Give me strength, or give me death!

[Phedder]

Wow, thanks for bringing those up! And friends thought I was 'big' back then haha, just a pipskweak. 

Yesterdays equipped session:

Squats

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 3x140kg (B)
• Add 46 cent, straps down
• 2x3x180kg
• Add Knee wraps
• 3x200kg
• Straps up
• 2x220kg - Still a fair bit off depth
• 3x230kg - Felt really tough, but they moved well.
• 1x240kg 10kg PB - Best rep of the day, kept my back positioning well and drove it up smooth. Depth would be borderline, right on parallel in vid so call could go either way. 

Bench

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• Add 48 fury
• 2x3x120kg - air boards, working it in.
• 5x130kg - 3bd
• 3x140kg - 2bd
• 2x145kg - 1bd
• 1x150kg - touch
• 2x1x155kg - touch - 10kg paused PB. First 155 came down a bit wonky, still pressed alright. 2nd attempt was much much better, very pleased with this!
• 3x160kg - 2bd - Heaviest I've had on the bench before
• 6x150kg - 2bd. Happy with that as well, just kept pushing them out. 

Super stoked with this session, everything's finally starting to click in the equipment! 2 more sessions in the gear to really sort things out and keep building the confidence. Starting to think 250 Squat and 160 bench could be a real possibility. I'll put the vid together later tonight.

[Phedder]

Getting closer to that 245+ for you Opti *good*

[Phedder]

Terrible session yesterday morning, I went in feeling sore and exhausted so wasn't expecting much, but lost the little motivation I had fairly quickly. More sleeping and better eating, and less partying until Nationals  

Deadlifts

• lots x bar
• 2x5x70kg
• 3x120kg
• 2x2x170kg (B) - First set felt almost m aximal, so tried a 2nd at it was a bit better, so carried on...
• 1x200kg (B) - Lolnope. First attempt I didnt even get it off the ground, gave it 10 seconds, tightened my belt, and got out 1 rep. Decided to leave it there and call this a deload session.

Pause Squats

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 3x3x100kg

 

• GHR
• 2x10
• Pull ups
• 2x8
• Glute Bridge
• 2x10x40kg

Later at work

• Parallel grip Pull ups - 3x12
• SS
• Swiss ball leg curl - 3x12
•  
• Inverted Rows
• 3x10
• SS
• Ab wheel
• 3x15

This seems to be a regular occurence after the equipped sessions, and the rest of my weekend certainly wouldn't have helped. I'll try conventional deads again on Thur, I need to get in some heavy work there. Then probably swap my sumo and conventional days around to allow more recovery. 

 

I went in again this morning for another deload session, will type that up later tonight. Actually hit a PB on CG bench but that's from not pushing it for a long time. 

[Leeroid]

Looking solid as man

[Phedder]

Cheers Tom, same to you mate. Those erectors are popping something ridiculous! 

 

This morning I did another semi-deload session:

Squats

• lots x bar
• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 3x3x140kg (B)

Close Grip Bench

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 3x80kg
• 3x100kg
• 3x3x110kg - PB for both weight and reps I think? Haven't pushed CG for ages though, felt good for 1-2 more. 

Dips

• 3x10xbw

5-10 minutes mucking around on the rings, good arm and core workout.

25 push ups

Been doing plenty of stretching and foam rolling, will get in more tomorrow morning. May actually take Thurs off too and do deadlifts fri evening, since I'll be in on Sunday instead of Sat for the equipped work. 

[Phedder]

What a difference 2 days of rest makes! Feeling strong and ready to finish the build up to nats, with deadlifts finally firing again. 

Last nights session:

Conventional Deadlifts

• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 3x140kg
• 2x180kg (B)
• 2x220kg (B) @9.5
• 1x227.5kg (B) @9

Sumo Deadlifts (Hook Grip)

• 3x140kg
• 1x180kg (B)
• 1x200kg (B) @8
• 1x220kg (B) @9 - 20kg Sumo PB and hook grip PB! Stoked!

Bench against chains

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 5x60kg + 20kg Chain
• 3x80kg + C
• 3x100kg + C
• 2x115kg + C
• 2.75x120kg + C
• 2x120kg + C

Front Squats

• 10x60kg
• 3x6x100kg (B)

Back Squats

• 10x100kg 

Fantastic session, really happy with how everything felt. I hadn't gone heavier than 210kg on conventionals since the novice comp, so good to be getting some heavyish weight on the bar again, though not heavy enough. I was still feeling really good after those, and it was supposed to be my usual sumo day so figured why not see where those went as well. I was quite confident of 220kgs after 3x200kg last time, and it felt like it moved well. I'm thinking I could be suited to either style now, will use conventional at Equip Nats as it's what I know best, but leading into Raw Nats I'll continue training both and alternate heavy and rep weeks for each. 

Benching felt fantastic too, no complaints from the shoulder, and I was so damn close on the 3x120kg + Chains, just took a little nudge to get the bar moving again. Considering my PB at 120kg without chains is 3 reps as well, almost matching that with 20kg of chain added was awesome!

In tomorrow morning for equipped work at church, fizzing for it! 

 

[OnlyHuman]

Looking strong!

[Phedder]

Thanks OH, good to have you back!

 

Been slack logging again.

Sundays equipped session:
Squats

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 3x120kg (B)
• 3x140kg (B)
• Add 46 RS centurion
• 2x3x180kg (B)
• Add RPMs
• 3x200kg (B)
• 2x220kg (B)
• 2x240kg (B) - PB Stoked to nail a double with last weeks PB. Confidence in the suit is right up. 

Bench

• lots x bar
• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• Add 48 Fury
• 3x120kg - air board
• 3x140kg - 2bd
• 2x1x150kg - 1bd
• 1x155kg - Touch and press - Ugly ugly ugly, but got it up. Let the shirt pull me out of line, grr.
• 4.5x155kg - 2bd

Close Grip

• 3x5x100kg

Then I mucked around a bit, 3x10 pull ups, did a few rope climbs, some lengths with the yolk, sled and prowler with various weights added, and finished on the rings. Good fun.


This mornings session:

Sumos - Hook Grip

• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 3x140kg
• 2x180kg (B)
• 2x2x200kg (B) - Straps for last set

Pause Squats

• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 3x140kg (B)
• 2x150kg (B)
• 1x160kg (B)
• 1x172.5kg (B) - PB - Sneaky 2.5kg PB from summer. Will nail 180kg paused in the build up to raw nats. Cheers to Drizzt for the spot *good*

Circuit:

• GHR 3x10
• Pull ups 3x10
• Glute Bridge 3x10x60kg

Vid from today, Warren has the equipped footage for week that was. 

[Phedder]

This morning:

 

Squats

• lots x bar
• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 3x140kg (B)
• 2x160kg (B)
• 1x180kg (B)
• 1x185kg (B)
• 5x140kg (B)

 

Hip Flexors kept biting at the bottom, threw technique off a tad but weight felt good, will be glad to focus on my raw strength again after Equipped Nats. 

 

CG Bench

• lots x bar
• 2x5x60kg
• 3x80kg
• 3x100kg
• 2x110kg
• 3x115kg - PB
• 1x120kg - PB
• 5x100kg

 

CG feeling strong, hollow PBs though as I hadn't pushed it for 6+ months

 

Weighted Chin ups

• 5xbw
• 3x20kg
• 2x40kg
• 1x50kg - Yeah buddy! Stoked with this.
• 8xbw

 

Chest Supported Row

• 12x20kg
• 12x30kg
• 15x20kg

 

Ab Wheel

• 12xbw
• 2x12x10kg

 

Will chuck vid together with tomorrow evenings session as well. 

[Phedder]

Last night:

 

Deadlifts

• 2x5x60kg
• 5x100kg
• 3x140kg
• 2x180kg (B)
• 1x200kg (B)
• 1x220kg (B) - Probable opener. This was slow but never really felt hard. Deload always does wonders for my deadlift anyway. Decided to see how sumo was feeling anyway. 

 

Sumo

• 1x180kg (B)
• 1x200kg (B)

 

Front Squats

• 8x60kg
• 5x100kg
• 2x3x120kg (B) - Wanted to go heavier here, but these felt hard. 

 

Shirted Bench

• 10x60kg
• 3x100kg
• Add 48 Fury
• 3x140kg - 3bd
• 2x145kg - 2bd
• 1x150kg -1bd
• 2x1x150kg - Touch and Press
• 1x0x150kg - Touch, no press. Way out of groove.

 

Not entirely happy with shirt work still, I just can't get consistent with it and always feels like I'm fighting against the shirt. I know an F6 would suit my bench style better so Zane has lent me his 46 to try on Sunday. Trying a different shirt 1 week out from nats doesn't seem wise but it may suit me well, we'll see. 

 

Pull ups

• 4x10xbw

[Phedder]

Slack again 

Sunday Church

Squats 

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 3x140kg (B)
• Add 46 cent straps down
• 3x180kg
• Add wraps
• 2x200kg
• Straps up
• 1x220kg
• 2x1x230kg @8, 230kg looking like a solid opener, just need to make sure I nail depth. I actually did something to my shoulder during these squats, really sharp pain by the collarbone and I didn't think I'd be able to bench. Funnily it hurt through every movement, except my bench groove!

Bench

• lots x bar
• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• Add 46 F6 (First time in this shirt)
• 3x140kg - 3bd
• 2x140kg - 2bd
• 1x150kg - 1bd
• 1x155kg - Touch and Press
• 2x0x160kg Touch and failed presses just shy of lockout. 
• 1x150kg - Touch and Press

I think 2 shirted bench sessions in 3 days definitely took its toll, felt very slow and fatigued at the top weights, but the different shirt felt miles better! Even though it's much tighter it suits my groove a lot better, so touching actually felt easier as I wasn't fighting it the whole way. I'm confident with the deload 150 should be a safe opener, and I'll hopefully nail 160 on the day as well. 

Mondays session I went in for a little mobility work and a muck around to keep the body moving.

I did 25 min of foam rolling and stretching, then about 50 reps of Squats and RDLs with just the bar then did some oly work.

5 min technique with bar

Power Snatch

• 5x1x40kg +3 overhead squats per set
• 3x1x50kg + 1 ohs per set
• 2x1x60kg + 1 ohs per set

Power Clean and Jerk

• 5x1x60kg
• 4x1x70kg
• 1x80kg

 

• Did a few snatch grip DLs with 80kg
• 20 OHP with bar
• 2x20 bench with bar

This mornings session was my final heavyish lower body session, in again tomorrow for some bench work.

Deadlifts

• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 2x140kg
• 5x2x160kg (B)
• 2x180kg (B)

Squats

• lots x bar
• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 6x2x140kg (B)

Ab wheel

• 12xbw
• 12x10kg
• 12x20kg
• 6x40kg + 6bw

Just some speed and technique work for squats and deads, kept up a good pace. Got a vid of all working sets: 

[ThreeWhiteLights]

Looking sharp Phedder *ok*

[Phedder]

Thanks TWL, we'll see how sharp on the day!

Last session this morning, light but didn't feel as easy as I hoped, wasn't loosened up enough for the squats. Body is definitely ready for some rest. 

Bench + Chain

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 5x60kg + 20kg chain
• 4x3x80kg + C
• 5x60kg + C

Squats

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 3x3x100kg
• 5x60kg

Pull ups

• 3x8

SS

OHP

• 3x10x20kg

Now just foam rolling and mobility work every day, keep the eats up and hopefully come in at my best!

[Phedder]

2013 Equipped Nationals - My first equipped comp

Squats

• 230kg - Good. I was a bit scared of depth so made sure to sink this one, which made me force my knees forward even more. Still came up no worries, but felt a bit odd.
• 245kg - Good. I felt I sat back into this one a bit better, came out of the hole okay and stalled half way up. Managed to drive past it.
• 255kg - Good. I pulled the back of my suit legs down a bit as I felt them ride up on the 245, and I made sure to really crank my knee wraps and I got an extra revolution out of them. This was my best squat of the day, lost positioning a little in the bottom but it still shot up well. 

Bench

• 150kg - Good. I actually did this in the warm up room to ease the nerves. Flew up even faster on the platform.
• 160kg - Good. Great off the chest but had to work a bit for lockout.
• 165kg - No lift. Again good off the chest and got it to 3-4 inches shy of lockout but it wouldn't budge, held it there grinding for a good 4-5 seconds with no bar movement, looks bizarre on the video haha. Got a massive hamstring cramp during this as well.

Deads

• 225kg - Good, speed weight.
• 247.5kg - Good, this was to get the CDs JR 105 total record. 
• 260kg - No lift. Most frustrating lift I've ever done, managed to grind it to lockout and right as I got the down command my hand opened up. I've never really had an issue with deadlift grip before (only once after 4 weeks of no deadlifts) so this was a big surprise and quite disappointing, I've been chasing 260 since last years nats. Good to know I have the strength to get it up there, just have to keep a hold of it!

Total - 662.5kg, 70kg PB above my raw best, 45kg Squat PB and 32.5kg Bench PB. 

 

Another big thank you to Warren and Ruth for putting on another amazing competition, and to all the spotter loaders, refs, people running the table and everyone else who helped put it all together. It takes a lot of effort to make a comp run this smoothly, and it's always much appreciated!

[ThreeWhiteLights]

Unlucky on that last dead bro! Solid hit out *good*

[OnlyHuman]

x 2 

Well done Phed *good*

[Phedder]

Cheers guys, I'll nail that 260 and then some at Raw Nats!

Back on the basic RTS style template today. I did 2 sessions last week on Thur morning and Fri night, not really worth logging just getting back into it.

 

RTS Vol block W1D1

 

Squats

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 2x140kg (B)
• 3x5x150kg (B) @8,8.5,9
• 2x5x140kg (B) @7.5,8

 

Sumo Deadlifts

• 2x5x60kg
• 2x100kg
• 2x140kg
• 4x2x160kg (B) @7s - Speed focus
• 2x180kg (B) @8

 

Front Squats

• 10x60kg
• 3x10x80kg

 

Good first session back into it, I tweaked my adductor a little on Thur with 140kg squats (Go figure haha) And felt it a little today on the third set of 150s, so dropped back to be safe. Took my sumo stance a little closer and didn't feel a thing so that was good. Front squats I'll be adding weight and dropping reps week to week, I want to nail a 160kg front before Raw Nats. 

[Phedder]

Yesterday mornings session, late logging. 

I wasn't expecting much, had a horrible sleep and realised on the walk in I'd forgotten to take a caffeine cap as well. 

Comp Bench - First reps paused. 

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 3x80kg
• 6x105kg @7.5
• 2x6x110kg @8.5, 9
• 6x105kg @8.5

Floor Press

• 8x60kg
• 5x3x100kg @8s

OHP

• 10xbar
• 3x10x40kg

Pull ups

• 4x10

That was it. Pretty happy with the bench, I have a PB of 6 at 112.5kg, so sets at 110 with a little in the tank when feeling crap bodes well. Floor Press I haven't done for a while, but it always helps my sticking point. Just need to get comfortable with the movement again.

[Phedder]

This mornings session, still a victim of the 'post equipped comp fatigue' according to quigs.

Deadlifts

• lots x bar
• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 2x140kg
• 4x3x180kg (B) @9s
• 2x2x160kg (B) @8s.

Yeah, those 180s were sloooooowwwwwwwwwww. Never truly felt that hard, but just wouldn't move well at all. 

Pause Squats

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 4x4x130kg (B)

GHRS

• 3x8

SS
Ab wheel

• 3x12

Hopefully next week I can start picking the numbers up again.

[Phedder]

Bench + Conditioning. Normally I'd do another upper session on Friday and Conditioning on Sat or Sun, but life got in the way so put it together this evening. Next week should be back to normal routine :-)

 

Bench - 3 count pause

• lots x bar
• 2x5x60kg
• 2x80kg
• 2x100kg
• 6x2x110kg - @8s-9s

 

Bench against chain

• 4x5x100kg + 20kg chain. @8s-9s.

 

Barbell complex

• x5,6,7,8,9,10.

Romanian Deadlift, Bent over row, power clean, front squat, overhead press, back squat, behind the neck push press. That counts as 1 rep, strict 1 minute rest between rounds. Heart rate was sitting around 180 after the round of 10, will try and add an extra round each week from here on.

 

Pull ups

• 3x8

 

 

[Phedder]

Last two days sessions, works been a bit hectic lately (and I'm s*#t at getting out of bed earlier...) So Mondays session was cut short. Should hopefully be more regular and organised next week!

Monday:

Squats

• lots x bar
• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 3x140kg (B)
• 4x3x160kg (B) @8.5s-9s
• 3x140kg (B)

Sumo Deadlifts

• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 2x140kg
• 2x180kg (B)
• 2x200kg (B)
• 5x180kg (B) - Straps, Rep PB. 

Out of time. 

Form on the first 140kg set of squats felt fantastic...and that's as far as it went haha. I wasn't really happy with any of the sets at 160kg. And again sumo form leaves plenty to be desired, I need to be more patient with easing the weight off the ground and maintaining my positioning better. 

Tuesday:

Bench - First reps paused

• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 3x110kg @7.5
• 5x3x115kg @8.5s - Volume PB for 115kg.

Floor Press

• 8x60kg
• 5x3x100kg @8s. 

Pull ups

• 4x10

Seated rows

• 3x12

Seated shoulder press 

• 2x12

Military press

• barx20

Much better bench session this morning, most volume I've done at 115k before and it felt smooth. Floor press was back on point again, last week was just a bit rusty. Same sets and reps but felt much, much easier. Hopefully nail 3x3 at 125kg or so for bench before Nats. 

 

[Phedder]

So, I've been pretty slack with my logging. Still training though, had just been a bit short on time. Basically after the last logged session, my lower back started playing up so nothing really noteworthy for squats or deadlifts. Saw the Doc on Wednesday and he's put me right, truly a miracle worker! Bench training has been going well though, managed a few sets of 120x3 pausing the first rep, and then followed that with a rep out at 100kg with 12 reps, most I'd managed a few months earlier was 100. On Friday I also did 6x3x110kg with a 3 count pause for each rep, so was very happy with that. Had a frustrating squat session where 3x165kg was really tough, so I then repped out 140 for 10. 

Went in for my conditioning work yesterday, but with a sore throat and stuffy nose decided not to push it and just do some form work for squats and some glute work, pretty happy with how that went and the squat is feeling on point again. Here's a vid of the form work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZfYdCwx0O0feature=youtube_gdata


Will get back into regular logging from now, into the intensity phase now so will be handling heavier weights again, hopefully they feel light!


And here's a vid of the rep work, plenty to work on for those squats!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wySuM5FN8EMfeature=youtube_gdata

[Phedder]

I'm not sure if I'd say going at it well haha! Things should come together nicely over the next 3 weeks though, a little unsure if I'll be able to PB on squats and deads but bench is a guarantee. 

Todays session was in the middle of a 12 hour work day, in and out in 45 minutes so yeah, a little rushed...

Squats

• lots x bar
• 5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 3x140kg (b)
• 3x160kg (b) @8
• 3x170kg (b) @9 - Felt heavy on the back but moved okay, squat tech held together well. 
• 3x140kg (b) @8 - Drop set from 170.

Sumo Deads

• 5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 2x140kg
• 2x2x180kg (b) @8
• 2x200kg (b) @9 - These felt hard from the ground today, don't think I held my back positioning well but once they broke the ground they were easy.

[Phedder]

Yesterday morning's session. 

 

Bench - first rep paused

• lots x bar
• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 1x120kg
• 3x3x125kg - Rep and Volume PB, stoked! First 2 sets @9, last set @10 with a grinding rep.
• 10x60kg

 

Floor Press

• 8x60kg
• 2x100kg
• 2x2x110kg @8s
• 2x2x115kg @9s

 

Pull ups

• 10 sets of 5s, done as warm ups and between bench sets.
• 1 set of 10. 

 

Seated Cable Row

• 3x12x45kg

 

Push ups

• 3x20

 

Happy bench is still moving along really well, will try nail some doubles at 130 next week if it feels good. 

[Phedder]

Have been pretty quiet here lately, Honestly I just didn't feel most of my training was worth logging haha. Going in with numbers in mind and having to pull back most of the time. Worked up to openers today;

Squats

• lots x bar
• 2x5x60kg
• 3x100kg
• 2x140kg (b)
• 1x160kg (b)
• 1x170kg (b)
• 1x180kg @8.5 (b)

Happy enough with this. Have only been up to 180 raw once since equipped Nats, and though this rep was a bit slower than I'd like technique was holding together well.

Bench

• 2x5x60kg
• 3x80kg
• 3x100kg
• 1x120kg
• 1x125kg @8 
• 2x0x130kg - Wtf. 

120 and 125 flew up, first 130 I lost the line on, went towards my head. 2nd attempt just fatigued I think. Bench had been going alright in training and have done 130 a few times now so should be there on the day.

Deadlifts

• 5x70kg
• 3x120kg
• 2x150kg (b)
• 1x180kg (b)
• 1x200kg (b)
• 1x220kg (b) @8 - Held at the top for 10 sec
• 1x230kg (b) @9 Held for 5. 

Pretty happy with deadlifts, Haven't gone over 200 since equipped nats so these were actually a pleasant surprise. 220's a very safe opener, 230 if I'm feeling good. Grip felt solid too, hopefully won't be dropping my 3rd again 

Will get a vid up later today or tomorrow.

 

Ab wheel

3x15

SS

Pull up

3x8