Saturday, May 31, 2008

Last Heavy day before Phoenix !

My heavy day was a practice to see what touched and flew, in the shirts I'm taking to the WABDL meet next Saturday...after those usual raw warm ups of
225 X6
265X3
308 330 330 and 350...I put on my oldest and loosest fitting Katana and got a legal 485 (opener) then tested it to see if 500 would go--and it was good and easy !

So next, my imaginary 2nd attempt--we put on my 2nd newest shirt and tried 523--it barely touched BUT when it did it flew back up very well....then I adjusted the sleeves and went for 556 and got this lift !!

Now, before I get too cocky and say this is a done deal !
Bruce pointed out that my touch was iffy...kinda just 'grazed' the shirt !
(no 'polyesters' were injured )

Since there will be NO excuses next week--I tried it again--touched deep--paused and it only came up to the sticking point and this time it was out front too much (opposite of attempt 2 weeks ago) and it was an unsuccessful lift--
so--
can I arch higher next week and get the GOOD one, as above, or will I fizzle in my attempt to break the World Record in 61-67 too fat to be alive class (308's) ???

Time will tell--to cap it off, we did reverse bands and lifted some heavy stuff and put in many heavy sets n' reps....one light workout Tuesday, then on the plane Friday for the meet Saturday the 7th !!

Hopefully I wont need to buy a ticket for EACH buttock on the plane !

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Fast Lifts at Rubberband High !

You may ask --how can anyone have to diet to get to the 308 class?--That is a lot of weight to be in the first place...let alone be 'over'--well, I'm at 306.9 today...so, I'm 'in the meet' (12 days from now)
...and of course, I don't want to lose much more...or my bench shirt wont fit right and I'll have spent tons of money on an embarrassing result...like my opener...or a bomb !? (NO)
So, Atkins MAINTENANCE format it is....Deviled eggs with TurkeyBacon on the side? mmmm BUL-GING Arteries !!!

....so far I've lost 5 to 8 pounds and I'll try to maintain it at that, and no more.

I benched using the bands (BLUE HEAVY) at Target today...just to experiment...I put the bands on the empty bar--and it was light but the bands liked to bring the bar down to my chest with a whack...135 felt like 225
and 225 felt like 300+ the first set--and yes, the first set was slow, the OPPOSITE of the way it should be--by set 4--I was super fast on the bar and bands...then 8 set @ 4 reps ea. I was done...of course I did some singles without the bands 295- 345 -355 365- 375 --it was to practice arching ...I got my stroke so short the weights were like feathers...

HEY !! My pal Jody Cranston has new page here at Blogspot--it is the best thing on local lifting I've seen...wow ..I say wow...
http://power-shape.blogspot.com/
there is a lot of GREAT stuff here....and his monthly power workouts at Pantheon look amazing...go there...

In very sad news...the powerlifting community in Alberta and thruout Canada and the World has heard unwelcome news...that Bruce Greig has died--here's the announcement from friend Gary Bobrovitz...

Date: Monday, May 26, 2008, @ 2:14 p.m.

Bruce Greig the godfather of Canadian powerlifting has passed away at age 56 following a car accident south of Calgary, Alberta over the weekend. BIG BRU was a reknowned deadlifter who set world records that still stand in the WPC in the shw class 40-45 yr of 840 lbs and 46-50 yr of 860 lbs. He also set the all time biggest deadlift in WABDL history of 838 lbs back in 1997. Bruce hosted the 1999 and 2003 WPC World Championships in Calgary. Before he got into powerlifting Bruce played in the NHL with Philadelphia Flyers, Oakland Seals and the Edmonton Oilers. He didn't have soft hands. He had fists of steel and was a feared enforcer. For Western Canadian powerlifters Bruce was a coach, trainer and mentor at his gym in Okotoks, Alberta. Sunday morning squat day was legendary. He produced many world champions and world record holders. A service will be held in Okotoks on Thursday May 29. You will be greatly missed. May you finally be at peace BIG BRU.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

2 unsung workouts on the way to Phoenix

Bulko ! Will POSE for groceries
Wednesday I did dynamic day bench presses, didn't use the bands but will, two more times before the meet--the weights were light 225 to warm up --then 275- four reps- 8 sets...at the end I did 3 with 325 one with 345 and 355 called it a day...workout was no longer than 25 minutes...

Yesterday, I did pin presses or lockouts 9 or 10 inch range with 375 395 405 415 425 and 435 from a motionless at pins, start.

This is nearly a 'rest week' before the meet...Named the WABDL National Push Pull contest, at the Sheraton Crescent Hotel in Phoenix June 7th...I wont have my team of shirt and lift off experts (Bruce, Nancy, Jody) there, but my pal Gene Knight, a masters champion in many federations himself, says I might be able to get some help from his son Zac and his team (my son's name is Zach as well)
So, the only remaining contest jitters that remain--are the ones dealing with airport chaos...not chaos...annoyance, confusion and scheduling--oh yeah--last time to Anaheim for the worlds...I was delayed both going to..and coming back from the meet due to some other "Bob Smith's" bad behavior...'Hey knock it off !! you other Bob Smiths'
You're making it difficult for me to 'get there from here'

Next 2 workouts Tues or Weds speed lifts against the blue bands--Saturday another dress rehearsal of at least my opener weight in the shirt.. 500+ then a go at 556 or 562 to see if I'm close to contest ready !

Also need to start thinking of Alki (Seattle) on the 28th of June--this is supposedly going to feature Myself, Nancy, Jody and possibly Jane Smith...yep...it's BC vs Washington...or, as they pronounce it down there.... "Worshingtun"

animated "Bulko" drawn by me in ZBrush 2003(?)

Saturday, May 17, 2008

3 Weeks out, Heavy rehearsal !!

Today, I used my loosest Katana shirt (single ply, as always) and had Bruce and Nancy help me get an opener 'touched and ready' so we tried 500--no touch--explosive lift to the top...
Then 507 touched, paused forever--very explosive lockout, good lift...the reason it touched was not the 7 pounds, but the fact that the shirt was now in the right position to let me get a weight down...

We then put me in my year old (or more, 2 tone shirt) not torqued, Altho Titan Torques the Katana by design --

I tried to ascertain a 2nd attempt...518--no touch (half inch from chest) and BANG back up...so, with the shirt a little more free--we did what I thought was 523--it was REALLY 529 !
it touched, and went back up quite well...so a success with 529--

then we slid the shirt half way off, and torqued the sleeves our way--and tried 562--it nearly touched and went up VERY well...but nearly, doesn't count in a meet.

So for the 2nd try at 562 we trusted the shirt to stay true to it's format....(first attempts are hog tying the arms--and one try...then loosens them to a manageable state)
So, this time it touched --
paused and flew up--but hit the rack
and Bruce guided it in to the rack....in a meet that woulda been a no lift ..but I like the ability to touch it--and to nearly get it...watch that attempt--I like it..


That IS some progress--

and a factor, I'd been on ATKINS for 4 days, made weight, and so this was not like 2 weeks ago, when I tried the same weight--I was heavier then... it was hot today and the sweat was binding my shirt to me...then letting it go, or slide, under the heavy weights....

What??? excuses already??

No--these are factors I have to keep top of mind as prep and strategy for the WABDL Push Pull Nationals in Phoenix---I will have lost 2 more pounds by then (safety in case my scales are off) and tried to replenish the electrolytes and water...it will be HOTTER than it was today--so the shirts will swim..so this tells me to expect 556 instead of 562 as my new World record..or even the silly 551 plus the "chips" (record breaking plates)

Or if I went nuts and lost 12 pounds--I could always use the New Katana I bought from Priscilla Ribic last October that isn't even out of the wrapper yet...anyway--I feel good and confident...and I think I will give at least one eyeball busting lift a go ! but the courage to really try 600 is months off !

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Congratulations to Tony !

As you know, Tony Tomra from BC, went to the CPO Nationals last weekend, in his Blog...
'Fat + Happy = Strong' (linked here as Tony's Power Blog)
Tony mentions how, altho almost totaling 800 KGS (797.5) and Breaking the bench press record of the legendary Gene Bell with a GREAT 545 POUNDS--he had a disappointing meet ! WOW I'd call that a winner, Tony was still a bit dehydrated from his weight loss--what 233 to 220 in a week or so??? and this lost him some power...But still what a Champion !

Hats Off (if i wore one ) to you !
(Tony is 45 and weighed in @ 100 KGS )

Bruce McIntyre who is 50 --Benched 606 lbs ! Matt Court squatted over 1000 pounds--
here are the results--click on the day and event you want to see the result sheet !
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pXfe36TRCKpQ5PmeFuCfsfw

This was a neat contest --I wanted to make it to that one...but I'm doing WABDL Nationals In Phoenix in 3 weeks so I could visit family--and there wasn't enough money to do BOTH meets....

speaking of the meet, yesterday I did the speed/bands day for the bench and got some good speed on the bar by the 4th set.. 8 sets of 4 with 225 PLUS The Heavy BLUE bands resisting from beneath the bench--then I did long pause singles with 275 and 325 plus one with 375...

NEXT--shirt work Heavy on Saturday !

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Clint Harwood got 800 !!!

Many of you know that this is the weekend of the CPO Nationals in Ontario.
I got a note that young Clint Harwood is the first Canadian to Bench Press 800 Pounds !!!
(806 actually) Clint meets Bench Bozo at the 2006 CPO's
Of course he benched a couple of nearly as heavy attempts as a prelude to this Canadian First ! CONGRATULATIONS CLINT !!
You da' Man !!!

Hopefully we'll hear soon that Tony Tomra also tore the place up with his lifts this weekend !!

I did Heavy pin presses today, usual deal, chest height in the rack from a dead stop..
empty bar X30 135 X12 225 X 8 315 X5
365 +365 +385 +385+ 395+ 395

Then reverse band Bench presses with the Blue bands
500X1 500X3 545+ 545 +545 and that was it....

Next weeks heavy workout is another shirted day where I'll try to iron out a legal heavy lift 556 -562 or so...plus I'll drop some bodyweight --to get used to my contest weight a smidge early !

Phoenix is June 7th --not much time to get it together !

I didn't skip my speed work with bands on Tuesday--just didn't do anything worth writing about...

BTW Here is my Pal Nancy's Masters Strength Page
http://www.masters-strength.com/~masterss/Nancitizer

cool way to have your own web page for free !

Saturday, May 03, 2008

2 Tries with a big 562 !!!!


Today's shirt workout--2 close tries with 562 --
the first, 3.5 inches from touching... and UP !

Then, thrill to my blood curdling screams to not let the bar fall on my face !
Bruce juggles, I flounder and push--
this one is 1.5 inches from touching... and UP !

This was the high point of the heavy workout...I started with a slow warm up,
135X12 225X6 265X3 308X2 330 350
Then I put on my Katana
507 no touch and up--529 very close to touching and up...
then the 2 singles at 562 --the 2nd attempt as you can nearly see in the video (dark)
was very close to touching and went back up well enough...as happy as I am to be hitting those kind of weights, even with 2 bum shoulders..sore wrists,elbows and forearms --the truth would be...take all those 'un-touchables' and if it were meet day I would've bombed....so between now and June 7th I have to lose 4 pounds of bodyweight, touch an 'opener' and succeed with a 'max' that would pass --and hopefully make it beat my 551 WABDL WR !

The rest of the workout was stellar, when we got to reverse bands Nancy got 160 KGS
and Bruce did 200 KGS (they prefer their numbers in kilos) and Bruce repped 100 KGS (with the blue bands/reverse) FIFTY REPS as his warm down...meanwhile he is losing weight (sleep issues) but remaining strong enough to save my life with his lift offs for my bench !

If you are a 40+ lifter, why don't you join Masters Strength and put up a page like this...ha ha--Kind of a "My Space" for muscles !!
Here's mine http://www.masters-strength.com/~masterss/robotalk
Nancy will add one soon too...looks like the NEW Magazine will be good too--covering Arm Wrestling, Bodybuilding, Boxing, Highland Games, Martial Arts, Mixed Martial Arts, Powerlifting, Strongman Competition, Weightlifting, Wrestling (Olympic) and more!

PLUS you can add your videos there !