The Return of the jedi-This is not Sparta. This. Is. Madness.(now incl. Race to 100kg OHP)

RACK


Nice benching mate, out of interest how are you warming up now?  I remember at one point you did quite a bit of work before getting to 100kg.

Just do a few sets on the bar, then a few more on 60kg until it feels easy.
I might have to throw in a few at 80 next week as well otherwise 60 - 110 is going to seem like a bit of a jump.

BacknBis

Chins
21's x2 but needed spotting 5/6/7 of the full reps second set
Plus 8 full reps

High Pulldown
120kg x 12/10/8 PB
+dropset

Standing Straight Arm Pulldown including free how the ffffff do I do these tutorials (results inconclusive)
Stack -4 x 12/10/8
+dropset

Closegrip Pulldown
77kg x 12/10/8
+dropset

Straight bar Curl
50kg x 7/6
40kg x 8

Incline curls
14kg x 12/10/8

Seated curl
30kg x 12/10/8 (back to 30kg strict =more work in biceps)

15min cardio -cancelled

Decent session. We were joined for the festivities by Josh2Tall who enjoyed himself tremenjous
...particularly on the 21's and dropsets.
Was keen to see how he'd do on the bicep part of the equation but he had other engagements.
The straight-arm pulldowns were fun having not done them for a while and not on that cable machine. I used to quite like them but am now thinking they used to be included at a lower weight and as part of a superset.
Switched to straight bar for curls to see if it hleped my elbows at all. It did
...it just hurt my wrists by an equal amount
Pleased withthe reps at 50 though, they were strict for those 2 sets but decided a third would be pushing it.

It has been sometime since I graced the pages of Jedi's journal, however, its good to see your still going as strong as ever.

Well done with the chins, a true measure of a man!

Nice looking session there mate.  As above, good chinning

Cheers chaps, chins should be compulsory on all back workouts.

Forgot to mention that I managed to pull that 'something' in your chest where it kinda hurts front and back in a place you can't quite reach and in an itfeelslikeImhavinaheartattack kind of way. Thought I'd got away with it this morning but as soon as I set to work it has flared up big style. Probably an intercostal or possibly more than one. Hurts like fkkery but only when I breathe in
...and out.

In better news my new powerlifting sex-belt has arrived.
It arrived before but was too small and the fold over the buckle was on the slant, so I sent it back. They returned it no problem and the new one is 10x better, real quality product 2thick layers and 2 suede to give a full 1cm thick. Best news is that the original was as stiff as a plank and I figured that this was why they were cheap. I was imagining lots of pouring boiling water on it/driving over it in my car/battering it into submission with rubber mallets etc but this one is not too bad at all not totally softened but should wear in easily enough.

£19 delivered

I use my old "York Barbell" belt.

I *did* have the money for a APT double prong belt.. Did..  I was politely funded by my fiancee for my birthday, unfortunately, I banked the money and sepnd it on car fuel and a takeaway!

Not my finest moment.

I will try again come christmas perhaps.

I haven't felt as though I needed anything more than a slim belt until the introduction of deadlifts and heavy squats but I can definitely say that the bigger belt does make a difference for those. Could be seen as quite an extravagance for just the odd lift once a week but I figure it should be good for 20years service

Lower back is very much worthy of investment!

jedi

In better news my new powerlifting sex-belt has arrived.
£19 delivered

pics!
and link

daKensta

jedi

In better news my new powerlifting sex-belt has arrived.
£19 delivered

pics!
and link

klikkit

If you meant pics of it sur le corps then they'll have to wait

One thing I would say is that I am now modelling the large and think I'm only a medium at worst so not sure the sizing is 100% correct.

very similar to mine, if not identical. was it made in Pakistan?
I ordered a L but got sent an XL, which just fits me on the last notch, and I'm not that fat.
I think their sizing is a bit sketchy.
did you get black or buff?
black's cooler of course, but buff has a certain old skool charm to it.

daKensta

very similar to mine, if not identical. was it made in Pakistan?

I'm not sure, it doesn't have a 'made in..' label.
There were some lumpy, plasticky, explosivey type things and a string marked 'pull this' as optional extras but I didn't bother.

I went for buff (obs) as I thought at the cheaper end of the market the black might tend to sweat off a bit and leave me looking like I had terminal shingles.

Shoulders

Military Press
50kg 10
60kg 8
60kg 6
50kg x 10

front raise hammer grip
16kg x 12/10/8

lateral raise knuckle forward standard style
14kg x 12/10/8

rear raise
12kg x 12/10/8

Arnold press and v-press
24kg + 14kg x 12/10/8

plus some cable laterals and wide-grip upright row.

Getting slightly better on the standing press, which I probably shouldn't have been doing anyway with this intercostal strain. Eeeejit. If it mucks up my chances at 140 tonight I will be gutted.

What's the difference with the Hammer grip lat raises mate?

RACK

What's the difference with the Hammer grip lat raises mate?

Only doing the front raises hammer grip now. In my opinion it concentrates even more focus on the front delt. Try it in your seat, move your arm up in front of you,; hammer grip (i.e. thumb up palm facing in) and place other hand on your front delt. Notice how the shoulder feels 'tight' and all the work is on the front delt?
Now try the same but with the standard, knuckles forward, palm down, thumb to the side grip. Doing this opens up the shoulder joint with the old greater tuberosity rotating out and this starts to get the lateral delt involved but working in a poor range = chance of tears.
I personally think the same is true of lateral raises and it is better to do them almost as 'viking raises' i.e. with palms facing forward to isolate the lateral delt but my TP doesn't like the movement and at present I'm just going along with it so as not to confuse him too much.

Reading the above you can see how that might happen

Good work lately Jedi . A good belt is a must haha; guy I trains with had the same belt for close to 20 years.. he'd still be using it now if someone hadn't sold him a newer lever belt haha

Last night's powerlifting

I made a big thing of predicting this would be the day that 140 bench would fall
...it didn't.
I was beyond gutted but more of that later.

First up was squats but not before introducing my new chum to the brotherhood. Massive South African guy called Dean
...or he was called Dean.
I introduce him to Vic (69 years young) and he has a senior moment of the deafened variety.
"Vic - Dean."
"Ding?"
(WTF) "No...DEAN!"
"DING?"
"NO! ....DEEEEEEEEEEEN!!!!!"
.....
....
....
....
....
"DING????"

Aaaaaargh! I was >< this close to shouting
"Does he look CHI-FKKin-NEEEEEZ?"
But fortunately Jackman turned up and he managed to interpret (bit like Joey Deacon's mate in reverse)

Ding seems like a good nickname...it'll be interesting to see who has the balls to use it.

ANyway on with the squatting, Ding introduces himself to Jackman with the words;
"PLeeeetz? I should fkkin slep you..."
Cue worried bafflement of man warming up with 5kg plates under heels but actually Ding makes the valid point that if you are suffering flexibility issues doing this makes it easier to make depth at the time but does nothing to sort the issue. Whereas if you put the plates under your toes it will stretch the achilles. I'm going to give it a bash on my warmups tonight.

Squat
Ding wants to check form so I do more reps than usual on
60kg then 100
then the fun starts
130 = better than last week
150 = buried n feeling good.
170 = niiiice (below parallel but not buried)
Jackman tries 190 with Ding spotting and makes it so I get all brave and load 180 (gulp)
I also try knee wraps for the first time and apply them badly so my kneecap does a peep-bo as I walk to the rack.
180 x ???? Ding gives an excellent close spot/cuddle swears he didn't help but it is hard to tell. Also he calls the depth and it was a tad high so I can't claim it. I really want to claim it but just don't think I can. I mean it was waaay off a partial or anything. It was very much of the depth that most people seem to make on their youtube vids

Next is bench and I am buzzzzzzing because I really think I can do it.
Jackman first and he gets even more of it than last week but once again can't quite lock out. The bench suffers some abuse as a consequence.
Heeeeeee I feel a chance to rub it in.
No.
Ding spots and puts fingers to the bar a tad early for me as I was only just getting started with the battle. He swears he didn't lift but I can feel the assistance that just steadying the bar makes so I can't claim it. P*ssed off. I am going to have to backtrack to 130 now and try and make 3 on that before trying again as constant fail has become too frustrating. Although.......I will be moving up to 110 on reps day so that might do the trick in providing 'a wee bit more'.

Deadlifts.
100/ 130/ 160 niiice
180 bit more like hard work than I wanted
205 - fail
That's the first time I've managed to start the lift and then fail (bar just above knee).
200 - fail Ggggrrrrreatttt
180 yes I can still do that

So, what next? Looks like I am going to have to do reps on 180 to make some progress even though I know my back will NOT like it and singles would be much better from that point of view. Hmmmm maybe just do 3 singles at 190? Not sure.

Also, wore the new belt and it is comfy. Not as supporting as Vic's which is leather where mine is suede. They probably don't even make them like that any more and if they do they probably cost alorra money. I'll just use mine until I sense PB and then have a sneaky borrow. I suppose I better get some knee wraps and learn how to use them.

It was very much of the depth that most people seem to make on their youtube vids

*ahem*

I say claim it, or get mr. ding to film it next week.

jedi
 
(bit like Joey Deacon's mate in reverse)

This made me LOL HARD!!!!
 
Mate, don't be too hard on yourself, sounds to be like you had a very worth while session and strength is very good.

RACK

jedi
 
(bit like Joey Deacon's mate in reverse)

This made me LOL HARD!!!!   .......feels guilty....but also
Mate, don't be too hard on yourself, sounds to be like you had a very worth while session and strength is very good.

Nah it was okay but not used to doing that much failing and when you add up a lot of fail it comes to a feeling of not having done very much. I don't want to keep failing on stuff so will have to come up with new strategy.
'Try harder' is what I've got so far

No.13

It was very much of the depth that most people seem to make on their youtube vids

*ahem*
I say claim it, or get mr. ding to film it next week.

I was pointing a finger in general directions
...but if you feel the shoe fits
Actually, most people do seem to go to this 'almost 90degrees' type depth and Ding was also squatting like it and accusing us of going 'too deep'. I am a bit confused about which is correct now although if it is going to kindasortaalmost 90degrees I will have just increased my chances of squatting 200 by an extravagant amount. At that depth I feel plenty strong and solid, it is only really the effort of going below parallel that I find a real struggle, certainly >10kg's worth to make that bit lower. It pretty much doubles the time it takes to squat too.
As for the filming I am thinking of 3 x 160 buried for next week but am also thinking of reps at 140 tonight so might fillum those.