With Winning In Mind

[VinceC]

02/02/2019


1. Deadlift with belt:


425 x 1 @6
450 x 1 @7

475 x 1 @8

385 x 5 x 7


E1RM: 515 (+5)



2. Pin bench (mid-range):


270 x 1 @5

285 x 1 @6

300 x 1 @7

315 x 1 @8

285 x 4 x 3


E1RM: 341.5 (+21.5)



3. Romanian deadlift:


260 x 12 @6.5

280 x 12 @7

315 x 12 @9



I joined a new gym yesterday. This place has 24/7 keycard access, two power racks, three platforms, monolift, strongman equipment, specialty bars of all kinds, Prowler, bumper plates, etc. Definitely a serious strength gym.


The last place was geared mostly towards two types: 1. bodybuilders and 2. boomers who show up just to socialize, hit on the younger girls, and give me the stink eye while I'm squatting or deadlifting.The owners never put another dime into new equipment in the six years I had been going there. Some members brought in their own barbells, a rack, and deadlift platform that they generously let other people like me use. The rest of the equipment is falling apart and the carpet in the free weight area is worn through and torn through in many places. It's a wonder no one has tripped and broken his head.


The new place is quite an improvement, to say the least.

[VinceC]

02/04/2019


New Gym Gains today!


1. Squat with belt:


455 x 1 @6

475 x 1 @7

500 x 1 @8

460 x 3 x 4


E1RM: 542 (+27)


Squat progress came back after the bad workout last week.



2. Competition bench:


280 x 1 @6

295 x 1 @7

310 x 1 @8

300 x 2 x 4


E1RM: 336 (+5)


Nice to bench where my feet aren't sliding all over the place, for once. Also, it's easy to unrack the bar from a good quality Elitefts rack.



3. Push press:


140 x 8 @6

150 x 8 @7

160 x 8 @8


E1RM: 216.5 PR

[ChrisMcCarthy1979]

Glad to hear you've moved on to a better place.

[VinceC]

Glad to hear you've moved on to a better place.

Thanks, Chris. It's already making a difference in my training.



02/06/2019


1. Deadlift with belt:


430 x 1 @6

455 x 1 @7

480 x 1 @8

440 x 3 x 4


E1RM: 520.5 (+5.5)


Widened stance a little.



2. Competition bench:


285 x 1 @6

300 x 1 @7

315 x 1 @8

270 x 4 x 7


E1RM: 341.5 (+5.5) PR



Ran out of time to do pin squat (again). Not too broken up over it since I have a lot of squatting planned for tomorrow.

[VinceC]

02/07/2019



1. Squat with belt:



455 x 1 @6

480 x 1 @8

390 x 5 x 7



E1RM: 520.5 (-21.5)





2. Competition bench:



290 x 1 @7

305 x 1 @9

270 x 3 x 5



E1RM: 319 (-22.5)





Didn't have time to do a few sets of wide-grip bench. It's just as well since I was dragging badly through this session. I was tired, sore, and slow. This seems to be the pattern with my Thursday workouts so I'm not too worried. Progress usually picks back up the next week.

[VinceC]

02/08/2019



1. Deadlift with belt:



435 x 1 @6

460 x 1 @7.5

380 x 5 x 3



E1RM: 507 (-13.5)





2. Pin bench (mid-range):



290 x 1 @6.5

305 x 1 @7.5

280 x 4 x 3



E1RM: 336 (-5.5)







TRAC is cautioning me that I'm accumulating too much fatigue. For the past several days, it has recommended that I cut volume.



This training block, I've been doing the competition lifts multiple times a week. In hindsight, this was probably a mistake. I'm better off doing them once a week and accessory movements the rest of my training sessions.



This week will be a short Pivot/Recovery Block, then I'll have a four-week Peaking Block leading into my competition on March 16th. There have been some bumps in the road since I started training for this meet but, overall, my lifts have been trending upwards.

[VinceC]

Last week was pivot week, which I didn't bother to log on here. I recovered very well, but had one of the worst/oddest workouts ever on Monday.





02/18/2019



1. Squat with belt:



430 x 1 @6

455 x 1 @7.5

390 x 3 @10 (wth??)



E1RM: 501.5



First couple of singles were totally fine. I meant to start my working sets with fours but, with the first set, I barely got three! It's like I completely forgot how to squat and my strength was suddenly zapped out of me.



I admit it freaked me out a bit, so I decided to do some lighter stuff, then go home.



2. DB bench:



55s x 10

65s x 10

75s x 10





3. Overhead DB extension:



65 x 10 x 3





4. Prowler



Probably ten minutes total, broken up into multiple sets. Didn't really keep track.







In hindsight, I should have dropped the weight dramatically on squat, finished the sets of four, and gotten on with the rest of my session.

[VinceC]

02/20/2019​



Feeling more like myself today.





1. Deadlift with belt:



430 x 1 @6

455 x 1 @7

480 x 1 @8

405 x 4 x 7



E1RM: 520.5







2. Competition bench:



260 x 1 @6

275 x 1 @7

290 x 1 @9

295 x 1 x 9



E1RM: 314.5



Couldn't get my shoulders locked in very well. Bar path was all over the place. Still, the weight moved without much trouble.







3. Push press:



155 x 6 @7

165 x 6 @8

165 x 6 @9



​​​​

[SeanHerbison]

I joined a new gym yesterday. This place has 24/7 keycard access, two power racks, three platforms, monolift, strongman equipment, specialty bars of all kinds, Prowler, bumper plates, etc. Definitely a serious strength gym.
...
The new place is quite an improvement, to say the least.

Sounds awesome.

[VinceC]

I joined a new gym yesterday. This place has 24/7 keycard access, two power racks, three platforms, monolift, strongman equipment, specialty bars of all kinds, Prowler, bumper plates, etc. Definitely a serious strength gym.
...
The new place is quite an improvement, to say the least.

Sounds awesome.

Definitely. I'm lucky.

[VinceC]

02/22/2019


1. 2-count pause squat:


365 x 1 @7

385 x 1 @8

360 x 4 @9

325 x 4 x 2


E1RM: 417.5


Squat feels a lot better today.



2. Touch-and-go bench:


275 x 1 @6.5

290 x 1 @8

250 x 3 x 8


E1RM: 314.5


Narrowed my grip by one finger. Also, I took a more conventional grip with the bar across the heel of my hand rather than the internally rotated Japanese grip. I think I like this better.



3. Prowler:


90 lbs x 100' x 5 sets

[VinceC]

02/23/2019


1. 3-count pause bench:


245 x 1 @6

260 x 1 @7.5

245 x 4 @9

225 x 4 @7.5

225 x 4 @8


E1RM: 286.5


Experimented with a closer grip. Feels more "solid" and way easier on the shoulders.



2. 2-count pause deadlift:


365 x 1 @7

385 x 1 @8

365 x 4 @8.5

330 x 4 @7

330 x 4 @7


E1RM: 417.5



3. Close-grip cable row:


160 x 8 @6

170 x 8 @7

180 x 8 @8

180 x 8 @8



4. Assault air bike:


10 minutes

[VinceC]

I had surgery a couple of months ago and had to take a break from heavy training. It was nothing life-threatening, but I couldn't do the competition lifts while recovering. As soon as I got the all-clear from my doctor, I started with some lighter bodybuilding-style exercises for a few weeks. Now I'm finally back to powerlifting training. I have some catching up to do!



05/13/2019 - Developmental Block - Week 1


1. Squat with belt:


385 x 1 @7

405 x 1 @8

350 x 3 x 6


E1RM: 439


I need to work on initiating the descent by getting my knees forward. It helps me hit depth easier and takes a lot of strain of my lower back (a good thing, since I've injured my SI joint multiple times).



2. Competition bench:


255 x 1 @8

220 x 3 x 6


E1RM: 276.5


After too many years of experimentation, I've settled on using a Japanese grip for bench.



3. Preacher curl machine:


60 x 10 x 4

[SeanHerbison]

Funny timing. I'm going through old emails, and about 2 minutes after reading your update here, I found an email with a link to your old log. I'm not sure why I emailed myself that, but I'm assuming it had to do with the gif you posted.

[VinceC]

Funny timing. I'm going through old emails, and about 2 minutes after reading your update here, I found an email with a link to your old log. I'm not sure why I emailed myself that, but I'm assuming it had to do with the gif you posted.

That's hilarious. Especially since I caught my cat eating my breakfast this morning!

[VinceC]

05/14/2019


1. Deadlift with belt:


365 x 1 @6

385 x 1 @7

405 x 1 @8

350 x 3 x 6


E1RM: 439



2. Pin bench (chest level):


215 x 5 @6

230 x 5 @7

245 x 5 @8

245 x 5 x 2


E1RM: 308


Pin bench was a lot stronger today than my regular competition bench yesterday. Weird.



3. 530 tempo squat:


185 x 8 @8


Wow, I am terrible at tempo squat. I had a really hard time keeping my balance and finding the groove. I guess I really need to be doing these!

[VinceC]

05/17/2019


1. Pin squat:


315 x 4 @6

335 x 4 @7

355 x 4 @9

335 x 4 @8


E1RM: 411.5



2. Touch-and-go bench:


225 x 5 @6

240 x 5 @7

255 x 5 @8

255 x 5 @8


E1RM: 314.5



3. Military press:


115 x 7 x 3


E1RM: 153

[VinceC]

05/20/2019



1. Squat with belt:



395 x 1 @6

415 x 1 @7

435 x 1 @8

380 x 3 x 6



E1RM: 472 (+33)



Big jump in squat strength, over the past week. I'm not complaining. . .





2. Competition bench:



230 x 1 @6

245 x 1 @7

260 x 1 @8

225 x 3 x 6



E1RM: 282 (+6.5)



Thing to work on: elbow positioning at chest level. I have a bad habit of flaring my elbows on the way down instead of getting them just slightly in front of the bar. When I do this, I lose upper back tightness and my shoulder blades slip.





3. Preacher curl machine:



65 x 10 x 4

[VinceC]

05/22/2019


1. Deadlift with belt:


395 x 1 @6

415 x 1 @7

435 x 1 @8

380 x 3 x 6


E1RM: 472 (+33)



2. Pin bench (mid-range):


225 x 5 @6

240 x 5 @7

255 x 5 @8

255 x 5 x 2



3. 530 tempo squat:


175 x 8 @6

185 x 8 @7

195 x 8 @8


I cheat so badly on the tempo.

[VinceC]

05/25/2019


1. 2-count pause squat:


325 x 4 @7

345 x 4 @8

365 x 4 @9

345 x 4 @8



2. Touch-and-go bench:


230 x 5 @6

245 x 5 @7

260 x 5 @8

260 x 5 @8


Feet slipping and sliding all over the place. I can't tell if it's my shoes or the floor. Nothing like having your feet shoot forward and your chest collapse as soon as you unrack the bar.


3. Press:


105 x 7 @6

115 x 7 @6.5

125 x 7 @8