Phase 2 of training for the Dec 1st meet

Day

 1

Back squat (heavier) - warm up (bar x 10, 135x6, 185x4, 225x4, 275x3, 315x2, and 335x1) to 340x5, then do 2 back down sets of 5 reps with 320.

Bench press (lighter) - 3 sets of 5 reps (warm up with the bar x 10, 135x8, 185x4, 205x3, and 225x2; your working sets will all be with 240). 

Standing Overhead Press - 3 sets of 5 (warm up with the bar x 5 and 95x3; your working sets will all be with 115).

Side planks - 3 sets of a 40 second hold on each side.

Day 2

Deadlift - warm up (135x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x2, and 345x1) to 375x5, then do 2 back down sets of 5 reps with 355. 

Pendlay Rows - 3 sets of 8 (warm up with 135x5; your working sets will all be with 170).

Pull ups - 3 sets of 6-8.

45 Degree Back Hyperextensions - 3 sets of 12 with a 35 lb. DB.

Day 3

Bench press (heavier) - warm up (bar x 10, 135x8, 185x4, 205x3, 225x2, and 245x1) to 255x5, then do 2 back down sets of 5 with 240.

Pin or dead stop bench press (start with the bar resting 1" above your chest on the safeties (in the power cage)) - 3 sets of 5 with 225.

Horizontal Cable Rows - 3 sets of 10 (try ~150 lbs.).

Close grip bench press - 3 sets of 8 with 165. 

Heavy DB carry - 3 sets of 150' with 80 lb. DBs. 

Day 4

Back Squats (lighter) - 3 sets of 5 (warm up with the bar x 10, 135x6, 185x4, 225x3, 275x2, and 315x1; your working sets will all be with 320). 

Front Squats - 3 sets of 5 (warm up with 135x6, 185x3, and 205x2; your working sets will all be with 225).

Rack pulls (from just above knees; lighter) - 3 sets of 5 (warm up with 135x6, 185x4, 225x3, 275x2, and 315x1; your working sets will all be with 320).

Lat pulldown - 3 sets of 10 (try about 120 lbs.).

Barbell Bicep Curls - 3 sets of 10 (use ~75 lbs. for these).

Day 5

Back squat (heavier) - warm up (bar x 10, 135x6, 185x4, 225x4, 275x3, 315x2, and 335x1) to 350x5, then do 3 back down sets of 5 reps with 325. 

Bench press (lighter) - 4 sets of 5 reps (warm up with the bar x 10, 135x8, 185x4, 205x3, and 225x2; your working sets will all be with 245).

Standing Overhead Press - 4 sets of 5 (warm up with the bar x 5 and 85x3; your working sets will all be with 120).

Side planks - 4 sets of a 45 second hold on each side.

Day 6

Deadlift - warm up (135x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x2, 345x1, and 370x1) to 390x5, then do 3 back down sets of 5 reps with 360.

Pendlay Rows - 4 sets of 8 (warm up with 135x5; your working sets will all be with 175).

Pull ups - 4 sets of 6-8.

45 Degree Back Hyperextensions - 4 sets of 12 with a 35 lb. DB.

Day 7

Bench press (heavier) - warm up (bar x 10, 135x8, 185x4, 205x3, 225x2, and 245x2) to 265x5, then do 3 back down sets of 5 with 245.

Pin or dead stop bench press (start with the bar resting 1" above your chest on the safeties (in the power cage)) - 4 sets of 5 with 230.

Horizontal Cable Rows - 4 sets of 10 (try ~155 lbs.).

Close grip bench press - 4 sets of 8 with 170. 

Heavy DB carry - 4 sets of 150' with 80-85 lb. DBs. 

Day 8

Back Squats (lighter) - 4 sets of 5 (warm up with the bar x 10, 135x6, 185x4, 225x3, 275x2, and 315x1; your working sets will all be with 325). 

Front Squats - 4 sets of 5 (warm up with 135x6, 185x3, and 205x2; your working sets will all be with 235).

Rack pulls (from just above knees; lighter) - 4 sets of 5 (warm up with 135x6, 185x4, 225x3, 275x2, and 315x1; your working sets will all be with 325).

Lat pulldown - 4 sets of 10 (try about 125 lbs.).

Barbell Bicep Curls - 4 sets of 10 (use ~75-80 lbs. for these).

Day 9

Back squat (heavier) - warm up (bar x 10, 135x6, 185x4, 225x4, 275x3, 315x2, and 345x1) to 360x5, then do 4 back down sets of 5 reps with 330. 

Bench press (lighter) - 5 sets of 5 reps (warm up with the bar x 10, 135x8, 185x4, 205x3, and 225x2; your working sets will all be with 250). 

Standing Overhead Press - 4 sets of 5 (warm up with the bar x 5 and 95x3; your working sets will all be with 125).

Side planks - 4 sets of a 50 second hold on each side.

Day 10

Deadlift - warm up (135x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x2, 345x1, and 370x1) to 405x5, then do 4 back down sets of 5 reps with 365. 

Pendlay Rows - 4 sets of 8 (warm up with 135x5; your working sets will all be with 180).

Pull ups - 4 sets of 6-8.

45 Degree Back Hyperextensions - 4 sets of 12 with a 35 lb. DB.

Day 11

Bench press (heavier) - warm up (bar x 10, 135x8, 185x4, 205x3, 225x2, and 245x2) to 275x5, then do 4 back down sets of 5 with 250.

Pin or dead stop bench press (start with the bar resting 1" above your chest on the safeties (in the power cage)) - 4 sets of 5 with 235.

Horizontal Cable Rows - 4 sets of 10 (try ~160 lbs.).

Close grip bench press - 4 sets of 8 with 175. 

Heavy DB carry - 4 sets of 150' with 85 lb. DBs. 

Day 12

Back Squats (lighter) - 5 sets of 5 (warm up with the bar x 10, 135x6, 185x4, 225x3, 275x2, and 315x1; your working sets will all be with 330). 

Front Squats - 4 sets of 5 (warm up with 135x6, 185x3, and 205x2; your working sets will all be with 245).

Rack pulls (from just above knees; lighter) - 4 sets of 5 (warm up with 135x6, 185x4, 225x3, 275x2, and 315x1; your working sets will all be with 330).

Lat pulldown - 4 sets of 10 (try about 130 lbs.).

Barbell Bicep Curls - 4 sets of 10 (use ~80 lbs. for these).

Day 13

Back squat (heavier) - warm up (bar x 10, 135x6, 185x4, 225x4, 275x3, and 315x1) to 2 sets of 3 reps with 325. 

Bench press (lighter) - 2 sets of 3 reps (warm up with the bar x 10, 135x8, 185x4, 205x3, and 225x1; your working sets will all be with 225). 

Standing Overhead Press - 2 sets of 3 (warm up with the bar x 5 and 95x3; your working sets will all be with 115).

Side planks - 2 sets of a 30 second hold on each side.

Day 14

Deadlift - warm up (135x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x2, and 345x1) to 2 sets of 3 reps with 365. 

Pendlay Rows - 2 sets of 8 (warm up with 135x5; your working sets will all be with 165).

Pull ups - 2 sets of 6-8.

45 Degree Back Hyperextensions - 2 sets of 12 with bodyweight.

Day 15

Bench press (heavier) - warm up (bar x 10, 135x8, 185x4, 205x3, 225x2, and 245x1) to 2 sets of 3 reps with 250.

Pin or dead stop bench press (start with the bar resting 1" above your chest on the safeties (in the power cage)) - 2 sets of 5 with 205.

Horizontal Cable Rows - 2 sets of 10 (try ~145 lbs.).

Close grip bench press - 2 sets of 8 with 155. 

Heavy DB carry - 2 sets of 150' with 70 lb. DBs. 

Day 16

Back Squats (lighter) - 2 sets of 3 (warm up with the bar x 10, 135x6, 185x4, 225x3, 275x2, and 295x1; your working sets will all be with 300). 

Front Squats - 2 sets of 3 (warm up with 135x6, 185x3, and 205x2; your working sets will all be with 225).

Rack pulls (from just above knees; lighter) - 2 sets of 3 (warm up with 135x6, 185x4, 225x3, 275x2, and 295x1; your working sets will all be with 300).

Lat pulldown - 2 sets of 10 (try about 115 lbs.).

Barbell Bicep Curls - 2 sets of 10 (use ~70 lbs. for these).

Finally quit CrossFit

There was a three or four year period where I was struggling to decide if I wanted to do powerlifting or weightlifting. Dec 2017, after changing my mind a thousand times I decided to stick with powerlifting. I've been training and competing in powerlifting for 9 months and love it more and more every day.

Another struggle I've had is trying to figure out if I should do CrossFit or track and field training for cardio. I've been doing CrossFit since December and hate it. CrossFit is more effective than anything else I've ever done at making me lose weight. But the problem is I absolutely love training for track and field and despise CrossFit. It's not as effective as CrossFit. But I enjoy it more. Sunday I made a decision. After 9 months of lamenting I cancelled my CrossFit membership and started track training. Today was my first day of track and field full time for my cardio. I had a blast! I think I made a great decision.