David Petersen's Log

Chris Anderson wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Name: David Petersen
Height: 6’ (Doctors keep telling me 5’11’’ ½ but they are crazy)
Weight: 175-180 any given day
 
1RM—These are as of Nov’ 2012 when I took my 1RM to begin my program
Squat: 235
Bench: 155
Dead: 265
OHP: 110
 
3 of the 4 lifts I have yet to 1RM and my progress recorded in terms of PR Reps. these are all from June 2013.
Squat: 265x4
Bench 165x3
Dead: 275x12 or 295x8
OHP: 135x1
 
Short term goals: Total 1000 @165 next February at my first meet.
Long term goals: Strong(er)

David Petersen wrote:

I went 7/9 with a 353-210-402 performance that gave me a 965 total.





353 18# PR-Luke did my wraps for this attempt and it went up smooth. A little fight through the middle of the lift, but I was very impressed how quickly I got out of the hole and how straight I was able to stay up.

Overall I was very happy with my squat. I felt like I left a little on the platform (I might have had upwards of 364, but this is a squat I was very proud of.





210 15# PR-With the risk of a bombing out gone and a very fast 187, I felt fine going for something I thought would challenge me. I wouldn’t call this an all out grinder, but it felt like right where I wanted to be for a third attempt. If my squat was slightly easier than I wanted, this was perfect. I got out of my groove a tiny bit right at the top, but was able to lock it out.




402 37# PR-So after 369 Luke was yelling at me to go for four. I was like truck yeah, might as well. Holy speed off the floor, a little slow right above the knees, but once I got my glutes working full time I locked it out without a problem. This was pretty cool. I didn’t even think 400 was on the table given how bad my first pulls usually are.

Other meta-things
So this meet was fantastic for me. Despite going 7/9 the way I called my attempts I functionally went 9/9. On the bench I redid my opener and then jumped right to my planned third, and on the deadlift I just jumped to my second, and then did a huge third. Going into the meet I thought 950 was a cap, and I ended up beating that pretty easily.
A look back
November 2012: 245-145 (tng)-265: 655 @ Test Days
July 2013: 315-195-350: 860 @Mock Meet
November 2013: 353-210-402: 965  @UPA Power Weekend

I just wanted to show the contrast between some of the stuff from your very first post and your meet report.

The obvious:

165, lolwut
first meet in February, lolwut
1000lb total is insanely close

The not so obvious:

You ended up being a very different person than my first impression of you, based off of your first posts. I mean this in a good way. You've shown direction, ambition, and a good amount of drive and "want to" behind your training that I think is even giving yourself a surprise at times. Stick around the sport and keeping on doing good things for yourself and you will see even more progress.

+1, I had yet to look at the way back at my first post. Thank you for the kind words. Yeah it is surprising but also awesome to see where I thought I would be, and where I am now.

11/20/13
Bench: 190
125x5
145x5
160x5+ did 10 (3 Rep PR)
Close-Grip
95x3x10

Pulldowns
110x3x12
Face Pulls
60x3x15

Hammer Curls
20x3x12
Rope Pulldowns
80x3x12

So reset my training numbers based off of my meet results. This means across the board I should be destroying some rep PRs. This means everything will be pretty managable for a while. I might add some volume to my main lifts just because I should be able to handle it. I don't need long breaks between sets because these are not super challenging weights for me. I am going to focus on moving these fast and not allowing any form breakdown. Should be gooood

This is just my two cents worth but setting your training maxes down 5-10% of your meet results is a solid idea and has treated me well in the past. For one, the atmosphere of a meet can add up to 10% on your lifts. Second, you are post meet at the moment meaning you are going to de-train a bit. I spoke with Commanderson about his training and we both plan to run about 90-95% of our maxes for the next month or so until we get back into our numbers. This way, you are working with weight you can manhandle and with 5/3/1 you can change your maxes in a month or so to a more suitable max. Other people that have done this are Commanderson, myself, Keough, Wendler and I think all had solid meets afterwards.

TL;DR: go slow and start light these next couple of weeks, and work back into your maxes over that time.

Wendler recommends setting your training maxes at 90% of your max, I think that may be what David meant. 210*.9=189. 189*.85(top set)=160. I totally agree though Grant, especially post meet your training max should be 5-10% less than your true max. David I like your mindset of wrecking some weights you know you can handle. Get some confidence and let your body build back up.

Soooo..

I had this idea driving home and I think I like it, but looking for some feedback...Because I will be using a training max that is 10% of what I hit in the meet I will be spending a 3-4 cycles using the same training maxes I used in training leading up to the meet. I am thinking instead of doing AMAPs for my top sets and going for rep PRs I will just take my old rep PR, add a couple of reps, and split that into multiple top sets. This would also allow for a certain amount of auto-regulation. For example if I feel like I could do an extra set or an extra rep or two at the end I could add that.

So for example today I am suppose to pull 305x5+ (+ meaning AMAP) for an AMAP. The last time I did 305 for an AMAP I did it for 14. So today instead I would just split 305 for 15 up into 3 sets, so 305x3x5 and then if I have it in me to pull the last set for a modest rep PR, do that...

Pros
More first reps
Focus more on technique instead of breaking down just to achieve a rep pr

Cons
Harder to look at progress because I won't be pulling an AMAP for max reps, but instead break it up into several sets.

You just hit a total beyond what you thought was your absolute limit. Your training obviously worked pretty well. Just keep on working hard and don't worry about changing a whole lot.

11/22/13
Deadlift
360
230x5
270x5
305x3x5

Narrow Stance Squats
135x5
185x5x5

Dem Barbell Curls

Notes:
Grant pointed out my speed drop off from 230 to 270 (that is was pretty big) and then pointed out how my speed drop from 270 to 305 was no where near as great. Means mental. I need to just remember and force myself to pull fast every set.

As far as my second barbell movements I'm going to treat the reps about the same. If I'm on a 5s week I'll do 5s, 3s than 3s, ect...

My second barbell work will look like this for a while

Deadlift=Narrow Stance Squat
Squat=Good Mornings
Bench=Narrow grip
Bench day 2=Floor press

That drop in speed is probably unavoidable. Dat dere force-velocity curve. Still always pull with maximal RFD though.

Nathan Poage wrote:

That drop in speed is probably unavoidable.   Dat dere force-velocity curve.  Still always pull with maximal RFD though.

+1

Yeah, grant just told me he was surprised at how big the drop off was...I will say however that the force-velocity curve is also moving along as I get stronger. 185-225 use to look really really slow. So as long as I see an increase in speed at given weights, I will not fret too much about it.

Here are my third attempts from the meet: So many happy davemans

11/25/13
Squat: 315
205x5
235x5
275x4 x3 x3

Safety Bar Squats
185x5 235x5 275x3x3

So was at 22nd today. That was fine. Forgot my chucks. Tried Monty's oly shoes and those weren't happening so I squatted in socks. 275 was suppose to be for five. I maybeeee had 5 but it would have been nasty...So because this is a training max based off a number in wraps I need to address that..I think I am just going to go back to squatting in wraps when I need it (top sets) and because I should be able to crush these weights in wraps do what I am doing for my deadlift and add sets at my top weight. I also may add one additional unwrapped set right before my wrapped set (just do my second to last weight twice). More volume is needed on squat, and everyone says it responds to more volume. So let's give this a whirl.

Thanks to 22nd, they are awesome!

Edit note---

The 275 squat sets were not very pretty. Maybe half the reps looked "okay" and only one or two felt like really good reps. I was burying these reps, which is okay, but I think it was costing me some power. Stretch reflex is awesome, but I think without the stopping power of my wraps I was really dropping it low..


Make sure to box squat when warming up slightly below parl just to get use to that...

Going back on what I was thinking maybe....

I'm thinking I might just drop my training max and work outside of wraps for a while. I don't have plans to compete till at least the summer. Might even drop the belt for a while. Not that I think they are huge crutches or anything, but I want to think long term here. Going lighter is never a bad thing for a while, especially if it means I get to build my base without the use of belt/wraps.

This seems like the "easiest" approach to be honest. Go with something light enough I can do without anything, and build back up till I need wraps/belt/ect.

I don't think I've heard a single powerlifter in their 30s or 40s say they wish they would have went heavier earlier in their training.

11/27/13
Deadlift: 360
255x3
290x3
325x3x3
325x5

Hamstring curls
90x3x12
Leg Raises
3x12

The deadlifts moved alright. I need to make sure I am keeping my head up when I pull and not look down at the ground. That seems to make a big difference when I think about it. I felt myself come up on my toes a little bit on a couple of reps. Overall these felt good though.

David Petersen wrote:

Going back on what I was thinking maybe....

I'm thinking I might just drop my training max and work outside of wraps for a while. I don't have plans to compete till at least the summer. Might even drop the belt for a while. Not that I think they are huge crutches or anything, but I want to think long term here. Going lighter is never a bad thing for a while, especially if it means I get to build my base without the use of belt/wraps.

This seems like the "easiest" approach to be honest. Go with something light enough I can do without anything, and build back up till I need wraps/belt/ect.

I don't think I've heard a single powerlifter in their 30s or 40s say they wish they would have went heavier earlier in their training.

Good thinking here. This is something I've learned this past year as well. Training at lower intensities will allow you to build a good base of strength. When you need to up the weights to get ready for a meet it will be nice not being beat up.

11/29/13
Bench: 190
135x3
150x3
170x3x3
170x7 RPE 9

Close Grip Bench
105x3x6

Pulldowns
110x3x12

Hammer Curls
20x3x10
Rope Pulldowns
80x3x12

I didn't really focus on pausing my reps so much, some were better than others, some closer to TnG according to grant, but some were paused. If I am going to pause reps for sure I will always just ask for a press command. Grant said my chest caved a bit on my first rep but I cleaned it up after that. A little elbow flaring on the last rep as well. I was very confident in an 8th rep but my form broke down on my 7th rep and I knew it so I just cut it there. This was a lot more work than I planned on doing, and even setting up for the 4th 170 set I only thought 5 was in the books, so I am pleased I surprised myself. The 170x7 was a two rep PR, after 9 reps with that weight. Even if they all weren't paused, that's a pretty good deal in my book.

I'm really happy with form consistency. The new grip obviously helps a lot with this. Being able to say I did 6 pretty good reps and then feel when my form breaks down is a good feel. I had a couple really small misgroves, but they were not technical breakdowns today. So I did 22 working bar movements, and really all but my last rep on my last set were pretty good looking reps. They were not perfect, but not glaring technical breakdown like I had with my narrow grip. That's a pretty great improvement.

I'm going to train a lot more at the CRWC. Even my deadlift... I know I didn't talk to many people today, but just being around the team is nice. I know the environment today is rather unique given that most people are home, but it was a really good atmosphere tonight.

12/1/13
Squat: 290
205x3
230x3
265x3
Belt
265x3 Paused
265x5 Paused

Leg Ext
3x12
Seated Leg Curls
3x12


All my reps were good minus my last one on my last paused set. My hips came up and chest dropped and it turned into a good morning. I actually liked doing the pause squats a lot. I could feel myself really engaging my hamstrings and glutes and even quads out of the hole and up. My rep PR with 265 is 7. I'm going to assume x5 with pauses is harder, but I don't know. I'm sure I am still making progress. I haven't really done any sub-300 or over 300 work outside of wraps since October (which is when I did 265x7).

12/3/2013
Bench Rep Day
135x5x5
135x10

Snatch grip Pendlay Rows
135x3x10

So I wasn't wearing straps and busted my hands open doing these rows. I wasn't about to bleed all over the bar/get an infection. So I called it a day.

The 135 reps moved really quick. Technique was good. This weight really allows me to focus on trying to create leg drive off the chest. Some reps were faster than others as a result.

A couple times my butt came up trying to get good leg drive. If I am up on my toes than really driving with my heels seems to help lock my butt in, it just gets hard to do that for 5+ reps.

The 135x10 was a good set. While trying to get leg drive on the back end of the set my butt deff moved a little, and was pretty light on the bench. I had a lot more in me, but I didn't want to have any technical breakdown today so I cut it off at 10.
Everything was short paused on my chest.

12/4/13
Deads 360
273x5
305x3
340x1 at least 3 doubles then auto-regulate. Did 5x2 and one single. On a one-two minute timer.


Narrow stance high bar paused
Beltless
225x5x3

Hamstring Curls
90x3x12

Leg Ext
60x3x15

Notes:
So this session was pretty great. Not so much because I did a million more reps than I thought I could or that anything was moving faster than I thought. It was good because I stuck with lifts that I know in the past I would have bailed on. The first rep on my 4th, 5th, and then obviously the single were pretty tough. The second reps also were tough, but pulling hard through them and finishing these reps mentally built a lot of confidence. I can probably do a little bit better getting my glutes firing, but I don't think ti was bad.

After my normal stance pause squats with 265 w/ a belt I was a little worried what narrow stance without a belt would be like. They actually moved really well. A little form breakdown on the last set last rep but I like these a lot. In the hole they force me to be tight and force me to maintain proper form while still being explosive. These moved pretty quickly.

12/6/13
Bench 190
145x5
160x3
180x2x2
180x4 with press command

Narrow Grip Bench
135x3x3

Lat Pulldowns
110x3x10-12
Face Pulls
3x12

Arms

Notes: On my AMAP I told Kyle I wanted 5, and also acknowledged that it was a bit ambitious. My 5 rep max was 185, but that was the first set. I did two doubles at 180 before my AMRAP. Also Kyle pointed out that I had a very bent bar, and also that he finds that it does effect his bench if he benches with one..So maybe that no more...I had a bit of technical breakdown/misgrove on my 4th rep, on the left side. This is the common place for me to breakdown as I just lose the bar to that side.

12/8/13
Squat 290
220x5
245x3
275x1+. Did 5. Ties PR
Paused Squats
275x2
275x2
275x3

Notes: So my stance was a hair more narrow than normal. Just trying something new, not much that it will kill me or be a huge difference, but it is there..

I felt like I could have done one more rep on every set. I want to train with less breakdown and just good old strain. 275x5 I could have pushed for 6 easy, but I just left it.

Pausing squatting is really letting me realize where I am failing to fire. For example my glutes.... it is painfully obvious that there are some reps where I don't fire them as much. Those reps are slow and grinds, but the reps where I do have glute activation are faster, and it is easier to stay in my groove. I really really need to work on pushing out against my belt and using it correctly to get me to engage my core.

12/9/2013
Bench: Heavy Day
barx3 sets
135x3
155x3
175x3
190x4x2
190x6 paused

Notes: The bar was just moving fast today. My plan was to only do 190 for three doubles but after my first set at 190 I knew I would be able to do more/something else. I almost just bumped the weight up but decided to stick with the plan and just do more reps....Nothing got slower during those 4 sets so on my fifth set I decided to go for a PR. I thought 5x190 would be a bit ambitious (my 5 rep max is 185) but when it is Xmas in the gym you push the issue. The first 5 reps were fucking cake, so I went for a 6th...the left side came up a little slow but locked it out....I felt like I had better leg drive, like I just felt the bar explode off my chest a lot quicker than normal...I watched a Mark Bell video I believe where he talks about pushing down with your heels during the decent and not just when you press...This helped a lot today, but in keeping my ass down and getting my legs to boom boom boom...

Overall training is going really well right now. I'm turning shit into smoke shows. Yey

good stuff dave man

GFou wrote:

good stuff dave man

Will I ever see you again??

Srs

Iowa City for break?

Are you competing at UPA in February GFou?