9-15-10

Front Squat

205x3, 225x3, 252.5x3 (+7.5lb PR), 275x3 (+ 30lb PR)

Was planning on hitting 252.5x3 (which is 115k and 5k more then last week) which would be a PR and stop there. But that felt so easy!! I had to go heavier. 275 was tough but doable, none of them were a grind limit lift. That should mean I have at least a 300lb Front Squat. Sweet!! Can't wait to hit that and just keep climbing right past it.

I worked 5 hours of overtime and got little sleep. Headache. Tired. Squeezed in a squat workout anyways. Mid back popped with reasonably sharp pain in the old usual spot on second rep at 225. Kept going anyways. I would have in the past stopped there and not continued to squat because I wouldn't want to risk an injury. However I was inspired after reading through all of the articles found on the Average Broz Gym Q&A section: http://www.averagebroz.com/ABG/Q_%26_A/Q_%26_A.html I HIGHLY recommend it.

There is some FANTASTIC stuff here. And from what I can tell their approach seems similar to Cal Strength's approach. Here are my highlights:

Makes me realize I'm a little girl ... http://www.averagebroz.com/ABG/Q_%26_A/Entries/2010/5/30_injuries.html

Bring on the Dark Times!!! http://www.averagebroz.com/ABG/Q_%26_A/Entries/2010/5/28_Central_nervous_system.html

I've got some work ahead of us. Time to toughen up. http://www.averagebroz.com/ABG/Q_%26_A/Entries/2010/5/24_training_tired_and_sore.html

Some great stuff here. Its helped me find motivation over the last few days. I'm coming to understand that I have a long ways to go to gain the mental toughness of a champion lifter. But I'm on the road. Not that I think I'll become a champion. But I want to become a beast and want to gain the toughness of a champion. I squatted yesterday and today whereas I think normally I would have skipped out on doing any work altogether. However I cut out the competitive lifts. I know this is unacceptable. I wussed out and use the excuse of being sore, tired, headache, feeling lethargic/slow/nonexplosive, and not having enough time. I need to toughen up, ignore all that and simply get the work done!

I am also now beginning to understand the importance of not ramping myself up physiologically/psychologically for an adrenaline dump on a regular basis when doing heavy lifts. Sure it helps you hit a heavier lift right then and there. But I've read Pendlay and others who say that it ends up having a negative effect overall. And I'm seeing that they are right in that it takes a toll on your CNS system which when done regularly (like I have been) will negatively effect your lifting later in the same workout, during a second workout later that day, and/or the following day. I think if you are only lifting 3 times a week you can get away with regularly using adrenaline dumps. But lifting 6 days a week and its going to wear on you. I'm wondering how much of that is playing a part in why I'm wussing out on workouts. I think its mostly a mental toughness thing I need to develop. But hopefully by not putting myself in a excited state to lift I'll help keep my body ready to go after a heavy lift again and again and again in the future. But yeah mostly I need to toughen up and train through the dark times.

Baby should be here within the next two days or so I'd guess. It'll be very interesting to see how it interrupts my training. Looks like I'm going to have some added 'rest'. Which really means I won't be able to lift because I imagine I'll be too busy and will end up getting not much sleep at all. I'm hoping to be able to supplement my sleep with regular naps to keep me going. I'm thinking at the very least for the first month when things will be toughest I want to at least keep squatting 5 days a week. Hopefully I have the time to Sn and C&J lots too and can get enough sleep to recover. Hopefully its not as much of an issue as I think it might be, but obviously the priority has to go to caring for my son. I'm making good progress right now and I think I have some quality PR's ahead of me in the near future, so I just want to not take 2 steps backwards if at all possible.

Lots of rambling today. Good to sometimes think out loud.