Saturday, September 21, 2013

Joining Weightlifting Academy

This Blog Has Moved To WeightliftingAcademy.com

I don't like having to repeat myself, so it follows that I don't like typing the same thing twice. Copy-paste means it's really not anything like that at all, but still, I don't see any point in doing it. It seems self-indulgent.

That's why I've moved my regular blogging over to weightliftingacademy, after Nick's kind offer of a personal blog there.

This blog has reached over 14,000 views and has been in operation for... a long time. Though I've always logged my training somewhere over the last three years and seven months (that's how long ago I started exercising - at the end of March 2010), this blog has been exactly the kind of device I intended it to be, for myself. I'm a writer by nature, not by discipline. I have to write, as part of my process. And this is where I've kept myself honest, and committed, and conscious of how much it's taken to get to where I am now.

Thank you everybody for reading along. I hope you continue to do so, at my new location. I'm not saying this blog won't ever be revived, but for now I'd like to focus my creative catharsis in a new location. One with boozing Oly lifters... should be interesting.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Friday the 13th: Lifting Dead

warmup w/bands

Deadlifts
75 kgs x 10
125 kgs x 8
175 kgs x 5
225 kgs x 2
245 kgs x 1
265 kgs x 4 equal to best effort

Kroc rows w/kettle bell
left
80 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 10
right
64 kgs x 6
56 kgs x 10

Leg press
160 kgs x 10
210 kgs x 10
260 kgs x 10
310 kgs x 10

I DID this nearly 3 months ago . So it's not great. But I can't really expect to make progress after losing a week of training and a net total of nearly 5 kilos bodyweight. I needed to do this session because it's my last opportunity to deadlift before the WA Strongman finals next weekend.

My right bicep was feeling rough with the krocs, so I didn't keep pushing it. But I really do need to start doing focussed right-arm exercises with the aim to build strength and conditioning back up. What I'm doing now with overhead press is good, but I'm not doing enough in other areas. I will have to talk to the SMWA brains trust tomorrow.

As it was Friday the 13th, I had a bit of cosplay fun as Jason Vorhees. The next one is in December. Maybe there will be more horror movie characters to lift with then.

Events are going to kill me tomorrow.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Press Thursday: Catchup

warmup with bands

Bench press
60 kgs x 10
90 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
130 kgs x 1
140 kgs x 1
145 kgs x 1 PR

DB OHP (strict)
left only
36 kgs x 3
41 kgs x 3
46 kgs x 1
51 kgs x 5

Bench - partial ROM drop-sets
100 kgs x 5
90 kgs x 5
80 kgs x 5
70 kgs x 5
60 kgs x 5

Pull-ups
Bodyweight: 125.5 kgs
+ 10 kgs chain x 10
+ 10 kgs chain x 10

Axle OHP (strict)
35 kgs x 20
50 kgs x 20
60 kgs x 15 PR

TONIGHT I did the press session I should have done last night, and then some. It's been a shitty couple of weeks for me, with another bout of gastro last week (yeah, again) and then unavoidable circumstances keeping me out of the gym for one more day. So I attempted to make up for it with a marathon session this evening, and will be hitting it hard at events training this saturday.

Very glad I asked Yianni to vid my ME bench attempt; not because I'm happy with the result, but because it clearly shows my weaker right side failing on the second rep. I was contemplating going for another single, but after reviewing the video thought better of it. This was actually all due to mis-loading. I intended to single 120 and 130, and then try for 4 reps of 140. But I loaded 15 kilo plates instead of tens on the second set (I've done that before too... gym brain), so every set after was 10 kilos heavier than intended. And I thought I felt weak.

The partial ROM drop sets were a suggestion from Joel, to help me strengthen my press from the chest. They certainly felt like they worked. I could barely finish that last rep of 60 kilos. Thanks again to Yianni and Darwin for helping out - this is the kind of movement that relies on spotters to quickly unload between sets so I can charge on to near-failure. Looking forward to incorporating this into my regular routine, and seeing the gains.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Press Wednesday: 300+ Pound Benching

warmup w/bands

Bench press
60 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
120 kgs x 1
130 kgs x 1
140 kgs x 3 PR

DB OHP (strict)
left only
36 kgs x 3
41 kgs x 3
46 kgs x 10 PR

BB OHP w/axle
35 kgs x 20
50 kgs x 20
60 kgs x 9 TPR

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Events & the Twilight Bench Comp: Just Enough

JUST enough overhead work today. It was a great outcome, really; I was very happy to be clean-pressing for reps what would be 65% or more of my best ever, ever, and with no pain or reduced movement. But I knew when it was time to stop. I'll be back to 20-rep sets of the axle next Wednesday and now isn't the time to be pushing it.

There's been some changes to my routine thanks to the recent positive developments with my squat. I'm going to start squatting with everybody else at PTC, Mondays nights, and it also means I'll be getting back under the straight bar for the first time since... shit, I have no idea. To start out I'll be going at my own pace and probably won't be hitting proper depth much of the time, to avoid further aggravation.

I held off on performing anything heavier on deads to save myself for next week. I got a little excited as the weight went up and started bounce-lifting it, so had to reset and do the next 5 at 230 properly.

And it's starting to sound like I'm just name-dropping Brandon Lilly for the sake of it here, but the truth is a great deal of his advice is resonating with me, and it's really helping me developmentally. My squat has benefited from regular leg pressing and I'm betting my OHP press strength and stability is going to improve with this new exercise called the Cambered bar walk.*

It was another busy Saturday. At 3PM I left the Pit and headed to PTC to assist with loading and spotting (and sweating) on their Twilight bench press competition, which was one of the best run competitions I've ever witnessed. It was a bench only novice comp, but even so, everything was wrapped up in just one hour. The inimitable MLC (master of lifting ceremonies) Adam Coe on the mike, kept things lively, and the day saw some truly monster pressing from Ando (the Boss) Nguyen and a home trainer (I think?) by the name Steven Bennett. Full results can be found on the PTC Perth website, or by clicking here.

warmup w/bands

OHP w/swiss bar
35 kgs x 10
55 kgs x 8
65 kgs x 5

Axle clean-press
45 kgs x 5 press only
65 kgs x 5
75 kgs x 3 TPR

Cambered bar walks
*These will take some explaining. I walk with an approx 30 kilo cambered bar held overhead, and every ten paces I stop and press the bar twice. I was feeling pretty beaten by the end of it. Gonna put weight on the bar next time...

Seated rows
full stack x 18 PR

Deadlifts w/hexbar
80 kgs x 10
130 kgs x 10
230 kgs x 5 bouncelifts
230 kgs x 5
280 kgs x 5

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Squat Thursday: That's a Record

warmup w/bands

Squats w/cambered bar
50 kgs x 10
70 kgs x 8
80 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
120 kgs x 3
130 kgs x 1
145 kgs x 15 PR

Upper-back lockouts
170 kgs x 20
220 kgs x 15
250 kgs x 12

YEAH, that's an all time new personal record there. Not sure how significant it is, really, but my previous best reps at weights under 200 kilos are typically all under 10 (180 for 6, 170 for 8, 160 for 10... I think), so this represents a possible, minor, increase in strength. Minor. Still really happy as there was no pain, and all gain.

I did an extra set tonight because gym brain. Those blue rubber 15s look exactly the same as those blue rubber 20s, from the perspective of gym brain. But after the lockouts I was literally too worn to need to do anything else! Pull-ups might have been too much as my biceps are good and sore from previous work this week, and my legs were also jelly at this point, so all good.

The final set of lockouts I dropped back to 250 from 260, as my ROM last week was not great. Tonight, much better. Anyway, time to rest and prepare for events training saturday. That means time to eat. A lot.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Press Wednesday: On Track

warmup w/bands

Bench press
60 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
120 kgs x 1
135 kgs x 5 PR

DB OHP (strict)
left
26 kgs x 3
36 kgs x 3
46 kgs x 1
51 kgs x 1
56 kgs x 2 FAILs
51 kgs x 3

Pull-ups
bodyweight: 129 kgs
+ 10 kgs chain x 14 PR
+ 10 kgs chain x 10
BW x 10

BB OHP w/axle
35 kgs x 20
45 kgs x 20
50 kgs x 20 PR

I CANNOT find the blog entry, and I'm not even sure if I wrote one about it, but the first competition I entered was a bench-only novice comp at the Pit. I pressed 135, but was red lit for not waiting for the press signal. This was late 2011, I'm pretty sure.

So I've repped that 1RM from not quite two years ago, tonight. And how much bench work have I done in that time? Not much, actually. A bench variation (swiss bar and/or incline, etc) has typically been somewhere in my assistance work, but it hasn't been a focus while I've been a Strongman.

Very happy with the axle progression. Smooth, steady reps without discomfort. I can't wait to be doing this with something approaching my max. But I'll have to, of course.

I'll deadlift 300 kilograms at the WA Strongman finals, September 21st, and I'll bench at least 150 at the next PL comp I enter (still haven't decided which). See if I don't. And to top that drama, tomorrow night I'll be squatting a mighty 145, for as many reps as possible.

...I realise now I cannot simply leave it there. Tonight had an obvious down side, being the dumbbell press. This was way, way worse than I was anticipating, and I can only assume my money set on bench is taking more and more of my stabilisation... not to mention, the money set made my lower back cramp viciously. I wasn't fit to press heavy after that.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Deadlift Monday: 100% Again

warmup w/bands

Deadlifts
70 kgs x 10
120 kgs x 8
170 kgs x 5
220 kgs x 1
240 kgs x 1
255 kgs x 7 PR

Krocs w/kettle bells
left
80 kgs x 12 PR
80 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 10 TPR
right
64 kgs x 12 PR
64 kgs x 10 TPR
64 kgs x 8

Pull-ups
Bodyweight: 130 kgs
+ 10 kgs chain x 8
BW x 10

Leg press
160 kgs x 20
210 kgs x 20

THOSE training sessions I was too messed up to go hard, or too pressed for time to do my assistance work, or when I just didn't feel like I'd done my best: this session almost makes up for them all.

I only got 7 reps of 250 last week, equalling my PR of a couple of months prior. So tonight I knew I needed something better than an equal best. And I got it. Dropping to singles in the final two warmup sets was a good idea, but during the money set I took my time and made sure I breathed deep at the top and bottom of each rep. When I locked out that seventh, there was no air in my lungs, at all. I thought I was going to pass out.

Thanks to Brian for taking the video.

Brandon Lilly said that, on the road back from injury, every milestone is a new personal record - it doesn't matter if you did it before, way back when. Well, when it comes to my right those Krocs are not all-new territory but I'm calling them as such. And I've never performed them with a kettle bell before. KBs make them harder.

Finally, I'm loving that nothing hurts. Back, hip and shoulder are all sweet. Bring on Press Wednesday.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Squat Thursday: Believe it or Not...

warmup w/bands

Squat w/cambered
50 kgs x 12
70 kgs x 10
90 kgs x 8
110 kgs x 5
130 kgs x 5
140 kgs x 10 TPR

Pulls-ups
bodyweight: 128 kgs
2 sets x 10

Upper-back lockouts
DB
55 kgs x 3
BB
170 kgs x 20
220 kgs x 15
260 kgs x 10 PR

THIS is the best squat session I've had in months! No hip problems, at any stage, and depth was decent throughout. I couldn't say all of them would get white lights, but it's a freaking cambered bar and that's really not important. All the same, I tried on the straight bar again tonight, attempting to get comfortable with the position again. Didn't go over at all.

No events training this weekend, which is good. I have no excuses for not busting a gut the next deadlift Monday.

And now, to your right, you will see a pair of tools.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Press Wednesday: 3 Times the Charm

warmup w/bands

Bench press
60 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
120 kgs x 1
130 kgs x 6 PR

DB OHP (strict)
left only
26 kgs x 3
36 kgs x 3
46 kgs x 1
51 kgs x 0
56 kgs x 0
56 kgs x 3

Pull-ups
BW x 14
BW x 8

BB OHP w/axle*
25 kgs x 20
35 kgs x 20
45 kgs x 18

Leg press
explosive
210 kgs x 10
260 kgs x 10

THE MAKESHIFT circus dumbbell proved a bit wily tonight. I make it up using a six kilogram bar (with fat grip), which makes for odd loading amounts. At 51 kilos it came apart just as I cleaned it to my shoulder. I swapped around some plates for thinner Ivankos of about the same size, and didn't need to try that weight again. But when it came time for the money set I didn't keep rigid enough once I'd shouldered the weight, so there wasn't enough power under it. I reset and tried again, and at least got three slow, agonising strict reps out of it. I needed five. Lucky this isn't an event.

Of course that's not the best outcome of tonight's session; I made that sixth rep on bench. I'm still not sure I'm keeping my elbows and wrists where they need to be, but I brought the bar down to the right spot, which made all the difference. I paused the first rep and continued pushing from a position of strength. I might have tried a seventh but I didn't want to fail. I've failed in my final rep attempt on the last few press sessions and it's not a habit to get into. Training to failure trains your body to fail. Remember that kids.

Tomorrow we squat.



Hey!! I found a bench video I made pretty much three years ago. Some of you might even remember this video from when I first started logging my training on Muscle and Strength.
So in three years I've put 30 kilos on what I can bench for six reps (and my 1RM mid-2011 was 135, from memory, so who knows where my true 1RM is right now?)

*The PTC axle was lighter than I expected; it's like 23-point-something kilos. Lucky those tiny plates are on every cage.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Deadlift Monday: Game On

warmup w/bands

Deadlift
70 kgs x 10
120 kgs x 8
170 kgs x 5
220 kgs x 3
235 kgs x 1
250 kgs x 7 equal to best effort

Kroc rows w/kettle bell
left
80 kgs x 12 PR
80 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 8
right
80 kgs x 2 too heavy, too soon
64 kgs x 12 TPR
64 kgs x 8
56 kgs x 10

Pull-ups
bodyweight: 129 kgs
+ 10 kgs chain x 12
BW x 12

Leg press
165 kgs x 10 explosive
165 kgs x 10 speed

I DID THIS in early June. My deadlift money set, I mean. Why am I still happy about tonight? Because it could have been worse. I went in feeling 75% and got... something better. I don't use percentages, but you get the idea. And while on paper it's not a step forward, there's been no steps back. In fact my back actually feels better for having repped that 250. I really, really need to find co-workers willing to walk on my back at odd times of the day though... and I'm getting a butt load of taurine, to assist with blood flow to that area. Another recommendation from Brandon Lilly.

I've started writing out a cube program for myself, though it's going to take some collusion with the rest of SMWA to get it right. In the mean time I'm incorporating some of the other things he swore by; pull-downs (well unless/until PTC gets a machine, pull-ups will do) and leg press with every session. I'm going to expand on these and focus on explosive movement.

Solid progress on my accessories too. I'm slowly getting my weak right side back. Gotta baby it though... I was a little too optimistic with the 80 tonight. Lucky for me, it doesn't feel like I'm going to pay for it.

Let's see if I can make a better go of bench press this Wednesday. I want at least 6 reps of 130. If I can't get that, I'll need to take the loading back to 100 (or even lighter) for max reps and start building up again.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

A Weekend with Brandon Lilly

*Brandon Lilly totalled 1015 kilograms at the CAPO world championships, Tasmania, Aug 10th*

DAY 1 - A LATE DINNER


FOR ME to be the first to arrive is a rare thing indeed. I’m usually just on time, or late, or (if it’s around Hillarys) lost. So here I was, sitting alone at a banquet table in Lapa, a Brazilian barbeque restaurant at the heart of Armadale’s shopping district… and a pretty difficult place to find on a rainy night, as it turns out. But then if you're not a local, that's pretty understandable (and if you are, you're probably loling about the fact that we were in Armadale).

Brandon Lilly, his wife, and the rest of WA Strongman eventually got there and dinner was underway an hour after the reservation, but we made up for the late start by eating everything in sight and beckoning the wait staff to come by again and again with skewers of different, delicious meats.

Once everyone had eaten enough to be slowed down with meat sweats, and after a bit of small talk, Dan asked Brandon how he’d come to create the Cube training method. This kicked off the most fascinating discussion of strength I’ve ever been privy to. I was at the opposite end of the table to Brandon, so I couldn’t catch everything he said. But what I did hear was quite astounding.

For a start, Brandon told us he left West Side Barbell to get stronger. But when he started lifting in high school he couldn’t bench 60 kilos. He tried to squat 60 and fell on his face, busting his nose. In fact he was, in general, incredibly weak (compare this, he said, to his friend Dave Hoff who was benching 160 for reps at age fifteen). This was a massive revelation for myself, to see proof first hand that genetics isn’t the only determinant of strength. 

Though it is, quite plainly, a major factor. Just look at arguably the strongest deadlifter in the world right now; Benedikt Magnusson. Brandon told us that Benedikt really wanted to work with cosmetics, and would rather go clay pigeon shooting, or do a variety of activities other than train. He is exceptionally intelligent but doesn’t like to advertise the fact. He is one of several brothers, the smallest of whom can deadlift 400 kilos. Magnusson told Brandon this last fact as a way of explaining to him why he, at that stage of his career, should have been lifting more than he was (if Benny’s little brother could do it, so could Brandon, obviously).
Brandon gave us all some great suggestions on how to begin tailoring the Cube method to our Strongman training (similar to Josh Thigpen’s treatment), and by the time we had all eaten our fill and it was time to leave it felt like Dan and Brandon had really only just gotten started.


DAY 2 – ALONGSIDE GREATNESS

The Muscle Pit again played host to the strongest in the iron game. SMWA did our training outside
while a small but lively crowd gathered indoors, where a semi-naked Lilly was giving one-on-one coaching in the deadlift. The atmosphere was incredible; one newcomer, Kurt, was so inspired seeing people around him charged up and hitting records that he hit one himself; a 115 kilo snatch (at about 70 kilos bodyweight I believe) and Gabor walked a 400 kilo yoke the full 15 meters.

When I left, Dan and Brandon were locked in conversation once more while his trainees continued to smash weight on the platform.











DAY 3 – THE SEMINAR

Brandon Lilly went to a school with no dividing walls between classes. To this day, background noise allows him to think more clearly. So facing a crowd of thirty or more people all seated in awed silence seemed to make him a little uncomfortable. He encouraged us to talk amongst ourselves while he jotted out some diagrams and program templates on the whiteboard behind him.

The design of the Cube was first on the agenda, though the seminar was not rigidly structured; Lilly relied on his audience to ask him what they wanted to know, and invariably this would lead to anecdotes and stories about the many strong, strong guys he’d met, learned from and competed against in his career. He would always answer the question, but there was sometimes such depth to his reply that the original question became incidental.

Brandon gave us a stark insight into his past and the trials he and his second wife have gone through in order for him to make his 1015 kilo RAW total. How he’d been dealt a bad hand academically and his high school coach, Travis Lynch, had introduced him to the iron when he could no longer play soccer for his school. You could say that it was under the bar where Brandon had his first great successes in life, something that I think a lot of us can identify with.

But when he chose to follow his dream and commit to Powerlifting 100%, he lost the support of his first wife and pretty much his entire family. Before he met his second wife, Jess (who was a little embarrassed, seated amongst the crowd), he was alone. “Eddie Coan lived with his parents, in their basement, while he followed his dream.” Brandon said, adding that while it was a great thing to have such supportive parents, he didn’t think he could have done it himself. Dependence on other people in that way would damage his pride.

He talked about sacrifice and priorities. Jess, for instance, travels hundreds of miles each week to her part time nursing job and back home again, just so she can be with him. He explained to us that it wasn’t even a question; he hadn’t asked her to do this, she did it because that was what she needed to do, just as he needed to be where he was. He pointed to his shirt, and said that he’d have arrived shirtless today if his wife hadn’t handed it to him; same with all his clothes, for that matter; he wears the shirts and shorts his sponsors give him to wear. He doesn’t waste money or time on clothes, and pays no attention to fashion.
“Think about this" he said, "what if all you had in life was the iron? What if you were paid to train? What if all you did was squat, bench and deadlift every week for four weeks and on the fifth week compete. Well, that’s how it is for Russian athletes. Could you do it?”

I asked him about where his drive came from, and he said other lifters helped to give it to him. He follows his competition closely. He then spoke of the injuries he’d sustained, and the training methods he’d abandoned over the course of his career (and why Powerlifting in general was fraught with bad information). He had so many stories to tell about other great athletes and coaches he’d met; how he badgered Sheiko as often as he could get near enough to him to ask questions, and how even Jim Wendler would agree that Wendler’s 531 will make you a really strong dude, but it isn’t the best program for a competitive Powerlifter.

Magnusson had helped him improve his deadlift by making him drop his soap in the shower. And his shampoo bottle, and his washcloth. And perform a deadlift to use each one. “Make every lift a four hundred kilo lift.” He said ‘Bennie’ had been watching him perform variations of bench press when opening doors, eating with utensils, et cetera. He performed his best lift every day, and so he needed to adopt the same behaviour with the deadlift. It worked.

Brandon was a little offended when the questions seemed to dry up an hour or so after we’d resumed from lunch.  “Well I have a question then.” He said, “Why the fuck don’t you have more questions?” Then someone got the ball rolling again, and we learned why Brandon strips down to short shorts whenever he’s lifting.

“There will always be haters. My haters say, when I bench wearing clothes, that I got a [bench] shirt under there, or when I deadlift that I got a suit on. So that’s why in my last comp I took my shirt off and I pulled my shorts up. People might say ‘hey you look like a fag’, but I don’t care. Nobody can say I’m not a raw lifter.”

I left just as Lilly was getting to the practical part of the seminar, but I got a whole lot out of the day, and the weekend generally has been a major experience for me. I'm glad Brandon took the time to come and speak to us (Perth being a helluva detour from the CAPO worlds in Tasmania) and I wish him and his wife a safe trip back home.

Events Saturday: Alongside Greatness

warmup w/bands

Yoke walk
135 kgs x 15 meters x 2
215 kgs x 15 meters
255 kgs x 15 meters
295 kgs x 15 meters
335 kgs x 15 meters

OHP axle
35 kgs x 15
40 kgs x 15
45 kgs x 15
50 kgs x 15

Farmers walk
50 kgs x 15 meters x 2
90 kgs x 15 meters x 2
110 kgs x 15 meters x 2
130 kgs x 15 meters

A PRETTY solid session for me today, no new records to speak of but I'm feeling pretty good about the yoke and farmers walk, though the yoke did fuck something up to the left of my left thoracic area again, a complaint I've had since the last comp which needs needling, or massaging, or both (something, anything!). I'm switching all my two-handed overhead pressing to an axle from here, in preparation for the WA Strongman finals, and also because the movement is becoming more comfortable for me, which is really good news.

Well, I can't say deadlifting tomorrow night is going to be win, but it's going to happen. If this weekend has done one thing, it's made me re-evaluate my perceptions of what dedication, sacrifice, and strength can really mean.

Anything happening in the strongman pen today was of little consequence compared with the goings-on indoors. One of the strongest Powerlifters in the world, Brandon Lilly, was in the Pit giving one-on-one deadlift coaching. We'd had dinner with him and his wife the night before. He's a nice guy with a lot of great stories to tell; something I'll elaborate on very soon.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Press Wednesday: Win Some Lose Some

warmup w/bands

Bench press
60 kgs x 10
90 kgs x 8
110 kgs x 3
120 kgs x 1
130 kgs x 4 FAIL

DB OHP (strict)
left only
31 kgs x 3
36 kgs x 3
46 kgs x 1
51 kgs x 1
56 kgs x 4 PR

Pull-ups
bodyweight: 127 kgs
+ 10 kgs chain x 12
+ 10 kgs chain x 12
bodyweight x 12

BB OHP
20 kgs x 20
35 kgs x 20
45 kgs x 20 TPR

I'VE DONE better than this, just two months back. I wanted at least 7 reps for my money set, but would have been happy with 6... and didn't even make fucking 5. This is because I lost tension and my arch collapsed on the first rep. From there, everything felt wrong. Guess I'll try again next week.

The overhead press made up for it, though. Kinda. I started with the Oly dumbbell bar and fat grip and built up in those awkward increments as the bar weighs 6. The idea was to keep things simple, but wth my gym brain I'm still not entirely sure I didn't do an extra warmup set.

Also solid, almost entirely pain-free barbell pressing at a weight I'm sure I haven't done twenty reps of ever, ever (because when the hell do I do twenty reps of anything anyway), so I'm calling it a record.

Oh yeah. Tomorrow night, I may do twenty rep sets. So... that's when.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Deadlift Monday: Filler Material

warmup w/bands & hip rotations

Deadlifts
70 kgs x 8
110 kgs x 8
160 kgs x 5
200 kgs x 3
240 kgs x 1

Kroc rows w/kettle bell
left
80 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 8
right
64 kgs x 10
64 kgs x 8
64 kgs x 8

I DON'T feel like I was productive, but that's ok. This is not a problem considering what I was doing on the weekend. My lower back advised me when it was time to stop deadlifting tonight; more recovery time is needed before I return to regular programming. Plus, I met some new people and spent a good deal of time talking to other PTC members while I spun my wheels. I even had a token (135 kilo?) straight bar squat (PL comp spec, the length and thickness of the old Mastodon)... I'm glad I warmed up beforehand, but even so it was as much as two inches from acceptable (according to Darwin), and even at that depth it still aggravated my hip a little. On the plus side: there were no problems with my shoulder. There was a little discomfort initially as I took the weight, but everything held up okay. Not that that weight should have posed a problem... add another hundred and it'd be a different matter entirely.

Looking forward to Press Wednesday. I intend to bench 130 for at least 7 reps, and make up a 56 kilo dumbbell to press a few times. Should be fun.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Events Saturday: All in Good Time

Deadlifts w/trap bar
130 kgs x 10
170 kgs x 10
210 kgs x 10
210 kgs x 10
260 kgs x 10
300 kgs x 5 PR

OHP w/swiss bar
55 kgs x 5
60 kgs x 5
65 kgs x 5

Log clean-press
60 kgs x 5

Seated row
Full stack x 15 PR
Full stack x 15
Full stack x 12

SOME of you might remember that I started out training at home, and my first ever deadlift was a hex bar, or trap bar, deadlift. My best ever trap bar dead was 225 kilograms back in October 2011, and that was the last time I used one until today. I distinctly remember that day, and having to unload my dumbbells and carry all my heaviest plates outside to make the necessary weight. This was the day I decided I needed a proper gym to train at. Compared to the cost of constantly buying more plates, a gym membership was actually looking attractive... it was honestly something I hadn't anticipated, back when I started exercising in 2010. I hadn't the slightest idea of how strong I would get.

This unfortunately blows my programming for next week (but then it's not like everything's been totally on track lately) so deadlifts for max reps Monday almost certainly won't be on the cards. There's plenty of other pulls and accessory work I can do.

And I'm looking forward to Wednesday, as one of my coaches (and fellow WA Strongman member) Joel McCaughan is coming down to give me some one-on-one bench coaching.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Squat Thursday: Pissweak but Painless

Squats w/cambered bar
50 kgs x 8 or 10
70 kgs x 5
90 kgs x 5
110 kgs x 5
125 kgs x 3
140 kgs x 1
150 kgs x 1

Upper-back lockouts
140 kgs x 15
190 kgs x 15
220 kgs x 12

MY PREVIOUS two squat sessions were terrible. The second was actually worse than the first one. There were several reasons for this, not least of which is that I, as usual, aren't sufficiently warmed up before I begin squatting. I need to devote more time to prepare for the session. It's as simple as that.

I did a thorough warmup tonight. I rotated my thighs for a couple of minutes just to get my hip flexors good and prepared, and then I assessed foot spacing, depth, knee positioning, and general discomfort while squatting without the bar.

From there, I had to adjust my depth in order to keep going without pain. My squats were around parallel and obviously with the cambered bar it's not kosher in terms of Powerlifting form. But it's something. For me, at least, it's good just to be able to work up to a (lil shallow) single of 150 with no pain. I can tell you, I am compensating; I can feel it and I'm trying to correct it. It is here where I can kinda feel the threshold of what's painful and what isn't, and adjust my depth in order to keep going.

The bottom line is: until I can get on top of both of my labrum tears, I'm going to be training these movements for myself and not for competition, PL or otherwise. I will be returning to the slow and steady programming I was on a couple of weeks ago, before it got derailed. Tonight I wasn't looking for a training response, I was assessing my safe loading ability without going overboard. I'm having to do all this because I'm no genius, but I'm not stupid either; testing near maximals is way, way off. Way off.

I was going to faff around with some pinwheelz (for the ladiez) before heading off, but my biceps were fried from last night so that was out. I gave my triceps a dose last night but I was looking at doing something triceps related. However, with dips still out of the question, my options were limited. Might have to reacquaint myself with Skull Crushers... and as we've got a swiss bar on the way, that might really help. The swiss bar will help out in general, actually, looking forward to using it (and I must say a big thank you to Les for all his great equipment - his stuff is used by both PTC Perth and WA Strongman and it exceeds all quality and strength expectations).

Instead I got yapping to Aaron (or, more appropriately, he got yapping to me) and I left having done nothing else significant. So I better make up for it with a solid events training session this weekend.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Press Wednesday: FFS

warmup w/bands

Bench press
60 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
110 kgs x 1
117 kgs x 1
125 kgs x 8 PR

DB OHP (strict)
left only
30 kgs x 6
40 kgs x 3
46 kgs x 3
51 kgs x 4 TPR

Pull-ups
bodyweight: 130 kgs
+ 10 kgs chain x 13 PR
+ 10 kgs chain x 10
BW x 4 super-slow

BB OHP (strict)
20 kgs x 20
30 kgs x 20
40 kgs x 20

YEAH... so I didn't deadlift this week and I haven't recorded a couple of squat sessions now, mainly coz things have been shit. Like, really shit. But I'll get to all that later. For now, let's look at the good news. Tonight's new record on bench keeps me on track for a decent 1RM of around 160 kilos. And I'm really enjoying the overhead with my improvised circus dumbbell. Tonight I used the Fat Grip and some better collars. It felt close enough to the real thing, so I'm pretty happy and keen to build back up to the 60 kilo benchmark.

On the same subject, I think I need to scale back my warmup reps on DB OHP, just because it doesn't feel like I needed to do that triple of 46 before my money set. A single would have been the way to go.

The pull-ups felt strong, though I could have perhaps extended more, so I used the last set to take it as slow as possible, and I felt my biceps fail as I attempted the fifth rep. Then I screwed up the first set of barbell overhead press (it should have been 30 / 35 / 40 kilos), but I made up for it in the time I had with 10 kilo increments.

With my lower half having been given the last week off, lets see if I can actually squat tomorrow night. For fuck's sake.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Press Wednesday: Green Means Good

*new warmup

Bench press
60 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 6
100 kgs x 3
110 kgs x 1
120 kgs x 9 PR

DB OHP (strict)
left only
30 kgs x 3
35 kgs x 3
46 kgs x 11 PR

Pull-ups
128 kgs bodyweight
+ 10 kgs chains x 11 PR
+ 10 kgs chains x 10

BB OHP
25 kgs x 20
30 kgs x 20
35 kgs x 20

IT WASN'T the double digits I was hoping for (again), but it's good enough I guess. LOL. That's a pretty crap attitude to have about a session that produced three new personal records. I'm really hoping I can bust out a couple of reps of 150 at the end of this loading cycle. That's the goal, at least. Feels like it's going to happen.

My programming required a dumbbell that was near enough to 45 kilos, but I couldn't find one, so I made one with a bunch of 10 kilo plates and an Oly spec DB bar. The size of the plates somewhat reduced my range of motion and I intend to use Fat Grips in the future (to better simulate the Strongman apparatus), but I'm pretty happy with this development... it feels more like the real thing with the bigger plates. I am looking forward to building back up to strict pressing 55 and more with my new, improvised circus dumbbell.

*James, a mate from the Strongman circuit (known associates include shady characters like Christian and Rory), has had shoulder issues also. He gave me a couple of stretching exercises involving bands to help me get accustomed to squatting with a straight bar. I will be using these in future, as they seemed to help. When it came time for my high-rep barbell pressing, the movements felt smoother (though far from symmetrical) and there was less discomfort.

More sub-maximal squatting tomorrow night.

Monday, July 29, 2013

The First Deadlift Monday

warmup w/DBs and band

Deadlifts                 
90 kgs x 10
130 kgs x 8
170 kgs x 5
210 kgs x 3
225 kgs x 1
240 kgs x 9 PR

Pinwheelz
15 kgs x 10
22.5 kgs x 10
27.5 kgs x 8

LOOK how happy I was about getting seven reps at this weight in early May. Nine is better. That's all that matters.

Here's where my new programming really begins. It was very nearly not going to happen tonight, and to be honest if I've escaped a further lumbar strain it'll be a lucky thing. Deadlifting above 200 felt dangerous, and I was really glad when I could safely say progression had been made and I could put it down. I've not felt this way in training for a long time. I'm close to burning out.

And this is also where my new programming is going to assist in my active recovery; with the exception of bench press and some dumbbell work on Wednesday, the rest of my week involves minimal weight, and high to very high rep ranges. Increments are tiny over the next couple of months (2.5 kgs p/week on overhead press, 5 kgs p/week on squats) and going forward I will be fresher for deadlifting at the start of the week, and Strongman events training on the weekend. Not this weekend though. Definitely more recovery time is needed before I can start in with heavy yoke and farmers again.

As I said, I felt like I'd pushed it far enough tonight, so I did a few sets of pinwheelz (for tha ladeez) and took off. It's better than nothing. And it's a damn sight better than training till I re-injure myself.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Squat Thursday: Derp

Squats w/cambered
50 kgs x 10
70 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
110 kgs x 5
120 kgs x 3
130 kgs x 3
135 kgs x 10

YEAH that's it. As I've said, not much action going on right here right now.

No pain tonight either, thank jeebus - that makes two for two. I tried to get good depth without further aggravating my hip, and I think I got there in the end. I'm really not predicting anything special in the squats department come October. In between time I, again, will be working slowly and diligently back up to the +200 kilo rep ranges, but I'm not going to try and rush it in the hopes of making a better squat on the day. That will just fuck things up all over again.

I've got to get over this back complaint, and save myself for events training this weekend; I'm running it this saturday, though whether or not I can train properly will depend on the outcome of my physio appointment tomorrow afternoon.

Not to mention, getting familiar with a straight bar is also yet to happen, and that's going to be a challenge when the weight gets more serious. There are certain things that seem to always, always aggravate my shoulder; overhead press (obviously), dips (fuckit - used to enjoy them), and squatting with a straight bar. And that, again, isn't going to happen until I can be reasonably certain I won't tear some more cartilage getting back into that position under a heavy load.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Press Wednesday: The Marathon Continues

warmup w/DBs & band

Bench press
60 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
110 kgs x 1
115 kgs x 11 PR

DB OHP (strict)
left only
30 kgs x 3
40 kgs x 3
50 kgs x 1
40 kgs x 10 TPR?

BB OHP (strict)
20 kgs x 20
25 kgs x 20
30 kgs x 20

Pull-ups
Bodyweight: 128 kgs
+ 10 kgs chain x 10
+ 10 kgs chain x 8
BW x 10

GOOD to be back in the gym. Also good to be breaking personal records again.

This is the roll-out of my new weekly routine. It was to start with deadlifts on Monday, but all things considered I felt it pertinent to give my back more of a break and jump in at press Wednesday.

My bench is coming along nicely; I'll be increasing the weight of my max effort set by five kg each week between now and October. I intend to open at the Wild West Shootout at somewhere around 150. I want to make 160 and more.

I haven't been able to confirm if that dumbbell M.E. set was a genuine personal record or not... I know it'd be somewhere close to it. I will have to take a better look through my log.

And I will be increasing my barbell OHP by 5 kilos per week for each set. I may need to reduce reps to 15 as the load increases, ideally I need to do 20 for all sets, and I may even need to drop the increment to 2.5 once things get heavier. The muscle fatigue in the last few reps of my final set was pretty intense. Something I'll get used to.

It felt awkward tonight, but I'm really happy that nothing actually hurt. Clearly I was compensating and my form on the right was odd (and apparent to one PTC member who saw me finish my last set and simply said to me "shoulder?")... steady as she goes.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

WA Strongman Qualifiers: 1st Comp for 2013

THE DAY started early, to make the hour journey to Port Kennedy. Again, Crossfit Armed played host to a great day's competition, and thanks to owner Joel McLeod being 100% invested in the sport of Strongman, Dan and his team of helpers didn't have to transport much equipment. Joel's gym has two awesome yokes built by Les Milhinich (who represented SMWA at last year's Australia's Strongest Man), along with an excellent heavy log which some of the newer competitors found easier to handle than Fatboy. And of course plenty of weight, in funny coloured bumper-plate form... which the loaders found difficult to follow at times. I know I did.

I can't say I wasn't rested enough for the comp. I trained yoke only previous saturday and a light squat session on Monday night (so didn't record), and that was it all week. I tried to get as much warmup prep in before the events themselves, but my attention was sometimes divided between fielding questions from some of the new competitors and also wanting to make sure everybody smaller than me got their work in first. And with Dan out of the comp due to a muscle tear (nothing serious), I was literally the largest competitor there next to the behemoth, Joel McLeod.




Events
Yoke walk: 400 kgs (882 lbs), 15 meters, 43 seconds PR
Log clean-press: 65 kilos / 75 kilos
Deadlift: 275 kgs (606 lbs) / 290 kgs (639 lbs) PR
Farmers Walk: 150 kgs (330 lbs) p/hand, 1 meter or so...

I got what I thought was a muscle cramp in my left lower lat during my yoke warmup. I later felt something in the bottom right of my ribcage pop while warming up for the deadlift. At some stage the muscle cramp was replaced by a lumbar strain in much the same spot. I'm not really sure when this happened... the new yoke and deadlift PRs might have had something to do with it, though. And the pop in my ribcage didn't hurt at all at first, but later while attempting farmers walk I had to cinch my hard belt a little tighter to keep it from complaining. I don't think either injury is serious, but they really did hamstring my efforts. Again.


Of course, the log was a total waste of time, to keep from messing with my right shoulder any further, and I was literally too broken for my (perhaps over-confidant) Farmers walk; I just crumpled after picking it up the second time.

My yoke was good, and there's a video of it floating around... good, not great. I dropped it a few times. But I completed the full distance with a weight that I've barely been able to move more than a meter before, so definitely good progress there. And, of course, there was the deadlift; I pretty much stiff-legged it. More evidence I need to get stronger legs and work on my technique. Like that ever really stops.

I took 2nd place heavyweight... out of a field of 3 heavyweights. I'm now properly broken, and will be taking at least a week off training.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Deadlift Thursday: Last Lift Before Qualifiers

warmup w/DBs & bands

Deadlifts
10 reps @ 60 kgs
8 reps @ 120
5 reps @ 170
3 reps @ 220
1 reps @ 250
1 reps @ 275
1 reps @ 285 PR

Kroc rows w/Kettle bell
left
10 reps @ 80 kgs TPR
8 reps @ 80 kgs
8 reps @ 80 kgs
right
8 reps @ 64 kgs
12 reps @ 48 kgs
12 reps @ 48 kgs

Pinwheelz
10 reps @ 22.5 kgs
10 reps @ 25 kgs
8 reps @ 27.5 kgs
THAT was the plan, and everything went right. I was using PL form, no straps, and didn't quite straighten my legs enough at the lockout with the 275... so I made damn sure I did it right with the last one. Thanks to Dan Rucci for the form advice.

No straps on the Kroc rows either, in fact. That big ass kettle bell doesn't feel so big anymore... I really need to make up a heavy dumbbell. But grip strength is important, and the thick handle on the 80 kilo kettle bell sure does help with that, when I finally start rowing it with the right arm too.

There's going to be some interesting changes to my weekly program after qualifiers, but more on that to come later. The important thing to focus on now is what I'll be doing (or actually, won't be doing) in this last week;

I have one last events session this Saturday. After that, since I haven't done any significant squats in a while due to injury, if everything feels good I will squat Monday; sub-maximal and higher reps, to just feel it out. And that will be my last session till show time, Saturday. My shoulder needs to heal and my back needs to recover as much as it can.

I jumped on the scale today, and I weighed only 125 kilos. 125 on the dot.

I've been exhausted this week; I had no idea just how racked I would be from my training and general activities over the weekend... I guess I wasn't hydrating enough, so I got a migraine and had a sleepless night last night. Today, I placated my exhaustion by basically loading up on quick energy carbs (aka junk food) as much as I could prior to training; I started with an ultimate double whopper, two snickers bars and two chocolate shakes. Then I had a doughnut before my pre-workout drink. Then I felt sick. But l got my new PR, and that's really all that matters.

One more step closer to 300.

An interesting thing to note was that I had to swap back to my old two-prong belt for the heavier sets, as I've gotten leaner since I last adjusted my new Gripped lever belt, maybe three weeks ago. By the time I remembered I had a screwdriver in my bag and could adjust the belt there, I was already pretty much on 275 so I played it safe with the old one.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Press Wednesday: Babying the Bar

warmup w/DBs & bands

Bench press
12 reps @ 20 kgs
10 reps @ 60 kgs
6 reps @ 80 kgs
3 reps @ 100 kgs
1 reps @ 120 kgs
4 reps @ 130 kgs
11 reps @ 110 kgs PR

BB OHP (strict)
15 reps @ 20 kgs
15 reps @ 30 kgs
15 reps @ 40 kgs
12 reps @ 50 kgs

Pull-ups
10 reps @ BW*
8 reps +10 kgs chain PR
7 reps +10 kgs chain

*Bodyweight: 128 kilograms

AS PLANNED, overhead press was high reps and low weight tonight. I will be increasing the weight very, very slowly going forward, and aiming for more reps where the movement becomes more comfortable... I stopped at 12 reps of 50 because it was getting painful.

The money set on bench was messed up when I hit the upright on the second rep. I racked it, took a moment, and went again... but the same thing happened. I need to get my position on the bench sorted next time. Perturbed, I dropped back to 110 kilos and repped out for a new PR at that weight... not bad, but not what I wanted. And I did attempt some dumbbell OHP after the barbell work but my delts were too fatigued to achieve anything worthwhile.

I've finally started adding weight to my pull-ups; I hope to perform several reps at around 150 kilograms total weight in the future. That will be pretty cool.

The combination of heavy training Friday and Saturday, combined with an overbooked social calendar and a severe lack of sleep caused me to puss out on squats this week. Again, with my injury, this is an area where more rest can only be a good thing (to a point, at least). I will squat next week. I may not go heavy, but I will squat.

Back to PTC tomorrow night for my final deadlift session before the WA Strongman qualifiers, July 13th. I'm going for a single of 285... and that's it. I may even attempt it sans straps, to appease the benevolent (if slightly officious) Rucci brothers. I gotta get a pass from them if I want my name on the board!

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Events Saturday: Ow, Ow... Ow

Yoke walk
15 meters @ 135 kgs
15 meters @ 215 kgs
15 meters @ 295 kgs
15 meters @ 335 kgs
15 meters @ 375 kgs

Farmers walk
15 meters @ 60 kgs p/h
15 meters @ 100 kgs p/h
15 meters @ 140 kgs p/h TPR
static hold (attempt)
0 seconds @ 170 kgs p/h

OHP w/barbell (strict)
10 reps @ 40 kgs
10 reps @ 50 kgs

EVERYTHING hurts.

Some solid progress was made on the Farmers; my grip held out long enough to complete the run with 140 per hand, so I'm on track for 150 per hand at qualifiers. My 375 yoke, however, was not as good as my last run at that weight (I dropped it twice!), for the obvious reason that my back was fried from last night's deadlifts. This was confirmed when I attempted a static hold with the weight Dan had just walked, and failed.

My spine lets me know when it's had enough... can't really blame it. Shit, a year ago, attempting this kind of training two days in a row would have guaranteed a lumbar strain and possibly sunday in bed, munching codeine. So this is a clear improvement... but I'm still going to have to scrap Friday night training going forward.

The rest of the day's training was hamstrung by injury: I couldn't do the sack carry, and my shoulder kept me from doing any log. I discussed my dilemma with my coaches, who recommended sub-sub-maximal strict pressing with a standard bar and/or axle to get myself re-accustomed to the movement. But it was just too painful.

The strategy going forward is going to be training for recovery, not progression in this event. Everything was great up until two weeks ago, when I was viper-pressing Fatboy and aggravated it. I then moved on to... more pressing with Fatboy, working on technique, which hurt more...

I will still be able to bench next week, but definitely no OHP at any weight above 50% of my max. It will be tiny weights, high reps (12-15 per set) and nothing stupid.

If I can heal up enough between now and qualifiers, I may still be able to try for that 120 kilo log. It's really not looking good though.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Deadlift Friday: Ready for Something Really Heavy?

Deadlifts
8 reps @ 70 kgs
5 reps @ 120 kgs
5 reps @ 170 kgs
1 reps @ 220 kgs
1 reps @ 260 kgs
3 reps @ 275 kgs / 606 lbs PR

Kroc rows w/KB
left
9 reps @ 80 kgs
7 reps @ 80 kgs
7 reps @ 80 kgs
right
10 reps @ 64 kgs
8 reps @ 64 kgs
8 reps @ 64 kgs

Pinwheelz
10 reps @ 15 kgs
10 reps @ 25 kgs
10 reps @ 27.5 kgs

EXCITING times ahead.

Tonight was one of the greatest training sessions I've ever had, even though my crew weren't there to see it. It's a shame I was so revved up I didn't wait for the Ruccis to get recording first. My new gym's shiny red 25 kilo Ivanko plates called for a last-minute loading re-calc; I cut out some reps, which kept me fresher leading up to the money set.

I am looking forward to making that 300 1RM someday soon... not just yet though. As much as I'd like to try for that landmark lift next week, I know that would be very stupid. If max effort lifting just eight days out from the first round of Strongman qualifiers for 2013 is even advisable (and I'm not sure it is), I'll be sticking to the script and going 285 for reps... again, this is only if I should be lifting heavy at all at that stage. It might be a better idea to rest instead.

I'm also looking forward to (hopefully) having 100% trouble-free hips and quads for squatting next week. My squat is still really lagging. Everything was feeling great two weeks ago... but squatting to a box without padding must have screwed with it a little.

The only drawback to training heavy Friday is that I won't be as fresh for events training tomorrow. It's gonna be brutal.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Press Wednesday: New Records, New Setting

warmup w/DBs

Bench press
10 reps @ 60 kgs
6 reps @ 80 kgs
3 reps @ 100 kgs
1 reps @ 120 kgs
6 reps @ 130 kgs PR

OHP w/barbell (strict)
5 reps @ 50 kgs
3 reps @ 70 kgs
1 reps @ 90 kgs

DB OHP (strict)
left
5 reps @ 22.5 kgs
9 reps @ 47.5 kgs PR
right 
5 reps @ 22.5 kgs
8 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 32.5 kgs TPR

Superset
9 Pull-ups
8 Dips
6 Pull-ups
6 Dips

EVEN though all that green means good things generally, I have to bemoan the fact that barbell overhead press still wrecks my shoulder. I couldn't make any progress, and in fact (if it weren't for the brand new location), I would have had to pinch myself. My max press - and the pain - made me feel like it was 2012 again.

I should factor in doing M.E. bench press beforehand, of course, and it's really a good thing that the bench doesn't aggravate the injury. But I gotta find out if PTC has a swiss bar, if I'm going to continue doing overhead press there. The hand position is a lot easier to deal with.

Kinda glad I didn't waste my waning energy on more work before the money set of DB overhead... again, the bench was the focus; I can't expect to break new ground in OHP afterwards. But I did anyway, this time. I am still not sure if I repped it for eight or nine... so I'm going with nine.

Deadlifts Friday night. Let's see how many of 275 I can pull.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Squat Monday: The First Exile

Squats w/cambered
10 reps @ 44 kgs
8 reps @ 88 kgs
5 reps @ 130 kgs
3 reps @ 170 kgs
1 reps @ 190 kgs

Good mornings
8 reps @ 90 kgs
8 reps @ 110 kgs
5 reps @ 150 kgs
3 reps @ 170 kgs

Pull-ups
11 reps @ BW* PR
8 reps @ BW
8 reps @ BW
*Bodyweight 131 kgs

Pinwheelz
3 x 10 reps @ 22.5 kgs

Dips
10

DB OHP (strict)
5 reps @ 35 kgs
5 reps @ 50 kgs

THIS demon has left the Pit. Maybe for good. C'est la fucken vie.

Tonight I began my training at PTC Perth - a nationally recognised chain producing some of the best lifters in the country. If you're a Powerlifter or Strongman over east, there's a good chance you're doing your stuff at a Performance Training Centre.

As far as Strongman goes, it may be on the back-burner for the time being. It's' likely I'll be focussing my training elsewhere for the immediate future. I reckon I'll still be in good enough shape for July's qualifiers, but (unless things change) after that it will be Powerlifting - not Strongman - on my agenda this year.

I haven't posted Saturday's training session, as nothing significant occurred, for me at least. A couple of our newer members made some great progress! But generally speaking the afternoon was heavy on discussion... and some more stupid monkey business from our resident clown, Ash.

This weekend Ash decided it would be fun to take my bag and put it on the roof of the Strongman pen, then try and use it as leverage on me (I'm skipping more tedious bullshit here in order to arrive at a conclusion soon), which I wasn't about to let happen. I got my bag down myself by scrambling up the tyres leaning against it. In so doing, I raked my left quad.

Thinking it was no big deal at the time, tonight when I went to squat, it was rough as guts, and I was worried that if any significant damage had been done to the muscle, max effort squats might be inviting trouble. So I backed off, moved on to GMs (which I'm not sure will be back in my regular training just yet; I like being fresh for deadlifts) and tooled around with some other equipment. Really just feeling out the new gym.

I'm actually really looking forward to a bench-focussed press session this Wednesday.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Deadlift Thursday: That'll Do

warmup w/DBs & band

Deadlifts
8 reps @ 60 kgs
5 reps @ 100 kgs
5 reps @ 140 kgs
3 reps @ 180 kgs
1 reps @ 220 kgs
1 reps @ 240 kgs
4 reps @ 265 kgs PR

Seated rows
15 reps @ full stack equal to best effort
15 reps @ full stack
10 reps @ full stack
8 reps @ full stack

Tri-pushdowns
22 reps @ 100 lbs
14 reps @ 100 lbs

Pinwheelz
12 reps @ 20 kgs
10 reps @ 22.5 kgs

THAT was quite good.

Yeah, I think I should give myself a break on this one. 265 for 4 is pretty freaking strong. I'm normally over-critical about these things, but tonight everything felt good. Those reps were strong and pretty even - something that's been very noticeable in my deadlifts, for obvious reasons.

This is another positive step toward a 285 kilo 1RM in time for qualifiers.

I'd like to thank Gripped Fitness Accessories for the new digs; the straps and 'compression socks' came in real handy, along with my Hard Core lever belt (which I've had to adjust once already thanks to my steadily shrinking waistline) was sturdy and easy to use.

I'm looking forward to events training this saturday; Dan is over east for the weekend and I'm left to take charge... it's time to take my training instruction more seriously.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Press Wednesday: Screwed by Vipers

warmup w/DBs & bands

OHP w/thick swiss (strict)
8 reps @ 55 kgs
5 reps @ 75 kgs

Log clean-press
3 reps @ 90 kgs - viper press
0 reps @ 107.5 kgs
5 reps @ 90 kgs - press only
2 reps @ 90 kgs - push-press

Bench press
8 reps @ 60 kgs
5 reps @ 100 kgs
2 reps @ 120 kgs
1 reps @ 140 kgs PR

YEAH... it was a PR, that bench, but it was still shit. I wanted reps.

Tonight's training was shit because I started with viper-pressing Fatboy; a press variation that I've never performed before - and have never had the strength to do with Fatboy even if I'd wanted to. The first rep was good. The second was shithouse, and the third not much better. I hadn't anticipated the additional strain the vipers would place on my shoulders. It pretty much screwed the rest of the session for me.

I also started getting acquainted with push-pressing again tonight, and used up the rest of my strength working on technique. My right shoulder was complaining, and I thought it best to can the rest of the session before I injured myself.

Deadlift tomorrow night. My press might still be weak, but my pull is pretty strong. Let's see how many reps of 265 kilos I can get.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Squat Monday: No Pain, All Gain

*warmup w/DBs

Squats w/cambered bar
10 reps @ 30 kgs
8 reps @ 70 kgs
6 reps @ 100 kgs
3 reps @ 130 kgs
3 reps @ 150 kgs
3 reps @ 180 kgs
8 reps @ 200 kgs PR

Upper back lockouts
12 reps @ 150 kgs
12 reps @ 230 kgs PR

Pull-ups
9 reps @ BW
6 reps @ BW

I ARRIVED late. I was not happy about this. But my mood improved once I got under the bar. Fatigue and related problems had caused me to skip last Monday's squat session, and to be honest with you it was the right decision. I've been feeling less and less discomfort over the last few weeks while performing the lightweight squat variations Dan suggested for me, and a fortnight ago I returned to the cambered bar. Nothing heavy that time, and only mild pain while I played around with foot placement.

This time I felt pretty confidant, so I went heavier. And it felt good. So I went heavier. The planned max effort set was around 150. I tripled that, bumped up the weight and went for a single of 180 that turned into a triple, it felt so good. And suddenly there I was, staring at 200 kilos on the bar once more... and I busted out a new all time PR by 2 reps.

The rest is incidental. Heavy squats are back on the menu. I have a reason to bust out my new knee wraps and lever belt once more, and the road to a 250 kilo 1RM is back in my sights.

Fuck yeah.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Events Saturday: 4 Weeks Till Qualifiers

Yoke walk
15 metres @ 135 kgs
15 metres @ 215 kgs
15 metres @ 295 kgs
15 metres @ 335 kgs
15 metres @ 355 kgs
8 metres @ 375 kgs TPR

Farmers walk
15 metres @ 80 kgs p/h
15 metres @ 100 kgs p/h
15 metres @ 120 kgs p/h
15 metres @ 130 kgs p/h
15 metres @ 140 kgs p/h TPR
static holds
20+ seconds @ 150 kgs p/h
25+ seconds @ 150 kgs p/h TPR

Sack carry
pick @ 140 kgs
20 metres @ 140 kgs


EXCELLENT session today. I'm on track to walk - and possibly make the full distance with - a 400 kilo yoke at qualifiers. This is something that I'd previously thought would be out of my reach this year. But the 375 today felt... not terrible! I could feel my middle and upper back tolerating the load much better, and keeping rigidity there is key.

My farmers is also coming along very nicely. On my right, I'm clawing back the grip strength I had last year. I've completed a 15 (or it might have actually been 20) metre farmers walk with 150 kgs per hand at Am Nats. Today I only performed static holds at that weight, but I'm much stronger than I was last week.

From here till qualifiers, we'll be training these specific events each weekend as they are in the comp. So keg toss, truck pull/sled drag, and stones will be off the menu for a little while. I can't say I'm upset about this, as I'd really like to get some stones lifting gauntlets from Brian Shaw's site before I try the heavier stones again.

We had an even larger turnout this weekend; more guys who have competed in previous years are coming out of the woodwork and starting to prepare. A couple of them have some great strength, without the training! And the women's division has attracted another competitor; this one a former LFL girl who's made the leap to the ultimate in strength sports. This year's comps are going to be bigger and better than last year, that's for sure!

WA Strongman now also has a photographer. Gabor, who can take a nice picture, seldom does because he's too selfish, spending all day training instead of filming the rest of us. But now we have Asha, who is just as skilful as Gabor (if not more so, since she can take great pics with an iPhone while Gabz needs a fancy digital SLR) and likes nothing more than snapping us looking our jacked best. Or, in my case, as swollen and red-faced as possible.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Deadlift Thursday: Remember Your Socks!

Deadlifts   
8 reps @ 60 kgs
5 reps @ 100 kgs
5 reps @ 140 kgs
3 reps @ 180 kgs
1 reps @ 220 kgs
6 reps @ 255 kgs PR

Kroc rows
left
10 reps @ 80 kgs
9 reps @ 80 kgs
5 reps @ 80 kgs
10 reps @ 70 kgs
right
3 reps @ 80 kgs TPR
9 reps @ 70 kgs TPR
8 reps @ 70 kgs TPR
15 reps @ 60 kgs TPR

45 back raise
12 reps @ BW

Glute-ham raise
10 reps w/band

AS YOU can see, tonight was a session of solid personal records, both legit and technical. My right is coming along well; I picked up the 220 with no grips or wraps, and it was only then that I remembered I should use them for my money set. I also repped the 80 with my right, and pretty much dominated in terms of overall progress on rows on that side.

I couldn't get the seventh rep in my money set tonight. No matter. If I can get 5 of 265 kilos next week, and a heavy triple of 275 the week after, I've pretty much got a single of 285 in the bag... just in time for qualifiers too.

And yes! It was me who discovered that the glut-ham raise machine was an excellent device from which to launch large rubber bands across the Pit! Next time I'll have to try and aim for someone.

Towards the end of the session, a funny thing happened; Dan actually stopped being an asshole long enough to tell me that 1. my kroc rows were looking better, 2. he is impressed with the progress I am making with my deadlift, and 3. he has some ambivalence about this. He actually said that, up until now, there'd always been a 'comfortable 100 kilograms' between him and any other WA Strongman heavyweight competitors' deadlift. And I am set to erode that gap.

Asha also said that I looked 'hardcore', presumably because I was covered in blood and chalk. That was the highlight of the evening. Not my PR, not Dan's congratulations (which I'm now convinced were the result of a brain clot or something, caused by the 410 kilogram zercher lockouts he'd been doing just prior), but the fact that I've finally achieved the 'hardcore' look. I must visit Leederville after training some night to show it off.

I have a feeling events on Saturday are going to destroy me. Again.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Press Wednesday: I Don't Even Bench

*shoulder warmup w/bands

OHP w/thick swiss (strict)
8 reps @ 55 kgs
5 reps @ 65 kgs
3 reps @ 75 kgs

Log clean-press (strict)
1 reps @ 90 kgs
2 reps @ 102.5 kgs PR

Bench press - flat
8 reps @ 20 kgs
5 reps @ 60 kgs
5 reps @ 80 kgs
3 reps @ 110 kgs
5 reps @ 130 kgs PR

DB clean-press (strict)
left
3 reps @ 35 kgs
3 reps @ 45 kgs
1 reps @ 55 kgs
right
5 reps @ 20 kgs
5 reps @ 27.5 kgs
19 reps @ 25 kgs TPR


THERE were some great new personal records broken tonight. I'm actually really tempted to enter a Powerlifting comp sometime - after my campaign for ASM this year is over. If I can just get my hip back to normal and tweak my squat just right, I can probably get somewhere in the region of 220/150/285 Squat Bench Deadlift. Right now. Not bad.

My new wrist wraps from Gripped Fitness equipment really came in handy; my last pair are worn out, the thumb loops both broken. The Gripped wraps are longer, thicker and more hard-wearing than my last pair, with plenty of velcro, so they should last.

Finished with as many reps as I could manage on the right. That was an interesting pump. The session started with some apprehension, as my shoulder really feels like shit when it's cold, and takes a bit to warm up. Once I got there though, there was no real pain or weakness. Everything went well.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Events Saturday: Digits of Steel

Cube Method - Speed day


Yoke walk
25 metres @ 135 kgs
15 metres @ 235 kgs
25 metres @ 295 kgs - 19 seconds PR
25 metres @ 295 kgs - not timed, felt slow
25 metres @ 295 kgs - 21 seconds

Farmers walk
15 metres x 2 @ 60 kgs p/h
15 metres x 2 @ 100 kgs p/h
15 metres x 2 @ 110 kgs p/h
static hold
30 seconds @ 130 kgs p/h

Atlas stones
front squats
6 reps @ 117 kgs
0 reps @ 150 kgs
5 reps @ 117 kgs

TODAY was a good day overall. I made some solid progress with the yoke. Repeated runs of a reasonably heavy weight are not so gruelling for me now... I doubt I'd feel the same way if today was heavy day; three fifteen-metre runs with another hundred kilos on my back would have destroyed me for sure. But a year ago I wouldn't have finished all three, and the runs I did finish wouldn't have been within the twenty seconds benchmark. This is progress.

RE the Farmers walk: the benefits of that final static hold will be reaped in the coming weeks, as I slowly return to deadlifting without grips. I will keep the double overhand grip, as most of my comp deads this year will be with straps (and sometimes axle) for reps, so continuing with an under-over grip is pointless. I'll just have to remember to swap back if and when I enter a Powerlifting meet, which may also happen this year. Just for fun.

I'm not really sure, but I think I just wasn't correcting for the Oly shoes when I performed my first set of stones. I pitched forward after a couple of reps, and my finger got wedged between the stone and one of the platform's two-by-fours for a few seconds before I dropped it. Nothing broken, so I continued the set, and did an extra rep just to be sure. But I didn't have the strength for the 150 today... my shoulder was bugging me after the yoke work. Some movements just seem to aggravate it - primarily dips and yoke - but in every other regard things are normally fine.

I have some complaint with my right quad now too. Feels like just some soft tissue damage, from resting the stone there. It will get stiff and knotted overnight, and my physio will probably recommend he jam some more of those extra big needles of his into my larger than average leg muscles. Oh goody.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Deadlift Thursday: 250 Kgs Reset, Go Again

Deadlits
8 reps @ 60 kgs
5 reps @ 100 kgs
5 reps @ 140 kgs
3 reps @ 180 kgs
1 reps @ 220 kgs
7 reps @ 250 kgs PR

Seated rows
15 reps @ full stack PR
15 reps @ full stack
15 reps @ full stack
right only
10 reps @ plate 12

WHAT a shitty day. Honestly, what a shitty, shitty fucking day today was. I'm so glad that, at the end of it all, I made it to the Pit and broke my deadlift record for reps at this weight. That was a great highlight, as was the time I took all of Shaun's 20s and he told me to go fuck myself. Ah, that Shaun... such a character.

Fuck I hate Ash.

My intention was to build to 260 for reps tonight, but Dan told me I should have dropped back lighter after I peaked a fortnight ago with 600 pounds for 2. So, after a lot of discussion and more input from Joel we decided a reset was in order. I will build up to my heaviest attempt (285 for reps) a week before qualifiers, which is a little over a month from now.

At this time, conservative estimates put my potential maximum deadlift somewhere in the region of 285 kilos, possibly more. In another few weeks I may be capable of 300. But either way, I am now one of the strongest lifters at the Pit (I'd maybe make the top 5 on a good day). And if you're a heavy lifter at the Pit, you're virtually guaranteed of walking into any other gym in the state, and being the strongest lifter there... if 'there' even lifts.

I arrived forty five minutes late and hungry. I lifted the shit that mattered, and I went home to eat and sleep. Thank jeebus tomorrow's Friday.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Press Wednesday: 1 Year Since I Benched

*shoulder warmup w/bands

OHP w/swiss bar (strict)
8 reps @ 55 kgs
5 reps @ 65 kgs
3 reps @ 75 kgs

Log clean-press (strict)
1 reps @ 90 kgs
3 reps @ 95 kgs PR
1 reps @ 95 kgs

Bench press - flat
5 reps @ 60 kgs
5 reps @ 80 kgs
5 reps @ 100 kgs
5 reps @ 110 kgs
7 reps @ 120 kgs PR

OHP w/swiss bar (strict)
5 reps @ 55 kgs
5 reps @ 75 kgs

THAT'S another all-time personal record broken, with an underpowered right side... and it's literally the first time I've done any conventional bench in a full year.

Back when I benched at home and thought I was pretty strong, my 1RM was a measly 135 kilograms. That was mid 2011, let's say for simplicity's sake. I can't be bothered finding the exact date. Take my word for it. Not strong.

The last time I flat benched (besides the 1-armed variety I did a few times during rehab) was here, I'm pretty sure. This was mid-June 2012; I managed 3 reps of 110, not my best effort, but honestly not that far off it...

Oh, the log work was pretty good too. Still not ready to start repping one hundred kilos plus, but in another week or two it's on for sure.

So looking forward to deadlifts tomorrow night.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Squat Monday: Back to Formula, Again

Squats w/barbell
10 reps @ 70 kgs
8 reps @ 80 kgs
5 reps @ 90 kgs
10 reps @ 90 kgs
0 reps @ 100 kgs

Squats w/cambered
9 reps @ 110 kgs
3 reps @110 kgs

Upper back lockouts
12 reps @ 140 kgs
12 reps @ 160 kgs
7 reps @ 180 kgs
12 reps @ 200 kgs PR with straps

Pull-ups
9 reps @ BW
7 reps @ BW
5 reps @ BW

45 degree back raises
10 reps @ BW
10 reps @ BW + 20 kgs KB
10 reps @ BW + 20 kgs KB
15 reps @ BW + 20 kgs KB

A LOT of time was spent on technique and form tonight, for obvious reasons. I've been discussing my options for the squat with my coaches, and they actually agreed with my initial suggestion that I return to the standard barbell, start as light as necessary, and start working on my form all over again.

I continued with the standard bar until it was too much of a strain on my shoulder. I tried a few times to get myself into correct position with 100 kilos, but it wasn't gonna happen. Pissed about this; everything had started pretty well... but I guess I'm going to have to continue with the cambered bar. It won't help me if I want to squat in a PL comp. But as long as I'm squatting, I'm getting stronger. Stupid cambered bar.

The olympic shoes, as it turns out, are not good for me to squat in. I performed essentially the same narrow stance, knees-forward and deep squats tonight that I was doing a few weeks back. They feel more comfortable and, at these low loads, completely take the strain away from my hip. The wider my foot spacing, the more my hip hurts. So it'll just be slow going while I get everything worked out.

I also took some pointers on my back raises, as I wasn't performing them correctly either (still!). I think I must have it now, finally. Jeebus.

Hopefully I'm recovered enough for more log work Wednesday night.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Events Saturday: Handling My Sack

Cube Method - Speed Day

warmup

Sled drags
15 meters @ 290 kgs
15 meters @ 330 kgs
12 meters @ 370 kgs
15 meters @ 410 kgs

Keg toss
5 reps @ 13 kgs
5 reps @ 13 kgs fast PR

Swiss bar OHP (strict)
8 reps @ 15 kgs
5 reps @ 35 kgs
5 reps @ 55 kgs

Log clean-press (strict)
1 reps @ 90 kgs
1 reps @ 95 kgs TPR

Sack carry
2 x 10 meters @ 140 kgs PR
10 meters @ 140 kgs

THE first day of June, and supposedly the first day of winter here in Australia. It was actually just a little cold in the morning. Cold but not freezing, like it was earlier in the week. And by training time, the sun was out and conditions were pretty much ideal. We also had a larger number of people turn up for the session than in previous weeks; there is potential for some really, really strong performers in the women's division this year.

I wanted to have another crack at Fatboy, even though I doubtless wasn't recovered sufficiently from Wednesday night's session... I got a technical PR with the strict 95 but things felt a little strained, so I didn't push any further.

Keg toss is getting simpler and simpler. I was apprehensive of it initially, due to the potential for pulling something in my rehabbing shoulder. But now it's not even a consideration.

Progress with the 140 kilo sack was also made today, albeit lethargically. The sack was proving more of a challenge just to grip, less to row and carry... back strength is better now that I'm not hitting it so hard and repeatedly each week prior to events. But stamina in general wasn't where it needs to be.

Ash was back today. He thought it would be funny to wrap my new runners up in electrical tape. It was kinda funny, actually, but I told him I was pissed about it and told him how I hated him and stuff. It's bad for his self-esteem, which I'm slowly chipping away at with casual remarks about how soft and weak he is nowadays, and how short he is for a Strongman. For an adult human male even.

Because I hate him.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Deadlift Thursday: A Quarter Tonne for 6

Deadlifts
8 reps @ 60 kgs
5 reps @ 100 kgs
5 reps @ 140 kgs
3 reps @ 180 kgs
1 reps @ 220 kgs
6 reps @ 250 kgs PR

Kroc rows
left
10 reps @ 80 kgs
6 reps @ 80 kgs
6 reps @ 80 kgs
6 reps @ 80 kgs
right
8 reps @ 60 kgs
12 reps @ 60 kgs TPR
12 reps @ 60 kgs TPR
9 reps @ 60 kgs

THOROUGHLY happy with tonight's efforts. I didn't bother with the pinwheels as my arms are perfectly sculpted already. Heh.

Before I started the money set, Gabor asked me if he should take a video... then we both shrugged our shoulders and said in unison "It's only 250."

Just two hundred and fifty kilograms, or 551 pounds. Never, ever would have thought I'd say that. But it was. It was lightweight baby, and that 300 1RM is getting closer and closer to being a reality.