Good back workout today....Heavy T-Bars, cable rows, heavy barbell rows. Went to start a 4th exercise and realized I was shot, no need to do any more.

I should be good and tired by Thursday, 4 games in 4 nights starting tomorrow to go along with my lifting.

Nothing like a heavy pull only workout :-)

Couple more weeks of normal training then it's time to max out hard. Then deload and get ready for a meet. Looking at either a meet in April or May.

Awesome, Frank.

I'm thinking of deloading this week and going for new PRs Saturday or next week ... before going on a mean cut for a couple of months. I want to lose some fat before fattening up the right way. :-)

Kick some arse, Frank. :-)

Can't keep the weight on with all the hockey, my body is just too good at using up all the food right now. Hoping to gain it back in the "between seasons" period, but as long as my lifts keep going up, I ain't too upset.

Hmm, maybe I should start playing hockey. First step - learn to skate...

Anyway, managed to get a pretty good workout in yesterday morning, deads, trying for a 1RM without straps, just using chalk (thanks Frank!). Did ok, but didn't hit the weight I wanted. 285 was easy, 315 no problem, 365, not so much, tried it again, and just couldn't hold on to it. I have done it with straps, but need to work on my grip to do it without. Followed up with some squats - 315x5, 325x5, 335x5 and some ab work.

So, I had an interesting experience at the gym yesterday. I had finished my pulls and was warming up my squats - I always start with an empty bar. Two squat stations next to each other, the other one is empty. Guy comes over and asks me if I want to squat together as he's looking for a spot for his 'full squats'. I apologized and said I preferred not working in with someone, and there's a station open. So, I continue with my lifts, and he's warning off the guy on the decline bench next to the station that he'll have to move the bench over (it's usually down at the other end of the floor) as he's about to 'full squat'. I think he said the words 'full squat' in a very loud voice to about 4-5 different people, about 6-7 times within the space of about 3 minutes. So this guy grabs a couple of the little 2.5lbs plates and puts them on the floor and loads up the bar with a couple of 25s and proceeds to do a half squat. I thought about asking him when he was going to start doing his 'full squat' but decided against it. He does a few sets, slowly adding weight until he's got a plate and a half on each side, so call it 185, might have been 190. Gets under the bar, takes it down, going to about 3/4 depth at least, and as he is lifting it up each rep, he starts grunting. By the time he's done his third rep, he is yelling. He sounds like the my new haircut guy. You can get the full effect at about 1:50 on that classic video. It was all I could do to contain myself and finish my squats.

You might have been right, Frank. :-)

Warmup for 10 minutes on the bike. Foam roller and stretch for another 10 minutes.

135x8 (sumo)
135x8 (conventional)
225x3 (conventional from here on out)
225x3
315x3
405x1
PR: 475 x 1 (2-lighter)
PR-tie: 475 x 1 (good)

Then I thought, "Frank said I should be able to do 475 for 3 singles; but I think I can do more."

PR: 500 x 1 -- probably a 2-lighter; but good nonetheless)

505 x 0 -- fail. not an epic fail, mind you; but a fail. I got it up past my knees and my whole body was almost convulsing. I dropped it. it was loud.

All in all, a good day. I've bested my previous PR by 40lbs and am convinced I've got 505 in me the next time I deadlift in a couple of weeks. My hands are torn to sh*t; but they're not bleedings, which is good.

Thanks, Frank! And thanks everyone for the encouragement over the years. It's hard to believe that just over 2 years ago, I'd never heard of a deadlift. :-)

Congratz on the massive new PR! So, just one question - what is a 2-lighter?

Thanks! It's only 9% or so over my previous PR (460lbs); but it's a hard 9%. :-)

In powerlifting, there are 3 judges who signal their approval of the lift by turning on a white light for a good lift. A 2-lighter would be a lift that 2 of 3 judges approved.

Congrats Dokk! :-)

Good job hitting 500. I wouldnt go after 505 for at least 4 weeks. Work your way back up. Remember going balls out all of the time isnt always going to work. I would have just stuck with the 475x1,1,1 and if you had it in you do it for 5 singles, then pull against bands or highlight your area of weakness then max out. Granted you pulled the weight, but I feel you may have "blown your load a few weeks early". Just putting it out there. Either way good work brother, you know where you need the work. And btw, dont ****ing do 505, bust your ass and in 8 weeks pull 520.

Yeah ... I'm going to deload next week and start really focusing on my problem areas. I need to do more rows, more GMs, different box squats, and lots of wide stance banded stuff to get s stronger ass. :-)

Bench is still a problem; but I don't know how to solve it without a partner. Truly ... I'm at a loss. I can't Smith it because our benches are too tall our plates slip on the floor (so I can't elevate my feet) ... plus that kind of defeats the purpose and ruins form (not to mention hurts my shoulders). Oy.

I've gotta lost some fat, too. Really ... I need to (especially after this bulking cycle).

Check your form with benching. Try and bench out of a rack, granted it's not perfect but if you dump you can dump into the rack...

Squats n Pulling tonight
Squats worked up to a lame 537x1, I was totally out of it and I could not get comfortable or get focused. So I stopped before I did something stupid
Pulling
405+4 pairs of chain x1 455+4pairs of chain x1 495+4pairs of chains x1
I was very happy with this, although I felt like I could have gotten more.
GHR
Abs
Calves

Been REALLY stressed out over some relationship crap with my old lady. You know....

Hope all gets better soon, Frank.

Same problem with the movable benches as I'd have in the Smith: the benches are too tall and my legs are too short ... and there's nothing to make up the difference placing my feet on the floor (because plates are hard-plastic coated and slide on the floor).

My gym sucks. The smart trainers (there are three) call it "the princess gym." :-)

Your feet don't touch the floor when you do bench press? How short are you?

Oy ... I'm not *that* short. Our actual benches (with welded racks) are a proper height; but they're bolted to the floor. The portable benches are a few inches too tall -- so much so that I can't get a good footing to develop a proper arch.

I'm 5'8".

I gotcha

Ok, so either they messed with the scale at the gym or I dropped about 15lbs in the last three weeks, since I last weighed in there. I don't think I've dropped the weight, I certainly don't feel like it or feel like I look like it. I would have expected about 8-10, just from the holidays being over and stopping with the crap I was eating, but 15 seems a bit excessive over 3 weeks. Gonna have to check another scale.

Heavy chest this morning. Flat bench at 195x5,5,4, then incline DBs at 75x5, 80x3,2, then finished up with some curls, 85,90,95x5. Was a pretty good session. Going to push my bench up again next heavy chest day.

Dokk, move to CT and I'll spot you :-)

You can't PR everyday, I suppose.

Tried 225 bench. Failed. Luckily, I had a spot there to mock me. :-)

Friday or Saturday, I'll try to find my limit on squat. Next week I deload, re-evaluate, and start really training the weak spots.