Thurs & Sat

Thurs I didn't do any core work but Trikked instead

Sat
ME Bench
Warm up
Floor Pin presses very low
5 x bar
5 x 135
5 x 225
5 x 275
4 x 315
1 x 335

Flat bench 3 boards
5 x 345
3 x 375
2 x 395 rep PR
1 x 405 PR should have done 2
1 x 415 PR

SS overhead cable extensions and cg ng seated rows
5 sets

Rev Pec Deck
4 sets

low pulley rope curls
5 sets

Went out and played on the t12 trikke with the guys. Good stuff.

Finally can replicate using my back while benching. Taking the lift off, setting the bar and controlling and popping off of the bottom, all back. Finally getting it 8 years later...

Big group today. 12 I think over all. Good people and good energy.

Gotta Fly. Utah @ Michigan. Bethel @ home against Concordia WI. Go Utes! Go Royals!

Maranatha

God Bless!

Tuesday back at it

Warm up
Flat DE Bench Various Grips
2 x ?? x bar
3 x 3 x 135
6 x 3 x 155
Still liking using the lighter weights. It may not be what Louie envisioned but it's working for me. Getting a much better feel for lat involvement even when going light. It's nice to be able to use them on purpose.

Seated Military with dbl choked minis
5 x bar x mini's
5 x 95 x mini's
5 x 135 x mini's
5 x 165 x mini's
5 x 185 x mini's

Schwab's (short Kaz presses sort of I think)Elbows in low extensions on the Smith machine
worked up to 2 x 8 x 275
elbows felt pretty good

Bent rows
worked up to 5 x 235

Preacher EZ Curls
5 sets light
Bi's are historically weak on me. Got to keep working them.

Felt good to be back in the gym. Need to get ready to rectify my performence from last Sat.

Not 100% certain how the job situation is shaking out. Would love to know what the best move right now would be.

The Parkway guys have leant me one of the new T12 Trikkes to try out. I'll take it out later to see how it works.

Read some interesting articles on the Farmer's blog. Next year through 2012 could get real interesting.

Maranatha

God Bless!

AAPF Meet 8/23/08

Fun Push Pull meet. John Cunningham and crew did a nice job. Our crew did ok. Not tremendous but ok.

Parker (14) bombed. First meet in a shirt. He has the strength but didn't control the bar well. A little more back and shoulder work and the kinks will get ironed out.

The rest of us lifted raw.

Brian did great. I think he hit a 286# bench and a 407# pull with tons left in the tank. He seemed to have a great time. I think he can be a big time puller with his ratios and desire he could be in the big numbers real soon.

Jeff hit 380 just missing over 400 and Moosie tied his best with a 485 just missing a 501#.

I opened @ 160kg, 352# and got it. 11 # meet PR. Felt heavy. I rethought my second attempt of 170kg and went with 165kg and missed it. Too loose and came down too high. My back and hammies cramped up bad and I passed on the third and lifted off for Moosie and Jeff from there on out. Manny had lifted off before I cramped up.

The bench was legal but higher than we were used to using. It was 18" from floor to top of the pad. The highest bench we play on is a 17 1/2" @ the AF Gold's. The rest are around 15" - 16". Jeff Moosie and I all had cramps in the small of our backs from the extra turn in our hips from the taller surface.

The bench was really only a minor issue for me. I was dumb and played with a Trikke on Thurs and Fri and didn't pay attention to resting into the meet. I really felt no juice. My bad. I have the AAU meet on 9/13 so I am going to have a chance to improve my # quickly. My best in the gym is 365# and would love to pass that in a meet. The American record for the AAU 50-54 308's is 352#. Feel pretty good about getting that one. Need to be much smarter though.

They gave away swords as trophies. Nice touch. Fun meet.

Maranatha

God Bless!

Opener in AF

The meet is a week out so it was just openers for most of us.

Warm up

Flat bench Used the tall one that's about 17 3/4"; closer to what will be at the meet.
2 x?? x bar
5 x 135
3 x 225
1 x 275
1 x 315
1 x 355
This felt good and quick. I will open @ 160kg which is 352# and change. Right now my next attempt will be 170kg / 374# and then 175kg / 385#. These are subject to change at the meet. The taller bench really improves what little arch I have by helping me rotate my hips over. Changes the leg drive but over all helps my stroke. The Chris Mason style of wearing the belt really low is helping a ton by forcing my belly up and raising my point of contact. It also improves the compression within my core some how.

Going to be fun next week. Moosie, Parker, Jeff, Brian and myself are all lifting. First in a shirt for Parker and first over all for Brian. It will be a good time.

Good times with good guys.

Maranatha

God Bless!

Thursday Cruising

A quickie
warmup
2 light sets each of the following:
Power Squats
Leg Press
Weighted stab ball leg lifts
Calf machine shrugs

Done. Openers Sat in AF.

Maranatha

God Bless

Tuesday low key

Meet is less than 2 weeks away plus my left elbow was pretty sore from the DB extensions I did with Moosie and Hefe so I took it easy.

Warm Up
Flat Bench
2 x ?? x Bar
9 x 3 x 135

Over head presses in the rack off of pins
5 x bar
5 x 135
3 x 5 x 185

Tri stuff
tested a bunch of different movements but they all hurt so I bailed on these

Upper pulley row to chest

Low Cable EZ curls

Done. Ta DAAAAA Nothing huge but got the blood flowing. Other than the minor elbow thing I feel pretty good and confident going into the meet. Openers on Sat.

Feeling a bit down in the job search. Lots of things have come and gone that I thought I was a good albeit unique fit for. Tough on the ego. If there was a job for short round guys that can bench 365 and write quality limmericks on the fly then hey, I'm your man. God knows and will provide. This human perspective thing is making me a little nutso. Lisa has been great.

Ah well. Time to go job searching.

Maranatha

God Bless!

Sat mass benching etc

What an amazing crew. We had our regular guys Jeff, Moosie, Brian, (Parker was @ Scout camp) as well as Manny's crew and Lil Dave, Jason, Jordan and Nick L. Mike, Lance and Michelle were present for part of it as well. I think I counted 19 at one point. Great fun with big crews like that. The fact that they are all great people does help.

Warm up
Flat bench
2 x ?? x bar
?? x 135
5 x 225
3 x 275
5 x 315 PR
1 x 345 fast should have doubled this or more but figuring out my attempts so I held back.
1 x 365 15# PR
Wearing my belt low and shoving my belly up and touching low and driving toward my feet is the trick. After 8 + years I think I found my groove. I feel like I had another 20# in me on this one.

4 boards
2 x 405 PR
2 x 415 PR the 1st was so fast I thought they would call my a wuss if I didn't double it.
1 x 425 PR

Moosie doubles (SS of Kennely extensions and Tate Presses)
3 sets

Dips (Jeffs choice, not mine)
3 sets I stink at these

Seated CS NG plate load rows
5 x ?? x 180

Rev Pec Deck
4 sets

Except for the dips, everything went well. I am amazed at how well things go when technique is right on. I have to really rethink my attempts for the meet. I think bump everything 15# or so.

I'll decide next week with the boys. Fun and games.

Maranatha

God Bless.

Thurs.

Warm up

Hacks
3 x ?? x 180

Power Squat
3 x ?? x 540

Leg press
3 x ?? x 540

SS Bell swings and ab wheel
?? x 35
2 x ?? x 70

Shrugs
135
225
315
405
495

Getting closer to the meet I didn't want to get into any real crazy weight on the lower stuff. Just wanted to get some work in without getting real fatigued. Hammies and left calf are kinda sore today. I'm thinking this might be due to the swings.

Sat will be fun. Should be a good crowd with our guests coming down from the north.

Need to find a job.

Maranatha

God Bless!

Tuesday Acc Stuff

Warm up
Flat bench
?? x bar
9 x 3 x 135 Quick. Worked on set up and pop.

Overhead lockouts in the rack
5 x bar
5 x 135
5 x 225
5 x 275
3 x 305
2 x 2 x 315 PR
1 x 325

Overhead cable extensions. Wide grip ez bar.

Wide grip high pulley pulldown rows

Strip the rack hammer curls

Pleased with the overhead stuff. Shoulders feel real good.

Looking forward to Saturday. Lil Dave has some plans for Brian though they have never met. I might have mentioned something about Brian liking to pull and wanting to learn more about it. Sorry Buddy. My bad....

No moves on the job front.

Gotta go

Maranatha

God Bless!

ME Bench

Great group today. Moosie, Parker, Jeff, new guy Brian, Manny, Trevor, Ed, Connie & Daughter, new guy Lindsey and Mike a gym regular stopped by. Way fun when it's a big group. Lil Dave and Jason should be down next week for more fun and games.

Warm up
Flat bench by Jeff's load rules
?? x Bar
?? x 135
5 x 245
5 x 275
1 x 325
3 x 1 x 350 Ties single PR but all 3 were done with much more authority than the first time I did this

4 Boards
5 x 335
5 x 365
1 x 405 This is close to a PR I think... maybe?

Lil Dave' Quadraphonic triceps of death
3 sets

Low wide ng row
5 sets

Rev Pec Deck
4 sets

Cable EZ curls wg
4 sets

Beat, done. Very happy with the progress. Still playing with the Chris Mason style of wearing my belt real low while benching and shoving my belly up. It seems to shorten my stroke and change my internal pressure in a positive way. I feel real solid and steady. Confident.

Nice having Brian and Lindsey there today. It's fun seeing guys learn and apply new stuff. I'm afraid they might be sore and cussing us for a couple of days. Bummer LOL.

Dave Tate had an article express how I relate to the gym almost exactly dead on. Worth a read:

http://www.elitefts.com/documents/utb_zen.htm

Maranatha

God Bless!

Thurs Core

Warm Up
Hack's
8 x 180
8 x 360
8 x 450

Power Squat
10 x 450
2 x 10 x 720

Leg Press
8 x 450
8 x 710
8 x 900

Shrugs
225
315
405
3 x ??? x 455 Spud lifting straps are awesome. There are lots of shrug variations out there but for my money nothing beats the old school straight bar shrug. I don't know if I will ever be able to wear a tie again... Cool.

Standing band abs 4 sets

Good session. Glutes and traps are sore today.

Need to go search the web for a job...

Maranatha

God Bless!