Happy birthday skeletor

Thank you. should be a fairly low key day, which I like.

So this week's training is f-ed. I woke up Sunday morning with a stomach bug and a fever showed up later in the day. Stayed home from work on Monday as I was still messed up. I was going to try and go to the gym after some family stuff last night, but felt like I was going to puke while at the family stuff so I didn't go. Couldn't hit the gym this morning as I needed to give someone a ride to the airport. I volunteered to do that forgetting that I had a massage scheduled this afternoon for my shoulder issues. Not supposed to lift until Friday due to the massage. Looks like I may try to squat, bench, DL either Friday or Saturday (most likely Saturday so I can have a lot of time) to make up for it. I don't think it will effect my progress all that much though, but that might just be wishful thinking.

IDK, sometimes a little time off is good for you. Hopefully this time off is neutral at worst.

I have found that a little time off helps here and there. Hopefully this will be one of those times.

Just looked over my upcoming programming. I will be testing 1RMs for squat (Wednesday) and deadlift (Friday) next week. I am supposed to do it for bench, but as I haven't been following the program for bench I don't think I will be doing that. This will be a good indicator on how the program has been working for me. My initial thoughts are that I like the programming for squats, but not so sure about deadlifts right now.

The program says to shoot between 100%-105% in the 1RM testing. I used a non-true 1RM for both squat (232.5 kg) and deadlift (230 kg) for this last month. They both are 2.5 kg higher than my last tested 1RMs from my meet in the spring but I wanted to up the poundage on this sheet (#31). Mentally I think I would be happy with anywhere between 232.5-240 kg squat and 230-235 kg deadlift and would consider this program a success. Anybody have any thoughts on where I might be?

My wife got me a gift card to Cabela's for my birthday. Used that and a little bit more $ and got myself a shotgun. I have been meaning to get one, but just kept putting it off as things come up. The gift card made the decision for me and I ended up getting a Remington 870. Looks like I will be small game hunting somewhat soon. That is something I haven't done before but have been interested in.

Nice. BtM will never escape.

I'd like a shottie, what do you like with the 870 vs a Mossberg or Benelli of comparable prices?

I was only looking at the Mossberg and Remington. I know Benelli's are a good shotgun, but 3 things: 1. Every time I hear Benelli it is about their semi-autos not their pump. 2. The Mossberg 500 and Remington 870 are both known to be indestructible. 3. I prefer to buy American made when the quality and reliability between brands are the same. If I was going to buy a semi-auto I would most likely go with Benelli.

I went with the Remington because it felt better to me (when in the shooting position, not quality of the gun)than the Mossberg. I liked the sights on the Mossberg better than the Remington, but that can be changed. I prefer buying guns, when they are this close in quality, that feel better to the shooter.

Thanks, I'll definitely check them out when I'm ready to buy. I don't hunt (don't know a place to go/don't know how to field dress), I'd like to do some 3-gun comp for fun + gotta be able to open the door and fire that shottie willy nilly any time I hear a random noise and think it's burglars!

I'm not too familiar with 3 gun comps, but I'm guessing a semi-auto might be the way to go for those. They cycle quicker when you are newer to shooting. Some people can get as quick, and rarely quicker, at cycling a pump than a semi-auto.

Today's workout

Squat: 200 kg (440.9 lb) x 2 x 4, set 1, set 2, set 3, set 4
Bench: 95 kg (209.4 lb) x 5 x 3, set 1, set 2, set 3
DL: 185 kg (407.9 lb) x 2, set 1, set 2; 197.5 kg (435.4 lb)x 1; 207.5 kg (457.5 lb) x 1 x 2, set 1, set 2

Missed all of my workouts this week due to being sick and busy. Decided to do my heavy squat workout, increase the bench, and the deadlift workout all this morning. Overall I felt strong and think I did ok on these lifts.

Definitely lost it forward a bit on the first set of squats. I think I didn't setup my upper back as tight as I should have on that set. Concentrated on that during setup on the other 3 sets and think I did much better with those reps. Belt came on only for the working weight sets as it just felt like I should. My last warmup was 185 x 3, beltless.

Bench felt fine. Tried to focus on using my lats better than last time. Not sure I accomplished that though.

Deadlifts were good today. I was getting fairly tired during the 207.5 kg reps, but think I did OK with them as I did all the other crap first. Switched back to hook grip now that my hand is fairly healed. The dry air up here is keeping it slightly cracked, so I just put some tape around that area and went for it. Grip felt strong. Never felt like I was going to lose one of the deadlifts. Plan on keeping with hook grip for now as it still feels better than mixed. Decided to try these beltless and think they went fairly well. Will try some heavy singles with and without a belt this month to see what feels better.

Thanks, yeah, I'm leaning that way. I'd also use it for hunting maybe if I do go, or get a rifle for that. All my friends seem like they bow hunt.

I have a bow too, but not sure I will hunt up here with it. Probably go to the lower 48 for that until I am more comfortable hunting with it.

Today's workout

Squat: 175 kg (385.8 lb) x 2 x 3
Bench: 100 kg (220.5 lb) x 5 x 3

Everything was beltless today. No videos as the gym was fairly packed and I didn't see a need to video these reps. The squats were snappy and a breeze. Bench was ok. Starting to get a little tougher. Did 3 reps on 1 breath and then the last 2. Last rep of each set was paused for a 3 count.

Wednesday's workout is set for 1RM testing for squats. Should be upping my PR, hopefully by a bit. I'm thinking somewhere between 232.5 kg (512.6 lb)-240 kg (529 lb) will be my 1RM. Sheiko says up to 105%. My last 1RM was 230 kg, so that equates to 241.5 kg. I used 232.5 kg to calculate this last month's sheet, which would equate to a 244 kg max attempt. Not sure I have that much in me though. I think going to 240 would be on the safer side unless I am feeling extremely strong on the 232.5 attempt. I'm leaning for warmups/attempts to go 200, 220, and 232.5. I will decide, with input from the people there, if I should move up from 232.5 and how much they think I have.

Today's workout

Squat: 232.5 kg (512.6 lb) First Attempt, Second Attempt (Fail), Third Attempt, Fourth Attempt

Warmups went well. Last one was 220 kg with a belt. No issues. First attempt at 232.5 kg I started to lose it forward. Back spotter, Ron Burnett, touched my chest during this one. Not sure it counts and I didn't want to settle for a squat like this. Second attempt went worse than the first and I had the spotters take the bar. I was pissed, as I felt I could to the weight if I didn't lose it forward. There was another guy doing squats next to me that had 180 kg on the bar. I decided to try a lower bar position with that and it didn't bother my shoulder/elbow at all. Decided to try the 232.5 again, with a bit lower bar position. Third attempt felt pretty good. Looking at the video I can't tell if the spotter helped or not (my right, left on screen). I wanted to go higher, but Ron suggested I try 232.5 kg again to get any mental barriers I was having out of the way. I think the fourth rep went fairly well. I was getting fairly tired by this rep. I feel this one definitely counts, even if the third rep doesn't count due to spotter interference.

Going forward I need to do some more planks and rows to try and help keep myself upright. I plan on going with a lower bar position to help me out as well. The next meet is December 6th. I'm thinking of using 232.5 kg as my goal, but may up it to 235-237.5 if things feel better during my other attempts.

Nice! Super impressed you got it in your 4th try. That is insane to me

Thanks weaz.

I think I had it on the 3rd, but wasn't sure if the spotter touched the weight or not. I would most likely have had the first, but the spotter touched my chest and I really wasn't pleased with how it felt/looked anyway so I'm wasn't going to count it.

agreed you probably had it, but it looks like he touched it. 4th is all you bro.

Thanks KC.

Nice Skwats

Back spotter supporting your chest is the only way people squat in India

Awesome!

Thanks guys.

Back spotter shouldn't touch you unless you fail. Ron thought I was about to fail, which is why he grabbed me on the first rep.

Today's workout

Deadlift: 210 kg (463 lb) x 1; 230 kg (507.1 lb) x fail x 4, attempt 1, attempt 2, attempt 3, attempt 4

Today was 1RM testing for deadlift. Couldn't video from the side because Mark Eppeheimer was benching and watching my reps from the side for me so he could give me some feedback. Failed each rep of 230 kg today. Happy to report that grip wasn't my limiting factor today. Will do some more grip work between now and the meet just to continue the trend of not having grip be limiting. The biggest issue was fully locking out at the top. Talking to Mark, who deadlifted 716 lb at the AFX in October, rack pulls have helped him with that issue. I will be doing some rack pulls between now and the meet, after doing my regular DL work.

Was talking to Mark about my squat attempts at the meet (he was a side spotter on Wednesday). I was going to use 232.5 kg as my 3rd attempt, but he said I should use it as my second as he feels I have more than that in me. His reasoning is that I can easily get 232.5 kg as long as I stay upright. He is confident I can do more than that if I stay upright. If I get it on my second attempt I have my 3rd attempt to try and go heavier. If I miss my first attempt at 232.5, I still have my 3rd attempt to get it right. I may go that route as doing multiple reps at 232.5 kg worked for me on Wednesday. It will most likely me a meet day decision, but may open with 217.5-220 and use 232.5 as my second. Use somewhere between 235-240 kg as my third depending on how the 232.5 went.

As for deadlift, I am thinking I will use 230 as my third attempt. Not sure what I will do for my opener or second attempt. Still have time to figure that out.

Any thoughts on attempts from you other competitors out there is greatly appreciated.

Today's workout

Squat: 187.5 kg (413.4 lb) x 2 x 2, set 1, set 2
Facepulls

I was feeling tired and beatup all day today. Figured I would go in and do what I could. Today was supposed to be 187.5 kg x 2 x 4, but just called the workout after the second set. Weights felt fairly easy and I think having a lower bar position will help me stay upright during the squat. Probably should have done some more accessories, but the gym was fairly packed.

Next session is on Wednesday and will be a morning session. Plan on doing more accessories then to make up for today.