Meet aftermath !

After Olympia's meet (meet pix are in post below-and at a link there too )
I went in on Wednesday for a quick workout --just speed bar stuff 225X4 reps 5 sets FAST--3 sets of 4 reps 275 good speed on the bar here too..
then some speed singles with 305 -315-335 and 350....
whaaaat? 350 was slow?? better get working harder mister Bozo !!
'B. Bozo was such an "ass" at the meet ...Jody and he were relegated to sit in the 'cartoon characters only' section to await their awards'

Today, Sunday...I went into Target Fitness and did my pin presses raw at chest height (no pre-stretch) 225 X8 +315X3 then 365 +365 and 385 390 and 385...my bodyweight is down to 292 (ha ha --DOWN to???) as you know --I have been lumpier...anyway...I then used light reverse bands and did 405 + 405 + 425 for singles...that was all for today--but the 390 and 2nd single at 385 were pretty tough to do...I'm going to do a Doug Hepburn single rep progression to get these numbers back up by Worlds...

I don't do shirt work again til Sept 12th--but will do this light stuff for another week in the meantime.

ATTN: Vancouver Powerlifters--NEW ISSUE of Powerlifting USA is in at Mayfair magazines on Broadway...Only 7 of them left--get yours soon !

Up- Up - Up--Real Close--"You'll have it by World's !"

Here's is my near miss with 600 at the WABDL Iron Gladiator's meet Saturday August 22nd in Olympia Washington-I weighed in at 296


click to play-- 19 seconds

THE NEW OLYMPIA UPDATE AT ROBERT O. SMITH.COM IS UP
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PICS

...well, AFTER you've seen the rest of these...

I managed to get a masters best lifters sword with my 2nd attempt of 529--Nancy Carpenter also won Best lifter in her category Nancy beams as she gets her award..from the Legendary Gus Rethwisch !

And Jody Cranston broke Canadian Records in both the bench press and deadlift
this is taken before his successful 573 pull at 181--Jody is 40 now..and still gets his I.D. checked --the "Fit" get fitter--and the youthful ...get......youthfully-er ?

Here is where we will do the WABDL Worlds October 27th thru the 1st of November
YOU could lift here--WABDL DOT ORG (linked to the side here) Has the info and entry blanks.The STAR of the Portland and Olympia meets this year James Crawford !!
Jody Cranston's 3rd attempt caught by Nancy's Camera
Nancy Dreams of her GUINNESS arriving in the Red Lion Lounge.

Tracy Lundin Lifts HUGE Iron ! @ Olympia !!After many Canadian records in the masters 47-53 class in both the 148 and 165 pound class--Nancy Carpenter wins her first BEST Lifter award !

"I'm Bench Bozo...and I approve this tee shirt"

Heavy lifts before Olympia !

Bruce Everett waits for me to attempt the load o' the day !

Wednesday, I went in and did a pin press at chest to 395 --so if all is well, my peak should be back by August 22nd and the Big WABDL meet in Olympia Wa.
That's next Saturday-

-so TODAY-

-we did last minute heavy work to get used to competition...I used a shirt that is way to large for me now...this is the "opener" shirt and I did a 496 and a 523 in it...then we put on the blue bands for reverse band benches...the weight on the bar was 550 then 590 -600 then 610...these all went very well.. ..but being honest, blue bands give a ton of assistance..but I liked the idea of doing a full lift with the NUMBER is was shooting for...610 was a little tough but it went--

then we re torqued the loose Katana...and took the BANDS off--
I tried 590 -
--it slowed down at the very top-Bruce had to help me over the lips to rack it- but with the loose shirt....not bad !

So, my imagination (which is nicknamed 'FullaBull' ) says that in my NEWER shirt I might have a chance at getting the 600 due to tighter fit and "pop" --So I'm encouraged, even with my mysterious weight loss, (don't worry, I still LOOK like the Michelin Man)--and suffering non stop '24 hour Vandalusian Foop Trots' and 'Gigantor Gassiosites' for a month or more...

Later I did some very fast reps--to get the speed aspect in..

Nancy lifted in her shirt as well...and went to a very fast and easy 198 pounds (90 kgs) which will be her opener...a year ago --THAT was the WABDL Canadian record in the womens 47-53 148 lb class.

Looks like she will break the 100 kg record she made in Portland easily....

Jody Cranston is lifting with us in Olympia- I see him doing 578 to 600 in the deadlift..and over 375 in the Bench Press--sidebar has his link here--check his powershape site...Jody is a true champ and the busiest personal trainer in Vancouver.

See ya next week in Olympia !!

Good come back !

I felt way better about my energy and strength level today--I did Heavy bench presses in my drastically loosened KATANA (saving the ATOMIC one for meet day)
--warm ups went very well --fast reps up to to 350 before we put the shirt on--

then a 440 to test the waters--and a 'opener' style 501
then a 512 that went nicely--then 529 for 2 singles...

both seemed to lock out slowly on my "bad" shoulder side...but that was better than I thought I'd do...NEXT SATURDAY I'll hit bigger numbers to get used to handling more of a body terrorizing number --may hit partials with 600 just to feel the 'prize' a week out from the meet--after the shirt workout, we all did reverse bands with big weights and for enough reps to consider this a good all around workout..Nancy used her shirt and PR'ed a 225 rather easily with no flaws...I see our team of Jody Cranston, Nancy Carpenter and myself doing very nicely on the 22nd in Olympia Washington...click on the WABDL link at the side of this blog to read times and location of the meet--

Hey-again I have to alert barbell enthusiasts to 'TAN SLACKS' a blog of great old strength magazine articles that feature all the greats Doug Hepburn, Chuck Sipes, Reg Park, and EVERY other iron game guru ever CLICK HERE
I heard from the website author...who gives us this rare text week after week..and thank him again for continuing this great site !

(when you click you'll be taken to a Hepburn article--but go to the side listing for more article links and pictures--there is a vast treasure of weight training history there)

World Police & Fire Games Powerlifting !

Today and for a few more days, the World Police and Fire Games are in Vancouver--the Powerlifting is RAW with modified IPF style rules--it's going on now at the Westin Bayshore...my good ol' Buddy Colin Bonneau is in town to help judge (Colin has World Masters Records in IPF- WPC- WDFPF and AAU ) also heading up the Powerlifting part is BCPA Stalwart and IPF Masters champ Bob Hindley--Thousands of Athletes and lots of sports --
read all about it
(click da blue writing)
Here is the Web Site

I had the tiniest of all parts in it--when I was chosen to voice the commercial by Global TV who produced the spot.
Here's the commercial for the World Police and fire games in MOV format--I'm proud to be the Announcer on it -- CLICK to play--

I went back to the gym and did a 'make good' in those raw pin press things I do (Same exercise as Sunday ) this time, the bar felt lighter, and I did 225 X10
315X5 for 2 sets
then 365 for 2
--then 385
then a single with 390
and another with 390...

That is a slight improvement in just a few days...still not up to par this close to a meet.

Saturday, I do the shirt stuff, heavy, and then one more big one, before the meet in Olympia on the 22nd

I've heard form some real great people via email---I want to thank you for your kind words..
I'm happy to know some champs find there way here, via google search, and have such great progress in their own benching and lifting stories...Powerlifting and Benching really have a great crew of people--that seems to be the BEST aspect of our Iron endeavor !

Thanks everyone, your Bozo forever..Bench !

297 pound WEAKLING !

My muscles laughed--really, I'd push --and a weakness would be felt as if there was NO starting force firing the bar up--
my usual 405 Raw from the safety rack at chest level, was no where to be found--and the sensation in my chest, shoulders, arms and traps was that of a 'chuckle' eminating from my body...no kiddin...it was like "HA HA HA" as I tried harder and Harder...

Today's workout indicated drastic strength loss---I'd say I'm up 'feces creek' without a stir stick, for the meet 20 days from now...

It went like this---warm up 135 X 12 "OK"
--225 X 6 not as fast as I wanted the bar to fly
--315 for 2 OK but not FAST
--365 for 1 felt slow but not too bad-did it one more rep.
--I put on 385 and FAILED--WHAT?? YOU FAILED 385?
panicked, I did the 365 again-
then 375--
then 385 went up !! WHEW !

Rather than inching up to 390 --which I should have.
I went for 395 (got it 2 weeks ago, got 405 4 weeks ago)
395 DIDN'T GO !

My gawd ! that means in a month I've lost 20 pounds off my RAW push from the chest...and I can't blame it on my shoulder...BUT I can blame it on :

1. My Mysterious IBS like illness (Soupy Poopy) I lost 10 or 12 pounds, without trying....proving what YOU knew all along ----"I'm full of it"

2. The hideous heat in Vancouver, especially IN my Apartment --2 days it hit 96- inside- 83 is the LOWEST it's been in weeks in here with windows open N' fans goin.

3. I haven't been OFF wine...I do red wine for 3 glasses a night...at my strongest I HAVE to be off wine for a month.

4. Protein has been low...usually I'm an all Protein dude...lately less food in and lots of that is 'Carb-ish' also I've been busy with auditions and my training days have been too far apart.

Anyway--I'm going to fix it...next Saturday I'll do shirt work and hit JUST an opener with good form...then just before the meet 7 days out I'll do some max partials as close to 600 as I can get.

Well to make me feel better... my record certificates came in the mail--look how great WABDL Awards are--and Gus doesn't charge for them like a few other federations.

click for big size image

See N' Hear my animation on Vancouver's heat wave-click it!

Experience 24 seconds of IBS-click dis 2 !


talk to you, UN WEAKLINGED soon !