Breakthrough Bench Day

Two more weeks to go till Women's Nationals... for me, that means two's for working sets.

I'm thankful to say that this is the best bench day I've had in a long time!!

Bench Presses
45x10
65x3
85x1
105x1
125x1
145x1 - F6 shirt
160x1 - this came up shockingly easy, to my surprise

Heavy bench of the day...
170x1 - I have failed with this in training over and over, so this is a breakthrough!

Drop set...
160x2 - after the shock of getting one as a warm up, I was even more stoked after doubling this!

Board Presses
180x2 - Haven't been able to handle this in a while, either... 180 felt like 170 in my hands!

Decline Bench
145x2
155x2
160x2 - that was a PR on the decline bench!

Dips
25x10x2 - HAAAAYYYYY - my first time with a 25-lb. plate chained around me in years!! I didn't know I'd be able to grind 10 reps out, but it wasn't as bad as I thought...thank God I can still turn my head!! (neck hurts, but nowhere near as bad as last year)

Decline Crunches
25x20

Once again, this was a week where I could not get in to do extra tricep/shoulder work, so I am really glad things were strong today. I think I had some more stubborn/"kill it" attitude today and more confidence with handling the weight. That goes a long way...

Deep Thoughts and a Triple-Bodyweight-Dead, Hold the Fries

I focused on deep squat training last Sunday and nailed several squats pretty deep on my own, getting up to a 270x1 heavy single, 240x2 drop set, and then a 300 walkout for a long count of 10, capped off with a 330 static hold.

Today, I guess my only deep thoughts were how grateful I am that I can get my deads done in quick lunch hour fashion and still nail everything -- while having fun, not going through mental warfare as I do with the other two lifts!

Sumo Deadlifts
45x6 (conventional)
45x6
135x1
165x1
195x1 (these last 3 were in quick succession again... saved a ton of time)
225x1
255x1 - black suit
285x1 - straps up

Heavy single of the day...
315x1

Drop set...
285x2 -- OK, this is without re-setting...first time I've ever done that!! And my headset fell off after the first rep, too. Good practice with staying focused and ignoring distractions.

Conventional DLs
255x2 - straps down. Man, that stance is rough sometimes!

A chocolate-chocolate Elvis protein shake for the road, and I was outta there. Next week will be my final deadlift training day before Nationals in Miami.

I can't conclude without kudos to Mitchell Layne, who had a bad time pulling last week and was wanting to give up again (or go raw at the upcoming state meet, since he didn't think he could deadlift what he wanted in gear). He spent a few days undecided about what division - raw or geared...raw or geared...raw or....

He finally listened to me -- and did not let one discouraging day ruin his original goals (dang, he is finally learning from his woman!!!) and entered the 220 lb. Open. Today, he went in for his final heavy deadlift day and gripped-n-ripped what he had missed TWICE last week: 650 lbs., almost triple-bodyweight.

I'll say it again.... he is finally listening to and learning from his woman!!! And it is paying off in a big way. My alternative career would be Powerlifting Psychology, I think. It's all about turning lemons into lemonade.

Everybody Do Da Dance

Getting Stubborn With Bench Presses...

It was Parte Deux of "The Joys of Bouncing Back After Nonsensical Failures."

Bench Press
45x10
45x5
65x3
85x1
105x1
125x1
145x1 - F6 shirt

Then I put Mitch’s extremely tight RageX shirt on, wearing mine (ouch), then went back to my training…

155x1

Heavy single of the day…
165x0

WHATever!!!!!!!! This has been going on for I don’t know how many months. I decided to do it over again, laughing out loud at myself… (but actually pretty P.O.’ed again)

165x1

Nailed it! Now that’s what I’m talking about. I’m apparently having a week of failures and bounce-backs.

Drop-set…
155x2

Board Presses
175x2

Decline Bench
135x3
145x2
155x2

Dips
15x10x3 – hey, now! :)

Ab Work
Decline Crunches
25x20x2

Low Ab Crunches (off raised bench)
10x15x2

Another Episode of "Lunch with Deads"

Deadlifting in Aruba (above)... but today, it was at The Press...

It was another cardio workout for me, as I flew through a one-hour deadlift session! I rested for 30-60 seconds between my warmups to speed through to the big lifts.

Sumo Deadlifts

45x6 (this set conventional)

45x6 (sumo)

135x1

165x1

195x1

225x1

255x1 (black suit, straps down)

285x1 (straps up)

Heavy single...

300x1

Drop set...

270x2 (no re-setting)

Conventional DLs

240x2 (straps down)

Mind Over Matter: Getting Stubborn with Squats

They say that in powerlifting competition, first and foremost, the battle is between you and the weight.

There are days when you have to be stubborn, no matter what happens. Yesterday was an exercise in bouncing back from failure. I am no stranger to this, but it really takes all that I've got to mentally overcome each time.

Squats
45x10
45x5
75x3
105x1
135x1
165x1 (Titan suit)
195x1
225x1
245x1 (straps up)

Heavy squat of the day...
265x0

Yes, that's right... what should have been an opener for me by now, had rendered me incapable of standing up that time. Mike Siegler was spotting me while Mitch called my depth, and we also video'ed the moment so I could see just how low I was going and what my posture and speed looked like.

You know what I thought? I am utterly sick of being intimidated -- a little or a lot -- by what a squat is going to do or not do (or feel like) with a depth call.

So you know what I did? After Mitch asked me, "what are you gonna do?" I decided I am going to squat that little number again, and this time, it's going down (and UP). So I said I would repeat that weight, and he agreed pretty quickly.

(Funny thing about my coach/training partner/boyfriend... he always has 5x's more confidence/aggression about what weight I should do next -- compared to his approach to what he would do next -- whether in meets or in training.)

Of course, my hips felt fried, so I wasn't sure what was going to happen. That's where the unlikely combination of faith and wanting to lay some hurt on something, served my purpose.

SO... once again... this time a little more stoked...

265x1 - deep

That was the longest, hardest-fought squat I have ever successfully completed. Usually I hit failure right away, or it comes up smoothly. Something about this screams, "it's mental!!!" Well, now I will be consistently stubborn.

I was relieved but, of course, wondering aloud why that was difficult to begin with. Mitch said, "Doesn't matter, the fact that you came back and got that, after failing with it, was pretty good! It could have been a lot worse!"

I think he is becoming more of an optimist, day by day :) Who knew??!!

Drop set...
225x2 (straps down, deep with Jane Siegler's depth calls and Mitch spotting)

Heavy walkout
295 x slow count of 10

Static hold
325 x slow count of 10

"Jammers" with pauses, raw
50x10
70x8
90x8
110x8

This is why I say, it doesn't matter how that last rep felt... every attempt is new.

A good bench day (finally)

It's been a while since I've felt strong on a bench day. Usually it feels like the parking brake is on, but today it finally felt the way it used to be. My bodyweight was 105.8 this morning; I'm not sure if that has much to do with it. Here's how it went down:

Bench Press
45x10
45x5
65x3
85x1
105x1
125x1
145x1 (F6 shirt)

Heavy bench of the day...
160x1 (I was really happy to finally get that back; in previous training cycles, benches in the 160's have been pretty challenging to downright elusive, for some reason)

Drop sets...
150x3x2 (and this made me glad, too)

Board presses (2 bds)
170x3x2

Decline bench
140x3
150x3

Dips
BWTx10
10x10 (first time, in a long time, I put the chain on with weight!)
10x10
12.5x2
I'm really happy with this movement and my strength being there. With the weight added, I'm waiting to see what happens with the neck. Mitch and I swapped massages with blue mineral ice to loosen up after these, which really helped.

Ab Work
Decline crunches
25x20x2

Low ab crunches (off raised bench)
10x15x2

And this was after missing my extra triceps/shoulders day this week.

Things that make you go "Hmmm...."

Recap of this (frigid) week's training, amidst a busy schedule

Go ahead, click on the photo of Aruba. Now exhale. Ahhhhhhhh.... :)

With weather THIS cold (I don't even think "cold" is a word that really even begins to describe it), I vow that after enduring the snow, ice, winds, etc. for 15 years -- and now subzero (-35 to -40) wind chills -- I WILL make it to Hawaii for my next tropical excursion. I've already started making plans with my posse of warm-hearted friends/fellow lifters (and dang-strong ones at that) out there who are confident that I would not only fit in, looking like a local, but I would probably not want to come back.

I know that feeling. Case in point, Aruba (above)... from which I didn't want to return, last June.

If I took back my maiden name of Esperancilla, I'd really sound like a local. Word on the (Island) streets is that are a hundred others out there with that name.

This was an extremely busy week, work-wise, so I was not able to get my 4th day in. Black ice all over every highway surface, spinning various vehicles into snowy ditches and concrete barriers, doesn't help with the commuting, either. But with less than a month to go until Nationals, I’ll be getting in next time. Here’s how my workouts went this week, as a re-cap:

Saturday, I benched 155x1, then 145x3x2, then 165x3x2 with boards, followed by decline bench presses of 135x3 and 145x3, and unweighted tricep dips - 10 reps, 4 sets. I’m pretty glad that I have been able to get back into these for a few weeks now and can still turn my head.

Sunday's training was pretty rough, since I spent the morning in a cold warehouse in N.E. Minneapolis – standing on even colder concrete, watching the Minnesota Winter Strongman Challenge II and cheering for competitors Brian Durham and Crazy Paul Balyeat. Without stopping to have lunch, I went into The Press and commenced what needed to be done. I squatted up to 255x1, then 225x3, then a 285 heavy walkout (slow count of 10) and a 315 static hold (slow count of 10).

My deadlift day this week was the usual (fast) fun and a 15-lb. jump again:

Sumo Deadlifts
45x6 (conventionals)
45x6 (sumos)
135x1
165x1
195x1
225x1
255x1 (black DL suit, straps down)

Heavy single of the day...
285x1

Drop sets...
255x3x2 (straps down, no re-setting)

Conventional DLs
225x3x2

The 1-Hour Deadlift Workout

OK, I don't ever want to hear anyone say he or she has no time to exercise/train.

Yesterday, I did something called... training deads in one hour. That's right: one hour of pulls, pulls and nothing but the pulls. Flying through the sets of singles. 60 minutes of grippin' and rippin'. In and outta there... no burger and fries, creeping through the drive-thru on my lunch break. Just baby powder, followed by a new scrape on my knee and a Chocolate-Chocolate Elvis protein shake from The Press.

Plus, I even had time to watch and give feedback to Mitch on his 635 lb. deadlift beforehand!

One hour yields a lifetime of results. As they say, accept no cheap imitations (in this case, for what a "workout" should be).

Sumo Deadlifts
45x6 (conventionals)
45x6
135x1
165x1
195x1
225x1
255x1 (black DL suit since we're taking down the holiday lights, now)

Heavy single of the day...
270x1

Drop sets...
240x3x2

Conventional DLs
210x3 (could/should have been 2 sets, but I'll take it)

There you have it: 60 minutes of pure bliss. Speed not only works in the actual pull itself, I found out. I'll just call this my cardio for the week, too. :)

Four Days of Lifting!

This past week, I was actually able to get four days of training in.

Saturday, I benched 150x1, then 140x3x2, then 160x3x2 with boards, followed by decline bench presses of 135x3 and 140x3, and unweighted tricep dips - 10 reps, 4 sets.

Sunday, I squatted up to 245x1, then 215x3x2, then 275 heavy walkout (slow count of 10) and a 305 static hold (slow count of 10).

Tuesday, believe it or not, I used my lunch break to train triceps and shoulders --now that I am able to work pretty close to The Press, blessed with a flexible schedule and a few other REALLY awesome things about it...

Closegrip Bench Presses
45x10
45x5
65x3
85x3
105x3
115x3

Closegrips with Boards
125x3
135x3

Dumbbell Presses with Pauses
25x8x2
30x8

hopefully this will help the bench a little...

New Year's Day Deadlifts

Happy New Year! As you might guess, I started 2009 with a few enjoyable pulls :) I wasn't the only one. Rarely must I work in with someone on my usual DL platform at The Press, but today, it truly was packed in the Icebox (Mitch was pulling on the other platform). That wasn't a problem at all. In fact, more folk ought to be grippin' and rippin' (and squatting and benching) everyday like that.

Thanks to Rick Kolbeck for letting me borrow his Texas Power Bar. Mitch used the Okie and another deadlifting afficionado (with whom I was sharing the platform) was using another bar...

Sumo Deadlifts
45x6 (conventional)
45x6 (sumo)
135x1
165x1
195x1
225x1

Heavy single of the day...
255x1 (black suit to start the new year in a humane, ethical manner)

Drop sets...
225x3x2

Conventional DLs
195x3x2

The Press closed at 1:00 pm, so we were outta there.

Last days of 2008 - training and other rare moments that matter!

I've been mostly offline the last week, since my mom actually came up to Minnesota to visit for the holidays -- which is ground-breaking, since she never thought she'd have the nerve to visit in the deep-freeze this time of year!! (A little background: this woman is from Florida, and she is a native of The Philippines.) However, she found that it really isn't THAT bad... after all, she had lived in New York for over 20 years, too.

Yes, I did bench on Dec. 27th (a 145 single, 135x3x2 drop set, 155x3x2 board presses, 145x3x2 decline bench presses, weighted ab work and a few more dips than last week which inspired Mitch to start doing a few dips again also).

BUT, I sacrificed my squat day on the 28th due to flooding in our basement that had to get fixed... or, at least, we thought it was fixed. A couple days later, we found that Roto Rooter didn't get the job done, and then Mitch had to sacrifice his light bench day to deal with Minnesota's 10,001 st lake. What-EVER!! (Define "30-day guarantee??")

I didn't get to make up for that squat day I missed, due to an awesome new job I just started this past week, from which I came home everyday to my mom and my son (which is an awesome thing -- seeing him spending time with his grandmom). I figure it's easier to make up for a missed training day than it is to ever get family memories back again... and in my family, moments like the ones we've seen at home are just plain rare.

Here's something else that's exceedingly rare... a YouTube old-school video sent to me on Christmas Day from a fellow powerlifter and supportive fan, showcasing deadlifting by Donna Wicker, a 97 lb. phenom from back in da day -- 1981 (on NBC Sports)!! He thought I'd find it very, very cool to watch another petite powerlifter grippin-n-rippin old-school, and he was right-on...