City of Grit's first go at powerlifting

[Cityofgrit]

OH press

95 × 8
115 × 8
135 5 × 5

Felt pretty strong on these.

Light deadlift (conventional with hook grip)

135 × 8
225 × 8
280 5 × 5

Good speed on these today.

Single arm military press

50 3 × 8

Cut down a set going into my 3 × 3 week.

Dragon flags

5 × 9

Rope pressdowns

110 4 × 8


Do you guys usually cutdown on accessory work going into the final couple weeks of the peak of a powerlifting cycle?

 

[Worf]

OH press

95 × 8
115 × 8
135 5 × 5

Felt pretty strong on these.

Light deadlift (conventional with hook grip)

135 × 8
225 × 8
280 5 × 5

Good speed on these today.

Single arm military press

50 3 × 8

Cut down a set going into my 3 × 3 week.

Dragon flags

5 × 9

Rope pressdowns

110 4 × 8


Do you guys usually cutdown on accessory work going into the final couple weeks of the peak of a powerlifting cycle?

Yes, if I’m trying to peak I’m lifting 90+% for a few weeks and I’m not burning myself out on rows and shrugs after. Need to go by feel though. The extra accessory work isn’t always bad if the weights and volume are kept down.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

I normally cut all accessories one month out. For this last meet I kept some upper body pulls since I was doing Smolov and pressing volume was really high. Normally I'm doing nothing but the big three and/or very close variations a month out and nothing else though.

 

[Cityofgrit]

Yes, if I’m trying to peak I’m lifting 90+% for a few weeks and I’m not burning myself out on rows and shrugs after. Need to go by feel though. The extra accessory work isn’t always bad if the weights and volume are kept down.

I'm going into 85 % this week but the following week is 90+%. I'm thinking I will lessen the amount of accessory sets this week and cut them to practically nothing next week.

 

[Cityofgrit]

Heavy squat

135 × 8
185 × 8
225 ×6
275 × 5
290 × 3
305 3 × 5

Week 5 5 × 5 felt awful. My back was aching last night and I think it was from deadlifts on Tuesday. I used switch grip and I am wondering if I twist a little to my left. My left lower back seems to be what's bothering me. Set 4 first rep I went down and my back said nope. I racked it and called it a day for heavy squats.

OH press light day

95 × 8
115 5 × 5

Front squats

155 4 × 8

These felt alright, but I probably shouldn't have done them.

Pull ups

3 × 9
2 × 8

These were a grind today.

Leg extensions

180 4 × 8

Ham/glute raises

35 lbs. plate 4 × 8

I'm frustrated, I'll admit it. Last week 290 5 × 5 went up no problem. I think deadlifts taxed me this week. And my back is being a little bitch. I want to make progress but I understand I have to dial it back for a week or two.

 

[NovaFlex]

Slow and steady is how progress is made in strength. Each new rep or 5lb PR is measurable progress

 

[Cityofgrit]

Slow and steady is how progress is made in strength. Each new rep or 5lb PR is measurable progress

I know you're right, I was just thinking I was making good progress on my squat. It's always been a bit of a weakness of mine

 

[Perrin Aybara]

I mean you went up 15lbs on your 5x5 weight in one week. Pretty crazy jump. Just think about even 5lbs a week for a year and what that would mean, it's unsustainable progress outside of very short term. Progress comes in jumps and plateaus once you're beyond beginner. Over the long term if you're averaging 1lb per week on your lifts for years you're doing really well. Keep that in mind. Hell, any improvement over long periods of time and you're doing well.

 

[Cityofgrit]

I mean you went up 15lbs on your 5x5 weight in one week. Pretty crazy jump. Just think about even 5lbs a week for a year and what that would mean, it's unsustainable progress outside of very short term. Progress comes in jumps and plateaus once you're beyond beginner. Over the long term if you're averaging 1lb per week on your lifts for years you're doing really well. Keep that in mind. Hell, any improvement over long periods of time and you're doing well.

I went for the jumps that they had worked out in the program. It was all based off percentages..but I think you are right. That was a large jump. And it felt like it.

 

[NovaFlex]

I went for the jumps that they had worked out in the program. It was all based off percentages..but I think you are right. That was a large jump. And it felt like it.

Percentage based stuff is a mind fuck. Some people can do 15 reps with 80% of their 1 RM, while others can barely do 3-4. It’s really hard to gauge and build a program strictly around percentages, when it comes to concrete sets+reps. Keep in mind, also, that you’re following a cookie-cutter program that is designed to work with MOST people for a certain amount of time.

then you’ve got outside factors, beyond the gym, which add stress that the body needs to recover from (the body can’t tell the difference between physical and mental/emotional stress)... That’s why auto regulation is so important...You learn when to listen to your body and what it’s saying, and you don’t feel that you need to complete a set, just cos it’s written on paper.

 

[Worf]

Percentage based stuff is a mind fuck. Some people can do 15 reps with 80% of their 1 RM, while others can barely do 3-4. It’s really hard to gauge and build a program strictly around percentages, when it comes to concrete sets+reps. Keep in mind, also, that you’re following a cookie-cutter program that is designed to work with MOST people for a certain amount of time.

then you’ve got outside factors, beyond the gym, which add stress that the body needs to recover from (the body can’t tell the difference between physical and mental/emotional stress)... That’s why auto regulation is so important...You learn when to listen to your body and what it’s saying, and you don’t feel that you need to complete a set, just cos it’s written on paper.

Total mind fuck. I have trouble with “high” rep squats. I can barely get 4-5 at 80%, at 90% I’m good for a single, maybe a double some of the time. But I can throw 40 lbs on the bar and hit another single. For bench and dead’s I can hit a double at 93-97%, add 10-20lbs and its eyeball popping max effort single.

 

[NovaFlex]

Total mind fuck. I have trouble with “high” rep squats. I can barely get 4-5 at 80%, at 90% I’m good for a single, maybe a double some of the time. But I can throw 40 lbs on the bar and hit another single. For bench and dead’s I can hit a double at 93-97%, add 10-20lbs and its eyeball popping max effort single.

Exactly... I’ll squat 405 for 3-5 before my form breaks, but I’ll go throw 100lbs on the bar, like WTF? according to any 1-RM calc, I shouldn’t be able to do that.

which brings up another point for continuous ME work—reps don’t teach you how to strain.

 

[Oldschool]

@Cityofgrit

Man you have made OUTSTANDING progress! You also have some great members on your team helping out. I am most definitely a "has been" in regards to moving big weights but when I was younger I was good at it. I managed a 330 bench at 175 pounds. I'm rambling but my point is give it time! I was just like you and your body is talking to you. I didnt listen to mine and I've suffered the consequences. Please dont take this as a negative post. It is not. Dial it back a bit. Peace brother and keep up the great work.

 

[Btcowboy]

All the rest have said % is a mind fuck... I am only a few weeks in on the program I am running and found the % this past week too light. I either jumped up weight with the same rep set scheme or reps or sets with the same weight scheme. They call it auto regulation I believe but to me its if i feel it go for it. When i jump the weight i am not jumping up a ton just enough to get the work in and not fail the weight, rep, set.

 

[Cityofgrit]

@Cityofgrit

Man you have made OUTSTANDING progress! You also have some great members on your team helping out. I am most definitely a "has been" in regards to moving big weights but when I was younger I was good at it. I managed a 330 bench at 175 pounds. I'm rambling but my point is give it time! I was just like you and your body is talking to you. I didnt listen to mine and I've suffered the consequences. Please dont take this as a negative post. It is not. Dial it back a bit. Peace brother and keep up the great work.

I reallly appreciate this post! Thank you so much brother!! I'm glad you are checking in here! The powerlifting guys are wonderful, it feels like a real team here. This is by far the best forum I've found in Meso!

 

[Oldschool]

I reallly appreciate this post! Thank you so much brother!! I'm glad you are checking in here! The powerlifting guys are wonderful, it feels like a real team here. This is by far the best forum I've found in Meso!

That's all fine and good but damn man! No update since Saturday? Get your ass back on that grind!

 

[Cityofgrit]

That's all fine and good but damn man! No update since Saturday? Get your ass back on that grind!

I should have updated here. I was already taking a deload week because I felt terrible after squat day. It turned out I had an abscess. I was in the hospital, they had to drain it. Consequently, I will be forced to deload for 2 weeks. I can lift upper body but no lower body.

 

[Oldschool]

I should have updated here. I was already taking a deload week because I felt terrible after squat day. It turned out I had an abscess. I was in the hospital, they had to drain it. Consequently, I will be forced to deload for 2 weeks. I can lift upper body but no lower body.

Oh SNAP! I feel bad now. I jinxed you.

 

[Cityofgrit]

Oh SNAP! I feel bad now. I jinxed you.

No, you're good lol I'm healing up pretty well. They got everything. It was a good thing I went in when I did

 

[Oldschool]

No, you're good lol I'm healing up pretty well. They got everything. It was a good thing I went in when I did

That's great news. Heal up good and hit it again.