25 replies to this topic

[haigh]

Hey all, my name's Chris Haigh. I'm 29 and been powerlifting now for about 5 years. I usually compete in the APF in the 275's. I made my first Elite total in 2008. At my last meet in March in Illinois, I totaled 2149 (about a 100 lb PR) with a 755 squat, 705 bench press, and 688 deadlift (all PR's) weighing 253. I'm currently in the Air Force stationed in Alaska, so finding good training partners is always a chore, but I'm getting by.

Next meet's the Summer Bash in Chicago on June 27. Looking to learn and for feedback on my training from other Elite lifters. I post quite a bit on the Bad Attitude Gym forum, and video quite a bit of my training, so that should make seeing what I do much easier.

[haigh]

5/26 Tuesday - ME BP

Circuit Set: 3x15 each
Mini Band Pushdowns
Rotators
Db Flyes w/ 15's

Raw Bench Press, full ROM - pinkies on rings: 45/30, 135/12, 225/8, 315/3, 365/3, 405/1
3 Board in newer Rage X - competition grip: 500/2
2 Board: 565/1
1.5 Board: 615/1, 650/1 **easy
2 Board: 700/1 **solid
1 Board: 635/1 **also pretty easy

Hammer Strength Incline Press: 90/15, 180/12, 280/12

**Felt great today after the long weekend and taking the previous two days off. Everything felt and looked real solid.

Video:

[haigh]

5/27 Deadlifts

Neutral Grip Lat Pulldowns: 4x15

Sumo Deadlifts
Raw: 135/8, 225/5
Add 44 Metal Viking Briefs + Belt: 335/1 x 2 sets, 385/1 x 2 sets, 435/1 x 2 sets, 505/1

Bent Bb Rows: 155/12, 245/12, 335/12, 445/12
Bb Shrugs: 315/12, 455/12, 565/12, 655/12

Ham/Quad/Ab Circuit: 3x15 each
Purple Band Leg Curls
Leg Extensions
Decline Situps, bodyweight only

**Took it easy on the pulls with some heavy squatting coming up on Saturday, but went pretty heavy on some of the accessories.

[montesparkman]

awwwww snap....

[haigh]

pffff...

5/29 Friday - Raw/Top End BP

Circuit Set: 3x15 each
Mini Band Pushdowns
Rotators
Db Flyes w/ 15's

Bench Press
Straight weight: 45/30 (competition grip)
Add 90 lbs chains: 45/10, 95/5, 135/3 (competition grip), 185/3, 205/3 x 3 sets (pinkies on rings), 235/3 x 3 sets, 275/1, 325/1 (competition grip) **easy

4 Board Press - pinkies on rings: 335/5, 385/5, 445/5 x 3 sets

Db Extensions: 4x15 to 55's
Db Side Raises: 4x15 to 35's

**Feeling stronger with each session. About 4 weeks to go now.

[haigh]

5/30 Saturday - Squats (Circa Max Week 1)

Close Grip Lat Pulldowns: 4x15 to the whole stack

Box Squats
Raw: 45/12
Add Choked Blue Bands (~250 lbs tension): 45/8
Add Choked Green Bands (~375 lbs tension): 45/5
Add Choked Purple Bands (~440 lbs tension total): 45/5
Add 44 Metal Viking Briefs: 135/3
Add Belt: 225/2 x 2 sets
Add Inzer Leviathan, straps down: 315/2 x 4 sets, 365/1 (PR)

GHR: bw/12, 20/12, 40/12, bw/12
GHR Situps holding weight behind head: bw/12, 15/12, 35/15, 10/15

**First week of circa max. Worked up to blues, greens, and purples, and then started adding bar weight and gear from there. Definitely the most tension I've ever used before, and it really took me out of my comfort zone. I had a much more difficult time staying tight and maintaining good form with the high band tension. But this is the kind of training I need right now to give my squat a boost. Finished the day with 9 reps above 750 lbs, and my hamstrings are feeling it. Looking forward to next week's session.

[haigh]

5/31 Sunday - Extra

Stationary Bike: 15 minutes
Db Preacher Curls: 4x12 to 50
Db Wrist Curls: 3x12 to 60
Db Reverse Wrist Curls: 3x15 to 25

[haigh]

6/1 Monday - ME BP

Circuit Set: 3x15 each
Mini Band Pushdowns
Rotators
Db Flyes w/ 15's

Bench Press
Raw, Full ROM - pinkies on rings: 45/30, 135/12, 225/8, 315/3, 365/3, 405/1
3 Board in newer Rage X - competition grip: 500/2
2 Board: 565/1, 615/1, 660/1
1.5 Board: 710/1 (PR)

Hammer Strength Incline Press: 110/15, 200/12, 290/12

**Like I said above, each session is feeling better than the last. Worked up to a solid PR single off 1.5 boards.

[youtube=jNT8HqfPA8w]

[Jim McDonald]

Take the spaces out and the youtube will work

edit...there you go

[haigh]

They're out.

[haigh]

6/3 Wednesday - Deadlifts

Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns: 4x15
Raw Wide Stance Good Mornings: 45/10, 135/8, 185/8, 225/6, 275/5, 315/6

Sumo Deadlifts
Raw: 135/8, 225/5
Add 44 Metal Viking Briefs + Belt: 315/1, 405/1
Add Metal Ace, straps up: 515/1 x 5 sets

Seated Cable Rows w/ DD handle: 4x15
Narrow Stance Standing Abs: 4x15

**Did heavier speed pulls in my suit since I wanted to get some extra work in with full gear. Definitely harder after doing good mornings though.

[haigh]

6/5 Friday - Raw/Top End BP

Circuit Set: 3x15 each
Mini Band Pushdowns
Rotators
Db Flyes w/ 15's

Bench Press
1 pair folded minis: 45/20 (competition grip)
2 pairs folded minis: 45/10, 95/3, 135/3, 165/3 x 3 sets (pinkies on rings), 165/3 x 3 sets, 225/1, 275/1 (PR) (competition grip)

4 Board Press - pinkies on rings: 335/3, 395/3, 450/5 x 3 sets

Mini Band Pushdowns: 3x30

**Bench speed was great, and lockout strength is definitely improving. PR off 4 boards is 450/5, and today I was able to hit that for 3 sets without a problem.

[haigh]

6/6 Saturday - Squats (Circa Max Week 2)

Free Squats
Raw: 45/10 x 2 sets
Add Choked Blue Bands (250 lbs tension): 45/8
Add Choked Green Bands (375 lbs tension): 45/5
Add 44 Metal Viking Briefs: 135/3
Add Belt: 225/2 x 2 sets, 275/2
Add Inzer Leviathan, straps down: 325/2, 375/2, 415/1, 450/1 (PR)

**That's all I had time for with the 12 hour shifts at work still going. Got some good squatting in though.

[haigh]

6/8 Monday - ME BP

Circuit Set: 3x15 each
Mini Band Pushdowns
Rotators
Db Flyes w/ 15's

Bench Press
Raw, Full ROM - pinkies on rings: 45/25, 135/12, 225/8, 315/3, 365/3, 405/2
3 Board in newer Rage X - competition grip: 505/2
2 Board: 565/1
1.5 Board: 605/1
0.5 Board: 660/1
2 Board: 715/1

Rear Db Raises: 4x15 to 60's

**Worked up to my planned opener off a half board with 660 and planned second attempt of 715 off 2 boards with less than 3 weeks to go. Everything felt solid.

[youtube=lGjiTIKX2Bw]

[haigh]

6/10 Wednesday - Deadlifts

Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns: 4x15 to the whole stack

Sumo Deadlifts + 90 lbs chains
Raw: 135/5, 225/3
Add 44 Metal Viking Briefs + Belt: 315/1, 415/1
Add Metal Ace Suit, straps down: 515/1
Straps Up: 615/1 (PR)

One Legged Leg Press: 3x15 to 210
Bent Bb Rows: 155/12, 255/12, 355/12, 455/12
Bb Shrugs: 315/12, 455/12, 565/12, 680/12 (PR)
Decline Situps holding weight behind head: 4x12 to 45

**Pleased to be able to hit a PR pull only 4 days after finishing my circa-max phase. Went heavy on everything else too, so right now I'm exhausted.

[haigh]

6/11 Thursday - Raw/Top End BP

Circuit Set: 3x15 each
Mini Band Pushdowns
Rotators
Db Flyes w/ 15's

Bench Press
1 pair folded minis: 45/20 (competition grip)
2 pairs folded minis: 45/10, 95/3 (competition grip), 135/3, 165/3 x 3 sets (pinkies on rings), 165/3 x 3 sets, 225/1, 285/1 (PR) (competition grip)

4 Board Press - pinkies on rings: 335/3, 405/3, 455/5 x 3 sets (weight and volume PR)

Db Extensions: 30/15, 45/15, 60/12, 35/15, 25/15

**Bench speed was even better than last week. Board presses were solid, and my triceps looked and felt like they were going to explode after the extensions. Good stuff.

[haigh]

6/12 Friday - Extra

Side Db Raises: 5x12 to 40's
Mini Band Pull Aparts: 3x20
Db Hammer Curls: 3x10 to 60's
Db Preacher Curls: 3x12,12,15 to 40's
Db Wrist Curls: 3x12 to 60
Db Reverse Wrist Curls: 4x15 to 25

**I have developed a huge bruise on the outside of my calf just under my knee; from what, I have no idea. So between my sets, I was doing lots of free squats with just the bar to test it out. Finished up with lots of stretching. Weird.

[Mark Bell]

Your training is looking great. Do a deadlift or a movement for the deadlift every week.

[haigh]

Thanks Mark. I usually do unless I'm feeling beat up, in which case I'll still pull, but then it's lighter for speed. I need to start adding good mornings back into the mix on a more ergular basis.

[haigh]

6/13 Saturday - Deload Squats

Underhand Grip Lat Pulldowns: 3x15
GHR: 3x6

Free Squats
Raw: 45/10 x 2 sets, 145/5 x 2 sets, 235/5 x 2 sets, 325/3
Add 44 Metal Viking Briefs: 325/5
Add Belt: 415/5 x 2 sets
Add Frantz TP5000 Knee Wraps: 515/5 **very easy and explosive

GHR with back of bench elevated 6 in: bw/12, 15/12, 25/12, bw/12 **much harder with the back elevated
Leg Press Calf Raises: 4x12,12,12,15 to 470
Leg Raises against bands: bw/15, 1 mini/15, 2 minis/20, bw/20

**As is the norm for me, I deloaded today with some light free squats in briefs after a heavy band phase. All the squats felt very easy and explosive. I wore loose knee wraps on my last set to get used to them again since I haven't worn them in about a month. Next week I'll work a little heavier in full gear to get the feel of the suit again, and then it's on to the meet.

[youtube=9FV95BldA-w]