The Powerlifting Thread

I keep the warmups the same to determine if I need to pump the brakes or to hit the gas. How I feel and how I perform can have significant variance. While I follow a program, some regulation is necessary from time to time.
 
Anyone have total shit days. Last night squats felt so damn heavy. Top single at same RPE was 45 pounds less then last week, however towards my last several back off sets it's like I started to feel ready to squat and started to feel stronger. I almost wanted to retake a heavy single. I know sometimes you have bad days, but also sometimes I guess I need to be more patient and work slowly if warm ups feel like trash. I tend to always rush since time is always a factor for me.

Just curious what some of you guys do on your warm up sets leading up to your work sets? Does it change depending on how you feel?

I warm up with the same weights of each session as a gauge of how I feel, though I might redo a warm up set depending on the day. For squats I usually feel like the more building work I do below let's say 70% or so the better I feel at my top set for the day and the extra warm ups dont fatigue me. I'll almost always redo a set if a weight that was supposed to be fast turns into a grinder just to see if it's just a slow day, or if I'm actually fatigued.
 
Anyone have total shit days. Last night squats felt so damn heavy. Top single at same RPE was 45 pounds less then last week, however towards my last several back off sets it's like I started to feel ready to squat and started to feel stronger. I almost wanted to retake a heavy single. I know sometimes you have bad days, but also sometimes I guess I need to be more patient and work slowly if warm ups feel like trash. I tend to always rush since time is always a factor for me.

Just curious what some of you guys do on your warm up sets leading up to your work sets? Does it change depending on how you feel?
Today I had to rush my max effort upper so I did close grip football bar bench and worked up to 380lbs. Not an ideal workout but I usually just take what I can get and make it up the next time I train.
 


520# good morning, claiming a PR because I've never done this before. Was supposed to deadlift but had a 9 month old sleeping overhead so had to go with a quieter option. Also taking form critique. Can already tell I was getting pulled forward because I come up on my toes midway through the movement. Side note, spud Inc suspension straps are decent.
 


520# good morning, claiming a PR because I've never done this before. Was supposed to deadlift but had a 9 month old sleeping overhead so had to go with a quieter option. Also taking form critique. Can already tell I was getting pulled forward because I come up on my toes midway through the movement. Side note, spud Inc suspension straps are decent.

I haven't done much GMs in a long time, but after I finish up this training cycle I want to start incorporating them back in. I want to do a lot of specific lower back, upper back and quad work. Even though I've been getting a little stronger in the 3 lifts, I feel so weak at everything else.
 
I haven't done much GMs in a long time, but after I finish up this training cycle I want to start incorporating them back in. I want to do a lot of specific lower back, upper back and quad work. Even though I've been getting a little stronger in the 3 lifts, I feel so weak at everything else.
I do good mornings of all kinds as lower body assistance/accessory work. Different bars, stances, weights, tempos, etc
 
I do good mornings of all kinds as lower body assistance/accessory work. Different bars, stances, weights, tempos, etc
I use to do them quite frequently a long time ago when I did conjugate. I was much stronger at them back then. Close stance on a SSB is definitely one of the harder variations though.
 
Anyone have total shit days. Last night squats felt so damn heavy. Top single at same RPE was 45 pounds less then last week, however towards my last several back off sets it's like I started to feel ready to squat and started to feel stronger. I almost wanted to retake a heavy single. I know sometimes you have bad days, but also sometimes I guess I need to be more patient and work slowly if warm ups feel like trash. I tend to always rush since time is always a factor for me.

Just curious what some of you guys do on your warm up sets leading up to your work sets? Does it change depending on how you feel?

Warm ups are always the same for me. Squat and deadlift I can tell how the workout will be based on how 500 feels. 315 for bench. If they move easily, I’m feeling it...if not it’s gonna be a bad time.
 
Tomorrow will be my last day of week 10 of a 13 week program I am following. It ends with a peak so I finally get to test my max in about 3 weeks. Hopefully all this volume and fatigue will be worth it and I peak after the taper. It's been so long that I've maxed out and it's been a journey for me this past year after not training much for all the years prior. I'm not doing much weight, especially compared to some of you guys, but trying to put in honest work to see where I can go from here.
 
Are reverse hyperextentions a meme? Been doing them and my lower back feels like shit.
 
When lifting use your back and twist alot when doing it
 
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Blah, failed 435lbs on the bench today. Was gonna do reverse band benches but wanted to see if I could hit a PR. I blame the extra volume on warmups I did. Gonna deload next week and see what happens. Lifts have been feeling like shit lately.

Do you guys ever deload?
 
Do you guys ever deload?

Yes.

It seems like in this case you went away from what you were planning to do and went for a new one rep bench max. Did you expect to be able to be able to hit a new max while in the middle of this part of your training?
 
Yes.

It seems like in this case you went away from what you were planning to do and went for a new one rep bench max. Did you expect to be able to be able to hit a new max while in the middle of this part of your training?
To be honest I should have deloaded last week. Felt a pinch in my armpit while doing some close grip football bar benching so that told me I was overreaching. Then failed to hit a floor press PR the next max effort upper. Now this. Time for some rest. I guess too often I feed into that mentality where people say "on days you dont want to train, train the hardest!"
 
@deadshot138 Are you doing conjugate? I remember deloading when I was doing it, but I can't remember how often. I think also depends on what you consider a deload. I know there were like a a week where we just drop volume (but keep intensity high) or drop intensity (but keep volume to par). Not sure if that's considered a deload, but overall tonnage drops that week. The only time I can remember taking almost a week off (just doing light stuff and cardio) is after a meet. The program I"m doing right now has 'low stress' weeks at week 1 and 7, which means the volume drops, but intensity remains high. For week 7 I basically still hit all my top singles, but back off sets are reduced. Or if just working with reps, overall sets will be less for each exercise.

I also wouldn't let missing that max attempt get to you, especially if you feel you are in the ballpark based on your recent training. Just stick with your program and peak for it when the time comes.
 
@deadshot138 Are you doing conjugate? I remember deloading when I was doing it, but I can't remember how often. I think also depends on what you consider a deload. I know there were like a a week where we just drop volume (but keep intensity high) or drop intensity (but keep volume to par). Not sure if that's considered a deload, but overall tonnage drops that week. The only time I can remember taking almost a week off (just doing light stuff and cardio) is after a meet. The program I"m doing right now has 'low stress' weeks at week 1 and 7, which means the volume drops, but intensity remains high. For week 7 I basically still hit all my top singles, but back off sets are reduced. Or if just working with reps, overall sets will be less for each exercise.

I also wouldn't let missing that max attempt get to you, especially if you feel you are in the ballpark based on your recent training. Just stick with your program and peak for it when the time comes.
405 felt like shit so I knew 435 would be dicey. Am also trying a new unrack where you "row" the weight out instead of pressing it out. Supposedly that's good for keeping the upper back tight.
 
405 felt like shit so I knew 435 would be dicey. Am also trying a new unrack where you "row" the weight out instead of pressing it out. Supposedly that's good for keeping the upper back tight.
What do you mean by row the weight out? Do you mean keeping elbows locked and retracting the shoulder blades after you take the bar off?
 
What do you mean by row the weight out? Do you mean keeping elbows locked and retracting the shoulder blades after you take the bar off?
You set your upper back and basically use a pullover motion to unrack the bar. Only works with slanted j hooks
 
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