USAPL Wisconsin State Meet

Squat: 633x, 633, pass
Bench: 308, 330, 341x
Deadlift: 523, 562, 584x
Total: 1526 (33 pound PR)
Weight: 198.3 pounds
Wilks: 442


Best I can figure being sick the last week compromised my balance on my first squat.  Warm-ups felt solid, so I didn't think it would be necessary to lower my squat opener.  I tried to be very aggressive in the descent, probably too aggressive.  Wasn't as scary as I figured it would be, must I strained my calf pretty good in the process.  I was scared as hell of taking it again, especially not feeling 100% with the calf screwy.  When I walked it out it didn't feel like there was any way I was getting the weight, so I went back to focusing on getting my technique as dialed in as possible and was able to grind it out.  I passed on my third because I didn't want to take any more chances with the calf and I didn't figure I had any more weight in me anyway.

I hit 5 pounds more on the bench than I had in the 42 Fury in the gym, and I was ridiculously close to bettering that by 16 pounds.  I misgrooved the 3rd attempt on the way up and hit the rack.  Have to continue working on pressing in a more straight line and just getting stronger in general obviously.

So freaking close to a 33 pound meet PR on deadlift, but at least I got 562 out of the way which I missed on my 3rd attempt at the last two meets.  Looked like I allowed 584 to get a bit away from me and that is why I lost my grip.  So it looks like the high volume, high intensity work in the suit, with a 4 week taper worked reasonably well. 

I think I learned an important lesson during this meet.  Some people will say that gym lifts don't matter, it only matters in the meet.  There are some different ways to take this statement, two immediately come to mind: (1) meet lifts are what matter because they are evaluated by judges; (2) meet lifts are what matter because you are lifting on a designated day.  I had thought for awhile only (1) was important.  If I did a lift in the gym that was executed to competition standards I considered it a PR.  I think about this a bit differently now that I have incorporated (2) into my thoughts on meet lifting.  I was sick leading up to the meet and if I was looking to do a test day I would have postponed it by two weeks.  Lifting in a competition doesn't afford this luxury so it is about figuring out how to do your best given the circumstances.  I think I did reasonably well at accomplishing that task.

Thankfully I only have 4.5 months until the next meet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDqKXPp6QnQ