Wilhelm's Will To Power

[DIR]

Nice DL man!

[Wilhelm]

Wilhelm, nice bench PR! That looked easy!
I think you could still go a little bit lower on the touch of your bench, but it's better than before. Try it and see how it feels.

You should also set up an inch or two higher on the bench so you don't have to move the bar so far forward off the pins to get into your starting position.

I wouldn't drop the pins either because if you have to press it to get it off the pins you can lose your set up tightness. In regards to your grip, are you pinkies on the rings or index finger (index is maximum legal)?

Thanks, Skid. Big time.
I worked on touching lower today, and i believe i'm working on getting set up higher now too. Work in progress. But i record and watch evertyhing.
You mentioning my arm angle at the bottom helped me to see i could touch even lower. As well as i could see i was still missing my high spot.
Going to 3X week for bench is helpful in that i get more technique practice.
I may be being too shy about moving up the bench though.

What i did with the hooks, was dropped them just 1 inch (westside spacing on this rack) But i also moved from middle finger on rings, to index finger.
I think i'm actually pressing it less.
Again, gotta keep dialing it in. I'll be self unracking at my meet, so it's something i want to improve as much as i can.
I just don't want to change from how i practice, and i've always trained alone. The risk of a handoff is more than i want to deal with at my first meet.
I felt strong today, even though it's a deload weight. Got a 3 rep PR for 180.
I needed to focus heavy effort on deadlift today, but i have a feeling next time i try a single for bench, i can get two plates.

Nice DL man!

Thanks, DIR. Next time i see this weight, i hope to be able to stand there with it, and have no hint of soft knees.
I've got 375X1 395X1 375X1 next week in this progression.
I'll really be trying for good lockouts on those.
If i can't get them on 375, i'll not be pleased.
If i can just pick up and set down 395, i'll take it.

[Wilhelm]

Bench - 2 count paused
170X5X2 X7X1 81% of my highest single yet.

160X8X3 76% of my highest single yet.

Practiced setting up higher up the bench, and touching lower on my belly. Good session.
These are longer pauses than i've been doing so far.

Squats
295X5X2 X7X1 78.65% e1RM

275X5X1 - 73.4% e1RM

265X5X1 X8X1 - 70.65% e1RM

This felt like a lot of work

[slowmotion]

Nice work, Wilhelm. Congrats on the PRs!

[RdC]

Wilhelm, you're on the road to beasthood...I see PRs everywhere...great job!

[Idlehands]

Killing it man. I think you like it here eh? Lol!
Hell you doubled me on post count too.Good Grief.

[Wilhelm]

Wilhelm, you're on the road to beasthood...I see PRs everywhere...great job!

Thanks, RdC : )
It's amazing how heavy 295 feels now after "peaking" with the 350 pr.

Killing it man. I think you like it here eh? Lol!
Hell you doubled me on post count too.Good Grief.

Something about not having a job and not talking to hardly anyone where i live (by choice).

I do love it here, and hope i'm starting to learn things.
I'm very grateful you pointed me to this place.

Gonna throw this on here just because i wore the singlet today. Laundry day, and i don't like the baggy shorts for form review.
It looks so much less ridiculous with the belt.
Go deep or go home -

[platypus]

Gonna throw this on here just because i wore the singlet today. Laundry day, and i don't like the baggy shorts for form review.

Plus, baggy shorts look terrible. Soffe silkies are the way to go.

[peez]

Very purrrty singlet, Wilhelm. You buried these squats!

[Wilhelm]

Very purrrty singlet, Wilhelm. You buried these squats!

Thanks, peez. I try to practice that way. They come up some as the weight increases though.
If i'm lucky, they will self regulate closer to just deep enough when it matters.

[Wilhelm]

"Off day" cuff stuff -

Cuban presses 47.5X10X3
L lateral DB raises 10X14X3
SL DB raise&hold 2count 10X14X2 each side
Sl Ext. DB Rotations 6X14X2 each side

Gtg pullups BW200X5X9 15 minute intervals

[Root]

What is Cuban Press?

[Wilhelm]

What is Cuban Press?

I've started adding weight, but just my fractional plates so far.
10 reps per set with the full length bar +those is a lot for me.
They really make my shoulders feel great though. Once i'm past needing to just do the comp lifts, i'll do these more than just once a week.
Probably before a lower body day thouigh.

[Wilhelm]

I think i finally hashed out/hacked together a plan to get me to the meet Feb. 24th.
A slow ramp up from the current deload for squats, with drop sets. 5lbs a week, added for 3X3 first, then 5X3 on the higher volume day, furthest removed from deadlifting again.
That puts me back at my previous top easy single/pr of 350, but with more volume under my belt, and for reps, in time to start my heavy doubles and singles before the meet.
Judging by the last two sessions with the added drop sets, i may need to keep an eye on those drop sets with regard to recovery, especially on squat day closest before deadlifting again.
I believe my meet form for squats is good.

Taking Chebass' reminder from another thread, about paused bench, i'm moving to longer pauses i.e. 2 count, and only going up 2.5 lbs a week.
Bench is already deloaded from recent "peak"
So 3 bench sessions at each weight with drop sets and amrap 3rd top sets.
Putting a premium on full 2 count pauses over absolute weight. I'll still arrive at my target with time for heavy singles and doubles, but much more confident and controlled, i believe.

Deads remain on the same plan (SSPT) with an emphasis on hold time at the top during this next cycle.

I can go for squat and bench easy-ish singles at the end of december to see where i'm at.
I'm just not prepared to go/learn full RPE in this time frame.
Just keeping an eye on fatigue and not adding intensity back too fast.

Wish me frickin' luck.

[cwd]

Good luck!

I like your Cuban press, I might try that.

[KarlM]

... Just keeping an eye on fatigue and not adding intensity back too fast.
Wish me frickin' luck.

Good luck, sounds like you have a good handle on it!

[iamsmu]

This will an interesting 3 months to watch. Good luck.

[Wilhelm]

This will an interesting 3 months to watch. Good luck.

Probably the only sure thing is i will learn something.
If i get my 1,000 total one way or another, i will have met my goal.

[cole]

This will an interesting 3 months to watch. Good luck.

Probably the only sure thing is i will learn something.
If i get my 1,000 total one way or another, i will have met my goal.

With a 400+ squat and DL (which looks very likely even right now) you should have no trouble with 1000. I think you should start to think about maybe 1100

[Wilhelm]

This will an interesting 3 months to watch. Good luck.

Probably the only sure thing is i will learn something.
If i get my 1,000 total one way or another, i will have met my goal.

With a 400+ squat and DL (which looks very likely even right now) you should have no trouble with 1000. I think you should start to think about maybe 1100

Thanks, very much, cole.
I have thought about 1,039, which i think is elite classification for my age and weight class. That may be from USPA tables.
It's something somewhere lol
But it is somehow comforting keeping the 1,000 number in frame for me. Not as a ceiling though.
I hope to do my very best, whatever that is.
Gottal lock out and hold the heavy DLs this coming cycle, or none of this will work.