Rangers97 Does Powerlifting (for real this time)

[rangers97]

December 28 -- Deadlifts

had a really crappy night's sleep last night, I think I got about 2 hours total if I was lucky, so I didn't know how this workout would turn out. turned out ok I guess, just very exhausted now, and my back feels a bit "strange". I am hoping it is just muscular, but I can't tell right now, we'll see how the night goes on and what happens tomorrow

Deadlifts
warmups
3 x 5 @ 227.5
255 x 1
275 x 1
300 x 1
345 x 1
355 x 1 PR
Very tough, I think that's what tweaked my back, but man it was fun to lift that! Rest of the workout was pretty much screwed after this, gotta do some better planning for next time, and hopefully get more sleep.

BB Row
215 x 6
215 x 6
215 x 6

Lat Pulldown
140 x 6
140 x 6
140 x 6
finally got a good handle that lets me do some decent weight with my lat pulldown machine

DB Hammer curls
65 x 6

OK shot and screwed at this point. I really like doing the maxing with singles, I might try this on bench and squat as well. Do a 3x5 with 65% 1rm to get things going, then work up to a new 1rm each week. Could be fun, if I can handle it. I didn't want to max every week, but it is so much fun to do, and hard as hell, but still less taxing than doing heavy sets of 6 as on the assistance movements

[gcs118]

Originally Posted by Firehawk

My workout today felt bad too. I think it's the diet the last couple days, eating alot of calories but all junk, and instead of eating it 6 meals over the day i eat 2 big ones and eat bs snacks in between, like CRAP snacks (cookies, etc).

Glad I'm not the only one down to 2, 3 meals a day tops.

Rangers...you've been putting up some good numbers for all your "off days" or lack of sleep days. Can't wait to see what you put up when you're on a roll.

[rangers97]

December 29 -- bench/back assistance day

First off, I need to say, Thank God for glucosomine and chondroitin, I really feel that taking this regularly has helped me to be able to do what I am doing lately. That being said, I was inspired by my deadlift workout yesterday, so I decided to try for a max bench attempt today. Now I know doing this twice in a week is a big no-no, and it won't happen again, but hey, I got home from work early and said what the hell....

Max Bench
90 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1 PR BABY!!!
And to top it off, my wife is sick today so I did this without a spotter. I imagine what I would have done had I had a spot....there is always next week!

Close Grip Bench
255 x 6
255 x 6
I read somewhere that these help the low end of the bench so I will try doing these twice a week for a while and see if it helps

Rack Press (pins at midway point of rep)
260 x 5
260 x 5
These are so fricken hard, but so satisfying, just to lift 260 pounds from a dead stop is breathtaking, lol (To quote the Seinfeld episode at the hamptons with the ugly baby, lol)

Rear delt lat pulldowns
90 x 15
90 x 15
90 x 15

T-Bar Rows
140 x 6
140 x 6
140 x 6
Gonna split my back work between wednesday and thursdays from now on....pulldown stuff on wednesday after deads, and rows on thursdays.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by gcs118

Glad I'm not the only one down to 2, 3 meals a day tops.

Rangers...you've been putting up some good numbers for all your "off days" or lack of sleep days. Can't wait to see what you put up when you're on a roll.

thanks man, I always seem to do alright in the end no matter how i feel when i start. it really pays to have the mental aspect 200% into the day as well, as i believe that can get you through when your body is saying no more....

[Firehawk]

Your dead is moving along. You had that 315 bench in you all along anyways. You shoudl be good for another 10 lbs right now. Nice!

[rangers97]

it was just actually doing it was the problem, lol,,,,and you are right, if I had a spot, I think I nail 325 easy, if not more....

I am pretty happy with the deadlift progress as well...the 355 was pretty tough though, this was a 20 pound jump from the 335 I got last week. I think next week I will be a little more conservative and I will be happy to get a 365, no need to be greedy now, when it is coming along nicely....

PS...my back feels fine today, so hopefully no harm done yesterday:

[.V.]

315 - :

That 325 is going to just be too cool when you nail it.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by a_welch503

315 - :

That 325 is going to just be too cool when you nail it.

Monday will be the day, I guarantee it : If I get my camera back, I will even film it

[Firehawk]

Yeah baby steps man. Rome wasn't built in a day.

You'll get there. I think you'll keep going up on the deads. With your upper body conditioning where it is now, your dead should fly up past 400 pretty quick.

[rangers97]

December 31 -- Legs

The day of hell is upon me. Really not much to say other than I hate doing squats, definitely do not look forward to this day, and all I can do is try my best.

Squats
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 1
295 x 1
315 x 1 PR
315 x 1 PR
225 x 8
225 x 8
250 x 6
Yeah ok, so my bench is the same as my squat...ok, I have been using the bench press since I was probably 19 years old, and I think I might have done my first squat ever in 2004 when I was 30, so you can see why. And i probably can't make the "newbie" gains in the squat since I am not a newbie, but for a solid year of training the squat to get up to 315, I don't think is so bad, especially at 31 years old. Wanted to get some rep work in at the end.

SLDL
210 x 6
210 x 6
210 x 6

Thats it. I was tired and hungry, not used to doing a strenuous leg workout at 11:30 AM after only eating breakfast.

Happy New Year EVERYONE! Don't drink and eat too much!

[.V.]

Originally Posted by rangers97

Thats it. I was tired and hungry, not used to doing a strenuous leg workout at 11:30 AM after only eating breakfast.

Then do what you and everyone else here has told me - eat more. Take in a protein shake right before the workout. This helps me immensely - with you powerlifting now the extra will likely do you a great deal of good.:

[rangers97]

i usually am ok pre-workout, today was a bit of an exception, being new years eve and all, and there is a Rangers game today at 1:00 so I really wanted to finish working out before the game, lol, and then after the game, I have to get ready for the party we are throwing at my house...

But if I ever am in this situation again, I might definitely add a protein shake in addition to my Phosphagen that I take pre-workout every day.

[Firehawk]

i had to be at the gym at 10am today for squatting. It's too early, but PL meets are done starting at 9am, so i gotta get used to it.

[rangers97]

9AM?? No kidding..damn thats early

[rangers97]

January 2 -- Max Bench

Well, I planned on doing a video of my max bench attempt today, but of course, I finish the rep only to find the memory card on my camera was full, so I didn't get it.... As a consolation, I made clips of my db bench and close grip bench that I will post to the video section. The max bench clip will come next time if all goes well.

Bench Press
bar x 10
95 x 10
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2
305 x 1
325 x 1 PR!
I knew I was good for this if i had a spot and I had a spot, so i did it...it was very tough...bar was moving very slowly up, but i managed the rep quite well....i think this is where the 1 1/4 pound plates i bought will come in handy...i dont know if a 5 pound increase every week is going to be realistic from now on, so maybe a 2.5 pound increase will be doable....we shall see....75 pounds from 400!

db bench press
125 x 6
125 x 6
video posted of this so you can see the rediculous things i have to bench at home!

close grip bench press
260 x 6
260 x 6
video of this as well...smoked these. bear in mind, my close grip is index fingers on edge of knurlings.

side laterals
30 x 10
30 x 10

lat pulldowns to chin for rear delts
110 x 12
110 x 12
110 x 12
really like these and hope they can help my bench out...