Of Late

I've had a hard time trying to string together good training sessions over the last couple of weeks since my last post. It wasn't ideal as I was trying to get ready (in my head as well as my body) for the Best Of The South/South Island bench champs held in Greymouth last weekend.

I managed one rough shirt session the week prior to the meet, but that was the first time I had put it on since the meet in September. I didnt feel great about it, but after an ugly 1 board effort I figured I'd be able to mongrel it down if I had to. I was never going to touch with anything lighter then 205kgs, and although I certainly wasn't pressing as well as in September, I figured I'd probably be able to mongrel that up as well.

come the day of the meet and after a long drive I weighed in at 100.25kgs .05 heavier then Sept. We didnt have our comp bench, and the one we used was higher then normal. I stupidly didn't have any practice setups before my opener, which set me up for an ugly day of lifting.

On my opener I didnt get my shoulders back properly. This was due to the high bench and me not paying enough attention. I have to say that the hand out was rough too, but again that's something I should have accounted for and gone over with the spotter. While waiting for the start signal I could already feel the shirt tightening up, and it felt like it took 10 minutes to reach my chest. I got stuck for a bit at what felt like 2cm from touching and nearly decided to flag it and press it, miss the lift and go on to my 2nd attempt. But I decided to give it a bit extra and manged a touch. The press felt slow, wonky and ugly but I got 2 white lights.

All that time spent straining and arching caused a spasm in my right lat, low down about inline with my elbow. I couldn't stand up for a while so flagged my last 2 lifts. Luckily for me Alf (the guy who would have won) was reffing so I managed to win with my rude lift.

Craig (a close to 2x bodyweight raw bencher) and Alf (probably pound for pound the best bencher in NZ) both lifted in the Best of the South section (all the guys using bench shirts were in the Sth Is champs section that went first. Craig did 180, the 205, both quite easy, then got hurt (torn bicep I think) having a crack at 220kgs. He got the win though, and Alf cleaned up second with 140, 150 and 160, all of which looked easy.

There were a few giggles from the girls and frowns from the guys in greymouth when they saw me wearing my bench shirt, and the bloody shiny black softsuit that Alf lent me, but it was a good day and there were some good new lifters that had a go. Steve Barnes, a new comer who had to lift, then shoot off to fill in a grave (his job) managed to place 3rd in the Sth Is champs which was awesome. But all in all it was cool to see the Eastside guys dominate.

Training is feeling really good, and I think it has a lot to do with getting more sleep! And training more in the evenings. I think a few simple things like having water to drink on my work desk help as well.

I'll hopefully be able to make more consistent posts on here as well. In the mean time Craig has set up a blog at www.biggerstrongersmarter.wordpress.com which will be well worth looking at and Spida, a PT who works and trains out of Eastside has an up coming MMA fight. He's done some videos as he builds up - some training, some talking, - which are pretty cool too so look for him at www.ehpfitness.com.

Speed Deadlifts

Rather then root my back more then it already is I decided to stick to speed deads, and bring up my upper back. This saves me having to lift too heavy too often. I stick to sumo for speed deads as I get a lot more out of them even though they cause some pretty mean DOMS on the inside of my hamstrings. Followed this up with 4 sets of reverse hypers, single leg kettlebell deadlifts (I think they're gat but I defintely feel them) and added in some camber bar goodmornings. The GM's were an addition to last weeks workload as I a get healthier again (plus an extra set on the other movements).

Didnt go too hard but still had a hard time bending over the next day.

Did speed bench and shoulders the following day (Friday). I added an extra chain to the bar weight (of 50kgs) so was 50+4 chains at the top. I'm taking a break from the bands to give my elbows a rest, but I still feel like I'm getting plenty out of it (can't beat the bands for building the stretch reflex though - although I feel like dips might be a good alternative).
Shoulders was some military press, but my energy evaporated quicker then I expected and I only fit in 4 sets at 65kgs before following up with some presses in the machine. Followed 5 sets of that (which was tougher then I expected only 5 sets of 10 with 48kgs) with some lateral cable raises (not worth mentioning the weights and reps as these are all done light for the sake of getting a decent pump as well as some facepulls - 42 x 15 x 5 try and do a bit to counter all the benching I've been doing of late.

Still feels like a gradual process but I'm defintely heading back up to where I want to be. Might put the shirt on next saturday then make a descision about the best of the south. I feel like my might be at my best in the shirt, but I've also dropped a bit of size so that could factor in with how well the katana goes, although my triceps are feeling pretty good with my close grip being the best I've been for ages. Will wait and see next week. Looking forward to it.

Monday Chest

Managed to drag myself into the gym despite not feeling right up to it. Picked up where I left off yesterday and did a few sets of bench, dumbell incline bench, incline flyes and tricep rope push downs.

BP-100 x 10, 110 x 8, 130 x 5, 120 x 5, 110 x 8, 100 x 10
Incline Dbell Press- 30x10, 40x5, 32.5x10x2

Incline Flyes - 15x12, 17.5x12, 20x12, 25x10
Rope Push Downs - 42x15x3

Had some wicked pressure in my head due to a badly blocked nose, but reasonably happy with where everything is at the moment. Half thinking about putting on the shirt at the Eastside open, but not sure...

Sunday - Heavy Bench + Pause

Decided that while I'm nursing a bad head cold, that I wouldn't be doing much volume (or training for that matter). So I spent a few sets yesterday just working on pauses off the chest.

We can sometimes have suspect press calls so I was counting to 3, which showed me how loose on the chest I've been. I want to have a crack at 160 next month but at this stage I'll need to work hard to beat my 150 PR. But I'm sure the speed work will help as well as training in the pauses.

Bit of a slow boring session but by the end of it (I worked up to 140 for a single) I felt like I was tighter off the chest, especially when on the last double I did (130).

Just a ramble today really as I'm trying to get back into the habit of updating this log.

Numbers: 100 x 5, 110 x 4, 100 x 3, 110 x 3, 120 x 3, 130 x 2, 140 x 1 (no pause on the one 140 though).

Training Of Late

Since the bench meet a few weeks back I've been pretty lax about training and haven't had any real goals to focus on. Even though the Eastside Open is coming up in a few weeks I didn't set myself any targets for that day other then having a good time doing my first full 3 lift for ages.

I have been working on speed for the bench and deadlift though using bands and/or chains for 8 to 10 sets of 1 to 3 reps, followed up with work on either the triceps or hams n glutes. Nothing exciting, but it makes a good change from straight training, and I feel the difference. This time last year speed work made a huge difference to my bench.

I still feel slowish but when I manage to time my sets, the speed is building up gradually, and in the past couple of weeks, it's taken less sets to reach a good speed.

I've also been keeping tabs on my resting heart rate as I'm paying more attention to my fitness and overall health at the moment. Especially as I've had a pain in the ass head cold that has produced some of the greenist, most horrible gunk from my nostrils that I have ever cultivated.

I'll be looking to make the up coming week a good one in the gym.

205kg Bench

Thought I might as well chuck this up here. Once again I'll be trying to keep my log updated...

Shirt work building up to this meet was improving but definitely not where I was planning to be at this stage. I flagged the Nationals and hoped on ticking off the 200 bench I had as a goal this year at this qualifier/meet instead (nats were never my goal so it made sense to save the money and have a crack at it (200kgs) at Eastside instead, with the best of the south and Eastside open as back ups).

So basically I was a month ahead of where I'd planned to be ready (Oct 16 as was my original plan for being ready to compete). I was confident with 200 off 1 board but had yet to touch with any weight and press it successfully. I opened on 205kgs. I couldn't touch with anything lighter.

I weighed in heavy by 200gms (100.2kgs) but didnt bother losing the extra weight and Alf mentioned that the 110kg Canty record was 202.5 (bench only was actually 192.5). My first lift was no good as my feet moved. Cliffy (head ref) filled me in and told me they actually moved on the decent.

I spent the time before my next lift focused solely on what I'd do with my upper body and forgot to adjust my feet when I setup for the second attempt but fortunately I got the lift. I had a crack at 210kgs on my 3rd attempt but it was too heavy.

Not sure where I'll aim with the shirt from now. Will probably chuck it on for the Canty bench next year, but I have to work on my speed and control bringin the bar down, but for the rest of this year I'll probably focus on brining up my raw strength and speed (for all 3 lifts)

Here's the vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7ffCCyVsNg

Tuesday -Chest

Went back to the flat bench today after having a few weeks away from it. I also reduced my range of motion to the bottom portion of the lift more so then I have been lately. Under the heavier loads I've been feeling slow and weak off the chest. Once I started putting more tension on it for longer periods of unbroken time, the training started to feel a lot better.

Just used today as a feeler for my 5-3-1 program which I'll begin next week. Jakes also going to be using it so hopefully he'll make some good gains as well.


3rd week of doing the arnold flyes (easiest way to describe them) and I seem to be getting better at maintaining tension with them (and "the squeeze"). More of a cross between a flye and a press really. I was more sore after these then the week before. Worked up to 2 heavy sets of 20kgs x 12 plus about 4 more with lighter weights.

Chucked in some machine pressing as well. Also kept the load off the tris as much as possible. Stuck to sets of 12 plus with these and only used 35-40kgs a side for short strokes.

Finished up with tris which seemed to feel better then they have for a while. I think emphasising the chest more has left me more in the tank for these at the end of the session. Got owned but felt really good. Also got through 4 exercises in record time. 60 mins.

Will jump straight in under the bar with 60kgs for a warm up next week rather then piss about with the bar.