Keosawa's Powerlifting Log

[toonie]

Glad I watched it to the end: I wasn't sure if you were happy or upset with the set either. All I know was that you threw that wrap down with some major intensity, haha.

Sweet squat and nice benching.

 

[Fighting Sprite]

Fucking loved that celebration, if I can even call it that.

Looking forward to seeing how this competition goes.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

Motivated, in shape Keo > Prime BJ any day.

 

[Keosawa]

Glad I watched it to the end: I wasn't sure if you were happy or upset with the set either. All I know was that you threw that wrap down with some major intensity, haha.

Sweet squat and nice benching.

After 255x2, my partner said to me, "wow. That moved a lot slower than it should of." And he was right--when my tendinitis flares up, I can't lower the bar with any speed, and I can't flex hard and stay tight at the bottom, so I lose a lot of pop off my chest. So, I figured I had to do something to have a good showing on a top set. It's been a long while (a few months, I think) since I've hit a rep PR on a weight >80% of my max, so I was really happy with this.

 

[Keosawa]

Fucking loved that celebration, if I can even call it that.

Looking forward to seeing how this competition goes.

I just get that way occasionally in training. I don't train like a nutcase, but I don't keep it all bottled in, either. I try to just amp up as strategically as possible.

And this competition is going to go well; I don't know how well, exactly, but I am very confident. I'm getting strong enough at this point that I can take safe attempts and still PR my total, so I'm probably going to break it this time just by hitting a few attempts.

 

[Keosawa]

Motivated, in shape Keo > Prime BJ any day.

Yeah, I always feel motivated, but the fact that this year has gone so poorly has really kicked it into gear. And we have a member on our team who has been running his mouth for a while now, and even went as far as to make a bet against me at my last meet with a teammate of mine, so I've got that always in my head. I don't usually run on anger, but frankly, I am training angry.

 

[Keosawa]

Reverse-Band Squats
135x5
185x5
225x4
275x4
315x4
365x4
405x4
425x4
445x4
465x4
485x5 (PR)

Hip Abductors, three sets

Hip Adductors, three set

Leg Curls
BWx200

Notes: I did about five minutes' worth of bat hangs before squatting, and my SI joint felt a lot better today. In fact, it's felt better (overall) this week, and that's probably because I didn't pull for as much volume last week. After this week's shortened DE session, I should be good to go for a final deadlift session before the meet.

As far as the squatting went, it was the same as last week--fast until about 365, and then I seemed to hit a wall. 405 and 425 moved slowly, but I started to find my groove at 445. The plan for today was to do 485x4--a 5-lb. PR over 480x4 and a set that would be in line with 465x7, 495x3, and 505x2--but I ended up hitting a grinder of a fifth rep. I didn't have a ton of energy, but I was able to squeeze out the reps. I've made good progress on my squat this training cycle--I think my initial 5RM was 450 or 455--and am getting more and more comfortable with higher-intensity attempts.

 

[Keosawa]

Floor Press w/ slingshot
Barx10
Barx10
95x5
135x5
185x1
225x1
275x1
315x1
345x1 (+5 lb. PR)
225x15
225x15
225x15

Lat Pulldowns
120x8
130x8
140x8
150x8
160x8

External Rotations
10x12, 12
10x12, 12
10x12, 12

Wall Angels
x25
x25
x25

Notes: To try an alleviate some of the tendinitis I've been experienced, I opted to swap in floor pressing for this session; I'll likely do the same for Saturday's session. It's not ideal this late into a training cycle, but to be honest, I think I'm going to be just fine, provided I make sure I recover from this over the next week. My press is as strong as it's ever been right now, and I just need to come into the meet feeling good.

I wanted to get in a little high-intensity work so that I could compensate by cutting down on the volume a little, and so I ended up hitting a small (5-lb.) PR on the floor press with my reactive slingshot. That rep felt solid, and my form was pretty strict despite the rep moving slowly.

Anyway, there's not much more for me to say here. I've got a week and a half to go before my training ends, and I'm feeling as strong as I have ever been right now. Everything's coming together now, and I just feel ready to go.

 

[JauntyAngle]

Hey Keo, I just popped in to ask a question about rounded-back Good Mornings. It's this: when you are performing the lift, do you let your lumbar spine go into flexion, or do you try to keep the movement in the thoracic spine?

 

[AlVThom]

Good luck at the meet Keo, your recent training sessions have been very impressive!

 

[Keosawa]

Hey Keo, I just popped in to ask a question about rounded-back Good Mornings. It's this: when you are performing the lift, do you let your lumbar spine go into flexion, or do you try to keep the movement in the thoracic spine?

I try to produce thoracic flexion, so that's my focus. I think the important thing, for me, is not to worry about keeping my lumbar neutral while rounding my thoracic (I feel like if I were to do that, I'd end up over-thinking the movement and messing it up), but to focus on feeling my thoracic flex and stretch. If you feel your thoracic being loaded, your lumbar should be fine. So, in short, it's not something I consciously avoid, but whether my lumbar rounds or not, I don't feel it straining at all during the movement.

Good luck at the meet Keo, your recent training sessions have been very impressive!

Thank you! Yeah, I feel really good about training going into this meet. My numbers leading up to it are better than ever, so I'm hoping for good results. Good training, plus a more aggressive approach to attempt selection, should pay dividends.

 

[Keosawa]

From yesterday:



DE Deadlifts
135x3
135x3
225x2
275x2
315x2x11 (11 sets of 2)

Block Pulls, 1" Below Knee
365x15
365x15
365x20

Notes: My video has a LONG piece of commentary about today's session, so if you're interested in move info, just listen to that. I'll give a short version: the plan was to do a DE session to let my SI joint rest up in prep for the meet, and I felt pretty strong (and pretty fast) on these sets. I also got out of training without my SI joint bothering me at all, which was great.

 

[Keosawa]

Wrapped Squats
135x5
185x3
225x1
275x1
315x1
405x1
455x1
500x1 (missed second)
500x2 (10-lb. 2RM PR)

w/ reverse bands
415x8
415x8

Notes: Rather than continue my progression up to a PR attempt (525+), I decided instead to attempt to build confidence by doing a very heavy double. Again, my goal on these wrapped days is just to get in a few heavy singles and build some confidence by squatting 500+ week after week. This is the third straight week I've gone over 500 (505x1, 515x1, and 500x1/500x2) after missing 496 twice at my last meet.

The best rep of the three was on my first set, but I got too loose on the second set, got forward, and quit on it. I was unusually upright for these squats, and it was throwing my off--that might have been because I squatted early in the day, on an empty stomach, and my belt wasn't fitting as snug as usual.

After missing the double on the first set, I tried it again. The first rep of the second set was much slower, and my bar tilted in sort of a weird way, but I gathered myself and squeaked out the second rep. This has been a goal of mine for a while (I think since I did 501 lbs. last October at a meet for the first time), so I'm happy to have gotten it. It gives me a LOT of confidence to be able to squat 500 lbs. for multiple reps.

My meet plan remains the same: 463, 485, 507. I have been tempted to boost those numbers, but I need to just focus on getting back on track. To hit a nice total, all I need is 485, and that should be in the bag at this point. 507 will not be easy, but I would be surprised if I missed it. If I squat 507, I'm at a 1378 total with just my other two openers (298 and 573), which means I'd only have to find about 12.5 kg on subsequent attempts for my total goal. That shouldn't be too difficult for me, as I feel much more confident in those two lifts, and I'm coming in to this meet a bit stronger than the last one.

 

[JauntyAngle]

I try to produce thoracic flexion, so that's my focus. I think the important thing, for me, is not to worry about keeping my lumbar neutral while rounding my thoracic (I feel like if I were to do that, I'd end up over-thinking the movement and messing it up), but to focus on feeling my thoracic flex and stretch. If you feel your thoracic being loaded, your lumbar should be fine. So, in short, it's not something I consciously avoid, but whether my lumbar rounds or not, I don't feel it straining at all during the movement.

Thanks, Keo. I am going to try these.

Awesome squatting by the way. It looks like you will get past 1400 in your next meet. Where does that put you in the big picture, e.g. international competition and world records and so on?

 

[Fighting Sprite]

Thanks, Keo. I am going to try these.

Awesome squatting by the way. It looks like you will get past 1400 in your next meet. Where does that put you in the big picture, e.g. international competition and world records and so on?

1. Conyers 1580
2. Gaugler 1521
3. Dale Crain 1494
4. Morrow 1482
5. Something chinese 1411
6. Blue 1410
7. Skochek 1394

In case you were wondering, Conyers has a 1560 drug free total, if you care about drug free records.

EDIT: Also for international competition, hang tight. Most the European lifters compete in the IPf, and since they've, in recent years, added a classic division, some lifters may move over. Raw powerlifting is going to get more and more exciting in the coming years.

 

[Keosawa]

Thanks, Keo. I am going to try these.

Awesome squatting by the way. It looks like you will get past 1400 in your next meet. Where does that put you in the big picture, e.g. international competition and world records and so on?

Not at all a problem, mate. And thank you--everything feels very strong right now.

1. Conyers 1580
2. Gaugler 1521
3. Dale Crain 1494
4. Morrow 1482
5. Something chinese 1411
6. Blue 1410
7. Skochek 1394

In case you were wondering, Conyers has a 1560 drug free total, if you care about drug free records.

EDIT: Also for international competition, hang tight. Most the European lifters compete in the IPf, and since they've, in recent years, added a classic division, some lifters may move over. Raw powerlifting is going to get more and more exciting in the coming years.

Yes to all of this. I will probably be somewhere between #5 and #8 all-time after this meet. Once I get into the top five, I will start working towards 1500. Stay tuned.

 

[Keosawa]

Floor Press w/ slingshot
Barx10
Barx10
95x8
135x8
185x8
225x8
250x8
275x13

Tricep Pushdowns w/ mini-band, lots of sets

Lat Pulldowns
120x10
130x10
140x10

External rotations, three sets

Notes: Tendinitis still hurts pretty good. It's getting better, but it's certainly not 100% yet. I will have to bench with it for one more week, then rest up. If I keep the volume down, I'll be fine for the meet, but it's a matter of having good, productive training leading up to the meet. I don't have a set plan for next week's training, so I'll just go by feel and try to get in an appropriate amount of work without over-doing it.

On the positive side, the top set with 275 went much better than I had expected; I was looking for ~8-10 reps and ended up with more than that. Some of the reps were shaky, and admittedly I got too over-excited on a few of these, but the end result was good. About a year ago, I think I hit 275x6 with this same setup for a max, so clearly I'm a lot better, at least, with slingshotted floor-pressing. Eventually, that will translate over to my max--I'm definitely stronger than when I benched 310 last year, and I just haven't tested that in a while. Once I do, I think I'll hit a decent PR.

 

[JauntyAngle]

Yes to all of this. I will probably be somewhere between #5 and #8 all-time after this meet. Once I get into the top five, I will start working towards 1500. Stay tuned.

Getting to 1500 would be an awesome achievement, and represent unbelievable levels of work. The level of effort you are putting in to get 5lbs on your deadlift or 10lbs on your squat is downright disturbing. The chain of those needed to get you to 1500... shit.

Fully expect you to do it, of course.

 

[Fighting Sprite]

Not at all a problem, mate. And thank you--everything feels very strong right now.



Yes to all of this. I will probably be somewhere between #5 and #8 all-time after this meet. Once I get into the top five, I will start working towards 1500. Stay tuned.

Do you think you'll be able make the jump to 1500 without certain changes? More importantly, do you think you'll find out?

 

[Keosawa]

Getting to 1500 would be an awesome achievement, and represent unbelievable levels of work. The level of effort you are putting in to get 5lbs on your deadlift or 10lbs on your squat is downright disturbing. The chain of those needed to get you to 1500... shit.

Fully expect you to do it, of course.

Thanks, JA. I expect to do it someday as well.

Do you think you'll be able make the jump to 1500 without certain changes? More importantly, do you think you'll find out?

I do think I am capable, yes. I don't know what's reasonable beyond 1500, but I am confident that I can total 1450 (530 squat, 320 bench press, 600 deadlift) at a meet right now (though my performance would have to be spectacular, obviously). I am making very slow progress on my bench press, but it's consistent. My squat is inconsistent, but I'm finally on track with it again, and I think I can get into the 530-540 range within the next year IF all goes well. And my deadlift went up a lot (from 573 in April to 601 in July) just by changing my technique and my training. I am breaking a lot of the rep maxes I set when I was training for my July meet, so my deadlift is likely ahead of where it was last cycle.

In short, I'm still making progress. It's not fast progress, but if I total 1406 at this meet, then that's +51 lbs. from the same time last year. Even if I don't, I think I have a gym total of ~1370 in the fall of last year, and now it's 1431, with a little bit of room left on all three lifts. I haven't stalled out, so even though progress will be slow, I can keep getting stronger if I fix whatever still needs fixing.