Bench Week 7 of 10 for Arnold

No squats this week. Had to do some things in the morning for work and my lower back is still not right yet.
Today was a deload. Floor presses 315 3X5, close grip floor presses 3x275. Band press downs and band flys finished the lifting. After that I did every back decompression, stretch, and mobility thing I could think of. I have got to find a chiro around here that is decent and understands what I do and what I need him to do. The last one I tried wanted to put me on an elaborate long term treatment plan. No thank you. Take some X-rays and do the adjustments... That's tomorrow's goal, to find one. I want to try and get something done before this coming weekend. Really excited about the opportunity to train at Elitefts. It's gonna be fun.

Deadlifts Week 6 of 10 for Arnold

Not much to report tonight. My backs still out of whack. I shut it down warming up. Didn't want to push and really gets messed up. Next week is a deload so hopefully everything will be as close to 100% for the UGSS on the 2nd. Really excited about going up there for that. After pulling a little I did a couple sets of ghr and a lot of mobility and stretching. Then some planks and came home. Just ate an awesome supper my wife made, chicken over rice but with all kinds of other stuff too. Really good. Now I'm gonna go do a salt bath and go to bed... I've got to find a chiropractor...

Bench Week 6 of 10 for Arnold

I went up to train with Chad Walker this afternoon.  I like changing up the environment every now and then.  Plus, he has an awesome group of lifters up there.  Chad took the day off but came out to spot, thanks for helping out.  All the weight felt really light during warm-ups.  I was worried how everything was going to feel after yesterday and my back getting tweaked a little.  It sucked last night, I was limping and hobbling around bent over all night.  I did a couple contrast showers and took some ibuprofen and went to bed.  Woke up and was still the same.  But as the day went on it got a little better.  I felt like I couldn't get a really good arch but it was OK.  I shirted up and did a couple singles and then the plan was to do a last warm up touch and then an opener touch.  I am opening with 560ish so I used 528 as my last warm up.  What a disaster...  I still don't know what happened.  I took the weight and touched easy but then - PARKING LOT...  I don't know if my traps slipped or if I dumped it low just enough or what but I was thinking the day was over.  I decided to take 528 again and got it but it was ugly.  I was rethinking what I was supposed to do but decided to just push through.  Put 560 on the bar, touched, and slow motion locked it out.  Next up was my anticipated 2nd attempt, 580 to a half board.  It was a little better but I didn't float it back and it stalled until I remembered to push back and then it went up.  That's the thing with the Jack shirts, you have to push back.  If you do that they will go with you all the way to lockout.  My goal at The Arnold is 600 so that's what I have as my 3rd attempt.  I took that to a one board and it was by far the easiest rep of the day.  I remembered to tuck hard and push back and pop...there it went.  So, what was looking like a horrible day turned into a 15 lbs PR off a one board.  After presses I went over and did two sets of close grip reverse band presses.  545 for three then 615 for three, which was my PR last training cycle.  I had been in my shirt for almost two hours so I took it off.  Finished off with some push downs and called it a day.  The video is of the 580 and 600, missed the touches, and honestly I wouldn't want to see them...

Squats Week 6 of 10 for Arnold

Today was the last test for the Jack Squatter. I've really liked the way it feels so I was confident going in. Warm ups went real well. I took my last warm up of 685 for a double and cranked the straps...it was a train wreck. I got the reps but it was terrible. Next went for my planned opener of 780. Loosened the straps up and went really well. Did it again with a lite more strap and got it but cut it a little. On the turn around out of the hole my knees went a little forward and I had a mini good morning going on to get back upright. That strained my lower back a little and I almost shut it down. I thought about it and decided to go for my RB set at 815. Got it easy with very little discomfort. I did shut it down after that though. I've had this back thing going on forever so I can gauge it pretty good. I could tell that it was going to be stiff and hurt but not put me out. All in all I'm happy. I cut the squats some but I'll get it. All my squats were good in October so I know where I need to be. I just need to figure the straps out on this suit and alls good.
I squatted on Sunday because I went to a raw meet Saturday. First time I'd ever been to one, it was a Raw United meet in Tampa. I helped Julie Wilson out in her first meet. She is a crossfitter and wanted to try it out. She did really well and met the goal she had placed on herself of a 700 lbs total. She should have had 715, her third dead was for 300 and there was a mysterious hitch called... Next time.
Hopefully she'll come back for more. She's got potential.

Deadlifts Week 5 of 10 for Arnold

Well for the first time in a while deadlifts weren't that bad tonight.  And when I say not bad I mean I didn't miss every attempt and stink up the whole gym...  I have found that for me to base all my numbers for training I need to drop 50 lbs off my meet lift.  I don't know if it is the adrenalin or what at the meet that allows me to pull more than  should but if I try to train based off my meet DL number I will FAIL...  

Tonight I pulled 565 for 2 sets of 2 and then 595 for a set of 3 off roughly 6" blocks.  They were OK pulls.  I am still not sitting back enough and not getting my head up like I should but the weight moved.  After those it was 3 sets of GHR, some shrugs and finally some up-down planks.  I felt really good tonight and the Moe's afterward felt even better.

Bench Week 5 of 10 for Arnold

Well I woke up at 3 AM with a terrible toothache. So, I paced the house after taking some meds until it was tolerable and laid back down. It woke me up again at 530 AM and I took some more meds and paced until the pain was okey. I just goofed off until it was time to leave for the gym. Took some meds and left. Deload today so it was floor presses. Sets of 8 with 285 then a couple sets of 5 with 315. DB incline presses for 3 sets of 15, some flys, and push downs then done. Tooth was not hurting to bad until about half way home. Then it started hurting pretty good. So that's the story today, about every three hours pills... I hate teeth... Hopefully I can get this thing squared away tomorrow.

Squats Week 5 of 10 for Arnold

Today was a semi-deload day. Straps down for 2 sets of 3 with 575. Then out to the parking lot for lunges. Fun fun. 100 yards of lunges... Came back in for reverse hypers and some core work. All in all not a bad day.
I've been having a little weird feeling in my quad when I get in the hole. So I've been using ice, contrast showers, and bio freeze a lot. It doesn't effect anything other than being a distraction. Anyway tomorrow I'm going to try the muscle flossing thing with the voodoo bands. I used them a couple times on my elbows and it seemed to help so we'll see.

Attacked by the FLU

Tonight was supposed to be deadlifts...  Sunday evening I got hit by the flu.  So, for the last few days toilet squats and throw up crunches are all the training I've done.  I finally feel a little better today but still not right. At least I can eat though...  Lost 10 lbs. but I saw a window of being able to keep food in so I just ate a XL pizza...  Hopefully that wont kill me.  No matter what I'll be in squatting Saturday and just push my DL training back a week.  Well, the stomach is rumbling and the bathroom is calling - maybe the pizza wasn't that good of an idea....

Bench Week 4 of 10 for Arnold

Dragging a little this morning going in to the gym.  Didn't really fell like I had any aggression.  I started warming up and surprisingly the weight felt light...  Had quite a bit of work to do toady - got in the shirt at 405 to a 3 bd, 475 to a 2 bd, 520 to a 1 bd, 560 to a half bd, 580 to a 1 bd, 565 for a double to a 2 bd.  I kept my shirt on for some close grip reverse band 3 bd presses.  I only had 2 sets in me so I tripled 565 and then 605.  I had three sets of DB presses to do, then some flys and I was done...and beat.  This was the first time I've really went at it since that little meet and everything felt good.

Squats Week 4 of 10 for Arnold

Everything felt good this morning.  Warm ups felt light, mobility was good.  Last weeks deload really got everything right.  I have been working in the Jack Squatter and really didn't know how it was going to work.  Well I have put on a little weight over the last few weeks and it has tightened up in the hips and is fitting really good.  Today was the first day of any real weight and I am liking the way it feels.  I worked up to a double of 685 then a reverse band single with 785.  Although my depth was a bit off I was really happy with the way the weight felt and moved.  So I feel like I am on track with my training and am getting focused on the weeks to come.

Deadlift Week 3 of 10 for Arnold

Deload. Form work in full gear tonight. 3 x 1 comp stance @ 405. These were fine. Then, 3 x 1 @ 405 conventional stance... I don't know if you've ever tried to pull conv in a Jack squatter but it sucks... These were more like stiff leg DL's. I had to use a overhand grip also. Could NOT get down to the bar. It was pretty funny. Did some regular stiff leg DL's, DB rows, and up-down planks to finish off. Feeling really good and healed up. About to turn the heat up these last few weeks. Getting excited about Columbus. If you've never been to the Arnold make it happen. The expo is super packed sardine tight but its worth it.
Julie was back in tonight working some DL form work. She worked up to around an opener and then dropped down and worked. Saturday were gonna have her do a mini meet to openers to watch her form doing all lifts in a day. She'll be fine but its her first meet. On the positive side of that all your lifts are PR's in your first meet.

2012 In Review

2012 In Review

I have been thinking back on 2012 and all that has happened.  I had a very cool year in powerlifting.  I came into 2012 with a total of 1830 (680-510-640) after a year of multi-ply training.  My training had been going okay; I was following a basic Westside template.  I had put 200 lbs. on my total from my first meet in February of 2011 to December 2011.  The first meet that I had picked for 2012 was an SPF meet in Fort Lauderdale on April 14^th.  The meet didn’t go that well.  I had a terrible time squatting and pulling.  I got my opener on the third attempt on the squat and then missed my opener twice with the dead.  I got pissed and went for a PR on my third attempt and somehow got it…  I had a good day benching though, 40 lbs. PR.  That was the first meet that Brian Carroll and Team Samson helped me at.  I really think I would have bombed on the squat if not for Tony Garland.  I was really thinking and evaluating my training after that meet.  I had gotten a good total PR, 90 lbs. but there were just some things that were off.  Not too long after that meet it was announced that the APF Gulf Coast Championships in New Port Richey was going to be a qualifier for the XPC Semis.  I think when I decided to do the meet it was 8 weeks out.  I just jumped back into meet prep and started going.  About that time Brian texted me and asked if I was ready to squat 800.  We talked and I was hesitant to spend the money but my wife Mindy told me if I was going to do this I should get a coach and go all in.  Brian sent a 6 week program and we got rolling.  It was hard to completely change everything I had ever done in training and I was worried about the outcome but I pushed on.  I wasn’t box squatting, I wasn’t using bands, no speed work, nothing was the same.  Of course when it was meet time I had a terrible sinus infection so I wasn’t sure what would happen.  I only needed an 1890 total to qualify so that was the goal.  I got a PR squat of 766, bench was off and only got my opener of 524, and I pulled 644 for a 1934 total.  All things considered it wasn’t terrible.  I had about 18 weeks until the Semis in October so I took it easy for a couple of weeks and then I got a 5 week offseason raw plan.  I really hate training raw so this sucked big time.  I pushed through and was beat up pretty good.  I see the necessity in sometimes training raw but that doesn’t make it any better.  Multi-ply is so much more fun.  I could give three craps about what some guy in Russia is raw pressing.  Play your game, and I’m more than happy to sit here in the greatest country in the world and play mine.  American multi-ply is awesome and it’s all I’ll ever do.  Finally I got my 10 week geared meet prep program and thank you God I was back in gear.  I trained my ass off and really got beat down about half way into the program.  I went up to Jacksonville around this time and squatted and benched with Brian, Clint, and Adam.  I couldn’t pull anything; I was off about 100 lbs.  We were all trying to figure it out.  I deloaded around this time and we cut the volume on my deadlift training way back and I could feel myself starting to peak, that was a first.  The XPC Semis was by far the best meet I’d ever had.  9 for 9, with a 123 lbs. PR total.  PR’d all my lifts… total faith and trust in Brian’s programming.  He’s the best coach out there.  So, here I sit at 9 weeks out from the Arnold.  Unbelievable… my training is going very well and all is good.  This last year has been awesome.  1830 total to 2055 for a total PR of 225lbs.  I have met and become friends with so many cool people.  I can’t wait to see y'all in Columbus in March.  This meet is going to be awesome.  So to everybody out there Happy New Year!  God bless AMERICA and God bless Multi-Ply Powerlifting.