another failure and a reset

so i finally got to do my 175# back squats on saturday morning. they went ok, until i had to bail on the very last rep of the very last set (so i did get 14 solid reps in at that weight - which was my previously established 1RM, i might add). bar speed was suffering throughout the last few reps of each set, and this particular rep i once again didn't have my chest up and just couldn't get back up out of the hole. so tonight i reset back to 150#, and go up by 2.5# instead of 5#. it is, after all, a marathon and not a sprint. in 3 weeks, i will be back to 175# and i will be stronger and better positioned to sail right through that weight and beyond. my other lifts are continuing to increase (until i plateau/fail as i did with squats).

here are my #'s from saturday monring:

back squat
3x5 @ 175# (failed on 5th rep of 3rd set)

press
3x5 @ 63#

power clean
5x3 @ 80#

i also completed a new rowing basics 101 course saturday morning, taught by a lifelong rower and rowing coach, emily egge. the biggest thing i learned was correct upper body positioning, especially keeping a tight core and engaged lats. we ended with a short but challenging endurance-type workout (10 strokes @ 26 stroke-per-minute rate, 10 strokes @ 20 spm, 20 strokes @ 28 spm, 20 strokes @ 20 spm, 30 strokes @ 30 spm, 20 strokes @ 20 spm, 20 strokes @ 28 spm, 10 strokes @ 20 spm, 10 strokes @ 26 spm), but it was the rest of the class time that had me hurting afterwards. holding my core tight and lats engaged throughout the slow, deliberate form drills was exhausting. my abs and shoulders were killing me the next day. it was a really excellent hour of instruction, and i came away with some very focused form drills that i'm looking forward to going through on my own in the coming weeks.

as for the lifting, i've been getting progressively more and more anxious in the hours before i actually lift as the weight gets heavier. the thought of going in tonight and squatting 150# for my work sets is a welcome relief from that anxiety!