I use an eight week competition training cycle in which the 8th
week is for the squat and bench openers. My deadlift opener s done 10 days
before the contest. The heaviest lifting is the week before the opener
week for each of the big 3 lifts. Use the heavy week and the opener week
to decide on what necessary adjustments to make on your attempts. I typically
train squats on Saturday, Bench on Monday, Deadlift on Wednesday and Close
grip bench on Friday. My assistance work consists of:
SQUATS (Sets and Reps)
3/4 Rack squats (2 x 3)
3 sec. pause squats (3 x 3)
Leg curls
(3 x 10)
Weighted Sit-ups ( 3 x 10) |
|
BENCH (Sets and Reps)
Dumbbell press
( 3 x 10)
Barbell incline press ( 3 x 5)
Press behind neck ( 3 x 5)
Weighted sit-ups ( 3 x 10) |
|
DEADLIFTS (Sets and Reps)
Rack Deadlift (2 x 3)
Bent Rows (2 x 3)
Front Lat pulls (3 x 10)
Leg lifts
(3 x 15) |
|
CLOSE GRIP BENCH (Sets and Reps)
For the first two weeks top sets
start with 2 x 5. Thereafter
perform the same reps as for
regular benches.
Dumbbell hammer curls (3 x 10)
Tricep push downs (3
x 10)
Leg lifts
(3 x 15) |
|
Always stretch adequately before proceeding to your workouts. Warm up
with progressively heavier sets before going to your top sets. Be in tune
with your body because some days you may need more or less warm up sets
than others. As you lift more each week adjust your sets and reps by doing
less sets and/or reps on you power lifts as well as your assistance exercises.
Training volume needs to be decreased as the lifts get heavier to prevent
overtraining. Assistance exercises are gradually phased out approaching
contest day to allow adequate rest and recovery for the big day. The only
exercise I train through the end of the cycle are calf raises and abdominal
work because they are not detrimental to the big 3 lifts. Here is an outline
of the complete cycle:
WEEK
|
SQUAT
|
BENCH
|
DEADLIFT
|
NOTES
|
|
1
|
2 x 5
|
2 x 5
|
2 x 5
|
Squats - Suit bottoms |
|
2
|
1 x 5
|
1 x 5
|
1 x 4
|
|
|
3
|
1 x 4
|
1 x 5
|
1 x 3
|
Squats - Straps up on suit, last pause squat. |
|
4
|
1 x 3
|
1 x 4
|
1 x 2
|
Squat - Add knee wraps, last rack squat.
Bench - Last inclines and press behind neck.
Deadlift - Suit, last bent rows and lat pulls. |
|
5
|
1 x 2
|
1 x 2
|
1 x 1
|
Squat - last leg curls.
Bench - last DB press & close grip.
Deadlift - last rack deadlift. |
|
6
|
1 x 2
|
1 x 2
|
1 x 1
|
|
|
7
|
1 x 1
|
1 x 1
|
1 x 1
|
Bench - last hammer curl & pushdowns.
Deadlift - Opener (10 days out) |
|
8
|
1 x 1
|
1 x 1
|
REST
|
Squat & bench openers. |
GOOD LUCK IN TRAINING !
|
