Saturday, September 21, 2013

Joining Weightlifting Academy

This Blog Has Moved To WeightliftingAcademy.com

I don't like having to repeat myself, so it follows that I don't like typing the same thing twice. Copy-paste means it's really not anything like that at all, but still, I don't see any point in doing it. It seems self-indulgent.

That's why I've moved my regular blogging over to weightliftingacademy, after Nick's kind offer of a personal blog there.

This blog has reached over 14,000 views and has been in operation for... a long time. Though I've always logged my training somewhere over the last three years and seven months (that's how long ago I started exercising - at the end of March 2010), this blog has been exactly the kind of device I intended it to be, for myself. I'm a writer by nature, not by discipline. I have to write, as part of my process. And this is where I've kept myself honest, and committed, and conscious of how much it's taken to get to where I am now.

Thank you everybody for reading along. I hope you continue to do so, at my new location. I'm not saying this blog won't ever be revived, but for now I'd like to focus my creative catharsis in a new location. One with boozing Oly lifters... should be interesting.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Friday the 13th: Lifting Dead

warmup w/bands

Deadlifts
75 kgs x 10
125 kgs x 8
175 kgs x 5
225 kgs x 2
245 kgs x 1
265 kgs x 4 equal to best effort

Kroc rows w/kettle bell
left
80 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 10
right
64 kgs x 6
56 kgs x 10

Leg press
160 kgs x 10
210 kgs x 10
260 kgs x 10
310 kgs x 10

I DID this nearly 3 months ago . So it's not great. But I can't really expect to make progress after losing a week of training and a net total of nearly 5 kilos bodyweight. I needed to do this session because it's my last opportunity to deadlift before the WA Strongman finals next weekend.

My right bicep was feeling rough with the krocs, so I didn't keep pushing it. But I really do need to start doing focussed right-arm exercises with the aim to build strength and conditioning back up. What I'm doing now with overhead press is good, but I'm not doing enough in other areas. I will have to talk to the SMWA brains trust tomorrow.

As it was Friday the 13th, I had a bit of cosplay fun as Jason Vorhees. The next one is in December. Maybe there will be more horror movie characters to lift with then.

Events are going to kill me tomorrow.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Press Thursday: Catchup

warmup with bands

Bench press
60 kgs x 10
90 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
130 kgs x 1
140 kgs x 1
145 kgs x 1 PR

DB OHP (strict)
left only
36 kgs x 3
41 kgs x 3
46 kgs x 1
51 kgs x 5

Bench - partial ROM drop-sets
100 kgs x 5
90 kgs x 5
80 kgs x 5
70 kgs x 5
60 kgs x 5

Pull-ups
Bodyweight: 125.5 kgs
+ 10 kgs chain x 10
+ 10 kgs chain x 10

Axle OHP (strict)
35 kgs x 20
50 kgs x 20
60 kgs x 15 PR

TONIGHT I did the press session I should have done last night, and then some. It's been a shitty couple of weeks for me, with another bout of gastro last week (yeah, again) and then unavoidable circumstances keeping me out of the gym for one more day. So I attempted to make up for it with a marathon session this evening, and will be hitting it hard at events training this saturday.

Very glad I asked Yianni to vid my ME bench attempt; not because I'm happy with the result, but because it clearly shows my weaker right side failing on the second rep. I was contemplating going for another single, but after reviewing the video thought better of it. This was actually all due to mis-loading. I intended to single 120 and 130, and then try for 4 reps of 140. But I loaded 15 kilo plates instead of tens on the second set (I've done that before too... gym brain), so every set after was 10 kilos heavier than intended. And I thought I felt weak.

The partial ROM drop sets were a suggestion from Joel, to help me strengthen my press from the chest. They certainly felt like they worked. I could barely finish that last rep of 60 kilos. Thanks again to Yianni and Darwin for helping out - this is the kind of movement that relies on spotters to quickly unload between sets so I can charge on to near-failure. Looking forward to incorporating this into my regular routine, and seeing the gains.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Press Wednesday: 300+ Pound Benching

warmup w/bands

Bench press
60 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
120 kgs x 1
130 kgs x 1
140 kgs x 3 PR

DB OHP (strict)
left only
36 kgs x 3
41 kgs x 3
46 kgs x 10 PR

BB OHP w/axle
35 kgs x 20
50 kgs x 20
60 kgs x 9 TPR