Goals & Gains Nu'Keese vs. A Lawyer

[ASUThermo]

12/04 - Thu

Bench Press:

150, 175
155(3)

Deadlift - 100x3(3)
SSB Squat - 27.5x5(3)
Cable Row - 125x5(2)

12/05 - Office

Incline Curl - 20x12(2)
Lat Raise - 10x10(2)
Triceps Cable - 20x12(2)
Rear Delt Cable - 20x12(2)

 

[ASUThermo]

2025 Powerlifting America Holiday Havoc

-Weight: 114.55
-Squat: 212.5, 230, 240
-Bench: 192.5, 202.5, 210 (5kg meet PR)
-Deadlift: 257.5, 277.5, 292.5
-Total: 742.5
GL - 88.102/90.834, DOTS - 433.290/446.722
M1 Formula Winner? (got a medal for something, not sure)


General: Pepto is key prior to meets. Had a decent amount of pre, 3 scoops sipped on through squat, another before bench sipped on though. Made the mistake of slamming a Utopia scoop before deads, which just wired me all night getting 0 hours of sleep. Whole meet was fun lifting with brother and Hammer Forged and Team Martinez family. One single red light on my opening squat for depth, everyone agreed that the right hip was high, I don't see it on video TBH, but whatever.

Squat: No pain at all in the lower body during squat, left arm was a little cranky. Shelf felt amazing, walkouts were crisp. Minimal hip shift if anything. Stuck to the plan to land at 230 on the 2nd to beat the Nationals squat, took the safe 10kg jump and hit 240 at RPE 7? Agreed that 255 would have been there if it was a meet that needed it. No issues or major pains the Monday after.

135x5
225x2
315, 365, 415
212.5, 230, 240

Bench: Like squat had to modify warmup a little because we were on LB plates. Old Eleiko benches, still sore in the back today, but warmups were great. Prison Mike had a great handoff on 2nd and 3rd attempts. Refs calls were favorable. RPE 9 at most, probably could have went 195, 205, 212.5-215 safely. "I would rather miss 210, than make 207.5 or 212.5" was the idea in getting back the Open state bench record. I would like to be able to comfortably go for 215 at bench nationals on Jan 9, if I am not in a battle for first.

135x8
265x4
335x2
365, 395
192.5, 202.5, 210

Deadlift: Here we just wanted to add to my Open state record deadlift of 290, and make sure that Wilson didn't out pull me. Covid knocked him out of the race, so it was a matter of deciding on 292.5 or 295. I knew 292.5 would be there so went lighter.

315x2
405, 455, 505
257.5, 277.5, 292.5

 

[ASUThermo]

12/07 - Sun

We are going to try to bench 7x a week for bench nationals. Definitely won't happen until after the 20th, should be good to average about 6 sessions a week after I get back from FL on the 15th.

Bench Press:

50x10(2)
100x3
150
157.5x7
167.5 RPE 5
157.5x7(2)

Cable Row - 100x10(2)

 

[ASUThermo]

12/08 - Mon - Office

Pulldown - 160x8(3)
Chest Press - 100x12(3)
Lat Raise - 15x12(3)
Incline DB - 30x10(3)

Home

Bench Press: Cut it at 150, too sore, lack of sleep and the meet caught up. Will combine day 3 and 4 Tue.

50x10
100x3
150

 

[ASUThermo]

12/09 - Tue - Topshelf

Bench Press:

162.5x6
177.5
162.5x6
182.5
167.5x5(2)

Deadlift: beltless

150x3
160x3(3)

12/10 - Wed

Bench Press: No singles today.

170x4
175x3(2)
170x4

Cable Row- 110, 125(2) x8
- Roll Out - 15(2)

 

[ASUThermo]

12/15 - Mon

Did not get a chance to train in FL, detraining occurred.

Bench Press:

172.5x1
167.5x6,5,4,3

Cable Row - 125x8(3)
DB Curl - 20x10(2)

12/16 - Tue

Not too sore today.

Bench Press:

172.5x4
182.5
172.5x4,4,3
Add 52 Super Katana, will probably open with this shirt at Nats.
190x2, 3 board
210x2, 2 board
215x2, 1 board
220x1, comp standard, should be good to open at 225 to lock up the win, then have some fun.

 

[ASUThermo]

12/17 - Wed

Bench Press: Did not have to adjust sets

50x12, 10
100x5
140x3
165
177.5x4
187.5, felt tougher than an 8, but looked good
177.5x4(2)

Cable Row - 125, 140, 155, 170 x6
DB Curl - 22.5, 25, 27.5 x10

 

[ASUThermo]

12/18 - Thu

Bench Press:

50x10
100x3
150x3
170
182.5x3
192.5, RPE 9+, not sure if I 100% was good for a 2nd clean rep.
182.5x3(2)

Cable Row - 170x6(3)
DB Curl - 27.5x10(2)

*This AM noticed that the hip has 0 discomfort in certain movements and positions that previously created pain. Will possibly DL and Squat at HFF on Sat.

 

[ASUThermo]

12/20 - Sat - Hammer Forged Fitness

Bench Press: Always hitting PRs on T-Bone's birthday.

187.5x3
192.5x3, failed 4th rep in an effort to hit a PR
185x5, PR
187.5x2

12/22 - Mon

Bench Press:

170x6
180
170x6(2)

Cable Row - 170x7(3)

12/23 - Tue - Office

Upper accessories and light leg work on machines.

 

[ASUThermo]

12/23 - Tue - Topshelf

Equipped Bench: Wilson was short on time so worked in the shirt first.

205x2 3B
225x2 2B
230x2 1 B
237.5, comp standard

Bench Press:

190
175x5(3)

12/24 - Wed

Warmed up, but decided to take off, super sore from day before.

12/25 - Ended up not liftmasing

12/26 - Fri

Bench Press:

180x4
185x3
195
185x3(2)
180x4(2)

Cable Row
DB Curl

12/27 - Sat

Bench Press:

190x2
195x3, tied a PR without knowing
200
190x2(2)

Cable Row
Triceps Cable
Curls

 

[ASUThermo]

12/29 - Mon

Bench Press:

172.5x6
190
172.5x6(2)

Pulldown
Cable Row
DB Curl

12/30 - Tue

Bench Press:

177.5x5
195, comp standard
Shirt Work - 50 LC Super Katana, shoulder(s) got blown up after this, still hurting on the 5th
Got super close to a touch with 260 though, will have to assess shirts for Equipped Nats and Bench Worlds if I am forced to go.
177.5x5

12/31 - Wed

Bench Press:

Warmed up to 150 and called it.

DB Curl

01/01 - Thu

Bench Press:

182.5x4
197.5, comp standard
182.5x4(2)

Cable Row
DB Curl

01/03 - Sat

Bench Press:

187.5x3
197.5x3 PR
205, comp standard
192.5x3

Cable Row
Cable Triceps
DB Curl

 

[ASUThermo]

01/05 - Monday

Bench Press: Last hard work. Went for a minor 4 rep PR with 190.5, clipped the rack on the way up and just let it come down, didn't want to go all out for the rep this close to the meet.

190.5x3+f
195, comp standard +
190.5x2(3)

Pulldown
Cable Row - to 205x5
DB Curl - 35, 37.5, 40 x8

 

[ASUThermo]

01/06 - Tue

Bench Press: Sore right uppa, everything else was fine.

177.5x3(2)
182.5
177.5

Pulldown
Cable Row
DB Curl

 

[ASUThermo]

01/07 - Wed

Bench Press:

167.5
177.5
167.5(2)

Pulldown
Curl

 

[ASUThermo]

2026 Powerlifting America Bench Press Nationals

Classic/Raw - Friday 01/09
-Weight: 114.00
-Bench: 195, 202.5, 210x
GL - 87.360/90.068, DOTS - 118.373/122.042
M1 120 - Bronze

Equipped/Single
-Weight: 113.72
-Bench: 225, 237.5, 265 (15kg PR)
GL - 79.527/81.992, DOTS - 155.044/159.851
M1 120 - Gold, Best M1 Lifter Award

Classic:
-All training days week of need to be pushed back 1 day to allow for proper recovery. Pecs were absolutely demolished on Friday, didn't feel great on Sunday either.
-Meet arrival needs to be improved. Flew in Thursday, should have flown in Weds, travel day prior threw me off.
-Training frequency/load can probably be reduced. "5x" is most likely the best recipe for progress on the raw side, possibly a very light 6th day.
-Warmups should take place before the 4:00 mark or with 4 remaining, regardless of size of flight. Attempt selection should be adjusted during warmups if I am feeling "off". In hindsight we should have taken the opener down 2.5 or even 5 kg, and made a jump to 200 or 202.5. 210 was a completed lift, but got called for a soft elbow or up and down, if I were a hair fresher, it would have been there for a score PR at least.
-Perfect jump/attempt selection. When things were obviously moving slow we adjusted the game plan. Took only what made sense, jumped to 2nd with our 2nd, and attempted to take 2nd back with the 3rd attempt.
-Ended up with the 6th best overall M1 score, so I am confident I will get at least a NAPF invitation Bench Team coaches think there might be a way to get a world spot too, but will have to be at 120.
-All in all not disappointed with 3rd, knowing that if Phil was even 60% back he would easily get gold and we knew Robert cutting down from 120+ could be a problem if he had a good day, which he did. There are very few reasons for me to compete Raw/Classic at 120, unfortunately didn't have enough time to safely make the cut at 29 days out.

70
100
125
150
170
185
195, 202.5, 210x

Equipped:
-1x a week shirt practice is probably the best way to go for now. I didn't use a ram or any other type of accommodation outside of boards leading to touches. Prep pretty much showcased that I don't have to beat myself up every week or at all really in a shirt. Simply need to be consistent with the bar path and touch location.
-Shirt selection is key. Regular Cut Super K is the way to go for Titan shirts for me at the moment, 48 is probably the best size, MAYBE, 46 when I am closer to 105.

70
120
150
170
Add 52 Super
190, 1.5 board
210, 1 board
220 touch, no press
225, loose belt shirt covering KAZ
237.5, tighter belt, shirt exposed top of KAZ
Switched to 48 Super
265, tight belt, top of KAZ showing