Squat 315 x 5: BAD SAD

Today was a very frustrating workout. Perhaps my test is just incredibly high right now because I am full of anger and aggression after todays workout, even though it really wasn't too bad.

Started with 5/3/1 squats, and I was feeling really great as I was warming up. Took my time getting warm, and did some static stretches that have really been feeling great lately. Bar moved well, as did 125 - I focused really hard today on taking a HUGE breath and getting CRAZY tight before unracking, and it really made everything feel light and awesome. hit 205 for a set of 9 like it was a joke. Loaded up and hit 245 for 3, which moved well, but 285 x 3 was honestly one of the best sets I have ever squatted. Unrack was awesome, and I just hit the three reps like they were nothing - shot out of the bottom, crushed the weight. I felt for SURE that I was going to fuck 315 up. And inevitably that was my downfall haha. I got WAY too in my head. I started daydreaming about hitting 315 for, like 10 reps, and even though I was trying to just calm myself down and focus on the triple first, I was doing a shitty job. I was amped up and excited, and at the very last second as I was getting ready to unrack I got distracted by a group of guys lifting nearby. End result - the unrack was awesome haha, weight felt light. But on my first rep I just wasn't focused enough. I came out of the bottom fast, but I was too soft and hit a nasty sticking point. Fought through without much trouble, but it totally threw me off. Reps 2 and 3 were a little forward and not pretty. Finally, I took some time and breaths and managed to hit a good 4th and 5th rep, but at that point they were just harder than they should have been. I racked it after 5. I would guess I had a 6th in there, but I was just finished at that point. Honestly, It was incredibly
frustrating. 5 reps is nothing to be ashamed of, and especially after thursday's workout I have nothing to prove, but I just am very angry because it wasn't just a "weak day," it was a GREAT day and that set was fucked up because I lost focus. I shouldn't have gotten ahead of myself. When I'm approaching big weight like that, I REALLY need to just take it one rep at a time. If I had focused on making that first rep perfect, and then the second rep perfect, and then the third... I would have CRUSHED 5 reps, and probably had 7 + beautiful reps, if I decided to push it that far. But because I got caught up in the weight, and moving it for a ton or reps, I messed up on the very first one. I honestly would have been far happier with a BEAUTIFUL triple than I am with a shitty set of 5. BUT ANYWAYS, this rant is for catharsis, I simply need to express myself so I can stop being angry haha. Bottom line: I am getting very strong, and 315 is becoming easier and easier to squat. BUT, I absolutely MUST take the "rep out's" one rep at a time. It is always better to get the minimum number of reps with beautiful form than to stress about how many I'm going to hit, and fuck up the whole set that way. Next time, more focus - starting with the very first rep.

I need to copy Pete Rubish on my deadlifts

Next, speed deadlifts - 295 from 2 plates, 10 singles on the minute. I focused/played around with being REALLY fast with bringing my shins to the bar, and it makes a huge difference. I have a bad habit of, when the weight gets heavy, slowly bringing my shins to the bar, which slows down my pull immensely. However, when I focus on setting up, and then in a split second popping my shins to the bar and pulling, the weight flies up. There were 3 or 4 reps today that were some of the best speed deads I have pulled in a very long time. Problem is, I also run the risk of rushing that setup too much and pulling in a way that is slightly out of position - with 295, even these shittier pulls were still faster than good form pulls where I set up slow. However, with big weight being a little out of position has big consequences. So, I need to really focus on perfecting this "pop my shins to the bar" technique/setup, so that it is consistent. It simply makes too big of a difference to be ignored. If I can make it perfect every time, I think it will have a huge impact on my deadlift. I'm going to keep focusing on it every time. Can't wait to move my speed work up once this cycle is over - 295, 315, 335 will be challenging and badass.

Need more BACK

Finally, Snatch grip deads went very well, although they were still not able to heal my hatesadness from the squats. At first, they felt shitty. My thumbs/hands were killing me from hook gripping, and I just felt slow and shitty. I think it was basically just some slowness from having snatched on saturday - my body still doesn't quite know how to recover from that. Hit a warmup at 125, then 3 at 185, 225, 265. all of those felt a lot heavier than they should have, so I took a longer rest and really focused for 305. When I hit it, It was much more solid than the other sets. So, I loaded up 345 and chalked up like crazy. After a good long rest I hit it. It FELT like a max effort - my hands could barely hold on, and I felt like I almost didn't make the third rep. However, the video I took of it actually looks a lot smoother and easier than I thought. Maybe I have more in me than I know. I am thinking maybe next week I will just go for 365. I should be able to get at LEAST one - and if I fail after 1 or 2, so be it. It is still the best choice to set me up for my max in 2 weeks. Anyways, here is the video. Also, next cycle, I'm thinking start at 235 x 8 and try to jump 20 lbs a week again? Idk we will see.

Finally, did a set of hollow rocks to finish up.

Overall, Frustrating day. I wish I could just go back to the gym and have a do-over on those squats. HOWEVER, I need to just take a lesson in focus from today, and move on. Squatting that 315 x 5 is still some great, quality work, even if it wasn't perfect, and the rest of my workout was heavy and badass. On thursday, I will be sure to really focus on making my reps beautiful. I still don;t know whether to go lighter, or really heavy (325?), or some combination of the two. But either way, I'll focus on form and concentration then, and try to make up for today. And in the meantime, hopefully I will fuck up tomorrow's bench workout. Lets keep at it.