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