hours and night time a couple times every week.
when i went to the gym today i looked where i was going on the box for the squats and its pretty close to the bottom so i will give full ROM a go next week.

chest day @ 217

bench
warm up with the bar
135x12
185x8
225x5x3

hammer strength bench press
70 a side x 10
105 a side x 10

inside grip bench
185x8x2

tricep pushdowns
200x8
220x10

shrugs on the hammer strength
45 a side x 12
90 a side x 10
135 a side x 8
180 a side x 3, they were lousy reps
90 a side rep out

rear delt lateral raises
15x12
20x12
25x8x2

10 minutes of light cardio

i felt a tinge in my left shoulder so i went with the hammer strength instead of the DB press. I never really feel right doing the hammer strength, but smeh it worked out. i also did the shrugs on the hammer strength for the first time, it felt pretty decent but not as good as DB shrugs. It was a bit crowded so i wasn't able to get to some of the stuff i wanted to.
My left shoulder and elbow have been nagging me for a bit now, but even so the 225 felt pretty easy and i will move it up next week.

11venthhour · « **Reply #6 on:** March 04, 2009, 08:19:29 PM »

Squat day @ 218

Squats:
Bar warm up
135x12 or so
185x8
245x5x3

Leg press:
405x12
765x10

Sit down leg curl:
60x12
90x12
120x12
150x10
180xrep out (I wasn’t counting)

Ab work

We I had a bit of a break from the gym because I was looking for a cheaper/closer gym and work has been crazy lately. So now I am working out in a world gym which is less fru fru than the other gym I was working out in. This is the gym world gym that Kevin Leverone backed out of here in MD.
So I took Rip’s advice and took the squats deep, ass to the grass. Once I got into the rhythm they weren’t that bad. I started light on the leg press because I haven’t used it before but it was smoother than the one at the old gym so I will be able to pile the weight on with that machine. I did so many sets of the leg curl because again the machine was different than I was used to. This machine was very even and smooth, so I was trying to figure out where I was on this machine. Then I went home and cooked and did some ab work, about 15 minutes worth.
I started my diet today as well; I want to lose 20 lbs by the next meet so I can compete in the 198 class.

ripitupbaby · « **Reply #7 on:** March 05, 2009, 04:18:46 AM »

I know you were going to do a 3x5 general approach, but you might want to consider dropping the leg press and training your squats more.

11venthhour · « **Reply #8 on:** March 05, 2009, 10:47:07 PM »

i was thinking the same thing but i get so bored doing the same movement for too long, maybe i will do more pyramiding up and down to keep exciting. any suggestions on some good accessory work for the squat?

how is your training coming along?

11venthhour · « **Reply #9 on:** March 05, 2009, 10:55:11 PM »

bench day @ 220 (i am so fat!)

bench:
bar warm up
135 rep out
185x8 touch and go
235x5x3

flat dumb bell press
65x8

hammerstrength flat press
90 each sidex10x2

inside grip bench
185x6 i don;t know what happened here
185x9

dip machine
180x16
215x12
255x12
285x10
315x8

shrug machine
90x12
180x12
270x10
360x6

ran out of time

my time tonight was limited for the gym since i woke up late and had to get to work. i tried the flat DB press and it felt uncomfortable. funny because on the inclines i feel the same way with the BB but the DBs feel great. i am kind of struggling to find the right accessory work for each lift.
my diet is starting off on a rocky foot, but its getting there.

ripitupbaby · « **Reply #10 on:** March 06, 2009, 04:50:10 AM »

Quote from: 11venthhour on March 05, 2009, 10:47:07 PM

i was thinking the same thing but i get so bored doing the same movement for too long, maybe i will do more pyramiding up and down to keep exciting. any suggestions on some good accessory work for the squat?

how is your training coming along?

I dont know... If I do enough squatting, I'm pretty much too out of gas to do anything else anyway. I'm doing ok, thanks for asking.

Zach Trowbridge · « **Reply #11 on:** March 06, 2009, 10:43:23 AM »

Quote from: 11venthhour on March 05, 2009, 10:47:07 PM

i was thinking the same thing but i get so bored doing the same movement for too long, maybe i will do more pyramiding up and down to keep exciting. any suggestions on some good accessory work for the squat?

Try rotating Olympic squats, front squats, box squats, Zercher squats, barbell hack squats, belt squats, and rotating any available bars (safety squat bar, cambered bar, Manta Ray, etc.). You can train the squat without just doing traditional straight-bar free squats week in and week out.

11venthhour · « **Reply #12 on:** March 06, 2009, 11:17:11 PM »

i think i will try doing more squats in one workout next week.

right now i am trying to build a base so i know where i am at with legitimate squats, so i want to practice them. once i plateau a bit i will start adding different movements.
thanks for the advice!

11venthhour · « **Reply #13 on:** March 06, 2009, 11:31:38 PM »

dead lift @ 220

dead lift
135xwarm up
225x12
315x5x3

barbell rows
135x12
185x8
185x6
185x6

lat pull down
105x12
115x8
130x6

rear delt machine?
40x12
60x10
80x10
80x6

ab work

man after the deads today my lower was tight. i felt like an ass because it hurt and i was still trying to get through the workout but i am sure i was pussy footing around making faces and breathing all heavy, oh well. this is my first full week back to training since the meet and i feel good, sore, but good. i figure another 3-4 weeks i should have better idea what my max is so i can start setting up a program built around that.

ripitupbaby · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2009, 06:04:04 PM »

You may want to look into sheiko training. It works really well if you train alone, and it gives you alot of practice with the big three lifts. Great for building a strength foundation and some confidence.

11venthhour · « **Reply #15 on:** March 11, 2009, 05:09:49 PM »

I want to look into more of training routine once i get a base line going, not just for strength but for form as well.

Leg day @ 220

bar warm up
135x12
185x8
225x6
265x3x5
225x8
185x6
135x12 the first 8 i paused on the bottom, and the last 4 was just for reps

leg extensions
80x12
120x10
120x10

leg curl
60x8
80x8
80x10

standing calf raises
120x12
180x12
220x8

so i am trying to add more squats instead of doing the leg presses in my workouts and i feel the difference. i felt more exhausted today than i have been feeling on leg day. i am still going all the way down on each squat to help improve my depth. all my accessory work today was weak because i was pretty tired after the squats. my diet still blows, a bit better but still sub par.

11venthhour · « **Reply #16 on:** March 13, 2009, 08:23:20 PM »

chest @ 219.5

today was quick one because of work

bench
bar warm up
135x12
185x12
225x8
245x5x3
135x12, big pause on the bottom of each one

inside grip bench

135x2x rep outs

seated dips
300x12
315x12
330x8
330x6

thats it! the 2nd on the bench was a bit sticky, but on the 3rd set i really found my groove so to speak, so i pretty stoked. i will end up doing some accessory work this weekend.

11venthhour · « **Reply #17 on:** March 14, 2009, 07:48:20 PM »

back day @ 219

deads
135xwarm up
225x12
275x8
335x5x3
225xrep out

t-bar row w/Olympic bar
2 plates rep out
3 platesx10
4 platesx5

lat pull downs
120x12
135x12

ab work

i was beat after the dead lifts, i couldn't even think of what to do after wards! i am rolling right along with my diet, with the exception of the drinking tonight but oh well!

burn2live · « **Reply #18 on:** March 15, 2009, 05:31:04 AM »

Nice work. Keep it up!

11venthhour · « **Reply #19 on:** March 18, 2009, 11:39:04 AM »

Quote from: burn2live on March 15, 2009, 05:31:04 AM

Nice work. Keep it up!

thanks man!

leg day

squats
bar warm up
135x8
185x8
225x6
275x5x3
225x7
185x6
135x8

dumb bell SLDL
45x8
55x8
65x8
75x6

i supersetted these with with some crunches

I was pressed for time again. I just got off of work from working all night, i didn't eat very well all night, and i was tired, even with these excuses i still had a pretty good workout, wish i would have had more time!

11venthhour · « **Reply #20 on:** March 18, 2009, 08:55:50 PM »

chest day @ 220

bench
bar warm up
135x10
185x8
225x6
255x5x2
255x3
225x6
185x5
135x10 all paused at the bottom

incline DBs
50x10
65x10
85x4.5 just couldn't get the last one up

inside grip bench
185x3 fail!
135x8
155x7

dip machine
330x8
330x7

shrug machine
180x12
270x12
320x12
360x8

i fell short of getting 255 for 5 on my last set, but i felt i could have gotten if i had a spotter there. i didn't want to go for the 2 reps with no one there, also i did legs in the morning and i could really feel them in the bench, either way i will try to be a fresher for next week and i will attempt 260. if i can 3 on the last set of that then i will consider it my bench mark for now and start doing more alternative lifting techniques. i guess i was wiped out from benching because i couldn't move the 185 on the inside grip!

all in all things are going well, just have to keep with the diet and getting to gym on schedule so i am not so sore from the last workout all the time.

11venthhour · « **Reply #21 on:** March 21, 2009, 08:39:25 PM »

back day @ 218

dead lift
135xwarm up
225x8
315x6
365x5x3
225xrep out

BB rows
135x12
155x12
175x8

cable pulldown
120x10
155x10
155x10

hyper extensions/crunches on decline bench superset
3sets of repping out, no weight added

shrugs/rear lateral
3 sets of repping out with 270 on the hammer strength shrug thingy
and 70 on the rear lateral machine

all in all it was a good work out. my legs were still sore as shit from squats on wednesday, i really have to work on spacing my workouts. the set of the deads were ugly the first 2 were touch and go, 3rd one didn't make it to the floor (partial), but i made sure the last 2 were good to go! still searching for the perfect accessory work but i really like doing BB rows so i will definitely stick with them.

11venthhour · « **Reply #22 on:** March 24, 2009, 07:47:19 PM »

legs @ 218

squats
bar warm up
135x8
225x8
295x3
295x4
225x8

front squats
135x10
155x10
185x5

DB SLDL w/toes up
60'sx10
70'sx10
85'sx8

standing calf raise
225x16
255x16
285x12

man i did not feel like working out today and i felt it. i did not move up in weight with the squats this week but i have feeling it was because i was not that into it today. oh well next week i will start rotating squat days with alternative lifts days. i called it quits on the squats when on the 2nd set i did not go deep enough on the 5th rep and i could feel it so i did not want to do another set of sloppy lifts just to feed the ole' ego. on the other hand my diet is going better!

11venthhour · « **Reply #23 on:** March 26, 2009, 09:58:29 PM »

chest @217.5

bench
bar warm up
135x12
185x12
225x6
265x3x3
225x4
135xrep out

incline DB
60x12
75x10

inside grip bench
135x10
155x8
175x7

sit down dip machine
330x10x2

shrug hammer strength
180x12
270x12
360x12

rear laterals (reverse pec deck)
70x10x3

i made a bigger jump in weight because i had a spotter today. i should have kept to the plan but i was still pretty happy with the 265, i did the lift offs and i just needed touch up on the last rep on set 3. i will try this week but definitely by next week i will be doing a DE and ME day in the same week because i might do a bench competition in may, and i really want to get a legitimate 315. i think i need to switch things up, so i am going to read up some more on the net because i feel everyone else's training logs are much more dynamic than mine. oh well diet is ok, i have really got to stop cheating!!!!!!!!!!!!!

burn2live · « **Reply #24 on:** March 27, 2009, 04:57:08 PM »

Quote from: 11venthhour on March 26, 2009, 09:58:29 PM

chest @217.5

bench
bar warm up
135x12
185x12
225x6
265x3x3
225x4
135xrep out

incline DB
60x12
75x10

inside grip bench
135x10
155x8
175x7

sit down dip machine
330x10x2

shrug hammer strength
180x12
270x12
360x12

rear laterals (reverse pec deck)
70x10x3

i made a bigger jump in weight because i had a spotter today. i should have kept to the plan but i was still pretty happy with the 265, i did the lift offs and i just needed touch up on the last rep on set 3. i will try this week but definitely by next week i will be doing a DE and ME day in the same week because i might do a bench competition in may, and i really want to get a legitimate 315. i think i need to switch things up, so i am going to read up some more on the net because i feel everyone else's training logs are much more dynamic than mine. oh well diet is ok, i have really got to stop cheating!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why the rep out on the 135? Just out of interest

I wouldn't worry about your switching up. I only change my routine once things have plateaued. Hasn't seemed to have done me any harm. I know others make an effort to switch up every 4-6 weeks or whatever though