The 40 Plus Journal Part 2 - The Search For Strength

Sunday update
 
Deadlift PB on Wednesday of 210 kg but I've not trained since then due to working away.
A couple of slips on the diet and not been as active as the week before but generally ok.
Dropped another kg this week, weight is down to 91.0 kg from 93.0 kg 2 weeks ago.
 

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Tonights training

Squats
10 x bar only
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
Belt on
1 x 140 kg (see below)
5 x 140 kg
3 x 160 kg
1 x 180 kg
5 x 140 kg
5 x 140 kg
Belt off
10 x 100 kg
 
Hyper Extensions
3 x 8 BW only
 
Rope Crunches
Stack x 100 (light machine)

Nothing like deep enough on the 180 so no PB but it's given me confidence to go for it next time.
Split my track suit bottoms when going down for the first rep at 140, had to borrow a pair from the gym owner.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Splitting pants good! lol

Your weight is spot on for a 90kg lifter. I would assume thats the class you'd be aiming for? I find 2kg about the class to be a fine place to sit. Although at the moment I am more like 89-90 myself.

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

At least you know what the 180 feels like now mate, she 'll go next time mate.

LOL at the split pants, been there mate. 

iaink


Splitting pants good! lol

Your weight is spot on for a 90kg lifter. I would assume thats the class you'd be aiming for? I find 2kg about the class to be a fine place to sit. Although at the moment I am more like 89-90 myself.

Cheers Iain
 
I think it might be shorts from now on.
 
Feels good to be called a 'lifter' from someone such as yourself
The 90 kg class is definitely for me, I could get down to 82.5 kg but It would be very hard and I would lose a lot of strength, also it would be difficult for me to stay down at that, I like to eat.
I'm aiming for about 87 - 88 kg that way I can eat plenty leading up to a comp and still be ok.
 
 

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Formerly Known as Old Git


At least you know what the 180 feels like now mate, she 'll go next time mate.

LOL at the split pants, been there mate. 

Hopefully mate, I'll try again next Monday.
 

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

good stuff mate, 180 just about there. Splitting tracksuit bottoms squatting. Are you sure you are just above weight? lol.

Hi Bill
It's just about there mate, it will get my best shot next Monday.
They were brand new as well!

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Tonights training
 
Flat BBBP
10 x bar only
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
2 x 120 kg
2 x 120 kg
1 x 125 kg
1 x 120 kg
6 x 100 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 100 kg
 
Dips
5 x BW + 20 kg
5 x BW + 40 kg
5 x BW + 40 kg
5 x BW + 40 kg
 
Incline BBBP
5 x 60 kg
5 x 80 kg
5 x 80 kg
5 x 80 kg
5 x 80 kg
5 x 80 kg
 
The plan was to do a triple at 120 but there was just nothing there, I'm not sure my tri's have fully recovered from last weeks hammering.
Just went through the motions after that, the dips were harder than normal too.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Solid session.

I would not be concerned about being much below 90kg. No point being 2-3kg under weight unless you have trouble holding the upper end of the weight class (and then you'd just move down anyway).

Better to train a kg or two heavier then drop a couple of kg for a comp. 2kg is nothing given a week. Loads drop more in a day, and a lot more over a week. Some 90's will be close to 96 mark a few weeks out! But personally I am a not good when dehydrated and low carbs, so I am happy with 2kg but not more.

Off course if you want to drop that extra kg as you want to look a certain way that's cool too. But it really is no reall effort to stay around 90-92kg and drop for a comp.

At 91kg I just don't eat or drink a meal from 3-6pm until after the weigh in (dependent on weigh in time). I monitor my weight all day and if I take a pee I'll have a coresponding amount of liquid (milk) to keep me just on 90kg. I know that if I go to bed at 90kg I'll be under on waking up (I loose 0.5-1kg over night and after morning piss). Knowing what you loose over night (on average) is good to know near a comp. Then if you add an appreciable travel time you can loose more water then.

I would never advice anything drastic for a first comp but the above is no problemo. You just need an accurate scales and give yourself 0.25-0.5kg leeway as scales may and do vary lol!

Off course all the above is void if you just fancy being that weight for vanity reason or any other!

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

Cheers Iain

Thanks for taking the time to do such a detailed response.

I am the same re the dehydration and low carbs, I can do it and have done in the past but I want to come in the day as strong as I possibly can be so for me that means a steady weight loss.
Obviously there's not really a need to be leaner but I am carrying more fat than I need to be purely from poor diet recently.
I also tend to lose 0.5 - 1 kg overnight.

Do you find that the time from the weigh in to the first lift is enough time to get carbs and fluid into your body?
 
 

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Not really a progress post.
Picked up a flu type bug, feel like sh!t, not kept anything down all day, everything aches. Should have been deads tonight but no training at all.
Oh well, 3 weeks to comp!

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Sunday update
 
Not trained since Tuesday due to illness, didn't eat a lot Thursday or Friday and what I did eat didn't stay down. Feeling better now and eating a lot today to try and get my strength back up.
Dropped another kg but mainly through being ill, weight down to 90.0 kg from 93.0 kg 3 weeks ago.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Tonights training

Squats
10 x bar only
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 140 kg
1 x 160 kg

Deads
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 140 kg
3 x 180 kg
1 x 200 kg

Flat BBBP
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
1 x 120 kg

Not too bad all things considered, still not feeling anything like 100%.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Tonights training

Leg Press
10 x frame only
5 x 40 kg, 80 kg, 120 kg, 160 kg, 200 kg, 240 kg, 280 kg
3 x 320 kg
3 x 320 kg

Rope crunches
4 x 25 x 14 plates

Hyperextensions
8 x BW only
3 x 8 BW + 10 kg

Squats
5 x 60 kg
5 x 5 100 kg

That's the best I've done on the leg press.
Squat weren't heavy but were slow and deep.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Tonights training
 
Flat BBBP
10 x bar only
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
1 x 110 kg (paused)
1 x 115 kg (paused)
3 x 110 kg
1 x 120 kg
2 x 110 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 100 kg
 
2 1/2 weeks to the comp, decided to practice my openers tonight.
The plan was to do a paused 110,115 and 120 then maybe repeat this at the comp.
It's the first time I've done any 'proper' paused lifts and they are a lot harder than I thought, the 115 was very hard and the 120 just wouldn't have been there. It's knocked my confidence a bit.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Tonights training

Deads
10 x bar only
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 140 kg
5 x 180 kg
1 x 215 kg (f)
1 x 200 kg

DB Rows
5 x 60 lb
5 x 70 lb
5 x 80 lb
5 x 90 lb
5 x 100 lb
 
Pull Downs
5 x 5 14 plates
 
DB Curls
5 x 5 50 lb
 
I don't expect a PB every week but I thought the 215 was there after the 210 2 weeks ago, hardly got it off the floor.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Tonights training

Push Press
10 x bar
5 x 40 kg
5 x 60 kg
1 x 70 kg
1 x 80 kg (f)
1 x 75 kg
1 x 80 kg
1 x 85 kg (f)

Seated Shoulder Press
5 x 5 plates
5 x 8 plates
5 x 9 plates
5 x 10 plates
5 x 11 plates
2 x 12 plates
1 x 13 plates

Power Cleans
5 x 60 kg
5 x 65 kg
5 x 70 kg
5 x 75 kg
3 x 80 kg

Trained every day this week, started to feel it tonight.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Hiya mate. I haven''t been in here for a while. How is it going? Training looks good.

http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/Sobriety-and-muscle-m4740429.aspx - Journal.

Cardifflad


Hiya mate. I haven''t been in here for a while. How is it going? Training looks good.

Alright mate.
Training is constistant when I'm not ill, wouldn't mind a few more kg's on the PB's but it will come with time.
First comp is 2 weeks tomorrow.
 

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Sunday update
 
A solid if not spectacular weeks training, managed to train every day this week.
Diet has been good all week, cheat day today.
Dropped another 1/2 kg, weight is down to 89.5 kg from 93.0 kg 4 weeks ago.
First comp is in 2 weeks, I'll probably try to drop another 1/2 kg before then, I'm not 100 % convinced of the accuracy of my scales compared to calibrated ones.
 

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

40 plus


Do you find that the time from the weigh in to the first lift is enough time to get carbs and fluid into your body? 
  

 
Almost allways. Firstly if you have only lost 1-2kg via a days reduced food/liquid intake then you won't really have lost any strength through it.
 
One meal and a few drinks will do the job and if you weigh in at 8-9 then you'll lift-off will be 10-11, so 1-2 hours is the norm and thats no probs. Key is not to chugg down liquids and stuff yourself. You'll just feel like ****, and if your down pints you'll just piss some of it out anyway. You only need to do this if you have lost some serious mass. Even then better to not stuff food down to much.
 
After the weigh in I'll just promptly have a meal (sarny, shake etc) and a start sipping on water. Job done.
 
In between each lift I'll get some food in and a drink. The number of flights lifting will determine how much time you have to do this.
 
I find 3 flights is a sweet spot. You lift, then there's a whole flight of lifts in which time you can eat and chill, before you need to warm up. Two flights and it's a rush but at least it's all over quick, four flghts plus and it starts to become a long day.

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

Training looks good, nice, simple and to the point.

Enjoy your first comp mate.

iaink

40 plus


Do you find that the time from the weigh in to the first lift is enough time to get carbs and fluid into your body? 
  

 
Almost allways. Firstly if you have only lost 1-2kg via a days reduced food/liquid intake then you won't really have lost any strength through it.
 
One meal and a few drinks will do the job and if you weigh in at 8-9 then you'll lift-off will be 10-11, so 1-2 hours is the norm and thats no probs. Key is not to chugg down liquids and stuff yourself. You'll just feel like ****, and if your down pints you'll just piss some of it out anyway. You only need to do this if you have lost some serious mass. Even then better to not stuff food down to much.
 
After the weigh in I'll just promptly have a meal (sarny, shake etc) and a start sipping on water. Job done.
 
In between each lift I'll get some food in and a drink. The number of flights lifting will determine how much time you have to do this.
 
I find 3 flights is a sweet spot. You lift, then there's a whole flight of lifts in which time you can eat and chill, before you need to warm up. Two flights and it's a rush but at least it's all over quick, four flghts plus and it starts to become a long day.

Thanks Iain
 
All taken on board.
 
Looking forward to it now.
 

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

badboy007


Training looks good, nice, simple and to the point.

Enjoy your first comp mate.

That's me to a tee mate, nice and simple.
I'm looking forward to the first comp, the experience will do me good for my first divisional comp in July.
 

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Todays training

Squats
10 x bar only
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 140 kg
1 x 160 kg
1 x 160 kg
2 x 140 kg
5 x 100 kg

Rope crunches
4 x 25 x 14 plates

First 160 wasn't deep enough, walked out with 170 but put it back.
Squatting in the morning really is a struggle for me but it's something that will happen in a comp so I'll have to get better.
Currently I don't use any kind of energy or caffeine drinks before training, it might be time to give it a go.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Tonights training

Flat BBBP
10 x bar only
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
1 x 120 kg
3 x 110 kg
1 x 120 kg
2 x 115 kg
3 x 110 kg
2 x 110 kg
2 x 110 kg

Dips
5 x BW + 40 kg
2 x BW + 50 kg

I think I'm ready for a break, very laboured tonight.
I'll get the comp out of the way, have a week off then get back to a cyclic routine.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Tonights training

Deads
10 x bar only
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 140 kg
Belt and chalk on
3 x 180 kg
1 x 215 kg (f)
1 x 200 kg (f)
1 x 180 kg

Supported Rows
3 x 5 80 kg

Neutral Grip Chins
3 x 5 BW only

DB Curls
3 x 5 50 lb

Sh!t, sh!t and sh!t again.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Suggestion. Next time you miss a pb attempt don't worry about doing any more heavy singles. Plus doing 3 reps is not needed. I often do singles from 180 myself.

How many weeks to your comp?

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

Cheers Iain
I have been doing 5 reps at 180 but dropped it down to 3 to have a good go at the 215, hardly got it off the floor.
Comp is a week on Saturday but as it's my first it will be more for the experience and trying to get 9 lifts passed than anything else.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Tonights training

Push Press
10 x bar
5 x 40 kg
5 x 60 kg
2 x 70 kg
1 x 75 kg
1 x 80 kg (f)

Seated DB Press
5 x 50 lb
5 x 60 lb
5 x 70 lb
5 x 75 lb
3 x 80 lb

SLDL
10 x bar
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 100 kg

A few shrugs

I planned to do 5 sets of DL's but I got a twinge in my right hamstring that said I should stop.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Sunday update
 
Training not great this week, I've hit the weight I wanted to but I feel I've lost a bit of strength after losing 4 kg in 5 weeks.
I think a week off from training will do me good, that will come after Saturdays comp.
Weight this morning is 88.7 kg but I'm a little dehydrated.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Tonights training

Squats
10 x bar only
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 140 kg
Belt on
1 x 160 kg
1 x 170 kg

Flat BBBP
10 x bar only
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
1 x 110 kg (paused)
1 x 115 kg (paused)

Deads
10 x bar only
5 x 60 kg
5 x 100 kg
5 x 140 kg

Belt and chalk on
1 x 180 kg
1 x 200 kg

Apart from a little twinge under my right arse cheek, tonight was the best I've felt in the gym for a while.
I had a go at what i now think will be my openers and second lifts on Saturday, squats were deep, bench was paused and deads went up quick.
Trained in my singlet tonight for the first time, felt ok, snug but not tight.
No more training now, just clean diet, steady walks and a little stationary bike to keep my weight steady until Saturday.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

40 plus


Cheers Iain
I have been doing 5 reps at 180 but dropped it down to 3 to have a good go at the 215, hardly got it off the floor.
Comp is a week on Saturday but as it's my first it will be more for the experience and trying to get 9 lifts passed than anything else.

Good luck on sat. You probably trained a little too hard this week but its all experince. Get your openers in nice and smart and your good too go.
 
Think on; this no matter how nervous you feel the day of the comp, once you get you opening squat in it'll be smiles all the way!

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

Yeah good luck this weekend mate. Where  and what is the comp?

iaink

40 plus


Cheers Iain
I have been doing 5 reps at 180 but dropped it down to 3 to have a good go at the 215, hardly got it off the floor.
Comp is a week on Saturday but as it's my first it will be more for the experience and trying to get 9 lifts passed than anything else.

Good luck on sat. You probably trained a little too hard this week but its all experince. Get your openers in nice and smart and your good too go.
 
Think on; this no matter how nervous you feel the day of the comp, once you get you opening squat in it'll be smiles all the way!

Cheers Iain
Sound advice as usual.
I think you're right, once I stand up with that first squat I'll feel loads better.
 

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Bill45


Yeah good luck this weekend mate. Where  and what is the comp?

Cheers Bill
It's the GBPF South Yorkshire Un-equipped Open in Adwick le Street, Doncaster on Saturday.
 

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

How did it go Les?

South Yorkshire Open 06/06/09

Weighed in at 88.1 kg which means that my digital homes scales are pretty accurate.
I decided last week that my openers would be 160/110/180, these were weights I lifted comfortably last Monday.
On the day, my head over ruled my heart and I decided to drop them to weights I could do 5 comfortable reps with as I had no idea what to expect, opened with 140/100/180.

Squats
140 kg
160 kg
170 kg

No problems at all, very relieved that my depth was ok.

Bench
100 kg
110 kg
115 kg (f)

A little bitter sweet, my PB for a touch and go bench in the gym is 130 and I did a paused 115 in the gym last Monday which flew up, didn't concentrate enough.

Deads
180 kg
200 kg
210 kg

More in the tank, 215 or even 220 was there, nearly cocked it all up by not wearing the right socks, I had to do a quick change act between lifts.

Ended up with a 490 kg total which I'm more than happy with as that's the British Masters 1 Qualifying total in my first comp. Came second on the day in my weight class and learned a lot about what happens on comp day, especially the waiting.

Many thanks to Alan Twigg and Phil Wood who I had the pleasure of warming up and lifting with and were very helpful throughout the day.

The comp was very well run by the YNEPF and I'll definitely be going back to the next one.

My Journal

http://www.northmidlandspowerlifting.co.uk

Very well done mate, superb. See you at the British then?