Indeed. I know I should be more - “Yeah baby I pulled 200K - bring it on”. But I’m more like “Sure its okay. But its progressed in a while. (Which is right.) Time to double the effort.”.
But there is a theory I have which is the price of success is happiness. For me to succeed at this I will have to be unhappy with my results. They will always be subpar (to me). So thanks for the grounding. It genially helps. But I need that nagging “you are not good enough” feeling. It makes me tick.
Is that the kinda value it adds? I felt cheaty doing it from 1 inch. I didn’t think it was enough to make a difference. But okay 10kg is enough. I can live with that.
I think never being satisfied is the mark of a champion. It doesn’t matter how great you are, you always want more. It’s a HUGE driving factor for me as well. I remember thinking years ago that if I could bench 225, squat 315, and DL 405, that I would extremely happy with myself. Here I am years later able to hit 150+ more pounds than that on each lift, and I am just as dissatisfied now as I was then. To be clear, I am not unhappy, just not satisfied. I remember benching 405 two summers ago for the first time, thinking I would be super stoked about it. I was… for about 5 seconds, then it immediately popped in my head, why can’t I bench 425 yet?
It is not a bad mentality to have, in fact it can be a great mentality to have, so long as you keep it in perspective. Don’t get too low, and always keep (intelligently) pushing for more.
BTW, you’re killing it, keep up the good work. And remember this is a marathon, not a sprint.
In pumping Iron, a group of BBers say to Arnold about Lou coming up, that the wolf at the bottom is hungrier, and Arnold replied that might be true, but being the wolf on the top he always has food when he wants it.
Maybe different personalities work differently. I seem to train harder when I am thinking I am doing well, when I am one of the strongest guys while being lean at the gym. I was less motivated when I was fatter and less strong. I think Arnold found a lot of motivation in trying to stay the best. He had the best chest in BBing IMO.
As I said, I think we are all a bit different. I am never happy with my lift PRs for more than a day or two. But I find having confidence about my lifts and physique are better for my motivation than not having it.
So another week just sticking with it. No real “news”.
ME days went well. On upper body day I managed to get to 105kg x2 for close grip bench. The rest of the work out was good after.
I’m really starting to see the benefit of the CV work. I’m powering through work outs. 90 works is not being done in 75mins and I think I can shave some more time of there.
The ME dead lift day was good. I was programmed to do 3x1 I read 1x3. And then when I got to 3 reps - thought I’d throw one more in for fun so did 1x4… However I did managed 190kg + chains (adding 1kg at the floor and 3-4kg at the top) dead lift on an axle 4 times. And felt like I had an other 2-3 in me within a 60 seconds. So on the grounds I’ll be doing it on a normal bar I’m okay here.
The DE stuff is going well. On Saturday I had to go easy on the yoke - I use this and tyre flips for CV. But I had a really bad quad ache. So i eased back down to 140kg for the yoke. I made up for this with more flips. Its dawned on me that the flips are really close to the log clean so I’m getting used to be super tired here. So that I can clean the log better.
Today was DE upper body. No real progress to report. Except I squeezed out a few more inverted rows on the rings.
All progress is progress. With that said, if you are accumulating fatigue like you should be working up to a competition, progress despite fatigue is even better. Imagine what a good deload will do for you going into your competition.
Yeah - I’m not feeling too beat up considering I’m peaking. But I do have a few aches. Right quad and left shoulder. But a good deload and I think I’d been good for a load of progress. Lets see. Comp is less than 45 days away.
I pulled 207.5 for 2. On and axle. I might have had the 3rd in their. I doubt it. Not within 2 breaths.
The week after I pulled 220kg for 3 from just under knee height. So good stuff. So 7.5kg heavier and on an axle. And 220kg from the knees, I think I’ll be pushing 6-7 200kg on a standard bar.
Upper body days -
Seated axle press - managed to get 2 reps at 85kg. This is huge. I used to struggle to get 75kg AT ALL. I also tried to max out the axle clean and press. But totally fudged it. Managed 90kg easily. Then went for 105. I really thought I had it. I just struggled to get it to my shoulder. I hurt myself in trying it. So I had to dump the work out.
I’m doing a DE press session tonight. Seated axle press - will do 40/45.
The new programme is in. Lots of events. Events every day. Exciting.
Edit - de deadlifts last night. But also 6x1 squat.
After doing 2x3 at 180 last week I had to go for 190kg. Smoked efforts 1,2,3. Put 200kg on. Almost fell. Got it as in did not need the safety bars, but I stumbled. BAD.
Sets 5 and 6 were gleaming. Video in my log.
I squatted 200kg quite easily after doing 5 heavy singles.
I think 225 (500lb) will fall before August.
Nah I hit a pretty easy 190 and in hindsight should have hit it immediately after that, but then I decided the next week to chase it but was hanging out and failed, there wasn’t even a struggle it just buried me haha. I’ll get it soon, but currently deadlift is my big desire - although I’m doing dark horse again and that makes everything stronger!
Wow - sorry dude I’m really not good at keeping up with peoples logs. I kinda “speed read” which is code for “read poorly”.
I did think you had 200kg in you. But as you say - dark horse will get you there. You were running that a while back and you made some good progress I remember.
&
How as your mind prep? A few years back I was struggling to get past 170 (ish) and every time I put 145kg or more on the bar my head space went all crap. I panicked so much that of course I was going to fail. I think I was able to do 140 for 8 reps, but 145 for 3.
In the end I knocked a few KG off of my 531 TM and ended up doing a lower weight for MUCH higher reps. And build confidence from there. Ever since I make sure when I’m going to a bigger squat (dead lifts never bother me, press neither) I spend a few moments getting the head space right.
I think in that instance of the squat it was physical not mental - I generally don’t struggle mentally on squats or bench - I think deads is where my mental battle comes!
So this is my farmer from the other day.
This is comp weight. So I’m very happy. I’m lossing time on the turn. I need to get a quicker regrip and start moving again quicker. BUT I’m happy enough.
Also - log tonight. Comp weight for 10 singles. I did all 10 in 4.30 mins. 1 every 30 seconds. But I’m pretty sure I’ll hit at least 8 in comp. The weight moved VERY easily. As in smooth as you’d like. The only issue is a small shoulder niggle.
First and foremost, it looks like your body composition is changing, good job!
Secondly, you’re slow on the drop and pick because you’re not dropping and picking. You are gently laying and repicking.
Unless there’s rules against it, just drop the mother fucker, turn around, pick it up and haul ass. You’ve got good speed, but you gotta just say fuck the implement (don’t screw yourself by putting it on its side though)
There is a certain amount of I train with these. But yeah. Time to get more race like
Also - I missed this. But thank you. Its odd. I’m in bigger trousers (pants) and I’m heavier. But I’m eating a better diet (still not good but better) and working hard. And I think 90% of the new mass is good. I just add inches to my hips REALLY easily.
