Underground Strength Challenge 2010

Thanks to Luke and Jake Beggs for the solid design above. We had the Inaugural Strength Challenge at the Underground Fitness Center last night. Participants were weighed in and then attempted one repetition maxes on squat, bench, and deadlift. Each participant was allowed three attempts for all three lifts. Then each person then could see how many FULL bench press repetitions they could accomplish with their bodyweight. The last event was a grip test for MAN HANDS with 315lbs on our fat bar with a double overhand grip.

We had the following 11 competitors: Clay Brady, Mike Spitnale, Luke Beggs, Andrew Lewis, Rob Sinnott, Luke Ranta, Tyler Brewer, Brett Borders, Jake Beggs, Derrick Bellmann, and Nic Norwood. Here are the results (all weights are in pounds):

Heaviest Lifts

Squat

Luke Beggs 480

Rob Sinnott 445

Tyler Brewer 410

Bench

Rob Sinnott 375

Jake Beggs 345

Luke Beggs 320

Deadlift

Luke Beggs 525

Tyler Brewer 505

Brett Borders 505

Jake Beggs 495

Heaviest Total

Luke Beggs 1325

Rob Sinnott 1295

Jake Beggs 1225

Strongest Pound-for-pound- compared weight lifted to competitor's bodyweight

Squat

Luke Beggs 242%

Tyler Brewer 212%

Jake Beggs 207%

Bench

Jake Beggs 186%

Nic Norwood 179%

Rob Sinnott 163%

Deadlift

Clay Brady 274%

Jake Beggs 267%

Luke Beggs and Nic Norwood 265%

Highest Percentage Total

Luke Beggs 669%

Jake Beggs 660%

Nic Norwood 644%

Most Bench Press Repetitions with Bodyweight

Nic Norwood 27 reps at 140lbs

Jake Beggs 25 reps at 185lbs

Luke Beggs (200lbs) and Rob Sinnott (230lbs) tied with 17 reps each

MAN-HANDS GRIP

Luke Beggs 33.62 seconds

Tyler Brewer 27.3 seconds

Rob Sinnott 24.9 seconds

Awesome event, a bunch of Personal Records (PR) were made!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to every one that came out.

Incline Bench Press Needs improvment

I am ok with my bench max, the weight i work out with, etc. It is only going to increase and I would be pissed beyond measure if my numbers went down, but when compared to my incline... I look like two different people.
I will do four sets of 6 on flat bench with 270... and get all but one or two reps.
On incline I can only push 215 for all four sets of six. In my mind that is too big a difference. I started a new microcycle this week that includes incline barbell bench. I am hoping to be working out with closer to 240 on incline. I feel like I have the strength there, I just haven't spent enough time working on that particular exercise.

That is definitely going to change and in five weeks I'll let you know what my current workout weight on incline is. I'm all about self-improvement

Speaking of pushing weight...

A buddy of mine beat my max bench by 5 pounds the other day... and I couldn't be more pumped.

1...2....3 a couple of grunts and the bar moved down and then he pushed through his sticking point and reracked it. 340, done. I got 335 last December and I plan on reclaiming the title in May

Maxed Out

I set a goal of 415 to max out on squat by May and took another step toward my goal by getting 405 today. I took the worst way to get it though. I grabbed somebody to spot me that was out of the norm so that distracted me a little... mentally to get into the 400 pound club was more of a challenge than I thought it was going to be. I warrmed up with 135, 225, and 315. Since 315 was around 77% of my hopeful max of 405 I figured it was a solid last step before trying my max.

I tried 405 the first time and wasn't warm enough because I dropped it... pretty much called out by the people watching me... they didn't have to say a word, but when they looked away after I fell that was enough of an insult.... I waited around two minutes after putting the weight back on the rack. I felt much better getting under the weight.

I got under it and all I had to do was stand up. down and up. 405 without hitting a sticking point. it was heavy but I didn't slow down.
I glanced at my spotter and since I had already failed once and then got into the 400 pound club by getting 405, I figured I would go ahead and try 415, you know, get a feel for it. dropped with that weight as well. I got 405 today and have my sights on 415 for May.

my biggest competition is the bald guy looking back at me in the mirror.

Maxing Out on Bench and Squat only is getting closer

I approached today looking at my lifting sheet not really seeing much improvement in my bench press or squat. Steadily getting my reps, but now blowing any day away.

I moved up to five sets of four this week for my core lift. Yesterday I got 315, 335, 345, 355, 365 on back squat. I got all my reps except the 365 I only achieved 2. Fatique set in... freaked by doing the weight??? I'd say both


I will remind you that my goal by May is 415 for my one rep max and that I got 395 this past December.

I will get it

Back to today, the lift at hand... bench press. I got 275 for four sets of four and drilled the second to last set with ease enough to make me want to jump 10 pounds on the last set.... I got 285
for all four reps. I have to push myself more on these sets, but I am happy with the weights I got the past two days. I am capable of more

After bench I completed five sets of six with one-legged romanian deadlifts with 120lbs and seated dumbbell shoulder press five sets of 6, two 80lb dumbbells for all five sets.

Did 8 sets of core exercises (russian twists and 2 point planks) and some triceps (rope pushdown for three sets of 10 and two sets of weighted dips, ten reps with fifty extra pounds)


a solid first two days of the week I'd say

Update on max out numbers and Super set routine

I completed a one rep max on back squat and front squat yesterday... I hadn't maxed out on back squat since May, but my strength has stayed fairly consistent. It actually has to have gone up. In May I got 375 on back squat with a belt, and yesterday i got 375 BUT the study that was being done called for the lifters to not use a belt.
Using a weight lifting belt increases intrabdominal pressure, allowing a lifter to lift more and is a lot safer than to max out not using a belt. But since using a belt increases the pressure in your abdomen, it allows your body to stay more rigid, which would allow you to lift more weight... up to 15% more! So getting the same weight that I did in May just without the use of a belt means that I have increased my strength, so nothing to be pissed about.

I had never maxed out on front squat before. I usually work out with 185 or 195 for 4 sets of 6-8. BUT I was able to get 275, so i am amped about those weights.

For another study he wanted me to complete a 10 rep max on leg curl, deadlift, and back squat. I did the leg curl and played around with a couple weights before getting 150 ten times. I also had to follow the protocol of one second concentric, two seconds eccentric (one second up, two seconds down), so I know that I was moving the weight in a controlled manner.

On a completely different note, I was training one of my most motivated clients last Tuesday... He is wanting weight loss and increased strength. While the two are very difficult to achieve at once, because to achieve greater strength you have to build muscle whcih means you have to consume more calories that you burn, and he wants to lose weight, which is the exact oppostie of the formula to build muscle mass... I believe when working with a detrained person, the two are possible to achieve at once. His body is in such a state of shock at the workouts, that all the calories he is burning lifting weights and strengthening his core with me, will help shed the fat off of him while his strength has already improved substantially.

His work out this past week was:
leg press
DB chest press
Lat pulldown

3x 10 on all and each set of these exercises was supersetted with the following core developing exercises:

Medicine ball wall throws 3x 10 with a ten pound ball
Supine Medicine ball chest throws 3x10 w/ a ten pound ball
Alternating supermans 3x 12 each side

I hope he continues his current regimine of lifting twice a week and running the other days to eventually prepare for a marathon. He has the drive for a total body transformation.

I posted a poll, take it and see the results. Let me know if you need anything.