Thanks to Nigel for sending me this link!
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CONFESSIONS OF A POWERLIFTER AND CAFFEINE ADDICT
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
March 30 2009
Training clips as mentioned earlier. The first one is 110kg, half suit, wraps and belt, 110kg for 5 reps. My body weight 68.5kg. Mostly falling short on depth or just hitting parallel as you'll hear from Steve, Mary and Tim. Suit was pulling me up short, with only 110kg on my back I need to push down harder into the hole but overall nice, comfortable lifts at that weight.
Next clip was taken on speed bench night - we were comparing our back arch after I commented on Jen's amazing high arch - like a frikin tunnel :-) Mine not so huge... 55kg raw for 3 reps.
Last heavy squat yesterday which I also have on video and I'll upload later in the week. Singles of my first 2 attempts for the comp and 3rd single just below what I want on Saturday. Depth looks ok. Current body weight 67.2kg. I don't expect to place high for this comp, not with my planned lifts anyway but as I keep telling myself this is just about getting a total and lifting well in my first comp with a new federation.
Have to admit that despite all this I'm still a little nervous and I'm sure I'm developing some kind of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Over the weekend I got bee in my bonnet about having new laces for my squat boots and thick socks for the comp - red ones. Do you know how ard it is to find colored laces? I searched high and low until I finally got what I wanted, then on the trail for socks. Womens socks are all thin, I could find red ones but not thick ones... Mens explorer socks come in black, blue or brown.... How boring for the boys! At last, at one of those dodgy stands in the middle of the shopping centre... Thick Red Socks. You'd think that would be it then.... but no... now I want my belt buckle engraved with some rather dubious quote that I have picked up from a DVD.... Oh dear.... OCD...
Anyhoo, everything else is set in place now. Cardio tonight, speed bench tomorrow, Light squats Wednesday and then rest until comp day. Friday night is the competitors meeting.
The count down is underway!
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Next clip was taken on speed bench night - we were comparing our back arch after I commented on Jen's amazing high arch - like a frikin tunnel :-) Mine not so huge... 55kg raw for 3 reps.
Last heavy squat yesterday which I also have on video and I'll upload later in the week. Singles of my first 2 attempts for the comp and 3rd single just below what I want on Saturday. Depth looks ok. Current body weight 67.2kg. I don't expect to place high for this comp, not with my planned lifts anyway but as I keep telling myself this is just about getting a total and lifting well in my first comp with a new federation.
Have to admit that despite all this I'm still a little nervous and I'm sure I'm developing some kind of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Over the weekend I got bee in my bonnet about having new laces for my squat boots and thick socks for the comp - red ones. Do you know how ard it is to find colored laces? I searched high and low until I finally got what I wanted, then on the trail for socks. Womens socks are all thin, I could find red ones but not thick ones... Mens explorer socks come in black, blue or brown.... How boring for the boys! At last, at one of those dodgy stands in the middle of the shopping centre... Thick Red Socks. You'd think that would be it then.... but no... now I want my belt buckle engraved with some rather dubious quote that I have picked up from a DVD.... Oh dear.... OCD...
Anyhoo, everything else is set in place now. Cardio tonight, speed bench tomorrow, Light squats Wednesday and then rest until comp day. Friday night is the competitors meeting.
The count down is underway!
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Saturday, March 28, 2009
March 28 2009
Good news!
The dishwasher is fixed!!
And bonus points.... it only cost $121. After the initial quote of $500, when the repairman finally came (after two cancellations...) it still needed another $180 worth of parts. I could have bought a new dishwasher!! Anyhoo the serviceman suggested I call customer care.... and yes they do! Care! Because the repair cost was so high they agreed to cover the cost of the parts. ALL the parts. So I only had to pay for the service call!!! Way to go FISHER & PAYKEL.
Heavy bench today - last one before the comp. My shirt is so big I can get it on and off totally unassisted !!
65 X5, 75X3, 82.5 X3 / 1 / 3 / 3
No assistance work today.
The single rep was a failed triple, brought the bar down too low on the 2nd rep, more like a belly bench and couldn't get it up. Never mind, 85 will do on the day. Cant wait to see what I can do in a tight shirt - LOL
Tomorrow is my last heavy squat - of course my biggest concern here is depth, the more I think about it the lower my first attempt seems to be. I was going to open with 125kg currently I'm hedging towards 115kg. I've made an appointment to see a sports psychologist at Olympic Park Sports Centre on Friday - not to help with this comp, but perhaps she can help get my head around squatting heavy AND deep from the mental perspective with the focus on Nationals in July.
Almost time to take that 'after' photo. I'm back on track with my weight, 67.4kg just need to get in a holding pattern now...
ASADA Hour starts next week - April 1st... Anyone see the irony in that? Chuckle...
The dishwasher is fixed!!
And bonus points.... it only cost $121. After the initial quote of $500, when the repairman finally came (after two cancellations...) it still needed another $180 worth of parts. I could have bought a new dishwasher!! Anyhoo the serviceman suggested I call customer care.... and yes they do! Care! Because the repair cost was so high they agreed to cover the cost of the parts. ALL the parts. So I only had to pay for the service call!!! Way to go FISHER & PAYKEL.
Heavy bench today - last one before the comp. My shirt is so big I can get it on and off totally unassisted !!
65 X5, 75X3, 82.5 X3 / 1 / 3 / 3
No assistance work today.
The single rep was a failed triple, brought the bar down too low on the 2nd rep, more like a belly bench and couldn't get it up. Never mind, 85 will do on the day. Cant wait to see what I can do in a tight shirt - LOL
Tomorrow is my last heavy squat - of course my biggest concern here is depth, the more I think about it the lower my first attempt seems to be. I was going to open with 125kg currently I'm hedging towards 115kg. I've made an appointment to see a sports psychologist at Olympic Park Sports Centre on Friday - not to help with this comp, but perhaps she can help get my head around squatting heavy AND deep from the mental perspective with the focus on Nationals in July.
Almost time to take that 'after' photo. I'm back on track with my weight, 67.4kg just need to get in a holding pattern now...
ASADA Hour starts next week - April 1st... Anyone see the irony in that? Chuckle...
Your Compliance Status
Current quarter 1/01/2009 - 31/03/2009
You are not required to submit your whereabouts this quarter -
Upcoming quarter 1/04/2009 - 30/06/2009
Compliant
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
March 25 2009
Caught up with Jojo for a latte last week, the 2nd in two weeks - we're on a roll. :-) So much to catch up on since her debut at Nationals last year - so much has happened !!
Anyhoo, she's preparing for the CAPO Vic titles which is two weeks after my PA comp. A small bit of advice from me the other week saw her bust thru her previous PB by a whopping 10kg and pull up 150kg - way to go!!! So proud AND equally impressed that she manged to rip a callous off in the process! I think I need a powerlifting damage gallery to showcase all the rips and bruises. :-)
I'm really looking forward to seeing what she can do at the Vic's. Go Jojo!!
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Anyhoo, she's preparing for the CAPO Vic titles which is two weeks after my PA comp. A small bit of advice from me the other week saw her bust thru her previous PB by a whopping 10kg and pull up 150kg - way to go!!! So proud AND equally impressed that she manged to rip a callous off in the process! I think I need a powerlifting damage gallery to showcase all the rips and bruises. :-)
I'm really looking forward to seeing what she can do at the Vic's. Go Jojo!!
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Saturday, March 21, 2009
March 21 2009
Grosse and disgusting.... The only way I can describe my deadlift session the other night. As I pulled up the bar, so came the contents of my stomach. A massive projectile vomit - chicken and rice everywhere! I took off the the toilets and purged anything that was still there... and then went back and continued to deadlift. Successfully pulling singles at 160kg.
That really is off tho' isnt it!?! My last meal, chicken and rice, was at 12.30. Deadlifting was at 4, so that should not have been a problem. I will have to be careful not to have anything in my tummy on comp day. How would that be, puking all over the referee - chuckle....
Two weeks out from the comp and I'm hovering aroud 68kg. The diet hasnt troubled me much, I've been chocolate free for a month now - cold turkey - and havent had any cravings until the other day in the supermarket. OMG, easter eggs, a sudden, massive caving for easter eggs. I practically ran from the store.
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That really is off tho' isnt it!?! My last meal, chicken and rice, was at 12.30. Deadlifting was at 4, so that should not have been a problem. I will have to be careful not to have anything in my tummy on comp day. How would that be, puking all over the referee - chuckle....
Two weeks out from the comp and I'm hovering aroud 68kg. The diet hasnt troubled me much, I've been chocolate free for a month now - cold turkey - and havent had any cravings until the other day in the supermarket. OMG, easter eggs, a sudden, massive caving for easter eggs. I practically ran from the store.
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
March 17 2009
After the fall in the squat rack the other night I discovered a nice bruise at the base of my neck.Assistance work was done on Thursday night. Good mornings, hypers, shrugs and roman chair situps.
Sat - Heavy bench with SPLC. With Steve giving me comp calls for practice. Benching under PA rules you have to wait for a start call which is not the case for CAPO. Triples on 80kg - happy with that given that the shirt is large and not giving me a great deal of kick out off the chest.
Sunday: joined in with SPLC again for another squat session at Tim's suggestion - to check my depth before I compete. Kitted up, suit belt and wraps - 110kg. As they suspected I'm shallow, not by much but I'll really need to push down into suit and wraps. It was a good exercise to do and my 110's were confident and comfortable. I will probably squat light for this comp and concentrate on getting good technical lifts in. Jen video'd my set so I could see how high I was. I'll see if she still has it and post it up here.
Skip back to Sat night.... Here's some photo's from the Pro show.
Kai Green
I was disappointed to have missed the King of the Bench but here are the results:
1st. Shaun Bostock 325 KGs @ 144.2kgs (All Time New Austraila Record)
2nd. Nemo Strimic 280KGs @ 120.2kgs (New Austraila Record)
3rd. Marty Girvan 230KGs
4th. Daniel Portelli 220KGs
5th. Daniel Di Piscalli 210KGs
6th. Clint Gregan 200KGs
7th Steve Brown 200KGs
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Friday, March 13, 2009
March 13 2009
Friday afternoon and I’ve just come back from lunch down st Kilda. OMG rolly polly….
Phone had gone mad, first up fisher & paykel have got the parts for my dishwasher – yay, they can come and do the repairs on Tuesday – No more dish pan hands! Then a courier, who informs me that he is standing outside… outside where? My office? No at home and can he leave a parcel for me at the letterbox – hmmmm perhaps up the driveway at the front door would be better. In hind sight I should have told him to leave it in the horse float… never mind. Of course my mind goes into overtime wondering what it could be, I haven’t ordered anything… Perhaps it some beakers and containers for my first urine test – how exciting. Hmmmm Actually I think it will be my regular monthly delivery of beans from the coffee club I’m in – but the postie always just jams them into the letter box…
Called into Evelyn Faye’s yesterday to pick up some more supplements and after having a discussion with the sales rep, we’ve come to the conclusion that the reason I am puking in my deadlifting is due to the l-arginine in a pre-workout drink I’m having. I’m going to try cutting the dose and see how that goes.
Squats went well last night until the last single on 130. I took too long going down and couldn’t muscle it up, wanted to throw it back but as I had a spotter there I had to be careful and ended falling back with the bar, hitting the cross rails and uprights and whacking my shoulder into the bar – winded me something bad. Of course no sympathy from Leigh who proceeded to set up the bar for some box squat triples. Little sore still today but not as bad as I thought it would be and I’ll still be able to bench heavy tomorrow at MBS (she says hopefully).
In answer to Louise’s question… Back in the day when I was competing in bodybuilding, the lightest I competed was about 56kg and in that comp picture below I was around 60-61kg – off season back then was about 65kg a far cry from my now offseason of 71kg. Currently at 68.4kg with 3 weeks to comp day.
Off to the Pro show tomorrow afternoon and the King of the Bench comp – whoo-hoo.
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Phone had gone mad, first up fisher & paykel have got the parts for my dishwasher – yay, they can come and do the repairs on Tuesday – No more dish pan hands! Then a courier, who informs me that he is standing outside… outside where? My office? No at home and can he leave a parcel for me at the letterbox – hmmmm perhaps up the driveway at the front door would be better. In hind sight I should have told him to leave it in the horse float… never mind. Of course my mind goes into overtime wondering what it could be, I haven’t ordered anything… Perhaps it some beakers and containers for my first urine test – how exciting. Hmmmm Actually I think it will be my regular monthly delivery of beans from the coffee club I’m in – but the postie always just jams them into the letter box…
Called into Evelyn Faye’s yesterday to pick up some more supplements and after having a discussion with the sales rep, we’ve come to the conclusion that the reason I am puking in my deadlifting is due to the l-arginine in a pre-workout drink I’m having. I’m going to try cutting the dose and see how that goes.
Squats went well last night until the last single on 130. I took too long going down and couldn’t muscle it up, wanted to throw it back but as I had a spotter there I had to be careful and ended falling back with the bar, hitting the cross rails and uprights and whacking my shoulder into the bar – winded me something bad. Of course no sympathy from Leigh who proceeded to set up the bar for some box squat triples. Little sore still today but not as bad as I thought it would be and I’ll still be able to bench heavy tomorrow at MBS (she says hopefully).
In answer to Louise’s question… Back in the day when I was competing in bodybuilding, the lightest I competed was about 56kg and in that comp picture below I was around 60-61kg – off season back then was about 65kg a far cry from my now offseason of 71kg. Currently at 68.4kg with 3 weeks to comp day.
Off to the Pro show tomorrow afternoon and the King of the Bench comp – whoo-hoo.
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Sunday, March 08, 2009
Sunday March 8
Right-oh, another week slides by.
Late in the week I called ASADA to ask for a password to logon to their whereabouts system, they were supposed to send one in the mail but with the deadline looming I thought I'd better get this out of the way sooner rather than later. So now I can report that I am 'ASADA compliant'. Although it was a surprise to me to find that I am MALE according my online profile. A quick call to the hotline and a chuckle with the helpdesk girl had that sorted out quickly.
When I say that I am compliant, well I have nominated one hour every day for the months of April, May and June where I will be 'anchored' for the hour. However, how does one nominate where one will be on a given day? particularly on weekend, a month or three in advance? Best effort I guess. The 'calendar' will have to be updated as necessary - at least its an online system...
I've also gone to the trouble of setting up appointments in my organizer with alarms to remind me when and where I have to be. I'm not risking any 'missed test'! Three misses in an 18 month period constitutes a minimum one year sanction. Knowing my dumb luck I'd be tripping down to Haighs or Toby's Estate to score a hit (haha chocolate or coffee) and forget my about 'ASADA hour' as I've called it in my organizer... chuckle.
Training has been a bit crap this week, I haven't been feeling 100%, just not my usual self and its shown in some poor performances. I've dropped weight at long last, down to 69kg and tonight squeezed myself into the red Inzer squat suit - 20 mins to get it on, 20mins, a broken nail and tortured finger tips to get it off.
I've almost finished the 2nd in the vampire series by Stephenie Meyer: Twilight and New Moon. I enjoyed the movie and both Madii and Leah said the book was even better, so here I am reading the series.... Not that romance or supernatural are really my kind of thing, but I am enjoying the escape. Although to be honest its left me feeling a little lonely, wishing I were not alone so much at night, but then again I don't want someone there all the time either, never again down that path. Just a big warm body to snuggle into sometimes. But I am so picky.... Someone bigger than me, at least by 15-20kg, there is no comfort in cuddling up to someone scrawny. I want to feel protected, from what I don't know... its not like I cant look after myself. Enuf dreaming.... back to reality... Perhaps I should just stick to reading crime novels :-)
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Late in the week I called ASADA to ask for a password to logon to their whereabouts system, they were supposed to send one in the mail but with the deadline looming I thought I'd better get this out of the way sooner rather than later. So now I can report that I am 'ASADA compliant'. Although it was a surprise to me to find that I am MALE according my online profile. A quick call to the hotline and a chuckle with the helpdesk girl had that sorted out quickly.
When I say that I am compliant, well I have nominated one hour every day for the months of April, May and June where I will be 'anchored' for the hour. However, how does one nominate where one will be on a given day? particularly on weekend, a month or three in advance? Best effort I guess. The 'calendar' will have to be updated as necessary - at least its an online system...
I've also gone to the trouble of setting up appointments in my organizer with alarms to remind me when and where I have to be. I'm not risking any 'missed test'! Three misses in an 18 month period constitutes a minimum one year sanction. Knowing my dumb luck I'd be tripping down to Haighs or Toby's Estate to score a hit (haha chocolate or coffee) and forget my about 'ASADA hour' as I've called it in my organizer... chuckle.
Training has been a bit crap this week, I haven't been feeling 100%, just not my usual self and its shown in some poor performances. I've dropped weight at long last, down to 69kg and tonight squeezed myself into the red Inzer squat suit - 20 mins to get it on, 20mins, a broken nail and tortured finger tips to get it off.
I've almost finished the 2nd in the vampire series by Stephenie Meyer: Twilight and New Moon. I enjoyed the movie and both Madii and Leah said the book was even better, so here I am reading the series.... Not that romance or supernatural are really my kind of thing, but I am enjoying the escape. Although to be honest its left me feeling a little lonely, wishing I were not alone so much at night, but then again I don't want someone there all the time either, never again down that path. Just a big warm body to snuggle into sometimes. But I am so picky.... Someone bigger than me, at least by 15-20kg, there is no comfort in cuddling up to someone scrawny. I want to feel protected, from what I don't know... its not like I cant look after myself. Enuf dreaming.... back to reality... Perhaps I should just stick to reading crime novels :-)
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Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Tuesday March 3 - The Parcel
Ooops. A week has escaped me. A rather eventful week too. Where to start?
Wednesday, very obviously, from the dug up stones and tyre marks on the driveway, a courier attempted to deliver a parcel to my home, but it required a signature so my front door was carded. Was this the new iron I had ordered by redeeming my flybuys which were about to expire? I rang TNT and arranged re-delivery to the office the following week as I was not in any hurry and wasn't about to drive out to Hallam to pick it up!
Friday, an email message from reception alerting me to a parcel which had been delivered - how exciting, was this the iron being re-delivered early - LOL. But what I retrieved from reception was DOCUMENTS. WTF??? Sigh... a poison parcel! Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) Athlete Whereabouts Information Pack. Happy Happy Joy Joy.
Well, After being read the riot act when I first muted the idea of switching camps, I cant say it wasn't expected. Random, my arse!
From ASADA website:
Wednesday, very obviously, from the dug up stones and tyre marks on the driveway, a courier attempted to deliver a parcel to my home, but it required a signature so my front door was carded. Was this the new iron I had ordered by redeeming my flybuys which were about to expire? I rang TNT and arranged re-delivery to the office the following week as I was not in any hurry and wasn't about to drive out to Hallam to pick it up!
Friday, an email message from reception alerting me to a parcel which had been delivered - how exciting, was this the iron being re-delivered early - LOL. But what I retrieved from reception was DOCUMENTS. WTF??? Sigh... a poison parcel! Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) Athlete Whereabouts Information Pack. Happy Happy Joy Joy.
Well, After being read the riot act when I first muted the idea of switching camps, I cant say it wasn't expected. Random, my arse!
From ASADA website:
What whereabouts filing information is required?
Athletes included in ASADA's Registered Testing Pool (RTP) are required to provide quarterly whereabouts filing directly to ASADA. The required whereabouts filing includes:
- Address and contact details
Such as
- primary residential address
- primary mailing address
- primary contact phone numbers
- email address (if available)
- alternate contact name and phone number
- coach's name
- Locations and times
Athletes are required to nominate one (1) location per day where they will be available for sample collection and provide the start time of the one (1) hour period that they will be at that location.
This one hour time slot must be between 6am and 11pm.
Locations nominated by athletes must be accessible to ASADA Doping Control Officials.
- Regular schedule of routine locations
Athletes must provide a completed hardcopy of the ASADA Whereabouts Filing – Regular Schedule Form. This form requires confirmation of personal details, addresses of residences to be used in the following quarter, regular training addresses and usual time available, other regular locations such as work or school and the usual times available at those locations and a schedule of the locations and dates of upcoming competitions the athlete intends to compete in during the upcoming quarter.
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Saturday I had planned to attend the Geelong Powerlifting comp. Steve, Bill, Yogi and Travis from Southern were all competing. Deb unfortunately had to pull out due to injury :-( I made a deal with Madii that if she drove (on her L's in the truck, that I would buy dinner at the pancake parlour. Reluctantly she agreed.
Half way into the trip, the truck boiled, the radiator cap had not been put on properly and blew off. Fortunately it landed, and stayed, on the battery! Limped to nearest servo and refilled with coolant, but not enough and the instructions said don't add water.... SMS'd Leigh as we were in his territory and he came by and took us off for a latte while the truck cooled.
We set off again and had not gone far when the car boiled again and wouldn't start. A couple of good Samaritan's stopped and helped, I was so grateful, the gas converter had frozen as a result of no hot water from the radiator and They poured more water into the radiator and over the gas converter but still the car wouldn't go as the gas was totally frozen. So they guys suggested running on petrol until the gas converter thawed, there in lies the next problem - there was no fuel in the petrol tank - despite the fact that I put a full tank in a year ago - ok, so I don't drive it on petrol that often, but to have it evaporate!?!
So these two helpful guys went off in search of a gerry can and went to the servo and got me some petrol. We got some hot water over the gas converter, enough to start the car and then switch to petrol just as the gas converter started to freeze over - literally you could see the frost forming! That sealed the end of the day for me, Madi and I headed home it was 4.30 and we'd missed the comp. The two good Samaritans followed us on the freeway until their exit to make sure we were ok. My faith in mankind is much renewed!
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Training
Sunday ME Squat
bar x 5, 40x5, 60x5 80x5 light knee wraps, 100x5 wraps&belt
112.5 1/2 suit, wraps and belt x3
118 as above 3 reps
120 as above 3 x 3reps
Front squats with light wraps
60kg 4x5reps
Tuesday
Reverse lat pulldown 100 x10 x4sets
Seated Row 120 x4 x4
Shrugs 65lb dbells 4x10reps
Rear delt flyes
Roman chair situps
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Found this old pic of my bodybuilding heydays... very serious stuff! :-)
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