Road to 400 Log

[Chris D]

Someone from boston is cheering for the colts? WOW!! I'm there with you. Go Colts!

Also on your good mornings...how long did it take you to work up to that weight? I'm not really working them into a routine, but use them kind of as warm ups and the bar and 20 pounds is quite a lot...I guess it's something you get used to.

Chris

[Ian Kay]

Yeah, C, I'm a life-long Steelers fan, and I'm hoping the Colts can clear that obnoxious Tom Brady from the playoffs for us!

I've been doing Good Mornings on-and-off for a couple of years now. After deadlifting (sumo and stiff-leg) for a while, then working up bit by bit, you definitely get used to it. Once you nail the form down it gets easier..

[Ian Kay]

Close Grip Incline Press
BARx8,7, 95x5, 115x3, 135x3, 140x3, 145x3

Chinups
8,7,5,4,4,3

Skull Crushers
4x8-35

Seated Rows (neutral grip)
3x10-90

Ok, close-grip incline caught me by surprise. I overestimated (or is it misunderestimated?) how much I could handle; didn't fully realize the shoulder involvement. I'll do it more gradually next time. I switched to seated rows today to spare my sore lower back (which is also why this isn't a leg day!).

[Ian Kay]

Squats
BARx8, 135x5, 185x3, 205x3, 225x3, 245x3, 265x1, 285x1, 305x1, 315x1 (PR)

Speed Deads
8x2-205 (+20)

Shrugs
3x10-185, 1x6-185

[Ian Kay]

Bench Press
BARx8, 2x6-95, 135x3, 155x3, 175x3, 195x1 (failed on 205)

Dips
10x3 - bodyweight+25, 10-bodyweight (cool down set)

Lat Pulldowns
8,7-110, 8-100, 8-90

Cuff Routine

Ok, I am just about SICK of being stuck below 200!!! The one time I did it was when that guy was spotting me and touched the bar. This is my first straight flat press since then, and I guess I was either short on energy or psyched myself out, because that bar came halfway up and STOPPED.

The only goddam question anybody ever asks when they find out I lift is "How much can you bench press?" I can't even say 200 (which sounds impressive to the non-lifter).

The dips felt good though.

[Rev]

Rock, you will nail it next time. NAIL IT!

[Ian Kay]

Originally posted by Rev:
Rock, you will nail it next time. NAIL IT!

Thanks man. Hope you're right.

(Notice how nobody you meet ever says, "Oh, you workout? How much do you deadlift?" [img]tongue.gif[/img] --- Not that my numbers are that fantastic, but 335 sounds SOOO much better than 195. )

[Ian Kay]

Box Squats
BARx8, 65x6, 95x3, 8x2-155

SL Deads
4x8-205

Seated Calf Raises
3x10-45

Standing Calf Raises
3x10-BW (each side)

Plate Pinches
20 (2 ten-pounders) - 40 secs each
20 (2 ten pounders) - 20 secs each

I don't know why 155 was so easy this time on the BS's. Last time I did 135 and it wiped me out. Of course, that was down from before too...

I'm thinking it has something to do with my recent carb-load. I've got to be more careful with my energy levels.

After those SL Deads, the plate pinches were deadly! I ended both sides by dropping the plates! Standing on the rubber mats finally paid off.

[kmwest]

Originally posted by RockHard:
(Notice how nobody you meet ever says, "Oh, you workout? How much do you deadlift?" [img]tongue.gif[/img] --- Not that my numbers are that fantastic, but 335 sounds SOOO much better than 195. )

Hehe... we're in the same boat. I bench about 185-190, maybe 195, and, well, you know how much I deadlift. [img]smile.gif[/img] But yeah, it really sucks that the bench press is considered the end-all, be-all of strength, at least to non-lifters. But at least I get some cool stares when I do chinups and deadlifts (on the rare times that I work out in my college gym.)

[Ian Kay]

You're right. I've had people comment on what I'm doing several times in the gym... it's nearly always during weighted dips, chins or deadlifts. It's because they don't see it very often.

Deadlifts have proven to be by far the most practical training lift I do. I've had to pick large objects off the ground dozens of times... and only use upper-body pushing at shows.

Let's see which of us gets to 400 first on the DL, and 225 on bench!

[kmwest]

You'll probably hit both first, mainly because in early March I am going to phase into a 5-day-a-week running schedule for two half-marathons I'm doing in the spring, then I have Officer Candidate School after that - so really, I won't be powerlifting again until around mid-July.

Ach. I just realized how weak I'm going to be.

[Ian Kay]

Well that blows.

There's always muscle-memory for when you get back to it!

[ninja]

I'll race you to 225, I'll even give you a head start because I hit 205 two weeks ago after my workout.

[Ian Kay]

Originally posted by nbjjku:
I'll race you to 225, I'll even give you a head start because I hit 205 two weeks ago after my workout.

You're on! No headstart though. It'll motivate me more to have to catch up.

[ninja]

Alright, I'll give 210 a go Monday.

[Ian Kay]

DB Shoulder Press
12,10,8,6,6 - 25's

Did these at home, snowed in. Had to get my mind off the Steelers game.

[ninja]

They're trying a nice comeback, but this last pick of Ben's is the backbreaker.

[Ian Kay]

I'm so sick of watching them lose this far in. It's actually easier when they don't make the playoffs. This'll be the 5th time in the last 10 seasons that they'll have lost in either the AFC Championship or the Super Bowl. Painful. Just painful.

[ninja]

Hey, I'm a Chiefs fan, so losing is nothing new. The Chiefs haven't won a playoff game the last 11 years. Hell, at least Pittsburgh got there.

I sure hope the Bus doesn't retire, but it sounds like he will.