The Meet

I'd say my best meet. Not from the numbers, but from what I learned.

I was brought up (in the powerlifting world) to believe that this was a selfish sport. Never talk to anyone at a meet. Never help anyone out and always put your self first. If it hadn't been for all the support of all my new and old friends  maybe I wouldn't have done so well. I went to the meet alone but I competed among friends. I had no training partner or handler, but people stepped up. They offered encouragement, support, assistance, condolences, words of wisdom. And in return, I got to pass that along to others.

I wanted to call my own numbers, because frankly, I was the only one interested in what I would be lifting. I knew what each lift felt like, where my head was at that moment and what I was capable of. I did consult with a great PL veteran at the table who I trusted entirely, when my mind couldn't come up with my next lift.


Squats

I warmed up to 135 for 2 doubles
1st attempt: 150 good
2nd attempt 165 red light. Some how I got off balance and started falling backwards. Tried to save it but I had to move my foot at the top of my lift. dang.
3rd attempt 165 again for white lights.

Not the best for my squats by far, but coming back after the freaky 2nd attempt gave me new found moxi and courage.

Bench
warm up to my opener for 3 tripples, paused.
1st attempt 85 good
2nd attempt 95 good!
3rd attempt 100 GOOD!!! I've missed that dang number forever. I used the long pauses (and they were long) to get even tighter. I remembered the trick someone told me a while ago, about getting more air than I needed and using it to blast through the sticking point by breathing out. It worked :) Plus my hand off guy reminded me too.

I had gone to the meet hoping to pull my 300. The veteran at the table said if I wanted it, I had to keep eating between all my events and drink a 5hour energy right before the first pull. I would only get the effects for 20 minutes so time it right. Well....I thought I did.

Deadlifts
warmed up to 225 for a single
1st attempt 250 good
2nd attempt 275 good but I knew I didn't have 300 in me. My great veteren said to go for 290, which would still be a PR
3rd attempt 290 miss. He also said I had to strain to get it moving. and I had to accept it. Maybe I didn't strain hard enough. A smart woman later told me sometimes it just isn't supposed to be. I may not know why, but just except it. And so I did.

So I am grateful for my 100 bench, the amount of support from friends and strangers, and the pride that I was able to walk away with reguardless of what I lifted.  Today I am a powerlifter. (well, yesterday I was) (today I am tired)

c.

video

Outside Albany

Had some time to kill before weigh ins so I took a stroll down the streets of Albany. Here is what I saw.

The end.

ok, Now i'm Really done.

Thought I would bench again. Up to my 2nd attempt. Why not? Not like I'm a big bencher. didn't think it would do any harm. and my go to guy was out. so I decided to just do it. After all, if I got it easy, it would only build my momentum and confidence. Which is most important (from my old "go to guy")

Bench
bar x 10
65 x 10
85 x 1 paused
90 x 2 singles paused
95 x 1 looong pause and bam....easy (momentum and confidence)

20 minute walk. 6 treadmills down from my old go to guy. It was a nice walk. Distance is a good thing sometimes.

and now I am done.

c.

A Legend

Dave. Head of the Transfer Station in Niskayuna NY. Yea, it was a dump, but we liked saying the Transfer Station. And that's how we answered the phone in our little shack. Saturdays was when I would work.

Dave in front of our newly decorated
disposal. Lobster bouy's from the keys.
from someone's pool. I was the official Exterior Decorator.

They say people go to the dump to drop off their trash. I can honestly say, it is quite the opposite. Every walk of life visited the transfer station. Some to drop off garbage, yes, but some to look for treasures, and all, to chat with Dave. He was the grandfather of the town. He knew every person that stepped in there, where they lived, when their house was built, how many kids they had and the latest trouble they got into, along with their most recent accomplishments. From riding thier first 2 wheel bike, to entering the National Guard. He knew everyone's extended family and could fill in missing details of their past. He was on a first name basis with congressmen, Firefighters, State Troopers, Principals, CEO's, Detectives and yes, even the 97 year old widow who insisted on driving her car their every saturday.

If one were looking for any item, Dave would find it for them. From an old 1920's Baker Cabinet to a 62 Chevy Grill, from a microwave to a suitcase. If it wasn't in the best condition, he would spend weeks repairing it.

Bird House Admirer 

Dave made everyone feel like he was waiting for them all day to get there. Greeting them with an exhuberant "Howdy!". He would listen to all their stories, gossip, confessions, lastest projects, latest girlfriends. He would listen to the same war stories from veterans, each week, like it was the first time he heard it.

Buster. Every dog got a biscuit.

He would feed the birds every day and repair the collection of scattered birdhouses strategically placed around the area. He would fix clocks. He would fix lawn mowers. He would fix bikes and test them out. He would test out old breadmakers by bringing in ingredients and being the second to try the bread. In case the first person (usually me) died suddenly. We would decorate our shack with  old Christmas lights on the holiday and blare Frank Sinatra Christmas songs from the rigged up stereo system to the old speakers outside the shack.

Workboots in Laundry Basket in Dumpster 

Every week he would have me shave his head with an old electric barbering kit he kept stowed away in the drawer under the old playboy magazines and antique magazines. (I wasn't allowed in that drawer) He always slipped me a 5 after he examined his hair in the cracked Coca Cola mirror.

He taught me how to play horse shoes, how to drive with the right golf club, even if it went in the opposite direction into a town truck, how to use a sander, how to properly fill pot holes. He also taught me great life lessons that were given in an un-presumptuous way so I didn't realize I was learning. but I did.

Every winter late in February, we would start our vegitable seeds in tossed out, glued together flower pots. I watched how he would pull out the stragglers and encourage the strong ones. Come spring, we would transplant them into the big garbage cans outside the shack. Come summer, we would pick our tomatoes and serve them on our hamburgs that we cooked on our salvaged grill.

Gardening with Dave

Dave made working at the dump and visiting the dump a fun life event. No matter how much crap people dropped off there, they always left with something more. And not just more stuff. 

Fun at the Dump

Dave really isn't gone. they say your life continues on through the lives of all the people you've touched. So in my estimation, he will be here for another millenium. 

c.

Dave VanDenburgh
March 1936 - April 2012

Back Day minus Deadlifts

walk 20 minutes.

1) lat pull downs
60 x 4 x 15

2) Horizontal cable pulls v bar
75 x 8
60 x 4 x 15

3a) DB RDL's
40's x 4 x 15

3b) Decline Abs
4 x 15

3c) DB Shrugs
40's x 4 x 15

3d) One arm DB rows
30 x 4 x 15

Guess this is my last training day. Might sneak in one more bench. Saw someone else bench today who is competing next saturday so I think it will be ok.

Time to go say good bie to a good friend

Seeya Dave.

c.

Last Official Training Day

I benched to my opener. wont' say what it is. but did it for a triple with super long pauses. felt ok.

2) DB bench 25's x 3 x 10

3) some pushups

I will do some light back accessories sunday and then just concentrate on getting  my head in the game. Staying positive. Avoiding all stress. Pretending I am invincible. stuff like that. And maybe, watching a Rocky movie.

c.

squats, etc.

1) squats -light-70%
bar x 10
75 x 5
95 x 3
120 x 6 singles.
really just worked on form. and checked my depth in mirror to make sure I was low enough. pretended each rep was a meet lift.

2) BB lunges
65 x 3 x 8

3) Leg press
1 plate x 3 x 15

4a) Leg extensions
40 x 4 x 10

4b) pushups
4 x 10

c.

Gettin down there...

11 days out. oh my. But things are under control. I got lotsa good advice from friends these last few days. Today I stuck with my shoulder tris and bis routine. Nailed them, since it will be my last big day. The rest will be working up to openers on some of my lifts, or just working on form with light weight. Then a week off. to get fat and rested and restless.

warm up treadmill 20 minutes.

1a) Overhead military press BB (small one)
bar x 10
35 x 10
45 x 4 x 8

1b) BB curls
30 x 6 x 8ish

2a) DB one arm overhead presses
20lb x 5 x 5ish

2b) EZ bar tri extensions
30 x 8,8,6,3,2

3a) High pulley bicep curls
20 x 4 x 25

3b) Tricep Rope press downs
20 x 4 x 15

Bob the old guy who's super strong for his age and weight, came up to me to share some awesome words of wisdom for my meet. I won't share them just yet, becasue I want them to be just for me.  If he doesn't die by next saturday, he will be at the meet.

4a) Close Grip Bench
65 x 2 x 8, 6

4b) Push ups hands in close for tris
4 x 10

I liked today. Maybe because I also had an old friend hang out with me for part of my workout. I know powerlifting is sposed to be a selfish, independent sport. But sometimes, just sometimes, I like the company.

(Gracias por la compania)

c.

Deadlift Day?

Nope.

I had planned on doing my opener for my deadlifts today, 2 weeks out. Because sometimes I think I know what I'm doing :) and want to prove it.

1) Lat pull downs
60 x 5 x 15

2a) Upright rows cable
50 x 5 x 15

2b) Horizontal Cable rows
75 x 5 x 12

But then I asked Jimmy just to be sure. And he knows everything and will help anyone. I am too late for my opener but I should do my squat opener (even though I just squatted on Wednesday) and then do some speed pulls. whew. Glad I asked.

3) Squats
bar x 10
95 x 10
115 x 5
125 x 3
135 x 2
155 x 2 singles.

4) Speed Deads
145 x 8 super fast singles. Used my belt and pretended each one was my 3rd pull at my meet.
not messin around people.

5) one arm DB rows
45's x 4 x 15

6) Sled pull
+2 plates x 2 trips out back. Plowing through broken beer cans and the smell of vomit was very motivating.

I will have to figure out what to do for the rest of this week.

c.

Awesome bench day.

Even if I missed 110.  Some people just don't know me that well. I'm a different lifter than I was 7 months ago. Not better. Not worse. Just different.

I decided to get my bench in today after work and before my first appointment. Tomorrow I will be too busy. And long and behold my new training partner showed up just as I was going to start! Ryan the Big Shot Lawyer Kid.

warm up treadmill 15:34

1) Bench
bar x 10
65 x 10
75 x 10
85 x 5
2 board (and I had a hand off so it was easy)
95 x 3
105 x 1
115 x 1
No board
95 x 1 paused
100 x 1 paused and john says put 110 on there. 100 was fast.
110 x 0
still a good bench day. I learned too, that the harder you grip the bar, the more muscles you engage. And it did work. I felt stronger.

2) DB Flat Bench
25's x 10
30's x 2 x 8
35's x 8, 4
they were all to failure and Ryan pushed up the first rep. a lot easier starting from the extension.

3) Low pulley flies
20 x 4 x 10
then no rest and
10 x 6 (to failure)

4a) Tri press downs cable
50 x 4 x 20
4b) Overhead tri presses cable
50 x 4 x 20

a few stretches, and bam. Done.
Now that was a fun workout :)

c.

Catchin up.

Yesterday: shoulders, tris and bis

supersetted in 3's

1a) Over head presses
lots x 5 x 10

1b) Upright rows EZ bar.
lots x 5 x 10

1c) EZ bar curls
lots x 5 x 10

*lots = I forgot

2a) Incline DB Presses
20's x 5 x 10

2b) DB Hammer curls
20's x 5 x 10

2c) DB side lat raises
5's x 5 x 10

3a) DB tri extensions
25 x 3 x 10

3b) Bench Dips
+25 x 3 x 10

4a) Cable curls
20 x 5 x 10

4b) Tri press downs
50 x 5 x 10

5) Decline Abs
2 x 25

Today. Last big squat workout till meet.....Important for me.

warm up: walk 20 minutes

1a) Calf raises
75 x 5 x 10

2) Ham curls
40 x 5 x 10

3) Squats with power racks we use for the meet.
bar x 10
95 x 10
120 x 2 x 5
135 x 3 x 3
150 x 2
Big working sets...was going to ask jimmy to spot me. He's the only one who said he would help. But I decided I didn't need no dang help. If I missed, I drop the damn bar. NBD. So I envisioned what that would sound like. It would be loud. But I was ready.
165 x 2 x 2
huh. I guess I don't need any help from anybody. And I won't need any help at my last meet. Powerlifting really is a selfish sport. Unless you are super strong, or super pretty, you can count on no help.

4)  BB Lunges
95 x 3 x 8

5) Leg Extensions
40 x 10
50 x 10
60 x 6
40 x 10

c.

Yesterday's Deadlifts

A full day of massages but I was lucky I had an hour in between to fit my workout in. Plus lucky I work in a gym :) No commute time for me.

1) Horizontal cable rows
90 x 4 x 10

2) one arm DB rows
45 x 4 x 10

3) Lat pull downs
75 x 4 x 10

4) chest supported rows
+25 x 8
+35 x 8,6,6

5) deadlifts
135 x 8,5
185 x 2 x 3
205 x 2
235 x 3 doubles

6) Ghetto BB rows
+35 x 10
+55 x 4 x 8

c.

2 in 1

I'll start with Wednesday, Squat day. I forgot to get my numbers before john left but since I had been up since 4am and was wicked tired, I just went light.

1) Squats
bar x 10
95 x 10
120 x 5
135 x 3
155 x 2
135 x 3 x 3

and then I had appointments so I continued this morning.

Leg accessories

2) Front squats
bar x 10
65 x 10
85 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5 sets of 3. I used the 35lb plates so it would look cooler. Afterall, I was amongst 7.5 gangstas.

2) BB Lunges
65 x 3 x 8

3) Leg Press
1 plate x 10
2 plates x 5 x 5

supersetted with pushups
6 x 10

4) Leg Extensions
40 x 2 x 10
50 x 10
60 x 8

supersetted with pushups
4 x 10

6 Hours later after work, I did my bench since tomorrow I have appointments all afternoon and evening.

1) Bench
bar x 8
65 x 10
75 x 10
85 x 5
90 x 1
95 x 1
100 x 1
105 x 1 :)
95 x 3
I got to bench with Sam the Asian and Will the coffee drinker.  What a treat......anyway,  J-Dirt handed off for me. I think the annoyance helped my lifts.

2) Close grip Incline Bench
bar x 8
55 x 8,6,6,4

3) DB Bench
25's x 4 x 10

c.

The Realization.

But first, the workout.

Shoulder, Bis and Tris. I will do chest with my bench on Fridays. or whenever I can fit it in.

1a) Over head Press BB
45 x 10
55 x 5
60 x 3 x 3
45 x 10

1b) EZ Bar Preacher Curls
20 x 8
30 x 8
35 x 3 x 3
20 x 10

1c) Tricep Pushups
5 x 10

2a) Seated DB Military Press
20's x 5 x 8

2b) DB Hammer curls
20's x 5 x 8

2c) Cable Press Downs
30 x 5 x 10

3a) EZ Bar upright rows
35 x 4 x 10

3b) EZ bar curls
35 x 4 x 8

4a) High Pully curls
25 x 4 x 10

4b) DB lying Tri Extensions
5's x 4 x 8

4c) Regular pushups
4 x 10

I've been doing some thinkin. Scary I know.  I'm not sure what I will be doing for my bench in the meet. I obviously will not be able to get 100. It's crushed me too many times lately. And the memory of how heavy it was, is stickin in my head. So I won't even attempt it. I was also told my squats are not good because my legs are not strong. A little late to change that now. So I will try and block that comment from my head so I don't bomb on my squats. I guess I will go to the meet to pull 300. That will be my only goal.

 I will also have to start thinking about my attempts. In the past I've relied on someone else  to call them for me. someone who always knew exactly what I was capable of. But that person hasn't seen a single lift I"ve done in 6 months. To the day actually. (except for last weeks squats). so it will be up to me.

And I think this will be my last meet. I've been told I need a training partner if I want to be good. I always thought, I didn't need one as long as I had someone to go to for support and advice when I did my workouts. But I no longer have that either. So I will just concentrate on being an awesome massage therapist. And lift weights, just to lift weights. I guess.

c.

Energy Free Deadlifts

Good thing I got to go light today because holy cow I was wicked tired with zero energy.

1) Lat pull downs
75 x 4 x 10

2) Horizontal Pulls V bar
75 x 4 x 10

3) One arm DB Rows
35 x 4 x 10

4) DB RDL's
50's x 4 x 10

5) chest supported T rows
+25 x 4 x 8

6) Deadlifts
135 x 8, 5, 5
185 x 2 x 2
205 x 3 singles.
wow. they were slow. I had to tell myself the weakest girl could pull this on a bad hair day. To get excited. It barely worked.

7) Hammerstrength Shrugs
+100 x 4 x 10

8) Cable Upright Rows
50 x 4 x 10

9) Decline weighted abs
+25 x 4 x 8

10) Pushups
4 x 20

c.