Meh, don't go to any trouble. Lots of examples for me out there. 215x3 impressed me. I hope to be cleaning that much soon, but I have some technique issues to work out. I have "rack shyness", haha.
They're not too deep as far as the safety concerns and the "war between low back and hamstrings" as Rip calls it. But I should be able to do more weight/the same weight more easily if I cut a few inches of depth. That's my thought.
Thanks for the motivation, I really want to get a bodyweight Press, in addition to my 500/400/600 near-term PL goal. Weighing 240ish and pressing bodyweight is a solid accomplishment. No Serge Redding, but a solid place to get to.
I guess I could vid the cleans. I usually don't bring my phone with me to lift, but I did that day so had that guy video my squats. I kind of feel like a derf videoing my lifts, because they're not that impressive, but I try to keep in mind I'm doing it for form checking, not because "Hey look at me! I lift sooooo much weight!" and then it's fine.
The biggets issue is that at the place I currently lift - there actually IS a platform with plenty of bumpers, but it's still a globo after all, so the area all around is stacked with machines. The only angle possible to vid the cleans from is behind; could get a slight angle, but wouldn't be able to get a straight from-the-side shot on either side, or even close.
Meh, don't go to any trouble. Lots of examples for me out there. 215x3 impressed me. I hope to be cleaning that much soon, but I have some technique issues to work out. I have "rack shyness", haha.
Last edited by Michael Wolf; 08-11-2012 at 04:14 PM.
Went to the Dr. for a physical on Wednesday (my first in 8 years) - got a tetanus booster in my left shoulder, and they took some blood for testing from my right elbow crook. Left shoulder sore for a few days, and overall felt fatigued and slow to recover, so hadn't done anything since Wednesday. Except eat. A lot. A real awul lot. It helped me recover, but I also put an inch or two on my waist in only 4 days, all my shit is tight now, including my lifting belt on its usual hole. So I'm gonna have to scale back now, and work more carbs into my diet without going overboard so I can recover better.
On to today's lift:
Squats
45x5x2, 135x5, 205x3, 275x2, 335x1, 390x5x3
Really felt solid all the way through. Rested a bit more than 5 minutes between sets.
Press
95x5x2, 135x3, 160x2, 182.5x5x3
Solid here too. The 160 warmup set felt a bit harder than I expected, so I was concerned, but the work sets were fine. Last rep of 3rd set was a bit of a fight but thats's it.
Power Cleans
Just did 5 ramping sets today: 155x3, 175x3, 195x3, 215x3, 230x3 - PR for a set of 3!
The weight was just JUMPING today, like it never does. I was good and patient and didn't pull a single rep real early like I tend to when the weight gets heavy. I sometimes pull as low as right around my knees when it's heavy, and there was none of that nonsense today.
Sprints
If you can call them that. Was still feeling lunch in my belly, even though by this point it had been 4 hrs since I ate, so I started slow, and cut it early when I was still feeling lunch and was worried lunch was gonna make a second appearance back up again. But got a few slow-pokes in before that:
200m/1:30 walk @ 7.3, 7.7, 8.1, 8.5
I'm usually hungry right after a workout and even now, more than an hour after I finished, I still haven't eaten or had a shake and am just beginning to be hungry. Weird.
Nice workout. (And PR's) I have that happen on my press all the time. I'll be doing warmups and be like "uh-oh" and then work sets are A-OK.
I do not understand how I can add 1-2 inches to my waist in less than a week. I thought it was because I was old. I swear one bowl of ice cream will put 2 pounds on me. I'm freaking serious.
As for the depth, I'm dubious of shortening mine (which may not be as deep as yours, but they deep) and watching some the 70's big video from Nationals, many of the squats were waaaaay below parallel. Personally, I think since the USAPL are so trigger happy with the red lights you're better off getting down there and leaving weight on the bar than bombing out at a meet because of depth. Just my two cents...
I really did eat like a man possessed. My Thursday and Friday included 10 rolls of sushi, about 3-4lbs of turkey chili, 6 eggs, some turkey bacon and sausage, 4 sausage egg-n'-cheeses and 2 bagel and cream cheese from dunkin donuts, 2 full pizzas topped with chicken, cheesy bread, and about a pound of cashews. Probably 12,000 cal over the 2 days, neither of which I lifted in. That might work for a skinny novice adding weight every lift, though I expect that's more than any novice really needs. But it's definitely a HUGE caloric excess for someone like me. It did help me recover though.
Most people have commented that their opinion is I shouldn't worry about depth and just keep doing what I'm doing. I definitely have already shortened it some, but I'm probably 3-4 inches below now, instead of 6-9. I think that's good - enough room to get white lights even with strict judging, but not so deep that I'm leaving a lot of weight on the table. 390 done mostly 3-4 inches below felt about the same as 375 done as deep as I did it.
That is some epic eating. I've gained about 4 pounds in the last month. Some of it may be muscle though, but it definitely is hitting my mid-section (where it always does), as my belt has gotten tighter.
Not too thrilled about that, but I'm more concerned about getting to 405 on my squat and a 1,000 CF total than anything. I may toy around with my diet a bit though. I'm contemplating dropping dairy-- it may be causing some inflammation, but I'm a bit addicted to plain yogurt with chocolate whey protein mixed in. Since I rarely eat sweet it's like chocolate pudding to me.
It was epic indeed! Worst part is I loved it. If there were no obstacles, I could eat like that every day - I just have a huge appetite. I'm a pretty big guy who puts in strength and muscle reasonably fast, but fat too, if I eat unbridled. I've never really felt any negative effects from dairy...or lots of grain for that matter. I have an iron stomach, I guess. Maybe you'll see some of that in action tonight!
Foam roll L and T spine, shoulder mobs.
Bench Press
45x5x2, 135x5x2, 185x3, 235x2, 285x5x3
Solid work here today - better and faster than 280 last Wednesday. I lifted at Cara's club, and she watched me - she's been reading SS like a fiend the past couple weeks, and was happy to smugly point out that I was pushing my head into the bench on my first set, which I'm not supposed to do. Freakin hilarious - I'm now getting scolded on my form by my gf!! But she was right - this is (I think) the only remaining bad habit I sometimes have on the lifts that's due to years of doing it the wrong way. 10 years. Including a 405 single back in 2005. Had to sac up and admit I was wrong, but dammit I LOVE that she's interested and reading SS!
Also felt just a tony bit of twinginess in my right elbow - worried the inflammation is making a comeback, so gonna take advils regularly for a few days to try to knock it down. Don't want to have to take another break from low barring. MUST GET 405x5x3!!!
Weighted Chins
BW+25 x5x3 - on the angled thingies
First time doing weighted chins in quite a while - since before I got sick, I think. They were NOT easy.
Now some emails, train one more person, and then looking forward to meeting Gillian and Mac along with seeing the rest of the gang this evening!
My fucking god do I feel exhausted! Today was a battle, which I slogged through but ultimately won. Wolf 1 - Barbell 0.
Squats
45x5x2, 135x5, 205x3, 275x2, 340x1, 395x5x3
I knew I was in for a tough one when the 275x2 set felt slow, without the pop. 340 felt better, but still didn't zip up there. I was a bit worried about getting all my reps in at 395, but decided to just attack it and let the chips fall. I can't fail this close to 405 on LP. It's so close I can smell it with my Wolf-enhanced sense of smell. I will will it to happen if I must.
Did the 3 sets, rested a bit over 5 mins between first and second, and a bit over six between second and third. Last rep of sets 2 and 3 were definitely grinders, but they went up.
Deadlift
Rested a bunch, then did my warm-up sets with plenty of rest here too:
155x3, 265x2, 375x1, and then 460x5
This is a legit PR set of 5 in the deadlift. Done after those hellacious squats. Pretty sure I could toss in at least 10-15 more lbs and do a set of 5 if I were fresh and not post-squatting.
We'll see how I recover, which will determine when to switch (back) to rack pulls and haltings.
Next squat session will be Saturday at the Milwaukee SSS, hopefully one of the other coaches will skip lunch to lift with and/or coach me.
Sprints
Felt hella tired after all that jazz, so these were slower today and had to rest a bit extra for the last 2
200m/1:30 walk @ 7.2, 7.7, 8.2, 8.6, 8.8, 9.2
Last edited by Michael Wolf; 08-14-2012 at 02:27 PM.