How did you come up with the sumo GMs? I hadn’t actually considered that variation. How do you find them working?
Don’t worry about the skull crushers, I’m in the same boot. I hate using smaller weights, but really the point of them isn’t to be hitting PRs, they are purely an assistance/restoration movement.
3 F**kin’ hours???
Nice work on the squats and good call on the bench if it wasn’t feeling right.[/quote]
I figured I squat wide, I sumo deadlift, I might as well do wide stance good mornings! I think they work the outer thighs a lot harder than regular GM’s. I think the most benefit I get from them though is a huge increase in core stability from not using a belt. I used to do good mornings as heavy as sets of 5 with 275 while using a belt and wasn’t getting this much benefit out of them.
Of course you are right about the skull crushers. It was funny, my first set felt really easy. So I want to try to do sets with 70 pounds (GASP) and during that set my training partner corrected my form, he told me to turn my elbows in. Anyways I get 3 reps and that 4th was going to be a mother fucker so I cut that set, took the extra 20 pounds off the bar and then flexed my massive triceps in the mirror. Fun times!
I really think having a pair of shoes that is working with me rather than against me is giving me a ton of confidence in squatting. That and keeping a tighter arch.
3 hours on Sheiko is pretty normal for me. I don’t rush too much on the bench and some of the assistance exercises. I always try to push myself to see how quickly I can get squat and deadlift sessions done with. By taking a really good in-workout supplement I usually feel I could go for 5 hours if I needed to (but of course never would). The real bitch of it is I seldom eat enough on training days and never feel like studying when I get home, just feel like napping and generally being in a daze. Oh well, summer is soon here and I have very few responsibilities. And once I start graduate school, well, they have to pass me, right???
My shoulders, triceps, etc. feel pretty dead and I have to move my next session up a day (Tuesday) because of a calc final Wednesday. Just looked at the schedule and I have a marathon bench session tomorrow. Looks like I have a lot of active recovery work ahead of me today. I’m starting to feel like I could squat every day, not worried about that.
Lat pulldowns (~1 sec. hold on chest)
2x15x60
1x11x60
Good sign that I felt this good with 1 day less rest. After tomorrow school is over for the semester. That means more attention to detail and more/quicker progress.
I brought my arms into my sides on squats and I had more awareness of my elbow position as a result. I believe this will be an important kinesthetic cue in the future.
First deadlift session on Sheiko that was challenging. I started out adding 15 pounds to my deadlift for this cycle, but today I decided that I should add another 15 because last week was so easy and that was with doing a 30 pound squat PR in the middle of it. Today’s deadlift session was really informative, I started to fall forward a bit on the last rep of some of my top sets. I think working with heavier weights will teach me a couple things about my form prior to the meet.
I was talking to the owner of the gym today (he’s a powerlifter) and he talked me into using my squat suit for the meet. So I have a lot of work to do to finish breaking that sucker in and be ready for the meet. Should make things even more interesting! This Sunday will be the first time I’ve used knee wraps, I’ve squatted with the straps down once, and never with the straps up. Will be a fun ride. Might do some walkouts the last week before I leave for vacation to get the feel of heavier weight on my back.
[quote]
I was talking to the owner of the gym today (he’s a powerlifter) and he talked me into using my squat suit for the meet. So I have a lot of work to do to finish breaking that sucker in and be ready for the meet. Should make things even more interesting! This Sunday will be the first time I’ve used knee wraps, I’ve squatted with the straps down once, and never with the straps up. Will be a fun ride. Might do some walkouts the last week before I leave for vacation to get the feel of heavier weight on my back.[/quote]
Gear whore! Yeah, I would do some walkouts before the meet. How are you going to incorporate the suit during training?
On Sundays before vacation I will work up to a heavy triple or double while adding more and more cheater gear. Then I might do a couple of drop sets. I won’t do these sets in addition to the raw protocol. Instead, I will do them in place of the raw top sets. I will do suited work on Tuesdays when I return from vacation.
I might skip the walkouts as I will probably do some fairly heavy doubles or singles in the suit a couple days before I leave on vacation (2 weeks from today).
First time with the straps up and first time in knee wraps. Overall, very good and fun experience. Depth was a bit of a challenge with the straps up. I was getting to about parallel, maybe a touch deeper with 405. And was a little better on depth with the 425. I guess the last rep I had depth but the first two were borderline. Hopefully by the meet the suit is a touch looser so getting depth isn’t the hardest part of squatting. Regardless of all that it was encouraging to do a reasonably heavy triple today. I felt extremely stable coming out of the hole and I think that is courtesy of all the beltless squatting I’ve done in the last 10 weeks.
Bench shirt training was crappy today. May have had something to do with being a bit worn out from squat suit training. I really don’t know.
Two big weeks and then a week off. Time to eat some more.
Nice job! It looks like things are coming together nicely.
Not that I know anything about gear, but I think the advice people always get with their first meet applies here as well, make sure you hit depth on the first squat regardless of weight. At least that way you can take whatever attempts you want for 2nd and 3rd and not have to worry about staying in the competition.
[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
Nice job! It looks like things are coming together nicely.
Not that I know anything about gear, but I think the advice people always get with their first meet applies here as well, make sure you hit depth on the first squat regardless of weight. At least that way you can take whatever attempts you want for 2nd and 3rd and not have to worry about staying in the competition.
[/quote]
Certainly good advice. I plan on taking ~425 for my first attempt and my suit should loosen a touch between now and then. The triple at 425 was quite easy except I had my belt on way the hell too tight and nearly choked myself out.
Bench (not paused, +15lb max, chains)
1x6x130 (55%)
2x6x155 (65%)
5x4x170 (70%)
1x3x170 (70%) [missed last rep of last set]
Dumbbell Flyes
5x10x25
Sumo Good Mornings (beltless)
5x5x180 (45%)
3 hours 17 min.
Squats felt extremely good, particularly 2nd session, bench felt pretty terrible, especially 2nd session. The volume in this session is just really difficult for me (it was last time through too). Most people if they are already doing touch and go bench would probably bounce the last rep off their chest if they feel exhausted and could potentially miss the rep. What do I do??? I pause the last rep and then miss it half way up, I’m an odd sort.
Good session. Partial deadlifts went well, I think I am in good position for the high intensity of next week. Bench went a lot better than on Wednesday. It sure wasn’t because I did a bunch of recovery work (I’m still a bit lazy from this last semester). Four more sessions before I take a week off, need to be really dialed in.
Looks like your training is going really well. Since you’ve been training raw, what’s the plan to get some practice in your equipment? Or are you just going to wing it?
[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
Looks like your training is going really well. Since you’ve been training raw, what’s the plan to get some practice in your equipment? Or are you just going to wing it?[/quote]
I practice with equipment on Sundays. I will not suit up for the deadlift, not worth the little bit of carryover I could get. So I have practiced with the shirt about 9 times now, and will have 4 more sessions in it I believe, maybe 3. Hopefully the next 2 sessions in the squat suit will teach me most of what I need to know (first session last Sunday went quite well). I won’t have a ton of practice in it but as now I am not too nervous. My raw technique is very similar to what I need in the suit. Just need to loosen the sumbitch up a touch.
Far from ideal! I will not be doing sets of 4 in a suit, that is a little too ridiculous for someone just getting used to equipment. I think I might do some lighter sets of 3, probably around 5 at 405 or something. Then hit some singles next week Sunday.
Add 44 F6
1x3x195
3x3x215 (told by training partner last set was best I’ve done in shirt, so decide to add weight to bar)
2x2x225 (missed 3rd rep on both sets, not as good of form and fatigue seemed to set in)
Dumbbell Flyes
5x10x25
Sumo Good Mornings (beltless)
5x5x200 (50%)
Floor Skull crushers
1x8x55
4x8x60
DC Hamstring stretch
DC Tricep stretch
Too much volume on bench this week, should have stayed with 215 in the shirt, third set just felt so damn good. I am really starting to think benching in a loose shirt is starting to mess with my head. I’d be happier tripling 190 raw than tripling 215 to 225 in a shirt, makes me feel so stupid. After this meet I will be focusing a lot more on raw work anyways, need to build a decent base if I’ll ever be a mediocre bencher.
Was very happy with squats today. Felt like if I was in better position after the 2nd rep I could have hit a triple at 455. I had planned on a double anyway. Three more sessions before a week off.
[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
Nice squat session. As for the bench, it’ll come. I may have missed it, but do you have specific goals for this meet? Or is it just experience?[/quote]
Thanks!
Openers
Squat
220kg (440 pounds)
Bench
102.5kg (225 pounds)
Deadlift (won’t be wearing a suit)
205kg (451 pounds)
My goal is to go 9 for 9, hitting all the weights my handler tells me to hit. Hint: I think he’ll be a bit conservative. I have weights that I think I can hit but I might not get a crack at those weights. Since it is my first meet I am certain this situation is absolutely for the best as my handler is a damn good lifter and will be much more objective than I could be under the circumstances.
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Ruggerlife wrote:
Nice squat session. As for the bench, it’ll come. I may have missed it, but do you have specific goals for this meet? Or is it just experience?
Thanks!
Openers
Squat
220kg (440 pounds)
Bench
102.5kg (225 pounds)
Deadlift (won’t be wearing a suit)
205kg (451 pounds)
My goal is to go 9 for 9, hitting all the weights my handler tells me to hit. Hint: I think he’ll be a bit conservative. I have weights that I think I can hit but I might not get a crack at those weights. Since it is my first meet I am certain this situation is absolutely for the best as my handler is a damn good lifter and will be much more objective than I could be under the circumstances.[/quote]
Sounds like a good plan. This is your first meet? I thought it was your second for some reason.
Sounds like a good plan. This is your first meet? I thought it was your second for some reason.
[/quote]
First “real” meet. The one earlier this year was a small gym meet. My handler keeps telling me this is my first meet (there will be stricter judging I’m sure) so I am treating it as such. I apologize for the confusion.