MIT Meet Results

Yesterday, 6 lifters from MIT did the AAU Cabin Fever Meet. I'm not sure how many of the current UCLA lifters care, but I've met a couple of you and I know some of the old folks read the blog still. And to whatever extent I've encouraged the MIT lifters to attend meets, I guess its an offshoot of the UCLA Powerlifting club.

I was helping "coaching" and handling lifters for this meet, as for 4 of the 6 it was their first meet. The meet was really well run and there was decent competition except for about 10 high school lifters who didn't know what they were doing.

Anywho, results (100% RAAAWWWWW, in kg):

Jason Ansel (198) - 142.5/95/190 - 427.5 (942)

My labmate who started PL last summer. Went 9/9, setting PRs on all lifts with room to spare. Could have done 975, maybe 1000.

Gordon Lu (198) - 195/127.5/202.5 - 525 (1157)

18 months ago, he was squatting 185. We all expected him to get 450+ on squat, but it wasn't his day. He had one of the funniest moments of the meet when his first bench (115kg) was misloaded (150kg) and he was crushed. The weight literally bounced off his chest.

Rene Befurt (220) - 175/137.5/207.5 - 520 (1146)

Rene was one of the first "serious" lifters I met at MIT, but this was his first PL meet. He had a couple miscues on squat and bench that basically left him with 2 attempts, or he could have done 30# better on total for sure.

Brian Yutko (165) - 135/105/190 - 430 (946)

Brian did meets in highschool as a wrestler in the 123 weight class, even though he is over 6'' tall. He's filled out a little bit since then, but he still wears a girl belt.

Deirdre Connolly (132) - 90/57.5/130 - 277.5 (611)

Dee had a kind of unfocused training cycle since her last meet, but this was still a 11# total PR. Squat was a small PR, bench was a clusterfuck (weird bench at the meet), and she destroyed a 10# deadlift PR. Anyway, this total gives her #16 ranking nationally for 1000% RAW 132 Women.

Frank Wu (181) - 175/130/272.5 - 577.5 (1273)

Frank had an off-day on squat for unknown reasons. His bench was also off towards the end of his training because of elbow tendonitis, but he came through better than expected. Oh, and he also DESTROYED a 55 lb PR on deadlift, pulling 600 lbs. This means his deadlift almost equals his squat and bench together. He also got third in best lifter, only off 1st by a few points.

Vids and pics are here.

QE Bench

Another fantastic wake-up-and-work-out training session <3

Bench:
275 x 5, 5 @ 8
285 x 4 @ 9

Frustrated on the last one, as the random spotter started helping on the 285, which messed up the set.

Seated Military Press:
165 x 8, 6
155 x 6

Gassed a bit sooner than I would have liked. My right elbow started hurting from having irritated it with the good-mornings on thursday. Need ice + vitamin-I.

Finished with flyes, close-grip pull ups, cable triceps and sub scap pulls.

Bench Assistance

Standing press
105 x 5
115 x 5
125 x 3
135 x 3 -PR, last rep was a grind. Happy with the PR but honestly this exercise seems to have very little carryover to my bench.

Skull crushers
70 x 12
80 x 8, 7, 7

Flat dumbbell presses
50s x 12
55s x 10
60s x 8

Dumbbell rows
So I bought a dumbbell handle from Sports Authority but unfortunately the handle rolls and grip is kind of an issue. Additionally, the damn thing isn't long enough to hold enough weights.
122 x 8 (12 lb bar)
132 x 8
There wasn't enough room on the bar for more weight using 25s so I tried using 45s and did them standing, which worked out okay.
132 x 8
142 x 8
I could probably work with this if I do them standing from now on, but I feel it somewhat in my lower back. Considering I'll probably be using dumbbell rows for a long time to come, I think I'm gonna return it and try to find a better one that doesn't roll and is longer.

2.27.10--Bench Assistance

I woke up this morning still feeling the effects of the night before. I took my workout easier than I should have because of this.

UCLA Basketball Game:
fail

DB Shoulder Press:
20sx8
25sx8x2

DB Bench Press:
40sx8x3

Cable Flyes:
35x8x3

Lat Pulls:
100x6
120x3

Pullups:
I came so close to getting my first ever wide grip pull up. My nose broke parallel, but my chin did not :/

02/27/10 Bench

Not much else to say other than a great workout. PRs in everything. Hitting heavy bench movements twice a week is definitely something that works well for me.

Reverse Band Bench (purples at pin 6)

275 lbs x 5 reps x 1 sets @ 7.5 RPE
315 lbs x 5 reps x 2 sets @ 8 RPE
315 lbs x 4 reps x 1 sets @ 9 RPE
295 lbs x 5 reps x 1 sets @ 8 RPE
295 lbs x 5 reps x 1 sets @ 8.5 RPE

Normal Grip Pin Press (pin 13)

225 lbs x 5 reps x 1 sets @ 8 RPE
245 lbs x 5 reps x 2 sets @ 8 RPE
245 lbs x 5 reps x 1 sets @ 9 RPE

CG Bench (no pause)

225 lbs x 4 reps x 2 sets @ 8 RPE
225 lbs x 4 reps x 2 sets @ 8.5 RPE

Finished with I's, Y's, T's superset for shoulders - 3 sets

Total Workout Time: 1h30m

BW (post-lunch): 188

2/27 Study Results - Accessory

Got up this morning at 8 to do the Exercise Study. They did a whole bunch of stuff, including taking blood samples, ultrasound of carotid artery, and a DEXA scan. I am 18.6% bodyfat at a weight of 222 and height of 6'2.5". Also, what is a notable mention is that my bone mass readings were much much higher than everyone else's - even people of similar height. Especially when it came to the skull. My skull had 715g of bone, and the next highest person there had only 620g. Dropped as a child FTW.

Leg Press Max: 810 + 100lb sled
Bench: 235 (wasnt easy, but wasnt too difficult either - could have gone higher with more sleep/blood)
Machine Row: 250

since I did not feel fatigued by the testing, I did a normal workout as well:

Dips:
BW+45x5
BW+55x5
BW+70x3

SHIP:(assuming Smith bar weighs ~30lbs)
120x10
140x10
160x8

Ultra-Wide BB Row:
135x10, 10, 10

High Row Triceps:
60x10
65x10, 10

2-26-10 Deadlift Schrempf

Deadlift

295x2 Conventional just to see what happens

305x1+fail I farted during my first lift and that really threw me off. I switched to sumo and only got it 2 inches off the ground. I think this hurt my back.

295x1 I went for a second one, but my back was hurting

Romanian Deadlift

175x8x2

185x8

and then jump stuff. my back hurts. I think the jump program I'm doing is working because I can now hang from the rim and dunk a ping pong ball. yeaaaaahhhh

2.26.10--Deadlift Day

I know I said I'd head into the gym at 2:00, but that was before I stayed up until 4:00 playing Pokemon. When I woke up today, it was already 3:00. Whoops. I went to the gym at 6 instead for some lower back work. Thanks to Greg, whose belt I stole without him knowing.

Deadlift:
135x5
185x4
215x3
275x2x3
I'm still having problems rounding out my back :(. I'm lucky so far that I haven't gotten injured, but I could really use either Matt, Dave, or Kyle to give me some advice on my form.

Conventional Deadlift off Blocks:
245x5 (easy)
275x5 (grinder)
245x5

GMOP (pins at 10)
warmups
45x10
135x8
155x8x2
I was using good form most of the time, but started squatting them up when I got tired.

Abs
Reverse Hypers-3 sets (2 of the sets I also held a 10lb weight)

February 26

BW Pull ups 3 2 3
BW Dips 8 8 8
Squat 1x5 @135, 5x5 @155
Ran into scott and luke at the gym

Deadlift

Deadlift
343 x 2
353 x 2, 2

Block pulls
343 x 3, 3 -lower back was really tired after these

GMOPs (off pin 9)
135 x 8
155 x 8
165 x 8
I felt that my form was much better with the higher pin setting.

Finished with hanging leg raises and calves

02/25/10 Deadlift/Lowers

Great workout today! Had a bad day yesterday getting back a poor grade on a midterm and was pretty bummed the rest of the day. It is funny how a great workout can make me forget it and feel soo good!

Had laid off deadlift movements the past 2 weeks due to just flat out being tired and a bit of lingering pain in my lower back. This proved to have been the right thing to do as I hit the deadlift off blocks hard and they have never felt easier!

The wide stance squats were a new exercise for me so I didn't go all out. I liked the exercise a lot and really worked my hips well. I could only hit just about parallel before the flexibility in my hips prohibited me.

Sumo Deadlift Off Blocks

443 lbs x 4 reps x 2 sets @ 8 RPE
463 lbs x 4 reps x 2 sets @ 8 RPE
483 lbs x 4 reps x 1 sets @ 8.5 RPE
483 lbs x 4 reps x 1 sets @ 9 RPE

Wide Stance Squats (Slight Pause)

185 lbs x 5 reps x 1 sets @ 7 RPE
225 lbs x 5 reps x 2 sets @ 8 RPE
245 lbs x 5 reps x 2 sets @ 8 RPE

Banded hamstring curls (green).

Banded hyper-extensions (blue).

Calves and Abs.

Total Workout Time: 1h40m

BW (post dinner): 190.8 (PR)

FE Deadlift

Deadlift:
453 x f, 1

CNS was gone. This has happened before, which happened about the same time after doing a meet and then training hard. This time I think the GMoP last week did me in.

GMoP:
315 x 3
335 x 5
345 x 4

Lower back actually started hurting, so I stopped.

Cleans:
133 x 5
183 x 3, 2

Dead as expected, but hey - this is more reps that I got last week when I was really dead.

Finished with some hamstring curls and banded hyperextensions and then called it a day.

2/25 Deadlift

Conventional Deadlift:
313x2
333x2
353x2

Leg Press:
450x10
540x10
590x10
630x10

GMOP:
185x8, 8, 8

and abs/calves to finish. The deadlifts actually felt really good and strong off the bottom, which is rare. My lower back felt pretty strong too. Success!

GI Effort Deadlift

Deadlift

343 x 2 x 3

Block pull (conventional)

343 x 4

343 x 5 x 2

Ended the first one early due to fear of sharting. Probably should've eaten more than some pepitas beforehand because throughout these sets food felt like it was coming out one way or the other.

G-mop

155 x 8

165 x 8

175 x 8

I'm benching!

Bench (paused)

155 x 2 x 4

160 x 2

135 x 8 + 2 Kyle

Was originally going to go for the 10 at 125 but Kyle put on a plate and wouldn't take it off.

Incline bench

115 x 5

125 x 5

135 x 5

Only started this low because I was drained from doing the 135 right after the 160.

Dips

BW x 15

BW x 12 x 3

Thinking of replacing something on bench accessory day with something that will help me from the bottom, since I got every incline rep to rattle. Kyle suggested low pin presses, so I'll try those.

Bench

Bench (paused)
175 x 2, 2, 2
180 x 2
182.5 x 2 -the fireman loaded the weights wrong on this set, the first rep felt slightly uneven, but for some reason the second rep felt normal because I compensated for the extra weight on one side or something

Incline bench
145 x 5
155 x 5, 5

Dips
BW x 12, 12, 12, 12

No failure = good bench session

2/24 Bench

Bench:
205x2
215x2
225x2, 2

Incline Bench:
145x8
155x8, 6

Seated Pin Press:
165x10
185x3
135x10

HS High Row Triceps:
55/side x 10, 10, 8

A good session today, despite the fact that I am down about 4lbs and have a strange shooting pain in my right trap/clavicle. I think the 225x2 was a PR for me as well, but the first set was too easy to for me to deem it a true PR. The weird neck pain kind of kept me from getting too tight on the bench, but the carryover power from the floor presses was there. Also, the High Row Triceps are basically tricep extensions done on the HS High Row machine. Like pushdowns, but without elbow irritation.

Bench

Legs and traps were extremely sore today. I notices that my butt came off the bench when it hadn't last week, which gives more evidence to the current theory.

Bench:
275 x 3
285 x 3, 3 2+1f

All with Terence-counted press call

2-board
285 x 3
295 x 3
315 x 3
245 x 10

All except 245 with press call

Dumbbell shoulder press:
80s x 6
90s x 6, 6, 6

Finished with dips: 15, 20, 20, 17

2.24.10--Heavy Bench

Bench Press (2 second pauses):
warmups
95x5
135x2
155x2x3
155x1+fx2 (the pause killed me)
115x10 (1 second pauses)

Incline Press:
115x1 (too heavy to do sets after being drained from bench)
95x5
105x5x2

Dips supersetted with Abs
3 sets

I won't be at the gym for Deadlift day because I have a basketball game, but I'll head to Wooden around 2ish on Friday if anyone wants to have a makeup day also.

Funny Videos for the week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhcdBuTLk6s&feature=related the original
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQTXawaAKNA the remix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbIplIIJTP4 no, not those stats
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBizgLZX7W0&feature=related awesome movie scene

2-24-10 Bench, Heavy

Bench with 2 second paawwwss so longgg

180x2 lol

185x2x3

185x4 I decided to not pause because it was funny

1x10@155 jk 155x10 this set was damn hard on that last rep I felt pretty pretty tired tired

Incline Bench

135x5,5,4+spot I felt like I had gone soft when I struggled so hard on these

Everyone's favorite, Dips! (with a little bit of jalapeno)

BWx 15, 15, 10 uuhfffggg

And some abs