Singles??

[raynerd]

Haha I laughed pretty hard at you fighting the spotter to keep the weight on your chest. That would have made a great video. Guess I can see where he was coming from if he didn't know of your beast-like pauses with heavy ass weights!

[mirroroferised]

I keep on gaining weight just to make it harder for guys like you and loch to lift me over your head and do reps. Those rows looked solid man. I just added them back in an an accessory with 531. Great exercise.

[fittofattofit]

Not quite as clean as with 225 but close. Sorry for the glare.

http://youtu.be/UHO2tH64v0M

Still keeping it focused on the lats and looking clean .. strong rowing!

Had a spotter lift off for 265. Forgot to remind him I would be pausing it. At the bottom, he immediately grabbed the bar and started trying pull it off my chest. I pulled back to keep the bar in place and through clenched teeth said, "I got it." He heard "Get it." This resulted in a mini tug of war as I tried to maintain the bar in the paused position. He finally got what I was saying, backed off, and I managed to press it with just a minor strain to my abs. Good news is that I know I can probably get 265 in the worst of conditions. No issues with the 285.

Ha .. that would have been so funny to watch. Awesome way to get that Time Under Tension on the bench

[SteveWright1]

great story Cooper - glad he did not wreck what was an otherwise excellent session

your benching and he is trying to Pendlay row at the same time - adds new meaning to the question "Can I work in with you"

[Cooper72]

10/28/2014

SOHP
45x3
65x3
95x3
115x3
135x3
155x3
175x3
185x3, 5 sets

Legs started shaking on the last rep of the second set. Third set was even worse. Fourth was better, and the fifth set was the strongest. At 185, I realize that I can press a bit more weight than the rest of me can stabilize.

BB ROWS
135x3
185x3
225x3
245x3, 5 sets

No issues

CHINS
BWx3
+70x3, 5 sets

The chins were easy but it's taking a bit for my elbow joints to acclimate.

[Korr]

Had a spotter lift off for 265. Forgot to remind him I would be pausing it. At the bottom, he immediately grabbed the bar and started trying pull it off my chest. I pulled back to keep the bar in place and through clenched teeth said, "I got it." He heard "Get it." This resulted in a mini tug of war as I tried to maintain the bar in the paused position. He finally got what I was saying, backed off, and I managed to press it with just a minor strain to my abs. Good news is that I know I can probably get 265 in the worst of conditions. No issues with the 285.

I lol'd seriously.

Thankfully, there's a few big ass Hawaiian guys that I trust at my gym. One of them is an ex-powerlifter so, I'm in good hands with them.

I do remember though, a couple of months back, some guy just appeared and tried to spot me on one of my lifts. I paused mid set told him to get the **** away and finished. It pissed me off at the time, but looking back at it I think it was funny as hell.

[raynerd]

Nailed the 185 3x5....nice!! Strong ass rowing as well. Nice crush

[SlothBane]

Had a spotter lift off for 265. Forgot to remind him I would be pausing it. At the bottom, he immediately grabbed the bar and started trying pull it off my chest. I pulled back to keep the bar in place and through clenched teeth said, "I got it." He heard "Get it." This resulted in a mini tug of war as I tried to maintain the bar in the paused position.

Probably not funny at the time, but made a great read. LoL'd on that one big time.


Gratz on the 185 sets straight across.

[blbskue]

Damn solid on the OHP and rows. Always humbling to see someone pressing about the same as I bench for reps.

[GKC45]

Outrageous numbers on everything. Did you and the "spotter" share a laugh afterwards?

[Cooper72]

Thankfully, there's a few big ass Hawaiian guys that I trust at my gym. One of them is an ex-powerlifter so, I'm in good hands with them.

Yeah, we at Fitness for $10 aren't as well off as you Gold's membership holders. The few times I've stopped by your place, I noticed an immediate difference in atmosphere and a generally more knowledgable class of lifter.

Nailed the 185 3x5....nice!! Strong ass rowing as well. Nice crush

Gratz on the 185 sets straight across.

Damn solid on the OHP and rows. Always humbling to see someone pressing about the same as I bench for reps.

Thanks for the support guys.

Outrageous numbers on everything. Did you and the "spotter" share a laugh afterwards?

Well, he did redeem himself on the single at 285. He's actually a really nice guy and I couldn't stay mad at someone who genuinely thought he was saving my life. On the plus side, I now have another 'trained' spotter to help me out now.

[Cooper72]

10/29/2014

SQUATS
45x2
135x2
185x2
225x2
275x1
295x1
315x1
335x1
355x1
365x1 (RPE 6.5)

Walk-out was shaky but the squat went well.

BENCH
45x2
135x2
185x1
205x1
225x1
245x1
265x1
285x1 (RPE 6.5)

About 7 lbs from my max of 292.

http://youtu.be/D4eaZnVXV8A


DEADS
135x1, 2 sets
225x1, 2 sets
315x1, 2
405x1
465x1 (RPE 7)

Happy with the speed. Not so happy about the back rounding. I think if I can do a better job of keeping my back tight, my speed off the ground will improve.

http://youtu.be/wkF3QJCzYZw

[raynerd]

Great vids Coop, forgive me for saying this but in every one of the vids I have watched I am thinking "why does he not go heavier?"
I know you have a program and set goals, but I see absolutely no struggle in any of them making me think you can lift so damn much more. Your lifts are insanely heavy as it is of course, and I know nothing about powerlifting training lol

[HoneyBadger300]

Deadlift still looked pretty great even with the slight round. I don't think that's anything to worry about, but I agree with your assessment.

[kaleida]

Great job in here! Wow, that's a long pause for the bench press. Do you sink it into your chest during the pause or just barely touch?

[Cooper72]

Great vids Coop, forgive me for saying this but in every one of the vids I have watched I am thinking "why does he not go heavier?"
I know you have a program and set goals, but I see absolutely no struggle in any of them making me think you can lift so damn much more. Your lifts are insanely heavy as it is of course, and I know nothing about powerlifting training lol

Funny, the guys at the gym ask me the same thing.

While they may appear easy, my daily maxes are still 92.5% (Squat), 97.5% (Bench), and 94% (Deads) of their respective PR's. Personal schedule permitting, I will do this 3-4 times a week because I've found that -so far- nothing helps my lifts more than specificity and volume in the form of heavy singles. I wouldn't be able to sustain this program if the daily maxes were all gut busters.

Deadlift still looked pretty great even with the slight round. I don't think that's anything to worry about, but I agree with your assessment.

Hey HB! I'll definitely be hanging out at this weight until I'm satisfied with the form. These damned videos don't lie.

Great job in here! Wow, that's a long pause for the bench press. Do you sink it into your chest during the pause or just barely touch?

I'm letting it sink in. I've been watching Bill's (Isaku's) vids and it seems to be working for him. I think it may actually take less energy this way than trying to hold it in place.

[fittofattofit]

That 285 bench looked very easy for you ... strong arch and very stable and that was a great competition pause. Looking huge as well
Deadlift: nothing to not like ..
your time from addressing the bar to pulling was literally one second
speed from the floor was terrific
Your back looked good ... it's your lower back that's important and you kept your lower back tight. Rolling forward through the thoracic spine with the scaps forward is actually the way that a lot of the really heavy dead lifters set up so that they use the strength of their upper back muscles and shoulders to help gain some extra pull.



Looking at your vid I'd say you're well past your old deadlift PR

[RT1957]

Dang.....some serious weight getting tossed around....Where have I been....IN...Thanks for coming by my journal......

[InternetTuffGuy]

Holy crap, is that you Cooper? Amazing build if so.

Funny story about the spotter, good to see it didn't getting the rep or the next single. Love he workouts in here.

[GKC45]

I don't think your back is rounding excessively, but I do see where you want to work on it a bit. Either way, you have great strength and I don't think you will have any problem working it out.

[kaleida]

I'm letting it sink in. I've been watching Bill's (Isaku's) vids and it seems to be working for him. I think it may actually take less energy this way than trying to hold it in place.

I want to try that too at some point...pause is the hardest part for me.

re: rounding ... I do it, I love it, I can't judge

[Cooper72]

Deadlift: your time from addressing the bar to pulling was literally one second

Lol, it has to be. I hold my breath and it's always a race to pull and lockout before I pass out. Good fun!

Dang.....some serious weight getting tossed around....Where have I been....IN...Thanks for coming by my journal......

Nice to see you, RT. Just plugging away and trying to stay within a few hundred pounds of JTBNY's total.

Holy crap, is that you Cooper? Amazing build if so.

Not sure if serious. That there is Mr. Konstantin Konstantinovs. Before I switched to reverse-grip benching, I used to emulate his style of narrow-grip benching. I could certainly do a lot worse though. Dude is a tank.

I don't think your back is rounding excessively, but I do see where you want to work on it a bit. Either way, you have great strength and I don't think you will have any problem working it out.

re: rounding ... I do it, I love it, I can't judge

Thanks guys. I won't be going into panic mode over a little rounding but I did feel the slightest warning twinge mid-pull. I'll be working on it.

[Cooper72]

10/31/2014

SQUATS
45x2
135x2
185x2
225x2
275x1
295x1
315x1
335x1
355x1
365x1 (RPE 8)

Went back to my heeled shoes because I'm stubborn. A bit tougher to keep from meaning forward.

BENCH
45x2
135x2
185x1
205x1
225x1
245x1
265x1
285x1 (RPE 8)

Held it a bit longer than usual.

DEADS
135x1, 2 sets
225x1, 2 sets
315x1, 2 sets
405x1
465x1 (RPE 8)

Deads were a mirror image of yesterday's. Slight rounding but no 'twinge of foreboding' that I felt yesterday. I did notice, however, that while my hips were locked out, my knees weren't. I got a red light during the last meet for 'soft knees'. Going to have to pay attention.

[InternetTuffGuy]

Lol, yeah I was serious. In your videos you have a shaved head and looked similar but I didn't zoom in to get a real good look at you. That and your impressive lifting had me believing.

[fittofattofit]

Deads were a mirror image of yesterday's. Slight rounding but no 'twinge of foreboding' that I felt yesterday. I did notice, however, that while my hips were locked out, my knees weren't. I got a red light during the last meet for 'soft knees'. Going to have to pay attention.

In the vid above it looked like you locked out your knees OK slightly before you locked out the hips, but maybe softened them as you locked out the hips and leaned backwards (tough to be sure in trackies I know). Anyway, there's no strength issue so I suspect ironing it out will just be a matter of being aware

[SteveWright1]

I admire those with the speed of eyes that can see the back rounding
the vid lasts 14 seconds, the pull starts at 4 and its finished by 7

I did not have time to see any back rounding

strong lifting at usual Cooper

would back rounding result in a red light during comp?
I mean naturally you want form that protects your back so you do not hurt yourself and can continue doing this for as long as you want to

but hopefully you and everyone else will forgive the ignorant newbie with poor form when he says
'Sometimes just getting the weight from point A to point B is worthy of celebrating especially when it is really heavy"

[Cooper72]

Lol, yeah I was serious. In your videos you have a shaved head and looked similar but I didn't zoom in to get a real good look at you. That and your impressive lifting had me believing.

ITG is my new best friend. Being compared to KK is quite possibly the nicest thing anyone has said to me.

In the vid above it looked like you locked out your knees OK slightly before you locked out the hips, but maybe softened them as you locked out the hips and leaned backwards (tough to be sure in trackies I know). Anyway, there's no strength issue so I suspect ironing it out will just be a matter of being aware

The vid I posted wasn't bad (knee-wise). The one from yesterday, which I didn't post, was much more obvious. I just have to make sure I'm not creating any training scars.

would back rounding result in a red light during comp?

No, nobody gets penalized for back rounding. A lot of guys really push their physical limits and it's extremely difficult to perform a true max without some sort of form degradation. At least from what I've seen at the local level.

For the deadlift, the judges are looking for shoulders back, hips and knees locked, no hitching, waiting for the down command, and controlling the weight on the descent. I might be forgetting something, but I think those are the main points.

[Jtbny]

I don't think the back rounding was bad and it's not necessarily a bad thing. Having and using a strong upper back to complete the lift is fine IMO despite what the sheep will say about it. That's not to say one should look like a scared cat the entire lift but ffs when the weight gets heavy recruitment of as many muscle groups is a pretty sound idea (saftey of course).

Strong lifts Coop. With a 15 year old daughter there is no lack of motivation to hit those weights hard for the intimidation factor alone

I've also seen red lights for soft knees (no lock out). That's why you can't wear anything over your knees on the platform . I've also seen some pretty bad back rounding and you are right never a red light for that!

[mirroroferised]

I take away quite a bit from you posting vids cooper, I hope you keep at it. Question - is your butt off the bench for that press? I've worked like crazy on staying tight, getting a bit of an arch and working on form in general with bench since it's my worst lift. I've read mixed reviews on whether or not butt should stay on the bench or not.

[raynerd]

Another consistent strong session Coop! I have nothing to add in your dead form, I think it looks great lol.