Donati's Log Of Steel Bending, Grip And Powerlifting

[Buccos1]

Tue (11/7)

Cold Plunge
38 degrees - 5 min.

[Buccos1]

Wed (11/8)

Sumo Deadlift
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  315
add suit/straps down
(1x1)  405
straps up
(1x0)  470
(1x1)  455

Pull-ups +35
(2x4)

PB Swings
(2x15)  240

Dips
(2x10)

Grippers - 20mm
(1x1)  #1
(1x1)  #1.5
(1x1)  #2 - 102
(1x1)  GHP5 - 111

I hate missing reps on deadlift and knew the 470 would be a stretch but ended up getting about halfway up, then just couldn't grind it.  My best-ever deadlift was 565 at about 195lbs. BW years back.  500lbs. at 175 is the renewed goal.  Just going to keep banging away at it.

[John Knowlton]

killer deadlifts

you will hit your goal in no time ,you're close.

[Buccos1]

Fri (11/10)

Standing Axle Press
(1x8)  bar
(1x5)  85
(1x3)  125
(1x2)  145
(1x1)  165

Axle Curls
(1x8)  bar
(1x5)  55
(1x5)  85
(1x3)  110

Chin-ups
(2x10)

Dumbbell Hammer Curls (Fat Gripz)
(2x8)  30

Grippers - MMS
(1x3)  #1
(1x3)  #1.5
(1x3)  #2 - 114
(1x1)  GHP5 - 111

[Buccos1]

Sat (11/11)

Squats
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  275
add suit/straps down
(1x1)  365
(1x1)  385

Cold Plunge
37 degrees - 3 min.

[Buccos1]

Sun (11/12)

DU - IMPs
1/4 x 6" Grade 2
1/4 x 4.5" Grade 2
17/64 x 7" O1

DU - BBW
1/4 x 7" Grade 8 (30 deg.)

Reverse - IMPs
1/4 x 6" Grade 2 (2)
60d (hard) - 15 deg.

Ironmind Hub
(1x1)  40
(1x1)  50
(1x1)  55

Stub
(1x1)  20
(1x1)  25
(1x1)  30

Pull-ups
(2x15)

Cold Plunge
34.5 degrees - 3 min.

[Buccos1]

Mon (11/13)

Bench Press
(1x10)  bar
(1x5)  135
(1x3)  185
(1x3)  225
(1x2)  245
(1x1)  280

Bench Press - SlingShot (G)
(2x1)  315

Floor Press
(1x1)  225
(1x1)  235

Speed Bench Press
(3x3)  135
(3x3)  135 - add chains

Grippers - 25mm
(1x1)  Trainer
(1x1)  #1
(1x1)  #1.5
(1x1)  #2 - 102
(1x1)  Master - 106

[Buccos1]

Wed (11/15)

Trap Bar Deadlift
(1x5)  140
(1x3)  230
(1x2)  320
(1x1)  410
(1x1)  460

Chin-ups
(2x10)

[Buccos1]

Thur (11/16)

Speed Bench Press - minis
(1x10)  bar
(1x5)  95
(6x3)  135
(3x3)  145

Dips (+25)
(2x5)

--Superset--
Pull-ups  (2x5)
Chin-ups  (2x5)

[Buccos1]

Fri (11/17)

Standing Axle Press
(1x8)  bar
(1x5)  85
(1x3)  125
(1x2)  145
(1x0)  175

Axle Curls
(1x8)  bar
(1x5)  55
(1x5)  85
(1x3)  115

--Superset--
Pull-ups  (2x6)
Chin-ups  (2x6)

Dips
(2x10)

[Buccos1]

Sat (11/18)

Squats
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  275
add suit/straps down
(1x1)  365
straps up
(1x1)  405

Walkouts
(1x1)  495
(1x1)  515

Cold Plunge
38 degrees - 4 min.

[Buccos1]

Sun (11/19)

Bench Press
(1x5)  135
(1x3)  185
(1x3)  225
(1x2)  245
(1x1)  275

Bench Press - F6
(1x1)  315
(1x0)  325

Cold Plunge
36 degrees - 3 min.

With a meet coming-up in two weeks, I had to get some reps in with my shirt.  I haven't done a meet in nearly 4 years and have not been in my shirt for almost as long.  The F6 shirt I have (along with all of the other gear) was what I wore at a bodyweight of 195-205.  I'm going to be competing at 181 in the meet and weigh about 175 right now.  The shirt is pretty loose but still gives me some tightness in the shoulders.  My wife is also lifting off for me so it's tough to get-in and stay-in a good position which made the 325 tough.  Stalled-out about 1/2-way up.

[John Knowlton]

Way cool upcoming meet that is nice. Too bad The shirt doesn't fit quite tight but it's still should be OK.

So good luck hope all goes well

[Buccos1]

Tue (11/21)

Speed Bench Press 
(3x5)  bar
(3x3)  135
(3x3)  135 - add minis
(3x3)  135 - minis (add chains)

Lying KB Extensions
(2x12)

Pull-ups
(2x10)

Dips
(2x10)

Grippers - 20mm
(1x3)  Trainer
(1x3)  #1
(1x3)  #1.5
(1x1)  #2 - 102
(1x1)  GHP5 - 111
(1x1)  #2 - 114

[Buccos1]

Wed (11/22)

Deadlifts
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  315
add suit/straps down
(1x1)  405
straps up
(1x1)  435

[John Knowlton]

Nice Deadlift

[Buccos1]

Thur (11/23)

Pull-ups
(1x15)
(1x5) +35

Hanging Knee Raises
(2x10)

Dips
(2x12)

Chinups
(2x10)

Grippers - MMS
(1x5)  #1
(1x3)  #1.5
(1x1)  #2 - 108
(1x1)  GHP5 - 111
(1x1)  #2 - 114

[Buccos1]

Fri (11/24)

Squats
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  275
add suit/straps down
(1x1)  365
straps up
(1x1)  405

Sumo Deadlift
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  315
add suit/straps down
(1x1)  405
straps up
(1x1)  455

[Buccos1]

Sat (11/25)

Bench Press
(1x5)  135
(1x3)  185
(1x1)  225
(1x1)  245
(1x1)  275

Bench Press - F6
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  325

Speed Bench Press
(3x3)  135
(3x3)  135 - add mini bands
(3x3)  135 - minis/add chains

Dips 
(2x10)

Cold Plunge
34 degrees - 4 min.

[Buccos1]

Sun (11/26)

Standing Axle Press
(1x10)  bar
(1x5)  85
(1x3)  125
(1x2)  145
(1x1)  170

Axle Curls
(1x5)  bar
(1x5)  55
(1x5)  85
(1x3)  115
(1x2)  125

-- Super Set --
Pull-ups  (2x7)
Chin-ups  (2x7)

Grippers - 25mm
(1x1)  Trainer
(1x1)  #1
(1x1)  #1.5
(1x1)  #2 - 102
(1x1)  Master - 106

[Buccos1]

Wed (11/29)

Standing Axle Press
(1x10)  bar
(1x10)  55
(1x10)  85
(1x5)  125

Pull-ups
(2x10)

Chin-ups
(1x10)

Dips
(2x10)

Pushups
(2x25)

Grippers - 20mm
(1x3)  Trainer
(1x3)  #1
(1x3)  #1.5
(1x1)  #2 - 108
(1x1)  GHP5 - 111

[John Knowlton]

nice work 

are you ready for the meet

[Buccos1]

19 minutes ago, John Knowlton said:

nice work 

are you ready for the meet

Thanks.  Going to be my next post.  Trying to stay caught-up but never seems to work out like that.  I didn't hit the numbers I wanted to or am capable of, but decent overall, especially with the first time back in almost four years and at my lightest weight since high school.

[Buccos1]

Sat (12/2)

USPA Erie Open
Erie, Pa
181, single-ply
Open/Masters 45-49

Squat
380 - good lift
402 - no lift
402 - good lift

Bench Press
264.5 - good lift (raw)
303 - good lift
319 - no lift

Deadlift
407.8 - good lift
440.9 - no lift
474 - good lift

This was my first meet back in just over four years.  My last meet was an RPS meet in the 220 class, where I weighed-in at 209 lbs.  This was also the first meet where I competed at 181.  (Previous meets included the 198, 220, and 242 weight classes.)  I weighed-in for this meet at 175.7lbs and didn't do anything different to cut etc.  Aside from skipping breakfast, which I´ve been doing a lot of lately with intermittent fasting, I had a few cups of coffee on the way up to Erie before weigh-in.

This was my first USPA meet and was a great experience.  The meet was very well-run and was lively.  There was a dedicated DJ playing music throughout.  I´ve had great experiences with the RPS fed and their meets have always been fun and competitive.  USPA was the same; a great atmosphere and a lot of strong competitors.  Judging was spot-on too: strict but fair and consistent.

My training leading-up to this meet was OK - nothing phenomenal but decent.  Dropping 30-35lbs. over the past year has definitely affected my strength and leverages but the strength is starting to come back.  With this comeback meet, I wanted to get a few near-100% lifts in and just get back into the flow of things on the platform.  

I competed single-ply with loose gear that I used when I weighed 195-205 lbs. so it was not really ideal.  Just enough to help with some nagging injuries.  I also wore sleeves instead of wraps on squats and opened-up raw on bench.  (Most of my training year-round is raw for bench.)

My opener for squat of 380 was light and fast.  I bumped-up to 402 and got a decent attempt in but got red-lighted for depth.  Being conservative, I took the same weight for my 3rd attempt and got it pretty easy.  My opener of 265 on bench was raw and pretty easy too.  I might have been good for 285.  I took 303 on my second attempt and got another easy rep.  On my 3rd attempt of 319, I got about 2/3 of the way up but got out of position a little and stalled.  Should have had this and was probably good for 325.  

My deadlift opener of 407.8 flew up.  I took 440.9 for my second attempt, which was another easy rep.  I thought I had it but I learned after the meet that it was red-lighted.  Not knowing this during the meet, I took 475 for my final attempt and ended-up getting it.  It was a total grinder and probably close to my max on this day.  If I would´ve known that my second lift was red-lighted, I would´ve probably took 455 for my 3rd attempt.  I hadn't taken anything over 455 in the past year so was happy to get the 475.  

All-in-all, a great meet.  I will definitely be doing more USPA meets.  A ton of competition, great atmosphere and environment.  I will be competing in the Men's Masters 50+ division next year and have some single-ply and raw goals.  First on the list is a 315 lb. raw bench at 181 (50+) which will rank as an elite bench (raw).  Iḿ probably at 280-85 raw with a pause right now.  My focus over the next six months will be getting the next 30-35lbs. at a bodyweight of 175.  I will also be re-dedicating a lot of my training to deadlift with hopes of finally hitting a triple-bodyweight pull.  Ten years ago, I pulled 550 in competition at around 192 lbs. which was close to triple-bodyweight.  I was also at 565 at 195 in training.  Iḿ going to be working-in a lot of banded work and chains for deadlifts.  

My next meet might be a single-lift comp for raw bench and single-ply deadlifts in the springtime, if training goes well.

 

[John Knowlton]

Way cool , looks like you had a good time. full meets are hard but fun,