Bench

We had a big bench session Firday night and everybody was feeding off of each others energy - it was a great feeling!  Shany and Joffrey drove in from Gatineau, Joanick from Sherbrooke, Scott MacDiarmid from Cornwall, Al Mehan from Alberta, Carmine, Chris, Ross, me, and Leo Tili came in to help out even though he can't train right now because of a neck injury (you can only imagine how hard that was for him!).  

Bar x reps x 2

95 x 5

115x 3

135 x 1

Shirt on

185 x 1

225 x 1

250 x 1

275 x miss

280 x miss x 2

250 x 1

265 x miss

My form is still off on the bench and it frustrates me but all the possiblities I come up with that could be wrong, I correct, and still isn't getting better so I need to just let it be for a bit and come back to it later with fresh eyes.

Ross had a great night on the bench and hit a nice PR - so did Shany, Chris and Scott!  Most of us went to McDonald's after to eat and that was a sight - there were about 22 burgers between the 8 of us - and we all got to sit and talk, laugh and go over the night;  somebody said it's like we're all family and that's exactly how it felt.

Squat

We usually squat on Sunday (two days after bench) but Al's flight was Sunday morning so Ross decided to squat on Saturday instead so we could all train together.  Everybody, except Al, was slow moving Saturday morning and groggy.  It took me over an hour to get going (even after 3 ephedrine and a Rockstar).  

Bar x reps

105 x 5

145 x 5 (briefs on)

195 x 3 (briefs & belt on)

235 x 2 (Suit on, straps down)

285 x 2 (straps up from here on)

325 x 1 

375 x 1 (knee wraps from here on)

402 x 1

450 x missed on depth

The squat felt good - Ross and I did all our warms up with the pound plates then moved over to the other monolift and our last three lifts (opener, 2nd attempt, possible 3rd) in Kilos.  Al was calling our depth - I came up before he told me to on the 375 but he said I was right there, my dip broke parralel.  Next was 402 and this time he called me up - it was the best feeling 402 I've ever done, my feet were flat on the ground and I felt solid the entire lift.  Ross called 450 next and as I stood up with it I started to shake but once I locked my knees out the weight felt fine.  I started down with it and started shaking again and it completely distracted me, scared me and I was thinking a whole bunch of things that I didn't need to be and came up after 2/3 of the way down.  I went back and looked at the video and it didn't look as bad as it felt - that will be a lesson to me to finish the lift even if it feels awful!

Chris, Shany, Ghislain and Mike Guay all hit PR's yesterday!  It was an intense day with a lot of encouragement and support!  We all work better together - we bring out the best in each other!

It was a great weekend!