To summarize:
1. Plan was to qualify for the Arnold with openers [Done]
2. I cut to 220 from 235 as practice. I cut weight for one meet with no guidance and it didn't go so well. This was relatively easy with Stan Efferding's help. [Done]
3. IF I felt good I would push it for 2100 at 220 in sleeves. [No bueno]
I'll spare you the details from this uneventful, but successful meet. The weight cut went pretty well. I was water loaded and cut carbs and sodium and was down to 224 the night before weigh ins. We thought I would wake up at 220 on the nose but I probably had a few too many carbs the night before so I was sitting at 222.
Yessie drove to Columbus, I was sweating in the passenger seat in a hoodie and beanie and the heater on. So I thought that would be enough. I stepped on the scale at 221.4...F me.
I hadn't gone to the bathroom yet so I headed to the toilet with two enemas in hand. I texted Stan and let him know what I was up to...to which he replied "Let me know how the enema works." I thought about sending him a video on 'how' they worked, but that would be rude...even though he asked for it.
Back on the scale at 220.4 so I was good to go. I rehydrated with 30 oz of water, 3 NUUN tabs, 30g of carbs, 10g BCAA's, digestive enzymes, and 100mg of caffeine. I sipped on this slowly for about 30 minutes.
Yessie had no problem with her cut and we headed to breakfast (I had been mean to her because I was grumpy so I was buying). Refeed all day went well and I was 235 before bed and before my last meal.
Fast forward to warm ups...
I felt loose and had some pop in my squat. But my final warm up, 600, felt like dog shit. I took 650 on the platform and it moved OK, but I needed 750 if I wanted to push for 2100 and my confidence wasn't there after a shitty squat cycle leading up to the meet. I cut it there after Yessie confirmed what I was feeling. [She gets me.]
Yessie crushed a 30# squat PR hitting 330.
Bench felt much better. I hit an easy 470-510 so I decided I'd give 550 a run. I hit 540 at RUM8, almost two years ago. And 550 flew off my chest. So much so that I made a rookie mistake and let off the gas pedal and it stalled halfway up. After a well-planned training cycle that will be there at the Arnold plus some more.
Yessie struggled on the bench only managing 175. She's capable of much more, just a bad training cycle and I'll take the blame for that one.
Deads I hit an easy opener at 700 but my technique was shit. I took 750 and lost my grip. I had mentally checked out and shouldn't have even taken it, but there's a lesson learned. You're either in, or you're out. Don't piss around in between.
Yessie hit 360 on deads after tripling 375 beltless in training. She needs to work on positioning in her sumo- pulling the slack out, loading her hamstrings, and wedging her hips under the bar.
For your viewing pleasure...
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL7eiIHvkZI]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYUJRuGPSe4]