My Road to Elite: A Powerlifting Journey: Week 28 of 32

Day 1 (Wednesday, 12/28/11) [morning weight: 198.2]

Bench
3x225
3x245

Suit Deadlift (33 Inzer Max DL)
8x135
5x225
3x275
3x315
2x365
1x405
*add suit
2x445
2x475
2x495
2x515
2x535 (10 pound PR)
2x550 (25 pound PR)

Seated Cable Row
4x8x150

Ab Wheel
5x8

Band Scapular Retraction
5x12xmm

Comments: This is the single best deadlifting day I've had to date. My form is as close to what I am trying to achieve as it has ever been, and I feel that it can be duplicated. The following excerpt from "Long Arms, High Hips, Big Deadlifts" really set me straight: "How does one prevent excessive knee bend and maximize arm length? Get into your deadlift stance. Lean over and bend your knees as much as it takes to grip the bar (no more). Now squeeze up your chest hard and you're all set. This is the set up of Andrey Belyaev." Notes prior to session: It seems I have a tendency when doing this to lower my hips too far and shift my knees forward as I roll up the chest. Need to keep more tension in the hamstrings and move around static knees, rolling the chest up less, shooting for about 45 degree torso inclination. As I get the set-up locked in I can work on pulling the bar more aggressively off the floor.

Day 2 (Friday, 12/30/11) [morning weight: 197.2]

Shirt Bench (42 F6, then 42 Fury)
2x225
1x255
*42 F6
1x285 (no touch)
1x305 (no touch)
1x330
3x1x340 (all grinders)
0x340 (arced too far back and started to lose it)
*42 Fury
1x315
1x335 (smooth)

Hanging Leg Raises
4x5

Band Scapular Retractions
5x12xmm

Bogart Pulldowns
5x10x110

RKC Plank
2x30 sec.

Comments: The benches were just as hard coming down as they were coming back up. I read an entry from my log from almost exactly a year ago (12/31/10 or 1/2/11 I believe) and I noted that I was arcing the bar so far back off my chest that I needed to pause in order to straighten the path in order to lock the weight out. When I fixed this a year ago weights were locked out much more smoothly. The technique must improve immediately! I also think I should pull the neck up for my opener, but keep the sleeves down as close to my elbows as possible. That should provide enough support while making it a bit easier to touch. Other than that upon unracking I should bring the bar out another inch so that my descent and ascent are straighter. Tom Kean is an excellent example of the bar path I'm trying to attain. I don't have the levers to match Wade Hooper's bar path for instance (although it seems I am trying!). If I can't figure out the technique with the F6 next week then I'll switch to the Fury for this meet. Something else worth noting is that Brady Stewart has said that a bench shirt that was looser in the chest but tight in the cuff (elbow area) really helped his bench shoot up.

Day 3 (Sunday, 1/1/12) [morning weight: 198.8]

Suit Squat (38 SC)
3x8xbar
8x95
5x135
5x185
3x225
3x275
2x315
1x365
1x405
*add suit
1x455
*add knee wraps
1x510
1x560
1x610 (planned opener)
1x650 (planned 2nd attempt)

NG Pullups
3x3x+25lb

1-leg RDL
5x45
5x5x55

Pallof Press
5x5x60 (5 sec. hold)

Band Scapular Retraction
5x10xmm

RKC Plank
4x30 sec.

Comments: Relieved!! Low back hurt in the area that I had injured it before, and during warm-ups it became clear I was under-recovered from deadlifts on Wednesday. Regardless, I had set a goal, and I was intent on achieving it, hit my 2nd attempt solidly. I'm pretty happy with how things went, but I think my squats need to be a shade deeper, I need to work on my walkouts some in a couple of weeks, and my back needs to be tighter. Regardless, on a less than stellar day I had the strength to hit my 2nd attempt, this should bode well for the meet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCYlbnfenS4