Gillman's Folly of Enthusiasm

[mkgillman]

5sep2014

Squat
430x3,2 PR - writing this up sitting in Logan, waiting to fly to Grand Rapids for a wedding. Had to get up at 430 and to the gym at 530 if I wanted to lift. I'm not thrilled that I didn't take all my reps today, but the last rep was a grind and probably high as well. Didn't get a video of the first set as my phone decided it was way too early to work properly.

Deadlift.
435x1. Yup. Pulled 385x5 as I've gotten in the habit of a little volume before my work set. Felt about as mediocre as it always does. Rested properly, pulled the first rep at 435 and almost passed out. I'll chalk it up to the odd timing, I started lifting almost exactly 10 hours after I finished lifting last night. I'll take 435 for a spin again next week.

[idlehands]

Gonna need pictures of this vegan hipster wedding.

[mkgillman]

8Sep2014

Bench
265x5x5 - Hard pause on the first rep of every set. These were a little more difficult than I would have liked today, but between my diet being way off for the past three or four days, lots of traveling, lots of alcohol, and not a lot of sleep I think I understand why.

CG Bench
247.5x5x3 - Felt terrible getting it off the hooks, but they all went.

Tri Pulldown
180x15x3

Chins
Were done

So, for the most part, the trainers at the gym I go to are kind of useless, but basically harmless. However, I watched a women running a trx class last night have a woman wearing a knee brace do a shuttle drill/lunge thing on a bosu ball with almost no instruction and certainly no consideration that someone with a problematic knee probably doesn't need to be doing one leg drills on an unstable surface while already fatigued from an exercise class. The woman with the knee brace never complained, but was obviously trying to favor the knee during the drill and was visibly struggling with the exercise. Well, it was visible to me, sitting in the rack on the other side of the gym, but not to the trainer who would go over occasionally and tell her to "Keep it up!"

[mkgillman]

8Sep2014

Squats
395x5x5 PR - I wasn't even sure if I was going to get a chance to lift until after 7 last night as my wife was out of town all day for an exercise and I had set 7 as the cut off to just lift today. However, when she got home I decided to go get my work done. I almost lost the bar on the fourth rep of the first set; got WAY too far forward and almost paused the damn rep. All the voices in my head were telling me to rack it and just try again next week, but to hell with that, I got the last rep and got every other rep as well. A thought got lodged in my head after the second set that I had read on Jim Steel's blog at one point: "Stronger than the process." That's what squats have become for me right now: the process. Volume and intensity are all building up and they are damned hard, but, you know what, I am still getting my reps. Things are still moving forward. Next week, I roll it to 400.

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

gainzzz

[mkgillman]

11sep2014

Bench
290x3x2 - hard pause on the first rep. Bench was feeling decent last night. I tried to really focus on getting my feet and legs set before the paused rep as I've found that to be really key in getting the heavier reps.

Press
172.5x5x3 - another press pr. Last set was a bit of grind, but doesn't matter as everything got locked out.

Had to leave before hitting accessory lifts because there was a curriculum night at the kids' school.

Squatz and deadz later tonight.

[mkgillman]

12sep2014

Squat
435x3, 1+0 - pr and the first time I've missed a squat since my last meet. I am really not thrilled at putting a rep on the pins, but I hit a triple that is 5 lbs less than my 1rm, so I can't really complain too vehemently.

Deadlift
435x3 - third rep felt like I was rounding my back, though, on video review, it seems that it was more of a mental rounding. I'm going after 440 next week and hopefully get a better squeeze.

http://youtu.be/1Vb86kcXPro

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

[mkgillman]

16Sep2014

Bench
267.5x5x5 - 1st rep paused - Decided on doing 2.5 lbs jump in the run up to the meet. I want to make sure that form is solid and that everything is heading the right way, especially since I was feeling that I was right at the edge before I dropped the weight back down a few weeks ago. That paused first rep has actually been helping me to focus on foot position and bar speed on the negative.

CG Bench
250x5x5 - PR - I need to look back in my log, but I'm fairly certain that I'm doing more close grip right now than I was on straight bench this time a year ago. That is sweet.

Tri Pulldown
180x15x3

Chins
4x5

[mkgillman]

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

Man, it is a GLORIOUS day.

Squat
400x5x5 - PR - This was the most fun I've had on volume day in a long time. The rest period between sets was filled with loud music and existential terror. But, when I got the bar on my back, everything was there. Looking at the video between sets and there may have been some reps that were a little high; unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a good angle tonight. Regardless, everything was there and felt locked in. Now to 440 Friday and 405 next week.

Also, don't eat cabbage before squats.

Clean Pulls
310x3x5

http://youtu.be/RdZBKEqfnpg