Montreal Barbell The PR GYM

Bar x reps

105 x 5

145 x 5 (briefs on, belt on)

235 x 3 (suit on, straps down)

285 x 2 (straps up from here on)

325 x 1

375 x 1 (knee wraps from here on)

415 x 1

440 x 1

465 x 1

485 x miss

485 x 1

Ross and I are trying to cut back the number of lifts in my warm up and this week I jumped from 1 plate to 2 plates, which felt ok so I will stick with that from now on.  All the lighter weight felt really good this week - found my form right from the start today which NEVER happens.  I was determined to get lower on all my lifts this week and so I worked my form really hard; 375 the tempo felt great and the dip was controlled, 415 is getting easier and easier to handle and I got it to parrallel, 440 I took right down and dipped (high) but didn't push back into the bar on the way up so I lost my line for a second.  

Now on to the bigger weights - 465 I kept my chest up and took it down nice then let my knees come in at the bottom but still bounced up and this time remembered to push back into the bar on the way up (progress!).  My first attempt at 485 my knee wraps and suit straps were really tight and instead of breaking at the hips first I broke at my knees and as I headed down I just kept going more and more forward - I came back up only after a few inches.  I took a few minutes to rest and this time didn't put the knee wraps or straps as tight and went for it again - I handled it better but came up high.  The weight is starting to feel heavy on my back which just forces me to pay more attention to my form/technique.

My goal right now is to figure out all the pieces to the squat.    

The whole plan was to go for 300 lb on the bench tonight but once I got going it was a different story.

Bar x reps

95 x 5

115 x 3

135 x 2

185 x took it out and held it

225 x 1

265 x miss

275 x miss

My tricep has been bothering me for a few weeks now.  I did something to it back in January and have had a lump sitting in my tricep ever since that Ross has been trying to massage out but have managed to work around it on the bench.  I noticed that instead of loading my shirt all the way at the start of the lift I've been going right to my belly the last few weeks and been able to get away with it, but the 300 lb isn't going to work without proper form.  My plan tonight was to go in and do it properly.  My plan was to get the 300 lb.  My plan was derailed.  

I loaded my shirt with the 265 and at the bottom, just before I touched, I got into a position where my tricep was done and asked the spotters to take it.  I came off the bench annoyed and then thought maybe I was thinking too much about it, or babying it - went off by myself and decided to do it again, but this time be more aggressive.  Ross said to go for 275 lb next, which increasing the weight usually works for me because it snaps me out of my head.  I was more in control this time, but the same thing happened on the way down as with the 265 only this time worse.  I quit there because I knew it wasn't a mental barrier, my tricep is just fried and all I can do is let it heal.  Have to admit I am dissappointed, but I'll just keep working on it and hope it heals quickly!

It has been a quiet week for me - I've just been eating and sleeping.  My back and hips are usually the first to go on me when I train hard but they feel great, it's my arms and quads that are killing me.   I only did a couple of sets with 95 lb on Tuesday (Light bench) because my arms were still fried from Friday and decided not to deadlift last night because my quads were still really tight from last week & Sunday.  Been trying to eat more and sleep more this week to get my body to recover so I can go for 300 lb on the bench again tomorrow night - Ross massaged my biceps and triceps last night and I'm feeling a lot better this morning so hopefully it all comes together on the bench.

Life Stuff

I went downtown yesterday and met one of my bestfriends for coffee & shopping, it was really nice.  I started Powerlifting a little over a year ago and it took everybody (including myself) by surprise.  None of my friends really understood what it was or why I was doing it but this friend in particular was supportive right from the start.  A lot of my friends just don't talk about it - it's like a "don't ask, don't tell" policy - but this friend asks, even though she isn't sure how or in what context, she makes the effort and I appreciate her for that.  I've gone through a lot of changes over the last year - Powerlifting, or any sport that you push yourself to your limit, uncovers all the ugly pieces of yourself, makes you stare them dead in the face and forces you to recognize them and use them to your advantage, or be held back by them.  Whether it is fear, ego, stubborness, insecurity, excuses...you can't run from it in Powerlifting because everytime you walk up to the bar it's in your face - all the mental barriers that stand in the way of bigger lifts - it's hard for people outside of sports to understand that level of intensity and you yourself don't look at things in the same way anymore.  As a reasult most of my relationships have changed but my relationship with this friend has grown stronger and I am very thankful for that - there are people who are in your life for all the right reasons, and she is one of them.  

Squat

Bar x reps

105 x 5

145 x 4 (briefs on, belt on)

195 x 2

235 x 3

285 x 1 (suit on from here on)

325 x 1

365 x 1 (knee wraps from here on)

400 x 1

430 x 1

450 x 1 PR

Let's cut right to the chase - 400 lb didn't feel that great, 430 felt fantastic (even smiled when I was done!), and 450 was over before I knew it and couldn't quite decide whether it went well or not (went back and looked at the video with Ross and it looked pretty good for my first stab at it).  

We had a nice crew in today:  Ross, Cheryl, Mike Guay, Ghislain, Joanick and Leo the Greek - everybody working hard (check out their logs, big numbers in the gym again today!) and supporting eachother like always.  

"...today was a good day."

Heavy Bench

Lite stretching - quads, hips, inner thigh.

Bar x reps

95 x 5

115 x 3

135 x 1

195 x 1 no touch  (shirt on from here on)

245 x 1

265 x 1

285 x 1 PR

300 x miss

Basic run down - 245 felt like a house and was slow, 265 went up faster, 285 flew, 300 I hesitated in the bottom because I was thinking too much.  If we stuck to training plans, tonight I would've stayed raw...luckily we go with the flow though - we maximze the nights that we're feeling good or aggressive, and on the nights that we don't feel like pushing hard or form is a bit off, we just roll with.  

135 x 10 (5 sumo/5 conv) 

135 x 5 sumo

185 x 3 (briefs on, belt on)

225 x 1 (suit on from here on)

275 x 1

315 x 1

365 x miss x 3 (reset 3 times in a row)

365 x 1

385 x miss

Everything felt heavy tonight - I originally wanted to work my way up to 405 lb but once I got to the gym I lost my oomph.  I missed 365 three times in a row because I couldn't get the starting position right (I feel right on my ass the first time).  I took a little break then went back to it the 4th time and got it (sloppily).  I was done but that was all the more reason to push one more time - 385 came off the floor nicer than any of the other lifts all night, I just couldn't get my shoulders back or push my hips through to the bar.  That's the thing about lifting and practicing form - it's a different story once the weights get heavy enough; I can pull 315 all day long, even with bad form - I can start pulling it while its out in from of me and then correct it and save it....once you get to the heavier weights, you need to get it right from the start - you don't have a lot of energy to waste because it's going to take everything you have to finish the lift.  

Lite Bench

Some lite stretching - legs, biceps, pecs.

Bar x reps

95 x 10

115 x 10 

135 x 9 3/4 PR

Accessories:

115 x Pause bench x 2 PR

Some lite streching - biceps, triceps, pecs.

I was in the mood to push tonight - I almost deadlifted tonight instead because I wanted to push my guts out, but decided I'm probably not recovered enough from Sunday and I should be patient and wait for tomorrow.  I felt really anxious all day and just wanted to release that anxiety in the gym....mission accomplished.  Really wanted 10 reps out of the 135 lb but my right arm quit on me on the last rep on the way back up (hence the 9 and 3/4).  Feel a lot better now and ready for a good sleep - and to deadlift tomorrow!