As I have mentioned before, Saturday is squat day. It all started in early April, not wanting to attend another SIOP conference barely fitting into my suit pants, I started going to LA Fitness. I get a free membership through work and have started/stopped several times over the past two years.
Three months seems to be my survival rate. Over the past five or six years, I've started and stopped probably a dozen times, never reaching my goal weight of around 185 or 190 pounds. Actually, I have not been that weight since probably 1998, when I first started my internship at SoCal Gas. I'm at 234 pounds right now. The lightest I've been in a long time was 218 pounds when I was training to do a century ride in Mammoth with Alan and Dave. Being at that weight and arriving in Mammoth at three in the morning proved to be a bad combination. I only made it about halfway.
I'm in my fourth month now and hopefully at a turning point. I feel much better thanks to making cardio the first priority and weights second. I'm a little discouraged that I haven't lost any weight yet, however I feel much better. I'm primarily concerned with losing inches in my waist which has grown tremendously over the years. I have five pairs of wool slacks that are my first goal. Right now, I can put them on, but tucking in a tshirt and dress shirt aren't really a good idea. The sad thing, the pants are size 36 inch waist.
Enough talking about weight and waist size and wimpy cardio training talk. As I mentioned last Saturday, I squatted 405 pounds one time, setting a new Dave weightlifing record. Yesterday, I got a late start because Michelle wanted to hit some garage sales in the early morning. I went to the gym after hanging out by the pool which isn't really a good idea. The sun takes a lot out of you.
While we were out, I picked up a new weight belt and some knee wraps after I tried unsuccessfuly to find my old ones. After a half hour on the bike and fifteen minutes hitting the heavy bag (I'm training to be a cage fighter), I went in to do some squats. I didn't feel particualry strong when I started. I warmed up with two sets of 135 (one plate on each side) for 15 reps. I then moved onto 225 (two plates on each side) and did that 15 times. I then put on the knee wraps and new weight belt, something I had to get used to. I'm not used to my big gut in the way and didn't like how the weight belt felt at first. I was surprised that my 12 reps of 315 went by pretty easily and with good form.
I decided I felt good enough to squat 405 again and loaded the plates (four on each side). I love how the bar starts to bend a little at this weight. It really starts to bend at five plates (495) althought I've never used that weight before, but used to see guys all the time at the Spectrum throwing this weight around. I got under the bar and lifted it. At first it seemed heavier than last week on my shoulders, but I decided to go for it. My first rep felt really good, so I decided to do a second. It felt even better so I tried a third. Each rep felt better than the previous. All in all, I did eight reps, a real set.
Afterward, I felt elated. It is hard to explain, but squats "release the evil" in me (a term I stole from Little Nicky). I can only relate it to the Squat Monster. A creature that has remained dormant for a decade or so but is now raging. Don't expect anytime soon a blog stating the 495 pound squat record. My back is not anywhere near strong enough right now to handle that weight. I will have to start incorporating some deadlift into my back and shoulder routine. In three months time, it might be possible. More importantly, I am really hoping that by September I will fit into my dress pants nicely.
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