Contest prep week 9/ workout A

Great day today. It's all coming togther (on the bench at least). Felt very strong.

Here's what I did today:

Bench press- 45x alot, 135x10, 225x3, 275x1 (pause), 315x1 (pause), 350x1 (competition pause), 355x1 (competition pause), 365x1 (touch and go), 345x2, 340x2

Decline Bench- 365x2, 375x2

Deadlift (just feeling it out)- 135x5, 225x3, 315x1

Contest prep week 8/ workout C

Today was my last squat workout prior to the meet. Set a new RAW PR! Hit a 405 with no wraps or suit....belt only. I will say this is a recent PR. I think the most I have ever done raw was 425 but this was a long time ago. This felt awesome. I did not feel it in my hammy at all. This kinda concerns me though. I am starting to think this hammy issue is some type of technique issue in my deadlift.

here's what I did today:

Squat (belt only)- 45x10, 135x5, 225x2, 315x2, 365x2, 385x1, 405x1 (new PR)

Speed bench- 225+40 lbs of chain x 3 x 9 sets (3 different grips, 45 sec between sets, all reps paused)

Flat DB press- 100's x15, 9

Bodyweight is a bit up. I weighed in at 225 today. Not too concerned being that it is the day after Thanksgiving but I will have to watch my diet for the next 2 weeks. Won't be an issue.

Contest prep week 8/ workout B

Not quite sure what to say about today's workout. Honestly, my legs feel dead! I have absolutely scaled down my workouts by eliminating some assistance work. I have been hitting my programmed weights each week. But last week and this week, my legs have felt overtrained. This was the first week I have missed getting a Rack DL PR. My previous best on 2 holes up was 635. Today I attempted 640 and it may have well been 740...it did not budge. Alot of this stems from my concern over my right hammy. Although I have not strained it, I still feel that achy, crampy, tendintis feel in it. I have eliminated my light deadlift day and I will do one more heavy squat day. My only salvation in all this is that in past meets I have had similar problems and ended up pulling PR's the day of the meet.

Next 2 weeks will be nothing but contest prep. I will do nothing but bench and deadlift on Monday and Thursday. Hopefully I will be fresh as a daisey come meet day!

Here's what I did today:

Deadlift- 135x5, 225x3, 315x1, 405x1
Rack deadlift (2 holes up)- 495x1, added straps, 545x1, 585x1, 640x miss

cable triceps extension- 4 sets of 6 reps
Leg curl- 3 sets of 8 reps

Contest prep week 8/ workout A

2 weeks to go! I feel pretty strong. Not quite my strongest but close. Really cut out alot of assistance work. It will be like this until the meet. Hit a 350 paused bench today. I will really need a good day to hit my goal. I really don;t have anything to compare this meet to. The only RAW meet I ever did was my first in 1988. In this meet I hit a 305 RAW bench press at 200 lbs. Other than this, I have done a few open attempts raw. I know I have hit a 370 raw in competition. So I guess this is my bench mark. I do think I could surpass this eventually. Maybe not in this meet but eventually.

Here's what I did today:

Bench press- 45 x alot, 135x5, 225x3, 315x1 (paused), added writs wraps, 345x1 (comp pause), 350x1 (comp pause), 335x2, 340x2, 340x1 (tried a second but no go)

High band bench press (green bands)- 415x1, 524x1, 440x1, 405x3

Cable triceps extension- 4 sets of 6 reps

Conest prep week 7/ workout C

Felt much better today. I was kind of dragging past couple of days. Today I felt awesome. Hit a new 2 RM on the squat. Legs felt good.

Here's what I did today:

Squats (straight bar)- 45 x10, 135x5, 225x2, 275x2, 315x2, 350x2, 365x2 (new PR)
(in between sets I did 5 sets of 15 neck extensions)

Speed bench- 225 x 3 reps x 9 sets (45 sec breaks, paused every rep, 3 different grips)

Flat DB press- 100's x 16, 10, 8
(in between sets I did 3 sets of 8 reps 1 leg curl)

Contest prep week 7/ mini workout

here's what I did yesterday:

TGU- 24 kg x 2/2
Lat pulldown- 5 sets of 5 reps
Rear delt machine- 3 sets of 8 reps
Side laterals- 3 sets of 15 reps

Contest prep week 7/ workout B

Last of what I would call my "really hard" deadlift workouts today. I pulled 455 for 2 reps. Happy about this because 455 was my most recent 1 RM so for 2 was awesome. I layed off the light squats today out of nessecity. Just feel a bit worn down and trying to stay fresh. This RAW style of lifting ain't easy!

Here's what I did today:

Deadlift- 135x5, 225x3, 315x1, added belt, 405x1, 455x2 (new PR!), 445x2, 435x1 (was totally shot by then!)

Cable triceps extension- 5 sets of 6 reps
Leg curl- 3 sets of 8 reps

Contest prep week 7/ workout A

3 weeks to go! I am hitting my numbers every week but I will still need a very good day to hit my goals of 365 and 500. The pause on the bench is what's killing me. Man, is this different than when you train the pause with a shirt! In a shirt, you bring the bar to your chest, pause, and while you are paused you are thinking "man this hurts! I can't wait to push this thing off my chest!" With out a shirt, you bring the bar down, pause, and think " how much longer do I have to hold this thing here" then pray it goes back up. Don't get me wrong, I am not being pessimistic, but it is definitely much harder pausing without a shirt. Thats what makes this such a challenge.

here's what I did today:

Bench press- 45x alot, 135x5, 225x3, 315x1 (long pause), added wrist wraps, 340x1 (comp pause), the rest were touch and go's, 330x2, 335x2, 340x2, 345x1, 335x1

4 board press- 385x2, 405x1

Deadlift (just to feel the form)- 225x2, 275x1, 325x1
(in between sets I did 5 sets of 6 cable tricpes extensions)

Contest prep workout C/ week 6

I decided to lay off the squats today because I have a heavy deadlift day next week. I want to go into this workout with a very fresh back. So, I did some moderately heavy leg presses today instead. I was a bit apprehensive to do this since I've been feeling strong on the squat, but I feel on the edge of overtraining and I think it was the right thing to do. The leg presses still work the legs but spare the back. Believe me, I feel nothing replaces the squat for strength but leg presses do spare the back if that is an issue. Not a huge issue right now, but I don't want it to become one just because I won't listen to my body.

here's what I did today:

Angled leg press- 585x3, 675x3, 725x3, 745x3, 765x3
(in between sets I did 4 sets of 20 neck extensions)

Speed bench press- 215+80 lbs of chain x 3 x 9 sets (45 sec breaks, 3 different grips)

Flat DB press- 75x20, 14, 12
(in between sets I did 1 leg curls for 3 sets of 8 reps)

Contest prep week 6/ mini workout

Today I did exactly the same workout as Tuesday. I have to say, these mini workouts have been wonderful for my shoulders.

Contest prep workout B/ week 6

Deadlift work today. My deadlift is feeling strong. taking it easy on Monday really helped today so I think from here on out I will do some deadlifts on Mondays but very light (focusing mainly on form). I do still feel that twinge in my right hammy. I am starting to think it is more like a varicose vein or some circulation type issue. Nothing to really worry about but I am aware of it.

Here's what I did today:

Rack deadlift (1 hole up plus I stood on plates/ about 4 inches higher than a floor deadlift)- 135x5, 225x3, 315x3, 405x1, added belt 455x1, 500x1, added straps 545x1 (new PR by 10 lbs!), 415x3

SSB squat- 245x3,3,3
(in between sets I did 5 sets of 8 cable triceps extension)

45 degree back extension w/ SSB- 70x6, 75x6, 80x6

Leg curl- 3 sets of 8

Contest prep week 6- mini workout

Here's what I did today:

TGU's- 20 kg x 5/5
Lat pulldown- 5 sets of 5 reps
Rear delt pec dec- 3 sets of 10 reps
DB lateral raise- 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Whole workout took about 30 min.

Contest prep week 6/ workout A

Here's what I did on Monday:

Bench press- 45x alot, 135x5, 225x3, 315x1 (long pause), added wrist wraps 345x1 (competition pause), 325x3, 330x2, 330x2
(in between warmups, I did 4 sets of 20 neck extensions)

Decline Bench press- 365x1, 370x1, 375x1, 380x1 (I was originally hoping to get 2 or 3 on my first set. It was kinda heavy so I just did some singles)

Deadlift (just feeling it out)- 225x3,3,3
(in between sets I did 5 sets of 8 cable triceps extensions)

Contest prep week 5/ workout C

Okay....I admit it, I am an idiot sometimes and don't always follow my own advice. But, sometimes it pays off. I have been a tiny bit concerned about my right hammy lately. Not sure what it is. Maybe a VERY slight strain or just a cramp but I have been feeling a little twitch and it has been annoying me. I had a good DL day on Wed so it's not really effecting me. I said I would not go crazy today on the squat but it felt soooooo good. I went up to 370 for a single with ease (just a belt). Planned on just doing 3 sets of 3 up to 340 but this was easy. So, I guess this just means I have more in the tank BUT I am laying off the light deadlifts on Monday.....yeah right!...well, we'll see.

here's what I did today:

Squat- 45x10, 135x5, 225x3, 320x3, 330x3, 340x3, 370x1
(in between sets I did 5 sets of 8 neck extensions)

Speed bench press- 215+40 lbs of chain x 3 x 9 sets (3 different grips, all paused reps, 45 sec breaks)

Flat DB press- 100's x 14, 7, 7
(in between sets I did 3 sets of 1 leg curls x 8)

Dips- BW x 20, 14

Contest prep week 5/ mini workout

Just found out today that the ADFPF master 1, 220 lb bench press record is well within my reach!!! The current record was set in '06 and is 165 kg (363 lbs). My goal for this meet is 365 but since it is all in kilos, I would need to get 167.5 kgs which equates to 368 lbs. This would be a new national record for this age and weight category. I will need a very good day but MAN would I like to get this record! Feels funny getting a record in the masters division but what the hell! I want this so bad I can taste it! I'm going for it. 4 more weeks....wish me luck!

Here's what I did today:

TGU- 20 x4/4
Lat pulldown- 4 sets of 10
Rear Delts on pec dec- 3 sets of 12
Lateral raises- 3 sets of 12-15

Contest prep week 5/ workout B

Hit my numbers on the deadlift today. Plan was to do 430x3x3. I did my first set. Not easy but I got it good and clean (not toooo hard). On my second set I stopped at 2 reps. pretty sure I could have done 3 but I have been a bit tenative about my right hamstring lately and stopped. If you think you could get hurt you usually do! Power of the mind. I rested for about 5 minutes and decided to test out week 7's weight. I hit 455 for a single. This felt really good. In 2 weeks I will definitely get this for a double. All is going to plan right now. I am thinking of opening with 330 on the bench and 450 on the deadlift with goals of 365 and 500 on my 3rd attempts.

Here's what I did today:

Deadlift- 135x5, 225x3, 315x1, added belt 430x3, 2, 455x1

SSB squat- 230x3,3,3
(in between sets I did 5 sets of 8 cable triceps extensions)

SSB 45 degree back extension (used the SSB across shoulders)- 65x6, 70x6, 75x6

Leg curl- 3 sets of 8

Contest prep week 5/ workout A

Raw bench is feeling like it is close to what it was 2 years ago. Most I have ever done for 5 reps was 330...this was like 5 years ago. Today I hit 325 for 3. Not bad. best thing is that my shoulders feel great! KNOCK ON WOOD!!!!

Here's what I did today:

Bench press- 45x alot, 135x5, 225x3, 315x1 (comp pause), 340x1 (comp pause....long pause!), 315x3, 320x3, added wrist wraps 325x3, 2
(in between warmup sets I did 5 sets of 8 neck extensions)

Reverse band bench press (with green bands from top of the rack)- 405x3, 425x1, 440xmiss

Deadlift- 315+20 lbs chain x 3, 315+40 lbs chain x 3, 315+60 lbs chain x 3
(in between sets I did 5 sets of 8 cable triceps extensions)

I am slowly cutting out some assistance work. I layed off the dips today.

Contest prep week 4- workout C

Here's what I did on Friday:

Squats (straight bar)- 45x10, 135x5, 225x3, 315x3, 325x3, 335x3
(neck extension in between sets for 5 sets of 10)

Speed bench- 215x3x9 sets (used 3 different grip widths, 45 sec breaks)

Flat DB press- 100's x 12, 9, 8
(in between sets I did 1 leg curls for 3 sets of 10)

Dips- BW x 2 sets to failure