52 Weeks To My 1st USAPL Raw Nationals as a Masters 1 (age 40-49) Lifter

[BodyBldgPwrLftr]

One of our vehicles has been down again, and unfortunately, it looks like it has had its last hurrah. It's a 2001 Ford Focus that my wife and I bought a month after we got married. Frankly, our family of 5 has outgrown it anyway. It's primary use in recent years had been to get me to and from work (I live a mile away) and the gym (15 minute drive), and occasionally picking up a child or two. But when we don't have it, I end up losing valuable sleep, gym time, and generally time for anything else that I like to do. That has been the case since my last post, and will be the case until we replace the vehicle. Such is life.

Since I'm even more tired than normal lately, and have less time than I expected, I have temporarily aborted any of the periodization ideas I had to get me to April 6. Lots of freestyling going on right now...

Mon. 1/28/19
8:55 - 9:58 pm

1. Bench Press
95/6
145/5
195/4
230/2 - added elbow sleeves
255/1 @5 - added mouth guard & wrist wraps
280/1 @7
300/1 @8; 1 @9
235/5 x 4 sets

2. Pullups
BW/13 wide overhand, 13 medium overhand, 11 medium underhand, 13 neutral = 50 total reps in 4 sets

3. Torso Rotation
110/15 left + 15 right, 15 right + 15 left

Thu. 1/31/19

1. Squat
135/5
185/5
235/4
283/3
335/2
375/5 - added wrist wraps
375/5 - added belt
375/5

2. Deadlift

Conventional: 155/4

Sumo:
155/4
265/3
355/1 - double overhand, might be a PR (no hook, no chalk)
355/1 - started over/under and started with chalk
425/1 @7 - added mouth guard, and why was this so heavy?
475/1 @9 - what the hell?!?!

Those last 2 pulls were way too slow and heavy. I was already dragging before I got to the gym. I felt so bad that I just scrapped the rest of the session, and went home and almost straight to bed. I didn't even note what time I left the gym.

Sun. 2/3/19
6:05 - 6:55 pm

Alternated sets of 1 & 2

1. Bench Press
95/6
155/4
195/4
225/2
245/2 @6- added mouth guard
265/2 @7 - added wrist wraps
285/2 @8.5
295/2 @9.5
255/5 @8

2. DB Chest Supported Row - on an incline bench
30's/6
40's/6 + 6 - changed bench angle
50's/8
60's/6
70's/6 - added Versa Gripps
80/s'6
65's/13

Wed. 2/6/19
8:32 - 9:03 pm

1. Squat
135/6
185/4
235/2
285/2
335/2 - added mouth guard
385/2 - added wrist wraps
425/2 @6 - added belt
455/2 @7.5
475/2 @8.5

Fri. 2/8/19
8:12 - 9:40 pm (spent time helping a couple of young guys who had questions)

1. Bench Press
95/8
145/6
185/4
215/4
235/2
255/2 @6 - added mouth guard
275/2 @7 - added wrist wraps
290/2 @8.5
300/2 @9.5 - got a handoff
270/4 @9

Alternated sets of 2 & 3. Used the same bench and dumbbells.

2. DB Chest Supported Row
45's/10
55's/10
65's/10
Drop set: 85's/7 + 75's/7 - used Versa Gripps

3. DB Incline Press
45's/10
55's/10
65's/10
Drop set: 85's/10 + 75's/6 - used wrist wraps

[alicat32]

Still following along. You are doing great and I definitely understand the "life" thing. Keep up the good work!

[BodyBldgPwrLftr]

Still following along. You are doing great and I definitely understand the "life" thing. Keep up the good work!

Thank you so much! I'll do my best.

Today was supposed to be a deadlift day, as I hoped to squeeze it in between my children's soccer games. Unfortunately, that didn't work as planned. But we did go the Auto Show at the Baltimore Convention Center, and got some ideas on what's out there as we start looking for a new (or new to us) vehicle. We're also going on a cruise that will have me out of town Thursday - Wednesday. I have plenty to do after work the next few days, so I'm going to try and get a session in before we go, probably Tuesday or Wednesday night. I'll hit the gym on the ship once or twice for maintenance stuff with dumbbells and machines.

[BodyBldgPwrLftr]

As I mentioned in my last post, I went on a cruise from the 15th to the 20th! But, with travel days and work before and after, I didn't touch a barbell for 16 days. I did work out once on the cruise ship, but as you might imagine, there are no racks on there. This isn't exactly how most people would suggest approaching things when you're 7 weeks out from a powerlifting meet, but oh well. I finally got back in the gym yesterday, and figured that I should get a feel for where I am 40 days out from Maryland States.

Bodyweight notes: the morning we left (2/14), I weighed 214.8 lbs. The morning after we returned, I weighed 223.4 lbs. Yesterday, I was back down to 218.6.

Sun. 2/24/19
5:07 - 6:55 pm

1. Squat
135/6
185/4
235/3
285/2
335/1 - added mouth guard
385/1 - added wrist wraps
435/1 @6 - added belt
465/1 @7
485/1 @8
425/4 @8

2. Bench Press
95/8
155/6
205/4
235/2
255/1 @5
275/1 @7 - added mouth guard
295/1 @8.5 - added wrist wraps
305/1 @9 - started getting handoffs
270/4 @9

3. Deadlift
265/1 + 1 conventional (+ means step back from the bar and reset)
265/1 + 1 sumo
went all sumo from here
335/1 + 1
425/1 - added mouth guard
475/0 - added belt, but forgot to start using chalk. The bar didn't budge.
475/1 @6 - added chalk, went much better
505/1 @7
535/1 @8.5
Conventional w/Versa Gripps: 475/3 @9

Overall, this isn't where I'd like to be at this point, but it could be worse. I may have lost too much ground to have a legit shot at 655 kg in 6 weeks. I'll train as hard and smart as I can, and try to eat and sleep more. We'll see what happens.

[BodyBldgPwrLftr]

I haven't been to the gym since Sunday, and have felt miserable while working through an illness. I crashed right after work last night, and went to the doctor today. She told me I have something viral and need to rest until at least Monday. Even if I go back to delivering mail on Monday, I'd probably wait until Wednesday to get back in the gym to make sure whatever it is has passed. I know I won't be able to hit those numbers next week. There's no way I'm going to make that total on April 6.

So, I'll probably do the meet anyway since I can't get a refund (unless this one gets snowed out too). Assuming I can get back on track, I need to find a meet around June/July to give myself another shot at the qualifying total. Otherwise, I'm probably going to need to rename this log.

[HomeGymChains]

Sorry to hear about the setback.

Glad you hear you plan to compete in April and are already formulating back-up plans.

We’re rooting for you!

[BodyBldgPwrLftr]

Sorry to hear about the setback.

Glad you hear you plan to compete in April and are already formulating back-up plans.

We’re rooting for you!

Thank you so much! Things aren't going as well as I'd like, but this race isn't to the swift. I'm not giving up yet.

I got to the gym tonight with about an hour before they closed. A small woman came up to me after maybe my 3rd set and asked how long before I was done. I knew I had a ways to go, so I told her she could work in. She took me up on it. Her heaviest sets were with 65 lbs, so we had to move lots of plates between sets. But she squatted to legal depth, and she was a real trooper in loading and unloading the bar, so I wasn't mad at her.

Tue. 3/5/19
8:51 - 9:49 pm

Squat
135/6
185/4
235/3
285/3
woman started working in, moved rack down on peg, did 2 sets
335/3 - added mouth guard
385/2 - added wrist wraps
longer rest while the lady did her last 2 sets - did 10 dips and 10 pullups while waiting
425/2 @8 RPE - added belt. This was harder than I expected.
445/2 @9 - geez... this was a lot harder than I expected.
415/2 @7.5
415/2 @7 - best work set of the night
415/2 @7.5
415/2 @8.5

It's probably worth noting that after being out sick for several days, this was also my first day delivering mail since Wednesday. So, maybe I was tired. I know I haven't been eating as much as normal lately, and definitely not as much as I ate on the cruise, so that's probably a factor too. Whatever. I did what I could. Eat, sleep, and on to the next one. Hopefully I'll do a heavy bench on Thursday, then if all goes well, do a light(er) squat and bench before heavy deadlifting on Sunday.

[BodyBldgPwrLftr]

Since I never shared it, here's the video from 2/24 of what I was hoping my openers would be at the meet on 4/6. If you follow this log, you may recall that these were my first lifts after a cruise, and 16 days since I had done any barbell training.



Fast forward to today, and I've decided to reset my focus, but not necessarily my goal.

I did manage to train on Thursday 3/7 (decent bench day), and then on Sunday 3/10 (bad comp lifts day on 4 hours of sleep). Then we bought a new (to us) van on Tuesday 3/12! But the actual process of buying the car, having to go back for more paperwork (lowered our payment, I'm not complaining) and other life stuff kept me out of the gym for another week. I haven't been eating as much as I should. I've been sleeping a bit more. Not as much as I really need, but at least it's going in the right direction.

Regardless, I can't change the reality that since February 8, I've only trained 6 times, plus one goof-around session on the cruise last month. That's just not going to yield the result I hoped for in April. So I'm looking ahead to a meet in Virginia about 4 months from now to make a better attempt at qualifying for Nationals in October. My first order of business is to address the elephant in the room: I compete in the 105 kg weight class... but I'm not exactly close to 105 kg. I'm not even 100 kg. So I need to gain some weight. Making everything bigger is my top priority over the next 2.5-3 months. I'll still do regular singles, doubles or triples on the competition lifts to keep tabs on where my top strength is. But most gym time is going to be for hypertrophy, especially after the meet in 3 weeks. I still want to get an accurate read on what I should open with. I'll pick 2nd and 3rd attempts on the fly at the meet.

I'm planning on a 3-day split, with a lower day (probably Sundays), an upper day (probably Mondays), and a full-body day (probably Thursdays). I knocked out the first two days at another YMCA in Hagerstown, Maryland. I was there for work Sunday-Tuesday, and fortunately, Y memberships allow you to travel to any of them in the country. I liked this gym better than any of the ones in the Baltimore area. Also worth noting that since breakfast and lunch were provided, and I was getting reimbursed for dinner, I didn't skimp on meals. I probably haven't eaten this well over 3 days without being on a cruise ship or at Disney World.

Sun. 3/17, Lower Body
6:05 - 6:53 pm, gym closed at 7:00

1. Squat
135/8
186/6
235/4
285/2
335/1 - added mouth guard
385/1 - added wrist wraps
435/1 @6.5 RPE - added belt
465/1 @8
465/1 @9
425/3 @8
425/3 @9

2. Standing Calf Raise - plate loaded, old school
empty sled/10 - not sure how much the sled is, but it isn't much
+90/15
+180/15

3. Glute Ham Raise - the fact that this gym had one already had me happy about the place
bodyweight/12 x 3 sets

Mon. 3/18, Upper Body
6:30 - 7:54 pm

1. Bench Press
135/8
185/5
225/3
250/1 + 1 - impromptu rest-pause, added mouth guard
275/1 @7 - added wrist wraps
295/1 @7.5 - started getting handoffs
305/1 @8
305/1 @9
285/2 @10
255/3 @9 - back to unracking it by myself
255/4 @9 - got a 2nd wind from somewhere
255/3 @9.5

I was able to work in with a guy who I took one glance at and new he was a powerlifter. Turns out he's a 25 year old freak that's competing in a USPA meet this weekend. He was in the gym to hit his openers. I handed off and spotted for him twice - the first time was his easy projected opener of 535. The 2nd was 545 with an exaggerated pause that flew up with no problem. Those are not typos, and yes, he was lifting raw. Unreal.

2. Pull-ups
BW/8 very wide
BW/10 wide
BW/10 medium neutral

3. Standing DB OHP
45's/10
55's/10
60's/8
50's/12

4. Pulldowns
175/10 neutral bar
175/8 ^ bar

These were some old school attachments, with different grip widths and angles than what I have access to. I just wanted to use them.

5. Seated Calf Raise - plate loaded
130/15
110/15

I know, this isn't an upper body exercise. But I didn't see this apparatus the day before, and wanted to use it.

6. Torso Rotation
90/15 left + 15 right

Once again, I liked this rotation machine better than the one at my normal gym. At my home gym, your lower body is stationary and you turn your upper body. On this one, it's the opposite. I think another Y in the Baltimore area has one similar to this, but I don't think I'd travel just for that. But if I'm there for another reason, I'll definitely use it.