#Summary
Last last year, what started as a joke someone started (“Let’s all rush the equipped bench”) fizzled out but the idea stuck with me. After qualifying for higher level meets (605kg total @ 93kg last Autumn), an injury at CPU Westerns (597.5KG total) led to me putting in a token effort at CPU Nationals. I still totalled 540kg @ 83kg, which was technically a personal best lifting at 83kg, but I was pretty frustrated. I figured I may as well give a serious try to something new.
#Training
There were two main threads here: first, and most important, having someone coach me. I don’t mind planning my own programs but I wanted to see what someone else would do, what they’d pick apart, and whether it would help bring up my weaknesses and keep me healthy. Second, I found some people to practice equipped bench with. Prior to this I’d been using my own take on 5/3/1 (minimalist so I could get in quick workouts and spend time with family), and GZCL’s UHF (high frequency) templates.
##Bowen Method
Matt Bowen is a local lifter, and has been training under one of the best Canadian powerlifters for a while now. We were talking shop one day when he mentioned he was training some people, and most of our ideas about programming meshed well. After my sad-trombone Nationals I rehabbed my injury and then signed on with him. He laid out a program targeting this meet which had just been announced, starting off with a volume block to kick things over from GZCL, then a strength block, and a proper overreach/peak heading into the meet.
If you’ve dug into Sheiko’s programs, or tried rolling your own GZCL with sprinkles, the programming in this block would look familiar. Most days with two main lifts and lots of optional-but-strongly-encouraged just-do-your-d**n-bodybuilder work at the end. To keep a good pace, I’d often superset the two main lifts. Having a bench right across from the deadlift platform is one of those good/terrible ideas.
Progressing towards the meet, the program shifted from remedial work (e.g. lots of high bar & paused squats to counter my collapsing in the hole) to almost entirely competition form lifts. Bench and all related presses, like incline, were paused through the whole process since one of my weakest points was instability and crappy drive off my chest.
I’ll leave it at that for details, but all it all it was a great change. Having Matt picking apart my videos and willing to call me out for laziness was a huge help this season. It didn’t hurt that he *got* my brand of self deprecating humor, and didn’t worry that I was actually trashing myself or talking myself down, that I was just making light of how hard I was having to push to keep going.
##Equipped Bench
During the original lulzy “Rush the bench” phase, a few of us lined up with some experience lifters to start learning what the hells equipped lifting was all about. I dropped in with Dr Waller at Acceleration and nearly threw 315lbs on my face. Fun start! Then we talked to Harvey & Trevor who were lifting across town, and started Wednesday bench night at Brickhouse. Harvey became my bench shirt sensei over this summer. Programming was simple, either increase weight or increase the range of motion (removing boards) for a weight I’d handled previously, alternating between singles and 3-rep sets to keep the stress down a bit.
Some days went great, others I was sore as hell from other lifting and just put in reps to build the movement patterns. Overall I went from wearing the shirt really loose and being able to touch with 335lbs to cranking it in and hitting 365 reliably and 375 on a good night. Neither were impressive compared to my 330 best raw bench, though, and Harvey kept insisting we’d get me up to 400+ by “cranking the hell out of the shirt and putting some d**n weight on the bar.”
#Meet Day
Dan Santos - occasional lifting pal, another BowenMethod project, and all around great guy - stepped in to help me on meet day. I ended up doing my own knee wrapping because I’m a fussy little princess who gets stuck in a routine, and he ran my numbers down to the table for squats and deadlift (Harvey ran them for bench). We chatted a bit about what I needed (basically: if the lift went well we just nod and run the plan, if it looked bad check in with me and we’ll adjust; make sure I sit down and chill as soon as I’m off the platform; let me know when I’m four lifters out) and then it was party time.
##Squat
Since I was going to bench in a shirt my whole meet would be tracked as ‘Equipped’ - meaning I could have used squat/deadlift suits and knee wraps. I hadn’t tried a suit so I just opted for the wraps.
My highest recent squats before the meet were 490 in sleeves about the same in wraps, just faster and easier. A titch nervous about the calls - two International level judges on either side - and I knew at least one calls strict even by IPF standard. But with the confidence from training, I opened 220kg (485) and destroyed it. We had 10kg jumps planned, so right to 230 (507) for my second. Again, buried, two or three whites. Staying on plan, attempted 240 (529) - but lost it at the bottom and called for the spotters. Honestly I probably could have dug it out but this meet wasn’t about my *squat*, y’know.
##Bench
Really tight for time warming up! With just two flights in the AM session, I had to warm up to 275 raw real quick, then 315 & 345 to boards. Opened 165kg (365) and it moved great. I was focusing on pushing it away and keeping it smooth the whole way down, driving away for the first part of the curve where the shirt’s doing the work, and finally letting it flare back for lockout.
For some reason (fear, doubt, bullnuts) I asked Harv to drop 2.5kg from the plan and call 172.5 for my second. Silly, because it moved better than the first. I asked for yet another 2.5kg drop from plan, 180 instead of the original 185 call, and Harv just nodded. I didn’t realize he’d entered 185 (408lbs) for me until I unracked the lift and my normal internal monologue became “Eff you, eff you eff you fuuuuuuuuu.” But I hit the sweet spot on my chest, held the pause, and got a great drive. I’m thankful he didn’t let me lowball it.
##Deadlift
Subtotal at this point: 230+185=415kg, and I was expecting to hit at least 250kg by the end for a total of 665.
Opened with a conservative 227.5 to ensure I finished the meet. Called a 15kg jump to 242.5, for a huge sumo PR in competition and smoked it. For my last lift, I called 255kg. A year ago, it was my third deadlift at 250kg that I not only failed but dislocated my hip attempting… so sort of a big deal in my mind.
I was going to be the last lifter in the session, so I thought this would be smooth sailing. Pull a deadlift, then everyone gets to relax for fifteen minutes.
Plates went on the bar, I got my belt latched and chalked up. Collars went on the bar, cracked my smelling salts. And then, instead of “Bar is loaded” being called… as things happen, we had a delay. So I got to spend an agonizing few minutes trying to stay energetic and focused while that was sorted out. But what matters is when I was finally called, I had a nice big burning Dragon-Ball-Z-saiyan-chi-fireball built up and ripped it. The bar slowed a little bit toward lockout but probably moved faster than my opener.
#Wrap Up
Party party party, 670kg total!
So, technically, I won stuff. First place 93kg equipped mens (of one), Best equipped mens lifter (of one). I also apparently qualified for Equipped Nationals? The CPU Standards grid says a Class 1, and that ends up being 670@93.
That’s cool, and *I’mm’a let you finish* but what mattered to me was getting back on the platform, trying something new, being successful at it as measured by my goals. In the process, I hit at the meet:
5-10kg squat PR vs training and like 15kg in a meet.
15-20kg shirted bench PR... I’d taken 185 to 3 boards before this and had a really sketchy 170 to the chest.
5 kg deadlift PR vs training, 12.5kg vs best meet
...plus all the PRs in the gym along the way. I absolutely could not have done this without the help of Matt and Harvey, and folks like Kody & Trevor on bench night, Dr Waller for the terrifying original idea, Dan for keeping me pointed the right way at the meet (and secretly commiserating about the #BowenMethod
), Paul for the beautiful bench handoff.
The meet itself ran incredibly smooth - no small feat for the biggest MPA meet that anyone can remember. Ben, Sue, Brock, Mike, spotters and loaders, head table volunteers, you’re all amazing. Thanks!