Jason’s BodyBlog

Diary of the night before and the day of…

1st meet is now under my belt and couldn’t have come soon enough. I have to say right up front that it was just as fun as I thought it would be from when I went to watch this meet last year in April. There wasn’t as many people this time and they say this meet doesn’t bring in as many people as the April meet does because NASA nationals is around this same time or something like that.

I arrived the night before and got myself weighed in. I didn’t want to do the two hour drive the day of in the morning. I had no idea where I was with weight as I didn’t want to think about it or get tempted to try and do any kind of diet. I came it at 199 so 220 class it was. I was asked if I wanted to wait until the morning to get down to 198 but said nope I’m fine with the 220 class. I brought the card out and got under the rack to find my pin height and asked for 7 out and gave my opening lifts 386/231/386.

I was pretty tired and didn’t worry about not being able to sleep. The past two weeks have been hell but that’s behind me now and don’t even need to make any mention of it. I got to the hotel and when the lights went out and I slept like a baby.

Finally there it was. The nervousness. I woke up and for the first time I was able to really start thinking about the meet itself and nothing else. Got to McDonald’s and got some breakfast, Egg, cheese, and bacon bagel with some type of hashbrown stick and some orange juice. Realized that was a mistake after I got up and my stomach was turning.

The lifters meeting and the start of the lifting started a little late but once it got rolling it was really smooth sailing and everything seemed to run like clock work for the people running the meet. Extremely organized. They even seemed to expect to start a little late.

I saw quite a few lifters that were there last April and kind of followed along with those that were in my flight when they started to warm up so did I. They started out with the Power Sports Curl first so gave plenty of time to warm up for the Squat. I was getting super nervous by this time and kept thinking I was going to puke on my very first lift. I was sipping on some gatorade pretty much all day.

I can’t even remember what I warmed up with but I just sat in a chair as soon as I was done until my name was called. Before I knew it I was in the wings. Then once it was called that I was in the hole I started wrapping up my knees. Then it was my turn to get out there.

1st Attempt 386
http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewke…amp;category=mr

I got up under the bar and realized that pin 7 was a little high. I got done with the lift and the side judge pulled me over and said I better request that the pin go done one more hole or on the heavier attempts I’ll be in trouble. I ran over to the main table and gave my second attempt and asked for pin 6.

As I was sitting there waiting for my name to be called out again I realized I didn’t know if I actually got a good 1st attempt as I was so scatter brained to get my next attempt in under the 1 minute rule. I asked around and some guys laughed and said it was a good lift and we started talking. Met a lot of great lifters there that day.

2nd Attempt 419 Easy.
http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewke…amp;category=mr

Now my nerves were starting to settle a little but so was my energy. Realized it was about 11am now and really haven’t had all that much yet. So shook up a shake and started sipping on that. My 3rd attempt was a no lift as I didn’t hit depth and was entirely my fault. Weight felt good but I started back up to soon. I knew it too as soon as I started back up. One of the side judges said if I would have just gotten down a little more it would have been good but other wise he said it looked like an easy lift.

3rd Attempt 441 stupid me.
http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewke…amp;category=mr

Had a little break between SQ and Bench as I was in the second flight and they gave about 10minutes before starting the 1st flight of the Bench. Got myself a could hamburgers and ate one of them right away. Pretty much kept sipping on protein shake and gatorade all day.

I ended up giving someone in the first flight a hand off. He missed his first two attempts but got his third attempt at the same weight. I ended up asking another guy that I was talking with quite a bit earlier that was in the first flight to give me a hand off. First two attempts were a breeze and no problem. I never missed a command which I was really scared I would do. I didn’t get any video of the first attempt.

2nd Attempt 254
http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewke…amp;category=mr

The third attempt didn’t go so well. I picked some pretty low numbers for the bench because I couldn’t give any leg drive. I thought I’d be able to hit 270 but thought wrong. I flared my elbows out and just got stuck on the bottom. I just didn’t keep tight and blew it.

3rd Attempt 270 no good
http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewke…amp;category=mr

I really wasn’t bummed out about it though as I knew my situation and have had a great time so far. Next meet I will be breaking all these numbers for all the lifts. After my last bench I felt my stomach rumbling for some more real food so chowed down the second hamburger. Time to warm up for the DL. It was nice having two flights and being in the second flight I knew pretty much how much time was left and when to be done warming up .

The DL was by far my most successful and feel like my best lifts of the day. Great way to end the day and top it all off. I got a few compliments on my form and was told I needed to put some weight on the bar to make it look like I’m trying. That felt great. By that time I’ve talked to quite a few people and helped putting up some squat/DL suites and tighten some belts for a few people.

1st Attempt 386 warm up
http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewke…amp;category=mr

2nd Attempt 419 easy
http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewke…amp;category=mr

3rd Attempt 441 Most I’ve ever pulled. Wish I went with more, next time…
http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewke…amp;category=mr

Damn that felt great!!!

SQ: 419
Bench: 254
DL: 441
Total: 1114

I know I planed for more before but coming into the meet that is better then I could have ever hoped for. I now have a total to break and improve on. I ended up with two trophies as I got 1st in the novice and 1st in the submasters division at 220 but its the total that I want and what will drive me going forward.

Week 8/ Day 4

Muscle soreness 0 - 5 (0 none …. 5 feels like it just ripped off my bones)
0

Joint pain 0 - 5 (0 none … 5 I need some plastic joints installed)
.5 - Shoulder
1 - Hands

B/W: ?.?

Time to complete workout:
34m

DE SQ/DL
DL to High Pulls
some x several @ 135

Supplemental
DL
1×1@225
2×1@315
1×1@405

Above Knee Rack Pulls
2×1@315 w/ 10s Holds on top
2×1@405 w/ 5s holds on top
1xwhatamIthinking@495 w/ no way am I stupid
1×1@405 w/ 10s hold on top

Decided I wanted to feel some weights in my hands so I wend up on the DL to 405 which is the heaviest I’ve gone with out a belt as I left it out in my truck. It felt smooth. Then I went up to some rack pulls. After hitting a couple of sets at 405 which felt light I put on another couple of 45’s and went to grab the bar and realized this is very near max weight and I really didn’t want to make this an ME session with being two weeks out and I’m supposed to be starting to deload.

Assistance
Hanging Leg Raises
1×50 had a few 5s pauses in there.

Comments
I finally figured out what I’m feeling this morning. I’m not feeling abnormally tired or anything. I’m feeling weak for some reason. I feel like I’m not as strong as I was 8 weeks ago. It has to be a totally mental thing as I’ve been progressing.

Week 8/ Day 3

Muscle soreness 0 - 5 (0 none …. 5 feels like it just ripped off my bones)
1 - Back

Joint pain 0 - 5 (0 none … 5 I need some plastic joints installed)
.5 - Shoulder
1 - Hands

B/W:????????.??

Time to complete workout:
30m

ME BenchL
Full Bench
1xseveral@bar
1×5@135 rest,pause each rep
1×3@185
1×1@225

1 Board
1×1@225, 255, 290 PR!
1xmiss@300

Got it up about three inches this time but just ran out of gas. I didn’t go for a second attempt at it. Leaving that for later.

Holds
3x 10s hold @ 310

Assistance
BOR
4×10@135

Comments
Surprisingly I’m not dissapointed in not hitting 300. I was happy I actually got it to move in an upward direction this week. I know I will get there. I’m still improving every week and on my way. Felt my setup was much better this week. Really concentrating on pushing myself back on the bench and getting up on my traps and then slowly lowering my butt down to the bench. I’ve been keeping my feet in and closer to the bench lately but pointing my toes out a lot more. Seems to be keeping me tight. I have to remember to raise my toe and dig my heal into the ground though.

Week 8/ Day 3Muscle soreness 0 - 5 (0 none …. 5 feels like it just ripped off my bones)
1 - Back

Muscle soreness 0 - 5 (0 none …. 5 feels like it just ripped off my bones)1 - BackJoint pain 0 - 5 (0 none … 5 I need some plastic joints installed)
.5 - Shoulder
1 - Hands

B/W:????????.??

Time to complete workout:
30m

ME BenchL
Full Bench
1xseveral@bar
1×5@135 rest,pause each rep
1×3@185
1×1@225

1 Board
1×1@225, 255, 290 PR!
1xmiss@300

Got it up about three inches this time but just ran out of gas. I didn’t go for a second attempt at it. Leaving that for later.

Holds
3x 10s hold @ 310

Assistance
BOR
4×10@135

Comments
Surprisingly I’m not dissapointed in not hitting 300. I was happy I actually got it to move in an upward direction this week. I know I will get there. I’m still improving every week and on my way. Felt my setup was much better this week. Really concentrating on pushing myself back on the bench and getting up on my traps and then slowly lowering my butt down to the bench. I’ve been keeping my feet in and closer to the bench lately but pointing my toes out a lot more. Seems to be keeping me tight. I have to remember to raise my toe and dig my heal into the ground though.

Week 8/ Day 2

Muscle soreness 0 - 5 (0 none …. 5 feels like it just ripped off my bones)
1 - back

Joint pain 0 - 5 (0 none … 5 I need some plastic joints installed)
.5 - Shoulder
2 - hands

Got to Bed night before: 11:30pm
Energy Level in Morning: 0 - 5 (0 sleeping beauty … 5 feeling like a nuclear bomb about to explode)
1

B/W:???.??

Time to complete workout:
42m

ME SQ/DL
Full Squats
1xmany@bar
1×3@135, 185, 225, 275

Low Box
1×3@275
1×1@315, 365, 385, 410 PR

High Box
1×1@410, 455

1×1@455 + Hold on top for a good 10seconds

Supplemental
Dimel Deads
1xseveral@bar
1×10@135
2×10@225

Assistance
Standing AB Pulldowns
3×10@70

Comments
I should have went to bed Brian. Got the room off the bathroom almost done though. 2 Coats of mud done and got it all sanded last night. One last light coat and sanding left and it’s ready for some paint. Got to bed last night at 11:30pm. I should track that too.

Week 8/ Day 1

Muscle soreness 0 - 5 (0 none …. 5 feels like it just ripped off my bones)
1 - Forearms, back

Joint pain 0 - 5 (0 none … 5 I need some plastic joints installed)
.5 - Right shoulder
1 - Hands

B/W:???

Time to complete workout:
38m

RE Clustered Bench 5 reps 2s Pause on Bottom and 5s Rest between reps.

1xseveral@bar
1×5@135 Regular no pause rest

80%
1×3@220

82%
1×3@225

84%
1×3@230

86%
1×3@235

88%
1×1@240

90%
1×1@245

Cutting back on volume this week and went with 1×3 on each up to the 4 sets then went ahead and did singles up to 90%. The entire time I made sure to call the press command at 1 second then pause for an additional second then press and pause on the top and gave the rack command at 1 second then paused another second before racking. Hopefully this will train me not to jump the gun at all and be patient. Never know how long they will wait before calling the command.

Assistance
Pull Ups
3×8

Incline Tate Presses
3×10@50

Comments
Gotta keep my energy up for just a few more weeks then I can crash. Feels like I’m working four jobs right now. Training, normal job, in the home, and outside. The record high temperatures have been brutal.

Week 7/ Day 4

Muscle soreness 0 - 5 (0 none …. 5 feels like it just ripped off my bones)
.25 - hams/gluts/lower back They just wanted to let me know they were still there and didn’t like those Dimel Deads.
1 - chest/tri’s

Joint pain 0 - 5 (0 none … 5 I need some plastic joints installed)
.25 - Shoulder

B/W: Find out in 3 weeks. Decided I’m not looking at the scale until I weigh in.

Time to complete workout:
48m

DE SQ/DL

sumo/conv High Pulls
some x several @ 135

Sumo/conv Pulls
many x yeah@ 135

Full Squats
whatever x screwyou @ 135

Just said screw it today and just did a mixture of things in no particular order or arrangement. I’d do several reps of sumo pulls and then right into a few reps of high pulls or did only some high pulls or just some normal pulls and so on and so forth. After I did random amount of reps from 1-whoknows I did several x whatevermany full squats. I just know by the time I was done I was out of breath and sweating profusely. Heck I was like that about half way through actually. I spent a good 25-30 minutes doing all this. Next week at three weeks out I’ll be dropping my volume so I definitely got it all in today.

Supplemental
Sumo SLDL
3×5@295

Assistance
Hanging Leg Raises
3×20

Leg Ext
1×20@295 (I think that is how much it was. I just pinned it to the bottom. So however much the stack was.)

Comments
Blah. Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah BLAH!!! Blah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.

Week 7/ Day 3

Muscle soreness 0 - 5 (0 none …. 5 feels like it just ripped off my bones)
2 - hams
1 - glutes
1 - Lower Back
Damn those Dimels.

Joint pain 0 - 5 (0 none … 5 I need some plastic joints installed)
.5 -Shoulder
1 - Hips

B/W:???? didn’t weigh myself. I know I’m down in weight but I guess it is to be expected.

Time to complete workout:
40m

ME Bench
1 Board
1xseveral@bar
1×5@95, 115, 135, 165, 185
1×3@225, 245 PR!
1×1,miss@275 PR!
1xmiss@300

245×3 - http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewkey=695381544
275×1 - http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewkey=1629173837

Man totally missed on the 300. Wasn’t even an issue of sloppy form trying to get it up but just got flattened on the bottom. Totally crappy setup today on all my sets I feel. I need to stay tight and get this to at least move next week.

Assistance
BOR’s
1xseveral@bar
1×15@105
2×15@135

http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewkey=1052535715

Full Rotator Cuff exercises w/ red band
Alternated
2×10 Left arm Forward rotation
2×10 Right arm Forward rotation

Alternated
2×10 Left arm backward rotation
2×10 Right arm backward rotation

Alternated
2×10 Left arm inner rotation
2×10 Right arm inner rotation

Alternated
2×10 Left arm outer rotation
2×10 Right arm outer rotation

Overhead Tri Ext
1×30 w/ red band

Forgot to do FacePulls which I’ll usually do before or after the Tri Ext.

Comments
Felt out of it today. Went to bed late but really didn’t feel exhausted or anything this morning. Just blah.

Week 7/ Day 2

Muscle soreness 0 - 5 (0 none …. 5 feels like it just ripped off my bones)
3 - Chest

Joint pain 0 - 5 (0 none … 5 I need some plastic joints installed)
.25 - Shoulder (Only really feel it now when I lay on it at night)

B/W:199.6

Time to complete workout:
41m

ME SQ/DL
Low Box Squats
1xseveral@bar Full squats
1×5@135, 185, 205, 225
1×3@275, 295, 315, 335, 365 PR!!
1×2@385 PR!!
1×1@405 PR!! (Little did I know these were all PRs)

405×1 - http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewkey=1859459717

Supplemental
Dimel Deads
1xseveral@bar
1×15@135
1×20@225 AHHH THESE SUCK
1×20(really broken down as 12 2s pause, 4 3s pause, 4 )@225 I’M TOTALLY DONE!!!!

http://ironscene.com/view_video.php?viewkey=599455670

Assistance
Standing AB Pulldowns
3×10@70

Sitting on Floor in shower
1×20 minutes @ a few pukes

Comments
I thought I had an absolutely terrible workout today. The bar felt super heavy by the time I got up to 315 but I just couldn’t stop there I had to make it to 400’s. I got up to 385 and only got a double out of it and then barely made it up on the 405. I was pissed. I thought I had gotten up to 435 on the low box before. So I took it out on the Dimel Deads and blasted through them. Only took maybe 30s rest between sets which just totally put me under. Little did I know until I looked at my PR log I keep that I had gotten 435 on the parallel box and only 345 on the low box before.

Week 7/ Day 1

Muscle soreness 0 - 5 (0 none …. 5 feels like it just ripped off my bones)
0

Joint pain 0 - 5 (0 none … 5 I need some plastic joints installed)
.5 - Right shoulder

B/W:199.1

Time to complete workout:
43m

RE Clustered Bench 5 reps 2s Pause on Bottom and 5s Rest between reps.
Not sure about the percentages I just went incrementally.

1xseveral@bar
1×5@135 Regular no pause rest

1×5@185
1×5@205
1×5@225
1×4@235
1×3@185

Damn almost made it to a full 5 reps on the last pause rest set.

Supplemental
DB Flat Bench
3×5@85 w/ 2s pause on bottom

Assistance
Pull Ups
3×8

Incline Tate Presses
3×12@40

Comments
Definitely full throttle again. Felt completely depleted by the end of the workout. Almost had a set of buckets at the end. Recuperated pretty quickly though which is good. By the time I was at work I felt good. Today is the best my shoulder has felt in a long time since I about ripped my arm of my socket.