PR's are a lovely thing. last week i was struggling to deadlift 45 lbs under my max, and this week i hit two PR's. it's good to see this and know that things like nutrition, sleep, and workload really *do* matter. and also some days you just get a mouthfull of feathers. lol
i have been consistently entering my caloric intake over at MFP for the past 30 days. it appears that my maintenance calories are about 2200 i wish it were more.
in any case, i think i will keep to averaging at 2200 calories until meet and after that, i will start dieting in earnest.
now for me, dieting in earnest means a 300 calorie deficit. my plan is 1900 cals and continuing with high protein. i will probably whine a whole lot. i don't know how people diet more strenuously without going nuts.
continuing for now with making nutrient dense choices. i gotta keep that up. i think it's good for lifting.
Last edited by katerina11; 04-29-2014 at 10:23 PM.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
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Agreed. I would not be dieting before the meet, but just trying to eat the best foods and sleep and stay hydrated.
So, I got done early today, and had time to make it to the gym. I wasn't planning to go back until tomorrow, but I was feeling good and could not stand waiting any longer, so I went.
Did not have time for a general warm-up, so just went straight for the barbell. Warmed up with 45x10, 65x10, 85x5, 95x3, then singles at 115, 135, 155. Put belt on, then did 175, which matched my 1RM from last fall, then did 185 to match my all time 1RM. Wanted to get a PR in the bank first thing, so went for 190 and got it. It didn't feel super easy but I didn't get stuck anywhere, and my trainer said to put 10 more on. I tried not to think about what that added up to (huge milestone number for me, so kinda hard NOT to think about it, lol), but after a few minutes rest while I helped other peeps, I came back and got it. My trainer said it again looked easy, but I had the PR I really wanted, and I like to leave some in the tank for next time, so I called it a day. 200 lb back squat, finally!!!!!!
Second best part of this squat session was that my shoulder did not hurt at all, and I was wound in there so tight I could not have dumped that bar to save my life. Usually that will piss the left shoulder off, but today it did not hurt at all.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
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S/C/G: 235/201/175
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191 even this morning. Almost let myself run out of cooked up food..ack! Have chicken tenders going in the oven this morning, and enough sweet potatoes to make 2 meals. Must do a little more cooking up at some point today...probably just have to nuke some more sweet potatoes and broccoli to make it through till the weekend, when I'll have a day off.
Not sure what the workout plan is for today, but thinking I might put some snatch and/or clean and jerk technique work into my warm-up, and maybe stone loading. Will see what the boss comes up with, and decide from there.
Way to go, Cheryl!!! W00t! That is so exciting! I second kat's gif !
Kat - I'm so glad that you saw such improvement with your nutrition and all. That must feel good, even if 2,200 calories feels a bit insufficient.
For myself, I need to learn to let myself be hungry. I've been taking in SO many calories, lately! I really need to rein myself in, or else I'll never lose my fluffy belly. I was thinking that I need to readjust what my particular goals are and suit my program to it. I definitely want to improve my strength, but I am not aiming to be a powerlifter. I guess that I just want to be really fit and athletically capable - I'm going to start taking Krav Maga classes, and I want to literally kick some *** in those classes.
Hmmm...
For me, my news is I pulled 120lbs in DL, yesterday morning. It wasn't bad, at all! These "just starting out" rapid strength gains are super-encouraging. I also did 125lbs in hip thrust, and felt like I could add another 5-10lbs, but just focused on keeping my form perfect.
I'm going to start doing goblet squats with my next workout split plan, which I'm putting together today. Thanks for the advice!
rva, i bet you could find an awesome krav maga class in your area. i would love to learn to kick *** like that.
120!! you are rocketing up right now. you're gonna hit 135 so quick!
did deadlift today. my last heavy day before the meet. got 285, and then went for 300 but didn't get it. which is fine. i think we are still gonna go for it at the meet. i think it will be 265, 285, 300 for the pulls.
after my 300 fail, i pulled 270 for 5 singles. feelsgood.jpg even when i apprached the bar in a scattered way, i was still able to pull it.
from here on out i will just lift to keep the movements greased. i also tried on a spare singlet. oh LAWD i look awful in a singlet. i will probably post the video of my meet here, so please if you snort and giggle, don't tell me!
Thanks, Kat! I really look forward to hooking up my barbell with two full plates! Way to go with your DL. I'm sure you'll rock it at that meet, questionable singlet or not!
The Krav Maga place I'm going to start at is with this guy: Roy Elghanayan. Skip forward to like the 1:00 mark in the video, and don't mind the annoying music.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
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Thanks, ladies!
Want to reply to the rest, but am so tired, I can't keep my eyes open. Will just say that I did the crossfit workout this morning, running and rope climbs, so nothing relevant to this thread. After working the rest of morning gym, I had a lawn mowing job, 3 hours and it was hot compared to what we're used to this time of year. Made the mistake of not packing enough food or drinks, so had to go get something halfway through the mowing job. Did not have a lot of cash for buying something good, and ended up buying a crappy $2 burger and a soda. Will probably bloat up from the sodium and hate my weigh-in number in the morning, but I''m already back to clean eats and hopefully didn't do too much damage to my progress.
I'll try to reply to the rest tomorrow morning or whenever I have both time and am semi-alert. Must sleep now. Up again in 4-1/2 hours. Ugh. Can't wait for Sunday so I can sleep in!
impromptu rest day. needed to catch up on cleaning and bills. my toddler is only in daycare for a few hours a day, so i am taking advantage and catching up before he comes home to undo everything. lol
222.2 today. i haven't seen 222 for at least a week. last low was 4/18 at 221.8. i want this month to bring me under 220 and i want to start staying there consistently.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
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Height: 5'7"
Rest day for me, too. Deadlifts tomorrow. Boss ordered me to take a morning off from the gym, so I was able to sleep a few more hours this morning when I got home. Mowing and laundry for a bit, and food prep, then off to the mountains this afternoon to work on the log peeling job. Hot (for us) today, so that will beat trudging behind a mower in the hot sun. Should be cooler out at the log job site.
RVA, the Krav Maga looks like it would keep anybody lean, and your new instructor looks like he knows what he's doing. Hope you enjoy the lessons. Congratulations on the DL progress lately!
Kat, hope you will post video...that would awesome, to get to see your meet lifts! Had to laugh about the singlet...I'd probably look just as "fabulous" in one right now, lol...best diet motivation out there. Don't stress about it, though. Pretty sure all powerlifters feel the same about having to wear the stupid thing! Good luck with the 300. that one's been on my wishlist for about 3 years. I keep getting close, then hurting myself, but knock on wood, hoping I'm training smarter now, and will see it this year. We'll see how it goes tomorrow, then I'll know how far I've got to go yet. My old, old 1RM was 285, but best number last fall was 275. Hoping to at least hit the 285 tomorrow, if all goes well.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
Looked back in my book, and turns out my old, old 1RM from 2011 was 280, not 285...oops!
After my warm-up sets today (for deadlift 1RM testing), I worked up to 275, then decided to go for 290, thinking I needed that to get a PR. Got that, and didn't realize till later that it was a 10# all time PR, rather than just 5 lbs. Anyway, super happy with that.
Of course, I had to try 300, since I was so close, but really, the 290 was rough...legs shaking like crazy through the middle of the pull...need me some quad strength, apparently! Anyway, I did break the 300 off the ground, got it to my knees, then accidentally let all my air out, but kept pulling, but it wasn't moving, and I was about to pass out from lack of oxygen, so had to drop it, lol. Tried again after a rest, but couldn't get it past my shins. Next time, though. Pretty happy, still, because usually breaking the bar off the floor and my grip have traditionally my weakest links in this lift, and today, I had no trouble with either.
Looking forward to the next strength cycle. We'll be switching focus to front squats, overhead press and power cleans. I may throw in a 4th day and do a cycle of sumo deadlift, or ask my trainer if I can do the sumo instead of power cleans.
omg our deads are the same!! that's exactly what happened with my 300. i was able to get the 300 off the ground but it got stuck at right below the knees. i am hoping that the adrenaline of the meet will help me.
super huge congratulations on the 290!!!!
and you also are so much more versatile than i am. i try not to stress about how deconditioned i am, but those conditioning days make me want to cry just thinking about them. so thankful its only once a week.
so today was bench and squats because i missed yesterday. needed to clean rather than lift. got all the laundry done (7 loads!!) so my family has clean clothes in their drawers now. wheew. cleaning has taken a backseat to lifting. i am really really thankful that my husband doesn't care too much about how clean the house is. he cares about cooked from scratch healthy meals, so whenever he is home, thats what i do.
tonight we had mahi-mahi fish tacos with mexican slaw and picked onions. pickled onions are super easy to make and really yummy. they make the taco.
two days at 222. i think it's a real number. if i keep it up i might see 221 next week. i wont stress *too* much about it, as my meet is that weekend, but it would be nice.
ok enough babbling! bench to 121x1 lots of singles at 105 and 115.
squats to 190x1x5 each one was a pass. deep enough and didn't have issues with cues.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
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Funny about the deads being the same. Hope you get that 300 in the meet!
Know what you mean about your conditioning days...sort of. We do a lot of conditioning stuff in crossfit, but it's almost always short. I'd dread a ninety minute plus workout, too!
Well, my afternoon job cancelled on me, so I had some unexpected free time, so went by Costco and restocked my good food. Food's been dodgy the last couple days since I kept running out of prepared meals and had little or no time to cook more. Tonight I have a few hours, since I don't have to be up till 6:30 tomorrow, so I'm cooking up fish and chicken and all the usual suspects.
Single lift smackdown tomorrow morning with my buddy Laurie. Not sure what's on her list, but I suspect it's deads and she just didn't want to say, knowing I'd just done 1RM conventional today. Still, if it's deads, I can do sumo. I'm not very strong in that lift yet, so could probably do a 1 rep max test without killing myself, or just rep it out if it starts feeling dodgy.
I'm rambling. Sorry! Better go throw some food in the oven, if I ever want to get to bed tonight. I could sleep a week, I swear!
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
Nice PR, Ian! Ditto on the squats. I always put some kind of squatting in my warm-up, even if it's just bodyweight squats.
Saturday report:
Went to the gym in the morning for the lifting Shmackdown with my friend. It was her deadlift day, as I suspected, and since I'd just done the 1RM conventional, I decided to pull sumo and just keep the reps up there. She liked that idea, too, so we both did sumo and just went for a heavy set of 5. Nobody won the smackdown this week, since we both called it good at the same weight and were not looking to go to failure:
We warmed up on the rowers, 500 meters, did some random stretching, and spent a few minutes practicing double-unders with a jumprope, then:
95x5 x2 sets
135x8
135x5
165x5
185x5
215x5 and done.
This was actually a sumo PR for me, because I've never really done anything remotely heavy with sumo. My most recent 5RM conventional is only 245, so feeling pretty good about the 215...gives me hope that I might be able to get my sumo pull stronger than conventional if I worked at it.
After we put our toys away, it was time to open the gym up for the Saturday group workout. We had a huge turnout, maybe 30 or 35 peeps, I'm not sure. This always amazes me, because when I started at this gym, it was 2 garage bay doors wide, and the Saturday crowd was all of about 6 or 8 lunatics looking for a beatdown before their rest day. Can't believe how the gym has grown in the last 5 years.
I was really there to clean the gym, but I can't do that until it's empty, so I decided I may as well jump in for the group workout. It was a 3 part workout:
5 minutes of work, as many rounds as possible of:
5 axle (aka 2" grip barbell) deadlifts 213 men/173 women
5 box jumps 24" men/20" women
Rest 3 minutes (aka write down your score and get your barbell loaded for the next part of the workout)
then 7 minutes of work, as many rounds as possible of
7 bar facing burpees
7 overhead squats 95m/65w
Rest 3 mins
then 5 minutes of work, as many rounds as possible of
5 toes to bar
5 power cleans 135m/95w
It was a fun workout, and the 3 mins of rest between rounds meant you could go fast again...except I did not go fast on the burpees...after those box jumps, my quads were like, "you want me to jump over WHAT?"
Oy, this is getting long, as usual, sorry. Last night was my friend Drew's MMA title fight. He went up a weight class, and the other guy was the clear favorite for the win, since he was so much bigger than Drew, but Drew's a really good wrestler, so when he finally got him on the mat and got a good hold on him, it was all over. We all went to IHOP to celebrate, and of course I ate whatever the heck I wanted, which was not on my diet, but was so worth it, lol. Back to the on-plan food today, but I'll have some making up to do to get the scale back down after the crap food I've eaten this week. At least I'll be all fueled up for the 1RM testing this week, right?
i wish it were more. 
my plan is 1900 cals and continuing with high protein. i will probably whine a whole lot. i don't know how people diet more strenuously without going nuts.
Don't stress about it, though. Pretty sure all powerlifters feel the same about having to wear the stupid thing! Good luck with the 300. that one's been on my wishlist for about 3 years. I keep getting close, then hurting myself, but knock on wood, hoping I'm training smarter now, and will see it this year. We'll see how it goes tomorrow, then I'll know how far I've got to go yet. My old, old 1RM was 285, but best number last fall was 275. Hoping to at least hit the 285 tomorrow, if all goes well.
