(no subject)
So 3 years after attaining a 315lbd bench, I have finally hit 405 or 8 45 pound plates and the bar.
While I have had very few setbacks to improving my upper body strength, I have had several injuries to my lower body to contend with. I endured a lumbar puncture in 2004 which has permanently injured my spine. In 2006 I was involved in a 35mph rear end collision. In 2007 I was hit again in a car accident and incurred a tear in my left lat and it screwed up my lower back again. In 2008 I tore the labrum in my hip socket and went through several months of recuperation and PT before I could squat and deadlift again. In 2010 I tore both of ITB bands doing squats with 405lbds and I just recuperated from a knee injury. Despite all of this I am making great progress in the deadlift and squat again, and I am pretty close to 500lbds in both lifts.
Since I am more of a bodybuilder and less of a powerlifter, the weight is a means to an end. I train to get stronger, so that I can do reps with heavier weight. It is my hope that the right amount of training volume (reps, sets, exercises), along with more than moderate amounts of weight, will continue to yeild the gains I am looking for.
I find that it is more motivating for me to reach a maximal goal, rather than to say "Well I one day want to be to do 15 reps with x amount of weight." The visual of seeing 8,10, or 12 45 pound plates on a bar is much more concrete than seeing a relatively moderate weight go up and down x amount of times. This is the method behind my madness and muscle growth is an intended side-effect.
My inspiration to train this way comes from the old and the new. In the past; Reg Park, Arnold, Lou Ferrigno, Ken Waller, and Franco Columbu were all as strong as they looked and impressive physical specimens. In the present; Ronnie Coleman, Johhny O Jackson, Ben White and Andy Haman lead the way in not only looking strong, but being able to demonstrate it in the gym.
So I'll continue to watch the weight pile up as I continue to train. My new goal for the bench press is 500lbds, squat 600lbds, and deadlift 600 pounds. In the meantime I'll work at building up my body to accomplish those tasks.
Thanks for all of the encouragement and compliments, family and friends. Your words and kindness have given me a strength beyond measure, and carried me through when hope was in short supply.
While I have had very few setbacks to improving my upper body strength, I have had several injuries to my lower body to contend with. I endured a lumbar puncture in 2004 which has permanently injured my spine. In 2006 I was involved in a 35mph rear end collision. In 2007 I was hit again in a car accident and incurred a tear in my left lat and it screwed up my lower back again. In 2008 I tore the labrum in my hip socket and went through several months of recuperation and PT before I could squat and deadlift again. In 2010 I tore both of ITB bands doing squats with 405lbds and I just recuperated from a knee injury. Despite all of this I am making great progress in the deadlift and squat again, and I am pretty close to 500lbds in both lifts.
Since I am more of a bodybuilder and less of a powerlifter, the weight is a means to an end. I train to get stronger, so that I can do reps with heavier weight. It is my hope that the right amount of training volume (reps, sets, exercises), along with more than moderate amounts of weight, will continue to yeild the gains I am looking for.
I find that it is more motivating for me to reach a maximal goal, rather than to say "Well I one day want to be to do 15 reps with x amount of weight." The visual of seeing 8,10, or 12 45 pound plates on a bar is much more concrete than seeing a relatively moderate weight go up and down x amount of times. This is the method behind my madness and muscle growth is an intended side-effect.
My inspiration to train this way comes from the old and the new. In the past; Reg Park, Arnold, Lou Ferrigno, Ken Waller, and Franco Columbu were all as strong as they looked and impressive physical specimens. In the present; Ronnie Coleman, Johhny O Jackson, Ben White and Andy Haman lead the way in not only looking strong, but being able to demonstrate it in the gym.
So I'll continue to watch the weight pile up as I continue to train. My new goal for the bench press is 500lbds, squat 600lbds, and deadlift 600 pounds. In the meantime I'll work at building up my body to accomplish those tasks.
Thanks for all of the encouragement and compliments, family and friends. Your words and kindness have given me a strength beyond measure, and carried me through when hope was in short supply.