??? (still no weigh in)

It has been a while but i am back from Vacation and i will do a better job of updating this blog.

My weight is way up, i have not stepped on a scale for a long time. Starting tomorrow i am back on weight watchers because this vavation really put my over the edge with my eating. Hopefully writing about it will help me also.

Bending is doing pretty good. I've been training for the Steel Slayer Showdown (SSS) and i have noticed progress in all of my bends. I recently made a devise for calibrating also so i can see my progresion more accurately. It make a BIG difference. Now i have found that my 7" shiny's were onle at 440 and the bastards were at 475 and the hex's at 525. That explains why i never could do a hex, and why the 6" shiny seemed easier than the 6" bastard and 6" golden bastard. But it is all doo now because i calibrate every batch i bend now. It is sooooo much better that way.

I am almost at 530 for my DO. I came real close with a 530 pcs of stainless that eric sent me, i just needed crush pads for the last 3/16". So i think i can finish that soon, definately by the comp.

My Reverse is actually around 440 for a 6" pc of 1/4" square CRS. I only got that to 26 degrees but 40 degrees is not far off now.

Braced, i did a 475 lb 8" spike. That took EVERYTHING i had. So i'm thinking the 455 at the comp but a goal of 500

Horse shoes are still a question. The problem is i have never done any of the shoes at the comp so i do not know how they rate. I do know that i killed a Diamond Classic 0 and when i first started it took me 3 aorkouts to get that same shoe to almosy 90 degrees. So all of those used shoes really helped so far. I'll just keep doing the used ones and see what happens. Yhe only problem is all of the EASY looking shoes are bend. So now i am making a pile of shoes that i can not do (after i try them) so if nothing else i am getting alot of ISO work for the starting position. I should add some ISO at the mid point and the end position.

Kettlebells have been off for about a month also. Between Bruce and I going on vacation seperate weeks, and both of us being injuried at different times. It has been over a month since a good Kettlebell press workout. I plan on starting them up again tomorrow and hopefully doing some manmakers (snatches & running) to get back in shape. And i need to go to class again on Tuesdays at the gym.

I still have a lump on my left palm (below the base of the pinky finger where the grippers post against the plam). I've tried teatree oil, it helped but the lump is still there. It does not seem to be as sore so hopefully i can do a full KB workout. I'll know soon. But i am still staying away from grippers & wrench bending for now. After the comp i will go and see a doctor (maybe).

I did make progress with my Dead Lift. I was talking to Eric Milfeld and when he heard my PR was 475 and my grip was my failing point. He said to try a mixed grip. I did and i pulled 500. I still have not done a DL workout in a while so i was very happy. I'm thinking i can get that number up if i can start an actual workout routine. The bar never even left my palm using the reverse grip. What a difference. Now it is my back & leg strength i can work on. Finally, i can get motivated about DL again. It's been over a year, and that time only lasted about 2 months.

Bottom line is i am still training for bending and i am going to start on my weight next. Plus i will start up with the kettlebell presses tomorrow also and maybe DL.