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
I’m back on the band-wagon now. Many thanks to everyone who boosted me up again, sending me positive comments and emails after the previous week’s depressing episode. It made a real difference with this week’s workouts.
Strongman events
Having failed to manage to pick up the sandbag last week, I got it on the first try this week and successfully completed my 10 carries. That’s 60kg re-achieved so I can now return to the weight I finished on before I went on holiday – 62.5kg. Interestingly, it felt much easier than before I went away (I’d been struggling since I put in a new bag of sand in week twenty-three which made the sack fatter).
Chris spotted that I was struggling to get my left glute/hip as low as the right side and that my left arm wasn’t staying locked back (so that I started to lose my hold on the bag towards the ends of some laps). This latter issue points to a potential weakness in my back muscles in the left side or an excessive tightness in the pec muscles on that side (they’re quite knotted at the moment), so there’s some soft tissue work and some one-arm work to be done there.
I also put some farmer’s walks back in and was pleased to find that I could complete nearly all my reps with 48kg which was only a fraction less than the weight I finished on last time I did this. However, the wide grip handles were an interesting reminder about grip again!
Back to the fat-grip farmer's walks again
Bench
Action plan
- Maintain – technique
- Develop – lat and shoulder strength
Progress this week
I learned my lesson last week and dropped the weight some more to 32kg. I still didn’t complete all of my repetitions – trying for ten sets of four reps I instead pushed out 4×4, 1×3,1×1 (I hit the pins on the way back down and it put me out for the rest of the set), 3×3, 1×2. There’s some work to be done, but I’m going to hold at that weight and the strong burn in my triceps at the end of the session suggested that I’ve hopefully got some of my strength back and the next workout should be an improvement.
I’ve been doing T-Bar rows and pulls ups for lat strength. The rows were fine but the pull ups were a total failure. I forced out a set of two reps and then decided to leave it for this week, which I know isn’t the right attitude, but my grip was sore from farmer’s walks. I need to work out why I lose so much pull up strength whenever I go on holiday. I dropped down to forcing out ten sets of two reps then too.
Squat
Action plan
- Maintain – leg strength and ab strength
- Develop – hip mobility and lower back strength
Progress this week
The new depth has taken me a week to master with two squat workouts, but I finally completed my starting weight of 55kg. Thankfully that means I can start putting the weight up and hopefully I can rapidly put the weight back up at this new weight.
Meanwhile glute bridges using DC-style training as a finisher continue to build up my glute strength.
Deadlift
Action plan
- Maintain – leg strength and ab strength
- Develop – hip mobility and lower back strength
Progress this week
I’ve stopped doing these on a weekly basis. Instead I’m trying out following the advice of the old-time strongmen and powerlifters, as highlighted on the Tight Tan Slacks of Dezso Ban site.
Obviously I’m doing rows, pulls ups and farmers walks which all work and develop my upper back strength. To target the lower back muscles I’m doing Good Mornings twice a week, although I’ve dropped these from ten sets of four reps to three sets of five reps so that I can work with heavier weights. On Good Mornings I got to 60kg this week but I’d like to hold that weight for my first workout next week since I’m suspicious that I’m dropping my knees too much.
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