Alternate Heavy Workout !

When I train with Nancy and Bruce on Saturdays, it usually is a shirt work out..a loose Katana or a Tight one, when close to a meet..to get heavier weights on the bar and practice form.

Today I had to keep the weight heavy but with reverse bands aiding in the way the shirt did..NO SHIRT USED... just bands, I chose to do it this way because of the healing of the recent hospital test..being tender from the proceedure and the biopsy points healing..no arching could be done...no super tight belt to hold a shirt down..so I had to lay flat on my back--flex no stomach muscles-use no leg drive and get heavy with varied bands, BLUE GREEN PURPLE...

I warmed up with 225- 265- 285- 308 then put on blue bands and went 385 405 455 for reps then 502 512 518 for singles and 529 for 3 singles that was my initial workout and it felt good ..I noticed that my ailing shoulder naturally changed it's angle and position to 'baby' the condition...
GEEZ 67 years old and fallin a part ...where is that Elmers??

Bruce and Nancy did the same sort of workout and hit some big reverse band numbers... I think Nancy got 397 and Bruce got 440 with using many sets of bands...as you know, when done properly..you're supporting most of the weight at the top and get plenty of help at the chest when the bands stretch..as Bruce and Nancy did their sets, I joined in and repped with the same lifts they were doing --it allowed more work for me, and more time between sets for them..

I noticed today that WABDL has already produced a schedule for 2010 --there is The Jerry Cappelo Memorial meet in Medford Oregon Feb 6th-- there is the Nationals in Portland March 13th then Phoenix has the National Push Pull in June and Olympia in July ...with the worlds being in Las Vegas at the end of 2010--

I'll probably be in the 275's this year due to my automatic weight loss that has confounded my doctors...hey, I feel OK but have one of those 'takes forever' IBD type things to conquer..ha..funny..many people would worry about mortality..and all I worry about is...will my bench press go down?
geez !
'lifter' to the core.

Catching Up !

Just got back from the gym--did today's "Heavy Day" altho it was pretty light...Raw pin presses again, no arch today, so the numbers were embarrassing --315 X2- 2 sets of 335X2 345 365 365 then reverse purples, and doubles with 405 for 4 sets-- doubles with 415 for 3 sets--end of workout...Wednesday, mid week I did a workout very similiar to this as I knew it was the last day I could get to the gym...
... before I had a dreaded Colonoscopy (Friday 20th) I was down to 281 pounds the day of 'The voyage of the damned camera' (ready for my close up?? Euueew ! )--they don't tell ya of the tenderness the day after...and of the NON- GAS -GAS !! right after the proceedure...yep..when recovering from the jim jones kool aid (actually, it's a 'shot' now) in the hospital beds..the nurses (knowing we're all on drugs) say --and I quote...

"During your proceedure everyone, lots of air was pumped into you..you will feel as tho you must pass gas--do not be shy...let er RIP...this is GOOD for you..and since it is only 'air' you will not smell up the air..anyone want to get us started??"

So I did my impression of a motorboat...er...hydroplane...duration of rumble was 9 to 12 seconds...and it could be heard in the hall...35 feet away...some poor old guy in a bed nearby nearly cried and said..."GOD I wish that coulda been me...I havent farted like that since I was 15" later, in my best announcer voice...I said
'And now ladies and gentlemen..I'd like to fart the beautiful Blue Danube"
(song)
and I let fly with yet another FLUTTER that topped the first..for my efforts I was given 2 muffins -2 cups of apple juice and permission to put my clothes on and call a taxi..
Here I am with my best farters trophy.
Hey Vancouver PLUSA readers...Mayfair sold out of the November issue--but re-ordered --NOW there are 7 issues with Shawn Frankl on the cover...this issue is now BACK in--if you missed it..go get it today..that's on Broadway in Vancouver just past Granville going west.

Back to Shirt work

Yesterday was my 4th workout since the WABDL Worlds --I havent blogged about them due to them being pretty much average maintenance workouts...Yesterday tho...I wanted to feel a heavier weight and so it was Nancy and Bruce and a loose shirt-- just to get some 500+ singles in...I warmed up carefully with great pain in my right shoulder and kept it light..then put on a very comfy FURY shirt and went 440--485--507--512--512 the weights felt pretty hard altho the shirt kept the shoulder from feeling bad..today I weighed in at 282 which is very low for me...and your average baby hippo...I'm not as careful lately in keeping my protein high...so I wonder if I havent lost some muscle? god --I hope not...terrible kind of diet where the BAD stuff stays and the good stuff goes away...This is me getting a 534 handout/success/ in Reno--I was going to try 600 for a 4th but Mr. Genius here..didn't know the rules and was denied the try..DUH !

Talked to Mike Lambert of Powerlifting USA at the worlds--he sez Canada has a new distributor of the magazine and he says the amount of stores taking our sports leading publication will rise--meanwhile--our Vancouver mainstay--Mayfair mags is only stocking 3 issues a month--so hopefully, it will work out so Vancouverites can find ample issues at more stores to keep up with all the powerlifting events...the mags are improving with each months publication...on page 65 of the current issue --the Portland WABDL meet was reported-- my all time world record for a 66 year old --578 Bench press-- was mentioned by Gus in the side write up--great compliments but not all his data (where I lived etc.) was correct but I'll take it--Gus recalled what he did after ONE phone conversation with me--imagine --memorizing 3000 lifters bios like he has.

AAU Powerlifting contests in Washington state will soon be managed by Liz Willett --she is a great champion and person--I can't wait til she starts putting meets on in the Northwest--that could mean meets as close as Bellingham soon...shirts-or-RAW--good and proper judging--and drug free--this will be a happy event for everyone I know who lifts in western Canada..

My Day WABDL Worlds MORE PIX (scroll)

I was very lucky --at a bodyweight of 283 I benched 534 --a few days from my 67th birthday...this got me the HUGE best lifter cup (which I will use as a bathtub- Photo by Carpenter)
The lifting at the contest was Fantastic !!!!
The Peppermill Hotel was regal and amazing in all ways !
so many pix I split them between here and another site..
there are NEW shots here--and at my OTHER web site --the BIG report is NOW up --see below......

THERE ARE 32 NEW PICTURES AT MY MAIN WEB PAGE click here

And enjoy THESE NEW photos I've JUST added here
Starting with Tommy Overholtzer-who has been in powerlifting since it's invention !!

Here are the Whinstons --in their 80's-- who were our honored guest at this years WABDL Worlds
This is a great lift from Willard Crossen !

AND the Canadians did VERY well--
Nancy Carpenter did a Canadian National Record bench press of 223 pounds
with a shirt that was giving her next to nothing....And Warren Orr from Victoria did both the Bench and deadlift-here is his opening dead-below..Also from BC Jon Wolbers of Abbotsford did a GREAT 600 Deadlift with awesome form--Jon also did BOTH the Bench and Deadlift !! and was astounding in both !This is the courtyard at The Peppermill

Here is one of the HUGE benches on Thursday ( red plates are 55 pounds)


Mr. Titan --Ken Anderson (who was inducted into the hall of fame) and Monster bencher Tommy Harrison !!

There were 530 lifters --I saw Steve Wong-James Crawford-Roger Ryan-Bill Gillespie-Mike Womack and other top luminaries...below--our trophies !!
THOSE NEW PICS AGAIN ARE HERE click

Happy Halloween from the staff of the Peppermill in Reno !! --the staff had a pumpkin carving contest while we were there--
these are just a few of the cool creations on display--
I think the one below is of me...ha ha !

HEY--That no pumpkin--that's super lifter Robert doing his Gary Busey impression !!

----This was a fantastic meet-with lifters as far away as the congo !! (really) another triumph for Gus Rethwisch and WABDL !!!

Last Heavy day before WABDL Worlds !

Probably lifted at 285 body weight in the gym today...and hit some very encouraging lifts..used a loose Katana shirt to solidify form on my openers at the WABDL Worlds in Reno on Wednesday...the old 50 gave me--a perfect 485 and 507 with ease in practice today...
then we used blue reverse bands to replicate what the tighter 48 might give us when we switch shirts--I got a very solid 540 -562 and 573 in that rehearsal--if I get this kind of power at the meet then I will be happy with my outcome...of course, if my fire is lit on the day...I might venture toward that mythical ( or is it Smithical?) 600---but for 3 weeks now...I've written it off as a bit too much for someone who has lost 30 or so pounds so quickly...today tho, things looked back in gear...

I had resisted an idea Nancy had about filling out my looser shirt in the arm area--but today I was happy to try it...between the raw bench warm ups 286 308 330 330 ...I did Hammer curls to pump the forearm area to tighten my sleeves...it worked great...I'll be hammer curling some plates in the warm up room Wednesday...

Nancy's new Phenom shirt arrived from Brent Mikesell's Iron Gladiators shop in Spokane..quickest service ever...Bruce and I squeezed Nancy into it...and it made her 200 pound press look like 100--she will definately get her 225 lb. Canadian National record on Thursday when she lifts...

I'm looking forward to Reno--I have some old friends there and may have a big gab fest during the hours after the meet...
Hal Swift, my old radio buddy turned poet will be one of my pals I will catch up with when there...

I used to do Radio in nearby South Lake tahoe in the early 60's right outta school !--as plain old Bob Smith.

Better Heavy day than expected !

Before the workout I thought it might be a LOW strength day
and I
made another 10 second movie---

yes, I know....

I 'draw' funny !


But even with all my complaints lately...I was getting some good speed with the raw warm ups..308--330 and 340 all went very fast...as if the Bar speed in the bench press had restored itself...

after 10 or so warm up moves...we put on my very loose Katana the one I wanted to see if it was a good "opener" shirt--it was letting the bar down well...so 440--485 and 507 was tried and the lifts were strong --I felt fine...

but...my team said...you're lifting crooked...the bar is locking slowly on the right side...so we did 4 more lifts with 507 --yes, they just needed to be held for longer at the top before beginning--

then concentration on the bar motion...

so this shirt WILL work well for the opener--
to get settled in the meet...
before moving to higher weights--

and then as mentioned last time...the new 48 can be the the BIG weight handler....

so all in all...no eggs were 'faced'

We did lots more lifting-Nancy hit 205 lbs for 4 singles-I did reverse band work to heavy numbers--Bruce worked very hard..and we're less that 2 weeks from the WABDL Worlds !

We workout heavy again next Saturday...
that means we wont be attending our local meet...

The BCPA Fall Classic Oct 24th @ at the Roundhouse at Pacific and Davie in Vancouver...have good lifting guys !

Bench Press shirt test !

Yesternite, I went to Nancy's gym to fit into my new Tighter Titan (Super Katana a/s single ply) as mentioned it's a 48 when my usual shirt is a size 50...but there's that unexpected weightloss (blah blah blah) The shirt fit very comfortably, not always a good sign...I did tricep work with it..that is because I could only get my arms apart a very short distance ...and the shirt seemed to start letting some weight down....so we left the bar where it was in the squat rack-in 'floor press' position for Today !!

Today I warmed up with graduated weights raw to 350--then we put the shirt on and continued til I could get my arms farther apart-- we then moved the bench in --raised the barbell to a 10 hole and started to bring the weight down to a 2 board height...440...500...529...all easy to handle...BUT the shirt wouldn't stay put--it kept riding up and choking me...just as not much BOB in the shirt as before...as you know ...unless a Katana is flush to the body..it isn't giving you what you need...we adjusted the shirt and got a "one board" with 550 then another--this one got caught on the supports and Bruce gave me minimal help to get it back in the rack...the shirt...when flush to my body and anchored will be a great replacement for my looser than loose, size 50 ! then as Bruce and Nancy did reverse blue bands..I did their weights..only with the BANDS OFF...a workout I really felt--gaining weight back yet, robo? --nope, eating like a gorilla..and holding at 287...I like the weight loss....just dont like dropping the Benchin' strength !

Next week I test the old 50 (as I get a good workout too) to gauge it's BEST possible weight..for my opener...drat! the meet is just too damn close now !!--nurse, peel me an avacado !