September 2nd "make it or break it" log!

[wannalift]

6-22-06, max effot bench

bench lockouts (6" ROM)(7): 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 265x3, 295x1, 315x1, 335x1
machine row (4): 180x10, 230x10, 270x8, 320x5
inc/overhead dumbbell (3): 55x6, 65x6, 75x5
tate press (4): 25x10, 35x10, 45x10, 50x4

very pleased with this session. 335 is about where i want to open with for my competition (10 or so weeks out) and i felt real good about this lift. did some heavy rowing on the machine and some dumbbell pressing as well. could have gone higher, but i was by myself and had no one to spot me. thought about doing another set at 75, but it takes too much effort and is too dangerous to set up for the first rep. tate presses are really starting to take off as well. just started to take my new creatine ethyl ester caps today so lets see where that takes me. bodyweight is around 189 and i'm getting leaner.

[wannalift]

6-23-06, dynamic squat

speed box squat (#3 bands)(11): 45x3, 145x3, 195x2, 215x2x8
deadlift (suited, beltless))(6): 225x1, 315x1, 365x1, 405x1, 405x1, add belt, 405x1
dec glute/ham raise (4): body x 12, x12, x10, x10
band pulldowns (3): to failure

another great session. squatting was a little slow, but at top weight i wasn't too concerned about it. then the task of putting on my new deadlift suit arose. holy smoke, so frigging hard. took over 20 minutes to get the straps up. using it is even harder. you have to pull yourself down to the bar and then explode up. 405 wasn't easy, but it really wasn't that hard either. i had about 2 minutes between pulls as well and didn't use a belt until the last pull (didn't think i could get to the bar witha belt on). i would say with this effort that i'm good for 425-445. hopefully if i can get good using this suit i can see 475 or more. i need a lot of practice though.

[wannalift]

6-25-06, dynamic bench

speed bench (#1 bands)(12): 45x3x3, 75x3, 95x3x8
4 board close-grip (4): 135x3, 185x3, 225x3, 265x2-F
rolling tri ext (3): 25x10, 35x10, 45x8
parallel grip pulldown (4): 130x6, 160x6x3
face pulls (3): 110x15, 130x15, 140x12
tri pushdown (3): 80x10, 100x10, 110x10

very tough session. i felt real sick the whole time as if i couldn't get any air. almost got a solid PR on 4-boards, but couldn't overcome bad technique on my last rep. might have solved some of my setup problem, but we'll have to see next bench session if it holds up or not.

[wannalift]

6-26-06, max effort squat

box squat (7): 145x3, 255x3, 305x1, 345x1, 395x1, 425x1, 455xF(almost)
glute ham raise (3): body x 12 x 3
band pulldowns (3): to failure

went into this session very sore from my deadlifting on friday and benching yesterday. 425 wasn't as smooth as i would have liked. at 455 i stayed very upright, but had no explosion at the bottom and only made it halfway up. once i got there i felt like my quads were going to blow out so i ended the lift there. its hard to analyze myselft, but i think i'm concentrating so much and staying upright and coming down so slow that i don't give myself much of a chance to catch any rebound. i'm still pleased with where i'm at and still plan on opening with 475 9 weeks from now. things could change when i get my straps up and wraps on.

[wannalift]

6-28-06, max effort bench

3 board bench (6): 135x3, 185x3, 225x1, 255x1, 275xFx2
inc tate press (4): 25x12, 35x10, 45x8, 50x4
machine pulldown (4): 90x12, 180x10x2, 180x7
tri overhead machine (#4 band)(3): 50x10, 80x10, 110x7

ouch, my body was in pain during and after this. feels like i'm falling apart almost. most likely from the hard work i've been doing at my job. haven't been getting enough calories to compensate as well. friday i'm gonna take things a little easy.

[wannalift]

6-30-06, dynamic squat

speed box squat (#3 bands)(13): 55x3, 145x3, 175x2, 195x2x7, 205x2, 225x2
speed deadlifts (suited)(11): 225x2, 275x1x10

good session. squats were lightning fast. went up to 225 and that was done with decent speed as well. will probably move up to the #4 bands next week and take a little weight off of the bar. deadlifts weren't so great. easy weight, but i'm not getting this suit technique down. not getting my back as flat as i would like and really not getting a good initial pull off the floor as well. there is just too many different things to do and not enough time after i pull myself to the bar. its just going to take practice.

[JP]

17 days since the last update, whats up mate? Holiday? (hope not) injury?

[wannalift]

its been a while. didn't feel like posting for a while, but my training went on. have gotten all screwed up on my template since i have been travelling so much, but i still might do the meet.

doing a lot of b-sessions that have me doing band workouts within 24 hours of my workout to build more volume. choice of exercises are banded pushups, good mornings (arched and round back), overhead pressing, and tricep work. high reps mostly.

as for my real training it has been inconsistent lately. missed my squat opener of 445 on monday, but this was due to my knees being wrapped unevenly and my suit fitting me a lot looser since i'm 10 lbs lighter than when i hit 435 off the box. also i went way too low as i couldn't feel myself at parallel. today thoughh i did my speed squats with 215 and the #4 bands and i was lightning fast. got to translate that speed when i have my full gear on.

it is really all up to my benching as to whether i'll do the meet. shirt goes on sunday and if i can't touch 315 then i'll probably drop out of the meet. no point in wasting my money if i can't make a bench attempt. anyway, i'm going to cut the back of my shirt to make it an open back and see what happens. that's all for now.

[wannalift]

so obviously sept 2nd came and went and in the end i "broke" it. hurt my back (mid) and never did get that shirt to touch. i've changed my training and it will stay that way for a while. no powerlifting, but rather my routine can be summed up with a combination of banded inc pushups, dips, overhead, pull ups, hang cleans, one arm rows and farmers walks. soon i'll be doing lower body again and that will involve high step ups, RDLs, front squats and overhead squats, and sprinting. also i'm doing a lot gripwork and bending right now. my shoulders and back are thanking me for the change. don't know if i'll go back to powerlifting as i kind of like semi-pain-free shoulders and a non compressed spine. i miss it though.

[JP]

train raw and you dont have to worry about compressed spine

The shoulders need protecting if you have a dicky one though, thats why i do boards once a week and bench once - and keep my eye on how the shoulders feel.

Sounds like you are aiming general strength training which sounds cool. Who knows if you build a solid base and not put stress on your joints which they are not build up to get used to you can get back to the beautiful game of powerlifting

[wannalift]

jp,
yeah, nothing really goal oriented at the moment. i'm just looking to get more athletic for now. getting my overhead strength going and maybe i can do some strongman stuff. either way, i like how my training is going right now and i'll try and keep updates on where i have gotten with it.

[sensless]

jp,
yeah, nothing really goal oriented at the moment. i'm just looking to get more athletic for now. getting my overhead strength going and maybe i can do some strongman stuff. either way, i like how my training is going right now and i'll try and keep updates on where i have gotten with it.

Other than not having goals, sounds like how my training generally is. Set a few goals to try to hit and just go and do some stuff that seems fun, hopefully resulting in hitting the goals!

Sorry to hear you hurt your back. Do you do much in the way of rotation movements with any resistance (axe chopping, hammer swinging, etc.)? That seems to help keep the back and shoulders pretty limber and strong along the spine.

Regards,

Sensless