Journey to 1600 @181 raw.

[Jhaack30]

Hey, I'm John. I've been weight training for about 7 years now, 1.5 have been powerlifting specific. I just had my first meet back in June, the Badger Open, where I totaled 1482lbs and 181lbs raw. I'm setting my goals high, at a 1600 total while still remaining at the 181 weight class and natural. I'm planning on competing at the Raw Unity 7 meet in February at which time I will break my goal weight. Other than being a powerlifter, I am going into my third year at UW-Madison, studying chemical engineering. I'll be training at Madtown Fitness this coming school year, and hopefully getting a few deadlifting sessions with Pete Rubish.

Best Meet Lifts:
Squat: 540
Bench: 325
Deadlift: 617

Goal lifts:
Squat: 560
Bench: 365
Deadlift: 675

[Jhaack30]

I'm entering my 4th week of training with Brandon Lilly's Cube Method. I have loved it thus far and have seen some nice gains.
8-05-13: Heavy Bench Day

Bench Press:
135x8
185x5
225x3
275x1
315x2
325x2
335x2
345x1+1 forced rep

CG Incline Press:
185x10
205x8
225x6

Incline DB Rows:
75x12x3 sets

DB Alt. Military Press:
45x10x3 sets

DB shrugs:
110x15x3 sets

Dips w/25# vest:
42/22/15

Rate and subscribe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0L6q9g0NaU

[Jhaack30]

With starting the second wave in this cube cycle, I changed up all of my accessory lifts. Doing so reminded me just how much front squats and DB step ups suck.

Back Squat:
135x8
225x5
315x3
405x1
455x6

Power Cleans:
135x8
185x5
225x3
255x3
275x3

Front Squats:
225x6
275x6
315x6

DB Step Ups:
85x8x3

[Bruiser]

Nice work John!

[Jhaack30]

Fate tried holding me back from lifting today as on the way to the gym my tire blew. The worst part was that I had to waste my preworkout. I made the gym for round two later in the evening to complete my bodybuilding day.

Overhead Press:
135x10
145x9
145x8

DB Bench Press:
90x10x3

Pull-ups superset w/body rows:
22-8
15-8
10-6

Upright Rows:
65x10
85x10
105x10

Tri Pushdown:
100x10
100x15
100x10/90x8/70x10/60/10

[Jhaack30]

Ever have one of those days where you're feeling sluggish, don't want to lift. Then you get to the gym and it hits you. You just feelin like an Animal, and hit a rep pr. Today was one of those days.

Bench Press:
135x8
185x5
225x3
275x1
305x6-Pause rep pr

CG Incline Press:
205x8
210x8
225x7

Incline DB Rows:
85x12x3

Alt. DB Military Press:
50x10x3 (reps each arm)

Shrugs:
110x15x3

Tricep Death:
0/1/2/3/4/3/2/1 board x5 reps each@165#-died on the one board on the way back down.

This song fits how I felt today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgJ-6vyO8BU

[Jhaack30]

Changed up my routine a bit. Instead of hitting speed squats, maxed out with Pete Rubish and ended with an all time PR.
BW: 184.8
Back Squat:
135x8
225x5
315x3
405x1
495x1
545x1-Belt only

Power Cleans:
135x8
185x3
225x1
275x1
315x1

Front Squats:
135x6
225x6
315x6
365x4

DB Step Ups:
90x8x3


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5dyVKZI3c8

[Jhaack30]

Was feeling pretty tired as I bounced the night before and had maxed squats 3 days prior. Decided to keep it short and only do my main lift.

Deadlifts: Beltless
135x10
225x5
315x3
405x1
525x2
545x2
565x2

Experimented with some Sumo DL for the first time:
135x8
225x3
315x1
405x1
455x1
495x1

[Bruiser]

Nice DLs John!

[Jhaack30]

Thanks, I'm planning on doing a mock meet on sept. 14 at Madtown, you should join me.

[Jhaack30]

Had to lift at my local commercial gym, and forgot my ipod, so the intensity was some what lacking today.

Bench Press:
135x8
185x5
240x2x6sets, 1 min rest

CG Incline Press:
205x6
225x6
245x4-probably could have gotten more, but didn't have a spotter.

Incline DB row:
90x10
90x12
90x12

DB alt. Military Press:
55x10x3

Dips:
30
30
19

[Riffmaster]

In for the ride. Good work man.

[Jhaack30]

Well, I got a free week membership to Gold's gym, so decided to go and show off a bit and hit heavy squats.

Squats: All sets beltless except the 555
135x8
225x5
315x3
405x1
475x2
495x2
515x2-first time hitting over 500 for a double
555-miss, will be going up when I do my mock meet in about a month.

Hang/Power Cleans: I kind of suck at the lockout of my deadlift so opted to start with hang clean, then hit a couple heavy sets of power cleans
135x8
185x5
225x3
245x3
275x1-power clean
315x1-power clean

Had to cut it short and make it to work. Felt really good today I have high hopes for my mock meet. A few buddies and I are starting a powerlifting club at UW-Madison and I'm hoping to get a few guys to run a mock meet with me. Only a handful of us have actually competed and this will help give the newbies a little experience.

[Firefist]

Awesome log man. Really strong lifts.

[Jhaack30]

Thanks for the support guys.
Was on my way to work when my boss called and told me he didn't need me until later this afternoon, because of the rain. Instead of just turning around, decided to go get my lift in right away. I took my preworkout, but was still feeling really tired in between sets. Luckily, I was able to turn it on for the actual set and hit some awesome rep prs. I've been focusing on training my overhead press since December, but was seeing no improvement until about 3 weeks ago. Beginning of July, I could hit 185 for a sloppy single. Was able to knockout 6 strict reps at that weight today.

Overhead Press:
Barx15
95x8
135x3
155x6
175x6
185x6

DB Bench Press:
110x10
110x10
110x9

Pull ups:
25
13
8

EZ Bar Upright Rows:
70x12
90x12
110x10

Tricep Pushdown:
115x10
115x10
100x15/85x8/70x8

[Jhaack30]

It seems as though my deadlift is inversely proportional to how well my squat and bench are. In the past few weeks I've seen some awesome gains in the later, while the former has been lacking some what. This may be attested to the bar I've been using. A few weeks back, I hit 520x6 using a dl bar. I've tried that weight twice with regular bars, but have gotten stuck half way up on my 5th rep. I'll be switching to a gym with a dl bar next week, so we shall see.
Anyways, hit some rep deadlifts, followed by a few drop-sets. I also had a curls for the girls off with a couple friends since we lifted at our campus gym. They only have octagon plates, which made dl a bit harder, but it will make it that much easier on the platform.

Deadlifts:
135x8
225x5
315x3
405x1
495x1
520x4, couldn't lockout 5th reps

Drop-sets:
455x7
405x10-began bouncing it as my lockout is my weak point and wanted to focus on that.

Straight BB curls:
115x13-Our non-powerlifting friend won with 18 reps, but I'd like to see the weight class conversion on that one.

[Bruiser]

It seems as though my deadlift is inversely proportional to how well my squat and bench are. In the past few weeks I've seen some awesome gains in the later, while the former has been lacking some what. This may be attested to the bar I've been using. A few weeks back, I hit 520x6 using a dl bar. I've tried that weight twice with regular bars, but have gotten stuck half way up on my 5th rep. I'll be switching to a gym with a dl bar next week, so we shall see.
Anyways, hit some rep deadlifts, followed by a few drop-sets. I also had a curls for the girls off with a couple friends since we lifted at our campus gym. They only have octagon plates, which made dl a bit harder, but it will make it that much easier on the platform.

Deadlifts:
135x8
225x5
315x3
405x1
495x1
520x4, couldn't lockout 5th reps

Drop-sets:
455x7
405x10-began bouncing it as my lockout is my weak point and wanted to focus on that.

Straight BB curls:
115x13-Our non-powerlifting friend won with 18 reps, but I'd like to see the weight class conversion on that one.

Nice work John. And way to keep looking pretty for Dan! Lol

[Jhaack30]

I missed posting for a couple days, so this one is going to be a bit longer than usual. Going to be lifting with Pete Rubish at least once a week, hopefully his intensity transfers to me. Still looking for someone I can consistently lift with this school year. So, if anyone lifts at Madtown Fitness and is looking for a lifting buddy, let me know.

Monday: Heavy Bench
Bench:
135x8
185x5
225x3
275x1
315x1
335x1
355x1-Was an all time pr, felt a little heavier than I would have liked, but was still happy to have gotten it up

CG 2-board:
225x8
245x8
255x8

Kroc Rows:
140x20
140x12

Alt. DB Military:
55x10x3

Football Bar Tricep Death:
Loaded 140 and tried for 10 reps at each hand position


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIwMkbujq4o

Tuesday: Rep Squat-Worked outside for 8 hrs in 95 degrees and was pretty dehydrated
135x8
225x5
315x3
405x1
495x1
520x1-1 was going for two without a belt, I got a little too far forward on the second rep
Took a long break waiting for Rubish to deadlift so I could Power Clean with him
Power Clean:
133x5
242x1
330x1x2-Was a 15lb pr, first one was the ugliest clean ever so had to try again.

High Pull Deadlifts:
400x1x10-alternated me and rubish

Reverse BB lunges:
225x6
275x6
315x6-wanted to go heavier, but right glute told me no

[Bruiser]

Good work John. I'll be at Madtown Mon, Wed, Fri at 8:30am starting next week. I think Pete is planning the same schedule. Feel free to join us.

[Jhaack30]

I've got class at 10 on those days, but I'm thinking of lifting with dan at 6 in the morning, so I'll probably be in there still.

[Jhaack30]

Decided to go to my school's weight room, hoping to impress some freshmen girls, haha. Felt really good today and pr'd in both squat reps and reverse lunges. It's interesting to watch some people lift in a college weight room.

Squat:
135x8
25x5
315x3
405x1
495x3-Beltless

Power Cleans:
135x5
225x1
275x1
315x1

Reverse Lunges: reps each leg
250x6
315x6
365x6

Hanging Leg Raises:
10
10
10

[Jhaack30]

As I've been on the last few weeks of the cube, I've somewhat been deviating from the program. As I work up on speed or rep days, I feel really good and just end up going for a heavy single or triple. I've pr'd on bench two weeks in a row now and still feel my recovery is good. Squats and Deadlifts have been feeling awesome as well. Last week I hit 585 without a belt for the first time. (Had a little motivation as my lifting partner hit 585 for the first time, so I just had to one up him. My new lifting partner, Dan Pasholk, is starting the Lilliebridge method, so I'll be getting on that with him.
Went into today planning on just repping 315, but Dan was hitting some light singles (heavy for me). I thought what the heck and hit my new bench pr.

Bench:
135x8
225x3
275x1
315x4-Paused
340x1-Paused
360x1-Touch n Go Pr

CG 2-board:
245x8
265x8
275x8

Kroc Rows:
140x21
140x15

Alt. DB Military:
60x10x3

Football Bar Tricep Death:
140x10x2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DqKdolBmCk

[Jhaack30]

Last week I my training partner hit his first 585 deadlift, congrats to him, so naturally I had to one up him later in the week. I hit my first 585 without a belt, and felt I had a little more in me. I went into this week fully determined to hit 600 beltless. The night before I barely got any sleep simply from the drive to hit this pr. The last few weeks I've experienced a desire to lift like I never have before. Afterwards I hit some bodybuilding style training with national champion natural bodybuilder, Isaiah Southward. Ended up puking for the first time in well over a year, but he showed me how to grind the last few reps.

Deadlift: Beltless
135x8
225x5
315x3
405x1
495x1
600x1
405x10
315x10
225x10
135x10

T-Bar rows: done with a barbell in a corner, weight does not include bar
25x15
50x15
75x12
100x12
Dropset: 125x11, 100x15, 75x9, 50x11, 25x20

PUKED

Superset: Incline DB rows w/overhead row
60x10,90x10
60x10,90x10

Plan on throttling back the next few weeks. Hit speed work this coming week and the next, and then a deload before the mock meet on Sept. 28 at Madtown Fitness.

[Jhaack30]

Well, it's been quite awhile since I posted on here. I've been real busy with school and haven't found the time to update it. I competed in the Madtown Fitness backyard meet. Went into with the goals of squat 550, bench 350 and deadlift 650 for a 1550 total. Opened with 505 squat, which blew up. Took Pete Rubish's advice and just went for the 550 with my second attempt. It again went up with ease. Pete chose my third attempt without telling me. It turned out to be 585, which I ended up failing with, but was happy with how well I handled it. 585 will be crushed soon.
For bench, I actually opened with 315, super easy. Went with 335 and blew right off my chest. Decided to go 355, which is a 10lb pause PR, I asked Dan if I hit this, if I could try out 365. He said yes and I got both, giving me a 2x bodyweight paused bench press.
I wanted to finish strong with deadlift. First attempt, 585, flew off the ground. Next, to get the 1550 total, I went with 635, and again crushed it. Finely, I got a little greedy and went up to 660. Missed the weight, but was still a solid attempt.
Overall, I took first per wilks and reached my goal. There is no doubt, 1600 is on the horizon.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYRwtZS0ZYA