Leah's Log

[Leah Lutz]

9/19/16
Day 2

Deficit DL
310x1 @8
286x3x3

Slingshot
227x1 @8
198x3x3
I really, really need a new slingshot

Squat with out belt, the fatigue was real at this point
200x6
220x6
232x6
220x6x3

[Leah Lutz]

I'm 25 days out from my comp day at Nationals, and my feelz are setting in, so I'm going to write a few things here. There's no doubt that I love competition- I enjoy the actual meets, I like the focus it gives my training leading up to a meet, and I just get excited about the whole thing. I know that competing isn't for everyone, but I do love it. My goals for this meet include having a great time, smiling on that platform even while focused and as intense AF, going out for every lift with my mind right, knowing I'm prepared and ready, setting all the PRs, and coming home with a medal. I've learned a boatload about being a competitor, and I definitely hope to see all this work come together at Nationals.

However with this love of competition comes plenty of stress. I am *almost* now at the point where I don't freak out about my weight before a meet. There is no rational reason for me to anymore as I'm sitting in a great position now for my class. I think it's just a bad habit now. :-) Also as the intensity in training goes up, it can be tough for me to block out the time and space for a productive training session. I have to get pretty territorial and protective of my time and my interactions when I'm training now. I don't have a very good RBF, so I have to avoid eye-contact and NOT SMILE at people in order to keep them from coming over and distracting me too much. Then because I don't engage them enough, they worry something is wrong-No, I am just trying to be a bad-ass competitor, please don't take it personally.

I am tired, I am hungry often, and I have to battle often to refocus any doubts into positive and factual thoughts about all I have done and am doing. There is so much about competition that I can't control, but there are also plenty of things that are 100% within my control. So right now it's time to take care of the things I can, and just leave the rest to be what it is.

I'm hoping that writing this will help me to remember these things. :-)

[Leah Lutz]

9/21/16
Day 3

2 ct paused bench
183x1 @8.5ish, meaning close to 9 and I'm in denial
155x3x3

mid-shin rack pull with mini band
185x6
225x6
235x6x4

Incline Bench
95x6
115x6x4

[chromoly]

2 count paused bench? Followed by incline bench? #WhatTheFossa

[Leah Lutz]

2 count paused bench? Followed by incline bench? #WhatTheFossa

Hahaha, I know! To be honest, I'm not sure what that looks like yet, but how worried am I?!? Given my height, natural build/proportions and desire to be strong and win things, I also figure I'll be walking down the runway any day now.

#FossaAndHeels

[anniemichael]

Leah, just wanted to say how utterly fantastic your SCCA presentation was. I must admit that I tend toward the "health at every size" school of thought, and am sometimes uncomfortable with weightloss narratives. Your story is EXACTLY how I wish we could talk about these issues. With honesty, minimal judgment, acknowledgement of individual differences, and, probably most importantly, emphasis on the fact that this is hard. I also used to be an extremely fearful person -- I so appreciate your openness about the fact that you haven't necessarily gotten less afraid, you're just more equipped to overcome your fears now.

My husband is an MD and we have several friends who are just starting out as primary care physician, and we are definitely going to make sure they all watch this.

[chromoly]

#FossaAndHeels

Squat shoes have heels, amirite?

Competitive female lifter models on the runway. I'd buy those clothes.

[Leah Lutz]

Annie, thank you, and I have some more thoughts that have been bouncing around. I am going to post those later.

Nanette- excellent point! I can use that tag now. I took a bench video so I can tag it. Haha

8/23/16
Day 4
So dead now, but great training session

I had to do squat, bench and deadlift. Singles @8 and @9, then 4x4 @8. That was ridiculous and I had 4.5 hours of sleep last night, so I really had to convince myself that this was going to be a solid training session, that it had to be.

So the long, boring numbers left out, but...
Squat 153kgx1 PR
Bench 83 Kg X1 not a PR but better than my 3rd at worlds and much cleaner than recent heavy singles
Deadlift 150x1, I'm going to be happy with that given all the work

So tired yet still not able to relax enough to sleep. Yay! 3 weeks out now.

[stuffedsuperdud]

Squat 153kgx1 PR
Bench 83 Kg X1
Deadlift 150x1

Just wandering around the logs and stumbled across this epic pile of awesome. Holy crap congrats! And great presentation!

[Leah Lutz]

Just wandering around the logs and stumbled across this epic pile of awesome. Holy crap congrats! And great presentation!

Thanks, SSD! It was a grueling training session, that's for sure, but it's all paying off!