Taking my time and losing my mind...

I have spent the past 7 months injured, not training consistently, going on vacation and otherwise using my time to pursue things not very weightlifty. I called EFS a couple weeks ago and asked about some gear, they had Jo Jordan call me back (very nice guy by the way) and he answered all my gear questions, I placed an order and promptly went off to Boston to watch my beloved Red Sox play the Indians with my wife and kids.

I came back to find GEAR!! and today I decided to embark upon my gear whore training regimen, my younger brother, who has never lifted weights has decided to be my training partner so I will probably be posting lots of questions and videos in search of tips so that I look like an expert to him : )

Day One Saturday 8/6

Bench- w/ups, 315x3x3, add Metal Bash 1 ply- 365 x1 cannot touch flies up, 405 x1 cannot touch flies up, 425 x1 cannot touch flies up, 465x1 2 inches away flies up, 495x1 still 2 inches still flies up

Close Grip Paused Incline Bench- 225x5x5 (need to go up alot I think)

Pushdowns w/grip4force handles- 3 sets 20 reps different weights

Dips- 15, 15, 15

Brother threw up in his beard.

Remarkably my shoulders feel fine as do my elbows I am hoping to post a video next time so someone can explain better what I am doing wrong as far as getting the weights down). I will be squatting in a Metal squatter on Tuesday, I put it on and wore it around my house for 2 hours yesterday after I got home, mainly because once it was on I couldn’t get it off, I ate a bowl of Corn pops and answered the door in it, my wife hates me.

[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
Brother threw up in his beard.

[quote]

I lol’d

Again with the lolz

[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
I am hoping to post a video next time so someone can explain better what I am doing wrong as far as getting the weights down).
[/quote]
Probably nothing wrong. It takes time to break in gear. You’ve got to actively row the bar down in a shirt.

[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
I will be squatting in a Metal squatter on Tuesday
[/quote]
Might be more apt to set your expectations on curtseying rather than squatting.

[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
My wife hates me.[/quote]
She doesn’t. Really.

Sunday 8/7

Read up on and corrected some form issues for the DL, apparently I was too close to the bar and dropping my ass down like a squat. I took the advice and set up so that my hips were closer to the bar and my shoulders were behind the bar rather than shins on, ass down and shoulders in front, what a difference a few inches make (it’s a softball feel free to launch it).

Deads (reset after each rep)- 135x2, 225x2, 315x2, 405x2, 455x1, 495x1, 545x1, 585x1, 625x1 (600 was my goal and I smoked it in a belt after a bunch of little sets I am quite proud. I did 545x2 a while back but this is way better.)

BBell Rows- 225x5 x3 all reset after each rep.

Shrugs- 315x5, 365x5, 405x5x2

Good Mornings- 225x5 275x5x3

Dbell Curls- 55’s x8, 70’s x8, 80’s x6

Went home told my wife about my success, her response, “Please take a shower you smell awful.” And all this time I thought success smelled sweet, apparently it smells like dirty, fat, 43 year olds.

I once fried bacon in a new suit. I have no wife. However, my boyfriend would have enjoyed it had we been together at the time.

I also sent my kids off with their dad and chatted with him for a couple of minutes while wearing my shirt. It kept conversation short and questions to a minumum.

Success smells like sweaty ass. Some people find it nice.

I’m looking forward to videos.

maybe off topic a little but is there something thats like a squat belt, dip belt combined? looking to save a little money (poor college student)

ahhhh, you’ve finally come of age. you sir are now a man…

ourboro,

Thanks, and yes there will be a video of Squat Day this week (or curtsy day as kpsnap has warned me) I am also going to have my brother video me in a bench shirt this week, in both cases I would like any input experienced gear folks such as yourself have.

Pete,

I may be a man but apparently I smell like a gangrenous donkey, thank you though.

Giterdone,

Thanks for laughing, it was all very sad/pathetic at the time, funny in retrospect though.

Kp,

I am hoping to get at least a 1/4 squat out of the suit the first time, I know people wet bench shirts down to stretch them, anything like that for squat suits?

[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
I am hoping to get at least a 1/4 squat out of the suit the first time, I know people wet bench shirts down to stretch them, anything like that for squat suits?[/quote]
You can pee in it.

Okay. I made that up.

[quote]kpsnap wrote:

[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
I am hoping to get at least a 1/4 squat out of the suit the first time, I know people wet bench shirts down to stretch them, anything like that for squat suits?[/quote]
You can pee in it.

Okay. I made that up.[/quote]

You mean you haven’t?

[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:

[quote]kpsnap wrote:

[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
I am hoping to get at least a 1/4 squat out of the suit the first time, I know people wet bench shirts down to stretch them, anything like that for squat suits?[/quote]
You can pee in it.

Okay. I made that up.[/quote]

You mean you haven’t?[/quote]

Maybe I didn’t make it up.

Give it a try, Brian. Then report back.

I’m on it

Monday 8/8

Very sore (in a good way) and tired, I decided to scrap my planned workout and do more of a “pump” workout with bands to get the blood into the affected areas (of which there are a lot). I did a variety of abs and Yoga as well all I need is some meditation and I am positively New Age.

nice pull, btw. regarding benching, as far as getting the weight down, simple answer is you need more weight on the bar.

[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
Monday 8/8

Very sore (in a good way) and tired, I decided to scrap my planned workout and do more of a “pump” workout with bands to get the blood into the affected areas (of which there are a lot). I did a variety of abs and Yoga as well all I need is some meditation and I am positively New Age.[/quote]

You rocking out to some Yanni?

big pulling- nice work.

kmcnyc,

ty for the compliment.

8/10/11

Figured out how to touch in my shirt, now I just need to figure out how to bench in it. I managed to get 435 to my chest by raising my head and flaring then tucking my elbows as the weight came down, it still flew right up so I guess it was successful.

Bench- w/ups- shirt on 315x3 365x3 (each to about a 4 board) 405x3 (2-3 board height) 435x1 touched, 455x1 touched

Close grip- 225x5, 275x5, 315x5x5

Incline- 225x5x5x5

Front DBell Raises- 25 x20x20

RC Bands- 10,10,10,10

[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
Figured out how to touch in my shirt, now I just need to figure out how to bench in it. I managed to get 435 to my chest by raising my head and flaring then tucking my elbows as the weight came down, it still flew right up so I guess it was successful.
[/quote]

Which is all fine and good as long as you don’t want to compete in a fed that requires your head to be flat on the bench, in which case you won’t want to make a habit of this. Also, flaring makes me nervous. I partially blame that behavior for my cuff tear.

[quote]kpsnap wrote:

[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
Figured out how to touch in my shirt, now I just need to figure out how to bench in it. I managed to get 435 to my chest by raising my head and flaring then tucking my elbows as the weight came down, it still flew right up so I guess it was successful.
[/quote]

Which is all fine and good as long as you don’t want to compete in a fed that requires your head to be flat on the bench, in which case you won’t want to make a habit of this. Also, flaring makes me nervous. I partially blame that behavior for my cuff tear.[/quote]

Flair flair flair tuck… I think that is what I hear most Saturday mornings.

kp,

Thank you for the info, I was unaware of the moving my head thing possibly being illegal, I will research that ASAP. As far as flaring it is a lot less of a flare than I get when I go raw so I am hoping that my shoulder doesn’t bite it, but I will look out for discomfort.

Pete,

I’m hoping Saturday mornings are a shirted bench day for you…

I read about it online and it seemed to be a good idea to try and follow someones advice (even if it was for a different shirt) to try and get a manageable weight to touch, I plan on increasing a bit each time until I find a weight I can’t lock out.

Off to Squat now.