Leah's Log

[Leah Lutz]

8/31/15
Dev week 4 day 1

Squat
325.6x1 @9 over-shot that RPE, but I still had no doubt of that 148kg
275x4
282x4x3
275x4

2 Ct Paused Bench
158.5x1 @8
143x4 @9 oops
138.5x4x4 @8

2 ct Paused DL
put off for a day due to life, fun!

[Leah Lutz]

9/1/15
Dev week 4, day 2

Bench
176x1 @RPE more than I was supposed to do. But I hope it was still helpful because I really need to learn how to stick with a bench rep like this.
150x4@9
143x4x4 @8

2 Ct paused squat
264x1 @8
235x4x5 @8
These are 100% kicking my butt the day after comp squats.

Wide Grip Bech
132x5x4 @8
first time ever doing a wide grip bench so it felt awkward and the RPE was a bit of a shot in the dark, but I think it was close.

[Matt Bickford]

Nice DL! What's your PR, if you don't mind me asking? Also, did you go to BOB2? Any non-Andrey highlights?

[Leah Lutz]

Nice DL! What's your PR, if you don't mind me asking? Also, did you go to BOB2? Any non-Andrey highlights?

Thank you! My DL is the lift that I am currently freaking out about pre-Nationals. My PR is 350, and that one time I pulled so poorly it set be back several weeks.

I did go to BOB2-crazy, strong group of lifters. When I showed up, I was also asked to try to do some interviews so I chatted with with a few guys-Chris Duffin, Perry Ellis Jr., Chad Smith, Derek Kendall...that was fun. The interviews didn't work out as hoped, but oh well. The Andrey lift was incredible, amazing to see in person. Dan Green is a super competitor and person, a few of the other guys (and gals) I saw, not so much. Too much complaining about the judging, and the competitors who just adapted and did what they needed to do really stood out in my mind.

I really liked Ellis. And there is a 97lb junior gal from HI who is sooooo tiny and lifted so well. But I also liked the great mix of all kinds of lifters-the newbies, the Masters who are determined to kill it on the platform, the woman who told me how much lifting has improved her health, the veterans who help others out, the serious competitors who clearly come to win but in the end have a good time with other lifters, a win or not.

I think it was kind of a bummer that all of the women lifted on Sunday as the audience was so much smaller, but some of those ladies are top lifters too.

[Leah Lutz]

9/2/15
GPP day

Chins
GHD sit up
Banded GM

Prowler spints x10
20 mint of Airdyne

[Leah Lutz]

9/3/15
Dev week 4, day 3

Deadlifts
335x1 @8, or less!
300x4x5 @8ish

TnG Bench
175x1 @8
155x4x5 @8

CG bench
140x5x4 @8

Much better deadlift day than last week! A few things helped: 1. I am still really working on my starting position, but I think things were a bit better this week. 2. I listened to my coached and chilled out, not wigging out about needing to go heavier. 3. I went and lifted with other people around. Especially now with volume and not as much food as I would like, I just tank super fast particularly when I lift by myself.

[Lakshmi Meadows]

Don't know how you manage to push yourself through sticky points alone. Great work as always

[KyleMask]

Hell of a deadlift session, Leah.

I'm jealous that you got to attend the meet.

[Leah Lutz]

Don't know how you manage to push yourself through sticky points alone. Great work as always

Haha, well, this is how this actually went down- I texted a friend, asked if he was at the gym, even just sitting there, and could I train there. Of course he says yes, and then later wants to know what's up. I explain that I KNOW I would have cried about something if I trained alone again. It's absolutely, freaking ridiculous at times like this. No reason whatsoever to cry, but I can barely hold it together by the end of a session. Being with other people makes that far less likely.

Hell of a deadlift session, Leah.

I'm jealous that you got to attend the meet.

Thanks, Kyle! I am getting better and better at sets of DLs, now I just need to make sure I can pull a great single. And you should be jealous, the meet was pretty fun. :-) But then, I have to say lifting as Boss is pretty great too. There are lots of people doing odd things, but it's a great training environment as you can imagine.

[Lakshmi Meadows]

Haha, well, this is how this actually went down- I texted a friend, asked if he was at the gym, even just sitting there, and could I train there. Of course he says yes, and then later wants to know what's up. I explain that I KNOW I would have cried about something if I trained alone again. It's absolutely, freaking ridiculous at times like this. No reason whatsoever to cry, but I can barely hold it together by the end of a session. Being with other people makes that far less likely.

Ha ha but not really. It totally makes sense that you could wind yourself up and cry by the end of a crappy training session. I only train alone on the occasional Sunday, I can pretty much guarantee that it's going to be a sub par day because I don't have the energy to push through. I feed off the energy from my gym family. It's natural that we perform better when someone is cheering us on. It's also very helpful to be prodded at bit in order to push through sticking points and let's not forget critiquing. It's very helpful to receive consistent critiques and then be able to apply the changes immediately.
Maybe you can find time to train in the gym with friends for the next few weeks leading up to nationals. I bet they'll all want you there and would love to help push you down the home stretch.