Cube Method training ~Week Eight

Training Log - The Cube Method

Preparing for BATTLE...
my Journey in Powerlifting

WEEK EIGHT
(only ONE to go before MOCK MEET!)

My weights are based off my max lifts, whether they be in the gym or in training.

Squat - 185
Bench - 105
Deadlift - 240

Week 8

Week 1 - find it here.. Cube method - Week one
Week 2 - found here...   Cube Method - week two
Week 3 - found here... Cube method - Week Three
Week 4 - here...  Cube Method - Week Four
Week 5 - HERE... Cube Method - Week Five
Week 6 - found here.... Cube Method - week six
Week 7 - find it here.. Cube Method - Week Seven

This - Week EIGHT - is probably one of THE best weeks I have had in my training thus far.  Mentally... By that I mean, I am having fun... I am actually ENJOYING my work outs.  I'm doing stuff I couldn't do before.  I'm getting stronger and I can actually feel it and see it!!  It's crazy!
I mean - before... I could theoretically look back at my old lifts and by the numbers, I could see that I have to be stronger.  Logically.  But through this weeks training - I actually FEEL stronger!  I can do things I NEVER thought I would be able to do!
And for me...... THAT is untouchable!

So here we go.........

Explosive squats
Foam rolling/stretching
Band pull aparts 100
*since I've gone heavy the past few weeks in the squat suit, I decided to truly do explosive work with lighter weight this week.  And it felt GREAT!*
Squat 5 x 2 @ 70%  (125#)
Olympic squat 5 x 5  (2@80#, 3@90#)
Leg extension 4 x 15
Leg curl 3 x 12
KB swings  3 x 15
Plank - 1 minute 45#

Rep bench
Foam rolling/stretching
Band Pull aparts - 100
*once again - I'm banned from the flat bench.... here's hoping this brings up my bench!*
Incline bench - 45 x 5, 55 x 5, 60 x 5, 65 x 3, 70 x 3, 75 x 3, 80 x 3, 85 x 2, 90 x 1.   AND......... it felt so good I decided to see if I could push it.... 95 x 1  *New Rep PR*!!!  If I can hit 95 on incline - I SHOULD be able to hit 100+ EASY on the dad-blame FLATBENCH!!!  right!!??
Incline DB 3 x15 (20#)
Military 3 x 8  (45#)
DB shrugs 3 x 15 (35#, 40#, 45#)  
Band pull downs 4 x 25
Kroc rows 3 x 8 (35#)

Plank 1:30 (25# plate)   *lowered the weight, lengthened the time*

HEAVY Deadlift

Foam rolling/stretching
Band Pull aparts - 100
*Texas Deadlift Bar * Pulled ALL SUMO tonight to work up heavy off 4" blocks
Deadlift - work up... 135x5, 155 x 3, 185x1, 205 x 1, 225 x 1,  245 x 1, 275 x 1 and 300 x 1!!!
whoooooooo hoooooooooo!!!!
Here's VIDEO!!!

275 went pretty easy... 300 was a bit more a challenge... but good indicator that strength is coming up!!!

Dead sumo 165 x 5 x 3
Deadlift to knees (this is done from the ground with a good pause at the knee before pulling all the way up!)
135 x 3 x 2.... for my last set - I repped it out... felt great.  135 x 12!

Rows 3 x 8 (75#)
SSB Wide Stance squat  60 x 5, 70 x 5, 80 x 5, 90 x 5, 110 x 1, 130 x 1, 140 x 1
Back raises 3 x 15

Bodybuilding Night
Pull aparts 100
Military 25 x 10, 35 x 8, 45 x 8, 60 x 5 x 5, 70 x 1, 80 - FAILED   Grrrrrrrrr
Incline DB  20 x 15, 25 x 10 x 2, 30 x 6
Calf raises 60
"Jose" Leg Extensions   15 bottom half, 15 top half, 5 full.    3 sets

I am now ONE more training week out from my MOCK meet for the Cube.
Feeling pretty good although thinking about that DANG bench still gives me butterflies.  I haven't flat benched in WEEKS... but my overhead press and my incline bench press have both gone up and gotten stronger.... soooooooo - Here's hoping!!
I feel stronger, just hope it SHOWS on the flat bench!

I also sent my baby boy off to college this week.  Everyone was betting I wouldn't make it to the gym for bodybuilding night after spending a day moving my baby boy out.
But I DID!
We got everything moved and got him settled him in and ready for big boy life!!!

(this might be the cleanest his dorm ever looks... with his AWESOME quilt!! )

I did a little blog about him leaving home... you can also check it out here!
Sending my baby off to college



Let's get it started this week.....  Work HARD and prepare for that platform

OHHHHHHHHHH - also......... BONUS!!!!
We competed in an APA meet back in June and they finally got the KY records updated!!!
Look at me..... Holding Records!!!!
just Kentucky records.... and they are not anywhere NEAR some of the other federation records in Kentucky.... but they are on the books none-the-less.... and I am proud!!!
Because LESS than a year ago - those didn't exist!!
It may be small and a loooooong way from BIG - but I am slowly building a "Tammy Green" in the powerlifting world.
I couldn't be more happy!

~One Step at a Time~ Liftin Heavy and Learnin Stuff ~

This weekend was my second full power lifting meet.  The previous one was in February.
Since then we:
started training on The Cube Method,
went and actually did a mock meet with Brandon Lilly (where I blew out my alternator!),
and I've been doing some tweaking of my diet with the help of none other than Jesse Burdick!!!
So I was anxious to see how I fared on the platform!!!

Here's the run down of my day.  I seriously wondered at one point if there would be a time I walked up to the platform without something being screwed up!

Squat

1st attempt. 165.  When I went up to lift, the rack height wasn't right. And no one knew how to adjust it. So I waited. Knees wrapped. For them to fix the weight. Finally hit it. Felt pretty good but watching the video later, I saw my knees caved a little. Still white lights!

2nd attempt. 185.  I've done this weight before out of a mono, but walking it out was a little more uncomfortable. Just didn't feel right. Red lights!

3rd attempt. 185. Knees wrapped tight.  When I got up to lift,  the weight wasn't right again. So I waited. Wrapped tight in tougher wraps this time.  By the time the weight was fixed my legs were tingling a bit, but I went in for the lift.  Just not happening. Red Lights!

Leaving me at 165 in squat.  A meet PR but not what I wanted!

Bench

1st attempt. Set at 90. Made the lift but the weight felt heavier on the left. I immediately asked for a weight check and turns out I had an extra 5 on my left side. Making my opener 95.  And an uneven 95 at that. But white lights.  And they gave me the 95. 

2nd attempt. Set at 100. I don't know if my first lift being uneven threw me off or what but I was just off. Not tight. Didn't feel it.  Red lights!

3rd attempt.  Set at 100. Same weight. Same story. Im now too far into my head i think. Red Lights!

Leaving my bench at 95.  Again, a meet PR but not where I wanted to be going into deads!

Deadlift

1st attempt. 200.  Felt SOOOO good. White lights

2nd attempt. 225.  I've done this before.  It went up easy and felt good!  White lights!!

At this point I had planned to take 250.  But considering my day, I was a bit timid. When I checked my total I saw that 240 would give me an even 500. So I called it at 240. 

I also noticed the female closest to me in overall total was barely ahead of me. She missed her 2nd attempt.  So if I could HIT 240 and she happened to miss her third attempt (not that we wish people to miss lifts!), I might could pull off best overall female lifter even after so many red lights

So.... Here we go!

3rd attempt 240.  Felt freaking AWESOME!!!!  New PR for me with White lights!!!

And my closest competitor missed her final attempt ;-)

Deadlift at 240

Total at 500 for the day.
Meet PR.
Best in my weight class (only one).
AND pulled out best overall female lifter of the meet at the lightest weight!!!  (even though they ended up calling out the wrong name and giving the trophy to the other girl...... it's ok - we talked to the meet director and I still got a trophy...I would have never asked him to take a trophy away from someone who had already been recognized as the winner.   I know I barely inched over her ;-)  and HE knows that.  Good enough for me!)

I'll take that. Just wish it was without so many red lights!!

This all just means I have to train harder!!!!

I think after performing so well in my last meet and mock meet, maybe I had gotten a little lazier in training.  NO MORE. 

LESSON LEARNED!!!

I like white lights much better than red!

Back to the training board!!!

Cycle three with the Cube!!

Also, for video of my lifts at the meet, feel free to check out my YouTube Channel.  Tammy Green.
Here's my final deadlift...