8 weeks out to APF senior nationals

[RJstrong]

160 registered lifters for APF Sr. Nationals... Wow, what a turnout! I can't wait this is gonna be a phenomenal meet!

[RJstrong]

Ah... my favorite day! feeling good about the squat. At this stage I'm about as strong as I'm going to get, so it is imperative to lift smart and find ways to keep the confidence growing up until the big day. Today's game plan was like many others recently... warm up similar to a meet and hit at least an opener*. Here you go:
bar 2 sets 10
145 2 sets 10
235 1 set 3
325 1 set 3
415 1 set 3
505 1 set 1
595 1 set 1
*805 1 set 1
That is it simple and to the point. Each time I hit my opener it feels a little lighter than the last time. My next two days are off days so I am going to rest and study (I have a couple of final exams this week) Economics and Trigonometry... sounds like fun huh!

[RJstrong]

Great news... I finally did it! I hit a 655 bench press today. It's been close the past few weeks, and today it happened. Can you tell I'm excited? It blew right up like it was nothing... man, I love my new bench shirt! All it took was a technique that I have never tried before to get the bar to touch... raising my head off the bench and following the bar down untill it touched. Man talk about a confidence builder... my quest for a 2200+ total is well within reach now. I just have to put it all together June 4! Here is a quick run thru of my workout:
bar 2 sets 20
135 2 sets 10
225 2 sets 3
315 1 set 3
405 1 set 3
550 1 set 1 (I put on my big shirt for this attempt)
655 2 sets 1 (new shirt...first time didn't touch, second touched... SMOKE SHOW!)
675 1 set 1 (spotter gave me a little bump on this one)

[RJstrong]

Today was a light day. Focused on form & speed. I'm letting the lowerback recuperate for squats on Mon. I will be testing out my new Titan squat suit... in hopes of learning it's groove quickly! Check out today's work:
deadlifts:
135 2 sets 10
225 2 sets 5
315 2 sets 3
work sets:
405 4 sets 3

hypers:
4 sets 15

hanging leg raises 4 sets 10
supersetted w/ situps 4 sets 10

[Power76]

Great job on that big bench! You keep this up and we will be seeing you on the big WPO stage soon. 700 is just around the corner....

[RJstrong]

Today I tried out my new squat suit (Titan-boss). Man did it work nice. This suit is nothing like my Inzer hardcore. I worked up to my opener* and second attempt** and simply smoked both of 'em! I think this is good, really good. Take a look:
bar 2 sets 10
145 2 sets 10
235 2 sets 3
325 1 set 3
415 1 set 3
505 1 set 3
595 1 set 1
*805 1 set 1
**850 1 set 1
A couple of my workout buddies were actually in shock... they couldn't believe how easy I made my opener and 2nd attempt look. I think the Titan squat suit is going to work out nicely... I walked away from this workout feeling like 900 is going to happen. 3 more weeks and we will find out!

[RJstrong]

Man, time is starting to fly by. 2 weeks from today I will be boarding a plane to Detroit. Last I read: 187 lifters. Wow this meet is going to be huge. Looks like I could be lifting till midnight! Only a few workouts left, than it's almost a week of rest before the meet (and man do I ever need it!) Anyway here is a look at today's workout:
bar 2 sets 20
135 2 sets 10
225 2 sets 3
315 1 set 3
405 1 set 3
550 1 set 1 (used my big shirt)
635 1 set 1 (new shirt)
655 1 set 1 (new shirt)
actually felt a little off today. The elbows are aching slightly so I decided to cut back on the volume today. A little bit of rest is going to make me feel like a million bucks.

[RJstrong]

Getting down to my final posts. Today was my last deadlift workout for the Sr. Nationals. So finally a little extra rest for the lower back, and boy do I need it! Here is a look at the session:
135 2 sets 10
225 2 sets 6
315 1 sets 3
405 1 set 3
495 1 set 3
585 1 set 3
705 1 set 1
All things considered this turned out to be a good one. I really wasn't sure if I was going to go as heavy as I did, but as I warmed up I decided what the hell, let me hit my opener. It was a bit slower then I would like it, but I always pull my best at a meet. 2 weeks without deadlifting and I will feel like a new man! Hopefully I will pull 733 at this meet, I missed it as my 3rd attempt at the southern states 6 months ago. 3 more workouts to go and then it's off to Detroit!

[Power76]

RJ, I was wondering what type and how much assistance work you normally do. From the workouts you have posted you don't have much listed.

[RJstrong]

I do most of my assistance work in the off season and a small amount in the very beginning of my training cycle for a meet. I actually cut most, if not all assistance work out at about 7-8 weeks from the meet. Which just happens to be when I started this post. The only real assistance work I mantained was hypers (no weight) and abdominals on my deadlift day and some calf training on squat and dl day. I feel that my body needs as much help in recuperation as possible so I stick to only the main lifts. This system has worked well for me as I have seen improvement at each contest. totals as of yet from my 1st contest to my last: 1813, 1901, 2055, 2094. Maybe I will post some off season training so everyone can see the difference, and that my friends (thank god) won't be for at least another month!

[Power76]

Interesting. I had been thinking about doing less assistance work in my training as well. One further question if you don't mind. How does your bench training differ from the off season? It appears you are benchig once a week right now? Do you always bench once a week? Do you ever incorporate a speed day along with a heavy day? (Westside) Thanks for the reply.

[RJstrong]

Interesting. I had been thinking about doing less assistance work in my training as well. One further question if you don't mind. How does your bench training differ from the off season? It appears you are benchig once a week right now? Do you always bench once a week? Do you ever incorporate a speed day along with a heavy day? (Westside) Thanks for the reply.

Everyone is different, but I tend to feel overtrained at times doing too much assistance work, especeially when training so heavy for a contest. Even though I feel at times being slightly overtrained isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's my cue to pull back the reigns and it lets me know I'm training hard enough. Off season I bench every Thur. using some variation of boards, floors, bands, chains. Every Sat. morning I hit arms with my major focus on close grip bench. I sometimes train both days heavy, but a lot of times alternate between heavy or speed work. I think by constantly changing things up I am able to fight off that overtrained feeling, most of the time. I tend to train as heavy as I can for as long as I can until my body says O.K. time to slow down. As far as bench goes I am typically good for about 3-4 weeks of training heavy before I feel like I'm overtrained. Lately on my speed days I have been using 50-65% of my max for 10 sets of 3 using bands, chains or both. I would say that my training is highly influenced by Westsides methods with are own little spin on it here or there. Hope this helps! Good luck and train hard!

[RJstrong]

Man, where has the time gone? Anyway, today was the final squat workout. Nothing too fancy here. It is really a deloading type of workout. No maxing out until the big meet! Here is a look at the training today:
bar 3 sets 10
145 3 sets 10
235 2 sets 5
325 1 set 3
415 1 set 3
505 1 set 3
595 1 set 3
685 1 set 3
Feeling pretty good about my squat. I won't know if I really have a 900 in me or not, I will find out that answer at the meet. Only thing left is bench on Thur. then squat and bench openers on next Mon. Wow it's just around the corner, and at last count I saw that there was 187 lifters in this one. Pretty big meet, huh. Looks like I will be lifting past my bedtime!

[Power76]

Anybody want to bet that the supers pull they're last deadlift at 4:00 A.M.?

[RJstrong]

Well I couldn't of ended my training on a better note. I hit a PR today... 665. I have really been rehabing my elbows all week with ice and it paid off, I felt no pain at all. Here is a quick look at how it went down:
bar 2 sets 10
135 2 sets 6
225 2 sets 3
314 1 set 3
405 2 sets 1
550 1 set 1 (opener/big shirt)
655 1 set 1 (didn't touch.... came as close as possible)
665 1 set 1 (I really smoked this one... I could tell with 655 I was feeling good)
675 1 set 1 (needed a slight bump near lockout)
I really backed off on reps which paid off huge today. What a great confidence builder, really what I needed. Now it's about putting it all together on June 4! My last day will be next Mon. I will hit my openers for squat and bench... then it's here I come Motor City! I will fly out a week from today.

[Power76]

Good luck brother. May all your weights feel light and all your lights be white!

[RJstrong]

Good luck brother. May all your weights feel light and all your lights be white!

I really appreciate that my man!

[RJstrong]

Well I fly out tomorrow morning. I hope I can get my lower back feeling a bit better! When I walked out with my 805 squat opener I felt my lower back strain a bit. Damn, I wish we had a MONOLIFT at my gym! I am not gonna let a little strain in the back slow my down, the good thing is I still hit my lifts. I have been walking a little funny but I don't think it will affect my lifting too much. I have been icing, and using a lot of ibuprofen. Any way here is a look at Mon:
Squat:
bar 2 sets 10
145 2 sets 10
235 1 set 5
325 1 set 3
415 1 set 1
505 1 set 1
595 1 set 1
805 1 set 1 (I felt the back as I took a step back with my left foot, now I will see what I'm really made of)
Bench:
bar 2 sets 10
135 2 sets of 10
225 1 set 3
315 1 set 3
405 2 sets 1
550 1 set 1 (felt pretty good on the back, It did make it harder to touch the floor with my feet, but overall not bad)
Well wish my luck. This will be the first meet I have ever done feeling slightly injured, so I think it will be a good test of what I'm made of. No excuses here I still plan on the original goal of breaking 2200! On a little side note looks like Travis Mash will compete at 242.... what a honor to compete with such great lifters!

[lexi83]

It was great reading your training posts!! insane floor press! make sure to post your results! also would love to see your training power76!
see you
Biglexi

[RJstrong]

It was great reading your training posts!! insane floor press! make sure to post your results! also would love to see your training power76!
see you
Biglexi

Thanx, I am glad you enjoyed it! I had a good time keeping it up to date. I will be posting the results sometime after Mon. so stay tuned. As far as power76 goes, I am sure he has a few tricks up his sleeve that he could share... and that is really why I wanted to do this journal... in hopes to inspire someone's training... and to take it to another level! On a final note... I just wanted to say thanx for all the great support and responses, it has been a tough, gut busting 12 weeks of training... and this has been great way of keeping me motivated.... THANK YOU!

[power65]

I agree w/ RJstrong. I hate going to a meet and there's only 2-3 guys in my weight class. Nothing worse. But then again, as long as you are getting better every meet I guess that's all that matters. But doesn't it feel good to beat out a bunch of other lifters? I mean isn't that what it's about.... competition. It always feels awesome to win.

[Power76]

It was great reading your training posts!! insane floor press! make sure to post your results! also would love to see your training power76!
see you
Biglexi

I hope all goes well for RJ in the motor city. Even though he will be lifting against one of my training partners
As far as my training, I will start a new thread for that. I appreciate the interest!

[RJstrong]

I hope all goes well for RJ in the motor city. Even though he will be lifting against one of my training partners
As far as my training, I will start a new thread for that. I appreciate the interest!

I wish things went better for me. I had my first official bomb out. I couldn't of picked a better time could I..... I started off OK, I hit all three of my squats, but even then I felt a little off... didn't even attempt a 900. I went 804, 848, 865.... so on a positive note I hit a PR with 865. It fell appart for me on the bench press. I missed my opener 551 (which was my first ever miss at an opener) I got it on my 2nd attempt but they called me on a double pump.... pressure was really on here! So I decided what the hell and went to 655 with my new shirt and just couldn't lock it out. It seems to be like this for me at every meet, I peak a bit early on the bench press. I will have to rethink my training in that respect. Overall the meet was a blast. I met some really cool people, and met up with a lot that I already knew, so that was fun. My partner did the same thing the day before me, bombing out on the bench... it just wasn't our meet. I learned a lot, and I will be back (as Arnold would say) next meet on the horizon is the Southern States in Jacksonville, FL in early December. I will be in rest mode for a couple of weeks (I have to get this lower back healed up) and then it's back to training!

[Power76]

I wish things went better for me. I had my first official bomb out. I couldn't of picked a better time could I..... I started off OK, I hit all three of my squats, but even then I felt a little off... didn't even attempt a 900. I went 804, 848, 865.... so on a positive note I hit a PR with 865. It fell appart for me on the bench press. I missed my opener 551 (which was my first ever miss at an opener) I got it on my 2nd attempt but they called me on a double pump.... pressure was really on here! So I decided what the hell and went to 655 with my new shirt and just couldn't lock it out. It seems to be like this for me at every meet, I peak a bit early on the bench press. I will have to rethink my training in that respect. Overall the meet was a blast. I met some really cool people, and met up with a lot that I already knew, so that was fun. My partner did the same thing the day before me, bombing out on the bench... it just wasn't our meet. I learned a lot, and I will be back (as Arnold would say) next meet on the horizon is the Southern States in Jacksonville, FL in early December. I will be in rest mode for a couple of weeks (I have to get this lower back healed up) and then it's back to training!

I hate to hear that bro. But, you seem to be taking it well. You have already picked your next meet and after some rest you are ready to get back to it.