The Contest...

My return to the powerlifting platform is complete. I did so-so. The meet was an ADFPF sponsored meet and took place Saturday Dec. 11, 2010. It was a RAW meet and I entered the 220 Master's division. It was bench and deadlift only. On Friday morning I weighed in at 225.6 (5.6 lbs over my weight class!). So, over course I had to drop weight. Friday was miserable! Did not drink my morning coffee. Instead, I opted for sitting in the sauna for 1/2 an hour. I did eat some salmon for lunch (no water or drink). By 6 pm I was 3 pound over. A few trips to the bathroom, no water, and one more sauna break and I was down to 222.4. By the time I went to bed I was below 222. I woke up at 6 am Saturday morning and I was down to 220.8. At 8 am, I weighed in at 219.6. I lost 6 pounds in 24 hrs.

Well, I opened on my bench at 335 and nailed it. next was 350. This I nailed too but it was a tad bit harder than I expected. I decided to do a bit under my goal of 365 and went to 360. This may have well been 560 because it went about 6 inches off my chest and stalled! I had hit 365 in training (with a touch and go) very easily and I was pretty confident 360 would go but not today. I can only blame it on the weightloss.

As for the deadlift, I opened at 440 and this was easy. went to 465...easy. I guess the bench shot my confidence because my goal was 500 on the deadlift but I chickened out and went for 480. I destroyed this as well. 500 would have gone.

So lessons learned?...don't put myself in the "drop weight" situation again! Right now I am thinking of entering a meet in March. This one will be a full lift (SQ, BP, DL) raw meet. I will make a decision soon.

here is video of my meet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpec2rLEM1c

3 days away!

Well, my powerlifting comeback is only 3 days away. I feel super confident about my bench press...deadlift is a question mark. Honestly, this is good becasue I am not constantly thinking about it. I'll either hit my goal or not. I am viewing this as a benchmark for the next time I compete. In all reality, I have only been really training specifically for powerlifting for about 10 weeks so eventhough I am confident about my bench, I truly don't know what I will deadlift. I plan to open at 440 lbs and just go up from there. I'm thinking it'll be like this : 1st-440, 2nd- 465-475, 3rd-480-500.

I am still about 5 pounds over my weight class (100 kg). yes, I will have to lose some water weight prior to weight in. The key is getting this weight off without depleting my energy. I may have to do some sauna treatment! I have a wrestling background so I have been there before but it ain't fun. I just don't want to "diet" right now becasue then my strength will be zapped. I will drink a ton of water today and tommorrow then shut it off until weigh in. This is an old indian trick to weight loss prior to a weigh in...eventhough you aren't drinking water, you will continue to pee like you have been drinking water thus you lose water weight.

making weight won't be an issue. I'll hit the weight limit with no problem.

I will post results by Sunday.

Contest prep...the last week...

Major taper this week. Actually last week was bit of a taper too but more so this week. I kind of tapered more on the deadlift than the bench press. I think it was Bill Starr that used to say "the lower back thrives with rest" and I totally believe this. everything feels great. lets see come meet day! 5 days to go!

here's what I did today:

Bench press- 45x alot, 135x10, 225x3, 275x1 (paused), 315x1 (paused), 335x2 (paused both reps...this will be my opener)

Deadlift- 135x5, 225x3, 315x2, 365x1, 405x1, 440x2 (this will be my opener)

Contest prep week 9/ workout B

I need to learn to trust my knowledge. As you know, I have been dealing with some hammy issues. Deep down I knew this was a sign of overtraining. I used this week to taper off (which is normal at this time prior to a meet) but I still felt like I was gonna strain my hammy. Well, The break has done me good! Did my last deadlift workout today. MAJOR CONFIDENCE BOOSTER!! Hit my opener for 2 reps and did one more heavier set for a single that felt awesome. I now feel that 485-500 is a very realistic goal. All depends on how I feel that day but my confidence is back! I am still about 5 pounds over my weight class limit but I'll get it off.

Here's what I did today:

Deadlift- 135x5, 225x3, 315x2, 365x1, 405x1, 440x2, 460x1 (easy!)

Speed bench press- 225+80 lbs of chain x 3 reps x 9 sets (45 sec breaks, 3 different grips, all reps paused)

Contest prep week 9/ workout A

Great day today. It's all coming togther (on the bench at least). Felt very strong.

Here's what I did today:

Bench press- 45x alot, 135x10, 225x3, 275x1 (pause), 315x1 (pause), 350x1 (competition pause), 355x1 (competition pause), 365x1 (touch and go), 345x2, 340x2

Decline Bench- 365x2, 375x2

Deadlift (just feeling it out)- 135x5, 225x3, 315x1

Contest prep week 8/ workout C

Today was my last squat workout prior to the meet. Set a new RAW PR! Hit a 405 with no wraps or suit....belt only. I will say this is a recent PR. I think the most I have ever done raw was 425 but this was a long time ago. This felt awesome. I did not feel it in my hammy at all. This kinda concerns me though. I am starting to think this hammy issue is some type of technique issue in my deadlift.

here's what I did today:

Squat (belt only)- 45x10, 135x5, 225x2, 315x2, 365x2, 385x1, 405x1 (new PR)

Speed bench- 225+40 lbs of chain x 3 x 9 sets (3 different grips, 45 sec between sets, all reps paused)

Flat DB press- 100's x15, 9

Bodyweight is a bit up. I weighed in at 225 today. Not too concerned being that it is the day after Thanksgiving but I will have to watch my diet for the next 2 weeks. Won't be an issue.

Contest prep week 8/ workout B

Not quite sure what to say about today's workout. Honestly, my legs feel dead! I have absolutely scaled down my workouts by eliminating some assistance work. I have been hitting my programmed weights each week. But last week and this week, my legs have felt overtrained. This was the first week I have missed getting a Rack DL PR. My previous best on 2 holes up was 635. Today I attempted 640 and it may have well been 740...it did not budge. Alot of this stems from my concern over my right hammy. Although I have not strained it, I still feel that achy, crampy, tendintis feel in it. I have eliminated my light deadlift day and I will do one more heavy squat day. My only salvation in all this is that in past meets I have had similar problems and ended up pulling PR's the day of the meet.

Next 2 weeks will be nothing but contest prep. I will do nothing but bench and deadlift on Monday and Thursday. Hopefully I will be fresh as a daisey come meet day!

Here's what I did today:

Deadlift- 135x5, 225x3, 315x1, 405x1
Rack deadlift (2 holes up)- 495x1, added straps, 545x1, 585x1, 640x miss

cable triceps extension- 4 sets of 6 reps
Leg curl- 3 sets of 8 reps