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Post by jasony on Feb 28, 2008 18:07:44 GMT -5
No, no, no, I'm not knocking the technique. Just saying that when your out wide and drop down you put more emphasis on your groins and glutes. You can move alot of weight and those muscles need some coditioning to handle that stress. I would hate for you to drop in the hole and something turn loose:))
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Post by al on Mar 2, 2008 17:28:17 GMT -5
Thanks, Jason. Turns out you're right. If I'm to go wide, I'll have to take it slow. According to Willie, it could take as much as a year to get your muscles conditioned to be able to handle the wide stance.
Learned a lot from Willie at the big blonde's party yesterday. Here's what we did:
Squat: Went over every aspect of the lift. We worked my stance, descent, depth, timing the blast off the bottom, and especially bar positioning. That last item alone added twenty pounds to my lift in just a few minutes!
45x3, 135x3, 225x3, 255x3, 275x1
Bench Press: The flat bench was a little high for me, and I couldn't get my foot placement right, but we did go over setup, hand spacing, and elbow positioning...and did a little experimentation with my bench shirt, which is at least a size too large.
135x3 (and several singles), 185x3, 225x1, (shirt on) 225x2
Deadlift: We briefly went over stance and setup (esp back rounding) but instead of conventional, did our lifts with s trap bar.
(all singles) 130, 200, 260, 280, 300, 340, (with belt) 360, 380, 400
This was the first time I pulled 400. True, the trap bar puts the lifter at anatomical advantage, giving you about ten pounds, but the fact that I did it at the end of the day and as my ninth set gives me confidence I can deadlift this much with a straight bar too. We'll soon see.
I also did some Zottman Curls, machine rows, lateral raises, and tri pressdown 21s.
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Post by al on Mar 3, 2008 17:42:38 GMT -5
Back is trashed from Saturday. So, I dropped the deadlifts and cleans from this morning's workout.
FULL BODY
I/Y/T/W/L x1 Speed BP: 120 x 3 wide / 3 medium / 3 narrow grip, 135x3/3/3, 155x3/3/3, 175x3/3/3 Machine Row: 170x6, 200x6, 230x4, 200x10 Olympic Bar Curl: 75x12, 95x8, 110x5, 95x8 Skull: 95x15, 110x12, 125x10, 135x8 Nautilus Press: 125x12, 155x8, 170x8, 200x3 Machine Crunch: 25x20, 50x8 Squat Snatch: bar x15 Low Box Squat: bar x15 Leg Band Work: duck walks, single leg raises, side steps, etc.
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Post by colleen on Mar 3, 2008 20:40:40 GMT -5
Nice 400 DL!! No wonder you're walking like a duck
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Post by jasony on Mar 4, 2008 8:06:18 GMT -5
Strong skulls, Al!!! How's the elbows? Way to work the hip flexors:))
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Post by al on Mar 5, 2008 17:41:08 GMT -5
Colleen - Quack you. I'm hoping to pull at least 405 at the meet. Jason - Elbows are fine.
For the next three weeks, all workouts will evolve around my goals for the powerlifting meet. I'll work on improved muscularity afterward. As you can see from the following workout, the number of sets has been reduced drastically.
LEGS
Warmup: bar only partial DLs, SLDLs, and good mornings Front Squat: 95x5, 115x5
Rack Pull (bar right at knee level): 225x3, 315x3, 405x2, 455x1 Squat: 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 245x5 Good Morning: 95x12, 115x12, 135x10, 225x3 Seated Calf Raise: 105x30 Glute Ham Raise: bw x10x2 Reverse Hyperextension: bw x12x2 Crunch: 40x30 Recumbent Bike: 12 minutes @ level 15
Notes: 1. Rack pulls down a pin from last week. Held 455 for a couple of seconds without a problem. Am starting to think I may be able to not only make, but exceed 400 at the meet. 2. Squats were legal and solid. Can't believe how much more confidence I have after last weekend's tutorial. 3. Should have done a set of good mornings with 185 too. 225 is a bit much.
Okay, here's the dilemma. I've gained a lot of strength and improved form over the past two weeks and am not so sure I'm not selling myself short by shooting for the goals I listed above. So, I'm thinking of reassessing by going for a total two weeks out from the meet to see where I'm at. HOWEVER, I risk injury and am not sure I won't be sapping some of the strength I would have had for the meet. What do you guys think?
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Post by jasony on Mar 6, 2008 8:12:12 GMT -5
On stuff like this, I'm a BTW guy. Two weeks out, excluding injury, you should have time to recover, maybe add a little:))
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Post by al on Mar 6, 2008 11:26:20 GMT -5
Jason - I'm thinking that, too. Actually, it's a bit more than two weeks. Not like I'm going to shoot my load, especially if I give myself a few light days to recover afterwards.
BACK/BICEPS
Two-Am Swing: Pood x20x2 Barbell Row: 125x12, 165x10, 185x8, 205x6x2 Pullup: (wide) 15, 15, (neutral with black bands attached to floor) 10, 8 Close Grip Cambered Bar Curl: 75x12, 85x10, 100x8x3 Hammer Curl: 25s x12, 35s x8, 40s x6x2 Zottman Curl x1 Decline Pullover with Crunch: 40x20
Prehab/rehab/mobility/stretches Face Pull: 70x15x2 Pushup (feet on bench): 40 Bar only: snatch x15, low box squat x15, good morning x15 Leg band work Squat with medicine ball throw (too many people in the pool to try it in the water) Deep squat mobility work
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Post by colleen on Mar 6, 2008 12:06:30 GMT -5
"a few light days to recover afterwards"
The plan sounds good, but lets see if you can stick with it. You tend to get caught up in your work outs and your 'light' days never quite happen.
The way your brain works, you'll do better if you test yourself as you're planning, so go for it. It'll boost your confidence in your lifts for the meet (assuming you don't injure yourself - but I think you'll avoid that).
My brain says "save it", but I'm generally doing endurance rather than strength - and it works for me because of that.
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Post by jasony on Mar 7, 2008 7:50:30 GMT -5
Whooooaaaa, nice rows!!! Are you jumping while doing those squat throws. If your not in the water, watch those joints and tendons.
I see you use both arms to swing your pood:))
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Post by al on Mar 7, 2008 13:36:46 GMT -5
Jason - Yes, I'm jumping but not real high (not that I can jump high). It takes two hands to swing my big pood. CHEST/TRICEPS/SHOULDERS Bench Press: 135x5x2, 185x3, 225x1,1, 205x4; (with BP shirt) 225x2, 250x2, 225x2 Incline BP (narrow grip): 95x8, 135x8, 185x2, 135x8 Dip: bw x8, 50x5, 75x5, 85x8, 85x6 Decline J.M. DB Press: 25s x12, 40s x4, 35s x8x2 Decline Tri Blaster J.M. Press: 50x12x2 Tri Blaster Hammer Curl: 50x10 Seated Machine Press: 110x8, 130x6, 150x0, 100x8x2 Rear Lateral: 40s x12, 50s x10, 60s x6x3 Side Lateral: 25s x20 Pause Squat: 95x5, 135x5, 155x5 Seated Crunch: 100x6, 115x5 Really disappointed with my pressing over the past two weeks. Dunno what happened, but BP with 225 felt like a ton and the machine seated presses were way down, too. Funny thing is all my other lifts and assistance exercises are up. Don't know whether to hit the weak exercises harder or back off. [sigh] The gym was full of hot co-eds from a Canadian University who are here for a rowing competition. Perhaps my pressing was poor because my blood was parked in another extremity.
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Post by jasony on Mar 7, 2008 16:42:51 GMT -5
Between the co-eds and all that pood swinging, maybe you need to take 4 consecutive days off. Let the Ol' bod recup?
It'll give ya little time for the blood to re-distribute as well:))
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Post by al on Mar 8, 2008 6:34:55 GMT -5
You know, that's not a bad idea, Jason. With only three weeks to go 'til the meet, I don't really want to take a full week off...but a four-day break might do the trick. Too bad I have to train Thomas on Monday, because that requires some pretty heavy duty assistance on my part; however, if that's all I do, it will be far less than usual.
Thanks.
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Post by jasony on Mar 9, 2008 18:30:03 GMT -5
A little activity will help you heal. Staying away from the constant pounding of routines for a few days will help.
Hey, I can reply from home now!!
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Post by al on Mar 9, 2008 19:09:14 GMT -5
You mean they let you go home now? Cool!
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