alex - not sure about the chatting up - he didn’t seem to speak either french or english?!
snap - No knee wraps as they are not allowed in the classic/raw division. I do use wrist wraps. Also if memory serves me right I sport an easy 40lbs on you. I should be squating this heavy.
As for the deadlifts I’ll try to bring my hands in as close to the end of the gnarly as possible. I agree on the 2nd rep, I usually get a “bounce” out of it.
Dani - he totally asked, I would NEVER approach people with “advice”. If they ask then I am more than willing to help.
Joe - I understand but as we only have 1 rack, I’ve been deadlifting in the corner of the gym and so should everyone to keep the rack for those that really need it.
UP & Cal - Thank you!
Ronda - Oh NO you Don’t! you’re already kicking my ass in bench and squats girl. You’re going to crush my pride.
Why are you going for 225 as your second attempt when you almost hit that for a triple today? Seems like you could get 230 for your second attempt (PR?) and then go for broke on your third since you know you can smash up 225? Just a thought from an admitted P@ newb-a-tron
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Because there is a whole mental part to the meet - confidance, stage fright and such. It has been said time and again that your first squat must be sunk like battle ship and bedazzle the judges in order to gain their favor if depth should be borderline in the next attempts. You want to go and do your first lift feeling “like a boss” setting the tone for the day. I’ve only had 225 on my back 3 time now and the bar still looks daunting. Could I squat it to depth with the nerves at the meet? Probably, but probably doesn’t cut it. I want “Hellz Yeah!” as an answer. And the high of getting my first 3 white lights will carry me through the harder lifts.
And now for the not so happy part, I feel like a puppy who pees on the carpet when he gets excited… I strained my right hip flexor with my 3rd attempt at 225 this week. What a newb mistake; pushing it so much near a meet. Damn.
I can walk, pain is rather minimal, until I actually squat (bodyweight of course) and then I have a serious pull and jolt in my hip crease above the quad and in the groin area.
Current therapy: ice packs and hot baths, tylenol, high doseage of tumeric. All gym activities are put on hold. Basically I’ll try to stay horizontal this weekend in hopes of reducing the inflamation.
Aww Frenchie, damn. Let’s hope it’s a strain and nothing more serious.
I have a restriction in this area and it locks up on occassion. It’s a bloody nuisance but so far I’ve not managed to hurt it badly. You’re treating it well - maybe some gentle walking to get blood into the area. I’d advise against any rigorous stretching.
First off, a 225 squat is ridiculous! I’m so impressed! And so very jealous. You’re going to dominate at this meet!
Second, wtf with this hip flexor!! Grr…no need to panic of course, just keep doing what you’re doing and take the week off. It sounds like that might be your best bet until the meet, no?
Third, if you’re still super concerned about the strain, maybe you should go over to GermanOne’s log and ask him a question about what to do with the flexor? I know he’s had a world of experience with meets AND rehabbing stuff. Just a thought.
Hang in there ma chere! Stay horizontal! ← hee hee
You’re doing great, but I agree with Gregon. Meet atmosphere and almost tripling 225, 225 would probably be an easy opener…
EDIT I read on and if you’re nervous I agree do what you are confident with…and with the hip flexor soreness don’t push right now. I’ve done that before but it was a heavy sumo pull that tweaked mine.
I have no meet experience but agree with your reasoning; you can always jump up up and away in the next two lifts. (hoping to catch an SPF meet down here the 29th of Oct!)
We’ve all made, and will continue to make, those kind of mistakes. Excitement gets the better of us all from time to time. I have nothing to add to treatment advice but agree with it all thus far.
Finally, hot damn I love your avatar! It makes me smile and/or laugh every time I see it.
no fear! i think that hip flexor will relax by next week–or i hope so!
i think i heard o saying that your provincials meet you don’t have to win to go to nationals? so you just keep yourself healthy, listen to your body come squat time and go with what you think best–even if you hurt bad and you just squat a bar.
i don’t want that! but just saying, if your goal is nationals later you have options!
Question about meet psych for you. Are you able to feed off of the energy at meets? I personally feel like I kinda dont, but I dont go the opposite direction, either. I have one friend (that I really think you should meet, if my crew ever books it to Canada) that has a hard time dealing with her nerves during meets and has NEVER PR-ed in a big meet. She just gets so nervous (She is ridiculous, though. 123 and totals 850ish raw.) On the other end of the spectrum, my fella really feeds off the energy and almost always PRs at big meets. And I mean, kinda big PRs. He had a 30lb PR on his dead last time. So which is it for you? Do you feed off it and do better? Remain constant? Get anxiety and do worse?
Cal - I hear you on the no stretching and gentle walking. Added to the weekend agenda.
Lula - if meet there is. I would not want a sprained hip flexor to turn into a torn quad out of sheer stupidity
Maschy - Staying horizontal for ya
LilP - advice from the PL queen: yes mam!
Kristoph - the silliness of my Avi makes me smile too.
Brute - In order to place for nationals I need to total 202.5kg. That means driving 5 hours, paying for the hotel to do “pretend” lifts in order to have the right to show up at nationals. With my hip still sore that means I would need to go very easy on my sumo deads too. I don’t know, seems like a waste…
MIM - let’s do a continuous loop of healing between us xx
Dasher - as Snap has pointed out, canadian meets are as dead serious as a church. No screaming, chanting and cheering. I was the only one yelling my head off last meet. That means the vibe you pic up is very subtle. Personally I am a solo lifter, I don’t get that much from the crowd, it’s basically a time when I try to tap the very essence of crazy and focus on the bar. I would say there isn’t much to feed on and I am not much of a show girl, the challenge on the stage is me and the bar, as it always is, with my focus on the commands.
I’ve always had my best lifts alone in the gym because I’m only going balls out on 1 lift instead of 3. The worst is the bench, I’ve done 155lbs in the gym but can barely reach 140lbs at the meet. The one lift I might Pr on is the squat cause it’s the first lift and I’m not drained yet.
In terms of anxiety it pretty much drains after the first squat which is why I need to nail it. It just sets the tone.
Gotcha. We have lifted through a few different federations. Some really encourage cheering and getting behind lifters. One federation was really strange to me. I went to watch and was one of like…10 people not competing and just watching. The meet director walked up to me and said “You know how to act here, right? We dont cheer and act like pom-pom squads here.” I was HELLA offended, but whatever.
Anywho, Im officially in here. I will be following along and randomly cheering! (same with your FB)
the aforementioned fella will randomly yell during his third attempts. However, he has no idea what he says. He usually says the last thing that was said out loud. Some real examples:
Meet MC over the microphone: Lets get behind him folks!
Him: (on way up) “Fooooooooooooolks”
Meet MC: let see if we can get three white lights
him: “whiiiiiiiiite liiiiiiiiiiiiights.”
Someone in the crowd: Come on! Big Pull!
him: “biiiiiiig pulllllllllllll”
[quote]Dasher wrote:
Gotcha. We have lifted through a few different federations. Some really encourage cheering and getting behind lifters. One federation was really strange to me. I went to watch and was one of like…10 people not competing and just watching. The meet director walked up to me and said “You know how to act here, right? We dont cheer and act like pom-pom squads here.” I was HELLA offended, but whatever.
Anywho, Im officially in here. I will be following along and randomly cheering! (same with your FB)[/quote]
Wow that federation sounds like it sucks. Lets not have meets be fun or anything.
