Competition Low Down and Final thoughts for Blog

Leinster Open results:
Squat 225kgs (15kgsPR)
Bench 135kgs
Deadlift 240kgs
Total 600kgs (15kgsPR)

Disappointed with the bench, could lockout 140. it's time to HAMMER my lockout!
EXTREMELY pissed off with the deadlift. i took 250 for a ride, locked it out, but the bloomin thing slipped out of my hand! i suppose it's not the worst thing because i wasnt expecting it to budge so i know its there in future.

anyway: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Dgm0jK0dX0A

Close blog

Weigh in + rehydration

So last night i drank a mug of tea before bed. Pissed during the night and once in the morning.

Weigh in: 74.1kgs (the heaviest ive weighed in yet)
After weigh in: waxy maize with 400ml of water
20mins later: 2 scoops of protein, 1 scoop of porrdige, 500ml of water

Breakfast: sausage, hash brown x 2, Brown toast x 2, fried egg x 2, bowl of special k + milk, 500ml of lucozade.

over the course of the day i will consume waxy maize, turkey, rice, proetin shake and chicken.

tommorow is the big day

CUTTING WEIGHT!

This is just a reminder for myself so i know for my next comp what i did to cut my weight.

This competition is a 24hour weigh in and on saturday 26th.
from sunday till wednesday i averaged about 4litres of water a day (not including my protein shakes and coffee and tea and so forth).

WEDNESDAY:
I drank 5 liters. i ate clean on the wednesday and did a small bit of training and after training took 40gs of waxy maize starch, and used the sauna for 15mins, upon leaving the sauna i weighed 76.5kgs ( i dropped 0.2kgs in the sauna). i still continued my water intake prior to the sauna. i took a protein shake. I also had lean ground mince at around 9 with broccoli, green peppers and some pasta sauce.

THURSDAY:
Woke up at 11.30 and ate breakfast at 12.30. i had a bowl of special K and 2 scoops of protein and a coffee. i stopped drinking liquids after this. later on at 4 i had 100g of protein and 1 baby potato and a mouthful of water. At 9pm i weighed 75.5kgs on my home scales which is similar to the gym scales. after this i ate a breast of boiled chicken, a glass of water, 3 tea spoons of Peanut butter and another moutful of water. weight currently stands at 75.6ish Kgs.

i will have a few hot showers and weigh in at 10am friday morning.

Bench

60 x 8
80 x 3
90 x 1
100 x 1
shirt on
110 x 2
120 x 1
130 x 1

incline dumbells
30s 3 x 12

chest supported rows
4 x 12 (last set was drop back)

tate presses
2 x 15

rolling extensions
3 x 12

now: a BIG FAT REST!

DEADLIFT!

70 2 x 6
120 x 5
145 x 3
165 x 1
185 x 1
205 x 1
225 x 2 (PR)

Speed pulls
130 6 x 1

shrugs
100 4 x 12

chins x a billions
abs slings
4 x 12

Upper body accessory

dumbell bench
10 x 30
20 x 20
30 2 x 12
40 x 12

Kroc rows
worked up to 40 bells x 15 each side.

pushdowns
3 x 20

bi curls & 2 sets of concentration curls

cardio x 16mins

SKWAT!

140 x 3
160 x 2
180 x 1
200 x 1 (this is my opener)

leg extensions
4 x 12

pull throughs
4 x 12

abs
4 x 12

cardio x 15mins

happy here the squats were powerful

ME bench

Raw bench
60 x 8
70 x 3
80 x 3
90 x 1
100 x 1 all just warm ups
shirt on
110 x 3 to 4 board
120 x 2 to a two board
130 3sets of 1 to a single board
125 to chest, just about touched x 1

floor press
60 x 8
70 x 8
80 x 6
90 x 3
100 x 3
105 x 3 (i think this is a PR im not sure)

lat. raises
worked up to 12kgs bells x 12

seated cable rows
3 x 12

overhead tate presses
3 x 10

Deadlifts

70 2 x 6
120 x 5
140 x 3
160 x 1
180 x 1
200 x 1
220 x 2
230 x 1

this is ok for me. i have done 220 x 3 before but i think i was alot better with it this time round. anyway i went to do a double with 230 but it wasnt there

shrugs
worked up to 140 3 x 8

weighted pullups
BW x 12
+5kgs x 10
+7.2 x 10
+10 2 x 8
BW x 20 (PR)

abs sling crunches
4 x 12

elbows = painful

DE bench

decline bench
60 2 x 10
60 1 x 15

incline dumbells
worked up to 70LBS 3 x 10

shoulder presses (machine) 3 x 15

lateral raises 2 x 15

rolling tricep ext.
did 4 back 2 back sets working up to 12kgs dumbells each for sets of 12

gun curls. 4 x 10

expiriencing some bad ass pain in my elbows.

Squat

( before i continue, i will no longer post my warm ups)
suit on straps down
140 x 3
added wraps
165 x 3
straps up
180 x 2
195 x 1
tight wraps
210 x 2 (massive PB, this is currently my best in competition, so im confident that 225 wil go down)

SLDL
100 3 x 10

abs slings
3 x 10

hypers w/mini band
3 x 15

ME bench

flat bench
bar x 20
40 x 10
60 x 10
70 x 3
80 x 3
90 x 3
3 boards
100 x 3
110 x 3
shirt on
120 x 3
2 board
120 x 2
125 x 2
130 x 2 PB

incline bench
3 x 10

seated rows
3 x 10

lat. raises
2 x 15

EZ bar extensions
2 x 12
1 x 8

Bench/Deadlifts

missing the weekend away so crammed:

bench 70 3 x 8
inclince bench 60 3 x 10

deadlifts
180 5 sets of 1 (speed)
180 1 sets of 5

lat pull downs
4 x 10

chest supported rows
3 x 10

lat. raises
3 x 10

pushdowns
3 x 12

Squatimus-maximus

Bar x 10
40 x 10
60 x 8
100 x 3
120 x 3
suit on straps down
140 x 3
160 x 2
straps up, loose Knee wraps
185 x 2
tight knee wraps
200 2 sets of 2 reps.

very happy here, the spotter behind me said i nearly hit him in the chin on the way up, he wasnt expecting the speed i had. (neither was i tbh ha)

SLDL
100 3 x 10

abs
3 x 10

homage

DE Upper

So was at the physio on friday and had to work up to a new pain free max today. Im feeling a litle over-trained at the mo but did it anyway. starting tommorow i will have to take a semi-deload week, whats semi-deload? basically ill work heavy on the squat and bench and only do speed pulls as i will be away on friday-sunday. I will also cut back on the accessory work.
heres todays workout:

Bench:
bar 2 x 20
40 x 10
60 x 10
70 x 6
80 x 3
90 x 1
100 x 1
110 x 1
115 x 1

Speed bench
60kgs 8 sets of 3

dumbell incline
30 bells 3sets x 10

kroc rows
worked up to the 35bells for 10 reps each side, left room to spare

weight chins
3 sets with 5kgs x 8reps

dumbell shoulder press
worked up to 30 x 10

lat. raises
2 x 15

piston presses
a billion.

so looking it was a healthy but very volumised workout. My bench is comin along nicely and so is rehab. im only 5kgs off my RAW bench so thats a great sign! but i knwo i cannot train to full potential. its 60% all the way for me :(

ME deadlift day!

Speed box squats
worked up to 90 for 6 sets of 2

deadlifts
60 x 8
100 x 5
140 x 5
160 x 2
180 x 2
200 3 sets of 3

(this is a PB "volume-wise", i have done 200 for 5 before but never for working sets. There was definately 5 reps in there, even on the third set, but for some reason i dont think todays deadlifts were as "fast" as when i pulled the 200 x 5. ive no video of today to compare so. . .)

anyway.
lats
worked up to 3 x 8

shrugs
worked up to 150 for 2 sets of 8

pull throughs s/s with abs
3 sets of 12 P/t's
3 sets of 12 abs

Decided to copy my training partner James and work up to heavy shrugs over the next while (he robbed it from Matt Kroc ha). i think they will help me with lockout as james has a very strong lockout these days.

ME bench and more Rehab

Continued with my light benching again.
bar 2 x 20
40 x 10
60 x 8
70 x 8
80 3sets of 8reps

3 boards
100 x 3
110 x 3
loose, old shirt on:
115 x 3
120 x 3
125 x 3
130 x 3 all handy dandy

incline bench press
50kgs 4 x 10 (just get some blood in)

seated cable rows
1 x 20
1 x 15
1 x 15
1 x 10 (basically worked up 60kgs)

rolling tri extensions
3 x 12

hammer curls!

happy with the board presses.
This is has been a good week so far. Ill deadlift friday and if i get a good deadlift session in it will give me a nice idea as to where i am at for the comp on july 26th!

ME squat

60 2 x 8
80 x 3
100 x 3
120 x 3
suit on straps down
140 x 3
160 x 3
straps down, loose wraps
170 x 2
straps down, tighter wraps
180 x 2
185 x 2 all handy dandy

suit off
100 x 5
120 x 5

pull throughs
4 x 12

s/s with abs
3 x 12
1 x 15

DE UPPER

speed bench 60kgs 8sets x 3reps

Incline dumbells
worked up to 30 bells x 3 x 10

dumbell rows s/s with chins
worked up to 35 bells x 10 reps
chins for sets of 5

shoulder press
worked up to 30 bells x 10(PR)

lat raises
3 x 10

tate presses
3 x 10

gun work and push downs

THE HAPPENING

For those of you who wish to sit in a chair for 90mins with your hands out in front, shoulder width apart, palms facing up saying to yourself: "what the fudge" then i suggest you give this one a miss and rent that shit. At least renting it means you can do one if not all of the following:

stop the DVD to:
-go eat a big sized meal
-take it out of the player, set a match to it and throw it as far as possible into a pile of petrol.

pause the DVD to:
- there are no reasons to pause this film because you will not miss anything, and leaving it play while you pee means you dont have to sit watching it any longer than deserved.

the funniest line to come out of the thing was : "cheese and crackers" which i think meant "holy shit!"

...all in all and good movie !haha

Ger Smith - watching bad movies since 1987

Today - Deadlifts

Speed squats
worked up to 100 6sets of 2

deads
worked up to a top set of 190 x 5
dropped back and did 150 5 x 2 working on speed

lat pull downs
5 x 10

shrugs
5 x 10

pull throughs
3 x 10

hanging leg raises
3 x 10

cardio

happy with the 190, it was comfortable.

More rehab today:

Bench press
Bar 2 x 20
40 x 15
60 x 10
70 x 10
80 2 x 6
80 x 10

easy obviously.

3 boards (close grip)
80 x 3
100 x 3
105 x 3
110 x 3

seated cable rows
4 x 15

lat.raises
3 x 10

gun work.

pec felt tight but i was happy with how the sets felt.

Today ME Squats

low box squats
60 x 5
80 x 3
100 x 3
120 x 3

Free squats
60 x 8
100 x 5
120 x 5
140 x 5 (added light wraps)

wide stance SLDL
worked up to 110 x 6
did a set of reg stance x 6

leg extensions
3 x 15

abs

Thoughts: Not much. ive done 140 x 5 RAW before so this is no different. i was mainly concentrating on getting in good bar speed and using my wraps for the first time since january 27th. should have a video to post soon

Had Enough of Injuries?

at 21 years old and roughly 3 years of training to my name, its can be, at times, tough to accept injuries. In my three years of lifting. Ive had to come to terms with a "clicky" shoulder, two bad ankles (prior to Lifting), Groin strains, Rotator cuff tear, tear of pec major and minor. Your probably asking yourself, "dude, yo must be doing something wrong?" and my answer to people is normally "if pushing myself to my to the top is something wrong, then so be it". It's hard to get people to understand that to move forward in the world of sport we must be willing to put our bodies on the line and to their limits.

In the world of strength sports, there are millions taking part. I have come across lifters who have progressed in the sport injury free, but one common ground between all of these lifters is that they have never truly made an impact in the sport. if this is your chosen path then so be it, but its not mine. i want to excel, i want to be at the top, and i want to be as best i can possibly be. its not good enough to me, to just set a new PR. if im going to put my body through hard training and push my limits, i want the rewards to come in the shape of a first place medal.

I have gone from a 425kgs total to a 585kgs total in 2 years and within the space of 4 full power meets. it came to a halt when i torn my pec in February and i still kick myself for letting this happen. But one thing i can come away with is expirience. I could of prevented this from happening and most importantly i know WHY this happen. It was a result of letting my body go cold and going too long between sets. i have been more careful this time round and i got away lucky enough with a mildly serious pec tear which did not require me to go under the surgeons knife. it will NOT happen again.

So if you are a serious athelte who is disheartened by injuries then i can tell you this. Even the best get injured. these are battle scars which show how far we are willing to push ourselves to achieve our full potential. wear them proudly, prevent what you can, be careful.

Ger smith - Aiming for 600kgs total @ 75kgs bodyweight and 21 years old - EVEN with a torn pec.

15/06/08

Speed bench
50% of new max
55 8 x 3 (pinky, thumb width, half thumb width)

Flat dmbell presses
20 x 10
25 x 10
30 3 x 10

kroc rows s/s with pull ups
worked up to 30's 2 x 12

Seated shoulder dumbell press
10 x 15
15 x 12
20 x 12
25 x 10
30 x 8

lat. raises
3 x 10

gun work.