Meet Results

It's been almost a week since my most recent powerlifting meet and I thought I'd update on how it went.

The goal was to not use any water and salt loading tricks to drop weight.  Instead, simply cut out water the day before weigh ins around mid-day drinking around a liter of water and eating a decent bit of protein.  Target weight 181.6 or less.

Thursday things were going so well with my weight that I was able to get in about 200 grams of protein and some decent fluids.

The results?  1180.6 friday morning at weigh in.

Let's back track a bit, about 3 weeks out from the meet I was feeling confident after hitting a 405 squat and a 445 deadlift.  I set my opening attempts and that was that.  I was ready for the meet and even bigger 3rd attempts!

Around 2 weeks out my lower back was bothering me and I missed a 370 squat, my planned opener.  Based on the few previous weeks this should of been easily doable.  I threw this up as "I'm tired and beat up, time to recover".

Sadly from here things got worse, mentally at least.

Doubt had entered my head and I let it grow out of control.  Come the morning of the meet I was a giant ball of nerves.  I hit the warm ups on squats and just felt like crap.  315 felt heavier than that 405.  I thought to myself "maybe I should lower my opener to make sure I get in".  However my stupidity kicked in "don't be a bitch, get out there and squat this".

I knew better,

First attempt - no good, got pinned.

Second attempt - no good, got pinned.

By this point i'm freaking out of my mind that i'm about to bomb out of this meet.  Not only did I feel like an idiot, I was embarrassed at myself.  I felt ashamed.  I felt like I just let all my training partners down.  I decided to attempt 385 for my Third attempt, just to try and trick myself into hitting it.

NO FREAKING DICE.  Pinned.

I made a lot of technical mistakes but most were mental mistakes that kept me from being able to bench and deadlift.

After a bit of internal freak out and my nerves settled I was able to cheer on my teammates to watch them hit some great PRs and have a great meet.

I have another meet scheduled November 23rd and I will not make the same mistakes.  I will get my attempts in and I will have a great meet.

Counting Bodies Like Sheep

"Count the bodies like sheep
Count the bodies like sheep

Counting bodies like sheep
To the rhythm of the war drums

Count the bodies like sheep

Go back to sleep
Go back to sleep" 

A Perfect Circle

It's been said numerous times by various people that sleep is one of the most under utilized recovery agents out there.

Sleep is performance enhancing.  Sleep makes everything in your body work optimally.

Much like pain, you don't realize how bad your sleep quality is until you get a good nights rest.


Over the past few years my sleep quality has come and gone numerous times.  When I was obese and drank a lot I didn't so much sleep as just pass out.  I'd wake feeling like crap and rely on stimulants to get me going.  When I stopped drinking I realized how bad my rest was.  When I went from 300 to 160, my sleep quality improved even more.

Being sober and at 160 pounds I thought for sure I was getting optimal rest.  Then the night sweats kicked in.  I was constantly tired and stimulants weren't helping.  So I ran through a bottle of sleep aid.  That helped some what.  Once I started my treatment for my CML and the nigth sweats were greatly reduced, ahh restful sleep.

Then came the spike over load of 2011.

I burnt out my CNS with over stimulant consumption.  Back to piss poor sleep quality.  So I detoxed from caffeine, took mineral support to help me sleep ( will elaborate on how awesome I think this stuff is another time ) and recover.  I got better, eventually.

My sleep quality has been okay as of late.  Not horrible, but not optimal either.  6 hours during the weekdays and 9ish on the weekends.  That "works" for now.  Ideally I'd get more during the week and a bit more on the weekends .  Come Thursday and Friday's I'm pretty tired and the 6 hours is catching up to me.

Where am I going with this you ask?

Everyone is an expert if you ask them.  I'm no expert I just know what works and doesn't work for me.  Sure you can "catch up" on sleep during the weekends, but lets face it, that's not solving the problem.

I understand not everyone can go to bed at 9 and then wait for their body to wake up naturally.  Though if you can do that on the weekends, do it!

Here is what I feel will give you the best recovery throughout the week and keep you running on all cylinders.

• Aim for a minimum of 6 hours of sleep, when you can sleep longer, like the weekends, do it!
• Don't sleep for more than 10 on the weekends
• If you wake up in the middle of the night and don't fall back asleep within 5 minutes, get out of the bed and go do something.  Don't go watch TV or sit on the computer, read a book, sweep the kitchen, get a glass of water and slowly drink it while reflecting on what you want to accomplish tomorrow
• Try to minimize your caffeine consumption to before 10am, lay off the energy drinks
• Use fresh sheets once a week
• Turn the air down or have a fan blow over you, cooler conditions lend to better sleep quality
• Stop drinking liquids 2 hours before bed if you can ( you can take your night time meds/etc with some water but as little as needed )
• Get a nightly ritual that you do before bed
• reduce physical activity 60 minutes before bed
• Leave the bed for bed related activities. You should not be watching TV in your bed, it creates incorrect habits

Find what works for you.  If any o these are  not realistic for you then change them up, do something else.

I'm no expert and I'm constantly trying to improve my sleep quality, I just know when I employ some of the above it helps.

Chicken No-Noodle Soup

Easy Wholesome Chicken Noodle Soup... Minus the noodles.

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast
• Chicken Stock
• Veggies to add ( celery, carrots, onions, parsley, radish, garlic, bay leaf were all used for mine )
• Fat to add in ( coconut oil is pretty damned tasty 3 TBSP )

What else you need:

• Large Pot
• Wooden Spoon
• Two forks
• Tongs 
• Open Flame/heating element, duh

Steps:

1. Place chicken breasts into pot
2. Cover chicken breasts with stock
3. Add Oil 3TBSP is probably plenty of what ever you use
4. Turn heat to high and bring to boil
5. While this all comes to a boil chop your veggies how ever you like and set aside 
6. Add the flavor veggies to the boil ( onions, celery, radish, bay leaf, garlic, parsley ) 
7. Turn down to simmer for 1 hour
8. Using tongs pull chicken out of pot and place onto cutting board/surface top
9. Using two forks, shred the chicken and add it back to the pot
10. Add carrots and let simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour.

That is it, enjoy!  I garnished mine with some chopped green onion and red pepper flakes.

If you really wanted to you could add noodles at the end and bring to a boil until noodles are ready.