I competed in NPC Junior Nationals on June 12-13. I came in with a much bigger and leaner package than years past. Moving into the off season I will be working on my raw strength and putting on size in my upper body. Competition plans are still to be determined with the possibility of some powerlifting in the late fall. I will continue to work with Amit Sapir on my off-season dieting, gradually increasing food and working to put on some good muscle.  Scott Paltos will be doing my training. We've added quite a bit of muscle and are continuing to work some technical things with my raw lifts. 

This week's rotation looked like this:
Monday - Shoulders and light Triceps
Tuesday - Squat and legs
Wednesday - Back and light biceps
Thursday - Off
Friday - Bench, shoulders and tris/bis

This week we hit shoulders twice, like always, and Scott put a couple sets of triceps on Monday, couple sets of biceps on Wednesday, then got a good arm swole on Friday.  It doesn't always fall this way.  I enjoy the changes based on how I'm feeling, how my schedule falls and how my recovery is.

I trained in the morning both Wednesday and Friday.  Every time I train in the morning, I realize how much I don't like training in the morning anymore. Training mid day I can get two meals in before training. I have some time to wake up and move a bit as well.  Training in the morning I only get 1 meal... and my brain just doesn't feel ready. Much of it is mental, I'm sure. I still do pretty well, I just prefer mid day or afternoon. But life happens and adjustments can always be made.

Long time reader and follower of eliteFTS, Sara, was in the states from Ireland this week. She was in Chicago for a few days, so she made a trip down to train with me.  What a trooper!!  Took the South Shore, then walked a couple miles before I finally rescued her!  She did a great job and had a HUGE break through with her bench.  Hit a solid PR and we fixed a little thing in her technique.

She had a great arch and a good press.  We talked about letting the bar "settle" into her lats more.  As the weight got heavier, she wasn't setting the bar over her chest. After hitting her PR, we did some down sets and I was able to get her to not just retract her shoulder blades back, but get them DOWN AND BACK.  This engaged her lats more and she noticed a big difference right away.

As with any technique change, old habits will pop up with near max weights (I'm testament to that). But if she can work that with her lighter sets, she can eventually start to groove the right motor pattern.

Wednesday
A. Double arm DB rows 3x swole
B. Pull-ups w load 6x2
(20, 25, 30, 32.5, 35, 35 added pounds)
C1. Supinated hammer pull down 4x12 rest/pause
C2. Banded pullaparts 4x20
D. Single arm meadows rows 4x15-12-10-20 drop set last
E1. Standing straight bar pulls to chest 3x10
E2. Rope upright rows 3x15
F. Preacher curls (vary grip) 4x6/6 rest/pause last
G. Zottman curls 3x8

 

FRIDAY
A. Comp grip bench 6x10-8-6-4-4-15
(135x10, 155x8, 165x5, 170x4, 170x4, 135x15)
B1. Incline flyes 4x8 heavy ish
B2. Inside shoulder push-ups 4x12-20
C. Seated laterals 4x12
D1. Seated db shoulder press 4x8
D2. Bent over raises 4x12
D3. Standing laterals thumbs down 4x12
E. Decline rolling triceps 7x7 emom
F. Db curl rack attack x8's all the way down
G1. Banded push downs 3xswole
G2. Banded curls 3xswole

 

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