Kuytrider's Training Log: Dipping my Rippetoe into powerlifting!

[BendtheBar]

Days like today make me glad I am dedicating myself to the iron. My work is going exceedingly crappy, I am back to square one which involves writing crap for crap money and I am starting to hate the thing I love the most (writing).

Hang in there Kuyt. I have been there myself. There are times when I need to grind out mini-books on topics that aren't of interest to me and minutes feel like weeks.

Good to see you didn't let it drag you down.

[Kuytrider]

It has got to the stage where I will be worried if I feel good going into the gym! Felt lousy, tired, headache etc. going in but damned if my body didn't produce another great training session!


Squats: Light Day
60x5
75x5
90x5
90x5

Deadlifts:
75x5
90x5
105x5
120x5 Equal PR
The 105kg set felt rubbish but the final set was very smooth. I really attacked the weight and it flew up.

Push Press:
40x5
47.5x5
55x5
65x5 PR
Again, the push press felt garbage at 55kg but I was amazed at how easy the final set was. I honestly felt like a stall was coming but it soared up. Could have done 3 more reps I feel. It was the pushiest of push presses but I was in total control.

70kgx 1 PR
Did this at end of cleans session. Heaviest ever single push press

Cleans:
60x3
65x3
70x3 PR
Almost missed the second rep on the final set. These were hard.

BB Curls
40KG: 8,8,8 PR

Shoulder Shrugs:
40kg Dumbbells: 8, 8, 8 PR

Abs:
Weighted Crunches: 20kg plate: 1 x 12
22.5kg dumbbell: 4 x 12

Damn headache is killing me now!

[Kuytrider]

There is always the chance that a below par workout will rear its ugly head and today's was a shocker. Felt awful all the way through with the squats in particular a struggle even on the lower weights.

Squats:
62.5x5
77.5x5
92.5x5
107.5x5
122.5x3
92.5x8
Honestly, even 92.5kg felt very heavy today and I barely made the 8 reps As for the 122.5kg, don't think a 4th rep would have been possible if I had a gun to my head. Will be interesting to see if I can recover and make 5 reps on Tuesday.

Bench:
50x5
62.5x5
75x5
85x5
97.5x3
Forgot about the 8 rep final set! Felt alright, another PR possible this week.

Pendlay Row
40x5
50x5
55x5
65x5
72.5x3
Was ok, nothing more.

Pull Ups
6,4,5

Weighted Push Ups:
25kg: 8,8,8

Abs
Weighted Declines
10kg: 12, 12, 12, 8, 10

Side Laterals
8kg: 3 x 10

[BendtheBar]

It has got to the stage where I will be worried if I feel good going into the gym! Felt lousy, tired, headache etc. going in but damned if my body didn't produce another great training session!

That's great to hear. One thing I have learned over the years is that I can have my best training days when I feel horrible, and my worst training days when I feel great.

Did you finally get your project sorted?

[Fazc]

Originally Posted by Kuytrider

Squats:
62.5x5
77.5x5
92.5x5
107.5x5
122.5x3
92.5x8
Honestly, even 92.5kg felt very heavy today and I barely made the 8 reps As for the 122.5kg, don't think a 4th rep would have been possible if I had a gun to my head. Will be interesting to see if I can recover and make 5 reps on Tuesday.

Something to consider; when you feel gains are drying up sometimes what is needed to nudge it going again is a slight reduction in weight on the second heavy day. So your Heavy/Light/Heavy schedule:

Day 1: Squats - 120kg x
Day 2: Squats - 90kg x
Day 3: Squats - 120kg x

Would turn into a Medium/Light/Heavy schedule:

Day 1: Squats - 110kg x
Day 2: Squats - 90kg x
Day 3: Squats - 120kg x

With Day 3, of next week being when you would see improvement. Day 1 & 2 are held constant.

[big_swede]

Strong squats buddy, and good looking workouts!

[Kuytrider]

Originally Posted by Fazc

Something to consider; when you feel gains are drying up sometimes what is needed to nudge it going again is a slight reduction in weight on the second heavy day. So your Heavy/Light/Heavy schedule:

Day 1: Squats - 120kg x
Day 2: Squats - 90kg x
Day 3: Squats - 120kg x

Would turn into a Medium/Light/Heavy schedule:

Day 1: Squats - 110kg x
Day 2: Squats - 90kg x
Day 3: Squats - 120kg x

With Day 3, of next week being when you would see improvement. Day 1 & 2 are held constant.

Definitely worth considering though Day 1 is usually my heavy day. Today was only supposed to be 3 reps actually, lucky for me lol!
Certainly, doing a

120kg
90kg
110kg schedule may be worth looking at. I usually do my best work on the first session of a week.

Though I think and hope today was just a blip. Been getting used to awesome sessions that a crappy one is almost a shock! In a strange way, I probably needed it. Keeps me focused rather than looking ahead. I will go for PR's on Tuesday and see what my body says.

And thanks for the support lads!

@ Steve: No, but I did get something small. Still, work is an arid desert right now. Just got to ride out the storm.

[Kuytrider]

Squats:
62.5x5
77.5x5
92.5x5
107.5x5
122.5x5 PR
Felt 'done' after the 4th set and considered not going for it. Then I decided to man up and did it. The 4th rep almost got me but I somehow managed to make 5. Very pleased and a little surprised considering how beat up my legs felt before the set.

Bench:
50x5
62.5x5
75x5
85x5
97.5x3
After telling Steve I was confident of my bench, I went and stank out the joint. Pig ugly attempt not helped by a bad spotter. Did 3 reps solo and the moment I struggled with the 4th rep he lifted the damn bar despite me telling him not to. The 5th rep was gone and I needed bailing out. Just not my day. Next time though.

Pendlay Rows
40x5
50x5
60x5
65x5
72.5x5*
Have to do these again because it was a mess. Finding it hard to reach the bar so I placed it on some plates. Big mistake! The plates wobbled and after 3 reps, the bar went off them. Had to struggle to make it back, did the 2 reps with difficulty but I'll have to find some way to make it off the floor next time.

Chins;
11*PR, 4, 5
No idea what happened after the first set which felt so good.

Dips:
+25kg: 5,5,5

Abs:
Weighted crunches with 25kg dumbbell on chest.
5 x 12

[LtL]

Those numbers in kgs? Well done on PB regardless.

As for the spotter: lesson learned. Be more forceful telling them NOT TO TOUCH THE BAR!!!

LtL

[BendtheBar]

Felt 'done' after the 4th set and considered not going for it. Then I decided to man up and did it.

Way to get it done. Don't get too frustrated on benches. You're still moving a decent weight. It will come up.

For Pendlay's I sometimes do them in a rack while standing on a cardio step.