Dsher10’s BodyBlog

My next meet won’t be for about 17 weeks, on September 12th. If IBP holds the Atlanta meet in mid-August I would be about 14 weeks out from that, but my major focus is the September 12th meet. I’d love to be pushing up nice, clean 315 pound benches by then!

Right now I’m concentrating on form and control. Today I kept the weight at a relatively light 205 lbs and did five sets of 3-5 reps with a good pause at the bottom and a smooth controlled push to lockout. Felt good to be in control. I will continue doing the same over the next several weeks, upping my weight each session. This should get me ready for my next mini-cycle, which may start in mid/late June. On Mondays I hit my back/traps/lats hard, laying a foundation for heavier benches. Saturdays I round things out with some leg and bicep work.

Now it’s just work, work, work…

The plan for the APF/AAPF lift meet on May 2nd was to start at 115kg (253lbs), then go to 125kg (275lbs), and then shoot for at least 130kg (286lbs), or maybe 134kg (294lbs) , close to my gym PR. Well, I didn’t quite work out that way. I never had the opportunity to get to my lift goal, as I got stuck in a go-around at 115kg. The lift is, however, being submitted for an AAPF American RAW Record in the Masters 60-64, 243lb division, which is kind of cool. While the hopeful record is redeeming, I was disappointed not to have even come even close to my PR for the record books.

My first lift went up OK, but was disqualified for "double-pumping" (lowering the bar a fraction of an inch after the press command). I wasn’t even aware I did it, but the videos show that I did. On my second attempt I again made the lift, but my butt came off the bench.

The refs then discovered that the bar had been miss-loaded on my first attempt (it was actually miss-loaded on both attempts), and that I had actually lifted 124kg (273lbs) both times. I was therefore awarded a fourth attempt.

On my third attempt, now at 115 kg, my right arm sort of paused for a second before continuing up, and the lift was disqualified again for a double-pump at the top (though the videos show no downward movement, so I’m not sure it really was a double-pump). Now I had only once chance left or I would bomb the meet! So I kept the weight at 115 kg and … the lift was good! Yes!

My inexperience, plus the unexpected 273lb lifts, may have thrown me off, possibly contributing to my technical miss-steps. But that’s life. The meet was fun and a good experience. I learned a lot about what to do, and what not to do. I can’t wait to get back to the gym and begin putting that knowledge to work!

I’m just starting at this, so I have nowhere to go but up! My next meet might be in mid August in Atlanta, but I will certainly participate in the IBP Regionals in Pfafftown, NC, September 11-12.  In four months I should be able to up my benches by another 25-30 pounds, putting my PR around 315-320lbs. And cleaning up my technicals will allow me to put a lot of that weight into the record books.

I can’t wait!