CYCLES: so I took a look at the calendar, and this is what training is probably going to look like for the summer: starting next monday the 3rd, I will start a 9 week cycle, which will bring me to a week completely off when I go on vacation. Then, I can do another 3 week "peaking" cycle, which will carry me into the new school year. I can then do another mock meet on the 4th of september. From there, I ca n run two 6 week cycles in the fall semester: 6 weeks, odd lifts meet, 6 more weeks, and another mock powerlifting meet. That december meet would fall on the week of finals, but I think that will be okay because 1) finals shouldn't be as bad next semester, and 2) I can do it later in the week than wednesday, and 3) If I stop training the week of finals and just go in, stretch, lift light, stretch in preparation for the meet, I shouldn't be as under-recovered as I was this past finals week. That will be a good experiment too - if I perform poorly, I will have to plan to max not on finals week in the spring semester.
SUMMER PROGRAMMING: Some changes to my programming that I think will be very good. Lower body stuff is staying much the same, with some slight changes, because it has been working really well. Making some bigger changes to upper body work because bench is still lagging hard.
Focus this summer: Getting in great shape - improve work capacity drastically and lose as much extra fat as I can, while maintaining muscle mass and still adding a small amount of strength. Also, just take a break from the long, slow, strength based workouts. Move fast, have fun, and lift hard.
ACTUAL PROGRAM for 9 weeks in summer
First of all, I will be timing rest for EVERY movement except the first of each workout, and performing sets either on the 2-minutes or on the 3 minutes.
Monday:
5/3/1 squat: gonna take the weight back 4 months, so I don't move a single weight that is more than what I have currently done. Also, I am only going to only the prescribed reps. This will help me keep moving heavy weights with great form, without focusing too much on strength.
Back off squats: after hitting the top set, going to drop back to the other two work sets and do a set of 1-5 pause squats at each weight. I don't want to set the reps, because I don't know how many I will be able to do, but I think pause squats are important for me to work in. I have becoming efficient out of the hole, but always hit a nasty sticking point, and I need to work on exploding out of the hole and through the middle.
Speed deadlifts: Going to take the weight back to 275, 295, and 315 and do my normal speed work, without the deficits for 9 weeks. I haven't taken the weight back since I started doing speed work a year and a half ago, so I think this will be a good opportunity to really move the weight fast, and focus on perfecting my setup from the ground as well - hips low, fast setup.
Snatch grip deads: I am going to use the straps with these, and do 5 sets of 9 for the first 3 weeks, 7 for the middle 3, and 5 for the last 3. I will start at 155, and add 20 lbs each week, ending with 315 x 5 x 5 with minimal rest.
Tuesday:
5/3/1 bench: same deal - taking the weight back, and only doing rx sets. Focus will be on form and moving heavy weight, without pushing even close to failure. Build confidence and speed/strength with heavy weights.
Back off bench: go to the previous work sets, and do the rx'd reps with a LONG pause.
Heavy Row: I have been lazy with my pulling. I just hate committing to one movement, so I tell myself I can do whatever... then I don't work hard. So instead I am going to split it up into a "heavy" "light" and "moderate" weight group, decide on a number of sets, and work all the rep ranges/weights. So here; heavy rows for 3 sets.
Strict press: I am going to do a different kind of linear progression. Instead of being married to a certain set/rep range, and increasing weight when you can do those sets/reps, I am going to commit to a weight, and increase that weight 5 lbs every two weeks no matter what. For those two weeks, I will simply move that weight for whatever sets/reps I want: 3 x 10, 3 x max, 5 x 5, 10 x 3, whatever. For strict press, I am going to start at 135. Also, this is touch and go. I think I lost omething by completely removing touch and go, so I'm going to add it back in.
Light row: 5 sets.
Wednesday:
Running: Going to work on running for the summer, but this will probably change to any kind of "cardio" once I get in shape and return to school. For the summer: 12 minutes the first 3 weeks, 15 the middle 3, and 18 the final 3.
Arms: No programming for this. Just need to take it really seriously. Possibly some incline or close grip work at the start, just to work on the bench from another angle and get the triceps/shoulders pumped, then straight up direct bicep and tricep work, chasing the pump and trying to grow.
Thursday:
High rep squats: Doing this simply to up my work capacity, mental toughness, confidence with weights in the 200's. From week to week, the numbers are: 115 x 30, 135 x 30, 165 x 25, 185 x 25, 205 x 20, 225 x 20, 245 x 15, 265 x 15, 285 x 15. Focus on keeping the reps beautiful and just getting through it.
5/3/1 Front squats: Taking weight back. These have been going really well. Just going to keep focusing on keeping the reps fast and beautiful, and cutting down the rest.
Heavy Deadlifts: Basically, I am going to treat this as heavy speed work. I'm going to lighten it up at first, and hit the weight for a single on the 2 minutes instead of the 1 minute, focusing on speed and precision of setup. Start with 365 x 5, then 365 x 8, then 375 x 5, 8, etc. Last week will be 405 x 5, which is basically where I am now - except hopefully they will be faster and more beautiful.
Friday:
5/3/1 press, take weight back, only prescribed reps.
Backoff sets: same as bench, rx'd reps on the two earlier work weights, but with a really long pause.
Moderate row: 4 sets.
Bench: similar to press on tuesday. Working with a weight (165 to start) bumping the weight up every two weeks, and doing it for whatever sets/reps suit. Touch n go. Basically just working my ass off.
Light bodybuilding work: can be back, arms, shoulders, chest, whatever works. Just light for lots of reps.
Saturday:
Arms II. Same deal as wednesday. Maybe start with a bodybuilding-oriented bench variant, then just hammer the arms. Gotta get them to 18.5.
Sunday: Full rest
SO there you have it. Really excited. I think limiting the rest and the added cardio is going to help me get into much better shape, and these are things that (once I adjust to them) I plan on keeping in my programming, so that when I start to focus more on heavy weights and eating a ton, I can keep the fat gain even lower than this last year.
For diet, Basically going to continue a carb-backloading style, but allowing myself to use more protein powder/shakes to get all my protein in, which will reduce the amount of whole food/calories I have to take in. So basically - coffee pre-workout, shake post workout, big meaty and carby meal with a protein shake for dinner, then another shake before bed. That way, I can keep protein higher and carbs/calories lower. I think that, combined with the faster-paced heavy workouts, will help me lose fat.
After the 9 weeks, I will fine-tune those final 3 weeks to be very similar to the summer training, but as more of a "peaking" cycle, move some heavier weights to get ready for the meet at the start of school. At that meet, I will try to set very small PR's - just 5-10 lbs each lift would be more than enough - and then really buckle down, start smashing PR's through the fall and winter, and hopefully get a BIG pr total in december.
So that's that. Coming up next, goals for the next year.
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