Phil Horwood - Week 2 - Monday 4th April - Speed squats / deads

My training has finally taken shape now after a not-so-successful competition the other week.  I took a week of light lifting after the comp.  I trained 5 times in total but each session only went up to 60-65% maximum.  In my competition I only went 5/9 with a 260kg squat (opener), a dismal 165kg bench (opener) and a 272.5kg deadlift (which was my only saving grace as was a 2.5kg PR which I pulled with a severe lat cramp that I picked up on my 2nd bench attempt). This left me with a 697.5kg total. The deadlift was ok, but the squat and deadlift were a big disappointment to me and I know I am capable of more like a 730-740 total.  For a multitude of reasons, the last few weeks of my preparation were not great. I won't bore you with details or excuses but bottom line is that it just didn't come together on the day.  I did qualify for nationals at the end of the year so will most likely, training going well at the time, be competing again then.

For the moment, I have decided to get back to the training I enjoy and feel is most beneficial.  I have some methods of training over the last year which in hindsight were not the best option for me.  I have every faith that they work for many others, but a traditional linear pattern and simply rotating sets and reps did not build my lifts as much as previous methods I had used in the past.  There are a few weak points I have chosen to work on and I have built a training system for myself which enables me to recover whilst allowing me to train with quite high intensity and moderate to high volume as well.  

One important thing for me is to begin to enjoy my training more again.  I have found the last few weeks building up to the competition very boring and dissatisfying.  Whilst I appreciate peaking for a meet is necessary (for the most part), I am glad now to be back into training properly again.  I am including some strongman events (both for fun and to improve all round strength especially in the abdominals and trunk in general), more grip work (not so much because my grip has ever failed me, but just because I love doing it), more speed work and a few other elements which I feel will develop me not only as a powerlifter but as a strength athlete in general.  I wanted a higher level of conditioning and to regain some strength in areas which had dropped off due to specifying my training so much towards powerlifting.  

My training is split up like this currently.

Monday - Speed Squats, followed by either speed deads or deadlifts for reps (alternate each week, progressively building up the rep work %), deadlift builder (eg block pulls), Trap Bar Walks (inspired by Pete Rubish)

Tuesday AM - Reverse hypers, RDLs, Light Front Squats + stretching

Tuesday PM - Bench Max effort movement (becoming more specific closer to a testing day/practice meet), Bench against bands, Log / Axle Strict or Push Press (alternating movement each week), Chins, Dumbbell Rows, assistance

Wednesday - Recovery day - stretching and shoulder stability work.

Thursday - Heavy Squats (alternating raw and wrapped squats, low rep ranges mostly), Pause squats, Deadlift variation (rotation of movements), Heavy Abs

Friday - Bench Accumulation Day (focussed on building volume in the 80-90% range), Close Grip, Bench Rows, assistance

Saturday - Squat Variation (rotating bars) always raw, 3-5 reps per set, then Strongman Events Training.

Sunday - Stretching/Rest/Recovery protocols

Monday 4th April was the start of my second proper week back into training.  This consisted of...

A. Squats (belt and sleeves) + green bands + 20kg chain - 8 x 2 reps @ 50% (using wrapped max)

B. Speed Deads - 8 x 2 @ 60% 1RM (no chains or bands this week)

C. Block PUlls - trebles, up to a moderately heavy set of 5 reps. 

D. Trap Bar walks (I did tuesday morning instead as I ran out of time on Monday) - 6 x 15m.

Deadlift Set and Rep Scheme

Here is the deadlift set and rep system I am using currently.

	Deadlift Set and Rep system
	Week	Work Sets				Rep / Speed Sets				Rest (secs)
		%	Sets		Reps	%	Sets		Reps
Hypertrophy block (plus 1 heavy set)	1	75	1	x	2	60	8	x	3	90
	2	80	1	x	2	65	8	x	3	90
	3	85	1	x	2	70	6	x	3	90-120
	4	90	1	x	2	75	5	x	3	90-120
Light week	5	65	3	x	5			x
Strength Block	6	75	5	x	3	60	3	x	3	120-180
	7	80	4	x	3	65	3	x	3	120-180
	8	85	3	x	3	70	3	x	3	120-180
	9	90	2	x	2	75	3	x	3	120-180
	10	92.5	1	x	2	70	3	x	3	120-180
Light week	11	60	3	x	3			x
Peaking Block	12	85	3	x	2	75	2	x	3	Rest as needed
	13	95	2	x	1	70	2	x	3
	14	85	3	x	2	70	2	x	3
	15	97.5	1	x	1	60	2	x	3
Light week	16	50	3	x	3

Squat, Bench and Overhead Set and Rep System

Below, is the set and rep system I am using for squat bench and overhead press.

	Squat, Bench and Strict Press Set and Rep system
	Week	Work Sets				Rep / Speed Sets				Rest (secs)
		%	Sets		Reps	%	Sets		Reps
Hypertrophy block (plus 1 heavy set)	1	80	1	x	2	65	5	x	6	120
	2	85	1	x	2	70	5	x	5	120
	3	90	1	x	2	75	4	x	5	120-180
	4	95	1	x	1	80	5	x	4	120-180
Light week	5	65	3	x	5			x
Strength Block	6	70	8	x	4			x		180
	7	75	6	x	3			x		180
	8	80	5	x	3			x		180
	9	85	4	x	3			x		240
	10	90	5	x	2			x		240
Light week	11	60	3	x	3			x
Peaking Block	12	95	1	x	2			x		Rest as needed
	13	85	3	x	3			x
	14	97.5	1	x	1			x
	15	85	2	x	2			x
Light week	16	50	3	x	3			x

With this system I advise people to consider what numbers to use as their programme maxes.  I personally, having spent a while now using 90-95% of my actual 1RM's as my training maxes and feeling that I need a push with some heavier tougher training am going to use 'desired'  1RM's for this training macrocycle.  Ed Coan's training system advocates using desired maxes and it is something I have not done recently so I want to give it a go and see how I do some test day just before Christmas.  I have chosen weights which are not drastically over what I am capable of doing now so as not to overreach too much.  For example on the bench my current 1RM is 180kg and I have used a programme max of 185kg as this is the minimum I want to obtain by the end of the programme.  

Some people may get more success from taking 95% of their 1RM and working of this.  I would advise anyone to speak to a coach and getting some advice on this before undertaking any programme. I am using a separate programme for deadlift which I will post up soon. 

More info to come soon.

Phil