Marilia’s Powerlifting Blog

I’m back to work, training and going to meets. But the after-effect has been a strength deficit and loss of motor coordination in the left hand. I am not sure about the arm – triceps, biceps and certain forearm muscles seem to be less affected. I have less episodes of numbness in the last three fingers and I am already able to type. But the strength deficit beats me: I can’t figure out what’s actually going on.
I am adopting quite heterodox strategies, such as writing, playing with small rubber balls and doing other weird motor tasks with my left hand to stimulate neural re-adaptation.
I am not giving up reaching a real good mark on the deadlift this year, still…

For more than a week I have been struggling with an excruciating pain located primarily right under the rhomboids, migrating to posterior deltoids (like it were inside my armpit) and inner part of triceps. According to my physician, this injury was caused by an inadequate office arrangement, particularly a ridiculous kitchen plastic chair. Some months ago my office chair was broken. Instead of buying another one and checking for postural adequateness, I just grabbed the plastic kitchen chair and have been working on it ever since. Obviously, with the most inadequate posture, all hunched and contracted, elbows held high with permanently contracted upper back muscles and much more.
About 10 days ago, the inevitable consequences showed up and I have this weird back pain irradiating to the tips of my fingers. They seem to be related to nerve compression at the T2 region, but it comes and goes. Other symptoms show muscle involvement and muscle relaxants help more than pain killers. Electro-acupuncture is really good and cortisone local application helped a little.
I lost some control on my left hand and there is a measurable strength deficit on this side as well. It seems to be getting a little better, though.
Yes: I bought a new chair.

That was on July the 27^th – the First São Paulo Raw Bench Press Meet. I was opening with 75kg “just to make sure”, but everyone – myself included – expected something around 95kg. After all, I always lift better at meets than at the gym – I had done 92kg at the gym.
Never went beyond 75kg.
Reasons? Not sure: until 15 minutes before I was still typing the results spreadsheet; people were discussing political issues related to PL in the country while I was already wrapping my wrists; I expected myself to apply advanced “qigong” techniques which I still lack… whatever it was, it made me fail on a day where I was physically at my best.
Well… what can I say? S* happens.
The week after that I was obviously suspicious and tried my strength at the gym: 2 sets of 3X100kg + 2 sets of 2X110kg, easy. Some little veins burst open over my face – blood shot eyes, too.
No problems with my strength…
 

I’ve been reading “Power to the People” again as I write my own stuff. I had forgotten how much I like Tsatsouline’s writing. Not only it is sound technical material, but it is also funny and bold. Just the way it should be. The man is talking sense about neural aspects of strength for such a long time and academia has still not even starting crawling on his tracks…

Since I broke my leg in June 2007, I must admit I have not paid much attention to squatting. I squatted back my leg and glutes volume and strength, more in order to improve my deadlift than for the sake of squatting itself.
About two months ago I did a load test and 140kg was pretty heavy. No way I could do 150kg. Yesterday I did 2 X 150kg, easy. I estimate something around 165kg-170kg max in competition.
What is this improvement? I attribute most of it to neural training with sustaining work. I have periodized my squats in combination with deadlifts, did not max out during this month and a half or so and this is the result I got.
I am happy.
 

My friends taking part on the South American Powerlifting Championship in Quito, Equador, are having problems with the altitude. This is called Acute Mountain Sickness and can develop complications. It is recommended that athletes increase their water intake and completely avoid alcohol, anti-histaminics and sleep medications.
There are other alternatives, but many included the use of substances that are banned by WADA.
I had never thought of this before, but maybe it is a good idea not to host competitions in high altitude towns, since high altitude dwelling people have no problems down here, but we do, if we climb up there without proper acclimation, which takes about two weeks.
Just an idea.
 

This site is the best I found to this moment concerning “hidden” information on sports in general. It is where I found documents and publications about weightlifting during the Cold War, histories of specific institution and athletes, everything you can imagine.
Of special interest is Iron Game History, an amazing periodical with rich material concerning our sports.
Check it out: http://www.la84foundation.org/
 

I found this article yesterday and decided to share. Most of us, athletes, are aware of this phenomenon. I am not sure about the explanations offered in the study bellow, though. There is something more to it.
More later.
 

J Strength Cond Res. 2003 May;17(2):303-6.
Related Articles,<script language=”JavaScript1.2″>    </script> Links

The effects of competition and the presence of an audience on weight lifting performance.

Rhea MR, Landers DM, Alvar BA, Arent SM.

Exercise Science Research Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA. matthew.rhea@asu.edu

Publication Types:

·        Comparative Study

PMID: 12741867 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

A friend enjoyed this potential title for a book on injury prevention and rehabilitation for powerlifters. I wonder why. 

By the way, I still don’t have a name for my book. Suggestions include “the Lord of the Disks”, “Warriors of Steel” and I included “Warriors of Any Metal Stuff”. 

I accept suggestions. 

It Works. Especially if you have excruciating pain on both your elbows and you have to abstract it. Lifting is focus, focus is the ability to unclutter the mind and be fully present in whatever you are doing. 

Mindful lifting – the way to go.