The Trails and Tribulations of Mark Marotta

[Marotta]

Age: 18
Hieght: 5'6"
Weight: 82.5 kg -> 90kg
Goals: Raw Powerlifting

I compete with the CPF, which is the Canadian affiliate of the World Powerlifting Congress. I'm going to be doing all meets from now on in the open age class, because there is no real competition in the Juniors.

My next meet will be the Ontario Provincials on December 4th.

I've been training for just over a year now, my best competition lifts are 363-242-451, done in June. My best lifts in the gym are 405-270-465, done within the last 3 weeks.

I am using the Texas Method because I can't gain anymore weight (I have to fit into my suit in December) and I plateaued on SS at this weight.

My Program is:

Monday:
Back Squat: 5x5
Bench Press: 5x5
Powerclean: 5x3

Wednesday:
Front Squat: 3x3
Press: 3x3
Power Snatch: 5x1
(Alternate weekly)
W1: Turkish Get-Up 2x2
W2: Barbell Curl 3x3

Friday:
W1: Squat 1RM
Bench Press: 1RM
Deadlift: 3RM

W2: Deadlift 1RM
Bench Press: 3RM
Squat: 3RM

[MazdaMatt]

Where is the Ontario championship?

How well does 363-242-451 place you?

I'm nowhere NEAR those numbers so I'm focusing on gym right now, but I'd eventually like to compete. Shit, i'm also 20lbs heavier than you... :-(

[Marotta]

Wednesday Training

Have a nasty cold so I'm taking ~twice as long between sets

Front Squats: 255
Been adding 10lb/week for the past couple weeks, That will have to stop soon, but I'm going for 265 next week, These went pretty smoothly, except for the first set when I hit the safety pins on rep 3. After one of my sets some guy was staring at me shocked and gave me a big thumbs up, lol.

Press: 150
All went well, Last rep of last set was brutally hard, but I hit it nonetheless

Snatch: 95
Had to reset this after watching Rip's video and re-learning the lift, but I should move back up quickly as they weren't very physically demanding, just keeping my technique in check.

TGU: 50
Struggling with the first step of getting the weight from the floor to over my chest, but the barbell curls opposite these should help that out over the next few weeks.

Got some antibiotics and a puffer for what is apparently whooping cough, feeling quite a bit better today and hopefully will be full strength for PR Friday.

[Marotta]

Where is the Ontario championship?

How well does 363-242-451 place you?

I'm nowhere NEAR those numbers so I'm focusing on gym right now, but I'd eventually like to compete. Shit, i'm also 20lbs heavier than you... :-(

The provincials are in Brantford, Ontario, I'll be driving there Friday night and staying in a hotel. Those lifts had me basically dominating my weight class (not to sound cocky) because most of the guys below 100kg had big benches mediocre squats, and poopy deadlifts. If you PM me your email I'll forward you the sign-up sheet when it goes out, they're very friendly to first time competitors.

[Marotta]

PR Friday went mostly well, still sick though...

Squat: Worked up to a 410 single (5lb PR) went a little too low, so it was brutally hard to get out of the hole, but I got it, and was

Bench: Got a 250 single after missing 270 and 260, that made me

Deadlift: 420 for a triple, again.

Think I may have a form problem with my bench so I'm going to send a vid to Rip.

[MazdaMatt]

The provincials are in Brantford, Ontario, I'll be driving there Friday night and staying in a hotel. Those lifts had me basically dominating my weight class (not to sound cocky) because most of the guys below 100kg had big benches mediocre squats, and poopy deadlifts. If you PM me your email I'll forward you the sign-up sheet when it goes out, they're very friendly to first time competitors.

That's interesting, though my bench is poopy, my squat is weak and my deadlift is dirty... Do you know where I could find some results? I'd like to see where my total (probably around 150+320+360 = 830lb on a good day) would land me in my weight class... keep in mine i'm 203 as of a few days ago.

[Marotta]

That's interesting, though my bench is poopy, my squat is weak and my deadlift is dirty... Do you know where I could find some results? I'd like to see where my total (probably around 150+320+360 = 830lb on a good day) would land me in my weight class... keep in mine i'm 203 as of a few days ago.

If you went down to 198, you wouldn't be in medal contention, but you wouldn't look like an idiot

[Marotta]

Monday, oh Monday.

Squats: 342.5 really hard, think I may stall soon. Came up on the toes a bit on one rep in the 4th set.

Bench: 200 not adding any weight on Mondays because I'm fucking around with my technique, I think a closer grip is better for me than the typical powerlifter grip.

Powerclean: 165 went a-okay

[MazdaMatt]

If you went down to 198, you wouldn't be in medal contention, but you wouldn't look like an idiot

LoL, thanks

[Marotta]

Recovery Wednesday.

Still sore from Monday, I'll credit that to crappy eating/sleep patterns of engineering students.

Front Squats 265. Thisclose to puking on set 3 rep 2, but all was well. Only going to make 5lb jumps from now on.

Press 152.5. Beautiful.

Snatch 100. Still fucking with the technique a little, but it's improving.

Curl 105. 2.5lb jumps from now on.