Maxing Out After 10 Weeks as a TSAthlete!

My first block of powerlifting training as a TSAthlete is all wrapped up as of last week, and I finally got a chance to get under the bar for some honest max effort attempts to base my new training cycle around. We structured my max effort day similarly to a meet day, giving me three attempts at each lift before moving on.

I was incredibly nervous during all my attempts because this is the first training cycle that I did not train very close to my maxes. 

Now onto the numbers (in lbs).

Squat

1st attempt: 250 - Pretty easy

2nd attempt: 270 - Struggled a bit

3rd attempt: 280 - Easier than my second

I still had more in the tank after squatting, but we took into consideration that I had two other lifts to focus my efforts on, so we stopped here. Depth looked great, well past parallel on all of the lifts, which has been my main focus this last training cycle since my meet squats have notoriously been red lighted for depth. 

Bench Press

1st attempt: 130 - Easy lift

2nd attempt: 140 - Flew up, lifetime PR

3rd attempt: 155 - Failed :(

4th attempt: 145 - Went up slightly grindy, lifetime PR

I was a bit bummed to miss my third attempt, but that was just impulsive attempt selection, since the 140 flew up so easily. We made a mental note to be more conservative next time, and Coach Hani decided to give me a fourth which I obviously wouldn't get at a meet, but for setting up my next training cycle I think 145 is a fair number. 

Deadlift

1st attempt: 315 - Felt off, saw stars.

2nd attempt: 335 - Felt okay, went up fine

3rd attempt: 340 - Solid max effort lift, PR

My deadlifts definitely aren't advancing as fast as they used to, but I'll take a 5lb PR any day. I'm really happy about having 8/9 successful lifts, although you never really know if those lifts would have passed at a meet until you're actually there being judged. We finished out the day with a 760 total, or 765 if you count the fourth attempt bench press. 

I'm very happy with where I am with my lifts. I'm confident that most of these would have passed on the platform, and a lot of that has to do with the smart attempt selection by my coach. I'll be participating in the USPA Camp Pendleton Open again in 2015 which falls on January 10th, and I'm hoping to work up to a solid 800lb total by then. 

We are officially 10 weeks out!

Until next time!

The Importance of Good Coaching

Everyone likes to think that they know best. We live in a society that breeds narcissism. The modern selfie has become an ego's necessity; 100 likes later, your sense of self returns to homeostasis, but make sure you post another one within 48 hours, or else you'll go hypo-selfiemic.

Hey, it's me! 

I've dubbed this the #melfie. 

I like to think it's clever; it's probably not.

This makes it hard to admit that you need some proper guidance. After all, you've been making progress, right? You've gotten stronger, more muscular, leaner, and you're able to do things that you weren't able to do a year ago. But now that you've flown past the newbie stage of lifting, you find that your progress has stalled, you're spinning your wheels, and the gains don't come as easily. How can you face instagram knowing full well that you have nothing new to show the interwebs?

Not to worry, that's what a coach is for. And I'm officially announcing that I've taken the plunge.

I've been pretty apprehensive about hiring someone to do my training and nutrition program. I've had very lackadaisical coaching in the past, and with the amount of free information out there, I didn't feel that it was necessary to pay someone to tell me what I *think* I already I know.

The more I researched, the more I realized how little I actually do know. And the more I realized that the progress I'm making can increase exponentially with proper guidance and a good eye along with a caring heart.

The trend that most intrigued me in my research for a coach, is that most coaches have coaches. To me, this means that even though these individuals know their field well, they still find comfort in having another set of eyes watching them and not allowing them to slack off. If a coach truly believes in the value of coaching, then it only makes sense that they lead by example.

I'll be posting update videos for my coach on YouTube with some general stats every week. It should turn out to be a fun little mini-series transformation. The goal is to lose roughly 18 lbs in 18 weeks while maintaining or increasing strength. My current competition stats:

@148lbs

Squat: 242

Bench: 126

Deadlift: 336

Total: 705

There is a USAPL meet that I will consider doing in February of 2015. I'm confident that I can add 45lbs to my total by then, I just need to fix my form. I'm training to go deeper with every squat, and I'm working on paused reps with my bench press. And since USAPL has different rules for benching than I'm accustomed to, I will have to switch from benching on my toes to benching flat-footed. Goodbye, arch gains! Yikes!

>> Subscribe to my YouTube channel here! <<

Until next time.

The Metroflex Classic

The USPA meet this past weekend at The Metroflex Gym in Long Beach was a great event to compete in, as well as to spectate. The event was separated into two days, with a cap of 60 lifters each day to make the event go smoothly and more quickly than single-day events. This was the most fun I've ever  had at a meet, mostly due to being surrounded by friends and family who really showed their support. I'm very appreciative to everyone who came out!

 Strength Society at Metroflex

 Tina Daneshmand, top female raw lifter in 105lb class

Greg Khoudikian pulling 705lbs at 220lbs

CT Fletcher showing support at his home gym

Now let's get down to the numbers:

Squat

1st attempt: 242. Two white lights. One red for depth. Got my first attempt on the board so I'm happy!

2nd attempt: 265. Two red lights for depth. 

3rd attempt: 270. Two red lights. One for depth, the other for up/down movement.

It was a bit disappointing to miss both my second and third attempts, but I was happy that I didn't fail any of these squats. My squat training hadn't been going well over the last several weeks, so squatting 270 was a gym PR at this body weight. My previous meet PR was 259@165, and 165@148. This meet gave me a 77lb PR at 148lbs.

Bench Press

1st attempt: 115. Easy. Three white lights. We're in!

2nd attempt: 126. Two white lights! One red for up/down movement. This was a major grinder.

3rd attempt: 132. Three reds for up/down movement. Locked it out, though!

I've had a bone to pick with the bench press for quite a while now. I was so stoked to get all of these lifts in, even though I got redlighted on my last attempt. To be honest, that second attempt should definitely have been redlighted as well, since there definitely was up/down movement looking back at the video. But sometimes the judges make unfair calls that go both ways. It was such a grinder that I didn't even want to take my third attempt, but surprisingly, the third went up way smoother. This was an all time bench press PR of 11lbs at 148.

Deadlift

1st attempt: 319. Three white lights. Went up like buttah.

2nd attempt: 336. Three white lights! Form was way off, but I completed the lift.

3rd attempt: 348. Three reds. Failed lift. Sadface!

Looking bad at the footage, my deadlift form was way off, which is something I'll need to be working on in the upcoming months. 336lbs is an all-time meet PR for me, but I was really hoping to get that 348 which would have been a CA state deadlift-only record.

At the end of the meet, I got 5/9 successful lifts. I learned a lot, and got to see some really strong people push some incredible weight! I finished it out with a 705 total, which has been a long term goal of mine.

In the next several months that I take off from powerlifting, I will be working toward becoming a better lifter and smarter competitor before stepping on the platform again.

Until next time!

Powerlifting & Figure Competitions!

Since the Camp Pendleton Open, I had decided to focus my efforts with my diet and training toward bodybuilding so I can get down to a weight that will help me be stronger pound for pound, as well as give me the opportunity to step on stage as a figure competitor some time in late 2014 or early 2015.

But as always, once you're bit by the iron bug, it's hard to shake it, so I am now officially 9 days out from my third powerlifting meet. This time we're back at Metroflex in Long Beach, where I started my journey.

I felt a bit obligated to do this meet so that I could have a sense of closure from this year's training. I didn't even break 600@148 at my first meet, so it would be nice to close off the year by breaking 700@148, which is a decent amount to have added to my lifts in these past 9 months. My main goal is going to be to hit all of my lifts. Nothing fancy, just going in, getting the experience, and enjoying myself. I'm not planning to compete in powerlifting for a very long time after this meet.

One thing I've been trying to do leading up to this meet, is to really hammer in bench technique. My bench press is my weakest lift, so it's been really important to get in and just press over and over until I found my groove.

It's been really tough, but what I found to help was to use my leverages to my advantage, try to get a deep arch, and set my grip wide so that I have a shorter range of motion. This way I'm moving the weight a shorter distance, for less time under the bar, which will help put weight on the bar.

As always, I'll post an update after the meet with the numbers I put up, and hopefully I'll have some videos to go along with it.

Until next time.

8 Dieting Must Haves

This past weekend was my first time attending the Natural Products Expo West which is one of the biggest natural food expos in the country. I've attended a few other expos, but this one has to be at the top of my list in terms of variety of booths, quality of booths, and overall experience.

During the two days I spent at this HUGE event, I discovered quite a few treats that I am excited to add into my diet. Some of them were foods that I've been wanting to try for a while that I hadn't been able to, and others were items I had never even heard of before that I am excited to have learned about. Some of these products are so awesome that I absolutely had to share them with you guys, so I decided to compile a few of my favorite dieting must haves that I'd wish someone had told me about sooner.

8. GoPicnic ready-to-eat meals

This meal package is a great idea for those of us who are occasionally too busy to pack our lunches. The nutrition profile is really good with plenty of protein and fiber, and it's loaded with snacks! There's no need to refrigerate this, so you can just throw it in your car for an emergency meal.

7. bai5 Antioxidant Infusions

I love this product because it has the rich, full bodied flavor of your favorite fruity beverage, but with only 5 calories per serving, so you don't need to worry about going over your calorie budget for the day while you're sipping on this. I tried a few of their flavors and all of them were delicious. Definitely a must have for when you are craving a sweet drink.

6. Ziggy Marley's Coco'Mon Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil

This is a genius twist on traditional good-for-you coconut oil. I've tried this with steaks, with chicken, and with my veggies and it tastes good all around. The curry flavor is not overpowering, but more of a background note. If you like to stick to the basics, they carry the original classic version of coconut oil, but if you're feeling adventurous, I'd recommend that you try one of these flavored oils out and see how you like them. Their other flavors include orange almond and lemon ginger.

5. Frank's RedHot - Wings

Hot sauce should be a part of every persons diet routine. It adds lots of flavor for very little-to-no calories. Frank's RedHot has been one of my favorites for years, and once I discovered their buffalo wings flavor, I was absolutely hooked. I mainly use this on chicken breast to make me feel like I'm digging into some greasy wings instead, but you can definitely get creative with this flavor and use it as the base for a sauce, since it's very sweet and thick. I've slathered this on a salad and eaten it that way, too. Spicy dressing for no calories? I don't see why not.

4. Arctic Zero

Now you can have an entire pint of ice-cream guilt free for only around 150 calories. And not only that, but each pint also includes 16 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Score!! It's made from whey, so it is the perfect post-workout treat. This stuff is definitely satisfying! Be on the lookout for some of their newest flavors like sea salt caramel, coconut, and orange cream, perfect for a sherbet lover. 

3. P28 High Protein Bread

Finally, bread with decent macros. This bread is really tasty, and has a higher protein content due to containing whey in its formulation, much like if you were to add protein powder to your pancake batter. It's a bit higher in calories at 130 per (giant) slice, but definitely worth it if you're a carb-a-holic. This brand also has tons of other protein-infused products as well, including flavored peanut butter (yum!). Definitely worth checking out!

2. Quest Protein Bars

This has been a staple in my every day diet for the past several months now. They taste great, have over 20 grams of protein per bar, and nearly just as much fiber. Their new cookies & cream flavor has got to be my favorite, with cookie dough coming in a very close second. Nuke in the microwave for 12 seconds (it's science) for an ooey gooey irresistible treat.

1. ProYo Ice Cream

Last but not least, we have ProYo high protein frozen yogurt. This stuff is delicious, and it's perfect for you to grab out of the freezer, let it thaw for a few minutes, and slurp! Tastes great and has a really enjoyable texture. It's a perfect treat for a hot summer day. 

Definitely do yourself a favor and try some of these products out. Be sure comment below with your favorite diet go-to treats!

Until next time.

Getting Healthy

I initially wanted to make a vlog about this since I think it's a really important and overlooked topic, but I haven't had much time in front of a camera lately, so this will have to do.

The fitness industry has become so wrapped up in gimmicks, politics, recognition, and gossip that it is starting to overshadow what fitness should really be about: health.

I absolutely do not think that fitness and health are synonymous. In order to look good or to be strong, competitive individuals use terribly unhealthy tactics to give them an edge over their competition: drugs, starvation, dehydration, risk of bodily injury, you name it. Just look at what happened to Brandon Lilly at the American Cup this last weekend. In laymans' terms, he snapped all his shit up!

Now I had always thought I was taking the healthier route in terms of fitness. I was eating well, resting well, and being cautious with my training. What I couldn't figure out is why I always felt terrible, bloated, tired, and was gaining weight so rapidly during my powerlifting training. Some weight gain was to be expected, but I know my body and I recognized something was off.

After a few lab tests and vague advice from my doctor, "You're eating 200 grams of protein a day?! Reduce that to 50 grams and you'll be okay!" Doc, do you even athlete? Anyway... I needed real help.

I was lucky enough to have someone around who had experience in the industry. We watched my diet, tweaked things around, and started using natural supplements to get things functioning again. I severely decreased my caffeine intake, increased my water, and am finally feeling healthy again. I'm able to eat more, move more, and still get leaner as the weeks go by because my body is becoming more and more functional and efficient.

It's very easy to overlook your bad habits when you're the only person monitoring yourself. I had never known the true value of having good coaching until these last few months. The help I've been getting with both my nutrition as well as my training has been invaluable to me, and I recommend that anyone who is serious about getting healthy and fit, and becoming a well rounded athlete gets the help they deserve.

Until next time.

Bathroom Swolfie

Camp Pendleton Open

Strength Society

My crew had been working hard for four months leading up to this meet in Camp Pendleton. Everything had gone according to plan, except for the fact that I was fifteen (15!) lbs over my competition weight, and I got deathly ill the week leading up to the meet, all the way through meet day.

But that wasn't going to stop me.

I had decided early on that I was going to go up a weight class, but that I was going to go into the meet as light as possible. After losing only a pound in the sauna the night before weigh-ins, I decided it would be healthier for me to be sipping on pedialyte so that I would have some chance against whatever flu has been going around.

At a body weight of about 156, I entered the competition excited to hit some PRs.

I was one of the first flights up. There were two competition platforms, so a few of the guys were also up first on the next platform over. The nerves were getting the best of me. I was pale as a ghost, nauseous, and could not focus on my lifts, so after a not-so-successful final warm-up set, Tyler, who had been helping me all the way up to the meet, decided to drop my opener down a bit to get my first lift in.

Squat

1st attempt: 225. Redlighted for depth

2nd attempt: 225. Two white lights. Knees not fully locked out at start of squat

3rd attempt: 259. Three white lights. Woo!

So then we waited around a bit, grabbed a bite, found a change of clothes. I told the guys to give me a call once warm-ups started for bench press. Somehow we lost track of time, and I found myself walking into the gym as they were calling me up. No time to warm-up, had to drop my opener down.

Bench Press

1st attempt: 110. Three white lights. We're in!

2nd attempt: 132. Three reds. Couldn't get it up.

3rd attempt: 132. Three reds. No lift. 

Without a proper warm-up, I realize now I should have been a bit more conservative with my attempt selections on the bench, especially seeing as that's always been my weaker lift, and I wasn't doing so well in the health department. Still in the game, though! Waited around for deadlifts, decreased my opener once more. Better safe than sorry.

Deadlift

1st attempt: 297. Three white lights. Phew!

2nd attempt: 325. Three white lights! Time for a PR...

3rd attempt: 341. Two Reds. Hitched at the top. No PR. Sadface!

At the end of the meet, I got 5/9 successful lifts. I learned a lot, and got to see some really strong people push some incredible weight! I finished it out with a 694 total which got me 2nd place in the 165 class, which isn't bad after such a giant screw up on the bench. I was a bit shy of my personal goal of 700, but I know I'll get it. It's just a matter of time. There's still a lot of room for improvement in my methods as well as my attempt selection. 

I'm really proud of my team. We came in strong and took home four medals. After all this hard work, we've gotten a lot closer, and we've become like family. 

...But Winter will pass, and Summer will be here before we know it, so it's time to get shredded. 

Here is a vlog update on what I think of the strength program I followed leading up to the meet, and what my training will look like in the future. 

Until next time!