Scott's Training Log for First Powerlifting Meet

[Scott McBlain]

DEADLIFT

Worked up to 220 kg. Much better than last two weeks. Moved very fast and easily for 5 (2 x 2 and a single) Still missed a 3rd double as the bar would not stay still and was pulled while very forward.

Speed deadlifts w/red + blue bands: 12 x 1 w/150 kg

High bar squat

Worked up to 190 kg x 1. Was easier this week.

Trained Abs + upper back hard after this with supersetted work.

[Scott McBlain]

BENCH

4th Bench press session of this cycle. Opted for the close grip (thumb from central smoothing) again as have been progressing well on it so far. Still only using a slight pause and pressing off my toes as opposed to the legally required flat foot.

Worked up to 140 kg x 2-2 (4). This was a rest pause top set so very little break in between the doubles. Each first rep was very easy, controlled and fast throughout with each 2nd lift a bit more sloppy.

Down work: 120 kg x 6 and 100 kg x 9...re-rack....2....more progress on reps with this grip. Actually went to failure on the set with 100 kg missing a 12th rep as triceps gave out with fatigue.

Close grip with blue bands

60 kg x 5+
80 x 3+
100 x 1
80 x max reps

Accessory work done in a circuit for upper back and triceps.

[Scott McBlain]

SQUAT

4th squat day of the 7 week cycle. Jumped from 3 weeks at 80% for reps up to 90% today. Was a mistake. Thought that as I am pretty close to the next comp I would need to hurry up and push the intensity up but this was too fast. Felt a huge difference in 180 kg and 200 kg.

200 kg x 2-1-2-1 (6)....using the rest pause method but need to keep intervals much shorter than this.
down work: 180 kg x 2-1

Speed pulls w/red + blue bands

10 x lifts w/150 kg

Accessory work for Abs and upper back

Will not go above 90% until 2 weeks from now at the earliest as need to do a better job putting reps together and overall volume.

[Scott McBlain]

DEADLIFT

4th deadlift session of training cycle. This cycle is the most amount of deadlifting I have ever done I think as it is the first time I have pulled every week and then on top of that pulls with bands 1-2 x week recently. I think it will help as main weakness is poor technique not strength.

Top weight today was 230 kg. Although this was an easy opener at my last comp it is never the case when I am using an old beaten up gym bar.

The warm up sets today were less smooth & explosive than last week and I also made a 30 kg jump from last warm up lift. Don't think I will do that again. I managed a single and a missed 2nd.
Have been videoing all my lifts for past 6-8 weeks and it is clear that my problem on the deadlift is all technical. I need to find a way of getting my hips lower without turning it into a squat. Hips are getting lost near lockout due to horrible starting position.

Added blue bands

180 kg x 3
190 kg x 2
190 kg x 1..........Form on last 2 sets was hard to watch. Need to be consistent with this and feel uncomfortably tight every lift like I do on bench.

High bar squat

Worked up to 97.5% of current PR. 195 kg x 1

Done accessory work for lats, upper back and abs.

[Scott McBlain]

BENCH

5th Bench press session of 7 week training cycle for next meet. 5th great Bench day in a row.

Close grip (Flat feet!)

Worked up to 145 kg x 1-2 (3) rest pause top set

Still only using a short pause but switched to legal foot placement this week. Last 2 sessions on bench will be paused but thinking of keeping close grip and rest-pause top set. Technique looked very good on video and power off chest was great.

Down work

120 kg x 4-2-2 (8) Rest -pause
100 kg x 10-1-1 (12) Rest-pause

Close grip w/blue + red bands (Moved hands in more)

60 kg x 5
70 x 3
80 x 3
90 x 1
100 x 1

Accessory work for upper back and triceps all done in a long circuit x3

[Scott McBlain]

Week 5 of training for GBPF south west meet

After a good bench day the rest of training went badly. Had to take 3 days off due to bank holiday Monday.

Tue Squats

Worked up to 200kg x 2. Was planning 3 doubles today but was just horrible for a lot of reasons. Stopped here.

Wed was more Benching (Final close grip work of the cycle)

Worked up to 150 kg x grinder of a single. Could not get a spot in the gym and left to avoid overdoing it.

Today was Deadlifts

Was not going to be 100% today so done ok just getting 3 singles with 220 kg on a regular bar.

Deadlifts w/blue bands

160 x 4
170 x 1
Add belt
180 x 3
190 x 2
200 x close miss (Think my back was just trashed and band tension beat me)
180 x 2
180 x 3 no bands

High bar squat

Top single today was 190 kg (95%). Again knew it would be less this week but all sets of this felt very good today.

Onto upper back work

Upright rows

40 kg x5x12

Blue pull a parts

3 x 15

I am hoping to get back to form next week after this de-load of sorts

[Scott McBlain]

Done an extra session today. Haven't done this often if at all this whole cycle. Hadn't felt the need for them due to training all 3 lifts each week.

Just work for Abs and upper back done in less than 30 mins.
chin ups, rope crunches, rear flys, pull a aparts and cable upright rows.

Main focus in terms of accessory work has been to build my upper back this cycle as it is a major weakness in each lift.

[Scott McBlain]

BENCH

With 3 bench press sessions left until my next meet I decided to do a max effort style session before doing paused comp grip singles at 100+% for the following 2 weeks.

Pin press w/power ring grip

Worked up to 140 kg x 2 and 150 kg x 2 (PR)
Then I was very close locking out 160 kg twice but the bar sliding on the pins was too much today. Would have been a 10 kg PR.
140 kg x 3 (PR)

This lift has correlated well with a paused bench for me so thought it was worth using today.

Close grip w/red blue bands
Worked up to 110 kg x 1 for a 10 kg PR since last week.

Down work (No bands) 130 kg x 3

Accessory work for triceps and upper back

[Scott McBlain]

Tried to train deadlift again after only 4 days. Was not anywhere close to being recovered from last session let alone the bench day before as every muscle was tight and I had no energy for anything. Did not get anything done worthwhile. Will avoid deadlifting for a longer period now and then probably work up to an opener and 2nd lift for the meet. Need to focus on squat and bench and get back on track.

Bench press is the only lift heading anywhere for now. Have made a lot of errors with this cycle that need corrected next time.

[Scott McBlain]

Done accessory work on its own today

Chin ups + cable upright rows x 4
Face pull + db hammer curl x 2
straight bar upright row + curl x 3
db side bend + abs pulldown x 2

[Scott McBlain]

Thursday attempted to squat at 90% again but had more problems. My belt no longer fits me due to my waist shrinking so much. The bar would not settle on my back at all and the warm up sets were very off because of this. I just scrapped it without plodding on. Need to go back to the drawing board.

Today trained upper back and abs. Much stronger on all accessory stuff so my strength has probably not dropped too much just need to sort out a lot of technical things to adjust to a lower bodyweight.

[Scott McBlain]

BENCH

This week I switched to a wider grip (little finger on power ring) and done paused work at a low volume.

Worked up in big jumps to 155 kg but missed it at halfway. Elbows came too far away from my torso and had no where to go from here. Transition from close grip to paused wide grip really changed how benching felt this week as felt there was less power off the chest. Will attempt this again next week.

130kg x 4 (down set)

Close grip w/blue & red bands
Worked up to 115 kg x 1 (5kg PR from last week). Missed 120 kg attempt

Chin ups & cable upright rows x4

[Scott McBlain]

done more accessory work today for weak areas.

upper back, lats, biceps and abs. less than 30 minutes and everything done with minimal rest high reps light weight except for abs, which I always like to do heavy.

[Scott McBlain]

SQUAT

Felt good today but could only work up to 200 kg again and got a single that turned into a good morning.Have just accepted that I have lost around 5-10% on my squat with weight loss. My waist appears smaller every video I take in the gym. This loss in leverages has clearly cancelled out any strength gains in the past few months for now. If I can settle in the 105 kg category should start to build it back up and further without resorting to excess weight gain.

High bar squats
Worked up to 180kg x 1 and got stapled with previous 1RM of 200 kg...again just did not have the stability in the hole that I had before with a 40+ inch waist.
down work: 160 x 1-140 x 6 & 140 x 8

chin ups, cable upright rows & abs pulldowns