2012: The Last Days

Squat Monday December 24th

Squats w/cambered

*no belt*

8 reps @ 30 kgs

8 reps @ 70 kgs

5 reps @ 90 kgs

3 reps @ 110 kgs

1 reps @ 140 kgs

7 reps @ 160 kgs TPR

Good mornings

8 reps @ 55 kgs

8 reps @ 60 kgs

5 reps @ 90 kgs

3 reps @ 110 kgs

3 reps @ 140 kgs

Kroc rows
8 reps @ 60 kgs
6 reps @ 70 kgs
10 reps @ 80 kgs TPR

Tri-push
10 reps @ 40 lbs
8 reps @ 50 lbs
10 reps @ 60 lbs

Push/Pull Wednesday December 26th

Retarded Shannons

15 reps @ 25 kgs

12 reps @ 45 kgs

17 reps @ 60 kgs

45 degree back raises

10 reps @ 24 kgs KB

5 reps @ 32 kgs KB

5 reps @ 40 kgs KB

8 reps @ 45 kgs plate PR

*Shoulder warmup

1-arm DB OHP (strict)

8 reps @ 20 kgs

5 reps @ 30 kgs

3 reps @ 40 kgs

1 reps @ 45 kgs

5 reps @ 50 kgs PR

Pinwheels

10 reps @ 20 kgs

10 reps @ 25 kgs

10 reps @ 30 kgs

Seated rows

8 reps @ plate 15

5 reps @ plate 16

5 reps @ plate 17 PR

Squat Monday December 31st

Squats w/cambered

*no belt*

8 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
5 reps @ 110 kgs
3 reps @ 150 kgs
6 reps @ 180 kgs TPR

Good mornings

8 reps @ 70 kgs

8 reps @ 110 kgs

8 reps @ 130 kgs

BRUTALLY HOT. It officially reached 42.1 celsius today, and I really felt my energy being sapped. This ends training for another year, and it's time to take stock of all that has transpired in 2012, and to focus on the year ahead.

For me, at least training-wise, 2013 is going to be a bitch. My shoulder surgery is February 1st, after which I'll be out of action for several months. But spending most of the year on the side lines is a small price to pay for a 100% working body at the end of it all... and I'd rather this happen now than later. 

In the mean time, I've gotten a whole lot smarter with my training approach, and it's been evidenced in my progress on Squats and Good mornings, and my DB overhead press is finally coming along too. I reckon I've got a 60 kilo 1RM in me right now. I might even test it out next week.

I threw some pics from Am Nats in here, just coz I have them and they cost me money, so I should use them for stuff.

Push/Pull Thursday: Well, Push At Least

Retarded Shannons
12 reps @ 25 kgs
12 reps @ 45 kgs
12 reps @ 60 kgs
10 reps @ 70 kgs

45 degree back raises
10 reps +24 kgs KB
10 reps +32 kgs KB
10 reps +40 kgs KB

Shoulder warmup

left arm
1-arm DB press
8 reps @ 20 kgs
5 reps @ 30 kgs
3 reps @ 35 kgs
1 reps @ 40 kgs
7 reps @ 45 kgs PR

FINALLY figured out what was wrong with the Roman chair / back raise machine (or whatever it's fucking called) tonight. So now it can be adjusted to settings other the very bottom (which kills my hamstrings!) or the very top (which crushes my nuts!). Happy with that. Not happy with not getting any rows in, but that's my own damn fault for talking too much and wasting time. Or having at the back raise machine with a wrench.

I got some advice and assistance from Henry regarding my retarded Shannons. He took some of the weight in the second half of my heavy set, when he saw my ROM getting smaller and smaller... it helped to be able to still struggle through the full movement for 10 reps, but it wasn't all me so I can't really call it any kind of PR.

But that's not the big news, of course; the big news is my OHP numbers are showing genuine improvement, and I'm confidant of 50 x4 or even more reps when I get back to the Pit next week. I'm thinking I'll get it done during my session on Boxing day. I'd really like 5. That would be something.

Persistence pays off.

Squat Tuesday: No Off Season

Squats (cambered, no belt)
8 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
5 reps @ 90 kgs
3 reps @ 110 kgs
1 reps @ 130 kgs
9 reps @ 150 kgs PR

Good mornings
8 reps @ 70 kgs
5 reps @ 90 kgs
3 reps @ 110 kgs
1 reps @ 130 kgs
8 reps @ 150 kgs TPR

right arm

Rested kick-backs
10 reps @ 22.5 kgs
10 reps @ 27.5 kgs
10 reps @ 27.5 kgs

left arm 
Pinwheelz
10 reps @ 20 kgs
10 reps @ 25 kgs
10 reps @ 30 kgs

This picture right here was supposed to show off my 'jacked quads'... instead, it shows I'm kinda furry. And it does demonstrate I continue to get leaner, while staying at between 125 and 128 kgs body weight.


That squat PR for reps is a legitimate achievement when placed in context. I've managed 7 reps previously at 150 kgs, back in early August, so a 2 rep increase in 4 months isn't strong progress. But you can be certain my form back then was not great, and I was wearing a belt.

Tonight it was all me. Depth and form were good - the focus was on keeping my lower back tight coming out of the hole and just squatting till I broke... I thought long and hard about attempting a tenth rep but racked it instead. It was the right decision, I think.

There's a video floating around of my GMs too - Christian offered to video them for me to assess my form. Again, I've dropped my GMs back down and am working on better depth, so the next time I rep out with 200 kilos I make it to somewhere approaching parallel.

Only two sessions planned for this week; the next will be Thursday night. This is what I mean by winding back; I'm not going to stop lifting just because it's December, or because there's no more comps, or because few people are turning up to train right now. I'm not competing and I'm not pushing to my limits, as I would were I not injured. So I must continue to lift when and what I can without over-training. It's a balance I feel I've struck.

Accessory Saturday: Freakin Kickbacks?!

Shoulder warmup

1-arm DB press (volume)
10 reps @ 20 kgs
5 reps @ 25 kgs
3 reps @ 30 kgs
1 reps @ 35 kgs
8 reps @ 40 kgs PR

*right arm
Rested triceps kickback
12 reps @ 20 kgs
12 reps @ 22.5 kgs
12 reps @ 25 kgs
9 reps @ 27.5 kgs

1-arm Seated row
10 reps @ plate 12
8 reps @ plate 13
6 reps @ plate 15
5 reps @ plate 16

Good mornings
10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
8 reps @ 90 kgs
8 reps @ 110 kgs

LEARNED a few things today, based on the research conducted by my training team:

1. My shoulder injury was promoted by push-pressing with over-developed triceps and underdeveloped deltoids. When my tris fail, the delts don't have the strength the support the weight, so push-pressing is a bad idea for me to do right now. Strict press only form now on.

2. There is one thing I can safely do with my right arm. It's called (working title) a *Rested triceps kickback: Basically, I kneel facing a bench which is positioned length-ways in front of me, I rest my chest and upper-arm flat on the bench, then perform the kickback with a dumbbell as per normal. Joel thought of it, coz he's extremely clever (and always has to be right, even when he's not. But anyway) I'm glad to have something to further break up the monotony of squats, good mornings and DB presses - and it doesn't require other people to assist me (like Retarded Shannons do).

Improvisation Thursday: Winding Back

Leg press
10 reps @ 165 kgs
8 reps @ 245 kgs
5 reps @ 285 kgs
1 reps @ 325 kgs
1 reps @ 365 kgs
9 reps @ 405 kgs PR

45 degree back raises
10 reps
10 reps +28 kgs KB
10 reps +40 kgs KB

*Shoulder warmup

1-arm DB press
8 reps @ 20 kgs
3 reps @ 30 kgs
1 reps @ 40 kgs
1 reps @ 50 kgs

Kroc rows
8 reps @ 60 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
8 reps @ 80 kgs equal to best effort

OVER-TRAINING and not enough calories are the probable causes for tonight's lacklustre routine. But the 50 kilo DB press I screwed up from the start; my grip was off, I didn't shoulder it properly and I stuffed the push. Fail.

Time for a de-load. The year's over, and my focus is back on recomposition. I've been (trying to) get my calories more dialled-in each weekday and this will diminish my gains and stamina just as it has in the past. But in a little over two months my focus will be purely on rehabilitation and maintenance.

While I'll be making certain my squats don't get any weaker, they aren't going to just keep getting stronger if I'm squatting twice a week, every week, while in a calorie deficit.

More stationary bike, sled and various other accessory stuff on Saturday. Woot.

Squat Monday: Turning a Corner, Honing a Skill

Good mornings (heavy)
10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
5 reps @ 110 kgs
3 reps @ 150 kgs
1 reps @ 180 kgs
6 reps @ 200 kgs equal to best effort

Squats (form focus)
8 reps @ 70 kgs
8 reps @ 90 kgs
8 reps @ 110 kgs
7 reps @ 130 kgs TPR

HOT and sticky tonight. I felt exhausted before I was half way through GMs. Tonight was a good experience for me, as I realised I need to hone my strengths by dropping the weight on the GMs and aiming for more depth. My depth is good with virtually all my sets apart from the money set. I should top out at 180 next time and keep it nice and low. Maybe try for a 10 rep final set.

Having said that, I did try for a 7th rep at 200 kilos... I knew I wasn't gonna get it before I had over-committed, though, and racked the bar instead.

I'm also happy with the squats. My form didn't break on the 7th rep of 130, but it was going to on the 8th. Again, I thought better of it and racked the bar again. The specific training I'm doing with regard to middle and upper back strength and rigidity while coming out of the hole is starting to pay off.

Training Saturday: Post-Coe Testimonial Mankini Sweeper

Shoulder warmup

1-arm DB OHP
8 reps @ 20 kgs
5 reps @ 30 kgs
1 reps @ 40 kgs
5 reps @ 45 kgs equal to best effort

Kroc rows
8 reps @ 50 kgs
5 reps @ 60 kgs
3 reps @ 70 kgs
8 reps @ 80 kgs TPR

1-arm Lateral pulldowns
10 reps @ plate 6
10 reps @ plate 7
10 reps @ plate 8
10 reps @ plate 10

Seated calf raises
20 reps @ 40 kgs
16 reps @ 60 kgs
15 reps @ 65 kgs
12 reps @ 70 kgs

BEFORE training today I enjoyed a BBQ lunch at the Cannington social club, located just down the road from the Muscle Pit. I was there for the Adam Coe Testimonial and to see Daniel Macri and CAPO champion Shannon Florisson inducted into the Muscle Pit - and Powerlifting WA's - hall of Fame.

For most of those in attendance, the celebrations went on into the afternoon, but a few of us got to training as planned. Things were going well before Anthony showed up in his red mankini and started making a spectacle of himself, sweeping up debris in the car park.

A young lady driving past at the time came to a stop in the middle of the street, then parked and got out to take some pictures. I suppose that's one way to pick up... but I have a feeling that, considering his choice of apparel, a chick wouldn't have been Anthony's first preference.

Squat Thursday: You're Lucky I Haven't Been Drinking

Squats (heavy)
10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
5 reps @ 110 kgs
3 reps @ 150 kgs
1 reps @ 180 kgs
6 reps @ 200 kgs equal to best effort

Good mornings (volume)
8 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
8 reps @ 100 kgs
8 reps @ 130 kgs
8 reps @ 150 kgs TPR

JUST didn't have the strength to make a 7th rep tonight. Depth was still good, form was still sloppy, though at least felt better than last week. I'm still dipping and leg-driving. Let's hope the Retarded Shannons and the steady, higher volume squat sessions I (try to) do each week help with this.

So I was casually batted in the head by Shaun while racking some plates. Shaun immediately apologised, and I immediately accused him of hitting like a girl, to which he replied "Your lucky, I haven't been drinking."

I knew it.

Push/Pull Wednesday: Retarded Shannons, Etc

Retarded Shannons
12 reps @ 25 kgs
12 reps @ 45 kgs
12 reps @ 55 kgs
10 reps @ 65 kgs
8 reps @ 75 kgs

*Shoulder warmup

1-arm DB press
8 reps @ 20 kgs
5 reps @ 30 kgs
1 reps @ 40 kgs
2 reps @ 50 kgs FUCK
9 reps @ 35 kgs

45 degree back raises
12 reps @ BW
12 reps +24 kgs kettle bell
10 reps +32 kgs kettle bell
8 reps +40 kgs kettle bell

1-arm Pinwheelz
12 reps @ 20 kgs
12 reps @ 25 kgs
10 reps @ 30 kgs

1-arm Seated rows
8 reps @ 12 plate
8 reps @ 14 plate

FRUSTRATED.

I am frustrated with training. Last monday's training was barely even worth mentioning, were it not for a new Good Morning PR of 6 reps @ 200 kilos. I'm still not writing it up. And last weekend's session was lacklustre; everybody's injured, recovering, out of action from a year of competition. I did some decent volume work with the DB press but nothing else is worth talking about.

I am frustrated at work. Work unfortunately requires me to regularly communicate with some undesirable and unreliable individuals. This time of year, those individuals become more unreliable and unpleasant to deal with. I do my job and I try not to let it affect the rest of my life. But sometimes I fail at this.

I'm also frustrated with half-wits who think they know politics, and attempt to engage me in ad hominem and regurgitated rhetoric as a way of demonstrating intelligence (I can only assume). I don't have time for your bullshit. But I'll provide this for you, so you know at least what your bullshit is called:

ad hominem |ˈad ˈhämənəm|adverb& adjective1 (of an argument or reaction) arising from or appealing to the emotions and not reason or logic.• attacking an opponent's motives or character rather than the policy or position they maintain: vicious ad hominem attacks.
So tonight was a good session; I actually super-setted the last few exercises to keep intensity up. The higher volume and more regular cardio work is resulting in a little less weight on the scale (been at 127 for a couple of weeks now) and I'm worried about exactly how much of that is muscle atrophy.
More Squats and Good Mornings tomorrow night.

Squat Thursday: Fourth Cold This Year?!

Squats (heavy)
10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
5 reps @ 110 kgs
3 reps @ 150 kgs
1 reps @ 180 kgs
6 reps @ 200 kgs PR

Good mornings (volume)
10 reps @ 30 kgs
10 reps @ 70 kgs
10 reps @ 100 kgs
10 reps @ 120 kgs
10 reps @ 140 kgs TPR

IT honestly must be the fourth cold/flu/attack of the flying mucus I've had this year. I was choking back slobber all through this session, but I'm very glad I got it done. Energy is low, and I'm a little whacked from the cold medicine. Nonetheless made steady progress on both lifts tonight. Slow and steady wins the race.

There's a write-up on last weekends Australia's Strongest Man being drafted tonight, and I should have it published over the weekend. The story, when you read it, should explain why this year was a disappointment for SMWA and so I've been reluctant to write it. But it must be done.

Rehab Don't Mean Light Weight

Good mornings (heavy)
10 reps @ 30 kgs
6 reps @ 70 kgs
5 reps @ 110 kgs
3 reps @ 150 kgs
1 reps @ 180 kgs
5 reps @ 200 kgs PR

Squats w/cambered (light)
10 reps @ 70 kgs
10 reps @ 90 kgs
10 reps @ 110 kgs TPR
6 reps @ 130 kgs

YEAH... I had a couple more reps in me. Each rep felt, and appeared to be, deeper than the last. Very happy with this effort, though disappointed in not being able to get more done.



I know, I know, I was supposed to perform Retarded Shannons tonight, along with DB OHP. I did heavy Good Mornings instead for two reasons;

1. Because I fucking wanted to, and
2. There is definitely something wrong with my left elbow. FML.

I'm hoping I can OHP the week I get back from New South Wales. I don't have time to get it checked out this side of the weekend - I leave Friday morning and my physio is in extremely high demand nowadays. It's not a new injury, and it's not something I'm overly worried about. Pretty sure it's tendinitis, or tennis elbow, or whatever. It's been jarred in the past, which causes the same problem, and it typically goes away in a few weeks (as long as I don't do anything stupid like concentration curls) but it's been exacerbated by that bout of arm-wrestling last weekend. Never again. Not after being advised by a mutual associate of his trials coming back from an injury sustained during some drunken arm-wrestling antics with his mates (sound familiar?). Oh, and this:

Anyway, no OHP for me tonight, and I ended my squats as soon as my form broke. The aim was to get 10 reps for every set while concentrating on my middle back rigidity when coming out of the hole; I tend to slump forward and let my stronger lower posterior drive me up (I guess like doing a Squat Morning lol) but I didn't realise just how much I relied on that until Rod - another Pit regular - was scrutinising my form two weeks back.

Rod was initially looking for pointers using the cambered bar, as he (like so many of us) has a shoulder injury he needs to work around. But he gave me some good pointers, and tonight I set about fixing this issue. I refrained from using my belt as I think there's too much disparity between the form I use without it in the lighter sets and how I end up squatting under heavy weight, while cinched in tight. Not that it got heavy enough to really consider using it this time. But for the future, I will try and stay 100% raw.

Squat Monday: Ow My Groin

Squats w/cambered

10 reps @ 30 kgs
6 reps @ 70 kgs
5 reps @ 150 kgs
1 reps @ 180 kgs
5 reps @ 200 kgs PR

Good mornings
10 reps @ 30kgs
10 reps @ 70kgs
10 reps @ 90kgs
10 reps @ 110kgs
10 reps @ 130kgs TPR

I MISSED what was to be my third squat set, at 110 kilos, and moved straight to 150 accidentally. Didn't notice it that much, actually. I might have to do this in future, providing I continue to be sufficiently warmed and stretched. It saved some energy, that's for sure. But I'm pissed off about that new PR. Why? Because I had to quit at 5 when my right lower abdomen felt like it was burning. This is something I've discussed with Dan before. He said it was related to weakness in the muscle there (and I've conveniently forgotten which muscle that is, specifically. And I know I could look it up in a second. Shut up and do it yourself), but definitely not a hernia. So I persisted until it became too much. I had another 2 or 3 reps in me, I guarantee it. Maybe even more.

Since I'm flying out at the crack of dawn Friday morning, other priorities will prevent me from training both Wednesday and Thursday nights this week. No matter. I'm looking forward to ASM and I expect it to be an awesome weekend!

Saturday Training: Ow That Hurt

17/11/2012

Sled drag
25 meters x 3 + 120 kgs sled - as fast as possible, no rest between runs

5 minutes Stationary bike

Seated calf raises
10 reps @ 60 kgs
20 reps @ 40 kgs
20 reps @ 40 kgs

Seated rows
10 reps @ 10 plates
10 reps @ 10 plates
10 reps @ 10 plates
10 reps @ 10 plates

(not quite) 5 minutes Stationary bike

ALL over in 90 minutes. Things hurt everywhere, and I made that a LOT worse by agreeing to arm-wrestle Christian. I was later told by Rik Kamana, head honcho of West Coast Arm Wrestling, that Christian had a stronger left arm than the guy who took the prize for that division last year. That made me feel a little, tiny bit better. I don't know what's gonna make my elbow feel better though. It sure as shit won't be more arm wrestling.

For me personally, I don't believe it's an effective use of my tendons and ligaments, and would be a liability to my training if I were to continue with it. Not to mention, I have only one good arm as it is. Let's not be taking risks with it.

Improvisation Thursday: New, Sweaty Equipment

Leg Press

12 reps @ 165 kgs

12 reps @ 205 kgs

12 reps @ 245 kgs

12 reps @ 285 kgs

12 reps @ 325 kgs

10 reps @ 365 kgs PR... and double my reps in my set at this weight October 29th

45 degree back raises

10 reps

10 reps +24 kgs KB

10 reps +32 kgs KB

Pinwheelz

10 reps @ 22.5 kgs

10 reps @ 27.5 kgs

10 reps @ 30 kgs

Shannon is Retarded*

10 reps @ 22.5 kgs

10 reps @ 42.5 kgs

THE intention was to take it easy tonight. I have dropped one session this week to assist with recovery and tonight was a deload. My knee complaint didn't resurface. Hopefully it won't tomorrow morning either. My legs nearly failed me when I got up from that last set of leg press. I wanted 12, just for consistency, but it wasn't gonna happen. Still a decent PR for reps. Not that leg press PRs are worth shit.

I saw Shaun and Shazza performing an exercise involving a safety squat bar, and lying your torso over a glute & hamstring raise machine while standing. The movement is designed to isolate and strengthen the upper back. It's something I had been planning to use on Wednesday nights, in place of the hip-thrusts which - combined with all the squatting - have been burning me out beyond reasonable recovery time each week. So I tried this out after the sweaty, smelly bastards were done with it and figure it will be a genuinely useful exercise, with enough weight.

About a month back, a big round guy got angry at me for changing his music without notice, and I accused him of (amongst other things) being a pissweak lifter. Remember that? It apparently was a whole big thing. Well, tonight Ben benched a comfortable 150 kgs, followed by an almost as comfy 155 (that's 342 lbs for the folks in the US); 20 kilos over my best ever bench (some of you might remember when I used to bench) - and paused, too.

Ben says he's just 5 kilos off his strength levels of a few years ago, and plans to make a return to meets in 2013. Nicely done mate, I take back what I said. I'm just thankful for the vintage Metallica on the stereo while we both did our heaviest work of the night.

*I asked Shaun the technical name for this exercise, and this was his reply. Crazy, drunk fucking Irish.

2 Day Training Recap: Bitching Out

10/11/12 - Events Saturday

*shoulder warmup

DB OHP (push-press)

10 reps @ 20 kgs

6 reps @ 30 kgs

3 reps @ 40 kgs

2 reps @ 50 kgs PR

1-arm Seated rows

10 reps @ 12 plate

10 reps @ 13 plate

8 reps @ 14 plate

8 reps @ 15 plate PR

Truck-pull/sled drag

25 meters @ Pajero + 110 kgs sled

25 meters @ Pajero + 110 kgs sled + 86 kgs (Ash*)

LAZY saturday session. I was glad to not be using my back for anything today. It seems like it's getting blasted beyond recovery each week. Those 2 reps of 50 OHP were something I've been close to doing for several weeks. I'm still not progressing very fast here (prolly coz I keep wanting to pick up a 50) but I am nonetheless progressing.

*Ash hopped off with maybe 5 meters left to go. Pretty sure he wasn't doing me a favour, I was just moving too slow for him and he got bored. I really hate Ash. We tell people that we just act like we don't like each other, but really, I truly, deeply hate him. And he knows it.

13/11/12 - Improvised Tuesday

*shoulder warmup

DB OHP (strict)
8 reps @ 20 kgs
6 reps @ 30 kgs
3 reps @ 40 kgs
3 reps @ 45 kgs

1-arm Kroc rows
8 reps @ 50 kgs
8 reps @ 60 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
5.5 reps @ 80 kgs - it's been a while, a I'm pretty confidant this is a PR

1-arm Triceps pushdowns

12 reps @ 40 lbs

10 reps @ 50 lbs

5 reps @ 60 lbs... meh. A PR 

Good mornings

10 reps @ 30 kgs

10 reps @ 70 kgs

10 reps @ 120 kgs

8 reps @150 kgs

FINISHED with GMs tonight just to feel more like I'd done something properly strenuous. I missed last night's session, deciding another 24 hours rest and recovery would be a good idea.

I'm walking a fine line here. My right knee, and left forearm and pec now have pains and twinges from the constant near-maximal pulling and pressing. I've been advised I have to tone down my loading and train to max only once per week. For everything. 

This means shit's gonna get even more boring, I'm pretty sure; when I am in the gym of a weeknight, I want it to be worthwhile.

Good Thursday

Good mornings - heavy

10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
6 reps @ 110 kgs
3 reps @ 150 kgs
6 reps @ 180 kgs PR

Squats - light
8 reps @ 70 kgs
8 reps @ 90 kgs
8 reps @ 110 kgs
8 reps @ 130 kgs
8 reps @ 150 kgs

45 back raises
5 reps @ BW - slow and controlled
5 reps @ +28 kgs KB - this hurt

PRETTY happy with tonight's GMs... when I racked it, I actually felt like I could have done more. But then, I generally feel that way after a successful final set. One more could have made it not so successful. It's a fine line. I'm glad I listened to my coaches and stuck to +10 kilos progression instead of trying for a Pit record.

I set the back raise apparatus too low, and my right adductor (I think) hurt like a somebitch... for all I know it was my hamstring, and I was about to pull it, so I backed off. I think I need a different kind of exercise to finish off this routine. Something that focusses on more upper back. My lower back is, well, pretty fried. All the time.

Strong as fuck though.

Push/Pull Wednesday: A Little Better

Rack pulls w/harness

10 reps @ 100 kgs

6 reps @ 140 kgs

4 reps @ 180 kgs

3 reps @ 220 kgs

6 reps @ 240 kgs PR

*Shoulder warmup

1-arm DB press (strict)

10 reps @ 20 kgs

5 reps @ 30 kgs

3 reps @ 40 kgs

5 reps @ 45 kgs PR

1-arm Triceps pushdown

15 reps @ 40 lbs

8 reps @ 50 lbs

6 reps @ 50 lbs

1-arm Pinwheelz

10 reps @ 20 kgs

10 reps @ 25 kgs

10 reps @ 30 kgs

EVERYWHERE I go people are inconsiderate, self-involved assholes.

I was pissed off coming into the gym tonight. I'd been complaining about wasting time correcting apparatus that hadn't been returned to it's previous condition when the user was done with it. I was so self-involved in hating on society I set the rack too low, and started falling forward during my set at 180. So had to pause, unload, adjust, reload, and go again. Ironic. 

I'm glad to have made the 5 reps of 45 I should have made last week, and am looking forward to some push-press this saturday, followed by... boring cable shit.

So glad I still have one good shoulder to work. Need more variety. Getting some Captains of Crush Grippers from IronMind soon so I can keep my grip strength up while my right arm is a useless dangly bit by my side.

Squat Monday: Gassed, But Happy

Squats - heavy

10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
6 reps @ 110 kgs
3 reps @ 150 kgs
10 reps @ 180 kgs PR

Good mornings - light
10 reps @ 30 kgs
10 reps @ 70 kgs
10 reps @ 110 kgs
8 reps @ 125 kgs
8 reps @ 140 kgs

WAS feeling off my food before training tonight... not sick, just not hungry, so my energy was pretty low. I again lost steam after the higher volume sets of GMs and had nothing left. But being exhausted after 10 sets isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not when it's lower body and heavy.

I know it doesn't look like my heavy session, but this is how you build higher reps with +200; do it progressively with -200. I have done this once before - building up using moderate- to high- rep sets* with a max effort final set, starting at 150 kilos and adding 5 or 10 kilos per week or per fortnight until I could perform 4 proper reps of 200 kilos and then 3 of 205 kilos. I started this progression again 2 weeks ago. I expect to rep 200+ for 5 or 6 in another month.

Shit, what the hell else am I doing with my time in the gym? I'll do it next week.

*Notice that the reps diminish as the bar gets heavier, until the penultimate set, which must be 3 or less. It's just a method of getting used to the weight without wasting too much of your effort moving it.

Squat Thursday: Good Morning!

Good mornings

10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 ks
5 reps @ 110 kgs
3 reps @ 150 kgs
8 reps @ 170 kgs PR

Squats - light
1 reps @ 150 kgs - started too heavy
3 reps @ 70 kgs
2 reps @ 70 kgs
10 reps @ 70 kgs
8 reps @ 110 kgs
8 reps @ 150 kgs

TONIGHT'S Good Mornings ended with one helluva personal best, which is evidence that the heavy/light, light/heavy approach is working. Not to mention, starting with GMs when they are on the "heavy" side of that combo is freeing up more energy. I went up 5 kilos, and 3 reps compared with last week. Not sure I would have had the reps in me if I'd done these second.

But the squats that followed felt all wrong immediately. I wasted energy fucking around with my form and scrutinising the box height. There was a small group of women running a Frontline circuit who needed to finish with some assisted pull-ups, and they were hoping to use the Hammer cage I was in. Truth be told, in the time I was dicking around, I felt like they could have been making better use of it than I was.

Push/Pull Wednesday: Meh

Rack pulls w/apparatus
10 reps @ 100 kgs
10 reps @ 140 kgs
5 reps @ 180 kgs
5 reps @ 220 kgs
5 reps @ 240 kgs PR

*Shoulder warmup

1-arm DB press (strict)
8 reps @ 20 kgs
5 reps @ 30 kgs
5 reps @ 40 kgs - goddamnit, I was spose to stop at 3!! 
3 reps @ 45 kgs - which is why this was only an Equal to best effort

1-arm Seated rows
10 reps @ 10 plates
10 reps @ 11 plates
10 reps @ 12 plates
10 reps @ 13 plates - not much of a PR, but it'll do

I AM hoping this freaking hooked harness thing will start to feel more comfortable with time. I can't use my belt for these lifts, as the bastard pinches my fat rolls under this contraption I'm wearing. It's not fun... some guys wear a foam pad between belt and harness. I just can't get the hang of that, so I'm gonna continue doing this exercise raw. My numbers would be more impressive were it not for this. Rack pulls of around 300 kgs should be easy enough for me, at this level, were I not injured. I must be able to do 275 with this thing in a couple of months time.

As I'm pretty much doing dumbbell OHP twice a week now, alternating between strict- and push-press makes sense to me; I need to improve both my raw pressing strength and technique in order to progress overall. The press events in 2013 I do not wan to miss. I may never be truly strong in this department, but I must get passably strong. A 70 kg DB push-press and 120 kg log or axle is not out of my reach. It may take all of next year (and possibly some of 2014... shit), but it will happen.

Heavy GMs tomorrow night. And I spose I better do some more of those 45 degree back raises, fml.

Squat Monday: 900 Pound Leg Press x5

45 degree Leg press

10 reps @ 165 kgs

8 reps @ 205 kgs

5 reps @ 285 kgs - corrected foot placement here and moved to the next set right away

5 reps @ 285 kgs 

5 reps @ 325 kgs

5 reps @ 365 kgs

5 reps @ 405 kgs / 893 lbs* - I'm gonna have to call this a PR, even though I've not done leg press in 10 years

Good mornings (light)

10 reps @ 30 kgs

10 reps @ 70 kgs

10 reps @ 110 kgs

8 reps @ 120 kgs

8 reps @ 130 kgs

45 degree Back raises

6 reps @ BW

15 reps @ BW +8 kg KB

15 reps @ BW +12 kg KB

TONIGHT was supposed to be my heavy squat session for the week, but I've been feeling pretty obliterated from last week's volume, so I took it easy, and took a seat on the leg press. My first time using it, and the first time I've used a leg press since I was a brah-trainer in my early twenties.

That's heavier than I was leg pressing in my early twenties. That's heavier than the biggest, strongest body builder in my gym was pressing, if I remember correctly.

*Yeah, I know it's not quite 900. Blame Joel - he told me it was nine hundy and I had no reason to doubt him till I checked just now. Lying bastard.

Thank jeebus I can rest tomorrow.

Saturday Training: Well, This is Boring

Saturday October 27th

Shoulder warmup

1-arm DB push-press

8 reps @ 20 kgs
8 reps @ 25 kgs
8 reps @ 30 kgs
9 reps @ 35 kgs PR for reps

1-arm Seated rows
12 reps @ 10 plates
12 reps @ 9 plates
12 reps @ 8 plates
12 reps @ 7 plates

1-arm Lateral pulldowns
10 reps @ 7 plates
10 reps @ 6 plates
10 reps @ 6 plates

1-arm Triceps pushdowns
15 reps @ 30 lbs
15 reps @ 40 lbs
12 reps @ 45 lbs

ALWAYS boring catching up on the stuff I've stopped doing just because I'm used to doing the two-handed variety of the exercise. These (yawn) machine exercises will be worked into my Wednesday night routine and will give me more to do on weekends while everyone else is running yoke or farmers... or doing log work, or axle work, or stones. Pretty much everything, really. I'll be indoors, doing this shit. For 6 months. Whoopee.

Surgery Update

THE update isn't much of an update. In fact, the whole surgery thing is a non-event as of now. While I'm conscious of how long it's going take for me to come back from this (and so I want to get it done and get healing ASAP), I'm not sure doing this and then hopping a flight to Brisbane and driving a rental car to Lismore with one arm in a sling and a newly-relocated biceps tendon... is such a good idea.

And as I've mentioned, I want a second opinion from a surgeon who has worked with guys moving really heavy weight. But a second opinion is going to take another few weeks, so everything is cancelled until after ASM. Which is really a better plan.

So, depending what surgeon #2 might say, I'll be under the knife some time in December and will have the xmas break to sloth it in my lazyboy and recover. 

Squat Thursday: Gassed Out Warming Up

Good mornings - heavy

10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
6 reps @ 110 kgs
5 reps @ 140 kgs
4 reps @ 165 kgs PR

Squats w/cambered - light
12 reps @ 30 kgs
10 reps @ 70 kgs
10 reps @ 90 kgs
8 reps @ 110 kgs
1 reps @ 130 kgs - gassed

WELL, this one didn't go so well because I'm doing too much volume in my warmup sets. I need to use only 5 or even 3 rep sets building up to my mac effort stuff. Each time I'm alerted to a mistake like this, I wonder how I didn't see that before. Like my snatches, for instance.

Doing snatches with my good shoulder is a stupid idea, because for all the gains it provides (which realistically aren't much, if you're training Strongman) it's just going to risk further damage to my left side. Just because I currently can do it doesn't mean I should. And in my case, I certainly should not.

So I've put my dunce cap back on and am dropping snatches for 1-arm rows, pulldowns and triceps exercises. It's boring, but it's more effective and safer for me, and my tiny, tiny shoulder bones.

Push/Pull Wednesday: Keeping Left

Cage hip thrusts w/bondage harness

10 reps @ 60 kgs
10 reps @ 100 kgs
skipped 140 kgs here, felt like I was coasting
8 reps @ 180 kgs
6 reps @ 220 kgs
4 reps @ 240 kgs
NOTE: rack pin height 6.5

shoulder warmup!

1 arm DB press (strict)
8 reps @ 20 kgs
5 reps @ 30 kgs
3 reps @ 35 kgs
6 reps @ 40 kgs PR

1 arm BB snatches
5 reps @ 12 kgs
5 reps @ 20 kgs
5 reps @ 40 kgs - finally felt like I was achieving something with this set. Must start heavier. And this might have even been a PR

Pinwheelz
12 reps @ 20 kgs
10 reps @ 25 kgs
8 reps @ 30 kgs
6 reps @ 32.5 kgs

REALLY enjoyed this routine, though was off to a shaky start with the weird-ass contraption I was using in the rack. One of my coaches advised on proper form and movement, but he was the only person at the gym that night who had experience with the thing.

I also started way too light with the snatches - I just grabbed what was nearby, some already made-up spin lock bars. Lightweight baby - I got way more in me than that, I thought to myself - so I went to the platform and used a full sized barbell for the last set. Better, will have a better crack at these next week. I've seen Poundstone 1-arm snatching a 60 kilo bar for easy reps while warming up for a WSM monster dumbbell event a few years ago. I wouldn't mind being able to do that.

I've suddenly realised that I need to find something I can do to keep up my grip strength. Something that doesn't require me dangling a heavy-ass weight by my side. As I've mention, further displacement of my torn labrum would be a very bad thing. It's frustrating. I can't tell you how fucking frustrating it is.

And I have to note down the shoulder warmup, because when I stop noting the shoulder warmup I stop doing the shoulder warmup, coz I have the attention span of a tweaker after a bottle of dexies when I'm lifting.

Tomorrow night's 2nd weekly squat session is gong to be interesting...

Squat Monday: Day 1 of Rehab Training: More Volume Baby

Squats w/cambered
10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
6 reps @ 110 kgs
3 reps @ 150 kgs
8 reps @ 170 kgs PR

Good mornings
10 reps @ 30 kgs
10 reps @ 50 kgs
10 reps @ 70 kgs
8 reps @ 90 kgs
8 reps @ 110 kgs

45 back raises
10 reps @ BW +24 kgs kettle bell
8 reps @ BW +32 kgs kettle bell

THE PLAN originally wasn't to top out at 170. The plan was to build up to 200 or 205 and go for 4... because I just refuse to go backwards in weight even though it's the smart thing to do. But last minute coaching advice saved me from another disappointing squat session.

My previous PR for reps @ 170 kilos was 5 - and that was August 27th, so less than 2 months ago now. Nine weeks exactly, in fact, but who's counting? I am. Tonight was first run for the heavy/light squat/GM routine, and it went pretty well.

Going to organise a referral to another surgeon tomorrow, for a second opinion. This is the guy who fixed Dan's detached pec and declared "It's not coming back out or I'll fix it for free" when he was done.

Back to training Wednesday. I'm keen to test this rack pull thingy out and improve my DB press.

Events Training Saturday: Half-Assin It

shoulder warmup

1 Arm DB press (strict)
5 reps @ 25 kgs
3 reps @ 35 kgs
2 reps @ 45 kgs - wasn't going to move more than this today

Sled drag
25 meters @ 100 kgs + Christian
25 meters @ 140 kgs + Ash & Christian (I think)

Pfft. Barely anything got done today, though the sled drags with people sitting on it proved to be entertaining... there's a video or two floating around. I will see if I can take it from Facebook and add here.*

Can't deadlift or farmers walk, even though it doesn't hurt to perform these, I'm risking further displacement and possible dislocation. Definitely can't do log or axle work, no stones... and I tried the yoke. Not smart. Unless there's a way I can walk with it while bracing with only one arm, it's out too. But I will be learning to rack pull with a piece of apparatus that allows me to do it hands-free, and I'll be going heavy on squats (twice a week at different weight and rep schemes)... the templates are pretty good already, but I may mix things up (take it easier some weeks) with leg press.

Yep. I'm gonna leg press now and then. Come at me.

*I took this vid of Lee pulling Ash. Later on, I believe Ash also pulled Lee. Normally they do their pulling in the change rooms, and don't like to be filmed.

Rehab Routine Templates - Draft 1

Squat, erm... Thursday

Squats w/cambered
8 reps @ 25 kgs
8 reps @ 65 kgs
8 reps @ 85 kgs
5 reps @ 105 kgs
3 reps @ 145 kgs
1 reps @ 185 kgs
2 reps @ 205 kgs - 1 less than my PR, and I prolly shouldn't have gone +200 tonight

Good mornings
8 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
5 reps @ 110 kgs
5 reps @ 140 kgs
5 reps @ 160 kgs PR

WELL, at least I can still squat. Yeah, I should have squatted Monday. Kinda went off the radar for a bit there, or almost did I should say. Man, all it takes is one. One, and a circumstantial loss of perspective can turn into many, and guaranteed failure. But that would just be weak bullshit, and it didn't happen. I drove past that liquor store like I do every day, and I kept driving like I do every day.

Interim training has begun, and I'll be spending the next few weeks before the surgery doing a limited collection of lifts and events, and generally feel like I'm half-doing shit. That's how it's gonna be for many months to come, so I might as well get used to it. Focus on what will be done in 2013.

Depending on what feels good this weekend I may be able to continue with Yoke... I have my reservations though. Last time I got under one, at the SMWA finals two weekends back, all it took was a walk with just the frame to aggravate it. And that was while trying a lower grip to take the strain off my shoulder... it also compromised how securely I could hold the bar on my back, and didn't seem to help overall. But all I can do is try. Shit, Dan says he's done yoke with one hand on it, after his pec tear. We will see if I can.

Truck pull will also be on the agenda... I'm not sure of a whole lot else. I'm pretty certain continuing to deadlift would just be stupid. That's maybe what's got me down most of all, as it's my favourite lift. But the up-shod of this lack of variety is that at least my squat is going to improve. I'll might even get it up to 250 kgs on the cambered bar during my recovery. That would be cool.

Goals for 2013

I'm already looking at where I want to be this time next year. I have no choice, really. But it's good to just get some perspective on things. At the end of the day, my aim is to do better than I did the year before. So I took the following scorecard from the Strongfit page ... only it isn't quite right.

The card is intended to be a compilation of each competitors best scores for each event over the 2 qualifying rounds, and this unfortunately doesn't show my 365 kgs Yoke walk from round 2, my 250 kgs Deadlift from round 1, or my 130 kgs p/hand Farmers walk, also from round 2.

I should mention, I'm not sure how exactly the point scores are arrived at. It may be that my time with the 115 p/hand Farmers, being 3 or 4 seconds faster than my time with the 130 p/hand, made it a higher scoring event... and it may also be the case that my 350 yoke run - which I completed - scored higher than my run at 365, which I didn't. But I'm sure a 250 dead beats a 240 dead.

So for next year, keeping in mind I will need 4-6 months recovery time, I want to do the following:
1. 400+ kgs Yoke - get under it and move for more than a few paces (and some tarmac would be nice)
2. 110 kgs Log
3. 300+ kgs Deadlift - expectations haven't changed here, since I've been making solid progress in spite of the injury for months
4. 150 kgs p/hand Farmers walk - pretty much in the bag.

Yeah, these aren't exactly lofty ambitions. But I don't know just how much this rehab is going to cost me.

Bad News Thursday: MRI Says No

I got up early for this?! To be rolled into an uncomfortable torpedo shape and jammed into a noisy doughnut for 20 minutes? The syringe full of ink they stuck in my shoulder first, that was fine. Even the gowns now have a new ass-covering feature I was quite glad of. But seriously now...

It was kinda like this, only I went head-first, with my left elbow pointing above my head, and the goal was to get me as good and wedged in there as possible... and leave me there. How the hell did Dan do this?! He tells me he's had an MRI and it was pretty uncomfortable. Considering his yoke is easily half a foot broader than mine, pretty impossible sounds more like it.

Getting past this claustrophobic episode, the MRI results fortunately took not long at all to produce. I was given the screens from the procedure, which are of no use to me or anyone really, I also got a disc which couldn't be helpful to anyone who didn't have the right kind of machine for reading them, or the right kind of software for understanding them. What I didn't get and couldn't have was the report; the piece of paper from the specialist which explains what the images on the screens and the data on the disc shows. That was sent to the Orthopaedic surgeon, and it took some loud discussion with the staff of the radiology clinic before someone with the necessary (basic) skill scanned a copy and emailed it to my Physiotherapist. Once that was done, I had my dilemma handed to me.

The report was as follows:
"1. Extensive superior labral tearing involving the entire superior labrum, the labrum mildly displaced with perilabral oedema.
2. Supraspinatus tendinopathy. Subacromial/subdeltoid bursal thickening and a bursal effusion."

This means I can't compete in ASM without risking further damage. It means I need surgery immediately, and it means I won't be able to train properly for several months, by which time I'll have lost a whole lot of upper body strength. My right arm will be in a sling for a while.

This means I'll be a spectator in Lismore, this year. I'll be there to assist, and see Dan and the rest of our team dominate their divisions. And I will be back, stronger than ever, in 2013.

Squat Tuesday: Pissweak Music for Pissweak Lifting

Squats w/cambered
10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
6 reps @ 110 kgs
5 reps @ 150 kgs - messed up here, should have been 4
1 reps @ 190 kgs
3 reps @ 205 kgs PR

Good mornings w/cambered
10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
6 reps @110 kgs
5 reps @ 140 kgs
4 reps @ 160 kgs PR

I opened with a shoulder warmup and finished with some light bench work, just trying to keep the upper body engaged. I managed to jar my left elbow on my last set of GMs, and experience has taught me that training on that injury just makes it worse... so I left the gym still with some energy and pretty pissed off. About a couple of things.

You see, at the Muscle Pit we have a culture. We help each other out to get charged up for a lift by playing music, loud. Mostly metal, but each guy has a particular track he wants played for his money set. It's a great atmosphere, and I've seen it produce some truly amazing feats in the year or so that I've been training there.

So some fat guy, who I see at the Pit maybe once a fiscal quarter, had his limp-dick acoustic love songs playing while he did forward raises with a 7 kilo dumbbell. I changed the music over to some Lamb of God as per the request of another SMWA member, and this guy gets in my face about it. He accuses me of being disrespectful to his round ass and demands I put his shit back on.

I walk out of the office and tell him he'll have to put his own shit back on, which he does, and spends the next several minutes with his little dumbbells, pretending to lift. Eventually he leaves, and I immediately follow him back to the office so I can put some decent music on the stereo, and he gives me another serve about 'respect' before taking off.

Look buddy - I don't know who you think you are, but I know who you are not. You're not a heavy lifter. You're not a committed lifter. You're not a member of Strongman WA. You don't represent the Muscle Pit, or Strongman WA, in national level competition. And your taste in training music is as pissweak as whatever you were doing with those dumbbells.

Respect is earned.

The W.A. Strongman Final: "Perth's Strongest Man" 2012

Saturday October 6th
There's not much I can write that will do justice to the enormity of this competition. Again, I've stolen a collection of pics taken by other people and for which I am very grateful, but we'll get to them later. I also have this:

For Australian readers, at least, this ^ should be a video from Channel Seven News Perth. They covered the event, but of course concentrated mainly on Dan the man, and he didn't fail to impress. In addition to the sponsorship generously provided by Muscleworx, Ron Mercer Transport donated a prime mover - with load - for an 18 tonne pull that went off without a hitch and proved a crowd favourite.

Some more crowd faves were watching Dan dominate in the Log clean-press and Deadlift. 315 kgs proved more than too heavy for myself and Dave. For Dan it was 4 easy reps. Maybe it was 5. Such a showoff, am I right?

I won't even bother recording my results for this one. I didn't make any progress on the few events I did do, except for truck pull. I hate half-doing comps. I've half-done 2 top-level competitions in 2 consecutive weekends, and I'm now headed over to compete in ASM... I don't want to half-do this one.

I mean, I'd really rather not... if it came down to a choice of either doing only half the events or not doing it at all... I'd still do half the events, and spend the second day in the stands watching the many strong as hell West Aussies who are flying over to compete. But I digress...

Here are some pictures of the 2012 SMWA Finals:

This was also the last opportunity for anyone in Western Australia to improve their overall points tally and earn a chance to compete in Australia's Strongest Man 2012. I was glad to see yet another SMWA member - one of our newest in the under 105 kgs division - get his chance, taking second place on the day.

I return to training Tuesday.

Big News

LAST NIGHT, while I was inhaling a T-bone, Dan kept frigging calling me until I answered my phone.
"Hello?" I said around a mouth full of steak.
"Hey man... you on Facebook?"
"No I'm fucking eating man! Why what's up?"
"Just get on Facebook", he said, "and call me back."

I'm glad I decided against finishing my steak. Bill Lyndon, the man behind virtually all of Australia's strength sports including Aussie Power, had just posted that one of the top competitors in the Heavyweight division had had to forfeit his place in this year's Australia's Strongest Man. And Bill was giving that place to me, as first reserve.

My world exploded.

Of course I have accepted his offer, and I'm thrilled to be part of it all. I couldn't say no to an opportunity like this... even in these circumstances. I've got an MRI next Thursday morning, and hopefully that will yield some conclusive diagnosis and plan of action for my recovery. As of this moment, my abilities are severely lacking in any area relating to overhead press.

Below is the chart of benchmarks for Strongmen in the Opens (weights are in Kgs):

As you can see, my skills are all over the place. If I can walk the yoke without it screwing with my shoulder, I can now confidently say I fit in the A grade, at 400 kgs (or 882 lbs). But my Log clean-press hasn't had a chance to progress since 2nd round of national qualifiers, where I pressed 100 kgs for the first time with a full sized Log.

My deadlift is technically A grade now, as of last weekend's Am Nats, but I'm quietly confidant I'll pull 275 kgs (606 lbs) very very soon, so I'll be sitting between A and Elite level 1. Nice. And, finally, I'm right in between E1 and A grade with my Farmers walk as of last weekend... and I reckon I'll be Elite level 1 as of this weekend, when I walk 150 p/hand in the SMWA 2012 finals.

That's right; I've decided to compete. Haven't trained this week, just eating and resting. I'm not putting any pressure on myself to over-exert, and I will be bowing out of the Log event for certain (130 kgs for reps is well and truly out of the realms of possibility for right now... and likely for the next year to come!) I'm just in it for the fun, really. And to challenge my own personal records.

And to be stronger. That's pretty much it. 

I will be entering the elite level of strength sports in this country, after about a year of training Strongman. With no real training or sporting background, no pedigree to speak of. This is something I'm still struggling to come to terms with.

The 2012 Australian Amateur Strongman Championships

The Dolphins Health Precinct in Redcliffe, Queensland played host to this year's weekend of games. A sprawling campus with huge indoor swimming facilities and plenty of wide open spaces for the bigger events. And considering one event involved two trucks chained together, space was exactly what we needed!

I met up with a couple of other WA competitors who were staying in the same hotel and we made our way there early, to get better acquainted with the apparatus and get the lay of the land, as it were. Most competitors had already beaten us to it - the football grounds were littered with men in black, running yokes and tossing kegs in the balmy morning air.

I had plenty of opportunity to meet all the competitors in the Opens weight class - and many in the other divisions - and came away from the games with a bunch of new comrades in iron. There were some truly, insanely strong guys and girls at this year's championships, including Marc Wells, Mike 'H-bomb' Vrljic and the one and only Warrick Brant - who is considered by many to be Australia's strongest man. Derek Boyer I dare say isn't one of them.

Dan Macri wasn't at this year's Am Nats, having already secured his placing in Australia's Strongest Man 2012 and also being responsible for organising and running the Strongman WA finals, to be held the following weekend (this saturday October 6th). So in his absence the heavyweight category had just me representing Western Australia. But the under 105 kgs division, under 90s, under 80s, and women's divisions all had west aussies in their ranks. They were all SMWA members or friends, who came into the sport fresh after participating in the 2nd round of National Qualifiers (held at Crossfit Armed, Port Kennedy). 

The events and weights for my division were as follows:

DAY 1

1. Yoke Walk: 405 kgs yoke walk for distance (40+ meters was allowable, and I believe Warrick walked it for 50!).

2. Keg Toss: 5 empty beer kegs, all the same weight, thrown over footy goal posts.

3. Dual Truck Pull: Some wild numbers have been given as to the weight of the trucks being pulled. I have it on good authority that the dual truck pull performed by the heavyweights consisted of two trucks, each weighing 8 tonnes. I originally had been told it was a 32 tonne truck pull...

4. Log Clean-Press: Rising bar, starting at 120 kgs.

5. Farmers Walk: Also rising bar, starting with 130 kgs p/hand.

DAY 2

1. Conan Walk / Tyre Flip Medley: 205 kgs yoke carried zercher fashion, followed by a 450 kgs tyre.

2. Overhead Press Medley: 70 kgs dumbbell, rising bar axle clean-press starting at 120 kgs.

3. Deadlift: Also rising bar, standard Olympic, on grass.

4. Atlas Stones: 5 stones, ranging in weight from 110 to 170 kgs and loaded on platforms of varying height, the tallest being around 5.5 feet.

I just wish I had more pictures. I've had to purloin other people's from Facebook, and hopefully there will be more coming along shortly.

I will use this space to post my own results, though the truly amazing performances were from the big names in the Opens, and those same two guys who I train with and met up prior to the comp took first and second places in the under 80s and under 105s. I was very proud of both of them, and all the WA guys and girls.

1. Yoke Walk: 

I moved it maybe 1 and a half meters, and my right shoulder got wrenched. Game over there. This was on grass, and it was awkward as hell. But considering I've not actually walked with more than 365 on my back before, this is nonetheless a new PR.

2. Keg Toss:

In hindsight this is a disappointment for me. I sat this event out, as I was worried about my injury. At the time I was weighing the pros and cons; It hurt to perform the motion, and I tried to toss a keg a couple of times. The second time I managed height but not arc, and I could feel it wearing at my tendon. Plus I hadn't trained for keg toss at all... so I concluded doing the event would jeopardise my chances later in the games. But those kegs were not heavy. I could have done it and come away with some more points at least.

3. Dual Truck Pull:

I was the front runner for at least the first few competitors, before some really heavy and powerful guys with the right knowledge and footwear to boot came and stole the show. But I was thankful to Scott Jones for providing some tutelage and reminding me what worked in training was going to work here too.  don't yet know the distance, but when I do I will advise. It was, however you slice it, one hell of a PR.

4. Log Clean-Press:

The one event I knew I definitely would not be able to do. Starting at 20 kilos over my personal best, this one I sat out too.

5. Farmers Walk:
This farmers walk was rising bar - something Iv'e never seen done in WSM, or heard of before in my short career. It was also based on completing the the 20 meter run with no drops, and time was not a factor. So I did the 130 p/hand at a comfortable pace and, after a brief rest, did the same again with 140 p/hand. Another PR. But there was no way I'd make a run with 150s after that. I saw too many people suffer palm tears in this event - more than were seen in SMWA's first round national qualifier Strength Quest, which had a large number of novices competing.

6. Conan Walk / Tyre Flip Medley:
This was a gruelling and very satisfying event for me. Again, I don't know the time and don't know when I will get a points and times breakdown, but I jogged with that 205 kgs yoke at a pace I've not managed in training, and the tyre was nearly 1.5 times as heavy as the heaviest I've flipped in training. I managed it just once, and my right thigh was stiff as a board for days after, from resting the tyre on it for what seemed like half an hour. Another couple of PRs.

7. Overhead Press Medley:
I had a strategy here. I just needed to press that 70 kg DB. But to do that proved too hard for me. I tried several times, cleaning it to position and wrenching my right arm in the process. I just didn't have the strength to push-press the thing - it wasn't stable, and I wasn't even able to move it a little. Not enough training in the DB push-press... and just not strong enough. But the most annoying thing is it exacerbated my injury even more, and afterwards I couldn't raise my arm above parallel without a deal of pain. Oh yeah. My strategy? If I made it past the DB I was gonna zercher clean the first axle into position and hope for the best. Heh. That shit probably was never gonna fly.

8. Deadlift:
My favourite event, and it sucked big time. Everything about this event I was not happy with. Deadlifting hundreds of kilos on an uneven grassy footy field was pretty poor. For our first National Qualifier 'Strength Quest' (which if you remember was held at the bottom of a sloping car park outside MuscleWorx Innaloo), Strongman Western Australia managed to provide not one but two platforms for the deadlift event. It was a less than ideal situation, certainly, but at least we had platforms we could position to make an even and hard, if not perfectly level surface. But this? This was well below my expectations. As the bar got heavier it sank further into the ground, and made training with heavy deficits an advantage. I've not performed a deficit before.

Add to this, we were using a standard Olympic barbell. Not a major issue, but I overthought things and opted to use straps, as I was concerned about grip strength with the thicker bar. I also double-overhanded the lift, and this cost me time while I struggled to lock out my 260 kilos opener. This was a PR, yeah, but well below what I wanted which is why I opened on it. On 270, I was too gassed to complete the lift... got it a few inches off the ground. Bombed. Pissed off. Didn't try for a third.

9. Atlas Stones:
Another event I couldn't do. The first stone was not a weight I would have had trouble with, ordinarily, but the first platform I had to load it on to was too high. It would have required my right arm to do things it could not at that point do. I sat by and watched some amazing feats from the other competitors, especially H-bomb and Warrick - who loaded all 5 in 18 seconds and 16 seconds respectively!!

That was last weekend. This weekend I plan to enter the WA finals and try to beat some of these PRs!

Events Training Saturday: Last Session Before Am Nats

shoulder warmup

Deadlifts
10 reps @ 60 kgs
8 reps @ 100 kgs
6 reps @ 140 kgs
2 reps @ 180 kgs
1 reps @ 220 kgs
4.5 reps @ 250 kgs / 551 lbs PR

DB OHPress
10 reps @ 20 kgs
5 reps @ 30 kgs
left 5 reps @ 40 kgs
right 3 reps @ 40 kgs - feeling better, but still just not feeling right at the top
left 1RM @ 50 kgs PR

Yoke
15 meters x2 @ 205 kgs
static hold: 10 seconds @ 285 kgs - felt fine
static hold: 20 seconds @ 365 kgs ...eh

*Clean-pressed an 80-85 kgs axle here. Bad idea.

Farmers walk
25 meters @ 60 kgs p/hand
static hold: 25-30 seconds @ 140 kgs p/hand PR

PRETTY buggered after that. Stamina just wasn't there today. Ate like a fiend last night, and even inhaled a burger about an hour into training. I feel I've at least caught up on the rest of the week I missed. And getting under a heavy(ish) yoke and walking away not broken was a definite bonus... just hope I can manage something on the day.

That fifth rep at 551 lbs I pulled to about my knees, but it wasn't budging further. Very happy with the 4 though - an even tonne moved in 4 reps is proper, heavy ass lifting no matter how you cut it. The only man I know personally who could call it 'mediocre' (and did) is WA's strongest man Daniel Macri.

Thanks Dan.

So one of my coaches has advised that I not do any training at all this week. I had hoped to hit one more squat PR on monday, but alrighty then. I'll just spend the next few days psyching myself out on the couch.

You Know

I get pretty fucking sick and tired of being sick and injured. I hate more having to dwell on that shit, because it's not getting me any further ahead. But seeing as I'm pretty much stuck here I might as well do a recap and then it's recorded and I can move the hell on.

I got food poisoning monday night, after my squat session. I eat so unvaried, such basic and trusted foods that I am rightly annoyed this could happen anyway. It must have been the frozen mixed berries in my PWO shake. The only other thing I'd had at that point was 2 litres of milk, and for dinner I ate some chicken that I'd had the night before and was still fresh and good, though my stomach at this stage was feeling odd so I only ate a little... not good for gains, I know.

What was worse for gains came next; leaking and projecting from both ends all night and over the next 2 days. The vomiting stopped about 7am, after I'd retched up what I guess was every seed that had been in that shake. After that I could take a sip of water and keep it down.

To add to the drama, this happened the night before my appointment with the Orthopaedic surgeon who, I mistakenly thought, would be performing an MRI. Turns out that takes at least 3 weeks to organise. I walked out of his office short a couple hundred dollars, but with an Xray and an inconclusive 2nd opinion which had nothing to do with the rotator cuff, something he called 'general instability' which amounted to *scratches head* duh-I-dunno. Just to make sure I go ahead with that MRI, coz that will diagnose and solve my issues finally.... right? The only solid assertion made by the surgeon was that, for a strength athlete, I have "pretty small" humeral ball joints.

That was Tuesday. Wednesday I spent half of on the can and the other half drinking sachets of salty orange flavoured crap and popping Imodium. Last night and today I've been getting solid food in me and am feeling more or less back to normal, but still too weak to justify training. I lost 3 kilos in 40 hours, along with my PWO nutrients and, presumably, most of my gains from Monday night's squat PR. I need to eat more first.

So this has been almost all of the second-last week before Amateur Nationals. I'm going back into training saturday - my last events training session before the big one - even weaker and more behind than I was when the week started. Literally.

But here's the take home piece: This doesn't change my goal. It won't stop me from competing, it won't stop me from getting stronger. It's a slice of my sometimes sandy vagina, and it amounts to one emo side note amongst years of solid gains and positive improvements on my road to being truly strong.