Long Road to hell on the powerlifting Trail.

[derekspence]

Wednesday.

Been suffering some sleep deprivation and some high blood pressure as of late. Going to see the doctor. or Doctors. Heart has been pumping hard for a week and a half.

Missing lots of workouts mostly due to illness.

Warmups
Rotator Side to side 12.5lbs x20 2 sets
Up down 12.5 x20 2 sets
Triceps Ext. Cable 12.5x20x 2sets

DB presses 50x4sets x15reps

Bench Press 135x10, 135x5, 225x3, 225x3, 315x3, 335x3, shirted up. 405x1. ended up using alot of effort here, trying the wide grip again, but I can't seem to tuck my elbows in with a wide grip cause it feels like i am going to lose the bar. Sorry Harv, doesn't seem to work for me here. My arch just disappeared when I managed to touch the weight to my chest. Not to mention my breath vanished as well. The shirt is tight, and suitable. But I find a narrow grip allows me to use speed from the bottom. Plus I keep my arms in when My grip is narrow.
Drop Set 225x20, 135x15

DB ext. 45x15, 15, 10, 6

went home kinda disappointed. live for another day!
Oh yeah, The APT PRO Convicts are wicked. Liked em, liked em alot. Probably gonna have a go with the knee wraps next.

[Harv]

Hi Derek
Suggest you move your bench pressing to the front of your workout and do the other stuff after you bench.Next cut back on the number of sets of bench you do until you get to your working sets.
Harv

[derekspence]

Thanks.

However I don't deviate from my original plan too much. just reduced the amount of assistance work.
To give you an Idea, plus my warmups are very light to me.

check strongmanitoba.com for my previous workout log leading to the june contest.

I am using the westside template for my workouts, and find it works excellent for me.

The problem with the shirt which I now Identified, was I flared my elbows out too wide when performing the bench, forgot to mention how I let the air out before I started to press, Looked at video. So, I will rectify that by using a narrower grip and tucking harder. Raw I can still bench 425(in the gym). I just didn't push it too much yesterday due to the lack of capable spotters.
I could have used more weight, but nobody strong enough was around to unrack the weight.

[derekspence]

Friday
Squat Only
Warm-Ups
135x10, 225x10,

225plus 80lbs chain 5 sets 2 reps to 16 inch box.
245plus 80lbs chain 3 sets 2 reps to 16 inch box.
265plus 80lbs chain 4 sets 2 reps to 16 inch box.

accessory work tomorrow.

[McLifter]

It's a good idea to get the heart condition checked out and under control Derek. Better to live a long and healthy life rather than check out too early.

It will take some adjustment and some work but you will find you will be just as strong at a lighter weight once your body stabilizes. You are a big man and obviously capable of some great feats of strength. Get things in order and stick around to play with the rest of us for awhile.

Brock

[derekspence]

I know what you mean.

Listening to my Dr. well, he laid it all out for me. So, I am going to continue to still train for november, but probably going to weigh somewhat less than what everybody usually sees me at.

I have been givin notice to reduce the weight. Cholestorol is HigH, and my blood pressure is high.

Plus I am in a state of doing continued tests for another thing as well.

So I am keeping my spirits up, and will not falter.

my goal is to weigh at least 330 or less. as of right now i am about 365-370.

Today
Sandbag Drags
1000 yards total in 17 minutes.
800 yards upper body variations, then 200 yards ankle straps.

Steps
80lbs chain about 100 steps.

[derekspence]

Sunday Hot as heck today.


One Hour Swimming

Warmups
Rotator 2 sets of 20 with 12.5lbs
Triceps ext. 20x20

Bench
135x10
135x5
185 plus purple bands( bands single looped around 2 dumbbells)
9 sets of 3 reps

DB extensions
65x9, 70x15, 70x15, 75x11

DB rows 80x5, 85x5, 90x5, 95x5, 100x5, all done succesively. about 5 sec rest

Rear Laterals 50x10,10,9

Hammer Curls 50x5, 55x5, 60x5, 65x5

[thebruce]

Good stuff man, with all the muscle you carry you can lose the weight you want by firing up that big machine. All the best Dereck

[derekspence]

Thanks Bruce.

Was gonna call it the day, and was just gonna not compete. Thought it over and well worked out anyways

Deadlift
135x12, 225x8, 315x3, 405x1, 425x1, 465x1. Did these as fast as i could. Wasn't feeling like to squatting to day.

GHR BDWTx3, whoa, hard time tryin to do these, added purple band for assistance 2 sets of 8 reps. Hard to do especially for me.

Reverse Hyper Red bands for Resistance 2 sets of 15 reps.

Done. Couldn't do anything else, GHR wrecked me, the whole posterior chain left and forgot to tell me.

;D

[derekspence]

Impromptu, well not exactly.

Chris asked me if I was benching he wanted to come out, didn't know I unexpectedly changed my days and oh well,

tuesday was bench day.

Rotator warmups
2 sets of 10 with 12.5's
Windmills 1 set of 10

Biceps + triceps 10 lbs for 20 each. Curl and Ext.

Bench
135x5, 135x5, 225x3, 225x2, 315x1, 365 shirted no touch, 405 no touch, 445x1 touched. stopped. was happy with it, fairly easy.

Triceps EZ bar ext.
67lbs 2 sets of 15.

Called it came home.

Hey, I was able to tuck with a wide grip now!!! ;D

[derekspence]

SO yeah. Gonna take time off, looks like I might not make November. Gonna bring the blood pressure down and definitely lose some of the weight.

Learned my lesson today. wasn't takin it seriously, but now i know better.

so just to let ya's know tried to squat and deadlift today, and it was not gonna happen. too much pressure when you have high LDL cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
so wearing a suit and being this heavy, i don't wanna go home in a coffin at the end of the day.

[Harv]

Derek,Very sorry to hear of your problems.Been there somewhat myself.The cholesterol issue is not hard to fix with the right medication and some attention to diet.The blood pressure is something I've never had to deal with,but I am POSITIVE you have the right attitude to get it under control.Keep us informed how you are doing and come out in November just to say hello.Doing just bench is something you may think about as it is far easier than 3 lifting.Anyone else on the forum have high blood pressure?
Be well,

Harvey

[McLifter]

By all means get yourself in a healthy state Derek. I think you could tear things up when you get under 300lbs and get your body used to the new weight.

Please consider volunteering at the Meet since we always need help and having someone of your stature there to spot and load will make the lifters feel at ease.

Brck

[derekspence]

Prolly be out to spot. working already for the last 2 weeks to drop the weight.

and Yeah, I can still bench heavy, just when wearing the shirt I HAVE TOO breath. But as for the squat and deadlifts, they are for sure out for the time being.

My efforts 2day were
Sandbag drags 1000yards. done in just under 16minutes. Previous was just over 17.
Stair Sprints 355 steps 5 sprints, with walk down.
But yeah thanks for the support.

P.S.
The Y on Fermor has new power bars, and triceps bar, ez curl bar. Glute ham raise, that also doubles as a Reverse Hyper. Still needs heavier dumbbells, and more than one bench.
Seems like the best time to PL is around 2030 to 2230hrs.

[derekspence]

Sunday

Warmups
Rotators
2sets of 15, and 10 reps with 10+ 12.5 lbs
Triceps Ext,
2 sets of 15 with 10's

Bench Press
135x13, 135x5, 225x5

Worksets
225 plus single mini looped under bench 5 sets of 3 reps
225 plus two mini bands lopped under bench 4 sets of 3reps
Using Narrow, Medium, Out Side Legal.
Getting the bands really stretched out gets more tension. like more! downside is, the life of the bands go faster.
Drop bands 225 x15reps, 225x8. Using Illegally wide.

JM presses with monster EZcurl bar
70x5,5, 90x5,5, 140x5,5, 190x5,5,4 total 9 sets.

Switched to Hammer Rows
180x15, 230x10, 10, 10 ,10 Wanted to do barbell rows but , puts me in a position which once again too much pressure.

Seated Dumbbell Cleans 30x12,12,10. 30sec rest.
Hammer Curls 60x5, 65x5, 70x5
Standing ab work, Doubled looped red band oh GHR
2 sets of 12, and 10. Abs cramped hard. next time i will single loop

45 degree back raise 4 sets of 10

Schedule today 1hour walk and play with my daughter!!! ;D
That really burns calories!!!1