589 at 132

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerful Women
1

No, that’s not my total right now. That’s what it needs to be to qualify for the Raw Unity Powerlifting Championships in January of 2009 in Florida.

For the last little while, I’ve been doing a Sheiko program under the supervision of Eric Talmant. For those of you who aren’t familiar with him yet, he keeps a log here: http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/training-logs.asp?tid=138&__N=Eric%20Talmant

If at this point, you are expecting great lifts with great form, you are in the wrong log:) I made a big move (900 miles) the end of last year and pretty much stopped powerlifting and began various other training programs, none of which I enjoyed and stuck with. That, so far, has been my biggest problem is consistency and lack of focus and direction. Eric has helped me a lot with that and has helped me get myself back on track. I have quite a bit of catching up to do though.

My goals for now are:

To build overall strength.

Work on (horrible) form issues.

Finish this cycle and test the end of August.

Qualify for Raw Unity Championships in 2009 The link if anyone is interested: http://www.rawunitymeet.com/

I plan on taping (most of)my lifts. To anyone that doesn’t, I highly suggest doing so. Until about a month ago, I had never seen myself lift on tape before and what a shock it was to see how awful my form was. If you’re fairly new to this, do not rely on the “it feels right” feeling because it will deceive you, as it did me. It was a bit of a kick in the pants, to be honest with you but now I know and have a real idea of where I am at this moment and where I want to be and how I’ll get there.

This is what I mean by you need to see yourself on tape:

I’ve always know I lift with my back but I didn’t know I didn’t use my legs at all.

My squat - not good.

My bench. Did I tell you all how much it hurts showing you all this?

I only ask one thing of everyone - no cheerleading, please. Other then that, comment away or ask me whatever you wish.

Susan

2

Week 3, 3rd Day

Box Squat

barx8x1
65x6x2
90x5x5

Lifts = 45

Bench Press

barx8x1
55x6x1
75x4x2
80x3x4

Lifts = 34

Push Ups

10x5 (50)

Leg Press

Couldn’t do this today and wasn’t sure what I could sub in (Eric? Help)

Standing GM’s

55x5x5

Lifts = 25

Workouts are getting progressively more difficult. Feeling fatigued, most likely from painting the house this week. Other than that felt good although I’m not used to this volume yet and still get fairly sore.

3

Taping your lifts is very useful in identifying your weak areas in form. When I started deadlifting I think I taped every set for awhile to get my form critqued and I would even watch it myself in between while resting to make sure I was correcting what ever problems I was having… but I’m type A like that… :stuck_out_tongue:

Don’t worry about being tired while you are getting your house ready, painting can really take it out of you.

I’m so glad you started a journal, I look forward following you while you get ready for your competition :slight_smile:

4

I’m also gald you started a new journal. I always enjoyed reading your last one!!

Do you have any plans on where you’re going to take your training once you’re finished Sheiko??

5

Hey MsM, welcome back!
I am also doing a sheiko program with Eric’s coach, Dave. We are also pretty close to looking for the same totals in the same weight class. It’ will be nice to have some one to follow along with.
Are you still in NB?

6

[quote]MsM wrote:
Week 3, 3rd Day

Box Squat

barx8x1
65x6x2
90x5x5

Lifts = 45

Bench Press

barx8x1
55x6x1
75x4x2
80x3x4

Lifts = 34

Push Ups

10x5 (50)

Leg Press

Couldn’t do this today and wasn’t sure what I could sub in (Eric? Help)

Standing GM’s

55x5x5

Lifts = 25

Workouts are getting progressively more difficult. Feeling fatigued, most likely from painting the house this week. Other than that felt good although I’m not used to this volume yet and still get fairly sore.

[/quote]

Hey Susan. When the template calls for “Leg Press”, what it is really saying is that we want you to load your quads/legs WITHOUT loading your spine. Therefore, instead of the leg press you could do kettlebell or plate squats where you stand upon two objects (blocks) so as to elevate yourself off the ground and then squat down as low as possible with the kettlebell or plate between your legs. You would be elevated off the ground to increase the ROM (range of motion). You could also do basic leg extensions or even body weight squats. The bottom line is that you want to train the legs without loading the spine.

7

Looking forward to following your progress! :slight_smile:

8

Hey, I’m glad you started a log too. I think we are all going to enjoy watching you progress quickly.

When you were training before, were you near the 589 total? Have you competed before?

9

[quote]Eric Talmant wrote:
Hey Susan. When the template calls for “Leg Press”, what it is really saying is that we want you to load your quads/legs WITHOUT loading your spine. Therefore, instead of the leg press you could do kettlebell or plate squats where you stand upon two objects (blocks) so as to elevate yourself off the ground and then squat down as low as possible with the kettlebell or plate between your legs. You would be elevated off the ground to increase the ROM (range of motion). You could also do basic leg extensions or even body weight squats. The bottom line is that you want to train the legs without loading the spine.[/quote]

So, any type of squat without the bar on my back? Got it and thank you, Eric! Learning as I go.

10

Oh wow, you find out you’re not that great and everyone’s watching. lol

[quote]rondastarr wrote:
Taping your lifts is very useful in identifying your weak areas in form. When I started deadlifting I think I taped every set for awhile to get my form critqued and I would even watch it myself in between while resting to make sure I was correcting what ever problems I was having… but I’m type A like that… :p[/quote]

It sure is but they were pretty hard to watch. They were fairly upsetting but I’ll use them to help me get better.

[quote]LucyJ wrote:
I’m also gald you started a new journal. I always enjoyed reading your last one!!

Do you have any plans on where you’re going to take your training once you’re finished Sheiko??

[/quote]

Thanks, Lucy! I’ve followed along with yours as well (trying to figure out Sheiko). There was always something fascinating about it to me; now that I understand it a little better, it’s all that much more fun to read.

Well, I like it so far so I think I may just keep doing Sheiko. It’s still very early yet to see what kinds of results I’ll see but I’ll better know by the end of the summer, I think.

[quote]dianab wrote:
Hey MsM, welcome back!
I am also doing a sheiko program with Eric’s coach, Dave. We are also pretty close to looking for the same totals in the same weight class. It’ will be nice to have some one to follow along with.
Are you still in NB?[/quote]

Great stuff! I didn’t know you were working with Dave.

Yep, still here. Still getting used to it but it’s alright.

[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:
Hey, I’m glad you started a log too. I think we are all going to enjoy watching you progress quickly.

When you were training before, were you near the 589 total? Have you competed before?[/quote]

I sure hope so. Thanks.

Yes and no. Yes, as in, I was but no, as in, I am not sure if they were good lifts. Somehow I doubt it but I didn’t have the resources then to have someone honestly evaluate what I was doing at that time. I have no way of knowing that now so I think I’m just starting with a clean slate now.

Nice to see so many of you still follow this forum. I’d like to see it become everything that it can.

11

Youtube is blocked here. :frowning:

12

GPP Today

Will be 30-60 of, most likely, soccer. Looks like rain (again). Give the arms a break from painting.

13

MsM, Get those hips down, chest up and arch hard when you’re deadlifting :slight_smile:

Glad to see you started a new log here. Best of luck!

14

That’s what I did. I’m working my way through the Sheiko competition Cycle at the moment, I’ll be finished next week but I’m still undecided as to what path to take when I’m finished. Starting the whole damn thing all over again with my new maxes is looking like a big possibility!!

Best of luck with it though, I’ll be following your journey closely!! :slight_smile:

15

Looks like this is going to turn into a real good log!

It’ll be interesting to see how much more weight you can shift as you perfect your form.

It took me quite a while and much ass kicking to get my DL to the point where I was really using my legs too and practically dragging the bar up my shins. When I did get it right I was adding lots more weight every week.

What are you doing diet wise? What cardio (other than painting)? - will you be picking the sticks up again any time soon?

16

[quote]Renton wrote:

What are you doing diet wise? What cardio (other than painting)? - will you be picking the sticks up again any time soon?
[/quote]

Sticks? Are you a drummer, MsM? Or a martial artist?

17

MsM – Great to see you logging again. I am glad that you have tape of your start, wish I did. Now you will have something to look back at and compare too!

I have another suggestion for your leg training – front squats? You might check with Eric and see if that would fit the bill as well.

18

Deadlift:
You have to really reach down once. Trying to re-set up is not going to help. You want to just go down and grab the barn in one motion to keep yourself tight.

Arch your back more and get the hips lower, but not “low” like in a squat, and get your chest out as well. You want to sit back a little so you load your hips and press with your legs instead of pulling with your back.

Basically, grab the bar and stay tight w/ good form and dip the hips a little before pulling and try to sit back a tad to use your legs and not your back.

You’re also too far forward and when you start to pull heavy weight, you’ll either injury yourself or the weight will get too far out infront of you and you’ll miss an easy weight. You look good for at least 185 if not 205 if you get your form under control

Squat:

Your squat form looks much better than deadlift.

If you can shift your butt back first instead of half way down, you’ll have a little more spring in your squat.

To me, it looks like you just need to get stronger. Squats are hard to work with at first. I always hated squats, so if you are frustrated, I understand.

Also, if your upper back feels tight, don’t grip the bar so close together, bring your hands out. If you have no issues, don’t change your set up. there’s no real right way to get up, just whatever works.

Bench:

Looks to me like you need a lot more lat strength for the bottom portion of your bench. Your lockout looks good. DB pressses, rows, anything that’ll help w/ stability and upper back strength will greatly improve your bench. You look like you fail off the chest more so than lock out? I could be wrong, but it looks that way to me.

Bench set up. If you want to get up correctly…

Get on the bench, grab the bar w/ a reverse grip, pull yourself as close to the bar as you can, pull your butt in towards your head as possible, tighten your shoulder blades together to form a solid base and stay tight.

You should be able to cut out an inch that way at least. You can get used to if if you try.

Grip, i am not sure. You do not have gator arms, but it looks like to me that you’re doing a close grip bench. Are you weaker you widen your grip?

Overall, you look like you’re lacking explosiveness. You really need to aggressively move the weight and move it fast and really set up solidly. You look wobbly. Stability is key here.

I hope these comments helped. Form is always a challenge, regaurdless of your stregnth level.

19

Double Post, SORRY!

20

[quote]LucyJ wrote:

That’s what I did. I’m working my way through the Sheiko competition Cycle at the moment, I’ll be finished next week but I’m still undecided as to what path to take when I’m finished. Starting the whole damn thing all over again with my new maxes is looking like a big possibility!!

Best of luck with it though, I’ll be following your journey closely!! :)[/quote]

I really wish that I had done that with the first program that I did. You’d have a very accurate assessment of how far you’d come, that’s for sure. I love your log and it would be great to see your new numbers:)

[quote]Renton wrote:
Looks like this is going to turn into a real good log!

It’ll be interesting to see how much more weight you can shift as you perfect your form.

It took me quite a while and much ass kicking to get my DL to the point where I was really using my legs too and practically dragging the bar up my shins. When I did get it right I was adding lots more weight every week.

What are you doing diet wise? What cardio (other than painting)? - will you be picking the sticks up again any time soon?
[/quote]

Hey, you;) Glad to see you in these parts.

Diet-wise? Diet is a word I really dislike because it’s a sure-fire way to get to want chocolate 24/7. Right now, I am eating whole foods (organic if I can) and have cut out anything processed, with artificial sweeteners, etc.

Also have cut out stimulants with the exception of coffee and I’ve reduced that by about 2/3’s in the last month. I do eat a relatively low-carb diet, however. It just agrees with me more.

Cardio wise? GPP consists of my choice of whatever I want. Usually 30-60 minutes of soccer, basketball, running, sprints, playing on the monkey bars, you name it. The idea here was to get a variety of different activities in.

I will be picking up the sticks soon actually. When I show you how it’s done;) Ha!

[quote]Yo Momma wrote:

Sticks? Are you a drummer, MsM? Or a martial artist?
[/quote]

Studied kenpo, kali/escrima and systema; I sucked at them at first too but it was fun and I kept with it until I was good at them. If we ever meet up some day, I’ll teach you a spinning back kick!

[quote]Firebug9 wrote:
MsM – Great to see you logging again. I am glad that you have tape of your start, wish I did. Now you will have something to look back at and compare too!

I have another suggestion for your leg training – front squats? You might check with Eric and see if that would fit the bill as well.[/quote]

Thanks, Malinda. Good to be back:)

Those tapes are bitter-sweet. Had to close my eyes before I hit “submit”. To be fair and honest with myself though, it’s the only way that I’ll get better.

Ha! Hopefully Eric doesn’t read that. I’ve always done zercher’s in their place before. Is that not a good idea? They hurt my knee caps and make them feel like they’re going to pop off. Mind you, I’d still do them if he told me he thought I needed to do them.