Keosawa's Powerlifting Log

[Keosawa]

I feel the same about my lifting. There are so many technique differences out there to try that I see no end to the learning. You can always revert back to what you were doing if it doesn't work out. Great insight, thanks!

Agreed, and this is a low-risk change for me; it's not like my deadlift is going to take a step back, considering I'm still able to pull decent numbers with the wider stance.

Congrats on the PRs! Its always exciting when a form change means more weight moved.

I know--I haven't experienced that in a while! I don't know if I'm stronger with this style just yet, but I do believe I have a higher ceiling with a wider stance, considering my lockout difficulties.

I really enjoyed your most recent video with the DL rep PRs.

With those adjustments your pull set up is more like mine so maybe I can get something out of the "hips before knees" cue as well.

I'm tempted to make the drive to Cincinnati if KS is srs.

Thanks a lot, man. You do a better job of getting your hips moving forward than I do, certainly. And I do believe Knuckle's serious.

 

[belph]

Congrats on the PR's, you dreamboat.

 

[Keosawa]

Squats (w/ wraps)
95x8
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x3
365x3
450x5 (PR)
without wraps
355x3
355x3 (stopped here; my back's pretty tight from all the recent deadlifting, so I called it.)

Hip Abductors, five sets

Leg Curls, BWx200

Weighted Crunches
100x15
100x15
100x15

Notes: This was my first time back in knee wraps since my disastrous mid-April meet; here, I'm about ten weeks removed from a left gastroc (calf) tear as a result of wrapped squatting. I used some new wraps and worked up to one top set, which ended up being technically a small PR for me (though that wasn't my goal at the time). I kept the RPE low and left something in the tank; over the coming weeks, I'll push it a little further, but I'll remain conservative until my July meet. My squat feels strong again, and I can squat 500+ in July if my training leading up to the meet goes well. This week will be on the conservative side so that I can put together one last strong mesocycle.

 

[KnuckleSangwich]

Grippers?

 

[Keosawa]

Congrats on the PR's, you dreamboat.

Awww, thanks.

Grippers?

Yes. I have to break them in a bit--and I haven't really cranked them on just yet--but I like them quite a bit.

 

[KnuckleSangwich]

Yes. I have to break them in a bit--and I haven't really cranked them on just yet--but I like them quite a bit.

Didn't really care for them. Too stretchy for my liking. I like a thick cast like wrap.

 

[Keosawa]

Didn't really care for them. Too stretchy for my liking. I like a thick cast like wrap.

I'm the opposite. I've tried Convicts and it's just too stiff for me to get as much out of it.

 

[KnuckleSangwich]

I'm the opposite. I've tried Convicts and it's just too stiff for me to get as much out of it.

Convicts are the shit, carry on.

Using signature gold's right now, also very good.

 

[Keosawa]

Convicts are the shit, carry on.

Using signature gold's right now, also very good.

Everyone likes them, which is why I got a pair. I trained in them for a while, but I just never felt good wearing them. At this point, I'm not too worried about seeking out a "better" pair of wraps, since I already get an insane amount of pounds from mine.

 

[Keosawa]

A couple of things:

First, I'm dealing with some federation politics, and I feel the need to vent. Normally I wouldn't do so in a public forum, but since grievances against me have been aired publicly already, I feel it's now OK to do the same.

I informed NASA (the federation I participated in for all but my very first powerlifting meet) not too long ago that I was going to give another federation's powerlifting meet a try this summer. This is from NASA's facebook page today:

"Meets like last weekend are why I can only laugh when some lifters use the excuse for going to other federation's meets to "get some compeition" or "compete ahgainst someone else". LOL. Funny thing is None of those lifters ever come to our big national meets to get a taste of either of these things. Trust me, there is plenty of great drug free, single ply and raw lifters in this federation. No one who competed last weekend will ever say they wish they had more competition that what they had in Laughlin. Stay at home and help build OUR federation up instead of wandering around for something "better." Trust me, it isn't out there if you truly want drug free, legitimately judged lifts in a very friendly and family atmosphere."

Two thoughts:

1.) I don't want to worry about a hostile atmosphere going into a powerlifting meet. I am apparently going to be on NASA's shitlist for doing a UPA meet instead of traveling to Laughlin, NV for USA Nationals, and I don't like that.

2.) I'm not sure how best to handle this anonymous call-out, so I'll just take the high road and stay silent. This bridge is being burned because I've chosen to do another meet after doing seven consecutive NASA meets and bringing fifteen lifters with me to try at least one NASA meet. Given this most recent facebook post, it might be better for both parties to break ties and go our separate ways. Obviously, NASA is not OK with sharing lifters, and I'm not OK with not being given that opportunity.

Okay, second thing: I've been working on a Powerlifting and Philosophy series and putting it up on Lift.net. The first part is up here: https://www.lift.net/2013/06/03/pow...menology-can-teach-us-about-meet-preparation/ . The second part will probably be up in the next day.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

Interesting Keo... Whats the worst that can happen? You end up staying with UPA and work on rebuilding your relationship with NASA?

 

[fbmmofo]

I've read about federations being funny with lifters for going to other feds.I don't get it.

I think your doing the right thing by staying silent. Hope it works out keo

 

[KnuckleSangwich]

Imo you need to move away from NASA. Graduate from NASA if you will. You're a number 1 ranked lifter and your loyalty to the fed is admirable but it's a small fed that as far as I can tell isn't doing anything to help you. Good feds assist their best lifters, would do anything to keep them and def don't call them out on facebook.

On their website you're listed as their #3 all time lifter by coefficient. If they're stupid enough to give you shit publicly for wanting to try a new fed then they're too stupid to keep you. Move on and put up bigger numbers in a new and better fed.

 

[Keosawa]

Interesting Keo... Whats the worst that can happen? You end up staying with UPA and work on rebuilding your relationship with NASA?

I might just stay in the UPA, period. It's hard for me to rebuild a relationship when the attitude on the other side is of the you're-either-with-us-or-against-us kind. I can deal with not being eligible for certain NASA awards, but when the federation promoter is actively spouting off hostile things about me on his facebook page, it makes it hard to ever want to return.

I've read about federations being funny with lifters for going to other feds.I don't get it.

I think your doing the right thing by staying silent. Hope it works out keo

Powerlifting is a sport with limited resources (lifters), and many federations try to imprison them.

For what it's worth, NASA is filled with decent guys who care about the sport, but they are very protective of their lifters. Fuck me for not wanting to compete in one federation my entire life, I guess.

 

[Keosawa]

Imo you need to move away from NASA. Graduate from NASA if you will. You're a number 1 ranked lifter and your loyalty to the fed is admirable but it's a small fed that as far as I can tell isn't doing anything to help you. Good feds assist their best lifters, would do anything to keep them and def don't call them out on facebook.

On their website you're listed as their #3 all time lifter by coefficient. If they're stupid enough to give you shit publicly for wanting to try a new fed then they're too stupid to keep you. Move on and put up bigger numbers in a new and better fed.

Thanks, KS. I think that's what I'm going to end up having to do. I mean, how can I do a meet there knowing the promoter has spoken out against me?

Anyway, the whole situation has gotten me upset. I'm not a fed politics kind of guy, and I thought I was being very up front by telling them immediately that I was going to try this UPA meet.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

I might just stay in the UPA, period. It's hard for me to rebuild a relationship when the attitude on the other side is of the you're-either-with-us-or-against-us kind. I can deal with not being eligible for certain NASA awards, but when the federation promoter is actively spouting off hostile things about me on his facebook page, it makes it hard to ever want to return.

Powerlifting is a sport with limited resources (lifters), and many federations try to imprison them.

For what it's worth, NASA is filled with decent guys who care about the sport, but they are very protective of their lifters. Fuck me for not wanting to compete in one federation my entire life, I guess.

I would like do the same. You will likely become a better lifter if you're given the room to grow, in a sense...

 

[KnuckleSangwich]

Thanks, KS. I think that's what I'm going to end up having to do. I mean, how can I do a meet there knowing the promoter has spoken out against me?

Anyway, the whole situation has gotten me upset. I'm not a fed politics kind of guy, and I thought I was being very up front by telling them immediately that I was going to try this UPA meet.

Let's face facts. You're a top lifter and need to be seeking national competition. You will obviously better your lifting career putting up bigger numbers, setting records etc. no matter the fed. However until you go up head to head with some of your top competition people will always wonder about you. This is simply not something you're going to find at NASA meets. It's a small regional fed and imo given the behavior of they're proprietor he doesn't seem to care what you have to offer as a lifter.

Time to move on. I wouldn't rule out USPA either, not technically drug free but an awesome fed.

 

[KnuckleSangwich]

Feds for top ten 148's for a little more info

USAPL: 4
USPA: 2
APF: 1
SPF: 1
NASA: 1
ADAU: 1

 

[Keosawa]

Let's face facts. You're a top lifter and need to be seeking national competition. You will obviously better your lifting career putting up bigger numbers, setting records etc. no matter the fed. However until you go up head to head with some of your top competition people will always wonder about you. This is simply not something you're going to find at NASA meets. It's a small regional fed and imo given the behavior of they're proprietor he doesn't seem to care what you have to offer as a lifter.

Time to move on. I wouldn't rule out USPA either, not technically drug free but an awesome fed.

I'm doing UPA Battle on the Mississippi in July. It's a two-day meet with a quality roster; they're the meets that the Lilliebridges, Pete Rubish, and a few of the EliteFTS lifters (Marshall Johnson, Mick Manley, Julia Ledewski) usually do. It's a higher profile competition, in a good venue, with better meet conditions (24-hour weigh-ins, different equipment, longer knee wraps, etc.).

I have no issue staying in a "small pond" if that's what I felt was best. If EliteFTS were to ask me tomorrow to become a sponsored lifter and set up a log there, I'd choose to stay on sherdog, rather than give up my log here. But when it comes to federations, I want to have the opportunity to compete against all the other good lifters out there.

So, I'm giving UPA a chance in July; I've heard very good things about them, so I'm looking forward to it. And I'm competing "AD," which is their drug-free division. I'll be drug tested for the first time, and that's something I've wanted to have done for a while. I would be very open to competing in an untested federation, but since this option is available for cheap, I'll take advantage of it.

USPA is cool too. I want to do the LA Fit Expo at some point in the future. I don't know if I'll have the money for next year's, but it's on my radar.

 

[Keosawa]

I would like do the same. You will likely become a better lifter if you're given the room to grow, in a sense...

And I'll get to watch some great lifters lift. I know NASA has some very strong guys, but hell, I'd sort of like to see Eric Lilliebridge lift in the same meet as me.