Montreal Barbell The PR GYM

Heavy Bench

Bar x reps

95 x 5

115 x 3

135 x 1

Shirt on

185 x 1 - no touch

225 x 1 - no touch

250 x 1

260 x 1

275 x 1

My shirt felt tighter tonight and I had a lot more trouble touching with 225 lb than normal; 250 felt like a ton, 260 felt a lot better (but I thought it was 270 so I was tighter) and 275 felt better than it ever has before and I am really excited about that! 

My shoulder is still sore but I don't feel it during any of my lifts which I'm glad about - I still went home and iced it though, and put clay on it (moist heat) that Joffrey gave me to try.

We had a full house today - Ross, Ghislain, Chris, Mike Guay, Joffrey, Shany, Gracie, Jarod, Daniel and me - it was a lot of fun!

Bar x reps

105 x 5 (box squats - to parallel)

145 x 5 (box squats - to parallel)

Briefs on, belt on

195 x 5

235 x 3

Suit on

285 x 3

325 x 3

365 x 1 (knee wraps from here on)

390 x 1 

415 x 1

My squat form still isn't what I want it to be so Ross and I decided I would warm up on the boxes today to try to find my form; I liked that warm - think I'll try the same next week, too.  

Second time squatting in my new briefs, first time using them with the suit too.  Got a lot more pop out of the bottom - I'm still hesistant on the way down but I flew up with all the weights.  I didn't hit depth all day but I'm really happy with the way the weights felt on my back; everything felt light, stand ups were good, pop out of the bottom was quick - still struggling with my confidance in the squat, but I'll hammer away at it the next couple months and get to where I need to be with it.

Highlights of the day - Ross did a double with 6 plates and then a solid 7 plate squat; his stand ups were great and even though he said he felt his form was off, he made it all look easy!  Shany squatted a solid 5 plates, then 5 1/2 plates after not squatting for who knows how long (incredible strength in that girl).  Ghislain owned 7 plates, Joffrey 8 plates no knee wraps, Gracie had a nice 350 lb squat, Mike benched 8 plates after a long hiatus, Jarod tried out a pair of briefs for the first time and found his form quickly and handled 5 plates nicely, and Daniel is working his form and possibly going to try out some gear soon.  

Another really great day in the gym!

Bench

Bar x reps

95 x 5

115 x 3

135 x 1

150 x 1 PR

165 x miss x 2

145 x 3 PR

150 x 3 PR

I didn't shirt up tonight because my shoulder has been bothering me and when I get in a shirt it creates more pressure.  

It was fun to do something different; 150 lb flew and I really thought 165 lb would go too, but it didn't.  The first time I tried it I was hesitant/went too slow and I thought I just needed to be more aggressive so I gave it another shot but I failed again.  In hind sight I think I just needed to push my arch harder.  Ross suggested going for reps instead so I did - felt good and was fun.

The boys shirted up and Chirs and Carmine hit PR's!  Carmine joined the 500 lbs Bench Club in a new denim shirt he is tried for the first time, and Chris put on a poly shirt and got a 525 lb bench!  Not a bad night for those two.  Leo Tili was in do some bench work and brought in a new guy, Alex (I think), who also got a 300 lb PR on the bench, raw.  Good vibes in the gym, as usual.

Deadlift

135 x 5 conv / 5 sumo

Briefs on

185 x 5

225 x 3

Suit on

275 x 1

Belt on

315 x miss

Tried out my new briefs with my suit tonight - wow - had a really hard time getting to the bar.  My new briefs are longer than my old ones, so I had to roll them up and jack the legs of my suit up too.  When I went down for the bar the line of tension was in my legs instead of in my bum (that threw me off), then I couldn't set myself up properly at the start of the lift so I was out in front of the bar; I pulled 315 up to my knees and then it pulled me right back down because I wasn't in the right line!  I got really frustrated and called it quits. I wasn't in the mood to push through.  Before next week's deadlift session I'll let the legs out on my suit and give that a try.

6 Plate Deadlift Club Newest Member:  ROSS SALDAN

Ross FINALLY got 6 plates!  His weight is down and his gear is loose on him but he ripped 5 1/2 plates off the floor like nothing - his sumo form is coming together really nicely!  Next up, we tightened his straps up and he went for 6 plates - he got it to the same place he always does (and usually fails) and kept on pulling, and pulling and got it!  Carmine, Leo, Chris and myself were right in his ear yelling at him to "PULL" - we are all very excited for him!  He spends so much time helping everybody else improve that you want the same improvement for him, and its here - now he has his sights set on 7 plates!  Congrats!

Chris, who struggled with 5 plates for a couple of weeks, came in tonight and owned it!  Then after Ross ripped the 5 1/2 plates, Chris stepped right up and gave it a whirl...missed it the first time.  He gave it another shot and this time he was ready for it, and got it making almost a 100 lb PR!  Congrats to you too, Chris!

Carmine is working on his sumo deadlift form - once he gets it he'll have an even more incredible deadlift.  It's tough figuring out a new technique, it's mentally frustrating, but he pushes through all of it. 

I'm really enjoying the energy in the gym right now - Chris walked in and said "Hello, other family." and he's right....we are all family.

Light Bench

Bar x reps

75 x 10

95 x 10 x 3

Pause Bench x 95 x 2

"That's all she wrote." 

Squat

Bar x reps x 3

105 x 5

Briefs on, belt on

135 x 5

195 x 5

235 x 5

285 x 5

300 x 4

300 x 3 x 3

Wore my new briefs and I love them!  Still need to work on form (my knees cave in at the bottom) but the squat is starting to feel a lot better than it ever has.  

My plan the next couple of weeks is to have fun in the gym! 

What an incredible weekend!  Weighing people in Friday morning I could feel my excitement building - not just for myself, but to see the relief of the weigh-in being over on people faces and know that now they were on to the next phase of preparing for the meet - eating and drinking themselves stronger.  The thoughts turn to the next days openers and going over technique (for me anyways), and will you do well, will all your training and hard work come together, will you crumble under the excitement or rise to it....and then its Meet Day.

As always, an incredible group of lifters - some with a lot of history in Powerlifting, some brand new lifters and everything in between. Montreal Barbell was jam packed with lifters, handlers, family and friends, and the music was blasting.  Bench Only flight was up first - Ross Saldan, Ryan Tingman, Scott MacDiarmid and Clint Harwood.  Ross wanted 525 lb bad.  He opened 475 lb and that flew so he went right to it on the second attempt.  Everything looked great on the way down and he got a great pop off his chest but he didn't have the leg drive to lock it out.  He tried it again on his 3rd but I think he gave everything he had on the second.  It was the first time I've seen Clint Harwood lift and it was impressive - I'm not sure what he ended up with but I watched him get in a 700+ lb bench, and made it look easy.  Both Ryan and Scott got PR's on the bench and Scott competed in his first meet!

There were three flights of Full Power lifters, I was in the second flight so I was warming up while the first flight was lifting and missed a lot of it.  I did get to see Glendy Randall hit a 330 lb squat with just knee wraps, an All-Time record, which was amazing.  I opened in the Squat with 353 lbs - lift was good, my 2nd attempt was 380 lbs - lift was good, and then missed my 3rd attempt, 402 lb.  I was able to watch some of the 3rd flight's squats - WOW!  Al Mehan squatted 1160 lbs, Joanick Boilard got his 800 lbs squat in a meet and Joffrey Laurin got a squat in even with a busted knee!  I watched Ryan Selk squat the deepest 903 lb squat I've ever seen - I thought he was falling through the bottom of the squat and somehow he came all the way back up with it!  Shane Church had a solid 900+ lb squat in there, too.  

I missed all the 1st flight's bench's too.  I opened with 253 lb on the bench and missed it - I was too excited and instead of following my form I threw the weight at the press call and couldn't keep up with it.  Ross looked at me to see what was going on, Cheryl (who was the head judge) came and told me to settle down, Jay Nera was nearby and said "you need to get your mind right".  Ross and I decided to go up in weight to 265 lb for my 2nd attempt - I spent the entire time before my next attempt breathing in and out, trying to calm myself down (I could feel my heart racing a million miles a second) and I nailed 265 lb, 3rd attempt was 281 lb and I sailed that up, too!  I don't usually get over excited about my lifts but I have to admit that the 281 lb in a meet was thrilling!  Ross asked if I wanted to take a 4th attempt and go for 300 lb and I wasn't sure, and then Bill Crawford and Ross said "you're satisfied now but you'll wish you had in a few days" so I went for it.  I set up and started to take the hand off and I wasn't set up properly so as Ross started to let the weight into my hands my right arm wasn't in the right place so I couldn't hold it, shook my head and the spotters took the weight back - one day I'll get it!  I was able to catch Al Mehan's 771 lb bench and it was incredible - he had his handler's getting him psyched, Bill Crawford adjusting his shirt, Ross talking him through it...and he made it look easy!  

Deadlift's felt great.  After the mess at the CPA Meet in October, Ross was wondering if we should drop my deadlift opener to save my squat and bench but I felt solid!  I opened with 319 lb and it flew off the floor but I bounced the bar at the top - no lift.  It wasn't heavy though so Ross decided 330 lb was next (add some weight but be conservative to stay in the meet).  It was the nicest 330 lb deadlift I've ever done!  My goal for the deadlift was 365 so I went for that on the 3rd, got the weight to my knees and bounced the bar, got the "Down" command and that was that - no lift.  My goal for the day was 1000 lb Total - I ended up with 380/ 281/ 330 for a 991 lb Total and got Best Lifter - pretty good day I would say!  

The 3rd flight's deadlifts were a sight to see.  Thom Lamb deadlift 700+ lbs raw and was entertaining to watch!  Ryan Selk deadlifted 700+ lbs with tissue stuffed up his nose to catch the nose bleed.  All Mehan got his deadlift in which gave him a 2600+ total!  The energy in the gym was electric - I loved it!  

You can't really explain the feeling you feel at a meet, whether you're competing or watching it, it is something you just have to experience - personally, it is the best feeling in the world.  

My day went so well because I had my dad by my side all day - he understands me, knows what I am capable of, encourages me, brings out the best in me and calms me - Thanks Dad.  Thanks to Cheryl and Shany too, for knowing what to say and when to say it to keep my head right!  And thanks to Metal Militia Montreal for ALWAYS being encouraging and supportive and wanting the best for each other. 

Not.  I'm averaging around 138 lb first thing in the morning, so I've decided to eat up this week instead of cutting weight.  I wasn't planning on gaining weight, it just kind of happened (well, I'm sure the pancakes had a lot to do with it) but I feel strong so I'm going to stay where I am for this meet. 

(Sigh! - what a relief!)