I'd like to say this was just my brilliant idea to give two weeks of meet prep training to show the progression. However, the truth of the matter is that I have been busy and haven't gotten to posting my training like I should. For that I apologize. Either way, it worked out in the end.
Before I get into the numbers I have to admit, true strength training is hard. I haven't really done it for a while. My work has been mostly maintenance and conditioning for the past six months. It's certainly easier on the body and mind. I needed to perform a good hour of recovery today just to get the body in decent working order.
A few notes, I am not writing it, but I am doing full body warm ups for each session. Also, I'm not writing it, but on off days I am doing an hour on the treadmill. It's steady state and whatever speed I feel comfortable with. Nothing difficult. More for recovery and overall health rather than conditioning at this point.
Ha, while writing this I noticed I moved deadlift day to coincide with Thanksgiving. I just didn't want to have such a super high calorie day fall on a non training day. This left me training deadlift, bench, and then squat on consecutive days. No wonder I feel like hammered pooh.
ASSISTANCE DAY
Week 1
-Dips 5x10
-One arm landmine press 50 5x10
-Meadows row 50 5x10
-Ez curl 60 4x10
-Single leg dl 5x10
-Bulgarian split squat 5x10
Week 2
-Micro band pull apart 3x10
-Micro band face pull 3x10
-Micro band pushdowns 3x10
-Mini band pushup 5x10
-Single leg dl 3x10
-Dbl Bulgarian split squat 3x10
*SS various grip pullups w/above exercises 10x5
I took out the dips and rows from last week. The pushups and pullups are just a little more forgiving. That said I did throw in some rope pullups which I never do. Maybe not the brightest idea, but they sure blew up my lats and biceps. My training partners will tell you, it's not close to meet time unless I try to sabotage myself. I came out of this one unscathed.
DEADLIFT
Week 1
-Hex bar dl 315/365/410/445x5, 475 3x5
-Back raise 3x10
-Ab wheel 3x10
Week 2
-Hex bar dl 340/390/435/485/515x3, 550x1
-Back raise 3x10
-Ab wheel 3x10
I felt good with my deadlifts. The original plan was to go three sets with a top weight. On week 2 I felt like working each set a little heavier so I did. It's good to have a plan, but it's good to be flexible as well. For the last set on week 2 of 550 I pulled it and felt my boys hike up into my boxer briefs. It was a hard pull. I know I could have gotten it for the triple, but it was not worth any mishap on National Turkey Day. I don't think the apple crisp would have tasted as good had I blown off a nut.
BENCH
Week 1
-Football bar bench 265/305x5, 345 3x5
-Inverted football bar rows 3x15
-Light band pushdowns 3x15
BENCH
Week 2
-Football bar bench 285/325/365/375/385x3
-Inverted football bar rows 3x15
-Light band pushdowns 3x15
Like with the deadlift, on week 2 I kept working up instead of staying with the same weight for the top three sets. I just felt good, so I ran with it. Interestingly, I have found that I prefer benching with the football bar without wrist wraps. I try not using belts and wraps on all exercises until I feel like I need them. This way I feel like I get a boost from using them. I noticed I had a hard time gripping the bar on my heavy sets. I dropped the wraps and the presses felt better.
SQUAT
Week 1
-SSB box squat 295/340/385x5, 425 3x5
-Back raises 3x15
-Ab wheel rollouts 3x15
Week 2
-SSB box squat 315/360/405/450/475/500x3
SS
-Bulgarian split squats 5x5
-Back raises 5x5
-Ab wheel rollouts 5x5
The safety bar squats got feelin' heavy with the 500 lbs. I muscled them out. I will admit, the last rep was closer than it should have been. I have not missed in training in forever and that is a goal. It takes too much out of me physically and psychologically. That said, I manned up and got the work done. My hips were feeling it, that's why I added the Bulgarian split squats in for assistance. I have found nothing better for keeping my hips in good working order.
So that's it, progression from week 1 to week 2. I am battling some demons and trying to feel good about my work. I have pulled 800 with a hex bar, squatted over 650 on the safety squat bar, and have benched over 600 raw (although not with the football bar), so the numbers I am moving now are humbling. Losing 100 lbs has a give and take relationship. I'm just trying to keep that in context. Throw being 47 in there and that probably makes a difference also. At least I am on the right side of the grass and can keep doing one of my favorite things, training.
Anyway, after my little pity party, the numbers look good. I was able to perform extra Joker sets for both the Squat and the Deadlift. Anything after the first three sets are Jokers. None for the bench. Those numbers seem to be dead on. The math is really screwed up by the football bar because that thing is so damn hard. I was up a good 10% on the big three lifts across the board. This wasn't planned, it just worked out that way. Everything is heading in the right direction. Just two weeks out from the NOV Meet. I need to take a beat and figure out the next move in preparation. Stay tuned.
