HardNHeavy's Post Competition Journal

[fittofattofit]

I am pretty confident I think. I've done a lot of work and I'm fairly certain I will better the lifts I did back in July. The shoulder isn't really showing any signs of getting better, but I'm loading up on the anti-inflammatory drugs so it's actually feeling pretty good! haha!! My goal is a 628 squat, 354 bench and 628 deadlift. If I do that, I'll probably take a little time off and maybe let my shoulder heal. Or not.

But yeah, drugs ARE bad.

Thank you for stopping in! Always nice to have a lovely lady in my journal.

Well I killed it on squats, but was only able to get one deadlift in due to a very pissed off shoulder. I have lots of video to go through but here were my lifts-

Weighed in at 202lbs.

Squats- 573,606,622
Bench-325,342,358
Deadlift- 573 I had to stop there. I pulled 573 quickly but I was feeling some major pulling on that tendon, so I thought better of adding anything. I'm happy as hell though. The sad part is that I pulled 590 in training so I knew I had at least 606 in me. Oh well, I'll heal up a little, and start over with different max's to work with.

Video's coming soon.

Great job despite the shoulder.....you nailed the squats and the benching (and I'd be pretty happy with a 573 dead )
Did the bench max upset the shoulder or did you only notice it during the pull?
Now you'll have a chance to rest up a bit and maybe get that shoulder fixed
I'm looking forward to these vids!

[hardNheavy2011]

Great job despite the shoulder.....you nailed the squats and the benching (and I'd be pretty happy with a 573 dead )
Did the bench max upset the shoulder or did you only notice it during the pull?
Now you'll have a chance to rest up a bit and maybe get that shoulder fixed
I'm looking forward to these vids!

I felt some decent pain after squatting and then some during bench, but not really enough to make any difference in performance. I noticed the shoulder the most in the warmup room while warming up for deads. I pulled 520 as my last warmup and felt a painful twinge and almost dropped my opener, but I decided to stick it out. LOL I'm glad I did.

I'm certainly not disappointed. I managed to break 2 American records, the 622 squat and my 1553 total. I broke my old squat record of 584 from 2011. I ended up breaking 8 state records. I already held 7 state records but in the 242 and 198 classes. That's why I decided to gain 3lbs and move up to the 220's.

Anyway, enough bragging. Here's my lifts. I didn't get my 573 squat or my 358 bench because people were standing in front of the camera!!

By the way, thanks so much for sticking around and supporting me!!

[EB68]

Congrats bud! That is freaking awesome and I would be bragging for months if it were me On spread as usual.

[hardNheavy2011]

Congrats bud! That is freaking awesome and I would be bragging for months if it were me On spread as usual.

Thank brother!! I'm really am stoked about it....I can't lie. LOL I'll probably start training for something in March I think. I'll just have to work around the shoulder again since I'm pretty much in my prime and I don't wanna lose it. haha

[fittofattofit]

I'm certainly not disappointed. I managed to break 2 American records, the 622 squat and my 1553 total. I broke my old squat record of 584 from 2011. I ended up breaking 8 state records. I already held 7 state records but in the 242 and 198 classes. That's why I decided to gain 3lbs and move up to the 220's.

Anyway, enough bragging. Here's my lifts. I didn't get my 573 squat or my 358 bench because people were standing in front of the camera!!

^^^^^ that is so awesome! Breaking national records
I love the vids --- those quads are huge. Beautiful lifts as well and none of them looked like they were too much of a grind. The dead looked easy for you but you had a pained look on your face!
Do you reckon you could have gone for more weight on the squats and bench?

By the way, thanks so much for sticking around and supporting me!!

Hey....following your log is inspiring!

[hardNheavy2011]

^^^^^ that is so awesome! Breaking national records
I love the vids --- those quads are huge. Beautiful lifts as well and none of them looked like they were too much of a grind. The dead looked easy for you but you had a pained look on your face!
Do you reckon you could have gone for more weight on the squats and bench?




Hey....following your log is inspiring!

The 622 felt like a grind although when I look at the video, there wasn't much of a pause when I started up with it. I should have went to 628 or 633 because I think I might have gotten either one of them. Oh well, you're supposed to leave a little on the platform. The quads are from years of bodybuilding although I'm finding they aren't much use in powerlifting. haha It's all about having a big ass!! I think I had a little more in the bench. I'm fairly certain 369 would have went, but honestly, I was just happy to get three good lifts in. I was expecting to do only one bench and call it good. My shoulder really didn't hurt much until the damn deadlift.


Well it's back to the drawing board after I learn to walk again. LOL I've got some fairly severe knee pains today. Bad enough that I haven't really noticed my shoulder situation. haha Honestly, I'm just going to stop worrying about the shoulder and keep training. It will either adapt or rupture. I mean really, what are my other options? Rest? I don't think so.

[cmoore]

AWESOME stuff big man. Especially awesome that your shoulder stayed together. PROPS and CONGRATS!

[hardNheavy2011]

AWESOME stuff big man. Especially awesome that your shoulder stayed together. PROPS and CONGRATS!

This is exactly what I was just thinking! Everything held together. LOL Thanks for the support!!

[Getsum]

I felt some decent pain after squatting and then some during bench, but not really enough to make any difference in performance. I noticed the shoulder the most in the warmup room while warming up for deads. I pulled 520 as my last warmup and felt a painful twinge and almost dropped my opener, but I decided to stick it out. LOL I'm glad I did.

I'm certainly not disappointed. I managed to break 2 American records, the 622 squat and my 1553 total. I broke my old squat record of 584 from 2011. I ended up breaking 8 state records. I already held 7 state records but in the 242 and 198 classes. That's why I decided to gain 3lbs and move up to the 220's.

Anyway, enough bragging. Here's my lifts. I didn't get my 573 squat or my 358 bench because people were standing in front of the camera!!

By the way, thanks so much for sticking around and supporting me!!

Just stopping by to say Gratz man! I loved the video...especially them squats, very inspiring man!

[hardNheavy2011]

Just stopping by to say Gratz man! I loved the video...especially them squats, very inspiring man!

Thanks man!! I'm going to be trying something a little different with my squats. I've been experiencing some serious knee pain at my last two meets and I think I'm going to try and use a much wider stance. Everything I've been reading so far talks about narrower stance squats being much harder on the knees. Honestly, I can train through the shoulder. But I can't train at all with really sore knees!

Thanks for supporting me!!

[hardNheavy2011]

11-26-2012

Sledwork-
200ft distance

90lbs-
Drag
Push
Pull
Ropes

135lbs-
Push
Push

thought this might help loosen me up a little.

[-=FLEX=-]

I managed to break 2 American records, the 622 squat and my 1553 total. I broke my old squat record of 584 from 2011. I ended up breaking 8 state records.

Congrats man. That is simply awesome.

I am humbled....

[hardNheavy2011]

Congrats man. That is simply awesome.

I am humbled....

Holy ****!!! FLEX IS IN MY JOURNAL!!!

Thanks man!

Let me ask you this because I know you squat heavy too. How in the hell do you keep your knees from hurting? I think you squat wider than I do though. Do you think if I move to a wider squat stance, some of my knee issues will go away? I know that's hard to answer, I'm just wondering if you have any thoughts on it. And yeah, I do have a lot of injuries, but I can't stop now. LOL

[-=FLEX=-]

Let me ask you this because I know you squat heavy too. How in the hell do you keep your knees from hurting? I think you squat wider than I do though. Do you think if I move to a wider squat stance, some of my knee issues will go away? I know that's hard to answer, I'm just wondering if you have any thoughts on it. And yeah, I do have a lot of injuries, but I can't stop now. LOL

I think based on that vid you have a wider stance than me, but truth is my knees always hurt the day I do squats and at least one or 2 days after.

I don't care.


And yeah; I just subbed in to your journal.


Pepper your angus and all that.....

[hardNheavy2011]

I think based on that vid you have a wider stance than me, but truth is my knees always hurt the day I do squats and at least one or 2 days after.

I don't care.


And yeah; I just subbed in to your journal.


Pepper your angus and all that.....

Hmmm, I'll have to go back and check your squat vids. For some reason I thought you squatted wide.

Yep, I'm with ya. 2 days later after the comp I can walk now.

I can tell ya this, there ain't much going on in here but a ****-ton of sledwork and a few heavy singles every now and then!

[fittofattofit]

Thanks man!! I'm going to be trying something a little different with my squats. I've been experiencing some serious knee pain at my last two meets and I think I'm going to try and use a much wider stance. Everything I've been reading so far talks about narrower stance squats being much harder on the knees. Honestly, I can train through the shoulder. But I can't train at all with really sore knees!

11-26-2012

Sledwork-
200ft distance

90lbs-
Drag
Push
Pull
Ropes

135lbs-
Push
Push

thought this might help loosen me up a little.

Wants to take it easy on the knees so goes and pushes his sled 200 ft
Back at it after 2 days
You can't keep a good man down

[hardNheavy2011]

Wants to take it easy on the knees so goes and pushes his sled 200 ft
Back at it after 2 days
You can't keep a good man down

My knees had a moment this evening where they didn't hurt so I took advantage of that.

I will probably start back officially tomorrow evening with something stupid I'm sure.

What do you think about the whole wide/narrow stance situation Doc? I'd like to hear what you think in regards to knee issues.

I also talked to my PT lady today. She said she's happy she met me because she'll have good job security.

[EB68]

My knees had a moment this evening where they didn't hurt so I took advantage of that.

I will probably start back officially tomorrow evening with something stupid I'm sure.

What do you think about the whole wide/narrow stance situation Doc? I'd like to hear what you think in regards to knee issues.

I also talked to my PT lady today. She said she's happy she met me because she'll have good job security.

I use a pretty wide stance and don't squat no where near the weight you do, but I have zero pain in my knees after squatting. I do get some grinding clicking sounds from them but it doesn't hurt at all.

[hardNheavy2011]

I use a pretty wide stance and don't squat no where near the weight you do, but I have zero pain in my knees after squatting. I do get some grinding clicking sounds from them but it doesn't hurt at all.

Thanks. That's just the type of info I'm looking for.

[Lou1se]

I felt some decent pain after squatting and then some during bench, but not really enough to make any difference in performance. I noticed the shoulder the most in the warmup room while warming up for deads. I pulled 520 as my last warmup and felt a painful twinge and almost dropped my opener, but I decided to stick it out. LOL I'm glad I did.

I'm certainly not disappointed. I managed to break 2 American records, the 622 squat and my 1553 total. I broke my old squat record of 584 from 2011. I ended up breaking 8 state records. I already held 7 state records but in the 242 and 198 classes. That's why I decided to gain 3lbs and move up to the 220's.

Anyway, enough bragging. Here's my lifts. I didn't get my 573 squat or my 358 bench because people were standing in front of the camera!!

By the way, thanks so much for sticking around and supporting me!!

Repped. That was fantastic to watch! You've earned your right to brag, loved the squats. You weren't kidding when you said you were going to beat a lot of those state records! That body of yours must hate you very much

[hardNheavy2011]

Repped. That was fantastic to watch! You've earned your right to brag, loved the squats. You weren't kidding when you said you were going to beat a lot of those state records! That body of yours must hate you very much

Thank you!! I feel good about it, but it's done and over and I'm moving on to the next comp. haha I'm convinced I can just work through the shoulder problem and continue to improve. I'm back at it today. haha

Workout from yesterday 11-27-2012

Close Grip Bench-
230-10

+90lbs of chain
190-5
210-5
230-3
190-5

JM Press-
140-10
140-10
140-10

Pushdowns-
70-12
70-12
70-12
70-12

11-28-2012

Max Effort Deadlift-
Conventional Deads +100lbs band resistance
Bar Weight
410-1
460-1
410-1
410-1
410-1

Good Mornings-
155-10
175-10
195-10
155-10

Hip Thrusts-
320-10
370-10
370-10
370-10

Hyper-Extensions-
bwt-15
bwt-20

[EB68]

Nice work. I like the heal it or kill it attitude on the shoulder. I usually work through mine as well, and only stop if the pain reaches the severe level. So far it has worked for me and the shoulder feels much better now than a few months ago. Those Hip thrusts are mind blowing.

[cmoore]

Are you doing anything specific for your shoulder?

[hardNheavy2011]

Nice work. I like the heal it or kill it attitude on the shoulder. I usually work through mine as well, and only stop if the pain reaches the severe level. So far it has worked for me and the shoulder feels much better now than a few months ago. Those Hip thrusts are mind blowing.

I'm not sure if my working through shoulder pain all these years has actually helped or hurt. lol I think up until they actually found the tears, it probably wasn't a big deal, but I think now I really need to rest it. That's probably not going to happen though. I think I can still bench enough to be competitive and as long as my other lifts keep increasing, I'll be happy.

Are you doing anything specific for your shoulder?

I am doing what you have recommended with the one and two arm hangs. Honestly, those are the only exercises that give me any relief at all. All those specific rotator cuff movements just piss my shoulder off even more. lol

[hardNheavy2011]

11-29-2012

DE Squat Day
Box Squats- WIDE- 15" Box SSB
295x2 10 sets 60sec rest intervals

Leg Press-
450-15
540-12
630-12
720-15
810-12

GHR-
bwt- 12
10-10
10-10
10-

[fittofattofit]

What do you think about the whole wide/narrow stance situation Doc? I'd like to hear what you think in regards to knee issues.

I also talked to my PT lady today. She said she's happy she met me because she'll have good job security.

Going wide is about moving the hips into external rotation and abduction so that when you start to stand up under load you will bring your strong internal rotators (gluteus medius and minimus) and adductors into play as well as the quads and gluteus maximus.
When you use a narrow stance, then you are mainly extending at the hip (gluteus maximus) and at the knee (quads) with little involvement of the other muscles
What this means is that in general you will be stronger with a wider stance, or alternatively that for a given weight a wider stance will put more of the strain through the hips and glutes and less through the quads, so there will be less strain on the knee ligaments.
Individual anatomy and kinesiology will always vary, but the usual advice is 'if the knees are sore, then go wider and put more strain on the hips'. Visa Versa is also true

It's great to see that you're back training heavy.....BP 230+90lb chains......deads 460+100lb bands
And my favourite shoulder rehab work was to do slow pull-ups from a dead hang --- I was able to take the strain off the RC but build up the good supporting strength of the rhomboids, traps, serratus and delts

[hardNheavy2011]

Going wide is about moving the hips into external rotation and abduction so that when you start to stand up under load you will bring your strong internal rotators (gluteus medius and minimus) and adductors into play as well as the quads and gluteus maximus.
When you use a narrow stance, then you are mainly extending at the hip (gluteus maximus) and at the knee (quads) with little involvement of the other muscles
What this means is that in general you will be stronger with a wider stance, or alternatively that for a given weight a wider stance will put more of the strain through the hips and glutes and less through the quads, so there will be less strain on the knee ligaments.
Individual anatomy and kinesiology will always vary, but the usual advice is 'if the knees are sore, then go wider and put more strain on the hips'. Visa Versa is also true

It's great to see that you're back training heavy.....BP 230+90lb chains......deads 460+100lb bands
And my favourite shoulder rehab work was to do slow pull-ups from a dead hang --- I was able to take the strain off the RC but build up the good supporting strength of the rhomboids, traps, serratus and delts

Well, I've taken a few days off from BB.com, but I've still been training so I have a few workouts to log. I wanted to say that my knees are making my shoulder seem like it's healed up. LOL They are just stiff and sore and it's painful to even get up out of the chair. I've started icing them a few times a day to see if that will help. I'm not sure what I'm going to do since my squat is the only thing keeping me in the game.

I've been box squatting much wider and I'm hoping that I'll get enough hip flexibility to be able to get deep enough. I guess I'll have to start working a little more on flexibility. I think my hips can take a little more....well hell, they're going to have to! I believe that if I can get wider and my knee pain subsides, I'll be able to squat more. How much more, I'm not sure. I think I still had another 20lbs left during that 623 squat.

I'll go ahead and log some training days and I have a video from today max effort sumo work. I'll also have a question about my sumo form.

[hardNheavy2011]

12-02-2012

Back
Neutral grip pulldowns-
100-15
190-15
240-10
260-10
280-8
280-8

1 arm machine rows-
140-10
150-10
160-10
160-10

Regular Pulldowns-
190-10
190-10
190-10
190-10

Sledwork
200ft pushes
135lbs 2 sets
90lbs 2 sets

[hardNheavy2011]

12-03-2012

DE Bench

Speed Bench-
180x3 9 sets 60 sec rest

Dumbbell Press-
80-15
80-15
80-15
80-15
80-15

Dips-
bwt-10
bwt-10
bwt-10
bwt-10

[hardNheavy2011]

12-04-2012

Sledwork-
200ft pushes

90lbs 4 sets