Going from 210 lb to 248 is really impressive. How far off is the meet?
Rack pulling for accessory work is a good choice. I think rack pulls have really helped me with my deadlift.
[quote]Germanone wrote:
Well maybe i’ll give it a go. You said a lot of sets, meaning the accessory work?[/quote]
Yes, the speed pulls.
[quote]cavalier wrote:
Going from 210 lb to 248 is really impressive. How far off is the meet?[/quote]
My meet is in nine weeks. But 248 is a geared number. I’m DLing raw right now. And will for another month.
[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
Rack pulling for accessory work is a good choice. I think rack pulls have really helped me with my deadlift.[/quote]
Your success has been a motivator for me here.
Today was upper body. Tons.
Cuff stuff, rear delt flyes, DB rows, bentover BB row, BBB flat bench, DB floor presses, triceps, lateral raises, DB OHP, bicep curls, and chins (just eight). Not necessarily in that order. Just felt like being Nikki this morning.
First day of new training cycle.
Squat
5/45
5/95
4/120 belt
3/130
3/135
3/140
This last rep was a huge grinder. Probably the longest I’ve taken to push a squat up. I knew I was in a bit of trouble when 120 lb. felt heavy today. So I was really, really happy to get the reps, even though this weight shouldn’t have been that challenging.
Reverse Band Squat with knee wraps
5/170
5/175
Then I tried my first raw low-bar squat (no wraps) with reverse bands at 175 lb. I could barely unrack and walk it out. Really felt like I was going to lose it since the bar was so low on my back. But the actual squat was clean and easy. I’m going to work towards low-bar squatting since I’m now wide stance.
GMs
5/45
5/65
3/5/80
Conventional-Stance Rack Pulls
5/135
5/185
1/200
Hate these. And probably won’t do them again. Will substitute RDLs. I cannot hold my arch and end up pulling with my back from this position.
Situps with a Twist on a Decline Bench
3/20
See! I’m working my abs as promised.
Weighted Hypers
3/8/45
Lying Hammie Curl
3/8/80
Good Girl/Bad Girl
3/8/100
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
First day of new training cycle.
Squat
5/45
5/95
4/120 belt
3/130
3/135
3/140
This last rep was a huge grinder. Probably the longest I’ve taken to push a squat up. I knew I was in a bit of trouble when 120 lb. felt heavy today. So I was really, really happy to get the reps, even though this weight shouldn’t have been that challenging.
Reverse Band Squat with knee wraps
5/170
5/175
Then I tried my first raw low-bar squat (no wraps) with reverse bands at 175 lb. I could barely unrack and walk it out. Really felt like I was going to lose it since the bar was so low on my back. But the actual squat was clean and easy. I’m going to work towards low-bar squatting since I’m now wide stance.
GMs
5/45
5/65
3/5/80
Conventional-Stance Rack Pulls
5/135
5/185
1/200
Hate these. And probably won’t do them again. Will substitute RDLs. I cannot hold my arch and end up pulling with my back from this position.
Situps with a Twist on a Decline Bench
3/20
See! I’m working my abs as promised.
Weighted Hypers
3/8/45
Lying Hammie Curl
3/8/80
Good Girl/Bad Girl
3/8/100[/quote]
Good work and yea on abs…good girl/bad girls…?
I find it amusing that more times than not the first question people ask me when they hear that I do competitive powerlifting is “how much can you bench?” I always respond “not much.”
Flat Bench
10/45 slow
7/55 fast
5/60 paused
3/70 paused
1/80 commands
1/85 commands
3/90 in looser shirt to two boards
3/95 " "
3/100 " "
3/105 " "
I still struggle with shoulder stability when benching raw. The shirt fixes that problem for me.
Raw Reverse Band Bench with Medium Grip
5/155
5/160
3/165 failed on 4. Shoulder was done.
For accessory: paused seated row, planks, lying DB tricep extension, pecs on pec deck.
Solid work. That’s really good benching.
Are you doing things like face pulls to help out with your shoulder? What about dips? I can’t do sets of 5 on bench as I lose tightness. Try triples instead.
Side note: I’ve owned several Ducs over the years so understand your husband’s need for speed. My wallet couldn’t take anymore once we had our son so I bought bikes that are less “maintenance intensive”…lol.
james
Hey snap lat work has been helping my shoulders out, just a thought. I hit them hard 2x per week for the last 10-11 weeks and shoulders feeling better than they have in a long time.
Nice job on the bench
Sounds like benching in the shirt will be the way to go for a bit then yeah?
Nice benching
good volume too.
we both hit our benching like A BOSS yesterday. 
only good can come of such coincidances.
Interesting that you had back arch trouble with rack pulls. I did not have that problem. The point of the rack pulls for me was to teach myself how to keep my arch and pull with my butt and hammies instead of my back when the weight got big. However, I started out with the bar really high - just slightly below my knees – so the initial work was really just a hip thrust movement.
I don’t usually tell people that my hobby is weightlifting (sometimes I’ll say powerlifting, but usually not). When I do, I almost always get the “how much can you bench” question. Most people know about bench press, but probably couldn’t name a squat or a deadlift.
when i tell people i lift weights they look sceptical. i say i like to throw them over my head like the olympics. then they say ‘but you’re not fat’. sigh. people…
glad that your bench shirt helps stabilize your shoulder.
nice training.
[quote]atypical1 wrote:
Are you doing things like face pulls to help out with your shoulder? What about dips? I can’t do sets of 5 on bench as I lose tightness. Try triples instead.
[/quote]
Not doing facepulls but may add them in. They’ve been recommended to me in the past. Dips are a no-go. Way too much strain on the shoulder joint for me. I prefer threes as well.
[quote]Germanone wrote:
Hey snap lat work has been helping my shoulders out, just a thought. I hit them hard 2x per week for the last 10-11 weeks and shoulders feeling better than they have in a long time.
[/quote]
I do seated lat pulldown as well as standing lat pulls. Any other recommendations for this muscle group are welcome.[quote]JoeGood wrote:
Sounds like benching in the shirt will be the way to go for a bit then yeah?[/quote]
I only ever train with gear when a meet’s on the horizon.[quote]kimbakimba wrote:
Interesting that you had back arch trouble with rack pulls. I did not have that problem. The point of the rack pulls for me was to teach myself how to keep my arch and pull with my butt and hammies instead of my back when the weight got big. However, I started out with the bar really high - just slightly below my knees – so the initial work was really just a hip thrust movement.
[/quote]
Amazingly, I could not keep an arch in this position. I actually do better pulling from the floor. But I’m only training singles with conventional stance these days. My body really suffers from DLing conventional.
glad the shirted benching seems to be going well, gives me hope for the future too…
Just read an article about DLing that supports everything that I believe based on my experience with the lift. The gist of it is as follows:
Because you don’t lower the weight first when DLing, it’s difficult to build and utilize any momentum in order to complete the lift. The second and third repetitions of a set of deadlifts are almost always easier than the first because you actually lower the weight first thereby building momentum via stored elastic energy. After the second and third reps, muscle fatigue sets in and the weight usually becomes heavier to the point where form and technique break down. At that point the set should be terminated because your risk of injury increases exponentially. For these reasons, the deadlift should be trained with single repetitions.
It’s interesting because this article supports everything I’ve come to believe about this lift and why my platform “work sets” consist of two singles right now.
That’s, perhaps, the first satisfactory explanation I’ve heard. I’m convinced “greasign the groove” has a mental part to playt too, but can’t quite convince myself how…
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
Just read an article about DLing that supports everything that I believe based on my experience with the lift. The gist of it is as follows:
Because you don’t lower the weight first when DLing, it’s difficult to build and utilize any momentum in order to complete the lift. The second and third repetitions of a set of deadlifts are almost always easier than the first because you actually lower the weight first thereby building momentum via stored elastic energy. After the second and third reps, muscle fatigue sets in and the weight usually becomes heavier to the point where form and technique break down. At that point the set should be terminated because your risk of injury increases exponentially. For these reasons, the deadlift should be trained with single repetitions.
It’s interesting because this article supports everything I’ve come to believe about this lift and why my platform “work sets” consist of two singles right now. [/quote]
Great info, snap. Thanks. Even at the lighter/middle weights, I find my form diminishing after about 3 reps. A few more weeks at my current weight and I will go down to triples. Since I don’t go heavy (back) I hate to just do singles.
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
Just read an article about DLing that supports everything that I believe based on my experience with the lift. The gist of it is as follows:
Because you don’t lower the weight first when DLing, it’s difficult to build and utilize any momentum in order to complete the lift. The second and third repetitions of a set of deadlifts are almost always easier than the first because you actually lower the weight first thereby building momentum via stored elastic energy. After the second and third reps, muscle fatigue sets in and the weight usually becomes heavier to the point where form and technique break down. At that point the set should be terminated because your risk of injury increases exponentially. For these reasons, the deadlift should be trained with single repetitions.
It’s interesting because this article supports everything I’ve come to believe about this lift and why my platform “work sets” consist of two singles right now. [/quote]
I keep saying the 2nd rep is easier than the first. On every lift. I have no idea if my form fails after the 3rd rep, because I’m pretty sure I have lousy form anyway, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
BTW - thank you for all the encouragement on Skip’s log. It’s been nice to know I have people pulling for me 
[quote]Canada_K wrote:
That’s, perhaps, the first satisfactory explanation I’ve heard. I’m convinced “greasign the groove” has a mental part to playt too, but can’t quite convince myself how…[/quote]
The author does make a caveat for those with bodybuilding goals, Mr. CK.
Here’s the link to the article.
Of course, it’s just one person’s opinion. I happen to like it because it reinforced my own beliefs.
[quote]MrsS wrote:
BTW - thank you for all the encouragement on Skip’s log. It’s been nice to know I have people pulling for me :)[/quote]
You’re welcome. I like to encourage other women in this sport because it has done so much for my physique and confidence.