Les' Powerlifting Log

[Les]

10/20

Squat (4 mins between sets):
550x3 @ RPE 7 (w/ wraps)
440x3 @ RPE 7
440x3 @ RPE 6.5
440x3 @ RPE 6.5

These went well. On the way up I hit 490x2 as my last warm up without wraps. It was pretty fast, so it seems like my raw squat is moving up too. Then I did 520x1 before the top set with wraps. I was a tad high on the first rep. I need to start wearing my singlet, just to better see my hip crease. Shorts make it look worse.

I was also babysitting while doing this. Nick, my fiancee's 5 year old son, did the video for me. It made it harder to focus with him running around, but he did pretty well. So babysitting and squats FTW!



Leg Press:
340x8
360x8x2

Calf Raises:
360x20x3

Leg Curls:
200x9x3

Decline Abs:
225x15x3

[KarlM]

Man, you have a very vertical bar path! Commentary was great too

[Mkgillman]

Knee sleeves on calves at 150 pounds to the bar. It is known.

Those looked super smooth, great work. And it turns out that a 5 year old is the perfect filming height for squat checks.

[Les]

Thanks guys! Yes, it is kind of funny to see how I look from the vantage point of a 5 year old.

[Cody]

Thanks guys! Yes, it is kind of funny to see how I look from the vantage point of a 5 year old.

Haha! "Is that the actor from Monsters Inc?!"

[broseph]

I legit saw this and thought of you-

[Les]

Heh, thanks guys!

Just an update for the week, I have to hit a 380 bench, 590 deadlift, and 570 squat for 3's. Looking forward to an awesome peaking cycle!

[Les]

10/23

Bench (4 mins between sets):
380x3 @ RPE 8, but it was closer to 7 after reviewing the video. First rep paused, needs to be a tad longer.
340x3 @ RPE 7- all paused
340x3 @ RPE 7- all paused
340x3 @ RPE 7- all paused

This went pretty well. Moving up next week. I guess it does pay to film more often. It looked faster than it felt.


Cable Flies:
120's x20
120's x15x2

Rear Delt Machine:
220 (stack)x20
220x15x2

Tricep Extensions (overhead, rope):
170x20
170x15x2

DB Hammer Curls:
50's x10 *too heavy for arm tendinitis
45's x15x2

[Les]

10/24

Feeling like total shit today (low grade fever, diarrhea, shakes, etc.), but I was determined to make the deads happen. I tried to amp myself up a little bit for my top set to make up for the deficit, but even then I wasn't in my normal amped mode.

Deadlift:
590x3 @ RPE 8-8.5 *felt like 8.5, but the video looked closer to 8.
530x3 @ RPE 8
530x3 @ RPE 8
530x3 @ RPE 8 *stuck to a 4 min break between the drop sets.



1 ARM DB Rows:
110x8x4

Chin Grip Pulldowns:
225x12x4

[KarlM]

Not doubting your rpe meter, but those looked @7 to me. Are you adjusting for the lockout? And your bench is huge! 380 moved like butter!

[Les]

Not doubting your rpe meter, but those looked @7 to me. Are you adjusting for the lockout? And your bench is huge! 380 moved like butter!

Thanks. Yes, Tom actually thought it looked like a 7-7.5. But I do get hung up at the top. I also die out quickly too. I have one fast rep, then one that is just a little slower, but after that it sometimes can start to grind. But maybe it was around a 7.5? I am not perfect at judging RPE either, which is why Tom asked me to film everything from now on up to the meet.

[Mkgillman]

That was an awesome set even if you were feeling perfect. I am kind of jealous of people that can just grip and rip between reps. I can’t get myself to be in the right position if I don’t set up every time and any more time with deads is not happy time.

[Les]

That was an awesome set even if you were feeling perfect. I am kind of jealous of people that can just grip and rip between reps. I can’t get myself to be in the right position if I don’t set up every time and any more time with deads is not happy time.

Thanks. I actually take my breath at the top, so when I do get back to the floor I try to transition pretty quickly. That seems to work better for me than resetting every rep. I know it isn't the "right" way, but I haven't had any issues with it.

[Mkgillman]

That was an awesome set even if you were feeling perfect. I am kind of jealous of people that can just grip and rip between reps. I can’t get myself to be in the right position if I don’t set up every time and any more time with deads is not happy time.

Thanks. I actually take my breath at the top, so when I do get back to the floor I try to transition pretty quickly. That seems to work better for me than resetting every rep. I know it isn't the "right" way, but I haven't had any issues with it.

Yeah, seems like you have a kind of decent deadlift. Granted, if you changed form you might be able to get 405x5.

[Les]

Yeah, seems like you have a kind of decent deadlift. Granted, if you changed form you might be able to get 405x5.

True! When I did get some in person SSC coaching, she wanted my hips so high that it felt more like a stiff leg deadlift. After that session, I went back to doing it the way I did in the past. Mechanically I felt out of position. I've made other form tweaks based on observations from coaches/lifters, and normally you will either see some kind of improvement on the lift right away, or you will at least draw neutral.

[KarlM]

Not doubting your rpe meter, but those looked @7 to me. Are you adjusting for the lockout? And your bench is huge! 380 moved like butter!

Thanks. Yes, Tom actually thought it looked like a 7-7.5. But I do get hung up at the top. I also die out quickly too. I have one fast rep, then one that is just a little slower, but after that it sometimes can start to grind. But maybe it was around a 7.5? I am not perfect at judging RPE either, which is why Tom asked me to film everything from now on up to the meet.

That makes sense. Individual differences and all...

[Les]

10/26

OHP (false grip today):
235x3 @ RPE 9
215x3 @ RPE 8
215x3 @ RPE 8
215x3 @ RPE 7.5

It was odd with the false grip, but it helps with my tendinitis I have going on. I finally started finding the groove on the last set.

Floor Press:
315x8x3 *last set of 8 was RPE 8

DB Rear Delt Raises:
70's x15x3

Tricep Extensions (rope):
170x15x3

1 Arm DB Curls (across body):
30x20x3

[Hamburgerfan]

I am doing raw power challenge

[Les]

I am doing raw power challenge

Sweet!

[Les]

10/28

Still feeling a little like crap, but I got the squats done.

Squat (4 mins between sets):
570x3 @ RPE 8-8.5 *with wraps
455x3 @ RPE sub 7
455x3 @ RPE sub 7
455x3 @ RPE sub 7 to 7

My left knee and hip were bothering me a little too, but with the wraps I couldn't feel anything. The drop sets were all done with sleeves, so the pain was back again after my top set.

570x3

*sorry for the fart on rep 1. That rep looked a tad high too.

455x3 (last drop set of 3)


Feeling like crap, I skipped my assistance stuff today to just rest up.