Commanding My Body

[Commander]

Originally Posted by Ben2285

Excellent plan! Rack pulls work wonders for improving my deads

Sweet!

Last night's workout...

Military Press 3x5 145lb (this felt easier than the last time I did it)
Squat 3x10 185 lb
Pendlay Row 3x5 190 lb

6 minutes GPP:
Jump rope, various core exercises and body weight exercises.
I did 3 single leg squats for each leg during this GPP (I am trying to build up to more obviously). I am trying to do some single leg work during my GPP to help with my stability and mobility. I also do single-leg stiff-legged deadlifts. I have done single leg work before, but reading this article....

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ithout_weights

...got me inspired to do single leg work again!

[Commander]

Other ideas for assistance work for the upcoming powerlifting contest;
Well, I have been doing "Grease the Groove", Pavel's Synaptic Facilitation with chin-ups (see previous posts). I am up to 3x8.
I am going to substitute 1 set of those chin-ups for towel pull-ups to help my grip strength. I tried it this morning, dang! They were tough. I got 4 reps and had to ditch the towel and finish with 4 regular chin-ups! Oh well, I hope it will gradually improve my grip strength.

I am also going to hold my final rep on deadlifts for as long as I can to improve grip. And on bench, I will try to pause for 2 seconds on my final rep of my final (3rd) set.


I am doing to start greasing the groove with dips as well. I start to day with 3 sets of 6 (1 set morning, 1 afternoon and 1 evening).

Since I am trying to gain weight for the contest…..
Previous diet:
Calories 3541
Fat 134
Carbs 348
Protein 232

Current diet:
Calories 3889
Fat 142
Carbs 401
Protein 247

[Commander]

Some of you may have noticed that I repeated the same workout twice in a row. This was intentional, as I am going to work out at my father-in-law's on Thursday for my Squat, Bench, Deadlift day. Since I will be competing in a powerlifting contest in January, he is going to critique me.

I am excited because I use a standard bar and plates, but at his house (and the contest of course!) there will be Olympic bar and plates. He feels (and websites I have visited tend to agree) that the Deadlift will be easier for me when I switch to Olympic. He said there are two reasons;

1) The thicker bar will be easier to grip (in comparison to a standard bar, I think andro is correct and really thick bars are actually more difficult to grip)
2) The bigger in diameter Olympic plates will shorten my ROM making it easier to pull more weight. He was at my house the other night and looked at my plates, he thinks there may be as much a 2 inch difference in starting bar height.

[Commander]

Squat 230 lb 3x5
Flat BB Bench 220 lb 3x5 (last rep of 3rd set, paused to prepare for competition)
Deadlift 370 lb 1x6 (held final rep for 5 seconds to work on grip) YESSSS!!!!

Decline Leg raises BW x 12, 6

Rack Bench 285 lb 2x6 (about 3-4" ROM at top end)
Rack Pulls 465 lb 2x4 (about 3" ROM at top end)....after final rack pull I held 465 lb as long as I could for more grip strength

I shattered my Deadlift PR today! Old 1 rep max was 363, and I pulled 370 six times today! It felt so awesome. Squat and Bench both felt easy, definitely will be able to keep increasing for a few more workouts!

CONTEST DATE: January 10, 2009

[will-work4andro]

typically a thicker bar will make it harder to grip...at least that's what i always thought.


regardless...i'm super excited to follow the process to the contest...strength fascinates me

[Commander]

Originally Posted by will-work4andro

typically a thicker bar will make it harder to grip...at least that's what i always thought.


regardless...i'm super excited to follow the process to the contest...strength fascinates me

I think the grip is easier going from standard to Olympic, the standard is too small and sort of hurts the hands while the Olympic feels more natural. I think it gets harder when the bar is bigger than Olympic size.

Thanks for following along Andro!

Saturday's workout:
Military Press 150 lb 3x5
Squat 190 lb 3x10
Pendlay Row 195 lb 3x5

On my previous progression I got 150 on the Military Press, but failed on 155. So next workout I will go up 2.5 to 152.5 lb. Squats felt good, Pendlay are about at their max. I will go for 200 next time but I must admit on my last two reps I was using the hips. I am still excited though, because in August, 200 lb was my max for 1 rep of the Pendlay Row!

13 minutes GPP:
4 minutes Tabata Front Squat 95 lb
9 minutes miscellaneous - T push-ups, swiss ball toe touches, bodyweight exercises

Musical motivation - Soul Fly;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fb33n8NK-Q

This song really rocks! I'll post lyrics...

[Commander]

Whoever told ya you can never be free
Whoever told ya you can't seek out that dream
Whoever told ya you can never be free
Whoever told you that is your enemy you see...
My life is mine, my right is mine
Cause it's my life, you see, not your life
My life is mine, my right is mine
Sometimes you have to lose your mind...

No Hope = No Fear
I won't wait for the next life
The time is now, the time is right
Follow my heart, I'll get through
If you're not now, you never were
So lose yourself to find yourself
Don't need to act like nobody else
Sometimes it feels as if the road is blocked
I'll find a way, I'll move those rocks
Freedom!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fb33n8NK-Q

[Commander]

Schedule:
Deadlift 1x5 and Flat Bench 3x5 every 4,5 days until Dec. 11th.

Test 1 Rep Max on Dec. 11th.

Deadlift 1x3 and Flat Bench 3x3 every 4,5 days until late December.

Transistion to once per week late December

January 1st, final deadlift workout -> rest, no more deadlifting until contest

January 5th, final bench workout -> rest

RAW Powerlifting Contest: January 10, 2009

[superbilt]

The thick bar is harder to grip because you can't close your hand as much. However, it is easier on your wrist and very effective because when you go back to an olympic bar your grip will be stronger. Since, I train at home I don't have a thick bar but I made an 2 inch thick axle out of a 7 foot long steel pipe and I have a 2 3/8 pipe to go over that which is 4 feet long. Very hard to use this for deadlifts and clean and presses. It will reduce the weight you can use but it is still effective.


Good luck with the PL contest where are you competing and what federation?

[Commander]

Originally Posted by superbilt

The thick bar is harder to grip because you can't close your hand as much. However, it is easier on your wrist and very effective because when you go back to an olympic bar your grip will be stronger. Since, I train at home I don't have a thick bar but I made an 2 inch thick axle out of a 7 foot long steel pipe and I have a 2 3/8 pipe to go over that which is 4 feet long. Very hard to use this for deadlifts and clean and presses. It will reduce the weight you can use but it is still effective.


Good luck with the PL contest where are you competing and what federation?

Thanks!

I feel like a moron, because I don't know the federation. My father-in-law got me into it (and he is very nicely paying the entrance fee). I will ask him when I have a chance.

The contest is at Boyce Park near Monroeville, Pennsylvania.