The test of pure power and strength

Warmup

1x1@bar, 135, 135, 225, 315

Ready for the MAX attempts
1xmiss@385
1x1@385 PR!!!
1xmiss@405

EDIT: Forgot to mention I did this sumo. I have harder time getting it off the floor sumo but once I crack it off the floor I seem to be able to pull it the rest of the way up. Using the 25lbs plates I think helped a lot in training for this.


On the first attempt I got the bar to just over my knees, I know this because they were pretty raw after that attempt. I just didn't lean back enough to lock it out. I was to far foward and had to let it back down. I didn't even think of lowering the weight as I knew all I had to do was correct my form. I didn't let myself second guess myself afterwards if I could have actually done more so I went for a third attempt at 405. It didn't move an inch.

that's almost a 2.5 bodyweight DL. Identify and focus on your weak areas. If you pull conventional, give sumo a shot and see how it feels.

Time for some stats updates.

November 2006:
B/W: 167
B/F: 11%
LBM: 148.63lbs

Jan 2007:
B/W: 177.74 lb (avg 1week)
B/F: 13.3% (avg 1week)
LBM: 154.1

March 2007:
B/W: 186.47 (1 week average)
B/F: 14.2% (1 week average)
LBM: 159.99


From November 2006 to March 2007:
B/W: up 10.51lbs
B/F: up 2.2%
LBM: up 5.45lbs

FROM Jan 2007 to March 2007:
B/W: up 8.73lbs
B/F: up 1%
LBM: up 5.89lbs

From November 2006 to March 2007:
B/W: up 19.47lbs
B/W: up 3.2%
LBM: up 11.36lbs


MAX Stats:

November 2007:
Never did a Max attempt in my life before this.


Jan 2007
Squat: 355
Bench: 255
DL: 325
Total: 935

March 2007
Squat: 405
Bench: 270
DL: 385
Total: 1060

Max From Jan 2007 to March 2007
Squat: up 50
Bench: up 15
DL: up 60
Total: up 125

Goals and How I plan to get there:
in another 9 weeks.

Bench: 280
I'm getting stuck on the bottom now so get some 1 and 2 board presses in my workouts. I'm thinking I also need some more delt and lat work to help out. Maybe throw in some ME OHP work. I also feel like I am going to slow on the decent so I'll speed up the decent on speed days instead of take is slow on the way down.


Squat: 425
I felt it was really hard to get down into the hole and feel if I was below parallel. I figure some more low box squats will help here.


DL: 405
Still having a hard time getting it to come up off the floor. I think I need more work with the DL off a platform or using 25lbs plates. Also need to add in some good pullthroughs and maybe some GM Squats and Zercher Squats.

All logs insync now and will be going forward on Monday with IntraXCell and Steeledge for two months.

who says you can't gain LBM powerlifting...I'd like to see you a little fatter though...you're married right? No sense in keeping up the appearance any longer.


So you pull sumo eh? and you have problems off of the floor. I can fix that...in fact, I've fixed it so good on myself that I struggle with the lockout now.

-zerchers off of pins. Generally not done for a max, get yer reps in.
-stiff legged deadlifts. Again, for reps...once you get good with those
-stiff legged deadlifts off of a box.
-concentric squats for max and reps.

lots of abs and hypers/weighted hypers can't hurt. For abs, standing cable abs are about the best I have found...decline situps are also helpful. If you can find a way to do spread-eagle situps, theoretically those should kick ass also.

when you compete are you going raw? If so, figure out a way to get floor presses into your regime. Do you have a set of bands? This will help with your reversal strength, especially if you feel you are slow descending.

the fast food diet works man. I mentioned it before and said it many times...heavy or whipping cream in the shakes is a nice way to bump fat intake.

If you're still really strict on your diet, try isocaloric, 1/3 fat, 1/3 carbs, 1/3 protein. Although I think it'd almost be better to do 20% carbs and 80% between fat and protein however you want to break it up...I've never been one much for the dieting thing though.

ZERCHERS:
Go to Wally-world and pickup one of those funny ass knitted rugs. I know you have seen them before...your parents probably had them when you were a kid. They are probably 1 foot x 3 feet. They are all different colors and people throw them on the floor in the kitchen. They aren't rubber backed or anything, it's just like cotton.

Wrap that shit around the bar. You can also use it to toss on the floor when you do floor presses or modified dumbbell extensions, or toss on the boxes so you don't get a sliver in your ass when you're squatting.

For concentric squats, you can either hang the barbell from chains or just put the barbell on a low pin so that it emulates your deadlift, get up under it and lift that shit up. You'll be surprised the weight you can handle.

Did some GPP landscaping style yesterday. I spent the day digging, pulling out and dragging around 3 big, 4ft tall, bushes. The did some random raking and cleaning up of the yard.

Sunday GPP work:

Bush Dig
3x324323223@shovel

Bush dead lift from roots
3x1@big bush

40 yard Bush Drag
3x1@ big bush

Week1/ Day 1

Comments
First day of taking SteelEdge and IntraXCell. Didn't know what to expect but was waiting and preparing myself for the "tingling" feeling that people talk about. I did notice more a rush feeling probably from the stimulants in SteelEdge which I'm not used to taking early in the morning or at all really. It felt like a drank two cups of coffee which I might do on occassion. My foot tapped quite a bit between sets and my body temp felt slightly elevated earlier in the workout. Normally I feel really warm after my workouts. Never got any tingling sensation but I took everything together this morning with my normal 3 scoops of Real Gains and 2 cups of milk. The taste wasn't as bad as I was expecting as I mixed a citrus flavor with chocolate flavoring. I did feel the buzz of stimulants well after my workout was over but I do a pretty quick and intense workout.

Energy level after waking up: 1 still asleep and 10 wide awake and about to explode
4

Energy level once in the gym:
9

Energy level after workout:
7

Time to complete workout:
40m

The Workout

DE BENCH
Flat Bench
6x3@160
3x3@175
1x3@185

Assistance Work
Standing DB Military Press w/ Palms facing in
1x10@35, 50
1x6@45
2x8@35

DB Rear Laterals
4x10@25

Decline Bench Sit-ups
1x50@10lbs ball

B/W:186.2
B/F:14.5%

Today's Gorging of Food:

Added a few more posts below. I ment to add it here but made a new post instead.

another critique.

Swap out the DB military presses for DB clean/press. Much more effective exercise.

Stand with DB's down at arms length, clean them up and press overhead...drop them back down.

-Got those from L.S. during my visit to WBC>

Forgot to update my food intake. Three to many logs to update now.

Didn't know the calories in the IntraXCell but through in 6 caps for that and I doubt it adds up to much.

Cals Fat Carb Prot
Real Gains from Universal ( 133 gram ) 523 5 75 45
SteelEdge from Athletic Edge Nutrition ( 1 serving ) 82 0 15 0
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 2 cup ) 180 0 26 18
Real Gains from Universal ( 88.6 gram ) 349 3 50 30
Dextrose by NOW ( 5 tablespoon ) 180 0 48 0
Elite Whey, Banana from Dymatize ( 1 serving ) 112 2 3 23
Oatmeal Our Family ( 3 cup, cooked ) 450 9 81 15
Muffin, fruit and/or nuts ( 1 extra large muffin (3-1/2" dia) ) 393 9 68 8
Monster Thick Burger Hardee's 2/3lbs beef ( 1 serving ) 1410 107 47 60
Chicken, breast, with or without bone, roasted, skin not eaten ( 8 oz, boneless, cooked, skinless ) 367 8 0 69
Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked ( 1 cup ) 216 2 45 5
Cheese, natural, Cheddar or American type ( 1 slice (1 oz) ) 114 9 0 7
Beans, string, green, raw ( 1 cup ) 34 0 8 2
Micellar Casein, Pure - TrueProtein ( 1 serving ) 110 1 0 25
Milk, calcium fortified, cow's, fluid, skim or nonfat ( 1 cup ) 90 0 13 9
Total 4611 155 478 315