Squat prep for upcoming meet

[pamike]

Hi All,
I'm looking for some input/direction. I took off about 16 years from the gym. I started PLing again about 1.5 years ago. I wanted to pull a 600 again at 198. Once I accomplished my goal I decided to compete. I entered a push/pull last year but only pulled. I was able to hit a 675 dl. Moving forward I want to do a full power meet in July. I just had ac joint surgery back in October. My bench goal for meet will be 400. I have my doubts but we'll see. I squatted only 6 times last year. I hate legs!. I did however on 2 of those occasions hit a 405 for 2x5. A few weeks ago I wanted to see where my squat was. I ended up very happy with a 500 for 2x1. I had a little left so I am estimating I'm around a 525 or so. That is a little basic history.
I want to pull 750 this year. I just started the Coan Phillipi DL program on Saturday. It seems to be a bear of a program. My lower back and CNS were shot the day after. I also didn't follow the program. I added a few pounds and reps because ! felt strong. BAD MOVE! Any suggestions on how to train for squat? I'm 41, my lower back can only take so much! I pull on Saturdays and squat on Tuesdays. I was thinking of just starting 5x5 with 405 and adding a few pounds per week if possible as necessary until the meet. I have about 17 weeks so I believe that should be sufficient. My pull is my baby! The program I'm on now lasts 10 weeks. If I hit my mark of 750 I may just restart the program and run it 6 more weeks. I hope you guys have some suggestions. I just ask one thing please. Last time I posted about help I kept getting msgs from dudes that sell training programs and want to "train" you via the internet. I am not interested in buying anything! I would just like some personal opinions and suggestions from normal ED powerlifters. Thanks all, Mike

 

[BrotherIron]

I'm not so sure a linear progression with your squats is going to be your best bet. You may want to use RPE's if you're comfortable going by feel since that program you're running is for pulls only (so the focus I'm assuming is on your pulls meaning you're going to be toast from that program). You're also going to want to put some heavier weight on your back and hit some lower reps from time to time. If you have heavy and lighter weeks on your DL program you could squat heavier on your light pull weeks and vice versa.

For your bench, bring in your grip and work on building those triceps, shoulders, and lats to push heavier weight. Also work on that arch to make it easier on your shoulder since you had an ac joint issue.

It would be easier to make suggestions if we could see a skeleton framework of what you're doing. Also, do you pull conventional or sumo? Do you squat wide stance, medium, narrow? Low bar or high bar? Those all have an impact and help create an idea of what assistance lifts would benefit you and also help paint a better picture.

 

[pamike]

I pull conv., I squat just outside shoulder width. I'm not low bar totally. I'm right in the middle. I suppose as my weights go up I will get lower. I do a heavy week 4x3-4 then a week of 12-15's. It treats my age and joints way better.
split:
Monday - Chest, Back
Tuesday- Squat, Quads and light hams
Wednesday- Delts, bi's, tri's and traps. always heavy close grips no matter if it's a volume or strength week.
Thursday- off
Friday or Saturday are pulls, hams, glutes and lower back.
I have been getting very good progress almost all around! Pull days were conventional up to 3x2 of whatever weight I needed for that week. I usually add 10-20 bi-weekly when prepping. Then I would sumo down for reps as I stripped plates off. I hit 635x2 2 weeks ago but I have since implicated this new DL program.