Kiwi Powerlifter... Training to get Competitive

[Brian Hopper]

Nice work Hayden!!!

[HJP]

Nice deads. How much incline are you using with those DB presses?

Varies depending on what bench I get to use, normally approx. 45 degrees though

Strong deads, Hayden!

Like how your light bench is about my max effort, haha. Your bench has exploded the last few months.

Yeah I just wish it would keep going up, still by far my weakest lift compared to other lifters with similar squats etc.

Great pulling Hayden. 250kg for a double is crazy.

Cheers Luna, back to singles from next week. Nice short sharp training cycle cycle!

Nice work Hayden!!!

Thanks Brian, always good having you checking in man, appreciate it!

[HJP]

Video

This is the only NZ weightlifter heading to the Olympics, he will be in the 85kg class I believe. Skip to 5.30 in the video to see him squat 260kg (573lbs) raw (no belt either), all I can say is WOW. Good luck to Richie! Do us Kiwi's proud!

[Coke]

No joke about that Richie dude, astounding vid!

[Beast]

Yeah, absolutely sick. He honestly handled it like it was light.

[GazzyG]

Unbelievable lifting from that Rich guy.

[Brian Hopper]

Strong dude...with a super close squat stance, lol. Best of luck in the Olympics!!!

[HJP]

Yeah hopefully he does us kiwis proud. Cheers for checking in Coke Beast Gazz & Brian

Nats Prep - W2D2

Wednesday 27th June


Primary Movements

Squats - light day
60kg * 8, * 5
100kg * 3
140kg * 2
160kg * 2 - WW from here
Work Sets - no belt
182.5kg (401lbs) * 6 - 3 sets

Military Press
20kg * 10
40kg * 8
50kg * 3
Work Sets
57.5kg * 5 - 3 sets - last rep paused bottom on each set.


Accessory

Pink Band Deficit Speed Deads SS BB Shrugs
130kg * 1 - 3 sets / 110kg * 8 - 3 sets

Superset Three Exercises Below
Pink Band Deficit Speed Deads continued
140kg * 1, * 1, 130kg * 1
Pendlay Rows
80kg * 10 - 3 sets
DB Shrugs
28kg's * 12 - 3 sets

FSR Combo
7kg's * 10 - 2 sets

Notes/Thought:
- Squats felt really good, fixing up those technical issues. Main focuses are push knees out, forcing the elbows forward at the bottom, and trying to keep that chest high in and coming out of the hole.

- Militarys felt strong as today. Probably the easiest that weight has ever felt. That's a positive for sure as an always weak there!

- Accessory was good, added speed deads in this week, may keep it an play with band tension. Weight listed excludes band tension. Will just make it into supersets each week as done today. Worked well.

Nutrition/Supplement Notes:

Have restarted on creatine as of last Tuesday. Did 5 days loading an will maintain for three weeks.

I have also just started working with a nutritionist from Hamilton too (Jake Campus), want to try cut some fat and maintain/increase the strength so it should be fun! Although I'm cutting I will be eating more protein than I have previously (have always been slack nutrition wise). So will see what happens! I'm interested an confident about it for sure.

[Coke]

Good luck with the diet coaching you are getting yourself set up for, would rather you keep going as is though and keep raising up with all your lifts. My belief is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" - but I do understand the desire to have minimum or as little bodyfat as possible.

Even with all that said, this still may indeed work, good to be experimenting with the diet regardless. Gonna have to do it sooner or later to see where you stand.

Fine effort as usual, always a pleasure seeing you go at it.

[HJP]

Yeah just not overly happy with the body fat I am carrying at present. Plenty that can be lost without losing muscle mass so strength should be sweet! And then can try gain some mass a bit cleaner. My big competition is in December so if it doesn't work out as planned when I get to nationals (August) there is plenty of time to change it up before the big competition!

[Bako Lifter]

Good luck with the dieting bro. 401 for 18 reps is killer!

[HJP]

Haha thanks Bako! Felt better than last weeks 3*6 though!!

Here's a vid of the last set from yesterday

Video

[thecityalive]

Are those black Rehbands? Your depth is unquestionable. Great stuff, Hayden.

[tom183]

Solid training as always. Nicely mixing things up with the accessory work there.

What recommendations has the nutritionist made?

[GazzyG]

Hope the dieting goes well for you!

And great squatting - you're in danger of touching the pins on every rep, haha

[Bako Lifter]

Sweet shoes.

[HJP]

Are those black Rehbands? Your depth is unquestionable. Great stuff, Hayden.

Na they are the black titans with grey stitching! Thanks for the depth call, starting to think I am hitting the nail on the head every rep (especially with the slightly lighter weights) which is perfect

Solid training as always. Nicely mixing things up with the accessory work there.

What recommendations has the nutritionist made?

Basically I am being restricted to 2000cal a day. I am eating approx 1.5g/kg bw of protein. Not much fat in the plan an the rest of the cals mainly complex carbs. That's it in a nutshell. Previously I think I would've been lucky to be hitting 1g/kg bw of protein. Will be interesting to see how it goes. I started from yesterday on the plan with my eating during the day but won't start properly on the dinners till Monday. Starting stats were 90.6kg @ 20% BF

Hope the dieting goes well for you!

And great squatting - you're in danger of touching the pins on every rep, haha

Haha thanks Gazzy! Dieting will be tough I imagine but I have the goal of competing in U83kg's at nats so that should help hold me on track

Sweet shoes.

Yeah I like them

[Beast]

You'll look sick when you drop some body fat percentages with the amount of poundages you can throw around, bro. Good luck with the diet. You can always add back kcals if your strength starts to dip.

[Brian Hopper]

How do those Titan sleeves compare to the TK bands?

[LuNa]

Wow, 2000kcals is not a whole lot :/. Did you look at carb backloading? To me it has been the best diet so far to cut bodyfat while keeping muscle mass.

[HJP]

Yeah hopefully I keep getting stronger still Beast! At least maintain where I am but I think I can stay strong.

To be honest Brian I liked the TKs more (stay up better an a bit warmer), just got the Titans as needed them as IPF has only approved certain brands (only thing that had annoyed me with the fed so far - come on it just neoprene!!)

Yeah going to look into it Luna. Still feeling fairly good even on the low cals. Wil see how I get on!

[HJP]

Nats Prep - W2D3

Friday 29th June


Primary Movements

Squats - heavy day
60kg * 5 - 2 sets
100kg * 3
140kg * 3 - 2 sets
180kg * 1
200kg * 1 - B + WW
Work Sets
215kg (473lbs) * 3 - 2 sets

Bench Press - heavy day
20kg * 10
60kg * 5 - 2 sets
80kg * 2 - WW from here
100kg * 1
110kg * 1
120kg * 1
Work Sets
125kg (275lbs) * 2
127.5kg (280lbs) * 2


Accessory

Goodmornings SS Leg Extensions
90kg * 12 - 3 sets / 89kg * 20, 96kg * 20, 110kg * 20

Pec Fly Machine SS DB Rows
74kg * 15, 82kg * 15 / 30kg's * 20 - 2 sets

Notes/Thought:
- Good day! Felt strong on the squats and bench. Will start to lower volume a little on accessory from week 3. Four more training weeks till nats. Had to rush away though as was heading away for the weekend - that's why there's two workouts at once...



Nats Prep - W3D1

Monday 2nd July


Primary Movements

Deadlifts - Forgot my belt
60kg * 8
100kg * 2
140kg * 2
180kg * 1 - 2 sets
220kg * 1
Work Sets
260kg (572lbs) * 1- PR with no belt (not planned!)

Bench Press - lighter day
60kg * 8, * 6
80kg * 3 - 2 sets - WW from here
100kg * 1
Work Sets
107.5kg (236lbs) * 5 - 3 sets


Accessory

Incline DB Press
34kg's * 8
36kg's * 6, * 7

DB Flyes
18kg's * 8 - 2 sets
16kg's * 8

Pull Ups - Med Overhand Grip
BW * 8, * 8, * 7

Notes/Thought:
- Had been away to Hamilton all weekend visiting my sister, hence no journal checking/writing - I will try catch up on them tomorrow!

- Went to the mountain (snowboarded) for a couple of hours on the way home from the weekend away (got to make the most of the season passes!) - so not the most ideal prep for the deadlifts.

- Forgot my belt (was really annoyed) but was feeling good as the warmups went on so was going to try stick to the plan. Did just one of my planned two sets of singles in the end, it felt wrong without belt (set up routine etc not right) but happy enough - beltless PR.

- Elbows playing up a little on bench, need to keep at eye on that. All the rest felt good. Lowering the volume slowly on accessory. Down to sets of ~8 for the next two weeks.

[HJP]

Video

[Brian Hopper]

Great job on the PR with no belt!!!

[GazzyG]

Wow! Huge weight to be shifting around without a belt!

Good luck on the cut, too, Hayden!

I'm going to be starting a cut of my own after this cycle, too. Getting a bit jiggly. I've never been jiggly.