I'm really behind on my logs but, even with traveling to New Jersey and the holiday, I'm happy to be on track with training. I actually had some anxiety about training and apprehension about traveling during prep but I'm very glad I went and I'm happy to say, everything is going pretty good.
I'll talk more about my trip to NJ in my next log. I had a great training session while I was there. I did ME LOWER before taking off and when I went to grab my belt, you could imagine my dismay at the first moment I realized it was missing. Please let me tell you a little bit about my belt. It's thick, heavy leather and it's darkish brown. It didn't start out that color. It started a pretty, light tan color. I purchased it at the 2017 Elitefts Training Summit, Columbus, OH. That very cold February weekend I was invited to train at the S4 compound. This would be my second time there. The first being when John Meadows took me in 2014. From Ohio State University, where the summit was, I took a 45 minute, $75 Uber to the compound. (Not realizing at the time that there would be no Uber service back! Thanks to Traci Tate, I made my flight home). Traci beat my ass on the Pit Shark and made me puke twice. I had known before that weekend that I was going to bug Dave about trying out powerlifting, I had only just earned my IFBB Pro card 6 months prior. But after that training session, I knew that I already WAS a powerlifter. I just hadn't tried it yet. I did my first meet, and broke world records that June, wearing that belt. I took a sharpie and quickly wrote (upside down) "SHEEHAN." My first meet was quite spectacular. I won trophies and medals for shit I didn't even know what! "What the heck is a WILKS?" "So, this is what it feels like to belong," I thought to myself. I remember grabbing my belt and proudly slinging it over my shoulder. The clasp squeaks when I walk with it that way. That became a comforting sound to me. Then my belt and I went to Tampa to compete and we did so well we got invited to San Antonio Texas! We visited gyms all over the country! People everywhere would stop to ask about my belt at airports (because I refused to check it in case something happened to it, so I carried it on). Then we came back to compete in Tampa and Miami where I recently competed and earned the "best female lifter."
This brings me back to being at my trunk, knowing I had left it at the gym a few days prior. I even knew where I left it. When I asked around nobody had seen it. The lost and found bucket, by the front door, didn't have it in there, but someone had seen it. A few people said they had seen it. It's easy to spot because it's a huge ass Elitefts lever belt. But alas, it was missing again. So, I borrowed my client's belt and got my work done. My flight was that evening so there was nothing I could do. I figured it was stolen. It was dark from all of the sweat that I had poured into it and at first, I thought that was disgusting anybody would wear my nasty sweat but then I realized what is more disgusting is the thought that this person knew the memories I had made wearing this belt and thought it was ok to keep it from me. Well, after explaining to a few folks that I would be very upset if I were to see someone wearing it, it reappeared. We're reunited but it doesn't feel so good. It hurts knowing the place I consider my home and sanctuary had people in it that would maliciously keep and use (gross) my belt, without my permission and against my will. It's a belt. An object. I ordered a new one the day after I realized the other one was gone. But it doesn't feel the same. It feels violated.
Apparently, I have a few gym members reading my blog here. Please know, my greatest passion in life is seeing people become as strong as they possibly can be. I believe in the Elitefts motto of "live, learn and pass on," and I am here to serve the strength community. I would have let you try it and even have cued you on how to use it optimally. You can be a gym member, guest, trainer, custodian, if you have questions on how to get stronger, I am MORE than happy to help you. I believe we grow stronger together. You don't need to take from me when I'm already offering.
I'm going to keep the new belt and break it in. Hopefully, it will bring me new good luck at the Battle of the Bay. My old belt will be cleaned and retired. I don't want to wear that bad energy.
Anyway, hold your belts tight tonight and don't forget to tell them how much you love them.
DE UPPER:
SPEED BENCH 8x3x50%
FLOOR SEATED OHP vs bands
BARBELL ROLLOUTS
DE LOWER: REEVES DL
SINGLE-LEG DL
REVERSE FACING LEG LIFTS LEG EXTENSIONS
HANGING LEG RAISES
SPEED LOW BOX SQUATS with Cambered bar: 7x3x60% 265lbs
ME UPPER: PIN PRESS top set:1x1x115% 315lbs
JM PRESS on Smith
SHRUGS
ME LOWER: DEADLIFT : 1x3x90% 405lbs (one scratch), 1xamrapx70% 315lbs
@elitefts AMERICAN BAR BENT OVER ROWS: 5x5x130lbs
@elitefts AMERICAN BAR PREACHER CURLS: 3x8
FRIED NOODLE PULL UPS
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BACK FINISHER SUPERSET: