APT Pro Gear - Rob Thomas UK Powerlifter Powerlifting

Name

Rob Thomas

Date of Birth

31/03/1971

Birth place

Caerphilly, South Wales

Height

6'1

Weight

150 kg

Team

Welsh Powerlifting Team

2008 BWLA British Bench Press Championships (2nd palce)
WSA Welsh Cup Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships (1st place)

2007 BWLA 4 Nations (Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland) Powerlifting Team Championships (3rd place)
WSA Welsh Counties Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships (1st place)
IPF World Bench Press championships (10th place)

2007
BWLA British Bench Press Championships 125+ class (1st place)

2006
WPU Welsh powerlifting Championships 125+ class (1st place)
WPU Welsh bench press Championships 125+ class (1st place and Welsh record)
WPU Welsh Counties powerlifting and bench press Championships 125+ class (1st place)
BWLA British Bench Press Championships 125+ class (2nd place)
BWLA British unequipped Powerlifting Championships 125+ class (1st place)
BWLA British unequipped bench press Championships 125+ class (1st place and British record)
BPO Welsh Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships 140+ class (1st place)
WPF World Powerlifting Championships 140+ class (1st place and a federation world record in the bench press)
WPU Welsh Single lifts Championships 125+ class (1st place and Welsh record)

2005
WPU Welsh powerlifting Championships 125+ class (1st place)
WPU Welsh bench press Championships 125+ class (1st place)
WPU Welsh Counties powerlifting and bench press Championships 125+ class (1st place)
BWLA British unequipped bench press Championships 125+ class (1st place)
IPF Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships 125+ class (3 silver medals)
BWLA 4 Nations Powerlifting Championships 125+ class (1st place)
BPO British record breakers bench press Championships 125+ class (1st place)

Most memorable moment

Competing at the first ever IPF Commonwealth Powerlifting championships that were held in Northumberland, England in 2005. This was my first international competition.

Aspirations / goals

One of my short term goals is to bench press 300kgs in competition. Other than that, I'd like to keep on improving in every major competition I enter and to break the 1000kg total barrier in a single ply federation.

Sci-MX supplements used

100% Whey Protein, Pure Protein GRS-5, Rapid Recovery Complex,
17 Testo-Methox, Xedra Cut MX, BCAA NanoStack, ZMA, Creatine EE-MS, GAK-MX, L-Glutamine

No.1 Sci-MX supplement and why

My favourite Sci-MX supplement is the 100% Whey Protein. It's very easy to mix, tastes great and is an excellent way of consuming top quality protein easily. I take around 3 to 4 shakes per day.

I have also noticed considerable gains from using the 17 Testo-Methox. I managed to put on around 4kgs of bodyweight in just under 2 weeks when I first started using this and I also saw an increase in strength and endurance during training.

Favourite training routine including details

I train a 4 day split routine over 3 days a week (mon, wed, fri). I constantly alternate between exercises on a weekly basis and concentrate on lifting heavy and also speed work with a lighter weight. The heavy exercises alternate between 1-5 reps and the speed work is always 65% of my 1 rep max for 8 sets of 3 reps with a 1 minute rest between sets.

The split looks like this:

Day 1
Squat or box squat (heavy)
Deadlift (speed)
Hack squats, leg press or front squats (3 sets of 6 to 8 reps)
Calf exercise (3 sets of 6 to 8 reps)
Bicep exercise (3 sets of 6 to 8 reps)

Day 2
Bench Press (heavy)
Incline or dumbbell incline or decline bench press (3 sets of 6 to 8 reps)
Barbell row or t-bar row (3 sets of 6 to 8 reps)
Lat pulldowns or cable rows (3 sets of 6 to 8 reps)
Ab work

Day 3
Squat (speed)
Deadlifts or Good mornings (heavy)
Hyperextensions or stiff leg deadlifts (3 sets of 6 to 8 reps)
Bicep exercise (3 sets of 6 to 8 reps)

Day 4
Bench Press (speed)
Board Press (heavy)
Close grip bench press or dips (3 sets of 6 to 8 reps)
Rear delt flyes (3 sets of 6 to 8 reps)
Log press or barbell press (3 sets of 6 to 8 reps)
Ab work

Typical daily nutrition plan including supplements

A typical week day's nutrition is as follows:

07:00:
8 egg whites, 30g 100% Whey Protein, � cup of porridge oats, 10g L-Glutamine, 1.5 pints of water all blended up in the blender. I also take 17 Testo-Methox, Xedra Cut MX and Tri-Omega EFAs.

08:30:
50g 100% Whey Protein with water

10.30:
Thick chicken or tuna sandwich on granary bread or roll with 1 or 2 pieces of fruit. I also take 17 Testo-Methox now as well.

13:00:
Usually something from the works canteen but I try to keep it as clean as possible i.e. eating plenty of vegetables with the meal.

15:30:
Tub of pineapple cottage cheese with a couple of oatcakes and some fruit. Also take the last lot of 17 Testo-Methox along with 4 more Xedra Cut MX.

17:00 (around half hour pre-workout):
50g 100% Whey Protein in water, a banana, Creatine EE-MX and GAK-MX

19:30: (immediately post workout):
Rapid Recovery Complex.

20:30:
Some form of meat, fish or poultry, a couple of small new potatoes and a pile of mixed vegetables or salad. I also take some BCAAs at the same time.

22:30:
50g Pure Protein GRS-5 in skimmed milk/water combination (for the mixed protein sources and glutamine etc). I also take ZMA as well before bed.

I tend to "relax" more at the weekend

Sporting hero

My favourite all time sporting hero is Muhammad Ali. I think he's a living legend for his achievements both in sport and in life in general.

Brief biography

I have always been naturally big and strong and have been training with weights, on and off since the age of 14. I always trained "generally" without any guidance or goals, sometimes taking a year or so out of the gym. Then around Christmas of 2004, I realised that I wasn't getting any younger, so after spending some time browsing some strength discussion forums on the internet, I decided to enter my first powerlifting competition. I got in touch with Ken Williams of the Welsh Strength Association and decided to enter the 2005 WPU Welsh Powerlifting championships and ended up winning my weight class. During this competition, I got bit by "the bug" and met a number of other lifters who helped to encouraged me to continue lifting. Since then I have won a number of Welsh and British championships in both Powerlifting competitions and Bench Press only competitions. I also gained 3 silver medals at the first ever IPF Commonwealth Powerlifting championships and more recently, a gold medal at the WPF World Powerlifting Championships.