On My Way Back to the Lifting Platform ...

In July 2010, I reached the pinnacle of my
sport by winning 1st Place in my weight category (82.5 kg) at the BPC British Powerlifting Championships.

My best lifts of the day were a 325kg Squat, 215 kg Bench Press and a 255kg
Deadlift.

It had taken me 10 years of training 4-5 days a week with many personal sacrifices to reach my goal. I remember feeling a sense of relief and strangely a loss of hunger after winning the title as now at the age of 39, I had achieved two ultimate titles in my sport; World Champion, 2006 and British Champion, 2010.

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What would be my next step? Retire, Lift again to retain my title?

My decision was made for me when on a trip to Penzance,Cornwall, my wife and I stumbled across a business opportunity. I would retire from competitive lifting to focus on the start of our family owned and run Health club, Oxygen.

Over the next few months, I began to mentally adjust to the fact that my focus would be on running the business and 
looking after our 3 year old son, with my training in third place on the list.

It soon became clear that lifting is such a big part of who I am that I would have to return to the platform in the not so distant future.

In September 2012, I began to get out all my old training diaries of previous training cycles that I had used in the past to peak.
It soon became evident to me that such was my regression, I would need to go back to basics.

Armed with my Westside Barbell DVD's I began to put together a basic training template for me to use.

I decided to follow a training programme that uses only a training belt and knee wraps which involved me training 2 days Maximum Effort and 2 days Dynamic Effort with a 3 week wave cycle of lifting.

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Training Programme:

Sunday

                   Dynamic Effort

Squats 10 sets x 2 reps with 50%,55%,60% 1 rep max

Stiff legged deadlifts 4x 5 reps

Leg Raises 4 x 20 reps

Monday

                  Dynamic Effort

Bench Press against bands 8 sets of 3 reps with 50%, 55%, 60%

Bench press Lockouts 4 sets of 5 reps

Military seated press 4 sets of 5 reps

Lat Pulldowns 4 sets of 15 reps

Thursday

                      Max Effort

Alternate Box Squat or Deadlift for top weight for 1 rep max

Hamstring Curls 4 sets of 5 reps

Hyperextensions on ball 4 sets of 15 reps

Weighted sit ups with 15 kg 4 sets of 20  reps

Friday

                      Max Effort

Alternate Flat, Incline and Close bench press for for top weight with 1 rep max

Flat Dumbbell presses 4 sets of 15-20
reps

Skullkrushers 4 sets of 15-20 reps

Dumbbell Lateral Raises 4 sets of
15 reps

Face Pulls 4 sets of 15 reps

Seated Machine rows 4 sets of 5 reps


So far ,I have achieved at a bodyweight of 79 kg:

230 kg Box Squat
135 kg Bench Press
250 kg Rack Pull from knee height.


Westside Barbell Training

The theory behind Westside Barbell training is to use the conjugate training system. This enables you to rotate exercises on a weekly basis. Whilst still trying to achieve personal bests on each occasion.  
 
Prior to this four week cycle I had not lifted over:

210 kg Squat
125 kg Bench
220 kg Dead lift

Also, not to perpetuate the theory that all powerlifters are fat and slow, I began a new food plan.

So now Monday to Friday, I have the following meals:

                             MEALS

5 egg whites, 1 whole egg
omlette

2 cups veggies

½ cup frozen fruits

1 cup yoghurt

1 small Jacket potato

1 chicken breast 300g

Green Salad with French
Dressing

½ cup frozen fruits

1 cup yoghurt

(if training add 2 scoops protein, banana and water)

½ cup brown rice

2 cups green veg
(Broccoli/Beans)

300g Steak

Protein Drink

8-10 Almonds


Ian Humphreys

NB. Ian Humphreys owns and runs Oxygen Gym in Penzance, Cornwall, he is there most days to give advise  and can write you a Personalised Training Programme.
Please visit the website for more details:
 http://www.oxygenhealth.co.uk/