Powerlifting and Crossfit: Best Lifts

[Rmtt]

So dead-lifts this morning. Back into the next round of programming.

Last 4 sets were 365 X 8. The last set was an AMRAP set, but I shut it down at 8 as I had left my belt at home, and had to use one of the belts at the gym. Just never could get the right feel with it.

It's funny how you get accustomed to things, and when you don't have them it screws with your head as much as it does.

The exercise felt good though, and my form is getting better as I venture back up into the higher weight. I keep the bar centered over my foot, get down, and then engage my lats and hold as I pull up while keeping my scapulae retracted while keeping the bar as close to my body as possible on the way up.

Actually woke up this morning with some muscle soreness I haven't had in awhile which is a good sign!!

Also seen a girl in there for the first time I had never seen before on one of the platforms doing Romanian Deads and knocking it out of the park. Very impressive!

[FlaPatsFan]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

So dead-lifts this morning. Back into the next round of programming.

Last 4 sets were 365 X 8. The last set was an AMRAP set, but I shut it down at 8 as I had left my belt at home, and had to use one of the belts at the gym. Just never could get the right feel with it.

It's funny how you get accustomed to things, and when you don't have them it screws with your head as much as it does.

The exercise felt good though, and my form is getting better as I venture back up into the higher weight. I keep the bar centered over my foot, get down, and then engage my lats and hold as I pull up while keeping my scapulae retracted while keeping the bar as close to my body as possible on the way up.

Actually woke up this morning with some muscle soreness I haven't had in awhile which is a good sign!!

Also seen a girl in there for the first time I had never seen before on one of the platforms doing Romanian Deads and knocking it out of the park. Very impressive!

Nice volume numbers Rmtt! Are you doing Conventional or Sumo DLs?

I’m the same way with my gear. I definitely feel “off” if I don’t have certain things. Even down to chalk! All my years of sports have made me superstitious and I think that has transferred over to lifting now....lol

On a training note....yesterday was a metabolic conditioning day. For time-10 rounds in a 35# weighted vest of....run .25mile 6 strict pull-ups, 12 hand release push ups, 18 air squats....46:15

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by FlaPatsFan

Nice volume numbers Rmtt! Are you doing Conventional or Sumo DLs?

I’m the same way with my gear. I definitely feel “off” if I don’t have certain things. Even down to chalk! All my years of sports have made me superstitious and I think that has transferred over to lifting now....lol

On a training note....yesterday was a metabolic conditioning day. For time-10 rounds in a 35# weighted vest of....run .25mile 6 strict pull-ups, 12 hand release push ups, 18 air squats....46:15

I'm currently doing conventional. I have never really cared for Sumo although I have done them. Usually I mix in Romanian DL when I want to change up. And sometimes if I know I'm going to be squatting heavy....I will do rack pulls and really stroke my ego!

God you are killing me on the conditioning side!! I mean I do cardio now..... but most of my conditioning work comes in during the summer when I am leaning up. When I amp that up, I tend to drop body weight very quickly so I don't really have too much of a change to my diet. But I do a lot of cross circuit stuff, running, burpees superset with pull-ups, jump-rope, and I start hitting the heavy bag and doing some of the stuff I did when I boxed with the 3 minute timed rounds.

When I boxed, I was in the best cardio condition I had ever been in...but I was only 170lbs. Now if I drop into the 180's....I feel like I'm withering away.

Napoleon complex at work I guess.

[FlaPatsFan]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

I'm currently doing conventional. I have never really cared for Sumo although I have done them. Usually I mix in Romanian DL when I want to change up. And sometimes if I know I'm going to be squatting heavy....I will do rack pulls and really stroke my ego!

God you are killing me on the conditioning side!! I mean I do cardio now..... but most of my conditioning work comes in during the summer when I am leaning up. When I amp that up, I tend to drop body weight very quickly so I don't really have too much of a change to my diet. But I do a lot of cross circuit stuff, running, burpees superset with pull-ups, jump-rope, and I start hitting the heavy bag and doing some of the stuff I did when I boxed with the 3 minute timed rounds.

When I boxed, I was in the best cardio condition I had ever been in...but I was only 170lbs. Now if I drop into the 180's....I feel like I'm withering away.

Napoleon complex at work I guess.

Ahhh ok. We kind of opposite, I switched over to Sumo years ago for a multitude of reasons. Mainly because heavy conventional was bothering my low back. I do Sumo for heavy lifts, but still do conventional at moderate poundage. When I do DL EMOM it is Conventional. Ever since switching no issues whatsoever with low back. Sometimes making these types of adjustments can be very beneficial. Which was the case for me.

Same went for BS. Got rid of low bar and do strictly High bar. That also has made a world of difference. I can absolutely say it is why I am able to push and pull the heavy weights at my age and size. 5’10 185.

It sounds like you have a good handle on your conditioning, those are all good movements and techniques. Understand I really push myself on conditioning to very “uncomfortable” levels. Most think I’m nuts. But my heart and lungs benefit greatly. Not sure what my V02 Max is but it’s up there. I do this year round. Like you I do get concerned about losing muscle. So I play the game of back and forth with strength and conditioning. It’s a very fine balance. But when I’m dialed in it feels amazing!

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by FlaPatsFan

Ahhh ok. We kind of opposite, I switched over to Sumo years ago for a multitude of reasons. Mainly because heavy conventional was bothering my low back. I do Sumo for heavy lifts, but still do conventional at moderate poundage. When I do DL EMOM it is Conventional. Ever since switching no issues whatsoever with low back. Sometimes making these types of adjustments can be very beneficial. Which was the case for me.

Same went for BS. Got rid of low bar and do strictly High bar. That also has made a world of difference. I can absolutely say it is why I am able to push and pull the heavy weights at my age and size. 5’10 185.

It sounds like you have a good handle on your conditioning, those are all good movements and techniques. Understand I really push myself on conditioning to very “uncomfortable” levels. Most think I’m nuts. But my heart and lungs benefit greatly. Not sure what my V02 Max is but it’s up there. I do this year round. Like you I do get concerned about losing muscle. So I play the game of back and forth with strength and conditioning. It’s a very fine balance. But when I’m dialed in it feels amazing!

LOL....keep in mind that I am only 5'6". So lower back has never been an issue for me. My body gravitates toward low bar squats as that feels the most natural to me. High bar seems awkward until I work it for awhile, but my traps are weird and interfere with the balance aspect of it. But it feels right at home in the bottom groove where my traps and rhomboids come together.

But you taller guys moving that weight does impress me. You have so much farther to go, and I usually only see a handful of the taller guys at my gym that can do squats using the correct form.

I think on deadlifts, we probably equal out in regards to arm length in proportion to height. So I see a lot of taller guys geared better for pulling unless they have extremely long legs. In that case, it's going to be hard regardless to get that low and keep the angle of shoulders and lower back at a certain rake.

And I can tell you right now even when I am doing conditioning exercises....I guarantee it's nothing like what you are doing. I'm not afraid to get out of my comfort zone, but you are doing some crazy stuff and I know I couldn't keep up with you!!

That's my biggest issue...getting everything dialed in. I can stay somewhere in the middle pretty easy....but I gain and loose weight pretty quickly and I know when I start eating too much muscle tissue as I see it with the weights and total volume. I usually start out with volume holding.....but I see it start dropping after 6 weeks or so. I see myself getting lean, but then the weight loss starts to come.

After that....then it's a numbers game as the weight loss gets in my head. I'm good for awhile like I mentioned, but it's like once I start getting close to the 180 mark.....I start to doubt what I am doing.

Over the years it has got better as I will hit a certain % of body fat at higher and higher weights. But once I get to 8% or less...I feel like you could look at me and not even think I look like I lift weights with a shirt on!

[FlaPatsFan]

Rmtt....some very good points. Body mechanics and composition play a huge factor. Long torso, short arms, long legs, short torso, long arms etc. it’s all about alignment and leverage. You definitely have a lower center of gravity then me which is beneficial on certain things.

Getting dialed in completely is a challenge. Depending on time of year, rest, recovery, work, stress, eating, injures etc. I would say I’m about 80% dialed in right now. I’d like to be up to 90% in next few months.

Don’t sell yourself short. I think you’d do well with my crazy conditioning. A whole new level of uncomfortable! Lol

[1MOREMOD]

Missed my squats last night, felt like shit tired. Also felt like an asshole for skipping. Doing hi bar volume this am flex at top see if can make myself break.

[FlaPatsFan]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Missed my squats last night, felt like shit tired. Also felt like an asshole for skipping. Doing hi bar volume this am flex at top see if can make myself break.

“ I will break you “.....Ivan Drago voice

[1MOREMOD]

Week as whole been a bust since my leg day sat. Reboot and move on.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Week as whole been a bust since my leg day sat. Reboot and move on.

That's all you can do man. Don't dwell on it as you will drive yourself crazy. Accept it and move on. You have been hitting it hard for a while now...so it's not going to hurt you.

In fact, it may be just the thing that you needed!

[FlaPatsFan]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Week as whole been a bust since my leg day sat. Reboot and move on.

It happens bro, don’t sweat it. Like you said reset and move on. It’s all part of the grind!

[1MOREMOD]

Yeah no worries, do some stretching, set up and bike tonight after work and get back after it tomorrow and all weekend. Relentless belief makes seeing next step pretty easy.

[FlaPatsFan]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Yeah no worries, do some stretching, set up and bike tonight after work and get back after it tomorrow and all weekend. Relentless belief makes seeing next step pretty easy.

Zactly.....I’m doing same. Rest day yesterday active recovery today (20mins Airdyne bike). Gonna crush myself next 3 days! HULK MODE!

[1MOREMOD]

Yeah I'm a legend in my own mind bro.

[Rmtt]

I will be honest......finding this thread really motivated me in the gym again. I had gotten complacent and going through the motions....and taking a day off was easily justified. Plus I equated since I was getting older....it was okay to settle for where I was at.

But now I'm wanting to start pushing heavier weights again! You guys are beasts!

[slcook54]

Subscribing to this thread. My best lifts to date @ 216lbs are:

S: 297.5
B: 257.5
D: 372.5
T: 927.5

These were last July, I've since dropped 30lbs and initially lost 8lbs of lean mass, which I've put back on and now weigh 186, I'm working toward a 1,000lb total by the end of the year.

[Rmtt]

So today was bench day. Sets were:

335 X 3 for 5 sets
345 X 3 for 2 sets
350 X 1 AMRAP - Got 5 slow controlled reps.

From the start, I felt really good with this exercise. The elbow treatments I had seem to be working. First 7 sets were solid and felt almost easy. Last set I started feeling the weight, but managed the reps I did. My training partner was out, so I erred on the side of caution as I was by myself.

Then Incline Bench for 225 with EMOM sets. I got 7 sets before reps dropped to 6 on my last set...and I ended it then.

Then did some tricep work, rope pushdowns for stretching, lying extensions working my way up to the 130lb ez curl bar.

Bodyweight was 206lbs this morning.
All in all a good workout!

[1MOREMOD]

Nice sir

[FlaPatsFan]

Originally Posted by slcook54

Subscribing to this thread. My best lifts to date @ 216lbs are:

S: 297.5
B: 257.5
D: 372.5
T: 927.5

These were last July, I've since dropped 30lbs and initially lost 8lbs of lean mass, which I've put back on and now weigh 186, I'm working toward a 1,000lb total by the end of the year.

Welcome....slcook54. I’ll just call you Cook. Myself, 1MM and Rmtt seem to dominate this thread but it’s all in the name of GAINZ!!!! Keep us posted on your progress. Hopefully some of what we talk about can help you.

[FlaPatsFan]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

So today was bench day. Sets were:

335 X 3 for 5 sets
345 X 3 for 2 sets
350 X 1 AMRAP - Got 5 slow controlled reps.

From the start, I felt really good with this exercise. The elbow treatments I had seem to be working. First 7 sets were solid and felt almost easy. Last set I started feeling the weight, but managed the reps I did. My training partner was out, so I erred on the side of caution as I was by myself.

Then Incline Bench for 225 with EMOM sets. I got 7 sets before reps dropped to 6 on my last set...and I ended it then.

Then did some tricep work, rope pushdowns for stretching, lying extensions working my way up to the 130lb ez curl bar.

Bodyweight was 206lbs this morning.
All in all a good workout!

Very nice you jerk...that’s just not right

My training today...Strength - Deads 7x3. Worked up to final set of 3 at 465. Felt heavy today. Then 5x5 of Pendlay rows up to 225. Some tricep work. Conditioning - 15min rowing session. 30 seconds all out, 30 seconds rest. Man that was awful....but effective.

[slcook54]

Originally Posted by FlaPatsFan

Welcome....slcook54. I’ll just call you Cook. Myself, 1MM and Rmtt seem to dominate this thread but it’s all in the name of GAINZ!!!! Keep us posted on your progress. Hopefully some of what we talk about can help you.

Thanks bud and will do. Running Barbell Medicine’s 8-week HLM template with good results. Will stick to that until I hit a 1k total and reassess.

[1MOREMOD]

Dude my wife crushed her first spartan ultra race today. Signed up as elite so may get to see some good footage. Pouring rain and crappy conditions and she only failed 6 of 30 obstacles. I'm stoked for her and damn proud.