2019 APF Nationals Training Log Blog

Words of Wisdom w/ Gerald

Article 9: 2019 APF Nationals Training Log Blog

The date is March 9, 2019. The location is Brownstown, MI. The event is the UPA State Meet and Motor City’s Strongest Contest. The temperature is 39 degrees…indoors. After getting buried and collapsing on the way up during a second attempt squat, I’m under the bar with 804lbs loaded yet again for the third. Annnd another swing & a miss at 804lbs, my first ever raw squat that I cut high and stood up with in a meet. At that moment I knew I was doing another classic raw with wraps meet this year in the very near future. I zoned out the rest of the day finishing 3/3 on bench and deadlift, for what you would think would be a fun finish. However, as I get my third and final deadlift past my knees I feel and hear a familiar sound that used to bring fond memories of opening your new, favorite toy in Christmas morning. Pop, pop, pop...like bubble wrap snapping, my right hamstring went, suddenly that sound isn’t so fuckin' joyful anymore. I needed this last deadlift to salvage the day and total, so I hung on until lockout, figuring the damage was already done. I finished the day with a 70lb meet PR total of 1802lbs on a shot gunned, fun, local meet. This is where this log begins...

March 9th, 2019 UPA State Meet:

Squat: 733lbs

Bench: 402lbs

Deadlift: 666lbs

Total: 1802lbs @259lbs

(All were raw meet PRs)

Recovery / Prep (10-13 weeks out)

14 weeks out:

Rest

Hamstring Recovery Protocol (All 14 weeks)

Balance on single leg (Progressed from 20 seconds - 2 minutes)

Cupping and light scraping weekly

Laying & seated hamstring band curls (Progressed from micro minis for sets of 5-10 to monster minis for sets of 20-50 (100s of reps weekly)

Single Leg RDL

Weighted laying & seated hamstring curls

Adductors (Stability ball squeeze @ banded)

13 weeks out:

Max Effort Lower: Seated Cambered Bar GM: 1rm @ 705lbs

Dynamic Effort Upper: Duffalo Larsen Press vs 100lbs (25%) chains: 8x3 @ 50%

Dynamic Effort Lower: Seated Cambered Bar GM vs forward mini band: 5x5 @ 50%

Max Effort Upper: Pin press: 1rm

12 weeks out:

ME Lower: Seated SSB GM: 1rm

DE Upper: Duffalo Larsen Press vs 100lbs chains: 6x3 @ 55%

DE Lower: Seated Cambered Bar GM vs forward mini band: 5x5 @ 55%

ME Upper: Bench vs doubled monster minis: 1rm

11 weeks out:

ME Lower: Seated Duffalo Bar GM: 1rm

DE Upper: Duffalo Larsen Press vs 100lbs chains: 5x3 @ 60%

DE Lower: Seated Cambered Bar GM vs forward mini band: 5x5 @ 60%

ME Upper: Bench vs doubled light bands: 1rm

10 weeks out:

ME Lower: Seated Cambered Bar GM RETEST: 1rm @ 815lbs

Rep Method Upper: Bench: 8x3 @ 75%

Speed Lower: SSB vs average band squats: 10x3 @ 50% / Sumo from 6”: 10x1

ME Upper: Bench vs 125 chains: 1rm

Peak (1-9 weeks out)

9 weeks out:

ME Lower: Reverse monster mini squat: 1rm

Rep Method Upper: Bench: 8x3 @ 80%

Speed Lower: SSB vs average band squats: 8x3 @ 55% / Sumo from 6”: 5x2

ME Upper: Bench vs 125 chains: 1rm

8 weeks out:

ME Lower: Cambered bar box squat: 1rm

Rep Method Upper: Back accessories only

Speed Lower: SSB vs average band squats: 6x3 @ 60% / Sumo from 6”: 5x1 (work up heavy)

ME Upper: Bench: 6x3 @ 85% / Future Method: Reverse average band bench: 455lbs

7 weeks out:

ME Lower: Wrapped squat: Top double

Speed Upper: Elitefts American Press bar vs dbl minis: 9x3 @ 45%

Speed Lower: Cambered Bar vs 140lbs chain (in briefs): 8x3 @ 50% / Sumo from 4”: 8x1 vs mammoth bands

ME Upper: Bench: 4x3 @ 87.5% / Future Method: Reverse light band bench: 455lbs

6 weeks out:

ME Lower: Rack Pull (below knees): 1rm

Speed Upper: Elitefts American Press bar vs dbl minis: 9x3 @ 47.5%

Speed Lower: Cambered Bar vs 140lbs chain (in briefs): 8x3 @ 55% / Sumo from 2”: 8x1 vs mammoth bands

ME Upper: Bench: 4x2 @ 95% / Future Method: Reverse monster & micro bands bench: 455lbs

5 weeks out:

ME Lower: Circa Max - Wrapped Squat vs 225lbs chains: 1rm @755lbs

Speed Upper: Elitefts American Press bar vs dbl minis: 9x3 @ 50%

Speed Lower: Cambered Bar vs 140lbs chain (in briefs): 8x3 @ 60% / Sumo: 8x1 vs mammoth bands

ME Upper: Bench: 3x2 @ 97.5% / Future Method: Reverse monster band bench: 455lbs

4 weeks out:

ME Lower: Circa Max 2 - Wrapped Squat: 3x1 @ 85% (700lbs)

Speed Upper: Duffalo Bar Bench: 9x3 @ 45%

Speed Lower: Cambered Bar Box vs strong bands: 8x2 @ 45% / Sumo vs dbl mini bands: 8x1 @ 40%

ME Upper: Bench: 2x2 @ 102.5%+ / Future Method: Reverse mini band bench: 455lbs

3 weeks out:

ME Lower: DL Opener

Speed Upper: Duffalo Bar Bench: 9x3 @ 50%

Speed Lower: Cambered Bar Box vs strong bands: 8x2 @ 50% / Sumo vs dbl mini bands: 8x1 @ 45%

ME Upper: Future Method: Reverse micro band bench: 440lbs

2 weeks out:

ME Lower: Squat Opener (Opened @ 755 for a Meet PR) & 2nd attempt @805 reverse monster minis

Speed Upper: Accessory Only

Speed Lower: Cambered Bar Box vs strong bands: 5x2 @ 55% / Sumo vs dbl mini bands: 6x1 @ 50%

ME Upper: Bench Opener (Opened 40lbs heavier than I did in March, 10lbs under a Meet PR)

1 weeks out: MEET WEEK

Monday: Light accessories only

Tuesday: 3x1: Self wrap squat @ 50% / Sumo DL @ 50% / Bench @ 50%

Results:

June 15th, 2019 APF Nationals Meet:

Squat: 832lbs

Bench: 418lbs

Deadlift: 650lbs

Total: 1901Lbs @ 265lbs for a 100lb meet PR in just under 14 weeks from meet to meet

Right/wrong, agree or disagree, this is what I did and the path that I chose to chase that 800+ raw squat in a meet. The first five weeks were focused on giving the hamstring rest. We decided to implement seated good mornings for my max work and dynamic work during that time period. I knew if I could handle 700-800+ lbs weekly in an exposed goodmorning position that I would be able to squat it the next time I had the opportunity to in a meet. About 6 weeks later I was able to squat full range and pain free and was ready to start peaking towards June’s APF Nationals. While I didn’t do anything earth shattering, we took a simple system and applied it to what I needed most. I needed time under the bar in the wraps to get used to the proper descent speed again, and I needed paused working reps on the bench. With that in mind there was a lot less variation on my max squat days than I was normally accustomed to. I started my “Circa Max” phase a week early knowing that my hamstring and hips would need the extra week of recovery prior to the meet. Hamstrings were trained with a band, very light weight, or just standing balance drills every single time I stepped foot in the gym-this was hell for me as I hated "going backwards" with movements. For the bench, all my dynamic upper days were paused, and we decided to hammer pushups, pin presses, and fly work for my main upper accessories to attack how weak my chest had gotten. My bench training strayed the most from my usual, traditional conjugate lay out, but I was happy with the results. While I only netted a 20lb meet PR on the bench, strength was there for my third at 440lbs, and I showed more progress in 3 months (even with my second attempt) than I had in the last two years on my raw bench. In training, we had to shy away from the usual conventional deadlift variations that have proven to put pounds on my dl in the past, because it aggravated the hamstring even weeks into the peak. But, being that a big deadlift was not the priority during this peak, I still pulled a 650lb second to seal the 1900lb total and cap off a nice day.

The point of me sharing this is that I see a lot of people get so caught up in following “the exact program,” or being nervous and/or all together against using tools that are new to you. Just because you used a band/chain on one exercise or utilized box squats does not mean that you are some multiply goon training conjugate or even training conjugate at all, and likewise, just because you used a high bar tempo squat doesn’t mean that you are some young, headband wearing bro training to hit the subpar qualifying total for USAPL Raw Nationals. Take what you need and implement it where you see fit. The second you limit yourself and become close minded about any sort of training opportunity is the same second you should stop coaching or taking the sport of powerlifting seriously...period. My idea for this blog wasn’t just to hand out a free conjugate template (although feel free to use it or parts), but to show how you can adapt your training protocol to fit what your needs are at that time. You can and should take ownership of your training and therefore of your success on the platform…even if you have a coach helping you along the way.

If you have made it this far, thanks for reading. If you want to keep up on how my training has changed now that I am back in the gear on my quest to go from a nobody to a little less of a nobody in the multiply world, let me know. Time to load up some real weight - Let's get fuckin weird!

Next Meet: APF North of the Border, on November 2nd

Mission: Qualify for the WPO Top 30 next March