Falling Test Levels, A Run At Masters State Records, And A Country For Old Lifters

[Gary Gibson]

[Sunday, August 9, 2015,~176]
Bench Press, touch and go
45 x 15 x 2
95 x 10
135 x 5
175 x 3
205 x 2
225 x 2
235 x 2

Squat, high bar, no belt, no sleeves
45 x 12
135 x 6
225 x 3
275 x 1
Deadlift, conventional, flats, no belt, hook grip, NO CHALK!
365 x 3
405 x 2
425 x 2, 1, 1, 2

Bench sucked and then to my shock squat sucked way worse. That bench double with 235 was everything I had. Then I was hoping to warm up deadlift with squats up to an easy 315. But 275 felt hard and I didn't want to waste deadlift energy fighting to save my pride by escalating squat weight higher.

I guess it's a good thing I saved my energy. I got a relatively easy double with 425 that could have been a grinding triple. I saved it for the next set, but just missed a double on that set because grip gave out immediately. I even tried switching to mixed grip right away, but no go. So one after lots of rest. Then a single that flew up. A lot more rest. Then a lot of focus. Then a double at the end!!!!

As usual grip was the limiting factor. My hip and thigh muscles just refuse to fire when my grip isn't up to the task.

Looks like I lost a lot of water weight this weekend which could explain why I felt so weak under the squat bar. It was about a 20% drop in strength. I'm supposed to be starting a volume cycle with squats on Tuesday and my work weight is supposed to be the same 275 that felt so hard today. I'll just try to stay fed and hydrated and hope. The fact that I could pull 425 so many times tells me my legs are still strong, but the squat just requires more muscle fullness from hydration for strength to be expressed.

[Gary Gibson]

I can't in good conscience continue to post here. My understanding of barbell training and drug use just doesn't align with the official stance of this site.

I've been made to feel very at home at the site to which I've previously linked. I'm admittedly no longer natty and plan to become even less natty later this year. So it's time I moved on.

Thanks for your interest!