Monday, December 19, 2016

PTC Strongman: the Last Clinic for 2016



PTC Strongman finished its second successful year on Saturday the seventeenth of December. The year has borne witness to some brilliant feats from a small, tightly knit team who have remained dedicated to the simple task of getting stronger.
Due to time constraints Andrew has had to train early on Saturdays. I met him on his way out and Steve on his way in. In Steve’s boot were two heavy sacks and a rubber deadball weighing 100, 80 and 65 kilograms respectively. More new toys for us to play with, and play with them we did! I made a video which will upload sometime in the next few hours… where was that NBN again Malc?
On the way in I met with another surprise. Mathew was here: a trainee I haven’t seen in a long time showed up for the last session of the year. And he was far from the last surprise of the day.
Ryan and Kong were not able to attend today, which was a bummer for me as they were all responsible for my next one. The crew all chipped in and bought me a bottle of scotch. Not just any scotch… an 18 year old Glenlivet single malt.

This post has been a couple days in coming, at least in part due to the fact that this has not happened to be me before, so I simply didn’t have the words (or the head space) to properly articulate it. And that hasn’t changed. I am moved beyond words.  
There’s more. Today I had the distinct honour of seeing a trainee’s strength, endurance and technical proficiency well exceed that of my own. Alex, our future under 105 champion who recently cleaned-pressed a 100 kilo log for the first time (that being a milestone in itself), today clean-pressed a 70 kilo log for 17 reps. He did this not simply to do it, and better his previous reps PR, but also in response to Steve’s challenge. Steve set the bar at 15 reps; Alex’s PR.
And that was when I finally realised Steve’s insidious plan. He was slowly turning my strongman clinics into crossfit. So, during setup for the medley I added 20 kilos per hand to the farmers picks. I advised Steve that next time he needed to fill his sacks to at least 100 and 120 kilograms or more and drop the dead ball. Or drop all those reps of the dead ball… in fact, drop the dead ball and make it an atlas stone. A big heavy one.

The point is Steve’s strength and knowledge base is enriching PTC Strongman for the better. Don’t believe me? Check the tape.
We shared PTC Perth's immense rear space with a team from Dungeon Powerlifting. It was good to finally have a proper chat with Brad Humble and to get his perspective on the WA lifting landscape. I mentioned my hope to have another strongman comp in 2017 and Brad already had people who would be keen to have a crack.
And on my way out at the end of the session, dragging that 80 kilo sack to the door, I remembered what Paul had said earlier that day about the shed.
The Strongman gear shed is now on the agenda, and I'm already designing stone platforms that will fit the dimensions we have to build within.
2017 is gonna be one epic, epic freaking year.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Press Thursday: So When Do We Squat?

REASONABLE question. Next week, I guess.


I'm somewhat ambivalent as the really great thing I've noticed post deadlifting on Tuesday is how I've had zero knee issues or thigh pain. The quad tears, by all indications, have healed, and over the last few weeks the persistent, possibly arthritic pain to my left patella has diminished to the point where it's now only sometimes an issue during sleep.


But the one thing that always manages to kill my knees is squatting, because I insist on squatting deep. There's no point squatting if you don't do it properly, and to do it properly requires hitting depth. Depending on how things feel I may make a fortnightly squat routine and alternate it with my press (assuming I can't make more time for a third weekday training session, and as the xmas break is coming up, that's a possibility), since I'm going to be doing more actual events training on Saturdays, which will include press variations.


But as far as tonight goes: solid, boring, the shoulder issue is still an issue... but I felt like I could keep doing those paused doubles of 125 for another few. The injury is holding me back, to what extent I'm just coming to terms with. It's possible I can keep doing paused doubles up to 150. I may try that and see how many I get.


Warmup:
DB shoulder mobility work,
scapula stretch w/band,
foam roller to quads,
BW squats x 10


Bench press:
75 kgs x 5
105 kgs x 2
125 kgs x 5 x doubles - all paused, TPR
85 kgs x 11 - max effort, touch & go


Hammer Strength chest press:
40 kgs p/h x 3 x 10


Seated DB OHP:
20 kgs p/h x 8
15 kgs p/h x 2 x 8


Face-pulls super-set w/DB front raises:
Plate 8 x 3 x 20
10 kgs p/h x 3 x 10


Tri-pushdowns:
Full stack x 25, 18

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Pull Tuesday: The Blessed Back Tax

TONIGHT was a triumph. Before the Perth cup and my quad tears, my last deadlift session was September 9th. So tonight was my first time pulling in about ten weeks.

I pulled everything overhand and beltless, working up to a double of 225 kilos. They came up smooth as butter. Then I belted up and did 275 easy enough. But I'd walked into the gym with the crazy notion that I could pull 300 or more after ten weeks of rehab and zero quads training in that time. Nonetheless I was determined to try.

So, after I pulled the 275 (and before I'd really cooled down from it) I loaded the bar to 305, paced about a bit, and pulled again. It maybe came an inch off the floor... maybe; it could have just been Texas bar flex.
 
But is this a bad outcome? Hell, no it isn't. A comfortable, conventional 275 kilo deadlift at 125 kilos bodyweight and in my condition is not bad at all. It's a base from which I can resume my programming. Though I am going to have to get some further input on this pull routine; I don't want to remove SLDLs but don't know where they fit best now my focus has returned to the main lift. Plus, those Good mornings were possibly too much. If I want to keep doing them, I'll have to start lighter. And a late start and other commitments saw me shirk my accessory shoulder work tonight. Naughty. I'll have to make up for it Thursday.
 
Now, I'd be a fool not to have noticed the muscle building brains trust that has grown up around me at PTC. It might be time to bend the ears of a couple of fellas who are two-thirds my age, two-thirds my weight, and who are now totalling about the fucking same as me, if not more.

In the mean time I'm going to take satisfaction in this near-debilitating lower back pump and in the knowledge that I can deadlift pain-free again. The journey towards a 350 pull (and 800 total) has resumed once more.

warmup - foam rolling & BW squats

Deadlifts:
75 kgs x 8
125 kgs x 5
175 kgs x 3
225 kgs x 2 - double overhand TPR
275 kgs x 1
305 kgs x - FAIL
205 kgs x 3 x 3 - double overhand, belt-less TPR

SLDLs:
Noooooope

Cambered bar GMs:
50 kgs x 5
100 kgs x 5

Seated row (underhand):
Full stack x 3 x 10 - paused, full ROM

Hammer Strength seated row:
50 kgs p/h x 3 x 8 - explosive

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Events Saturday: PTC Strongman's New Kicks

AN ENERGISED finale to a hectic and productive week! Saturday's clinic saw the arrival of some exciting toys... and a new trainee with that familiar glint in his eye. We were having some excellent weather that afternoon so I made the decision to move the log and axle outdoors. I also set up the yoke outside, in the sun, before the session had officially started. The intention was to introduce the crew to 'comp conditions'; on comp day that yoke will have been sitting out in the weather for who knows how long before you get under it.
 Before I continue I need to mention that, after some conjecture amongst the team, the farmers picks were weighed...and they are heavier than previously advised. Most likely my own fault, possibly due to the addition of some sturdier handles, the picks are each not-quite 31 kilograms apiece.. So we will call them 30 p/h, where previously I had them listed at 22.5 p/h. Long story short: we're all stronger than we thought, and several records need amending.

As it was such a nice day, I took the opportunity for some pics and vids. My crew (and PTC members in general) are all very photogenic, as you can see. This was Steve's second clinic and my first opportunity to see his already exceptional pressing skills. Now that I know his current potential one-rep-max I'll be throwing him into the same max-effort log press routine that Alex has been running.

https://www.facebook.com/abaddon.quinn/videos/vb.1223146239/10211129038201497/?type=3&theatre

https://www.facebook.com/abaddon.quinn/videos/vb.1223146239/10211129065602182/?type=3&theater

On that subject, Alex's log work is reaching it's final week. This cycle will see him clean-press a 100 kilo log at least once. Based on the repetition scheme, he should get that single and more. But that's going to be a 20 kilo increase to his log-press since he first did it (I'm going by memory here, I'll have to check my records to confirm precise dates and loads) and he's sustained a lower back injury over the period. I have stated to Alex that a 120 kilo clean press, a 330-350 kilo yoke and a 250 kilo deadlift make for a very competitive u105 strongman, and I would do my best to get him there. Next year, if he's ready, we will find out.

https://www.facebook.com/abaddon.quinn/videos/vb.1223146239/10210693765879961/?type=3&theatre

https://www.facebook.com/abaddon.quinn/videos/vb.1223146239/10211129115283424/?type=3&theatre


Today we also met the soon-to-be Missus Kong. Cathy had been given the task of driving from York to PTC Perth in Malaga with about 400 kilograms worth of new toys on the back of their ute. Two massive tyres, to be exact. I was ecstatic to have these new additions to our collection of training apparatus. I will be adding more soon, and there are plans for a custom-made, loadable monster dumbbell being discussed. Stones are also in the cards, but only after we have somewhere to house them. The equipment shed will be a combined Rucci brothers / PTC strongman investment and production also ear marked for 2017.

And, as my months of rehab were pretty much (and are now, officially) over, I did some shit too!
Really looking forward to deadlifting this week. I wonder how those SLDLs have helped with that? I am excited to find out. I'm also excited to devise some new and challenging strongman medleys. Involving tyres.




Axle power-clean-press:
55 kgs x 3 "muscle-snatches"
55 kgs x 3
65 kgs x 2
75 kgs x 3
85 kgs x 3

Tyre-flips:
- these were not structured, but something like
T1 160 kgs x 15 meters
T2 240 kgs x 15 meters

Thursday, November 17, 2016

A Good Week


Training this week has been very encouraging. While my bench isn't coming along as well as I'd hoped, it is improving. Watching Yianni military press a hundred kilo bar on Tuesday while I did my lacklustre benching did make me a little nostalgic for overhead. Maybe I should reintroduce the axle for power cleans etc at the strongman clinic this saturday... I know only a couple of the crew are familiar with the axle. We've been doing more log pressing lately; both Ryan and Alex have been diligently building their strength and endurance in this event. But for Mitch and Kong, the axle is still somewhat new. So I guess that changes this weekend.

That goal I set myself is looking so trivial right now... I should have aimed higher. Then again, I reckon I made the right decision in skipping ahead a week so I could attempt 200 kilogram SLDLs before November 21st. I designated this day - a Monday - as the very earliest I could attempt squatting and proper deadlifting again. So I wanted to get this done and dusted. I'm pretty happy with the outcome.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BM6IrEVgZwW/?taken-by=ptcperth&hl=en

On the strongman front, the big news is about tyres. Big, heavy ones. Kong has managed to procure a couple to add to our steadily growing collection of training equipment and the crew are excited to find out what I'm going to program for them. I'm excited too.

PULL, etc. - Thursday November 17th
Foam rolling  & BW squats
calf & hamstring warmup

SLDLs:
75 kgs x 8
105 kgs x 5
140 kgs x 3
175 kgs x 1
200 kgs x 7 PR max effort w/belt & straps

Cambered bar GMs:
44 kgs (bar) x 5
90 kgs x 4 x 5

Underhand seated rows:
full stack x 3 x 10

HS! seated rows:
50 kgs p/h x 3 x 10

DB front raises: 10 kgs p/h x 3 x 10
- super-set with -
Face-pulls: Plate 8 x 20, Plate 9 x 20 PR

 
PRESS, etc. - Tuesday November 15th


Foam rolling  & BW squats
DB shoulder warmup
DB bench press warmup

Bench press:
70 kgs x 5
100 kgs x 2
120 kgs x 3 x 3 all paused TPR
80 kgs x 14 max effort, touch & go

HS! chest press:
40 kgs p/h x 2 x 10
40 kgs p/h x 9

Seated DB OHP:
20 kgs p/h x 3 x 8

'lil Swiss bar curls: 37 kgs x 3 x 10
- super-set with -
Triceps pushdowns: full stack x 20, 20, 10

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Pull Thursday: Take That, Spine

TONIGHT was a solid session. I haven't walked away from a training session feeling this positive in months.Bodyweight squats are feeling a whole lot better than they have in recent weeks and I'm itching to get back to proper lifts. But in the mean time I'm enjoying these SLDLs more and more. Plus cambered bar good mornings - an old favourite of mine - are fitting nicely so far.


My grip failed on the eighth rep of 180, which was my set. If I'd had the grip strength for more, I would have done them. I may have to start using straps in future for this exercise, as I know my back can do a whole lot more than this.


I'm giving this whole TUT thing a crack and employing slow, controlled, full ROM when using machines. Where I used to perform my assistance work like it was an afterthought, now I'm trying to slow each rep right down. I think Mike Israetel and others are beginning to rub off on me.


I'd really like to do the push/pull comp coming up soon. If everything holds together (and boy am I sick of touching wood after saying those exact words) I'll give it a crack. But only if I'm healed up.


SLDLs:
75 kgs x 8
105 kgs x 5
135 kgs x 3
165 kgs x 2 singles
180 kgs x 8 PR


GMs w/cambered bar:
bar 44 kgs x 5
84 kgs x 4 x 5


HS seated rows:
100 kgs x 10
120 kgs x 8
130 kgs x 8


Underhand seated rows:
91 kgs x 10, 10, 8

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Stirring the Embers of 2016

MISSING this many training sessions is not something I can really excuse, regardless of injuries and whatever other things I might find as excuses. But I'm, again, working steadily through the negative funk and doing what I need to outside of the gym to assist my recovery. My next issue (or I should say, a persistent issue which has surfaced once more) is my left patella pain. It's possible this is arthritic. The best option is to get an x-ray so I'll have to schedule that in the coming weeks. The good news is that my physio is very positive about my quads. I may even be able to return to squatting and deadlifting sooner than December. I will still make sure at least 8 weeks have elapsed since the tears, so the earliest I'd resume these movements would be Monday the 21st. Not far away... and neither is 2017! Less than two months left in this year. Time keeps on slippin.

The PTC Strongman crew remain dedicated. We were disappointed to hear that Kong, who due to work hadn't been able to attend a clinic since the last training session before his spectacular win, was sick his first weekend back home and was out for the count. Poorly timed illnesses are something of a specialty of mine, so it's good to see Kong attempting to emulate the behaviour of a winner like me, both on and off the platform... lol. But seriously, his absence was conspicuous and we hope he can return to effective training soon. Next year is going to be a big year for him.

Ryan and Alex have both been putting in the work on their events, sometimes swapping the afternoon clinic for a morning session or extra training through the week when other commitments prevent them attending. I've spoken to a couple of PTC members who have been focussed on PL training and competing this year but have expressed interest in strongman training in 2017. And Mathew (remember Mathew?) is returning to regular weekend sessions too. It will be good to have him back in the mix.

Below are the few sessions I've gotten done. My pull routine now includes cambered bar good mornings, which after stiff-legged deads are a great way to fry the lower posterior without recruiting any muscles that I'm not sposed to be working right now. I've ditched the bent-over rows for more variations of seated row, as they would have proven too taxing I'm pretty sure. I may revisit this in the future. For now the template is solid.

Swapping in DB OHP for the fixed plane movement of the Hammer Strength shoulder press machine was a good idea. I'm experiencing reduced ROM and tightness in the shoulders which will improve as I continue... and hopefully this will carry over to a stronger (or at least less painful) clean-press in the future.

Tomorrow night I stiff-leg deadlift 180 kilos for at least 8 reps, and I've set myself the goal of reps of 200 by year's end.


8 November Tuesday Press etc


Warmup, stretch,
DB bench press, side raises, front raises, curls: 10 kgs x 10 of each,
BW squats only
 
Bench press:
70 kgs x 5
85 kgs x 3
100 kgs x 1
115 kgs x 5, 5, 4, 3

HS chest press:
50 kgs p/h x 10
50 kgs p/h x 6
40 kgs p/h x 8

Seated DB OHP:
15 kgs x 3 x 8

Swiss bar curls super-set w/Triceps pushdowns:
32 kgs x 3 x 10
Full stack x 20, 15, 10


3 November Thursday Pull etc
Warmup: stretch & BW squats only

Stiff-legged deadlifts:
75 kgs x 8
105 kgs x 5
135 kgs x 3
155 kgs x 3
170 kgs x 10 PR

Good mornings w/cambered bar:
Bar (44 kgs) x 5
64 kgs x 4 x 5

Seated rows (underhand):
Full stack (91 kgs) x 3 x 10

Face-pulls / DB front raises super set:
Plate 8 x 2 x 20
10 kgs x 2 x 10


25 October Tuesday Pull etc
Warmup: stretch & BW squats only

Stiff-legged deadlifts:
70 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
130 kgs x 3
150 kgs x 3
160 kgs x 10 PR

Bent-over barbell rows (underhand):
80 kgs x 3 x 10

HS seated rows:
140 kgs x 10
120 kgs x 10
100 kgs x 10

Face-pulls:
Plate 6 x 20
Plate 7 x 20
Plate 8 x 20 TPR

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Thank You


THANK YOU

TO ALL my American friends, I just wanted to say thank you for continuing to follow this blog. I know I could be a more diligent blogger; my posts do periodically become sporadic, and I will take time off from this part of my life when the other parts grow too consuming. So it's really nice to know that there are so many of you still persevering with me.

Sincerely,
Abs 

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Press Tuesday: Close-Grip or Bust

JUST to confirm that conventional benching is no longer an option for me (at least for the foreseeable future), I widened my grip for one working set tonight. Not all the way back; just a centimetre or so. The shoulder pain became an issue immediately, and I struggled to complete the set of five. I rested, returned to close-grip, and performed the remaining sets with much greater ease. Even did a fifth set, which I'd half expected I wouldn't be able to complete when I wrote the program.


I am going to have to swap out the Hammer Strength shoulder press for a free-weight press variation; the fixed plane (or is it fixed arc) of motion always manages to mess with the shoulder. The chest press, not nearly so much.


I'm looking forward to my pull routine Thursday night. I worked in with the crew on Saturday doing stiff-legged deads while they were doing conventional, and I started in on log and, later, farmers walk, each time remembering that I'm not supposed to do any of that shit for the next month and a half.


Fucking weak.


Stretch & BW squats


DB press:
20 kgs x 10


Bench press:
70 kgs x 8
90 kgs x 3
110 kgs x 5 x 5 TPR


HS shoulder press:
45 kgs p/h x 5
40 kgs p/h x 8
35 kgs x 6


HS chest press:
35 kgs x 3 x 10


DB front raises:
10 kgs x 3 x 10


super-set with


Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 20, 15, 10

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Events Saturday: Making Players



WHILE I'm taking enforced time off from all lower body training I have the opportunity to focus more on the training of those I coach. My Saturday strongman clinics at PTC Perth have a devoted crew. Due to work and family commitments Ryan, Alex, Mitch and of course Kong (formerly known as Eddie) may not all show up every week. But they show up.


Mitch, the most recent member, has no gut and no experience with the clean press as a conventional barbell movement, so the log press was more of a challenge for him than for others. After listening not just to me but the rest of the guys who show up to the clinic (some for over eighteen months now) he fixed his form soon enough. Over his first two sessions he made huge improvements to his log press and deadlift, as well as working up to a 100 kilo per hand farmers walk for 20 meters on his first occasion performing the event.


That was a couple of weeks ago. Last weekend Alex took a huge step forward in his recovery from his last injury by clean-pressing a 75 kilo log for 10 solid reps. His form was solid throughout. Sure, that's not super strong, and it's not his best either. But it's proof he's coming back. 2017 will be his year, and I hope to get him competing in the under 105s where he will do very well, I have no doubt.






https://www.facebook.com/abaddon.quinn/videos/vb.1223146239/10210693765879961/?type=3&theater




Yesterday the fifteenth, Ryan began his program over since he's also had a recent injury stall his training. His working weight was 65. He did two ten rep sets at this weight, and did a third max effort set where he repped it for 16. This was a new personal record of at least four, more likely six reps. It taxed him, though, and the rest of the session he was noticeably underpowered. Meanwhile, Alex repped a 77 kilo log for another 10 solid reps. His form doesn't break and the press never really looks like it's taxing him. But his injury is (we suspect) spine-related as he's underpowered when performing lower body movements like squats and deadlifts. And, here, cleans.


Kong couldn't join us this time. After his win at the WASM qualifiers he was offered entrance to the state finals, which are happening next weekend at (Premier Barnett's multi million dollar sinkhole) Elizabeth Quay. Eddie and I discussed it, but he'd already made the wise decision not to compete this year. He has not had enough training, moreover his work would not allow him enough weekends to train consistently in what little time he did have to prep for it. Next year will be his year.




Next week is week three of an eight week program which will see me through to the end of November, when I can begin squatting and deadlifting and doing strongman events again.

Sick & Injured September

IT'S been over a month since I posted. That's shocking, especially considering everything that's happened in the last few weeks. For real - major stuff in the local lifting scene has been and gone and I've been very remiss in not recording it. Any of it. But then I've spent a significant amount of that time being sick and/or injured, so I wasn't present for a lot of it.

The Perth Cup was pretty disastrous for me as it turned out. I partially tore both my quads on my second attempt at a 250 kilo squat. The bruising didn't really show up till a week and more after it happened. But when it did show it was pretty impressive. After the comp I didn't do much at all. I immediately got sick, this time it was a gastric flu which had me coughing until I would puke. Which brings me to the WA Strongman comp.


My biggest disappointment over the last month - greater than the injury that put an end to my Perth Cup campaign - was being too sick to get to Fremantle to see Kong compete (and win!!) his first ever strongman competition. Alex was there and he gave me a sterling review when I saw him the next weekend. Kong entered as a novice heavyweight, competing against a four or five others in the division. He hit a bunch of new personal records and his victory was decisive enough, he could call it quits in the final even after making the required number of reps to guarantee the win.


While this was happening I was either puking into a bucket or lying on the lounge room floor as both my adductors seized. I'm still not sure why it happened - likely related to how dehydrated I was and the fact I hadn't been able to keep anything down for the last day or so - but the spasms continued for quite a while. I was eventually able to stand up and try stretching them out and warming them, which helped. They released after a few minutes, but there remained a lump in the left one.


If my guts make a repeat of what they've been doing over the last few months I'll have to look at getting a full allergy diagnostic, which (last time I checked) cost over a grand and involved sending blood, stool and urine samples to a lab over east. My father had this test done several years ago. The results were extensive... he was mildly to moderately allergic to a whole lot of everyday foods like red meat, red kidney beans, peanuts and legumes, dairy and soy. And severely allergic to wheat and grains. In fact his results are a factor in what prompted me to go wheat and grain free back when I was focussed on fat loss. While my approach worked, I've since learned the folly of removing an entire food group from my nutrient sources. It's just another temporary measure which can work for some, for a period of time; it is not a proper diet.


Back to my injury. The ultrasound showed all kinds of tears. Rather than transcribing the prognosis, I have taken the below pic:
I followed up with my physio to confirm the program I'd started the previous week was still going to work and it was decided that, providing I spend a minimum of eight week after the injury doing no load-bearing lower body exercises (and bodyweight squats for mobility) I should be all healed up by the end of November if not sooner. I'm going to play it safe and not look at resuming deadlifts et cetera till December anyway.


In the mean time, here's what I've been doing through the week. Other than working around the damage, the objective is to build up to repping 150 kilos on the bench with as little discomfort as possible. From there I can re-assess. I have no idea - still - when my bench press will be back up to where it was last year. I may have to look at more treatment options for the bursitis.



Tuesday 4th October
*BW squats every session*


Bench press:
DB 15 kgs x 10
60 kgs x 8
80 kgs x 3
100 kgs x 5 x 5


HS chest press:
45 kgs p/h x 2 x 10
40 kgs p/h x 10


HS shoulder press:
40 kgs p/h x 5
20 kgs p/h x 2 x 10


DB front raises:
10 kgs x 3 x 10


Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 15, 12, 10


Thursday 6th October
*BW squats every session*


Stiff legged deadlifts:
70 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
130 kgs x 5
150 kgs x 5


Bent-over BB rows (underhand):
80 kgs x 3 - too light
100 kgs x 10
110 kgs x 8


HS seated rows:
75 kgs p/h x 10, 8
70 kgs p/h x 8


Face pulls:
plate 6 x 20
plate 7 x 20
plate 8 x 10


Pinwheelz:
22.5 kgs x 2 x 10 - too heavy


Wednesday 12th October
*BW squats every session*


Bench press:
20 kgs x 10
60 kgs x 5
80 kgs x 3
105 kgs x 5 x 5


HS shoulder press:
45 kgs p/h x 8
40 kgs p/h x 8
35 kgs p/h x 5 - left shoulder felt crap


HS chest press:
35 kgs p/h x 10, 8, 4


DB front raises:
10 kgs x 3 x 10


Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 20, 15, 12







Monday, September 12, 2016

Penultimate Week in Review: Bring on the Cup

KAT BECKER paid a visit to last Saturday's strongman clinic as part of her preparation for the WASM qualifier, Saturday September 24th. Kat is - and I'd say this is not really up for debate - the state's premier female strength athlete. She did not compete at last year's strongman state finals due to injury, and while I can't recall her best bench to date, her squat and deadlift are both in excess of 220 kilograms; or nearly 500 pounds apiece. Not bad for a chick who stands barely five foot five and plans to compete in the under 75 kilo division at the GPC Perth Cup (the qualifier is the week after the Cup, but Kat likes a challenge so is doing both), and in case the sarcasm was too subtle for you: yes, those numbers are fucking heavy and yes, you are correct to feel weak.

I swear this has been my most disjointed and half-assed comp prep to date. The last addition to this season's list of injuries and illnesses; last week, something in my wrist popped. I wasn't training. I was half asleep, fiddling with my CPAP mask. The one I'm using now is still kinda new; my last one I broke the hose connection to while trying to detach it so I could go take a piss in the night.

Don't ask me how I managed it, but as I finally yanked the hose free something in my wrist went pop, and for most of the next week I couldn't use that hand for very much. Rotating the wrist would make it click and pop some more, and feel generally unpleasant. But Thursday morning it finally stopped doing that, so I went and benched like I was spose to the week previous, and then did my last deadlift session the following Friday night. I trialled suicide grip while benching as it did alleviate some of the discomfort in my wrist, but it's a bit late in the game to be switching up my grip that much, and I didn't appreciate the lack of stability

Weighing 130 kilos, I worked up to a quick moving single of 320 kilos - twenty off my best ever and ten kilos heavier than my record in the under 140 division. A 320+ deadlift on Cup day is in the bag... I'd like to say 330 even. I will just have to wait and see. Admittedly I had to use straps as I grip the bar underhand with my right and my wrist was complaining a bit. Still a huge improvement on how it felt the previous week. I finished the session with some of the heaviest seated rows I've ever done, by a significant amount. 190 kilos for eight solid reps... I dunno, maybe it was just the way the Hammer Strength machine was set up that night. But 200 kilo seated rows will soon be a thing that I do.

I need one more squat session, and soon. It's going to have to be Monday night, Tuesday at the very latest. The squat is the most fatiguing of the three static lifts, and requires the longest recovery time.  I was thinking I might actually get it done at this weekend's clinic. But when no trainees presented on the day and I had a free session to do whatever I pleased... I pleased to do a little strongman events myself.

Would you believe that, in my first heavy log clean-press session in months, I hit a shaky but strict single of 110? While my best, whether log or axle, is two or three reps of this weight (and in training a quick, barely locked-out and likely No Lift 120), the simple fact I got this today was pretty invigorating. Slowly but surely I've been pushing my shoulder back into service, and while my bench press is an easy 30 kilograms under where it was about a year back, it's improving. It cannot withstand volume pressing anymore (not that high volume really worked for me) so, once warmed up, I need to reach maximal loading relatively quickly if I'm going to press heavy before the bursitis and/or tendon tears arc up enough to prevent pressing ahead.

I finished the solo session with a few yoke runs, just to remind myself what walking with the weight I plan to squat next weekend felt like. It's over a hundred kilos off what used to be considered a decent yoke walk for a nationally competitive strongman. But, again, I'm not trying to jeopardise my Perth Cup campaign (any more than I already have); I'm just cramming the sessions in while I have the time and am other wise uninhibited.

While chatting with Stefan, he remarked on how I was, apparently, looking both leaner and larger lately. It's nice when people notice this stuff as I don't pay a lot of attention to my own 'aesthetics'. It's also nice to know that, given my current anxiety levels at work are having a noticeable impact on my appetite, I'm not losing strength in the process. Leaner is good! So long as my deadlift stays heavy.

PREDICTED NUMBERS
Squat deep: 250/260/270
Bench close: 150/160/170
Pull conventional: 320/330/340

 
Press Thursday September 8th - Ten Days Till the Cup
Stretch
DB super-set supine curls & rotators
DB bench: 15 kgs x 10

Bench press (all paused):
60 kgs x 8
60 kgs x 5 w/suicide grip
90 kgs x 3
90 kgs x 3 w/suicide grip
110 kgs x 1
130 kgs x 1
150 kgs x 1

Hammer Strength shoulder press:
45 kgs p/h x 10 TPR
40 kgs x 8
35 kgs x 10

Hammer Strength chest press:
45 kgs p/h x 9 TPR
30 kgs x 2 x 10

DB front raises super-set w/Triceps pushdowns:
10 kgs x 3 x 10
Full stack x 10, 15

 
Pull Friday September 9th
Stretch
Hips, shoulders, bands

Deadlifts:
75 kgs x 8
125 kgs x 5
175 kgs x 3
225 kgs x 2
275 kgs x 1
320 kgs x 1 PR @ 130 kilos bodyweight

Hammer Strength seated rows:
160 kgs x 10
180 kgs x 10 PR
190 kgs x 8 PR


Events Saturday September 10th

Stretch
Hips, shoulders, bands

Log clean-press:
45 kgs x 6
70 kgs x 3
90 kgs x 1
100 kgs x 1
110 kgs x 1

Yoke walk:
130 kgs x 2 x 20 meters
210 kgs x 20 meters
290 kgs x 20 meters






Saturday, August 27, 2016

Events Saturday: Kong's Trials

RECORDS were smashed today. I forgot to bring my camera. I took a few lacklustre pics with my iPhone. Regardless of what I take pics with, I never feel like I get close to capturing the essence of the day, and these few are not exceptions. But I was caught up in the proceedings and not thinking about what I needed to satisfy the requirements of social media. This is possibly why I still don't have an Instagram account; recording the stuff I do (or witness others do) with pictures is incidental to and in some cases detracts from the actual doing or witnessing. Like those people who spend the concert with their phone or camcorder held aloft, so they can capture the moment and, in so doing, not truly experience it. Not one of those people.



Ryan, the hightower who took on the WA Strongman under 105 division this year, hit a new personal best early in the proceedings - a 100 kilo axle clean-press - after making 95 (also a new PR) look like a warmup. Alex has yet to have his next specialist appointment, but says he's feeling well enough to tag along with Ryan and the rest of the crew, which today included Carl (king of the strict OHP) and PTC Perth's latest heavyweight strongman, Eddie 'Kong' Kania.

I tested Kong today. He has precious little time left to prepare for his first ever strongman competition, and while he has astutely picked the novice heavyweight division he still has a steep hill to climb when it comes to at least one event - the yoke walk. In most others he will be challenged, and five events over the course of however may hours the comp takes will definitely exhaust him. But he won't be destroyed by the experience. Attempting the actual heavyweight division at this stage would.

Kong performed four events in 90 minutes today: yoke walk, rising bar log clean press, rising bar axle deadlift, and farmers walk to finish. There was very little time wasted, and with Alex's help the session gave Kong a bit of a taste of what a real comp is like. Alex not only assisted with loading and strapping etc, he was training at 75% capacity where possible. The dude wants to lift more. Just like me, his body is currently not allowing him to lift like he wants to. Them feels.


Carl  joined us for farmers walk to round out the session, and showed the crew how it's done with a brisk 122 kilo per hand 20 meter run, his first in a little while I think. His best is a staggering 160 a hand for 15, which happened a couple years back at the Pit. I wasn't there but I believe him. The guy was showing me and a bunch of other people what being strong meant five years ago. Respect where it's due.

Carl wants a bigger deadlift. He's been hungering for it and training like a madman to get it. Hitting quads every second day all this week had an obvious impact on his efforts today, only managing a single of 300 where he'd intended reps, but the stiff-legged deficits I saw him doing the previous week had already convinced me he was going to pull 310 or more at Perth Cup. And he politely asked me to stay out of the under 125s so he could get that heavy new dead on the PTC record board.

I told him I 'd do my best. I'd rather be as strong as possible with another 10 kilos of room in the division than risk losing strength with a cut. Carl's work is going to pay off. I know this, and I've already made peace with it. I mean come on; I have the best dead on the board in three weight classes, and when the day is done I'll still have the best in two. I have sworn this much to myself.

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Squat Thursday: Clawed Back & Forging Forward

TONIGHT I proved to myself that I have not yet become the victim of entropy. That, in spite of the year I have had, I've held to my ethos. Life sometimes can be too many shades of grey, but here under the bar is the resolute truth that I am stronger.


When I squatted 250 - my best ever squat, meagre as it is - I was a super heavyweight, competing at CAPO states in the 140+ kilogram division. Tonight I'm a bare naked 128, and moved the same weight... with not quite IPF depth, as Ando had put it earlier, but good enough. Last session I hit my best deadlift on record at under 140. And I have some time left for one last tweak of each lift before game day.


I wasn't thinking straight when I said to Ando that tonight would be my last squat before Perth Cup (gym brain in full effect, as usual), but I'm nearly there; tonight was my second last. To allow for maximum recovery and minimum chance of re-injury I have decided on a window of no earlier than Monday 5th and no later than Friday 9th September to attempt 260. If I feel shitty on the day, it may only be 255. Regardless, it's a new level of strength and a leaner me.


Only took me about a year of unsuccessfully managing two injuries and stupidly causing myself a third. But I'm there. I've clawed back, now it's time to forge ahead.


Squats:
25 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 8
130 kgs x 5
170 kgs x 3
210 kgs x 1
230 kgs x 1
250 kgs x 1 equal to best ever


Hammer Strength leg extensions:
40 kgs x 4 x 10


Hammer Strength seated calf raises:
65 kgs x 4 x 10

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Pull Tuesday: Full Steam Ahead



STEERING my battered vessel towards September 18, tonight's session was encouraging. I'm currently the lightest I've weighed in a couple of years - barely 128 kilograms - despite the fact I've been making a conscious effort to get my calories up, with more meals and a mass gainer instead of my usual WPI shakes each day. And even though I've had a crappier than usual prep (so probably won't be hitting a new deadlift PR this time round), I'm definitely stronger than I was while competing in this weight class early last year..


I entered the GPC state championships that February and totalled 710, with a 310 deadlift. I am pretty confident of pulling in excess of that in a little under four weeks time, and I'll definitely have a stronger squat. My bench... my bench is crap right now, to be honest. The plan when it comes to pressing is to take it easy while trying to build up just a bit more in the weeks I have. If I can grind out a super duper close grip 150 bench on the day, I'll have to be happy with that.


A revised estimate for what I might total is 270/150/320. A thirty kilo improvement. That'll do, pig.
Here's what I did tonight.


Deadlifts:
75 kgs x 8
125 kgs x 5
175 kgs x 3
225 kgs x 2
260 kgs x 1
290 kgs x 1
310 kgs x 1 equal best at under 140 kilos body weight


Hammer Strength seated rows:
100 kgs x 10
130 kgs x 10
160 kgs x 8 equal best


Hack squats:
55 kgs x 3 x 10

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Strongman Saturday: The Lion, the Mitch and the Sore Bros

TODAY was a good day. We could call this PTC Strongman's proper kick-off at the epic new facility. While most of the member base were representing PTC Perth at the health and fitness expo, my little clinic grew a little more. Today we welcomed back Carl, the Lion, who I've written fondly of in the past. Carl was orders of magnitude stronger than me when I met him five years back, and has a wealth of knowledge and experience.


Also joining us today was newcomer Mitch. Mitch is a PTC freshman who competed in the most recent PL novice comp and has a current SBD of 170/110/200 at somewhere between 80 and 90 kilos bodweight. He's looking to cut to under 82, and will be using a calorie and carb deficit to do it, while working FIFO (yep, another one) and showing up to the clinics every three weeks, he says. I can work with that. We had a bit of a chat about his approach, and what I experienced when I did it myself a few years ago. I am looking forward to seeing his plans come to fruition, and introduced him to coach and athlete Brian Cook to offer some lifting and aesthetic inspiration. I told Mitch that one day he, too, could have a moustache like Brian's.





Stephan, king of the super-set, jumped in for some pulls here and there. Dale kept his distance, possibly still feeling the chip in his tooth from his first and last log press a few months ago. And Andrew was there when I arrived, having just had his arse handed to him by a 10 x 10 set/rep program Dan had given him for shits and giggles. He's working and studying full time right now, so comes in when he can. Hopefully we will see him for more clinics in the future.

In other news, dates for the last qualifying round and the WA Strongman state finals were announced this week. No events have been listed as yet, but the qualifier is on Saturday September 26th. Kong, who has the added challenge of working FIFO and so not here to train half the time, is nonetheless keen as mustard to get involved. And I'm going to get him as prepared as possible in the bare month he has before his first ever competition.

Ryan, sufficiently injury free, was the only member to show up last weekend. But today he was joined by Alex, fresh from his recent MRI to the right hip. He's torn the labrum but he's also experiencing numbness down the front of his quad. An ECG and more money burned is called for before he can get any closer to a proper diagnosis. I'm doing what I can to prevent him from making anything any worse in the mean time (and when numbness is a symptom, you literally don't know if what you're doing is exacerbating the issue), but that didn't stop him from a 250 yoke walk on the lush new turf.

I had a proud momma hen moment when I noticed Ryan and Alex leading by assistance and example; helping with straps, checking Mitch's form under the log and providing him with some textbook clean-presses to attempt to emulate. I won't lie; Mitch struggled with the movement initially. He couldn't get the pick and press to go fluidly. But with the guys plus Carl and me all throwing pointers at him he figured it out soon enough. He said his best overhead press was 60, but by the time his first ever log session was over Mitch had clean-pressed 45 and 50 for several reps each. He finished with a single of his one rep max, meaning that wasn't his proper one rep max. And now he's even stronger that that.


 We also worked on his deadlift and introduced him to the yoke. He got the usual talk about getting out of bed tomorrow and how it was going to be hard to do. He reiterated how he'd only be showing up every few weeks and, from a recovery point of view, that suited him just fine.


Back to comp prep: while we don't know for sure what the events are, there are some you can pretty much count on being in the mix. So as from next weekend, and Kong's next session, we will be focussing on yoke and farmers walk, deadlift... and the wondrous log and axle press medley!



The medley only works when we have sufficient trainees to man the rising bar, like a pit crew. It's a sight to see when everyone's working in unison. And having newbie Mitch popping up in the future will give me the chance to introduce a new person to the sport, from scratch. It's both fun and rewarding to see that spark - that passion - in another new soul.


Back to comp prep next week for me. I'd be lying if I said everything felt great. But it's better than it was. I am either going to compete or burn out just beforehand. My last ditch effort to do a comp this year, before I face the reality of a long and pricey rehab to round out the year. But this year's been about bigger and better things than me and my next comp. This year has seen the arrival of the next level in WA strength sports.


The State of Play

THERE'S been so many incredible things happen over the last six weeks. Most of it's no secret to anyone who might be reading this humble blog; I reckon even my old faithful readers from the USA (who are all connected to me on Facebook anyway) are aware of the magnitude of PTC Perth v3. I don't need to sell it. Just look at what me and my crew have to train with now. The future of PTC Strongman is very bright. But first, the shit.


For three weeks I was on pretty much enforced couch time. While I'd been talking a strong game, I was pushing through the injuries and spending a lot of post-training nights not sleeping properly. My shoulder would feel okay, so I'd try and return to some semblance of a structured program, and soon enough would be a liability once more. Same with my right thigh. A couple of weeks won't do it, and in retrospect it was pretty foolish of me to think that the time I spent with my leg crooked and suspended in a boot while I tooled around on crutches was in any way a relaxing period for my pre-existing TFL/quad complaint.


The fourth week of sedentation I was on leave, so naturally was sick for most of it. I threw up most solid foods, most days of that week and the following Monday for good measure. But when the test results came back they showed nothing seriously out of place. Kidney and liver function were both - quote - excellent, I am STD free (naturally) and apart from my cholesterol, which is on orange alert, the only other thing of note was a slightly elevated white blood cell count, indicative of having fought off a viral infection.


By the time I was feeling 100% again I'd dropped back under 130 kilograms bodyweight and my program for the Perth Cup was, you could safely say, pretty fucked. And following on from what I've just said about a couple of weeks not being long enough for either of my current injuries to heal is the (decidedly stupid) question: is four weeks long enough?








Howboutfive?








Being as messed up as I was kept me from training, but didn't keep me away from PTC3 completely. I was there to help out where I could with the big move. But after a month, I was over being sedentary and felt like my body could take some work again. It felt good to walk into that enormous zone, regimented with precision equipment and littered with legit lifters, knowing there is truly no better place in WA to be training right now. In the first few sessions back I pulled 300 kilos, squatted 240 and benched 130.




Four weeks till Perth Cup. Do or die.




Tuesday 9th August
Super-set DB supine curls & rotators:
4 kgs x 2 x 20

Deadlifts:
75 kgs x 8
125 kgs x 5
175 kgs x 4
225 kgs x 3
250 kgs x 2
275 kgs x 1
300 kgs x 1


Hammer Strength seated rows:
80 kgs x 10
120 kgs x 10
160 kgs x 8 TPR


Hack squats:
50 kgs x 3 x 10


Wednesday 10th August
Super-set DB supine curls & rotators:
4 kgs x 2 x 20


Bench press:
15 kgs DBs x 10
60 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 8
90 kgs x 6
100 kgs x 4


Hammer Strength shoulder press:
60 kgs x 3 x 10


Hammer Strength chest press:
60 kgs x 3 x 10


Super-set triceps pushdowns & DB front raises:
full stack x 3 x 15
10 kgs x 3 x 10


Monday 15th August
Super-set DB supine curls & rotators:
4 kgs x 2 x 20


Squats:
25 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 8
130 kgs x 5
170 kgs x 3
200 kgs x 1
220 kgs x 1
240 kgs x 1


Hammer Strength leg extensions:
50 kgs x 3 x 10


Hammer Strength calf raises:
60 kgs x 4 x 10


Thursday 18th August
Super-set DB supine curls & rotators:
4 kgs x 2 x 20


Bench press (all paused):
15 kgs DBs x 10
50 kgs x 5
70 kgs x 5
90 kgs x 3
110 kgs x 2
120 kgs x 1
130 kgs x 1


Hammer Strength shoulder press:
65 kgs x 3 x 10 TPR


Hammer Strength chest press:
65 kgs x 3 x 10 TPR


Super-set triceps pushdowns & DB front raises:
full stack x 3 x 15
10 kgs x 3 x 10

Thursday, July 7, 2016

WEEK 6 Squat Thursday: Finally Stronger

A MODEST new personal record tonight. Darwin, Stephan, Braydn and Anthony were there to assist with spotting and operating the mono. I realise 210 for reps is nothing at all for most of the guys I train with - the guys who compete, at least - but it's reasonably heavy for me. Checking my logs from around this time last year: I had a 1RM in training of 240 kilos in May (and 245 on the axle earlier in the same month) which I followed with 250 at the CAPO state championships. But I wasn't performing reps with anything approaching 200 at that time, like I am now. And at the clinic on Saturday I deadlifted 250 for nearly 10 reps. These are clear proof that I am stronger than I was a year ago. Finally.

It's taken nearly one full year of injuries, treatments and rehabs, but I'm finally moving forward, and in an area that has typically been a real weakness for me. I'm hoping this program will help me build a solid +275 kilo squat in September.

I'm going to experiment with benching again soon... and it looks like I'll be pulling with my cheer squad again this weekend. PTC Strongman has grown into a nice little crew. It's always a pleasure to coach them. They, in turn, provide me with the motivation I have lately been lacking. It's hard to be gung-ho in the gym when you're nursing an injury or two. Instead you become apprehensive.

Stretch!

Squats:
25 kgs x 8
80 kgs x 5
130 kgs x 5
170 kgs x 1
190 kgs x 1
210 kgs x 3s x 4r PR

DB front raises:
10 kgs x 3s x 10r

Pinwheels:
20 kgs x 3s x 10r


Sunday, July 3, 2016

WEEK 5 Action Packed Recap

THIS WEEK has been really up and really down. I started with a solid new personal squat record. I was pretty happy about this. However the diminished ability of my right lower half was made apparent during the second set; under load it was exhibiting the same pain as it had prior to my fractured ankle. I had hoped the several weeks spent doing no lower body training with my right foot in a boot would be enough time for it to heal. Apparently I was wrong.

So the following evening I drove to Kelmscott to get needled by Dominique. While I doubt I could have gotten an appointment with Dan at such short notice in the first place, when I inquired he was quite sick and unable to treat anyone. So lucky for me that Dom made herself available for an extra hour and change to puncture my right lower quarter. Needles in my shins were sending spasms up to my thighs and vice versa. The whole fascia was taut and knotted. She stuck them in my glute minor, TFL, quad, VMO, and possibly a few other abbreviations and acronyms I have only a layman's knowledge of. By the time she was done I felt crippled and the next day I was still recovering from it, so thought better of pulling that night.

There's been no benching (actually, no pressing in general) for two weeks now while I try and rest my left shoulder. I am now virtually pain-free while squatting... but the next day I feel it. More post-WO stretching is required I think. Right now all I can do is manage the injury up to comp day. I want to bench at least 150-160 in September. That is, unfortunately, the most I believe I can right now. And while Perth Cup now offers bench and deadlift only events, I would feel pretty slack not to at least do the three lifts. I don't know how many attempts I'll get out of each - as in the past I may have to bow out of squatting once I hit what I want to hit and save my knees. But so far these last few months my knees have actually been feeling great, so that may not be a consideration anymore.

And then all of a sudden it was Friday night and I had forgotten about a dinner party that I myself had arranged around the start of the year which I could not miss. So my deadlifts had to wait till the clinic on Saturday. Ryan and Alex made it in, the others either waylaid by the depressing nature of the voting process and/or currently nursing injuries (not caused by me), so I had plenty of time to focus on my own training, something I don't do as often as I should.

Which isn't to say I left the boys to their own devices. I was incredibly pleased to see Alex clean-press a 90 kilogram log for a set of five! And Ryan also hit a new personal record for reps on the log which he followed with another on the deadlift! While Ryan is currently running his own program after his post-WASM qualifier deload, Alex has been diligently following my instruction and his efforts are really paying off now. A 100 kilo log clean-press is pretty much assured in the next two or three weeks... along with a 250 deadlift.

And here's what I did. Not exactly the programmed 10 reps. I was so mad.


Squat Tuesday June 28th
Stretch!
DB super-set 4 kgs x 2s x 10r

Squats:
25 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 5
130 kgs x 3
180 kgs x 1 - mis-load; programmed 170
200 kgs x 3s x 4r PR

Pinwheels:
20 kgs x 4s x 10r TPR

DB front raises:
10 kgs x 3s x 10r

Tri-pushdowns:
Full stack x 30 TPR
Full stack x 25

Face-pulls:
Plate 6 x 20
Plate 7 x 20


Pull Saturday July 2nd
Stretch!
DB super-set 4 kgs x 2s x 10r

Deadlifts:
75 kgs x 8
125 kgs x 5
175 kgs x 3
225 kgs x 1
250 kgs x 9.75 PR

Seated rows:
120 kgs x 4s x 10r TPR

Sunday, June 26, 2016

WEEK 4 Deadlift Friday: The Rage Got Me Through


ACCORDING to my program, week four ends here. As incomplete as it is, it's still good, and I'll tell you why.

The Rage

Self-doubt was high as I finally made it into the gym Friday night (two Fridays in a row now) and it was time to put up or shut up. I'd never done this many reps of 230 before; my previous bests are 240 x 10, 260 x 8 and 280 x 6... so you'd think 230 x 12 would be easy enough. Yet I was worried that I wasn't  capable; that I'd lost so much conditioning during the months of injuries and rehabs that this dozen reps would be beyond me. I was very wrong. I was also very angry.

Spin-locks aren't supposed to slide off. I didn't use them last year when repping 300, choosing the regular plastic collars instead, and it cost me at least a couple. I thought I would avoid that issue this time by using the metal spin-lock collars... the right of which began to slide off as I got about half way. The whole end nearly came unstuck around my eighth or ninth pull. This is when most people in the gym would have heard a resounding

"You Mother Fucker!!"

As I unstrapped myself, pushed the plates back onto the bar and continued the set with alternate grip instead. At what I was pretty sure was twelve, I dropped it, removed my belt and sat down. Thought about it for a second... and wasn't completely certain. So I got back on the platform and pulled the thirteenth rep, belt-less. Just to be absolutely positive.

And I had more in me. Several more. Time to can the doubt and get the fuck on with it. And, to make certain I'm hitting new PRs on reps every week from here on, I've revised my DL program so it now looks like this:

Week 5: 250 kgs x 10
Week 6: 260 kgs x 9
Week 7: 270 kgs x 8
Week 8: 280 kgs x 7
Week 9: 290 kgs x 6
Week 10: 300 kgs x 5
Week 11: 310 kgs x 4
Week 12: 320 kgs x 3
Week 13: 330 kgs x 2
Week 14: 342.5 kgs x 1
Week 15: 350 kgs x 1

Right now I'm taking a break from pressing as it's just making my shoulder worse which is then affecting my squat and yoke, both of which have felt pretty rotten this week. But next week I recommence with renewed vigour, and the following week I will again try benching with this new, super-narrow grip. If I can just manage my shoulder issue long enough to bench at Perth Cup I'll be happy.





Also, over the last couple of Strongman clinics I've taken some footage and done some experimentation with Fat Gripz, and I will soon be posting about mine and my trainee's experiences incorporating these into our sessions. They have proven to be even more challenging than I first considered! Tonight after deadlifts I chucked them on for bent-over and seated rows, and they made everything twice a difficult.

In other news, I've come to an arrangement with the owner of Porkies BBQ in Bayswater. Because I'm lazy, and because John makes such delicious food at such good prices, I now have a standing order every weeknight; I collect my dinner on the way home from training. The last time I did this, every person in the place with a view to the front door was staring at me before I'd even walked in. But this I find happens more often, no matter where I go.






Stretch!

Deadlift:
75 kgs x 8
125 kgs x 5
175 kgs x 3
205 kgs x 1
230 kgs x 13 PR

Bent-over BB row (underhand):
w/FatGripz: 125 kgs x not even 1!
125 kgs x 2s x 8r

Seated row:
w/FatGripz: 80 kgs x 10
160 kgs x 8 PR



Friday, June 17, 2016

Week 3: Squat Friday!

RIGHT now I need to just stop pretending I can manage to make it to the gym on the same nights each week. At the start of this program I decided to squat and bench Tuesdays and Thursdays, with deadlifts performed during the clinic on Saturdays. And then circumstance changed, again, and caused me to completely abandon this schedule right after making it. I will be very happy when this financial year is over.

With the exception of my deadlifts (which have been held back due to my recently fractured right ankle), I've performed all my money sets thus far... and even managed some assistance work here and there. And here I should make a disclaimer to my trainees (and anyone else who might be considering adopting my training routine); No. If you want a program I will write you one. But don't assume the stuff I sporadically do, or fail to do, should be optional all the time. I have been despondently training around a variety of injuries for the better part of a year and it shows in my log of half-assed sessions.

I'm really happy to report that my knees are still feeling great. I've started taking a bunch of new dietary supplements including green lipped mussel extract and digestive enzymes, I've been more diligent than ever with my fish oil, taking 20 grams a day, every day, and (since it's too cold to use the spa) the quad stretches I do post-training are all having a positive effect.

While the bar is getting more comfortable on my back and my squats are getting deeper and more confident, my shoulder is screwed. Again. It's pretty much back to how it was late last year. I am just hoping that if I can keep my bench narrow as hell I will be able to put up something decent on the day.

Thank you to the guys who spotted and worked the mono for me tonight.

Stretch
DB super-set supine curls & rotators: 4 kgs x 2s x 10r

Squats:
25 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 5
130 kgs x 3
155 kgs x 1
180 kgs x 4s x 4r TPR

That's all she wrote. Home, to sit on my shins and eat Porkies till I collapse.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Week 3 Training Recap: Just the Numbers

SATURDAY'S events training was a bit of fun and I took away some (very amateurish) pics and vids I'm attempting to edit into a serviceable piece for Fat Gripz, but that's going to have to wait a little longer. Right now I need to get this last week and a bit of training logged.

There's actually been a significant amount of stuff that has happened training-wise this week, not all of it good... I'm now benching with the closest grip I've ever used - narrower than my OHP - to alleviate the shoulder pain, which is getting worse. My arms are quite literally on either side of my ribcage at the bottom of the press. As it was, this week's training was inhibited by the injury. I failed the final rep of the final set, but performed it as a double followed by two singles.

I didn't have the time to complete my accessories (again) last week on bench night, but managed to get in Monday this week for a deadlift session - my first since rolling out this ridiculous program I've devised for myself. It's not 230 for 12 but I sure feel more confident about hitting that now. Then the rebuild can really begin.

WEEK 2 Bench
Stretch
DB super-set supine curls & rotators: 4 kgs x 2s x 10r

Bench press:
DB 15 kgs x 10
60 kgs x 5
90 kgs x 3
105 kgs x 1
120 kgs x 4s x 5r TPR

WEEK 3 Surprise! Deadlifts etc
Stretch
DB super-set supine curls & rotators: 4 kgs x 2s x 10r

Deadlifts:
75 kgs x 2s x 5r
125 kgs x 5
175 kgs x 15 TPR

Bent-over BB rows (underhand):
105 kgs x 10

Seated rows:
130 kgs x 8
140 kgs x 8
150 kgs x 8

WEEK 3 Bench etc
Stretch
DB super-set supine curls & rotators: 4 kgs x 2s x 10r

Bench press:
DB 15 kgs x 10
60 kgs x 8
90 kgs x 3
110 kgs x 1
125 kgs x 4s x 4r - FAILED final rep and performed the last set as a double and 2 singles.

Incline press:
50 kgs x 2s x 3r
70 kgs x 12

DB forward raises:
10 kgs x 3s x 10r

Face-pulls:
Plate 6 x 4s x 10r

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

But First, the News


THE SPORT of Strongman in Australia has been in a state of flux since I was introduced to it five years ago. 'Grass roots' would be an accurate way to describe it; there was effectively no national organising body, no standardised events, and no athlete's federation. It seemed like, each year, rumours would surface about this situation changing... but nothing ever eventuated. Until now.

According to their mandate, the Australian Strongman Alliance has been created "to facilitate discussion around the creation of a national federation for strongman competition in Australia, with the purpose of elevating grass roots Australian strongman competitors to an international level." They have made me their WA state representative, and I intend to do my utmost to further the cause.

ASA has spear-headed a number of nation-wide events so far in 2015-16. The next one on the calendar is the Static Monsters, a push/pull event comprising a rising bar axle deadlift and log press scheduled for November 27th 2016. In Western Australia, as from next year, PTC Perth Strongman will host ASA-affiliated, state level competitions devised by yours truly. There will be a preliminary qualifier and qualifier held each year, with the intention that podium placers will be eligible to compete in the WASM state championships, with a clear line of sight to national level comps, like the Arnold Australia, for those athletes who make the cut, and the ASA amateur national championship for runners-up. In both instances, ASA members will have the chance to travel and compete for cash and prizes, and meet national and international strength athletes. 

With ASA's now Australia-wide syndication, and thanks to the support of PTC Perth, strongman in Australia is about to reach new levels of excellence. I'm very excited to be a part of it all.
WA Strongman national qualifiers 2012


Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Squats etc Week 2: Good News

BUILDING slowly up to something significant here and taking all necessary precautions while I do so. I'll be getting my quads needled in due course, before the pain returns. I'm really happy that my knees have been cooperating and my ankle, while still a little stiff, is now flexible enough to squat deep without much discomfort. Here's hoping this trend continues... and Dan has an hour to spend behind drawn curtains, poking me, some time in the near future.

There will be another row/pull variation added to this template, and maybe another deltoid isolation exercise like face-pulls, as my conditioning and strength levels improve. Mike Israetel recently posted about effective programming of rear delt isolations and it renewed my interest in the exercise, which I've not performed since my seminal years of home training in 2010-11.

Stretch!

Squats:
25 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 5
130 kgs x 2
170 kgs x 4s x 5r TPR

Seated rows:
120 kgs x 3s x 10r

Tri-push:
Full Stack x 3s x 20r

Lots of pressing, curling and shoulder work scheduled for Thursday night! It's exciting to be almost 100% and back on track to compete this year. Finally.