Auteur: Iris Kensenhuis

Still at it…

Iris Kensenhuis

Every SUNday I review my week and all my sins 🙂
Well today it’s evaluationday. This comes after judgementday a.k.a. the weekly central training.
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Five weeks @ following this new programm feels like a rollercoaster. An interesting and unpredictable ride I must say. Eventhough we know where we are working towards. Ahum….at least one of us does.

 

 

 

 

 

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My third equipped training is a fact. Squats were a big challenge. I’m much aware of being out of my comfort zone. My head and body are trying to speak the same language when It comes down to  speeding up the lift. But mostly to ‘let go’. I’m not affraid of failing a squat…I’m just not looking forward to get comfortable staying down..d.d.d.down there.
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I’m stunned about the fact that my light training sessions seem to pay off. Especially when it comes down to my technique. I’ve noticed that my style is changing and I think for the better. When my lifts are  wobbly, tensionless, look like dive bombs; ‘you name it’ I’ve done it… I can reproduce what I did wrong and am able to act on it in the next set/rep/training. Click here to watch a part of yesterday’s training and know what I mean.
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All the mobility exercises are beneficial to my bench press. There is still a lot work to be done. Focussing on my set up…leg drive…and placement of the barrrr
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On deadlifts I’m amazed about the KG’s the suit is making me pull. And the speed that comes with it. Needless to say that I almost started with squats in my deadlift suit :-). Lucky for me coach keeps an eye on everything. Especially on me and makes sure I don’t get lost in this world of endless possibilities, reps and sets.

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If it was not for him I would still be walking around in my suit this weekend. Because I couldn’t get out of my belt. It must have something to do with being : EQUIPPED IN BEING CLUMSY.

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Untill we meet again….

I’m back…

Iris Kensenhuis

ONE word TWO syllables……keep on reading…..
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Yesterday Wim took me for another equipped ride. After the first equipped session I was a little bit nervous to follow up to this second one, but all I can say is “I buckled my seatbelt”. This for sure is gonna be a bumpy ride!

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Pjotr van den Hoek  (Netherlands strongest pwrlftr in the -105KG weightclass) was so kind to send Wim the Titan suits needed for this training. Some already worn by him. So I thought I was in the clear.
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Well….big mistake. Because the fact that someone already worn the suit doesn’t mean you automatically gain Superpowers. Silly me 🙂
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How it all went down;
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The raw SQUAT training went well. I felt very strong and with each rep I looked forward to move on to the real deal. Getting in the squat-suit was a little hassle and hilarious at the same time. I had to hang on the rack to get in to it.  And after that Wim lifted me from the ground to make sure the suit was on. Getting my legs strapped was a little less painfull this time around. I still get the feeling as if my legs are getting numb.  And my head is screaming…..GET ME OUT OF HERE. Following Wim’s advice & trainingsschedule these last 4 weeks teached me that I should block these thoughts and stop*wining*.  Let me rephrase that in a positive way: just think happy thoughts 🙂
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I’m learning, slow that is, but I’m getting the hang of at least maintaining the mindset of approaching the bar with a positive attitude. Eventhough I am in pain. Unracking the bar needs more practice and patience. I’m used to taking big steps. With this kind of lifting that is not (yet) possible or practical. Every misstep gets me out of the flow and makes me feel the weights inmediately. With the risk of getting out of the groove.
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Benchpress *fried* my arms for sure. We tried different shirts but we are still figuring out what shirt works best for me. Let’s say I’m like an “IKEA closet”!! There is always something wrong, missing and the manual is never right.
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Deadlifts were a blast. I got several ques on my handplacement, stance and tips on how to use the momentum by speeding up the lift. The suit felt great and is for now the right size. 175KG feels like 100kg. My legs and arms were tired from all the other stuff we had done and tried out.
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The day after all I can say is: ONE word TWO syllables = MUSCLE-PAIN…!

Click here to see my performance on squat (3x155KG) & deadlifts (3x175KG):-) or scroll at the end of the blog 🙂
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Lucky for me the company Perfect Body is helping me out with that. They are so kind to sponsor my supplements and make sure my vitamine and mineral intake is ON POINT. I can’t express how happy I’m with such a generous act. Thank you Perfect Body for making this powerlifting ride (a little) easier.  I’ll keep my act together and make sure I wont let you down.

 

 

Untill we meet again…..

My oh My….

Iris Kensenhuis

My oh My….

Where did I get myself in to? That is a question I get asked a lot lately. But it is al so a question I ask myself. :-). I don’t believe in New Years resolutions. I believe in adventures whole year around meaning: Improving my technique | Working on my strength| Building experience. Change will come if you open up to it.

Whilst talking ….
with @wimwam1 [Wim] during one of our trainingsessions he told me it was possible to try some equipped lifting. It would be fun he said. Mostly because with equipped lifting your technique is ‘key’, slacking on it is unforgiving and will determine how you get through your attempts. A long the side of your focuss, will and intentions.

I’m known….
for asking questions but al so for trying out new stuff. Before even knowing where I get myself in to. It has something to do with being curious and trying to improve myself and see what I’m capable of. December 2016 and in in the beginning of 2017 I tried equipped lifting on a squat before.

At one of those occassons I could not get out of a squat with 160KG. What I still remember to this day is how it feels to don’t get up and sit your ass D O W N, al so known as 3 red lights.
I can tell you that with your legs strapped it is not that easy to get up by yourself anyway. Eventhough I didnt made that attempt I kept wondering how it would feel being able to master such a craft.

Here we go….
This time around I had a full equipped training. The equipped training started after the classic/raw training of each segment was done. In my mind I was like; Huh mate are your freaking kidding me? How can one manage to recharge themselfs to keep on lifting.

Let me break my third (squat) equipped experience down in the following steps:
1th step….Try to find the right size suit…
2th step….Try to get in that suit…
3th step….Ask for help to wear that suit…
4th step….Stretch your legs to get strapped…
5th step….Trying not to hit someone for getting the straps on…
6th step….Receiving help to get up…
7th step….Approach the rack…
8th step….Manage to get in the rack…
9th step….Realising that your C R A Z Y…
10th step….L I F T.

Getting strapped….
Felt kinda painfull at least for me. Wim was having a blast and said he’d put the straps on losely. I think he has another dicitionary than I have. Luckily the uncomfortable feeling faded away when I noticed I was able to wiggle towards the bar, after he helped me to get up. Focussing on bending my knees, trying to create the right speed and let the equippment work for me was a big task. Feeling all this weight on my back was epic besided the fact it burned like #hell hitting dept. It felt like magic getting out of the 170KG squat attempt though.

I am working on my bench. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to bench in a shirt yet! Due to the fact there was none available in my size. I’m looking forward to do so, cause knowing how to bench is something I’m eager to learn and needs a lot of work.

Caught me by surprise….
On deadlifts I managed to feel what equippment can do for you if the technique is on point, you keep your cool and keep pulling. I was amazed with the amount of speed that made the 180KG deadlift come U P. It caught me by surprise in this loose suit 🙂

Being able…being stable…being equipped

Iris Kensenhuis

Being able…being stable…being equipped

Entering the world of powerlifting for little over a year now. Not knowing that this was a start of learning that there is way more possible than you ever imagine.

Some of the masters in this field convided me in the secret that CLASSIC/RAW lifting did not exist when they started.

Me….newbie….in this field can’t even imagine how that looked like but most of all how this feels like. A part of me and my partner in crime @ilyscious are curious about this world of dynamics that seems to be the crème de la crème of lifting.

Well….speak your wishes outloud in the presence of  Wim Wamsteeker and you know you will regret it in the same nano second  ?.

14/10/17 I will never forget….!

When we tried to find a benchshirt in Wim’s collection there were a zillion custommade to choose from. We had the honour to get in his zero XXXX shirt that he worn at one of the competitions he participated last year ?‍?.

Ofcourse I felt the superhero in me come out knowing I’d bench like I never benched before. Luckily for me I now can say I still have all my teeth.

Placing the bar on the right spot and pressing through the sticking point.  #OMG #PAIN #POINTOFNORETURN.

How do people go through such pain for fun ???. That was my initial thought. But holy guacamoly how cool is it to bench more than you have ever benched!!!

It felt like #MAGIC.

For sure we will be back for more.