Atomic Rubber strikes back !

Today was speed day and I used the place up the street,Target Fitness, Did a few warm ups, and attached the big blue bands to the bottom of the bench legs...and put them around the ends of the bar to resist my 225---took the bar out from the rack....WHAT THE HELL?? this is like a ton of force !!! Nothing like the places I usually work out ! maybe the 'ground' is father away...stretching the bands tighter...forget the 245 to 285...only 225 (starting weight) will go fast enough today to make this 'speed' aspect work properly --so I did 10 sets of 225 X 4 --then took off the bands and did fast singles with 325 and 345...felt the days workout in my 'tri's' immediately --one factor,I'm a guest in this gym --they have ONE bench...and I speed my workout up to be courteous...I've noticed this really makes the workout more of a challenge--BTW the bar started feeling light on set #6--my bodyweight is 3.5 pounds UNDER my class limit...this was an uneventful but good workout, and prelude to the big monster day that is scheduled for Saturday...trying on New Shirts...may try to lose another pound or two to see what weight I need to be with the new shirts on meet day August 11th---

My biggest challenge might be GETTING to the meet! I hear, I-5 is scheduled to be closed near downtown starting the day BEFORE the contest ! nice timin'

Raw Rack Lock outs to 440 !

Got a nice workout in at Nancy's gym..lately I've been doing pin presses from right at chest height and altho the workouts have been good..it has stressed my shoulder....so yesterday,I reverted to pin presses from the floor at 3.5 inches OFF the chest (safety cross bars) and did 135X15 245X8 330X4 397X1 407X1 then singles with 417 427 433 435 and 440 (no shirt of course) adding bands I did 2 singles with 507...I felt each rep and deemed Sunday's heavy workout a good one !

If you don't normally visit Powerlifting Watch (see LINK to the side> )

You've missed the report of Ryan Kennelly's ASTONISHING 1036 WPO Bench Press !!
also a video tribute to Jesse Marunde..who died at 27,Tragic !

There are also videos of numerous Great RAW Benches of 600 lately !

You should check that site daily --any strength fan will love it !!--of course it's been found by many lifters, and it's mysterious proprietor,"Jon" is doing a sensational job, sifting all the top stories ,topics and events and putting them in ONE place !

I will be doing my speed workout at Target tomorrow--then shirt heavy day at Nancy's Saturday ! my bodyweight is already under the class weigh in for August 11--amazing what 'all protein' can do for weight loss !!--ummm more Basa !

Tuesday's DE session

Yesterday I had to find a gym,due to a city strike by service employees,this of course impacts community centers etc.
My idea was to find something close,walking distance,from my apartment..after realizing most drop in fees are $15.00 now...I took the whole day finding the best place for me...actually the closest one...It's not a GYM per se'. it's a place for fitness trainers to bring their clients and run them thru their routines...the place that was finally nice enough to understand that I need a gym to do 'light' sessions for 3 weeks before the ALKI meet, was Target Fitness, over the street at Broadway and Fir, where Tama Sushi was for years...Mike and Ralph are the head guys, and they said I could even bring my bands...of course this is an exception,just for me because they see I'm between a meet and a hard place !

They have lots of space...modern equipment...and lots of dumbells and balls n' kettlebells etc. the barbells are the hand grip plates with plastic/rubber coating looking like wheels or cogs turning...The do have plenty of plates,something I had misjudged earlier (thought they were understocked that way...not true)...there were some very nice training sessions going on there and I was careful not to be your stereotyped lummox showing off that I lift more than the spandex crowd ! altho remember this is my light liftin day !

Not knowing bands would be allowed for/by me...I just did (for this first session) bench press bar and plates only, with exceptional speed --225X5 --3 sets--275X4--2 sets 295X4 for 3 sets,then 315 X3 for 2 sets and a single with 335 355 375 all within 25 minutes or so....the quick rests help the intensity factor I think --felt like a great workout....many thanks for Target for breaking the rules for me....

Powerlifting USA our lifting bible finds itself in weird situation....postage is no longer available in the USA for the 2nd class periodical rates to CANADA...and PL USA finds itself having to charge 96 USD a YEAR for the mag..(AIRMAIL) who do you know that would spend $100 bux a year on a magazine???---well,I am suggesting to everyone who loves the magazine to buy them on the stands--in Vancouver,Mayfair Magazines, Broadway just past Granville stocks the mag --but sometimes they are hidden behind the IRONMAN'S or the Mn'F's..and on occasion they are sold out...also,Magpie Books on Commercial has been known to stock them....if you find yourself not able to afford the 'mailed ones' (subscription) PLEASE keep buying them at these or any store you find them in ! The current issue has teen sensation A.J. Mangum deadlifting 661 on the front cover ! --let's keep PL USA going in Canada...this postage glitch is beyond our friend Mike Lambert's control !

540 w/Katana and a coupla' "Flashes"

Today's heavy short workout was a bit of a downer,indicating a small backward trend in progress,still got a sloppy 540 tho--more about that in a second--but first the good news...my friend from Oklahoma,Gene Knight...a very powerful guy...wrote me this email about his success at the big AAU meet down south....read this...
__________________________________

Robo, The judging was pretty strict today. It was fair, but tight. I played it safe. 341.7, 352.74, 369.27, and a fourth with 380.29. I actually got 12 white lights for the day. 380.29 is an AAU raw, 60 to 64, 308lb. American and World record. I weighed in at 280lbs. and didn't want to run off 5lbs. They will do the full power meet tomorrow. I am going to help a friend of mine so I will give you a report on that tomorrow.

Gene
___________________________________

the "Bad" News...the Big Bench Meet in Calgary Aug 11,to be put on by the CPO and Andrey Butenko...has been canceled...at deadline..NOT ONE entry...a shocker to me,as I bet on this one to be a sensation of a meet I didn't want to miss !
next year,I'll support Andrey's meets big time...actually,I hope he reschedules THIS one, so I can attend and compete !

also, in news of my friends,Big congratulations to you know who, about you know what !! (they know who they are)

Back to my workout...I did 225 X6 330X3 350X2 and 374X1 for my warm up--then we put my Katana on...it's getting awfully comfy,so much so that I almost got 460 down...then did 507 and 529---551 was next and didn't go-- 2 inches from the top...right shoulder was feeling weak...then I took some weight off to 540 and did it sloppily...I'm guessing, 'no good' in a meet....DAMN ! not too encouraging,seeing that I'm 21 days away from 'Contest Time'--so things to work on --shoulder re-hab--lock out--and health....when the books say "old guys" can have a Nice glass of red wine at bed time,for their good health,that is not inviting me to have 3 !

deadlines can keep you mindful of your own health? nice trick,competing in bench meets is the 'device that keeps me going to the gym at all...

Tuesday,I will not skip "Band"/speed/DE day

PR's on ALL the exercises !

Yesterday was my heavy workout --no bench shirt, and that pattern of benches I do in the squat rack from a dead stop at chest height (pin presses)

I warmed up with 135 X 12 -245X10-308 X3 -352X3-397 for one grinder then a 407 that was smooth and even, but really hard--that was a 5 pound PR from that position and height off the chest (on bench, not floor,as before)

With reverse band purples I did 412-418-440-and 450--a 10 pound PR

with Blues only from the top of the rack,I did 520 a 13 pound PR
with purps and blues combined I went 523-535-551 and 560, a 3 or 4 pound PR

workout altho mostly singles felt great ...and the trip to the chiro last week was REALLY helpful !

Alki is just around the corner just under a month--to whip a good 540 to 551 out of the bag !

Hats off to Jody !

Our friend Jody Cranston competed last Saturday in the USAPL Summer meet in Seattle...Jody said there were lots of lifters,more than expected,and it was a long day,with some very good lifting and many RAW competitors.....Jody was warming up for the deadlift,and he felt a bad twinge in his back,agonizing enough to make him wonder whether to cancel competing,or at least lower the amount of weight he was starting with....after 'toughing it up' and weighing all the options...he went for his opener of 518,with the thought, that if it felt like he was getting more injured ...he'd drop the bar.....Well,the opener went up smoothly,and long story short,Jody had the best deadlift of the day!!!
568 on his 3rd attempt....his wilks points were the highest of anyone in the contest...it was at least 50 deep !--even Kevin Stewart called this a well run and worthy strength event !!

Today was speed work on the bench with the big blue bands resisting the bar---245 X 4 for 10 sets FAST reps....then some (no bands) 315's (4) 335(3) 355(2)

My shoulder seemed on the mend after my chiro, Dr. Armitage made some adjustments Monday...yep,as guessed, there was SOME strength loss in the bad shoulder...but only in the mid-width range...Robert,clicked all the right places and sent me on my way a somewhat 'refurbished' lifter (no rust under the wheel wells tho) hopefully ALKI will find me in shape for the big 551 I want !





Here's my latest animation over at CBC Exposure....it's at least PG rated..
sound on
...note: somewhat rude,crude and sophomoric, don't play in front o' the kids or at work
--not terribly offensive ..but not Disney either...

why is it here??--well, um, I make fun of some bodybuilding-ish guys in it ! plus, DE workouts are so boring I figure I owe ya somethin' more for stopping by !

Heavy day is Sunday

So !! you guys look like that on purpose !

My heavy shirt day was marred somewhat by a hot day, or my propensity to get misty just holding the bar ....yep, my shirt was swimming on me (slipping in the sleeves-shoulders-chest) so I decided to do only to 2 singles of 507 in the shirt,with no torque on the sleeves....the first 507 was a good lift the 2nd was hard at the top--uneven...my former problem shoulder being the hard side, I locked it out but with some difficulty....I decided to work some raw reps and BANDS and do a heavy volume day....to backtrack the workout was like this

--no shirt--Sherlock.

225X8 330 330330 330X3 330X3 -350- 360-380----

Blue reverse bands

424 - 440-460-480- easy

shirt 440 X3- 485-507-507 (2nd 507 mentioned earlier locked but was uneven...woulda been red lighted)

with Bruce and Nancy--I did more sets of random reppage with no shirt,basically repping without bands what Bruce was doing WITH Bands--to save time changing weights etc.

Good Workout.....2 things learned, need to get fitness level up before Alki so in the hot weather I don't create sweaty, swimming, shirt syndrome...

And get back to the Chiropractor so he can check out the previously bad shoulder out before something really goes wrong there--gaining my strength back before was a long and discouraging road a few years back !

-cartoon pic at top by me in ZBrush-

Light weight big fella..it's all me.....

A Pool of sweat --1/4 inch deep...thanks for leaving that puddle on the bench...yep,I'm back at kits community center today--where half a bench press is all you need to do....cuz someone, somewhere told someone else...touching your chest isn't any better than a half way down lift...yeah,like I've said before...invisible boards day...and the fitness instructors don't even have the humor to call them that.

Dynamic effort day was scheduled--but I wanted it's evil co host for the week, " pick some weights lift em as fast as you can"...do the workout in less time ,upping the intensity...and remembering speed on the bar...but letting the bands stay in the freshly detailed trunk of my car.

225 X8 for 3 sets 315X3 for5 sets 335X2 for 2 sets -then singles-355 -355- 365
then, very fast reps of 225 for 16

for a superheavy that's not much of a workout for weight n' reps but I felt good after, and the weights moved faster as the weights got heavier--it will be a good lead up to shirt day on Saturday...not as good as a Gene Knight bench day but it served my Tuesday workout for one week...I wont skip the bands next Tuesday..they really help !

You'll be happy to know I'll not be a french fry, a crispy critter,robo jerky or any other such dehydrated delicacy,when I drive to the ALKI meet...My Beloved Diesel Benz has been cured of it's year long "I'm on fire" whining....( heater COULDN'T be turned OFF--remember? ) finally, I found a mechanic who works out of his home...I think he has 38 years of Mercedes experience...he not only
fixed my car for a reasonable,non Mercedes shop price..then he detailed the car to it's original showroom look...wow....if YOU are in BC and have a classic Mercedes and want a fair,honest ,genius mechanic,he goes by "J.R." and I recommend him highly..email me, robotalk@shaw.ca if you need his number--or a near perfect 1985 MBenz 500SEL for only $2500 he has for sale.

No,I'm NOT becoming a commercial site --it's just that there are few mechanics as good as this dude and ol' car collectors need to know about him.

Benching from a dead stop

It was a heavy workout yesterday,and since you know the details of the set up,I'll suffice it to say..that the bar is at just below chest height, then on a bench slid into a squat rack..I arch up to the bar and go from endless 135's to 8- 225's 3- 330's ONE 374 then 395 395 and 400 pin press style,no shirt,no stretch reflex just a push UP !

I do a reverse band Purple with 440 and 440 (second single was smoothest)

Reverse band with Blues (purps off) 485 485 507 507

then purps and blues for 529 529 551 556 and that was it...today,triceps are feeling it..this will be a great workout in the bag of progress...shirted workout next Saturday,hopefully progress will stay or magnify...not watching my bodyweight (had a binge after last meet) since losing water at the last minute was a BIG factor last time..I'll get back on a semi 'Atkins' with healthy veggie carbs after the dual holidays...and I should train for nearly a month at meet weight.

Happy Canada Day !

and Happy 4th of July too !