June 19, 2011

Really ASADA???    Exactly 4 weeks since my last drug test - here they are again. This time in the early morning Max Bench session at E.S.P.

Still, training went well, worked up to a single at 65kg Raw. The on with the big shirt, and I mean big, I can get it on by myself!  Then with a one-board I went 70x3, 75x3, 80x3, 85x3, 90 x1 x1, x1.  Shoulder was comfortable with those weights, but I need to build lockout strength..  Next week I'll see what I can get to touching, hopefully 85 :-)

Jason's 40th birthday last weekend was a blast from the past - literally, with everyone dressing up in 70's theme, tv shows etc.  By special request (of Jason) I went as Wonderwoman - LOL

June 16, 2011

Leaking steam valve  - replaced the o-rings but the leak was still there so I decided to go for a full upgrade of the  steam arm / valve and knob on Silvia.
 

PIMPED !!!



June 6, 2011

Sat morning bench:

Raw: 40x5, 50x5, 60x3
Raw & 2 board 70x3, 80/fail
Shirt & 2 board: 80x3, 90x3, 95x2, 100x1

Not unhappy with that.  Followed by assistance and rehab. Shoulder pulled up fine afterwards.

Had brekky with the guys, Dave, Rhys, Bro and Glen and then home for a snooze.

Up and off to Phoenix for weightlifting....

Concentrating on snatches,  worked up to 35kg at which point form really breaks down for me.
Clean and jerks a  little lighter than Tuesday, up to 45kg, pretty comfortable.
Snatch pulls 65, 85 and 95  (was really starting to run out of steam...)
and finished with some overhead squats - a laughable PB of 27.5kg  (I have no sense of balance with the bar overhead!)

Relished my sleep in on Sunday morning, got my French homework done,  mowed the grass and cooked a roast for dinner. Mmmmmmm

Back to the grindstone this morning, but no squatting.  Deadlift pulls, varied stances and a rep set at the end.
More lowerback assistance work and abs...   and off to work....

Back in the gym 6.15am tomorrow....    Yoga, Martyn Girvan style....

June 3, 2011 (more)

From what I hear around the traps it seems like ASADA are doing the rounds of the powerliftering clubs.  Its that time of the year when they need to expend all their budgeted allowance for the financial year, so the fringe sports get tested....

I got swept up two weeks ago, but that was part of their fairly regular testing of the weightlifters, although it was usual for them to turn up at Phoenix on a Saturday afternoon, so I think I'm pretty safe now at least until Nationals.

Anyhoo, enough gossip.  Rehab and off to bed.  Been at ESP 6.15am every morning this week  and Saturdays are no exception.  Sooo looking forward to Sunday morning sleep in before doing it all again next week.  Character building Martyn says....   Character is not what I'm thinking when the alarm goes of at 4.55am.

Sleep, glorious sleep.....

June 3, 2011

Rat trap this morning,  had forgotten how hard it is! Black bands and 70kg was ok , 110kg was too much, settled for a few singles with 90kg and one final rep at 100kg.  Form took a beating - need more this to tighten up my technique.  Assistance: reverse hypers - controlled, stiff leg deadlifts, glute/ham raise and standing abs...

Shoulder feeling really good this morning.  Hope I can say the same tomorrow after benching.

Promo for ESP - The Prowler...  This bastard is pimped - 120kg!

June 2, 2011

Reverse bands. triple 160kg, double 180

So, I have passed my last review with Dr Hoy.  All is well and good with the shoulder and I can push through the pain from the tightness.  Of course I still need to do a lot of rehab exercises and get both rotator cuffs strong.  I think in 12 months I will be making big gains.  For now, Nationals is in my immediate plans, just to get on the platform,  and I've started putting together my own competition schedule for 2011

July 29/30  Australian Titles   (Powerlifting)

August 20 Ian Laurie Cup  (Weightlifting  - my debut on the platform)

Sept 27 World Masters, Canada  (Powerlifting)

November 20 Matti Tikka Challenge, Sydney  (Powerlfiting)

I'd like to get another Weightlifting comp in there somewhere but the dates tend to clash a bit..

ie:

Oct 15/16 Australian Masters Championships - maybe a bit to ambitious for my first year...  Plus I will have only just returned from Canada...   or... Nov 26  Phoenix Open incorporating Masters GP5 - but this is only 1 week after the Matti Tikka...

May 22, 2011

"You can run, but you can't hide."  Iliya Djukic ASADA  D.C.O May 21, 2011.

Sigh....

May 19, 2011

Thought I'd try something different last night....  Bikram Yoga

Packed class, room was dark and just slightly warm as I entered and found myself a spot.   Few minutes later: lights: On, Furnace setting: Depths of Hell...  An hour and a half of yoga in a sauna.I was praying for it to end... one newbie, not coping too well with the heat tried to leave.  Uh-uh.. no leaving, she just had to lay on her mat and wait.... Showing my total lack of flexibility and balance I muddled my way thru the class and in the end was thoroughly drenched  -  literally it was like I had wet my pants!  Got home for a shower and struggled to get my gym top off, as if I don't have enough trouble getting tops off with my bad shoulder, it was glued to me soaked in sweat!

On the plus side, this morning I felt pretty good and weight was down to 64kg.  Maybe I can persist with this once a week I might actually make my new weight class!

Although.... as far as competing goes, I'm really feeling like Nationals is slipping away.  Tried benching with a shirt 2 weeks ago and it was a disaster.  Worked up to 60kg double raw, put on my training shirt and tried 70kg...  Bah-boww... couldn't lift it - pain shot thru the arm and it was like the nerve had been compressed and shut down the arm.  Tried twice...  failed twice.  Took the shirt off and put on a slingshot and got 2 doubles at 70kg.  My only option may be to do a raw bench at Nationals, bringing my total down by at least 30kg  :-(

*****

April 18, 2011

Reverse band bench  - triple @110kg.  Failed to move 120kg.

April 11, 2011

Todays deadlifts:

Conventional
60x5, 100x3

Sumo
100x3, 120x3, 130x3, 140x3 x3

April 9 2011

Not bad...   dropped 1.5kg in 3 days. Weighed 63.3 on my scales.

Good morning at training too  - Reverse band bench 110kg 3 reps / 4 sets

Nice!

April 8th 2011

Water loading.  Thankfully ASADA arent pestering me.....

April 3 2011

The end of daylight savings - onwards into winter darkness :-(

60kg warmup - Look how uneven my elbows are and its my 'good' arm which is swinging high like a chicken wing. Tch, tch, tch.

March 31 2011

POWERLIFTING

Under the straight bar at last!  Reverse band box squat, worked up to3 doubles at 140kg.  Sheesh the bar bites tho' into  the trap on my operated side - I guess I'm holding the bar unevenly as the right side has no mark at all.

Its so damn raw I think I'll have to deadlift this Friday morning instead of doing speed squats.

Wed morning bench  - another good session 3 sets of 10 reps at 40kg - tried 50kg - 1 rep :-(
Will try 3-board on Saturday just to feel a heavier bar weight.


Results from Raw nationals are up on the PA website, great that Tim was able to get them up so quickly and the livestream test went  really well - definitely a goer for future comps.


http://www.powerliftingaustralia.com/Results/2011/2011results9.htm

WEIGHTLIFTING


Tuesday  - arrived just before 5pm in order to do a longer warmup for the shoulder.    Slow presses with varying grip width - sadly only the bar still and its difficult :-(  Cleans are feeling ok  and I worked up to 40kg,. I'm reasonably happy with that as its enough weight to feel the movement and practice technique.  Too light and I just curl the bar, too heavy and I messup the technique.  Anyway at 40kg I cleaned and then did 5 front squats for 3 sets.  Still no snatching. Finished with 60kg pulls.

Starting this week I'll be training twice a week, Tuesdays AND Saturdays.  Later in the year I might talk to Rob about making it 3 times a week.

March 25, 2011

Powerlifting Australia will trial live streaming from the first Australian Raw Powerlifting Championships on Saturday March 26th! The 105kg+ categories and medals ceremonies will be streamed live. To follow the action all you have to do is click the link below at 5.30pm on Saturday March 26th (Australian Eastern Time) : http://www.justin.tv/powerliftingaustralia

March 22, 2011

Made my return to weightlifting last week!  No snatches, no jerks, just some light cleans, bar presses and high pulls.  Felt good! Felt real good!  Will head over to Phoenix again tonight and then from next week should be able to up the pace to 2 times a week.

Bench is going to be a slow recovery, strength just inst there and its sooooo frustrating.  Tested my max at the weekend  - 40kgs -  Forty lousy kilos. sigh........   I'm not looking good for an appearance at Nationals  :-(

Squat is coming up nicely tho'. Regaining strength. Max squat Monday morning saw me under the cambered bar with reverse bands and half suit  - gotta love reverse bands!  60x5, 80x5, 100x5, 120x5, 140x3, 150x3, 160x2

Bit disappointed with my assistance work. Rack pulls against bands.  All was going well until I put the final big bands on and it was a no go....   previous best (pre surgery) was all bands on plus  a 10kg plate.  Definitely room for improvement. there.  Maybe next week I'll do a max deadlift test.....   Will discuss that with the physio tomorrow...  about maxing out that is.

Big weekend coming up.  Not for me actually but the lifting community in general.  PA Raw Nationals on Saturday, PA Vic State titles (ughh unable to defend my title...  boooo)  CAPO have their state titles also on Sunday and this weekend is the Weightlifting club championships being held in QLD.  Unfortunately due to the PA comps and not being able to be in two places and once I wont be able to watch Rhys compete in the CAPO comp.  Would really have liked to have been there to cheer him on....   Hmmm Still in two minds really about which comp to go to....   At least the weightlifting is out of the question being interstate! :-)

I've got my weight down to 64.5kg now and from tomorrow I'm going to try out a 4 day cutting program to see if I can drop down to 63 by Saturday morning.  Perhaps if I ask nicely one of the refs will let me jump on the comp scales...

March 10, 2011

Slow and steady...  hmmmm...  about sums up my progress - to  me that is., but Greg Hoy doesn't agree.
3 month post op review and Greg is happy with my shoulder, range of motion expectation was 75% but looks to be around 95% and strength is good, by his expectations... Not good enough and not happening fast enough for me tho' and after discussing the residual pain I have, he ordered some further intervention for the shoulder.  Mild stiffness but excess needs he wrote on the referral to Victoria House....   Actual diagnosis "mmmm, probably some adhesive capsulitis"

Training wise, things are on the up...  Allowed myself to suit up for squats on Monday - Max effort (?)  Cambered bar 120kg - 3 doubles.  Cant believe how heavy it felt... erghhhh.  Next day thought I'd broken some ribs. legs fine... ribs hurt!

Bench on Wed morning with Rhys and Kirby,  moved my grip in and doing high reps (as reminded by Kirby), pressed 30kg for 20 reps, 35kg for 15, reps and back to 30 for another 30reps - next day felt like a bodybuilder - sore pecs  (LOL)  

Physio appt this week and I have some new tangled web of theraband exercises to do.  Simon would prefer that I wait a little longer before starting back with overhead lifts.  I need to develop a little more strength/stabilization first, these new theraband exercises should help do the trick.  Plus some more 'advanced' stretching  behind the back  Progress is good.

This morning: Speed squat 100kg. Each set felt better than the previous:

Can see in the video that my left shoulder/arm placement is different to the right - but actually it looks better on the left....  ???  

It was great training with the crew again earlier in the week.  So much more motivated than training alone. Tomorrow I'll take a crack at some board presses.  Wooo!  Starting to feel like a powerlifter again!

Feb 27 2011

Whoops!  There goes another month!

Tuesday marks 3 months since my shoulder surgery - 3 months!  Tomorrow I have my 3rd post op review with Mr Hoy.  it will be interesting to hear what he thinks of my progress and perhaps some explanation for the dull ache in my shoulder, the flicking sensation and shooting pain in the front deltoid when my arm moves across the front of my body.

For me, if not for being a lifter I'd be quite happy with the range of motion, but i need more to get comfortably under the bar to squat.  I'm almost there. Looking in the mirror I can still see significant muscle loss on the left and my traps are not symmetric. In fact the left side (operation side) is higher than the right and this contributes  feeling uncomfortable under the squat bar.  My left arm, bicep and tricep, and latissimus are all quite weak.  :-(

I'm box squatting raw using the safety squat bar with about 65kg max and doing 5x5. I'm not allowing myself to put on a squat suit until I can squat with the straight bar - that will be the reward.

I'm am permitted to bench the bar (20kg) - woo-hoo!  I tried benching 30kg and it hurt too much - this is going to be a long road back.

Deadlfits - raw and no belt I'm pulling 80kg easily for 8 reps.  This will be a matter of conditioning the shoulder, so the physio has suggested higher reps rather then more weight.

There you have it, my 3 main lifts are back in my core training regime, but I'm feeling that Nationals, which is only 5 months away, is really out of the question. Straight to World Masters? And my last hope of the year will be the Matti Tikka in November up in Sydney.

In the meantime I'm still trying hard to get down to 63kg.  The keyword being trying....   Currently sitting at 65.5kg  and somewhat stagnant. Now you might say its only 2.5kg to lose and that isnt very much. That well and fine for the fatties but when its the last couple of kilo's it doesnt want to budge...  To that end I've bought myself  a crosstrainer.  Lets be serious here, I'm never gonna take up running again so....  cardio on the crosstrainer here I come.

Hmmm  Some assembly required

Ta-dah

Feb 2, 2011

Whoa! February already.

Physio appt - Feb2  (3rd appt)

Simon is happy with my progress still despite my telling him that I'm developing tourettes syndrome  - he inquired as to which tick I'd developed...   The one where I randomly swear every time my shoulder has the flicking pain (yes it returned with avengeance).  He might have thought it was funny but he could see I was concerned about it, nothing to worry about, just keep up the posture work and it will settle....

Scapula massage , not so bad, can deal with that but the lat massage and up under the armpit when trying to stretch overhead - I have to go to that happy place in my mind til its over.

Cleared  to use the Safety squat bar and the zercher harness tho'. Now my squat and deadlift training can get back on track properly.  Also on the approved list is theraband internal and external rotations and now I can, at my own discretion, increase the weights for floor presses and rowing - very happy!

Zercher Harness.

So excited to being about to squat that I'm going over to ESP tonight.  Martyn will have the SSB set up for me and off I go!  Well actually I cant make it to training tomorrow morning, Miss Olivia's first day of school and I got the personal invite, but there was no way I waiting until Monday to squat!

Back to French lessons starting next week.  Level 5 at Lyceum in Kew.  Tuesday night now instead of Wednesday and its a later class  7.50pm  but that's fine because when I return to weightlifting, and I will return to PHOENIX, the French class wont mess with my training which  is 5-6.30pm.  Just means that Tuesday's gonna be a packed day!  Thank gawd for the 'work from home' / sleep in thing on Tuesday mornings to prepare.  Pity tho's I wont see the girls from the classes last year, they're already a level ahead of me now :-(

Jan 21,2011

Happy Happy Joy Joy....   5 days off....  Can swan about the house and do nothing - literally.  Madi on the other hand can mow the grass again and poison the weeds - all things I cannot still do...Lounging around is about my limit :-)  But  the least I can do is supervise...  especially since I spotted amongst the weeds along the driveway - a tomato plant... WTH??

Of course training wont stop... I've got myself quite nice little routine happening now which I hope to continue throughout the year.

Mon, Wed, Fri I'm up at 4.45am to be at ESP by 6.15 so I can leave around 7.45 (8am at the latest) Gets me into the office before 8.15.

Tues & Thurs I'm working from home so I can sleep in until 6.45am and be online for work by 7.15 easy-peasy since I can work in my PJ's  This gives me some 'much needed' and 'sweet as' recovery sleep!

Saturday up around 5.30 ESP by 7am-ish - for the time being, until I can return to training with the morning crew.

Sunday - nada, nothing, zip, rest, sleep-in.