Squatson Is Competitive

[Squatson]

I just sent in my entry form for my first meet, the Virginia Open in Norfolk VA on October 23.

I began SS at the start of the year.

BW 150
BS 3|5x95
BP 3|5x75
DL 5x135
PC 5|3x65

Current PRs

BW 222
BS 3|5x295
BP 3|5x202.5
DL 5x398
P 2x155
PC 5|3x170


I started off pretty rad, but have had a few speedbumps along the way. First, I learned to stop leg pressing and use my ass, then I had some knee issues, was eating like an idiot...so recently I decided to go to Greyskull to tighten up my shit.

My squat was pretty rough...bar was too low, ass was going too far back. Basically I was lifting like a geared lifter without the suit. JP cued me to get my knees forward, have more bar speed and to keep a big chest (paint the wall with your nipples).

Press was ok...grip was too wide, and I unstable because I was leaning too much (JP pushed me over with 1 finger with a weight locked out). He told me just to stick my dick in the wall and then stand up. Got a PR rep of 165.

Deadlift was probably my best lift. Setup was good, just needed to remember to keep my elbows straight. Had 355 on the bar for a double, I smoked the first 2 and JP yells out 5. It was educational.

It was a great experience I would recommend to anyone. I reset everything and stepped up the diet (400g protein/day). I've worked my way back up close to PR territory. I'm using JP's reset technique on my presses. 5,5,5+ (the last set is for max reps)

Current Lifts

BS 3|5x285
P 5,5,7x135
BP 5,5,8x185
DL 5x385
PC 5|3x137.5

I hope that keeping this log will ensure that I bring the noise and the funk (previously I've been phoning in some of the funk).

Here's today's NumNums...I only count protein grams...because if I'm doing it right everything else should fall in to place. My shakes contain 75g and my whole food meals are 60g. I take 5g Creatine/day, 20g glutamine as well as fish oil, multi, B's, and Borage oil.

12:00 pm (yeah, that's when I wake up)
Shake - Milk, Olive Oil, Flax Oil, peanut butter, 75g protein/oat starch

3:00 pm
Steak N' Rice

6:00 pm
Shake - 75g protein/oat starch + diet coke

9:00 pm
Ground Beef N' Oatmeal

12:00 am
Steak N' Brocoli

3:00 am
Shake - 75g protein + diet coke

So that's where I'm at...I'm hoping to total 1050+ at this meet in the 242 class.

[stronger]

whereabouts in VA are you?

[Squatson]

Harrisonburg, VA

You?

[Squatson]

SS Workout B

Squat
2|10x45
2|5x95
5x135
4x185
2x235

3|5x285 - Felt strong, good fast reps...bar path was nice on most...a couple got forward a little bit. I met a broski from Jersey today...he was doing box squats on a bench with 185, he came up and asked me if I competed...I told him about the contest. We talked about some things, the program, the eating (dude is 5'11, 175#) and some other stuff.

Press
2|10x45
2|5x75
4x95
2x115

3|5x137.5 - I got 5,5,4. The 4th rep on the last set got out in front and I had to fight it up....took a lot out of me and I missed the 5th. Will have to focus extra hard on bar path during warm ups next time.

Chins - I neglected my chins for awhile and gained a bunch of weight, it got down to where I could only do 1. I got a bar for the house, and I've been banging out a lot of reps there. When chins come up in the SS routine I do as many as I can on a one minute clock, and then cut the rest by 5 seconds the next workout.

Today I did 5 on the minute chins...I want to get 6 OTM before I start cutting rest.

Neck - 4|45x15

I do 4 high rep sets of flexion with a neck harness...just for overall mass appeal.

Workout was OK overall, I might need to think about taking more rest between my press sets.


Jam of the Day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID_N7rv-iN8)

[Squatson]

SS Workout A

Squat

3|5x290 - Did some extra mobility stuff during my warmup, really paid off. Buried and Bounced em.

Bench

5,5,5+x187.5 - Got 7 on the max set.

Dead

5x385 - Felt like a heavy 5...last one got stuck at the thigh, but I got it up.

Neck

4|50x15 (will do 20# next workout)

Jam of the Day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jYcW1nEsGk)

Got a chuck roast in the crock pot...should be ready about now. 3.5# roast, 2 big cans of tomato soup, some onions and celery, and 5 big taters....will be gone by this time tomorrow.

[Squatson]

Last night's workout...

SS Workout B

Squat

3|5x295

Press

3|5x137.5 - Concentrated on keeping the bar close cause I missed one out front last time....I ended up nailing my nose with the bar during a warmup set...so now I know how close I can get without getting bloody

Gym was closing so I did some chins and my neck work at the house.

Neck

4|50x20

Jam of the Day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSnHTRZ6PSg)

[Squatson]

Squat

3|5x300 - Last set was pretty rough, but my diet has been off for a couple of days...gonna do some extra mobility stuff between here and thurs, so hopefully I'll be ready for 305

Bench

5,5,8x187.5 - I repeated last workouts weight cause I wasn't happy with only 6 reps on the max set...kept the bar path nice on all reps, trying to get my speed up so I can be BAAD like James (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsjBVQ6Kk4E)

I ran out of time so I had to dip out...will hit up power cleans on thursday.

Jam of the Day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZxN9iQM7OY)

[Squatson]

I'm in Fredericksburg visiting my parents...so I had to work out at the Globo Gym here, which is more Globo Gym-y than my Globo Gym.....Didn't really like the setup of the rack, I missed the hooks during a warmup and the safeties weren't adjustable and nowhere near the right height. I decided to do a light squat day just to be safe.

Light Squats

3|5x235

Press

3|5x140 - I think I'm starting to nail down the press form. When I first started to speed up the lift, it would get way out of line. Now I can use the speed while keeping the bar in the slot.

Power Clean

No bumper plates at the Globo Gym, and I'm not all that comfortable lowering the weights, so I kept it at 135.

5|3x135

Jam of the Day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jdcy2hKFuQ)

[Squatson]

Last Nights workout....

Squat

300x3,2,2

Bench

5,5,7x190

Deadlift

395x0
385x2

This is my first "real" stall on squats, seeing how I was squatting 2 inches high before. I got from 255 to 300 hitting nice depth, kinda happy with that.

Hit up JP, he said squats and deads are ready to reset. Gonna deload ~10% and do 5,5,max (max on the workset of deadlifts)

Jam of the Day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcwjcqzytR4)

Thas my roommate slappin the bass.

[Squatson]

I've got a killer head cold/sinus type thing going on....my face hurts.

I decided to man up and get my workout in...I just reset my squats so I was hoping that would help.

Squat

2|5x265 (the second set at 265 was so fucking hard I figured I had no chance of getting extra reps...so I backed it down to 225)
11x225

Press

5x142.5
4x142.5 (My face started hurting and I felt like I was going to die...so I dropped the weight again to get a li'l volume)
9x115

Since I was getting snot on the bar, I decided to dip out. I'm going to Greyskull on Thursday...hopefully I'll feel better by then.

Jam of the Day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7aShcmEksw)

[Squatson]

Went to Greyskull yesterday....awesome as usual. Started off by eating some grub and talking about banging fat chicks...then we got down to business. Fixed my bench press mechanics and setup (which apparently involves some Chinese gymnastics) - it feels 10x stronger. Hit 192.5 for 7 reps.

Then we watched this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FvlIwuQBO8) and had a serious talk about steroids.

Talked some about programming...I'm moving to a program that is going to set up the powerbuilding that I'll be doing soon. So basically I'm going to get strong and huge in the next few months.

Time to eat...

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

I remember that video from high school health class. What total and utter bullshit...but strikingly funny several year later.

[Squatson]

It's medicine!

For my ligaments!

[ColoWayno]

Man, this looks like you are having a blast. Wish I lived near GreySkull. I'm just about done with the YMCA (pity, since I moved into a house right next to the YMCA park 12 years ago just so I'd have it right there). I just ordered my Rogue Bar. Got a bunch of other stuff I need before my home gym is awesome but that'll do for now.

[Squatson]

You should call the dude up, he's just as cool over the phone. My globo is what it is, got everything you need to get strong. I just head up to Philly every once in awhile to kick it with John and fine tune my shit.

Press

5,5,11x125

Squat

5,5,9x255 (not used to this more than 5 reps thing, breath is the limiting factor for me)

EZ-Bar Curl

13x75
10x75

Neck

4|35x20

I love this program already....it's like bing, bang, boom. Hit it and quit it, walk off like Big Papi.

In and out in less than an hour.

Gunz are gonna be BLAZING...

[Squatson]

Jam of the Day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzE8hEuCfDM&feature=related)

[ColoWayno]

You should call the dude up, he's just as cool over the phone.

I'm in the queue for a consult.

[Squatson]

Tuesday

Bench

3|5x195

V-Handle Pulldown

160x8
120x11

Squat

5,5,9x255

[Squatson]

Thursday

Press

5,5,11x127.5

Deadlift

335x9

Alternating DB Curls

35x10
25x10

Neck

35,35,20,20x40

[Squatson]

Meet is a week from today...any words of wisdom?

[Squatson]

Tuesday

Bench

5,5,12x175 - New bench setup is MEGA strong...bar path is right the whole time, no wasted energy fighting it up.

V-Handle Pulldown

160x7
110x12

Squat

5,5,9x265

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

Good luck at the meet! Get some video.

[Squatson]

Thanks KONG. I'll try to get some footie.

The meet is streaming live at www.brutestrengthgym.net (in case anyone is ultra bored on Saturday)

[Squatson]

I just got back home from the meet. It was tits. I met a lot of cool people and had a great time. The guys from CVA Barbell out of Fredericksburg kind of took me under their wing, helping me with warm ups and such. Lots of strong dudes were there, including me of course.

Squat

I opened with 275....ultra light, just wanted to get the commands straight. I had never lifted out of a monolift, but it was easy to get used to. I wanted to walk it out anyway, but they had safety straps on the bar that made that impossible. Apparently nobody has seen anyone bounce a squat...people thought that I was going to get pinned by the weight. Next attempt was at 300, it was like a peanut. Third attempt was ~330, also light as a peanut. I was kind of upset because I didn't get to push the squat, but I got 9 white lights....there is always next time.

Bench

Back started cramping up during warmups, not a good sign. I drank a shit ton of gatorade and ate a couple of bananas, cleared it right up. I opened with 200...just to get the commands right. I was waiting for a down command, then realized that there wasn't one, took it down, paused it and threw it up. Went up to ~225, that also went up quick. I was a bit ballsy with my 3rd attempt at ~245...I got it about 3 inches up, but that was it.

Deadlift

Opened with 375...I totally double overhanded it on accident....I didn't notice until the bar started slipping from my hands. Luckily, the judge gave me the down command before I dropped it. Second attempt was ~400...SMOKED it. Went up to ~420 for the 3rd attempt...SMOKED that. They were offering 4th attempts (not to count for total) so I took one at 441. SMOKED that...very pleased. I am closer to a #500 dead than I thought.

Totalled something around 975...if you count my last dead it's closer to 990. Goal was to total 1000, but I took my openers really light to get used to the commands. 9/10 isn't bad for a first meet, and I didn't get any red lights for being stupid.

I ended up getting 3rd in the 240 class....guess how many people were in that class......3. Oh well, I'll cherish my ribbon forever.

Saw lots of cool shit, some pretty big squats (most of them geared), a raw 580 bench, and a few sick deadlifts over 700. Guy from SC was pulling 760some and got a bloody nose, pretty epic.

[Squatson]

Tuesday

Press

5,5,9x130

EZ Bar Curl

12x75
12x75

Squat

5,5,9x260

[Carnivroar]

Nice story, what's this new bench set up you speak of?

[Squatson]

Start with your head off the bench, pretend like that is where you are going to start from and set your feet. Without moving your feet, pull yourself under the bar until your eyes are directly underneath it. The result is an arched position...if your low back isn't cramping, you aren't doing it right.

[Carnivroar]

Start with your head off the bench, pretend like that is where you are going to start from and set your feet. Without moving your feet, pull yourself under the bar until your eyes are directly underneath it. The result is an arched position...if your low back isn't cramping, you aren't doing it right.

Oh.. I personally don't like arching, and never use it...

[Squatson]

Eh...the difference is night and day to me. It's a lot easier to keep the bar path straight. Pretty much everyone at the meet was using a similiar setup.

[Squatson]

If anyone is interested, here's a video of KONG (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoinVDPesRw) using the same setup.

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

Honored to be referenced.
Arch till it hurts!

[Squatson]

True, I cramped up super bad during warmups at the meet. Drank a lot of water, ate some nanners and it cleared up. On my first attempt I was waiting for a down command for like 10 seconds. I finally realized there wasn't one, and brought it down.

We should meet up at Greyskull sometime.