Editor’s Note: In case you can’t tell, this is another post by Brent. Oh, and it’s PR Friday so post your PR’s to the comments or update everyone on your training.
Chris Riley is a man of captivating words. Chris has always been very creative with language. We’ve mentioned it a few times before on the site – instead of saying “I need to wash my hands,” Chris will say, “I need to wash my gripz.” Instead of asking if he can taste or try something that you’re eating, he’ll ask, “Can I flavor that?” or “Do you want to flavor this?”
He also has an interesting way of insulting people. According to Chris, a “Todd” is someone who fucks everything up but doesn’t realize he is a total fuck up.
Brent: The Arkansas Razorbacks are a bunch of fucking losers. They couldn’t make a touchdown if the goalie was a paraplegic.
Chris: Goalies are in soccer, Todd.
Brent: Ooh KAY.
There are some other colorful terms that Chris is fond of using, but I don’t think they’d be appropriate to share here, but if you’d like to know more, call me, we’ll talk about it (<– this is also one of Chris’s sayings, often said in the middle of a conversation).
Oh, and the infamous WHAT ELSE ISN’T A SPORT that some of you may have seen in some of the comment threads actually originated from a night during which Chris had been drinking. Mustache Mike (not to be confused with Big Mike, who you’ve all been acquainted with) ascertained that figure skating wasn’t a sport, and Chris grew increasingly agitated as he interrogated Mike about what else wasn’t a sport.
Mike and Chris are currently training partners at WFAC. They follow a Texas Method-style program, with a volume day on Tuesdays, a light day on Thursday, and an intensity day on Saturday. Mike has observed that almost invariably, Chris comes into his Saturday workouts with the odds stacked against him. He got drunk Friday night, or he has to train in a hurry because of work, or he doesn’t eat an optimum amount of pre-workout calories because life gets in the way.
Chris, however, is a competitor.
Chris and AC are similar in that when they commit to something, they put all of themselves into it. It’s why AC gets so intense that he’s brought to tears before a 3rd attempt squat. Chris is the same way. Fight a +17lbs PR 650lbs deadlift for like 10 seconds and make it to above the knee? Ooh KAY. When Chris commits to a lift, he’ll throw everything he has into the effort, and if he fails, he’s gonna go down swinging for the fucking fences.
One particular Saturday, Chris went into the workout under shitty conditions, as usual. He takes his last squat warm up and decides to load 545lbs on the bar. He’s not sure how many times he’ll squat it, or if he’ll even be able to squat it at all today, but before he gets under the bar he turns to Mike and says one of his new trademark lines –
“I’m feeling reckless.”
And then he squats it for a PR set of 5.
Mike and I have agreed that Chris is a fantastic training partner. It’s hard to find someone who trains as hard as he does and has the raw desire to BEAT ‘EM. He’s overcome setbacks and has only gotten bigger and stronger. His performance is consistently excellent. Whenever I train with Chris, my motivation fucking sky rockets.
I’ll have what he’s having.
LOL FUCKING EPIC SET, that fifth rep on the rack pulls haha.
I have really grown to appreciate the guys who lift with some intensity. Most people at my gym “work out” like it is a leisurely walk in the park. Doing countless super-sets of bicep curls and dumbell flyes all the while chit-chatting with the bros about what popped collar polo shirt they plan on wearing to the club that night.
I’ve worked out a few times with one of the trainers who is a powerlifer and his intensity is contagious and gets me totally amped up! He contorts his face (not 70’s big face, but similar) to where he goes from looking like a nice helpful guy to someone who would chew your ear off if you cut in line at the coffee shop. I haven’t perfected it yet, but I’m working on it…the face thing, not the chewing of the ears…
PR FRIDAY
I have none, because I am still out because of the broken arm. Well, I guess I have a range-of-motion PR. I’m between 5 and 10 degrees off normal, and it’s only 5 weeks post-surgery.
I have read a lot of accounts of people who had a similar injury to me. I don’t think I have read about anyone who is doing as well as I am. I am convinced this is because I had been doing strength training. I am very thankful for that. So, gratitude PR.
Good to hear. Keep us updated every week.
–Justin
PRs:
Deadlift: 285 x5
Knowledge: Read “Strong Enough?” last weekend. I highly recommend it. It’s now in my bathroom, where it shall remain. I also got “Practical Programming.” I’m about halfway through it.
Toughness PR: I hyper-extended my shoulder on Saturday (elbow sort of got pushed behind my head when I was hit by a massive wave at the beach). Despite tightness and some pain in the back of my shoulder, I took the advice on injuries from Practical Programming and worked through it in the gym yesterday anyway. It was a little painful during the workout but it’s feeling quite a bit better today. Ended up pulling a PR deadlift.
Food: ate a lot of meat and fruit yesterday–three chicken breasts, a ribeye steak and 8 various fruits. Also tried coconut milk for the first time. It’s a little chalky but so high in calories and fat that it’s worth it. It’s going to be in my arsenal going forward.
Coconut milk works well in shakes too.
–Justin
PR Friday.
Clothing PR: on Sunday of last weekend, I tore the ass out of a suit while at my friend’s baby’s baptism. MONSTER GLUTES!
On Wednesday:
5 x 1 @ 405# back squat. 1 RM prior to that was 400#, so I was stoked to hit 405# five times!
Body weight this morning was 168# – need to cut three more pounds to make weight for the Sept 11th USAPL Virginia States!
PR Friday:
pretty good week.
Sat: C&J PR of 90kg, also averted death when missing the jerk on 92kg attempt.
Thur: 300 fucking pound squat (high bar oly style). Definitely feeling 3 plates next week. Hopefully my belt gets here in time (ordered from pendlay)
Also 245×5 top set of shrugs, ezpz. get trapped bitches.
this weekend: going for PR in snatch and C&J, then smoking a pork shoulder.
oh and bodyweight up to 179lbs this morning. Filling out for 85kg class nicely
Big Chris = fucking monster
I can relate with the sub-optimal conditions training. Nothing like some heavy squats while tired and hungover. Just got to get that shit done.
PR Friday
( M / 35 / 5’10” / 190 lbs, + 42 lbs since 02/10 )
deadlift PR: 315 lbs x 5
Been reading the site for a while and decided to stop lurking and make a post.
PR Friday:
Squat: 345 x 3 x 5
Press: 165 x 3 x 5
DL: 405 x 1 x 5
Bench: 220 x 3 x 5
On the linear progression. Anyone competing in the CA PL Regionals on Nov 6? I could use some company.
Welcome aboard as a poster. Hopefully you’ll find someone to hang with at the meet.
–Justin
No strength PR’s, although;
2k row: 6:29.5 (PR)
Ouch.
Are you on a team? I just learned last weekend that the 2k is half the season in rowing.
–Justin
Squat PR: 305x3x5 (not overly impressive I know, but still increasing weekly w/ my linear progression)
Food PR: I had my first “McGang-Bang” and it was beautiful.
No one is judging you, big guy.
–Justin
Squat PR: 315x5x3 and 325×5 325 was Previous 1rep max.
@Dave h.
That’s quite impressive. I used to row so I feel your pain.
Everybody else: A 2k max effort row on the machine is the most painful bout of physical exertion you can put yourself through.
Because rowing is more at the “power” end of “endurance sports” it gets you wrecked like nothing else. To the uninitiated, the best way of describing a 2k row is that it’s like 20-rep squats but worse and lasting for over 6 minutes.
I use rowing a lot with interval conditioning for people. It’s effective and brutal.
–Justin
officially started my linear progression yesterday, following the Witchita Falls Novice Program complete with GOMAD. My starting weights:
Squat: 185x5repsx3sets
Dead: 200x5x1
Bench: 135x5x3
Press: 85x5x3
PC: 95x3x5
Previous PRs I can’t wait to crush:
Squat: 275×1 (although this was before I did REAL squats)
Dead: 375×1
Press: 150×1
Bench: 225×3
PC: 185×1
Can’t wait to fly by these marks and posting my PRs after I do so. And a gallon of milk in one day was not nearly as hard as I thought it might be, i even tacked on an extra 20oz of PWO chocolate milk.
Three sets of five up on all lifts:
Bench: 220
Squat: 315
DL: 315
Press: 155
Starting to alternate power cleans and deadlifts, just cause.
Hopefully I’ll hit 200lbs before next Friday. I need to stop being an ass and just shove more food and milk down my throat.
Big PR’s all week.
Squat 345x5x2, 365×1
Bench 255x5x5
Deads 485×1
Slo-Pitch went 3 for 5 on 6 pitches
Bowel Movements: looked to be about a 14 incher with the girth of a redbull can, Hard as fuck!
PRs –
BS – 1×5 140kg on Sunday, and then 1×3 142.5kg on Thursday. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8qnF_rq-lU – the 1×5. got it on video to check for any technique problems)
Deadlift – 1×2 150kg
Press 1x5F 67.75kg
Wrist injury from last week still hurts like a bitch, so only squats (TM) and deadlifts (Linear Prog) this week.
Squat Volume PR: 350x5x5
Deadlift PR: 390×5 -> why do I suck at deads?
@mgd134
Welcome aboard. I just filled out the paperwork today for the USAPL Socal Regionals on Nov 6. I’ll be driving down from the Bay Area with a couple friends on the 5th. I’ll be competing in the Raw Open 242 lb division, what about you? It’ll be my first me, so I’m pretty excited.
Justin;
I started rowing for a university team last september. The season is late sep through to june/july. The most prestigous regatta races in summer are 2k, earlier head races can be anything up to 7.
I’m training for the British indoor rowing champs at the end of november, and want to hit sub 6:20.
in afghanistan for another week or so.. then its beer time!
all PRs this week. SS works wonders.
223
6’4
BS 335x5x3
DL 370×5
BP 235x5x3
SP 165x5x3
PC 185x3x5
the deadlift was heavy as hell. but got it done.
Why were the videos removed?
No PRs except for longest bout of strep throat.
Volume Day:
Squats 285x5x5, Bench 155x5x5, Dead 405×5.
Intensity day tomorrow, hopefully lots more PRs!
I’m still running the Starting Strength advanced novice program. Here’s today’s PRs:
Squats:
45 lbs. x 5 x 1
135 lbs. x 5 x 1
225 lbs. x 3 x 1
315 lbs. x 5 x 3 (PR)
Press (Standing, over-head):
45 lbs. x 5 x 1
95 lbs. x 5 x 1
135 lbs. x 5 x 1
170 lbs. x 5 x 3 (PR)
Dead Lift:
135 lbs. x 5 x 1
225 lbs. x 5 x 1
330 lbs. x 5 x 1 (PR)
Just as somewhat of a counterpoint to the intensity thing,
I recently watched an interview with Glenn Pendlay on the Weightlifting Epiphanies blog, where he said that, over his years of coaching, he’s noticed that the most consistent and successful lifters are the ones who can consistently make attempts at high percentages of their max without significant emotional arousal.
(He did note that it’s pretty much impossible to go for a PR without a psyche-up, however).
Aww man do the videos not work? I missed it?!
Pr for my first meet. I’ve decided to sign up for the colorado regional championships in november. I’m pretty pumped
PR Friday…
Bench:(lbs) 160×5 and 165×4.5
@Justin
Thanks. We met when you did the SS Seminar in San Diego. I’m Mike.
@big_mike
Awesome man. I’m driving up from SD 11/5 as well. I may be alone or I may have one person with me. I’m lifting at 181 raw. It is my first meet also. Is there some way I can get you my email without posting it for the world to see?
@Luc eh
I agree, I saw an article by Dave Tate that said they recommend not getting amped up during training and saving that for the meet to maximize the response from the central nervous system. That being said, most novice or intermediate litters aren’t really attempting absolute maxes when they “max” out. I’m far from an expert though…
Anyway, I finally managed to pull 500 conventional, which was a big milestone for me.
Vacation PR: I ate a cobra and drank its blood.
It tasted like chicken.
bad ass high voltage, i want some cobra blood, that’s awesome!
Forgot to mention, starting out bodyweight-wise 25lbs from adulthood.
missed at 95 kg on C&J (previous PR), went up to 100 kg but pressed out, went up again to 102.5 kg and stuck the jerk just right.
why is it that increasing the weight on max attempts after a miss will sometimes elicit better form?
yeah, i was feeling a little reckless yesterday.
new member inspired to compete by you guys. So we lifted in a pl meet today.
I weighed at 105kg and went 180kg,130kg and 235kg.
My wife weighed at 67.5kg and went 65kg,40kg and 102.5kg.
still building back up but i nailed a 200lb overhead squat which has been my ohsq milestone since i thought about performing the exercise
Started lifting in April so my pr is not that impressive (yet).
Anyway, I did a 3x110kg squat earlier this week and yesterday a 3x160kg deadlift. I weigh just over 120kg.
squat 160x5x5 (still no improvement to the 1×5)
DL 205×5 (matched an old PR with better form)
still adjusting to adding the oly lifts back in as i’m training for the twin city open on october 9th
@ wannabburly
Is that the article that had the vid of Konstantinov pull 413kg raw with no belt like he was just bending picking up the morning paper then look at the camera man while holding it and say “ya 413 feels good today”
squat 365 3×5
dl 435 1×5
press 195 x1
BW: 215lbs
Squat:1×5@385lbs
Press 1×5@192.5lbs
Bench 1×5@315lbs
Dead: 1×5@415lbs
Strict Pullups BWx23
Deadlift 380×3 (although it was a failed 5, pretty sure this was a PR triple)
Bench 225×10
Well, intensity day came, and even though I feel like a pansy compared to the last several posters, it was still intense, with some wicked PRs.
Squat 365×1- PR by 30 lbs
Bench 195×1- PR by 5 lbs
Deadlift 445×1- PR by 30 lbs
Finally can buckle my damn lifting belt on the third notch. Lifts are feeling great, full depth and smooth on all of them! Loving Texas Method.
Snatch 52kg (2kg PR)
C&J 65kg (2kg PR)
in lbs
Deadlift 435×1
Power Clean 245×1
Power Snatch 140x2x7
Squat 350×1
VA State Powerlifting meet in a week!
Finally have a chance to report my PRs
Bench 6,6,7 @ 245
Dips 3×5 @ +105lbs
Starr Shrugs 4×10 @ 120,140,150,160 kilos ez pz
What’s the go with the videos not working in the past 2 posts?
Squat: 400×1 – PR by 10 pounds.
Bench: 275×2 – PR by 5 pounds.
5’10” 225 lbs
Squat: 412.5×2 Drifted a bit forward on the second rep and felt like I was going to have a nose bleed after, but decent bar speed.
Bench: 267.5×3 EZPZ. Went conservative as I’m adjusting to TM.
Press: 3x5x176.25
Deadlift: Failed at 465×1.
would love to see the videos – will they be re-posted? thanks.