KevinAlvy's Training Log

About to do a transition then probably this for a volume block. I'll consider it Squat "Off", Bench Off", Deadlift "On". I will be accumulating considerable fatigue in my squat muscles but I won't be directly training my comp squat very frequently

I am also not positive I can do this effectively for 27 days so I might cut it short.

KevinAlvy wrote:

5 lbs in 17 months is nothing to be mirin lol

The cumulative result may be five pounds, but you've frankly been up and down over that time. You've made great progress over the last several months, and that's what matters. Now you'll make some serious progress, provided you just stay healthy and are able to train consistently.

KevinAlvy wrote:

My mind is always blown at how weak 198 is when 220 is so damn strong.

I will probably stick to my plan and come in as a light 220 lber in Arpil, see if my deadlift or coefficient feels better, then make my longer term decision.

What's your weight at right now?

KKeough wrote:

KevinAlvy wrote:

My mind is always blown at how weak 198 is when 220 is so damn strong.

I will probably stick to my plan and come in as a light 220 lber in Arpil, see if my deadlift or coefficient feels better, then make my longer term decision.

What's your weight at right now?

I'm going to guess about .85 Georges.

KKeough wrote:

What's your weight at right now?

228 this morning, low to mid 230's when lifting without manipulating my weight

Target would be to weigh in at about 210 in April, that would require a morning weight around 220 for an easy water manipulation

KevinAlvy wrote:

KKeough wrote:

What's your weight at right now?

228 this morning, low to mid 230's when lifting without manipulating my weight

Target would be to weigh in at about 210 in April, that would require a morning weight around 220 for an easy water manipulation

Would you be cutting weight for the coefficient, or just for the experience of competing with a weight cut?

I've been tempted in the past to cut more weight than was necessary for a better coefficient (weighed 149.8 on the morning of our last meet's weigh-ins) but have thus far resisted. It's partly why I have no NASA belt.

KKeough wrote:

I've been tempted in the past to cut more weight than was necessary for a better coefficient (weighed 149.8 on the morning of our last meet's weigh-ins) but have thus far resisted. It's partly why I have no NASA belt.

Sort of...

As you know being a lighter-lifter it's better for a coefficient to have more weight lifted vs. having less bodyweight

What I am really trying to decipher is if I should compete in the 198's or 220's. If my Squat/Bench leverage losses are offset by an increase in deadlift I would consider it both a healthier lifestyle and better for my long term total. I don't want to cut too much because I know my lifts will nose dive and I won't have a good idea if 198 is where I should be long term

KevinAlvy wrote:

KKeough wrote:

I've been tempted in the past to cut more weight than was necessary for a better coefficient (weighed 149.8 on the morning of our last meet's weigh-ins) but have thus far resisted. It's partly why I have no NASA belt.

Sort of...

As you know being a lighter-lifter it's better for a coefficient to have more weight lifted vs. having less bodyweight

What I am really trying to decipher is if I should compete in the 198's or 220's. If my Squat/Bench leverage losses are offset by an increase in deadlift I would consider it both a healthier lifestyle and better for my long term total. I don't want to cut too much because I know my lifts will nose dive and I won't have a good idea if 198 is where I should be long term

I think you have to decide what's most important to you. I have my opinion, but it's obviously affected by what I feel is important to me when making the decision to cut weight/manipulate my bodyweight (i.e. just lose body-fat) or not. I'll just come right out and give you a list of some of the things that factor into my decision, from most to least important:

1. Not dying or seriously compromising my health.
2. Challenging a world record.
3. Challenging an American record.
4. National ranking.
5. Totaling Elite.
6. Maintaining a reasonably "attractive" physique.
7. Winning Best Lifter at a NASA meet.
8. Bodyweight multiplier.
9. The difficulty of "the lifestyle" (eating shitty food, training on a diet, etc.)
10. Setting a NASA record.
11. Total pounds lifted (i.e. absolute measurement of strength).

If you were to reverse the order, I'd probably, by now, be there with you in the NASA 220-lb. division, totaling 1450-1500 and trying to break some of dem Intermediate records.

When I decided to drop to 165 to 148, it was because I was in the top 40-50 at 165 and potentially in the top 8-10 at 148, and because I'm not good enough to do anything really impressive, national ranking is how I choose to measure myself. So, for me, the choice was easy, even though my numbers dropped initially (overcoming the loss of the leverage advantage on the bench from when I was close to 180 has taken a LONG time) and I shrank.

So, my advice would be to figure out what really matters to you. At 5'7", you're very likely never going to be a top (i.e. top 5-10) 220-lb. lifter, at least not naturally. The standards are too high and you're competing against guys who are taller, cutting weight, oftentimes on gear, and training with a lower body-fat percentage. At 198, you don't stand out as too short for the weight class, and your lifts compare to what others are doing there. It will probably be easier for you to total 1700+ someday at a slightly lower body-weight than to total 1900+ someday at your current body-weight.

Going to 198 will probably cause your lifts (primarily your squat and bench press) to drop temporarily. You can off-set this by losing weight slowly over time. I dropped the first 15 lbs. pretty quickly (around six weeks' time), but the last ten pounds came off over the course of at least a year. So, if you have a plan to bring your body-weight down slowly over time, you can handle it without it wreaking havoc on your training. Yes, you'll lose some leveraging, but deadlifting will suddenly be easier for you, so the net-loss won't be too bad.

Anyway, that's my input. Figure out what matters most for you, then make a decision, but remember that you have the rest of your career to change it if you want to.

You would be an epic 220

I wouldn't drop to 198 because it is such a weak weight class. I think eventually as powerlifting grows and the weight classes distribute more evenly 198 will accrue enough talent to balance things out in the long term.

Right now I only have a few priotities in powerlifting

1. Sustainability in being active
2. Continue to drive my total
3. Coefficient
4. Win a USAPL raw nationals and compete internationally
5. Physique - this will come with time

We have talked about this a few months ago but the reason I enjoy powerlifting is because I like to improve/get stronger. If I could take my 1610+ directly down to 181 I wouldn't do it.

This April meet should be fairly indicative of how my leverages are influenced by my bodyweight. I don't want to use any absolutes with going forward but If I am satisfied with my leverages/total in April when I am 210 I will probably come down to a 205 at grand nationals.

If and when I get into the upper 1600's or low 1700's I will start basing my goals off of my competition in the USAPL. Until then I will just focus on those first three.

I will also have some body comp pics before this meet for you to mire

edit: I am not sure what you are talking about with height. I won't be as pretty as a 6' in the 220's but I will without question have more muscle (maybe not LBM) and as long as my leverages are equal, I will have him beat. Height doesn't really play a role (and if anything it is undesirable), leverages do

(Wrote something about height and powerlifting, then just decided to leave it alone.)

You'll do well in whatever weight class you choose, and you'll be successful in the USAPL, too. There are obviously some exceptional 198s in the USAPL currently (kids like Jesse Norris and Ian Bell), but 220 is less stacked with talent. A lot of the top 220s in North America are fed-roamers.

Thursday's Lift

Vertical Pulldown
Warmups
1x15


Chest Supported Row
Warmups
3x10


Cable Abs
3x20


Seated Shrugs
Warmups
1x25


Curls, Db Circles, and calves


Notes: I might start doing calves occasionally to help with my squat walkout

KKeough wrote:

(Wrote something about height and powerlifting, then just decided to leave it alone.)

You'll do well in whatever weight class you choose, and you'll be successful in the USAPL, too. There are obviously some exceptional 198s in the USAPL currently (kids like Jesse Norris and Ian Bell), but 220 is less stacked with talent. A lot of the top 220s in North America are fed-roamers.

Yeah those guys will be tough to beat. Right now I just need to focus on getting stronger before thinking strategically about my competition

The landscape changes so much every few years that it's hard to plan strategically for more than just the next meet. If you just out-last everyone, they'll either get bored, get hurt, or die anyway. Like, I know the day when Tony Conyers turns 65 and I'm hitting my prime is coming...ten years from now...

Comp Grip Incline Tng
Warmups
307x3 @ 9.5


High Row
Warmups
1x15


DB Flat Bench
Warmups
100x21


Chest Supported Row
Warmups
1x15


Decline Partial Situps
45x20


Superset
Pressdowns 2x20
Curls 2x20


DB Circles
65lbs x 30

High Bar Pause Squat
Warmups
405x5 @7.5
430x5 @8
420x5 @8


Comp Deadlift
Warmups
585 3x2 second 2 sets w/ straps


Leg Press
Warmups
8 pps x 20


Situps on GHR
25x10
45x10 + Twists



Notes: I will be using my deadlift stance on high bar squats now. Hopefully the rounding on my deads improves as I cut. I will be moving my upper back work to my bench day

Paused Narrow Incline
Warmups
235x5 @ 8.5
225x5 @ 8
225x5 @ 7.5


Vertical Pulldown
Warmups
1x12


Dips
Warmups
70 4x5


Facepulls
3x20


Superset
Rope Pressdowns 2x20
Rope Curls 2x20


Notes: Inclines got better as I got the groove back

Kevin maybe this is so obvious that I'll feel stupid for asking but what does @8.5, @8, etc. mean?

Logan, I think he MAY mean at on an RPE (rate of perceived exertion) scale. So if that's a 1-10 scale, his last rep felt like an 8. This is what i try to do with my volume bench session right now. Or I could just be totally wrong.

^ yep. These first 9 days I am trying to keep work sets from 7.5 - 8.5, helps keep me in check

my scale is
10 - Grinder/Didn't know I'd get it
9.5 - Knew I'd get it
9 - 1 Rep in the tank
8.5 - Maybe 2
8 - 2-3 Reps in the tank
7.5 - 3+ reps in the tank

ah ok that's interesting, thanks. First nine days of what program exactly?

Logan Joseph wrote:

Kevin maybe this is so obvious that I'll feel stupid for asking but what does @8.5, @8, etc. mean?

It's a good question. Read Mike Tuchscherer's stuff on rate of perceived exertion and you'll pick up some good info on autoregulation. FYI, Ghost Dawg, every set you've ever done has been a @10.

Logan Joseph wrote:

ah ok that's interesting, thanks. First nine days of what program exactly?

I will be loosely following this. I moved the upper back to the pressing days

KKeough wrote:

Logan Joseph wrote:

Kevin maybe this is so obvious that I'll feel stupid for asking but what does @8.5, @8, etc. mean?

It's a good question. Read Mike Tuchscherer's stuff on rate of perceived exertion and you'll pick up some good info on autoregulation. FYI, Ghost Dawg, every set you've ever done has been a @10.

haha, definitely. Maybe that's why I actually had success on juggernaut, which forced me to cut off sets before I was totally exhausted (except for the last set of the day, which is why I wound up doing that 15 rep deadlift set on a 5x5 day)

Comp Squat
Warmups
495x5 @ 7.5
515x5 @ 8
495x5 @ 7.5


Sumo Deads w/ straps
Warmups
505x2 @7.5
515x2 @8
525x2 @8


GHR Situps
25x12
45x12 + twists


Db Circles
75 lbs x 22


Single Leg Press
Warmups
3ppsx10


Notes: I woke up some excruciating erector doms during the squats so I stayed conservative

Paused Narrow Incline
Warmups
235x5 @7.5
240x5 @8
245x5 @8.5


Neutral Grip Pulldown
3x10


Dips
Warmups
90 4x5


Superset
Rope Pressdowns 2x20
Rope Curls 2x20


Notes: Didn't let out my air on the last two sets of incline, made things considerably easier