PR Friday, June 6

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Guys, Gals, other weirdos – Justin and I had a real, real busy week watching Hot Tub Time Machine on repeat. Hopefully you found a better way to occupy your time than to read Brent’s MopeWOD. Odin, I hate that site.

Don’t worry –  next week we have several meet reports from various readers that I’ll post, complete with PRs, pics, and people totalling (psst – I used 2 l’s in that word to amuse myself and vaguely reference a certain Canadian – Canadians spell stuff funnily). I have had a couple requests for topics to write about, so, like, I can do that, too, and of course, Justin’s getting back into the swing of things, and will soon be responding to all your love letters. We’ll get some more stuff up soon, but in the meantime, spend more time getting your jacked and tan on. It’s summer!

In the meantime, this dude, Noah, sent in this pretty legit 70sBig face submission after his first successful 300+ squat with the following quote, which is fucking awesome…

noah

 

“Broke 300 on my squat after growing the beard. Not saying it’s directly attributable to the beard, but it 100% is.”

 

He later tried to backtrack, saying it wasn’t deep enough when he looked back at the video and that I shouldn’t post the pic. Guess what? I don’t give two shits – I’m posting the pic. Good job, Noah. Yes, you can bury it next time, but give yourself some damn credit. You went down with 300 for the first time, and came back up. This is not to be ignored. You can get 3 whites at your next meet. Don’t try and backtrack! Own it. You now owe the entire 70sBig community a 300lb squat to depth. Wait, no – actually, now I’m kind of pissed off, and you owe us 8 Acts of Contrition (directed towards Mr. Doug Young, naturally) and a 315 squat to depth. I’m expecting the video within the next month. Do you see what happens, Noah? Do you see what happens when you fight a stranger in the Alps?

That’s all I got today. I’m really looking forward to posting up these reader submissions next week – nothing cranks me up like seeing folks competing and kicking ass. If you have a cool story, submit it. If not, just comment below and let us know how much stronger you are than last week. That’s pretty cool, too.

Finally, you can laugh at me coming as close as you can possibly get to finishing a deadlift and NOT QUITE GETTING IT at last weekend’s Hyde Park Gym Push/Pull meet. 585, you motherfucker: You will be mine. You.Will.Be.Mine.

 

55 thoughts on “PR Friday, June 6”

  6. PR in getting my shit together this week, a ton of mobility work, icing, and fish oil got my shoulder feeling functional again after tweaking it last week. Just in time for the run up to my next meet.

    Did anyone else watch the rerun of the 2012 World’s Strongest Man finals on ESPN2 last night? Zydrunas log-pressed 490 lbs. Those guys are monsters.

  10. No PRs this week, been traveling and had a rugby tournament last weekend that I’m still recovering from. Cloud I don’t think I could laugh at your 585 attempt, considering your 550 pull looked like me pulling 400. I did wonder if those slippers attributed to your lack of footing at the end?

  11. I missed a few workouts early in the week due to work so I decided to test some 1 rep maxes this week. Pulled 500lbs yesterday for a 25lb PR and a long time goal. Bring on 550lbs.

  15. Squat PRs in the last week or so:
    1 x 122 kg
    2 x 114 kg
    3 x 110 kg
    4 x 105 kg

    This video shows a tiny piece of what I’ve been doing with my squats for the last month:

  16. Hey fellas! I have a question for Team 70sBig and then two questions for the crowd.

    1) I’ve been reading through John McCallum’s classic “Keys to Progress” series. It’s a series of articles written from 1965-1972 for Strength & Health magazine and it is totally 70sBig and awesome. This must have been the stuff that Doug Young et al read back then. He really emphasizes the importance/value of the Behind-the-Neck Press. He says it’s the best exercise for building the shoulders and upper body. He says to do traditional press and bench as well. I never seem to hear about that exercise. What are your thoughts on the behind-the-neck press? Thanks!

    2) I am traveling in late July to FORT WORTH, TEXAS on business and would like to find a good gym to use while there. I am staying at the Omni hotel near the intersection of I30 and I35. Does anyone in the Dallas/Ft Worth area have a recommendation for a gym? I won’t have a car but can cab/bus. I’m also thinking of renting a car after my meetings so that I can go to Witchita Falls and check out Rippetoe’s gym, just out of curiosity as much as anything.

    3) I am traveling to ATLANTA, GEORGIA on business in mid-August. I’m staying at the Omni CNN Center near the Georgia Dome. Any suggestions for a gym?

    Thanks!!!

    • I personally started doing the BtN snatch grip (klokov’s) presses sometime last year and it made my shoulders grow quite a bit. I wasn’t necessarily stronger in regular press, but it didn’t harm it, and my it definitely helped me get better at staying tight during the whole press. It’s damn hard to keep yourself stable on those.

    • On #1, I do like the BTN press done to where your upper arm is parallel to the ground, and no deeper. I have a few lifters do it (seated or standing) as an accessory lift. Ted Arcidi was a huge proponent of BTN pressing, which is where I got it from. I am sure the Stark Center Library has all the copies of that magazine – I will check it out.

    • Lots of strong as hell throwers use the BTN press (actually, usually a BTN push press), and they seem to get a lot out of it. I’ve been doing Bradford presses lately, and those have seriously caused my speed off the chest (for press and bench) to improve.

    • Maslow, re: #3 –

      It depends on whether you have a car. If you have one, there are numerous LA Fitness and Crossfit Gyms in the area as well as the famous Coffee’s Gym in Marietta (~16mi north on I-75, no guarantees about time spent in traffic, which is awful) and Quest Gym in Duluth (~20 mi north on I-85, again, traffic).

  17. squatted 6×6 4×4 and 3×3/3/5 on Monday/Wednesday/Thursday this week. Pretty awesome. Thinking I’m going to do something similar next week, maybe M/W/F/Sa to round out a two week “block” of squatting my dick off.
    Excited to see what my squat and deadlift will be like following a light week after this experiment.

  18. PRs this week:
    Press: 86 kg (~ 190 lbs) x1x5
    Bench: 144 kg (~ 318 lbs) x2 (missed the 3rd rep)
    Deadlift: 207,5 kg (~ 458 lbs) x5 (real fucking heavy, but this was my 3 RM before)

  19. Almost back to my old press and bench PR’s after almost a year of being shitty on them. Hit 170×4 on press this week (180×4 is my best IIRC), while weighing around 175.

    Going for 225×5 bench today, which I hit once a year ago before a wrist injury set me back.

    I also finally started squatting away from the mirrors. That’s a PR right?

    My question for Justin is: How many squats do I have to do to get my thanksgiving t-shirt? I really want AC’s face on my chest when I’m squatting.

    • I got goaded into a pressing competition with the other powerlifters today. One of the guys hit 185×1 (he’s like 250 though) and he told us all to do it. Another guy (around 230) hit it, as well as the 3rd guy (around 200). I was going to bench since I pressed yesterday, but they kept laughing at me and forced me to do it (and wouldn’t let me belt up). I hit it for 3, making eye contact with each guy at the top of each rep.

      Feelsgoodman

      And I also got 2 girls that I’m friends with to start lifting with barbells. Going to have a friendly competition at the end of summer with 2 guys one of the other guys is coaching.

  20. I’m getting hip arthroscopy next week to fix my torn labrum and acetabular impingement. The plan is to run Smolov Jr. for my bench while I am recovering. Hopefully that brings up my pathetically low bench slightly.

  21. Only recent PRs have been in neck harness and calf raises lolz. Still working back up after my LP resets. My goal is to hit 335x5x3 on squat and 185x5x3 on bench and then move to the Texas Method. Life PRs: graduated from college and got a job.

  26. Had an extra week between the end of my third cycle of 5-3-1, so I decided to max and see where I am. Got a couple of huge PRs!
    – DL 525 (+30 since starting 5-3-1) and a lifetime PR since pulling 505 in 1993. Went up pretty easy.
    – Bench 355 (+20) also a lifetime PR. bench had always been my worst lift. Guess it’s not any more. Not bad for a 42yo.

    Can’t wait for squats on Monday. Then off to London and Scotland for anniversary trip. Flannel and beards, haggis and whiskey – bound to get stronger!

  28. Life PR. Working as an archaeologist in the southern Arizona mountains. Four years of school finally paid off. I will send cap and gown 70’s big face photo soon.

    PR squats. 4×370. Last time I squatted that heavy was 375×1 which is my current max.

  29. Did the Raw Challenge in Zion Crossroads, VA. Squatted 403, benched 308 and deadlifted 507 for a 1218 total. IT was a lotta fun, even tho on weigh ins I was at 182 cuz i didnt want to cut for my first meet. The guy at weigh ins just loled.

  30. Been on Deload week at end of Cycle 4 of 531 this week. Mobbed the shit out of everything. Relaxed, salt baths and beating off to the shopping channel.

    Monday I have a 130kgs squat for 5+ set. My target is 10. This was my 1rm about 8 months ago. Grown Man Shit.

    Cycle 5 of Wendler is going to be money.

    QUESTION – My bench progress is slow. Any tips on accessory work to improve strength? I cant fuck with dips because of shoulder injury (Kipping Pull Up, sigh)

    Cheers

    • Depends on where you are missing and what your bench looks like. That said, floor press and CG bench have always been helpful for me.

      Fuck dips. And kipping pull-ups for that matter.

      • I took the points AC made in his advice. I guess my main weakness is arms. I got big body but these tiny string arms.

        I will do my accessory work with close grip for a bit.

        Cheers man.

        And yes, fuck dips and kipping pull ups.

  31. Yo, Cloud… You guys should bring back the weekly challenges. That was a good feature on PR Fridays. Also, Noah’s face is pretty good, but I think he has room to PR is facial expressions. I feel as if he looks like he could start crying, as opposed to making is opponent cry.

  34. Forgot to post before. PR 100km ultra marathon 17hr 49min. Lifting recommenced and I’d say it will be a little while before the lifting PRs are back.

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