Youth is wasted on the young

[Insectoid]

Conventional Deadlift with belt - 1x300@7.5 (PR), 6x4x225

Nice!

Thanks!


Also, I'm still training. I've just been lazy about logging.

[Insectoid]

I have a meet scheduled (well, I'm actually on the waitlist, and I'll do a mock meet if I don't get taken off the waitlist) on 9/15, so I have a reason to log again. While I wasn't logging my training, I hit a 285 squat (albeit @9.5), which was a PR.


BW: 175.0

Bench (first rep with a competition pause, next two TnG) - 5x3x185@6

Squat with belt - 255@7, 5x210@7.5, 6x5x200@6-7

Lat pulldowns (with a pronated grip) - 10x100, 2x10x115, 2x10x130@near failure

[mgil]

Good to see your squat is back on track!

[Insectoid]

Good to see your squat is back on track!

Thanks! 300 is coming soon, I think.


7/31/18

BW: 176.2

Conventional Deadlift with belt (just gonna call this Competition Deadlift from now on) - 295@7, 6x4x225@6-8

Dumbbell Bench - 5x35, 5x45, 3x5x55@7

Hammer Curl - 15x20, 5x5x20 (myo-reps)

Triceps Pressdowns - 15x110, 5x5x110 (myo-reps)

Assault bike - 0:20 on, 1:40 off sprint intervals for 10 mins


8/2/18

BW: 175.4

Competition Bench - 2x175, 1x195@7, 1x215@fail (weird, 195 was easy)

Bench (first rep with a competition pause, next two TnG) - 5x3x175@~6

Squat with belt (gonna call this Competition Squat from now on) - 265@7.5, 5x3x230@~8

Dumbbell Flies - 10x15, 3x10x20@7


8/3/18

BW: 175.2

Competition Deadlift - 5x3x255@~8

Feet up bench - 10x95, 10x125, 10x150@7, 3x8x150@~8, 7x150@8, 6x150@8 (47 reps @150 in total)

3-0-0 Squat with belt - 5x5x185@6-7

Machine rows - 3x15x90@8-9

[Insectoid]

8/6/18

BW:174.0

Competition Bench - 195@7, 205@9

Bench (first rep with a competition pause, next two TnG) - 5x3x190@7-9

Competition Squat - 3x185, 3x210@6, 4x3x240@7-7.5

Chins - 10xBW@9, 7xBW@9


8/7/18

BW: 174.0

Competition Deadlift - 255@6, 2x285@8-8.5

Bench (first rep with a competition pause, next four TnG) - 5x135, 5x5x160@6

Dumbbell Rows - 10x25, 10x35@6, 3x10x45@7-8

Assault bike - 0:20 on, 1:40 off sprint intervals for 10 mins


8/9/18

BW: 176.8

Competition Bench - 195@6, 195@6, 210@9 (pause was also too short)

TnG Bench - 5x2x185@~6

Competition Squat - 2x225@6, 255@7.5, 275@8-8.5, 11x195@9, 10x195@9

Chins - 9xBW@9, 4x4xBW


8/10/18

BW: 175.8

Competition Deadlift - 5x5x225@~7

TnG Bench - 5x6x165@6-7

300 Tempo Squat with Belt - 5x5x190@7-7.5

Machine rows - 3x20x90@~8

[Insectoid]

8/13/18

BW: 174.6

Bench (first rep with a competition pause, next two TnG) - 6x3x187.5@6-7

Competition Squat - 6x6x205@6-7

Chins - 8,6,7xBW@~8


8/14/18

BW: 173.6

Competition Deadlift - 265@6, 305@8 (PR), 3x4x235@7, (straps on) 3x4x235@7

Dumbbell bench - 8x25, 8x35@6, 3x8x45@7

Curls - 3x15x40, 12x40 supersetted with Tricep pressdowns - 3x15x120, 12x120

Assault bike - 0:20 on, 1:40 off sprint intervals for 10 mins


8/16/18

BW: 176.2

Competition Pause - 195@7, 205@~8, 215@9

Bench (first rep with a competition pause, next two TnG) - 6x3x175@6

Competition Squat - 255@6, 275@7, 7x3x230@6-7

Chins - 3x7xBW, 2x6xBW


8/17/18

BW: 176.0

Competition Deadlift - (straps on) 2x255@slow, 2x280@~8.5, (straps off) 5x3x245@~7.5 + 10 second hold on last rep of last set

TnG Bench - 15x150@~9 (rating the RPE on a 15 rep set is mostly guesswork), 6x6x150@easy

300 Tempo Squat with belt - 5x5x195@6-7

Machine rows - 4x15x100@~9

[Insectoid]

8/20/18

BW: 173.0

Bench (first rep with a competition pause, next two TnG) - 4x3x185@6, 3x2x185@<6

Competition Squat - 4x3x240@~6, 2x2x240@6

DB Bench - 20x35@7, 2x15x35@7

DB Fly* - 3x40x7.5

*I was actually supposed to do reverse flies, but Monday must've been a bad day for reading comprehension. And yes, I did 40 rep sets. The prescription was to take the set to a light burn. I was confused after the first one because I didn't feel much of anything in my chest; focusing on the contraction in the later sets resulted in some sensation.


8/21/18

BW: 174.2

Competition Deadlift - 5x4x250@6-8

Lat pulldowns - 20x100, 15x100

Machine rows - 2x15x70

Curls - 4x10x40


8/22/18

BW: 174.8

Competition Squat - 275@7, 290@8 (PR)

Competition Bench - 195@8, 210@fail*

TnG Bench - 3x6x160@7

*I had moderate elbow pain after squatting, for no apparent reason. I squat thumbs-around and with wrist wraps, and my elbows stay decently aligned with my torso. Also, my wrists aren't bent to an extreme degree. This seriously compromised bench strength (the same thing happened on Friday).


8/24/18

BW: 173.2

Competition Squat - 2x275@8, 3x1x275@~8

Competition Bench - 2x3x185, 2x2x185, 2x3x165, dropped weight to 165 because of pain, elbow felt better at 165

Competition Deadlift - 295@9 (I pulled this @7 a few weeks ago, maybe fatigue from squats compromised pulling strength?)

[Insectoid]

8/27/18

BW: 172.8

Competition Squat - 3x2x255@6, 5x1x255@6-7

DB Bench - 2x15x40@7-8, 10x40@8

Competition Deadlift - 5x1x265@7-8

Chin negatives (elbow rehab) - 2x5xBW


8/29/18

BW: 172.8

Competition Squat* - 275@7, 3x3x275@7

Competition Bench - stopped at 2x135 because of right shoulder pain

Machine Flies - 4x20x55

113 Tempo Hammer Curls (elbow rehab) - 4x7x25

*I tried the claw (?) grip, with my pinky fingers under the bar. My elbows felt great but it tore up my shoulder and I couldn't bench.


8/31/18

BW: 173.6

Competition Bench - 205@9, 5x5x160@7

Competition Deadlift - 275@8, 295@fail

High Bar Squat (my new competition stance) with belt - 6x185, 205x5@8, 5x185@8


It seems very unlikely that I'm getting off the waitlist for the 9/15 meet, but I decided to drop out regardless. I'm going to have to learn high bar (the rack position is somewhat uncomfortable, but I'll probably get used to it soon enough) if I want to bench after squatting (that is, in a full powerlifting meet), and my deadlift hasn't been doing too well lately. No big deal, I signed up for a meet on 10/27. I'm very hopeful about that meet since it now appears that I can squat without disrupting my bench. Until then, I'll be going back into a high volume/hypertrophy phase (I can gain ~5lbs to fill out the 183 class, as I walk around at ~177).

[Insectoid]

9/3/18

BW: 175.2

Competition Bench - 4x4x175@6-7

Competition Squat - 5x5x185@easy

Barbell Row - 5x5x5x95, these were done as five sets of five "mini-sets" of five partial reps, hence the 5x5x5

Reverse DB Fly - 3x20x5


9/4/18

BW: 174.2

DB Bench - 3x12x40, 10x40

SGDL - 4x205@7, 3x4x185@~6

Press with belt - 105@8, 5x5x85 in 7 minutes

Machine flies - 4x15x70


9/6/18

BW: 174.6

Competition Bench - 4x4x180@7-8

Competition Squat - 5x5x195@~6

DB flies - 3x12x15

LTEs - 4x15x50


9/7/18

BW: 174.4

TnG Bench - 5x9x150@easy

Competition Deadlift - 4x3x255@7-9

Curls - 3x15x40

Lat pulldowns - 3x15x100

[Insectoid]

9/10/18

BW: 177.4

Competition Bench - 3x3x190@~7, 3x2x190@~7

Competition Squat - 5x5x200@~7

Chins - 12xBW, 6x4xBW


9/11/18

BW: 178.0

DB Bench - 4x10x45@easy

SGDL - 4x215@9, 3x4x195@~7

Press with belt - 7x5x85

Machine flies - 5x15x75


9/13/18

BW: 175.2

Competition Bench - 175x5,4,3,3,3,2,2

Competition Squat - 240@7.5, 4x4x205@7-9, 4x185@7

DB flies - 3x10x20@7-8

Triceps pressdowns - 4x15x100


9/14/18

BW: 174.8

TnG Bench - 5x6x165@easy

Competition Deadlift - 5x2x260@6-7

Curls - 4x15x40

Lat pulldowns - 4x15x105

[Insectoid]

9/17/18

BW: 180.6

Bench - TnG 2x200@6, Competition 4x1x200@~7

Competition Squat - 6x6x185@~6

Cable row - 3x15x85

Incline DB Bench - 3x12x35


9/18/18

BW: 180.4

DB Bench - 4x8x55@7

SGDL - 4x4x205@7-8

Press with belt - 7x5x95

Machine flies - 5x15x85


9/20/18

BW: 177.0

Bench - TnG 5x185 alternated with Competition 1x185 for 6 total sets

Competition Squat - 5x5x200@7-8, 4x200@9

Machine fly - 4x15x85

Triceps pressdowns - 4x15x105


9/21/18

BW: 176.4

TnG Bench - 10x155@8, 5x10x135, last set @9

Competition Deadlift - 295@8.5, 3x1x275@~8, 3x3x240@7

Cable row - 4x85x15

Curls - 3x15x40

[Insectoid]

9/24/18

BW: 181.0

Bench - 3 rounds of TnG 2x190@6 alternated with Comp 1x190@6 for 9 total reps, then TnG 5x190@8.5

Competition Squat - 5x2x235@7-8

Cable row - 4x15x85

Incline DB Bench - 3x15x35


9/25/18

BW: 178.0

DB Bench - 4x8x55@7

Competition Deadlift - 255@easy, 265@6, 3x1x275@7

SGDL - 205x5,4,5,4@7-8

Press with belt - 7x5x100

Machine flies - 4x15x90


9/27/18

BW: 177.4

Bench - Comp 1x205@9, TnG 4x5x175, last set @9

Competition Squat - 250@8, 265@9 (more knee valgus than I'd like), 6x5x190@7-8

Machine fly - 3x15x90

Triceps pressdowns - 4x15x110


9/28/18

BW: 178.8

TnG Bench - 3x7x160@7, 10x160@10

Competition Deadlift - 6x4x230@6

Lat pulldown - 4x15x100

Curls - 4x15x40



Between the easy singles on Tuesday and the 4s on Friday, I'd say my deadlift is back on track. I had a small technique breakthrough -- before, I would bring my shins to the bar and then drop my hips, invariably pushing the bar forward. Now, I set up a bit further from the bar and bring my shins to the bar while dropping my hips, initiating the pull with that hip drop (not necessarily placing my hips too low, as they rise with the bar and not before it; this tells me that my hips were too high in my old setup).

[Insectoid]

10/1/18

BW: 179.0

Bench - Comp 5x1x195@7, TnG 3x3x195@~8

Competition Squat - 225x4,3,3,2@7-8

Cable Row - 4x15x90

DB Incline Bench - 4x15x40


10/2/18

BW: 178.6

DB Bench - 4x7x60@7-8

Competition Deadlift - 265, 280, 290@8, 2x1x1275@7

SGDL - 4x5x205@~8

Press with Belt - 5x5x110

Machine flies - 4x15x90


10/4/18

BW: 174.8

Bench, 1st rep paused - 5x4x177@6-7

Competition Squat - 225x4,4,3,3,2,2@<8.5

Triceps pressdowns - 4x15x110

Machine flies - 3x12x90


10/5/18

BW:176.8

Competition Bench - 195@6, 197, 200, 202, 205@8

Feet-up TnG Bench - 4x6x170, last set @8

Competition Deadlift - 6x4x240@6-7.5

Lat Pulldown - 4x15x100

Hammer Curl - 3x15x15

[Insectoid]

10/8/18

BW: 179.8

Competition Squat - 4x5x205@6-7, 3x3x205

Competition Bench - 3x1x185, 3x1x190@6, 3x1x195@~7, 3x2x185@~7.5

Machine row - 4x15x100


10/9/18

BW: 178.6

Competition Deadlift - 250, 275@6, 300@7-7.5, 3x1x285@~7.5

SGDL - 4x4x210@7-7.5

Press with belt - 5x5x112.5

TnG Bench - 155x9,9,8,8,7@7-8

Machine flies - 4x12x90


10/11/18

BW: 182.6

Competition Squat - 2x235@7, 2x245@overshot, 2x3x235@too high, 225x3,3,2@7-8

Bench, 1st rep paused - 7x3x185@6-7

Machine flies - 4x12x90

Triceps pressdowns - 15x110, 3x15x130


10/12/18

BW: 181.0

Competition Deadlift - 4x245@6, 4x265@8, 5x4x240@6-8

Feet up TnG Bench - 170x7,7,6,5@7-8

Lat Pulldowns - 100x17,17,12,12

Hammer Curls - 3x25x10

[Insectoid]

10/15/18

BW: 182.6

Competition Squat - 225x4,4,3,3,2,2

Bench - Competition 190, 205, 215@9, 5x1x195, TnG 4x2x185

Machine Rows - 4x12x110


10/16/18

BW: 181.6

Competition Deadlift - 275, 315@7 (PR), 3x1x295

SGDL - 5x4x210@~7

Press with Belt - 5x5x115

TnG Bench - 6x7x165@~7

Machine flies - 3x15x90


10/18/18

BW: 181.2

Competition Squat - 260@8, 235x4,4,3,3, 225x3

Bench - Comp up to 205@8.5, TnG 4x4x185

Machine flies - 90x15,12,12,12

Triceps Pressdowns - 3x15x130


10/20/18

BW: 183.8

Competition Deadlift - 275, 300@6.5 (opener)



Here's a video. The quality is pretty terrible, but the pull looked fine.

Competition Bench - 4x4x175@6-7

[mgil]

Things are still going well. Positive gains and that deadlift form was solid.

[Insectoid]

BW: 181.0

Competition Squat - 250@7 (opener), 3x3x225, 3x4x195



The transition to high bar has gone well, I think.

Competition Bench - 195@easy (opener), 215@8 (around a second attempt), 4x4x177.5



I can't tell for sure from this angle, but I might have had a little bit of bridging/ass leaving the bench stuff going on during this rep. Not unexpected, given the degree to which I arch my back, and I think I cleaned it up on 215.



Happy with this.

Things are still going well. Positive gains and that deadlift form was solid.

Thanks! Figuring out conventional pulls took a while -- especially on these hex plates -- but I feel like I've gotten the hang of it now.

[Insectoid]

BW: 179.8

Competition Squat - 8x1x205

Competition Bench - 2x3x175, 4x1x175

Competition Deadlift - 7x1x225

[Insectoid]

I'd say this was less of a USAPL meet and more of a 1RM get-together that happened to be sanctioned by that federation; there were only 7 lifters, all but two alone in their age/weight class and therefore receiving a participation medal (myself included), the bar we were lifting on was without end caps (rendering it unidentifiable), oddly thick, and had even shittier knurling than the commercial gym "bar" that I'm used to. Except for the one pair of iron 45s, we used bumper plates. This was a Crossfit gym, after all. All lifts were done in pounds and the dude weighing me in -- a Fat Man who claimed to be a "bench and deadlift specialist" in some obscure federation -- was confused when I told him I was an 83; kilos are tough, I guess.

I gained weight going into this meet but was concerned that I overdid it. My scale was reading ~185 after breakfast, so I was debating fasting until after weighing in or eating less the day before. I did neither, ate normally and made some half-assed attempt at "cutting weight" by 1) drinking a bunch of coffee, hoping that the caffeine would act as a diuretic and laxative (unfortunately, that's my experience sometimes), knowing that I'd piss the coffee water (I am lacking better terms) out before weigh ins, and 2) spitting repeatedly in a cup during the 2 hour drive to the venue, generating a grand total of ~3 fl oz of spit. Pathetic, I know. Fortunately, none of this matters because I weighed in at 181.4 -- my scale at home must read a few pounds heavy.

Anyway, I took 225 as a final squat warmup. I noticed the bar sliding around, as I am lacking a Shelf of Trapezious Muscle, so I attempted to chalk my upper back and somehow broke the brick of chalk, making a big mess. [Insert imagery about snow]. My first attempt flew, my second looked good enough, and I fucked up the third. 295 would've been a PR, so my dumbass went for it instead of trying to build the total. I wish I could've gotten a side view to evaluate bar path, but I suspect it was simply a "strength deficit".







While checking rack heights, the meet director remarked that I had a pretty big arch. From then on, through all three bench attempts, I was terrified that I was going to arch too much and get reds for my ass leaving the bench. Well, that didn't happen, and I regret not going heavier on my third attempt (after missing 295 on squats, even after 275 looked fine, I wanted to be more conservative with attempt selection; a 20+ pound jump to my third bench felt too risky).







I was concerned that I would miss deadlifts on grip because of the bar's worn-away knurling (I'll note that the knurling started a few inches further than it usually does, necessitating a wider grip) and the two or three millimeters thicker it was than the bar I'm used to pulling on (I actually considered pulling mixed grip but thought better of it, being very out of practice), but I don't feel as if grip was my problem. The 300 opener looked like an opener but the 330 second was slow enough to make me go to the table and scratch my third; I then heard the voice of Mark Rippetoe calling me a pussy, so I put in 350 as a third. I felt that, at best, I could spine-lift it up, and at worst, I could sustain some injury. Neither happened, I was just too weak today. Oh well.








I was ultimately 20lbs short of the (855lb) Raw Nats qualifying total, which I had set as a goal going into this meet. I feel like that total was there today, but I didn't put in the correct attempts; something like 285/235-240/330-335 would've gotten me there. Attempt selection is a skill, I guess. And anyway, if we're being honest, an 855 total shouldn't qualify anyone for anything (I'm still going to attempt it later this year, if that's reasonable, or next year (I heard that the qualifying totals are being raised?)).

TLDR (in pounds, because I struggle with division by 2.205):

BW: 181.4

Squat: 250, 275, 290 (miss)

Bench: 195, 215, 230

Deadlift: 300, 330, 350 (miss)

Overall: 7/9, 835lb total, 254.14 Wilks

[mgil]

The lifts you did make on squat looked easy. I think the strength was there for the 3rd attempt you chose, you just need more time under the bar.

Given the subpar meet equipment and a pretty long pause on bench, I think it’s a good showing.