A new approach, creating the best me.

[ChalkyPalms]

Alright been some time since I've been on here but have a new desire and reason to get back to writing the training and diet work. I've recently really got into powerlifting. Its tough not to when you lift in the Powerlifting gym of the year though. STRONG GYM is an incredible place. It is a method I've wanted to introduce into my program for some time but as a bodybuilder its taken a back seat.

This weekend I competed in my first powerlifting meet ever and had an awesome time. After fighting a severe glute injury from March 2013 I've been able to hop back on with lifting heavier again and came in this weekend and hit an all time personal squat PR and bench press PR. Deadlifts still suffer from the glute injury but its gradually getting better. I ended the meet with a 1400 total. 500 squat, 350 bench and 550 deadlift. My deadlift gym PR is actually 600lbs but after the 550 pull this weekend I couldn't manage 600 with the glute pain kicking back in. I weighed in at 229 with shorts and tshirt on and just wasn't serious about any weight class or I coulda made 220's

I've got a new love but I'm not done bodybuilding by any means. I've got big plans and goals for powerlifting too. I'm gonna do another meet in June and I'll be running an improvised Kingpin and then a full Kingpin cycle into it and plan to make some big strides from now til then. I've just gotta get my glute problem fixed or atleast manageable. After that meet I continue dieting and change training to prep for a bodybuilding show in October. Big year ahead.

I'm saying it now but if I can get my glute in good condition to get back to pulling well, I'm going for a 250lb increase on my total by June.

[ChalkyPalms]

Active recovery week for me running a little bodybuilding split with antagonist muscle groups and next week I start Kingpin for a 6 week cycle and going to do a mock meet after that. Then deload and then run the full 10 week kingpin into my meet in June. Blue print is made. Time to make numbers happen. I gotta figure out what I'm gonna do for the mock meet weekend. That weekend I'm going to be in Columbus at the Arnold so I'm hoping to get into EliteFTS

Today was chest and back

Chaos bench press
lat pull downs
Incline DB press
Tbar rows
Pec deck flyes
Face pulls

[ChalkyPalms]

Still active recovery today and may hit the bodybuilding day on Sunday to start the program.

Can tell CNS is still recovering from the meet last weekend. Went through some legs tonight and body took a bit to fire normally. I should be good by Monday for deads

Leg curls
Leg extensions
Squats
Lunges

[ChalkyPalms]

Today we started the training with the bodybuilding day. This day is to emphasize weak point training and just anything else. Mine particularly went like so

Lateral delt raises
Rear Delt Flies
Pull ups
Deep DB Chest stretch
Incline DB Curls
DB Skull crushers
Banded Hip Thrusts

[ChalkyPalms]

Today started the cycle with heavy deads. Well I'm not using % right now because I'm trying to work out an injury so I'm mostly going through the technique and retraining it

Competition stance deads 5 x 2
4" Block pull deads 2 x 3
2" deficit deads 2 x 6
Lat pulls 4 x 15
Shrugs 3 x 10
Farmers walks 3 x 30 sec
Pull ups 3 x fail

Pretty happy to be performing through deads without pain so I'm hoping I can nurse this back to health here soon. I'm not worried about strength loss. Deads are my strong lift and feel pretty confident I can pull 600 at any given point if I'm not in pain.

Running 2 cycles and then mock meet, Deload and then begin full 3 cycles for June 21st meet. Hoping to total at 1650 there with a 600 squat, 400 bench, 650 dead. As of right now this glute is the only thing holding back the potential so we'll see. Feel good though!

[ChalkyPalms]

Today's session was bench press. Gonna buy a video camera soon and start recording some stuff and throw it up on YouTube and and post the link in here

Comp stance Bench 245 x 11, 245 x 12, 245 x 8
Close grip bench 210 x 8, 210 x 6
1 board pause bench 225 x 6, 225 x 6 (shy of 10 both sets)
Lat pulls 4 x 15
Lateral raises 3 x 10-12
Pull ups 3 x fail

[ChalkyPalms]

Yesterday was explosive squat day and we used bands on the competition stance squats. That was a different feeling. Liked it alot though. Training is kicking my ass but feels good.

(Banded) Comp stance squats: 8 x 3 @ 325
Front squats: 2 x 5 @ 280
Pause squats: 3 x 8 @ 300
GHR: 3 x fail
Hyper extension: 4 x 12
Pull-ups: 3 x fail
Farmer walks: 3 x 30 sec

Video camera comes in this next week! Hoping to have it before the Arnold

[ChalkyPalms]

Yesterday was deadlift day. Hip was actually feeling a bit better and was able to work with proper percentages for the first time in a very long time. It was explosive day so some weren't as explosive as I could. Rather I was a little cautious on some of my sets. Pattern is coming back though.

Comp stance: 8 x 3 @ 315 +100lb bands
4" block pulls: 2 x 5 @ 385
2" deficit pulls: 2 x 8 @ 285 (need to readjust this %)
Lat Pulls: 4 x 15
Shrugs: 3 x 10
Farmer walks: 3 x 30 sec
Pull ups: 3 x fail

[ChalkyPalms]

Yesterday was a heavy bench day. Actually just 80% but felt good.

Comp stance Bench: 5 x 2 @ 280lbs
Close grip bench: 2 x 3 @ 270lbs
1" board pause presses: 2 x 6, 5 @ 245lbs
Lat pulls: 4 x 15
Lateral Raises: 3 x 10-12
Pull ups: 3 x fail

OFF to the Arnold I go! Will be the first time I've ever been to it and any big show and expo period. I'm pretty stoked.