02 Feb Lab Rat Pre Contest Week 5 Day 1 & 2

I’m training for the XPC Finals at the Arnold Sports Festival® March, 7, 2015.  I’ll be competing as a 242lb raw lifter looking to improve my best meet lifts of 575, 430 and 600.

This past Saturday started different than previous training sessions.  After about three years of sitting I finally found some motivation to get my Vette running again, forgot how much fun the car was to drive!  Brian, Byrd, Adam and I met at the usual spot for breakfast then it was off to Team Samson for squats and pulls.  I walked into the gym with a bunch of motivation, unfortunately there are times when motivation isn’t enough.  McGill Big 3 and goblet squats got some blood flowing then it was under an empty bar for a few sets.

Squat

• 150 2 x 3
• 260 x 3
• 350 x 2
• 460 x 1
• 510 x 2 (medium knee wrap)
• 560 x 2 (tight knee wrap)
• 600 x ZERO

560 x 2 was a PR double, in the 9ish RPE range.  We decided to make a jump to 600 and it just wasn’t in the cards for the day.  No need to speculate why the lift didn’t happen, I’ll be ready for it next time.  I finished the day with some form pulls working up to 445 for a few singles.

I’ve been battling some elbow issues for the last couple weeks and thought they were a thing of the past after last Monday’s training session (405 x 2, 425 x 1, 445 off a 2 board) but I was mistaken.  Halfway through the warm up sets I noticed a slight discomfort but nothing to prevent training.

Bench

• Bar for a few sets
• 135 2 x 5
• 245 x 3
• 295 x 2
• 365 x 1
• 405 x 1
• 425 – miss

Incline d/b  – 3 x 12

Band fly – 100 reps

Band skull – 60 reps

Time for a deload then the final stretch leading into the Arnold.

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