That’s a good attitude to have. I do the same now, but I know I can, when I need to, grind. It’s a useful skill and can even be a safety thing. If you ever compete I’d say knowing you can is almost indispensable.
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I’m doing my very best to arrange my first competition sometime next year. But I do have my studies and graduation to worry. School takes up huge amounts of my time, and I’m pretty focused on it, but I have no doubts I can squeeze in time specifically for competition.
I’m also trying to do a few things in order concerning which weight class I’ll compete in. I’m aiming to compete in the 180 class, because my numbers will be fairly impressive at that weight, plus I’ll just move a lot more easier minus 30 good pounds.
I will say for squats though I’m def. not afraid to grind the very few times I actually do. Waaaaay to nervous to grind on bench, after what happened that one time lol
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I actually thought you had the lift, and felt a bit confused when you just suddenly went down.
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I probably did. Not doubting that, but to be honest I’m probably just being overly cautious.
I’ve already screwed up my back (what I thought for the longest was something with my lumbar spine, discs, or my sacrum, was actually that lower fascia) and I’m just being proactive and trying to not further add anymore injury. And I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is, but Mark gave me some good pointers, and I have a few ideas of my own on what happened, but just in comparison when it comes to strength, my lower body generates a heck of a lot more power than my upper body. It could be imbalances, and it could be a matter of foot placement, but I’d just chalk it up to not being strong enough yet coupled with all those things as well. I know you can’t see my upper back, but i was fighting it fairly hard not to round (I know some folks say it’s okay, but I tend to play it on the safe side anyways).
I know it looked like I had it at least from the hips down, which is also why I’m needing to start catching clips of my entire self, but my back just seemed like it was not going to give me anything more. Surprisingly enough though my lower back hasn’t been giving me any issues. It’s my hips. Not sure what makes me prone to sciatica, but it’s constantly popping up and giving me a hard time.
I know when it comes time to distinguishing those who win from those who do not, it can be boiled down to just nit and grit, and grinding it out, and going full throttle, not saying I won’t ever do that, I probably will, but I’m also confident in being cautious to a necessary degree (I am perhaps maybe too cautious). If I can take the time and be patient and make sure I can hit the lift I have no issue with that. It’ll just come down to me being able to balance both of these things and utilizing them at the right time. However I haven’t been doing this long enough, nor have I completely perfected my craft to know every last signal my body throws at me, so until then I’m just going to fall in line and put in work to strengthen problem areas and everything else.
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In all honesty, it’s better to be this way in the gym so you can leave it all on the field/platform/stage/whatever. I feel you can grind squats, you should be good grinding sumo when you need it. Also, once you try and cut down you’ll probably be able to get in a better position for sumo with very minimal strength loss and maybe (hopefully even) strength stays the same. Good looking pull overall though.
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I’ve bailed on deadlifts in meets… and then passed on my third. I know if my back will hate me for grinding it out. I can just tell. Most meets really aren’t that important and not worth, even temporarily, smoking your back. I’d for sure bail in the gym.
You’re still young but as you age it will be more important. I’d like to stay in this sport as long as I can and that often means not going balls out.
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It’s hard to hit 2 prs in a row.
I get so hype for the first one, I’m too mentally spent to really dominate the 2nd one.
Don’t be pouty, you deadlifted the most you’ve deadlifted! Training must be good. You just got a little greedy and took a big jump.
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I was thinking the same thing as well. Concerning cutting down. Im honestly not even sure if it’s even necessary to wait after I hit a couple more PRs, to then lean out. I don’t think I’ll even lose any, or maybe a small percent of strength if I plan this out correctly.
I’m definitely not meant to be anything over 200lbs. I have a feeling my happy spot is around 175-180ish. I can feel it in my knees quite a bit when standing. And my back and my hips would probably be happier too with a little less weight.
Ffffffffffffiiiiiiiiinnneeee lol
@ouroboro_s
I too would like to do this well into my older years, i of course will probably be like you and definitely not go all out.
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Was 330 beltless a record of some kind, too? I think you had a better workout than you think you did.
Missing lifts is damaging to your mind!
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I don’t really count beltless records. Although it is the heaviest I’ve gone completely bare of anything. Sleeves or belts. So I suppose it is a record.
You sound like Mark, with your encouragement. So thanks.
I def. agree about missing lifts. I do view it as a chance to get stronger though.
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For me, deadlift makes up almost half my total so I do what I can to not screw it up. Bench though? pfft. Whatever 
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My squat makes up a HUGE chunk of my total. Don’t even get me started on how skiddish I am when it comes to my squat, of all the lifts Im the most cautious on, it’s my squat even though this is probably the lift I could stand to be a bit more daring with.
With benching i can tell immediately if I’m going to be able to make it or not from the moment I unrack. I don’t think I’ll ever grind a bench press anymore. And I’m cool with it if I don’t. I think I have decent bench numbers though.
This is what I thought I heard in the intro…until I re-listened to the theme.
I think this after the video. When people get that close to finishing a lift I consider it fear of success or maybe you were afraid of it. The weight was moving, you just stopped lifting.
Next time you attempt that you will smoke it.
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Ahhh okay. Hubby loves that show. I keep falling asleep during episodes so I’m completely lost on what’s going on lol.
And most definitely. Next rotation will be a breeze
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LOG # 181
Burpees vs. 100 kettle bell swings
Followed by 10 min. Jump rope and leisurely foam rolling and stretching.
There will be a rant coming up soon. So be prepared.
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Good stuff with Tate and Wendler
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This does not sound fun AT ALL lol. I would be drenched in sweat if I ever tried this. Did you do 100 burpees as well?
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No just 50 burpees total. I knock those back to 5 each set.
And believe me, I was sweating a bunch.
Chest was on FIRE
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Fair enough. There’s no reason to strain during training.
Hitting two PRs in a row is hard anyhow.
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LOG# 182
Bench
85x5
115x5
155x 3
175x4
185x1
195x1
I had 200 in the bag, but I shifted and leaked half of my energy out and I just couldn’t reposition again correctly.
Assist:
hammer strength bench: 225lbs 3x5
Underhand rows: 50lbs AMRAP
Lat pulldowns: 135lbs 5x7
Chest supported rows: 135lbs 2x10
30 min walk
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