14 Days of Love: Hitting PR's

Good afternoon, everyone! I hope the week is off to a great start for you all. For day 3, I'm going to talk about something different than I had originally planned. I had an awesome weekend of training; quite possibly the best I've ever had. In honor of that, my love for today is setting PR's.

I have been working on my big three lifts (squat, bench, and deadlift) for several months. In September, we tested my 1 rep max for them and this is where I stood at that time:

• Squat: 185 lbs.
• Deadlift: 190 lbs.
• Bench Press 105 lbs.  

Since then, I have done several cycles of the 5/3/1 program. That, coupled with carb backloading has given me a decreased body weight and increased strength. Saturday evening was my bench day. I was feeling really strong and the weight just kept flying up almost effortlessly. When all was said and done, I ended up doing 110 lbs x 3 reps! What a great feeling that was! When I did 105 lbs. in September, I was really squirming so being able to do 110 for multiple reps made me feel very accomplished! After the training session, I had my backload (french fries and chicken strips) then went home and rested up for deadlifts on Sunday.

Sunday is hands down my favorite day of the week to workout. I workout at a YMCA and they do not open until 11 on Sundays in order to give all employees a chance to attend church if they so desire. I get there between 11-12 on Sundays and it's usually pretty empty. I love going there on Sunday because I rarely have to wait on equipment and I don't have people waiting around for me to finish so they can use the equipment. I did my warmup and immediately started with my deadlifts. The week before, I had pulled 205 and was quite pleased with that. I worked up to 205 and felt like I still had a lot left in the tank. I had no intentions of maxing, but found myself putting two plates on each side and thought "what the heck, I may as well see what happens."  I got ready and the next thing I knew I had pulled 225 off the floor for the first time ever!

Hitting two PR's in one weekend made me feel like all my hard work really is paying off. And of course, a huge thank you to my awesome coach Brandon who helps me every step of the way. Next up is my first powerlifting meet hopefully in April. I hope to compete in the 132 weight class and my goal is to have a combined total of 550 lbs for the three lifts.

Weight training is by far my favorite pastime. I put it above a lot of other things in my life; it's not just a hobby but something that I need in my life. It's the best stress reliever, confidence booster, and relationship builder that I have ever found. I'm so thankful that I discovered it and I'm so thankful that I am able to work hard and excel at it. I hope to set much bigger PR's in the future because there is no greater feeling than doing something you never thought you could.

I took a picture of the bar with 225 after I was done (I pulled it without the bands)