Moving Heavy Stuff

Why don't they do the weigh in then make you lift? Why separate it by a day?
Some meets are day of weigh-in only to force folks to lift in their natural weight class. Others allow 24 hour weigh ins for people who are on the edges of the limit to do whats necessary to make sure we dont come in over-weight. If you weigh in the day before overweight you have 2 more chances to make weight.

For this meet we had 3 options. Arrive between 7:00-7:30 am today, 1-1:30 this afternoon or 7-7:30 am tomorrow immediately before lifting.
 
Phase 1 success. Cut more than I should have. Weighed in at 235. Now its time to eat like a toddler and keep pushing fluids.
Sitting at the venue an hour too early and thinking about the insanity I put my body through the last 72 hours and what im about to do to it today. This isnt healthy by any stretch of the imagination.

After weighing in at 235 yesterday morning I went hard on the fluids and food and bloated back up to 249.7 lbs last night before calling it quits on refueling and went to sleep.

Woke up at 244.7 lbs this morning.

Im as ready as I can be. If I fail my goals today I have nothing to blame but myself.
 
Long version of meet recap:

385 is a squat I can do any day, any time. However, I did not account for how different this was going to feel using my new highbar squat form. This meet used a mammoth bar weighing 65lbs and the diameter on this thing was massive. Wasnt a big deal when I squatted in the lowbar position but highbar, it was rocking and rolling on me. I took it down, came up and lost balance almost tipping forward and overcorrected and almost lost it backwards.

405 moved better/faster and 435 even better. I had so much more in the tank but played it too safe after the first attempt scare. 435 was a 5 lb PR for naked knees in competition so im not upset but more was there and without it, my 3 lift total goal of 1400 was no longer able to be realized.

While warming up for bench, I felt so good it was unreal. However, once 225 was on the bar, I noticed how thick and squishy the bench pad was creating a very unsecured surface underneath me. Im use to benching on a hard pad and this was nuts. It was a balancing act more than benching. 225 was so unsteady I was shaking like I was using an earthquake bar. I stopped warming up at 275 and just had it in my head I needed to keep my back locked extra tight. 325 moved faster than anything over 300 ever has. 345 also moved so fast but I lost balance on the squishy pad and in catching myself my arms wobbled back and forth a little and I got red lights for it.

I know 365 was there today, if not more if I was on my own bench or a hard one but I could not risk going higher with how unfamiliar and wobbly this damn bench pad was so I retook the 345 and smoked it. This ended up being 10 lbs under my best raw comp bench and my biggest disappointment today in my own execution. To know the strength was there and I didnt get to show it hurt.

For deadlift, I went with the mentality of using my opener as my last warmup before going straight to breaking my own deadlift state record by 5lbs. That was 495 and 545. When I got 545 up, I was all smiles holding on to it and knew I did what I mainly wanted to do today and now it was time to have fun and see just for fun what I might be able to do.

I had them load 565 which is now 20lbs over anything ive ever picked up off the floor. I had no idea if this was even doable, I was just flowing with the energy of the crowd. To my absolute shock, I broke it off the ground, got it to my knees and my eyes must have been popping out my head because I was so excited, I could not believe it. Usually, when I get to my knees with a pull, its a done deal I got it because im strongest there. Its the first 2-3 inches I gotta clear and then we are home free.

Unfortunately as my excitement built, I got robbed. My grip failed me for the first time ever and the bar crashed to the floor. I was so upset because I friggen had it!!!! And then I looked at my left hand and all my callouses were ripped off.

585 aka 6 plates per side has been a long standing goal of mine to deadlift. I am only 20lbs away!!!!!
 
A week plus removed from any form of lifting weights and I find myself completely uninspired and not motivated enough to start a new plan/training block.

I attempted to move some weights yesterday and absolutely ate shit. A 365 squat almost folded me, a 225 bench felt like 350 and I was planning on attempting a 585 deadlift but quit with pain everywhere after pulling 405.

Im chalking it up to fatigue and stress but seeing how bad I was a week after competing where I was feeling great made me realize how much I need to create a new goal/plan to work towards.

I want to compete again in September as I feel like I have unfinished business but right now im gonna focus on weightloss and just doing some movements that make me feel good for awhile at higher rep ranges to get a pump and do more hypertrophy work before settling in and cranking the weights up again.
 
Almost 3 weeks removed from lifting and we are back on the horse with a plan. I weighed in at 250lbs yesterday and felt absolutely disgusted with myself because I made a promise we are never going above 250 ever again.

Today was sets of 8 for sumo dead and touch and go bench and then sets of 12-15 for belt squat machine and leg extensions. Tried my best to not let numbers hamper my attitude and just focus on good rep execution with perfect form.

We ended up working up to what I believe is a lifetime best of 405x8 for sumo pulling (with strength there to keep going but I was gassed and starving of oxygen from holding my damn breath for the first 5 reps.) I also got 260x8 on bench which isnt anything brag worthy until I consider how easy that was to do and how it theoretically is right in line with my 1 rep max calculation. Other work was just flushing blood into my legs and that just felt therapeutic and fantastic. I knew it was a solid days work when I was a little sick feeling after belt squats and stumbled a bit trying to go up my stairs.
 
Are you really lifting if you aren't accidentally holding your breath for multiple reps??

After an abysmal C&J session two weeks ago (vacation last week) I came back today and had a great sesh. 60kg moved easily and I wasn't power cleaned like before. Putting 60kg over my head for all 15 reps (5x3) was a great feeling and something I didn't think was possible a year ago. My light gray shirt was a solid dark gray by the end of my full workout
 
Are you really lifting if you aren't accidentally holding your breath for multiple reps??
This topic is a point of contention between me and the dude I lift with on occasion. He yells at me to breathe but the second I let my breath out, I lose my bracing and have to reset.
 
Another one of my training partners is moving :(

I'm trying to embrace the solo lifting thing again, but it is hard. I did have a pretty good day at the going away party, which has gotten me excited for lifting again. I just hope I can carry this on.

The most I have snatched in the last 6ish weeks is 95kg. On Saturday I went 112.5, 116, 120x, 120x. 1kg under my best and two good shots at the lifetime goal. My squat strength has been way down, so I'm trying to push that back up and give it another go. 11 months until I turn 40...

 
Been grinding and acclimating to that 8-15 rep lifestyle and it sucks….

I do not miss the days of getting high rep deadlift fatigue that leads to scraping the shit out of my shins, but here we are.

From ankles to knees I was bloodied up yesterday and even had blood on my bar and floor. Probably woulda made for a real hardcore gym bro pic but I was annoyed and now very uncomfortable wearing pants at work.
 
I tried it for a month and I quit….

That hypertrophy life isnt for me right now. It is so boring doing the same shit for so much volume and just burning out and getting good at moving light weight for many reps. Its completely counter productive to what my main goals/interest are in powerlifting.

I decided to get under something heavy for squatting yesterday. Went with cambered bar, chains and a 15 inch box. Gonna pick something fun for pressing today and then get serious about writing out the next couple weeks/months of conjugate style training.
 
Switching up my training cycle a little bit for the next six weeks. Going 4 days a week vs my typical 3, slightly reducing the number of movements for each session. My thought process is the extra day will get me moving more frequently and the reduced load (4 vs 5 movements) will still provide enough stimulus for growth without over taxation.

I tried it for a month and I quit….

That hypertrophy life isnt for me right now. It is so boring doing the same shit for so much volume and just burning out and getting good at moving light weight for many reps. Its completely counter productive to what my main goals/interest are in powerlifting.

I decided to get under something heavy for squatting yesterday. Went with cambered bar, chains and a 15 inch box. Gonna pick something fun for pressing today and then get serious about writing out the next couple weeks/months of conjugate style training.
Muscles for go, not for show!
 
Muscles for go, not for show!

I shoulda prefaced that post by stating there is a time and place for all styles of lifting and doing something is infinitely better than nothing. I think we all can agree on that.

Ive recently had a few people ask me how I find motivation to keep going and thats when it hit me…. when you are doing something you genuinely love, you dont need motivation, just discipline.

When im uninspired and uninterested in what my training plan calls for- thats when I feel I need motivation to do something I dont want to.

Hypertrophy training will no doubt lead to bigger muscles and bigger muscles move more weight but with hypertrophy focus, you lose the skill of maximum effort and what that feels like to strain hard for 1 rep.

At this stage of my life, I dont know how much more muscle can be added to my frame without the usage of PEDs and thats not something im willing to dabble in. What I know I can do, is refine my technique to become more efficient with my body’s leverages and work on becoming more explosive.

During my last meet, and even the meet prior… I was holding back some level of reservation that I was going to get hurt. So for each lift, I did it slow and controlled completely zapping me of my energy and potential.

This round of training going into September’s meet I am going to work on weak points, technique and building explosive power rather than being slow, controlled and scared with everything.
 
This never happens for me….

Usually when I see a banging deal on lifting stuff id like to have, I am way too late to the party to get it. Yesterday I saw a listing that was too good to be true so I made an offer that was 4x the asking price.

Several hours later they responded to me saying 13 other people contacted them but I was the only one offering more than the asking price and asked me why.

I explained old york roundhead dumbbells are collectable and some of the small ones are valued at anywhere from 100-600 bucks per pair.

She wanted $40 for pairs of 4’s, 6’s, 7’s, 10’s and a single 8. The first 3 in that list are what im missing and are $400 alone based off what ive seen people listing them for lately.

She appreciated my honesty and not only sold them to me but gifted me with an additional pair of 12’s that are also valued at around $200 and she would not take any more $ from me.

I already own pairs of 8’s 10’s and 12’s but mine are newer with a USA stamp on the underside and not as old as these that predates when stamping occurred.

Some are rusty so I got an opportunity here to do a little restoration work on them. It was a 200 mile road trip that cost me getting home after midnight this morning but well worth it.

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Im now only missing 1’s and 9’s to have a complete set up to 80’s. Im then missing 85’s 95’s and 100’s for final completion but definitely am not willing to pay the $500 the 9’s cost and $1,000 each those big boy pairs cost.

Maybe ill swallow my pride and resell these spare 10’s and 12’s I have and put whatever I can get from them into buying another pair of what im missing.

Lord what a silly and expensive “hobby.”
 
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Probably wasn't my smartest idea to do these lifts on back to back days, but it is what it is. 205 felt good and I'm excited to build that number up over the next few weeks. Haven't snatched in probably 8 or so years, so I took the very cautious route but was reminded how much fun this movement is. I will likely go slower with the weight increase given my max was roughly 40kg when I last snatched, though I suspect I'll be able to bump that up to 50kg once I'm comfortable with the movement
 
Ive recently had a few people ask me how I find motivation to keep going and thats when it hit me…. when you are doing something you genuinely love, you dont need motivation, just discipline.

Motivation is mostly fake. It's more thinking like "I go to the gym, because I go to the gym". It just has to be part of your routine like brushing your teeth.

On that note, I've been struggling a bit with going to the gym. Now I'm trying the no program program. Where I just act like a normal gym goer, show up and do what ever I want to. It's just so hard when you have a program and have to miss multiple days for work or travel. I'm just going to show up every day I can and do what ever I want.
 
Motivation is mostly fake. It's more thinking like "I go to the gym, because I go to the gym". It just has to be part of your routine like brushing your teeth.

On that note, I've been struggling a bit with going to the gym. Now I'm trying the no program program. Where I just act like a normal gym goer, show up and do what ever I want to. It's just so hard when you have a program and have to miss multiple days for work or travel. I'm just going to show up every day I can and do what ever I want.
My program is 3 days a week so when I miss a day I just repeat things. Whatever day I start during the week is day 1, next is day 2, and sometimes that's all I get so I just repeat the week the next week. I only move forwards if I get all 3 days in. Yeah, that means I don't push forwards, but whatever, I'm 45, it's fine. I only really follow the program because I know I'm not good at pushing myself so could never do what you suggest. I'd wander around the gym like John Travolta in that gif and then just leave.

On a separate thought, apparently my gym offers an "Olympic Weight Lifting" class on Thursdays so I'm hopefully going to finally learn how to do a Clean & Press. I want to replace the row I'm doing since clean & press is a much better use of my time. I've always just been afraid to do it without some instruction. Maybe I'll also get some pointers on my form for other things that were also self-taught. We'll see.
 
My program is 3 days a week so when I miss a day I just repeat things. Whatever day I start during the week is day 1, next is day 2, and sometimes that's all I get so I just repeat the week the next week. I only move forwards if I get all 3 days in. Yeah, that means I don't push forwards, but whatever, I'm 45, it's fine. I only really follow the program because I know I'm not good at pushing myself so could never do what you suggest. I'd wander around the gym like John Travolta in that gif and then just leave.

On a separate thought, apparently my gym offers an "Olympic Weight Lifting" class on Thursdays so I'm hopefully going to finally learn how to do a Clean & Press. I want to replace the row I'm doing since clean & press is a much better use of my time. I've always just been afraid to do it without some instruction. Maybe I'll also get some pointers on my form for other things that were also self-taught. We'll see.
Interesting perspective on missing a day and doing a restart on the week. I always just pick up where I left off as soon as possible.

Having an Oly class is pretty awesome. Im not gonna lie, id love to attend one some time but I can already envision the person running it telling me how to do the front rack position and then when then see me attempting it, telling me please for the love of god just leave before you break yourself.
 
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