Still here

Currently juggling clients. RE is home for the summer; AE is a thrower from Cedarville; AW is headed to Bluffton College to play football and I have the usual "normal" suspects to round out the line-up. IU from Stanford was home for a while and went back to take summer classes. Should see her again before the summer is out. So its been pretty exciting at the gym. 4Board and a couple other guys participated in the Ohio Police Olympics in the powerlifting segment. M4 set pr's all across the board and brought home the best lifter award. Don is a 90 kg lifter who only pulled and Brain is the same Brain who trains with our "group" and went 100 kg raw. Both brought home some hardware as well.

A week later, another group was at the SLP Ohio Bench press/ Deadlift Championship in Hamilton. Brookszinski set a state record with a 685 raw pull as a SHW. His nephew set a state record with a 420 bench press as an equipped 181-pounder. Newcomer Rollin pushed 350 and pulled 550 raw as a light 220. He just missed a state record 590 pull. Your humble scribe, moi, benched 430 and pulled 555, both pr's at 125 kg's. I left a little on the platform but was good with that. The press was made using my old Metal Viking single ply shirt and I (uncomfortably) pulled (conventional) in a Metal Pro Squatter (better suited for sumo pulls). I want to let the legs out on the suit a little so its not so tight and I think it will be plain bad-ass!

The week of the meet I usually do some light sled pulls, etcetera at least up until Wednesday. But this time around I had so much going on non-lifting wise that I was seriously worried about losing weight and not being "ready". So I decided to do things slightly different this time. I went into full bloat mode and tried to get plenty of sleep. I ended up weighing in at 251.9 dressed (shirt, shorts, shoes). After discussion with Brookszinski, I concluded that the extra weight (leverage) would help with the bench and literally, "let 'er eat!"

Anyway, I opened at 405 in the bench and got it easy. I took 430 next for a pr and brought it down a little high and it slowed at the lockout but I thought I had it but it was no go. Sympathetic on-lookers all said I had it but WTF the judges didn't think so, so I asked for it again and the third time was a charm.

I opened at 500 in the deadlift. Initially I had trouble getting to the bar. It took me a second to get set up but once I did the weight flew up. We figured I couldn't hold my air which was because my belt had been too tight. Next attempt I pulled an easy 535 for a pr. I conservatively took 555 and we estimate I left about 20 pounds on the platform. But the best part was everyone had a good time and we all went home in one piece. Thanks to 4board and Brandon W for helping out everyone at the meet. Greatly appreciated!

So how's my training been since...read on.

Monday June 27

Sled 6x30m 3 forwards/3 backwards 90 (2) and 135 (4)

Static lunges 2x15 and started cramping bad

Step-ups 2x10 side

Later that day...

Pulled sled 6x30m 90 3/3

Blue band good mornings 3x20 and OH crunches 3x15/80, 90, 100

Seated green band leg curl 2x30 (10 each way) and 2x15/ 90

Retract-row-rotate 2x30s (one set micro minis and one set minis)

Physically the worst thing I had going was my glutes were tight which tightened up my lower back. Did a lot of ham and piriformis stretches/ rolls and that helped tremendously.

Tuesday

Farmer walks 100-lbs 8x the length of the building with Indian Chuck

Wednesday

Trained with Rollin

Bench press 13x3 w/175 3 grips and Pull-aparts 5x20

DB floor press 90x15 and 100x14 and Neutral grip chin ups 6 sets of 7 reps (used blue band)

Tate presses 5x12/40, 45, 50, 55, 60 (10)

Bandbell bar overhead press 2x20/ 20, 40 and GHR 2x10

Friday July 1

Trained with M4 and Rollin

Zercher squat-we went up to 365x1 holding the bar in our arms. M4 and I tried 405 but couldn't hold it. then I remembered I had the WSBB Zercher harness and the 405 was pried form the clutch of the Invisible Welder. 405 begat 455 that begat 500 (a pr). I took 520 and M4 went to 545. I took 550 and he took 580. I took 585 and according to him, "got two reds" for my efforts, leaving him, "Zercher squat champion". Rollin learned how to use a belt and got 405 and was happy.

Front squats to a low box (12-inch) 4x6/ 135, 185, 205, 225

Reverse hyper 4x12/ 150, 300, 390, 480 and Lat pulldowns-wide grip-various bars 4x12/ 120, 140, 160, 170 and straight leg spread eagle sit-ups 2x12/ 25, 35 and OH band crunches 2x15/ side

Stay strong,

Ed T