PDA

View Full Version : USAPL 33rd Annual Florida State Open Powerlifting Championships



AJones148
01-14-15, 11:23 am
Here's the meet prep journey I'll be posting for the next 9 weeks. Below is Monday's training, which I already posted in my Journey, but its part of the meet prep so I'm reposting it. I almost continued to post in the regular Journey section, but now that I'm at a different gym, I'm just trying to forget all that shit that happened or didn't happen over the past couple months. This is a fresh start, so I decided to continue the Journey here in a new thread.. But now elite is 853 since I'm a weight class heavier, and I doubt I can add that much to my total in 9 weeks, so once this meet is done, I'll be back to the Journey to my Elite Total thread.

Wide grip pull ups: (he made me do these first cause I can't do 10 wide consecutive pullups): 6, 5, 4*5 (31 total, was supposed to do 30 total)
Bench: (w ups: bar*4, 95*3, 115*2) 135*3*2, then I got 135 for 10. With the pause! rep P fuckin R!! I think I got it for 6 or 7 not too long ago, so I'm definitely happy with this. I'ma get this goddamn 185 soon.
Slingshot bench: 135 AMRAP * 17. Not a typo, 17. And that shit wasn't even the right size slingshot, it was kinda big. So yeah. Fuck you, bench press. 17 reps!
Dips: BW* 17, 16, 16 (3 sets AMRAP) .. I want to do 20 soon BW and with a 45 plate for at least a few reps by the end of the year. Right now I can do 3-4 good form with a 25 plate) One guy there got 45 BW. And the owner can do em with 3 plates. But that guy's just strong as fuck..
DB row: 72*10*2
Front db raise: 20s*15*2 got these easy, no swinging.. Shit, I remember when this weight was a struggle for half the amount of reps..
Band pull aparts: Orange band *10*10
Ab wheel: +45plate *10*3


This meet will be a little different. This is the first time I'm lifting with a team. Also, I'm moving up a weight class.. USAPL is now doing IPF classes, and my options are to go down to 138 (lol) or go up to 158. As y'all know, I hate cutting and had no problem making a decision on this. I really don't know what my goal openers seconds and finals are for each lift yet, but I'd like to total at least 800. Last meet I did 760. I'm almost tempted to open high, and just have fun with it.. I guess I can't tho, cause I don't want to fuck the team over.. This is definitely different, having to think about the team.. But it'll be nice to have people I actually train with there to yell at me and whatnot. I'm already qualified for nationals, from my last meet.. But barely. My total IS the qualifying total. And I don't want to be the last place loser at Raw Nationals in Oct so I know I gotta get these #s up.

AJones148
01-14-15, 9:02 pm
Wed Squats
Box jumps: box2*3*1, +4" *3*2 Ugly and I landed on my hands and feet (like a frog) but at least I got up there, which I couldn't do at all last week.
LB squats: 185*3*3
Paused LB squats: 185*1*3
Hi bar squats: 185*3*2
Extra set of LBs at the end 185*3
Chin ups AMRAP*3: I fucked up and did the first set reg pull up tho.. 10, 7, 6
Inv rows AMRAP*3: 15, 13, 15
Hanging leg raise: bw*25, 35, 40 (100 total)

Push sled with ascending weights for 20 sec intervals with 1 min rest periods. A lot. At the end I felt like I was dying but I made it and didn't quit before the 3 guys I was pushing with.

Low bar felt OK, but a little disappointing. I kinda thought maybe it was the answer to my shitty squat and the weight would just fly up fast as fuck.. The first couple sets were strange, I felt like the weight was gonna just roll off my back when I unracked it. Then it was kinda rolling up my back.. Third set was a little better. Fourth at the end of squats was ok, but I think I was getting tired at that point. Actually the paused low bar squats felt better than my best set of regular low bars. .. But none of it was very fast or explosive. He kept saying he wanted them to be faster, but I'm still trying to get my form together.. Or maybe that's just an excuse, cause my lifts just generally aren't fast. Idk, maybe next time it'll come together. I'ma stick with it, from now on, low bar it is. I think I'ma tell him let me squat a little on Sat dl day. I need to get this low bar right, and I also think I make more squat gains when I squat twice a week.

My left hip felt like shit all day but I just tried to tell myself that's bullshit it don't hurt, it's just in my head. It still feels like shit. I really hope this isn't gonna become a problem. I broke my pelvis about 6 years ago in a car accident and that side is still all mangled and shit but that's the way it healed. I don't tell a lot of people about it cause I don't want them to say "you have a good squat for someone with a fucked up pelvis." and shit like that. I just want to have an actual good squat. Period. I just gotta not think about it. That's the fucking devil trying to hold me back. Fuck that.

GunRock
01-14-15, 9:44 pm
This is the first time I'm lifting with a team. Also, I'm moving up a weight class.. USAPL is now doing IPF classes, and my options are to go down to 138 (lol) or go up to 158.

I'm training with 1% Krew at Iron Beast Barbell in Gainesville, GA now. Never trained with a team before either. Hoping for good things, they're a cool and knowledgeable group of guys. I have the same situation. It's either 205 or 181. Aaaand the winner is . . . 205 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! 205!!!

AJones148
01-14-15, 10:18 pm
This is the first time I'm lifting with a team. Also, I'm moving up a weight class.. USAPL is now doing IPF classes, and my options are to go down to 138 (lol) or go up to 158.

I'm training with 1% Krew at Iron Beast Barbell in Gainesville, GA now. Never trained with a team before either. Hoping for good things, they're a cool and knowledgeable group of guys. I have the same situation. It's either 205 or 181. Aaaand the winner is . . . 205 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! 205!!!

I think going up is always better.. I mean, what the hell do I know? lol but I think at least for me it's better.. The deload week right before a meet I was cutting for was the worst. I had to really watch it and track every single thing and I got even less cals/ macros than usual since I wasn't lifting heavy. The water loading isn't my favorite either.. I didn't do any extreme dieting (just lost about 5-6 lbs over a few months) but I like to eat and it still sucked. I'm so glad this time I can just enjoy a leisurely breakfast and walk up in that meet at 8:15, chillin. No being nervous about making weight. No trying to get there first so they could weigh my hungry ass in quick so I could hydrate and eat.. I definitely won't miss any of that shit!

GunRock
01-14-15, 10:31 pm
I think going up is always better.. I mean, what the hell do I know? lol but I think at least for me it's better.. The deload week right before a meet I was cutting for was the worst. I had to really watch it and track every single thing and I got even less cals/ macros than usual since I wasn't lifting heavy. The water loading isn't my favorite either.. I didn't do any extreme dieting (just lost about 5-6 lbs over a few months) but I like to eat and it still sucked. I'm so glad this time I can just enjoy a leisurely breakfast and walk up in that meet at 8:15, chillin. No being nervous about making weight. No trying to get there first so they could weigh my hungry ass in quick so I could hydrate and eat.. I definitely won't miss any of that shit!

After reading stuff like Layne Norton's Fat Loss for Powerlifting http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/2014/01/30/fat-loss-powerlifting-part-1/ I decided that there's no reason to cut unless I'm trying to set a National record. Plus 181, 198 and 220 are all pretty competitive. The records are pretty close in each for the Open class. So until I'm strong enough to be competitive at those weights I don't see a reason to cut. I don't see the point in getting upset because if I were to compete in the Open, I'd be in the same class as Garrett Griffin, Ernie Lilliebridge Jr., Jesse Norris etc. If I go up there sits Dan Green, I don't even rate being in the same conversation at this point and if I went down to 181, I don't see myself carrying enough muscle to be competitive. So it's get stronger and mail the four guys I mentioned large amounts of sphaghetti so they all move up to 242. Lol!

AJones148
01-16-15, 8:15 pm
Friday BW: 156 lol, holy shit. I don't care about being fat(ter) but this just means my lifts really need to be better since I weigh more. Also, I ate a bunch of sodiumy shit last nite so it mite be a little high.

Friday Bench
Close grip bench: 135*3*2, 3rd set AMRAP: 135*9
Wide grip bench: 125*3*2
Neutral grip pullups: AMRAP *3: 10, 7, 6
1 arm DB rows: 62*20*2
BB skullcrusher: 55*20*2
Lateral raise: 15s*20*2
Plate raise: 25plt*20*2 don't laugh at my bitch weight on shoulder accessories. The reps were high af. And I suck at shoulder shit.

Tomorrow we deadlift. :)))) Then we math test :((((


***at Limitless, we always bench with the pause, so any bench from last week, this week and from now on will always have the pause***

GunRock
01-17-15, 1:54 am
Friday BW: 156 lol, holy shit. I don't care about being fat(ter) but this just means my lifts really need to be better since I weigh more. Also, I ate a bunch of sodiumy shit last nite so it mite be a little high.

Friday Bench
Close grip bench: 135*3*2, 3rd set AMRAP: 135*9
Wide grip bench: 125*3*2
Neutral grip pullups: AMRAP *3: 10, 7, 6
1 arm DB rows: 62*20*2
BB skullcrusher: 55*20*2
Lateral raise: 15s*20*2
Plate raise: 25plt*20*2 don't laugh at my bitch weight on shoulder accessories. The reps were high af. And I suck at shoulder shit.

Tomorrow we deadlift. :)))) Then we math test :((((


***at Limitless, we always bench with the pause, so any bench from last week, this week and from now on will always have the pause***

I saw the close grip work on IG. Looks good. I'm trying to butt out and let your new coach coach you. You don't need a 100 guys giving you advice all at once. That being said I advise you to work on fixing one thing per session so your technique gets better and better over time. You try to remember too much new stuff and it will make your lifts feel awkward, bar speed will decrease and your confidence will drop along with your lifting poundage.

AJones148
01-17-15, 1:23 pm
I saw the close grip work on IG. Looks good. I'm trying to butt out and let your new coach coach you. You don't need a 100 guys giving you advice all at once. That being said I advise you to work on fixing one thing per session so your technique gets better and better over time. You try to remember too much new stuff and it will make your lifts feel awkward, bar speed will decrease and your confidence will drop along with your lifting poundage.

Thanks! For some reason, bench seems to be feeling better lately.... Maybe it's from the extra 10 lbs I gained.. When I cut, the first thing that suffers is my bench, so maybe with the gain, it's gonna get closer to where I want it.. Yeah, it's hard to lift and think of the new stuff at the same time. When I was doing low bar the other nite it was strange, it was like I was doing so much thinking under the bar.. The weight wasn't even heavy but my bar speed was still pretty slow cause I was trying to remember all the things I was told to low bar.. I don't like thinking at the gym, that's where I go so I can not think about anything lol.

Saturday Deadlift
Box jump: box 2*5*5
Deadlifts: (wups: 115*4, 165*3, 215*2) 240*3*3, last set AMRAP, got 12 (beltless, cause I don't wear a belt for bitch weight.)
RDLs: 185*5*2
Front squat: 135*5*3 I almost forgot how much I hated these. It's so hard for me to hold the weight up, since my shoulders are weak af.
Shrugs: 135*20*3
Ab wheel: +25plt*20*3
Tire flip: 450 tire*15 NO belt, unassisted.

And now for this fuck ass math test...

GunRock
01-18-15, 12:32 pm
[QUOTE=AJones148;1399365]Thanks! For some reason, bench seems to be feeling better lately.... Maybe it's from the extra 10 lbs I gained.. When I cut, the first thing that suffers is my bench, so maybe with the gain, it's gonna get closer to where I want it.. Yeah, it's hard to lift and think of the new stuff at the same time. When I was doing low bar the other nite it was strange, it was like I was doing so much thinking under the bar.. The weight wasn't even heavy but my bar speed was still pretty slow cause I was trying to remember all the things I was told to low bar.. I don't like thinking at the gym, that's where I go so I can not think about anything lol.

FWIW that 's part of the philosophy behind doing the competition lifts more frequently so your technique becomes second nature. Emphasis on YOUR technique, meaning what works with YOUR levers and attributes at the time. Not generic, you should tuck your elbows this way, knees that way whatever. That's where a coach comes in who knows you and can adjust your form until you look safe and efficient and it feels most natural to you.

Keep up the good work.

AJones148
01-19-15, 8:37 pm
Jan 19, 2015
Monday Bench
Wide grip pull ups AMRAP*3 fml: 6, 5, 4 didn't beat last week . I almost got 6 and 5 on 2nd and 3rd sets but I don't count 3/4 reps, only full ROM reps.
Bench: (wups: bar*4, 95*3, 115*2, 135*1) 145*3, 145 AMRAP 6. 150 AMRAP 6. Rep PR, last time I tried to AMRAP 150 about 3 weeks out from my last meet I got it for 4 unassisted. Then 150 w/ slingshot AMRAP 12!
Dips: +25plt AMRAP *3: 10, 11, 11 then 10 sec rest pause and got 2 more so 13 total on last set
DB rows: 77*8*2
Front db raise: 25s*10*2
Band pull apart: orange band*20*5 (100 reps)
Ab wheel: +45plt *12*3

I didn't even realize I got that many on my AMRAP set with the slingshot.. I lost count (which usually don't happen). I kinda blacked out under the bar, I don't remember doing so many, but a couple teammates were there counting so that's the only way I knew how many I got.. It was weird, it was like I got "in my zone".. On bench, which never happens.. Well it happened once that day Fake Ass kept talking to me at the old gym, but it was more like I got mad and irritated that he wouldn't shut the fuck up and took out my aggression on the weight, not really that I got in my zone.. Could it be that I'm starting to hate bench less? Could it be that it's finally gonna go up? Will I get this 185 at the meet? ... We shall see....


Oh and I got a 91% on that fuck ass math test over the weekend.

AJones148
01-21-15, 8:28 pm
Wed Squats
Chin ups: +10lbs AMRAP*3: 7,7, 6
Box jumps: box 2 *3, box 2 + 4" *3*2 (3 sets of 3) still landing with my hands up there on the box like a frog, got one rep without doing that shit.. I guess its better than none, and better than when I was straight missing it the first week there...
Squats: (usual warmups) 200*3*2, 215*2*1 w/ belt, I wasn't gonna use it but they said I should, so I guess I'm still a ***get..
Paused squats: 200*1*2
High bar squat: 185*3, 200*2
Inverted rows: AMRAP *3: 20, 18, 20
Leg raise: bw*50*2

I swear high bar still feels faster than low.. Low is so slow, it seems like, except for some reason they feel faster coming up from the paused squats.. It's like I'm trying to remember all this new shit instead of just squatting without thinking like I do high bar.. I'ma stick with it, even tho I was feeling slightly disappointed in myself again since they felt weird again. This is the strangest thing, I've been having better bench days than squat days.. I should be thankful that bench is feeling better but I need to squat more weight. For as heavy as I am, my squat is fuckin poverty #s. Not today, I mean, the weight we squatted was based off percentages of our 1rms. I mean in general I need to get that 1rm up. I want to squat more frequently and do more but the coach says I'm doing enough. He knows what he's doing so I just need to trust the process. I suppose one of these days, it'll click and I'll come up from a heavy ass low bar squat fast as fuk.. In 2 weeks I think we go for new 3 and 2rms, and then possibly a new max. I want 275 then, and I need to squat at least 285 at this meet.

AJones148
01-21-15, 8:53 pm
http://youtu.be/waSUkKVAjsY

Any tips/ critique is welcome.

GunRock
01-21-15, 9:17 pm
http://youtu.be/waSUkKVAjsY

Any tips/ critique is welcome.

You look like you battle something that I'm working through as well. My shoulders aren't as flexible as they used to be so it's difficult to get my hands in as tightly as I want. So to create a good shelf for the bar, my elbows tend to drift up and back. That pitches me forward from the get go and it puts me onto my toes too much.

I'd say work on shoulder flexibility and bring your hands in as closely as possible to your shoulders to create a shelf. Then you can have your elbows down under the bar and it won't push you forward. Tight calves and squatting with your feet too close together might also do this and I usually have to aggressively stretch my calves before squatting to avoid it. I don't think you've got the foot stance issue by the way, I just threw it out there.

I think the best thing you can do is find the positions that best fit YOU. But it will take a while to be comfortable in them. Consider that crawling used to be the most comfortable way for you to cross a room but if you tried to do it now it would wear you out. Walking used to be a pain but now it's your preferred method of getting around your home. We adapt to anything given time and diligence.

You're uncomfortable in your new squat position so I highly recommend that you start squatting whenever you pick up ANYTHING from the ground rather than bending over and even spending 5-10 minutes just hanging out at the bottom of the squat position while watching TV or studying. That will drill good squat mechanics into you and your body won't fight itself on every rep that you do. It will definitely shorten your learning curve.

read Jay Nera's squatting article for more insight on this: http://animalpak.com/html/article_details.cfm?ID=682

AJones148
01-23-15, 10:03 pm
Friday Nite Benchin
Neutral grip pullups: 11, then I realized we were supposed to do em with weight, so then +10plt*6, 5*4, then last set of 4 since the total reps was 30... Including the bodyweight ones I did 41 but whatever, I need to get my pullup game up.
Close grip bench: usual wups, 145*3, 150*2 almost missed the last rep but I have bronchitis so still not terrible..
Wide grip bench: 130*3, 145*2 Surprised I got these, since I suck at anything wide grip...
Skullcrushers: 65*15*3
3 way shoulder raise: 10s*10each exercise no rest between front raise, lateral raise, and rear delt bent over raise.. Yeah I felt like a complete turd using 10s but then I looked over and some pretty strong guys were using 20s so I felt slightly less lame. I didn't want to rest pause or do shitty reps, so light weight it was.

Also, after watching that squat video 9000 times and analyzing why I was so nervous to squat 200lbs that nite, I realized one of the big issues holding back my confidence with this low bar squatting is the fact that as big and heavy as I am, I have no rear delts. I have no shoulders in general, but you need that rear delt "shelf" for the low bar to sit on, and it's just not there. You know how they say when you do low bar, you get under it and the bar "clicks" into position where it should be? Well that just doesn't happen for me no matter how much I try to adjust myself running it up and down my baby rear delts trying to make it "click in". I feel like it's gonna roll right off my back and fuck up my wrists. I told Ken and he's like well build some rear delts lol.. Easier said than done. My shoulders are definitely one of the weakest areas of my body. They hold back my bench and now they're trying to hold back my squat. Unacceptable. These shoulders can't hold me back (Rick Ross voice)... I'ma be doing extra band pulls and shit to build this shelf. I need to squat 275 in 2 weeks, and I need 285 by the meet. I know it's early, but at this point I'm thinking 285/185/365 finals. So I better get my shit together to make that happen.

And I had wild wings tonite, so tomorrows deadlifts should be good. Although I have to admit, I'm slightly disappointed in myself: I was trying to eat the whole 15-pack and it didn't happen lol... And I was hanging out with a guy from the team, I'm sure he was not impressed. I wonder if he thought I was tryin to be cute and not eat a lot... Lol I never do that fuck that I'll stuff my face in front of anyone, zero fucks given. I don't know what happened, why I quit so early.. Maybe its the bronchitis. Fuckin bronchitis. Aint nobody got time for that!

AJones148
01-24-15, 1:44 pm
Now that deadlifting is done for the day, I can openly admit I feel like I've died and gone to hell.. I try to tell myself I feel fine, it's all in my head before I go in and while I'm lifting when I'm sick.. For some reason I feel like if I don't admit I feel like shit I'll feel less like shit.

Saturday Deadlifts
box jumps: 2 box*3, then I missed the +4" box a few times and I was getting frustrated as fuck... I walked around the building and came back and I was like fuck this I'ma jump this goddamn box today, I'm not accepting failure. So I got a slight (about 4 feet) running start and I got that hoe for 2 sets of 3, clean! No frog hands! Landed on my fucking feet finally! That's what the fuck I'm talking bout!!!
Band pull aparts (for my little rear delts): Orange band *20*3
Deadlifts: usual warm ups, 265*3*2, 285*2*1
2" Defecit deadlifts: 240*3, add belt cause I'm a sick ***et 260 AMRAP got 8
Dimml deadlifts: 135*20*3 had to use straps cause my grip was done after the AMRAP defecits
Toes to bar: *10*3

And just for the hell of it, I did weigh in this morning: 157.5 lol what ever the fuck ever. I knew that was coming after last nites wild wings... But strangely enough I don't feel fat. Usually when I get fat I can feel it, like I'm uncomfortable, I can feel my arm fat touching the back of the seat when I drive and shit like that but I don't feel like that at the moment. I kinda did when I got back from Kentucky, but not now.. Maybe I just gained muscle lol, yeah I wish.. Maybe I gained muscle and fat but in an acceptable ratio. I'll take it. As long as I pull this 350 in 2 weeks, I don't care about being a little fat.. Believe it or not, as negative of an asshole as I am, I was 50 times worse in my "always be cutting" days, when I was all about the 'lean gains' and I used to do cardio and shit. About 2 years ago I got down to 118 but I looked and felt like shit, and I legit thought when ppl told me so that they were jealous.. lol .. I'm so glad that's over.

Now I get to go do a demo, which I'm sure will be lovely, I bet everyones gonna be itching to take samples from me while I'm coughing my lungs up.. Maybe they'll let me leave early.. I hope

GunRock
01-24-15, 3:51 pm
Training when you are sick flat out sucks. But you got it done. Not only that but you had a box jump breakthrough! Hard won victories are the sweetest.

AJones148
01-26-15, 9:14 pm
Training when you are sick flat out sucks. But you got it done. Not only that but you had a box jump breakthrough! Hard won victories are the sweetest.

That box jump did feel awesome. I just stood up there for a few seconds, enjoying the moment. Now my hammies are sore as hell, probably from that AMRAP defecit deadlift set but whatever, I'm happy I pushed myself and got that many. I'm just hoping it pays off next Saturday when we dl heavy again..

As for tonite, ugh, bench press.. I guess you win some, you lose some... But when it comes to bench, it's more like I lose some, lose some, lose some, lose some more, win a little, lose again... and so on.. So you can already guess how tonite went.. But I'm not mad, I know bench progress is so hard to come by for me that a shitty bench day was bound to happen soon after all those good ones.. I feel about 80% back to normal, still coughing a bit, maybe that's still effecting me. But I don't want to use that as an excuse.. Looks like 2 more days of antibiotics, hopefully it's all gone by Wed, cause I need these low bar squats to be better, especially with the meet coming up soon.

Monday Bench
Bench press: usual warm ups.. I mite ditch the 115*2 set after tonite, and just go bar*4, 95*3, 135*2 from now on instead.. I think I'll try that out Friday.
155*3, 160*2, 165*1 slow as shit, ugly ass crooked lockout no better than the 165 I pressed at the meet 2 months ago, 10 lbs lighter bodyweight.. Fuck, I hope next week is better. I want 175, I'm so fucking sick of 165. Fuck 165. Then I got 165*8 with the slingshot (AMRAP set).. How the hell is that even possible when I can only get one ugly rep without it? Idk, fucking bench press. . .
Weighted dips: +10lbs*15, +25lbs*12, +35lbs*8
Weighted pullups: +15*5*5 (spotter helped the last 2 reps on the last 2 sets cause I'm a ***et)
DB rows: 77*10*3
BB front raise: bar *10*2 ... lol I'm just embarrassingly weak at these.. Maybe they'll get better at some point..
Band pullaparts: Orange band *20*3
Ab wheel: +45 plate*15*3

And I had a bad meet dream last nite. I dreamed they ran it with 3 platforms, but the person running mine wasn't letting any of us lift. I was getting mad and I was like wtf? So I went to bitch about it to the refs and judges, and I realized that the meet was almost over already. They were deadlifting. And there was a huge crowd watching which made me even more pissed off that I wasn't lifting. Then when I looked at the weight they were lifting, it wasn't shit. Which made me feel even worse, knowing I could out lift all of em but I wouldn't have the chance. Then when I started asking why this was happening, they pulled out an x-ray of my fucked up hip/pelvis and said that it was close to the bone giving out on me and I shouldn't even be lifting. I was just like bullshit fuck that, when it cracks I'll stop, but I don't need yall to make that decision for me, and why the hell didn't you let my entire flight/ everyone on my platform lift either? I was so mad. Then I woke up, thankful that that didn't really happen and that I still have the chance to shmurder it at the March meet.

GunRock
01-27-15, 2:40 pm
And I had a bad meet dream last nite. I dreamed they ran it with 3 platforms, but the person running mine wasn't letting any of us lift. I was getting mad and I was like wtf? So I went to bitch about it to the refs and judges, and I realized that the meet was almost over already. They were deadlifting. And there was a huge crowd watching which made me even more pissed off that I wasn't lifting. Then when I looked at the weight they were lifting, it wasn't shit. Which made me feel even worse, knowing I could out lift all of em but I wouldn't have the chance. Then when I started asking why this was happening, they pulled out an x-ray of my fucked up hip/pelvis and said that it was close to the bone giving out on me and I shouldn't even be lifting. I was just like bullshit fuck that, when it cracks I'll stop, but I don't need yall to make that decision for me, and why the hell didn't you let my entire flight/ everyone on my platform lift either? I was so mad. Then I woke up, thankful that that didn't really happen and that I still have the chance to shmurder it at the March meet.

Same advice I just gave somebody else. (Seriously, like two minutes ago.) When your body is going through training, it interprets your anxiety about the upcoming event as a potential threat. So it releases adrenaline and gets you amped. But then you don't actually fight the tiger, you lift weights and go home, so some of that is unresolved. You have to learn to become comfortable in the moment to the point that you can harness the extra energy and nerves so they do what they're supposed to do for you. You're stronger and more explosive on meet day not jittery and unable to control the bar, etc.
When I was fighting, we'd simulate fight conditions as closely as possible so when crunch time came, we were able to recognize that tunnel vision is your predatory instincts letting you zero in on the prey to the exclusion of all else. It's hard to hear anything because right then you don't need to hear what Suzie in the front row is doing after the meet, you need to focus on holding up the fallen log so your kids can crawl out from under it (i.e. squatting), shoving the rapist off of you so hard he takes flight (bench pressing) ripping the head off of the lion (deadlifting). So embrace the suck. EMBRACE. THE. SUCK.

Ever see those guys who bomb out trying to explain what happened and they can't? They say stuff like, I don't understand, everything went great in training, my lifts were good. Today everything felt off.
Well no shit. You're not at home in your comfort zone. You had to travel however many miles, deprive yourself of nutrients to make weight, you're getting amped up and calming down repeatedly over the course of a loooong, draining day, in front of strangers. Remember that fear of public speaking is one of the top fears people have? The key word in that is "public". We speak just fine at home in our living room by ourselves. So people freeze on the platform all of the time. You are experiencing adversity now and that's the correct time to feel it, so you get used to dealing with it and still performing.
When everybody else has had great training cycles and then can't figure out why they can't produce on the platform, you get to walk in and say to yourself, "Oh this is just another day at the office" and use your nerves to get TURNT UP and take home the trophy.

That's Animal.

AJones148
01-28-15, 10:40 pm
I really don't know what the hell my problem is. I was excited to squat when I got up today. I ate good and I even tried to take a nap before I went to lift. (I'm never actually able t o take a nap, my stupid ass body just wont do it, I just lay there and roll around the entire time. I can do that for over an hour, this body just won't fall asleep. It's bullshit. But today I rested more than I rolled around even tho I didn't actually fall asleep. So one would think I'd be in the proper state to have a good squat day.. One would think.

Then when I got under the bar, low bar still felt wrong, everything was moving slow as hell and once I got to 185 it all felt heavy and even slower. Also, I feel like I'm having a harder time getting low enough in the hole with this low bar shit. Could it be that I'm the only fucktard who squats worse low bar? I almost wana say fuck this and do my usual mid bar.. I mean what if this is wasting my time and slowing my progress even more? Idk I'll stick with it a bit longer and Ima send in the form for March meet as soon as I get paid but if this bullshit continues I mite not do the meet. I can't stand to do it and be heavier and weaker than I was at the last one.
I'm also starting to feel like maybe my Westside wasn't flawed and it wasn't the programming. It's this shitty ass weak ass body. Maybe this is really it. Maybe this is as far as my shit genetics will take me.. And it sucks cause my #s are still low as hell. I feel like the weakest piece of shit ever. I'm disgusted with myself. I hate this goddamn body.

So you say guys who do well in training sometimes suck on the platform.. Does that mean cause I can't get my shit together in training, that it'll come together on meet day? lol probably not.. I'm thinking way too much under the bar (which still has no rear delt "shelf") like I can't just autopilot my brain and just squat like when I was doing my "mid bar" squat(mornings)

Next week is test week and I don't feel confident at all. One of the guys said my depth was good but I think he was just trying to not hurt my feelings or some shit.. They also say Im staying more upright now with the low bar.. But Id rather do an ugly ass 6 second squat-morning with 285 on meet day and hit depth than do a high, pretty 270 low bar squat and look like a complete piece of dogshit whos only progressed 5 fucking pounds in 4 months. At this point I really have no confidence or faith in myself. I hope next week something changes. Another guy there said he believes in me but I still dont. He says I need a win to feel better about shit. I do. The past 3 months since the meet have had no real lifting wins. Its like the weights just been crushing me pushing me down in the dirt further and further and now I feel like Im too deep in this hole of sucking to ever crawl back out. And Im still coughing like a dumb sick ***get. This body just sucks.

Maybe Gods testing me to see how bad I want it but fuck haven't I passed this fucking test yet? This is driving me crazy and making me feel like shit and depressed as fuck and making me hate myself more and more. Im not fucking quitting Ill just be the most miserable bitch in the world squatting shitty ass gay ass 265 next year and the year after.

Wed Squats
Box jumps starting at seated position: box 2 (gay bitch box cause I suck and need a running start to jump the higher one) 3*3
Squat: usual wups, 225*3 (slowest heaviest 225 Ive squatted in a while.. regression at its finest)
240*2, 260*1.. as slow as this was I have no idea how the fuck Ima get 275 next week.
Paused (2 sec) squat: 225*1
High bar squat: 205*2*2 used a belt like a weak turd cause I was worn out from the low bar reps already
Neutral grip pullups:+ 15lbs*5*4
Laydown leg raise with ball: 10lbs ball * 15*3

I bet Ken wishes I never came to that gym and he's probably dissapointed that I suck so bad and Im big for nothing. Im not doing the meet if shit dont get better and fucking up the teams total. Ill just eat the $70 entry fee, I don't care about that.

AJones148
01-29-15, 6:16 pm
And I was just fucking with my wilks calculator thing and I realized that even if I get all 3 (10 lb on each lift) PRs next week, my wilks will still be 2 points lower than it was 3 months ago at my last meet. Well fuck me. Fatter and weaker. Regression at its finest.

GunRock
01-29-15, 7:32 pm
you say guys who do well in training sometimes suck on the platform.. Does that mean cause I can't get my shit together in training, that it'll come together on meet day? lol probably not.. I'm thinking way too much under the bar (which still has no rear delt "shelf") like I can't just autopilot my brain and just squat like when I was doing my "mid bar" squat(mornings)

Depends on what the problem is . . . I'd continue to give it honest effort. Remember I said that you sucked at walking when you first started doing it and crawling seemed like a better idea because you could go faster that way and not fall down. But ask yourself which way you'd rather get from the grocery store to the car now? Crawling or walking upright? Keep practicing squat form with broomsticks at home, at the gym as part of your warm up no matter what you're training that day. You'll get it.

Here are some Rippetoe videos that MIGHT help you since you prefer to be more bent over. I think that's why the coach moved you to low bar, squat mornings as you call them are closest to low bar squatting.
Low Bar position http://youtu.be/g2tyOLvArw0So
Adding hip drive to your squat http://youtu.be/yha2XAc2qu8



Maybe Gods testing me to see how bad I want it but fuck haven't I passed this fucking test yet? This is driving me crazy and making me feel like shit and depressed as fuck and making me hate myself more and more. Im not fucking quitting Ill just be the most miserable bitch in the world squatting shitty ass gay ass 265 next year and the year after.

At risk of sounding obnoxious, if God is testing you, you're not likely to pass until you improve your attitude towards adversity and obstacles. Venting is one thing but constantly talking yourself down is a self fulfilling prophecy. Eventually we talk ourselves into being what we keep saying we are. You've been saying how weak you are since stuff didn't work out with your deadlift and your lifts are going down. When I first started following you, you had an attitude of an overcomer, a conqueror and your training was going well. I challenge you to go three days without saying anything negative no matter what happens in training, school or anywhere else in your life.


I bet Ken wishes I never came to that gym and he's probably disappointed that I suck so bad and Im big for nothing. [/QUOTE] I think you'd lose that bet. Stay motivated!!!

This is my 420th post on here. If I were a weed smoker, I'd take it as a sign and celebrate. . .but I'm not so, I won't.

AJones148
01-30-15, 7:57 pm
Today was bench. Ok I won't SAY anything negative for the next 3 days and see what happens, but my mind is still like "you suck" "that was shit" "stupid bitch" "you may as well just give up on lifting", etc after pretty much every set. What can I say? I fucking hate myself for being so bad at everything. I think I'm the biggest piece of shit and everyone else is better than me. That's just how I feel. But I won't say it out loud or write it for the next 3 days. I failed my close grip bench triple and had to use micro plates for the double cause I knew I didn't have 160 for 2 after missing the last rep of 155*3.

Also, it's easy for everyone to say be positive, don't get discouraged and whatnot, when they haven't been failing consistently on every single lift for the past 3 months. I don't know if everyone who's said these things to me would be so positive themselves if they were in this situation.
So I'll state todays positive things before the workout:

1. I got my hair done for free (aside from tipping her) by one of my old hair school teachers cause she needed a hair model. It looks pretty good.. Well before I lifted it did..
2. After I take a bath I'ma eat a big ass steak.
3. I have a math midterm tomorrow but I really don't care cause I'm too upset about the whole Wilks thing. So at least I'm not nervous or dreading it.
4. At 10, I have my usual Friday nite date.... As in Dateline NBC murder mystery, one of my favorite shows.

Friday Bench
Close grip bench: usual wups, didn't omit the 115 set yet, then 155*2 (failed 3rd rep), 157*2
Wide grip bench: 140*3, 150*2
Chin ups: +15lbs*5, 5, 4, 4, 4 Supposed to do 20 total but I was like fuck it AMRAP on the last set
DB rows: 82*10*2
Skullcrushers: 75*15*2
Plate raise: 35*10*2
Band pull apart: Orange band*10*4

And congrats on post #420 lol.. I do smoke and I would really love to smoke a nice bowl in the tub in a few minutes but I'm still at the end of these antibiotics and getting rid of this damn bronchitis, so I can't. My guy probably thinks I died or something cause I haven't called him in forever lol.. I never smoke when I'm any kind of sick, even when I used to smoke cigs I'd always stop when I was sick.

AJones148
01-31-15, 2:15 pm
Saturday Deadlifts
Deadlifts: Usual wups, 290*3, 310*2, 330*1 330 wasn't very fast but they said it got too far in away from me. I still finished it tho.
Defecit dls: 275*3, 295*2
Tire flips: 750 tire *4 (assisted)
Wide pullups, 3 sets AMRAP: 7, 6, 6 more like 6 3/4 on second and 3rd sets but I don't count 3/4 reps
Shrugs: 135*10*3

And now it's time for the math midterm.

GunRock
01-31-15, 5:44 pm
So last year in March I strained my pec lifting what should have been an easy opener. I had just done it at The National ABC and at a local un sanctioned meet. Now I was at a sanctioned meet trying to finally get past the 350 barrier on bench. do you know how annoying it is to be stuck at 350 on bench? It sucks because most guys when you ask them how much they bench say 350, except half the time they're lying. They just think 350 sounds respectable. I remember telling Mark Bell that I benched 350 when I was trying to figure out which Slingshot I needed and he just looked at me like "yeah sure". As I was saying the words I was kicking myself because I really want to say 340, 355, anything but 350. Every time I get to the 350 mark and try to go past it I end up getting injured. This has been my struggle said I started powerlifting in 2011. so anyway this time I was sure I would get past it and I get to the meat full of confidence and I hurt myself on my opener! I spent the rest of that day nauseated and in pain but unable to go home because I had to stay and coach two of my lifters, not to mention it's embarrassing to get hurt while you're trying to coach people. I mean why should they listen to me when I apparently don't know what I'm doing? To add to the fun, during my treatment for this injury, I discover I might have cancer! Yep, I had a lump on my right leg that I had dreaded getting checked out because I didn't want any bad news. I bit the bullet when the orthopedist suggested that I get it checked since I was getting an MRI anyway, and sure enough it needs to come out because it might be cancer. So I had it removed which drastically reduced my hamstring strain just as I was finally starting to deadlift a respectable amount. I compete in the 198 and 220 weight classes. Just take a look at what the competitive lifters in those classes lift. here's a hint, d finally reached the 500 pound I had finally reached the 500 pound mark and as I'm trying to get past it I have surgery which cuts my hamstrings drink down to nothing. I couldn't even stand up without help from my kids. So I went to Nationals as a coach and got to watch a guy there in my age group and weight class qualify for the World Championships with lifts that I knew I could beat! But there I was sitting there old and broken down in the audience. But, my strength was coming back up so I reasoned that maybe I'd get it next time. Not so fast, I got a phone call from the doctor telling me I needed one more surgery to get some more of the mass out of my leg that they had left behind. Wonderful. Strength went back down, I still have no feeling on my right shin. When my wife touches it I have no idea she's doing that unless I am looking at my shin.that was August 31st.I decided to throw out a trial balloon and I went and did a local USAPL competition 9 days after the surgery. I cannot say it was one of the smartest things I've ever done, there me and my broken down right leg squatted and amazing 303 pounds! Yay.Then I had the joy of going to Worlds, again as a coach, and having to stand by and watch others compete while I stood by. a few months after that my oldest son squatted 325 so my son squats more than me! Granted I have done more than that in the gym now, but I don't care because what matters is what happens on the platform. Despite all of that, you will never hear me say anything negative about my training simply because I recognize that the reason I'm not able to do something is related to some weakness somewhere in my body that I can correct. For example part of why I keep getting injured on the bench press is I don't have the muscle mass in my triceps and front delts to support lifting that sort of heavy weight. I also neglected for a long time my tendon and ligament strength so my muscles might be able to handle that amount of weight but my tendons and ligaments cannot. Therefore they always betray me when I get too heavy. The reason I was not dead lifting as much as I wanted was simply a lack of core strength. I had allowed myself to get overweight and sloppy simply because as a former scrawny kid, it fed my ego to see over 200 pounds on the scale no matter what that 200 pounds look like without my shirt on. If you look at the other people in my weight class who are lifting the big weight, they all look like they could step on the bodybuilding stage with a little bit of time to lean out. Especially Garrett Griffin, and Ernie Lilliebridge Jr. Not to mention Chris Duffin, Ibn Mahama and Sam Byrd. so my solution has been to spend more time building my muscle mass and cutting out the body fat so I have more useful weight in this way class. Muscle mass will help support heavy loads. I want to be more than someone who is strong for an older lifter and instead just be someone who is strong. So I do understand how you feel about not being able to hit that deadlift. That is why I encouraged you a few months ago. Because nobody encouraged me about the bench press thing. Nobody. I do think that you've got potential in this game because prior to the previous three months you were doing okay. I just think that your body can only take you so far before you have to start doing things to allow it to leap over the plateau. Or to put it a different way, your plateau is there because your body is preventing you from injuring yourself. So continue to look at your videos, continue to build a foundation of muscular body weight not just random squishy stuff and keep treating yourself like an athlete which is what you are. And the gainz will come. I believe in you Little Sis. For real.

AJones148
02-01-15, 12:49 pm
^^^^^
That's crazy that you went through all those injuries. But it's awesome that you're still going and now you really have some impressive lifts. I just get so frustrated cause it's not like I'm injured, I'm just doing badly for no apparent reason. I guess I should just be glad I'm not injured..? Being injured does suck. I've never been injured (aside from a few minor stupid things like my wrist and elbow slight issues and one time when I first started, I fucked up my bicep from not properly warming up cause I was in a rush) since I've been training, but I did break my pelvis 6 years ago and I remember how awful that was. It's a horrible feeling not being able to do the things you used to be able to do. I wasn't lifting before that, but I was stuck in a hospital bed for 3 weeks before they'd even let me get up and attempt to walk (with a walker).. I don't really like to tell people about that cause I don't want them to say "you lift good for someone with a fucked up hip", kinda like how you don't want people to say "you lift good for your age".. It's healed, but the left side healed kinda mangled and sometimes my mobility is horrible on that side but fuck that I just act like it never happened.

Oh speaking of positive shit, I forgot to add that yesterday before deadlifts I got 3*3 on box jumps with the extra 4", and I didn't miss any of them, nor did it take me an entire hour and a mini bitch fit (outside by myself) like the week before.. I was in a rush yesterday to go do that test and get it over with.. And I got an 84%.. Not great, but not terrible. Besides, I honestly didn't really care that much. It's that stupid remedial math class I had to take so I'm just like whatever, I just want to get it over with. I was telling one of my teammates yesterday that given the choice, I'd rather get an F on that test and get all 3 PRs next week than get an A and miss my lifts... Of course I'd rather have the A and the PRs but I'll take the B and my 3 PRs next week. I was reading this LBEB thing where the guy was saying he stalled out pretty bad training himself, then he got a coach and it got better. I asked how long did it take before he saw improvements, and he said about a month.. Ok so I've been at Limitless a month now, lets hope this week is the week shit changes..

And no weigh in this week cause it's 'heavy week.'.. which is fine that it's this week, cause at least it won't be on meet day.

GunRock
02-02-15, 10:57 am
I used two exclamation points because nobody ever does that. It's either one exclamation point or three. I want to be different so it's going to be two exclamation points for me from now on. Maybe I'll get in the history books as the founder of the two exclamation point movement.

Anyway, looks like you got some good progress already. And the remedial class is teaching you something that I think you should take into your powerlifting training. You might already know how to do all of that stuff but it will build on itself to make you better at harder math later. Same thing with switching to low bar squatting. That's how you found out that you need to improve your rear delts and your fat to muscle ratio. Stop compartmentalizing your life and start looking for how the lessons from each area will improve the others. My two cents.

Here's a good thread for you to follow:
http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?43494-Brandon-Lilly-A-New-Outlook-Same-Journey

AJones148
02-02-15, 7:55 pm
.... And I'm back to sucking again.
I hate the goddamn bench press so much. It's so fucking stupid. When the fuck am I going to be laying on my back and needing to pick some shit up? Aside from at a meet, never. Once again, it's made me it's bitch. Good thing the 3 days of not being allowed to be negative are over cause this is fucking bullshit.

Bench press: (new wups: bar*4, 95*3, 135*2) 160*3 big fucking deal rep fucking PR. Woop de fuckin doo. Cause that matters so much, you know since we hit 3rms at the meets all the time. Failed a double with 170, then failed the 175 PR attempt.

Ken's like oh it don't matter cause you got the 3rm PR. Lol who the fuck cares what I can bench for 3. Also, it's been 3 months and I'm 10 lbs fatter so that's not even really any better. Why the fuck is he making us go for a dumb ass 3RM first? So we can miss the real PR and really feel like dogshit? I'm starting to think they hate me there and don't really want me on the team. I mean all I'll be doing is bringing down the team's average. The link to today's failure is below. I'll send the money for the meet in when I get it in a couple days but I really don't think I'm doing that meet. I'm just gonna pay for it so I have the option to lift if I magically stop sucking in the next month. Also to punish myself with losing the $70 if I don't for being a piece of shit.
Then easy shit for accessories cause he wants us to rest up for Wed squat maxes.
(Pullups: no weight 3 sets AMRAP: 9,8,8
Band pullaparts: Orange band *25*4
Band tricep extensions: orange band*33*3)
I don't even want to think about attempting another max. I'm at the point where I'm not even enjoying lifting anymore cause it's just a constant disappointment. Or rather, I'm a constant disappointment. And please, please, for the love of God, don't tell me to be positive, cause I felt great after the meet and everything has gone to complete shit since. Also I was feeling positive today and look what happened. When I'm positive, not only do I feel like shit for failing, but I also feel stupid for thinking shit was gonna be different. Anyways, here's the shitty ass video.

http://youtu.be/IeE03T-Z0UA

AJones148
02-02-15, 8:12 pm
Oh and this. Both the same 170 lbs. The bottom video is 6 months ago, 5 lbs lighter bodyweight, the top video is tonite. Such improvement lol

http://youtu.be/gFyIrhm6xRY

AJones148
02-04-15, 5:16 pm
I sent in the money for the meet today, but I have low expectations. I'm on my way to squat and tbh I'm dreading it. I tried to get in a better mood but I can't force myself to pretend to be happy. I feel like shit, and I've passed the point of no return. The raidos playing good music and I'm drinking my pwo shit but I don't feel the least bit amped or ready to kill the weights. I'm tryin to tell myself I don't care anymore so I won't be mad if I fail tonite. I half expect them to kick my sorry ass off the team for being weak and negative.. It would be so awkward at the meet if that happend.. Whatever Im a dumb bitch and I'd deserve it. Shit, I'm here. I guess I better go in and face the music.

HIGA MONSTER
02-04-15, 5:56 pm
I sent in the money for the meet today, but I have low expectations. I'm on my way to squat and tbh I'm dreading it. I tried to get in a better mood but I can't force myself to pretend to be happy. I feel like shit, and I've passed the point of no return. The raidos playing good music and I'm drinking my pwo shit but I don't feel the least bit amped or ready to kill the weights. I'm tryin to tell myself I don't care anymore so I won't be mad if I fail tonite. I half expect them to kick my sorry ass off the team for being weak and negative.. It would be so awkward at the meet if that happend.. Whatever Im a dumb bitch and I'd deserve it. Shit, I'm here. I guess I better go in and face the music.
BRUH...

Keep your head up and just face your fears and attack the meet!
You will be fine. Just got out there and have fun and do the best you can. That's all you can ask for.

I really hope you change your outlook on it and have a good time. Just give it your best.

Best of luck,
HIGA MONSTER

GunRock
02-04-15, 8:43 pm
I sent in the money for the meet today, but I have low expectations. I'm on my way to squat and tbh I'm dreading it. I tried to get in a better mood but I can't force myself to pretend to be happy. I feel like shit, and I've passed the point of no return. The raidos playing good music and I'm drinking my pwo shit but I don't feel the least bit amped or ready to kill the weights. I'm tryin to tell myself I don't care anymore so I won't be mad if I fail tonite. I half expect them to kick my sorry ass off the team for being weak and negative.. It would be so awkward at the meet if that happend.. Whatever Im a dumb bitch and I'd deserve it. Shit, I'm here. I guess I better go in and face the music.

Just saw it on your IG. Nice job.

AJones148
02-04-15, 8:52 pm
Well, it finally happened. Squat fuckin PR! I'm so glad I got it, I needed that shit so bad.

Wed Squats
Squat: usual wups, 245*3, 260*2, 275*1 All these were PRs.
Paused squat: 245*1 also PR
Neutral grip pullups: 3* AMRAP: 10, 9, 8
DB row: 87.5*10*2
Hanging leg raise: 100 total reps: 17, 33, 30, 20 yeah, I know that's an odd rep range but my bicep was doing something weird so I had to stop a couple times.

I know I've been a mess lately and yall probably think I'm nuts/ bipolar or some shit. I went in feeling terrible about everything. But when I started warming up I started getting mad. I was sick of the weight beating me. I was tired of it making me it's bitch. Not tonight I told myself. I decided that even if I failed it would not be because I gave up. I was going to grind these goddamn squats until I either stood up or my legs simply gave out. I was not going to fucking quit. I got the 3rm PR, and it felt easy. I didn't think I hit depth, but I'd had someone record me and as usual, depth was fine. I always think I'm high, then I watch the video and I'm good. Then Ken said go for 260 for 2 and I was like aww fuck, I don't know about this. But fuck that I'm going for it anyway. I'd drank half a bang and half a Gatorade mixed with Jacked. Yuck did that taste like fucking shit. Whatever, it didn't matter. Then I got that and I was surprised. The second one was a bit grindy but fuck it. Also, I have a thing when it comes to squatting: the second heavy one is usually faster and better than the first. Don't ask me why.. I'm the opposite on bench, once I've hit a heavy rep or 2rm or whatever, I'm pretty much done. I don't have that kind of strength/ muscle endurance in my upper body yet, but I'm working on it. Then I got the new 10lb pr 1 rep max! I was so fucking happy. I thought it was high but the video says otherwise. I need to not get so down when I fail the bench. I always fail bench, it's just my weakest lift, it is what it is. Now I gotta get this fucking 350 on Saturday, I don't really care if I pr on close grip bench on Friday. I mean, it would be nice, but I want that 350 much more.
Btw, I dumped the rest of the bang and Jacked concoction out, cause I knew if I drank the rest I'd hate myself for drinking it in about 5 hours.

Also, I read something this morning that said when you change technique, it gets worse before it gets better. The last month of low bar has been pretty sketchy but I think tonight it finally clicked. It finally felt right.

And I'm flattered that someone like Higa Monster actually looked at my journey. Thanks for the encouragement!

Here's the video of the 1RM
http://youtu.be/tnS9C2I5StE

AJones148
02-05-15, 2:32 am
And its 2:30am and I'm still awake. I almost regret drinking that shit.. But not really cause I PRd.. No more of it til Sat and none after for 3 weeks until next heavy week. And Sat I lift early so it'll wear off by the time I'm trying to sleep.
I'm glad I didn't finish all of it. Since I don't drink much caffeine anymore that shit gets me wired up.

GunRock
02-05-15, 3:18 am
Also, I read something this morning that said when you change technique, it gets worse before it gets better. The last month of low bar has been pretty sketchy but I think tonight it finally clicked. It finally felt right.
http://youtu.be/tnS9C2I5StE

I saw that in a Juggernaut article yesterday about not changing programs. That's what I meant when I told you you're not making improvements like you wanted at first because you've made an adjustment and now you're relying on muscles that you never have before. It's natural for you to not be good at new movements at first. Like when you first started walking instead of crawling. Or change careers, or go back to school. That's just life.

The whole think positive thing isn't to say that you won't get frustrated by stuff that happens. I just wanted you to recognize that in this like anything else, nobody makes progress all of the time. Sometimes you get stuck. I remember reading something Dan Green said to the effect of you can only get stronger from technique alone for so long before you need to add muscle in order to get anymore poundage increases in a lift. Adding muscle takes time, therefore we plateau. So if you KNOW that you won't make progress all of the time and that sometimes you get stuck because you're trying something different, there's no reason to act like it's permanent.

I stopped giving you advice because I didn't think you needed anymore right then. I still won't give you a lot. But that doesn't mean I'm not still watching and cheering you on.

Glad Higa Monster stopped by here. Shows once again how much of a family Animal is.

AJones148
02-06-15, 7:27 pm
Friday Bench
Close grip bench: usual wups, 155*2 (missed my triple) then missed 165*1.. But whatever, I didn't really expect a variation of my worst lift to be great, especially after maxing regular bench on Monday. Also, warming up my elbow felt terrible. We didn't do that much tonite, since tomorrows the real important day.
Chin ups: 3*AMRAP: 8,7,6
3 way shoulders: 10s*10 each way, no rest *3
Band tricep pushdowns: brown band*15*3.... I don't think the bands actually brown, it was kinda dirty I think it started out beige but I could be wrong.

I'm not even mad about bench tonight. Wednesday was good enough that I'm ok with missing my bench. Close grip bench, while useful, at the end of the day isn't a competition lift so whatever. Besides, I didn't want to keep trying and burn myself out tonight, I need to be ready for tomorrow.

Tomorrow me and that bitch fight again. Yep, I'm going for that 350 deadlift again. The way this program goes is we do a 3RM, then a 2RM then a 1RM... He says it don't really matter if we miss the 1RM as long as we get the 3... Of course, both is optimal but he says the 3 is more important. So fuck it, I'm going between 325-335*3. Then I'ma double that whore. After that they said try 365... We'll see about that. Of course I want 365 but seriously I'll be totally happy if I get the 350, 365 would just be 'the icing on the cake'.. Mmmm cake. Tomorrow, as much as I don't want to, I'll be weighing in. Well at least if I'm heavy I'll feel more confident to deadlift lol.. Tonight I'll be eating my steak stir fry and sitting in the tub then I have my Friday nite date (line NBC) at 10. Tomorrow I'ma drink my bang/ hyde concoction/ liquid crack so I should be good.

AJones148
02-06-15, 8:12 pm
I saw that in a Juggernaut article yesterday about not changing programs. That's what I meant when I told you you're not making improvements like you wanted at first because you've made an adjustment and now you're relying on muscles that you never have before. It's natural for you to not be good at new movements at first. Like when you first started walking instead of crawling. Or change careers, or go back to school. That's just life.

The whole think positive thing isn't to say that you won't get frustrated by stuff that happens. I just wanted you to recognize that in this like anything else, nobody makes progress all of the time. Sometimes you get stuck. I remember reading something Dan Green said to the effect of you can only get stronger from technique alone for so long before you need to add muscle in order to get anymore poundage increases in a lift. Adding muscle takes time, therefore we plateau. So if you KNOW that you won't make progress all of the time and that sometimes you get stuck because you're trying something different, there's no reason to act like it's permanent.

I stopped giving you advice because I didn't think you needed anymore right then. I still won't give you a lot. But that doesn't mean I'm not still watching and cheering you on.

Glad Higa Monster stopped by here. Shows once again how much of a family Animal is.

I think that's the article I was talking about. It came at just the right time. I wasn't gonna give up on the program, but I was really feeling some type of way about that low bar.. Now I feel so much better about it. I watched that video more times than I'd like to admit over the past few days, and I realized a few things: It was so much faster than my last squat pr: 3.5 seconds to get up vs a full 6 seconds at the meet to get up from 264. Speaking of school, I'm so over it and my macroeconomics class is so awful it's making me not even hate the math so much anymore. But tonight it don't matter. I'm not dealing with it, I'm not studying for it. I'm totally neglecting that bullshit (just for tonight) cause I have a heavy ass weight to deadlift tomorrow.

I know we don't progress all the time and I'm ok with that. I just needed to PR so bad cause I was feeling like maybe this was it, maybe this was as "strong" as I was gonna get. I felt like I wasn't gonna progress anymore at all and I was afraid it was permanent. On my IG I'm sure you noticed there hadn't been a real lifting video in months. It was cause I hadn't had a single success in the gym in all that time. I thought I was building muscle, lifting all those days so I wasn't sure what the hell was going on. Even if I miss my dl tomorrow I PRd on something this week so at least I know I've improved some. I'm sure if I miss I'll be disappointed, but fuck that I'm not gonna miss. I'm not even gonna entertain that thought.

I know I've been negative and awful lately, but its cause this means everything to me. I want to be good at lifting so bad. I want it way more than any stupid school shit, or job or anything to do with guys or relationshits. Yes I said relationshits on purpose. I don't really have another hobby or anything I give a shit about nearly as much as this so when I kept failing it was frustrating as hell. I appreciate you following my journey and encouraging me. And it means a lot to me when people like Higa Monster and Dan Green (one time he actually answered a question I asked him on here) look at my stuff or respond to me. I can't think of anywhere else that some of the best lifters in the world would take the time to talk to someone like me who's still a nobody in powerlifting.. I ain't gonna be a nobody in this forever tho.

As bad as it may get, I won't quit. Its just not an option.. I was thinking the other night when I was feeling like absolute shit before I squat PRd, what if I hadn't gone in and just quit? Then I would have had no PR still and really felt terrible. So I guess the lesson in that is when you feel like complete shit and nothings getting better, don't quit. Cause that might just be the day shit changes.

GunRock
02-06-15, 8:51 pm
As bad as it may get, I won't quit. Its just not an option.. I was thinking the other night when I was feeling like absolute shit before I squat PRd, what if I hadn't gone in and just quit? Then I would have had no PR still and really felt terrible. So I guess the lesson in that is when you feel like complete shit and nothings getting better, don't quit. Cause that might just be the day shit changes.

These are the lessons you pass on to the next generation. Glad you're in a better place but remember your own advice when you hit another plateau.

AJones148
02-07-15, 1:23 pm
And it fucking won again. It's now been 7 fucking months since I failed 350 the first time. Now I've failed it on 6 separate occasions, I can't even count how many attempts. This is fucking bullshit. My wilks score is 12 whole fucking points lower than it was at the meet 3 months ago. Fucking regression at its finest.

Deadlift: wups: 135*4, 185*3, 225*2, 275*1, 325 * 2 tried to triple it, couldn't loc it out on the 3rd rep, FAILED 350 twice fucking again.

WHY THE FUCK CAN'T I LIFT THIS GODDAMN FUCKING WEIGHT??????????????????????????????????????????? Fuck my fucking life.

Pull ups: wide: 5,4 neutral: 6,5 chin-ups: 6,6

I'm not looking forward to this stupid ass fucking meet. I only have one month of training left and I'm not where I need to be so I'm sure I'll just fucking humiliate myself at that bullshit and fail some more, but this time in front of everyone and they'll all say wow what the fuck happened to that stupid ass bitch?

I know we can't always get stronger, but I'm never getting stronger and the squat PR wasn't cause I got any better but just cause I switched to low bar. Now I have a stupid ass fucking test but I really don't give one single fuck if I fail cause I already failed the only thing I give a shit about today.

GunRock
02-08-15, 12:28 am
Do you still deadlift with the same style? I mean conventional? No advice to give just wondering if you're noticing any carryover from the increased hip strength from the low bar squats yet.

AJones148
02-09-15, 7:14 pm
Do you still deadlift with the same style? I mean conventional? No advice to give just wondering if you're noticing any carryover from the increased hip strength from the low bar squats yet.

Yeah, always conventional. I refuse to switch to sumo cause I can't do it the right way. I need to pull that fucking 350 conventional. At one point I used sumos as accessories but I wasn't very good at it and I don't think it helped my deadlift at all, maybe my squat a little bit, idk. Either way I need to pull 350 conventional, I guess I'm not seeing any carryover from anything cause I still can't. My deadlift has gone to absolute shit since that first time I missed 350 7 whole months ago. Who knows? It's probably be 2016 before I even get that shit halfway up again. I've given up on the thought that I'll total 900 this year, I know it won't happen and it'll be another disappointment if I expect it.

I also am now sure that the entire team hates me and wishes I never joined. They're all buddy buddy with each other but nobody says a word to me, except when I ask for a spot and shit like that.. I'm just a dissapointment. To myself, to everyone. Whatever, I don't even give a shit anymore. I really don't think I'm doing that meet anymore. I don't even know how I squat PRd last week, I think I just got lucky, I haven't actually gotten any better at anything at all.. Except coughing. That's the only thing this piece of shit body wants to do is fucking cough. And suck at lifting.

Monday bench:
Bench: wups, 135 for 6 singles
1" off chest paused (2 second) bench: 120 for 3 singles
Pullups: AMRAP *3: 10, 8, 7
DB row with pause at top: 77*10*3
BB front raise: 55*10*2
Band pull aparts: Orange band*33, 34, 33 (100 total)
Ab wheel: +45plt *15*3

GunRock
02-09-15, 8:33 pm
Wish you were able to make it to The National ABC. Always good to get around other brothers and sisters and feed off of the vibe. Plus you get to pick the brains of the entire Animal athlete roster. I hit a 30lb deadlift PR that night just from listening in to the advice they were giving everybody around me and from questions I asked.

Plus there's the fact that I had just watched an insane amount of weight being lifted by Animal athletes all day.

Anyway the cold shoulder from other team members is part of why I advise you to have a positive attitude. Get mad all you want but turn it into fuel as you say in your signature. Remember, Kirk Karwoski got away with throwing stuff around the gym because he was a world champion. Until then, just accept that everybody has bad days, hell bad years and how you handle failure is what separates champions from the forgotten.

I believe in you Lil Sis. But time to suck it up and decide if a 45lb bar and some plates are going to destroy you every time you run into them or not.

AJones148
02-10-15, 11:57 am
And this morning I found out that the team chipped in to get Ken a (I forgot which kind, I really don't even know the difference, although I've heard some are better than others for different lifts) deadlift bar for his birthday. Nobody even mentioned that to me. So it's confirmed, they fuckin hate me. I bet Ken will know and be like wow what a cheap ungrateful bitch. Maybe I should do the meet just to spite them since I know they don't want me there. I remember feeling like they hated me that day I squat PRd last week and in my mind I was thinking fuck these assholes I gotta make these lifts to show them I'm not a piece of shit and I don't give a fuck what they think. I'm gonna ask the other girl who just joined the team if they told her about the deadlift bar, so I can confirm that they hate me if they did. (She's even newer than me so if they asked her and not me, it's not cause I just got on the team, it's cause they hate me.)

Maybe I should just be a complete bitch to them and not say bye before I leave or anything at all aside from spot me. Maybe at the meet I should give them the cold shoulder and not help them or yell for them while they're lifting and hang out with other people not on the team. Ken's the only one who talks to me still but I'm sure that will change soon enough. He says he thinks after a week of rest, I'm gonna "crush that meet". If I don't I bet he'll be as disgusted with me as I am.. Who knows, maybe he don't even really think that and he's just saying it to make me feel better. .. Well at least he's trying, which is more than I can say for anyone else I know (aside from y'all on here.)

My life really is like that shitty math class: It sucks, I just want it to be over already, and it's basically 1 step forward, 3 steps back. (The math class uses this "artificial intelligence" online program from hell that makes you go back and review chapters you're already done with most times you log in. Its fucking awful. You end up spending so much time going back to that shit, you barely have time to complete new shit unless you sit there for hours. Which I did yesterday and I'm going to go back to do today, cause it's not a training day.) So far I have an A average, as miserable as it's all been. Why can't I succeed in the gym after all this failure and misery? I want my #s to go up so much more than any stupid ass math class.

Also, I refuse to switch to sumo but I've tried all kinds of shit with my stance lately: feet closer, feet slightly wider, toes turned out... None of it seems to make a difference. It's like I'm waiting for the day pulling feels good again, but every time I pull over 300 as soon as it comes off the ground, its like fuck, this shit feels heavy as hell, I guess today's not the day.

And last night I dreamed I won a contest to meet Dan Green. (He's one of my favorites, I have a poster of him in my room, and yes, I've talked to it because I'm just a phaggot like that.. Not like I'm in love with him or any silly shit like that, he's just a great lifter and I wanted to be like him at one point, but now I know better than to think I'll ever come close.) In the dream he seemed quite disappointed that I was the asshole who won and he was stuck with me. Then he sent me off to sit with his managers and help them fix up the stage for a presentation he had later that day. I didn't get to talk to him or get a pic with him or anything.. Then for some reason I was by myself sitting on my bed at the beach and a huge wave came up and my bed got all wet and fucked up. Lovely. The shit that goes thru my mind...

My referee friend came by last night (he had one of my science books) and we sat at the table and I told him how shitty everything been going and I was thinking about not doing that meet. He just sat there and nodded. He's such a fucking idiot. Like he didn't even try to tell me to just do it. But he sucks at lifting even more than I do. He's one of those people that you're always better off doing the opposite of what he suggests. I guess he means well, but he seriously has no fucking ambition and he is fully satisfied with the horribly mediocre state of his life. He's as old as me, still in school, no job, lives with his family, has no car, is thirsty as hell and always worried about chasing girls instead of fixing his situation. He refuses to get on a real lifting program and does this stupid basic 3*5 thing with no accessories and says he's "still a novice" so its all he can do.. Even tho he's been lifting way longer than me and I've tried to help him and give him a better program many times. Every time I mention that he says "We're not going there, Ayse"... It disgusts me that someone can be so complacent with that bullshit.

I'm going to see if I can afford to go to the ABC thing in March. I was thinking it might be a bad idea since the week before is my last week of training and I should be with my team that close to the meet, but I really don't feel like part of the team anyway so fuck it, unless something changes I'm gonna see what I can make happen. What are the exact date(s) and location(s)? What day are the Animals lifting in the cage at the Arnold?

It's really starting to fucking piss me off that all these shitheads at the gym are being assholes, and that my stupid friends seem to want me to be mediocre just because they are. I think I'm gonna do this goddamn meet. Whatever happens happens. If I fail miserably, well I guess I'm just leaving the USAPL. There's plenty of other feds with different rules. I'm not a cheater, so I'll just lift with Raw Unity or SPF or USPA.. I gotta do whatever it takes to be better and if that's what I gotta do, so be it.

Well, I gotta get out of here. I'm going to the math lab to do this bullshit. There's a test today (online) and nowhere does it say we can't do it there and get a little help. I'm gonna answer the ?s myself but I'm gonna have the tutors check them before I submit it.

GunRock
02-10-15, 4:49 pm
[QUOTE=AJones148;1402214]Ken's the only one who talks to me still but I'm sure that will change soon enough. He says he thinks after a week of rest, I'm gonna "crush that meet". If I don't I bet he'll be as disgusted with me as I am.. Who knows, maybe he don't even really think that and he's just saying it to make me feel better. .. Well at least he's trying, which is more than I can say for anyone else I know (aside from y'all on here.) [QUOTE]

Fatigue masks fitness is something you'll learn. Basically, you trash yourself in training then after a deload week, you're able to actual display the strength you've been building.

Regarding your math class: I hate math unless it involves calculating a paycheck or figuring out my lifting percentages.

Regarding sumo vs conventional: A master knows not to get married to a technique because that is the key to stagnation and failure. Use no way as way.

No comment on your Dan Green dream.

Regarding your mediocre friend: Then why are you friends?

Regarding the Cage:
The Cage is March 6-8. Animals lift each one of those days. Look through The Cage 2015 thread and it will have links to the lifting schedule. The National ABC will really inspire you and is your chance to interact with them and pick their brains as they watch your technique. You have to sign up before all of the spots are taken. Here's the link along with instructions: http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?43521-2015-National-ABC-Ticket-Registration&p=1402232#post1402232

Regarding your team: I think they want you to prove yourself.

I'm glad I was able to use my five hundredth post to say something worthwhile. Thank you for giving me that opportunity.

GunRock
02-10-15, 7:43 pm
Read about what The National ABC is all about.


http://www.animalpak.com/html/article_details.cfm?ID=665

knotahumanbeing
02-10-15, 8:28 pm
Keep your head up kiddo. These things in life, people, events, are not meant to break you. Dont let those around you break you of of your character, dont let them effect your goals, do everything for you, ignore the critics and the naysayers, let your work speak for you every single time.

Stay Hungry
Rob

AJones148
02-10-15, 8:38 pm
[QUOTE=Gunrock;1402270]

Fatigue masks fitness is something you'll learn. Basically, you trash yourself in training then after a deload week, you're able to actual display the strength you've been building.

Shit, I hope so.. I need to do well at this meet if I do it.



Regarding your math class: I hate math unless it involves calculating a paycheck or figuring out my lifting percentages.

Me too, I can count by 45s already and the 10+ years I've been out of school I've NEVER used any of this shit they got us doing. Not even once. I spent 4 1/2 hours at the math lab today and got a 91 on the test. It's open book tho. I'm tryin to do as well as I can on these cause the final is closed book in the testing center and if I maintain my A average, even if I bomb the final, I'll still be fine and walk with a B.



Regarding sumo vs conventional: A master knows not to get married to a technique because that is the key to stagnation and failure. Use no way as way.

I don't mind using it as accessory but imo switching cause I can't pull it conventional is like saying "I can't OHP a certain weight so let me just bench it." It's not the same exercise. I won't feel right till I deadlift 350 conventional, that's just how I feel.



Regarding your mediocre friend: Then why are you friends?

Cause it's not really his fault that he's an idiot. Besides he means well and I don't really have many other friends. He gets on my nerves but he let my dog out when I was in Indiana and I had nobody else to do it. So I don't want to burn my bridges.



Regarding the Cage:
The Cage is March 6-8. Animals lift each one of those days. Look through The Cage 2015 thread and it will have links to the lifting schedule. The National ABC will really inspire you and is your chance to interact with them and pick their brains as they watch your technique. You have to sign up before all of the spots are taken. Here's the link along with instructions: http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?43521-2015-National-ABC-Ticket-Registration&p=1402232#post1402232

I read that link and it looks like if I'm going I better get my shit together soon.. I don't know if that's possible. I'm waiting on tax return and they've been coming back fast this year, I've heard so we'll see..



Regarding your team: I think they want you to prove yourself.

I have enough shit to prove to myself without those assholes being assholes to me. I just ordered new wrist wraps so I don't have to ask anyone to borrow theirs anymore. The ones I have are my little 12"s and they're not cutting it for these low bar squats. And I don't want to ask them for shit.

GunRock
02-10-15, 8:58 pm
[QUOTE=AJones148;1402296][QUOTE=Gunrock;1402270]
Regarding the Cage:
The Cage is March 6-8. Animals lift each one of those days. Look through The Cage 2015 thread and it will have links to the lifting schedule. The National ABC will really inspire you and is your chance to interact with them and pick their brains as they watch your technique. You have to sign up before all of the spots are taken. Here's the link along with instructions: http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?43521-2015-National-ABC-Ticket-Registration&p=1402232#post1402232

I read that link and it looks like if I'm going I better get my shit together soon.. I don't know if that's possible. I'm waiting on tax return and they've been coming back fast this year, I've heard so we'll see..
QUOTE]

If you can get to Gainesville, Georgia by Friday, March 6, you can ride with us. Just hop in the car with Truck and ride up to meet us. We're doing something that's probably pretty stupid. Driving up Friday night, attending the Expo Saturday and coming back Saturday night.

Let us know.

GunRock
02-10-15, 8:59 pm
Keep your head up kiddo. These things in life, people, events, are not meant to break you. Dont let those around you break you of of your character, dont let them effect your goals, do everything for you, ignore the critics and the naysayers, let your work speak for you every single time.

Stay Hungry
Rob

Preach Rob!!

On a side note, is your little boy ok? I remember him going to the hospital from an IG post but I don't remember what the outcome was. Hope he's well.

AJones148
02-11-15, 11:45 am
[QUOTE=AJones148;1402296][QUOTE=Gunrock;1402270]
Regarding the Cage:
The Cage is March 6-8. Animals lift each one of those days. Look through The Cage 2015 thread and it will have links to the lifting schedule. The National ABC will really inspire you and is your chance to interact with them and pick their brains as they watch your technique. You have to sign up before all of the spots are taken. Here's the link along with instructions: http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?43521-2015-National-ABC-Ticket-Registration&p=1402232#post1402232

I read that link and it looks like if I'm going I better get my shit together soon.. I don't know if that's possible. I'm waiting on tax return and they've been coming back fast this year, I've heard so we'll see..
QUOTE]

If you can get to Gainesville, Georgia by Friday, March 6, you can ride with us. Just hop in the car with Truck and ride up to meet us. We're doing something that's probably pretty stupid. Driving up Friday night, attending the Expo Saturday and coming back Saturday night.

Let us know.

Hell yeah I wana go! Making it to Georgia is something I can definately make happen. I need to find someone to watch my dog (my idiot friend won't be in town and we had an argument this morning anyway) but I'll leave him at my dad's house if I have to. It's only 3 days, the renters won't be thrilled about it, but whatever they'll get over it. I'll have money by then so that's not an issue.. I need to ask Ken what I'll miss so I can do it at the ABC meetup so I won't mess up my meet prep. I'll do that tonite. And I suppose I need to buy a ticket to the Arnold? And sign up for the meetup with that link you posted.. That sounds like that's about it.. Unless I'm missing something I didn't think of, let me know..

Thank you so much for the offer. Getting all the way to Ohio by myself seemed a little crazy.. I knew it would take forever to drive alone and I really didn't want to fly. And I knew flying would be expensive since I didn't have a ticket yet. I can throw you some gas money and I can drive part of the way up if y'all want.

GunRock
02-11-15, 2:54 pm
Head over to the Georgia Animal thread in the ABC section. We'll be posting updates there. You can drive to Gainesville and follow Mr and Mrs Truck up to my house in Dallas, GA and leave your car until we get back on Sunday. You can ride to Columbus with them or us and back from Columbus with us or Mr and Mrs Failsafe.

AJones148
02-11-15, 8:17 pm
Head over to the Georgia Animal thread in the ABC section. We'll be posting updates there. You can drive to Gainesville and follow Mr and Mrs Truck up to my house in Dallas, GA and leave your car until we get back on Sunday. You can ride to Columbus with them or us and back from Columbus with us or Mr and Mrs Failsafe.

Sounds good. I'm getting excited about the Arnold already. I told Ken I was going and he said it didn't matter since our last lifting day before the meet is that Friday. And that day is optional anyway. So it won't mess up the meet prep.. I probably shouldn't try to PR at the meet up tho. :( Oh well, you can't have everything. I'd rather PR at my meet the weekend after. And I thought my math final was that weekend but I woulda just skipped it lol.. But I was wrong it's the weekend before. All I need is a backpack and my Arnold ticket. I'll wait to get that tho cause I gotta watch my spending til I get tax return.

Lifting was good today. Some ppl were slightly less bitchy.. The girl wasn't there so I didn't get to ask her about the deadlift bar. I think another reason they don't talk to me much is cause we can't share a rack when squatting and some can't share with me when I bench cause my rack heights are way shorter than everyone else's.. So everyone else has someone they usually share with and they end up being friends with that person. I can share with the girl but she comes late a lot. I think she works late, and right now I don't work so by the time it's 5 I'm restless and ready to go, and one of the first ones there. She's cool tho. We deadlift together on Saturdays.

Wed Squats
Seated box jumps: #2 box*3*1, +4"*3*2
Squats: usual wups, 6 singles at 75% ; 205*1*6 (all beltless)
Paused (2 sec) squats: 3 singles at 90% of ^^ ; 185*1*3 (also beltless)
Neutral grip chin ups: 3*AMRAP: 7,6,6
Abs: laydown ball touches with feet up: *50*3

Squats felt good today, aside from my elbows. This low bar is killing them. I need to get sleeves or something.. One of the teammates (who actually fb friend requested me last nite.. I was surprised) did this thing where he wrapped my arms with this rubber band and bent them. It hurt like hell but now it feels somewhat better than it did before.

AJones148
02-13-15, 9:58 pm
Friday Bench
Close grip bench: 3 singles @ 75% : usual wups, 135*1*3
Dips AMRAP*3: +25 plt *12*3
Chin ups AMRAP*3: +10 *6,6,5
DB rows: 72*20*2 dat cardio tho...
3 way shoulders: 12s*10each*2
Band pullaparts: Orange band *20*2

Sorry no commentary rite now, I'll post more tomorrow after dls. Gotta cut it short tonite, my date (line) is about to come on and I still gotta go get pans to make cookies for the team tomorrow cause it's lame ass Valentines day/ an excuse to be a fatass lol...

AJones148
02-14-15, 2:19 pm
I'm not sure what the fuck is going on with my deadlift. This has been an issue for a while now.. It got a little better, then it got worse again. Now its just slow as fuck. And they're all standing there yelling "faster" and I'm pulling as fast as I can but it's still fucking slow and not good enough. I'm starting to think maybe since I'm heavier my leverages changed and that's whats fucking everything up. I don't want to cut tho, cause I know my bench gets worse at a lighter weight so it's a trade off. Anyway, I hate cutting and I'm just not a naturally thin person. Instead of continuing to fight it like when I was making 148s I'm just trying to go with it and be 158s.. With that being said, I'm not trying to be out of control like I was over Christmas vacation. This is the heaviest I want to be. I just want to maintain. I've been watching it, but not tracking calories or being overly restrictive (like how I had to do to make 148s with all that chicken and rice and veggies) I ate out Friday nite and the broccolini had a ridiculous amount of sea salt on it but my uncle took me out cause my cousin was in town and it was a nice restaurant and I didn't want to be the person bitching so I just kinda scraped off what I could and ate it anyway. Also I had a Krispy Kreme donut last nite, one of my teammates brought em and it's Krispy Kreme ffs, I can't not eat it. And I'm still a little over a pound less than I was last week. So I'm more comfortable at this weight, I just gotta figure out how to deadlift with it.

Sat BW: 156.8

Saturday DLs:
Distance box jumps: (from 2-3 feet in front of box): box #1 *3*3
Deadlifts: (new wups; will be the "usual" from now on): 265*1*6 last one with belt to see if it would be faster.. a little but not so much..
Defecit DLs: 225*1*6
Tire flips: 400 tire*10*3
Front squats: 135*5*3
GHR: w/ Orange band* 12*3

Ken jumped the #2 box from 7 feet away. And he's like 300 lbs.. And the other girl got the same little one I used from about 4 feet. My first set was only 2 feet away but I got em from 3 feet on the last 2 sets. I really felt those in my side outer glutes.. Yeah I forgot the medical term, oh well. Gluteus medius I think but I could be wrong on that...
Deadlifts felt slow as fucking shit. I was getting pretty annoyed and I don't know how the hell I'ma pull that 350 and 365 at the meet at this rate. Deadlifts used to be my favorite, now I fucking hate them. When Ken said use 225 for the defecits, I died a little inside. How fucking embarrassing. 225.. Bitch weight. I think I was only supposed to do 3 but I did 6 sort of to fuck with my form, sort of to punish myself for being so slow. On the last few I tried to sit back more and they felt a little better. Maybe that's what I'm missing. Next Saturday I'll make sure to remember that. Hopefully that's the answer.
I tried to flip the 700 tire and I just couldn't make it happen. I was getting really mad and this stupid fucking asshole was saying I have a bad attitude and all this bullshit, and I was like you fail over and over and let's see how you feel. He was like "if your attitude changed you'd do so much better, you come in with your head down all the time, blah blah blah." I was like no, I was feeling pretty good when I came in for the past week, I didn't get annoyed with myself til the pulls all felt slow as fuck. And do you expect me to be happy with not performing well? Fucking shithead. We ain't cool no more, that kid can kiss my whole asshole. I was gonna say bye to everyone except him but the other coach was sitting by him and I would have looked like an asshole if I did so I had to say bye but I did it half ass with a bitchy face and tone. Just to him tho. I'm just gonna be a total bitch to him from now on. And it's funny cause we used to be cool, we even ate Wild Wings together like a few weeks ago. He doesn't matter. He bombed out the November meet for squatting high, and if the same shit happens at this one, I'ma be like "oh be positive! If you changed your attitude maybe you wouldn't squat so high." Stupid cocksucker.
Then I flipped the 400 tire for 3 sets of 10 (consecutively, no rest between reps), which is much better than last time, when I got 15 but it took forever and the most I got consecutively was 4. This other guy was saying I'm too hard on myself, but whatever, he didn't say it to be a **** like the other kid. I know I am, but I just want to be good at this so bad. If I was easy on myself I'd be bombing out of meets like the other dumb shithead. Or I'd be unable to do a bodyweight GHR like that dipshit referee guy I'm no longer friends with.
Front squats sucked but I was pretty worn out at that point, which is why I just stayed at 135. Next time regardless of how I feel, the weights going up. If I have to do less reps/ more sets oh well. I don't have a problem with leg strength on them, just staying upright and not feeling like my biceps and shoulders have died and gone to hell. And I'm not gonna use a belt, cause that defeats the purpose.
I ordered my Romaleos so hopefully that will help my bench. I don't think I'll use em to squat. I'll try for the hell of it, but I doubt it will help me cause of the way I squat: wide and now low bar. Besides, squat is feeling pretty good right now as it is.
So all in all, I'm pretty disgusted with my deadlift right now, hopefully next week will be better.

AJones148
02-14-15, 6:59 pm
I was just thinking about what that shithead said to me earlier and I really wish I'd have just told him to go fuck himself right then. When I get a moment alone with him Ima really let him have it. Who the fuck does he think he is? His wilks is probably even shittier than mine. Fuckin douchebag... I don't know if I'm more pissed off at him or myself for letting him say that bullshit.

AJones148
02-16-15, 9:21 pm
Monday Bench
Bench: wups: bar*5, 95*5, 135*2 ( I don't know why I did these slightly different today) 145*1*4 ( 4 singles at 83%)
Paused (2 sec) 1" off chest bench: 90% of ^^^^ for 2 singles: 130*1*2
Pullups: +15lbs*5*5 (had to rest pause last set)
DB rows: 90*8*2
Front raise: 30s*5*3
Band pullaparts: orange band*15*4
Ab wheel: +55lbs*3*10 w/ dropset on last set: 55, 45, 10*10.. After I broke the wheel after the first 2 reps and fell on my belly and smashed my finger lol. Started that set over for 3 total sets.
Tricep band extension: green band*10*3 not part of todays stuff, just did em for the hell of it, squeezed tris hard on each rep

Aside from breaking the wheel (which was actually much more funny than painful) today felt pretty good. Bench felt slightly less slow than usual. I think this was the first time I rowed 90s.. Can't wait to get 100s. And it was the first time I did front raises with 30s. I thought I'd be swinging like hell but I wasn't.

The guy I was mad at came in and said hi and I did say something about the other day but I didn't say it in a bitchy way. He apologized and I was like its ok, it wasn't that big a deal. I was kinda over it anyway by today, and I wasn't even sure if I was gonna mention it, but he came and talked to me so I did but not rudely. We're ok now.

My poor brain is fried, I did math and wrote boring ass economics papers literally all damn day before gym. Now I'm gonna eat dinner and sit on my ass and watch Netflix and make sure to not do anything productive. Tomorrow is more math and a practice exam for extra credit and possibly one more paper to get ahead. I really hate school, but at least lifting went well today.

Wed is squats at 83%: 230. And I'ma try to do em all beltless. I have this thing where I act like a bitch and feel like I need the belt at 2 plates. Not anymore, I'm going for it beltless. As ridiculous as this sounds, I think all the excessive coughing I've been doing for the past month may have made my core stronger, in conjuction with my ab work at the gym.. We shall see Wednesday....

AJones148
02-18-15, 8:34 pm
Wed Squats:
Squats: usual wups, without 225*1, (83%) 230 for 4 singles, all beltless
Paused (2 sec) squats: (90% of ^^^^) 210 for 2 singles (also beltless)
Neutral chin ups: +15lbs*5*3
Leg raise with squishy ball (I hate those stupid things): +12lb ball*15, too light, then +16lb ball*10*2
Band pullaparts: 2 green bands *20*3 ... for my little rear delts..

low volume, but he says we in meet prep so there it is.
Warming up was pretty good but then I started to get nervous about hitting 230 beltless. I'd never done anything 2 plates or heavier beltless. But then I told myself fuck that. If you think you're gonna squat that 292 at this meet, you're gonna have to stop being a bitch and start squattin this little 230 beltless. They weren't as fast as Ken wanted them (are they ever? lol) but they were depth and I was moving it as fast as I could. Also, I know when I put on the belt next week at a higher %, they'll be faster. I'm faster with the belt.. Still probably not fast enough, but I'm workin on it.

And I finished the goddamn pie from hell today for that stupid math class. Then I found out the next class is also remedial. What the fucking fuck? Bullshit. But as soon as I get some $ for the fee I'm gonna test out of it. I couldn't last time, cause I didn't know shit, and I still came close. So with what I've learned in this class I should be fine. Scumbag ass school just wants more $ to make me take an unnecessary bullshit class. Fuck them. Fuck them right in their pussy. But the good news is they took my foreign language credits (which they were actin like they wouldn't before) and regardless of what happens with this math bullshit, after next semester, I'm DONE!!! I'll have my associates and be able to go to a real college.

Tomorrow my Romaleos come. I'ma stay home all day to make sure I don't miss em. Hopefully they help my bench. We'll see Friday.

GunRock
02-18-15, 11:55 pm
Check your Forvm message inbox.

AJones148
02-20-15, 10:39 am
Well last night I had my first dream about this upcoming meet. It was odd, to say the least.

I dreamed that the meet was today, like today today, not that it was 3 weeks from now and about to happen. I thought it was a bit strange that I'd had no deload week and this week we'd only been lifting at 83%. But it was what it was. Ken had me do 10 sets of 10 very light dumbbell rows (lol what?) and then we were to meet at "the clubhouse" (No such thing irl, I guess I've been watching too much Sons of Anarchy) for this dinner/ pre-meet meal.. Oh and the meet started at 3pm for some reason.

I was chasing around trying to get Juiced Aminos and I had to walk pretty far to get them. The older guy from my old gym who held my papers at my last meet and tried to get me to go lighter on my second squat attempt was there. After I finally got the Aminos, I headed to the clubhouse. I was walking and I saw my friend from my old gym and she had a really bad black eye. She said a guy punched her. He was nearby and I wanted to go confront him and be like wtf but I really had to get going cause I was running late since it took me so long to get the Aminos.

I made it to the clubhouse and the dinner consisted of a lot of pasta dishes and a little bit of steak. Then Ken and the guys left for the meet and me and the other girl on the team were there. I kept telling her lets go, we're gonna be late. She kept saying 'wait let me ___' and making excuses. At one point, she even fell asleep and I got mad and left. But by then I was late as hell. I made it there and everyone else was already weighed in. I asked Rob Keller if it was OK, could I still lift in the meet? He didn't answer my actual ? and just said 'it doesn't really make a difference, your teams gonna win anyway.' I wasn't sure if that was a yes or a no but I started warming up anyway.. Doing my dynamic stuff like leg swings. But my legs were heavy and I was moving really slow. It took forever to warm up. I was like aww shit, if I'm moving so slow now, how the hell are my lifts gonna be fast on the platform?

Then I woke up like thank God that didn't really happen. I lay there and tried to visualize myself making all 3 squat attempts up to 292, fast, all white lights. Then I fell back asleep and dreamed of a breakfast buffet.

AJones148
02-20-15, 8:18 pm
Well tonite sucked ass. Got crushed twice on close grip bench with a weight 5lbs less than my previous close grip max. Had to do 135 like a weak turd. Barely got out 3 sets of 5.. And I've done 135 for 9 before on close grip. What the fuck? Weaker and weaker by the fucking second. I don't know if doing this meet is a good idea. I feel like the only thing I'll be doing is bringing the team average down.

Friday bench:
CG bench: usual wups, 160*0*2, 135*5*3
Dips: +45*5 ROM was shit so I had to go back down to weak bitch weight: 25*6*3.. I used to be able to do 45 with good form at the old gym.
Chin ups: +15*5, +20*4, +25*3

I hope tomorrow is better cause this is fucking bullshit.

AJones148
02-21-15, 1:12 pm
I've never in my life seen anyone else train consistently and fail consistently and get weaker by the fucking minute. Except me. I don't want to do this goddamn meet anymore. I don't even know if I want to lift anymore. This is fucking bullshit.

Sat weigh in: 159.1 (I forgot to weigh in when I got up. After I ate breakfast, complete with a whole small Gatorade I need to choke down my Animal Pak, I remembered. So maybe it was slightly heavy cause of that. Or maybe I'm just a fat fuck, in addition to being a weak piece of shit.)

Sat Deadlifts:
distance box jumps: 3-3.5 feet away on #1 box: 3*3
wups: 1 set conventional, 1 set Sumo up to 275 when I failed the Sumo rep. Lol 275 fail. Gay. Then we were supposed to do a single with 83%, another single and then our opener. I was supposed to do 290*1, 315*1, 335*1. All my weak dumb bitch ass got was 290. Missed my old opener (315) that I've pulled for 4, before my last meet. Twice. Didn't attempt 335 after that obviously.
Then 225 for a few singles. Like a fucking ***get.
Then Ken didn't want me to flip the tire or do front squats.

Worse and worse every goddamn fucking week. How the fuck am I gonna get better if I'm doing even less? He says instead of more I should do less or some shit. But it's easy for him to say when he's PRing.

It's not the programming. I've been on 3 different programs since my deadlift has gone to complete shit. It's not the environment, every one else is doing well. It's not being stuck on conventional, cause I gave sumo another chance today and that went like absolute shit. I've fucked with every single fucking variable cause at this point I'm fucking desperate. And nothing has worked. The only constant here is me. This dumb fuck piece of shit body is fucking betraying me every single fucking time I try to lift. It doesn't want to do this. It wants to be a fat lazy fuck and sit on the couch. I kind of feel like I should just end this shit cause it is destroying me. The weight is beating me. Every single time. But if I quit lifting I have to quit life cause I can't live with the fat weak piece of garbage I am and it will only get worse.

When people eat and lift and train consistently aren't they supposed to get at least somewhat stronger? Or at least not fucking weaker. And it's not fucking mental cause I felt good warming up and I wasn't in my head about stupid ass 315 which I got about 10 months ago for the first time, when I was 10 lbs lighter. Nor was I worried about 335 which I got easy 8 months ago. My mind isn't what's lifting/ failing the weight. This dumb fuck weak **** body is. And it's not like I'm freaking out cause I'm having a bad day. I've been having a 'bad day' for the past 4 shitty ass months. They say 'it don't matter in here, what matters is at the meet.' Now how in the fucking fuck am I going to do well at the meet when I can't even lift the weights now, when they're light? That don't even make sense. I wish they'd just be honest with me and confirm what I already know: that I suck ass at lifting and I should just do something else and give up already. All this is doing is making me miserable at this point.

GunRock
02-21-15, 5:25 pm
I'm pretty beat down from eight weeks of this Sheiko program. My squat has gone up, bodyweight has gone down and I think my bench has stayed the same. Deadlift I don't know because I'm sore all of the time now.

Today I got to the gym feeling like I'd been curb stomped.

But lifters lift. So I did.

None of that was advice.

AJones148
02-21-15, 6:19 pm
I'm pretty beat down from eight weeks of this Sheiko program. My squat has gone up, bodyweight has gone down and I think my bench has stayed the same. Deadlift I don't know because I'm sore all of the time now.

Today I got to the gym feeling like I'd been curb stomped.

But lifters lift. So I did.

None of that was advice.

If bench is same and squat is up and bw down, I'm sure your wilks is higher than it was, since that's what really matters. Your deadlift can't be worse than mine. It's just not physically possible.

I don't even know how it's physically possible that mine's gone down so much, but that's shit genetics at work. The body's supposed to adapt to the workload placed on it and everyone else's does, just not mine.

I don't really consider myself a lifter anymore. So is that reason enough to just stop my bullshit attempts to lift?
I've never been an athletic person, just a slow uncoordinated fat fuck.. Maybe I just need to accept it and stop trying to be something I'm not.

I'm also thinking I should recant my request for J-Wong or Dan Green at the ABC Arnold thing.. Because even though I highly doubt they'd pick me, just in case they do, I don't think I deserve it and there's really no hope for me at this point so their efforts would be wasted. I shouldn't take the spot from someone else that can actually be helped. Also, at my gym they swear my problem is that I need that deload week (lol, athletic people just don't understand how shit works with weak ass people with shit genetics) and I shouldn't lift for the full week before my meet. So I think I should listen, just so when I fail miserably at the meet (if I even still do it) they can't say 'its cause you didn't listen and trained when you weren't supposed to.' and try to make it my fault. I mean it is my fault cause this body is a piece of shit, but I just want to prove to them no matter what I do nothing will ever get better even if I follow all directions perfect. Things just don't work the way they're supposed to for me. Hard work pays off right? For everyone else. For me, it's all just for nothing. There have to be losers in life for there to be winners. So I guess I just gotta accept it and play that loser role. I don't even know how I did ok at the last meet. It's like God wasn't paying attention that day and accidentally let the fucking loser win (still not really win, just silver) for once. Then he was like Oh shit, wtf did I do? Fuck this. Let this bitch be a piece of shit again. What was I thinking?

GunRock
02-22-15, 2:19 am
I think you'd be surprised at how many successful lifters have bad genetics.
Regarding Wilks yes. But I have number goals for this year so that's what I'm focused on.

As far as a one week deload, your team is correct. But Saturday to Saturday is a week so you should be fine.

AJones148
02-22-15, 1:13 pm
So I guess fuck it, I won't recant the request.. But I don't know if it would be smart to try to PR that day.. I guess if I get picked I can ask them, I'm sure they know better than me.

And for the hell of it I weighed in this AM, 157.7 on the heavy scale so really 155.7. Down 4 lbs from yesterday. Didn't do anything to get lighter. This body is so fucking odd. But I already know that cause I track my bw daily 1 week out and it fluctuates a lot for someone only 145-160.. But I thought that was partly caused by the fact that I'm always water loading at that point.. So I guess I'm water loading again and not eating breakfast til after weigh in. It didn't effect my strength last time or the time before and I came in a few lbs lighter than I expected to. I think last time the overall weight loss did hurt my bench a bit but I cut very gradually for the entire 9 week meet prep. So this time I want to come in as light as I can so my wilks won't be as low as it would be if I'm exactly 158.5 instead of like 153.

The girl on the team and I been texting and she says she don't want to be the only girl on our team, and I kind of kept telling her do the meet before she signed up, so I guess I'll just do it. I wish I could do it and not deadlift. I've grown to really hate deadlifting. I haven't had one single good deadlift day for a full 8 months (last good dl day was the day I pulled 335 for the first time... the day I got 340 for 2 singles was about 5 months ago and they were fucking grinders and I don't consider 3 months for an ugly 5 lb PR a good day.) Fuck deadlifting... Would I be wrong if I just squatted and benched and then made up some stupid excuse to leave so I wouldn't have to deadlift? I'm afraid I'm either gonna miss my opener, since now I miss weights I've done for reps on deadlift. I never know how weak I'm gonna be till I start pulling, and at this rate I'll have to open with less than I pulled at my first meet which is just fucking embarrassing and not gonna happen. I'd rather just bomb out than open that miserably light.

I feel like all signs are telling me to abandon this dumb ass meet, but for some reason all people are saying don't.. When I fail miserably I don't know if I'm ever gonna want to do another one.

Oh, and I ordered a new Animal shirt (the red and white one) and a beanie for the Arnold.

GunRock
02-22-15, 5:13 pm
So I guess fuck it, I won't recant the request.. But I don't know if it would be smart to try to PR that day.. I guess if I get picked I can ask them, I'm sure they know better than me.

Oh, and I ordered a new Animal shirt (the red and white one) and a beanie for the Arnold.

I would work up to your openers and let that be that.
Don't forget to bring $$ for the LE stuff they will have there. And a bag for all of the free samples EVERY OTHER BOOTH will hanf you. It's crazy. You get tired of saying no. I just take them and give them away when I get home.

AJones148
02-22-15, 6:12 pm
I would work up to your openers and let that be that.
Don't forget to bring $$ for the LE stuff they will have there. And a bag for all of the free samples EVERY OTHER BOOTH will hanf you. It's crazy. You get tired of saying no. I just take them and give them away when I get home.

I just ordered a backpack for all that and I've paid every bill that needs to be paid before then and set aside a few hundred just to buy stuff (and a couple more for gas).. I hope Animal decides to make the LE stuff available in size small.. I'm thinking about getting an Inzer lever belt maybe, and of course some other stuff.. I'm too fat for the hole I used to use in my double prong belt, but the next hole doesn't seem quite tight enough.. Also, I just kinda want a lever belt anyway.. Made arrangements for my dad's renters to watch the Brownie, and printed out my Box entry form, mapquest directions and Animal Cage pass. So I think I'm pretty much ready.

Gonna get an oil change the day before I leave and maybe some new black sweatpants.. Too bad I can't get the Animal ones, cause they only got XL left.

GunRock
02-24-15, 12:34 am
Check out the thread to see J. Wong's reply.

AJones148
02-24-15, 10:34 am
Check out the thread to see J. Wong's reply.

I just saw. I really wasn't expecting it.. This is insane! I can't wait for the Arnold. You have no idea how much I appreciate you making it possible for me to get there. I'm starting to think this meet might not go so bad after all.

Monday Bench
Bench press: wups: bar*5, 95*4, 135*2; then 91% for a single: 155, then planned second attempt: 170*1 went up pretty fast.. well faster than I expected at least.
Paused (1" off chest, 2 second) bench: 135*1, 155*1, 165*1
Wide grip pullups: +10*4,4,3,3,3
DB rows w/ pause at top: 82*8*2
DB front raise: 20s*20*2 those last 5 reps tho... that cardio tho...
Band pullaparts: 2 reds*34*2, then 33 for 100 total reps
Tricep band extension: Orange w/pvc pipe *25*2, orange band no pvc pipe (different angle)*25, green band with outward extension, focusing on squeezing tris at extension w/ 10 sec isometric hold on last one
No more ab wheel for me, since I broke it last time, so now I'm just gonna use the barbell w/ 10s on the ends as the ab wheel.. So makeshift abwheel +55lbs *12, last set dropset: +55*12, +45*10 (was supposed to do 12 but my teammate switched the plates at 10, then 12 with 10lb plate, superset with
Toes to bar*10*2

I came in with no expectations and slightly still embarrassed about Saturday. Wasn't expecting to hit 165 with a 1" pause.. Especially the way warmups felt, I couldn't even get my bar path right, but then it was fine on my working sets. I think I'm getting used to the Oly shoes.. I might still go conservative with my bench final and try for 180 instead of 186 but I think I can make up the difference on squat. I have no idea whats gonna happen with my deadlift but I don't even wana think about it right now.

And I passed that math placement test so no second dummy math class for me! I will be done with my associates and out of that hellhole after next semester and I only have to take 3 classes (next sem, this one I still have 4, but the first math is pretty much done, we have one test tomorrow and the final left. I feel good about those, I have an A average, the chapters the test are on were pretty easy and I only missed 3 out of 90 ?s on the practice final. Econ is going better now, still don't know shit but managing to bs my way through it lol.. And then the next half of this semester is computer and some other easy shit.. Philosophy I think) Either way the end is near, thank God.. I'm gonna apply to the school I actually want to go to after my grades for this semester are posted. They rejected me last time cause my GPA was shit (went to college before, bullshitted and fucked it up) but now it's up a bit and I'm sure they'll see that the past few semesters have been really good (all As last one, I'm sure I can get at least As and Bs this one, maybe even all As again... As for college algebra, I don't know about getting an A or a B in that one, but I'm applying before I take that).

AJones148
02-25-15, 8:18 pm
Wed Squats
3 low box jumps to warm up after dynamic shit
Squat: usual wups; 91% for a single: 250, then second planned attempt for a single: 275, missed it the first try, I thought about it too much and came down too slow, got loose. But I wasn't about to accept failing that shit, so I went again and got it. For some reason, I can miss a squat and then get it.. Not so much on bench or dl..
Paused squat: 250*1 PR
Chinups: +25plt*3*3
Abs: leg raise on bench with ball between feet: 20 lb ball*10*3

94% on last chapter math test. Final is Friday. I'm pretty sure if I get a high B I'll keep my A average. If I get an A, even if it's low, I'll still get an A.. A low B might still get me the A but I don't feel like calculating all that. Too much math.

AJones148
02-25-15, 8:28 pm
I just wanted to add that last time I hit 275 for a PR 3 weeks ago, I was full of pwo. Today I had nothing and didn't even do anything fat today or yesterday. Also, my 225 with a belt on warmups was fast as fuck and 250 was faster than it's ever been for me.

AJones148
02-27-15, 7:13 pm
Friday Bench
Close Grip Bench: wups: bar*5, 95*4, 135*2; 91% single: 155*1, "+ 10-30 lbs but don't PR" for a single: 165*1, since 170 would be a close grip PR.
Dips: +35*5*3
Chinups: +25*3*3
3way shoulders: +15 (front and rear), +12 (side) *10 each *2
Band seated tricep pushdowns: Orange band w/ pvc pipe *25*4

And I got a hundred on the math final and an A in the class.
And tomorrows our last day deadlifting.. Lets see if I can get my shit together tomorrow..

AJones148
02-28-15, 12:21 pm
Another shitty Saturday. I'm so over this bullshit. It's now been 9 months and 8 separate occasions on which I've failed this goddamn fucking 350 deadlift. I'm never gonna lift that weight. It beats me every fucking time.

Saturday DL: distance box jump: #1 box, 3 feet away: 2 sets of 3.
Deadlift: usual wups, 315*1, 350 miss twice
Pullups: 10,8,8

I really don't want to do this stupid ass meet. I'm just gonna fucking embarrass myself. This is disgusting. I'm thinking I'll just do it and leave after bench. I'll make up some bullshit excuse or just sneak out. I'm not very good at being sneaky so I'm sure they'll notice but I really don't give a fuck. Fuck deadlifting. Fuck it right in it's pussy. Fuck it and the raft it rode in on.

Oh and Sat BW: 158.9 but I don't care cause it's "heavy week" and I ate 3/4 of a rack of ribs from a restaurant last nite so I knew I'd be heavy. I was actually expectin to be heavier so whatever. It don't matter. The only thing I'm gonna accomplish at this dumb ass meet is making weight and embarrassing myself.

AJones148
02-28-15, 5:16 pm
I just want this damn demo to be over already. 45 more minutes of putting on this fake ass smile and act and pretending I'm not miserable and disgusted as fuck about this morning. I think I'll get some Chipotle when this is over. I always just get a bowl with chicken and steak, no toppings so it won't be fattening. And these ppl are talking about how they're all vegans and meat makes them sick. Lol. Can't wait to be out of here.

AJones148
03-02-15, 8:51 pm
Mon Bench, last bench before meet:
Bench: wups, 160*1, 175*MISS *3
Paused (2 sec, 1") Bench: 160*1
Pullups: +27*3*3
Dips: +40*4*4
DB rows: +100*5*3 (w/belt)
Makeshift ab wheel: +60lbs*10*3

And my iphone was supposed to be delivered today. Well apparently either UPS delivered my shit to the wrong fucking place again or some goddamn fucking scumbag piece of shit stole it from in front of my house between 6:18 and around 8:30 when I came back from the gym. What the fucking fuck? I can't have some shit be outside for 2 goddamn hours without some fuckface stealing it? Now I have to go to the Arnold with this goddamn 2 year old piece of garbage phone I have now which dies when it has 20% or more battery left. So forget taking pics or anything cause it'll be dead by noon. Fuck my fucking life. God hates me I just can't get a fucking break.

AJones148
03-02-15, 9:20 pm
And I almost forgot to mention I ripped my goddamn pants at the gym.

AJones148
03-03-15, 2:40 pm
Went and got a replacement iphone... After being on the phone bitching to AT&T and UPS all morning.. Then I came back home from picking up the new phone and the neighbor knocked on the door with the one that came yesterday. She had taken it so it wouldn't get stolen. (I believe her, she's an old lady).. I'm glad she did that but I felt pretty stupid. I was so mad thinking it got stolen. I just felt like violated/ disrespected or some shit cause I thought someone went on my property and stole my shit off my porch.

Really did rip my pants tho, but I got those on sale so I guess it's not as bad as if I'd ripped expensive ones..

Still can't believe I missed my stupid bench last nite, still dreading this stupid meet. We 11 days out now. Fuck.. Maybe the Arnold will make me feel better. I tried to pick up my ticket from Ticket master today and my code didn't work. I had to call them, was on hold for 22 minutes and then it made me leave a message. I tried to call again, was on hold for a few min then my shitty phone (the old one) died. I guess I'll try to call em later again, but I remember reading that some of yall were also having problems with that so maybe I'll just pick em up on the way there.

J Wong
03-03-15, 2:47 pm
I'm also thinking I should recant my request for J-Wong or Dan Green at the ABC Arnold thing.. Because even though I highly doubt they'd pick me, just in case they do, I don't think I deserve it and there's really no hope for me at this point so their efforts would be wasted. I shouldn't take the spot from someone else that can actually be helped. Also, at my gym they swear my problem is that I need that deload week (lol, athletic people just don't understand how shit works with weak ass people with shit genetics) and I shouldn't lift for the full week before my meet. So I think I should listen, just so when I fail miserably at the meet (if I even still do it) they can't say 'its cause you didn't listen and trained when you weren't supposed to.' and try to make it my fault. I mean it is my fault cause this body is a piece of shit, but I just want to prove to them no matter what I do nothing will ever get better even if I follow all directions perfect. Things just don't work the way they're supposed to for me. Hard work pays off right? For everyone else. For me, it's all just for nothing. There have to be losers in life for there to be winners. So I guess I just gotta accept it and play that loser role. I don't even know how I did ok at the last meet. It's like God wasn't paying attention that day and accidentally let the fucking loser win (still not really win, just silver) for once. Then he was like Oh shit, wtf did I do? Fuck this. Let this bitch be a piece of shit again. What was I thinking?

I mean this in the most respectful way possible:

At the ABC, I think we need to discuss more than just your squat. It's time to get your head right! It seems like you are going through a rough patch and we've all been there. We'll talk about it.

AJones148
03-03-15, 6:16 pm
I mean this in the most respectful way possible:

At the ABC, I think we need to discuss more than just your squat. It's time to get your head right! It seems like you are going through a rough patch and we've all been there. We'll talk about it.

Yeah, I know, I have been a mess lately and in a really shitty state of mind since the last meet. I'm looking forward to the Cage and meeting you at the meetup.

AJones148
03-04-15, 8:48 pm
So today was the last day of meet prep. That's it. Now we deload

Wed Squats:
Squats: wups, 250*1, 280*1 (PR)
Pullups: +30*3*3 (PR, most I've ever done is 27lbs last week and I've done a 25 plate before but never 30lbs. Ima get a 45 plate by the end of this year)

And I guess that's how you taper, cause that was it.

250 felt faster than ever, even Ken acknowledged that it wasn't slow as shit like I usually am. 280 felt faster than my usual 6 second grinder PRs. I think I coulda got 285 but the program called for 101%, which was actually 277 and I wasn't going for a baby ass 2lb PR. So at the meet my finals gonna be 286 or 292 depending on how I feel that day.

Today I felt stuffed as hell (I had pasta and cake but I walked the mall and didn't eat all the pasta, just a little and all the meat in it) so I took a pretty disgusting pwo concoction and I think it helped, but NO more pwo at all till meet day. Not even at the Arnold, sorry sample passer outters. I'll take some to go, cause on meet day an extra disgusting concoction will be drank. I'll hate myself for it at 4am that night when I can't sleep but that's the price we pay to lift big (or big for me at least)

I'm doing this meet fuck it. And I'm deadlifting. Whatever happens happens. It won't be my last meet so whatever. I'm not quitting. If I quit these will be my #s forever and I can't have that. I'm getting closer and closer to squatting this 300 and I guess eventually my other lifts really have no choice but to go up. Today I found out that one of my teammates dropped out of the meet.. The same one I was mad at cause he was saying I had a bad attitude. We're good now but I'm disappointed in him. I wanted him to do it, he bombed out of the last one and as annoyed at him as I was that day, I wanted him to redeem himself. My first meet was horrendous and I know how it feels to want redemption. Even tho I didn't win my class at my last meet, I did do pretty good and I did redeem myself and as corny as it sounds, it was one of the best days of my life even with that fucking deadlift misload. I wanted him to know that feel.

Also, another teammate whos been helpful quit the team "for a month only". He was supposed to come help me, the other girl and the lightweight guys on Saturday even tho he's a heavier guy and was lifting Sunday. Ken can't make it til noon since he has the strength and conditioning group Sat am. So I'm not counting on the guy who quit to be there. I'll message him and see but fuck it. I've done the last 2 meets completely by myself with no help, no teammates so I got this. The other girl seemed worried cause it's her first real sanctioned meet (she did one small gym meet a while back) but I told her fuck that we got this. Its just me, her and the twins that day so we just gonna have to help each other til Ken gets there. But it's ok, that's 3 more ppl than I've had the last 2 times and I've learned a few things along the way so we'll be fine.

It disappointed me that these ppl were so quick to just quit or drop out of the meet. And it made me feel like I can't be that weak and do that bullshit. I think the one guy who's still there but not doing the meet dropped out cause he's had a rough past few weeks. I asked him why he wasn't doing it and he kinda just didn't give me a real answer and said he missed going fishing or some shit. And apparently the guy who quit "for a month" has had a shitty past couple months. Hell, the past 8 months of deadlifting have been fucking terrible for me but I aint no bitch. I'm not going anywhere. Even if this meet sucks ass, I'm still not quitting. I get mad and negative but it's cause I want to be good at this so fucking bad. And if I quit I'll never be good so fuck that.

AJones148
03-09-15, 11:43 pm
This was totally not supposed to happen since this was my deload time but fuck it. How could I not lift in the Cage??

Saturday in the Cage:
Half bodyweight bench press: 80lbs*35
Weighed in at 160 after eating a bunch of shit food on the road the day before and a not that awesome breakfast that morning (the company was great, the food not so much) so that made me more confident that I won't have a problem making weight. I'll still be doing a water load to drop a few lbs and have my wilks a little higher. But I've done it before, no big deal. I started that today.
Also, I'd been up since 7:30am Friday driving 11 hours to North GA, and I'd kinda slept but not really only about 2 hours of the way from GA to the Arnold. So I was pretty tired so I think I did pretty good for the amount of sleep I had. I definately felt the fatigue when I got up to about rep 20 but I wasn't about to stop. I got 35 with no leg drive. I asked for a plate under my feet when I usually need 2 but I just didn't want to be a pain in the ass so I went with the one plate. My heels didn't reach the floor just my toes. I'm not complaining, I'm just saying I think what I did was pretty good, considering the circumstances.
Next year I'm not driving all the way up, I'll just take a plane, which I hate but fuck it. I'll be rested. But I don't want to beat my 35 reps of half bw.. Next year I'm gonna bench my full bodyweight. For however many I can. It's too far out to set a real goal for the number, but I'm thinking I'll be happy with anything over 10. Or even if I get close to 10 that will be good. I can probably do 160 for 3 or 4 touch and go right now. I'll sign whatever papers I need to but I really want to do that full bw. And I won't plan a meet that close to the Arnold.

Saturday night at the meetup:
Squat with J Wong: usual wups, 250*1 (my opener) I wanted to PR but I knew better. With my meet this close I know that would be stupid and I asked for the hell of it and he agreed that I should just work up to my opener. I wasn't really supposed to lift at all this weekend, but I just couldn't pass up this opportunity.. I didn't record my lift cause I knew I couldn't post it on IG or anything cause my coach would see it, and the weight wasn't really heavy anyway. I didn't mention it today at the gym either. (We didn't do shit, just picked up my shirt for the meet and benched the bar with commands). But surprisingly J Wong said my squat form and setup was actually pretty good. And my depth was good, which is really important to me. (I was able to get much lower with high bar even though my squats were ugly as hell that way so I'm always worried that my low bar depth isn't good enough.) He said I could do my breathing different which would help and I'm gonna try that as soon as this meet is over. And point my toes out a little more. I know it's too close to make any big changes at this point but the next training cycle starts soon, so I'm looking forward to trying the breathing thing. I can do the toes thing now I think since it's not a huge change. I was expecting him to find a bunch of shit wrong with it and nicely say it was horrible, but that didn't happen, which made me feel more confident. He said the 250 was a little slow, but for the amount of sleep I'd had and how tired I felt, I don't think 'a little' slow is too bad. It didn't feel hard and it wasn't a grinder at all. I'm not the fastest lifter even when I'm not tired as hell (but I'm working on that and it's getting better) so that didn't make me feel shitty or less confident at all.

But that was it no more nothing till meet day, Saturday. Just water loading resting and daily weigh ins.
I know he's not on here but just in case, sorry I lifted, Ken. I really couldn't help myself.

AJones148
03-11-15, 4:28 pm
I spent the last couple days just recovering from last weekend. I didn't lift much but I didn't sleep much either.. So the beginning of the deload wasn't so bad... But now I'm starting to feel it: the boredom, the restlessness. Not being able to lift til Saturday. It's just me, my schoolwork, my thoughts and a lot of water. So much water.. A couple things have occurred to me today:

1. 2 years ago, I could barely bench 95 for 3. And not even full reps, touching my chest. My bench may still not be that good and the other day in the Cage when I got 35 reps with 80lbs I didn't think it was that great either. But it's a hell of a lot better than it used to be.

2. I really fucking hate school. Not because it's difficult, I just find it extremely boring.

Now I'm finally starting to feel the way I usually feel before a meet. Excited and anxious but in a good way. I think the Cage and the meetup definitely made a difference. Unless something feels really off, I'm pretty sure I'm going for that 292 squat. And yall already know what # I want for deadlifts. I'm going for it on my second.

AJones148
03-12-15, 12:35 pm
The start list is finally up: 9 lifters in my class, including me.. If I make weight that is.. I think I may have started the water load a little too late. I was 159 this morning but I woke up late as hell which might have effected it. If I don't make weight theres only 3 girls in the 185 class, but one is on my team and she lifts more than me so I won't walk away with the gold. I don't know any of the girls in my 158 class, so I have no idea what's gonna happen there. I really want a gold, I have 2 slivers, but like I said I don't know them, they might all be strong as hell and I might not even place. So whatever, I'm not gonna worry about how I place. I just need to hit my #s. I did a calculation and with what I benched in the Cage I should have 176 as my max... But I think I coulda gotten 5 more if I had my feet right and if Id slept, which would put my calculated 1rm at 186.. So if 170 isn't a grinder, fuck it I'm going for 180 bench. If I hit all my planned finals, that'll give me an 832 total.. If I get up to my second dl only I'll have 820. Which is fine by me, my last total was 760 but I was only 144... If I weigh in around 156 that 820 total would leave me with a 367 wilks, which is only 7 points higher than my last meet, but fuck it I'll take it. At least it's not lower.

I'm over this school shit, I've done enough for today. It's really hard to respond to the responses to the discussion questions when the other students post shit that looks like it was written by a 5th grader.. And yes, I know I write shit wrong on here sometimes, but this isn't a graded school discussion and trust me, the way I write on here looks like some genius shit compared to most of these people in my class.. And I have an actual on campus class tonite at 6, fml. They better not give me shit about my water jug and having to use the bathroom a lot, I'll just leave. One does not want to ask me the question, what's more important, ______ or your lifting/meet? They will not like the answer.

GunRock
03-13-15, 3:25 am
The start list is finally up: 9 lifters in my class, including me.. If I make weight that is.. I think I may have started the water load a little too late. I was 159 this morning but I woke up late as hell which might have effected it. If I don't make weight theres only 3 girls in the 185 class, but one is on my team and she lifts more than me so I won't walk away with the gold. I don't know any of the girls in my 158 class, so I have no idea what's gonna happen there. I really want a gold, I have 2 slivers, but like I said I don't know them, they might all be strong as hell and I might not even place. So whatever, I'm not gonna worry about how I place. I just need to hit my #s. I did a calculation and with what I benched in the Cage I should have 176 as my max... But I think I coulda gotten 5 more if I had my feet right and if Id slept, which would put my calculated 1rm at 186.. So if 170 isn't a grinder, fuck it I'm going for 180 bench. If I hit all my planned finals, that'll give me an 832 total.. If I get up to my second dl only I'll have 820. Which is fine by me, my last total was 760 but I was only 144... If I weigh in around 156 that 820 total would leave me with a 367 wilks, which is only 7 points higher than my last meet, but fuck it I'll take it. At least it's not lower.

I'm over this school shit, I've done enough for today. It's really hard to respond to the responses to the discussion questions when the other students post shit that looks like it was written by a 5th grader.. And yes, I know I write shit wrong on here sometimes, but this isn't a graded school discussion and trust me, the way I write on here looks like some genius shit compared to most of these people in my class.. And I have an actual on campus class tonite at 6, fml. They better not give me shit about my water jug and having to use the bathroom a lot, I'll just leave. One does not want to ask me the question, what's more important, ______ or your lifting/meet? They will not like the answer.

Make sure you post meet vids on youtube/IG. Georgia wants to see what happens!!

AJones148
03-13-15, 7:05 pm
At the meet location did equipment check bout to get my rack heights when the racks are setup. And it looks like I'm not gonna make weight. Fuck. I was doing my usual waterload thing and I was still 159.2 this am. Was drinking til about 2 and half hours ago and ken said I shoulda stopped today. I've never done it that way but I stopped and I'm 160.9 on the meet scale. I don't know if I shoulda kept drinking like I planned. Whatever it's too fuckin late now. How does this even make sense? If you dehydrate too soon don't your body just hold water?

AJones148
03-14-15, 10:55 am
Made weight. But this is not going well. Missed my opener twice for depth got it on the third. I watched my videos of em and other ppl got white lights on squats higher than mine.. But that's none of my business.... On to bench. Hope this goes better. I'll post videos later

GunRock
03-14-15, 1:01 pm
I tried to call you and give you some encouragement this morning but I guess you were already at weigh ins. Keep pushing forward. You're on the board.

AJones148
03-14-15, 2:06 pm
I tried to call you and give you some encouragement this morning but I guess you were already at weigh ins. Keep pushing forward. You're on the board.

Thanks I appreciate it.. I Got here pretty early so I didn't see when you called.

Bench is done, only hit my opener. Missed my second twice even tho I've got it in training a few times. 2/6 so far. This is going fucking horrendous.. Let's see if I can get this fucking 352 today..

AJones148
03-14-15, 4:43 pm
Today was not my day. 3/9 only hit my openers

GunRock
03-14-15, 8:12 pm
Today was not my day. 3/9 only hit my openers

At least you didn't bomb out. Be interesting to see what your coach does to adjust training from here.

AJones148
03-14-15, 10:50 pm
At least you didn't bomb out. Be interesting to see what your coach does to adjust training from here.

If he don't make some serious changes ima just make em myself or leave. Cause this is fucking bullshit. I'm so fucking disgusted with myself and how this shits been going. I'm trying to get the stupid ass video of the "high" second attempt on YouTube but my computers being a piece of shit as usual so it'll be up later I guess. Even if I'd got it and been able to attempt my planned second squat l still missed bench and dl. So regardless I still suck ass and something needs to be changed. I'm tired I'll do a full write up of this shit meet so everyone can see what a fucking loser I am tomorrow. Clearly I'm beyond help. Nothing works. Even being in the cage and last weekend couldn't fix this. This is gay.