3 Weeks out from the Raw Push/Pull

Met an interesting young guy on Monday night at the gym. Started chatting while I was waiting for him to finish in the squat rack so that I could start my heavy good mornings – which, by the way, I managed to top at 77.5kg this week – go me!! Anyway, Michael (he introduced himself properly before he left) is studying sport science at RMIT (one of our universities here. Somehow we started chatting about the bruises on my arm from the massage I had last week… the big yellow bruise was a good sign – apparently. I think I understood about 50% of what he said to me over the course of my training that night – very knowledgeable guy, but you know, I’m no dummy but still he left me feeling like one of the grunters in the gym – “I just lift heavy things….” LOL He was very polite and I think he liked having someone listen. Sweet kid.

Apart from the chatting – which I don’t normally do, I had a great work out. Lifting went well, as I mentioned I managed a max of 77.5 kg for 3 reps doing good mornings. Tuesday night was a different matter….. Main exercise, barbell floor press, I couldn’t match my previous weeks best effort – missed it by 2.5 kg. I seemed to be a bit ‘off key’ that night. Elbows still giving me grief and so frustrating because I can feel that my right tricep is not being fatigued but the sheer pain is stopping me from going heavy, whereas the left tricep is fatiguing at the same weight! Maybe I need to ask Michael his opinion about this next time he’s in the gym.

Wed night, Appointment with Dirk to discuss the next phase in my westside program and he’s shown me some really interesting new exercises, so I’m really looking forward to starting on it next week

Day1 Max Squat
Main (to max 1 rep) Comp Deadlift test
Supps (3x10-12 ) GM squats

(stop short of Romanian deadlifts

failure for all Barbell rollouts

of these) Decline russian twist
Accessory (3x20-25) Reverse hypers

Day2 Max Bench
Main (to max 1 rep) CompBench Press test
Supps (3x10-12) Single arm pushdown

(stop short of Elbow out press

failure for all Incl dbell bench row

of these) Cuban press (3x15)
Accessory (3x12) EZ bar curls
Day 3 Speed Squat
Main (12x2) Box squat (60% 1rm)
Supps (3x10) High pulls

Kneeling squats

cable woodchops

Crab lift
Accessory (3x15) Reverse hypers

Day4 Speed Bench
Main (8x3) Normal Bench (60%1rm)
Supps Rev grip bench (3x6-8)

Pushdowns (3x12-15)

Bar upright rows (3x8)

Single cable rows (3x8)
Accessory (3x12-15) Dbell preacher curls

This is what I’ll follow until a week before the Raw Push/Pull on Nov 18. In that last week I’ll just drop right back and do some light benching and deadlifts in the fist 2 days and then rest for the remaining days leading up to the comp.

Dirk has a lot of faith in my strength too, as does Shazza. He thinks I’ll have my squat up to 150kg by the State titles in March/April and bench around 100kg once I get a shirt! With Dirk overseeing my westside program, Shaz coaching me for technique and the awesome support I get from Titania I’m gonna be BIG at the comps next year! I’m so pumped! Bring it on!!

Big weekend ahead again! Today, Oct 27^th is Leah’s 19^th birthday, She’s out to dinner tonight with a girlfriend while Madi and I head out for her basketball match. Tomorrow is Adult riding club, where I’ll have a show jumping lesson with Ross and get my confidence back up. Late afternoon I’m heading out to watch Maria and Sam compete in the National titles for ANB bodybuilding. Maria is the reigning Ms Olympia (figure division) and she has fantastic bod for a lightweight – you would not guess that she’s so light and yet so muscular. If she could put on some size on her legs she could surely compete in the physique division. She’s hoping not to be penalized for being ‘too muscular’ - is there such a thing? LOL - well I guess for figure there is. Shax will be judging at the comp, I spoke to her the other day as I need to book in some time soon to work on my bench technique with her. Caught her while she was on the treadmill at Fitness First. She somehow managed to drop her protien drink and it went everywhere. Would have loved to have been there to see that! Sunday, borrowing my brothers car again – he must be getting sick of this by now…. Hehehehe… and Madi, Mojo and I will head out for horse trials out at Nillumbuk – Madi is riding this time!

Cheers
Vicki xxxx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEAH !