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.

GOALS GOALS GOALS

Alright alright alright, I preach about goals... setting them, writing down a descriptive plan on how you are to achieve those goals, and what you should do once said goals ARE attained.

If you don't know where you are going,
you'll end up somewhere else.
- Yogi Berra

You know you need to be realistic. Take sombody that has been working out consistently for two years and is benching 135lbs in January can't realistically set a May goal of 225lbs for sets. Eventually, for sure 225 is a sweet goal, but you have to push yourself yet have an idea of what is conceivable in the amount of time you are considering. Set checkpoints... where you expect to be at certain points and have both long and short term goals.



Writing down your goals keeps you accountable and you also have a visual reminder of what you set out to do. Writing them down should serve as a motivational boost every time you see that sheet of paper. It helps keep you focused on what you set your mind to achieve.


You have heard or maybe even YOU have set a goal, achieved it and became complacent, and then drifted away from it. If your goal was fitness oriented, once you achieved it did you maintain that level of fitness or drop off dramatically. We all have ups and downs but to get your body fat percentage to a certain level while pushing around a certain amount of weight and then letting it drop doesn't make sense.

Why achieve a goal just to have to get back to it at the same time next year? Goals should be progressive... you should constantly be focused on becoming better. Share some of your current fitness goals with me in the comment section!

Meathead battle Round 1: Bench Press Body weight

So last week Nic Nak was roaming around the gym and we started talking about who would eat the last piece of pizza between us. After listing 20 reasons apiece why myself or Nic should be given the last piece, we decided a battle should ensue.

He was doing chest that day so we decided that who ever could bench their body weight more times after doing eachother's respective chest workout should be awarded the piece of pizza, a slice of manhood trophy and bragging rights for at least the forseeable future. The plan was to do the chest workout and wait about an hour and a half before attempting the weight.

Something happened to make both of us go on different days and the pizza was eaten out of shere gluttony, but the challenge still remained. the results are as follows:

Nic Nak
Body weight: 142
Bench Press weight: 140
Bench press times: 25

Rob
Body weight: 226
Bench press weight: 225
Bench press times: 22

Both numbers are alright... but if you ever meet Nic Nak... buy him a slice of pizza because he needs it.

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

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