UPDATES

I doubt anyone is even reading this blog any more. I was hoping to start a new blog, attached to a new website, but I was waiting for pix from Nationals photoshoots for the overhaul of the site. Haven't received the goods from two of the photographers, and it's been almost 8 months!!! WPW has been the only one who delivered thus far. So, I procrastinate further on the new website...maybe someday....

In other news , I've been nursing a rotator cuff injury and haven't any big training to expound on. I was training on the bench one night when I felt a tweak with 300 lbs on the bar. I stopped my workout, but I didn't know it was as bad as it was until a couple of weeks later. I have been frequenting the chiropractor thrice weekly for cold laser therapy treatments and adjustments, in addition to slowly making progress with weights in the gym - very slooooowly. However, the alternative is surgery, and I do not wish to entertain that thought. I have gone from little range of motionto no weight to small dumbells on up to working the 30lb dumbells, and tonight I am on schedule to hoist the 35's....crossing my fingers that all goes well. It sucks, but am told I will be good as new as long as I don't try to rush the healing process. It's been a long time coming, but I am finally learning what patience is!

I have been able to squat because I made the decision to purchase a safety squat bar - best investment I have made in years!!! This thing totally trashes you in a new but wonderful way. I am told that the crossover from training

with the SSB back to a straight bar is usually a good amount of increased poundage. I am anxious to find out, but it is going to be a while before I trust my shoulder enought to be able to support a straight bar across my shoulders again. Those are my legs recently -as you can see, using the bar is really making that vastus medialis pop on my legs!

The first annual IronSport Power Classic was a total success. It was held on April 09 at (where else) IronSport Gym in Glenolden PA. It was the largest meet I have produced thus far. I had to turn several want-to-be competitors away. It was a long day, but one of the best meets I have ever had.I cannot wait for the Power Frenzy in November 05!!

Left - Tim Gale benched 780

Below - Jon Rock deadlifted 640

I had an INCREDIBLE support crew at this meet. Moving the meets up to IronSport has been a very, very good thing for the meets.

OK - I've partially caught up, not much, but better than nothing.

monolift

I posted a little dig a couple of weeks ago about a monolift coming to Midway Fitness. Actually, the story goes that the little jerk who works there heard that MY monolift was sitting in an abandonded gym locked up. The contents of this gym may or may not go up for sherriff's sale,that's another story, but he decided he was going to go and get my monolift and bring it to Midway Fitness. Perhaps he should be briefed on what "stealing" is.... My monolift is happily sitting at Ironsport Gym in Glenolden PA, for the use of the general lifting public. It will be in full force of use next weekend, April 09, for the APA Ironsport Power Classic. This is going to be my biggest event yet. We will be live streaming the meet at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/apa-ironsport-power-classic-2011

Progress Report

I know - where have I been? I just get so typed out from FaceBooking that I keep putting this blog to the wayside. I'm here. Let's get reacquainted, shall we?

My training is having more peaks and valleys than ever befure - "undulation" as my training partner Rob likes to call it. I seem to have stellar days, or I have really off days, and not much in between...
It's probably still an after effect of the bodybuilding prep last fall (remember - I USED to be a bodybuilder!!!)

I have been dealing with this tricky knee again. It sometimes wants to track sideways instead of vertically. This has gotten to the point where it has really all but killed my deadlift. When I pull my right knee gives very little support - it wobbles and my leg dances all over the place. I go to the chiropractor every week so he can pop my knee back into place. We've discussed it, and I am just going to have to suck it up and lighten up and rehab it properly, but it can be done.
Strangely, squatting doesn't seem to affect my knee like the deadlifting does. I have gone back to wrapping my knees, however, just for the precautionary measure of stability. I STILL don't get any rebound effect for extra poundage out of the wraps, but I really like my knees, so I'll continue to wrap. About 5 weeks ago or so I did climb back up to 410, without the wraps, but at this point I'm not going to really go all out until I can strengthen the knees back up.


Tuesday night I surprised myself completely. I had been dealing with pretty intense tendonitis for a couple of months in my left elbow. It is still there somewhat, but nowhere near as distracting and inhibiting as it was. So last night I decided to climb back on the bench and see where my benchpress was at. My goal was 300, and I did it so easily that we piled another 20 lbs on the bar. After fully pausing on my chest, up that baby went, no stalling, picture perfect as can be. I've popped 320 and even more up before, but this was the first time I have fully paused it. And I weighed in at 167.2 yesterday.
I even had a little more in the tank, but I wasn't out to set the world on fire. Save it for another day. No repercussions on the elbow, either.

I'm all typed out already, but I swear, I will be back soon. :)

I heard -

I hear Midway Fitness Center in Rehoboth Beach is getting a monolift -

01/21/2011

Here is what happens - I like to wait until I have enough to write about and elaborate on, but then I never feel like typing it all out. I suppose" just do it" can pertain to blogism as well as everything else.

Training is still going very going well. Squatting is lagging a bit, at least in my head it is, but I think in the long run it will be just as strong if not stronger than the other lifts, as I have really honed in on where my "zone" is. We have been incorporating so many new exercises in for assistance, such as box squats and Bulgarian split squats among others. I feel all these new exercises in place of all the standard bodybuilding type movements are really beneficial to not only strength, but FEELING where I am supposed to be. I managed a couple of 370's the other day, in belt and knee SLEEVES only.

I managed a great 290 x 2 in the bench the other night. I was quite surprised as I was tired and sleepy as all gimme-heck (whatever that means).

I have been going up to IronSport to have Steve help me analyze and better my deadlift. It just occurred to me the other night, though, as I was rack pulling, what I do NOT do in my deadlift, and that is use hip power. I am all legs and back in the deadlift. If I can incorporate my hips into my deadlift, look out world, but that's a big "if".Teaching old dogs new tricks outside of their comfort zone is not easy....Rack pulls from about two inchesbelow the knee were 590 for 2 sets of 5 last night. Maybe I could pull another one or two, but, and I share this hesitantly, I stop for fear of peeing my pants whilst I am pulling on the big one...men - you can laugh. Women will sympathize.

My son has been coming to the gym with me lately, and that's really cool. I never thought he would want to lift, much less come to the gym with me. He will be 18 next week - that is SCARY!!!!
He is a wonderful young man.
He has a double vein in his bicep just likehis mom, albeit on the opposite side. :)

I am soooooooo happy to not be bodybuilding. I love the heavy stuff.Powerlifting - It's my passion and my essence. It's ME!!

End of 2010

It is the end of a trying year, for sure.
First of all, I must have deleted one of my previous posts by mistake, it has disappeared.

Rick Phillips -
July 20, 1960 - November 23, 2010.
I miss you. I love you.
I will see you on the other side, at sunset.


Ok me - trying to get my strength on. Seems to be taking MUCH longer to bounce back this time. I did do dome squats 350 x 3 the other day. Feels like the oomph is in the legs, but not quite in the core and back. I'm still sore as all heck. It is Wednesday and we trained gams on Sunday....geeeezzzzz.

Held the weight on the benches down to 230 last night. Only did sets of 6.
Followed by weighted dips ( love them) and medicine ball plyo- push ups. Those things simultaneously suck and rock at the same time.
Corner presses for shoulders, close grip benches, and then push-downs.

GW has come back to join Rob and myself in the gym. We are the 3 musclateers again!!!

Back to Training

I took off Monday and Tuesday. I have been feeling worn out, burnt out spun out, wigged out, wired out, and just plain out and out tired....
I suppose that Rick's death, a 15 week diet that resulted in me looking like a walking anatomy chart, and a case of cellultits would be enough to do that on top of everyday doings....
Went back to the gym to deadlift last night. Trying to do a more power oriented style of training rather than the typical cross of bb and power I am accustomed to.

320x3
370x3
390x2
wanted to go to a set of 3 reps with 370 to finish with , but hah! silly me. One felt like 500 lbs here.

Good mornings.
We weren't sure where to begin or end up with these, as we never have done them before in our training. We went
185 x I forget
225x5
275x5
I love Good Mornings.

One arm rope pulls. 3 sets each arm. (Rope is hanging from floor to ceiling. Start with you laying on supine on floor)

Face away from the cable pull down machine and do a kind of lat pullover (we'll find a name for it)
60x12
80x6
70x8

Reverse grip pullups
8-6-4

That's it.
Good Stuff!!!