a whisper of known things...: November 2011

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.

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.

a whisper of known things...

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Meet Write-Up: 2011 Southeastern Cup Powerlifting Championships

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Some Pre-Meet fun! I may have posted some of these already. If so, enjoy again.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Meet Plan and deep within the weight cut, aka water poisoning.