Rangers97 Does Powerlifting (for real this time)

[rangers97]

December 22

Missed my workout yesterday since I wasn't feeling too hot, so I did yesterday's workout today and am going to skip my normal thursday workout which includes seated overhead presses and pin presses, oh well, as long as I don't make it a habit. I think the routine I have been doing is wearing me down a little bit, a lot of maxing or close to maxing with the deads and squat day, so I am going to change things up a little bit for a while to do less maxing. Instead of shooting for a max deadlift every other week, I am planning a 5 week cycle where I will be maxing on the fifth week for the 3 exercises, working up to the 1rm over the 5 weeks. The assistance exercises will stay the same. I will incorporate speed work for the bench, squat and dl on the same day i do the max attempts. so the journal won't be as exciting weekly, but every 5 weeks will be interesting with the new 1rm attempts.

Percentages will be based on these projected maxes for this cycle:
deadlift 350
squat 340
bench 325

todays workout:

Speed Deads (60% 1RM)
5 x 5 @ 210

Max Deads (80% 1RM)
5 x 1 @ 280

V-Handle lat pulldowns
130 x 8
130 x 8
130 x 8

Chest supported t-bar rows
140 x 6
140 x 5
140 x 5

db hammer curls
65 x 5
65 x 5

barbell shrugs
265 x 10
265 x 10

[.V.]

yep, a missed day is just a day lost. So now you schedule is one day different. So what...nice work - probably wouldn't have been too good if you had done it while feeling poorly.

[rangers97]

yeah, nothing i can do about it now. I was all thrown off too because I got home about an hour and a half after I usually do from work, so I was starting with one strike already, then I went downstairs to start, looked at the barbell staring at me and just decided there was no way I was going to get a productive workout, so I just played Playstation all night, lol.

My wife got me the new Matrix game and I am completely hooked, it's a wonder I even managed to work out tonight, lol

[rangers97]

does anyone know why a chest supported t-bar row machine is so much harder to do than regular bent over rows? I mean, I can usually do anywhere from 210-225 on a barbell bent row, but I struggled with 140 on the row t-bar row. I assume it's because you can't cheat as much on the t-bar, but come on 225 to 140 is a big difference.

[rangers97]

December 23

I lied, I did my thursday workout today. it;s easy to get away with missing a day if you have to go to the gym, but when all you have to do is walk downstairs, sometimes it;s hard to say no, lol

Seated Overhead Press
190 x 5
190 x 4
very heavy and hard as hell. am thinking i might have too many pressing movements in my weekly routine, so i might consider dropping these for front raises so i can concentrate on my bench. i will see if this affects the bench progression at all. I don't like the risk/reward for the overhead presses. I mean it;s nice to get 190, but it will also be nice to get a 325 bench, so I don't want to blow out my elbows doing an overhead press.

Rack Presses
3 x 5 @ 255
I really like these for some reason. Firehawk what are some exercises to help with the bottom of the bench? I figure I have the lockout pretty good, now I need help off the chest

side laterals
30 x 11
30 x 10

rear laterals
40 x 10
40 x 8

db side bends
30 x 15

[Firehawk]

Go read that article i posted in the powerlifting section about the low end of the bench.

[rangers97]

December 24

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

Short, but surprisingly tough and draining workout today for squats. I hate working out on saturdays, I am all "off" for some reason, when compared to the week after I get home from work. Oh well, can't workout more than 2 straight days, so this will have to do for now.

Rep Squats
5 x 5 @ 222.5

Max Squats
5 x 1 @ 272.5
Placed my feet a little wider today and it changed EVERYTHING. I don't know if I can keep my projected 1rm of 340 with this new stance. It was great on my back, I didn;t feel a thing and it felt more natural at the bottom, but it stressed a lot of different muscles than my normal stance. I think I want to keep it since I am now deadlifting narrow stance, might as well make my squat wide stance, but it;s gonna take some time to adjust. My groin from where I had my previous hockey injury is acting up, so I guess this stance hits the inner thighs a lot more.

SLDL
205 x 6
205 x 6
205 x 6
These were cake and my back held up quite well, so hopefully I can get to some nice weight on these and get my damn hamstrings up to snuff!

Thats it. Time to go eat like a pig for the next 2 days

[Firehawk]

The wider stance will hit your hips/glutes alot more, i reckon ur probably weak in that area just from never training them. Doing squats closer stance you don't hit those muscles very much, it's all quads.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

The wider stance will hit your hips/glutes alot more, i reckon ur probably weak in that area just from never training them. Doing squats closer stance you don't hit those muscles very much, it's all quads.

i would assume in the long run for bigger numbers you go wider stance?

[Firehawk]

Yeah your quads are not what allow big squatters to squat big numbers. The glutes/hips/hams can handle far more than the quads can. I am not saying u should neglect the quads, but obviously, the backside muscles can support tons more weight.

[rangers97]

December 26 -- Bench

Bad workout today. just didn't feel right. Numbers weren't bad, just the feeling of the workout was bad. I had to start earlier than I wanted to because I am going to a family party this afternoon, and I think that affected me. Also have been very tired lately, slept like crap the past 2 nights and ate like crap too, so I am sure that had something to do with it too...

Rep Bench
5 x 5 @ 212.5

Max Bench
4 x 1 @ 277.5
This was very easy on the way up, I attribute that to my strong triceps, but bringing the bar down is really hurting a tendon in my right elbow, on the outside of the elbow. It isn't the tricep tendon, trust me , I know what that one feels like, lol, this is more on the outside of the elbow and it feels like it is deep inside. It hurt really when bringing the bar down. I tried fast, slow, didn't matter, still hurt like hell. Any suggestions Firehawk? This is the first time this has happened benching powerlifting style for me.

But I am gonna keep pounding my tris so hopefully next week when I attempt close to 300 I will be fine. Am still on course for a max attempt of 325 in 3 weeks.

DB Flat Bench Press
125 x 5
125 x 6
Just like last week, got one more rep on the second set? Anyway, maybe some day I will get more than 6 reps on this weight!

Close Grip Bench Press
255 x 6
255 x 5
Didn't have anyone to spot me so I didn't attempt a 6th rep on set 2, but I might have gotten it had I had a spotter.

Front raises
20 x 15
shot at this point

side raises
30 x 10
on the floor dead at this point...give me my carb drink NOW!

[.V.]

With all the things you think affected your workout - right you are. They definitely do have an impact.

You should definitely be ashamed of those numbers. Haha - they make my little numbers look like baby work. Hell, do the best you can - you still improved. As long as each workout has some kind of improvement over the last one it's a good workout. I definitely feel your pain on the workout not "feeling right" though. Those that feel wrong stink. Nothing like a workout where everything just clicks together. Get some rest, do some eating, and have a better one next time.:

[rangers97]

That's what I plan on doing:

[Firehawk]

My workout today felt bad too. I think it's the diet the last couple days, eating alot of calories but all junk, and instead of eating it 6 meals over the day i eat 2 big ones and eat bs snacks in between, like CRAP snacks (cookies, etc).

[rangers97]

it is 5:30 now, and todays workout ripped me apart...my shoulders hurt, elbows hurt, basically everything involved in a bench press is bothering me right now. Hopefully it's just a fluke. We'll see how I feel tomorrow. Bad day, very bad day. Damn holidays!