Performance-Adjusted Excellence

[Eric K]

Thanks, everyone. You're response is very humbling. I do want to acknowledge that things-outside-the-gym (you know "important stuff") is going really well. I am very fortunate. And I really appreciate the positive posts.

One thing that helped me considerably was tying one lift to a day of the week. Tuesdays are for squats, Saturdays are for deadlifts, Thursday for pressing, etc. With the exception of when life got in the way, I've been able to roughly hold that schedule for a few years. I observed that quite a few ridiculously strong people trained that way, so it seemed like a good idea to copy them.

Bill Starr's article on earning a PR every session was also incredibly influential and motivating. I don't think it was published here, but it can be found via a quick use of the google machine.

PRs definitely feel good, and they have been quite absent from my training for a while. I remember that Starr article, it was good. He talked about one of his lifters bummed because it was Friday and he hadn't hit any PRs, and Starr told him to do one more set of dips, because it was more than he had ever done. Good stuff.

(link for everyone else: A P.R. at Every Workout ? Bill Starr Articles)

Chin up, broheim.

I've shilled for Andy's $27 per month programming elsewhere. It's decent programming that can be peeled back to daily level of effort.

Feel the love around you, within you.

You're always trying to feel something within me...Not that I'm complaining.

You have definitely made Andy's group sound like a good deal. I have considered the possibility. How specific does the programming get (i.e. meet prep)?

I've had low motivation lately too. The heat kicking my ass has a lot to do with it. (Heat Exhaustion/Stroke about 10 years ago)
Keep on keeping on, and Stay strong!! Maybe the most dominating performance in the history of WSM will motivate you...

Sometimes I think you have a quick-reference index of all the best strength-related videos out there, Shug. Always motivating to watch WSM (Pudzianowski is insane), thank you for sharing!

Caveat: I'm retarded and don't know much about your present circumstances. That said:

-Have you thought about adjusting your macros? When my fat is too low I crash, emotionally and physically, after awhile. I know you're keeping your diet tight. Maybe you could increase fat a bit at the expense of carbs or protein.

-That's awesome that you're already thinking about the October meet! This means there's even more value in your upcoming meet, regardless of what you total, since it will be a learning experience for your next meet and a gauge of where you are.

I think generally non-deficit macros would be nice, for sure (it's appalling how little I have to eat to lose weight even at a "steady pace"), but I think I'd have to blame the general lack of progress more than anything. I feel fine the rest of the time, but then I get to the gym and what-are-supposed-to-be warm up weights feel crushing and I've been failing prescribed attempts too often. Then my outlook kind of worsens, because I don't really know how to fix it. (I think I have a good idea, but it deals with being more consistent over a period of time, and is not something one can do at any one moment...)

And, yes, you're right, it's good to look at the learning opportunity, for sure. Next time will be better. Thank you.

ohmy.jpg

On a more serious note, I find that on days where motivation is low a few things help:
1) Stay focused on long-term goals. Milestones, meets, beating another lifter. Sometimes seeing my "competition" working hard can get me to gut through tough sessions.
2) One step at a time. First step is to get into the gym. Next I have to do a warmup set. That's easy. Another warmup set, also easy. Soon I am doing working sets, but even that's just a bit more than the warmups. For challenging sets, I break it down to very small steps. Put my belt on. Step on the platform. Right hand on the bar. Left hand on the bar. Get under the bar. Valsalva, get tight, stand up. Now I just need to get the set done.
3) "Take what's there, build momentum" - Mike T's motto. Do something close to the required weight/reps/sets even if your readiness is down. Build on it next time.

This may sound really dumb, but for my most soul-draining sessions I will imagine someone standing there watching me and telling me to get on with it, even counting the reps down and yelling at me.

Thanks, Manveer. Some of my best sessions have been when I "got out of my head" and just did the work. I think getting a better rhythm or "ritual" would help. That's a great motto, too. I've tried to convince myself plenty of times that you can't do anything about where you are now, it just matters where you go from here. His sounds better, though.

[Chris McCarthy]

The thought of that 315 Power Clean is trying to dominate your subconscious.

Let it.

[Eric K]

Sqt - 385 x 1 x 5

B - 295 x 1, 305 x 1 x 2, F

Testing openers. Set up is very important, and I figured I need some practice. Squat felt much better by the end than in the middle. I probably should have stayed at 295 for bench, but the first single at 305 felt like a set up problem more than a weight problem. Then the second set, felt easier. The rep was "dirty" though: my butt came up a little, and I blame the guy who thought that was a good time to rack some of his plates on my rack. Then the 3rd attempt with 305 just didn't go. I have a bad habit (from using the other benches, instead of bringing a bench into the rack like I did today) of aiming for the lower hooks when I'm about to fail. I realize that it is a bad habit, but most of the people at the gym see nothing interesting about a guy pinned under a heavy bar. I know, because I've experienced that multiple times. Including today, when the safety bar fell the fuck off. It stayed on the right side, and eventually, I was able to squirm under on that side, but it was an interesting experience. Seemed like a good place to wrap things up. Did some chin-ups, then headed home.

Honestly, I'm happier with this session than the previous few weeks, because at least I felt like I was accomplishing something.

I just remember that it doesn't matter, no one else will care or even know what I did, and just try a few reps. I never know whats gonna happen, if I'm shy a few reps it won't really matter over the long term, the important but was trying. And sometimes, just by doing one more rep, then another, then maybe one more, even if I feel shit sometimes they amount to something.

I think listening to queen's "hammer to fall" helps set the mind right - you're never going to win against them, so just fucking go all out and go out awesome (go out awesome defined as some guy lifting some weights alone SOMEWHERE. Ok I might be no fun at parties either!). If people can get through being occupied by Isis, or fleeing bombs and starvation to cross continents (whether you agree or not with the politics, that is HARD. A few squats are nothing by comparison).

Or, you know, listen to "boys don't cry" while not crying (just). Different courses for different horses and all that.

Sneaky bastard, putting this post in while I was typing up the other one. Definitely good to bring it back every once in a while and put things into perspective. Life outside the gym is fantastic, and no one really cares if I do marginally better than a few other lifters in a small regional meet in the middle of no where. But we do like to at least feel like we're getting better every once in a while. But maybe I just need a lifting partner who will pretend not to cry while listening to "Boys Don't Cry" and pretend not to be pumped by Taylor Swift's "Shake it Off."

The thought of that 315 Power Clean is trying to dominate your subconscious.

Let it.

Indeed, good sir! Not that I encourage anyone to keep a tally of all my failed endeavors... There's always next year (at least this time!).

Andy doesn't have a "meet prep" per se, but he will help figure out how to taper the program to do so. As it is now, there is a 6-8 week peaking cycle.

It sounds like a good deal. I'm sure I would learn more from even general programming advice from one of the greats than I would from randomly messing around on my own. You know, our anniversary is coming up soon...

[Christopher John]

What's your target weight class for your upcoming meet?

[Eric K]

What's your target weight class for your upcoming meet?

82.5 kg (181.7 lb). I weighed 184.8 this morning.

But it's USPA, so there's a 24 hr weigh in, which means that I could weigh 195-200 and still make weight (I did it in Vegas during nationals in 2015). Since I'm not going to set any records, I'm considering just going up to 198 (90 kg) for the October meet to allow for some room to make progress. I might also consider competing in USAPL next year. Or not. We'll see. Might just join Andy's barbell club and stop thinking about training so much and just become more awesome.

[Christopher John]

In my unqualified opinion, I think you're smart to move up for the October meet. *Broscience Incoming* Maybe you're at a point in your training history/chronological age where your body just wants to be a little heavier to sustain your lifting.

Also, hitting up Andy for programming sounds like a solid idea.

[Eric K]

BW - 184.4

Sqt - 365 x 2, 1, 1, 345 x 3, 4

B - 265 x 2, 285 x 2, 275 x 4, 4

DL - 455 x 1, 1, 1, 1

In my unqualified opinion, I think you're smart to move up for the October meet. *Broscience Incoming* Maybe you're at a point in your training history/chronological age where your body just wants to be a little heavier to sustain your lifting.

Also, hitting up Andy for programming sounds like a solid idea.

I'm of the (also unqualified) opinion that gains are possible in this weight class, they would just require a greater degree of dedication and precision than I am capable of or willing to submit to.

Besides, as a hobby, I should at least enjoy it occasionally, right?

[Christopher John]

gains are possible in this weight class, they would just require a greater degree of dedication and precision than I am capable of or willing to submit to. Besides, as a hobby, I should at least enjoy it occasionally, right?

Well said. That's more or less what I was trying to get at...I just did a piss poor job of it.

[Eric K]

Closed on the new place today. Planning to build my new gym in the garage. There's about a 1 inch drop over the span of 8 feet. Thoughts on leveling the platform?

[Eric K]

That sounds like a good idea to me. Thank you. I think squatting on a slope for so long (back in California) might be part of the reason my squat feels so weird and I get pain on the outside of my right leg when I squat now...