The Fife Holiday Classic: 5-Week Countdown (Give or Take)

The Fife Holiday Classic is coming up, scheduled for Saturday, December 4th. That's 5 weeks from this Saturday. Ack! I still haven't lost any weight, which means I've got to lose about 3 pounds a week to make weight. Please keep me in your prayers!

This week is not really a training week. I'm giving my body a week to recover a bit, and am lifting very light just to make it easier to resume lifting heavy next week. Starting on Tuesday, November 2nd, I'll have about 4 weeks of heavy training to get ready for the competition. Crap, I'm getting nervous already...

Here is what I lifted at the YMCA Seattle Summer Classic back in June:

	Attempt 1	Attempt 2	Attempt 3	Total
Squat	182.5 kg. (402.2 lb.)	200 kg. (440.7 lb.)	217.5 kg. (479.5 lb.)	600 kg. (1322.5 lb.)
Bench	135 kg. (297.5 lb.)	147.5 kg. (325 lb.)	155 kg. (341.5 lb.)
Deadlift	227.5 kg. (501.5 lb.)	245 kg. (540 lb.)	245 kg. (540 lb.)

Here is what I tentatively plan on lifting in December:

	Attempt 1	Attempt 2	Attempt 3	Total
Squat	200 kg. (440.7 lb.)	217.5 kg. (479.5 lb.)	235 kg. (518.1 lb.)	652.5 kg. (1438.5 lb.)
Bench	147.5 kg. (325 lb.)	155 kg. (341.5 lb.)	162.5 kg. (358.2 lb.)
Deadlift	227.5 kg. (501.5 lb.)	240 kg. (529.1 lb.)	255 kg. (562.2 lb.)

Day Four, Week Four: Deadlifts—Plus New Personal Best and Milestone!

What a way to close out a 4-week training period! Before competing in June I managed an unofficial deadlift at 540 pounds, but in competition I received three red lights at that weight for "hitching" the bar up. Today I successfully deadlifted 545 pounds, slowly and steadily without "hitching," which is both a personal best and a milestone (5x45 + 1x25 plates on each end)! As the Fife Holiday Classic in early December draws nearer, I'm very encouraged, and think I may try to lift 560 on my third attempt if successful at 500 and 530.

Deadlift Day
Exercise	10/4 2010	10/11 2010	10/18 2010	10/25 2010
Deadlift	135x5	135x5	135x5	135x5
	225x3	225x3	225x3	225x3
	315x2	315x2	315x2	315x2
	405x1	405x1	405x1	405x1
	455x1	465x1	475x1	485x1
	505x1	515x1	525x1	535x1
	525x1	535x1	535x1	545x1
Wide Grip Overhand Pulldown	165x12 (P)	165x12 (P)	170x12 (Y)	170x12 (P)
	170x12 (P)	170x12 (P)	180x12 (Y)	175x12 (P)
	175x8 (P)	175x12 (P)	180x8 (Y)	180x10 (P)
Box Squats (Explosive)	225x3	235x3	245x3	255x3
	255x3	265x3	275x3	285x3
	275x3	285x3	295x3	305x3
	295x2	305x2	315x2	325x2
	315x2	325x2	335x2	345x2
Lying Hamstring Curls	25x12* (P)	35x12* (P)		40x12* (P)
	35x12* (P)	40x12* (P)		45x12* (P)
	40x12* (P)	45x8* (P)		45x8* (P)
Seated Hamstring Curls			140x12 (Y)
			160x12 (Y)
			180x12 (Y)
* Weight is per leg (P) Machine used at the PRO Club (Y) Machine used at the YMCA