Powerlifting and Strength Training

2026 Week 14 Workouts

Prior to this training week, I made the decision to enter an RPS contest on June 20, 2026 here in western PA at 123s. I might then enter a second contest at 114s a month later, an USAPL contest on July 25 also here in western PA, but even closer to my home. For details, see Discussion with My AI Personal Trainer About Choosing a Powerlifting Contest. 

3-29, Su: Regular Sumo Deadlifts: Raw: 280/8! Gear: 360/4^, 380/2! Video.

Adductor (in)/ Abductor (out), 1 Leg at a time/Alternate Legs: 3s/13, 3s/13. No video.

Wrist Roller (Overhand): 4.5/6, 5.0/4, 5.5/2. No video.

Another sleepless night due to agonizing over a family issue. If it’s not a physical issue it’s an emotional one keeping me from sleeping. Very frustrating. But press on I must with work and working out.

That said; the weights for sumo DLs are the same as I used for Conv DLs ten days ago. The reason for the markers for tied or new 60s PRs here and not there is I peaked on Conv DLs for my last contest but not for Sumos. My plan this time is to peak on both and decide from there which to use for the contest.

3-30, M: Regular Benches (Volume): Raw: 107.5/9*^. Gear: 122.5/5*, 122.5/5*. Video.

Triceps Bar Rows (Intensity): 107.5/7*, 117.5/3*, 122.5/2. Video.

Neckstrap (Front): 5.0/12, 5.5/10, 6.0/8. Video.

Another problem filled day followed by another terrible Bench workout. I don’t know if I need to change my Bench routine or not. What I need to do is to change my life, but that is just not possible.

3-31, Tu: Skipped workout.

Monday’s very rough day led to a rough night and feeling awful on Tuesday. I was still hoping to work out, since I had my easiest Squat workout to do. But the problems continued, so I had no choice but to skip this workout, with hopes to make it up on Wednesday.

Along with missed workouts, all of the problems of late have led to me getting little work done. I started a major project over two years ago and have made very slow progress on it due to such problems. Very frustrating. But I am doing my best to keep up with working and working out despite everything.

4/1, W: Still unable to work out.

4/2, Th: Manta Ray Close Stance Squats: Raw: 195/8. Gear: 242.5/4, 255/2. Video.

Sit-ups: 16.25/12! 18.75/10! 21.25/8! Video.

Wrist Curls (Underhand): 10.5s/10, 10.5s/10, 10.5s/10. Video.

After a couple of very busy and rough days, I am somewhat back to normal. Did my morning rehab here despite not being fully back, as I already know Friday and Sunday will be additional busy and rough days (even though they should be solemn and celebratory days, respectively), so I won’t be doing it again until at least Monday. Also, I don’t bother with my normal drop reps approach for Wrist Curls due to the hassle of changing the dumbbells weights.

That said, CS Squats went well and as planned. The rather odd 242.5 for my first geared work set is because I did a geared warmup of 230/1 right before it. That is significant, as that is the weight I would have used if I was still doing a geared work set of 5-6 reps before these two sets. But with doing a raw work set of 7-8, I don’t think a 5-6 rep work set is needed. In fact, four works sets would be too much. In any case, I increase by 5% set to set, so at around 250 pounds, that is 12.5 pounds, hence 230, 242.5, 255 for my final geared warm-up and two work sets.

4-3, F (Good Friday): 3-Count Pause Benches (Intensity): Raw: 110/7*^. Gear: 132.5/3*, 137.5/1*. Video.

Curl Bar Rows (Volume): 100/9*, 110/6, 110/5*. Video.

Keeping up my five decades long tradition of listening to the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar on Good Friday. You hear clips from it in the videos. That said, another rough day and another terrible Bench workout.

2026 Week 15 Workouts

4-5, Su (Easter): Conv 2 Boards (1-1/2”) Deficit Deadlifts: Raw: 260/8. Gear: 342.5/3*, 360/1*. Video.

Dip Bars Twisting, 1 Leg Rev. Crunches: 3s/19, 3s/19, 5s/13. Video.

I was going to take Easter Sunday off, but with missing a workout last week, I had to work out. But I did so in the morning, so that I could still attend my family’s Easter gathering in the afternoon. That said, the missed reps are probably because I had been doing “volume” (higher reps) workouts for this DL variation, so I mis-guessed on the weights for now doing “intensity” (lower reps) workouts.

4-6, M: Close Grip Benches: Raw: 112.5/8^. Gear: 132.5/3*, 137.5/1*. Video.

Curl Bar Rows: 107.5/7*, 120/3.8*, 125/1.8*. Video.

As I knew would be the case, I felt awful on this morning after my family’s Easter gathering, so no morning rehab exercise. I felt a bit better by my main workout, but it still went terribly. Basically, I have not felt right for almost every Bench workout in the past month. No wonder Benches are not going well.

That is why I did not jump in when an impromptu arm-wrestling contest broke out at my family’s Easter gathering. I didn’t want to embarrass myself. I also did not want to risk messing up my right shoulder even more than it already is. But it did kill me not participating.

4-7, Tu: 2B, 1-1/2” Extra Low Squats: Raw: 195/8. Gear: 252.5/4, 265/2. Video.

Dumbbell Calves: 32.5/12, 35/10, 37.5/8. Video.

Neckstrap (Back): 4.5/12, 5.0/10, 5.5/8. Video.

I also had been doing “volume” reps for XL Squats but switched to “intensity” reps here. But this time I picked the weights just right, and the workout went as planned. It also helped that I was feeling somewhat better for this workout.

4-9, Th: Conv Stiff Leg Deadlifts: Raw: 240/8! Gear: 275/4, 290/2. Video.

Adductor (in)/ Abductor (out), 1 Leg at a time: 3s/14, 3s/14. No video.

Wrist Roller (Underhand): 3.25/5, 3.75/3, 4.25/1. Video.

4-10, F: 3-Count Pause Chain Benches: Raw: 105/8. Gear: 127.5/4, 132.5/2. Video.

Close Grip Super Curl Bar Rows: 105/8, 115/4, 120/2. Video.

2026 Week 16 Workouts

4-12, Su: Chain Squats: Raw: 255/8! Gear: 315/4! 330/2! Video.

Twisting Sit-ups (reps to each side): 0/11^, 0/8^, 0/6. Video.

Another rough day leading to a harder than it should have been workout. But it went very well and as planned. However, my right adductor was bothering a bit. Not enough to keep me from working very hard, but it is something to watch.

4-13, M: Regular Benches: Raw: 110/8^. Gear: 132.5/4, 137.5/2. Video.

Barbell Rows: Raw: 105/8! Gear: 115/4, 120/2. Video.

Neckstrap (Side, right): 2.0/12, 2.25/10, 2.5/8. Video.

Finally, a good Bench workout. It helped that I finally had a “normal” day before it. But by afterwards, smells from construction outside of my home began to seep into my home causing me problems. This was occurring last week and is continuing through this week. On the Rows, I had been wearing wrist wraps for my heavy sets but not indicating such. I decide to try a belt also. It felt good, so I will probably continue with it and will indicate my raw and geared (belt + wrist wraps) sets for Rows also. The tied and new 60s PRs are because I had not done higher reps sets very much for these lifts previously.

4-14, Tu: Sumo 2 Boards (1-1/2”) Deficit Deadlifts: Raw: 265/8. Gear: 342.5/4^, 360/2^. Video.

Dip Bars Twisting, 2 Leg Rev. Crunches: 3s/12 x 3. Video.

Wrist Curls (Overhand): 9.0s/10 x 3. No video.

Another excellent workout, though my adductor was still bothering me a bit on my warm-ups. But a slight change in my form, angling my legs forward just a bit too the stress off of it. Similar to when I had to do the same due to my left knee a while back.

4-16, Th: Manta Ray, 1-1/2” Extra Low Close Stance Squats: Raw: 180/8. Gear: 230/4, 240/2. Video.

Barbell Calves: 140/12, 147.5/10, 165*/6*. Video.

My adductor was bothering me a bit on my Wednesday off day. I considered skipping this workout, but with doing Close Stance Squats, I figured they wouldn’t aggravate it, and that was the case. Tomorrow is Benches, so that shouldn’t be a problem. But I will then take the weekend off. Conv DLs on Monday also shouldn’t aggravate it. It will then be next Thursday when I will do regular Squats that it will be tested. Hopefully, by then it will be okay.

I put on a pair of 5s on the final set of Calves that should not have been there. I could tell it felt too heavy as soon as I started the set, but I went with it and cut from 8 to 6 reps to adjust for the extra weight.

4-17, F: 3-Count Pause Close Grip Benches: Raw: 107.5/8. Gear: 127.5/4, 132.5/2. Video.

Super Curl Bar Rows: Raw: 100/8^. Gear: 110/4, 115/2. Video.

Neckstrap (Side, left): 2.0/12, 2.25/10, 2.5/8. Video.

I had not done the two main exercises in quite some time, but I picked the weights just right.

2026 Week 17 Workouts

Forthcoming.

These logs are continued at: forthcoming.

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