Journey to 600DL and 500SQ: First stop 405SQ - Team Franco Bodybuilding Forum: Competition and Fitness Board

The Lioness · The Truth!

RE: Journey to 600DL and 500SQ: First stop 405SQ

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Gina, I was not inspiring today.

Light Squats: warms, 290/5 5
Light Presses: warms, 160/5 5
Deadlifts: only did my warm ups from 225 to 405

I was not all there tonight. I am feeling the after effects of the deep massage on Sunday combined with super PR Monday. I was tired from beginning to end of this lackluster workout. I did attempt 455 just to make sure I wasn't wussing out. It came off the floor but that was about it. I didn't have the drive to complete a set of 7 tonight.

I think I'm only getting deep tissue massage on weeks off from the gym...which means never.

mikedeagle · Vertern Member

winflex wrote:

Gina, I was not inspiring today.

Light Squats: warms, 290/5 5
Light Presses: warms, 160/5 5
Deadlifts: only did my warm ups from 225 to 405

I was not all there tonight. I am feeling the after effects of the deep massage on Sunday combined with super PR Monday. I was tired from beginning to end of this lackluster workout. I did attempt 455 just to make sure I wasn't wussing out. It came off the floor but that was about it. I didn't have the drive to complete a set of 7 tonight.

I think I'm only getting deep tissue massage on weeks off from the gym...which means never.

Well Dwayne - I get deep tissue massages because I need to get them because of my bad shoulders. If I miss a few weeks, my shoulders get unstable and they have dull pain from doing chest and shoulders. The chiro. I go to says that a deep tissue (I get deep tissue at his office and get adjusted there too) is like getting a good workout in, so you should not really lift hard for a few days after the deep tissue massage. I notice that my strength is zapped for a few days after I get these, but they are necessary for my survival!! I think every once in a while, they are good for your body, especially as you get older. Just my opinion.

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Mike, I agree with you on that. I think for long term, I will definitely sprinkle these in but man, I was really disappointed last night when I couldn't do my lift. I shouldn't have said never. I should never say never. I was just really disappointed in the outcome yesterday which was less than I expected. But I should have expected it since I got murdered on the table on Sunday.

treehouse748 · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Hmmmm.....I need a DT massage for my upper body soooooo badly.......I have a horrible right shoulder issue that is muscular and can even be seen when I pose.

I am wondering if I should wait to do it after I compete? I have never done it before so I have no idea what to expect!

Regardless of one workout you are really truly kicking major ass! Your strength is AMAZING.

Yoster · The Truth!

Mine is the left shoulder.

Well on the bright side Dwayne - 405 as a "warm" for Deads is freaking unreal.

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Thanks Theresa, Dave, and Mike. I'm gonna keep the massage "tool" in my back pocket for now. It was helpful in some ways though I must admit...and the shoulders did benefit from it...I was just sore in the back which made it hard to stay tight in the start position of the deadlift.

Yep 405 is a warm up. Ever since I've been doing over 440 for my deadlift work set, I hit 405 for a fast single before going all out on the work set. The warm up usually looks like this 225/5, 315/5, optional 365/3, 405/1, then workset weight for 5. I might try to redeem myself with 455 tonight...I may not. I'm no longer afraid to wait.

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

REDEMPTION (but not on deadlifts wink

)

Squats: warms, (365/5 5 5)* all PR's

Bench: warms, (300/5 5 5)* all PR's

Reverse hyper machine

No deadlifts

So unlike Joe, my last set on squats was my hardest...because this is the first time I actually got to a third set successfully with this weight. It is only the second time in history that I have attempted to do 3 sets of 5 reps with it. So, it was easier than the first time but it was really hard. Thankfully, not as hard as I was thinking it could have been. Going to keep marching 10lbs a week toward an 8-Wheeler for 3 sets of 5. Oh that's going to feel good---but that's a few weeks down the road yet. Next up is 370. Taking this step by step!!

Bench was a 3 sets of 5 PR for me today. I have benched 300lbs before but usually just for a double or triple and the occasional quadruple...and only for a set or two at most in my training history ever. So three sets of five reps with this weight was a first. Not a grind at all so I have a ton of progress left in this movement. I'm just happy that my elbows aren't killing me afterwards.

Gym closed at 10 and it was 9:45 when I left so I didn't have time to fit in deads...so I did some reverse hypers as I haven't done them in a while. Wow, they felt weird because I hadn't done them in so long but I think they made my back feel better. I don't think I could have deadlifted tonight successfully anyway because my mid-back area is still sore from the massage and the weak attempts on Wednesday.

Also, I got all the sets of my squats on video. I'm so proud to have beaten this plateau!!

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Took a tad too wide a stance on the first set probably because I was worried about the weight. Still got all the reps:

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

2nd set was the best set:

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Finally, not the pretty set of the bunch but it counts:

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

"Are you a professional weightlifter?"

Squats: warms, 370/5* 5* 5* PR's
Presses: warms, 201.25/5 5 6.5*PR (failed to lockout the 7th rep)
Good mornings: 2 sets

After breaking a major plateau in squats last Friday. I felt very solid on tonight's squats. I feel just adding the 2.5's to each side psychologically makes it easier..but when you go from a couple small plates to a 25, 35, or 45, I kinda need a little psyching up. Today the last set of squats was actually the easiest set which means, I've already gotten stronger than last Friday and I'm looking forward to 375 on Friday. I never dreamed before that I would actually be squatting this much. This feels good. I will be hitting the initial mini-goal set in the 1st post of this log of 375X5X3 this Friday, a month late but who cares...I'm hitting my mini-goal!!! biggrin

On another note, I was having some slight stomach issues throughout this workout. I think I overdosed my pre-workout creatine by accident and it was making me want to hurl ashamed

after each of my squat sets. Then later in the workout on presses, I felt like I needed to go sit on the throne all the time. Not fun but it didn't derail my intensity one bit.

Between pressing sets I was asked the question at the top of this post. It was pretty funny to me considering it is the farthest thing from my actual professon (desk junkie)...but I took it as a compliment and ran with it. I said no and moved on.

On presses, I think I would have gotten that 7th rep had my triceps not have been so spent. I don't think they were recovered enough from Friday's heavy bench of 300X5X3. Nevertheless PR's all around. biggrin

On Friday looking forward to breaking my press plateau weight of 202.5 where I got 202.5/3, 3, fail on December 23rd, 2009.

mikedeagle · Vertern Member

You are rockin' Dwayne! And might I add that get all this real heavy stuff in now while you are fairly young - the body doesn't seem to like real heavy weight when you get into your 40's, at least my body doesn't! LOL!

Anyway, keep up the great work! Your focus is inspiring!

Yoster · The Truth!

Nice Dwayne
Hey when it walks like a duck, squaks like a duck and swims like a duck - chances are it is a duck. You lift weights like that and OF COURSE people are going to ask if you are a professional.

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Mike, you are inspiring to me buddy. The year I won my overall, you got your pro card. The pro card is still something I want to try for.
Dave, I hope you aren't calling me a duck...LOL :)

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Emergency Vet Night...Fun fun fun

Light squats: warms, 295/ 5 5

LIght bench: warms, 240/5 5

Deadlifts: warms, 455/3 (its slowly coming back)

Well tonight when I got home from work, I did my normal routine. I took my dog, Mango, out for his normal bathroom break. He did his thing as usual. But when we got inside and I went to go take off his leash, he squirmed and cried out. It startled me because it's not his normal behavior. He was tremblng. I thought to myself that maybe I scared him or something but the trembling would not go away.

I called up the vet and the earliest they could get him in was 9 p.m. The thought of maybe squeezing this workout in before then did cross my mind but then was quickly erased when I started putting on my sneakers and Mango came up to me and stared me in the eyes. Almost as if he was saying to me, "please don't leave me!" So I just stayed at home with him sitting on my lap and carried him around wherever I went.

We went to the vet and they checked him out and by the time he got in his trembling had decreased quite a bit. They gave us some meds and we got back home around 11. I don't think I got to the gym until around 11:45. 24 hr gym thank goodness...and ZAP helped too but my energy was clearly not at the level it could have been had I gotten to the gym around 7-8ish like I normally do.

My elbows were sore from Monday's presses and squats. i think they were expecting my normal fish oil dose that they would have gotten by then. So my grip was off. I was tired. The DL's were better than last week but way worse than I expected. Part of me thinks I need to set these back another 20 lbs or so just to build up some momentum again. Then again part of me thinks that it was just another bad day in deadlift land and I should just stay with it and next time it will go for the planned reps. It really should because I've demolished this weight several times in the past but lately life has been taking precedent on deadlift days (last week the recovery from the deep tissue beating, this week Mango needed care).

And so it should. Life doesn't wait for deadlifts...but deadlifts can sure wait for life.

treehouse748 · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

oh no Dwayne- is he OK? What did the vet say it is?

Also Sean is getting links to these videos! GREAT JOB!!!

We will be down for Joe's posing on Saturday- will you be there?

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

They narrowed it down to possible disk injury in his spine but Mango didn't do any of the things that would indicate that during the exam. They gave me a muscle relaxer and an anti-inflammatory. I'm with him home this morning and he seems to be okay. We'll see in a couple of days if this medication actually is masking the issue or really helping.

I may not be able to make Joe's class this weekend though which sucks because I enjoy chatting up about powerlifting with Sean. It would have been good to see you two. cry

-- Edited by winflex on Thursday 11th of March 2010 02:33:06 PM

Azbury · Guru

winflex wrote:

"Are you a professional weightlifter?"

Squats: warms, 370/5* 5* 5* PR's
Presses: warms, 201.25/5 5 6.5*PR (failed to lockout the 7th rep)
Good mornings: 2 sets

After breaking a major plateau in squats last Friday. I felt very solid on tonight's squats. I feel just adding the 2.5's to each side psychologically makes it easier..but when you go from a couple small plates to a 25, 35, or 45, I kinda need a little psyching up. Today the last set of squats was actually the easiest set which means, I've already gotten stronger than last Friday and I'm looking forward to 375 on Friday. I never dreamed before that I would actually be squatting this much. This feels good. I will be hitting the initial mini-goal set in the 1st post of this log of 375X5X3 this Friday, a month late but who cares...I'm hitting my mini-goal!!!

On another note, I was having some slight stomach issues throughout this workout. I think I overdosed my pre-workout creatine by accident and it was making me want to hurl after each of my squat sets. Then later in the workout on presses, I felt like I needed to go sit on the throne all the time. Not fun but it didn't derail my intensity one bit.

Between pressing sets I was asked the question at the top of this post. It was pretty funny to me considering it is the farthest thing from my actual professon (desk junkie)...but I took it as a compliment and ran with it. I said no and moved on.

On presses, I think I would have gotten that 7th rep had my triceps not have been so spent. I don't think they were recovered enough from Friday's heavy bench of 300X5X3. Nevertheless PR's all around.

On Friday looking forward to breaking my press plateau weight of 202.5 where I got 202.5/3, 3, fail on December 23rd, 2009.

crazy numbers!!

Yoster · The Truth!

Yes Dwayne - YOU ARE A DUCK! HA

Hope everything is ok with your dog - they are more than pets - they are your kids.

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

quack quack!!
so far so good with Mango.

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

"when it rains it pours...but not so bad"
No workout tonight. While I was driving to the gym, my phone rings. It was my wife. She had just fallen down and hurt her foot. I immediately turned around and went home and took her to the emergency room. Well I took all of us to the emergency room. Olivia was almost ready for bed. We went and I'm back now. My wife messed up her foot somehow but thank goodness it is not broken. They gave her some pain medication and a thing to wear on her foot to keep it stable while walks.

Hopefully I can squeeze in a workout tomorrow. Its a busy day. Hoping to find tiles. The bathroom guy is coming. This is the first time we're actually doing something with our condo...and I admit I'm a little excited about it. Jen though is ten times more excited than I am.

Until tomorrow.....

The Lioness · The Truth!

winflex wrote:

"Are you a professional weightlifter?"

Squats: warms, 370/5* 5* 5* PR's
Presses: warms, 201.25/5 5 6.5*PR (failed to lockout the 7th rep)
Good mornings: 2 sets

After breaking a major plateau in squats last Friday. I felt very solid on tonight's squats. I feel just adding the 2.5's to each side psychologically makes it easier..but when you go from a couple small plates to a 25, 35, or 45, I kinda need a little psyching up. Today the last set of squats was actually the easiest set which means, I've already gotten stronger than last Friday and I'm looking forward to 375 on Friday. I never dreamed before that I would actually be squatting this much. This feels good. I will be hitting the initial mini-goal set in the 1st post of this log of 375X5X3 this Friday, a month late but who cares...I'm hitting my mini-goal!!!

On another note, I was having some slight stomach issues throughout this workout. I think I overdosed my pre-workout creatine by accident and it was making me want to hurl after each of my squat sets. Then later in the workout on presses, I felt like I needed to go sit on the throne all the time. Not fun but it didn't derail my intensity one bit.

Between pressing sets I was asked the question at the top of this post. It was pretty funny to me considering it is the farthest thing from my actual professon (desk junkie)...but I took it as a compliment and ran with it. I said no and moved on.

On presses, I think I would have gotten that 7th rep had my triceps not have been so spent. I don't think they were recovered enough from Friday's heavy bench of 300X5X3. Nevertheless PR's all around.

On Friday looking forward to breaking my press plateau weight of 202.5 where I got 202.5/3, 3, fail on December 23rd, 2009.

congrats that you were asked if you were a PRO!!! that is showing that your hard work is being recognized, you are inspiring others and your focus is so strong that those around you want to applaud you for it! YES to that Dwayne! smile

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

"Changed Plans" and

"I just did 3 sets of 5 with the 1 rep max I set in November..that's progress!!"and

"PR party"

Squats: warms, 375/5* 5* 5* - PR city!
Presses: warms, 202.5/5* 5* 6* - PR town!
Lat work

So since my wife had a messed up foot today and the rain was horrific, our plans to go looking at tiles were squashed. I did get to squeeze in the missed workout from Friday with great success. PR's were set in squats just continuing to build upon the work done before. PR's were also set in presses. This was where I got stuck back on 12/23/2009. On that date I only managed two sets of 3 with this weight. Well I blew that out of the water today.

I also didn't go to absolute failure on the last rep of presses because as long as I get 6, depending on how that went, I can tell if I would get 7 or 8. And I probably would have gotten 7 with this weight. I'm trying to play it smart with the elbows and the pressing as I have come close to overtraining with them again.

So, I finally hit the mini-goal (this is more like an objective though) set in the initial post of this log 375/5,5,5. Its time to set another mini-objective. I think this one is going to be obvious:

I want to hit 405X5X3 on Squats by April 1 2010. (SMART - Specific - yes, Measurable - yes, Attainable - to be seen, Relevant - yes, Time Framed - yes)

This would translate to a 1RM in the upper 400's pretty close to 500... Maybe I could go into my first raw powerlifting contest with a 500 lb squat. That would be awesome!

Seeing how well this session went on squats and also how well my session with my brother went a few weeks back, I'm thinking about incorporating a change to my training schedule. Both these sessions were preceded by two days off.

So I'm thinking of changing from a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule to a 1 on- 2 off schedule. With that change, I'm thinking of not having a light day at all (formerly Wednesdays). This would get me back to straight linear progression without a dip in the middle of the week. It would allow more rest and more progress. It works great for my work schedule this week since I'll be working very late hours on Wednesday night. So, I'll be hitting it hard this week on Tuesday and Friday.

I will also keep incorporating deadlifts once a week. It'll be a little harder since it will be after heavy squatting and pressing but its hard on light days too since I'm so sore anyways. Deadlifts are just plain hard...which is why they are so good! Hoping the freshness from the rest will carryover into sparked progress!

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

I FEEL STRONG!!!

Squats: warms, 380/5 5 5 - all PR's

Bench: warms, 305/5 5 5 - all PR's

Deadlift: warms, 455/5 - actually kind of a PR*

Squats: Inching towards 405 for 3 sets of 5. Man, I was totally suprised how well the first set of these went. The second set was even better. The third set was really tough. I was shaking before the last rep A LOT! I think that was the rep that will make the difference. It was really hard. It put a lot of pressure on my left elbow. I think what happens is I get into panic mode and everything tightens up in response from head to toe, including my arms. It just so happens that my left elbow is the weaker one and it just cannot deal with that level of contraction. Thank goodness it was only on that rep because anymore and it could've ruined the rest of the workout. I recovered from it quickly. Lots of fish oil, glucosamine and vitamins tonight to combat that.

385 is next. That will look really cool with three plates and and 35 on each side. Will look like 405 from a distance LOL : )!! Maybe I'll video that one. Video is awesome because it serves as a way to check my form and also put a little pressure on me to perform because it feels like someone is watching...like when you go on stage!

Bench: I was scheduled to do 302.5 tonight with the microloaders but I was feeling strong after the success on squats. I decided to take the 5 lb jump. The first set was hard...but actually it got easier as the sets went on. I think I actually got that synaptic facilitation going on these. I will go back to the 2.5 lb jumps for the next because I don't want to stall out while I'm doing well.

Deadlift: I'm calling this one a PR. No its not my heaviest pull for 5 reps BUT it is my heaviest pull for 5 reps after squatting this heavy and benching this heavy. Usually, I'm pulling on light squat and light pressing days. I actually hit 455 on a day that I safety bar squatted 303/5,5,5 and overhead pressed 190/5,5,5. Tonight I REAL squatted 380/5,5,5 and benched 305/5,5,5..which is considerably more stressful. I was actually very surprised that I could pull this weight. This very well could be a sign that I should probably pull after a heavy squat day instead of on a light day (if I go back to that format). That would actually make the light day into a complete light day and therefore a real load off. We'll see how this goes.

I like how I felt tonight. It was just awesome. True disbelief that this just happened.

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

The funny thing is that if I lifted these as singles my total would have been 1145...I guess that means I have increased my total a lot because I did these for reps and sets.

Joe · Beyond Nutrition - Co Owner

Great work Dwayne!

I hear ya about the deads. I am stepping away from reg deads and doind romanian for a while. But the point is when I squated today, the weight was comfortable and I felt fresh! I credit this from not doing reg deads couple days ago.

the2ndoak · Beyond Nutrition - Co Owner

holy crap we got us a monsta!!!!! furious

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

Thanks guys...

Yeah I think it would be good to have a full out recovery day with lighter weights and not attacking the deads a couple days before a heavy squat. When I get the lighter days back in the program, I'm definitely sticking with deadlifting after a heavy squat so that the break day is actually a break...that way I'll go into the next squat feeling more fresh.

*********************

I was just reading the entry form for the May 15th powerlifting competition...and its a bummer but its not a full meet. You can only choose to do a single lift.

Now, i have to choose. I definitely don't want to bench because I haven't busted my hump really in that area so it wouldn't be much of an accomplishment.

I can't decided on squat or deadlift. I love them both and I have busted major hiney bring them up in the last year and a half or so. I hate choosing.

-- Edited by winflex on Wednesday 17th of March 2010 07:41:03 PM

winflex · Beyond Nutrition Sponsored Athlete

There's one in AC the next month that is a full meet....I could always also do that one too...but AC's a hike. Bordentown is a short drive for me. I might have to do the Sep one if I want a full meet....

I think I'm going to squat in the single lift meet....hopefully 500!