At the beginning of the year, I signed up with Garrett Blevins’ on-line AI-based training program, and frankly, I loved it! I had signed up when I was well over 30 weeks out and had ample time to let the off-season portion of the training really work its magic and build me up. And boy did it ever!
Over the course of 3, 4-week training blocks, I managed to hit a 395 squat, which is the heaviest I’ve ever successfully squatted; a messy 275 bench and a comfortable 455 deadlift. These numbers are nothing particularly impressive, but given that I was working on cutting my weight down to 180lbs from 195lbs, and this was a program where the AI recommended to be in a surplus, or at least maintenance calories, I was pretty damn happy.
The problem is that I let the wheels fall off with regards to my rest and recovery. Along with the progress on my lifts, I also managed to reaggravate a shoulder injury from last year, as well as painfully pull my left TFL. These 2 injuries prevented me from lifting for a good while and I ended up removing myself from the program as I was unable to follow it. Now, this is not to say that any of the injuries were a result of the programming. The programming was fantastic and was very well designed, however, it was based on very high frequency and volume where I was squatting and deadlifting 3 times per week, and benching 5 times over the course of only a 3 day training week. You can see how the intensity would really build up.
So, once all was said and done, I was fairly certain that I was down for the count as I couldn’t squat at all for several weeks, and considered pulling out of the meet. But, I was able to pull it together and get myself back on a somewhat successful training program structured around a conjugate-style of training. My weights aren’t nearly anywhere close to what I was hitting with the higher frequency program, but between physical therapy and a greater degree of fatigue management through the new program, I feel more optimistic about actually competing.
As of this writing, I’m 2 weeks out from the meet, and frankly I just want it to be over. I’ve had little motivation to train of late, and I think it’s just been stressful managing my diet. I opted to stop trying to cut and just let myself lift at the heavier weight class. I still have a goal of cutting down to 180 (just to prove to myself that I can), but I’ll allow myself post-meet off-season to work on that.
Anyway, how am I approaching this meet now? Well, given the struggles that I’ve had (all in addition to personal life changes that have also been occurring), I’m looking at it as an opportunity to finish something that I started. Even if I just maintain my weight, I’ll still be going in lifting 10lbs lighter than I did 3 years ago, so that’s still progress in my book. Additionally, my lifts are close to the numbers I hit at a heavier body weight, which is also progress. At the end of the day, I just want to go in and have fun with it. I’m competing with a close friend and that’s the important thing right now.
Competition can be stressful on its own, don’t forget to have fun and be playful with it.
Ramble on Fitness 