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View Full Version : 7 weeks out from a meet...


Hazerboy
10-25-2009, 02:01 PM
I'm 7 weeks out from my 3rd raw meet but I'm looking for some advice.

I just got off a deload week from 5/3/1. Cycles are 3 weeks of 5's, 3's, 1s then 1 week for deloading, so I'm a little unsure of how to approach this. In the past when I've done raw cycles I've schedules my final deload week to be right before the meet but this time I kid of F'd things up here. Any recomendations for how to proceed?

I was thinking of...
one more 5/3/1 training cycle (4 weeks)
1 week more of work weights (sets of 5+)
1 week of hitting my openers
deload

does that sound sensible? Basically I'm just skipping week 3 of 5/3/1.

Also, I'm a little unsure of how to pick my weights for this cycle.

For squats and deadlift percentages, I used a weight of 495 for deads and 395 for squats (thats max - 10 percent). My weights and reps looked like...

Week 1: squats: 335x9 Deadlifts: 420x9 (goal reps of 5)

Week 2: Squats: 355x7 Deadlifts: 445x8 (goal reps of 3)

Week 3: Squats: 375x6 Deadlifts: 475x6 (goal reps of 1). For all of these I would say I had at least another rep in the tank also.

Week 4 was deload. I'm thinking for this cycle I should use a work weight of around 415 and 530 for my squat and deadlift percentages. does that sound good or is it too high? I figure this will put me a lot closer to my goal reps for the day. I realize the program is aiming for slower, sustainable long term gains but I figure I need to up the percentages this close to a meet.

BTW for my bench work I've still been doing westside stuff so no worries as far as programming goes there.
Sean S
10-25-2009, 03:20 PM
I think overall your plan looks decent. I would not up the training weights that much though. I just do the normal 10 lb. increases. If the program has been working well, there's no need to alter it too much this close to a meet. Besides, the last thing you want to do going into a meet is burn yourself out by taking too large a jump in training weights.
Hopefully Scott Yard will see this thread and respond since he has used 5/3/1 while getting ready for a raw meet.
ScottYard
10-25-2009, 05:28 PM
Are you 7 weeks out including the meet, or 7 weeks out then the meet?
ScottYard
10-25-2009, 05:31 PM
The last 4 weeks are the most cucial. If you have a odd number of weeks Cut something short in the 2nd to last mini cycle. Work backwards to make the last 4 weeks fit. Most people just do the 5/3/1 but only do the reps prescribed and dont add any weight from the last minicycle. I like to do something similar but work backwards percentages wise. I like to start at 90%, then 80, then 70, then deload., All singles. This allows me to full recover and remember whats its like to do just singles again and be fast.
Hazerboy
10-28-2009, 10:31 AM
At the end of the seventh week is the meet.

See, I'm a little hesitant to lower the weights on my last cycle because this is only my second cycle on 5/3/1 (this meet was a little unplanned) and so far I have been SMASHING all of my weights. I've put on around 5-7 lbs, and all the quality supplements I've bought from AtLARGE have finally been kicking in (thanks guys XD ). For istance -- during my first cycle I hit 335x9 on the squat, and monday I did 350x10. Both times I left a rep or two in the tank.
ScottYard
10-28-2009, 11:21 AM
Being hessitent to lowering weights prior to a meet is like saying your are anxious to over train for a meet. training and meet prep are two different things.

Im Not trying to sound like a jerk here but it is the truth.
Hazerboy
10-28-2009, 09:16 PM
Being hessitent to lowering weights prior to a meet is like saying your are anxious to over train for a meet. training and meet prep are two different things.

Im Not trying to sound like a jerk here but it is the truth.

Haha fair enough. And don't worry about sounding like a jerk - I got plenty of advice from Matt Rhodes, so I'm more than used to it.

Anyways, you don't think I could get any real use out of going a bit heavier the last 4 weeks before a meet (the 4th week would be deloading, obviously)? Wouldn't that week off right before the meet take care of any over training issues? I've been breaking PRs every day in the gym--some days as much as 15 lbs--so I guess I'm hesitant cause I want to ride this wave as long as possible. Keep in mind that I'm not pushing anywhere near the weights as some of these bigger guys.

Also, when you say you do 90, 80, and 70%, from what max are we talking about?