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
Exercise	6/2 2010	6/10 2010	Week Three	Week Four
Deadlift	135x3	135x3
	225x3	225x3
	315x2	315x2
	405x1	425x1
	455x1	475x1
	475x1	495x1
	495x1	515x1
	505x1	525x1
Seated Wide Grip Row	150x12 (P)	200x12 (P)
	170x12 (P)	210x12 (P)
	200x11 (P)	220x8 (P)
Underhand Pulldown	165x12 (P)	165x12 (P)
	175x10 (P)	175x12 (P)
	175x10 (P)	180x10 (P)

(P) Machines at the PRO Club

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
Exercise	6/1 2010	6/8 2010	Week Three	Week Four
Bench	135x10	135x10
	185x8	185x8
	225x4	225x4
	275x3	285x2
	290x3	300x2
	305x3	315x2
	315x3	330x1
	325x3	325x1
	325x2	325x1
	325x2	325x1

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
Exercise	5/31 2010	6/7 2010	Week Three	Week Four
Squat	45x10	45x10
	135x5	135x5
	225x3	225x3
	285x2	285x2
	345x1	360x1
	375x1	390x1
	415x1	430x1
	435x1	450x1
	450x1	465x1

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
Exercise	6/7 2010	Week Two	Week Three	Week Four
Neutral Grip Bench Press	85x12
	95x12
	100x10
Pushups	20
	12
	14
Dumbbell Shoulder Press	60x6
	60x5
	60x6
Triceps Pressdown	160x12 (Y)
	170x12 (Y)
	180x9 (Y)

(Y) Machines at the YMCA