I am serious about wanting to qualify and compete at powerlifting. When I started out on this series there were several key problems, such as poor hip mobility. Having had some reasonable successes at the end of 2009, fixing the remaining problems while also driving up the strength numbers are now the priorities of the program.
I’m recording my progress in this series: powerlifting progress. It is serving as a journal and makes me a bit more accountable to my goals.
This week
While the first week of a new program is always exciting, exploratory and fun, the second week is usually the telling one when you start to really tell if you are pitching the weights right and getting any improvement from week to week. From an overall perspective this was not a bad week for my weights work, but there were a couple of disappointments along the way.
Strongman events
In addition to farmer’s walks and sandbag carries, I incorporated some big dumbbell overhead pressing into the mix this week. The style was that you could use two hands to get it to your shoulder and then use any means possible to get it to lock out with one arm (so push pressing was permitted). I did this stood in the middle of the lawn and accidentally made a 2 inch deep hole in it when I dropped my final weight on the ground and created a permanent crater – I think I need some bits of old upholstery cushion which dumbbells can be thrown down onto!
I managed a single rep of 20kg with each arm for the overhead press. Since my overhead (military) press (not using my legs for extra power) with the bar is only 27kg for a 3 rep max this seems to suggest that my overhead pressing weakness may not be my shoulders after all, since poor shoulder stability would have caused me to really struggle to hold a lock out with a dumbbell, but may instead be my lower back weakness.
Farmer’s walks were a disappointment because I went out on the bike an hour earlier and my wrists were too sore to grip the farmer’s bars (I’ve not readjusted to the correct angle for resting on the handlebars). Lesson now learned. However, I did add some weight to my sandbags and also improved my technique for lifting it up so it was good fun and encouraging overall.
Bench
Action plan
- Maintain – technique
- Develop – lat and shoulder strength
Progress this week
Dumbbell bench was much improved this week and the weights were under better control. I’m making a point of trying to pull them down lower than the bench bar would go so that I really work that bottom position where I tend to stick. Now that I’m comfortable with the shoulder stability and the exercise again I’ll increase the weight next week.
I’m not sure how to comment on any increase in lat and shoulder strength this week though weight added to my pull up reps and narrow chin max efforts continues to increase. However, I do have an amusing anecdote on lat size.
I tried to get into one of my tight-waisted evening dresses with a boned bodice for the reunion last weekend and found that, in the year since I last tried it, my back has got so wide that it took two of us to do the zip up, an inch at a time with Chris holding it together with two hands while I sucked my shoulder blades in and moved the zip! Needless to say, I wore a different one on the night. Since the dress used to be in danger of sliding off me that’s a significant gain in muscle mass and a slightly different indicator of the increased strength I’ve seen in the last year.
I should caveat that strength and size are not necessarily an exact correlation since it is possible to get strength gains without huge muscle gain if you improve neural efficiency.
Squat
Action plan
- Maintain – leg strength and ab strength
- Develop – hip mobility and lower back strength
Progress this week
I had originally intended to attempt 60kg this week for my 5 sets of 2 reps. However, common sense and the knowledge that I am in no rush, caused me to only do 58kg. Again, the form and quality of my reps was good and I was pleased to note that there was still no “fishtailing” (when my hips rise first and I lean forwards to get out of the bottom of the squat).
I still felt like there was more in the tank, as there should be since I did a 5 rep max with 60kg before I went on holiday. I am now intending to try to add 2 kg each week until my next holiday in mid-May. If all goes to plan, I will squat 5 sets of 2 reps with 68kg, my BDFPA nationals qualifying weight two days before I go on holiday, so watch this space!
Deadlift
Action plan
- Maintain – leg strength and ab strength
- Develop – hip mobility and lower back strength
Progress this week
The 1 rep max effort now follows directly after the squat work and I don’t want to grease the groove with any poor form, since form is major factor in my deadlift performance. In the past a brief period of allowing poor form had long-term repercussions on my deadlift. I lost 10-20kg off my lift which took over a month to regain.
I do my deadlift 1 rep max by adding weight until I do a rep with poor form. If it doesn’t feel like a max effort I will have another attempt with the same weight ensuring correct form and then continue to increase the weight. If I can’t get my form right then I terminate at that weight.
This week I was doing sumos. A month ago I managed 5 singles, with mixed form, using 87kg so I was hopeful of attempting 90kg this week – my BDFPA national qualifying weight. Unfortunately I had to take three attempts at 80kg. While my form improved each time, my hips were still pulling up out of the lift first and putting noticeable strain on my back on the third attempt.
Since my lower back was starting to ache, I decided that enough was enough. I will have got some benefit from the 3 singles at 80kg. I wasn’t struggling to move the weight though, which was pleasing.
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