Sam Ashen March to Competition Challenge

[Sam Ashen]

Hello everybody and welcome to my March Challenge!

 

February's Challenge featured a sudden signup for a real PL meet and it looks like I am going!  The meet director seems friendly enough - and said it will be a great first meet for me. (and the other person he was talking to)

 

The big day is April 23.  So now we are working on programming and preparation.

 

I thought about theming this Challenge, but decided against it.  Maybe I will have time and energy to color it up later.  But it is looking very unlikely.  It might even look like a copy and paste of last month's Challenge, with a few important modifications.

 

Weeks 9 to 12 (March) Goals:

 

1. Track!

 

54 days tracked, this year to date, including today.  The daily average so far is approximately 3300 Calories, with approximately 1 kg of weight gain.  This competition is open, so the weight class does not matter quite so much.  However, I plan to compete just under 93 kg, because 82 kg is not attainable.  It is all done by Wilks, so a small weight gain accompanied with a big lift gain is beneficial.

 

The daily average target is 3200 Calories.  Carbs to be 250-300+.  Protein to be 150-200+.

 

Hmm.  Tracking sounds suspiciously like a Ranger goal.  The big advantage of tracking is it shows where I am and how I got there.

 

2. Lift!

 

We have 8 weeks to prep for this meet.  The program Miss Broki and I came up with is some evil variation of the evil Bulgarian method.  The general idea is to go for a "daily max" heavy single, then back off a little bit and do doubles or triples.  Split the week up with some auxiliary lifts.  Add pull-ups.

 

It does feature one Rest Day per week, so maybe I will take advantage of that Rest Day to show everybody what the next week is going to look like.

 

It's evil.  But this is March.  And we are marching on the Evil Empire.  I have not decided which Evil Empire this is, but....

 

Bonus Quest:  Confuse my readers even more by learning Russian Notation!  So that would be kg x reps x sets.  

 

3. Screw Conditioning!  Just Focus on Lifting!

 

Ha!  There it is!  Eight weeks!  Stay away from anything that resembles Crossfit!  Stay away from anything that resembles Cardio!  Just focus on Strength!  Ha!

 

So we are no longer worrying about conditioning and we are no longer worrying about mobility.  So not only am I playing the 3 Dexterity character, I am also playing the 3 Constitution character!  I have an analogy from Baldur's Gate:  There is a Violet Potion that does exactly that!  For an entire 24 hours, it gives your character an immense 25 Strength, but only 3 Constitution and 3 Dexterity.  Picking the time to use that Potion is interesting - and using it is incredible fun.

 

Next time, I think playing it on the Thief might be fun.  Just make sure she also drinks a Potion of Agility for during critical times go stealthy through a dungeon and backstab.  Usually I just use it with the Potion of Agility and Potion of Fortutide.

 

4. Philosophize!  Bore the Audience!

 

Last Challenge cycle, this goal was reflecting.  This is, of course, similar.  Here is a pretty good place to unload my thoughts.

 

5. Bonus Quests as they Appear

 

And that's it!

[wildross]

Should be fun.

[Sam Ashen]

Should be fun.

 

So excited about this!  I really am bouncing off of walls!

------------------------------

 

T-minus 56 Days:

 

Warm-up featured rock climbing.  Scaled 3 walls.

 

Squats:

20.4 kg x 10 x 1 - Empty Bar

61.2 kg x 10 x 1

83.9 kg x 5 x 1 - Really warming up and killing time at the same time.

 

Bench Press:

20.4 kg x 10 x 1 - Empty Bar

43.1 kg x 10 x 1

61.2 kg x 5 x 2 - Miss Broki showed up in time for the second set.  Had ideas.

83.9 kg x 3 x 1

93.0 kg x 2 x 1

 

She says I still use too narrow a grip - that she uses the same grip width I use.  So I moved my grip so the middle finger was over the ring.  The third rep of the triple and the second rep of the double were grindy.  All reps were paused.  Practicing pausing at the bottom and at the top as if waiting for a rack command.

 

Squats:

61.2 kg x 5 x 2 - More ideas.  Working with a slightly wider stance.

83.9 kg x 5 x 1

102.0 kg x 3 x 1

124.7 kg x 2 x 2 - The second rep was more grindy than normal.

 

She says the way I squat is great for Olympic lifting, but does not do me any good for powerlifting.

 

I thought of three reasons I suck at Squats:

1. No belt - This will be fixed in a week or so.

2. Narrow Stance - A wider stance shortens the range of motion

3. Range of Motion - But I will go back to that heated Spezzy discussion where she said going full depth and getting white lights is better.

 

Deadlifts:

61.2 kg x 5 x 1

102.0 kg x 5 x 1

142.9 kg x 3 x 1

165.5 kg x 2 x 1

174.6 kg x 2 x 1

 

The last set felt heavy.  It might have been time of day.  It might have been no chalk.  It might have been because it is 85% of what I say my 1RM is.

 

We discussed openers and attempts.  So far we penciled in:

 

Squats:  125 / 140 / 150 kg

Bench Press: 90 / 100 / 105 kg

Deadlift: 180 / 200 / 210 kg

 

On the Virutal Meet, you saw:

Squats: 128.8 / 142.4 / 146.9 kg

Bench Press: 93.0 / 102.0 / 106.6x kg

Deadlift: 183.7 / 197.3 / 206.3 kg

 

Nothing to eat at home.  Went shopping today.  Too much to think about.  No food pr0n to show for it.

 

Score for Today:

4585 Calories

481 Carbs

236 Fat

187 Protein

 

+15.8 Overall

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

So excited for you. You are going to crush that PL meet.

[Emerald_Dragonfly]

Following for the excitement!

[SevenofSeven]

Gonna stalk here to watch the excitement.

[AugustaAdaByron]

One more stalker here!

[Jaymul]

Yay for another competitive lifter!

[Rob__]

Hey good luck in your comp! I hear they're a lot of fun!

[Sam Ashen]

Hey good luck in your comp! I hear they're a lot of fun!

 

Thanks!

 

 

Yay for another competitive lifter!

 

Lifter?  Yes!  Competitive?  That remains to be seen!  

 

I think a good goal for a first competition is nine successful lifts.  Then everybody will be thinking about just how many plates got left on the floor.  This is likely to change somewhat as the day grows near.

--------------------------------------

 

Talked to Jailbird today.  He liked my deadlift videos.  The 405 pound ripper looked like there was a lot more than that.  The 435 pound lift showed signs of struggle.  He was thinking 450 was the max, so the 455 pound lift was pretty close.

 

We were also talking about getting a custom-designed paint job for the house.  He said something about real estate agents usually want something generic so that the new owners can decide how they really want to paint it.  I really need to text him and get the ball rolling.  I told him over the next two weeks.  Maybe after this is all said and done, I might not want to move after all.

 

Given the wide variety of my audience, my notation is going to look like:

 

Pounds / Kilograms kg / Percent% x reps x sets - Comments

 

T-Minus 55 days.

 

Started Week 1, Day 1 of Miss Broki's Evil Bulgarian Program.

 

My warm-up included knee raises, leg swings, hip circles, shoulder dislocations and stuff like that.

 

Squats:

44 / 20 kg / 13.6% x 10 x 1 - Empty Bar

134 / 60.8 kg / 41.4% x 10 x 1

184 / 83.4 kg / 56.8% x 5 x 1

224 / 101.6 kg / 69.1% x 5 x 1

260 / 117.9 kg / 80.2% x 5 x 5

 

A few videos were taken.  Experimenting with wider stance.  There is still a little bit of a shift forwards coming out of the hole.  The video did not capture much of the bar, but a shift can be seen.

 

Bench Press:

45 / 20.4 kg / 20% x 10 x 1 - Empty Bar

95 / 43.1 kg / 42.2% x 10 x 1

135 / 61.2 kg / 60% x 5 x 1

185 / 83.9 kg / 82.2% x 1 x 1

205 / 93.0 kg / 91.1% x 1 x 1 - I decided not to go any higher, so this was today's max.

185 / 83.9 kg / 82.2% x 3 x 3

 

If I understand the concept of a daily max correctly, then I am going for the biggest single I know I can hit and not worry about.  I thought about going for 215 and I am sure it would not give me any trouble, but decided against it.  Not having a spotter nearby also might have had something to do with that decision.  (See Bro Science for the reason not to bench without a spotter.)

 

The back-off triples were very nice!  The first set was just a little bit grindy, but they got better.

 

Also experimenting with a somewhat wider bench press grip.  The middle finger is on the rings.

 

Back Extensions x 10 x 4

 

Pull-ups x 5 x 5

Pull-ups x 3 x 5

 

The Rx was 4 sets of 10, but there was no way I was getting any sets of 10 pull-ups at this time.  Got some foam rolling in between pull-up sets.

 

Score for today:  Still accumulating.

 

Did not pass Buffalo Wild Wings.  Did not collect 2000 Calories.  Mindful eating decision.  Dealing with the consequences right now as I type.  I will keep telling myself yesterday takes care of today.  Yesterday takes care of today.  Yesterday takes care of today.  

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I can't tell if you actually went to BWW or not.

[Stronkey Kong]

YES!

[Sam Ashen]

I can't tell if you actually went to BWW or not.

 

Hmm.  Maybe that was ambiguous because either choice has consequences.  Eating waaay to much and having this feeling there is this rock passing through my belly - or eating way too little and being hungry at home and wondering what to eat next.

 

A PB sandwich has fixed that issue so far.  And if there has been any discipline whatsoever in my tracking, it is once I post my Final Score, then it is done.  With that said....

 

Score for Today:

3210 Calories

345 Carbs

136 Fat

175 Protein

 

+2.1 Overall

[Urgan]

Good job on hitting your macros. Will be lurking for the competition prep. 

[Maia]

Wow awesome! Good luck!

[elvenengineer]

So excited for your competition!!! Your notation for lifts is very complicated, I hope keeps working.

 

Best of luck!

[Sam Ashen]

So excited for your competition!!! Your notation for lifts is very complicated, I hope keeps working.

 

Sorry about that.  

 

I hope it is decipherable.  Otherwise, I will just move the pounds and percent to the end in parenthesis.  (pounds, percent)

[Sam Ashen]

Challenge Goals Updated:

 

 

4. Bonus Quests as they Appear

 

And that's it!

 

Updated to:

 

 

4. Philosophize!  Bore the Audience!

 

Last Challenge cycle, this goal was reflecting.  This is, of course, similar.  Here is a pretty good place to unload my thoughts.

 

5. Bonus Quests as they Appear

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I thought engineering and philosophy was like oil and water, they can touch each other, but not actually interact.

[Rookiebeotch]

Given the wide variety of my audience, my notation is going to look like:

Pounds / Kilograms kg / Percent% x reps x sets - Comments

Add an RPE column too. Barometric readings at moment of lift while you are at it.

[skinNbones]

Hey competition prep sounds interesting, looking forward to see how it all goes.

"Now we know that Trolls also explode."

[Sam Ashen]

Add an RPE column too. Barometric readings at moment of lift while you are at it.

 

The basic issue is I suck at gauging RPE.  Really bad.  The scale as well as I understand it is RPE = 10 + Reps Done - Reps Possible.  So the 385 pound deadlift double I did on Saturday I might have called a "9 RPE" was really only a 6 or a 7.  So my RPE gauge is just bad to the point that giving RPE is simply meaningless.

 

 

I thought engineering and philosophy was like oil and water, they can touch each other, but not actually interact.

 

I thought water was slightly soluble in oil.  

 

Anyway, "philosophize" seemed to be a nicer word than a 5-letter word starting with the letter "B."  

[Sam Ashen]

omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg

 

[Sam Ashen]

Monday, February 21 - T-Minus 54 Days

 

Squats:

44 / 20.0 kg / 13.6% x 10 x 1 - Empty Bar

134 / 60.8 kg / 41.4% x 10 x 1

184 / 83.4 kg / 56.8% x 5 x 1

224 / 101.6 kg / 69.1% x 3 x 1

264 / 119.7 kg / 81.5% x 1 x 1

284 / 128.8 kg / 87.7% x 1 x 1

304 / 137.9 kg / 93.8% x 1 x 1 - Not a pretty single and I am too embarrassed to show the video.

284 / 182.8 kg / 87.7% x 2 x 3

 

Bench Press:

45 / 20.4 kg / 20% x 10 x 1 - Empty Bar

95 / 43.1 kg / 42.2% x 10 x 1

135 / 61.2 kg / 60% x 5 x 1

155 / 70.3 kg / 68.9% x 3 x 1

185 / 83.9 kg / 82.2% x 1 x 1

215 / 97.5 kg / 95.6% x 1 x 1 - Check out the video!  That was easy!

195 / 88.4 kg / 86.7% x 2 x 3 - Easy!

 

 

Tell me that looked like 135 and not 215!  Tell me I wasted my spotting bro's time!  

 

40 Pull-ups AFSAP:  5x5+4x3+3

 

Score for Today:

2745 Calories

276 Carbs

114 Fat

179 Protein

 

-2.6 Overall

 

Dorritos?  Do you see any Dorritos in there?

[Stronkey Kong]

The basic issue is I suck at gauging RPE.  Really bad.  The scale as well as I understand it is RPE = 10 + Reps Done - Reps Possible.  So the 385 pound deadlift double I did on Saturday I might have called a "9 RPE" was really only a 6 or a 7.  So my RPE gauge is just bad to the point that giving RPE is simply meaningless.

 

 

I just think of it as RPE = 10 - "how many reps I think I could get in the set". And it is completely subjective, but even so not entirely meaningless. No doubt I've had days where I can grind through four additional reps at what feels like RPE 9.5. It just means that I probably shorted myself some recovery time and I feel like dogshit that day.

 

Ideally we could empirically correlate our RPE with the number of reps we are actually able to do, but unfortunately undone reps are just like Shroedinger's cat and we have to test them to know, otherwise we are uncertain of their exact state, do-able or not, and each circumstance is unique. So it's always a bit of a guess, but it's good guesswork to attempt and practice.

 

Edit: I think we need to approach it more from a Bayesian perspective and approach the question, "If I feel like my RPE after this rep is an 8, what is the probability that I will get 1, 2, 3, ... reps." Then we can incorporate information from prior workouts to better predict how many reps RPE of 8 may indicate you have left.