In my enthusiasm to lift some significantly improved new total I have been training for the past 9 weeks with 3 to go with 2 major differences. I previously was working on a 4 day a week lifting program, 2 lower body, 2 upper body on Monday/Tuesday & Thursday/Friday. Whilst I had made some reasonable gains on this program up until my last comp I was feeling as if it wasn't enough. I spoke to one guy at the last comp who started at the same time I had but has improved at least 2 fold over what I have. I asked him what he was doing and he said is doing 3 days on 1 day off with each day focused on a particular lift. Without anything better to try I figured I would give the 3 day on 1 day off split a go. The other thing I decided to incorporate was more accessory lifting and just plain more volume. Instead of 5-6 sets for the SQ/DL & BP I decided I would do more like 8-9 sets on the main lifts.
What I am pleased to say is that the results have been dramatic. Firstly the 3 day on 1 day off has meant I am getting in a lot more volume in say a week or month then I was previoulsy. When you add it up over a month your lifting in the vicinity of almost double the amount of times you do if you were on a 4 day split of DL/BP/SQ/MP which is what I was doing previously. I can tell you for that 8 weeks were the volume was high, the sets had increased and the weight was going up there were days were I was feeling broken but the results have really begun to show in the past 2 weeks as I taper the volume but increase the intencity in regards to weight. In the past 2 weeks over 3 rotations I have been hitting in my home gym new PR's on every lift but particularly the DL and SQ. With just 2 weeks of training to go and a weeks rest before the next competition I have never felt this confident of hitting a new total PR then I do right now.
The lessons I have learnt are numerous during this past training cycle. 1- The volume my body can handle is not without its limits but it is a darn side further then I had previously thought healthy. 2 - Recovery time is somewhat overrated. Sure you need some but less then you think. I always band on about it but what do the olympic lifters do - SQ 4 times a week for starters and there not looking for 7 days rest between SQ sessions. 3 - Nothing is more true than the saying if you are going to become an expert at something you need to practice it for 10,000 hours. I can attest to the increased volume definitely improving all of my lifts.
Looking forward to sharing with you the results from my next comp and keen to continue to rise in the Raw rankings of Australian powerlifitng. Now go lift something heavy....... repeatedly!