Saturday

Before it becomes a distant memory and fades into  that place of...that didn't really happen, I thought I should get down what happened on Saturday.

I have committed myself to the Saturday Team Workouts at Westside power gym for a month.  It's a whole different vibe than I am used to and I am a giant baby when it comes to going to the gym.  I don't really feel like I fit here, but I really like lots of these folks...so, like I said...gonna give it a try.  Sadly, the month will be split over more than a month because of training I have for work.

So Saturday comes...It is hard to wait til 6PM...I drag Grant with me and force him to work out because that habit fell away with the Festival.  I know we both struggle with consistency.  We show up a little late...the crew is already rockin' squats...

I jump in with a couple of the women.  I actually get a chance to chat with Lindsay....she's kinda amazing.  Had a knee replacement 2 years ago and she's banging out sets of 5 at 185 (I think).  Sam shows up a little after I do and the three of us lift together.  I decide to work some pause squats.  I get up to 275 (I think) and nearly get stuck at the bottom on the first one....It was funny.

Then I hear people muttering about deads.  OH.  Deads and squats...Sam wants to bench instead...I agree, but we stay and deadlift.  It was fun.  The three of us have a platform to ourselves, so there isn't the pressure to move aside for the boys...Hell...I realize with these two women I am lifting with...they would never feel the pressure to move aside for anyone.

I love that.

I decide kinda quickly that I don't want to do my programing...I don't want to do small jumps...so I decide to keep up with the group. 

Both of these women have BEAUTIFUL form....BEAUTIFUL.  They are powerlifters. 

So we load....load some more...then they are talking one reps....ok well..  I sit for a second, I feel ok...

I watch Lindsay break her PR twice....smooth as silk too.  Sam does too...she hitches a bit, but she CAN lift that weight.  We all talked about how numbers get stuck in our heads.

They load the bar for me....I lift, feels easy.  I think it is 345...it was 365...so...they encourage me to go up. 

385.  This will be a PR PR not just a post surgery PR....it goes up.  Um....easy too.  I mean NOT easy, but not grinding~ugly~killer. 

They all encourage another 20...Grant looks at me like, " what's your problem, it's just 20."

So...405.

I have dreamed of 400 for a long time....

If you look closely at this photo...that is me on the platform, in purple, setting up for the 405.

It goes up...and not grindy either....it goes up.

There was much laughing after that lift. 

More lifting...watched Rocky go for a one rep max too...it was a fun night.  I tried one more, cause Rocky wanted it on video...loaded 410 (I think) no go....I had rested too long I think....and I was too geeked. 

We left the gym and I thought...maybe I just found 2 more amazing women to lift with....

Maybe it's all in my head that I don't fit in with this group (I kinda knew that).  You just go and lift and my favorite part: watching other people lift. The joy when they get it, the frustration when they don't, the calls all around of "you will next time!" Encouraging these amazing ladies to just go for it....to sit and laugh about too much chalk and the struggles of wetting our pants while lifting. To throw off shoes for that max lift and feel strength all around. 

Maybe I'll give it more than a month.....