Diary of a Recovering Powerlifter

[TheMachine]

Hello All! I found this exceptional forum the same day I hit a big PR so I decided to start a training log here. I'll let you know more about myself after I fill you in on my big workout:

Bench(After following the 7 week Gillespie peaking routine)
135 x 20
245 x 10
315 x 3
335 x 2
365 x 1
385 x 1
400 x 1 BIG PR!
I got a good video of this lift, I'm not sure if I can post it here. Anyone?

Stability Ball DB Press
2 x 20 x 85's

Pullups
2 x 10

Face Pulls
2 x 15 x purple band

Wrist Roller
4 sets x 25lbs

After spending 2 years pressing in a bench press shirt I realized my raw bench was going nowhere despite my shirted bench increasing 150lbs from 400 to 550. After some soul searching I decided equipped, competitive powerlifting is not for me. I do not criticize or look down on those who choose to use a bench shirt. I have just decided I'd rather shift my training more toward Strongman type stuff.

I am also newly certified by ISSA as a trainer and I'd like to apply some of the sport specific knowledge I've gained over the years to boost my overall conditioning and athleticism. Since starting powerlifting and ballooning up to 220lbs I've started to feel more earthbound than I'd like to. Having been a successful high school sprinter I'm not used to feeling like I have lead shoes on and I'm sick of it.

My goals for the new year are to regain some of my foot speed, improve my vertical jump and toughen up my core. I want to do this all while slimming down to 200lbs. I'd like to keep my bench in the low 400's while working hard to build a good overhead press for Strongman. I have recently done a 275 overhead press. I also have a knee condition, iliotibial ligament syndrome, which has made squatting difficult for me. My best squat is 405 x 1 with doubled minibands. My deadlift has been as high as 600lbs but now hovers in the mid-500's as I have put it on the back burner.


Here's some factoids:
Height 5'7"
Weight 220ish
Chest 52"
Arms 18.5"
100% Deeply committed to Lifetime Drug Free lifting.
Supplements:
Flax Seed Oil
Vitamin B
Multivitamin
120 grams of Whey Protein every day.

[TTT]

Wow impressive lifts. And I'm the first to post in your journal! Yay.
Looking forward to watching your progress!

[debussy]

Great lifting man! It's cool to have another powerlifter on the forum. I just got started with powerlifting about a year ago so I'm relatievely new. It'll be nice to see your progress.

[orbital]

awesome lifts man. look forward to checking out your progress.

[TheMachine]

Squats
135 x 10
245 x 10
Started squatting onto a stability ball. I've found at heavier weights this is the only way I can squat without aggravating my bum knee.
315 x 10
355 x 5
385 x 5
405 x 5
None of these sets were to failure, I'm working on going deep and maintaining good speed.

One Legged DB Squats
2 x 10 x 65's /each leg

Incline GH's
1 x 10 w/ miniband....wasn't digging the miniband today
2 x 10

Incline Situps
1 x 25
2 x 10 + 55lbs

Good quick workout. Tomorrow I'll do some high board presses, maybe 4 or 5 board.

[TheMachine]

5 Board Press
315 x 5
385 x 5
405 x 3
425 x 3
455 x 3
475 x 3
495 x 3
515 x 1 PR
525 x 1

Push Press (I stunk at these today, my legs were sore from squatting last night, no leg drive)
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
245 x 3
265 x 1 Failed on 2nd rep, I wanted 3 reps.

Face Down Row (I set my bench on two milk crates and row off of it)
225 x 10
245 x 8
265 x 6

Face Pulls w/ light band
2 x 15

EZ Bar Curl
2 x 8 x 135
Supersetted w/
Pullups
2 x 10

My supersets weren't exactly super, but I got through them okay. This Friday I'm going to start that Gillespie bench routine again.

[rookiebldr]

Nice strength and stats. Welcome to the site and the journals. Good luck on the cut and getting the lifts up.

[ryuage]

some nice strength you have, good luck with your goals.

[Chubrock]

Damn man, you really are a machine. Awesome lifts.

[TheMachine]

Playing with my Captains of Crush Grippers(unless noted, sets/reps are for both hands):

Trainer
2 x 10

#1
1 x 10

#2
2 singles w/ right hand. 5 second hold.
2 negatives w/ left hand, almost got it on the first try

#1
3 x 10 last rep of each set held 10 seconds

Burnout sets w/Trainer
Right hand 48 reps
Left Hand 37 reps

My grip frigging sucks.

[Isaac Wilkins]

I've been contemplating getting some COC's. They sound like a party waiting to happen.

[Shane]

What?!?!? No ?

Welcome to WBB's journalland machine.

It's obvious from your lifts you live up to the name.

[Chubrock]

Gotta get that iron grip to go with that friggin crazy strength man.

[TheMachine]

Borris, watch out, they'll bite the hand that feeds them. The first time I used them I injured my left hand on the trainer. If you're not a blue collar type or don't have an established grip routine take it easy on them. They are serious.

Shane- Thank you sir! Glad to be here! I was keeping a training journal on another board but when I decided I'm not going to compete at pl'ing again I decided to move. I like this forum because there's alot of non-weightlifting related discussions going on, between very intelligent people I might add.

[Isaac Wilkins]

I've messed with a trainer and number one that one of the guys at the gym had, they weren't too awfully difficult. I'll bet they'll scale up pretty quickly, though. I did notice that they were a) shorter than I'd like, and b) rough on the hands.

[Adam]

I've been contemplating getting some COC's. They sound like a party waiting to happen.

You should definatelly get some. There fun to use and very hard. They look awesome to cause they have a very high quality build.

Themachine - which contests did you lift at?
Thats a nice bench!

[Anthony]

Wow, very impressive numbers. I'll have to keep an eye on this journal.

[TheMachine]

One local unsanctioned meet where I benched 405(Inzer HD blast) and deadlifted 550. Then I did the USAPL March Madness meet where I benched 465(Titan Fury) and pulled 570.

My last meet was an APA bench only that went horribly wrong because I couldn't keep my stupid a$$ on the bench.

I blew up 455 for my opener, then benched 505 3 times in a row like there was no weight on the bar. My butt came up every time. I was good for 30 or 40 more pounds that day.

I can link to the meet results if you like. I'm not doing pl'ing meets anymore because shirted benching is just too easy. I can 3 board 570 in a bench shirt but only 475 without it. Thats like 100lbs of help halfway off my chest!!! I'd rather do Strongman, but I'm going to give myself a year or so to get in shape for it.

Lucky for me NASS just started doing meets in Connecticut and the state chairwoman lives 20 miles away. I'll be going over there to train once a week or so.

Here are some pics from that USAPL meet(where I won best lifter!):
570 Deadlift: http://trainordie.com/bernie.jpg
465 Bench: http://trainordie.com/bernie2.jpg

[Stephen Riddington]

Some heavy lifting you got going on there.

Welcome and good luck with your goals.

[-TIM-]

Damn you're weak.



Good luck bro!

[TheMachine]

Screwed around for ten minutes on my Glute Ham:

Reverse Hypers w/ bodyweight
2 x 20

Situps
2 x 25

Glute Ham Raise
2 x 15

Wrist Roller
2 x 25lbs

Bench day tomorrow. I think I'm going to hold off a few weeks before starting the Gillespie routine again. I'll probably do some 2 boards or reverse band bench and lots of back work.

[debussy]

Hey Machine... do you have a link for the Gillespie routine?

[TheMachine]

Here's the layout, one of these days I'll get around to making a spreadsheet for it.

Bill Gillespie's Bench Press Workout

Week (1)
.... lbs. X 5 reps (76%)
.... lbs. x 4 reps (79%)
.... lbs. x 3 reps (81%)
.... lbs. x 8 reps (70%)
.... lbs. x failure (70%)

Week (2)
.... lbs. x 5 reps (78%)
.... lbs. x 4 reps (81%)
.... lbs. x 3 reps (83%)
.... lbs. x 8 reps (72%)
.... lbs. x failure (72%)

Week (3)
.... lbs. x 3 reps (84%)
.... lbs. x 2 reps x 2 sets (87%)
.... lbs. x 1 rep (91%)
.... lbs. x 6 reps x 2 sets (76%)
.... lbs. x failure (76%)

Week (4)
....lbs. x 4 reps (82%)
....lbs. x 3 reps (85%)
....lbs. x 2 reps (89%)
....lbs. x 1 rep (93%)
....lbs. x 6 reps (78%)
....lbs. x failure (78%)

Week (5)
....lbs. x 3 reps (85%)
....lbs. x 2 reps x 2 sets (89%)
....lbs. x 1 rep (93%)
....lbs. x 4 reps x 2 sets (82%)
....lbs. x failure (82%)

Week (6)
....lbs. x 3 reps (87%)
....lbs. x 2 reps (91%)
....lbs. x 1 rep (95%)
....lbs. x 1 rep (97%)
....lbs. x 4 reps (84%)
....lbs. x failure (84%)

Week (7)
....lbs. x 4 reps (66%)
....lbs. x 3 reps (75%)
....lbs. x 2 reps (83%)
....lbs. x 1 rep (89%)
....lbs. x 1 rep (94%)
....lbs. x 1 rep (98%)
....lbs. x 1 rep (102%)

[DoUgL@S]

Damn nice strength!

[debussy]

Here ya go... I was bored enough to write it out the bench routine in Excel. I hope it will be useful to some people.