Getting Stronger In Germany

[D.W.]

I had a short log before, but the server problems...

My stats:
19yo
Male
1,78/5'8
85kg/187lbs

Estimated max lifts:
Squat:151-155kg/~335lbs
Bench: ~100kg/220lbs
Deadlift: ~167kg/~370lbs
Press: ~63kg/ ~138lbs

Goals:
I have to do a sports test to study exercise science at the university which consists of things like track and field, swimming, different ball games, gymnastics etc.
That's what i am training for at the moment, when i'm done with it, i will start to train for a local powerlifting meet, gain a small amount of weight (i want to compete at -90kg/-198lbs) and hopefully will do some good lifts.
The big goal is 200/300/400/500lbs.

My training at the moment is 5/3/1 for lower body and texas method for upper body and i traing 3x a week. But sooner or later i will train just once a week and maybe have some really small progress.

My last training session on thursday:
Deadlift:
66kgx5
83kgx5
99kgx5
124kgx5
141kgx3 This set was somehow hard, i don't know why
157kgx3 I got really pissed off before and did it, slow, ugly, but finished without hitching. done.

Press:
20kgx5
20kgx5
25kgx5
35kgx3
45kgx2
54kgx5
54kgx5
54kgx5

Today:
My first training at the track and field club. A lot of nice people and the trainer is great. He even knew what powerlifting is!
We started with shotput and although my technique is crap, i performed not too bad.
We did some static half squats after that and then did box jumps.
Then some pushups and dips and training was done.
Maybe this will not be that bad in june...

[D.W.]

Bench:
20kgx5
20kgx5
45kgx5
60kgx3
70kgx2
85kgx1
95kgx1 Easier than i expected.

Chinups:
BW+10kgx5
BW+10kgx5
BW+10kgx5

Curls:
25kgx10
25kgx8

Gym was closing, no time for the last set of curls. sad.

[D.W.]

Squats:
20kgx5
20kgx5
63kgx6
79kgx5
94kgx3
118x5 easy
134x3 easy
150x0 FAIL, no idea what happened

Bench:
20kgx5
20x5
35x5
50x3
70x2
78x5
78x5
78x5
78x5
78x5

Felt like speedbenching. Something weird is happening.

[D.W.]

Squats:
20kgx5
20x5
45x5
70x3
95x2
120x5
120x5
120x5
120x5
120x5

Bench:
20x5
20x5
35x5
55x3
70x2
79x5
79x5
79x5
79x5
79x5

Deadlift:
55x5
55x5
85x3
120x2
142,5x5 easy, being warmed up from the squats seems to do more good than bad

No time for press and chinups, maybe tomorrow.

[D.W.]

Squats:
122,5kgx5
122,5kgx5
122,5kgx5
122,5kgx5
122,5kgx5

Looked on the ground about half a meter in front of me. Seems to work better.

Bench:
80kgx5
80kgx5
80kgx5
80kgx5
80kgx5

every set is easier then the last one. But i have to be careful not to raise my ass off the bench.

Deadlift:
145kgx5
easy

Press:
55kgx5
55kgx5
55kgx5
hard, maybe i should drink some kind of carbohydrate-shake mid-workout...

[D.W.]

Squats:
125kgx5
125kgx5
125kgx5
125kgx5
125kgx5

Felt heavy from the beginning, but it seems like that i have lost a pound of bodyweight before, so that was probably the cause.

Bench:
81kgx5
81kgx5
81kgx5
81kgx5
81kgx5

Still legdrive makes it easy.

Deadlift:
147,5kgx5

No problem.

Press:
56kgx5
56kgx5
56kgx3

Too short rest before the last set, not enough time, will change to 1x5.

[mariawolters]

every set is easier then the last one. But i have to be careful not to raise my ass off the bench.

Have you tried to push through your feet (legs, abs)? I do that to gather my energy reserves for the last few reps. Raising bottom off bench breaks this support chain, so this is why I (hopefully) keep my torso on the bench.

[D.W.]

I started to use my legs to actually have a legdrive (i did not before) but had to bring my feet really close to the bench to use it effectively, sadly this makes raising the butt off the bench possible. It's not an issue yet, but i have to be careful.
I will try to use my abs, maybe it works as a cue, thanks!

[D.W.]

Two nights of drinking and ate not much the past week. So i wasn't in the best condition today.

Squats:
127,5kgx5
127,5kgx5
127,5kgx5
127,5kgx5
127,5kgx5

I have no idea how that worked, but it did.

Bench:

82kgx5
82kgx5
82kgx5
82kgx5
82kgx5

Felt heavy, but was pretty fast.
I tried to use my abs more and it kept my butt on the bench. Thanks maria!

Deadlift:
150kgx5

Not too heavy.

Press:
57kgx4

FUCK

Chinups:

BW+5kg x 6

okay.

[mariawolters]

I started to use my legs to actually have a legdrive (i did not before) but had to bring my feet really close to the bench to use it effectively, sadly this makes raising the butt off the bench possible. It's not an issue yet, but i have to be careful.
I will try to use my abs, maybe it works as a cue, thanks!

Just read Starting Strength on benching - the stabilisation function of the feet and leg / foot position are discussed very well. Basically, if your feet are wide enough to be an effective anchor, you're doing OK.