Hitting my squat opener

Today I had the great pleasure of training at Victory Baptist Church, in Rochester, NY.  My plan for today was to hit my squat opener, three weeks out from the competition.  The competition will have a monolift, so I won't have to walk the weight out of the cage.  Victory does not have a monolift, but being able to walk out heavier weights will definitely prepare me better for hitting the big numbers at the WNPF Upstate Championships.

We were ten guys lifting in the main cage, so it set itself up nicely for lifting in a flight similar to one at a powerlifting meet.  Our bodyweights ranged from 130lbs. all the way up to 285lbs.  Our ages could not have been farther apart as well, with guys still in high school all the way up to 62 years old.  After watching Jimmy hit 315lbs. for 2x2 at 62 years young, it makes me greater appreciate what I am physically capable of achieving in the weight room and platform.

I worked up to a solid single of 525lbs.  A far cry from a workout I completed in August of 2005, 505lbs. 2x5.  I hit 505lbs. before my 525lbs. attempt.  There was no way I was taking 505lbs. for 2x5 today.  I would like to someday get back to those types of workouts, but it will take a consistency that I have not been able to quite master in this past year. 

Squat:  45/10/10/10, 135/10, 225/5, 315/5, 405/3, 455/1, 505/1, 525/1

I think 525 for an opener might be a bit much.  I feel comfortable hitting 505 for my opener, moving to 530 for my second (which would be a 5lb. PR), and then hitting the WNPF New York State Open Raw 275. record of 550 on my third.  The current record is 545lbs.  With a couple more squat training sessions to come, I know I will be able to hit 550 and break the record.

I have noticed a significant increase in motivation and focus when training with the guys at Victory Baptist Church.  Being held accountable to show up, train, and put forth 100% effort has brought out two very solid training sessions.  I hope that I have been able to add to the intensity and focus of the team.  I have attempted to train with groups of other powerlifters in the past, in various gyms around Rochester, and have never really felt that I fit in with everyone else.  I feel welcomed at Victory.  I also feel that by having like minded individuals working together towards a common goal (in this case, getting better at powerlifting), everyone is better able to accomplish and meet their goals.  I do not always feel the same when I train alone in my garage gym.  I think it takes a similar amount of discipline to train alone, when nobody is watching.  It is much easier to say that I will take tonight off because of whatever reason.  Even though my gym is five feet from our living room, it still is difficult at times.  It makes me appreciate the team at Victory that much more.

Charles