As some of you may or may not know I have began to compete as a power lifter.
For the last year I have gone to the gym 4-6 times a week and worked on my strength. Nothing too serious, usually an hour to two hours and solo so nothing really pushing me or any kind of motivation aside from personal goals (which are more conservative and safe than actual potential).
About 3 months ago one of the bigger guys in the gym (Dixon, Oregon State's gym) approached me and told me he was impressed with my size/bench. Hungry for criticism and advice I began to ask him about lifting. He eventually asked if I had considered powerlifting. I hadn't but was eager for a new sport with my debate eligibility up and nothing else to fill my time (even bw runs its course, blasphemy I know) this seemed like a great venue.
Since then I have found tremendous community support and Daleer (the big guy) has been an excellent coach. I got my bench shirt last week and after it gets touched up I will be hitting the bench harder than ever. I have yet to train deadlift/squat aside from weekly box squats and some good morning lifts. I have to blow my own horn here but I have tremendous genetics for this. With relatively short arms a broad back and excellent bone density as well as overall body size I am literally built for this. I have made tremendous gains each week but my star aiming goal is to be one of those guys people read about chasing world records and setting them for future lifters. I am benching just over 500lbs right now without having my shirt figured out. My top end strength is astronomical however where I am locking out over 700lbs on the racks. Once I figure out the shirt and work on the lower end strength (of a bench) I will be right in and around 700lbs. Deadlift/squat are impossible to tell right now as I haven't maxed but that will come with time.
This is my passion and this is what I will be doing for years to come. I have always been told that I would be a tremendously gifted lifter and right now I am trying to cash in on that.
If any of you want to ask questions or discuss powerlifting I will check this blog periodically.
Here is a video of my coach (Daleer) deadlifting 744lbs in 2004. Today he did 750lbs in a SSA sanctioned tourney so his personal record is now 750lbs. But some of you may want to know what that looks like Enjoy:
Olympic lifts aren't for me.. lotta technique and less emphasis on strength. Probably broke it on clean where the weight goes over the head I am guessing?
Most dangerous lift a powerlifter does is bench where they push the weight towards their face.. youtube is riddled with videos of guys who had horrible side spotters. Fortunately I am paranoid and I don't bench unless the side spotters are reliable and I got Daleer over the top.
This sport just seems very risky and dangerous. What would happen if you got injured weren't able to work? is there any compensation plan or retirement plans advancement plans like becoming a private trainer? Is the prize money really worth the troubles you go through?
I could grabbed some statistics about your job and try to persuaded you into not competing. But you would seem too adamant about continuing the course you're taking. So I think it's better to say GooD LucKs!
Edit: Please i hope i don't see videos where people get injured...
On August 31 2008 12:16 Jibba wrote: I'm sure you can stand up for yourself, but there is a steroid culture in many weight lifting gyms so watch out. And I'm sure you know this already.
Yeah it's huge. But I think the reality we live in today is that steroids are a huge part of everything. I have already been openly offered all kinds of synthetics and it is a felony to use them.. so that is how open it is.
Sins: Injuries are a big part of this sport sure. I played football my entire life however and found myself pretty durable but also not very afraid of injury. Like with anything I find if you prepare and keep yourself sturdy you should be fine.. sure accidents happen but it'd be worse to live your life in a box.
when i work out, a big part of the reason for doing so is health. it would make no sense to take steroids for me.
plus u can always get acupucnture to naturally boost testosterone production, isntead of force feeding it to ur body and then end up with a decreased natural production due to the regulating mechanism for virtually every substance your body naturally creates.
feed firewood from the back and make it sustainible and natural... not sprinkle oil on it for the initial flare.
What kind of program are you on right now? Just on whatever your coach tells you?
Strength looks good enough for some type of periodization or westside. Box squats are great. DLs depending on how much you lift you may not be able to train much (because as the weight gets over like 600+ lbs recovery is much slower) so you'll need to hit up the assistance lifts a lot (good mornings are great as well as other hip extension work)..
What kind of program are you on right now? Just on whatever your coach tells you?
Strength looks good enough for some type of periodization or westside. Box squats are great. DLs depending on how much you lift you may not be able to train much (because as the weight gets over like 600+ lbs recovery is much slower) so you'll need to hit up the assistance lifts a lot (good mornings are great as well as other hip extension work)..
You DL sumo or regular?
I am completely green in DL.. but I will do standard. Just watched a guy tear his hamstring doing sumo and I wanna be conventional in just about everything I do anyways. Same guy was telling stories of smashing bones in his feet due to sumo pushing the toes so close to the weights.
We train metal militia style workout for bench but more westside for squat/DL. It is what my coach prefers and seems to be working for me. I have made over 150lb gain in my bench in just over a couple months and look to do A LOT more once I figure my shirt out.
I will definately have videos up once I compete. I will compete in an october/november meet and should be doing bench/DL there. Pics as well
On August 31 2008 12:37 Ender wrote: So what's your weekly diet like..any big adjustments there?
I am actually REALLY poor atm cause I did a bunch of travelling with a minimum wage job and college expenses.
Once I get back on my feet I will have around 3-4 protein shakes a day and consume a bunch of lean meats like chicken/turkey/tuna. My coach is EXTREMELY lean (watch the video) and that is what I want to do. I have trimmed down (put on weight actually, but lost fat and gained muscle). One of my rules for this is I don't want to be one of those fat pills that move an amazing amount of weight. I want to look good and move an amazing amount of weight. Greedy? Sure but I am set on it. So my diet will be heavy on lean shit and high protein with low calorie counts. Not the best for strength training but like I said.. I have an ideal in mind.
Nothing is set in stone and I am constantly learning however..
On August 31 2008 13:15 zulu_nation8 wrote: wait so, is this an olympic sport, do they have tournaments, so are you gonna like try to break the world record now?
No powerlifting is not olympic but it does have world records/comp just like anything else.
The world records for each power lift are roughly (not sure) 1080 for bench, 1003 for deadlift and 1200 or so for squat.
QuiteIdiot: Good frames for bench / squat are usually large backs, shorter arms and stout legs. The biggest lifters (in terms of weight moved) are all pretty dense.. big chests/backs and they tend to look kinda fat but then they take their shirt off and you realize that padding is ALL muscle. For deadlift it helps to have longer arms for a shorter stroke.
On August 31 2008 13:24 travis wrote: the powerlifting is badass, but don't you feel like a tool wearing one of those shirts?
or do you just do it cuz u gotta conform to stay in the game?
A bench shirt is mandatory for handling anything in the mid 500's and beyond. Your body is not meant to handle weight exceeding those numbers and the shirt gives the support so that you literally can hold together long enough to push the weight up. Do I feel like a tool when I bench 600lbs? The answer is no.
On August 31 2008 13:24 travis wrote: the powerlifting is badass, but don't you feel like a tool wearing one of those shirts?
or do you just do it cuz u gotta conform to stay in the game?
A bench shirt is mandatory for handling anything in the mid 500's and beyond. Your body is not meant to handle weight exceeding those numbers and the shirt gives the support so that you literally can hold together long enough to push the weight up. Do I feel like a tool when I bench 600lbs? The answer is no.
This is 715 and there is no bench shirt
But them I guess I'm not demanding you break a world record immediately.
ancestral when I say "your body" I am speaking in a generality. Obviously "you shouldn't be able to run a 4.0 40 yard sprint" but that doesn't mean people haven't. Just not typically. Same applies here. MOST human beings would tear apart trying to hold 715lbs over there body without a shirt on. Does that mean it is impossible? Certainly not. Will I try it? Probably not. I prefer to do what 99% of powerlifters do that compete in bench and that is wear protective gear.
On August 31 2008 14:16 MiniRoman wrote: My uncle was 4th strongest man in world at one point ;O! ez!!!
Gl
Whey isn't a supplement per se.. it really is just a type of protein (dairy). Not in the way of "creatine" anyways.
Yes I consume 1-3 protein shakes a day so that my body has ample protein to rebuild the muscles with. I have never taken creatine and probably won't. I used to take some xyience shit but it was taken off the shelves at GNC which is a bad sign. I have sworn off most supplements for now.. if I ever take any it will be stuff like EXPLODE or something that really just helps get more out of a workout as oppose to some illegal shit that does work for you at a bodily expense.
On August 31 2008 14:20 {88}iNcontroL wrote: ancestral when I say "your body" I am speaking in a generality. Obviously "you shouldn't be able to run a 4.0 40 yard sprint" but that doesn't mean people haven't. Just not typically. Same applies here. MOST human beings would tear apart trying to hold 715lbs over there body without a shirt on. Does that mean it is impossible? Certainly not. Will I try it? Probably not. I prefer to do what 99% of powerlifters do that compete in bench and that is wear protective gear.
He actually wears protective gear too, he used to hold the overall record. But now he doesn't, so I guess he can hold onto his "raw" record.
That was just an excuse for me to post that video anyway
My friend and I max out 1 or 2 times a year on bench/squat/deadlift, but I generally try to stay around 150lbs for cycling and I feel if I tried to powerlift well I'd be too heavy. But I guess that's why there are weight classes...
Awesome dude, good to hear you are setting goals for yourself. If anything your bull-headed and stubborn forum nature will get you towards your goal because I know you never give up, haha. Good luck.
On August 31 2008 21:32 Yizuo wrote: why are there people standing next to the bench, must be easy to construct something that prevents the weights from falling down?
Not without decreasing the weight you have to deal with on the negative portion of the rep....that's why it's highly recommended you use free weights as opposed to machines.
On August 31 2008 16:12 HehawHehaw wrote: how much do you weigh? size? and what are your 1rep max and 10rep for bench?
I'm 6'1 291lbs
my 1 rep increases each week (max each week) but it is currently 505lbs or so and my "10rep" is unknown, we do work sets of 8 and I do 315lbs. Doesn't sound as impressive but in powerlifting you have to pause on your chest for a good 3 seconds or so and we train like that so for each rep I pause for a good 3 seconds with that weight.
On August 31 2008 21:32 Yizuo wrote: why are there people standing next to the bench, must be easy to construct something that prevents the weights from falling down?
Side spotters stop the weight from falling on your face or other parts of the body.. presumably anyways.
I wish you luck. 150 lbs to your bench is pretty sick though. That's like how much novices add to their squat in the same amount of time.
Fish oil is probably the only good supplement (that tends to work for everyone). People who take it generally feel better and recover quicker because of the good balance of omega fatty acids. I assume you pack down the food though at that weight. So if you're getting enough from fish/tuna and stuff it's all good anyway.
I'll keep working my strength to bodyweight ratio since I don't have the genetics for mass and putting up massively heavy weight, hah. Gotta generally cater to what your body type is with lifting.
On September 01 2008 09:48 eshlow wrote: I wish you luck. 150 lbs to your bench is pretty sick though. That's like how much novices add to their squat in the same amount of time.
Fish oil is probably the only good supplement (that tends to work for everyone). People who take it generally feel better and recover quicker because of the good balance of omega fatty acids. I assume you pack down the food though at that weight. So if you're getting enough from fish/tuna and stuff it's all good anyway.
I'll keep working my strength to bodyweight ratio since I don't have the genetics for mass and putting up massively heavy weight, hah. Gotta generally cater to what your body type is with lifting.
Thanks man Yeah I heard about fish oil.. also plax seeds or something? Flax? I dunno.. some good stuff out there. I'd like to stay as natural as possible. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Dairy depends on how your body handles it.. some people handle it well some people don't. But if you do whole milk rocks.
Lotsa nuts, fruits, vegis and meat & fish out the wazoo. Maybe some whey/casein depending on what you like if you can't get enough protein through diet.
What I tend to tell a lot of people is that supplements are just that.. supplements. Get your diet, sleep and workouts in line first then worry about the small stuff later. Hell, if your squat/DL/etc. levels are crap you shouldn't be worrying what kind of biceps curls you're going to be doing because you have much bigger problems than that. :p
I'm very small 5'7 , 130-140 depending on the time of the year. So I have tiny bones and smaller joints. I set the goal of max benching 250 the year after high school (3 years ago) which was 60 pounds higher then I could do my senior year. At about 225, my elbows and shoulders began to grind after work outs ( it was just so much weight for my small frame) and my forearms began to get to large and would constantly preasure the tendens in my arm, to the point my hands and wrists would have limited moblity even though I constantly stretched.
The stuff up there improves your joints/tendens along with calcium and mag. and fishoil, I was able to condition my bones/joints to be able to finally get to 245 .. ( I never got higher).
I imagine in your sport there will be a point where your bones/joints begin to falture also. If I could tell anybody anything it would be use those!
Right on btw, I've always thought lifting was cool,..... as a spectator sport =)
ty guys Dietary shit is what I need to work on the most probably. I don't eat consistantly enough and I eat like 1-2 big meals a day which trains my body to store fat as oppose to burn the stuff up. BAD!
Anyways I appreciate the advice I will definitely use it.
eat biggest at breakfast or lunch, smallest in the evening
save light, healthy carb stuff for the evening (fruit, veggies). it's probably understandable that you will have to eat protein in the evening but try to keep it low-fat
That's funny, when I saw a pic of you for the first time in some news post here, I thought you were a powerlifter already.
700 lbs in bench is quite ambitious. That is world-class weight, if I am not mistaken. I don't know what it is exactly in kg, but something like half, right?
Ironically, I was very interested in this a year and a half ago, had friends that were into it, etc. Never really made the transition from regular gym training to actual powerlifting routines, though and then I found Starcraft . . . lols.
On September 02 2008 06:51 meathook wrote: That's funny, when I saw a pic of you for the first time in some news post here, I thought you were a powerlifter already.
700 lbs in bench is quite ambitious. That is world-class weight, if I am not mistaken. I don't know what it is exactly in kg, but something like half, right?
Ironically, I was very interested in this a year and a half ago, had friends that were into it, etc. Never really made the transition from regular gym training to actual powerlifting routines, though and then I found Starcraft . . . lols.
Well, good luck to you.
P.S.
what weight class will you be competing in?
Thanks!
It's interesting.. normally I weigh around 270~260 and there is a 275 weight class. After I began powerlifting (3months or so) I put on 16lbs of muscle and trimmed off some fat actually. But it looks like I will have to be a heavy weight.. not bad considering I seriously do want to pursue the world records and those guys are all 350+ (not saying I will, but you at least need to be 300+). I currently weigh around 290lbs and heavy weight is 305+. Oddly I am at the crossroads where I can cut to 275 or build to 305.
700lbs is very ambitious I know this. But I have freak genetics and all the coaching/facilitating a person can ask for.. it is very possible. Especially given the fact I am 22 (almost 23) and you are at your strongest in your 30's.. I have plenty of time to get to that point. I just need to remain consistant and relatively injury free.. things I should be able to do.
PS: 700 is ambitious.. but I am shooting for 1k+ That'll put things in perspective hehe
On September 02 2008 06:51 meathook wrote: That's funny, when I saw a pic of you for the first time in some news post here, I thought you were a powerlifter already.
700 lbs in bench is quite ambitious. That is world-class weight, if I am not mistaken. I don't know what it is exactly in kg, but something like half, right?
Ironically, I was very interested in this a year and a half ago, had friends that were into it, etc. Never really made the transition from regular gym training to actual powerlifting routines, though and then I found Starcraft . . . lols.
Well, good luck to you.
P.S.
what weight class will you be competing in?
Thanks!
It's interesting.. normally I weigh around 270~260 and there is a 275 weight class. After I began powerlifting (3months or so) I put on 16lbs of muscle and trimmed off some fat actually. But it looks like I will have to be a heavy weight.. not bad considering I seriously do want to pursue the world records and those guys are all 350+ (not saying I will, but you at least need to be 300+). I currently weigh around 290lbs and heavy weight is 305+. Oddly I am at the crossroads where I can cut to 275 or build to 305.
700lbs is very ambitious I know this. But I have freak genetics and all the coaching/facilitating a person can ask for.. it is very possible. Especially given the fact I am 22 (almost 23) and you are at your strongest in your 30's.. I have plenty of time to get to that point. I just need to remain consistant and relatively injury free.. things I should be able to do.
PS: 700 is ambitious.. but I am shooting for 1k+ That'll put things in perspective hehe
Cutting to 275lbs (what is that in kg, anyway? Around 140, I guess...) sounds more reasonable to me, personally. I won't tell you what to do though.
Well, if you have the means, like you say you do, it would be stupid not to go for it. Besides, this sport at least as much about genetics--at the upper echelons at least--(one of the reasons I am not pursuing competitive powerlifting) as it is about actual training, anyway.
Looking forward to your future posts with results/progress, etc. Maybe you can write what program you are following? Last time I was interested, the west coast program was on top... maybe someone has developed a superior method by now?
On September 02 2008 06:51 meathook wrote: That's funny, when I saw a pic of you for the first time in some news post here, I thought you were a powerlifter already.
700 lbs in bench is quite ambitious. That is world-class weight, if I am not mistaken. I don't know what it is exactly in kg, but something like half, right?
Ironically, I was very interested in this a year and a half ago, had friends that were into it, etc. Never really made the transition from regular gym training to actual powerlifting routines, though and then I found Starcraft . . . lols.
Well, good luck to you.
P.S.
what weight class will you be competing in?
Thanks!
It's interesting.. normally I weigh around 270~260 and there is a 275 weight class. After I began powerlifting (3months or so) I put on 16lbs of muscle and trimmed off some fat actually. But it looks like I will have to be a heavy weight.. not bad considering I seriously do want to pursue the world records and those guys are all 350+ (not saying I will, but you at least need to be 300+). I currently weigh around 290lbs and heavy weight is 305+. Oddly I am at the crossroads where I can cut to 275 or build to 305.
700lbs is very ambitious I know this. But I have freak genetics and all the coaching/facilitating a person can ask for.. it is very possible. Especially given the fact I am 22 (almost 23) and you are at your strongest in your 30's.. I have plenty of time to get to that point. I just need to remain consistant and relatively injury free.. things I should be able to do.
PS: 700 is ambitious.. but I am shooting for 1k+ That'll put things in perspective hehe
Cutting to 275lbs (what is that in kg, anyway? Around 140, I guess...) sounds more reasonable to me, personally. I won't tell you what to do though.
Well, if you have the means, like you say you do, it would be stupid not to go for it. Besides, this sport at least as much about genetics--at the upper echelons at least--(one of the reasons I am not pursuing competitive powerlifting) as it is about actual training, anyway.
Looking forward to your future posts with results/progress, etc. Maybe you can write what program you are following? Last time I was interested, the west coast program was on top... maybe someone has developed a superior method by now?
I'm not sure what is "on top" but west coast is still very common. We do metal militia however and that seems to be as common if not more.
I'm leaning towards not cutting since I literally put on weight since the weight training intensified. If I ever want to be capable of benching 700+ I need to be bigger.. not smaller so that is the direction I have to move in.
I will definitely update this blog or another with more information.
I always talked shit about lifting weights at the gym. But, I'm just doing whats natural for someone whose been working out for 9 months.
Awesome how you can lift the amount of weight you can lift. Good luck in power lifting. I would love to bench at least 295 lbs by the end of this year. I'm 5'8'', 212 lbs (I've lost over 60 lbs, so yah).
If you've been working out for 9months 295 isn't outside of your reach. Just work on the bench 1-2 times a week and trash your triceps. Biceps are for looks nothing else.. bench is a great upper body workout considering the amount of muscles it reaches.
Got my bench shirt back from tailor and hit my personal record today at 560lbs on the bench. I had more in me but with no side spotters and it being only the second time I ever benched with the shirt on we decided it was a good spot to quit I am seriously jacked though cause I am adding serious weight to all my lifts which is tremendous given the short period of time we train in between!
PS: we added another guy to our "team." He is a 19 year old kid that weighs 220ish and already squats around 700 while dead lifting around 700 as well. He can only bench like 315 though.. the "only" is there because in comparison to his lower body lifts it isn't special. He is a powerful fuck. He is trying out for the OSU football team in March but atm he trains strongman, olympic and powerlifting. He might even be overtraining (bad).
My god, reading about this re-motivates me to start working out. I keep feeling it's too late already, though, which is bad mentality. Also, ever since I've heard from the guys at the gym, or just friends in general who are really into workouts, I've heard SO much about how important diets are, not to mention the correct lifting/working out methods.
Right now, I really wanna start, but honestly I'm at a loss even where to start. I guess watching what I eat would be the first step, but of course, that's hard given anyone's circumstances at 20 years and older (work, routine, etc). But enough about me, good luck with your future ambitions.
On September 14 2008 06:53 {88}iNcontroL wrote: Update:
Got my bench shirt back from tailor and hit my personal record today at 560lbs on the bench. I had more in me but with no side spotters and it being only the second time I ever benched with the shirt on we decided it was a good spot to quit I am seriously jacked though cause I am adding serious weight to all my lifts which is tremendous given the short period of time we train in between!
PS: we added another guy to our "team." He is a 19 year old kid that weighs 220ish and already squats around 700 while dead lifting around 700 as well. He can only bench like 315 though.. the "only" is there because in comparison to his lower body lifts it isn't special. He is a powerful fuck. He is trying out for the OSU football team in March but atm he trains strongman, olympic and powerlifting. He might even be overtraining (bad).
anyways that is all for now!
bench is always significantly lower than dead/squat lifts. Although 700/300 is quite a difference, realistically he should be prob 450/700
On September 14 2008 06:53 {88}iNcontroL wrote: Update:
Got my bench shirt back from tailor and hit my personal record today at 560lbs on the bench. I had more in me but with no side spotters and it being only the second time I ever benched with the shirt on we decided it was a good spot to quit I am seriously jacked though cause I am adding serious weight to all my lifts which is tremendous given the short period of time we train in between!
PS: we added another guy to our "team." He is a 19 year old kid that weighs 220ish and already squats around 700 while dead lifting around 700 as well. He can only bench like 315 though.. the "only" is there because in comparison to his lower body lifts it isn't special. He is a powerful fuck. He is trying out for the OSU football team in March but atm he trains strongman, olympic and powerlifting. He might even be overtraining (bad).
anyways that is all for now!
bench is always significantly lower than dead/squat lifts. Although 700/300 is quite a difference, realistically he should be prob 450/700
In powerlifting they're closer, because of the clothing. If you are normally proportioned and trained, then deadlift should be highest, then squat, then bench.
But since bench suits help a lot, squat suits help somewhat, and deadlift suits barely help, in powerlifting the highest record is squat, followed by bench, followed by deadlift, though deadlift and bench are very close.
On September 14 2008 14:19 HeadBangaa wrote: That's really impressive, man. You should throw up some pics/vids of yourself. Fuck the haters, I want to see those gains!
I am going to a comp in October! Will have vid/pic after!
On September 15 2008 03:29 {88}iNcontroL wrote: He's a freak. He wakes up twice a night just to put in small amounts of protein so he almost never goes more than 4 hours without some protein.
There's a guy at my dojo who suggests this, except he's basing it on the book "Dinosaur Training," so he suggests waking up and eating 1/4 lbs of cheese -_-
I'm glad people have this sort of commitment to things. Gogo Geoff!
On September 14 2008 06:53 {88}iNcontroL wrote: Update:
Got my bench shirt back from tailor and hit my personal record today at 560lbs on the bench. I had more in me but with no side spotters and it being only the second time I ever benched with the shirt on we decided it was a good spot to quit I am seriously jacked though cause I am adding serious weight to all my lifts which is tremendous given the short period of time we train in between!
PS: we added another guy to our "team." He is a 19 year old kid that weighs 220ish and already squats around 700 while dead lifting around 700 as well. He can only bench like 315 though.. the "only" is there because in comparison to his lower body lifts it isn't special. He is a powerful fuck. He is trying out for the OSU football team in March but atm he trains strongman, olympic and powerlifting. He might even be overtraining (bad).
anyways that is all for now!
bench is always significantly lower than dead/squat lifts. Although 700/300 is quite a difference, realistically he should be prob 450/700
In powerlifting they're closer, because of the clothing. If you are normally proportioned and trained, then deadlift should be highest, then squat, then bench.
But since bench suits help a lot, squat suits help somewhat, and deadlift suits barely help, in powerlifting the highest record is squat, followed by bench, followed by deadlift, though deadlift and bench are very close.
thanks for the info, i didn't know that powerlifters typically had higher bench than deads damn. I'm a bit ignorant when it comes to powerlifting but i assumed it would be somewhat similiar to bodybuilding
EPT
Enjoy:
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