M. Phelps, Awesome Log, Great Job!

[MPhelps]

Friday December 21, 2018

CJ 103.5x2, 110x2, 117x1x3
Clean pull 124x2x3
Squat 132x2x3

Finally got my Reebok Legacy lifters yesterday, and despite the fact that they look almost pink instead of orange (it's called vitamin C in made up colorway names, which is an annoying new made up word in itself that I've never heard until 2018), and they didn't ship them for 10 days after my order, they are a world of difference compared to the Romaleos 3. Much heavier and substantial. They have a real tongue. The laces tighten up against said tongue and don't dig into my foot like they do with the roms with the thin strip of shitty fabric that is the roms tongue. The two straps actually contribute to the tightness rather than thoughtlessly cross the midfoot with little extra support. The forefoot doesn't flex nearly as easily as the roms. Overall they just feel like real weightlifting shoes, whereas the roms felt really floppy and light. The weird thing is that the Reebok feel more comfortable, even walking around is easier. Squatting was much better. I think the roms did something weird to my squat stance. I never quite felt stable in them, which I chalked up to losing a shitton of SS gains (aka bodyfat). So time will tell how they workout, I haven't snatched in them yet, but I think I made the right move, and now I can join team Romaleos 3 suck.

[Wilhelm]

Very interesting about the Romy3s.
I was always dubious of them, and searched out the Romy2s on basically the assumption of things like you mention.
Nice to get some confirmation.

Glad you like your new kicks.

[MPhelps]

I should've picked up Rom 2s when they were on sale for $90 over the summer and they had my size, but I was still suffering from Stockholm syndrome with the 3s at that point. Rom2s in 9.5 are getting scarce, and I'm not paying full price for lifting shoes. Screw Nike though, if they're not going to make a good lifting shoe, who needs their overpriced junk. My $60 saucony running shoes have held up better than the $130 Nikes I used to buy.

[MPhelps]

Monday December 24, 2018

Snatch 77, 82.5, 88x1x2
CJ 96.5, 103.5, 110x1x2
Front squat 108.5x3, 116.5x2, 124

Taper week for testing this weekend. Walked my first snatch at 88 forward so I did a double with it after frout squats.

The new shoes are seriously way better than the roms 3. It's like night and day. I feel like I can lift properly again. I don't think the heel height difference is much. Not sure why, but ROM 3 were just not good for me at all.

[MPhelps]

Wednesday December 26, 2018

Snatch 66, 71.5, 77, 66x1x3
CJ 82.5, 89.5, 96.5, 82.5x1x3

Tapering for test on Saturday.

Cutting out cardio sort of involuntarily for the next few days. Won't have the ability to get away until Sunday night.
Skied 3 hours yesterday. I felt really worn out last night into this morning. Luckily I'm just lifting up to 70% today.

[Wilhelm]

Monday December 24, 2018

Snatch 77, 82.5, 88x1x2
CJ 96.5, 103.5, 110x1x2
Front squat 108.5x3, 116.5x2, 124

Taper week for testing this weekend. Walked my first snatch at 88 forward so I did a double with it after frout squats.

The new shoes are seriously way better than the roms 3. It's like night and day. I feel like I can lift properly again. I don't think the heel height difference is much. Not sure why, but ROM 3 were just not good for me at all.

Have a great test day!

I was looking at those shoes, and if mine ever wear out, i would seriously consider them.
Glad they are awesome for you.

I imagine my shoes will last a very long time though.
Meet days are pretty much the only time they ever leave a carpeted surface, and i always keep my fingers between my heels and the shoe when i put them on to keep from wearing out the inside of the heel cup area.

[MPhelps]

Monday December 24, 2018

Snatch 77, 82.5, 88x1x2
CJ 96.5, 103.5, 110x1x2
Front squat 108.5x3, 116.5x2, 124

Taper week for testing this weekend. Walked my first snatch at 88 forward so I did a double with it after frout squats.

The new shoes are seriously way better than the roms 3. It's like night and day. I feel like I can lift properly again. I don't think the heel height difference is much. Not sure why, but ROM 3 were just not good for me at all.

Have a great test day!

I was looking at those shoes, and if mine ever wear out, i would seriously consider them.
Glad they are awesome for you.

I imagine my shoes will last a very long time though.
Meet days are pretty much the only time they ever leave a carpeted surface, and i always keep my fingers between my heels and the shoe when i put them on to keep from wearing out the inside of the heel cup area.

What kind do you have? I put mine on and take them off carefully so I don't pull on the tongue or heel area. Plus I only lift 2-3 days a week. Hopefully the reeboks will hold up. My vs athletics held up just fine and they were half the retail price of the Nikes.

Good luck at your meet!

[Wilhelm]

Thank you, @MPhelps
I got the Romy2s. Size 11, which is my normal shoe size.
I do things like snug the laces in the loops, and only cinch the last holes (heavy squats) which have the plastic grommets.
I lace them loose/snug for bench. I only need the foot angle from them on that lift

I wish i could have found that $90 sale you mentioned.
Think i paid $160

As i mentioned before, i was always dubious of the Romy3s from reviews and just looking at them compared to the 2s.
The Reeboks look very similar construction wise to the Romy2s. Good looking shoe. And i see them often in the major competitions.

[MPhelps]

@Wilhelm it was athleteps and it was a coupon code. They're totally out of 9.5, not sure about 11. There are a couple of places that still stock them for around $200. I'm way too cheap for that. I didn't believe the hype at the time, thinking the 3s were probably about the same.

[Wilhelm]

That's actually where i found mine.
Wanted a different color, but they're getting quite rare in specific size/color combinations.

Nearly two years in without discernable wear, so i expect whatever my "next' shoes is, hasn't been designed yet.
Unless i somehow discover that i actually can squat well in flats.

[MPhelps]

Yeah I think I was down to bright yellow or the pink ones in 9.5. I have bright yellow in 3s, they kind of grew on me, plus the other colors are generally awful combinations. And they were $40 cheaper than the normal colors.

Friday December 28, 2018
Snatch 65x1x5
CJ 82.5x1x5

Supposed to be doing 50%, but I see no reason to do hang snatches at 55 lbs, so I went to my 10 lb bumpers.

[MPhelps]

Saturday December 29, 2018

Test day. I tried another water cut, this time hitting over 3 gallons on Wednesday. That was uncomfortable. I lost 12 lbs overnight after morning piss and dump. It's amazing how easy a huge dump comes out when you've had that much water. Thursday I hit 2 gallons, and Friday was only one. I was pissing a ton Thursday and Friday so I figured I'd wake up this morning super light. Went to bed last night at 150.6, so I was expecting a big drop. Well, I only lost 2.5 lbs overnight, and the morning dump was kind lackluster. So yeah. I dont think I really need to water cut since I normally drink 2-2.5 gallons a day, and wake up 5-7 lbs lighter. Plus it sucks to not drink water for 16 hours. So since I went through that I decided to chew some gum and spit out another pound, and see where I end up for shits and gigs. I ended up at 145.6, which is a bodyweight PR, and about a kilo under my target weight class of 67.

Snatch 45x1x5, 65x1x5, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 121
CJ 95, 105, 115, 125, 135, 145, 151.5

So snatches went well. I powered 95, and I think 115 and 121.5 were just barely below parallel, so not really sticking to my catching as low as possible goal. I try to keep testing less meet-like in that if I don't have a solid make it's not worth it. I'm happy with below parallel though. New shoes this week, so that might factor into it. CJs were great. I never seem to have a problem with them, so I dont as nervous as with snatch, which has gone from a SS jump and shrug power snatch, to something that I'm not disgusted with.

I should have filmed my snatch set and sent it Professor Hinsley via the innernette. He would have probably said my snatch was fine.

I'm rearranging lifting a bit. I'm taking out Wednesdays and dropping pulls from Monday and Friday. I don't think they're doing much for me strengthwise, and it gives me another day on skis. Unfortunately, the snow is all gone due to another shitty rainstorm yesterday. Just in time to pick up my new skis at the post office.

[MPhelps]

Friday January 4, 2019

Snatch 80.5x3x2, 86.5x3x2
Squat 135x5x3

New Year, slightly different programming. I dropped the midweek technique/deadlift day and the pulls from the other days so now it's just snatch/squat and clean and jerk/front squat. I bought a season pass to the cross country skis area near me because I realized that relying on backcountry conditions that went from pretty awesome for December to bare ground in a week and not having to deal with dog walkers bare-booting ski trails while trying to avoid said dog that's trying to challenge and/or play with me while trying not to ski over their shitpiles everywhere. So anyway, I'm probably going to ski 2-3 days a week for 2.5 hours a day on groomed trails that I can ski fast on. I like lifting but I've always been more of a cardio guy. Now I'm at least a stronger cardio guy. Lifting felt solid today, although I really don't like triples in the snatch because I feel technique decay by the third rep.

[MPhelps]

Monday January 7, 2019

CJ 101x(3+1)×2, 108×(3+1)×2
Front squat 112x3x3

Felt solid. Really liking the shoes. The only weird thing is that they seem long in the forefoot. They fit my super wide bunion feet, but there's a half inch space in the toes.

My guess is that Reebok is selling them off at a discount so that they can follow Nike and Adidas and not make a great dedicated weightlifting shoe anymore.

[MPhelps]

It's very light, but getting tighter as I age.

Friday, January 11, 2019

Snatch 86.5x3x2, 92x2x2
Squat 140.5x5x3

Considering I xc skied 4 days this week averaging 3 hours a day, including before I lifted on Friday, everything went as planned. Not that I expect a hard time with 92 snatch doubles or 140 squat sets of 5. High of -1F and slow conditions made for a rough day, not to mention my hands get super cold and numb quickly. Bought some Black Diamond meteor mitts today. Hopefully I'll be better off and not have frozen ice blocks for fingers after a few hours in the woods.

[MPhelps]

Monday, January 14, 2019

CJ 108x(3+1)×2, 115.5×(2+1)×2
Front squat 120×3×3

I've got a muscle strain in my left pectoralis minor. I first noticed it Sunday when I stuck a water bottle under my arm, it touched a nerve and hurt like a mofo. It's probably from skiing so much. The internet says it's common for xc skiers so I'm not too concerned. It didn't affect lifting at all. Which isnt saying much, since I don't bench.

[MPhelps]

Friday, January 18, 2019

Snatch 86.5x3x2, 93x2, 98x2, 103.5
Squat 153x5x2, 144x5

Misloaded 85% on the squat. Was supposed to be 80% or 144, but I did two sets at 153 before I figured it out. Oh well, it was pretty solid. I'm not sure if it was just a great day, or if playing Twilight of the Thunder Gods had anything to do with it. Snatches felt quick and strong. Squats also felt strong.
Been skiing all week. 2.5 hours and 25 km a day at the ski area, 4days, plus one day where I did backcountry with a 700 ft ascent and descent. I'm in better shape now than I was when I would do the same thing 10 years ago. I didnt stop once on the uphill climb. Not sure if it's lifting weights for 4 years now and finally displaying the strength, or because I don't eat shit, chew tobacco and drink coffee and alcohol anymore , all which dehydrates the fuck out of you.

[MPhelps]

Monday, January 21, 2019

CJ 108.5x(3+1)×2, 115.5×(2+1), 122,5×(2+1), 130
Front squat 120x3, 128x3, 120x3

Ok so I'm going to re-self-diagnose my sharp pain in the ribs as serratus anterior strain. It only hurts when I touch it in the right spot. Or when I jump up and down. It sucks, but I can lift through it. I did almost nothing all weekend due to the frigid weather with snoiw followed by gusty winds. Today's high was -3°F and it got colder as the wind picked up. It was about -15°F later this afternoon. I love winter, but fuck that shit. I got cold pumping gas for 5 minutes.

Lifting felt fine, I am weak, but my technique is good and the weights are still going up even with XC skiing 4 days a week.

[MPhelps]

Friday, January 25, 2019

Snatch 86.5x3, 92x2, 98, 103.5, 109.5
Squat 144x5, 153x5, 144x4

Meh

[MPhelps]

Monday, January 28, 2019

CJ 108×(3×2), 115.5×(2+1), 122.5, 130, 137
Front squat 120x3, 128x2, 136x2

Nothing terribly interesting.