Currently 11 days out from the RPS Backyard Bash on June 8th. Bodyweight this morning was 237, up a few pounds due to last night's backload. Not up as much as it normally would be the day after backload, but that's because I have been cutting back on the number of carbs I'm taking in during my backloads. That's one of my favorite things about carb backloading, how easy it is to manipulate your weight gain/loss. Weight is still right where I want it to be so I can make 220's.
This is my last week of training prior to the meet. Just hitting some light (sub-opener) weights for a few singles, followed by some extremely light auxiliary work to get a little more blood flowing. Here's a very boring synopsis of Monday night's workout.
Monday's Workout (5/27)
Bench
lots of warmups
225 x 5 reps
275 x 3 reps
315 x 1 rep (with exaggerated press and rack commands)
315 x 1 rep (with exaggerated press and rack commands)
Standing Overhead Press
25 lb (mini barbell) x 30 reps (3 sets)
Rope Tricep Pushdowns
very light weight x 25 reps (3 sets)
Weighted Abs
very light weight x 15 reps (3 sets)
Notes: 315 felt very light and the weight moved fast on both sets. I was tempted to go up to my opener but wisely resisted the urge. I'm really looking forward to seeing what I can do on the bench at this meet.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Getting the ball rolling...
Welcome to my blog everyone. This is the place where I plan to unload my thoughts on everything training related and some things not. I welcome all comments and feedback.
My name is Drew Hall and I am a competitive powerlifter and an avid nutrition nut. I currently live in Columbia, SC and train at SC Barbell (Marc Bartley's gym).
I compete raw and my best total to date is 1730 at 242. This total was achieved in October 2011. Since that meet I have had a couple injuries, including a partial pec tear in February 2012, which I continued to aggravate multiple times over the following year. These injuries, particularly the reoccurring pec problems, sidelined me for a good bit and worse of all they screwed with my head.
Anyways I am back in the saddle again, so to speak, and am currently sitting 2 weeks out from my first meet since that Oct. 2011 meet. The meet is June 8th and it's the RPS Backyard Bash in Charlotte, NC. I have big expectations going into this meet and even bigger expectations for the future.
For those who don't know me, allow me to give you a brief background about myself and how I got into lifting and how I ended up where I am today.
Growing up I was always involved in sports and as I got older (think high school), all my focus went towards baseball. I was one of those kids who literally practiced every single day I wasn't playing, so it was literally baseball 365 days a year. This drive and determination to be the best at whatever it is that I am trying to accomplish was engrained in me at a very early age, and I thank my Dad for that.
When it came time to graduate high school I had a few offers to go play baseball at some of the smaller schools in the surrounding area, but I ultimately chose to forgo college baseball and focus on my studies instead. When I got to college freshman year, this was the first time I ever found myself not involved sports. I no longer had a physical outlet. I had to find a new passion, something to replace baseball, something I could pour my heart and soul into, and that would allow me to constantly push myself to get better and better.
The first week or two of college an old childhood friend who I hadn't really seen in years asked me if I wanted to start going to the gym with him. His name was Josh and he had a wrestling background and therefore a solid weight lifting background. I accepted the offer and from there out we lifted together until the day we both graduated college four years later. I was instantly hooked and had instantly found a new passion. I have to say thank you to Josh for this.
My passion for lifting continued to grow throughout college and I gained an impressive amount of size and strength over those four years. Start of freshman year I was 180 soak and wet and by the time I graduated I was a big bloated 250 pounds.
I accepted a job in Virginia upon graduating college and my future wife and I found ourselves moving to Virginia Beach. Like any good meathead, I had already researched gyms in the area and after arriving in Virgina I quickly made my way over to Brute Strength Gym in Norfolk, VA. This was by far the best gym I had ever lifted in and I recommend anyone who is ever in the area to check it out. Brute was where I had my first real exposure to powerlifting.
I began training with two competitive powerlifters, Thomas Dillard and Eli Guidry. Eli moved shortly after we started together, so it was me and Thomas for the next two years while I lived in Virginia. Thomas is a SHW and currently lifts in the masters division and is still squatting over 700, benching over 500, pulling in the high 700's, and chasing a 2000+ total. All raw and all at 50+ years old. He holds the all-time world records for master's in the squat, deadlift, and total, and on a good day I know he can break the bench record as well.
Two months later I did my first powerlifting meet and totaled a messily 1445 at 242. A year later after training with Thomas, I totaled 1730 at 242. Thomas taught me more than I could possibly type out about lifting and life in general and he remains a great friend to this day.
In February 2013, my wife and I made the move to Columbia, SC, where we were lucky enough to start training at Marc Bartley's gym, SC Barbell. This is the gym I now call home and I'm currently part of a great team of lifters.
My name is Drew Hall and I am a competitive powerlifter and an avid nutrition nut. I currently live in Columbia, SC and train at SC Barbell (Marc Bartley's gym).
I compete raw and my best total to date is 1730 at 242. This total was achieved in October 2011. Since that meet I have had a couple injuries, including a partial pec tear in February 2012, which I continued to aggravate multiple times over the following year. These injuries, particularly the reoccurring pec problems, sidelined me for a good bit and worse of all they screwed with my head.
Anyways I am back in the saddle again, so to speak, and am currently sitting 2 weeks out from my first meet since that Oct. 2011 meet. The meet is June 8th and it's the RPS Backyard Bash in Charlotte, NC. I have big expectations going into this meet and even bigger expectations for the future.
For those who don't know me, allow me to give you a brief background about myself and how I got into lifting and how I ended up where I am today.
Growing up I was always involved in sports and as I got older (think high school), all my focus went towards baseball. I was one of those kids who literally practiced every single day I wasn't playing, so it was literally baseball 365 days a year. This drive and determination to be the best at whatever it is that I am trying to accomplish was engrained in me at a very early age, and I thank my Dad for that.
When it came time to graduate high school I had a few offers to go play baseball at some of the smaller schools in the surrounding area, but I ultimately chose to forgo college baseball and focus on my studies instead. When I got to college freshman year, this was the first time I ever found myself not involved sports. I no longer had a physical outlet. I had to find a new passion, something to replace baseball, something I could pour my heart and soul into, and that would allow me to constantly push myself to get better and better.
The first week or two of college an old childhood friend who I hadn't really seen in years asked me if I wanted to start going to the gym with him. His name was Josh and he had a wrestling background and therefore a solid weight lifting background. I accepted the offer and from there out we lifted together until the day we both graduated college four years later. I was instantly hooked and had instantly found a new passion. I have to say thank you to Josh for this.
My passion for lifting continued to grow throughout college and I gained an impressive amount of size and strength over those four years. Start of freshman year I was 180 soak and wet and by the time I graduated I was a big bloated 250 pounds.
I accepted a job in Virginia upon graduating college and my future wife and I found ourselves moving to Virginia Beach. Like any good meathead, I had already researched gyms in the area and after arriving in Virgina I quickly made my way over to Brute Strength Gym in Norfolk, VA. This was by far the best gym I had ever lifted in and I recommend anyone who is ever in the area to check it out. Brute was where I had my first real exposure to powerlifting.
I began training with two competitive powerlifters, Thomas Dillard and Eli Guidry. Eli moved shortly after we started together, so it was me and Thomas for the next two years while I lived in Virginia. Thomas is a SHW and currently lifts in the masters division and is still squatting over 700, benching over 500, pulling in the high 700's, and chasing a 2000+ total. All raw and all at 50+ years old. He holds the all-time world records for master's in the squat, deadlift, and total, and on a good day I know he can break the bench record as well.
Two months later I did my first powerlifting meet and totaled a messily 1445 at 242. A year later after training with Thomas, I totaled 1730 at 242. Thomas taught me more than I could possibly type out about lifting and life in general and he remains a great friend to this day.
In February 2013, my wife and I made the move to Columbia, SC, where we were lucky enough to start training at Marc Bartley's gym, SC Barbell. This is the gym I now call home and I'm currently part of a great team of lifters.
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