Bodybuilder wanting to come to the dark side

[bluto]

Ive been lifting for about 4-5 years. I have always trained like a bodybuilder as i knew no better.

I want to enter a novice powerlifting meet in about 6-8 weeks.

I am about 132-136kg(285-300pnds), 6'1. My 1RM in the gym are 210kg Bench, 300kg Squat and 280kg Deadlift.

What i want to know is how to structure my training. I find that if I do Heavy Deadlifts and Heavy Squats in the same week that my lower back will freeze up pretty bad and inhibit my progress.

Should i only perform Deadlifts once a fortnite or ?????????????????

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Big_O]

Good ...?

I too got into that rut....I'd always gain on my squat but my dead lift stayed at 685...I pulled 650 at The Adirondack Open.in the 220's..My 1st taste of a big meet..All the guys there were going for there qualifiers for the nationals...

I would squat heavy on Tuesday and moderate on Sat...I absolutely over taxed my lower back by doing this..What I learned from some elite lifters was doing more back assistance work rather than dead lifting all the time...After that I was able to do 685-5 and was fresh at the time of the meet...I would squat 2 x's a week and dead heavy 1 x a week and I wasn't going anywhere with that training...

Trying a meet is a learning exp...I hope that your training with someone who has actually competed before...6-8 weeks....you should be into your sets of 5 and almost into you triples....Have you been wrapping and using your super suit..?

You'll need to learn about being on deck and in the whole...It shouldn't be a problem with the bench or deads...but you'll have to learn about wrapping and getting your suit on....Being under the bar at the gym and being under at the meet is 2 completely different animals...You'll be a little winded from the excitement...

Open up with something you can bury for an easy 7...The important thing is getting your opener..for both getting in the game and phsyclogically....You'll learn that in the begining the weight seems a little heavier than you had expected...It's because of all the shit you have to do and keep an eye out for..

 

[bluto]

My First Powerlifting Meet

I recently attended a Novice IPF 3 Lift event. Used it as a qualifer for a regional championship coming up in late april.

Done 280kg Squat, 200kg Bench, 260kg Deadlift for a 740kg Total. All were done Raw except Belt and wrist supports. I throughly enjoyed the atmosphere and honest hard lifting.

Looking forward to this next meet where I want to break 800kg Total. I got a loose squat suit and have now used it twice, squated 320kg lastweek and got 340kg today all the way down and controlled. Just got to get my bench up a bit and make sure I lock out my deadlifts correctly.

Hoping to do 320,220,300 in April.

 

[big_byrd52]

sorry it took so long to get to this.

there are a few things u can do, and there is no one best way. they all work, just go with what suits ur training at the time.

one is to do squats and DL the same day. if u train raw its a little different than geared. u can do a periodized routine on squat up to a max. follow up with speed pulls and then heavy sets of 5 on rack pulls.

another way is to do a heavy squat/ light DL day one week followed by light squat/ heavy DL the next.

on both of these, the accesory day would be higher volume work.



other ways are to change up volume and intensity each workout so ur not goin heavy every week. this is better suited for offseason work tho.

 

[bluto]

Deadlifts.

Thanks Big_Byrd,

I have been alternating, doing Heavy Deadlifts from the ground one week and that week doing lighter close stance squats later that week with heavy leg press. The next Week I do either no deadlifts or some rack pulls and later that week I do my heavy squats.

I only have the one suit which is a squat suit. I have never tried a Deadlift suit but have been thinking about buying one. Do they make much difference? If they support my lower back I think that would give me alot more confidence to pull heavier from the floor. I have pulled 310kg before but couldnt quite lock it out.

 

[big_byrd52]

most just pull in their squat suits with no briefs. what squat suit do u have?

 

[bluto]

Squat Suit

Ive just purchased a Titan Superior Squat Suit. It is a size 52. Very Easy to get on.

But unsure if I would be able to get down to the bar with the straps on and tight belt.

It is the only suit I have.

 

[big_byrd52]

if its loose u can get down. a good suit will have ur fingers about 3 inches from the bar when u try to get down. grab with one hand, pull urself down hard and grab with ur other. big air, PULL urself down and ito position, explode and ride the rebound to the top! u have to doit all pretty fast or u will lose ur air. its really hard to breath when ur all bunched up in a suit like that. but urs will work.

 

[bluto]

Thanks Big_Byrd

Used my Squat Suit for Deadlifts last Wednesday and found it a little trick at first. Kept pulling the legs up higher and higher and then could get down pretty easily, just found it hard to breathe hard to get rite down under the bar.

It definitily gave me a good boost off the floor and kept me tight all the way. I will have top use it a few more time before It will help too much but I was happy with a good solid 300kg Deadlift. Wanted to try 320kg but thoght it mite be wiser to keep pluggin away slowly so save it for next session.

Thanks for the advice Big Byrd.

 

[big_byrd52]

660 is good pull man. keep it up. yea its hard to breath, so get ur air and go. u may need to roll on side of ur feet to get to the bar easier. pull hips down and go.