Saturday, March 29, 2008

Reverse band 605's

I felt like going in to do my heavy stuff today, so I went to Target Fitness and did my bench heavy day...The place has become so popular that I had to wait for my "cage" " It's no Nancy's gym!!"

--I warmed up on the bench...Right before I took it over, a fully grown human male person, was struggling with the 45 pound bar and 2 --10's--not only were these partial reps --he moaned like he was dying on the last 3....
geeez !
Right then and there I thought, I may complain to my friends about being a big fat lard ass....but, if being NORMAL means you have to be like this little turd ...I don't wanna be NORMAL !!-- I repped the bar 20 times
did 10 or so 135's
5 X 225
then to 305 for 5-
-355--
365--
375 for singles...
The squat cage was now available, the people who were teaching a class in FRONT of it ..were done, and I was OK to go do my pin presses, and you thought not being able to use the rack because someone was curling in it was dumb !
I started with the bar at chest level, and lifted the bar up from the pins (dead start)
315 X6
385 -385-
395-400

then I took the pins UP one hole, so that the lockout was only 5-6 inches or so...I did
405 -455 -475 -475

then I put on the blue bands in the 'reverse' position and did 500X5 550X3 585X 2
and finished these short distance lockouts with 605X2 605X2 605-605-605..

workout was odd, but it felt great...I think it will help my next shirted workout a lot !!

( above picture is by me in the program ZBrush2 --with Nancy's gym photo as background-click on it, to see the LARGE version-click back, to return)



Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Urrgh !

I look my award deep in the eyes @ the Washington State's...and say "How You Doin?"

Lea Hendrix great web page is up with vids and pix of the March 15th meet
go here! http://ldzine.com/2008usaplwastate/
for the Best coverage of the USAPL Wa. State's

--Today's light (DE) workout was good enough, but I still had some shoulder discomfort and not much speed on the bar...well, not with the heavier reps that is, but it will all even out on Sunday when I do the heavier stuff...

Today with no bands (tsk tsk) barX30 135X 10
225X4 for 3 sets
275X4 for 3 sets
295X3 for 2 sets
345X1 slow
345X1 better
345X 1 FAST
355X1 medium fast with a side of hash browns
225 for 16 Fast
that was it---left with my tail between my legs.
better work on Sunday comin up !------

Saturday, March 22, 2008

529 one week after the meet !

Last week we did the USAPL Washington State meet --and my goals were different, so I only got the small lift in...needless to say I wanted to work my way back toward a heavy Bench Press, so after my warm ups with 225 335 335 355 355--I put on the Katana and did 440 507 and 529--the 529 was hard at the top the shirt had slipped up to my neck and was not in the usual 'eh hem' "Cleavage"position--in a meet we'd adjust for more top of chest angle for the neck opening...I figured, 529 was good enough for today--and the 562-568's and beyond can come closer to my next meet!

We went to reverse band benches for reps and for singles, I did a top set of 507--but really put in quite a lot of good tonnage today--yes, No shirt --the green bands played the part of the shirt in this exercise.
Here's Nancy in her meet tee from the USAPL meet --getting set !
And the lift !!!
Then Bruce did some terrific sets to wind up our heavy day !

If you haven't seen the pix from the "Ides Of March Classic"--here is my regular website gateway !
http://www.robertosmith.com/powersiteoct.html

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Broke American Record by 50 pounds BUT !!


The lift I did was only 468, for the 65-69 class (superheavy class) beating previous record of 418.
BUT it also exceeded the IPF single lift Bench Press World record by 6 pounds

The lift exceeded Ralph Sofferdine's USAPL American record and will be official soon..
(the IPF World record by John Blackmon will not be affected due to lack of IPF judges and setting, to make mine official...but it was broken in the USAPL/ IPF neighborhood.)

That's MY good news...bad news is....I thought I'd try a 500 Plus lift as a 3rd attempt...and I forgot to wait for the start signal....can you believe such a rookie error !???
Jody Cranston lifted in the 181 class and won first in the deadlift with 556 pounds ---this was after getting up at 3:45 am and driving us to the meet on time...and handing off the bar for me..in the bench press !

Nancy Carpenter seemed to help everyone loading plates and spotting in the warmup room she worked harder than me in this meet without even competing !!

lots more on this fine 90+ lifter meet later ! SUPER CONTEST !Jody Cranston pulls huge for First place 181 open
Roger Hendrix squats a new American Record OVER 700 pounds --he went WAAAAY deep..this is on the way up ! it was EASY for him !!!

oh yeah, --my shoulder/elbow/forearm held out OK !!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Just remember to warm up !

So, I did a fairly good light/ speed workout on Wednesday ! I wasn't a dynamo that day, I still had 'injuries' on my mind, the chiropractor X rayed my forearm for fractures etc. on Monday and I was OK, but he notes some Osteo Arthritis in my shoulders, wrists, and elbow....well yeah, my elbow hurts like hell anyway...that made me 'over' careful...and put the damper on my visualization --but I thought a good test would be my heavy workout Yesterday...I did rack lockouts from 3 inches above my chest from a dead stop off the pins--these were on the floor, rather than on a bench in the rack...

I did 235X5 after warming up with the bar--and those usual '135's for a continuous count.
then 352 X3 394 415 435 435 440
then I did reverse bands with the green bands
490 520 540
reverse bands with the Blues
550 560 580 580
this was good top end work--AND once I was warmed up there was NO pain...so looks like I'm set to compete on Saturday in The USAPL Washington State Championships
as I've said in previous blogs all I want is to break the American Record in the 65-69 age group...I will "demonstration" lift until my 3rd attempt at which time I'll do one for the crowd !!
IE: Decent weight on the bar..500-ish

Jody Cranston will deadlift and Nancy Carpenter will coach, take photo's and pry us into our lifting gear..I'll let you know how it goes !

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Why Worry?

There are residual maladies to my Bench Press acreage, in the swamp that is my physical Universe...

To make things worse, I WORRY about them....

"Oooh, I feel bruised everywhere--I wonder if there is a hairline fracture of my forearm? wonder if I'll pull my triceps tendon?"

etc.
Whatta wuss !!

unlike the ancient folks that "Have fallen and cant get up" on the old TV ads

I fell, could get up, but bitched about it !

-so much so, that I'm getting an XRay Monday--to shut 'myselves' up!
(previous post explains)

But today, I focused on getting my IPF style form back so that I might get some goals on the platform on March 15th in Issaquah at the USAPL Washington State meet...The USAPL American record in the Bench Press for 65-69 is only 418 (in the 125+ kg category)
In training today, I opened with 440, paused it a long time --lifted it swiftly and no infractions were noted by Bruce Or Nancy...then I chose to lift 468 which would EXCEED the current "single lift" IPF World record.

(Held by legendary masters champion John Blackmon)

that lift was achieved 'practice perfect' as well...no butt lift on this one, so that would have been good for an American Record...now let me get it on the platform.

(UNOFFICIALLY breaks the IPF Mark !--used as a further goal )

then I did a 485 single that was like a rocket..with a nice pause and a strong lock out..

I'm using my 'worn out' Katana shirt by Titan to get these lifts in..

IF I relax and center myself, and lift to the judges satisfaction, 2 weeks from now ...this contest should be a great way to start my competition year...lighter than my WABDL Goals, BUT I'm new to this age group..so, good to go in to challenge the records right off ! Makes the contest have "a reason"

But after this workout today, I worried for nothing...just burnt more furrows into my brow and whitened my hair a bit more...my arm didn't fall off or self destruct under heavy weights so next time, I'll save the brain calories for trying to remember where I left my car keys !

Jody Cranston will be lifting in the 'deadlift' section of the meet he usually breaks a record of some sort every time he lifts...so the meet will be a good one for our abbreviated BC team...we lift early in the 9 am flight--it's at the Holiday Inn Issaquah...Nancy Carpenter may go to help us, it'll be one of those travel at 4 am or so--lift--and THEN travel home, same day...good thing JODY likes to drive !

FLASH --This just in from the world's strongest scientist...Clint Harwood !!

"Hey Robo;
Well...The Shirt Gods they did not smile upon me. Old and Vengeful, they turned their backs, and all my shirts died.
So in my inimitable way, I decided to do a meet raw. I opened with 227.5 KILOS, jumped to 235, nailed it, and then missed 237.5 KGS...Misgrooved it...ah well. Still, a raw 518 pound BP is nothing to sneeze at!
Hope all is well with you!
C "

WOW --Great Raw benching big guy !! Congratulations on this lift !!
You Da MAN !!!
--and a Half !!

Robt. O.