Saturday benching

I was pretty sick yesterday, I lost 9 pounds in one day.  So I wasn't expecting too much from this bench session, but I actually felt fairly strong.

Flat bench ( this is from memory, maybe be off slightly )

Bar x 10

95 x 8

135 x 6

185 x 3

225 x 3

275 x 3

315 x 1

335 x 4  4 boards

335 x 4  4 boards

335 x 4  4 boards

Chains with 35's hanging from bands

set of 6

set of 8

set of 4

Tricep cable presses, 4 sets weight doesn't really matter to me

Thursday DE deads

Deadlift warmup

135 x 10

225 x 7

315 x 5

Deads with mini bands doubled over twice ( it adds about 250 at the top )

135 x 3

135 x 3

135 x 3

185 x 3

185 x 3

185 x 3

135 x 3

Dumbell rows

100 x 8

130 x 5

140 x 5

140 x 5

130 x 5

100 x 8

Pull throughs, 5 sets don't remember the weight

Back at it training at Ripped

After not really being able to train at the Golds in Scottsdale ( what a joke that place was ), I was glad to be back home and training at Ripped again.  

Max effort concentric goodmorning with safety squat bar ( bar weighs about 55 pounds )

bar x 10

145 x 8

235 x 5

255 x 4

285 x 3

295 x 2 (PR for reps)

325 x 1 (PR)

325 x 1 (probably should have tried for another PR)

I should probably clarify, I really think I should call these concentric goodmorning-squats.  I do them starting with my knees bent, kind of similar to how I start a deadlift.  I view them as a deadlift builder ( and they have been ), but not having to hold the weight with my arms ( which were still kind of stressed from deadlifting at the meet ).  However, this is exactly how the guys in the westside barbell DVD's do them too.  I really love the SSB, I think it really builds your core and I need to use it more often ( as should everybody ).

Box squats with SSB, box above parallel maybe by an inch or two

bar x 8

145 x 7

235 x 5

255 x 5

295 x 3

295 x 3

325 x 3

325 x 2

Leg curl machine, probably 4 sets don't really remember the weight

Body weight was 315 after the workout.  

It was a good workout.  CJ, Russ and Kevin were there.  I'm thankful to have people to squat ( kind of ) with.  ( the kind of part is because unfortunately I'm never going to be able to squat with other guys because I need to have the bar up so high in the rack.  It sure would be nice if Ripped got a monolift, and Monday night turned into the squat equilivent of Saturday morning. )

Sunday speed day

After being in Arizona and missing what looked like a couple good storms up at Snowbird, I was kind of anxious to ski again.  The problem was with the warmer temps and how the mountains looked from my house, I knew the powder was going to be crap.  Usually I wouldn't have even gone up to the hill, but because of my little skiing break I decided to bring my racing skis up and see how fast I can go on the groomed with my added mass.  This is pretty much out of character, I usually consider myself the anti-racer, but I actually think I figured out my racing skis ( bought on eBay for $10, lol ).  With the added weight, on the racing skis, I FLY on the groomed.  In 20+ years of skiing I don't think I've ever gone that fast on skis before.  I'm never going to be a racer, but it was kind of fun.  I wouldn't want to do that all the time though, and skiing off trail in deep powder is still MUCH more fun.

APF/AAPF meet in Peoria, AZ

I completed my first full power meet today, the APF/AAPF meet in Peoria Az. My numbers were, 475 squat 325 bench ( raw ) and 525 deadlift. Here's a video of my squat opener..

OK, maybe not the thing to do

Snowbird got 18" of snow Monday night and 12" before that on Sunday night, so I decided to go up and take a few runs tuesday morning.  I kept it to an absolute minimum though.  I was up there early and I made some fresh tracks in the powder on my favorite parts of the mountain and I was back home before 11AM.  The hips feel fine today (wednesday) and my legs aren't even sore.  I have 3 days of nothing but rest before the meet, so I think Ill be fine.  The skiing was really good.

Monday at the gym

I didn't do my normal monday workout because the meet's coming up I didn't want to do any powerlift but I did want to workout mostly as a break from work.

Dumbbell rows

100 x 10

120 x 9

120 x 8

140 x 4

140 x 4

120 x 7

100 x 8

Tricep press downs with rope

5 sets with whole stack + 25 pounds

3 sets on Leg curl machine

BW 315 pounds.  Last workout until meet.

Thursday and Saturday

Thursday Deads

Working up to opener

135 x 10

225 x 6

315 x 3

405 x 1

445 x 1

I think my opener will be 445.

Speed deads 

8 sets of 135 + mini bands doubled over twice

Lat pull downs

4 sets ( didn't keep track of the weight )

4 sets of pull throughs.

The deadlifts felt good, my hips felt strong.

Saturday Benching.

Warm up 

bar x 10

bar x 10

Reverse bands ( bands were lower than in the past when Mike, CJ and I did them )

225 x 10

315 x 5

315 x 5

365 x 4

405 x 1

405 x 1

405 x 1

365 x 4

315 x 7

1 set flat bench with chains and 35's hanging on bands.

4 sets of tricep cable pushdowns

4 sets of face pulls

No skiing either Saturday or Sunday.  Spent most of the weekend resting, playing with Sarah and Josh, and watching TV.

DE bench on Tuesday

I was pretty sore from squatting monday night, so I took it kind of easy.

DE Benching

10 sets 135 x 3 no bands

Overhead pin press lockouts, pins just above my head

135 x 8

185 x 5

225 x 4

245 x 1

225 x 5

This is the first real overhead pressing I've done since I bruised my sternum in November, it felt good to be able to start working these again.

Tricep cable push downs.  I forget how many sets, probably 5 with the stack + 25 pounds.

Squat opener

ME squats to try to determine my opener at the meet..

365

405

445

Sunday skiing

No new powder up at the Bird.  Off trail wasn't the best, it would have been good if it was 10 degrees warmer.  With my added mass, the groomed really SUCKS, impossible to carve a turn, nothing but sliding.  It was beautiful though, so I just kind of took it easy with the skiing and enjoyed the sunshine.  This will probably be my last day of skiing before the meet.