Monday 12/26/11
Christan: had to bench because her neck was giving her trouble
Bench
45 x 10
65 x 8
85 x 5
95 x 5p
105 x 3
115 x 6p
115 x 6
120 x 3fp
115 x 4p
115 x 5
Wide Grip
105 x 7p
105 x 7
3 ct Pauses
100 x 4p
Pete
Squat: Focused on getting the bar on the shelf: the right spot on my back. Felt like I had been setting up too low
bw x 12 x 2
45 x 10
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 5
465 x 3
520 x 5... only had to get one, wanted two or three, but got the five. My knees are getting too old for this.
Walkout: wrapped
610
Speed pulls: Conventional
3" Deficit
225 x 3
315 x 3
350 x 3 x 3
Floor
350 x 3 x 3
RDL
315 x 8
335 x 8
355 x 8
Standing abs
120 x 10
130 x 10
140 x 10
Calves
45 x 15 x 3various
Tuesday 12/27/11... HBTM.HBTM.HPDP.HBTM.
Christan: gets to...
Squat
45 x 10
95 x 5
135 x 5
160 x 3
185 x 2
200 x 1
210 x 7... PR!!!
Walkout: 275... looked good
Speed Pulls
Floor:
Sumo: 175 x 3 x 3
Conventional: 175 x 3 x 3
Leg Press
185 x 10
225 x 10
315 x 10
Calves
315 x 12 x 2
Pete
Shoulder Warmup!!!
DB Press
25 x 10
45 x 10
65 x 10
75 x 10
85 x 10
95 x 7
Floor Press
75 x 8
85 x 8
95 x 8
BB tricep Extensions
45 x65 x 12
85 x 10
105 x 8
115 x 1... shoulder
95 x 12
Rope Pushdowns
100 x 10
120 x 10
140 x 10
160 x 10
Preacher DB Curls
25 x 10 x ea
30 x 10 x ea
35 x 10 x ea
Wednesday 12/28/11
Pete
Seated DB Shoulder Press
25 x 10
40 x 10
60 x 10
75 x 10
Face Pulls:
150 x 15
170 x 15
190 x 15
210 x 15
Pullups
BW x 4 x 4 sets
Suitcase DL
135 x 8 x ea
155 x 8 x ea
175 x 8 x ea
185 x 8 x ea... and I thought I was going to die. But I didn't.
P-Rows
225 x 5
245 x 5
265 x 5
285 x 5
Shrugs
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 10
315 x 10
315 x 10
365 x 10
Front Delt Raise
5 x 12 x ea
10 x 12 x ea
10 x 12 x ea
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The Further Adventures of Proto-Mechanic
The Vehicle: 2002 Ford Focus, aka The "Frankenfocus"
The Job: Check front brakes because of a weird noise, replace rear brake shoes
The Place: The Proto-Mechanic Garage
Estimated Time: 5 hours
So, for the last month I have been hearing a sound from the front of the car. It sounds like brakes grinding. Got up early Sunday morning to get a good start. Had the first front tire off at 9: 30. The front brakes look fine. On to the rear brakes. Fun Fact: Apparently Proto-Mechanic has issues with the direction a clock goes in. I was pretty sure I snapped a lug... and then proceeded to almost do it on the next one. I should have know that this was an inauspicious start.
It took me thirty minutes to get the jack stands set where I was happy with them. Removed both back tires. It was at that point that I could have turned back if I wanted to. My out was there, but I did not take it, because I am an idiot.
First anticipated issue: Drums won't come off. No sweat, I'll tap 'em with a hammer. No joy. I was expecting this. I'll just un-tension them and...
First unanticipated issue: Unlike the last brake job I did, there is no little hole in the drum to get to the tensioner. Alright, let's have a closer look. I see nothing except rust, brake dust and bolts.
First call to Master-of-Sport-Mechanic-and-All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline, Terry.
PM: "There is no hole to tension the shoes."
Master of Sport Mechanic: "Sure there is. Look for a rubber cap."
PM: "I don't see one."
All-'Round Great Guy: "Are you sure?"
PM: " Yes, I'm... wait. There it is."
Terry: "Just work a screwdriver in there and loosen 'em."
PM: "No dice, bub. I have two inches of clearence."
Terry: "Well, see if there are four bolts on the back side."
PM: "There are."
My Mechanicing Lifeline: "Well, just loosen them."
PM: "Is there a size between 11mm and 10mm."
Terry: "No, why?"
PM: "'Cause nothing fits."
Terry: "Is it a six point or twelve point nut."
PM: Counting "Six."
Terry: "And Nothing fits?"
PM: "No. Wait... those arn't bolts. They are round, like rivets."
Terry: "Well, that's weird."
PM: No shit. "Yeah."
So, against my better judgment we have to take the bearing cover off.
Terry: "Just pop the cotter pin out."
PM: "There ain't one."
Unanticipated issue number two: Terry: "No cotter pin?"
PM: "Nope."
Terry: "Well, what is holding the nut on?"
PM: "Looks to be a clip with six flanges, one around each side of the nut."
Terry: "Well,... um, I guess just bend the flanges back."
PM: "You guess?" That's comforting.
Terry: "Yeah."
I hang up and bend the flanges back and reveal the nut and find that, of course, I have no socket near big enough to fit the nut.
Terry: "It should come off no problem."
PM: "It won't budge."
Terry: "What about needle nose pliers?"
PM: "Nope."
Terry: "The guy takes it off with his hand in the video I am watching."
PM: "Unless he's the Hulk, it is a dirty trick of smoke and mirrors."
Awesome. Guess where I'm headed?
Off to the Zone... Dunta-Dun-Dunta... Auto-Zone where I drop twenty three bucks on a 1-1/16 socket and the next two sizes up. Then we have to do a bit of stuff in town. When I get back the nut comes off and lo and behold it is not one nut it is two. The first is just a wee slip of a thing. so, I bend the flanges out some more and... the 1-1/16 socket will no longer fit. METRIC!!!
Back to the Zone... Dunta-Dun-Dunta... Autozone, where I swap the larger SAE sockets for a 26 and a 27mm socket. I get back. The two nuts are actually three nuts. I keep going. The three nuts is actually four nuts and the flange will no longer bend without breaking.
Second Call to Master-of-Sport-Mechanic-and-All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline, Terry.
Unanticipated issue number three: Terry: "Four nuts? I never saw anything like that."
Whenever a guy with 50 years experience, ASE qualifications out the wazoo and smarts to boot says, "I never saw anything like that." You know you are in over your head.
Terry: "Break the clips."
PM: "Do they sell them seperate?"
Terry: "I imagine. Hey, did you check the bearings I sent you to see if they come with the clips?"
Lesson: Always check the boxes of parts. You never know what you will learn.
This had not occured to me. By the way, Terry sent me a set of break shoes and a coupla bearings that he just happened to have laying about that actually fit the Frankenfocus. So, lesson learned: check the boxes first.
PM: "Yes, they do."
Terry: "Just break 'em off and the drum should come right off."
Then Master-of-Sport-Mechanic-and-All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline, Terry had to go do some actual work himself and so left me to my own devices.
I broke the flange clips and the last nut came off. A couple of solid whacks with the hammer and the drum came off.
Repeat with other side, except now I just broke the flanges and took all four nuts off at once. EPJ.
Now to the shoes.
Well, they came off easy enough.
I am goin to buy a set of brake spring thingy's before I do... IF I do shoes again. Logan and I grunted and strained but finally got both sets of shoes on with only a moderate amount of fuss. I followed Master-of-Sport-Mechanic-and-All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline, Terry's advice of doing one shoe at a time, leaving the other side exposed as a guide. This was a solid idea. Glad I though of it.
So, except for bent pin that bent because I put it in the wrong hole even though Logan thought it went in the hole it actually went up going in, it was not a big deal.
Unanticipated issue number four: Then we had to put the drums back on. Remeber that there was not a hole to get to the tensioner? Well the tensioner sits betwixt the shoes and I can't figure this out to save my life. I look it up online and I get:
Hit Number 1: A video of a brake job on a 2001 Focus where the guy chews a lot of gum and does not actually show the brake job, he just tells us that he did the brake job. Asshole.
Fuming.
Hit number 13: A video of a guy doing a brake job on a 2002 Ford Something Else where he just fits the drum back on like breathing. Smug bastard.
Let the simpering begin.
Hit 39: A diagram of a brake job on a 2002 Ford Focus that says to seperate the small cam to loosen the shoes. I have no idea what this means.
I am swearing AT myself now.
I go outside and Logan has figured out what that means. You have to press a screw driver between the unmoving small cam and the moving larg cam that is not round but shaped like a "Q" and a "G" looped together. Damned if this does not work. Drums go on like a champ. Smug bastard asshole that I am, in my joy I forget that with the clamps on the nuts on the cover for the bearing, I do not have a socket big enough. Sigh.
I have to go to a concert for my Mother-in-Law. After the concert I swing by the Zone... Dunta-DunDunta... Auto-Zone! to swap out my last unused socket. And they are closed.
But Oh-Oh-Oh-O'Reilly's... Auto Parts is open! Go figure the six dollar SAE socket does not fit as well as the 30mm at 9 bucks. 30mm. Prolly need that again next week. Get home and fit it all back together.
Brakes work fine.
The noise is still there.
Son of a bitch.
Thing I learned:
1. A hammer is a good friend.
2. It is better to stay calm.
3. A calm son is good to have in a pinch.
4. Master-of-Sport-Mechanic-and-All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline, Terry still has me beat. Smug bastard.
5. Check your parts boxes first
6. Avoid doing brake shoes.
7. Buy a damned spring tool.
8. The internet SUCKS!!!
Total time with breaks for shopping, parts runs and a Christmas Cantata... Eleven Hours. OMG!!!
The Job: Check front brakes because of a weird noise, replace rear brake shoes
The Place: The Proto-Mechanic Garage
Estimated Time: 5 hours
So, for the last month I have been hearing a sound from the front of the car. It sounds like brakes grinding. Got up early Sunday morning to get a good start. Had the first front tire off at 9: 30. The front brakes look fine. On to the rear brakes. Fun Fact: Apparently Proto-Mechanic has issues with the direction a clock goes in. I was pretty sure I snapped a lug... and then proceeded to almost do it on the next one. I should have know that this was an inauspicious start.
It took me thirty minutes to get the jack stands set where I was happy with them. Removed both back tires. It was at that point that I could have turned back if I wanted to. My out was there, but I did not take it, because I am an idiot.
First anticipated issue: Drums won't come off. No sweat, I'll tap 'em with a hammer. No joy. I was expecting this. I'll just un-tension them and...
First unanticipated issue: Unlike the last brake job I did, there is no little hole in the drum to get to the tensioner. Alright, let's have a closer look. I see nothing except rust, brake dust and bolts.
First call to Master-of-Sport-Mechanic-and-All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline, Terry.
PM: "There is no hole to tension the shoes."
Master of Sport Mechanic: "Sure there is. Look for a rubber cap."
PM: "I don't see one."
All-'Round Great Guy: "Are you sure?"
PM: " Yes, I'm... wait. There it is."
Terry: "Just work a screwdriver in there and loosen 'em."
PM: "No dice, bub. I have two inches of clearence."
Terry: "Well, see if there are four bolts on the back side."
PM: "There are."
My Mechanicing Lifeline: "Well, just loosen them."
PM: "Is there a size between 11mm and 10mm."
Terry: "No, why?"
PM: "'Cause nothing fits."
Terry: "Is it a six point or twelve point nut."
PM: Counting "Six."
Terry: "And Nothing fits?"
PM: "No. Wait... those arn't bolts. They are round, like rivets."
Terry: "Well, that's weird."
PM: No shit. "Yeah."
So, against my better judgment we have to take the bearing cover off.
Terry: "Just pop the cotter pin out."
PM: "There ain't one."
Unanticipated issue number two: Terry: "No cotter pin?"
PM: "Nope."
Terry: "Well, what is holding the nut on?"
PM: "Looks to be a clip with six flanges, one around each side of the nut."
Terry: "Well,... um, I guess just bend the flanges back."
PM: "You guess?" That's comforting.
Terry: "Yeah."
I hang up and bend the flanges back and reveal the nut and find that, of course, I have no socket near big enough to fit the nut.
Terry: "It should come off no problem."
PM: "It won't budge."
Terry: "What about needle nose pliers?"
PM: "Nope."
Terry: "The guy takes it off with his hand in the video I am watching."
PM: "Unless he's the Hulk, it is a dirty trick of smoke and mirrors."
Awesome. Guess where I'm headed?
Off to the Zone... Dunta-Dun-Dunta... Auto-Zone where I drop twenty three bucks on a 1-1/16 socket and the next two sizes up. Then we have to do a bit of stuff in town. When I get back the nut comes off and lo and behold it is not one nut it is two. The first is just a wee slip of a thing. so, I bend the flanges out some more and... the 1-1/16 socket will no longer fit. METRIC!!!
Back to the Zone... Dunta-Dun-Dunta... Autozone, where I swap the larger SAE sockets for a 26 and a 27mm socket. I get back. The two nuts are actually three nuts. I keep going. The three nuts is actually four nuts and the flange will no longer bend without breaking.
Second Call to Master-of-Sport-Mechanic-and-All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline, Terry.
Unanticipated issue number three: Terry: "Four nuts? I never saw anything like that."
Whenever a guy with 50 years experience, ASE qualifications out the wazoo and smarts to boot says, "I never saw anything like that." You know you are in over your head.
Terry: "Break the clips."
PM: "Do they sell them seperate?"
Terry: "I imagine. Hey, did you check the bearings I sent you to see if they come with the clips?"
Lesson: Always check the boxes of parts. You never know what you will learn.
This had not occured to me. By the way, Terry sent me a set of break shoes and a coupla bearings that he just happened to have laying about that actually fit the Frankenfocus. So, lesson learned: check the boxes first.
PM: "Yes, they do."
Terry: "Just break 'em off and the drum should come right off."
Then Master-of-Sport-Mechanic-and-All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline, Terry had to go do some actual work himself and so left me to my own devices.
I broke the flange clips and the last nut came off. A couple of solid whacks with the hammer and the drum came off.
Repeat with other side, except now I just broke the flanges and took all four nuts off at once. EPJ.
Now to the shoes.
Well, they came off easy enough.
I am goin to buy a set of brake spring thingy's before I do... IF I do shoes again. Logan and I grunted and strained but finally got both sets of shoes on with only a moderate amount of fuss. I followed Master-of-Sport-Mechanic-and-All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline, Terry's advice of doing one shoe at a time, leaving the other side exposed as a guide. This was a solid idea. Glad I though of it.
So, except for bent pin that bent because I put it in the wrong hole even though Logan thought it went in the hole it actually went up going in, it was not a big deal.
Unanticipated issue number four: Then we had to put the drums back on. Remeber that there was not a hole to get to the tensioner? Well the tensioner sits betwixt the shoes and I can't figure this out to save my life. I look it up online and I get:
Hit Number 1: A video of a brake job on a 2001 Focus where the guy chews a lot of gum and does not actually show the brake job, he just tells us that he did the brake job. Asshole.
Fuming.
Hit number 13: A video of a guy doing a brake job on a 2002 Ford Something Else where he just fits the drum back on like breathing. Smug bastard.
Let the simpering begin.
Hit 39: A diagram of a brake job on a 2002 Ford Focus that says to seperate the small cam to loosen the shoes. I have no idea what this means.
I am swearing AT myself now.
I go outside and Logan has figured out what that means. You have to press a screw driver between the unmoving small cam and the moving larg cam that is not round but shaped like a "Q" and a "G" looped together. Damned if this does not work. Drums go on like a champ. Smug bastard asshole that I am, in my joy I forget that with the clamps on the nuts on the cover for the bearing, I do not have a socket big enough. Sigh.
I have to go to a concert for my Mother-in-Law. After the concert I swing by the Zone... Dunta-DunDunta... Auto-Zone! to swap out my last unused socket. And they are closed.
But Oh-Oh-Oh-O'Reilly's... Auto Parts is open! Go figure the six dollar SAE socket does not fit as well as the 30mm at 9 bucks. 30mm. Prolly need that again next week. Get home and fit it all back together.
Brakes work fine.
The noise is still there.
Son of a bitch.
Thing I learned:
1. A hammer is a good friend.
2. It is better to stay calm.
3. A calm son is good to have in a pinch.
4. Master-of-Sport-Mechanic-and-All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline, Terry still has me beat. Smug bastard.
5. Check your parts boxes first
6. Avoid doing brake shoes.
7. Buy a damned spring tool.
8. The internet SUCKS!!!
Total time with breaks for shopping, parts runs and a Christmas Cantata... Eleven Hours. OMG!!!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Update and a Poem Drops
We have been in "hell week," the last week of rehersals/first week of the show. Christan is directing "Uh-oh, Here Comes Christmas" down at WACT. This is her first directing gig. As such, I had to come out of retirement to act, paint sets and listen to her get mad.
I have not gone to the gym or done anything except work and go to the theatre in literally a week, so I am prepared to do very little today.
Opening night went pretty well for everyone but me: I sucked it up. Of course, the big crowd of 17 people was pretty dead. Second night went much better and the crowd was really into it. Two down, five to go.
My poem, "Picking Over Sortes that We Might Understand" dropped in The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature along with an inexplicable picture of a tractor.
I have not gone to the gym or done anything except work and go to the theatre in literally a week, so I am prepared to do very little today.
Opening night went pretty well for everyone but me: I sucked it up. Of course, the big crowd of 17 people was pretty dead. Second night went much better and the crowd was really into it. Two down, five to go.
My poem, "Picking Over Sortes that We Might Understand" dropped in The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature along with an inexplicable picture of a tractor.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Meet Write-Up: 2011 Southeastern Cup Powerlifting Championships
Well, start at the weigh in: Gage weighed in at 180.5 and I was 240 on the nose, so we both made weight. I was determined not to be under weight for the meet so I immediately ate a sammich, some chips and a gatorade then we went to Family Pizza House in Valdosta by the base. The food was very good, it was decently priced and I drank three glasses of water and three of soda. Continued to drink water and eat carbs the rest of the night.
We got to the venue at 8:20 or so and the first order of business was rack height. I used a tape measure to get the height of the racks at the gym. The both measured between 52 and 3/4and 53 inches. When we measured the rack at the meet this translated to a rack height of 1. This was the second lowest setting on the rack. And it looked very low. This led me to realize something. I think I have been going on feel in the past, setting the rack height where it felt right, but it has invariably been higher than where I have been training. So, no matter how it felt, I kept the height at 1 for both Gage and me.
Warmups would continue to be a pain in the ass the whole day. There were only 18 lifters, but because Joe Norman was opening with 870, they opted to break us into two flights. The good news is that Gage was the last lifter in the first flight, but regardless he was in a seperate flight from me. His warmups went well, so we stuck to the gameplan.
Gage Squat
Warmups:
45 x 10
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 1... but we had only about 20 minutes to warmup.
First attempt: 303... three whites. He killed it. We started low so to take nerves out of the equation.
Second attempt: 341.5... three whites, but it looked a tad slower than I would have liked, still...
Third attempt: 363.7... miss, I mean, just missed. 358 would have gone.
Gage had the largest squat in his flight.
In the meantime I was running back and forth between Gage lifting and me warming up and Joe Norman moving back and forth from my rack (I was there first, I claimed it!). Norman's crew was very helpful breaking down and adjusting the bar height, so it was all good. Still I was rushing and there was no break between the flights.
*Note of note: Mamie Jackson, a friend from the theater came to the meet. Just awesome. This is something I will never forget. Mames has never seen a meet and had no reason to come except that she is our friend. The meet was filled with the call and response of "Mames!" and "Petey!".
Pete Squat
Warmups:
Bw x 12 x 2
45 x 10
135 x 8
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 2
495 x 1
545 x 1... all raw. Last warmups felt heavy, but I simply had no time to care.
First attempt: 600.7... three whites. No problem, but it felt heavy on the walkout and my right knee was aching a bit. They were not holding to the one minute lifter time limit. This caught me off-guard on this lift and I had to re-wrap.
Second attempt: 633.7... three whites. I went a bit conservative with my knee ache. I bent forward just a tad and the lift was a bit of a grind.
Third attempt: 655.7... three whites. Because of the grind of 633, I went a tad lower than I originally wanted. I did decide to froth up my lather and get psyched. Result: I absolutle destroyed the weight. It was really nice to go three for three on the squats and to live up to the training weights. My second biggest squat at 242 and my largest meet squat since 1996. Oh, yeah and I freaked out afterward. I was very excited.
Spotters and loaders did a good job with a few bad misses.
Like last year, they held a raw bench meet in conjuction with the full-power meet. Last year they had the benchers do their thing then did the awards for the benchers, then the full power folks benched. I assumed they would do the same thing. As such, we waited to go to the warmup room unitl the end of the second attempt benches. This proved to be a mistake.
Gage Bench
Warmup
45 x 10
95 x 5
135 x 3... they came in at that point and said they were starting the flight one benches. We had to rush.
185 x 1
225 x 1
first attempt: 242.5... good lift. Easy.
Second Attempt: 264.5... good lift, but it was a grind. He had nothing left, he just did not know it.
Third Attempt: 275.5... no lift. Not really close.
I had to rush to warmup, but it was no big deal as I was opening light.
Pete
Warmups
45 x 10
95 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2p
First Attempt: 314... good ligt. Easy, token attempt, but my shoulder was screaming.
Second attempt with shirt: 407.7... two whites, but should have been three reds. A gift I will take. I forgot to get really tight and I went negative.
Third Attempt with shirt: 429.7... no lift. Lost it toward my head. I felt tight and had great speed off the bottom, but I was concerned with my elbow.
They rolled right into the deadlifts, but gave us a ten minute break. Gage smoked his warmups.
Gage Deadlift
Warmups
135 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2
315 x 1
365 x 1... all were easy and with a terrible bar.
First Attempt: 402.2... three whites. Easy lift.
Second Attempt: 429.7... I had questioned it, but in retrospect it was a smoth lift. Three whites.
Third Attempt: 446... A damn shame. No lift. He snatched it off the ground like a champ, but got rocked forward and lost his balance.
So, my goal for him was to total over 1030 and he got 1036. Six for nine, biggest squat and bench in his flight and second biggest deadlift. A great first meet.
Warmups on deadlift felt like shit for me, but I was so busy with Gage that I never let it bother me.
Pete Deadlift
Warmups
135 x 5
225 x 3
315 x 2
405 x 1
495 x 1... used a stiff bench bar to pull. Slow Grind.
Oh, while we were warming up, Joe Norman told me his hamstring was pulled so he was only going to take a token deadlift. It was still enough to beat me in the total, but it caused a miraculous event.
First Attempt: 584... three whites. A bit slow. I had not trained conventional deadlifts for speed and so I suffered because of it. Harder for me to get the slack out of the bar conventional as well.
Second attempt: 622.7... all-time personal record attempt. Three whites. A slow, grinding pull, but a good one. I was physically and emotionaly spent, but I took a third.
Third attempt: 644.7... no lift, did not budge it. I will learn my lesson next time. open light, heavy second. third attempt PR.
The miraculous event was that I had, for the first time in 21 years of lifting, had the largest deadlift in a meet. I don't count the backyard meet in South Carolina in March. But I hit 622 and the closest to me was 584. Felt kind of nice.
Wound up with second biggest squat by 55lbs over the next guy's 600 and 204 lbs over the closest squat with just wraps (451). Joe Norman had by far the largest squat with his singleply+briefs 870+.
My goals were:
1) 3 for three on the squat... check
2) PR Deadlift... check
3) biggest ever total... half check. While it missed the mark by 39lbs off my 275 PR 1725, it was my best ever total with gear at 242, by 146lbs.
Very happy with the day.
All videos can be found on my youtube channel: here, right here!!!
Going to be dropping some weight and doing some maintenence lifting until revving up the training in late March for a meet in July.
Until then, Power Socks Inc. sleeps the sleep of the content.
A big thanks to Jeffery and Jenny par for their sponsorship. Another huge thanks to Mames for showing up. I appreciate Gage showing up and being there this whole cycle.
But the biggest thanks goes to Christan for beeing there for the ENTIRE 21 year ride. she was there at the first meet (425/265/405/1095 @198) and was there this weekend. She has been a rock for my up and down lifting career.
Year in Review
Adel: November, 2010: 579/363/600/1544 @ 237
South Carolina: March, 2011: 615/370/565/1550 @241
Pelion: July, 2011: 600/365/615/1580 @ 238
Adel: November, 2011: 655/407/622/1686 @ 240
Left nothing in the gym for the year on squat or deadlift. Shoulder took my bench out of the equation. Looking at July and November/December next year.
We got to the venue at 8:20 or so and the first order of business was rack height. I used a tape measure to get the height of the racks at the gym. The both measured between 52 and 3/4and 53 inches. When we measured the rack at the meet this translated to a rack height of 1. This was the second lowest setting on the rack. And it looked very low. This led me to realize something. I think I have been going on feel in the past, setting the rack height where it felt right, but it has invariably been higher than where I have been training. So, no matter how it felt, I kept the height at 1 for both Gage and me.
Warmups would continue to be a pain in the ass the whole day. There were only 18 lifters, but because Joe Norman was opening with 870, they opted to break us into two flights. The good news is that Gage was the last lifter in the first flight, but regardless he was in a seperate flight from me. His warmups went well, so we stuck to the gameplan.
Gage Squat
Warmups:
45 x 10
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 1... but we had only about 20 minutes to warmup.
First attempt: 303... three whites. He killed it. We started low so to take nerves out of the equation.
Second attempt: 341.5... three whites, but it looked a tad slower than I would have liked, still...
Third attempt: 363.7... miss, I mean, just missed. 358 would have gone.
Gage had the largest squat in his flight.
In the meantime I was running back and forth between Gage lifting and me warming up and Joe Norman moving back and forth from my rack (I was there first, I claimed it!). Norman's crew was very helpful breaking down and adjusting the bar height, so it was all good. Still I was rushing and there was no break between the flights.
*Note of note: Mamie Jackson, a friend from the theater came to the meet. Just awesome. This is something I will never forget. Mames has never seen a meet and had no reason to come except that she is our friend. The meet was filled with the call and response of "Mames!" and "Petey!".
Pete Squat
Warmups:
Bw x 12 x 2
45 x 10
135 x 8
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 2
495 x 1
545 x 1... all raw. Last warmups felt heavy, but I simply had no time to care.
First attempt: 600.7... three whites. No problem, but it felt heavy on the walkout and my right knee was aching a bit. They were not holding to the one minute lifter time limit. This caught me off-guard on this lift and I had to re-wrap.
Second attempt: 633.7... three whites. I went a bit conservative with my knee ache. I bent forward just a tad and the lift was a bit of a grind.
Third attempt: 655.7... three whites. Because of the grind of 633, I went a tad lower than I originally wanted. I did decide to froth up my lather and get psyched. Result: I absolutle destroyed the weight. It was really nice to go three for three on the squats and to live up to the training weights. My second biggest squat at 242 and my largest meet squat since 1996. Oh, yeah and I freaked out afterward. I was very excited.
Spotters and loaders did a good job with a few bad misses.
Like last year, they held a raw bench meet in conjuction with the full-power meet. Last year they had the benchers do their thing then did the awards for the benchers, then the full power folks benched. I assumed they would do the same thing. As such, we waited to go to the warmup room unitl the end of the second attempt benches. This proved to be a mistake.
Gage Bench
Warmup
45 x 10
95 x 5
135 x 3... they came in at that point and said they were starting the flight one benches. We had to rush.
185 x 1
225 x 1
first attempt: 242.5... good lift. Easy.
Second Attempt: 264.5... good lift, but it was a grind. He had nothing left, he just did not know it.
Third Attempt: 275.5... no lift. Not really close.
I had to rush to warmup, but it was no big deal as I was opening light.
Pete
Warmups
45 x 10
95 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2p
First Attempt: 314... good ligt. Easy, token attempt, but my shoulder was screaming.
Second attempt with shirt: 407.7... two whites, but should have been three reds. A gift I will take. I forgot to get really tight and I went negative.
Third Attempt with shirt: 429.7... no lift. Lost it toward my head. I felt tight and had great speed off the bottom, but I was concerned with my elbow.
They rolled right into the deadlifts, but gave us a ten minute break. Gage smoked his warmups.
Gage Deadlift
Warmups
135 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2
315 x 1
365 x 1... all were easy and with a terrible bar.
First Attempt: 402.2... three whites. Easy lift.
Second Attempt: 429.7... I had questioned it, but in retrospect it was a smoth lift. Three whites.
Third Attempt: 446... A damn shame. No lift. He snatched it off the ground like a champ, but got rocked forward and lost his balance.
So, my goal for him was to total over 1030 and he got 1036. Six for nine, biggest squat and bench in his flight and second biggest deadlift. A great first meet.
Warmups on deadlift felt like shit for me, but I was so busy with Gage that I never let it bother me.
Pete Deadlift
Warmups
135 x 5
225 x 3
315 x 2
405 x 1
495 x 1... used a stiff bench bar to pull. Slow Grind.
Oh, while we were warming up, Joe Norman told me his hamstring was pulled so he was only going to take a token deadlift. It was still enough to beat me in the total, but it caused a miraculous event.
First Attempt: 584... three whites. A bit slow. I had not trained conventional deadlifts for speed and so I suffered because of it. Harder for me to get the slack out of the bar conventional as well.
Second attempt: 622.7... all-time personal record attempt. Three whites. A slow, grinding pull, but a good one. I was physically and emotionaly spent, but I took a third.
Third attempt: 644.7... no lift, did not budge it. I will learn my lesson next time. open light, heavy second. third attempt PR.
The miraculous event was that I had, for the first time in 21 years of lifting, had the largest deadlift in a meet. I don't count the backyard meet in South Carolina in March. But I hit 622 and the closest to me was 584. Felt kind of nice.
Wound up with second biggest squat by 55lbs over the next guy's 600 and 204 lbs over the closest squat with just wraps (451). Joe Norman had by far the largest squat with his singleply+briefs 870+.
My goals were:
1) 3 for three on the squat... check
2) PR Deadlift... check
3) biggest ever total... half check. While it missed the mark by 39lbs off my 275 PR 1725, it was my best ever total with gear at 242, by 146lbs.
Very happy with the day.
All videos can be found on my youtube channel: here, right here!!!
Going to be dropping some weight and doing some maintenence lifting until revving up the training in late March for a meet in July.
Until then, Power Socks Inc. sleeps the sleep of the content.
A big thanks to Jeffery and Jenny par for their sponsorship. Another huge thanks to Mames for showing up. I appreciate Gage showing up and being there this whole cycle.
But the biggest thanks goes to Christan for beeing there for the ENTIRE 21 year ride. she was there at the first meet (425/265/405/1095 @198) and was there this weekend. She has been a rock for my up and down lifting career.
Year in Review
Adel: November, 2010: 579/363/600/1544 @ 237
South Carolina: March, 2011: 615/370/565/1550 @241
Pelion: July, 2011: 600/365/615/1580 @ 238
Adel: November, 2011: 655/407/622/1686 @ 240
Left nothing in the gym for the year on squat or deadlift. Shoulder took my bench out of the equation. Looking at July and November/December next year.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Some Pre-Meet fun! I may have posted some of these already. If so, enjoy again.
Yeah.
Not fair. My man retired in 1996 to raise his kids.
Pure holiday magic.
Pure birthday horror.
Classic.
Classic-er.
It took me a few minutes...
Just. Just awesome.
I never wanted to be a rock star this badly.
Not funny, just wicked cool.
Check out The Firm where Wilfred swears.
Happiness is finding your skate key and then watching it reject you.
I think we are right.
I love this one.
Live free or die with a fox pelt on your crotch.
Creepy city.
Lol.
This is, to me, demonic beyond words.
I will leave this one for Berry and Mike.
Many have tried. Many have failed.
Tastes like homemade grandma!
Ready, willing and able.
Awesome.
Picture taken by my wife in one of our meet hotel rooms.
Cool shot.
Freakish.
Behold it, sir. Behold it.
Har.
Great picture... and true!
Oh, no you didn't!
Regardless, it is awesome.
Damn! Right!
Epic fail.
Wow.
WOW!!!
I don't care who you are, that's funny right there.
He looks like my grandfather.
One of my all time faves.
Ditto.
Thing is, the monkey looks guilty.
And now Easter acolyte, you will die. You. Will. die.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Meet Plan and deep within the weight cut, aka water poisoning.
Two gallons of water a day sucks. That is all I have to say about that. It's Tuesday and I am ten pounds off where I want to be. Will not panic until Wednesday. I actually think I am fine. The melt does not usually start until Wednesday. Only myself to blame. I ate for shit this cycle.
Meet Plan
Gage
Squat
Opening very light at 303
Second attempt: 341.5
Third: want to go 363.7. This should be right at his max.
Bench
Opener: 242.5
Second: 264.5
Third will depend on his second, but he wants 275.5. I really think he has it in him, but 270 is an option.
Deadlift
I am going all out on this, but reserve the right to lower all attempts to accomodate how he feels.
Opener: 402.2
Second: 429.7
Third: anywhere between 435.2 and 451.7
Pete
Luckily, my heart is really not in this one, so there is no real pressure. I would like to get my best ever total, but that would require a 9 for 9 day. I have never, in 23 years had a 9 for 9 day. With injuries and with Gage lifting, I am just going to try to focus and lift strong and have fun.
Squat: wraps
Opener: 600.7
Second: 639.2
Third: 661.2... this is way off what I wanted, but it is way closer to what I think I can get.
Bench
Opener: raw: 314
Shirted Second: 407.7
Third: if elbow holds out, 424.2 to 435.2
Deadlift
I assume I will go conventional.
Opener: 584
Second: go for a PR: 622.7
Third: go for broke: 644.7
This would give me 1735, ten pounds over my best total, but it is assuming much.
Meet Plan
Gage
Squat
Opening very light at 303
Second attempt: 341.5
Third: want to go 363.7. This should be right at his max.
Bench
Opener: 242.5
Second: 264.5
Third will depend on his second, but he wants 275.5. I really think he has it in him, but 270 is an option.
Deadlift
I am going all out on this, but reserve the right to lower all attempts to accomodate how he feels.
Opener: 402.2
Second: 429.7
Third: anywhere between 435.2 and 451.7
Pete
Luckily, my heart is really not in this one, so there is no real pressure. I would like to get my best ever total, but that would require a 9 for 9 day. I have never, in 23 years had a 9 for 9 day. With injuries and with Gage lifting, I am just going to try to focus and lift strong and have fun.
Squat: wraps
Opener: 600.7
Second: 639.2
Third: 661.2... this is way off what I wanted, but it is way closer to what I think I can get.
Bench
Opener: raw: 314
Shirted Second: 407.7
Third: if elbow holds out, 424.2 to 435.2
Deadlift
I assume I will go conventional.
Opener: 584
Second: go for a PR: 622.7
Third: go for broke: 644.7
This would give me 1735, ten pounds over my best total, but it is assuming much.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Story drops Today! Squat night goes good for all... excpet me!
My short story "The Irrevocable Voice Lost but to the Stars" is now available in Independent Ink Magazine. Indink is available as a Kindle download on Amazon. Also works for iPhone, iPad, etc. Kindle apps.
Monday Night Squats
Jacob
Squat
45 x 10
135 x 5
185 x 3
205 x 3
215 x 3... called it at this; his groin was bothering him again
Overhead Press
45 x 10
95 x 5
115 x 3
125 x 3
130 x 3
Gage
Squat
45 x 10
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
270 x 3
285 x 3... TPR!
305 x 3... PR!! by 20lbs
Overhead Press
45 x 10
95 x 5
115 x 3
125 x 3
130 x 3
Christan
Squats
45 x 10
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
165 x 5
190 x 5
205 x 5... PR!!! Last two were prolly a scoche high, but she really pushed like a champ.
Pete
Squat
bw x 12 x 2
45 x 10
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 5... nothing is feeling right
455 x 5
535 x 1
575 x 2... tight belt all other sets loose. I had to set up twice. First walk out I lost my footing. Took it back in and set up well.
595 x 1... it was a bit high. I got distracted and on the descent did not spread my knees. Turned into a quad dominant squat and I torqued my hip something fierce. Really hurts today. As such, I opted out of work sets. It pissed me off last night, but in light of my hip pain, it was the right decision.
Really pleased with everyone's effort, but especially with Christan. 165 x 5 was rough. !95 x 5 looked great on 1-3, but 4 and 5 were rough. she really dug down deep for that 10lb PR 205 x 5. Last week of fives.
I am not sure what I am going to do. I know I will go with Deload this week. No real choice. I am simply not feeling it as I have for the past year. Just don't want to do it right now. Been a miserable week in the gym. It's tough becuase the last squat workout was so productive.
Ah, well.
Monday Night Squats
Jacob
Squat
45 x 10
135 x 5
185 x 3
205 x 3
215 x 3... called it at this; his groin was bothering him again
Overhead Press
45 x 10
95 x 5
115 x 3
125 x 3
130 x 3
Gage
Squat
45 x 10
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
270 x 3
285 x 3... TPR!
305 x 3... PR!! by 20lbs
Overhead Press
45 x 10
95 x 5
115 x 3
125 x 3
130 x 3
Christan
Squats
45 x 10
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
165 x 5
190 x 5
205 x 5... PR!!! Last two were prolly a scoche high, but she really pushed like a champ.
Pete
Squat
bw x 12 x 2
45 x 10
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 5... nothing is feeling right
455 x 5
535 x 1
575 x 2... tight belt all other sets loose. I had to set up twice. First walk out I lost my footing. Took it back in and set up well.
595 x 1... it was a bit high. I got distracted and on the descent did not spread my knees. Turned into a quad dominant squat and I torqued my hip something fierce. Really hurts today. As such, I opted out of work sets. It pissed me off last night, but in light of my hip pain, it was the right decision.
Really pleased with everyone's effort, but especially with Christan. 165 x 5 was rough. !95 x 5 looked great on 1-3, but 4 and 5 were rough. she really dug down deep for that 10lb PR 205 x 5. Last week of fives.
I am not sure what I am going to do. I know I will go with Deload this week. No real choice. I am simply not feeling it as I have for the past year. Just don't want to do it right now. Been a miserable week in the gym. It's tough becuase the last squat workout was so productive.
Ah, well.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
400th Post: T'was a good Day: Dead Mules, Proto Mechanic Triumphant, Gym PR's and Pizza
The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature emailed me and said that they wanted to publish my poem "Picking over Sortes that We Might Understand" in their Holiday 2011 Issue coming out December 1st online. I make references to a dead mule and Cormac McCarthy so I was a shoe-in. Thanks to Berry for 1)his wonderful poem "Cormac McCarthy's Mule Done Gone and Died" which inspired "Picking..." and 2) tellimg me to submit to The Dead Mule.
On a down note: out tag decal was stolen and the starter was going out on the van...
Enter Proto-Mechanic:
The Job: The starter on the 2006 Dodge GRAND Caravan
The Place: The Proto-Mechanic Garage
Estimated time: 3 hours
Luckily the starter had not gone completely out so I was able to use the van to go get 1) the tag for the van 2) pizza and 3) the starter. I called the tag office and they said "Just bring your receipt and we will print you another decal." They mentioned nothing about eight dollars and the fact they are one of nine places in the country that don't take debit cards, so I had to bum the cash off Mike, who was riding with me so I did not have to turn off the van.
I ordered two of the five dollar take out specials figuring that Mike and I lay waste to the buffet, so two pizzas and an order of breadsticks should be plenty. We finished one and I was miserable the rest of the day. What a way to be miserable, though!
Headed on down to the Auto-Zone, dunna-dunta-ta-duh... Auto-Zone! to pick up the starter I had ordered the day before because nobody in town had one. Nobody in two towns, actually. Left work at three-thirty to get to work on the starter, figuring that if I could get done by seven I could still go to the gym. The very first thing I did was remove the negative battery cable from the terminal. Proto-Mechanic learns his lessons well. Jacked up the car with the two ton jack and placed a jack stand in a spotter position and by four I was ready to roll.
I had noted the position of Pol Pot when diagnosing the problem, so I was prepared. All told there was a nut on the positive hook-up to the solenoid, a clip wire to the same, two mounting bolts (one was Pol) and a negative wire hook-up that was mounted on top of Pol. The only issue with Pol was Proto-Mechanic's nemesis: Range of Motion. Pol was tucked in behind the front motor mount.
A word here about engines that have been running. They get hot. All the parts of them, apparently. I kept burning the fool out of my knuckles while worrying if my thumb was gonna fall off becuase of my limited ROM.
And in an hour... I was... done?
Whisky. Tango. Foxtrot.
With trepidation I touched the negative cable to the terminal... no terminal melting arc. That is a good thing. Before Proto was Proto, he changed out a strarter and melted a battery terminal becuase of a wiring issues. Long time ago.
Drop the van, hop in, turn the key...
Son of a bitch... it cranked up fine.
Who the hell am I?
Total time: One Hour. I even put in a call to Master-of-Sport-Mechanic and All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline Terry because it felt wrong not to do so.
The good news is I was done and dressed for the gym by 5:15, then I got comfy on the bed. We left at five to six.
Gym was nigh on deserted. Just a few regulars.
Max out on the Deadlift!!!
Jacob: a lesson in perseverence and learning
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 1
305 x 0... lost balance, but had great speed
305 x 0... went immediately again and had no speed
305 x 0... the balance and speed issue
305 x 0... went again immediately and had no speed
told him to take his shoes off
305 x 1... Hitched it biblically. He wanted it again. I told him about throwing his hips forward and shoulders back at the same time.
305 x 1... he thought I meant four times within a six inch ROM. Hitched it like a champ.
305 x 1...PR!!! Damned if he did not finally get it cleanly!!!
Gage
135 x 10
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2
315 x 1
355 x 1
390 x 1... PR!!! a real fight at the knees but clean.
400 x 0... A real close miss, again at the knees. Bar got out in front of him, but a good miss.
Gage did pullups, curls and rows.
Pete: The Gauntlet
I have felt that an overly tight belt might not be for me, so I loosened the lever by one notch.
Arched Back Good Mornings
45 x 10
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 3... loose belt
455 x 3... ditto
500 x 3... a tad high, I think. Should have tightened the belt.
Bench
45 x 10
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 2... right shoulder hurtin'
Speed Work
245 x 1p
265 x 1p
275 x 1p x 3 sets
275 x 1p x 3 set
275 x 1p x 2 sets... Shoulder never loosened, speed was too low. Glad I start over next week.
275 x 1p x 2 sets
Singles
325 x 1p
340 x 1p
355 x 1p
Deadlift. I think It was five to eight by this point.
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 5... the bar is levitating tonight!
405 x 5... the new warmup scheme seems to be working
480 x 5... all reset
515 x 5... all reset. First one was so easy that I actually looked over to see if I had loaded it right.
545 x 5... all reset. Tightened the belt this time. Very comfortable and it went well. Damn. Felt pretty good. Never a doubt. I think that ties a Sumo set of 5 PR. My form feels spot on right now.
A good night all around. 'Nuff said.
On a down note: out tag decal was stolen and the starter was going out on the van...
Enter Proto-Mechanic:
The Job: The starter on the 2006 Dodge GRAND Caravan
The Place: The Proto-Mechanic Garage
Estimated time: 3 hours
Luckily the starter had not gone completely out so I was able to use the van to go get 1) the tag for the van 2) pizza and 3) the starter. I called the tag office and they said "Just bring your receipt and we will print you another decal." They mentioned nothing about eight dollars and the fact they are one of nine places in the country that don't take debit cards, so I had to bum the cash off Mike, who was riding with me so I did not have to turn off the van.
I ordered two of the five dollar take out specials figuring that Mike and I lay waste to the buffet, so two pizzas and an order of breadsticks should be plenty. We finished one and I was miserable the rest of the day. What a way to be miserable, though!
Headed on down to the Auto-Zone, dunna-dunta-ta-duh... Auto-Zone! to pick up the starter I had ordered the day before because nobody in town had one. Nobody in two towns, actually. Left work at three-thirty to get to work on the starter, figuring that if I could get done by seven I could still go to the gym. The very first thing I did was remove the negative battery cable from the terminal. Proto-Mechanic learns his lessons well. Jacked up the car with the two ton jack and placed a jack stand in a spotter position and by four I was ready to roll.
I had noted the position of Pol Pot when diagnosing the problem, so I was prepared. All told there was a nut on the positive hook-up to the solenoid, a clip wire to the same, two mounting bolts (one was Pol) and a negative wire hook-up that was mounted on top of Pol. The only issue with Pol was Proto-Mechanic's nemesis: Range of Motion. Pol was tucked in behind the front motor mount.
A word here about engines that have been running. They get hot. All the parts of them, apparently. I kept burning the fool out of my knuckles while worrying if my thumb was gonna fall off becuase of my limited ROM.
And in an hour... I was... done?
Whisky. Tango. Foxtrot.
With trepidation I touched the negative cable to the terminal... no terminal melting arc. That is a good thing. Before Proto was Proto, he changed out a strarter and melted a battery terminal becuase of a wiring issues. Long time ago.
Drop the van, hop in, turn the key...
Son of a bitch... it cranked up fine.
Who the hell am I?
Total time: One Hour. I even put in a call to Master-of-Sport-Mechanic and All-'Round-Great-Guy, My-Personal-Mechanicing-Lifeline Terry because it felt wrong not to do so.
The good news is I was done and dressed for the gym by 5:15, then I got comfy on the bed. We left at five to six.
Gym was nigh on deserted. Just a few regulars.
Max out on the Deadlift!!!
Jacob: a lesson in perseverence and learning
135 x 8
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 1
305 x 0... lost balance, but had great speed
305 x 0... went immediately again and had no speed
305 x 0... the balance and speed issue
305 x 0... went again immediately and had no speed
told him to take his shoes off
305 x 1... Hitched it biblically. He wanted it again. I told him about throwing his hips forward and shoulders back at the same time.
305 x 1... he thought I meant four times within a six inch ROM. Hitched it like a champ.
305 x 1...PR!!! Damned if he did not finally get it cleanly!!!
Gage
135 x 10
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2
315 x 1
355 x 1
390 x 1... PR!!! a real fight at the knees but clean.
400 x 0... A real close miss, again at the knees. Bar got out in front of him, but a good miss.
Gage did pullups, curls and rows.
Pete: The Gauntlet
I have felt that an overly tight belt might not be for me, so I loosened the lever by one notch.
Arched Back Good Mornings
45 x 10
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 3... loose belt
455 x 3... ditto
500 x 3... a tad high, I think. Should have tightened the belt.
Bench
45 x 10
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 2... right shoulder hurtin'
Speed Work
245 x 1p
265 x 1p
275 x 1p x 3 sets
275 x 1p x 3 set
275 x 1p x 2 sets... Shoulder never loosened, speed was too low. Glad I start over next week.
275 x 1p x 2 sets
Singles
325 x 1p
340 x 1p
355 x 1p
Deadlift. I think It was five to eight by this point.
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 5... the bar is levitating tonight!
405 x 5... the new warmup scheme seems to be working
480 x 5... all reset
515 x 5... all reset. First one was so easy that I actually looked over to see if I had loaded it right.
545 x 5... all reset. Tightened the belt this time. Very comfortable and it went well. Damn. Felt pretty good. Never a doubt. I think that ties a Sumo set of 5 PR. My form feels spot on right now.
A good night all around. 'Nuff said.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Meet Results Update
Meet Results
I wound up with the third highest raw total. A far distance behind Rex Hubbard's 1885, and a bit behind Curtis Rabon's 1725. Though, I would have been closer if I would have gotten some lifts in. I think I was 100 lbs over the fourth highest raw total and 220 over the fifth.
In my weight class, there were two twenty year olds. I was 545 over the second place kid and 745 over the third place kid.
They went 405/185/555/1035 and 285/185/365/835 respectively.
Anyway, it was nice to feel like I am a decent lifter. Not upper echelon like Rex, but no beginner either. Of course, both those kids almost beat me when I nearly bombed on the squat, so it keeps it all in perspective.
Well, back to "work".
I wound up with the third highest raw total. A far distance behind Rex Hubbard's 1885, and a bit behind Curtis Rabon's 1725. Though, I would have been closer if I would have gotten some lifts in. I think I was 100 lbs over the fourth highest raw total and 220 over the fifth.
In my weight class, there were two twenty year olds. I was 545 over the second place kid and 745 over the third place kid.
They went 405/185/555/1035 and 285/185/365/835 respectively.
Anyway, it was nice to feel like I am a decent lifter. Not upper echelon like Rex, but no beginner either. Of course, both those kids almost beat me when I nearly bombed on the squat, so it keeps it all in perspective.
Well, back to "work".
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Meet Recap: APF/AAPF South Carolina Open
Held at American Muscle in Pelion, SC. A decent sized gym, but a bit too small to house 27 powerlifters, 13 benchers AND about a hundred spectators. By the end of the day everyone was complaining about the heat. It did not bother me, but the one bathroom and the port-a-potty for all of the above was problematic.
Judging was a bit inconsistent. They gave a few of the big-time squatters extra time to prep for lifts and made an egregious error on the bench bar. For a meet from a federation that was supposed to be for the lifter, I was a little surprised by the attitude of some of the judges and the meet promoter. All in all, I was not won over by multiply lifting, especially when it came to squats. There were a lot of high squats passed. I really have no problem with it, I mean if the judges give it to you, you take it, but I don't think I would want to do it. The single ply stuff was hard enough. MP would prolly kill me. It takes a lot of work to do multiply. My hats off to those who do, but sometimes it seems the rules get bent a little as a trade-off. Saw some utterly amaxing lifting by Rex Hubbard out of NGBB: 745 raw squat, 755 raw DL: 1855 total at 275. Good to reconnect with WC Waldren from NGBB and then Justin and John from SC.
They asked Logan to spot and load, which he did all day. I was proud of him, but missed him in the back with me.
And now: the horror.
Squat
Warmups were problematic. Two squat racks, one a monolift, and it just was hard to get it done in time. Plus, with five guys warming up on a rack, there was not the luxury of raising and lowering the rack. As such, the setting was too high for me, I could not get the bar low enough on my back, and 495 and 545, weights I can handle easily, felt heavy.
As such, I was off in the brain.
Throw in the equipmemt I am not used to using, namely: Mastadon-type bar, hundred pound plates and mono-lift and:
Opener: 600... pinned me. My opener, a weight I have done for a triple, pinned me. And I was shitting my pants! And...
I freaked the fuck out. Christan tried to talk me down, but I was ready to go home. Luckily, I got my shit together.
Second attempt: 600... 2 whites, one red: good lift. I asked them to lower the rack before I went. That helped. Kept my head up, but it felt hinky in the hole. There will be no more training with a mirror in front of me, I can tell you that. Here is footage: 600 squat
Sadly, this beat the AAPF (drug tested) raw Amercan Record by 104 lbs. A sad state of affairs.
Humiliating, but not as humiliating as...
Third attempt: 625... never even tried. Could never feel right under the rack. Had them lower it again, but it just wasn't happening. Felt like 700 lbs on my back. Just... guh.
No blame on my squats, I just had no confidence, but the equipment issues were part of the problem.
Bench
Warmups went pretty well.
Opener: 365. Got it, but it felt wrong. Here is footage: 365 bench
I asked Fred if the bar rings felt narrow. He said he did not know (he gets stupid focused), but when I went back to check, WC and Rex were already measuring. Sure enough, the rings were an inch closer to the center of the bar. So, they tell the meet promotor, who swaps out the bar... for a squat bar. A thick, whippy, squat bar. Rex got pissed and they swapped the bar out for a decent one.
Should have kept the old one.
Second attempt: 385... miss
third attempt: ditto.
What a waste of time and money to get a 600 squat and a 365 bench. The only plus was that I did not bomb. I had only three goals left going into the DL: not to bomb, to break the AR in the total, and get a PR total.
Deadlift
Warmups were terrible. Could not decide on sumo or conventional. Only warmed up to 495. Opted, as I walked up to the bar, to go sumo. Why? Because the plan was to go to conventional. The plan did not work at all, so I went contrary.
Opener: 585... my biggest opener ever... got it, but not with much speed at all. See for yerself: 585 pull
this gave me the AAPF raw American Record. Phffff. So, two goals down...
Oh, the socks were a big hit.
Second attempt: 615... a 15 pound PR, and I got it. This was a grind, but a 2-1 good lift: 615 PR Pull
I remember thinking I was locked out, looking at the head judge and him just looking at me. I figured, "Better pull just a little more." And I did. I was happy for the first time on the day.
Christan yelling for me not to give up makes me want to cry. It just makes me feel loved. And, not having quit, I gave her all I had.
Took a third at 630, but I had nothing left.
So. 1580. A whole 30lb PR total at 242 and a 15 lb PR on the deadlift (one that I got a lot of props for).
I really don't know how I feel about continuing. I'm sure I will, but I am embarrassed right now. Depressed. Start back late next week.
Thanks to Christan and Gage for always being there. Double thanks to Christan for her yelling,
Thanks to Logan for working harder than me at the meet. That spotting and loading will whip you after eight hours. And he always came over to help me whenever possible.
Thanks to Fred for hanging around and offering advice.
Thanks to Jeffery and Jenny Parr for paying my APF fees.
Thanks to Justin and John for being my SC cheering section.
Some more bitchin' and thoughts:
Made an error on my record application sheet. IT WAS MY MISTAKE. I freely admit that. Was it egregious enough for the meet director to be a prick about it. I debate that. Fed up, I just said, "Fine. Just give it back." Then he acted like it was no big deal. Huh.
Actually had some competition in the 242 raw class: me and two other guys. I was fortunate enough to come out on top.
Oh, even though I paid an extra ten bucks to be part of the APF AND the AAPF, and even though of the seven AAPF (drug tested) lifters there, I was the only one tested (I was more than happy to comply) it bugged the hell out of me that the APF/AAPF were not considered seperate. Even when it came to best lifter. There were two of us that might have won best lifter in an AAPF division, but the best lifter went to an APF lifter. He deserved it, no question, but the reason I paid for the AAPF card was to lift against fellow willing-to-be-tested lifters, not those unwilling to be tested. Again, I have no problem with how a person wants to lift, I just think apples with apples, oranges with oranges.
Speaking of testing: all meets test a percentage of available lifters. That was why I was the only one of seven lifters to be tested. What was crazy was the fact that the Meet Director gave me my piss cups and let me go about my business. Chain of custody be damned. I could have gotten Gage to piss for me and noone would have been the wiser. Also, typically, the test is done at the end of the meet. They had me do it at the end of the squat. That was fine, but I was worried I would be unable to fill the cups. Turned out to be no problem.
Fred Carpenter hit a nice 390 raw PR bench with a very near miss at 400.
I am convinced that gym weights are lighter than weights used for meets.
Well, its all in the past and I am shot out. TTFN, kids.
Pete
Judging was a bit inconsistent. They gave a few of the big-time squatters extra time to prep for lifts and made an egregious error on the bench bar. For a meet from a federation that was supposed to be for the lifter, I was a little surprised by the attitude of some of the judges and the meet promoter. All in all, I was not won over by multiply lifting, especially when it came to squats. There were a lot of high squats passed. I really have no problem with it, I mean if the judges give it to you, you take it, but I don't think I would want to do it. The single ply stuff was hard enough. MP would prolly kill me. It takes a lot of work to do multiply. My hats off to those who do, but sometimes it seems the rules get bent a little as a trade-off. Saw some utterly amaxing lifting by Rex Hubbard out of NGBB: 745 raw squat, 755 raw DL: 1855 total at 275. Good to reconnect with WC Waldren from NGBB and then Justin and John from SC.
They asked Logan to spot and load, which he did all day. I was proud of him, but missed him in the back with me.
And now: the horror.
Squat
Warmups were problematic. Two squat racks, one a monolift, and it just was hard to get it done in time. Plus, with five guys warming up on a rack, there was not the luxury of raising and lowering the rack. As such, the setting was too high for me, I could not get the bar low enough on my back, and 495 and 545, weights I can handle easily, felt heavy.
As such, I was off in the brain.
Throw in the equipmemt I am not used to using, namely: Mastadon-type bar, hundred pound plates and mono-lift and:
Opener: 600... pinned me. My opener, a weight I have done for a triple, pinned me. And I was shitting my pants! And...
I freaked the fuck out. Christan tried to talk me down, but I was ready to go home. Luckily, I got my shit together.
Second attempt: 600... 2 whites, one red: good lift. I asked them to lower the rack before I went. That helped. Kept my head up, but it felt hinky in the hole. There will be no more training with a mirror in front of me, I can tell you that. Here is footage: 600 squat
Sadly, this beat the AAPF (drug tested) raw Amercan Record by 104 lbs. A sad state of affairs.
Humiliating, but not as humiliating as...
Third attempt: 625... never even tried. Could never feel right under the rack. Had them lower it again, but it just wasn't happening. Felt like 700 lbs on my back. Just... guh.
No blame on my squats, I just had no confidence, but the equipment issues were part of the problem.
Bench
Warmups went pretty well.
Opener: 365. Got it, but it felt wrong. Here is footage: 365 bench
I asked Fred if the bar rings felt narrow. He said he did not know (he gets stupid focused), but when I went back to check, WC and Rex were already measuring. Sure enough, the rings were an inch closer to the center of the bar. So, they tell the meet promotor, who swaps out the bar... for a squat bar. A thick, whippy, squat bar. Rex got pissed and they swapped the bar out for a decent one.
Should have kept the old one.
Second attempt: 385... miss
third attempt: ditto.
What a waste of time and money to get a 600 squat and a 365 bench. The only plus was that I did not bomb. I had only three goals left going into the DL: not to bomb, to break the AR in the total, and get a PR total.
Deadlift
Warmups were terrible. Could not decide on sumo or conventional. Only warmed up to 495. Opted, as I walked up to the bar, to go sumo. Why? Because the plan was to go to conventional. The plan did not work at all, so I went contrary.
Opener: 585... my biggest opener ever... got it, but not with much speed at all. See for yerself: 585 pull
this gave me the AAPF raw American Record. Phffff. So, two goals down...
Oh, the socks were a big hit.
Second attempt: 615... a 15 pound PR, and I got it. This was a grind, but a 2-1 good lift: 615 PR Pull
I remember thinking I was locked out, looking at the head judge and him just looking at me. I figured, "Better pull just a little more." And I did. I was happy for the first time on the day.
Christan yelling for me not to give up makes me want to cry. It just makes me feel loved. And, not having quit, I gave her all I had.
Took a third at 630, but I had nothing left.
So. 1580. A whole 30lb PR total at 242 and a 15 lb PR on the deadlift (one that I got a lot of props for).
I really don't know how I feel about continuing. I'm sure I will, but I am embarrassed right now. Depressed. Start back late next week.
Thanks to Christan and Gage for always being there. Double thanks to Christan for her yelling,
Thanks to Logan for working harder than me at the meet. That spotting and loading will whip you after eight hours. And he always came over to help me whenever possible.
Thanks to Fred for hanging around and offering advice.
Thanks to Jeffery and Jenny Parr for paying my APF fees.
Thanks to Justin and John for being my SC cheering section.
Some more bitchin' and thoughts:
Made an error on my record application sheet. IT WAS MY MISTAKE. I freely admit that. Was it egregious enough for the meet director to be a prick about it. I debate that. Fed up, I just said, "Fine. Just give it back." Then he acted like it was no big deal. Huh.
Actually had some competition in the 242 raw class: me and two other guys. I was fortunate enough to come out on top.
Oh, even though I paid an extra ten bucks to be part of the APF AND the AAPF, and even though of the seven AAPF (drug tested) lifters there, I was the only one tested (I was more than happy to comply) it bugged the hell out of me that the APF/AAPF were not considered seperate. Even when it came to best lifter. There were two of us that might have won best lifter in an AAPF division, but the best lifter went to an APF lifter. He deserved it, no question, but the reason I paid for the AAPF card was to lift against fellow willing-to-be-tested lifters, not those unwilling to be tested. Again, I have no problem with how a person wants to lift, I just think apples with apples, oranges with oranges.
Speaking of testing: all meets test a percentage of available lifters. That was why I was the only one of seven lifters to be tested. What was crazy was the fact that the Meet Director gave me my piss cups and let me go about my business. Chain of custody be damned. I could have gotten Gage to piss for me and noone would have been the wiser. Also, typically, the test is done at the end of the meet. They had me do it at the end of the squat. That was fine, but I was worried I would be unable to fill the cups. Turned out to be no problem.
Fred Carpenter hit a nice 390 raw PR bench with a very near miss at 400.
I am convinced that gym weights are lighter than weights used for meets.
Well, its all in the past and I am shot out. TTFN, kids.
Pete
Friday, July 22, 2011
Getting Ready to Head Out and a Good Cut
Weighed in at 238.6 this morning. A very good cut this time and do not feel weak. It was not hard at all. Even drank a slim fast this morning. Should be dead on to weigh in at 239 or a tad under.
We should be gone and gone by 11:00 am.
Gots to shave myself, get the hair ready and I's is good to go.
Updated plan
Squat: 600-635-655
Bench: 365-390-400
Deadlift: 585-625-645
This gives me a tie for my last meet on my openers (and the measly AAPF American Record will be mine!) and gives me a shot at 1700, and gives me my goal on second attempts: 1650.
Opener squat will give me the American Record at 242, second deadlift will give me the American Record as well.
I want that 655 squat so bad I can taste it. And it taste like victory... and mandarin oranges.
Luck you will wish to me?
We should be gone and gone by 11:00 am.
Gots to shave myself, get the hair ready and I's is good to go.
Updated plan
Squat: 600-635-655
Bench: 365-390-400
Deadlift: 585-625-645
This gives me a tie for my last meet on my openers (and the measly AAPF American Record will be mine!) and gives me a shot at 1700, and gives me my goal on second attempts: 1650.
Opener squat will give me the American Record at 242, second deadlift will give me the American Record as well.
I want that 655 squat so bad I can taste it. And it taste like victory... and mandarin oranges.
Luck you will wish to me?
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Household Adventures of Proto-Mechanic
The Dishwasher
So, last week, the dishwasher ran for eleven hours straight. Proto-Mechanic senses told me something was wrong. But before I could get my mitts wet, the dishwasher acted all normal and what not. Until it stopped draining. I got the thing drained by shaking the outlet hose like a porn-star-in-training, then ran some CLR through the dishwasher which ran for three straight hours. Again, I had an inkling that the timer might be out.
But, my father, Big Dave and the Half Nelsons, replaced his DW three years ago and stored his old one at the warehouse. He told me I could have that one. Sweet.
I figure... now let's just make it clear here that I am, that I recognize that I am, and that I will always be an idiot who will never learn... an hour an a half and I am set to start cleaning the house for all the visitations this weekend.
First day of vacation, I slept in until nine. This proved to be a good idea.
So, to remove the old dishwasher, I figure it will just pop out of there. Take out the mounting screws and, um, yeah, it moves all of three inches. It was at that moment that it occured to me that there was probably a water AND a power supply. Proto-mechanic learns quick.
A quck trip to the breaker box to flip the breaker marked "Dishwasher" and "Dryer" and "Hot Water Heater" just to cover my bases. I then remove the lower cover to see a brass fitting and electrical box, the first on the left, the second on the right. I don't know much about brass fittings, but rumor has it they are a pain in the ass... Pol Pot, for those of you who regularly read. I decide to go the easy route and just take the water-inlet-thingy off and work the brass fitting later. Easy-Peasy.
On to the electrical box. Remove the cover, seperate the wires and got to unhook the ground wire and what is that I feel on my hand?
A unsettling thrum of electricity.
What is that sound?
Me screaming like a girl.
So I get the test light and sho' nuff we have live wires. Apparently the guy who added on to this house back in 1984 was a sadist. "No need for the breaker marked 'dishwasher' to actullay turn the power off to the actual dishwasher. Surprise!"
So I flip all unessential breakers.
Here's the foreshadowing: the test light reads no power.
So, I unhook the ground wire.
What is that I hear?
1) a loud bang
2) me screaming like a girl
What is that I see?
Bright spark.
What is that I yell?
(deleted due to its uncouth manner)
I curse repeatedly and turn the power off to the whole damn house, but I get the power chord off, get the old dishwasher out, remove the drain hose and get the brass fitting off the old water-thingy. Proto-mechanic skills tell me that it is gonna be a serious ass pain to put back on. More foreshadowing kids.
New dishwasher is too tall. Adjustable feet. Awesome. Seven adjustments and seven dishwasher configurations too tall and I remove the damn feet. She slides right in there.
Back to the power chords. The wall wires are solid wires, the DW wired are the type that fray. This makes splicing them harder, but I get 'em spliced and covered in electrical tape. Turn the power on, put the DW to on...
nothing.
Turn off power to the house, resplice the wires. Turn power back on, DW motor kickes on. Sweet. I then go to tuck the wires into the metal box and close it up and...
What is that I see?
A big blue spark.
What is that I hear?
1) Loud pop (and a nice burn mark on the metal)
2)My screaming like a girl.
3) A blue streak of swearing and cursing the gods of electricity, home ownership and dishwashers in general.
Power down. The wires popped through the electrical tape. Retape and use some plastic caps. Re-power up, and the motor kicks in. Swell. Close the box and we are good.
On to the brass fitting. Pol "M_____R F______G" Pot! Lucky I had some plumbers tape. Unlucky for me, I can never figure out how to put that shit on correctly. FORESHADOWING!
First off, there is a big end and a small end. The small end can go in either the outlet or inlet, but if you put it in the outlet, the other end is too big for the inlet. Ask me how I know this? Go on, ask me dammit.
I swap it out and redo the plumber's tape, and after ten minutes of the inlet fitting just touching the connctor but not catching (more foreshadowing), it finally goes on. I tighten it down snuggly, but not all the way because Proto-Mechanic has insane torque skills and he always fears snapping bolts. Turn on the water supply...
Water SPRAYS all over the place. Tighten that sucker down by using a wrench with 1/4 inch clearence with a 1/16 inch ROM. Turn on the water supply...
No spray, but a leak. Damn.
Undo the brass fittings, redo the tape and then begin the arduous process of fitting the brass things together.
Over the next thirty minutes, I slowly lose my grip on reality. As proof of this, I say to Gage (who is flipping breakers and turning on water supplies at my behest) no less then fifteen times:
"I just don't understand it! They are touching, but the thing won't CATCH!"
Literally thirty minutes later, it catches. The 1/16 ROM and another five minutes, turn on the water supply and...
No spray, no leaks. Awesome.
Turn on the power and water does not seem to be going into the machine.
Son of a BITCH!
I screw around for another fifteen minutes, then, having done nothing, turn the machine on again, 'cause why not? Seems I did not give the machine time to actually push water into the machine.
So, dishwasher is installed and it only took five hours, I only got an electric shock three times, and I only sort of lost my temper.
Proto, out!
So, last week, the dishwasher ran for eleven hours straight. Proto-Mechanic senses told me something was wrong. But before I could get my mitts wet, the dishwasher acted all normal and what not. Until it stopped draining. I got the thing drained by shaking the outlet hose like a porn-star-in-training, then ran some CLR through the dishwasher which ran for three straight hours. Again, I had an inkling that the timer might be out.
But, my father, Big Dave and the Half Nelsons, replaced his DW three years ago and stored his old one at the warehouse. He told me I could have that one. Sweet.
I figure... now let's just make it clear here that I am, that I recognize that I am, and that I will always be an idiot who will never learn... an hour an a half and I am set to start cleaning the house for all the visitations this weekend.
First day of vacation, I slept in until nine. This proved to be a good idea.
So, to remove the old dishwasher, I figure it will just pop out of there. Take out the mounting screws and, um, yeah, it moves all of three inches. It was at that moment that it occured to me that there was probably a water AND a power supply. Proto-mechanic learns quick.
A quck trip to the breaker box to flip the breaker marked "Dishwasher" and "Dryer" and "Hot Water Heater" just to cover my bases. I then remove the lower cover to see a brass fitting and electrical box, the first on the left, the second on the right. I don't know much about brass fittings, but rumor has it they are a pain in the ass... Pol Pot, for those of you who regularly read. I decide to go the easy route and just take the water-inlet-thingy off and work the brass fitting later. Easy-Peasy.
On to the electrical box. Remove the cover, seperate the wires and got to unhook the ground wire and what is that I feel on my hand?
A unsettling thrum of electricity.
What is that sound?
Me screaming like a girl.
So I get the test light and sho' nuff we have live wires. Apparently the guy who added on to this house back in 1984 was a sadist. "No need for the breaker marked 'dishwasher' to actullay turn the power off to the actual dishwasher. Surprise!"
So I flip all unessential breakers.
Here's the foreshadowing: the test light reads no power.
So, I unhook the ground wire.
What is that I hear?
1) a loud bang
2) me screaming like a girl
What is that I see?
Bright spark.
What is that I yell?
(deleted due to its uncouth manner)
I curse repeatedly and turn the power off to the whole damn house, but I get the power chord off, get the old dishwasher out, remove the drain hose and get the brass fitting off the old water-thingy. Proto-mechanic skills tell me that it is gonna be a serious ass pain to put back on. More foreshadowing kids.
New dishwasher is too tall. Adjustable feet. Awesome. Seven adjustments and seven dishwasher configurations too tall and I remove the damn feet. She slides right in there.
Back to the power chords. The wall wires are solid wires, the DW wired are the type that fray. This makes splicing them harder, but I get 'em spliced and covered in electrical tape. Turn the power on, put the DW to on...
nothing.
Turn off power to the house, resplice the wires. Turn power back on, DW motor kickes on. Sweet. I then go to tuck the wires into the metal box and close it up and...
What is that I see?
A big blue spark.
What is that I hear?
1) Loud pop (and a nice burn mark on the metal)
2)My screaming like a girl.
3) A blue streak of swearing and cursing the gods of electricity, home ownership and dishwashers in general.
Power down. The wires popped through the electrical tape. Retape and use some plastic caps. Re-power up, and the motor kicks in. Swell. Close the box and we are good.
On to the brass fitting. Pol "M_____R F______G" Pot! Lucky I had some plumbers tape. Unlucky for me, I can never figure out how to put that shit on correctly. FORESHADOWING!
First off, there is a big end and a small end. The small end can go in either the outlet or inlet, but if you put it in the outlet, the other end is too big for the inlet. Ask me how I know this? Go on, ask me dammit.
I swap it out and redo the plumber's tape, and after ten minutes of the inlet fitting just touching the connctor but not catching (more foreshadowing), it finally goes on. I tighten it down snuggly, but not all the way because Proto-Mechanic has insane torque skills and he always fears snapping bolts. Turn on the water supply...
Water SPRAYS all over the place. Tighten that sucker down by using a wrench with 1/4 inch clearence with a 1/16 inch ROM. Turn on the water supply...
No spray, but a leak. Damn.
Undo the brass fittings, redo the tape and then begin the arduous process of fitting the brass things together.
Over the next thirty minutes, I slowly lose my grip on reality. As proof of this, I say to Gage (who is flipping breakers and turning on water supplies at my behest) no less then fifteen times:
"I just don't understand it! They are touching, but the thing won't CATCH!"
Literally thirty minutes later, it catches. The 1/16 ROM and another five minutes, turn on the water supply and...
No spray, no leaks. Awesome.
Turn on the power and water does not seem to be going into the machine.
Son of a BITCH!
I screw around for another fifteen minutes, then, having done nothing, turn the machine on again, 'cause why not? Seems I did not give the machine time to actually push water into the machine.
So, dishwasher is installed and it only took five hours, I only got an electric shock three times, and I only sort of lost my temper.
Proto, out!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Proto-Mechanic Presents: The Tale of The F______g Mower: Part Three? and counting...
Disclaimer:
For the sake of brevity, when I say anything to the effect of "I/we thought it might be the 'x' or the 'y'," what I mean is that Master of Sport Mechanic and All 'Round Great Guy, My Personal Mechanicing Lifeline Terry though it might be "x" or "y". Full disclosure and all.
So, as the grass in the yard is a nightmare, I tell you, children, the tale of the mower...
Go back a month.
Or so.
Pretty sure that the mower's issues are much deeper rooted than the carburator. As it stands, I can get it started, but she runs liked a mean-spirited, three-legged Anger-Wolf. I decide to start taking her apart. Word to the wise: they is a lots of bolts in a Briggs and Stratton 17.5 horsepower mower engine. I am careful, and place everything just so so as to remember where everything is.
Within hours the engine is off the mower (I am pretty sure that I will NEVER remember how to get the belts back on the engine pullies) and I have B and S 17.5 hp mower engine in 97 parts with 375 bolts laid carefully out across my workroom. Proto-Mechanic put him a work-room together in order to dissect the engine.
The last little bit of fluff and bother is to take the crankcase cover off and pull the piston out. Hell,yeah. With some advice from Tejas, I do just that, and find... pretty much nothing wrong, though, I have no idea what I am looking for.
Master of Sport Mechanic asks: "Does everything look alright: piston, valves, frazzlestaff?"
Me: "Yes?"
So, I set it aside for a week. I have this idea that just the mere act of taking the engine apart and putting it back together will somehow magically make the rebuilt engine purr like a kitten. The following Sunday I head out to my work room and decide the piston needs to go back in to the engine. Not braggin here, kids, just showing the skills. This grasshopper has learned some things. The only thing is, I do not know how to get it back in. Those rings on the piston do not go easily back in the maw of the hole.
I make The Call.
... and All-'Round Great Guy: "Make sure the piston goes in the same way it came out."
Me: "Yeah?"
My Personal Mechanicing Lifeline: "It just has to be facing the same way."
Me: "But it only goes one way."
Terry: "No, it can go either way."
Me: "But there is a notch thingy."
Master of Sport: "Yeah, but make sure it is facing the right way."
Me: "... I'm sorry, I have no idea what you are saying to me."
This goes in a five minute circle, with me reiterating "I have no idea what you are talking about" over and over, until I have me an A-HA! Moment. I think to myself, "I'll have this bitch back to gether in NO TIME ." I will, it seems, never learn.
and All-'Round Great Guy: "How do the gaskets look?"
Me: "There were gaskets, dude?"
Apparently yes, there were and apparently yes they needed replacing, so... I have to stop. Nothing happening the rest of this Sunday afternoon. I wack down the three inch thick, five feet tall dandy-lions in front of the house, just for fun, ya know.
I go to the lawnmower shop and order the gaskets on Tuesday.
Oh, yeah, I just remembered:
My Personal Mechanicing Lifeline: "And hey, ask them what they think the problem is when you go by there."
That is so encouraging! My lifeline asking for somone else's advice.
Gaskets are 17 bucks. Shipping is nine. WTF?
Counter Guy: "They should be in tomorrow by noon."
Me: "Right on, Bro! By the way, this is what is wrong with my mower: what ya think?"
Counter Guy: "Sounds like a valve."
I go by Thursday and they are not in. I finally get them Friday, but with my mother in town, there is no chance to do anything about the 97 parts and 735 bolts until the next weekend.
Yesterday was that weekend.
I get that piston in there like a freaking champ. It really is awesome.I am focused, calm and determined. AWESOME. I even get to use a hammer as a precision tool. Make The Call just to make sure I do not have to chant anything, offer chickens to the gods or spit in the crankcase before sealing it.
Terry: "What about those valves?"
Me: "Hydunnow."
We quickly determine that the valves are a bit loose. No problem, just go order some valve guides and ask the guy what he thinks about the valves. Good thing MOSMaARGG, MPML Terry asked me about the gaskets, or we would never have gotten to the valves.
I show the engine guy at the repair shop what I have gathered, ending with my desire for valve guides, sir.
Engine Guy: "You need a new head."
Me... Balls nasty. "Can't I just get some guides?"
Engine Guy: "They come pressed into the head from the factory."
Me: "Swell."
Engine Guy: "But you are in luck we have a a used one."
So, forty five bucks instead of a hunnnert and fifty. Not the worse thing in the world.
Three hours later, (2.45 hours spent on the frakking push rod dilemma)I have calmly assembeled the engine, barely calmly gotten the pulley system back on and have attached all the wires and such. All that is left is the carburator. No problem, I have done that at least a dozen times.
Forty five minutes later, when the governor thingys would not stop touching the choke thingy, when I could not find a diagram on the internet (I mean come ON! The internet!) I lost my freaking mind for only the second time in three weeks. Weeping, swearing and gnashing of teeth on a biblical scale, kids. I broke down in literal tears. I chalk it up to the cumulative effects of shit and trying to stay on the Anger-Free Wagon for so long.
I had to make The Call, but we figured it out forthwith. So, I hook up the battery, the spark plug and turn the key...
not a sound was heard. Oddly enough, I was good.
Figured the battery was dead. Nope, one of the solenoid wires popped off. Easy fix. Turn the key...
sputtering weakness and smoke. All kinds of smoke.
It seems the muffler bracket got wedged up underneath the valve cover and oil is dripping down the bracket and frying on the muffler. Easy fix. Turn the key and she goes, revving up and down, but staying on. I figure once the shroud and air filter are on, she will feel better. Easy fix. Turn the key...
She roars to life! I mean roars, that sucker is revving high like Steppenwolf on a runaway American dream. I mean going. I figure I can adjust the throttle later. I suit up: cool new gloves, cap, Mp3 and headphones: DJ Yardman in the House!!!
I experience true joy, I mean True Joy for only the eighth time in my life for the next thirty minutes. I am mowing my back yard with a mower that was in 99 peices (Mower engine: 97 pcs, hood: 1pc, rest of the mower: 1pc= 99 pcs) with 5346 bolts not five hours before. I feel like a king on his throne!
That throne turns out to be the crapper. After another twenty minutes, there is a rattling and the idle goes down and the F_____g Mower craps out on me again.
Square ONE!!!
I may never get this bastard going again, but for just under an hour on a warm May afternoon, I actually ran a mower that I rebuilt from the ground up (mostly and with A LOT of help). I have determined that I am going to be burried with my office stuff, the TV I won from Clay Gibson (the one with a big ass chunk out of the plastic, but I beat The Man, yo) and that f_____g mower.
But, I am sad that I have to go through the diagnostics yet again. Just like life, the tale of the mower teaches us that you can be up one second and then savagely depressed the next. Especially if you have depression isses and are trying to ween yerself off rageahol at the same time.
Awesome.
To the Work Room!
For the sake of brevity, when I say anything to the effect of "I/we thought it might be the 'x' or the 'y'," what I mean is that Master of Sport Mechanic and All 'Round Great Guy, My Personal Mechanicing Lifeline Terry though it might be "x" or "y". Full disclosure and all.
So, as the grass in the yard is a nightmare, I tell you, children, the tale of the mower...
Go back a month.
Or so.
Pretty sure that the mower's issues are much deeper rooted than the carburator. As it stands, I can get it started, but she runs liked a mean-spirited, three-legged Anger-Wolf. I decide to start taking her apart. Word to the wise: they is a lots of bolts in a Briggs and Stratton 17.5 horsepower mower engine. I am careful, and place everything just so so as to remember where everything is.
Within hours the engine is off the mower (I am pretty sure that I will NEVER remember how to get the belts back on the engine pullies) and I have B and S 17.5 hp mower engine in 97 parts with 375 bolts laid carefully out across my workroom. Proto-Mechanic put him a work-room together in order to dissect the engine.
The last little bit of fluff and bother is to take the crankcase cover off and pull the piston out. Hell,yeah. With some advice from Tejas, I do just that, and find... pretty much nothing wrong, though, I have no idea what I am looking for.
Master of Sport Mechanic asks: "Does everything look alright: piston, valves, frazzlestaff?"
Me: "Yes?"
So, I set it aside for a week. I have this idea that just the mere act of taking the engine apart and putting it back together will somehow magically make the rebuilt engine purr like a kitten. The following Sunday I head out to my work room and decide the piston needs to go back in to the engine. Not braggin here, kids, just showing the skills. This grasshopper has learned some things. The only thing is, I do not know how to get it back in. Those rings on the piston do not go easily back in the maw of the hole.
I make The Call.
... and All-'Round Great Guy: "Make sure the piston goes in the same way it came out."
Me: "Yeah?"
My Personal Mechanicing Lifeline: "It just has to be facing the same way."
Me: "But it only goes one way."
Terry: "No, it can go either way."
Me: "But there is a notch thingy."
Master of Sport: "Yeah, but make sure it is facing the right way."
Me: "... I'm sorry, I have no idea what you are saying to me."
This goes in a five minute circle, with me reiterating "I have no idea what you are talking about" over and over, until I have me an A-HA! Moment. I think to myself, "I'll have this bitch back to gether in NO TIME ." I will, it seems, never learn.
and All-'Round Great Guy: "How do the gaskets look?"
Me: "There were gaskets, dude?"
Apparently yes, there were and apparently yes they needed replacing, so... I have to stop. Nothing happening the rest of this Sunday afternoon. I wack down the three inch thick, five feet tall dandy-lions in front of the house, just for fun, ya know.
I go to the lawnmower shop and order the gaskets on Tuesday.
Oh, yeah, I just remembered:
My Personal Mechanicing Lifeline: "And hey, ask them what they think the problem is when you go by there."
That is so encouraging! My lifeline asking for somone else's advice.
Gaskets are 17 bucks. Shipping is nine. WTF?
Counter Guy: "They should be in tomorrow by noon."
Me: "Right on, Bro! By the way, this is what is wrong with my mower: what ya think?"
Counter Guy: "Sounds like a valve."
I go by Thursday and they are not in. I finally get them Friday, but with my mother in town, there is no chance to do anything about the 97 parts and 735 bolts until the next weekend.
Yesterday was that weekend.
I get that piston in there like a freaking champ. It really is awesome.I am focused, calm and determined. AWESOME. I even get to use a hammer as a precision tool. Make The Call just to make sure I do not have to chant anything, offer chickens to the gods or spit in the crankcase before sealing it.
Terry: "What about those valves?"
Me: "Hydunnow."
We quickly determine that the valves are a bit loose. No problem, just go order some valve guides and ask the guy what he thinks about the valves. Good thing MOSMaARGG, MPML Terry asked me about the gaskets, or we would never have gotten to the valves.
I show the engine guy at the repair shop what I have gathered, ending with my desire for valve guides, sir.
Engine Guy: "You need a new head."
Me... Balls nasty. "Can't I just get some guides?"
Engine Guy: "They come pressed into the head from the factory."
Me: "Swell."
Engine Guy: "But you are in luck we have a a used one."
So, forty five bucks instead of a hunnnert and fifty. Not the worse thing in the world.
Three hours later, (2.45 hours spent on the frakking push rod dilemma)I have calmly assembeled the engine, barely calmly gotten the pulley system back on and have attached all the wires and such. All that is left is the carburator. No problem, I have done that at least a dozen times.
Forty five minutes later, when the governor thingys would not stop touching the choke thingy, when I could not find a diagram on the internet (I mean come ON! The internet!) I lost my freaking mind for only the second time in three weeks. Weeping, swearing and gnashing of teeth on a biblical scale, kids. I broke down in literal tears. I chalk it up to the cumulative effects of shit and trying to stay on the Anger-Free Wagon for so long.
I had to make The Call, but we figured it out forthwith. So, I hook up the battery, the spark plug and turn the key...
not a sound was heard. Oddly enough, I was good.
Figured the battery was dead. Nope, one of the solenoid wires popped off. Easy fix. Turn the key...
sputtering weakness and smoke. All kinds of smoke.
It seems the muffler bracket got wedged up underneath the valve cover and oil is dripping down the bracket and frying on the muffler. Easy fix. Turn the key and she goes, revving up and down, but staying on. I figure once the shroud and air filter are on, she will feel better. Easy fix. Turn the key...
She roars to life! I mean roars, that sucker is revving high like Steppenwolf on a runaway American dream. I mean going. I figure I can adjust the throttle later. I suit up: cool new gloves, cap, Mp3 and headphones: DJ Yardman in the House!!!
I experience true joy, I mean True Joy for only the eighth time in my life for the next thirty minutes. I am mowing my back yard with a mower that was in 99 peices (Mower engine: 97 pcs, hood: 1pc, rest of the mower: 1pc= 99 pcs) with 5346 bolts not five hours before. I feel like a king on his throne!
That throne turns out to be the crapper. After another twenty minutes, there is a rattling and the idle goes down and the F_____g Mower craps out on me again.
Square ONE!!!
I may never get this bastard going again, but for just under an hour on a warm May afternoon, I actually ran a mower that I rebuilt from the ground up (mostly and with A LOT of help). I have determined that I am going to be burried with my office stuff, the TV I won from Clay Gibson (the one with a big ass chunk out of the plastic, but I beat The Man, yo) and that f_____g mower.
But, I am sad that I have to go through the diagnostics yet again. Just like life, the tale of the mower teaches us that you can be up one second and then savagely depressed the next. Especially if you have depression isses and are trying to ween yerself off rageahol at the same time.
Awesome.
To the Work Room!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Well, we might actually get back to the gym tonight and some funny schtuff.
With Beauty and the Beast and my mom coming to visit last week, there were not enough hours in the day to get to the gym and still remain sane. Back at it tonight.
And my motivational/WTF/humorous roundup:
It is so true... even for me.
Evil incarnate.
Creepy.
Please to God, let it not be photoshopped.
Awesome.
My new life motto.
Damn straight.
Truth in advertising. 
Waiting for the remake.
Raise it!
Hahahahahah!
For Nate.
Dammit!
Laugh out loud funny.
WTF glory.
And my motivational/WTF/humorous roundup:
It is so true... even for me. Evil incarnate.
Creepy.
Please to God, let it not be photoshopped. 
Awesome. 
My new life motto. 
Damn straight.
Truth in advertising. 
Waiting for the remake. 
Raise it!
Hahahahahah!
For Nate. 
Dammit!
Laugh out loud funny. 
WTF glory.
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