Something's working

**Antaeus** · 10-02-2002, 09:39 AM

DE bench last night.

135 + chains, 9 fast triples. ~155 at the top. Moved up 20 lbs raw weight and I'm still under 3 seconds.

6" rack lockouts.
225x5
275x5
295x3

Three months ago I couldn't do 275x1. I really wanted 315x1 but thought better of it - it's not ME day!

Plate raises 4x10-12.

Couldn't get out to Concord this morning to train at the Hardcore gym. They did DE 165 + 60 lbs of chain, 225 at the top. This seems like a lot, but there's a couple of reasons behind so much chain weight. First, they NEVER use RAW weight for DE. Doing so actually forces your bicept to contract at the top to stop the weight, and you guessed it that leads to tendonitis. Chains really help to slow down the bar at the top to prevent this. Two, it mimics how a shirt works. The weight is much less at the bottom, and radically more so at lockout, helping to build a strong finish. These guys all use double denims.

Also, I've been invited by another PLer to train with him at a dungeon gym in Alameda. It's called Iron Island gym. We're going to do "deadlift stuff" tonight for ME squat. This guy does speed deads with 495 and benches 500+. He was mainly competing in the WABDL but wants to exclusively do 3 lift meets from now on. One of his workout partners has a 424 bench @ 148. All of these guys are doing the USAPL meet in Dec. Man I'm amazed at how friendly these dudes are - I can't help but get stronger around these guys.

**14powerlift** · 10-02-2002, 10:21 AM

I don't even have a weak workout partner. Man, I am sooooooooo jealous.

**Antaeus** · 10-02-2002, 10:29 AM

Originally posted by 14powerlift
I don't even have a weak workout partner. Man, I am sooooooooo jealous.

Dude, it makes sure a difference being around dedicated ppl who are WAY stronger than you. I'm so tired of the pusses at my gym. One guy I was working out with never did legs/lower back. We did some GMs, and he struggled with 95 while I repped out 225 (I've done 315 for ME). I swear to god it almost killed him, and he won't do squat stuff with me anymore!! But with the big guys, when they're using your maxes for warmups or training weight, you look at the weight differently. It doesn't look heavy anymore. The iron game is mostly mental - if you think the weight is heavy it will be. Now I don't see my weights as heavy, and they're going up up up....

**Deciever** · 10-02-2002, 11:37 AM

nice man.. getting stronger bty the day
and yourb meeting really strong people..

just last nighbt i met a 242 who totalled 2150 i think...benched 700 an inch from lockout, squatted 805, and DLed 660

**Antaeus** · 10-02-2002, 12:01 PM

Originally posted by Deciever
nice man.. getting stronger bty the day
and yourb meeting really strong people..

just last nighbt i met a 242 who totalled 2150 i think...benched 700 an inch from lockout, squatted 805, and DLed 660

yowza that's a lot. Yeah I'm meeting everybody in the local "scene" which is cool. All 10 of them or so haha. They all have massive f'n tricepts. You think of a tri as up high on the arm, but man these guys have tons of mass down near the elbow.