We had a great squat session today; Melanie, Shawna, Cheryl, Ross, Carmine, Joanick and Mike.

warm up with lat pull downs and bench press with the bar

145 x many reps to warm up, skipped doing just the bar so needed more for stretching

145 x 6 another set to warm up

235 x 6

briefs on

325 x 5 bar felt heavy pushing down on shoulders

415 x 3 bar still heavy, shoulders hurt from the weight

put suit on

505 x 3 bar heavy, shoulders hurt alot

add wraps

600 x 1 tightened up upper body alot, didn't feel bar at all on shoulders

645 x 1 good squat, dropped down, tight upper body, didn't feel bar weight at all - was very happy with this squat

That's it, next week will plan to go heavier.

I may have to change my plans for doing the Metal Militia UPA meet Dec 11 in Lake George, NY. Went to the dentist Thurs, he said my cracked tooth is cracked in half and is getting infected and has to be pulled and a foundation has to be implanted in the jaw bone for a cap. I was going to put off doing this until after Dec 11 but I don't think its wise to let it go. Once its done, I won't be able to lift heavy for a few weeks. I will have to pick another meet for sometime in January. I am going back tomorrow and will see what they advise.

It was a special day today because Joanick brought his whole family to squat day and Melanie started her first squat session with us. It was great to walk in and see everyone there. Melanie did very well for her first day, learned form first, then did box squats, got up to 125 lbs and seemed to get better with each set. Then she went down nicely with 145 lbs but could not come back up, tried twice. Then went down in weight, and then came back and got 145 lbs x 3 reps. Amazing especially for her first time and for someone who just had a baby two months ago. Congratulations Melanie. They will be back next Sunday.

For anyone who says its too hard to get to Montreal Barbell to go squat Sunday morning, think about the dedication that Joanick and his family made when they get their 2 month old and 2 year old packed and drove in from Sherbrooke at least 1 hr and 45 mins each way and got there on time to squat. And, they plan to do this every weekend.

Other things that made this day special were a few things: Cheryl and Joanick squatted in briefs to a high box, Cheryl went up to 555 lbs x 3 reps, Joanick up to 865 lbs both just in briefs, Mike squatted up to 775 lbs raw to a box - more than he planned to and Carmine just kept adding plates - he did an incredible 775 squat in briefs only. Shawna hit pr's today with 325 x 3 reps for full squats, then 350, 375 x 2 high reps, then came back and attacked 375 with a deeper squat. Everybody worked hard and it was another great squat day.

Ghislain missed squat day for the first time ever I think except when he went on vacation - he pulled something in his quad squatting raw in his home gym he will be back soon.