Saturday, August 10, 2013

Beast Mode, Big Pr

This is my last heavy Saturday before the TKR. Next week I'm up with Tracy for her GS meet then three days later everything changes :) So I was thinking I wanted to do something grand, kind a last hurrah for this knee, that although is damaged beyond repair, still has served me beyond the call of duty for the last 39+ years.
But after Wednesday's bail out and gimping around for the last two days to be honest, I didn't think I had anything grand in me at all.
But I wanted to take a shot at the 48 kg again and since I did 7 sets last time I played with it the only logical thing would be do go for 10 sets. 100 reps.
My all time goal with this bell.

Could I do it? I had no idea until I picked it up and even then I wasn't sure as the first few sets felt pretty bad on my left hand grip. But I knew the first set would be the worst and once I got that over it was just a matter of hanging in and doing one rep and one set at a time. In retrospect it wasn't that bad at all.

Here's the last set:


One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 5/5
40 kg x 5/5
48 kg x 5/5 x 10 sets! PR
100 reps
10,600 lbs
Bodyweight: 155 


Each set got better and more confident.I took big jumps in the warmups instead of sneaking up on it and I like that now.
Just like in powerlifting the heavier you lift the less energy you can spend getting to the work weight and have to learn how to make big(er) jumps.
It's mostly in the head and if you didn't have the intermediate weights you wouldn't miss them at all. If you want to just build the volume they work great but when the top end is far away you don't want to waste too much time getting there.
 The swings were faster, higher and less hesitant.My mind was solid and didn't go off wandering into fear or doubt. No thought,really. Glenn went, then I went, then Glenn went,etc. I stopped thinking " this is heavy" and just swung the damn thing. :) Better late than never.

I don't know how long til I get to swing it again. Perfect timing,actually.

Two Hand Swings


 sets of 5,6,7, 8,9, 10

Beastmode indeed. No warmups just went. It was easy and strong.

Barbell curls
45 x 10
65 x 5
75 x 5
80 x 5 pr



this was PR as well and felt really solid too.

Back press
 double red strands x 8 x 4 sets

just strong today.:) good timing.

Even though I am loathe to go into surgery now when I am at the peak of strength that I have been at in more years than I want to count it really is the best time. I am fit, lean, strong, healthy and have reserves that I will need in the coming months. I will just be back much better and much stronger than this.
A good jumping off place. Much better than going into this surgery and recovery weak or sick or in bad health.

One more workout on Monday and then off to the races!

datsit.
Sisu/





5 comments:

fawn said...

Hi Mark. Great work with those Beast swings! I am impressed. I'll do a few sets of 5/5 once in awhile in class, so I know how heavy they are (they're heavy!). If I ever do 50, I will now entertain the notion of going for 100 just because of you.

Good luck on the knee replacement. I know it's got to be hard to say goodbye to a knee that's given you so much service throughout your life, even though it is now FUBAR and has been for quite some time. You did everything you could to keep that knee in service, day in and day out, for years. Now it is time to let it go. It was a good knee, and it will be remembered. Now it can rest.

fawn said...

That was from me, Aaron. I've got Fawn's old computer now.

Mark Reifkind said...

thanks Aaron

I am actually impressed myself, it was a big goal and I wasn't thinking I would be able to do it so soon.

Next up would be doing it in sets of 10/10. when I get back to heavy work I will work up to set of 10/10.:)

I am sure you could do it anytime you decided to.

and you are right about the knee, as jacked up as it is it has been with me through thick and thin for basically ALL my life.

I really didn't even cognate about having knees until I blew this one up and then it did do eveything i asked of it for many many years. and despite not bending well it really didn't hurt much until the early '90's.

not a bad record.

I asked the Doc to save a piece of it for me. I'll put it in a glass jar and keep it in my gym so it can rest properly :)

Morgan L. said...

Once you get the knee taken care of it's going to be full on BEAST MODE.

Mark Reifkind said...

thanks Morgan, dat be the plan :)

More press mistakes from today

 1) Gotta engage the rhomboids when setting the low rack position.Lock in 2) Elbows up is crucial 3) 'Straight  up' on the unracking...