One thing after another....

New injury - something around the area of the left shoulder blade...I woke up the other morning and it made its presence know, I don't know where it came from??? The rest of my self is on the mend, but the right glute is still out of sorts. One thing after another after another....

Tonight I changed up on my bench teqnique a bit. I'm making a consious effort to decend slower, so when I get to the bottom stopping isn't such a shock, then I won't feel I have to gather up and sink the bar into my chest - yep, that's what I do on the platform. People have been telling me I relax at the bottom, and I have been wondering what the heck they are talking about, because I know that I don't "relax", however it does look like it as I am regrouping and sinking the bar into my chest. My benching was fine this evening, even all beat up and sleepy.
Some day I will get it right on the platform.

Since I am technically in bodybuilding mode now, we played pre-exhaustion on our legs the other night. I hated that. 2 kinds of leg curls and leg extensions before we even made it over to the leg press... then we finished off with something I DO like. One legged lunges on the Hammer Strength deadlift machine. Those are so awfully gruelingly good.
I was back up to 171 last night. B thinks we can get me to step on stage in the low 160's in July...yikes! The judges will never like me, so I may as well do whatever I like as far as bringing a physique to the stage.

Delaware Power Classic

The second annual Delaware Power Classic is now in the books and I couldn't be happier!!! Well, Yes, I could be happier if I was actually able to have competed, but it just wasn't happening as far as the squatting or the deadlifting. My back and hips were a mess. Cramps were a bit of a problem, too, for some reason. I did bench, but I did what I always do on the platform...I sucked. However, I THINK I know what I'm doing MENTALLY as well as physically, so I've got my plan brewing. Keep on plugging....sigh...
The meet was tremendously successful. They came! Over 40 competitors this time - and very good lifters at that. The helpers we had - judges, spotters, loaders, administrators, photographers, videographers, DJ, clean-up, EVERY ONE of them, were priceless. Never enough praise for them. Powerlifters seem to bond very much differently than bodybuilders. I feel quite honored and blessed to have had the individuals that were there with us helping in pure spirit and love of the sport, many of them I had never even seen before yesterday, and several who show up for support every time we gather, bless their hearts.
As I did not squat or deadlift, I finally got to sit in my own judge's chair and judge for awhile. I will probably be doing more of that as the meet is really getting a good reputation, and as it grows, so do my responsibilities and I may have to bow out of competing in my own meets...(but, as you may know my ways by now - don't hold me to that).
I won't go into names and numbers performed, because you can read the results and view video clips on www.DE-APF.com when they are prepared. However, I must say that the caliber, determination and spirit of the athletes was second to none. I am so proud to be a part of this event. I have told Broderick he would be allowed to compete in our next event, and I would take his place, but I will NEVER be able to step into his place and expedite a meet the way he can. So B - forget it - HAH!!! Jack and Chrissy Osborne, owners of The Training Center - THANK YOU!!!

he's magic!!!

He is magic - Broderick I am speaking of. I have been to a couple of chiropractors on a very regular basis for going on six years now, since I slipped a disc. He's better than both of them combined.
He has been "adjusting" me daily since I screwed my back on Saturday morning. I believe he has analyzed the situation correctly and we have a plan. I went into the gym to have my daily adjustment this evening. I picked just the bar off the squat rack to test squat so we could analyze where I was at. It was painful and very uncomfortable no matter what foot position I took. I really had no hope whatsoever for squatting this weekend. At the end of his workout, he worked on me~dug his magic fingers and elbows in and assessed my position. I went back to the squat bar and tried squatting again. I now have HOPE!! Miracles do happen. Three hours later and I can still squat down and feel no pain.
How blessed I am to have someone who will actually take the time and care and want to fix me?!!
He has explained to me that the problem is that my hip flexors are imbalanced in strength compared to my glutes and back and thighs...we did some grueling (yes, GRUELING) exercises this evening to start to help to combat the situation.
Will I squat this weekend? I am going to go into it as if I am. I will warm up, and assess my position. I am looking positively at squatting on Saturday.
Bench? Heck, it's still not where it was a couple of months ago, but I will try.
Deadlift? I have a feeling that I will be too scared after what happened last weekend. Fear is a killer. I have fear. If I can possibly release the fear, or at least numb myself to it, it's a go.
Those are my plans, but don't expect anything.

Strained

I strained my back pretty bad this morning..deadlifting. Not enough warming up is my educated guess. It's not "out", but manuevering around is difficult...and painful. I jumped from 315 for only two warmup reps right to 405, which I did lock out, but I definitely need to throw a 365 in there, maybe even two, and some warmup pull downs and db rows or something of the sort to begin with. I will be ok for the meet, I am sure, but methinks today and tomorrow are going to be void of much movement on my part. :( The rest of the workout was so-so. We didn't move all that fast through it, because the guys were helping Bill Lewis break in his new bench shirt, which tore down the center when he attempted a 585. That sucks, because he has a meet next weekend. Bill has the potential to be one of the best benchers anywhere...we all can't wait for the day when he realizes his potential.
I couldn't shrug after the pulling of the back. However, I was able to do prone rows on the machine, and v grip pulldowns.
Paul got some kettle bells in for the gym. I adore kettle bells. Couple of sets of regular speed biceps curls with those, then the last set was a super slllllllooooww one, and the kettle bells were just God-awful for those...awful in the best way!!! Then B had GW and I on the preacher bench where he applied constant resistance for two sets....awful, they were simply awful.
Donkey calves really made my calves swell today.
Didn't attain the 175 lb. goal - missed it by half a pound. I must begin the diet today to get to 165 for the meet next week.
Now it's hot bath and rest time.....

Lasik

So what was I doing in Phoenix???? Lasik eye surgery. Why fly all the way to Phoenix from Delaware for the procedure? I have a prerequisite that my eye surgeon be handsome and personable. Oh, and he is the world's best - Dr. Michael Granberry, of the Lasik Vision Institute of Phoenix and the Lasik Spa in Los Angeles (www.Lasikspa.com). I can't tell you enough how hospitable his entire staff is, and how expert they are at making you feel comfortable.

No, it doesn't hurt, and the procedure takes only about ten minutes on average, but anytime you are in apprehension of somebody poking around in your body, especially when you are awake, and in your eyeballs nonetheless, there is a level of fearful anticipation that you just cannot deny. Dr. Granberry has a very gentle aura that diffuses that fear. (If I could just have Dr. Granberry there with me on the lifting platform...). Dr. Granberry, I've thanked you already, but I truthfully cannot thank you enough. So, thank you over and over and over again and again and again.

174

I know I should never train two days in a row, especially back to back after legs. However, there wasn't much choice for me this week. It was a "labored" session. GW and I trained chest, delts, tri's last night. Neither of us were in our strong modes, but for some reason both of us got incredible pumps...like my delt meat was ripping right through the skin. At this point, my bench is so off, I am negative about benching at the meet, however, both B and GW have already decided for me that I am. B's already planned my sequence of attempts...sure, I can refuse, but not attempting is as big of a failure as a failed attempt - even bigger... but don't read that as a definite. I am still undecided. I was up to (OMG) 174 pounds last night. My all time heaviest - approximately 12% bodyfat. I have to get down to 165 for next Saturday, so best cut out my late night Debbie Cakes tonight.

I'm baaack

Squat day - last one before the meet. The Delaware Power Classic held at the Training Center in New Castle Delaware...my meet, my baby, my big party...
I was TOTALLY out of it all day. I slept 9 1/2 hours last night, when as a norm 5 1/2 to 6 is usually a difficult stretch. My eyes rolled to the back of my head and didn't want to emerge back to the front. It's 10 pm now and I still haven't come out of the coma, but the training went well in spite of my state of being.
I pulled a VERY good 445. Then B made me put 500 on my back, unrack and stand there for 10 seconds. My hip was out again, it always gets misaligned when I travel. It prevented me from doing a down set of reps, but as walking to the refriidgerator a few minutes ago was a total chore, my legs won't miss it. B yanked it back into place afterward, thank goodness.
Barring anything wierd happening, I will squat at the meet. I trained for the meet this time by not training for the meet - just simply train like I always do - to get stronger. I think it's the way to go for me from now on for powerlifting meets., by cracky!

pulverized pecs

So, when I don't bench it's supposed to be easier, right??? NOT!!! We did flat bench db's (up to 120's)and decline barbell(up to 315), and by the time we got to incline smiths, my pecs didn't want to work anymore! and THEN...swinging up some one armed 60 pound db lateral flyes for delts...crud - WRECKED, I am wrecked for sure!

I meant to finish this posting and have it up the other day, however, I got sidetracked getting ready to fly out to Phoenix, where i am right now. I will elaborate further on my trip upon my return.

squats are on

I'm finally over the 170 lb. threshold, and boy! Do I feel like a TANK...I was up to 171 and a half the other day.
Squatted yesterday, on a Sunday afternoon, just to throw ourselves off the norm of usual Monday eves. I hadn't had anything over 405 on my back since weeks before the New Year.
435 was ridiculously easy. I just told somebody that if I can't pull off a 455 at the meet, then I am going to go bury my head in the sand.

To make up for the lack of reps in my squat, they made me do a 40+ rep set of leg presses...ooooo! My upper glutes got to burning again where I couldn't find a comfortable spot to put them at ease. I'm working on the "shelf butt" effect!

We trained at Midway Fitness Center, here in Rehoboth Beach. Marti, the owner, just invested in a super duty power cage, and I am in love with this thing. Who cares about men when you can have a super duty power cage instead?
B just started working at Midway, so we'll be performing our circus act there from time to time.
It is a well equipped gym, save for the fact that the dumbells only go up to 125's, otherwise lots of good equipment. There are numerous older Nautilus machines, that are fantastic machines, and they should have never stopped manufacturing some of them. Nothing compares to the Nautilus multi-exercise machine, the decline chest, the duo-squat, to name a few. Midway is a nice place to train at when you are visiting lovely Rehoboth Beach DE.

JC - keep your comments coming, I love them!