After coming off my best meet performance of my career, I am now officially a beat up powerlifter. I'm having some minor low back issues that I'm working on mending up, and then I'll begin to find a competitive option. My goals for 2017 are to compete in a bodybuilding show and also get back to the platform 100% healthy.

For programming and coaching inquires, please email SmitleyPerformanceSystems@gmail.com or visit brandonsmitley.com

Thursday I got my training in done in the garage, as the weather lately has been oddly warm where I can have the garage door up. Really weird for February. Plus I know that my weights on the squat and deadlift are beginning to get heavier, and I want to be able to use the competition bars and really get a hone in on things. I've been switching over to a hook grip, and with my tiny, fat hands, it's not the easiest thing in the world. Thank goodness for a deadlift bar. The squats and pulls still felt really effortless and zero pain, and I'm back up to 40% weights now, so I'm very pleased with this. I'll get to take some 50% weights next week at Elitefts, and then I'll be slowing the jumps down a bit. I even kept the accessory work to be more powerlifting like as I try to make this transition back, and hopefully bring up some specific weak points I'm feeling in each lift. Each week I'm feeling a bit more hopeful!

Items Used in this Training Session
Texas Deadlift Bar
Box Squat Box
Prowler

Warm Up
PRI Breathing Work - 5 min
Hip Flexor Stretch - 30 sec per leg
Leg Swings (forward and side to side) - 10 each
Single Leg RDL - 10 per leg
Bulgarian Split Squat - 10 per leg
Goblet Squat - 10
Standing Band Crunch - 15

A1) Squat
205x5x10

B1) Sumo Deadlift
205x5x10

C1) Goblet Step Ups
3x10 per leg

D1) Reverse Prowler Drag
5 trips down and back
D2) Wtd GHR (Elevated)
5 sets, max reps (+10 lbs)

E1) Reverse Hyper
3x30

F1) Wtd Single Arm Sit Ups off GHR
3x10 per arm