I'm currently training for the 2005 SA Championships during the weekend of 23 April. After that it will be the 2005 SA Powerlifting Championships in early August. Seeing that this month will include the SA Strongman Nationals, I've got to do some events training, which I've really been neglecting. The first week of April will be a squat week. The second week I'll probably do a good morning together with a full events workout on that Friday. The third week I plan on resting completely before the competition.

Monday 4 April (Week 2 of 3): Maximum Effort Bench Press

2 Board presses with tight green	65kg x 3, 115kg x 3, 135kg x 3, 145kg x 3,
bands plus 40kg total chains	155kg x 1, 165kg x 1
Bench press with Rage shirt	260kg x 0 (bar drifted over face before lockout)
	260kg x 1 (slight sticking point before lockout)
	260kg x 1 (good, solid bench)
Chain suspended floor lockouts	100kg x 8, 120kg x 6, 130kg x 6, 140kg x 6,
(couple of inches above chest)	150kg x 6, 160kg x 6, 170kg x 6
Low incline DB presses	46kg x 6, 60kg 2 x 6
Log lift	120kg 2 reps (easy)
Push-ups off suspended chains	2 x 10
Remarks	I felt remarkably well rested tonight and got a
	bit carried away on the volume. I reckon I'll pay
	the price for my exuberance later this week.

Tuesday 5 April: Maximum Effort Squat

Squats (raw)	60kg x 3, 100kg x 3, 140kg x 3, 185kg x 3,
	225kg x 1, 265kg x 1, 305kg x 1 (belt) PR,
	325kg x 1 (belt + wraps)
Zercher squats	60kg x 8, 100kg x 8, 140kg 2 x 6
Pull throughs	14 Blocks 1 x 10
Remarks	That 325kg squat was probably 6 inches high:
	my bar has become very wobbly and after I
	unracked the weight it started bouncing up and
	down badly. Moving down into the squat only
	made it much worse to such an extent that I
	was afraid that I was going to drop the weight
	forcing me to abort the lift high. The weight felt
	very much within my power, though. I'll have to
	get a new bar FAST!

Wednesday 6 April: Delts & Lats

Plate raises	10kg x 15, 15kg x 12, 20kg x 10, 25kg x 8,
	40kg x 6
Smith machine seated military press	40kg x 8, 50kg x 6, 60kg x 6, 70kg x 6
Standing low pulley rows	4 Sets of 10 working up to 75% of stack
Wide grip front lat pull down	12 Blocks x 10, 14B x 8, 16B x 6, 18B x 6
Remarks	Kept the weights light tonight. Not feeling too
	shabby. Helped training partner Willem with his
	brand new Rage-X shirt: It developed a run
	below the collar on the first workout @ 265kg!

Thursday 7 April: Dynamic Effort Bench Press

Speed bench 110kg with tight green	9 sets of 3 reps
bands
Reverse grip floor bench	100kg x 10, 130kg x 8, 160kg x 6, 180kg x 3
Incline log press	75kg x 10, 95kg x 10
Remarks	Speed was very good on bench. I'm feeling the
	effect of all the upper body work of the last
	week though. Everything is sore.

Friday 8 April: Dynamic Effort Squat

Speed squats - 155kg plus tight	9 sets of 2
green bands
Pull throughs	16 Blocks 4 x 10
Remarks	Made the weight slightly heavier this week.
	Speed was very good towards the end.

Monday 11 April (Week 3 of 3): Maximum Effort Bench

2 Board presses	100kg x 3, 140kg x 3, 180kg x 3, 200kg x 3
	220kg x 3, 240kg x 1, 250kg x 0, 250kg x 1PR
Bench Press (raw)	180kg x 1, 210kg x 1PR, 180kg x 8
Floor EZ bar narrow grip presses	65kg x 12, 95kg 2 x 10
Seated band bench press	1 Green band 2 x 15
Remarks	At last! I've been battling with that 2 board for
	the last month and finally got in a good lift. The
	raw bench was done with a long pause and no
	leg drive. Upper body only. Could probably
	have moved 220kg too. Very happy.

Tuesday 12 April: Maximum Effort Squat

Centre weight squats (weight hanging	7 sets of 10 going from 20kg to 140kg
off belt and squatting off platform)
Remarks	Tried this movement for the first time in order
	to take some stress off the lower back. That
	was it for tonight: I've got an important speed
	squat on Friday and I'll also be doing some
	strongman events so I want to be well rested.
	I'm leaving very early tomorrow (4am) for
	business out of town so I might miss tomorrow
	night's workout. Hope not, though.

Thursday 14 April: Dynamic Effort Bench

Speeds bench with tight green bands	120kg 9 x 3
Incline bench with 40kg total chains	70kg x 10, 100kg x 8, 110kg x 6, 130kg x 4
Wide grip tricep push downs	16 Blocks x 12, 20B x 12, 20B + 15kg 2 x 16
Remarks	Feeling very good tonight. Speed started off
	slow but got good towards the end. I missed
	last night's workout due to only getting back
	home late and tired.

Friday 15 April: Strongman Events

Tyre Flip	300kg 10 flips
Farmer's walk	130kg per hand 2 runs of 20 meters
Tyre Flip	615kg 3 Flips
Yoke walk	280kg 2 x 20 meters
Remarks	I have seriously neglected events training this
	year and this was a last-ditched effort to do
	at least something.

Saturday 16 April: Dynamic Effort Squat

Speed squats with tight green bands	170kg 9 x 2
Good mornings	60kg x 10, 100kg x 10, 140kg x 10
Remarks	Once again kept the volume very low. Speed
	was actually very good and the weight felt
	light. Just how I wanted to feel before next
	Friday's SA Champs.

Week of 18 April: Rest

Remarks	I'm taking this entire week off in preparation
	for Friday's SA Strongman Final.

Week of 25 April: Rest

Remarks	As planned, I'm taking another week's rest
	after last weekend's competition. The body is
	very, very sore.