Squats forge Iron Gods...

[Phedder]

Sick avi bro. Loving it. :clap:

Knew I forgot to comment on something :doh:

You're legs are bigger than The Hulks :shock: \:D/

[tinytraps]

Hulks going for the aesthetic look :grin: :pfft:

[OnlyHuman]

Sick avi bro. Loving it. :clap:

Oh, and well done on the front squat. You're a beast.

Thank you Sam. Far from being a beast. Just hard work, but I really appreciate the encouragement

Sick avi bro. Loving it. :clap:

Knew I forgot to comment on something :doh:

You're legs are bigger than The Hulks :shock: \:D/

Thank you Phed. I wish! :pfft:

Hulks going for the aesthetic look :grin: :pfft:

Ha Ha sort of guilty, looking ATHLETIC is important to me :oops: :pfft:

[OnlyHuman]

24...

Squats learning to wrap...

150 x 1

160 x 1

I figured it is time to experiment with wrapping my knees.

It was an interesting learning experience :?

Now I know from 1st hand experience what they mean when lifters refer to legs going numb, not feeling your leg and the wrap being a general BIATCH :pfft: :pfft: :pfft:

I choose to go with my ATP's ... Rookie mistake (I figured I might as well get to use them before they get banned from the IPF.) as it is just freakin too much for me at this level. I don't think I managed to get deep enough with 160 ... I must give it up to the wraps tho they did kick like a mule out of the hole. They feel very rubbery and thick compared to my triple line metal one.

I will try the triple line ones next, see how I get on with those.

Rolling and putting the wraps on is a workout in its self :clubbed: It will take some getting used to getting to wrap 3 time in one comp :boohoo: lulz are on me

On an other note getting leaner altered how the belt feels on me. Now I'm between "holes" and probably don't get as much "support" from them as previously. I still need to drop some weight so i hope it will take me down to the next notch and fits well again.

All in all it was an interesting learning experience and I'm glad I gave it a go My heart is still with raw lifting tho ...

[steak]

get a wrap roller bro..or make one..tis easy enough 8)

[OnlyHuman]

get a wrap roller bro..or make one..tis easy enough 8)

Not a bad idea

I will have to get through this comp without it. Perhaps in the future... I could get one made. Be freakin handy for sure, or I will end up with Popeye forearms :pfft:

[OnlyHuman]

23...

Front squats

Worked up to 135 for a single

Bench

105 x 3

100 x 2s x 3r

13 squat sessions in 8 days ... I think I done enough for a day off :pfft:

[OnlyHuman]

22...

Squats

150 x 1

155 x 0 :smackbottom: :pfft:

Deadlifts

Worked up to 170 x 1

Core

Roman chair

Straight leg raise

Ok session apart of the squat of course :pfft:

Finally managed to run my self into the ground. Time to take a brake from squats for a little while. Thinking perhaps 2-3 days

Deadlift: Felt much easier than last time's 160 for a single, there must be some more room to wiggle here. Pulled it with double overhand grip as well.

[Monarchking]

Pulled it with double overhand grip as well

solid performance

[OnlyHuman]

Pulled it with double overhand grip as well

solid performance

Thanks :oops: :oops: :oops:

I appreciate the kind words.

[OnlyHuman]

21...

Speed deadlift

130 x 3s x 2r

Bench

115 x 1

102.5 x 2s x2r

Chest supported BB row

60 x 3s x 8r

Light shoulder stuff...

Today I pulled in flat/super thin soled shoes (as opposed to my squat shoes). I prefer to pull in my squat shoes I think.

Bench: Happy to hit 115 but it was a grinder. Triceps are weak :?

Rest was just nice and light for shoulder health...

I had bread, corn chips and some chocolate ysterday :oops: Shows in today's scale numbers unfortunately :?

[drizzt]

Nice work bro! What comp are you building up to? (sorry I had a quick scan but couldn't see it...)

[OnlyHuman]

Thanks

5th of Nov Auckland's novice if I can, if not CBC club lift a weak later.

[OnlyHuman]

20...

Squats

130 x 7s x 3r

Core

Roman chair

Straight leg raises

Easing back into squats.

Body feels ok apart of the odd little niggle here and there.

BW:74 in undies only.

Stress: Up and down a bit.

Sleep: Good.

Food: Not as good as it should be :oops: ... a few slip ups here and there.

[red machine]

niiiice lifting bro!! hopfully catch u at the comp on 5th, as also planning to come down for a cheeky blast!!

[OnlyHuman]

niiiice lifting bro!! hopfully catch u at the comp on 5th, as also planning to come down for a cheeky blast!!

Thanks RM

Looking forward to seeing you in action. Be nice to meet you and a few of the lads from here :nod:

[OnlyHuman]

Squats

120 x 5s x 4r

Bench

100 x 2s x 3r

Close grip BP

90 x 3s x3r

Illegal wides

80 x 3s x5r

1 arm DB rows

34 x 3s x 8-10r

Light shoulder stuff...

Nice and easy session.

Trying to grease the groove on the squats. Tried to aim for consistent reps and speed.

If the body feels up for it I will do some heavier squats tomorrow.

[OnlyHuman]

18...

Squats

140 x 3

140 x 3 with WRAPS

155 x 1 with WRAPS

165 x 1 with WRAPS

Core

Roman chair

Bastardized version of dragon flags :pfft: (Poor attempts really :pfft: )

I decide to give the metal triple lines a go.

Interesting experience especially once I compere them to my previous (and only) knee wrapping experience.

I decided to do 140 for a triple both ways. Unwrapped and wrapped, so I get a feeling for the wrap. Since I have nearly zero experience in this regard it turned out to be a good decision and gave me a good indication on how the wraps behave etc.

I knew that no matter what 140 won't be a problem to hoist up, regardless how the wrap behave, so I felt pretty confident starting on these numbers.

I wrapped with medium tightness (in a bow tie fashion, probably does not make for the use of the whole length of the wrap but I liked how it felt...) I would say :think: and I had a nice little pop out of the bottom.

These feel somewhat different than my ATPs but i come to realize that they are more appropriate for my current strength and experience levels.

More comfort and a mixture of stopping and support throughout most of the movement. Much easier to wrap than the other wraps but that is probably due to thickness and material. While it feels stretchy it is less rubbery and maybe 80% in thickness and fullness (How densely it is made.) or so.

Decided to give 155 a go and it did not gave me much trouble.... So I figure I will have a go at 165 to get an indication on my openers actual support etc.

Got 3 of the bigger boys from the gym to give me a spot just to feel secure and stuff :roll: didn't really wanted to look like a fool in-cease I get stapled in the bottom. :pfft:

It went up fairly well so I figure there has to be more in the wraps. One thing I found is the wrap has quite a bit of stopping "power" in the bottom position and it is something I'm not used to. The boys feedback was that it was deep enough but for me ... unless I touch hamies to calves it never feels deep enough :? so just cross my fingers I guess :pfft: the weight was certainly manageable.

The wraps also seem to give me a bit of calf cramp. It happened the the other day as well. First I was thinking it is my wrapping but today I payed very good attention to how I wrapped. (With my limited experince lol)

Also since I have small joints I wrap by covering 2/3 per revolution as opposed to 1/2 ... Felt more "appropriate" this way.

Some nice and easy core to finish the session off. Probably some light squats and some upper body work is in order tomorrow.

BW: 74.6 (Ice cream while watching the game :oops: :oops: :oops: go the all Blacks!!!!)

Sleep: Find it hard to fall asleep but than managed to sleep in, so overall it is ok.

Stress: Some :?

[OnlyHuman]

17 sleeps to go...

Squats

130 x 2s x 3r

Illegal wide bench

100 x 3s x 3r

Close grip

90 x 3s x 5r

Close grip lat pull downs

4 sets of 8 reps

Light shoulder stuff...

Nice and easy session.

Spent most of my day in the library. It was nice to move around a little.

BW:73.9 I'm set on making some apple muffins tonight :smackbottom:

Sleep: not so good last night. I will try to make up for it tonight.

Eating been good, so far...

[OnlyHuman]

16 sleeps to go...

Deadlift

170 x 1

180 x 0 :snooty: :pfft:

Didn't feel very energized today but I figured I do some deadlifts and give squats a brake.

170 felt ok but 180 only left the floor like 2 inches than things froze in time :pfft:

Not too disappointed about it at this stage. I went trough my journal and come to realize that over the last 10 months I only managed to do deadlifts 23 times :pfft: (Most of these sessions were in the first few months as well.) . If you are a regular reader of this mayhem...than you know I only decided to do this comp about 31 days ago so not much time to prepare for it. Still I got a bit surprised by getting stuck on 180 only. Back in my competitive days I could hit about 30 kg more on conventional deadlift than what i got on my back squats (sometimes more). Thus my surprise :oops:

See if some rest and the competitive environment makes a difference on the day, than have a properly structured training program for the next comp. (Pending the body's ability to hold together :pfft: )

[OnlyHuman]

15 ...

Squats

Worked up to 145 x 3

Illegal wide BP

105 x 3

Close grip BP

90 x 5

90 x 5

95 x 5

95 x 5

Chest supported BB row

60 x 8

65 x 8

70 x 6

65 x 8

65 x 8

1 Arm DB rows

31 x 8

34 x 10

40 x 6

Light shoulder stuff...

Ok session.

Average on energy.

Happy with illegal wides and close grip. Bench seemes to be on the climb. Might be the case of too little, too late tho :pfft: Well for this comp anyways.

Weight: 74.4 (Some bread :oops: )

Sleep: 9 hours, so happy.

Stress: Medium

Food: :oops: I will better make today perfect :pfft:

[OnlyHuman]

Front squats

140 x 1

145 x 0 :pfft:

Back squats

120 x 2s x 5r

Light posterior chain stuff...

Ok session. Average energy and stuff but a good learning curve.

140 felt much better than the last few times so I figure I give 145 a go. Not to be today. I did not want to grind so just racked it in the bottom position on the pins.

Good learning experience and confirmed my suspicion about my weaknesses and what should I focus on after this comp.Happy to be learning about these things. They are essential for making progress and now I can start pondering about how I need to structure my training program after the comp as well as what I need to focus on.

I'm just glad that I enjoy training at the moment

[OnlyHuman]

13 days...

Front squats

140 x 1

Deadlift

140 x 3s x 3r

Close grip BP

100 x 3

Soft pause BP

90 x 3s x6r

Light posterior chain stuff...

Good session.

I will have to start dialing things done a bit soon to ensure fatigue doesn't mask my fitness (Regardless of how little of it I have :pfft: )

[OnlyHuman]

11 days to go...

Squats

150 x 1

130 x 3

Bench

Worked up to 107.5 x 3

Illegal wides with soft pause

Worked up to 95 x 5

Close grip BP

80 x 2s x 8r

Deadlift

Worked up to 150 x 2

Light shoulder and posterior chain stuff...

Core The usual suspects...

Nice session. The gym was very quiet only a few peeps.

I didn't want any grinders on the lower body stuff so weights reflect that. I think I feel pretty good with a 150 squat as an opener. Belt, no knee wraps. Done it so many times in the gym it should not phase me, comp environment or not.

Bench. Quite good, seems I find my weakness and the light shoulder work patching up a few holes here and there. Obviously a bit too late for this comp, but I'm sure it will help me build a better base after this comp.

Tomorrow I only do a light squat session mainly to get the blood moving around a bit. It is time to dial things done a bit. My joints will appreciate it I'm sure.

Weighed in at 75 this morning :oops: ... Pizza, chocolate and ice cream the last two days. :oops: ( I also upped my salt intake on purpose.) Especially while watching the games :pfft: I will tidy my eating up... Prepared a lot of healthy meals in advance already. I will keep it clean til the comp. Than I foresee a Butter Chicken/BK feast :smackbottom:

[Phedder]

Solid work as always :clap:

Any goals/predictions for the comp? Or you don't want to jinx it