Journey to Elite

[Rodja]

I prefer the RPS because I don't have to pay a membership fee.

I'll start training like I'm competing in September and see where I am when it starts getting relatively close. I'll switch this week and test the competition lifts on my heavy days and go from there.

I'm testing my squat in two weeks and then planning everything around that. With how training has been going, 705 may end up being my second attempt instead of my third.

 

[jimbuick]

I'm testing my squat in two weeks and then planning everything around that. With how training has been going, 705 may end up being my second attempt instead of my third.

That would be one hell of a squat. If I can hit 205kg, I'll be pretty happy.

 

[Rodja]

That would be one hell of a squat. If I can hit 205kg, I'll be pretty happy.

Which weight class for this one?

 

[jimbuick]

Which weight class for this one?

Not sure. Probably 181.

 

[Rodja]

Not sure. Probably 181.

I'm doing 198 again for this one. I'm getting pretty close to having to go back to 220 again, though.

 

[jimbuick]

I'm doing 198 again for this one. I'm getting pretty close to having to go back to 220 again, though.

Must be nice...

 

[Rodja]

Must be nice...

I've only been lifting for 15 years now...

 

[jimbuick]

I've only been lifting for 15 years now...

Well hell, I've been lifting for 10 lol.

 

[Rodja]

Well hell, I've been lifting for 10 lol.

The first 10 is when you're getting everything together and hoping to stay healthy. I've been fortunate on the latter in terms of not having anything huge.

 

[Rodja]

705/501/633

That's the plan. PR on squat and total while equaling bench and deadlift (lighter weight class this time). Hit elite at 198, get fat, and then move back to 220.

 

[Hyde]

Were you able to touch that 495 in the new jack shirt?

 

[Rodja]

Were you able to touch that 495 in the new jack shirt?

Nah, that was 2-board work. Forgot to jot that down. Working sets are pretty much to that unless indicated. I also should note I've moved grip to max width.

 

[Rodja]

Last weeks training got all kinds of messed up. Had to skip lower DE and half of ME bench. I did manage to pull 585 in briefs on Saturday so there's that. I'm thinking opener somewhere around that. I'm planning on opening light.

I wish I would've recorded it to get a better gauge on my speed. It was fast enough to where I could cue myself during the rep, but not so fast to where I blew it up I'd say RPE 8.5-9. I intentionally went into this light and tired because I won't be fresh and full by meet time on deads.

 

[Rodja]

6/13

OHP
135x15
135x2x12

HS Row (neutral)
135x3x12

Cable Row (sup; med)
140x3x12

Chin-ups
3x6

TRX Scarecrow
3x6

Taking a deload the next handful of days. I've been struggling to finish some sessions and don't want to go into this prep feeling meh.

 

[Rodja]

6/14

Pause Squat (Duffalo)
245x6x2

Pause Sumo (52 Jack)
405x5x2

Reverse Hyper
80x3x15

Sessions went really well, but woke up with a swollen quad. Like a really swollen quad. I can't bend it much and it's very painful. No clue what happened.

Suit is pretty oversized, which was expected. I don't want to throw my briefs under them because my stance will have to be too wide to accommodate the tightness. I have an old single-ply centurion somewhere that might work.

 

[Rodja]

6/16

Bench
225x2x6 (index)
225x2x6 (middle)
225x2x6 (pinky)

Chin-ups
3x6

DB Curl/Overhead Rope Ex
3x10/3x12

Upright Row
3x15

Had to kinda improv this day since I couldn't do much with my leg. Bench was flat footed since I couldn't move much.

 

[Hyde]

Hope the quad chills out, man

 

[Rodja]

Hope the quad chills out, man

It's improving with each day. ROM has increased and can almost walk normally again. It might be good to go on Wednesday for pause/speed work.

 

[Rodja]

6/18

Pause Bench (2 grips; index/pinky)
155x10x2

Dips/Chin-ups
3x15/3x6

CSR (neutral)
90x15
115x3x10

Cable Pullover
3x20

TRX Push-ups
3x15

Leg feels much better. After seeing the carryover that I'm getting from pause work on lower body, I'm switching my speed day to pause work instead of true DE work.

6/20

OHP
145x2x10
145x9
145x11

Supinated BB Row (Duffalo)
245x4x10

CSR (neutral)
115x4x10

Pull-ups
22 (4 sets)

Pullaparts
100

Pressdowns (light)
100

Upright Row/Rear Fly
3x15

BB rows on the Duffalo bar are so smooth. Pretty much anything on it is. Cranking up some volume for a short block to get a little hypertrophy before I get down to the gritty part of prep. Oh, I'm using a Leviathan Ultra for this one. I'm both excited and anxious.

 

[jimbuick]

I don't care for rows with the duffalo.

 

[Rodja]

I don't care for rows with the duffalo.

Even supinated?

 

[jimbuick]

Even supinated?

Haven't tried it. I don't do a lot of supinated rowing tbh.

 

[Rodja]

Haven't tried it. I don't do a lot of supinated rowing tbh.

Give them a shot on the Duffalo.

 

[jimbuick]

Give them a shot on the Duffalo.

I might try it when I get back home.

 

[Rodja]

6/21

Pause Squat (Duffalo)
245x6x2

Pause Conventional
315x5x2

Uni Farmers Walk
90x2x30M

Didn't finish accessory work. Pit Shark was delivered during the walks and had to take care of that.

 

[Rodja]

6/22

Bench (52 Jack; 2-board)
405x3
455x2
465x3x1

Rolling DB Ex/DB Curl
30x10

BB Curl/Pressdown/Upright Row
3x15

Ugh. Bench has felt pretty bad the past couple of weeks. Upper back and lats feel locked up and don't have any pop right now. Going to increase the MFR, tempering, and stretching between sessions to loosen them up.

 

[Rodja]

Took a few days off and did some conditioning work. Sled pulls, uni farmers walks, yoke walks along with abs and reverse hypers.

 

[Rodja]

7/1

Cambered Box Squat (42 Jack)
450x3x2

Belt Squat (+short average band)
5x8
6x4x10

Reverse Hypers
180x20
230x3x15

Hanging Leg Raises
4x15

I cannot express how much I love the damn Pit Shark. It's hit my hamstrings in a way that I haven't felt before since I'm about to really sit back and hit an obtuse shin angle. Not sure what I'm going to do about next week since I'm handling a couple of people, but, after that, I'm adding in the Leviathan Ultra.

 

[Rodja]

7/2

DE Bench (middle; pinky)
165x10x2

Dips/Pull-ups
4x15/4x8

BB Row
225x4x10

Incline DB Press
60x4x10

Trilateral
2x10

Pullaparts
110

Conditioning
3 rounds

Prowler Push (+180#)
Yoke Walk (+180#)
Farmers Walk (130#)

 

[Rodja]

7/4

OHP
150x2x8
160x2x6

BB Row
225x10
245x3x10

Chins (+26# KB)
3x4

Cable Row (Pit Shark)
90x15
140x3x12

Trilateral
20x3x12

Pullaparts
110

Conditioning (3 rounds)
Prowler push (+180)
Yoke walk (+180)
Uni farmers walk (140)

Getting back to some conditioning work has been fun. I can't believe I just said that, but I've missed being more mobile and feeling like an athlete again. I can also do this kind of **** instead of traditional core work. Lats and upper back have been trashed lately partially because of this stuff.

 

[jimbuick]

How much is the yoke empty?

 

[Rodja]

How much is the yoke empty?

I'm not sure. It's one meant for people 6' plus, though. I have to use the pad from the SSB on it so I don't have to do a damn calf raise every step.

 

[Rodja]

7/5

SSB Box Squat (+lights; 14")
230x6x2

Pause Conventional
315x4x2

Walking DB Lunge
40x3x20

Reverse Hyper
180x3x20

Hanging Leg Raise
4x15

Squat feels great and deadlift feels like ****. To hell with conventional for me...sticking to sumo and using other hip extension movements.

 

[jimbuick]

7/5

Squat feels great and deadlift feels like ****. To hell with conventional for me...sticking to sumo and using other hip extension movements.

That's where I'm at right now.

 

[Hyde]

Your yoke has a fixed height?

 

[Rodja]

Your yoke has a fixed height?

It's adjustable. We actually just got a new one yesterday that I can set to an appropriate height for me.

 

[Rodja]

Training last week got all sorts of out of whack. Meet went really long and I was pretty tired the next day as well. It went well enough and now the real fun **** begins. Suit goes on this week.

 

[Rodja]

7/11

OHP
155x2x7
165x5

BB Row
225x12
245x12
275x8

Chin-ups (+26lb KB)
4x4

Cable Row (Pit Shark)
180x4x10

Pullaparts
120

Conditioning
3 rounds

Meet prep has officially begun. The next 8 weeks are not going to be fun at all. That's the point for this one, though. The volume is more than I've ever done and I know I'll have to be on top of my nutrition everyday. My weight will not be an issue at all and the cut itself will be a joke with adding in conditioning. I'll keep that added in for the entire 8 weeks and will cut it out the last week (meet week).

 

[jimbuick]

Yep, the serious prep starts for me as well.

Hoping to hit 190/115/200 during prep. If I can do that, I should be in a pretty good position to PR my squat and total at the meet.

 

[Rodja]

Yep, the serious prep starts for me as well.

Hoping to hit 190/115/200 during prep. If I can do that, I should be in a pretty good position to PR my squat and total at the meet.

Squat is a complete mystery for me. I'm not sure where I'm opening at all. I can hopefully get a better idea Saturday. It's looking like I might be opening around 310-315.

 

[Rodja]

7/12

SSB Box (+lights)
250x7x2

Pause Sumo
315x5x3

Walking DB Lunge
40x2x20

Reverse Hypers
180x4x15

TRX Fallouts
4x10

This is going to be a long prep. Recovery will be a constant challenge in terms of both mobility work and calorie intake. I'm starting to be more disciplined with my food because I know how quickly I will drop weight with any conditioning work. I'm sitting at about 205 so I'm doing ok for now. I'd like to add a few pounds to that and I think I can as long as I keep getting in 4000-4200 kcals/day.

 

[jimbuick]

I eat between 1900-2300 a day lol. Still might need to do a small water cut to make 165, so that will be a first.