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[Arlecchino]

This journal is an attempt to chronicle my progress in what will be my first powerlifting competition in 13 years, 14 by the time I get around to doing it.

Problems to overcome:

Left shoulder injury limits flexibility and multiple surgeries have reduced stability of upper back.
Right knee has been extensively reconstructed, as well as other problems with right leg that seem to plague with no real pattern. May have to break down and get a gait analysis performed to see if my now slightly uneven stride is causing any other problems. I am sure I will put this off.

Diet. I am fatter than I should be. Nothing major, just need to drop 15 pounds of blubber. This is made problematical by the fact that I have never really had to diet before. Was always active enough that it was never an issue. All of a sudden I need to develop the 'diet as a way of life' mentality. This is made even more awkward by still not being completed with my moving from another state, working 75 hours a week, and having no fixed schedule, as right now it is dependent on whatever problems may arise. Will need to prepare far more meals in advance. Fortunately, I just finished unpacking my kitchen supplies this morning before I went to the gym.

I will not do anything drastic dieting wise. Right now I will simply eliminate any truly horrific food choices as a rule, and have Saturday as a cheat day. I am not going to wait for the last minute to make 220 lbs. for competition. I would much rather lose the fat earlier, regain some more lost muscle, and glide into competition.

Goals (all RAW):
Squat 500
Bench 300
Dead 600

All are less than what I put up at my last comp (at age 27). Quite a bit less. However, I was also wearing a single-ply squat suit, knee wraps, and a single-ply shirt. I am undecided if I will wear a suit or not, probably not, and the same for a shirt. The more I think about it, the more I plan on just using a belt and knee wraps on the squat, and that is all. I never wear a belt when deadlifting.

On that note, equipment use can be assumed to be limited to a belt (Inzer 13mm lever) on ME squat days, assuming a squat-type movement. Other use will be noted.

On assistance work, I will more than likely wear wrist wraps every time I overhead squat or perform any type of movement where I am receiving the snatch. I will be performing OL work as either GPP or active recovery, very lightly, to re-train myself to perform these lifts, and then to compete a year after my powerlifting competition.

[Arlecchino]

Basic warm up consisting of a few light sets of bench, rows, and a few other minor exercises for upper body.

Notation is: Weight, reps, sets.

Bench (working sets performed with the addition of 40lbs. of chain. I should use more than this, but have not done so in quite a while, so I am starting out light).
135x3x8 (30 seconds rest between sets)
Removed chains.
185x1 (rest time consisted of time it took to change the weight)
195x1
205x1
Bar speed remained quick on all but the last single. Even though I had plenty of power, started to slow down on last third of the bench, which is typical.

Decline DB Tricep Extensions:
45x10x6 was able to improvise a very steep decline, and the stretch was excellent. One minute rest in between sets.
One arm band pushdowns (pink): Reverse grip, 10x4 (will increase sets as GPP improves). Rest time consisted of allowing one arm to rest while the other one was working.

Pulldowns: 200/205/210x10 (two minutes rest between sets)
T-Bar row: 135/140/145x10 (two minutes rest between sets)
DB Reverse Laterals: 40x10x3 (one minute rest between sets)
Normally at Westside they perform shoulders first, however, I cannot fatigue my shoulder prior to lat work without increasing my risk of injury.
DB Hammer Curls: 40x10x3

Notes: Pain in shoulder when lowering weight on bench a couple of times, as I got out of the groove, and allowed left elbow to flare outward more than it should have. Work on technique. Felt strong otherwise, had a little more in most sets, but cautious as this is the first time in forever that I am actually on anything resembling a PL routine, and I must take it slow.

GPP for later will consist of carrying a ****load of boxes of books up stairs and unpacking them.

ME squat tomorrow.

[jtroster]

Welcome.

[Arlecchino]

Thank you.

[eddied27]

WSB work.....GPP work.....CHAINS!.....I think I've found a new friend!

Welcome Arlecchino......really looking forward to your journal....seriously! I got the powerlifting bug fall of last year and haven't stopped since....(*shameful showing off coming*) built my own sled!

When is the competition?

Ed

[Arlecchino]

WSB work.....GPP work.....CHAINS!.....I think I've found a new friend!

Welcome Arlecchino......really looking forward to your journal....seriously! I got the powerlifting bug fall of last year and haven't stopped since....(*shameful showing off coming*) built my own sled!

I wish I had the skill to do that. I had to shell out about $175 plus shipping for mine.

When is the competition?

Ed

Not sure, next summer some time. Turn 39 in a couple of weeks, so competing before 40 is a personal goal of mine. Even if I cannot find a meet with a RAW division, that is how I will still lift, even if it means taking a beating from other lifters. Always hated that crap, and now that I am just competing against myself, it is easier to avoid using it.

Eric

[eddied27]

I wish I had the skill to do that. I had to shell out about $175 plus shipping for mine.

It was actually not that hard. It's wood and likely won't last too long due to wear and tear but it gets the job done.

Not sure, next summer some time. Turn 39 in a couple of weeks, so competing before 40 is a personal goal of mine. Even if I cannot find a meet with a RAW division, that is how I will still lift, even if it means taking a beating from other lifters. Always hated that crap, and now that I am just competing against myself, it is easier to avoid using it.

Eric

Eric.....that's impressive! I'll let you settle in before pelting you with questions on increasing strength.

Particularly interested in chain/band work at some point.....could use the pointers.

Take care.....Ed

[jgreystoke]

Hi Arlecchino.

Wonderful that you're goin' to compete again. Your raw squat and dead goals are outta sight for this dinosaur. Maybe if I subtract a 100lbs here and there........

That you'll be olympic lifting as well is fantastic.

Coming back after injury is something I can relate to. Ditto the surgery, We're talking general health as well as strength, tho' not anything serious like what you're doin'.

Have no understanding of your training methods, but they sure seem to work. I'm kinda stuck in Reg Park's era, you know, 5x5 and the like.

Will be checking out your training log for ideas.......I sure need them! Am looking forward to your progress posts. Will absolutely be cheerin' you on.

Best of luck, bro.

[Arlecchino]

ME Squat/Deadlift day.

One note of significance. Nearly every PR I list will be a post injury PR, with the rare exception of those lifts I never really performed prior to getting injured. Sumo-style deadlifting is one of them.

Sumo dead: 455x1, 475x1, 505x1(PR). Back off set of 405x5 (de-load) and held and shrugged the last rep for 5.
3 minutes rest in between singles. Remainder of workout, 1 minute rest between sets. Probably look stupid with a stopwatch, but who cares.
Split Squat: 135/140/145/150x5
Reverse Hypers: 75x10x3
Single Leg Curls: 70x10x3
Calf Press: 270x10x3
Seated Calf: 90x12x3

Notes: Sumo PR is serious, given how bad I suck at this lift. Conventional is stronger by far. Next time go from 475 to 525.
Balance a slight issue on split squats. Keep both sets and reps low. No more than what I did tonight. Increase weight, though.
Reverse hypers suck because I must improvise, and use a DB.
Calf work done to maintain stability of knee joint.

[Arlecchino]

Hi Arlecchino.

Wonderful that you're goin' to compete again. Your raw squat and dead goals are outta sight for this dinosaur. Maybe if I subtract a 100lbs here and there........

That you'll be olympic lifting as well is fantastic.

Hopefully I will be OL'ing. Depends on my shoulder, really. Cannot afford re-injury.

Coming back after injury is something I can relate to. Ditto the surgery, We're talking general health as well as strength, tho' not anything serious like what you're doin'.

It is always hard. On some level I still struggle with the knowledge that I should be stronger. Then, of course, I go to lift something. Motivates me to keep working.

Have no understanding of your training methods, but they sure seem to work. I'm kinda stuck in Reg Park's era, you know, 5x5 and the like.

http://www.elitefts.com/articles/Cur...es/default.asp

Read everything there.

Will be checking out your training log for ideas.......I sure need them! Am looking forward to your progress posts. Will absolutely be cheerin' you on.

Best of luck, bro.

Thank you very much. I will probably start making a nuisance of myself with respect to diet in quite a few areas shortly.

[jgreystoke]

Checked out the link. Lots of new stuff to ponder, and try out. Gonna be busy tryin' to catch up with some of the better new ideas.

Many thanks.

[Arlecchino]

Overhead squat: 135/140/145/150/155x2x3
Snatch Balance: 45x4x4
Hyperextensions 25x3
Heavy stretching for lower body.

Notes:

Overhead squats felt more stable than I thought they would considering I deadlifted yesterday. Need to improve conditioning and stability before working on a max, especially the night before ME bench.
Balance: What can I say. Sucked. Timing is off by several zones, at least. Was either dropping too slow, not getting enough drive and push on the bar, or pushing too soon with the bar before dropping. The only one where things were close to synchronized I wound up catching the bar far out in front.

Flexibility needs work. Will continue to push this on off days.

[eddied27]

Snatch Balance: 45x4x4
.

Hoisting a 45 lb. DB from the floor overhead and holding at the top.....correct? Seen this before and found it intriguing. GPP work? When do you it? How often?

Flexibility needs work. Will continue to push this on off days.

Exercises?

[Arlecchino]

Hoisting a 45 lb. DB from the floor overhead and holding at the top.....correct? Seen this before and found it intriguing.

Barbell. Execute a push press from behind the neck with a snatch grip, drop down into a low squat position and catch the bar overhead.

GPP work? When do you it? How often?

Depends on a lot of things, including work schedule. Right now will only perform it three days a week. Will do sled dragging for lower body, and band work for upper body. Will probably begin this officially next week.

Exercises?

Just basic stretching, nothing fancy.

[Arlecchino]

Incline 205x1, 210x1, missed 215. 175x6
Tate Press 50x10x5
Pulldowns 190x10x3
DB Rows 100x10x3
Power Snatch: 135x1, 115x3x5
DB Laterals: 30x10x3

Notes:

Inclines felt surprisingly solid, tired by the time I hit 215. Will jump to it from 185 next week. Possibly the last six week of higher rep conditioning work have deconditioned my CNS, but that should come back.
Wobbly on last few reps of extensions on sets 4 and 5, will increase weight anyway next week. May need to drop reps and add sets, will see how it goes.
Pulldowns and rows were very strict.
Power snatch had more in the tank, working on technique, and using the repititions to do so, as well as work my upper back and improve skill.
DB Laterals: Not used to performing this exercise. Need to be careful not to raise the DBs too high, odd grinding in left shoulder.

GPP and grip work tonight.

[eddied27]

Incline 205x1, 210x1, missed 215. 175x6
Tate Press 50x10x5
Pulldowns 190x10x3
DB Rows 100x10x3
Power Snatch: 135x1, 115x3x5
DB Laterals: 30x10x3

Notes:

Inclines felt surprisingly solid, tired by the time I hit 215. Will jump to it from 185 next week. Possibly the last six week of higher rep conditioning work have deconditioned my CNS, but that should come back.
Wobbly on last few reps of extensions on sets 4 and 5, will increase weight anyway next week. May need to drop reps and add sets, will see how it goes.
Pulldowns and rows were very strict.
Power snatch had more in the tank, working on technique, and using the repititions to do so, as well as work my upper back and improve skill.
DB Laterals: Not used to performing this exercise. Need to be careful not to raise the DBs too high, odd grinding in left shoulder.

GPP and grip work tonight.

So your typically doing your GPP work after ME days (lower body after squats; upper body after chest). Tate presses?? I like! I don't know how I missed those.

The exercise I was thinking of when asking about the snatch balance is done with kettlebells. I googled the move you describe and may add that to my routine from time to time.

Thanks!

Ed

[Arlecchino]

Grip work and rehab work.


Performed light band work for upper body (presses and rows) with blue band, five sets of ten each to speed recovery, GPP, etc., as well as stretch some more.

Various light external rotations for shoulder, heavily stretched musculature of torso, including pecs and lats. Stiffness in left shoulder as usual.

One arm tricep pushdowns with mini-band (green) 10x10 (GPP)
Reverse grip curls (thumbless grip): 60x10x3
Behind back wrist curls (good stretch): 155x10x3

On wrist curls rolled the weight down my fingertips each rep.

Need to remember that forearm work has become necessary to help balance overhead as well as avoid bicep tendonitis from excessive low-bar work, especially good mornings, which will be coming up.

[Arlecchino]

Box squat: 225+80Lbs. of chain x2x8
315x1, 365x1
Good Mornings: 315/325/335x5
Glute-Ham Raise: 6x4
Hanging Leg Raise: 20x3
Toe Press: 360x10x3

Notes: Was able to decrease lean on squats by sitting back on low box. Worked well, all reps felt strong and fast. Still have plenty of power on GM's, but will gradually increase weight to maintain form as well as avoid risk of shoulder injury should I let the bar roll. Need to take my time to get used to doing heavy weight on this exercise. Glute-ham raise, weak as ****. Leg raises went well for the first few reps, but by rep 20, barely able to bring them past parallel. Need more hip flexor work. In the upcomming microcycles, will add pull throughs with an extreme arch at the end as GPP, and may look into pulling the sled with a lunge-type motion.

[Arlecchino]

Sled drag: 90 lbs + sled (obviously). Did several trips back and forth behind my apartment building, and quite possibly scared some neighbor kids.

Forward was much easier than backwards. Need to work on that. Endurance in quads is apparently crap. Need to measure just so I can quit wondering how far I am going. It is going to drive me nuts until I do.

Did some light pull throughs with a blue band.

Stretching: Very heavy stretching for the lower body. I have maintained hamstring flexibility, but appear to have lost some in the hips, lower back, and adductors. Will work on this.

Felt great to be out in the sun for the first time in about six weeks.

[Arlecchino]

Basic warm up consisting of a few light sets of bench, rows, and a few other minor exercises for upper body.

Bench:
135x3x8 (30 seconds rest between sets) + 40lbs. chain.
Removed chains.
190x1 (rest time consisted of time it took to change the weight)
200x1
210x1
Bar speed remained quick on all but the last single. Even though I had plenty of power, started to slow down on last third of the bench, which is typical.

Decline DB Tricep Extensions:
45x10x6 was able to improvise a very steep decline, and the stretch was excellent. One minute rest in between sets.
One arm band pushdowns (pink): Reverse grip, 10x5 (will increase sets as GPP improves). Rest time consisted of allowing one arm to rest while the other one was working.

Pulldowns: 210x10x3 (two minutes rest between sets)
T-Bar row: 145/150/155x10 (two minutes rest between sets)
DB Reverse Laterals: 40x10x3 (one minute rest between sets)
DB Hammer Curls: 40x10x3

Notes: Still pain in shoulder, no surprise there. Pain occurs primarily during eccentric portion of the lift. Need to keep my elbows tucked even closer, and bring the bar even lower. Noted that when lowered below the xiphoid process, less pain, so this seems like a fairly obvious thing to do.

[littlechick]

thanks for the help and advice

sometimes I read people's journals and feel a little lost, it will take me awhile to catch up..
looks like some fun workouts though

[Arlecchino]

thanks for the help and advice

sometimes I read people's journals and feel a little lost, it will take me awhile to catch up..
looks like some fun workouts though

You are quite welcome.

[Arlecchino]

Sumo dead: 510x1, 520x1 PR
Split Squat: 155/160/165/170x5
Reverse Hypers: 75x10x3
Single Leg Curls: 70x10x3
Calf Press: 270x10x3
Seated Calf: 90x12x3
Sit Ups: 25x15x3

Notes: Was going to go for three singles, but had nothing left after 520. It probably only took 3-4 seconds to pull, but it felt like I had enough time to contemplate eternity. Twice. I will take my own advice from the previous week and go from 475 to 525 next week.
Split squats are more solid than I thought they would be, and I am getting an excellent stretch in the bottom. On last set, mild pain in right knee, possibly due to lack of practice with this lift and decrease in joint flexibility.
Sit ups performed in medicine ball throw style (plate behind head at bottom of rep, pulled forward as I rise rather like throwing a medicine ball). Done on decline board (30 degrees). May put something under the small of my back next week to get an even better stretch. Held last rep of each set and performed Russian twists for ten reps per side.

[Hibiscus09]

Nice journal! I used to go to a gym that was mostly powerlifters and it was a lot of fun going to their meets. They even had me dragging a sled for a little while. Good luck in your meet!

[Arlecchino]

Nice journal! I used to go to a gym that was mostly powerlifters and it was a lot of fun going to their meets. They even had me dragging a sled for a little while. Good luck in your meet!

Thank you very much.

[Arlecchino]

Overhead squat: 135/140/145/150/155/160x2x3
Snatch Balance: 45x5x5
Hyperextensions 25x3
Sled Dragging: Length of apt. building (need to measure), 3 trips, forward and backward.
Heavy stretching for lower body.

Notes:

Overhead squats felt better than last week. Nice to see improvement in consecutive weeks.
Balance: Still sucked, but slightly less than last week.
Sled dragging felt strong forward, weak backward. Going backward, pain in right knee again, located in VM. Will work on stretching this out more, and may do some specific exercises for it if necessary.

[Arlecchino]

Incline 215x1, 180x6
Tate Press 55x10x5
Pulldowns 200x10x3
DB Rows 105x10x3
Power Snatch: 140x1, 115x3x5
DB Laterals: 30x10x3

Notes:

Inclines felt heavy as hell.
Wobbly on last few reps of extensions on sets 4 and 5, will increase weight anyway next week. May need to drop reps and add sets, will see how it goes.
Pulldowns and rows were very strict.
Power snatch had more in the tank, working on technique, and using the repititions to do so, as well as work my upper back and improve skill.
DB Laterals: Not used to performing this exercise. Need to be careful not to raise the DBs too high, odd grinding in left shoulder. Less this week than last week.

Not a bad workout at all, considering how tired I was beforehand. Need to sleep once in a while.

[Arlecchino]

Performed light band work for upper body (presses and rows) with blue band, five sets of ten each to speed recovery, GPP, etc., as well as stretch some more.

Various light external rotations for shoulder, heavily stretched musculature of torso, including pecs and lats. Stiffness in left shoulder as usual.

One arm tricep pushdowns with mini-band (green) 10x10 (GPP)
Reverse grip curls (thumbless grip): 65x10x3
Behind back wrist curls (good stretch): 160x10x3

On wrist curls rolled the weight down my fingertips each rep.

[Arlecchino]

Box squat: 230+80Lbs. of chain x2x10
315x1, 375x1
Good Mornings: 345/355/365x5
Glute-Ham Raise: 7x4
Hanging Leg Raise: 20x3
Toe Press: 360x10x3
Kept chain on for singles, felt weird as hell, and slow off box with last single.

Bar rolled a bit on last set of good mornings. This is a reminder to myself to keep the bar tight, and to stretch elbow and shoulder first thing in AM to ensure nothing is wrong. Right now, left elbow is fairly tight.

[eddied27]

Box squat: 230+80Lbs. of chain x2x10
315x1, 375x1
Good Mornings: 345/355/365x5
Glute-Ham Raise: 7x4
Hanging Leg Raise: 20x3
Toe Press: 360x10x3
Kept chain on for singles, felt weird as hell, and slow off box with last single.

Bar rolled a bit on last set of good mornings. This is a reminder to myself to keep the bar tight, and to stretch elbow and shoulder first thing in AM to ensure nothing is wrong. Right now, left elbow is fairly tight.

How far forward on the GM's??