Keosawa's Powerlifting Log

[kotriz]

have you calculated how much you improve on the basic compound exercises each year? could you give an estimate?

 

[Keosawa]

Great PR man. Anything youve found helped your squat more than other things?

Okay, this was the post I was holding off on responding to. It's a hard question to answer because so much has gone into my squat, so answering will likely result in a wall of text. Let me just say that I can't pinpoint one specific reason why my squat has gone up beyond the fact that it's benefited from hard, consistent training. So many exercises and training decisions have, I feel, contributed; for this reason, I can't single out a "single" exercise as the de facto reason for my squat's progress.

 

[belph]

You read my mind. I have no clue when I could do this by--I try not to set timelines for myself in training--but I'd love to achieve it one day. I didn't think I'd ever be able to make it at this weight, but now I'm starting to rethink that.

I definitely think you'll do it. Heck,I bet you'll hit 460 soon.

 

[Keosawa]

have you calculated how much you improve on the basic compound exercises each year? could you give an estimate?

I can try. It's hard for me to answer because I caught pneumonia and missed a considerable amount of training during the winter of 2010-2011, and I lost a great deal of strength. Before then, I had 1RMs of a 419 squat, 523 deadlift, and 300 bench press, all at a bodyweight that fluctuated between 160 and 180 lbs.

When I returned to training, my lifts had dropped dramatically. In January, my deadlift was around a 450, my squat was around 320 (I remember being crushed by 365 early in that year), and my bench press had held steady at 270-280. However, they also returned to form extremely quickly too.

The best way for me to answer this question is to compare my current totals to where I was at my April meet last year. At that time, I hit a 386 squat, 276 bench press, and 540 deadlift for a 1202 total. So, my lifts have all improved over the last year; my bench press is being rebuilt right now, but it was as high as 315 for a touch-and-go single, and my deadlift will hopefully reach a new PR of 560+ on Friday. At this point, putting 20 lbs. on my deadlift in a year's time while keeping my weight down is a pretty good year. The big gainer has been my squat, which is up 59 lbs. in the last eleven months.

Now, as far as how my lifts have improved historically, I'm not really sure. I will say that my deadlift shot up very quickly but stalled at around 475 lbs. It took me some time to reach 500, and progress since then has been slow but steady at a pace of about 15-20 lbs. per year.

 

[Keosawa]

I definitely think you'll do it. Heck,I bet you'll hit 460 soon.

Hopefully in April I will. I hope for big lifts at meets because of the fact that I eat like a pig, have rested for a week, am using better bars, and have a crowd to fire me up. You can't rely on "meet magic," but I've noticed that I'm stronger during meets than during training. I'm going to go 413 for an opener, 446 for a second attempt, and, if all goes well, either 457 or 463 for a third.

 

[Keosawa]

DE Bench Press (w/ 60 lbs.' of chains)
Barx5 (wide)
Barx5 (close)
135x10 (wide)
135x2 (wide)
135x2 (normal)
135x2 (close)
135x2 (wide)
135x2 (normal)
135x2 (close)
135x2 (wide)
135x2 (normal)
(without chains)
135x50 (wide)

Cable Tricep Pushdowns, four sets

Face Pulls, four sets

Isometric Holds (Shoulders), five mins

 

[kotriz]

thanks for the quick reply man, cheers

 

[belph]

Hopefully in April I will. I hope for big lifts at meets because of the fact that I eat like a pig, have rested for a week, am using better bars, and have a crowd to fire me up. You can't rely on "meet magic," but I've noticed that I'm stronger during meets than during training. I'm going to go 413 for an opener, 446 for a second attempt, and, if all goes well, either 457 or 463 for a third.

Is this subject to change ? Or is this final ?



Btw, 135 x50 !?

 

[KnuckleSangwich]

I will be very interested to see how your banded rack pulls go tomorrow. I wouldn't do the rack pulls very high (mid shin or so) but that's just me. You'll get the full effect of the band tension at lower rack heights.

 

[Keosawa]

Is this subject to change ? Or is this final ?

It's pretty much final. I'm not going to test my max again before the meet, so these will be the final numbers. If I go three-for-three on my squats and my third attempt feels a little easy, then so be it; I'd rather have that happen then be overly ambitious and miss attempts. My goal here is to total 1300, and hitting 457 or 463 on my third squat would make that goal much more attainable; I'd basically only need to hit my second attempts on my bench press and deadlift.

 

[Keosawa]

I will be very interested to see how your banded rack pulls go tomorrow. I wouldn't do the rack pulls very high (mid shin or so) but that's just me. You'll get the full effect of the band tension at lower rack heights.

We've got some short bands we haven't used yet, so I'm going to break them out for these. I was planning on doing them at mid-shin (which is the lowest rack setting for our power rack), so I'll let you know the results. I'll be filming my max deadlift attempt, so I might film these too.

 

[Jake Pudenz]

I did not, no. And yes, you need to get over here, but there's no rush; I'm in the state until July, and I'm not moving away anytime soon.

I didn't figure. I haven't either and I've known him for years.

Anyways, I am planning a trip down in April perhaps. What weekend is your meet? If I end up coming down, I'll try to avoid that weekend.

 

[Keosawa]

I didn't figure. I haven't either and I've known him for years.

Anyways, I am planning a trip down in April perhaps. What weekend is your meet? If I end up coming down, I'll try to avoid that weekend.

April 21st. Yeah, I'm really busy that weekend. I also won't be training the previous weekend (Friday the 13th will be my last training day), so let me just say that as well.

 

[Eric Brown]

What is your bodyweight at now?

Other than "less than your fat old ass."

 

[Babyeater]

April 21st. Yeah, I'm really busy that weekend. I also won't be training the previous weekend (Friday the 13th will be my last training day), so let me just say that as well.

I have to add here that Keo is letting me witness the events on April 21. I'm pretty damned excited and he is officially warned that there will be some pictures/video taken.

 

[Jake Pudenz]

April 21st. Yeah, I'm really busy that weekend. I also won't be training the previous weekend (Friday the 13th will be my last training day), so let me just say that as well.

Maybe I won't come down in April then. I usually do everything on a whim anyways. I'll get down there sometime.

 

[Keosawa]

What is your bodyweight at now?

Other than "less than your fat old ass."

lol, this morning I was 154.6; I've been waking up in the 153-154 range for the last few weeks now. I'm going to adhere to a relatively strict diet for the next few weeks, bring my carb intake down during my deload week, and hopefully be able to make weight without having to spend much time in the sauna. I've been pretty lean since about the end of January, so I've adjusted to it nicely by now.

My bodyfat is about as low as I want it to be, so I'll bump my calories a bit if I drop more weight. Last time I was waking up as low as 152 the week before the meet, and I felt like my strength dropped off a bit during those final few weeks of training.

 

[Keosawa]

I have to add here that Keo is letting me witness the events on April 21. I'm pretty damned excited and he is officially warned that there will be some pictures/video taken.

Well, I'm happy to expose you to it. It certainly won't put any more pressure on me.

 

[Keosawa]

Deadlift
135x3
135x3
225x3
315x1
405x1
475x1
525x1
560x1 (PR)

Low Rack Pulls (3" below knee) w/ heavy bands (200ish lbs. at top)
135x3
135x3
225x3
315x3
315x3
405x0 (losing grip)
315x1 (still losing grip)

Chin-ups
BWx12
BWx12
BWx9 (ugh)

Back Extensions
BWx15
+124x7
+124x10
+124x10

At long last, a new deadlift PR. This one flew off the floor; I think I'll be building on this PR at the meet.

 

[belph]

Congrats you son of a bitch.



I say that with tons of jealousy.