Back to the Basics (Old School Powerbuilding)

[musclehead09]

This will be a long term log with the goal of it never ending. I've competed in 3 powerlifting competitions. My best lifts are a 370 squat, 230 paused bench, and 385 deadlift. 2015 had it's up and downs (primarily downs). My squat plummeted which is now back up to an easy 335. My deadlift is the same. I have been hitting many rep PR's on the bench press. My best include a 225x2 close grip bench and 205x6 competition grip. One thing I have noticed is my bench responds very well to high volume accessory movements compared to the other lifts. Front Squats and Lunges seem to help my squat while the deadlift just needs high RPE's to increase.

My next meet will be July 16, 2016. I had the tendency to overcomplicate training multiple times in the past. Now I will be going back to the basics. For this meet I will be using old school linear periodization. I will be following Greg Nuckols layout into this meet. It will be two 10 week cycles. My layout will look like this:

Wednesday
Bench Press (Start out at 70%, 65%, 60% for max reps. Add 5-10 lbs per week)
Incline Bench Press 3x6-12
Bench accessories

Thursday
Squat (Start out at 70%, 65%, 60% for max reps. Add 10-15 lbs per week)
Stiff Legged Deadlifts 3x6-12
Squat accessories

Saturday
Overhead Press (Start out at 70%, 65%, 60% for max reps. Add 5 lbs per week)
Close Grip Bench Press 3x6-12
Lots of tris/Delts

Sunday
Deadlift (Start out at 70%, 60% for max reps. Add 10-15 lbs per week)
Front Squat 3x6-12
Deadlift accessories

The close variants of the big 3 will progress linearly as well but not for max reps. They will be done via straight sets and either with more reps or more weight week to week.

[musclehead09]

Wednesday February 17, 2016

Bench Press
45x10
95x5
135x5
165x12 (had 3 more in me)
155x12
140x18 (had 2 more in me)

Incline Dumbbell Bench
55's x12
55's x12
55's x8 (burned)

Dips
BW 3x10

Chin-ups
BWx8
BWx8
BWx4

Barbell Curl
45x8
65x12
65x12
65x6 haha

Incline Dumbbell Curls
20's 3x15

Great first workout of the cycle. I started widening my bench grip last week hitting a 195x8 PR. Not used to high reps on the actual powerlifts. I'm leaving 1-3 reps in the tank on the main lift sets.

I'll mainly be focused on rep PRs in the 3-10 rep range. Speaking of the 3-10 rep range, some goal PRs the first 10 week cycle are

185x10 bench (I've done 9 multiple times)
225x3 bench
Tie old 325x3 squat PR
315x10 Deadlift
365x3 Deadlift

[musclehead09]

Thursday February 18, 2016

Squat
45 2x5
95x5
135x3
185x3
235x10
220x10
200x11

Stiff Legged Deadlift
135 3x10

Superset
Leg Extension 70 3x15
Seated Leg Curl 50 3x15

Standing Calf Raise
60x20
60x15
60x13

Dumbbell Shrug
55's x15
55's x15
55's x12

Barbell Side Bend
45 2x8

[musclehead09]

I didn't put in the OP that my off season split was

Sunday Bench
Monday Deadlift
Wednesday Close Grip Bench
Thursday Squat
Friday Overhead Press

This was the best setup for my pressing but my squat suffered horribly from lack of frequency and volume. Since I have full time college and work, I can only train 4 days a week now not 5-6. When I'm finished this semester I'll likely go back to 5 days a week and have front squats on the deadlift day like I will with my meet prep setup. Either that or do 6 days a week with front squats on a different day.

[musclehead09]

Sunday February 21, 2016

Seated Military Press
45x10
70x6
95x10
95x10 (PR. Never done multiple sets of 10 @95 lbs)
85x11

Close Grip Bench Press
45x10
95x10
135 3x15

Incline Skullcrusher
60 3x8

Rope Pushdown
4 plates x15
4 plates x12
4 plates x10+6+4 rest pause

Side Raise
15's x8
25's x15
25's x12
25's x10 + 15's x10 + 5's x10 (dropset)

Rear Delt Fly
30x35
50x25
70x15

Cable Crunch
10 plates x25
12 plates x20
13 plates x12

[musclehead09]

Monday February 22, 2016

Deadlift
135x5
185x3
225x1
275x10

Front Squat
Worked up to 135x5 and stopped due to upper back locking up

Walking Lunges
25's 2x10 per leg

Lat Pulldown
6 plates x10
10 plates 2x10

One Arm Row
50 2x12

Calf Raise
60x25
60x20

Felt like crap today. Not much sleep. Worked a 17 hour shift then got called in over the weekend for an extra shift. so tons of homework last night meant minimal sleep. I knew when to call it today.