Thursday, June 10, 2010

Oh So Close!

This morning the scale registered 276.6 pounds, a pound less than I weighed a week ago. I'm now just 1.6 pounds away from making the 275 weight class, with a little over 2 weeks to go. I'd like to try and hit 275 by the 19th so I have a week of buffer, so I'll try and squeeze in some additional cardio over the next week.

Day Three, Week Two: Deadlifts--Plus New Personal Best!

Boy I'm realizing that chalk is a deadlifter's best friend, and a belt is his second-best. The second of three weeks of training before my first competition and I achieved a new personal best in the deadlift. Actually, I did it twice in this one workout, lifting 515 and then 525 (I lifted 505 last week)!

I will admit that the last lift wouldn't have counted in competition because half-way up my finger caught on my shorts and I lowered the bar briefly before continuing the rest of the way up. Still, I think that actually made it harder since I didn't have the initial momentum to carry me through the whole lift. To be safe, however, I think I'll repeat this sequence next week, or maybe only move each lift up by 5 pounds.

Deadlift Day
Exercise6/2
2010
6/10
2010
Week
Three
Week
Four
Deadlift135x3135x3
225x3225x3
315x2315x2
405x1425x1
455x1475x1
475x1495x1
495x1515x1
505x1525x1
 
Seated Wide
Grip Row
150x12 (P)200x12 (P)
170x12 (P)210x12 (P)
200x11 (P)220x8 (P)
 
Underhand Pulldown165x12 (P)165x12 (P)
175x10 (P)175x12 (P)
175x10 (P)180x10 (P)

(P) Machines at the PRO Club

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Entry Received: It's Official!

I mailed my Seattle Summer Classic entry form in dangerously close to the proverbial 11th hour, and was worried the 60 available slots may have already filled up. Nervous, I was a bit of a pest, emailing and calling Paula Houston, Chair of the Washington State USAPL, to find out if I got my entry in on time.

Fortunately, last week I received an email from her with the subject, "Entry received." Well, it's official: I will compete in the 2010 YMCA Seattle Summer Classic, and was told I can expect more info sent to all the competitors sometime this week. I guess it's too late to back out now!

Day Two, Week Two: Bench Press Blunder

Earlier I explained that on Monday I combined day two for this week with last week's day four, comprised of supplemental pressing exercises targeting the chest, shoulders and triceps. I mentioned that this turned out to be a mistake, as later that afternoon my friend and training partner asked if I'd like to work out the next morning, my next training day being heavy bench presses.

I should have declined and waited until today, but I enjoy working out with my friend and agreed. Yesterday morning my bench presses began easily enough, but by the time I got to my second-heaviest set, it was evident that my muscles were significantly fatigued and still recovering from the presses done the day before, and I ended up doing more poorly than last week. So close to my competition this was a bigger setback than it might have been in previous months, as I have only one more bench press day to determine what my opening lift will be. Oh well, you live and you learn.

Heavy Bench Day
Exercise6/1
2010
6/8
2010
Week
Three
Week
Four
Bench135x10135x10
185x8185x8
225x4225x4
275x3285x2
290x3300x2
305x3315x2
315x3330x1
325x3325x1
325x2325x1
325x2325x1

Day One, Week Two: Squats--New Best and Milestone!

As I mentioned, on Monday I combined day four of week one with day one of week two, doing squats first. To my elation, I set a new personal best and broke through the 455 milestone with ease, squatting 465!

Squat Day
Exercise5/31
2010
6/7
2010
Week
Three
Week
Four
Squat45x1045x10
135x5135x5
225x3225x3
285x2285x2
345x1360x1
375x1390x1
415x1430x1
435x1450x1
450x1465x1

Day Four, Week One: Supplemental Presses

Got back on Monday from a camping trip with my dad and my sons. Had a great time, but now it's time to get serious, with 2 weeks of training left before the YMCA Seattle Summer Classic (with the last week before the 26th reserved for rest). Day four of my workout is just a few supplemental pressing exercises, and because I was lagging behind in my training schedule I did these after week two's squats (about which I'll post next). This, it turned out, was a mistake as we'll see when I post about yesterday's workout. Here were the numbers:

Supplemental Presses
Exercise6/7
2010
Week
Two
Week
Three
Week
Four
Neutral Grip
Bench Press
85x12
95x12
100x10
 
Pushups20
12
14
 
Dumbbell Shoulder Press60x6
60x5
60x6
 
Triceps Pressdown160x12 (Y)
170x12 (Y)
180x9 (Y)

(Y) Machines at the YMCA