11 July 2014 Killing Intensity Night

11 July 2014
Intensity Night

Tonight was the last night of max weight reps. The idea with Texas Method is to hit rep PRs on Fridays and I have been doing that lately. I hit rep PRs on Squats and the bench and went for a 1RM (Rep Max) on the bench and hit it.
The NZ Nationals are coming up and it is time to reduce things abit. This is the beginning of a small taper off to get recovery but still get some work in over the next couple of weeks. The week of the meet will be really light stuff and stretching.

Squats-  Tonight was a big night on squats. 187.5kgs (413lbs) for 1 rep was unthinkable 12 months ago. Now I can rep it and still have some juice in the tank. I decided on 3 but I could have gone for more. Now it is time to think about attempts for the meet. My thought right now are to start at 205 then 210 or 215 and go for a new max of 220. Warm ups on the day will tell.

Bench- I am really happy with the bench right now. My working set at 117.5kgs (259lbs) for 5 was a new rep PR for me. I hit all of my reps no big problem but I could hear my shoulders crackling, it ain't easy getting old. I decided to see how the singles would go so I did 125kgs (been there done that), 130kgs went up fine, and 135kgs wasn't bad and went up fine. That is a new 1RM by 2.5 kgs. I gave 140kgs a go and on the first rep my left arm went loose and blew the lift, but I had to have another go. I pushed like hell and wasn't too far from getting it but not tonight. Maybe if I hadn't had as many reps before it might have gone up. So I have decided that for the comp attempts 130, 135, 140kgs.

 

Deadlifts- Still trying to get a groove here. I got some good observations from a fellow lifter and he had some good points. I worked on getting the hips lower, shins more upright, sit back more and keep the bar closer, and head looking forward not down. I tend to fall backwards with lower weights on when my shins are more upright and I get back on my heels. On thing my training partner and I observed is my arms are really short and the mechanics of the lift change a lot from his. When I hold the bar at the top it is even or slightly above my hips. I think that if I can get the timing down of how I execute the lift I might find my groove.

Sumo Deadlift-  I decided to give sumo a go again. I really get a better action out of my hips and the lift feels better overall going sumo. As I go through the lift my hips pop at the top of the lift and my shoulders don't round over as I go to set up on the bar. I don't get a pulling on my lower back lifting sumo either. I am going to investigate this lift more after the Nationals and maybe make a switch in my deadlifting style.

Overall really happy and in a few weeks I'll be smoking it at the Nationals.