Elite Powerlifting Chase

[RoyHobbs]

I debated about signing up here to start a powerlifting log. I was a member a long time ago in the early 2000's but haven't posted here since. I always enjoyed the logs I kept at another site. I'd really like to sharing my journey and following others outside of social media and this is the best, most active forum that discusses PEDs as well as training and nutrition.

My brief background… I am 33 and began powerlifting when I got out of the Marine Corps and met Gene Rychlak. I began to train with him and his crew and was hooked. I have pretty much always trained but taken time away from competing and training hard for other goals and life events. I am a full time firefighter (2 24hr shifts a week), part time Registered Nurse in the ICU (1 12hr shift a week) and a Nurse Practitioner grad student with 9 months left. My wife, the most amazing woman in the world, is my rock and biggest supporter. She competes regularly in both CrossFit and powerlifting.

Most recently I spent 12 weeks preparing for my first bodybuilding show before realizing the process was no where near as enjoyable and downright miserable at times. I was 5.5 weeks out when I pulled the plug and felt an immediate relief. I am looking forward to getting back to big eating, heavy training and growing. I have all the respect in the world for those that step on stage but it just wasn't for me.

I will be competing in 12 weeks at the SPF New England Power Challenge II on 11/19 with the crew from my gym. Then again with my wife at RPS Christmas Carnage next on December 3rd. My best raw lifts were at 228lbs and 460/400/600. I would like to beat all of those.

I have trained a number of styles and consider myself a "powerbuilder" as I love being big AND strong (not that I consider myself either compared to many of you). For this meet prep I will be running the Size and Strength Stampede Blueprint from Josh Bryant. We emailed back and forth a few times about working together as I love his ideas and philosophies but after wasting time and some strength during the show prep I want believe I can get back to and slightly ahead of my previous best on my own with a template before going full steam ahead with him.

I am 215.4lbs now up from 191.4lbs when I stopped prep and the pictures I attached. I am getting about 350gP/450C/46F for around 3650cals on training days and about 300P/375C/38F for around 3100 on off days. I have been absolutely ravenous and will likely increase my intake and add in some more free meals.

As for gear… I felt so shitty during prep on T3, clen , tren, etc. I dropped all the stims except for some green tea before my morning cardio. Currently just running some test with 12.5 aromasin ED until next week when I kick off the comp cycle after getting some blood work done. Pretty conservative

Test E 600mg/wk
Deca 300mg/wk
Dbol 25mg/day @6 weeks out
Halo 20mg/day @3 weeks out

 

[RoyHobbs]

Slept well but as expected I was up early. I've come to enjoy the early morning when I have 45 minutes or so to drink my coffee, read the news, forums, Facebook/IG while Jess and Kato (our 8yr old Belgian Malinois) are still sleeping.

Anyway, banged out 25min on the elliptical, ate, went to church, ate again, grocery shopped and ate/food prepped before hitting up the gym with Jess.

I know I said I was going to run 5/3/1 again. I do love that programs simplicity and customization. However for $10 I bought Josh Bryant's "Size and Strength Stampede" on Amazon. It's an ok book with a ton of routines in it. I really just bought it to get the name sake routine. I have communicated with Josh about working with him and really want to but feel as though after dropping so much money on the show prep only to back out I need to hit some basics and earn my time with a coach. Anyway, the program seems very solid as expected and is a lot of volume. I will definitely be working harder following this than if I had done my own thing with 5/3/1.

bench
265x3
280x3

bench (60sec rest)
230x6x3 sets
230x13

American bar incline press SS wide chins (60sec rest)
185x6/1 chain x5
195x6/1 chain x5
205x6/1 chain x5
215x6/1 chain x5

incline db flye SS fat bar curl (60sec rest)
45x12/75x12
50x12/75x12
55x12/75x12

incline curl SS incline IYT raise (60sec rest)
35x12/10x15
35x10/10x15
35x8/10x15

side planks
20sec x3 sets per side

seated calf raise
90x10
100x10x3 sets

It doesn't look as bad on paper however I made an effort to use my phone stopwatch to make sure I stuck to the rest periods. A minute flies by faster than you realize when you're sucking wind! Could have gone heavier on the incline presses for sure but wasn't sure how'd they'd go and considering it was the first day I didn't want to start out overestimating weights.

All the energy, fullness and glycogen from stopping prep and filling back out with food had me ridiculously pumped and strong. However I had some rotator pain as I could tell my chest/delts/tris were a lot more ready for heavy and hard training than my connective tissue. Just something to keep an eye on so I don't overdue it and get hurt in the early stages.

 

[RoyHobbs]

Went to Rob and Dana Linn Bailey's Warhouse gym today to train with a friend. Took a little bit longer than normal since I was helping him but a great training session. Insane pumps all around.

squat
310x5x4 sets sleeves
310x10 sleeves

front squat
265x2x6 sets

front squat static hold
315x15 seconds x2 sets

standing leg curl SS leg extension
30x6/70x12
40x6/80x12
40x6/90x12

single leg glue bridge
45x12x3 sets

donkey calf raise
60x15
80x15x2 sets

Misloaded the front squats. Should have been 285. I was distracted helping my buddy. It's all good though. Still got good work in. Hams and glutes are destroyed.

Final for OB/GYN later today and then done with school for 3 weeks. Otherwise just pounding my meals down.

 

[RoyHobbs]

Some pics and vids…

The pics are from right before I pulled out of prep 2 weeks ago. Vids are from last years Christmas Carnage.

Squat 460
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv5QjU3TAj4"]Squat 460lbs 2nd attempt 2015 RPS Christmas Carnage - YouTube[/ame]

Bench 400
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5jp2y-VWk0"]Bench 400lb 3rd attempt 2015 RPS Christmas Carnage - YouTube[/ame]

Deadlift 600
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0WZFV8XwyQ"]Deadlift 600lbs 3rd attempt 2015 RPS Christmas Carnage - YouTube[/ame]


Forgot to add I have been on 4iu Norditropin and am really liking it. Super full feeling. Will be adding some Humalog pre-workout next week as well to really push for some size. Probably about 8iu.

GH and insulin are not common in powerlifting to my knowledge. And I know Stan Efferding just kind of spoke down on GH use in one of his rants. But I believe the recovery aspects, ability to keep me a hair leaner and a little ebit of hypertrophy are all beneficial for powerlifting. As for the Humalog… it isn't needed but I don't see how, if used correctly, enhanced nutrient shuttling in the peri-training time frame could be a bad thing. And like I said, I consider myself a power builder. I'm not getting any younger. The time to really grow is now.

 

[RoyHobbs]

Happy 3rd anniversary to my amazing wife. She's more than I'll ever deserve that's for sure. But she inspires me to be a better man.

Off from work today and didn't do much besides prep some food for a guys night dinner I'm hosting tomorrow (garlic bread, spaghetti with homemade mozzarella stuffed meatballs and roasted red pepper chicken cavatelli) and take Kato to his favorite store The Dining Dog for some treats. Everything is made with human grade ingredients and all organic. He got sweet potato pie with bacon, chili, cinnamon rolls, pumpkin cheesecake bites, peanut butter cup cookies and banana bread. He's so spoiled but deserves it.

Training was solid.

military press
180x2x7 sets
180x11

DB crucifix hold
15x30 seconds
20x30 seconds

rear delt flye SS incl bench db lateral (5sec negative)
20x12/20x5
25x12/25x5x2 sets

dicks press
85x12
95x12x2 sets
105x12

dips
80x6x3 sets

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c0koCzcGGQ"]Dips 4 chains (80lbs)x6 - YouTube[/ame]

overhead extension
monster band x20x3 sets

pulldown abs
45x15x3 sets

ssb standing calf raises
145x10
165x10x2 sets
175x10x2 sets

Got to catch up with some of the guys which was nice. Rotators were aching after the shoulder work. They just aren't as ready for the heavy weight again as my delts are. Took some ibuprofen and it went away. First time doing the crucifix hold and dicks press and really liked both of them. Work 8hrs tomorrow in the ER then some deadlifting before having the guys over to feast. Looking forward to it.

First time doing 8iu Humalog pre-workout. Only used 5iu before. Will go 8 again tomorrow before trying 10iu. Not sure I want to go higher than that. Upped intraworkout to 75g HBCD and 25g EAA with 100g carbs pwo after I am home. No issues. Took my second dose of 2iu GH 2hrs pre workout as well per Dr Serrano's video.

 

[tenny]

we have a RAW world record holder here.....

Sam Byrd....bigbyrd.....i haven't seen him in awhile though.
he used to post ALOT....

has the 220 sqt record.

Men's Raw World Records | Powerlifting Watch

good to see some PL logs with vids.....we had a lot
at one time....but they fizzled away.

 

[RoyHobbs]

we have a RAW world record holder here.....

Sam Byrd....bigbyrd.....i haven't seen him in awhile though.
he used to post ALOT....

has the 220 sqt record.

Men's Raw World Records | Powerlifting Watch

good to see some PL logs with vids.....we had a lot
at one time....but they fizzled away.

I didn't know Sam ever posted here. Got to meet and talk with him a bit at one of the Animal ABC workouts. He's a real solid guy and a HELL of a lifter.

I feel like so much of nutrition, supplementation and gear in bodybuilding and powerlifting overlap and can benefit an athlete in either sport. Powerlifters especially tend to ignore some of the methods of the other side and I think are missing out on some efficiency and more rapid progress because of it.

 

[RoyHobbs]

Awesome day today. Shift at the hospital went quick, had an awesome training session with my buddy from out of town and then crushed an Italian feast I made for a guys night dinner.

deadlift
415x3

deadlift 60sec rest
350x4x6 sets

CSR
90x12
105x12
115x12
125x12

db shrug
95x12
100x12x2 sets

v handle pull up
17.5x3x2 sets
35x3x2 sets
17.5x3x2 sets

My low back was insanely pumped. 415 moved very fast and the 60 seconds of rest makes you work hard with the lighter weights. They are speed pulls but not in the truest sense. More CAT training really. But I moved them all but the very last 2 reps very fast.

Dinner was insane. Had 8 lifter friends of mine from different gyms over for homemade garlic bread, roasted red pepper chicken cavatelli and spaghetti with stuffed meatballs. They loved it and we ate every last scrap. They also polished off most of a bottle of Disarono lol. It was cool getting guys together to shoot the shit about lifting and life. Some knew each other, some didn't. But all guys that share a love of hard training, food and growing.

 

[RealDonkeykong]

Did you mean Elite powerlifting Chase as in your trying to total ELITE in RPS? If so they test for Elite...

 

[tenny]

Did you mean Elite powerlifting Chase as in your trying to total ELITE in RPS? If so they test for Elite...

they test 1 class winner.....and i believe 10%
of the rest of the field....

so 10 guys out of 100.....and i herd they get a "list"
on who "they can test".....everything is rigged.

uspa doesn't test at all......only 100% raw.

 

[RoyHobbs]

Did you mean Elite powerlifting Chase as in your trying to total ELITE in RPS? If so they test for Elite...

they test 1 class winner.....and i believe 10%
of the rest of the field....

so 10 guys out of 100.....and i herd they get a "list"
on who "they can test".....everything is rigged.

uspa doesn't test at all......only 100% raw.

Perhaps I should have used RPS specific terminology and said "Pro Powerlifting Chase".

RPS doesn't test the Pro Division which is what I compete in. The Elite Amateurs Division is what you are thinking of and yes they get tested. I don't compete in that division. RPS doesn't have "Elite Totals" actually. Just "Pro Total". But Gene is the only one who uses that term so I just went with the more commonly known "Elite".

As for rigged testing… He doesn't test as many as the rules say but I have friends who were 100% clean and go asked to test. I can't speak for all the RPS meet directors but Gene's choices appear to be a few random people. That said I also don't see very many people compete in Elite Amateur. Even if they are could most just enter the Pro division.

 

[RoyHobbs]

Got home from work yesterday and was hungry so I made a bagel sandwich with 2 eggs, 2 strips turkey bacon and 2 slices cheddar… I was still hungry so I made another… and another. 3 bagels, 6 eggs, 6 slices turkey bacon and 6 slices of cheddar later… I finished half a pint of Haagen Daaz Cookies and Cream. My appetite has just been insatiable. Weighed 223.4 this morning which is nuts. A TON of water from the GH. Noticed a little ankle edema today but my BP was 127/66 so just barely above my baseline. Perhaps I should have stayed at 2iu for a while before going to 3 and then 4. I had no bloat at 2. I also think it is a combination of the post contest diet rebound and GH. Before anyone asks yes I trust that the gear is real pharma Norditropin. I know who supplies it and who else they supply. That said when I get bloods done this coming week I will get a GH level and follow the protocol just to see where I land. I have no idea.

Training was great today.

bench
270x3
290x3

bench 60 seconds rest
230x7x3 sets
230x18

American bar incline press SS chins
215x6/20x5
225x6/20x5
235x6/20x5
245x6/35x5
255x6/35x5

incline db flye SS fat bar curls
50x12/80x12
55x12/80x12x2 super sets

incline curl SS incline IYT
35x12/15x15x3 super sets

SSB standing calf raise
145x15x4 sets with drop set last set

pulldown abs
55x15x4 sets

My rotators are still giving me pain and cannot keep up with my delts strength wise. Ill have to be careful. Squatting with a regular bar and not a squat bar aggravated my left bicep tendon which is a chronic problem with my squat grip isn't wide enough. Going to use the SSB to squat this week and let it rest. And low back pumps are just crazy still too. All the water. But I am full and feeling strong. Last week after the prescribed triples was 230x6x3 sets and AMRAP the 4th set I got 11. Destroyed that today even with the achey/shakey bicep.

Came home and had 2 scoops of whey isolate in unsweetened vanilla almond milk and 100g carbs from homemade chocolate blueberry pancakes with fat free whipped cream and sugar free syrup on top.

 

[RealDonkeykong]

Ok I see what your saying. Yeah I have read in a few articles about 'totaling elite" which always made me wonder what federation and where are the standards. With RPS they have the PRO totals listed for you and if you hit pro total or pro level on even one lift you go into Pro division unless you pay for your own test. Which I see no point of even for a natural athlete unless they have a lot of followers and want to make sure they are know for being "natty"...
Good lifts btw and good luck on reaching those goals.

Perhaps I should have used RPS specific terminology and said "Pro Powerlifting Chase".

RPS doesn't test the Pro Division which is what I compete in. The Elite Amateurs Division is what you are thinking of and yes they get tested. I don't compete in that division. RPS doesn't have "Elite Totals" actually. Just "Pro Total". But Gene is the only one who uses that term so I just went with the more commonly known "Elite".

As for rigged testing… He doesn't test as many as the rules say but I have friends who were 100% clean and go asked to test. I can't speak for all the RPS meet directors but Gene's choices appear to be a few random people. That said I also don't see very many people compete in Elite Amateur. Even if they are could most just enter the Pro division.

 

[RoyHobbs]

Ok I see what your saying. Yeah I have read in a few articles about 'totaling elite" which always made me wonder what federation and where are the standards. With RPS they have the PRO totals listed for you and if you hit pro total or pro level on even one lift you go into Pro division unless you pay for your own test. Which I see no point of even for a natural athlete unless they have a lot of followers and want to make sure they are know for being "natty"...
Good lifts btw and good luck on reaching those goals.

The original "elite totals" were from the USPA and a long time ago. As powerlifting got to have a million federations everyone put their own spin on what should be elite and kept the term. Here's a link that shows the original elite totals.

https://www.lift.net/2013/05/09/classification-standards-for-raw-elite-uspa/


Today's breakfast and then dinner

BREAKFAST
4 whole Omega-3 eggs
10oz strip steak
1 cup oats with cinnamon and raisins

DINNER
18oz rib eye
pulled pork stuffed sweet potato topped with ricotta cheese

 

[RoyHobbs]

Up early to do cardio before my shift at the hospital only to get a call right as i got on the road saying they didn't need me today and I could have the day off. A pretty sweet Labor Day surprise. Went home, ate and went to sleep for 2hrs.

My wife and I met up with some friends with our dog and their 2 for a little hike along a trail. Pups had a good time although my lower back was killing me with the pump.

Came home and ate/relaxed a bit before heading to a picnic at another friends. They always serve great food when they have people over.

-2 grassfed bacon cheeseburgers
-1 beef hotdog
-1 slice chocolate cake
-1 slice apple pie with ice cream

Going to get blood work including GH serum, IGF-1, BMP, CBC, Testosterone and Estradiol on Wednesday. After that I am going to drop the GH to 2iu/day. The water retention is killing me going right to 4iu. 32lbs in 3 weeks since ending the prep diet. Some is definitely bloat from the rebound but I usually hold very little water even when I was prepping. I had a full cheat day at 8 weeks out and held 6-7lbs I think it was. It was all gone in 3 days. The full body pump, especially low back and ankle edema is just getting tough.

I will say my appetite continues to be insane and I have not put on near the fat you would expect eating as insanely as I am. Hopefully dropping down gets rid of a lot of the water and I can stay at 2iu for a while and bump up .5iu at a time until I get to 4 again.

 

[RoyHobbs]

Water retention is just unbearable today. Called Direct Labs and even cancelled the GH serum and IGF-1. Just the thought of injecting 10iu made my back hurt. Going to go 2iu pre-workout only for a bit and go from there. I do not think it is diet/cardio/sodium/hydration/gear related. I never did off season cardio and I am now 4x a week for 25 minutes. Hydration, sodium and gear are all the same. Diet is more calories than I have had in a while but not much more if any than I took in when I was at my previous high weight before competing December of last year, even after huge cheat meals. And I had zero edema, CTS or back pump then. Hopefully the new 2iu protocol gets it under control quickly and I can tinker with doses and timing. I do think the GH is helping immensely in keeping me from putting on too much fat when eating so much.

Good training today. Going to compete in wraps so I started using them today. Weights are based off non-wrapped max so its good work in just the sleeves. Then one work set to get used to them before the AMRAP last set that the program calls for. Some left bicep tendon and shoulder bothered me a bit until they loosened up. Squatted with the regular straight bar twice last week and it is just too narrow for my lack of flexibility. And the bloat has just made it worse. But I used the squat bar today and was able to make it work. Ill use SSB for speed work later in the week. I wanted to feel the heavier weight on the straight bar.

squat
330x5x3 sets sleeves
330x5 Raptor wraps
330x14 Raptor wraps

front squat 60sec rest between sets
230x2x6 sets

front squat static hold
330x15 seconds x2 sets

bulgarian split squat
40x15
50x15

lying leg curl SS leg extension
70x7/45x25x3 sets

single leg glute bridge
12x3 sets

seated calf raise
70x15x5 reps

 

[RoyHobbs]

Another day off from work today. Cardio, blood work, grocery shopping and food prep all done early in the morning. Just relaxed, ate and played with Kato the rest of the day before training. I could get used to this haha.

military press 45sec rest
1852x7 sets
185x14

crucifix hold
20x30sec x2 sets

rear delt flye SS incline db lateral w/5 sec neg
25x12/25x5x3 sets

Dicks press
105x12x2 sets
115x12

dips
70x6
90x6
105x6

band pressdowns
light band x20x3 sets

ghr sit ups
12x4 sets

A lot of rotator and left bicep tendon pain today. I'm hoping the rotators accommodate to the heavier weight soon. It only started when prep ended, calories increased and strength started to climb quick. I know the bicep tendonitis is from squatting with too close a grip on a narrow bar. I'm just not flexible enough. I need to stop being stubborn and use the SSB or cambered bar for a while and let this heal.

Diet today…

930
4 whole Omega-3 eggs over easy
4oz steak
1 cup oats with cinnamon, brown sugar splenda and 1 diced peach

12
7oz chicken breast
1.5 cups jasmine rice
1/4 cup trail mix

2
2 1/4lb homemade roast beef sandwiches on cracked oat bread with cooper cheese

4 (pre)
1/3 cup Cream of Rice
1tbs peanut butter
2 scoops whey isolate

2iu GH/6iu Humalog

INTRA
75g HBCD
25g EAA
10g creatine mono

7 (pwo)
16oz pasteurized egg whites w sugar free vanilla syrup
1 pumpkin pie pop tart
1 cinnamon roll pop tart

STILL TO COME…

830
7oz ground beef with Manwich
1.5 cups jasmine rice

middle of the night
2 scoops whey isolate
2tbs peanut butter

Approx 375pro/500carb/62fat 4058cals

 

[RoyHobbs]

Dicks Press 115x12. Never did these before but Josh has them in the program. Wasn't sure what the benefit is over skullcrushers but they feel good and smooth.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=magmOQWjwME"]Dicks Press 115x12 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Elusive]

Nice training and eating going on in here!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[RoyHobbs]

Nice training and eating going on in here!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Thanks man! I'm trying!