meet report...still learning

Well, I continue to learn as I start to pursue powerlifting. Did a USPF
push-pull meet in Napa, CA today.

First off, I am crappy at weight management. I get paranoid and overdo
the weight cutting measures the week before a meet...although I think
the scale I rely on at home may be weighing a little heavy as well.
Whatever the exact reasons, I competed in the 220 lb class weighing in
at...

211. (At a hair over 6 feet tall)

Yikes! I was in the mid 220s at the start of the month. That shook me
up a bit. And while it's no excuse, my coach bailed on me at the last
minute.

Despite the weight loss I didn't feel too bad but my bench shirt felt
really loose. My warmup with 275 touched easily, I'm used to needing at
least 315 to be sure to touch.

Opened at 319...smoked it. Figured I'd be good for 353. Figured wrong.
First time I'm told I brought it down too high on my chest. Got it
halfway up and stalled out. Third attempt hit where it should but
stalled out again, and I probably cut the pause short anyway. Crap.
I've done a solid 350 in the gym, but I weighed a lot more than 211 at
the time. My bench shirt didn't leave a single mark on my body, a sure
sign it's too loose now.

At least I hit my goal of 1.5x bodyweight at a meet...but this is not
how I wanted to do it.

Similar story for the deadlift. With no coach and feeling so
underweight I decided to stick with my play it safe, raw attempt
strategy. Opened with 408 and got it ok. Next was 424, double
bodyweight. Got it, but it was way harder than it should have been. I
got it moving and just refused to stop despite fighting it for what felt
like an eternity...probably 6 seconds or so. Got a lot of support from
the crowd. It really says something about the comraderie of
powerlifting that I got a ton of applause and personal congratulations
for busting my butt to complete what is quite frankly a very
unimpressive lift. Just for the hell of it I asked for 452 for my third
and stuffed myself into my Metal Deadlifter as fast as I could. Got the
bar to my knees and tried my damnedest not to give up on it as I fought
the straps until the fingers on my right hand peeled open. I think I
need some custom work to get a deadlift suit that works for me, a 54
Metal is way too loose on my hips and thighs but the straps on the 52
kill me.

So, mixed feelings at the end of the day. Once again I seem to have
left my best lifts in the gym, but at least I'm improving. I need to be
a lot less stupid about weight management and figure out how to peak for
meets rather than test days in the gym. I am starting to think the
instensity during the last two weeks of the peaking phase in Sheiko is
just too low, at least for me. It feels strange going into a meet not
having lifted anything really heavy for two weeks, especially
considering i do better on test days in the middle of normal training
weeks.

And next meet I'm lifting at whatever I weigh fully fed, even if it
means lifting in the 242's at 220.7.

"Will" wrote in message
...
Well, I continue to learn as I start to pursue powerlifting. Did a USPF
push-pull meet in Napa, CA today.

First off, I am crappy at weight management. I get paranoid and overdo
the weight cutting measures the week before a meet...although I think
the scale I rely on at home may be weighing a little heavy as well.
Whatever the exact reasons, I competed in the 220 lb class weighing in
at...

211. (At a hair over 6 feet tall)

Yikes! I was in the mid 220s at the start of the month. That shook me
up a bit. And while it's no excuse, my coach bailed on me at the last
minute.

Despite the weight loss I didn't feel too bad but my bench shirt felt
really loose. My warmup with 275 touched easily, I'm used to needing at
least 315 to be sure to touch.

Opened at 319...smoked it. Figured I'd be good for 353. Figured wrong.
First time I'm told I brought it down too high on my chest. Got it
halfway up and stalled out. Third attempt hit where it should but
stalled out again, and I probably cut the pause short anyway. Crap.
I've done a solid 350 in the gym, but I weighed a lot more than 211 at
the time. My bench shirt didn't leave a single mark on my body, a sure
sign it's too loose now.

At least I hit my goal of 1.5x bodyweight at a meet...but this is not
how I wanted to do it.

Similar story for the deadlift. With no coach and feeling so
underweight I decided to stick with my play it safe, raw attempt
strategy. Opened with 408 and got it ok. Next was 424, double
bodyweight. Got it, but it was way harder than it should have been. I
got it moving and just refused to stop despite fighting it for what felt
like an eternity...probably 6 seconds or so. Got a lot of support from
the crowd. It really says something about the comraderie of
powerlifting that I got a ton of applause and personal congratulations
for busting my butt to complete what is quite frankly a very
unimpressive lift. Just for the hell of it I asked for 452 for my third
and stuffed myself into my Metal Deadlifter as fast as I could. Got the
bar to my knees and tried my damnedest not to give up on it as I fought
the straps until the fingers on my right hand peeled open. I think I
need some custom work to get a deadlift suit that works for me, a 54
Metal is way too loose on my hips and thighs but the straps on the 52
kill me.

So, mixed feelings at the end of the day. Once again I seem to have
left my best lifts in the gym, but at least I'm improving. I need to be
a lot less stupid about weight management and figure out how to peak for
meets rather than test days in the gym. I am starting to think the
instensity during the last two weeks of the peaking phase in Sheiko is
just too low, at least for me. It feels strange going into a meet not
having lifted anything really heavy for two weeks, especially
considering i do better on test days in the middle of normal training
weeks.

And next meet I'm lifting at whatever I weigh fully fed, even if it
means lifting in the 242's at 220.7.

your deadlift is way disproportional to your bench.

you didn't do a 450 deadlift at 221 lbs bodyweight, but you "smoked" a 319
bp, albeit with a shirt

whit

"John M. Williams" wrote in message
...
"whit" wrote:

your deadlift is way disproportional to your bench.

you didn't do a 450 deadlift at 221 lbs bodyweight, but you "smoked" a
319
bp, albeit with a shirt

Very unlike you, Whit. Standard lower-body powerlifter thinking. I
realize that powerlifting scoring favors that. But it ignores that
some people have better upper body strength, while others have better
lower body strength.


i am aware of that. i didn't say it was necessarily training related.

i said it was disproportional. it IS disproportional, in relation to a
reasonable group of comparison - powerlifters, since they compete in bench
and dead (and squat)

it's not disproportional for many, but it's disproportional vis a visw
powerlifting, or push-pull meets.

whit


Look at the record lifts in most powerlifting associations. The best
totals, deadlift, and squat are frequently held by the same person,
but that person almost never has the best bench press.

In article , Will
wrote:

Well, I continue to learn as I start to pursue powerlifting. Did a USPF
push-pull meet in Napa, CA today.

First off, I am crappy at weight management. I get paranoid and overdo
the weight cutting measures the week before a meet...although I think
the scale I rely on at home may be weighing a little heavy as well.
Whatever the exact reasons, I competed in the 220 lb class weighing in
at...

211. (At a hair over 6 feet tall)

Jeez. How do you do that?

Yikes! I was in the mid 220s at the start of the month. That shook me
up a bit. And while it's no excuse, my coach bailed on me at the last
minute.

Despite the weight loss I didn't feel too bad but my bench shirt felt
really loose. My warmup with 275 touched easily, I'm used to needing at
least 315 to be sure to touch.

Opened at 319...smoked it. Figured I'd be good for 353. Figured wrong.
First time I'm told I brought it down too high on my chest. Got it
halfway up and stalled out. Third attempt hit where it should but
stalled out again, and I probably cut the pause short anyway. Crap.
I've done a solid 350 in the gym, but I weighed a lot more than 211 at
the time. My bench shirt didn't leave a single mark on my body, a sure
sign it's too loose now.

At least I hit my goal of 1.5x bodyweight at a meet...but this is not
how I wanted to do it.

Similar story for the deadlift. With no coach and feeling so
underweight I decided to stick with my play it safe, raw attempt
strategy. Opened with 408 and got it ok. Next was 424, double
bodyweight. Got it, but it was way harder than it should have been. I
got it moving and just refused to stop despite fighting it for what felt
like an eternity...probably 6 seconds or so. Got a lot of support from
the crowd. It really says something about the comraderie of
powerlifting that I got a ton of applause and personal congratulations
for busting my butt to complete what is quite frankly a very
unimpressive lift. Just for the hell of it I asked for 452 for my third
and stuffed myself into my Metal Deadlifter as fast as I could. Got the
bar to my knees and tried my damnedest not to give up on it as I fought
the straps until the fingers on my right hand peeled open. I think I
need some custom work to get a deadlift suit that works for me, a 54
Metal is way too loose on my hips and thighs but the straps on the 52
kill me.

So, mixed feelings at the end of the day. Once again I seem to have
left my best lifts in the gym, but at least I'm improving. I need to be
a lot less stupid about weight management and figure out how to peak for
meets rather than test days in the gym. I am starting to think the
instensity during the last two weeks of the peaking phase in Sheiko is
just too low, at least for me. It feels strange going into a meet not
having lifted anything really heavy for two weeks, especially
considering i do better on test days in the middle of normal training
weeks.

And next meet I'm lifting at whatever I weigh fully fed, even if it
means lifting in the 242's at 220.7.

I've felt that about the Sheiko as well. I actually go in every day and do
some speed work during the last two weeks and introduce plyos as well. But
I think the problem might be weight control more than the routine. It
appears you are the type that drops a pile of weight prior to a meet. Bob
Mann does the same and always seems stronger in the gym than he shows at
the meet. The problem I think is learning to relax prior to the meet.

But still - it was a good day!

"Will" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"whit" wrote:

your deadlift is way disproportional to your bench.

I know. I'm working on it. But, I've got short arms, too.


well, that would help your bench.

you didn't do a 450 deadlift at 221 lbs bodyweight, but you "smoked" a
319
bp, albeit with a shirt

Actually 211 bw (though probably more like 218 by meet time), and the
shirt was next to useless.

i meant 211. typo. if the shirt was next to useless, that makes the #'s
more disproportional.

whit

In article ,
"whit" wrote:

"Will" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"whit" wrote:

your deadlift is way disproportional to your bench.

I know. I'm working on it. But, I've got short arms, too.


well, that would help your bench.

And hurt the deadlift. I have to squat real low to grab the bar so my
leverage at the start is not so good. It's like the average person my
height deadlifting off 1" blocks minimum, probably more like 2".

Will wrote:

Well, I continue to learn as I start to pursue powerlifting. Did a USPF
push-pull meet in Napa, CA today.

First off, I am crappy at weight management. I get paranoid and overdo
the weight cutting measures the week before a meet...although I think
the scale I rely on at home may be weighing a little heavy as well.
Whatever the exact reasons, I competed in the 220 lb class weighing in
at...

211. (At a hair over 6 feet tall)

When did you weigh in; meet day or day before?

Yikes! I was in the mid 220s at the start of the month. That shook me
up a bit. And while it's no excuse, my coach bailed on me at the last
minute.

Despite the weight loss I didn't feel too bad but my bench shirt felt
really loose. My warmup with 275 touched easily, I'm used to needing at
least 315 to be sure to touch.

Seems like losing a few pounds (mostly water??) wouldn't make that much
difference. Wash and dry the shirt before the meet.

Opened at 319...smoked it. Figured I'd be good for 353. Figured wrong.
First time I'm told I brought it down too high on my chest. Got it
halfway up and stalled out. Third attempt hit where it should but
stalled out again, and I probably cut the pause short anyway. Crap.
I've done a solid 350 in the gym, but I weighed a lot more than 211 at
the time. My bench shirt didn't leave a single mark on my body, a sure
sign it's too loose now.

Slowing your descent a little may help you touch where you want more
consistently. If that was a one time thing then nevermind.

At least I hit my goal of 1.5x bodyweight at a meet...but this is not
how I wanted to do it.

Similar story for the deadlift. With no coach and feeling so
underweight I decided to stick with my play it safe, raw attempt
strategy. Opened with 408 and got it ok. Next was 424, double
bodyweight. Got it, but it was way harder than it should have been. I
got it moving and just refused to stop despite fighting it for what felt
like an eternity...probably 6 seconds or so. Got a lot of support from
the crowd. It really says something about the comraderie of
powerlifting that I got a ton of applause and personal congratulations
for busting my butt to complete what is quite frankly a very
unimpressive lift. Just for the hell of it I asked for 452 for my third
and stuffed myself into my Metal Deadlifter as fast as I could. Got the
bar to my knees and tried my damnedest not to give up on it as I fought
the straps until the fingers on my right hand peeled open. I think I
need some custom work to get a deadlift suit that works for me, a 54
Metal is way too loose on my hips and thighs but the straps on the 52
kill me.
-- Fine job with 424 lb!

Get the straps on the 52 loosened. Or get the straps tightened on the 54.

So, mixed feelings at the end of the day. Once again I seem to have
left my best lifts in the gym, but at least I'm improving. I need to be
a lot less stupid about weight management and figure out how to peak for
meets rather than test days in the gym. I am starting to think the
instensity during the last two weeks of the peaking phase in Sheiko is
just too low, at least for me. It feels strange going into a meet not
having lifted anything really heavy for two weeks, especially
considering i do better on test days in the middle of normal training
weeks.

Make some adjustments or try another routine.

And next meet I'm lifting at whatever I weigh fully fed, even if it
means lifting in the 242's at 220.7.

Try it and you might end up at 220 anyway.

Rest up. Get back at it in a few days.

Jeff out ...

"John M. Williams" wrote in message
...
"whit" wrote:


"John M. Williams" wrote in message
.. .
"whit" wrote:

your deadlift is way disproportional to your bench.

you didn't do a 450 deadlift at 221 lbs bodyweight, but you "smoked" a
319
bp, albeit with a shirt

Very unlike you, Whit. Standard lower-body powerlifter thinking. I
realize that powerlifting scoring favors that. But it ignores that
some people have better upper body strength, while others have better
lower body strength.


i am aware of that. i didn't say it was necessarily training related.

i said it was disproportional. it IS disproportional, in relation to a
reasonable group of comparison - powerlifters, since they compete in
bench
and dead (and squat)

it's not disproportional for many, but it's disproportional vis a visw
powerlifting, or push-pull meets.

No. If you read what I said below ...

Look at the record lifts in most powerlifting associations. The best
totals, deadlift, and squat are frequently held by the same person,
but that person almost never has the best bench press.

... you would find that the best bench-pressers have a similar
distribution of lifts. They may not have the best totals, but as I
said before, powerlifting scoring favors lower body strength.


ok. i see what you mean.

do you not think that MOST people can deadlift significantly more, in
relation to their bench, than this guy. iow, he is disproportional.

most people ARE much stronger in their lower as compared to upper body,
after all

That's one reason I want to start participating in NASA Powersports
meets: strict curl, bench press, and deadlift.


i've always thought those were kewl. don't they have a powerclean for reps
one as well, or is that a different org?

whit

"Aaron" hunt354 at hotmail dot com wrote in message
...

"John M. Williams" wrote in message
...
"whit" wrote:

your deadlift is way disproportional to your bench.

you didn't do a 450 deadlift at 221 lbs bodyweight, but you "smoked" a
319
bp, albeit with a shirt

Very unlike you, Whit. Standard lower-body powerlifter thinking. I
realize that powerlifting scoring favors that. But it ignores that
some people have better upper body strength, while others have better
lower body strength.

Look at the record lifts in most powerlifting associations. The best
totals, deadlift, and squat are frequently held by the same person,
but that person almost never has the best bench press.

not nessecarily upper or lower body strength. A good deadlifter will have
long arms and short legs (which provides an advantage to squat as well).
A
bencher will have short arms.
THe IPF 52kg record holder (cant remember his name) has squatted 300,
benched 177.5 but struggles getting 140kg deadlift cos hes a dwarf and
the
body structure doesnt allow a decent lift.
Coan is a deadlifter and a squatter, but his bench is comparably lower
(but
not tiny)
--
Aaron

i have short arms, long legs, and am still a better deadlifter than bencher

whit

"whit" wrote in message
...

"Aaron" hunt354 at hotmail dot com wrote in message
...

"John M. Williams" wrote in
message
...
"whit" wrote:

your deadlift is way disproportional to your bench.

you didn't do a 450 deadlift at 221 lbs bodyweight, but you "smoked"
a
319
bp, albeit with a shirt

Very unlike you, Whit. Standard lower-body powerlifter thinking. I
realize that powerlifting scoring favors that. But it ignores that
some people have better upper body strength, while others have better
lower body strength.

Look at the record lifts in most powerlifting associations. The best
totals, deadlift, and squat are frequently held by the same person,
but that person almost never has the best bench press.

not nessecarily upper or lower body strength. A good deadlifter will
have
long arms and short legs (which provides an advantage to squat as well).
A
bencher will have short arms.
THe IPF 52kg record holder (cant remember his name) has squatted 300,
benched 177.5 but struggles getting 140kg deadlift cos hes a dwarf and
the
body structure doesnt allow a decent lift.
Coan is a deadlifter and a squatter, but his bench is comparably lower
(but
not tiny)
--
Aaron

i have short arms, long legs, and am still a better deadlifter than
bencher


whit

you need to bench more then

I have short arms and short legs, and my deadlift sucks. My friend has long
arms and legs, and short torso and can deadlift awsomely, compared to a
sucky bench

what length is your torso (brachiomorphic.dicholiomorphic -sp?)


--
Aaron