Deeko's powerlifting thread

[Deeko]

Thanks Red

Squats on Saturday...

135x5
185x3
225x2
275x2
305x1
325x1
335x1

Pause Squats (~3 second)
225x3
245x3
275x3

Decent day, no new number, but that's ok. 335 might not have been the limit but we figured it was a good idea not to push it. I've been toying around with my stance the past couple of weeks and this one felt the best, so going to stick with this for awhile and see what I can do.

 

[Deeko]

Squats

135x5
185x3
225x3

reverse band squats
405x3
425x3
435x3
455x3

box squats
185x3
205x3
225x3

Easy squat day. It was time in the schedule for a lighter day anyway, and I'm changing up my schedule to get my squat farther away from my deadlift - hence 2 squat workouts in a row (from here on out it will be squat - T, bench - R, deadlift/back Sa)

 

[Deeko]

Bench
95x5
135x5
155x5
175x5
195x5

band bench
155x5
175x5
185x4

seated shoulder press
115x5
135x5
145x5

Like squats on Tuesday, today was a pseudo-rest bench day. Didn't push too hard. Good day on the bands though. The bands add roughly 40 to the bottom, 90 to the top - so the last set was 225 on the bottom, 275 at lockout. Not too shabby. Might have been able to squeeze out the 5th rep on that one, but its supposed to be an easy day, so I really didn't want to push the limits.

 

[Deeko]

Deadlifts
135x5
225x3
275x2
315x1
365x1
400 miss

Deadlifts w/ 35s
255x3
325x3

Lat pulldowns
120x5
140x5
160x5
180x5
200x4

Back felt tight and weak today. Ugh.

 

[Deeko]

So after talking to one of the guys that has a more serious back injury than I do, he strongly suggested I go to a chiropractor about my sciatica, so I am. Wednesday afternoon. I don't know that they can do anything with only 4 weeks until my next meet, with me not really taking time off from lifting either, but its worth a shot...my insurance covers 20 visits a year in full anyway, so why not?

 

[crt1530]

Get a lacrosse ball and roll that thing every day, multiple times per day.

 

[Deeko]

I've been meaning to try that. I have a foam roller that doesn't really do much.

 

[Deeko]

Squat
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x3
295x3
315x3
330x3 PR triple

Box squats
225x3
265x3
285x3 PR
295x3 PR

Good day today. Not really sure what it was, but the new stance seems to be working, back felt loose, all in all a good squat day. I've done 325x3 before, but they weren't very good - kinda high. My best good set was 315x3, so today was a good day.

 

[crt1530]

I've been meaning to try that. I have a foam roller that doesn't really do much.

The foam roller is pretty much worthless unless you have really tight IT bands. I use the lacrosse ball and a 4"x2' ABS pipe from Home Depot.

The lacrosse ball is the single best thing I have found for back tightness and tweaks.

 

[Koing]

Crazy you can triple @ 95%!!!!!

Koing

 

[Deeko]

heh. I'm hoping this is a sign that next time I do singles, I'll go up. My goal is a 365 in the meet, which is only 3.5 weeks away now...

 

[Deeko]

Bench
135x5
165x3
195x3
225x1
245x1
255x1
265x1

1-board pauses
225x3
245x3
255x3

Competition style pauses. Hit the 265 with maybe a little to spare. Back/hamstrings were sore from the squatting Tuesday which couldn't have helped, but all in all, not a bad day.

 

[Deeko]

Upper back day

lat pulldowns
100x5
140x5
160x5
180x5
200x5

bent rows
105x5
135x5
155x5
155x5

shrugs
90x8x4

one-armed rows
130x5x3

Nothing too crazy.

 

[Deeko]

Squats

135x5
185x3
225x3
255x3

Band squats
405x3
455x3
475x3

Didn't want to push too hard today because of deadlifts this week, but decent enough day. Felt good.

 

[TallBill]

Crazy you can triple @ 95%!!!!!

Koing

No kidding, that's crazy.

 

[Deeko]

bench yesterday
135x5
165x5
205x3

reverse band bench
315x5
365x3
405x3
415x3
425x3

Standing overhead press
95x5
115x5
125x5

Another moderately easy day. Top sets weren't really pushing me too hard. Staying fresh for deadlifts tomorrow.

 

[Deeko]

The white whale is dead!

Deadlift
135x5
225x3
275x3
315x1
365x1
400x2

35's deadlifts
325x2
325x2

 

[Deeko]

Bench
135x5
165x5
195x3
225x3
242x2 (competition pause)
250x2 (competition pause)

seated shoulder press
115x5
135x5
155x5
175x3

Last real bench before the meet

 

[Deeko]

So I've been thinking about this deadlift, and how once again the 2nd rep was easier than the 1st. So I took the video and broke down the frames immediately before the weight leaves the floor:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6gHlJVgKLDg/SwxTJdFjXuI/AAAAAAAAAGY/62Tje82ACP4/deadlift_smaller.jpg

1st note - my form still could use some work
2nd note - on the 1st attempt, I'm starting lower, but 'bouncing' upwards before engaging the weight. Its slower and it seems to take my back out of position, and also bends my arms a little. 2nd attempt I start higher and immediately engage the weight.

 

[conorvansmack]

I've never gone for a 1RM or competed, so I'm not sure how much worth any of my comments have, but I also noticed the slight bend in your arms.

I had the same problem with my technique, where I would try to muscle the weight up with my arms while trying to lock my hips out. When I learned how to power clean, the guy teaching me stressed keeping my elbows locked until the 2nd pull. That helped with my deadlift technique.

 

[Deeko]

Yea I've been scolded on bending the arms before. It used to happen because my hand placement was too narrow - wider helped, but apparently not enough.

 

[Deeko]

Squats on Wednesday
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x3
305x1
325x1
350x1 PR

pause squats
225x3
245x3

About the most uneventful PR I've ever had. It was only a PR by 5 pounds, and considering the 330x3 a couple of weeks ago and my goal of 365 in the meet, it wasn't really a big deal, nor were we really pushing my max effort. Whatever, I'll take it.

This was my last real lifting day before the next meet. I'll go tomorrow for some upper back work, and I'll do a "walkthrough" type workout on Tuesday, but yea...we're pretty much set for next Saturday.

 

[Deeko]

Competition is tomorrow. I start lifting about 2pm PST. As usual I'll be posting updates on my Twitter (www.twitter.com/DeekoVB5) throughout the day if you're interested in following.

Openers:
Squat - 325
Bench - 242
Deadlift - 365

Goals:
Squat - 365
Bench - 270
Deadlift - 415

 

[crt1530]

Good luck.

 

[Deeko]

Meet Video

Squat
1st attempt: 325
2nd attempt: 347
3rd attempt: 363 (PR)

Bench
1st attempt: 242
2nd attempt: 264 (meet PR)
3rd attempt: 275 (miss)

Deadlift
1st attempt: 374
2nd attempt: 402 (PR)
3rd attempt: 424 (miss)

Total: 1030.5 (PR)
Bodyweight: 162.8

My best meet yet. Lots of PRs. Finally cracked 1000 total. Finally hit the 400 deadlift. Beat the total of my rival (granted he didn't compete today and was a 148).

I left a few pounds on the platform. My squat was feeling really good today. I hit a 363 without too much trouble - I might have had 368 or 374 in me. But I haven't done more than 350 before, so it already seemed like a big PR.

On the bench, I just missed the 3rd attempt. Brought the bar down too fast and too low - it was doomed from the start. Still, 264 was a nice bench. Pauses weren't too long today which was nice.

Deadlift started off great. I was pumped as hell for that 402, and it FLEW off the floor - but I think that sapped a lot out of me. The other guy in the 165 weight class made a poor decision to make a big jump on his deadlift (he finished 363, 148, 440), so if I had hit the 424, we would have tied, and since I weighed in lower than him, I would have won. I probably could have hit my original 415 goal, but I don't regret going for the win. I'm more interested in beating other people than beating myself That's the point of competition.

So, all in all, a pretty successful day. My gym competed as a team, we tied for 1st and lost on a Wilks formula. Overall, we actually had the most winners - but the meet rules only compare the top 6 from each team, and their top 6 beat our top 6, largely helped by one of the top per-pound female lifters in the country.