No Gas !

Today's Heavy workout was a good one, BUT, I seemed to be suffering from too much heavy work lately...the warm ups had strength but the bar speed was lacking --on my 330's and 350's--

at last weeks meet ( a peak ) my 300+ raw warm ups were like empty bars--lotsa speed easily repped ! and my 512 record felt like chump change !
512 ?? -- " is he havin a laugh?''--

Today my first shirted effort at 500 was almost a max effort OUCH--Weak Old Man !!
--485 back off attempt was hard to fight to lock out....so we re- torqued the shirt and tried 507...

it flew....

but still I felt like I was weak...I'd knocked off 6 pounds of bodyweight this week so as to be closer to the proper weight at weigh in for the Worlds--and all these weeks of 500+ near 600 attempts might have (well, YEAH) sent me toward adrenal exhaustion ....BUT we needed to get past the 'maybes' and the weak mindset and try some more HEAVY supports--so with the shirt and blue bands...I did a nice 560 then a 600 single, then another 600--then I did what would be a board press for 2 reps...with 600 it didn't feel scary !

Later I did RAW lifts with Nancy and Bruce thru a range of weights...then I did some 440's and a 485 from a dead stop with the bands...all in all the workout went well into the progress bag !

2 weeks from now we'll try the Newer Katana shirt and see if it feels the same way as the loose shirt PLUS Bands set up ...and hope it goes as well or better than the 600 in Tumwater.

NOTE on the side here, in links is a link to Jody Cranston's BLOG --click it for a terrific report on the Seattle meet and a Tribute to Lea Hendrix and Bull Stewart...Jody has a professional well thought out technique on his site !

read it frequently...it's a good one !

512 USAPL American Record !

This Photo by Nancy Carpenter, shows my 512 pound American Record
(yes, I'm a DUAL citizen)
I was called for lifting my head on my 2nd attempt--so instead of trying my 534 goal --I took 512 over again and did it to stringent USAPL criteria...

actually the crowd lifted it for me !!

I somehow spawned a cheering section and the audience was "Robert O'ing"
in chorus as I approached the bar--this sent me to such a 'happy' land I just blew the bar away....to a successful 65-69 year 125+ record !

USAPL/IPF Champions, Paula Houston, Richard Schuller and Roger Silva were the National judges for my lift, which also EXCEEDS the IPF World record in the masters 3-- 125+KG category.This is where we lifted...
It's the Columbia Cultural Center in Seattle BULL R Enterprises donated the proceeds of the meet to the foundation...there were auditorium theater seats, and an elevated stage to lift on.
Here, the lifters wait to Bench Press !Nancy lifted well --going 2 for 3--she got some very long pause calls for some reason --but still lifted the weights ! she hit a 200 pound lift @ 148 Bodyweight 50+ masters.

This is Eric Dodd who lifted in the RAW category, as did many lifters, he hit a nice total and some PR's..he is the guy who helped me with my bench shirt at the Tumwater WABDL meet !
Here, Lea Hendrix sets up to squat, she lifted in the RAW category, and did incredibly well--and what courage she showed throughout the 3 lift meet..as she had chemotherapy on the previous Wednesday...Lea is a World Champion Olympic lifter--Elite Powerlifter--web designer for USAPL, and the wife of World Champion Roger Hendrix..we are inspired by her example to stay with the sport during this bout with Cancer and everyone was shocked to learn of her illness.
Here are Lea and Roger at the meet !! Roger is just back from taking 2nd in the IPF World Masters in Palm Springs California he totaled 845 KILOS (1862 pounds) at 53 ! under some very tight judging.
Jody Cranston Lifted huge at 181--here he is with a 560 Dead !

Our venue was originally the 5th church of Christ--in modern times it is part of the Thriving new community of Columbia City in Seattle--look at the ornate mosaics that decorate the halls !

Here a few photos of the meet (sorry I didn't get more) this shows a lifter being spotted by Todd Christensen of Seattle who I thank greatly for his PERFECT hand offs in the Bench Press for me !




This photo is April Flora who was a teen when I knew her and her dad, James Flora, in the old days when were in the ADFPA in Washington state--she just came back to competing in Washington...and so did her dad !! --sorry James, I didn't shoot any shots of your lifts...I think my excuse will be that I was off being drug tested--I found the multiple choice questions the easiest...

I think we had about 34 entries or so, and the spirit was good, and a fine kettlebell demonstration was held that got lots of good comments !

Thanks to Bull Stewart and Richard Schuller and the Washington State USAPL for this nice Saturday event !!--

Here is the award plaque winners received.
NEXT FOR ME?

FOCUS on my 600 Bench Press at the Fabulous WABDL Worlds in Las Vegas, only a month away !!

I cannot wrist curl 485 !

Today was a heavy day with Katana shirt at Nancy's gym...today I was training for 2 contests ...one, of course is the WABDL Worlds where I want to lift, and have the judges pass, 600 in the bench.

And at the last minute, a USAPL Meet in Seattle, this happens, Saturday October 18th
at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center Auditorium...

that is NEXT Saturday

...Jody Cranston was inspired to enter at the last minute, so I thought I'd tag along, and try to 'up' the USAPL American Record for masters 65-69 in the single lift bench press...it is my OWN record and it is 'low' so getting the record past the 500 mark is a great idea....

Today the warmup was the ususal heavy day dance card-- 225 up to 350--then the shirt.

This is a looser, older more manageable shirt, so I thought I'd try 485, and during a long pause at the bottom of the lift I let the weight flip over on me--could I have straightened my wrists (hence title-wrist curl) I would've sent it skyward easily...but no such luck --so for the first time since I've known Bruce I stuck him with trying to get the load off of me...I gave him some push...and between he and Nancy, my life was saved ! and a 'sure thing' workout --was off to a bad start...
click on toon for full size--
cartoon I drew for CLEAN POWER in the 90's
I tried it again and it was good...USAPL Form and all...then I tried 512 and it was easy and good...
in the meet I'll shoot for 534 --if successful, that American record will exceed the IPF World record in all 60+ categories...

I believe Jody has a goal of a 573 deadlift at 181 --that would put him high atop the drug free records in the USAPL for a submasters aged lifter ! By Me--For Clean Power Magazine the USAPL/ ADFPA's Magazine in the 90's

We're trying to get Nancy to lift as well--but if the entry list is full...she might just be Super Helper and photographer !!

The rest of my training was, shirt and reverse bands, partial bench presses --550--584-- 600 --600--600 in better form than last week ! I held the weight a long time as to get the benefit of supporting maximal weights--felt like a great workout..next week's meet will be my HEAVY WORKOUT for the week ! Click on pic for full size

POWERLIFTING USA MAGAZINE is in at Mayfair magazines in Vancouver (on Broadway just west of Granville) the August issue was LATE and I was worried that they'd not carry the mag any more...but the Store, and Emma Marian distributors came thru, and Vancouver lifters can find the AUG issue now !
and in 2 weeks the SEPT issue..

600 isn't 500's Older Brother...it's 700's Big Sister !!

In trying to adjust to benching 600...and making it feel comfortable, I reflect on how 500 felt when I first arrived in THAT Neighborhood...500 was very heavy and challenging...but it is no 600....600 might as well be 700...it is a daunting load !
a weight I would like to get my body and mind used to, before I attempt it again at the WABDL Worlds in Las Vegas November 7th
(yes, that IS right...a Wednesday)

Watching the attempts on video from the Tumwater meet...it looks like I'm there...but on heavy training days like today at Nancy's gym...the race to get that poundage to feel light is very tricky...I don't want to wear my newest Katana in training and loosen it for the meet... (defeating it's pop)...so I need a method to feel that weight, and do top end work with it...so I used the shirt and reverse bands combo again...the shirt was my 2 year old Titan that would be good for a 550 bench in competition if used today...my 2nd best shirt...

warm up raw--

225 X6
225X6
260X3
308X2
330
350

switch to shirt--

500
529
550
562

shirt and GREEN reverse bands

567--584-- 600 partial, hard to lock--600 partial, hard to lock--slightly re-torque shirt..600 down to Number 7 post for 2 easy ones...
and one more 600 to #7 post for one good one...


assisted partial with 600 final of 4

Then we did reverse BLUE bands raw--and Bruce and Nancy got GREAT workouts in..and I followed along just to get some reps in...the combo of overload
and a 'pump' made it an effective workout for me...

One thing I noted--I was strong but sore today...I still hadn't recovered from my speed day (snuck in Weds --but not written about) I take 4 days to come back from any Hard workout....so, I'll program my workouts for better recovery..especially in these weeks so close to the meet !

Just a few more HEAVY workouts to go, before the time is here !