Rise & Fall: 14 Days to The W.A. Strongman National Qualifiers

24/05/12 THURSDAY'S DISAPPOINTING DEADLIFT FOCUS

Deadlifts
10 reps @ 60 kgs
8 reps @ 100 kgs
5 reps @ 140 kgs
5 reps @ 180 kgs - should have stopped at 3 here
3 reps @ 220 kgs
another fail @ 240 kgs

Rack pulls
3 reps @ 200 kgs
3 reps @ 240 kgs
1 reps @ 250 kgs

Kroc rows
left 4 reps @ 80 kgs TPR
right 3 reps @ 80 kgs TPR
left 7 reps @ 72 kgs
right 7 reps @ 72 kgs
left 5 reps @ 72 kgs

right 7 reps @ 72 kgs

THERE is no explanation for why I am so freaking weak compared with a fortnight ago! At first I thought it was due maybe to going too heavy on previous sets. But the occasion I pulled 240, I'd repped 230 kgs on the previous set! I'm only doing 3 of 220 and that's sapping my strength?! No... can it be the flu did me more damage than I'm prepared to accept? C'mon.

I scrapped a 2nd attempt and tried my hand at rack pulls - an exercise I've never performed before. Once I got the pin height correct, I felt like they did me some good. Not as much as pulling from the floor, but I feel my lockout will have improved for the experience and may do them more in the future.

26/05/12 EVENTS TRAINING SATURDAY

Yoke walk
15 meters @ 205 kgs
15 meters @ 285 kgs
15 meters @ 325 kgs - did it in 27 seconds, a massive new PR
15 meters @ 350 kgs PR not sure of the time though...

Yoke static holds
8.5 seconds @ 405 kgs PR
3.5 seconds @ 405 kgs - CNS collapse

Log clean-press
3 reps @ 70 kgs
1 reps @ 90 kgs - strict!

Farmers walk
25 meters @ 60 kgs p/hand
25 meters @ 100 kgs p/hand

THE SECOND go at static holds with the yoke caused me to fall to the ground. My central nervous system spat the dummy at me, and enforced a lie-down for a few moments. But all is good. I will be stronger for it next week.

The log clean-press was performed pretty much strict! I had several attempts at it push-press and was getting nowhere (strength down again compared to a fortnight ago!) but with a light tap from Dave as I pressed it, Fatboy went up and locked out. A testament to the OHPress work I've been doing with Dan, specifically using the thick-grip Swiss bar to get better accustomed to the logs.

But by the Farmer's walk I was drained and hungry, so cut it short. I had done what I came to do.