Keosawa's Powerlifting Log

[Keosawa]

It's based on personal preference, PL. I would say that an average-sized stance (measured from the heel of one foot to the other) would be double the distance between the lilac crests of your hip bones, but many sumo deadlifters will take a wider stance than this.

Your right knee shaking could be due to a number of different reasons, but I doubt going "too wide" is one of them, since there really isn't a such thing as going "too wide" for a sumo deadlift. My guess is that you're just not accustomed to the movement and need to work on getting comfortable with it. I would start with a moderate stance and slowly experiment with going wider. Some days, I will put my feet out almost as far as the plates, and I'm not a big person by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[LegioTitan]

Had you asked me at 18 if I would ever take drugs, I would have told you, "fuck no." Had you asked me at 22, I wouldn't know. If you were to ask me now, my answer is, "probably, once I get to a point where my gains have really slowed down."

I don't have the same moral hangup I used to about performance-enhancers. I appreciate Westside's policy, because it's honest: they're all open about their use, and they compete in a federation that is similarly open about it.

I don't feel like that time has come yet for me though. I'm still learning a lot, and I'm putting 5 lbs. on my squat every month, so it's not like I can't continue to make regular gains on my total. I don't see any reason why I can't total 1350 with knee wraps at 148 lbs. someday, drug-free. 1500, however, would require some assistance to go along with years of training.

This actually came up over lunch. WLing related but same concept. Basically I just respect the honesty and the level playing field. It's someone's personal choice to use. However I would prefer that be disclosed prior to competition.

 

[belph]

This actually came up over lunch. WLing related but same concept. Basically I just respect the honesty and the level playing field. It's someone's personal choice to use. However I would prefer that be disclosed prior to competition.

Wouldn't admitting that cause USAW to freak out ? They seem pretty strict from what I read.

 

[PLftw]

It's based on personal preference, PL. I would say that an average-sized stance (measured from the heel of one foot to the other) would be double the distance between the lilac crests of your hip bones, but many sumo deadlifters will take a wider stance than this.

Your right knee shaking could be due to a number of different reasons, but I doubt going "too wide" is one of them, since there really isn't a such thing as going "too wide" for a sumo deadlift. My guess is that you're just not accustomed to the movement and need to work on getting comfortable with it. I would start with a moderate stance and slowly experiment with going wider. Some days, I will put my feet out almost as far as the plates, and I'm not a big person by any stretch of the imagination.

thanks alot.

do you agree with this? in regards to the convert esp. i like how at least louie goes out and just says it. speaks his mind. its hard to get out alot of specifics from oly coaches about things like this.

 

[WitchCraft]

Let's say I put on 20 lbs. and go to 165. To maintain my ranking, I'd probably have to put 150 lbs. on my total. I could probably do it eventually, but even with the extra weight, I bet it'd take me a couple of years at least to get there.

Again, once I break 1300, I'll consider it. Once I find my total isn't improving anymore at 148 and the weight's getting tough to manage, I'll REALLY consider it, lol.

Ah I gotcha. I'm still in my newbie gains so adding 150 pounds to my total will probably only take about five months. :icon_lol:

 

[Keosawa]

thanks alot.

do you agree with this? in regards to the convert esp. i like how at least louie goes out and just says it. speaks his mind. its hard to get out alot of specifics from oly coaches about things like this.

I agree with everything here. My squat has gone up 15 lbs. since I made the decision to start wide-stance squatting, and that, coupled with my sumo deadlift, has carried over to my narrow-stance lifts (conventional deadlift and my regular squat stance).

I don't think there's much arguing the points he makes here; he's made a lot of Olympic-caliber sprinters faster, and he's made a lot of jumpers jump higher, with box squatting this way. I think the results are hard to ignore and speak for themselves.

 

[Keosawa]

This actually came up over lunch. WLing related but same concept. Basically I just respect the honesty and the level playing field. It's someone's personal choice to use. However I would prefer that be disclosed prior to competition.

Unfortunately, there's a culture of hypocrisy that presides over Olympic lifting, at least from what I can tell. The IOC and everyone wants to pretend their sport is clean, even at the highest level, and it's ridiculous. I know they have no alternative--it's not like Olympic lifting can embrace PEDs like some powerlifting federations can--but it still sucks for the athletes, because your choices are to a.) play by the rules and likely never reach the highest level or b.) to become a drug cheat and have to lie to yourself and others about it.

Powerlifting is, in terms of morality, a much easier sport. If you want to take something, you go to a federation that doesn't drug test. You can be open about it if you want to. It's not cheating if it's not against your federation's rules, in my opinion; it's just those people who compete in natural feds and pretend they're not on anything that bother me.

In my opinion, sports that feature rampant drug abuse need anything-goes and drug-free leagues. Let the athletes decide for themselves what's right, and let who's using and who isn't be as transparent as possible. It's better than the facade we've got going on right now.

 

[Keosawa]

Ah I gotcha. I'm still in my newbie gains so adding 150 pounds to my total will probably only take about five months. :icon_lol:

If you add 150 pounds to your total in five months, I will be mightily impressed.

 

[WitchCraft]

If you add 150 pounds to your total in five months, I will be mightily impressed.

Watch me! Well, okay, 150 would be a serious jump. I'm aiming to add 100 pounds to my total in a meet in May. But you also have to remember that I played it very, very safe at my first meet. I probably could have added 50 pounds that day if I wanted to. Either way, I accept the challenge.

 

[Cratos]

As I learned more about lifting and strength sports, as well as PEDs, my stance softened.

I'm not sure if I even ever really cared, actually. I've loved watching WSM since I was a kid.

Now, I fall into the category of "if I'm still lifting a few years down the line, I think it'd be a neat thing to try just to see what it's like."

 

[PLftw]

with my luck something would go wrong with roids lol. id like to at least have the option of one day competing tested. once you roid i feel like you cant take that back. if i reach my peak one day ill consider it perhaps but i still dont want to be "the juice head" of the group.

just depends on goals really. if youre goal is to soley get bigger and stronger, i feel like how can you not eventually do it.

 

[Keosawa]

As I learned more about lifting and strength sports, as well as PEDs, my stance softened.

I'm not sure if I even ever really cared, actually. I've loved watching WSM since I was a kid.

Now, I fall into the category of "if I'm still lifting a few years down the line, I think it'd be a neat thing to try just to see what it's like."

Yeah, I agree.

with my luck something would go wrong with roids lol. id like to at least have the option of one day competing tested. once you roid i feel like you cant take that back. if i reach my peak one day ill consider it perhaps but i still dont want to be "the juice head" of the group.

just depends on goals really. if youre goal is to soley get bigger and stronger, i feel like how can you not eventually do it.

You're right. Once you start, there's no going back. You can become "clean" again, but it's always in your past.

 

[Keosawa]

DE Bench Press (w/ 50 lbs. chains and mini-bands)
Barx5
Barx5
95x5
95x5
135x2 (close grip)
135x2 (medium grip)
135x2 (wide grip)
135x2 (close grip)
135x2 (medium grip)
135x2 (wide grip)
135x2 (close grip)
135x2 (medium grip)
135x2 (wide grip)

135x18 (wide grip)
135x9 (close grip)

Z Press
Barx8
65x8 (lol; conservative)
95x5
115x5
95x8
95x10

Elbows-Out Tricep Extensions w/ dumbbells
25x15
45x10
45x10
40x10
40x10
25x15
25x15

Rolling Tricep Extensions w/ dumbbells
25x15
25x15
25x15
25x15

My speed got better as I went along on my DE benching. I set the chains up differently this time, so they weren't deloading as much as last time; there was probably 20 lbs. more at the bottom. If I had to guess, it was probably 185 at bottom, 235 at top (but that's JUST a guess, and probably a lousy one, since I bet there's more than a 40-lb. difference in accommodating resistance here).

 

[LegioTitan]

What grip are you doing your dynamic work with?? Or if it's not noted does this imply you're using competition grip?

 

[Keosawa]

What grip are you doing your dynamic work with?? Or if it's not noted does this imply you're using competition grip?

Woops. Fixed.

Lately, I've been cycling through close, medium, and wide after every set.

EDIT: I just realized I left two sets out. C'mon, Keosawa--get your head in the game.

 

[KnuckleSangwich]

Woops. Fixed.

Lately, I've been cycling through close, medium, and wide after every set.

I always do this for dynamic work but never list it out. Louie strongly encourages changing grip for dynamic work I believe.

 

[Keosawa]

I always do this for dynamic work but never list it out. Louie strongly encourages changing grip for dynamic work I believe.

I do it too, but I've done it different ways. In the past, I've started close, then gone to a normal grip, then gone wide. Now, I rotate after every set. I think it's a matter of personal preference, but I'm trying to track when and how I cycle through my grips.

 

[KnuckleSangwich]

I do it too, but I've done it different ways. In the past, I've started close, then gone to a normal grip, then gone wide. Now, I rotate after every set. I think it's a matter of personal preference, but I'm trying to track when and how I cycle through my grips.

I cycle through every set. I start with my index fingers on the ring and move in 1 finger every set.

1st set: Index finger on ring
2nd set:middle finger
3rd set: ring finger
4th set: pinky finger
5th set: index finger
etc.

Cycle through 3 times when doing 12 dynamic sets.

 

[Keosawa]

I cycle through every set. I start with my index fingers on the ring and move in 1 finger every set.

1st set: Index finger on ring
2nd set:middle finger
3rd set: ring finger
4th set: pinky finger
5th set: index finger
etc.

Cycle through 3 times when doing 12 dynamic sets.

Interesting. I use three grips, but move my hands a good 3" (each side) every time, so my wide grip is really wide (index finger on ring), my normal grip is much closer (pinky finger maybe 2" from ring), and my close grip is pretty close (index fingers on smooth).

 

[KnuckleSangwich]

Interesting. I use three grips, but move my hands a good 3" (each side) every time, so my wide grip is really wide (index finger on ring), my normal grip is much closer (pinky finger maybe 2" from ring), and my close grip is pretty close (index fingers on smooth).

Yea we do some close grip stuff but I feel a fairly big difference between these grips so that's how I do it. My competition grip is index on the rings so I'm fairly wide to begin with. I'm not sure how much carry over I'd get for dynamic work with a super close grip.