Dwayne's Journey to his First Powerlifting Meet - Team Franco Bodybuilding Forum: Competition and Fitness Board

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

RE: Dwayne's Journey to his First Powerlifting Meet

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

The knee is definitely getting better because I hit a PR on speed box squats!

Dynamic Effort Box Squatting:
chain weight = 80 lbs

Warm ups: (concentrating on increase the speed of each rep after the pause on the box)
bar + chains X3 X2 sets
95 + chains X3 X2 sets
135+ chains X2 X3 sets
185+ chains X1 X4 sets
205+ chains X3 X1 sets

Work sets: (every set is done on the minute every minute with a pause on the box and an explosion upward AS FAST AS POSSIBLE)
215+ chains X2 X10 sets
265+ chains X2 X1 sets
295+ chains X2 X1 sets
315+ chains X1 X1 sets
335+ chains X1 X1 sets

The combo of all 14 sets was a PR for me. Not only did I increase my speed this week according to coach, but I did it with 10 lbs more, and I was able to take it all the way up to 335 + 80 lbs chain weight for a single (a pretty fast one at that) after the fatigue of the previous sets. Also, 14 sets is 2 more sets than I normally do with these. Overall a big PR for me. I needed a squat PR because it had been some time...and on top of that my knee didn't hurt at all during the entire session.

Next week is the last week before the single lift meet where I will be benching. So there will be some changes in the weekly programming for that so that I can be fresh next Saturday. Stay tuned.

BRICKHOUSE · The Truth!

Good to hear that the knee is feeling better but, you shouldn't think it is nothing to worry about. Enjoy your final week.

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Yep I got my second opinion appointment set up for Monday night...although I have to reschedule it to Tuesday since I need to meet up with coach Monday night and come up with a last week game plan.

I know I'm not completely out of the woods yet with the knee. I'll update the log with the result of the second opinion visit this week.

-- Edited by winflex on Saturday 8th of May 2010 09:00:56 PM

mikedeagle · Vertern Member

Good luck Dwayne with both your second opinion and your meet this weekend!

You have worked very hard, and it is now time to reap some rewards for that hard work!

BRICKHOUSE · The Truth!

Ok Dwayne, I have been noticing that the box squat is the monthly hit right now in the gym. The way I see it, the squaters are sitting too long on the bench (3-5 seconds). Is this too long? Doesn't this give the muscle too long to rest?

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Thanks Mike.

Michelle,
LOL on the "monthly hit". Three things:
1. If they are sitting on a bench, then they aren't going low enough. Below parallel for most people is lower than a bench...so basically they aren't working the muscles that are targeted by a box squat anyways. Most "boxes" for box squatting are 10-14 inches high depending on the height of the trainee. I think a bench is usually about 17 inches off the ground or more.

2. If they did actually squat low enough, then a longer pause makes it harder. I'm not sure if there really is a "too long" but in practice, it probably doesn't make sense to sit there for that long. For practical purposes, it should be about a 1 or two count pause, so that you feel the stretch in the adductors and hams and lose the rebound that they provide out of the hole--then a voluntary contraction of those muscles to start the movement up.

3. If they relax or rest on the box, they are doing it wrong. Relaxing on the box is the number one way to hurt yourself with a box squat. You have to stay tight. The point is to develop the ability to maintain maximum tightness in the hardest part of the squat which is in the hole below parallel. So if they are actually doing the movement right and staying tight on the box for 3-5 seconds, they are making it harder, but I truly doubt that they are staying tight in the hole on the box with any kind of weight for 3-5 seconds.

BUT if they are doing this right and squatting below parallel and holding tight for 3-5 seconds per rep, that would be a killer workout!

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Last day of bench before meet:

Did my normal routine....
Warm ups:
95X5
135X5
185X5
225X3
275X1

Work:
322.5X5X 3 sets -PR for weight, reps and sets

Then tested out some openers (pause on the chest and then press and then rack...following commands of coach):
345X2 pause reps
355X1 pause rep

So I will open with 345 on Saturday and my coach will call my weights from there. I will at least hit 355. The nice thing is no matter what I do on Saturday, as long as I get white lights, it will be a meet PR because I never had a meet PR before. My gym PR for bench is 385X1 but that was last year prior to a shoulder injury, and the most weight for reps I've done is 330X3 last year. So my rep/set PRs have been really good since post shoulder injury. Still kinda bummed that I won't be squatting but on the bright side, I'm still competing! Should be fun.

The rest of the week will look like this:
Tuesday: SQ (whatever my knee can handle)/DL or back accessory
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Overhead standing presses/ no accessory
Friday: Off 5-6 p.m. weigh ins
Saturday: 9 a.m. meeting and meet begins at 9:45 a.m.
Sunday: Off
Monday: 6 p.m. Ortho doc appointment- 2nd opinion

Joe · Beyond Nutrition - Co Owner

Glad to hear the knee is better. A sign to start dropping? LOL

So what are the numbers your going for on Sat?

BRICKHOUSE · The Truth!

winflex wrote:

Thanks Mike.

Michelle,
LOL on the "monthly hit". Three things:
1. If they are sitting on a bench, then they aren't going low enough. Below parallel for most people is lower than a bench...so basically they aren't working the muscles that are targeted by a box squat anyways. Most "boxes" for box squatting are 10-14 inches high depending on the height of the trainee. I think a bench is usually about 17 inches off the ground or more.

2. If they did actually squat low enough, then a longer pause makes it harder. I'm not sure if there really is a "too long" but in practice, it probably doesn't make sense to sit there for that long. For practical purposes, it should be about a 1 or two count pause, so that you feel the stretch in the adductors and hams and lose the rebound that they provide out of the hole--then a voluntary contraction of those muscles to start the movement up.

3. If they relax or rest on the box, they are doing it wrong. Relaxing on the box is the number one way to hurt yourself with a box squat. You have to stay tight. The point is to develop the ability to maintain maximum tightness in the hardest part of the squat which is in the hole below parallel. So if they are actually doing the movement right and staying tight on the box for 3-5 seconds, they are making it harder, but I truly doubt that they are staying tight in the hole on the box with any kind of weight for 3-5 seconds.

BUT if they are doing this right and squatting below parallel and holding tight for 3-5 seconds per rep, that would be a killer workout!

Thanks for answering Dwayne. I didn't think they were doing it right.

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Joe wrote:

Glad to hear the knee is better. A sign to start dropping? LOL

So what are the numbers your going for on Sat?

I will talk to you about dropping later. wink

Bench Opener 345 which I should smoke..because I hit it for a double yesterday after all my worksets.

may go up to 365 or more with the next two attempts

not squatting not deadlifting (playing it safe with the knee).

5-4-6 by the end of the year latest. Gives me 6 months which is 24 weeks. I'm at least 85 lbs to gain in squat, 85 in deadlift, and 35 in bench. So totally doable...once I know I'm okay.

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Decided to take it easy in the gym today....

SQ:
barX5
95X5
135X5
185X5
225X5
275X3
315X3
365X5
365X2 (realized that I may be taking it too far even though I feel good and stopped)

DL:..just went for an easy single top set because I just didn't want to have to recover from a heavy set of 5 this week.

315X5
405X3
500X1 *semi-PR

This was the first time I deadlifted 500 lbs but I surely was not pushing myself today. I probably had 20-30lbs left on the bar for a true max for the day after some of the "volumnous" squatting. I just want to keep in the right frame of mind of success and not burn out. So I'm just staying within myself until the weekend.

Yoster · The Truth!

I need a judges ruling on "semi-PR" HA

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Hey Dave,

I'm the head judge remember...LOL.

No I called it a semi-PR because it was not a hard rep. In fact, I did it just to put myself in a positive mindset. Squatting has been making me feel not so great lately so I have to find ways to leave the gym on a positive note. So I semi-PR'ed today. Its only a 5 lb increase on an otherwise heavy grinder I did back in November. This was no way a heavy grinder.

Makes me think I should have deadlifted in the meet.

Yoster · The Truth!

PR or Semi-PR - either way you slice it - its a crazy amount of weight!!

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

600 by year end...I'll get that moose!

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Box squats picture

Joe · Beyond Nutrition - Co Owner

Best of luck on Saturday my man. Have fun and soak it in.

Oh, try to squeeze into the shirt I sent ya.

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Thanks Joe!
The meet will definitely be humbling but fun at the same time.
The shirt should be fine. It'll fit ; )

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

I was tired today and it showed in the gym. I stayed up late last night looking at all the pictures and videos of my daughter last night for absolutely no reason other than I love her...anyway, here's how it went. Short and quick...no PR's though.

Press:
barX5X2 sets
95X5X2
135X3
155X3
185X1

Work:
211.25X3X3

mikedeagle · Vertern Member

winflex wrote:

I was tired today and it showed in the gym. I stayed up late last night looking at all the pictures and videos of my daughter last night for absolutely no reason other than I love her...anyway, here's how it went. Short and quick...no PR's though.

Press:
barX5X2 sets
95X5X2
135X3
155X3
185X1

Work:
211.25X3X3

Oh Dwayne - wait until you have more than one child (we have 3) each with their own scrapbooks - my oldest loves to bring all of the scrapbooks out and has to go over every picture with me - yes, I have seen the pictures a lot of times, but it makes her so happy to go through them - it is moments like this that you cherish..

Enough mushy stuff, go get 'em tomorrow! Best of luck and have fun!!

Rocky · Newbie

Best of luck Dwayne!! Smash that squat like you've been doing all year!! Once you go down, make sure as hell you come right up!!

Lori · Vertern Member

Good Luck tomorrow Dwayne!!!! Have fun!

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Thanks everyone. Here's how it went down:

Quick Meet Report (Full Report coming up tomorrow):

1st attempt: 345 three white lights
2nd attempt: 355 three white lights
3rd attempt: 365 three white lights

1st Place 275 wt. class Open Raw!

My best bench was 385 last year in August before I hurt my shoulder in October. I didn't bench for about three months at the end of the year...and I didn't do singles at all until Monday. 365 wasn't much of a struggle; but it was HARD. Next meet I will definitely blast by this. I'm just happy to be near to pre-injury levels of strength!..and have it be official in a meet!

Videos to come later....

BRICKHOUSE · The Truth!

Here is the video of Dwayne's 355lb press...

-- Edited by BRICKHOUSE on Saturday 15th of May 2010 06:28:19 PM

-- Edited by BRICKHOUSE on Saturday 15th of May 2010 06:28:42 PM

BRICKHOUSE · The Truth!

and here is the 365lb press...

"http://www.facebook.com/v/126702170678823"

BRICKHOUSE · The Truth!

Well I guess I can also say that this was also my first powerlifting meet. It's funny, I go and sit at a bodybuilding competition and I catch myself flexing my muscles as the judges call out the poses. I go to a powerlifting event and.... nothing. Anyway, there was teenagers, men and women squating, power curling, benching and deadlifting. Dwayne looked focused as I asked him, "Do you want stills or video"? He made the lifts look so easy, I thought to myself, "I wondered why he didn't go heavier but, what do I know about power lifting, nothing." I did think as I watched the women wow, I could do that. There were a couple of state and national records broken as one guy named Pedro pressed all the weights that was there, another guy dealifted 700+lbs. Speaking of deadlifting, I did see a few who could use a lesson or two about form. Great job, Dwayne and congradulations. Here are some photos of some of the squaters, and sorry as they are a little blurry...

-- Edited by BRICKHOUSE on Saturday 15th of May 2010 07:33:34 PM

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Michelle,
Thanks for coming out to this. I appreciate the support. Thanks for the videos too! My wife ended up getting videos of all my attempts and also some of Pedro's benches (the guy who did 500 on bench WOW! amazing!)

I hope you had fun. I did! Can't wait for the next one!

Yoster · The Truth!

Dwayne - great job - so very cool!!

BRICKHOUSE · The Truth!

winflex wrote:

Michelle,
Thanks for coming out to this. I appreciate the support. Thanks for the videos too! My wife ended up getting videos of all my attempts and also some of Pedro's benches (the guy who did 500 on bench WOW! amazing!)

I hope you had fun. I did! Can't wait for the next one!

Had a great time, wow he did 500, I thought it was more than that. I wonder what his max would be?