Since the last log on the Friday shirt bench, I squatted the following Sunday, the usual work my way up to 650 for one rep. But a few things have been happening that signaled for me to back it down for a bit. First, started feeling weaker and shaky in my lifts. second, I had three teeth pulled and bone grafts done which took three weeks to heal, third I pulled my inner quad squatting heavy and to add to all that I had some extra stress in my life which wore on my more than anything else. So, I decided not to do the Dec 11 meet in Lake 'George and just back down my training a bit. I still came in a did a few lifts, like raw bench for a few sets of light weight and even squatted with 145 lbs for a few reps just to remember form. I couldn't actually leave the gym because I had to train others. Slowly, I am starting to feel like lifting again. I need that desire to come back, the desire to lift more than before, the desire to get stronger.
Metal Militia Pro/Am meet in Lake George, NY Dec 11, 2011
Shawna and I and Kuma drove down to help Cheryl and Joanick. It was a great meet. Lots of friendly people, people I hadn't seen for a while and a very lifter friendly supportive atmosphere. Cheryl flew in from a project she was working on in North Carolina and was feeling nervous about her squat. Cheryl has been training well and consistently but didn't train specifically for this meet. She decided to do the meet instead of me kind of at the last minute. so, we chose lower openers to reduce the stress for her. It worked out well because Cheryl went 9 for 9 in the meet, something she has never done before and broke the 1200 lb total barrier with her 1255 lb total. Cheryl struggled with form and muscled up her first and second squat and didn't get serious until she got under 500 lbs for her third which then was her best squat. Oh her bench, she easily did her first and her second attempt with 280 lbs just flew to the top. So, we loaded her with 305 lbs a 5 lb meet pr and she got it. We dropped her deadlift opener to 375 lbs to keep her in the meet, then she went to 425 and for a third went for a 25 lb pr with 450 and just simply made it look easy. Everyone enjoyed watching Cheryl compete, she had a quiet professionalism and determination about her. She had done these lifts in the gym and she just did them the same way at the meet. Cheryl was very pleased with her day, but she deserved every bit of it. She ignored the distractions and just focused on what she wanted and what she came to do, that's what was most impressive about her lifts, besides the fact that she made incredible heavy weight look light.
Joanick started the day strong and opened with 750 in the squat. He didn't get it deep enough and may have had trouble with balance but the weight felt easy for him. He felt confident enough to jump to 800 lbs for a second, but then missed it both on his second and his third in exactly the same way, strong lift looked great, just came up too early and the lifts were high. Just like that a good strong day, turned bad and the meet was over for him. In retrospect it would have been better to stay with the 750 and sink it deep on the second. He entered the push pull so he could bench and squat, but only got his openers on both. Its tough to find your focus and determination again after what you came for was gone. Everyone wanted Joanick to do well. Sebastian Burns and Bill Crawford both came over to encourage Joanick before his third squat. But, it was a matter of inches like in many sports, just two inches difference between a great day and lousy day.
The meet was fun, it was great to meet many people and just be in that atmosphere that Metal Militia and powerlifting meets seem to foster.