Well, it’s that time again. It is meet week for me and I have never felt this unprepared. It’s possible that it is a good thing that I didn’t touch the weights I usually hit during prep. I left a lot out of this training cycle because I simply could not get my lighter lifts consistent enough to be okay with. I am confident in my squats, lost about 50lbs on bench due to problems with my shoulder where I couldn’t continue with further sets because of the pain, and my deadlifts are slightly below what they normally are. I have my openers very light, even taking my first attempt bench raw at 250lbs just because I don’t know how I am going to hold up after squats. Setting my first attempt bench heavier with a shirt would be unwise seeing as how inconsistent my bench was throughout prep. I’m traveling for this meet pretty far, and I want to have fun with a bunch of good guys. The possibility of bombing out on bench if my shoulder ends up sucking would just be too great. I am looking to hit numbers below what my best lifts are, but to build positive momentum and finish the meet hitting most of my lifts. The past year and a half I have been regressing and I don’t believe I have gone more than 5/9, with one bomb out and some other 3/9 days. I’m tired of that, it doesn’t help me at all missing lifts in a meet, and I need something positive moving forward. Anything over 6/9 and a 1900+ total will get me moving in the right direction again.

This past week at 10 days out I showed up on a Thursday prepared to hit my last warmups for all three lifts. I finished with squatting 715 (twice because of my previous inconsistency) and liked the second go at it much more than the first. While I was still warm from squats I moved over and pulled 405, 495, and 585 as a last warmup on deadlifts. With my shoulder feeling like it was going to fall off of my body at this point I just wanted to get a few benches in before going home. I took a few raw benches and when I went to throw on my SDP shirt, realized it was still back home drying in the utility room drenched in Febreeze. I had an older much larger blue SDP that I threw on and managed to squeeze out 405 as a last warmup bench. That solidified my raw bench opening attempt selection at a token 250lbs.

I’m heading up to New Jersey on Friday morning, with one of my lifters coming with me to handle me and lift himself on Saturday. It worked out perfectly since he is in the TEEN age category and he is lifting during the morning session on Saturday while I will be on Sunday. We both have pretty much just sweatpants, a hoodie and a beanie to bring with us while we freeze our asses off in this 10 degree or less weather. Thankfully we are flying into NJ and staying at the meet location hotel, which is also located at the airport. My Ohio blood is of no use to me anymore, I get cold and need a sweatshirt when it is 70. Right now it is time to rest and get my shoulder recovered as much as possible before we go and have ourselves a good meet.