Bodybuilder to Offseason Powerlifting

[liftw8t]

Hi guys,

Lee Phoenix here fresh off the 2014 NPC Flex Lewis Classic. I wanted to start this thread to track my progress and entertainment for anyone interested in my journey from bodybuilding to powerlifting. I by no means giving up bodybuilding, this is an endeavor I decided to pursue in order to better myself as a bodybuilder in my offseason. So my reasons are:

- I want to increase my strength
- Build thicker denser muscle giving me a more filled out thicker looking physique on stage
- Learn the proper ways to perform my core lifts and techniques to better engage muscles
- Have fun in another community similar and different from bodybuilding

So stating this I plan to hopefully achieve all the following and become a better bodybuilder going into the 2015 season. I will be training with a friend of mine who is a powerlifter that has a Pro total in single ply, he's very knowledgeable and loves powerlifting. We will be training up for the SPF Record Breakers meet in November and he will teach me how to lift in gear and how to lockout and achieve proper depth in my lifts. Also we will be using a modified version of Brandon Lilly's Cube Method.

I will also be conducting a YouTube series with a ton of videos from interviews, training compilations, cooking and much more. Its going to be fun so subscribe at www.youtube.com/user/nothuman715 also follow me on Instagram @phoenixrevamped

Let's have fun guys! Stay tuned for day 1!

[liftw8t]

Here are a couple photos from the Flex Lewis Classic 2 weeks ago, where I placed 5th in Men's Open Light Heavies receiving a qualification to compete in JR USA/Nat and North Americans. I weighed in at 189.4, I'm currently back up to 207.2 this morning and haven't been back to the gym yet. Today will be day 1 in which I will be squatting.

I plan to use the first couple of weeks to start from scratch with Squat Deadlift and Bench focusing on technique and doing them the right way. I will probably go about 45-60% of 1RM for working sets as my body is still recovering from my 24 week contest prep and will max at end of month or first week of August.

My current estimated maxes (although I've never maxed) are based off of what I've done in normal workouts.

Bench: 365 lbs for 3 reps
Squat: 495 lbs for 2 reps
Deadlift: 505 lbs for 1 rep (no straps just chalk and belt, with over/underhand grip)

These will act as my 1 rep maxes until I record them later in which I will probably attempt doubles on each of my lifts and calculate 1 rep max off that.
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[Granite-Dawg]

I am in on this for sure. Do you plan on lifting raw or equipped? I remember how my strength coach broke me down and taught me correct form on the three lifts. Do you plan on doing a full meet? Best of luck!!

[liftw8t]

I am in on this for sure. Do you plan on lifting raw or equipped? I remember how my strength coach broke me down and taught me correct form on the three lifts. Do you plan on doing a full meet? Best of luck!!

Awesome bro thanks for subscribing! I'm going to start raw and probably transition into equipped (single-ply) about 10 weeks out from meet. I've been told equipped will be better for a bodybuilder as far as protecting joints and preventing injury as it keeps everything tight. I will he doing Full Power in November at Record Breakers for my first meet and then there is a small Push/Pull meet in my hometown in December I'll do so my family and friends can come watch.

Yeah man that sounds great I've been studying Dave Tate and Brandon Lilly and how they breakdown the movements so I can do correctly. I'll post later tonight about day 1 and probably make a video as well.

Also any advice and critique I'm open to hearing as I'm trying to learn and do things properly.

subscribe at www.youtube.com/user/nothuman715 also follow me on Instagram @phoenixrevamped

[supbro!]

Good luck bro. You look pretty young and from your pic it seems your on the right path.

[Granite-Dawg]

If it helps I always like watching vids of Chuck Vogelpohl to see his intensity. You will learn a ton in powerlifting that will assist you in bodybuildeling. I like watching Louie Simmons seminars on you tube also.
I would say don't overwhelm yourself with all the damn small details that seem to hang some guys up. Train hard and heavy and have fun. This shit ain't rocket science.

[liftw8t]

Good luck bro. You look pretty young and from your pic it seems your on the right path.

Thanks bro I appreciate it!

If it helps I always like watching vids of Chuck Vogelpohl to see his intensity. You will learn a ton in powerlifting that will assist you in bodybuildeling. I like watching Louie Simmons seminars on you tube also.
I would say don't overwhelm yourself with all the damn small details that seem to hang some guys up. Train hard and heavy and have fun. This shit ain't rocket science.

Awesome man I will definitely watch it. Yeah I'm trying to keep it simple and that's why I like the Cube Method book, plus my training partner has same lines of thinking that its not rocket science lol. Love Louis Simmons stuff but no knock against him but he does make things rocket science sometimes when he throws in the time/speed x weight type stuff haha. Great part is over past couple of months I've been able to learn a lot from Westside, Juggernaut, Cube, 5x5 ect and pull from each one kind of designing a program that works for me but keeping it simple and basics.

subscribe at www.youtube.com/user/nothuman715 also follow me on Instagram @phoenixrevamped

[liftw8t]

Okay Day 1 is completed! Let me just say I have a new found respect for squatting! Today was great as I learned a lot. My weight this morning was about 207.8, my diet still remains mostly clean with the occasional cookie or piece of chocolate bar due to cravings and weird drop in blood sugar only after eating any type of rice (basmati) meal.

You will see in the video posted I talk about things I noticed about my squat and form.

My flaws:

Squatting Parallel (or just below)
Quad dominate squat letting knees pass toes
Not staying tight
Bouncing at top of squat
Squatting too fast causing a bouncing at bottom
Stance too narrow
Not sitting back enough

These are just some of the things I have noticed squatting that I need work on. I did notice that I really need to focus my accessory work on my ad/abductors, glutes and hamstrings as they are weak and would shake as they fatigued. I have to get out of the habit of so many reps from my usual high volume training I'm use to doing as the more reps I do the harder it is to stay tight.

Here is the video



Not that I've mastered my squat but I have a basis for it now and just going to keep going up in weeks to come focusing on my form and staying tight. I had fun learning and applying something new. Any tips or advice is greatly appreciated. Oh yeah forgot to mention I did squat barefoot, probably grab some chucks this week.

[liftw8t]

Getting ready for Deadlift day! Enjoy the food porn lol uploadfromtaptalk1405184527720.jpg

subscribe at www.youtube.com/user/nothuman715 also follow me on Instagram @phoenixrevamped

[data4]

I cant tell by the vid but are you squatting with low or high bar position? That will certainly change where the weight is distributed as far as being able to sit back and activate more hams and glutes. I will definitely be stopping in here from time to time. Keep it up man!

[liftw8t]

I cant tell by the vid but are you squatting with low or high bar position? That will certainly change where the weight is distributed as far as being able to sit back and activate more hams and glutes. I will definitely be stopping in here from time to time. Keep it up man!

Hey Data, that seems to be the question of the day lol. But I do think I squat with a high bar position and have been told low bar might be better position like you said to squat in for sitting back and more glute ham activation. Also any recommendations for accessory work? I was planning on sticking with glute/ham raise machine maybe some jeffersons.

subscribe at www.youtube.com/user/nothuman715 also follow me on Instagram @phoenixrevamped

[Granite-Dawg]

I prefer low bar. Once you get used to it I believe it will really help


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[liftw8t]

Day 2

Bench day

So I watched some more videos from the "So you think you can bench" series and it helped a lot. Also still reading what's in the cube method book and I see the commonalities. I got together with another powerlifter from my gym that lifts in US-APL and benched with him. Although he is following a different program that was more along the lines of a "rep" day. He was showing me the proper way to get into a set up, which nobody mentioned that it hurts like hell lol. I didn't get any video as I forgot my tablet but our training went as follows:

Bench:
2 sets Bar x 15 reps
2 sets 135 x 15 reps
1 set 155 x 10 reps
1 set 185 x 10 reps
1 set 205 x 6 reps
1 set 225 x 6 reps
**wanted to stop here but guy I was training got all amped and wanted to go for an attempt higher for a double and 247 is my 60% so we went 255
2 sets 255 x 2 reps

Then accessory work was:

DB Rows
Pull overs
Close grip bench

Not going to lie my lower back, traps, lats are all sore haha. Things I noticed as flaws benching are:

-Set up was none existent with very little arch, and of course staying tight was a task too.

Lockout, as a bodybuilder I don't lockout on bench I always keep constant tension as it saves my joints when your banging out so many reps. Locking out I did notice I fatigue a little quicker.

Grip which has always been a major issue for me as my arms are long and as body composition has changed my grip changed too. But main difference now is where my grip before was geared towards more muscle stimulation, now I have to find the grip where I generate the most power. So that's a task as I'm still rebounding from contest prep and I keep getting bigger.

Touching my chest and no touch and go, focusing on more of a rest pause. Now I have done rest pause before with bands last offseason but usually my normal bench would be touch and go. I know in meets you have to get the green light on lift so I know a pause at bottom and lockout are important. So I'm training now for rest pause in that case.

So in conclusion I learned a lot when benching and still have more to learn. Its been fun so far and will deadlift tonight, then next week I might do my sessions as full power just to keep everything fresh in my mind probably going 50-60% on all lifts. Any advice and tips are greatly appreciated and if you have any questions let me know I'd be more than happy for both.


subscribe at www.youtube.com/user/nothuman715 also follow me on Instagram @phoenixrevamped

[Virtual Trauma]

I prefer low bar. Once you get used to it I believe it will really help

I switched to low bar and never looked back. I highly recommend adopting it.

[liftw8t]

First day deadlifting, and let's just say I sucks lol. It didn't go the greatest but I still learned a lot. My form I think was much better pulling in a straight line but keep in mind I am pulling Sumo stance. I wanted to pull sumo as I feel it will help strengthen those weaker muscles like hams, glutes, IT band abductors. My back is plenty strong I'll actually post video with my old terrible deadlift form along with footage from other night. Thing is conventional deads i pull way too much back and when i try to incorporate more legs like your suppose to I end up pitching a nerve or triggering sciatic pressure My flaws:

Not generating enough power

Wanting to revert back to pulling more with back

Still not staying tight as I need to

I pretty much am breaking this movement down from bottom and starting over. This is going to be interesting especially with me being tall and pulling sumo. Oh I did pull in combat boots so I'm thinking flat shoe would be better. My friend got me some deadlift slippers said they are great for sumo and doing what is called "spreading the floor" still don't quite understand how to do this or what is meant by this. Any advice is greatly appreciated.