Squats Arghhhh

Tonight I finished prep for Nationals. If I give the abreviated version it sounds great a single 5kg PB on the squat however if you were there spotting me....

The single tonight was like a red headed step child at a family reunion: just damn ugly and no one wanted to look at it.

What tonight reminded me was how important technique is in the squat. I just haven't handle enough weight this prep and I am falling into bad habits. Tonight I did my famous sow sit back and just fucked the rep completely. This bad habit has two elements firstly  I bring my stance in just a little too narrow which accentuates my site back to get depth. Then I tend to exaggerate the sit back and similarly don't drop into the wraps hard enough. The remedy is simple cue for wider stance and drop through onto the wraps hard.

As I mentioned all of this is a result of not enough time under the bar but as I drove home tonight I am okay with where I have got to. Despite all of the lost time this year and particularly in the last three months, I finished my prep with a deadlift double at my PB weight, equalled my PB bench and set a pretty awful 5kg PB squat.

My results are less than ideal given my goals after last years event. But given the trials and tribulations personally over the last 5 weeks that had me about to cancel my trip to Nationals I still set PB's so I am going in with confidence.

I will leave it all on the platform and be proud to compete

Stay Strong

Thomo

1 Session Left

Tomorrow I squat and then my preparation for Nats is complete. I am feeling fatigued but looking foward to getting under the bar tomorrow. My energy levels have really ebbed and flowed this week though its not surprising given the accumulated fatigue in my final week.

Despite all the distractions and drama of the last three months I am pretty pleased I have managed to salvage some decent prep in the last month. My final bench session I hit a single which equalled my PB so at this stage I am aiming for a modest 5kg PB.

My deadlift is feeling okay and I finished my prep with a pleasing double of my previous PB. The form was a little shaky and I need to focus on the hip hinge as I noted I struggled getting my hips through as forcefully as I would have liked. I am undecided about my attempts for the deadlift but want a minimum 10kg PB. 

This leaves my squat as the unknown. Tomorrow I am aiming to double my PB which should set me up for a 10kg PB. Again I am undecided about my attempts but tomorrows session and the next 7 days off should help me figure it out.

As I mentioned before just getting to Nationals this year feels like a win but now that it is close I want to step up. 

Tomorrow I squat and it's on like Donkey Kong!

Stay Strong

Thomo

Random Powerlifting Shite Monday

It must be close to a contest as my head is all over the place at the moment. Here is a brain dump of some of the detritus floating around in my foggy brain....

Something that I believe beginning powerlifters often forget is that muscle lifts weights. By that I mean you can work on all the technique you like but you need a shit load of muscle. For example the top competitors in my 75kg class at Nats will have fucking awesome body composition. It's simple science they may be 12% bodyfat compared to my portly old man 18%. In simple terms that's more kilos of pure muscle to drive the bar.

The other thing is not to fucking compare yourself to anybody but yourself. Now there may be lifters going from 550kg to 800+ in the space of 2 years but a fair proportion of them are getting some unnatural assistance. I'll leave the argument about PEDS for another day but suffice to say if you are comparing yourself to those lifters then you are in for a world of pain.

On the subject of PEDS if one more fucker says 'but its not just the drugs they train very hard' I will freak. There are plenty of people out there that train fucking hard without the PEDS numbnuts!!!!!!!

Also I am not sure how to say it but really I think clinically obese people should stop powerlifting.  Forgive me I am not trying to be rude. However I have noticed recently an inordinate number of people with borderline health conditions associated with obesity that are lifting. Watching them over time they are certainly not changing their body composition in a healthy way. In fact in some instances I can see that they are getting carried away with the benefits that a big ass gut has on squatting etc. Just saying that overall longevity is much better than a few SHW medals. Health first competition second....always and much better look for the sport.

Deadifts tomorrow and the last dead session before Nats!

Stay Strong

Thomo

Nationals is Coming Up Fast

Saturday was my second last bench session before Nats and I had scheduled a double at 94%. After plenty of warming up I managed to get my work sets though the second rep was a little bit of a grind. I tried for a PB single but got a little out of position and missed it about 1/3rd of the way up.

The fatigue is starting to accumulate particularly from my squat and deadlift rep pb's this week. In fact I may well and truly be in the overreach stage with bench so next week will be interesting.

I am looking forward to hitting my final numbers this week and then earning a rest week to heal up before competing.

I have learned a lot about training particularly how to deal with adversity in this pre cycle and I will be a better lifter as a result. If all goes well I think I have between 25-30kgs total increment. Which is interesting because despite my best intentions after Nationals last year I couldn't manage to pull together the consistent training I had hoped for. However it shows that if I can manage even two decent cycles in a year I should have 60kgs total increase available given I am still in the beginner stage.

As much as personal PB's will be nice I am really looking forward to how old and new teammates do on the day. So much of the fun of this sport is sharing your friends highs and lows on the platform.

It is going to be a fantastic event with 300 lifters on the platform!

Stay Strong

Thomo

It's Friday night, I am benching tomorrow and it's dawned on me that next week is my last week of prep before Nationals. Where did that supposed 12 week cycle go.....?

Last night I visited the old gym and used the occasion to work on my form in the monolift. Much like deadlifts I didn't feel that ready to go but simply got on with it. I really focused on the warm up but was surprised just how tight and sore my quads were from the deadlift session two days prior.

I hit my heaviest set thus far with a good double at 88%. I felt more confident given both spotter indicated I was way below on my depth. I loaded the bar to 93% 1RM which would be a rep record and proceeded to grind out a double.

This set more than any has given me a lot of confidence for Nationals. Firstly, I only had a back spotter and just felt in the zone going that weight with minimal spotters. Second, it was 7% off my 1RM and I still have next weeks session to go. Finally I just feel much stronger in the hole, much deeper and more at ease grinding out the tough sets.

Despite the shitty prep, missed sessions and average diet I am still going to PB at Nats. The squat was the missing piece of my puzzle and I wasn't comfortable really until those two top sets yesterday.

I have to give plenty of credit to Greg Nuckols who got me on a nice base building routine and though circumstances let to me cutting it short 6 weeks early I still learned plenty. Similarly using paused squats out of the hole for long long pauses has built more tightness in my squat. There are plenty of views as to whether a pause squat carrys over to a raw squat but its worked for me.

Next week I am going to double a PB then I should be good to go for the Nationals platform.

Stay Strong
Thomo

Sometimes Deadlifts Just Rock

It is always funny how the rhythm of training can ebb and flow. Last night was a perfect example of expectations being so different to the outcome.Going in I felt a little low and given I needed to pull 95% 1RM for a double it didn't look promising.

Sunday at qualifying circumstances led to me doing pretty much zero warm up for 70% of 1RM on the dead. Given how easy it felt (and yes 70% should) it confirmed my suspicion that I was potentially adding in too many warm up sets to achieve my top set. I made adjustments and worked through the warms up pretty crisply but made pretty decent jumps and kept the reps to a minimum.

I was still feeling average heading into the penultimate set but I needed 2 reps at 95%. Hands on the bar, belt tight big breath and away. First moves well followed by the second then the third and a fourth still feels good. At this stage I am a little stunned and legitimately feel I have another 2 reps in me at least. I decide to play the wise game and leave it at four.

Suffice to say I am stoked at a rep record, this time last year my last session before Nationals yielded this weight for a double. I have now hit 4 reps with three more sessions to go!

I followed up this set with a single at 97% of 1RM and again I had an extra in me but kept enough in the tank for my next session.

It's just funny sometimes how you pull out a great effort when your preparation feels less than optimal.

I am confident I will achieve a PB on bench and deadlift but the squat will determine my fate on the day. The first three squats will set up my day.

Two weeks to go and tomorrow its squats at 90% 1RM...it's on like Donkey Kong!

Stay Strong

Thomo

Less than 4 Weeks to GPC Nationals

Today was far from a typical Sunday as I needed to get under the bar at the final qualifying event for Nationals. Full credit to the PTC boys for putting on an event so the few remaining stragglers, me included didn't miss out.

Given it is only 3 weeks out we took token lifts. Curiously I was a little distracted today leading to a couple of dopey mistakes that provided a little comic relief for the crew.

For the squats I warmed up to a couple of wheels and paused a few times in the bottom. Given it was early on a Sunday I had my typical old man tightness but felt okay despite an adductor twinge. Fast forward to the platform and as I descend for what should be a nice easy lift I start to let my mind wander and quite literally forget what's going on. Consequently I stand up and ignoring the rack call I rack the bar earning 3 reds quite oblivious to what has just happened. Dopey fucker.. but at least it gave the crew a nice laugh and more than a little deserved piss taking.

The bench is wheeled out and I am slated for a single lift at 88% of 1RM which should be no problem. Now prior to this my warm up goes well until I load the bar with an extra ten each side to replicate the weight on the platform. Again I manage to zone out and pick the two green plates erroneously thinking they are the typical green Olympic 10's per the gym I train at. In fact they are 15's and now I have my PB loaded. Net result I pin myself to bench with the unexpectedly heavier weight. 

A quick recount and chuckle uncovers my error but too late for anything as I'm now called to the platform. Thankfully someone with half a brain has loaded this bar and I comfortably pause and push out the lift.

Deadlifts again were very easy and though I didn't manage a warm-up other than a couple of kettle bell lifts I was surprised just how much easier the weight felt with a Texas bar. It actually felt 30kg's lighter than the actual weight.

Now qualified I can focus on grinding out the last 3 weeks of training. It was great to catch up with the PTC crew and again fantastic to see several of the crew volunteer their Sunday to ref, spot load etc. Just a great culture and shows why this is such a great sport.

Despite the mishaps I learnt plenty today:

• not having access to a Texas bar will actually help me for Nationals as the Texas felt so much lighter off the floor
• despite the issues I have been having on squat set up it all seems to come together on the platform. I can't quite explain it but under the mono and with the better bar the balance feels so improved
• Remember the fucking calls! I haven't been in a competition since last Nationals so I better focus on the damn ref

Actually a great day and can't wait for Nationals.

Stay Strong

Thomo

Benching and Bitching

I backed up from squats yesterday and benched.

Work sets at 88% of 1RM with nice competition pauses felt really good. I followed this with singles at 95% and paused a strong equal PB single. In fact the pause and quality of my max attempt was actually much better than the last time I hit this at Nationals last year. Thinking about it, it shows just what a shit year this has been for training, given 12 months later I am only just looking to set a new PB.

Regardless I am pretty pleased to equal the PB tonight. The 2 second pauses on every damn work set and 4 second pauses on  floor presses has certainly developed strength at my traditional sticking points.

Clearly Nationals is going to be about minimising damage on the squat and then getting modest PB's on bench and deadlifts.

Not surprisingly I was pretty fatigued given squats yesterday. It's amazing how sore limit squats an make you as I was sore from my lats to my calves!

On a sobering note I saw the partial competitor list today and nice to see the favourites total is 200+ kilos more than me. Ahhh yes its great to be right in the mediocre middle of the gene pool.

Couple of days rest and recovery and then a double at 95% of my 1RM deadlift.

Stay Strong

Thomo

Squats, Wraps and Belt

It's been 11 months since I have squatted with a belt or wrapped my knees. Why so damn long you ask? My plan had been to build a much stronger base of raw strength in the squat. This necessitated lots of raw squats and at least 4 months ago the plan was going well. Subsequently it went to shit with the missed sessions etc and now here I am wrapping for the first time only 4 weeks out.

Interestingly it was also the first time I self wrapped for my work sets and walked the wrapped sets out given I no longer have access to a monolift. With so many variables at play tonight the form was off but I hit the numbers I needed.

My homework is straight forward, need to sit through in the wraps harder. Last year I ran into the same problem where I am too tentative resulting in the wraps pushing me off balance.

After tonight's session I feel good. I have a lot to improve on but those areas are clear and fixable.  I will run a second squat session after my bench sets to groove form and really work the wraps.

Strategically I feel I can legitimately aim for a bench and deadlift PB. Squats on the other hand will be more about getting a legal lift in then seeing how much of my previous PB  I can claw back.

Clocks ticking....platforms waiting....

Stay Strong

Thomo

I Can Feel It Starting.....

Another day passes and shit continues to happen. Regardless, I have drawn the obligatory line in the sand. I won't miss any more sessions despite outside pressure. More importantly once I am in the gym I leave all the angst behind for the hour and take it out on the iron.

This new approach resulted in a much improved deadlift session Sunday. I hit  a triple at 91% of 1RM and certainly felt I had 3 more in the tank. This means both bench and deadlifts are somewhat back under control and with 4 weeks to go I am hopeful of more improvements to come.

Tomorrow I need to get back under the squat bar and for the first time in 11 months I am wrapping and belting up. The squat is where it all starts for me. I need to get consistent in the next 4 weeks and try and get a number that I can work three attempts around at Nats.

I won't say I am confident but the competition is on the horizon...I can feel it...its starting...

Stay Strong
Thomo

Good to Be Back!

It feels strange to be perched over the keyboard tapping away on tonight' post. As I reflect on the last month away I feel like Alice going through the looking glass.

Without going into sordid details its been a shit of a month. I can't quite remember a time that I have been this stressed. Suffice to say the impact on my Nationals prep has been significant. In total I have lost 3 weeks of quality training and eating. With only 4 weeks out it doesn't leave much time to salvage a total I can be happy with.

I seriously considered pulling out of Nationals and as late as 4 days ago I was still undecided. Thankfully I shook of some of the mental funk I have been in and after plenty of soul searching I am committed to getting on the platform. Importantly my team mate Carl is taking the trip and if nothing else I should be there to support my brother. 

Personally I have re-focused and now getting to the platform is going to be a win. As a consequence this week was cathartic and I have managed to string together 3 good sessions and a decent meal plan. Though  with the time missed I had to step back several weeks worth of weight.

So at 44 years of age I am more than ever cognisant that shit happens but it won't beat me and on the 5th of June I will be on a plane going to the Gold Coast. 

Stay Strong

Thomo