Thanks! Good to hear I'm getting better at guessing RPE.

Squat ~170, snatch... 80
Congrats on pr squat triple tho.

How's the full snatch going, not hangs etc?

Lol welcome to my life

This was the 1st time attempting some full snatches after 4 weeks of hang snatches. Things are definitely getting a lot better, I just need to continue doing more and heavier hang snatches.

On that 80kg full snatch my body just reverted back to pulling the bar as high as my face and then refusing to drop under.

Should probably just keep hang snatching until I am comfortable hang snatching more than I can currently power snatch.

2019/03/29

Jerk Balance
5x5x40

Jerk
1x3x40
1x3x50
1x3x60

Power Jerk + Jerk
2x(1+1)x60
4x(1+1)x70

2019/03/28

High Hang Snatch
2x5x30
2x3x40
1x3x50
1x3x55
3x3x60
3x3x62

Anyone have any good explanation for why my first rep is always much higher?



Bench Press
1x10x20
1x10x40
1x8x50
1x8x60
1x6x75
4x7x84

It's chesticle time!

Six months back in the gym. Regaining strength and physique went way easier than I imagined. Nearing PR territory and looking as good as I ever did.

October 2018 (208lbs)


March 2019 (220lbs)

Chesticle time is the besticle time!

"Anyone have any good explanation for why my first rep is always much higher?"
You pull it higher. You are lazy about getting under the bar. Some cues that might work:
-faster feet
-finish the pull (feel tension all the way through lockout - I am guessing the bar crashes on you sometimes, though I don't see it here)

Pulling it higher on the first rep sounds like it makes sense.

I know what you mean with lazy under the bar. Zack has a good progression video that includes both principles of "faster feet" and "finish the pull", although not with those exact cues.

Thanks for tip, I will work on it.



2019/03/29

Clean & Jerk
3x(1+3)x40
2x(1+3)x50
6x(1+3)x60

I made a big discovery. A while back I wrote my jerk went forward because my knees cave in on the drive, so for a long time I kept focusing on "knees out" as a cue. But the caving knees were a symptom, not the cause. The reason my knees cave is because my balance shifts onto my toes on every drive. I extend too much from my feet and not from my legs. As a result my hips move forward and my knees cave in.

Another thing I realized is that I was trying way too hard to "copy" a typical max effort jerk from all those elite lifter instagram videos. I was exaggerating the split way too much by literally jumping and landing with my legs very far apart. Everything about my jerk was just unnatural, unstable and awkward.

I went through some coach wu jerk explanation videos on youtube and focused on staying relaxed, focusing on rhythm and simply popping the bar off my shoulders using my legs (not my feet) and splitting comfortably. I feel so much better with a more shorter stance. And it makes "landing the feet aggressively" a lot easier too.

As much as I hate jerks, today was actually a lot of fun, because things clicked for once.

Panda Pull + Snatch
3x(2+1)x40
2x(2+1)x50
2x(2+1)x60
1x(1+1)x60
1x(1+1)x65
1x(1+1)x70
1x(1+1)x75
1x(1+1)x60
1x(1+1)x70
2x(2+1)x70
3x(1+3)x60

2019/03/29

PM (Second training for the day, I still wanted to squat and deadlift)

Squat
2x5x60
2x3x80
3x100
3x120
3x133
3x143
3x153
3x163 PR! +1kg (360lbs) @RPE8

Lol I'm just gonna keep stacking up 1kg PR's with this knee sleeve cheat. I swear my set at 153 felt like RPE10 today. Then I add SBD knee sleeves on top set 10kg heavier and it feels way easier.

Deadlift
3x60
3x80
3x100
3x120
3x140
3x160
3x3x170 (375lbs) Added straps for these

Video
(1) last set of snatches from AM session
(2) squat triple PR
(3) deadlift 3 last sets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqLERDrnia0

2019/03/31

Snatch Balance
2x3x40
2x3x50
2x3x60
2x3x70
2x3x75

Snatch Panda Pull + Snatch
2x(1+3)x40
2x(1+3)x50
1x(1+3)x60
1x(1+3)x65
1x(1+1)x70
1x(1+3)x60
1x(1+2)x65 failed 3rd rep BEHIND... this is new
1x(1+3)x60

By far the most smooth reps I have ever felt

Decline Crunches
4x15

2019/04/01

Clean & Jerk
3x(1+3)x40
2x(1+3)x50
1x(1+3)x60
6x(1+3)x70

Squat
3x60
3x80
3x104
3x124
3x144
3x154
3x164 PR! +1kg (362lbs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbztJs2Ev2k

Lost 2nd rep out in front a little. Third rep was way easier. RPE9 I think.

2019/04/02

Push Press
2x5x30
2x5x40
2x3x50
1x3x60
5x3x70

Bench Press
2x10x40
1x3x50
1x3x60
1x3x70
1x3x80
6x3x100 (225lbs) These started out being a little grindy but got easier every set.

First bench video in this thread, last set shown:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlFnFgiYsTA

I have no idea what I am capable benching for a single. I need to know for the meet on April 21st. I think I'll try a 3RM somewhere next week and calculate some possible 1RMs from there.

Dude what happened to your bench. Chesticles not at their peak, I recall you hitting 220x11.

Correct. Since I got into crossfit and weightlifting I just stopped benching. The last time I was into full chesticle mode was 2014. Virtually no bench pressing for 5 years.

I only started benching again a couple weeks back because of this upcoming powerlifting meet at my gym I'm joining for fun.

But I admit I forgot how fun it was. Chest pump is the best pump.

2019/04/03

Snatch Balance
3x3x40
2x2x50
2x2x60
5x2x70

Snatch Panda Pull + Snatch
3x(2+2)x40
2x(2+2)x50
5x(2+2)x60

2019/04/05

Squat
2x5x60
2x3x80
3x100
3x120
3x135
3x145
3x155
4x165 PR! (364lbs)

I was planning on doing a 3 repper for a +1kg triple PR but my buddies were cheering me on and I felt good for one more! Feeling pretty damn good about this set.

Deadlift
3x60
3x100
3x140
3x160
3x180
2x200 (441lbs) beltless + hookgrip

Wanted to hit 3 and could've grinded myself through an ugly 3rd rep but I didn't want to break my back 2 weeks before the meet. Video doesn't actually show the (failed) 3rd rep cause my buddy cut it out as a joke. Very surprised with the speed on that first rep.

Bench
1x5x40
1x5x60
1x5x75
4x5x85



I just found out it's apparently pretty standard to open a 1st meet attempt with a 3RM weight.

I was thinking to try and do something like this:
Squat 170/180/190 (375/400/420)
Deadlift 200/210/220 (440/465/485)
Bench 100/110/120 (220/245/265)

Are those dumb jumps or would that be a pretty standard layout in term of attempts?

Nice lifts! Looked like @9 on that squat set, too.

I've heard others in the forum advocate something along the 87%/93%/100% spectrum for level zero attempt selection, but it seems like there's a fair bit of feel there too. Obviously the more experienced lifters should confirm/deny.

Are you planning on pulling in lifting shoes in the meet?

Thanks Monte!

Yes I will pull in my lifting shoes. I do all my (clean) pulls in these shoes when I train and I recently tried a variety of different deadlift styles (shoes, no shoes, narrow stance, wide stance, sumo stance) thinking I'd have a stronger pull just by making myself theoretically more efficient, but it all felt pretty horrible without going through the effort of first getting used to it. I also figured there's not really any need to suddenly change something on a meet day different to what I usually do.

When I browsed through some YouTube videos on the topic it seemed most people start a little higher on their 1st attempt, like 91%/96%/100%. But the numbers you suggested actually sound a little more strategic.

Percentages 87% 93% 100% put me at:
S 165 / 177 / 190 (lbs: 364 / 390 / 420)
D 191 / 205 / 220 (lbs: 421 / 452 / 485)
B 104 / 112 / 120 (lbs: 229 / 247 / 265)

Doing it like this, just from looking at the numbers, there seems to be a higher chance I smoke attempt 1 and 2 and then set myself up for a better chance to hit a huge 3rd.

The way I had my numbers in the previous post, I think my 2nd attempts are a little high and I probably gas/grind myself out too much before the final attempts.

Thanks for the suggestion! Liking you

DL was sick fast. THink you could have made it with a mixed grip?

I just noticed you do crossfit as well. What does a week of training look like for you and what are your goals?

No doubt I can mixed grip pull 200kg, I did so two weeks ago and another time a couple months back. But no idea whether if it makes much of a difference at absolute max weights. Never really thought about it.

Anyone thinks I may be good for more than a 220kg max pull based on the speed? I have one more week to figure stuff out if I have to (and another taper week).



I actually haven’t done a crossfit workout in over a year. I switched to focusing on weightlifting movements and ocassionally do some bench and deadlifts. My anaerobic capacity is probably pretty bad right now.

My goal is to be able to hit a 100kg snatch & 120kg cj by the end of the year.

For picking numbers, I would not get hung up on exact percentages.

The first thing you want to do is pick goal numbers for your 3rd attempts. Pick goal numbers that will be challenging, but keep in mind that for bench and especially for DL, you will be more tired than usual from the previous lifts. You do not have to make these number your third attempts in the actual meet - you can always go lower if you feel like you have little or no chance of hitting the goal weight after your second attempts, but they should be numbers that you can probably get if everything goes perfectly on a good day.

The next thing to pick is openers. Your opener should be pretty easy to hit a triple with on a bad day.

Subtract your opener from your goal weight. Divide that number by two. Add that to your opener and round up to the nearest 2.5 KG. That should be your second attempt.

I wish I had noticed sooner that you're doing a meet soon because maxing out on reps is not the best way to put up big numbers in a meet. I like to figure out my openers and goals as far out as possible. With my age, experience and injury status, I am constantly making adjustments as I go, but that's not the best way to do it if you're young, healthy and have time to program for a meet. If you ever do another meet, let me know 8 - 12 weeks out next time.

I'm thinking on the fly here about your current situation, two weeks out. You want to be testing your 1 RMs now. Right now. Since you just maxed out on reps yesterday, you need to recover from that now before going 100%. Ideally, you would test 1 RMs on three different days, but you dont have time to do that now and be ready for the meet. Here's what I recommend:

I would rest today and tomorrow.

The next day (4/8), attempt 100% 1 RMs on all three lifts.

Try to conserve as much energy as possible in warming up and picking attempts. When warming up, do not do more than 1 rep with any more than 65 - 70% of your 1 RM goal. Dont do any more than 3 reps with any more than 50% of your 1 RM goal. If you need lots of reps to get warm, do that with way less than 50% of your 1 RM goal.

After squats, you wont need to warm up as much on the other lifts, so go ahead and make big jumps.

With all that in mind, pick your 100% #s. Pick your openers. Warm up so that you hit your opener for 1 rep, then jump to your 1 RM. Dont make that jump bigger than your jumps in warmups.

If you think a form error led to missing a 1 RM and you still feel good, go ahead and take another try at it. If you smoke what you thought was a 1 RM and you feel good, go ahead and add weight and try for a bigger one.

Rest for two days. Then on 4/11, I would squat only, warming up similarly to the above suggestions, and hit your opener. Dont do much, if anything, after that. You can do any rolling or stretching or light, easy accessory work that you feel like you need, but dont push hard.

Either 4/12 or 4/13, hit your bench opener just like you did for squats.

Either 4/14 or 4/15, hit your DL opener just like bench and squats.

After that, either do nothing until the meet, or do stretching, rolling and very light accessory work. DO NOT push hard with anything between the 100% days and the meet.

Hopefully that all makes sense to you. Let me know if you have any questions.

I looked at your last squat and DL video. What are your 1 rep PRs for each of those?

Thanks a lot for taking the time to write that out.

The Magic Cha Numbers come out like this:
S 160 / 175 / 190 (lbs: 353 / 386 / 419)
B 100 / 110 / 120 (lbs: 220 / 243 / 265)
D 190 / 205 / 220 (lbs: 419 / 452 / 485)

Quite similar to the percentages but definitely more "natural" numbers.

Just for perspective, I mostly wanted to join this meet because it's at my own gym and I think I can hit some pretty good numbers from my usual weightlifting training. I don't really have any powerlifting goals, although I obviously enjoy moving big weights.

By which I mean, even if I had 12 weeks to prepare, I would probably not throw everything overboard just to have the absolute highest meet result ever.

My all-time PRs both date back to halfway 2017. I squatted 190kg (419) at a training camp and pulled a relatively easy 210kg (453) conventional on a random day with a friend.

I had a 1yr+ hiatus from training after that and am now at similar strength levels as I was back then.

I also pulled 218 (480) sumo once back in 2015 when I did more deadlifting.

Little confused here. Are you saying 1 rep TOTAL? Or 1 rep per set?

If my squat 1RM goal is 190kg, 70% is 133kg.

Does this mean I do a single at ~130kg and then jump straight to the 160 opener?

I go straight from the opener weight to the 1RM on the test day? What about the 2nd attempt?

If there is no 2nd attempt, that means I'd go 130 160 190?

Jesus, that sounds scary. Haha.

Absolutely does. I will follow your advice! Thanks again.