Back at the deadlifts...

But first, random non-lifting stuff.  Lets see, my sleep has been complete shit lately, the amount of crap I took last night for a little less than 4 solid hours was insane.  With that being said got a message today that was pretty good to get, relieved a lot of stress I've been having so that was nice and maybe with some of that off my mind it'll help with the sleep.  Today was my last day in the hardware department at work.  Got another promotion, second one in 6 months there.  I swear I don't know how people think I'm competent at anything, although they always do at work.  If they only knew how screwed up my actual life/mind is they'd be like "Nope!"  Well, sadly some here do, but still.  Maybe one day I'll be able to adult enough to move the work competence into non-work aspects of life but that window seems to be closing.  Okay, now lets go to the workout stuff...


So the weight is still dropping, getting more and more interested in seeing where the plateau is.  To be honest it's kinda scaring me, but I'll get past it, I think.  I'll actually post an update when I reach a new weightclass.

Tonight was dynamic effort deadlifts.  It was pretty cake, first time I've pulled from the floor since the meet.  Nothing special, 315 8x2.  Got to increase that to 350-65 week after next, I'll probably work from a deficit then.  After that followed up with lawnmowers 3x6 with 115 pounds.  It'd been so long since I've done lawnmowers because the heaviest dumbbell we have at the gym is 100 and it's just too light, but fortunately we got the build-a-dumbbell back I figured 115 would be fine.  It was a little lighter than I wanted too, need to go to 130-40 on those.  After that was going to do some lat pull downs, thought to myself, lets do a couple of pullups before.  Well, it's a huge difference since the weight drop because my 3x6 on lat pulldowns turned into 3x6 on pull-ups which was far more satisfying.  After that ended with some straight-arm pulldowns, maybe 140 pounds(cable machine is numbered instead of actual weights listed.  for 3 sets of 10.  Was a pretty good night.

Couple of days...

Sunday was squat night.  My ankle wasn't too bad but basically just bad enough to make me notice it a lot while squatting.  Nothing fancy, just 145+150chains 3x3, 195+150 chains 3x3 and 235+150 chains 2x3.  Felt okay, that was all I did.

Tonight was some speed bench.  Simple 8x2 with 275, I've got to pop that up to like 295 from now on, was just too easy so I split my sets first 4 were normal grip, last 4 were close grip.  Then did some incline bench of 135x8, 155x8, 175x8, 195x8.  Ended with some tricep work.  Nothing major but everything felt good.  The cut phase is still going, probably actually update that in a few days.

Little shrugging...

Keeping it simple this week, tonight was a fun night at the gym.  Just some shrugs and assisted pull ups.  Shrugs were relatively heavy, finally got some straps so I don't have to powergrip when I get heavy.  Final sets were 5 sets of 6-8 with 495.  I will end up with traps one day.  Okay, probably not since I'm built like an Autobot but I'll get as much trap as I can.  Those last two statements mean something entirely different on 4 chan.  Lotta good people at the gym tonight made it a pretty good night, those days can always get the shit that won't stop running through your mind off it.  Guess tonight is going to be short and sweet.  I'll just leave this here...

..gotta get back in this mindset.

Long time...

So it's been over a week since the meet, not going to say I was happy with my numbers.  Bench of 510 and deadlift of 540, which are both meet PRs but I was really hoping for more.  So in that aspect, it was a bit of a bummer.  However, it does seem like a good takeaway that I can go into a meet as banged up as I was and still finish it.  Bench went well, opened with 450 just to have a nice easy one to get on the board.  Second attempt was 510, got it without any real issue.  Third attempt was 530, it stopped just a tad before lockout so I had to have them take it.  Between bench and deadlift I got a call that I really didn't want to get.  It had me worried about someone so I don't think my head was entirely in the deadlifting.  Opener was 500, smoked it, was thinking I could end with 570, so I went for my second with 540, smoked it.  In retrospect I should have really went 550 just to get an extra 10 pounds out of it.  The 570 stopped just below my knees.  But it was a pretty good time.

Only trained twice last week, head's been in completely other places.  However, I have cut out a lot of the junk food I was using to keep me at 330ish.  In doing so I've slowly dropped some weight.  It's odd seeing my weight go down and trying not to have a freakout over it because I think I'm getting small and weak.  At any rate, I'm sub 320 right now.  In my head that seems so small.

Until April I'm not doing anything over 405 pounds except maybe shrugs.  Even my heavy days will be heavy reps instead of singles.  Tonight I tore my chest up nicely.  Did board presses with 405, sets of 4, 3, and 5.  Triceps and shoulders were pretty tore up, which isn't a bad thing since they've needed some work lately.  Then did some light incline bench for 3 sets of 8.  Ended up the night by burning out on bench press, 225 for a set of 31, that's a new rep PR for 225, so that's pretty nice. I plan on working my triceps in a bit more with my shoulders on Thursday.  We'll see how that goes.  I've rambled enough.

Couple of days...

So, the meet is Saturday and I'm hurting.  Last night was my one night at the gym this week to go through my movements.  Everything felt okay.  Screwed up part is I don't feel ready.  I've prepared hard, but I've been beat up the whole time.  I'm not really expecting to put up huge numbers but as long as they're improved numbers I won't be that disappointing.  My hip/lower back was hurting pretty bad when I got up Wednesday morning so I went to my doc.  Finally broke down and asked him about pain management clinics, he was pretty cool since he's had to go to one before.  Said they're really good about finding alternatives if you don't want pills thrown at the problem.  I'm not a fan of opiates at all, they make me sick to my stomach and I just can't function that well on them.  I think that's why I've always thought Tramadol was a good alternative.  Knocks down the pain some but I can function on them.  So anyway, got my usual shot of Toradol and a prescription of Tramadol.  Hip felt good last night while going through my deadlift movement, pulled from the bottom pins though.  Rested it pretty well today and plan on it tomorrow.  I suppose I could switch to bench only the day of if it's bothering me, but I've made the most gains in my deadlift.  One of the nice things is we talked about some of the options available the one that I thought was the most fascinating was severing the offending nerve that's causing the pain.  My doc said he had it done and it took three times before it scarred enough to not heal back but once it happened, boom, no more pain at all.  Dunno if that'd be an option with my ankle and knee but it's pretty awesome.  Anyway, I'll end up checking that out shortly I hope.  I'll have to get an MRI so I'm not looking forward to removing my Jacob's ladder, for that but it'll be okay.  Joking... or am I?  

Couple of days post...

My last heavy deadlift day was Thursday.  Missed 575, after watching the video it was easy to see what I did wrong.  Should be easy to fix, pulled it easy, just once it went past my knees I tried to continue pulling with my back when I should have just sat back.  Here's the vid...

So that was a bit of a pisser, but 2 weeks until the meet.  Have a dynamic effort deadlift and bench day this upcoming week, so those will be good.  Then a deload/off week the week of the meet.  Then yay, we get to see how weak I am.

Tonight was good, once I go over the 250 range on squats they're killing my ankle and knee so I'm still keeping them at 235 for sets of 6.  Did that and some hamstring work.  Ended with some curls.  For fun tonight I found out I can curl 165 for a set of 10.  Tonight was pretty fun at the gym, good people and way too much ballbusting, well not too much because that's where the fun came from.  Here's hoping I feel that good the next few nights.

Bench Monday...

Lets see, moved my bench day to well, International Benchpress day.  So that's Monday.  Anyway, think I'll feel better not doing my deadlifts on the night I do most of my bending/moving around at work.  Benching today felt pretty good.  Good people around so that added to it.  Last heavy night in my shirt before the meet and I was kind of dreading it, but tonight was nice and smooth.  Didn't feel that great going in just because for some reason my bench has suffered so much lately because of the jacked up rib, tonight was surprising.  Went 505 and got it without any real difficultly.  Then decided I'd give one more a go at 515.  Had a friend video it so I could see how it went, made me realize I didn't miss it because of strength, just technique.  My elbows flared a bit about midway through so that's what caused the miss, but just required a light touch by my spotter to complete the lift.  One more speed day and then a deload week before the meet.  So actually looking forward to it now.  I'll deadlift heavy on Thursday.  Then start thinking about my openers, second, and final attempts at the meet.

Sunday Squatday

So, my weight is at 320 right now.  Got exactly 3 weeks to put on 15 pounds.  Doesn't sound like it should be hard but for some reason it has.  Anyway... a little something different at the start.  Had a pretty amazing last three days that weren't gym related at all.  Been spending some time with someone who's pretty special and it's been pretty nice to feel good about something that's not just the gym.  Anyway, squats... so I'm having to change my days up a bit, should end up being better over all since I won't do deadlifts after one of my longer days at work with more walking/bending. This means squats are now on Sunday.  Tonight I go in, felt pretty okay, no knee pain, back pain.  Do my warmups with the bar, feels fine.  Then I go to 145 and dropping down felt fine, coming up felt really wonky on my left knee.  Like it wasn't stable.  Quick fix of "Hey, lets put on the Rehbands" fixed that right up.  Went to 235 for a few sets of 6.  They all felt good till the last set then the knee felt a bit unstable on rep 3, finished out the 6 but decided to call it there.  Decided to avoid the leg curls and do them after deadlifts this week instead.  So I did the unthinkable and worked some biceps.  One day I'll get large arms.  Tomorrow night will be a heavy bench night, so I gotta figure out how to put on at least 10 pounds over night.  Maybe I'll sleep with a few sticks of butter on my chest and hope it absorbs.  It's so crazy it just has to work!  We'll see how it goes.  A bit more of something in depth/insightful coming this week.

Cupcakes...

So, thanks to the oblique pull I took Sunday night off, I think my shoulders might be thankful for the rest.  Monday night was speed deadlifts so wasn't sure how that'd go but it went surprisingly well.  315 for 8 sets of doubles off 3 3/4" deficit.  I really feel good about my deadlift going into this meet.  My bench though is what's worrying me.  I might make Saturday another bench day just to get some extra work in my shirt.  I need to wash it to tighten it up some as well.  Also gotta figure out what I'm eating or not eating that's causing my weight to get that 10 pound flux.  I know it's normal for your weight to flux but one day I'll be 325 and stay there for a week trying to eat more.  The all of a sudden, no gradual movement and boom, 335 so really need to figure out what's bloating me so much and eat extra.  At any rate, maybe I just need to go on a cupcake regimen, that does sound pretty awesome.

Hurting...

Louie Simmons once said something to the effect of 'if you go into a meet without being hurt you didn't train hard enough.' I have never been more prepared for anything in my life.

That's exactly how I feel right now.  Lower back is tight, feels like it should be pulled but just not.  Hard to describe I suppose.  Rib out of place that's still bugging me, didn't realize how much the bench shirt would make that suck.  Woke up this morning with a pulled abdominal muscle.  Dunno how I did that, really hoping I wasn't sleeping that violent, my dog didn't seem traumatized this morning so must not have.  Then tonight while doing squats I learned that the vastus medialis head of the quadriceps goes into my knee has a pull. Oh, and while it's not hurting, I've got odd bruising around the ankle that always hurts from the squat incident.  Not painful to the touch, just oddly bruised, but it's not hurting anymore than normal so I'll just overlook that.  That's probably enough bitching for the night.  Just need to start packing myself with ice and see how that goes.