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.

Events Saturday: Easy, Tiger


 FANTASTIC turnout today at PTC Strongman. The mighty Kong has returned from the land of Fifo, eager to get stronger. Stalwarts Ryan 'Hightower' and Alex, our future under 105 state champion, were joined by He-Dad Mathew. Stephan, who has been a no-show for the last month or more, turned up late and ripe with excuses, and the diligent newbie Andrew had to sit today out as he's in training for a novice PL comp happening very soon. He will return to SM once the comp is completed and he has sufficiently recovered.

My shiny new deadlift program called for 230 kilos pulled a dozen times today. That is week one. That is where a guy who fractured his foot in two places, two months ago, decided to begin his routine. Save to say; this didn't happen. I pulled 230 for a single, double overhand, just to see how heavy it felt... and it felt pretty heavy. I'd say a little more time is still required before I launch back into that kind of loading and volume. Let me try again in a week. The great thing about this 15 week program is that it finishes with four weeks of singles, so I have some latitude as to when I roll it out if I need it. I'll still finish up more or less where I want to be.

The only thing of note I did today was some 10-rep sets on the log (45 kgs / 60 kgs / 70 kgs). Trying
to improve my conditioning and re-learn the clean-press. I will increase the loading only 5 kilos per week (and less as it gets heavier) while aiming for 10-rep sets for as long as possible. It seemed as though half the class was in the same boat as myself, being recently injured. Ryan, Kong and Alex were all in varied stages of sub-max capacity and had to sit out one or other event. I don't ever push people beyond what I think is safe. I don't use myself as a yard stick for what others should be doing either.

Next Saturday's clinic is going to be fun! My new Fat Gripz have arrived and my grip strength is more or less where it should be, so we're going to incorporate some grip training exercises into the session and video it for the good people at Fat Gripz. Maybe they will find a promotional use for it.


Thursday, June 2, 2016

Bench Etc Week 1: So Far So Good

THIS coming Saturday's pull session will complete week 1 of this epic fifteen week program I've set for myself. It's nothing overly complicated and I pulled it directly out of my ass (which is to say I developed it based on my capabilities and what I expect to be moving in three to four months). Given the time frame, so long as I continue gorging and don't wreck anything else between now and the Perth Cup I should be able to complete it. Or most of it. There's a reason why the last four weeks are all singles; the day I get to a 1RM that taxes me so much I know next week's isn't going to happen, I will stop. Better to finish the program prematurely than fail this close to the comp.

Tonight I got re-familiar with incline pressing and realised how weak I've gotten in that area. Next week I'll be doing max reps at no more than 70 kilos and steadily rebuilding. Also as from next week,  this is where I'll stick pinwheels, or some other direct biceps work. I learned some years ago that not incorporating these at some point in my program can lead to weakened tendons. If you have weak tendons you're gonna have a bad time.

I want an 800 total. It's within my reach IF I can get my bench back up. My program finishes with single reps of a 280 squat, 185 bench and 350 deadlift (assuming - as I mentioned -  it doesn't finish me before I even get there) but on comp day I'll be super happy with 275/180/345: a twenty-five kilo improvement on my squat with modest increases to my bench and dead. And 800 in total. But I'd better get eating... the scales at PTC read barely more than 130 when I jumped on them tonight. Not cool. More helpings of everything required.

I'm excited about Saturday's clinic and my first deadlift session since frigging April 21st.

Stretch!
DB super-set:
supine curls & rotators
4 kgs x 2 of each x 10

Bench press:
15 kgs DBs x 10
Barbell x 8
75 kgs 4
95 kgs x 2
115 kgs x 5s x 5r TPR

Incline press:
60 ks x 8
80 kgs x 5
90 kgs x 4 or 5

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

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

15 Week Training Template: Countdown to Perth Cup


WELL, that's that then. The 2016 Perth Cup is my next target and here are the programmed money sets for each week of squatting, benching and deadlifting. I've been shirking my accessory work of late so tomorrow night's session will see a return to proper training, and as from next week I'll be performing rows and one or two other movements post-squatting on Tuesdays.

This gives me as much rest time as possible while performing a tried and true, fat powerlifter's 3 day training template. Once I'm back to full health and have more time on my hands I may return pulling to a weeknight, but for now this is solid, I think.

I'm upping my calories as of this week too. Bulking, the pros call it. That's my word for ordering two double quarter-pounders instead of one and chugging three extra shakes a day... some of them protein shakes. Currently walking around at 132, I should be a solid 140 kilos come September. I don't want to go super-heavyweight though. We will see.