A Top 40 Weightlifting Blog

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Training Deadlifts and Bench Press

More fun and games today. Starting light and getting in the volume.

Stretching.

Alternate the following,
Deadlifts - 5 sets/12 reps/70kg (154lbs)
Bench Press - 5 sets/12 reps/145lbs.

Ab Sling Knee Ups - 4 sets/15 reps.
Skipping - 2 sets/150 reps.

Had a great day of training and talking to friends. Again, starting light and working up.

Snowdaddy

Friday, February 23, 2018

Swimming Again

Nothing special today but I got into the pool.

200m Free
200m Breast

10 x 25m free/fly (sprint), 25m breast (easy) on 1:15,

25m Fly Video

Feeling good!

Snowdaddy

Thursday, February 22, 2018

First Day

I haven't put my preaching to practice. Previously I mentioned about past programming that worked really well for me leading into the 2016 Nationals. Today I started working on it.

Leg Swings and Stretching.
Squats - bar/12 reps, 5 sets/12 reps/135lbs.
Bench Press - 5 sets/12 reps/135lbs.

Not much, not heavy but a good place to start. I can always go up from here. Tomorrow I plan on swimming but my next weight training day will be 5 sets/12 reps of Bench Press and the same for Deadlifts.

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Pitiful Squats and Skipping

As the title suggests the Squats today were less than stellar. However the skipping keeps getting better.

Squats - bar/8 reps, 2 sets/8 reps/70kg, 120kg/4 reps, 150kg/2 reps, 192.5kg/miss.

Skipping - 3 sets/160, 160, 170 reps.

Best skipping ever. I keep saying it over and over but I need to bring structure to my weight training is I want to make gains. On a positive note, my body weight is down again. 316.5lbs this morning. Ya me!!!

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Walking

Most evenings I find myself sitting around bored. Friday evening and tonight I decided to haul my ass off the couch, bundle up (it's cold) and go for a walk. Last night I went for a walk around the block which usually takes about 25 minutes during the warmer months. Tonight I went for milk to the Shoppers Drugmart down the road. I was out for about 35 to 40 minutes. Gotta keep active.

Snowdaddy

Thursday, February 15, 2018

More Fun Training

Training lately is all about frequency and trying new things. Today I did something that usually scares me so much I don't try it. Box Jumps.

Bench Press - 2 sets/12 reps/135lbs, 185lbs/12 reps, 5 sets/10 reps/225lbs.
Ab Sling Knee Ups - 4 sets/15 reps.
Box Jumps - 4 sets/10 reps.
Plate Ext - 4 sets/12 reps/45lbs.
Various Biceps Exercises.

Box Jump Video
Box Jump Video
A really good training day. I look forward to more fun training day like today.

Snowdaddy

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Deadlifts

Finally tried some conventional Deadlifts after work today. And, some Skipping.

Deadlifts - 2 sets/12 reps/135lbs, 2 sets/6 reps/225lbs, 4 sets/8 reps/225lbs.

Mixed in between the sets of Deadlifts,

Skipping - 3 sets/120 reps.

I notice that when I'm fatigued my skipping becomes difficult. Squats yesterday, my last set of skipping was tough. I was catching the rope about every 25 rotations. Oh well, I still was able to finish all the reps.

I'm down in weight again today. 318lbs BW.

Snowdaddy

Monday, February 12, 2018

Looking To Get Back Into A Routine.

Looking back at past posts I found some really good information.

Learning



As I have said before I am constantly leaning about Powerlifting. If someone could show me everything at once I wouldn't want it. Powerlifting, for me, is a journey and I need to find out things for myself. My education is my own. Yesterday and last night I learned a huge lesson.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Squats - 75kg/6 reps, 125kg/4 reps, 165kg/2 reps.

Power Phase
Squats (with belt and knee sleeves) - 210kg/miss, 200kg/miss.

At this point I am frustrated and confused. The strength I had leading up to Nationals is gone.

Pump Phase
Squats (with belt and knee sleeves) - 6 sets/3 reps/160kg.

This weight felt better and I felt better for pushing through.

When I got to work I had a long conversation with a fellow lifter who told me about Hypertrophy Post Competition training. There are lots good articles online describing what it's all about. The following link is the article my friend told me to read.

No Nonsense Periodization For Powerlifting

So here is my plan for the next few months.

Day 1
Squats - 5 sets/12 reps
Bench Press - 5 sets/12 reps.

Day 2
Bench Press - 5 sets/12 reps.
Deadlifts - 5 sets/12 reps.

I want to keep it simple as this is my first time trying this. I am also starting ridiculously light, 70kg for all three lifts. I'm sure the weight increase will come quick but the first few training days are gonna suck.

Snowdaddy

This will become my new training regime. Of course I will continue to swim and skip but this will structure my weight training and hopefully I will return to some former glory.

Snowdaddy



Squats

Work time PT. The gym was crazy busy but the Strength Club was just right.

Squats - 2 sets/8 reps/bar, 8 sets/8 reps/70kg.

That's it, that's all. The most volume I've done in ages.Working on staying tight and showing good form.

Snowdaddy

More Skipping

I went to the 17 Wing Strength Club yesterday. I  didn't feel like lifting nor did I feel like swimming. I did however feel like skipping.

Skipping - 6 sets/110, 120, 130, 140 (with 20lbs weight vest),, 150, 100 reps.

Ab Sling Knee Ups - 3 sets/15 reps.

I'm feeling pretty good and the skipping is really fun. All that bouncing is helping dislodge all this stubborn fat. Maybe. 

Snowdaddy 

Friday, February 09, 2018

Swimming

On Fridays at work we have the opportunity to go work out. Today I went to the pool.

4 x 100m breast + 100m free.
8 x 50m alternate 25m free and 25m fly + 25m breast on 1:15
100m cool down.

1300m total.

It's been a while since I was in the pool but it didn't seem to bother. 1300m is a new PB. My first 25m of fly was awesome. My arm rotation was quick and I was really riding up on the water. I'm getter better. BW this morning was 320lbs.

Snowdaddy

Thursday, February 08, 2018

Getting On Track

Tuesday after work I went to the 17 Wing Strength Club and decided on Squats. More so Squats with knee wraps.

Light Stretching.
Squats - 2 sets/8 reps/bar, 2 sets/8 reps/70kg, 120kg/4 reps, 170kg/2 reps, 200kg/miss.

Yikes!!! Pathetic! I put on the wraps for the second set of 70kg and all sets after. This terrible experience has me understanding that I am no longer a strength athlete. Still a bit depressing.

Today I went to the gym with a new found purpose. High Intensity Interval Training HIIT is the way to go.

Light Stretching.
Bench Press - 2 sets/10 reps/135lbs, 225lbs/8 reps.

Alternate the following;
Bench Press - 5 sets/2 reps/315lbs.
Skipping - 4 sets/100 reps.

Skipping Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRMyuHqAu-M

Finish up
Bench Press - 225lbs/8 reps, 2 sets/12 reps/135lbs.
Hammer Curls - 2 sets/8 reps/35, 40lbs.

My heart rate was super elevated the entire work out. I feel GREAT!!!

Swimming tomorrow!

Snowdaddy