November 24, 2018, I will be competing in the EPC Finals in Guelph, ON. This was the meet where I tore my quad in 2017. I have 2 goals:

• Get to the meet healthy
• Build momentum for the future

If there is a PR there, I will take it, but I am playing the long game from here on out.

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Are you a Mental Midget

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This was a bit of a rough week of training.  The weights went up and volume stayed up, as was planned, but I am starting to feel it.  That being said, I am facing a bigger problem right now.  The deadlift and bench are still going very well, but the squat… I am having a HUGE problem getting to “that place.”  To be honest, I am squatting scared.  It doesn’t feel natural as it used to and I am still dealing with instability in my right hip.  So, what am I going to do?  I am going to adapt and overcome.

• I am going to drop my heavy squatting to one top set and get the volume in with down work
• I am going to put my headphones in during my warm-ups and work on getting into the zone
• I am going to continue to do my corrective work diligently

You know what else I am going to do?  Remind myself of my goals, as stated above – get to the meet healthy and build momentum for the future.  Now, there are some other saving graces here as well.  My best total at 220lbs is 1930lbs and when I did that, I only deadlifted 700lbs.  Since then, I have deadlifted 25lbs more and have PR’d my deadlift work every week this prep.  I don’t need to squat a PR to PR my total.  There is no pressure on me to do so.  On top of that, I have never competed walked out in wraps, nor have I competed in 2.5m wraps.  Anything I do is a “PR.”  So, I am going to stop being so hard on myself and focus on executing in training.  The meet will take care of itself.

Next weekend, I will be at the SWIS Symposium and hanging with Brian and Stu.  I will have to get in a big squat at some point, but other than that it will be learning and networking in Toronto.  This week, I need to continue with my recovery work and walking.  My new outlook will serve me well and I feel refreshed after the reality check.  Here is what training this weekend looked like:

Squat

1. Squat – up to last warmup 655×1 and opener 715×1
2. SSB – 465x5x3sets
3. TKE Bias Split Squat – 3x12ea
4. GHR Back Raises – 3×12
5. Lat Pulldown – 4×12

Bench Assistance

1. 3sec Paused Bench – 345x2x3sets
2. Close Grip – 315x5x3sets
3. Ring Pushups – 4×10
4. Dips – bw x20x3 sets (10sec pause at lockout every 5th rep)
5. 3way shoulder raise – 3x12ea
6. Pressdowns – 3×25
7. Hammer Curls – 3×20

Warm-up

1. Daily
   1. Walk – 10minutes
   2. McGill Big-3
   3. Full Body CARs
2. Lower
   1. 90/90 Hip Transfers – 6ea way
   2. Multi directional lunges – 2x10ea
   3. Tactical Frog with internal rotations – 2x10ea
   4. Goblet Squats – 3-5×10
3. Upper
   1. ShoulderRok – 4x10ea
   2. McGill T-Spine – 10reps
   3. Pushups – 3-5×10-15
   4. Band Pull Apart series – 2x10ea x5 positions