At the End of 2011

2011 was an eventful year on all levels, from personal to professional to lifting. I did not make huge progress in poundages lifted but I did gain a bit of ground while dropping about 8-10 lbs. compared to my average weight in 2010.

Training was turbulent and I suffered several painful lower back injuries which held me back on the squat and stopped all deadlift progress. It took me a month or so to rebuild my squat from sets of five with just the bar to "heavy" sets with two plates per side, and during this period I did no deadlifting. I managed to build back to consistently pulling in the low 400s, which is shitty when compared to my goal for 2011 (to pull over 500) but still better than the painful triples with 135 that I was reduced to for a while.

The final numbers achieved in 2011 are as follows:

Squat

2010 Best: 475 lbs. at cca. 207 lbs. (bodyweight from memory)
2011 Best: 480 lbs. at cca. 198 lbs.
Increase: 5 lbs., but definitely stronger at a much lower BW. I am happy with the squat improvement.

Bench Press

2010 Best: 352 lbs. at cca. 207 lbs.
2011 Best: 360 lbs. at cca. 198 lbs.
Increase: 8 lbs. Could have been better, but I'll definitely take it.

Deadlift

2010 Best: 455 lbs. at cca. 208 lbs.
2011 Best: 445 lbs. at cca. 200 lbs.
Increase: -10 lbs., i.e. a decrease. I was probably good for a 460-470 pull before the really bad injury, as my deadlift for reps was never stronger. Poor performance - will have to double the DL efforts in 2012.

Overhead Press

2010 Best: 225 lbs. at cca. 210 lbs.
2011 Best: 235 lbs. at cca. 198 lbs.
Increase: 10 lbs. Did not push the OH press as hard as the bench press, but saw better improvement than on the bench. Pretty good.

Goals for 2012:

Squat 500 lbs. - I think this is realistic and I should hit it after a few cycles of heavy singles.
Bench press consistently in the upper 300s. 400 is still a long way off, but who knows...
Deadlift 500 lbs. - an ambitious goal, but I think I can hit it with some specialized pull work.
Overhead press 250 lbs. - focus more on overhead pressing and do less benching.

Bodyweight could comfortably move to 220, I think it'd do me good and I'll still be pretty lean. At 5'11" and 198 lbs. I don't look or feel heavy enough for really big lifts.

Happy Holidays and here is to good lifting and no injuries in 2012!