Prepping for the APF-AAPF Orlando Barbell Florida State Meet - February 28, 2015. Qualified National Strongman competitor and will be competing this coming October, 2015. I am here to live, learn, and pass on.

3 weeks out from the APF Florida State meet and picking my openers and possible second attempts are in the works. APF is a federation I have competed in before but the meet was a push/pull meet -- it was actually my brutters first meet and I wanted to be there for moral support and well, try to see if I can out lift him.

This will be a full meet but APF rules do not allow knee wraps or knee sleeves. So this will definitely be interesting since I have always done meets that use mono-lifts and allowed knee wraps. I am actually more excited than nervous because it's a new challenge: walking out the weight and no knee wraps? Do you even raw raw squat, bro?

When picking your openers, especially for new lifters, you always want to start with a weight you can do for multiple reps, maybe even something you can do on a really sh--ty day. I actually learned that from Tony Ramos, who trains at Westside Barbell, a few years back when I started. I like this approach because your first attempt should make you feel confident for your next attempt. I am also saying this from experience. I've aimed too high before because I was determined to hit a certain number, purely based on ego and not thinking smart, and it bit me in the bum. I bombed.

First estimated opener and second attempt: 250 lbs , 265 lbs

These are only estimations. They may go up, they may go down, depending on how I feel on the day of the meet: adrenaline rush; food and water consumption; rest and mind-set -- those are all taken into account on how your performance will be that day.

 

 

Finished off with:

  • Pause squats with 225lbs - 3 x 5
  • Box squats (targeting the hamstrings and glutes) 5 x 8
  • Abductions x 100
  • Band ham curls x 100

 

Thank you for being a part of my journey. Suggestions and comments are always welcomed!