Pull+ Thursday: Broken

AFTER last night, my knees are destroyed. Just getting into position for deficits was a painful and tedious process. I really shouldn't perform these routines back to back. It ruins me.


The bent-over rows were also shit. Whatever I did to my groin last night bugged me all through them, and then tendinitis flared up in my right forearm, which got progressively worse as I worked through the seated rows. Thanks to this I decided to scrap the Meadows rows tonight. I need my elbows in working order for the weekend. I'm planning on having another shot at a new clean-press PR, on Axle, not log.


PULL+ Thursday June 29th
stretch
Deficit deadlifts:
70 kgs x 8
120 kgs x 4 x 8
Bent-over BB rows (underhand):
100 kgs x 8
120 kgs x 8
110 kgs x 8
105 kgs x 7
HS seated rows (p/h):
52.5 kgs x 4 x 10
Meadows rows:
scrapped
Face-pulls:
plate 10 x 4 x 20

3 Crappy Sessions & a Squat PR

YEAH, we all have shit weeks. The last three training sessions have been, on the whole, not too great. Beginning with last Saturday's clinic. I'd billed myself as ready to hit a new 1RM personal record this day, foolishly not factoring in how fatigued I'd be from the 34 set press session I'd done just a couple of nights previous. This, no doubt, is why I struggled to strict press 110.

Conditioning is also not where I'd like it to be, but that's to be expected as I've not been training at close to my max when it comes to events for some time. That's all changing now. There is no need to stay in the slow lane anymore, so there will be more heavy yoke (and farmers walk) in future sessions.

On Monday I think I spent more time carrying 20 kilogram bumper plates around than I spent doing anything actually constructive. The calf injury I sustained a few weeks ago is still an issue; while pushing off on my left foot it became quite apparent that whatever I did there is still healing up. I didn't see the point in going heavier, so carried all them plates I didn't even use back inside, and went home.

Then there was Squats. Last night was both good and bad. Good, because I've never performed this many repetitions of 220 kilos in the one session before. Bad, because something in my right upper-inner thigh/groin region went 'pop' as I came up from the first rep of the third and final set. It was only a little 'pop', but it got me worried. Now is not the time to get a fresh injury. I racked the cambered bar and got on with the rest of the session.

Now is the time to re-work my pressing template so that I can focus on bench till September's Perth Cup, without shirking on my other strongman events so as to hopefully attain a competitive level come August's strongman state qualifiers. PTC Perth Strongman has a team entering this year's titles, and I may be there as more than just a coach.

SQUAT+ Wednesday June 28th
stretch
Cambered bar squats:
50 kgs x 10
90 kgs x 5
130 kgs x 3
170 kgs x 3
200 kgs x 2
220 kgs x 2 x 4 PR +1 - thigh/groin injury - still a PR
Axe swings (l&r):
plate 8 x 4 x 10
Cardio: assault bike 5 mins @ 50 rpm

EVENTS Monday June 26th
stretch
Prowler drag w/harness:
+ 100 kgs x 4 x 15 meters - calf injury still an issue

EVENTS Saturday June 24th
stretch
Cardio: assault bike 5 mins @ 50 rpm
Log clean-press (strict):
50 kgs x 8
70 kgs x 5
90 kgs x 1
100 kgs x 1
110 kgs x 1 - failed first attempt!
Yoke walk:
130 kgs x 2 x 20 meters
210 kgs x 20 meters
270 kgs x 20 meters
310 kgs x 20 meters
350 kgs x 17 meters - 1 drop - weak

Press+ Thursday: On Full Steam

I USED this phrase tonight while talking with Elliott. He's looking to return to the platform in September, too. A back injury kept him from entering the last GPC state championships, making this his first full meet since 2014. Last year's Perth Cup was my last comp. I am very confident that this year, it will end better for me. I might event get somewhere closer to an 800 total. Because this is me on full steam.

I said to Elliott that I was trying to 'get back to full steam,' but the truth is I'm already there. The tendon is fixed. The rehab period has been over long enough for me to have employed a new program, one which has already produced some new personal records. Shit, I was hitting PRs towards the end of my rehab program! Even though, right now, my deadlift and press are not being worked at near-max levels, the additional movements and more demanding set schemes make me feel like I've not trained this hard in years... which could just be an entropy thing, but I'm going with 'coz I actually  haven't'.

Technically, the few things I need to look at after tonight's session are: 1. the loadings on my incline barbell and French presses; I keep failing the prescribed repetitions. I need to drop the ego and the weight. 2. I think the other movements I do are blitzing my shoulders so I need to stick with 10 kilogram dumbbell front raises for a little while yet. And 3. on the other end of that scale, I'm hitting ten rep sets of Hammer Strength chest press where I'd actually programmed only eights. And I've added a fourth set of bicep curls, coz as I said; the tendon is fixed.

It's fixed.

I want to go and pull 300, tomorrow. I honestly feel like it's a cold fact that I can. But it's not in my program. So I wait. You mark my words though; this weekend I'm hitting a new PR on log clean-press. And that 350 yoke is toast.

PRESS+ Thursday June 22nd
Stretch
Bench press:
bar x 10
60 kgs x 5
90 kgs x 3
107.5 kgs x 3 x 8
Axle OHP (strict):
30 kgs x 10
60 kgs x 4 x 10
Incline BB press:
60 kgs x 3
75 kgs x 3
90 kgs x 7
DB front raises (p/h):
7.5 kgs x 10
10 kgs x 3 x 10
Seated French press:
30 kgs x 10, 7
25 kgs x 8
20 kgs x 10
super-set w/Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 4 x 20
HS chest press (p/h):
37.5 kgs x 4 x 10
super-set w/HS bicep curls (l&r):
12.5 kgs x 4 x 10

Pull+ Tuesday: Aces High!

THIS program is starting to get serious. Now I'm beginning to feel the effect of the elevated pull height. I'm really looking forward to getting up to 3 x 8 at 200 kilos, from the same deficit. I hope to complete them all - or as many as possible - double overhand. That will be a new personal record for me, in terms of grip strength. Also total reps at that weight. And this is my first time doing deficit deads... so a bunch of new personal records will be made by the end of this program. By that stage, I can safely assume the tendon is as strong as it ever was, and I can start working on my 1RM again. Just in time for the GPC Perth Cup.

I only programmed three sets of eight reps of bent-over rows for this session, but did a fourth (again, with a little body language on the last few reps) because I felt like I could, and not trying would have been a cop-out.

I needed something to help me finish up the session with five minutes of boring-ass cardio. Just in time, Spotify began playing Aces High by Iron Maiden. Couldn't have asked for a better track to grind out this tedious stationary cycling... which, despite my eagerness to hit 140 kilos bodyweight, I still need to do for conditioning. And coz I'm an adult, which means having to do shit I don't like sometimes.

Stephan was desperate to change the tunes back to that awful techno he loves as soon as I left the gym, but was respectful enough to wait till Aces High was over. Not doing so would have been blasphemous to Crom, god of gains and iron.

PULL+ Tuesday June 20th
stretch w/foam roller
Deficit deadlifts:
70 kgs x 10
110 kgs x 4 x 8
Bent-over barbell rows (underhand):
110 kgs x 4 x 8
HS seated rows (p/h):
50 kgs x 4 x 10
Meadows rows (l&r):
40 kgs x 4 x 8
super-set w/Face pulls:
plate 9 x 4 x 20
Cardio: assault bike 5 minutes @ 50 rpm

Events Saturday: Mick & Kong's Greatest Hits

THE SESSIONS I did through the week took their toll today. I was underpowered and fatigued quickly, and was still feeling the calf strain while walking the yoke. The 350 run has been postponed till the following weekend. However, there was one real positive for me training-wise; I worked up to a 100 kilo log clean-press (strict, like I do) which felt pretty damn easy. I made my mind up to aim for a new personal record next weekend on the log. This is a good time, as I've just finished a press routine. And I'm not squatting this week, so energy levels won't be compromised.

There's no prouder moment, for me, than seeing a trainee pull off something that surprises them. Today it was Mick's turn. Mick had his first proper session with a log - our sexy new 10-incher, ex-Australia's Strongest Man 2016 - after doing a whole lot of axle clean-presses and hexbar deadlifts. Those of you who follow this blog will know that Mick is a beast of a man who has to overcome some mobility issues if he's going to realise his true strength. The first time Mick tackled an axle in the rack he looked like he was pegging laundry. He has spent the last couple of months learning the basics. But after this session it was plain to see that he is well on his way.

Today, after sets of 5 at 45-55 kilos and triples of 60-65, he managed a singles of 70, 75 and 80! Next session, armed with this information, I will write him a basic program that will get him to a 100 kilo clean-press in a matter of weeks. Mark my words.

And then there's Kong. I caught just one of Kong's four sets of 8 clean-presses of a 75 kilo log. He viper-pressed most of them, and it's fair to say that each set looked as fresh as the last, which is due to his markedly improved conditioning; a testament to the work he's putting in outside of the clinics.

EVENTS Saturday June 17th
stretch
cardio: assault bike 5 minutes @ 50 rpm
Log clean press:
50 kgs x 8
70 kgs x 5
90 kgs x 1
100 kgs x 1
Yoke walk:
210 kgs x 2 x 20 meters

Pull+ Thursday: That Sweet Pain

THAT sweet pain you get from training three nights in a row, when the DOMS is still fresh in the muscles you're hitting again, hard. When you can properly feel the weight of your arms hanging loose from your shoulders, the heft of each stair climb like you're extracting yourself from quicksand. I have missed this. I've also missed the PTC scale, which has always been more generous than my home scales - even the new Fitbit one. The PTC scale tells me I weigh 138.9 kilograms.*


Some positive indicators that I'm on track with this program; so far I've completed all prescribed reps, though it's becoming more of a challenge. I used some body language on the last few of the final set of bent-over rows, but that's fine as next week the scheme drops to three sets. Same with the meadows rows/face-pulls super-set. I was feeling pretty blitzed by the end of it all. Hoping I pull up well enough to keep going hard on Saturday. I have a 350 kilo yoke I need to move.


PULL+ Thursday June 15th
Stretch
Deficit deadlifts:
70 kgs x 10
100 kgs x 4 x 8
Bent-over BB rows (underhand):
100 kgs x 4 x 8
HS seated rows (p/h):
47.5 kgs x 4 x 10
Meadows rows (l&r):
37.5 kgs x 4 x 10
super-set w/Face-pulls:
plate 9 x 4 x 20
Cardio: like, 2 minutes on the bike... lost interest when I made up my mind to see how quickly I can make it to +140*

The Road to Perth Cup 2017: New Template

I HAVE continued with the deficit deadlift program I began about a month ago, and have added some new press routines. From the start of August I intend to cease overhead pressing through the week, so as to better focus my energy on bench, and keep the overhead work for weekends. I still hope to be repping 120 kilos in about 6 weeks... so we'll see how that goes. It will be a significant new level of strength for me if achieved.

Fortnightly squatting is still working for me, but I'll need to transition over to the straight bar pretty soon. I'm hoping the tendon will take this, as it has taken everything else I've dished out over the past few months.

And the last two to three weeks before the Perth Cup will be a testing period for my max deadlift. I want to complete the deficits as written, and then work up to a +300 pull before resting for the comp.

Looking forward to getting back on the platform.

PRESS ROUTINE
Bench press:
wk1 100 kgs x 3 x 8 - 14/06
wk2 107.5 kgs x 3 x 8 - 23/06
wk3 115 kgs x 3 x 6
wk4 122.5 kgs x 3 x 6 - 1st week of July
wk5 130 kgs x 3 x 5
wk6 137.5 kgs x 3 x 4
wk7 145 kgs x 2 x 4
wk8 152.5 kgs x 2 x 3 - 1st week of August
wk9 160 kgs x 4
wk10 167.5 kgs x 3
wk11 175 kgs x 2
wk12 182.5 kgs x 1 - 1st week of September
wk13 190 kgs x 1
Axle OHP (strict):
wk1 50 kgs x 4 x 10 - 14/06
wk2 60 kgs x 4 x 10 - 22/06
wk3 70 kgs x 4 x 8
wk4 80 kgs x 4 x 7 - 1st week of July
wk5 90 kgs x 3 x 8
wk6 100 kgs x 3 x 6
wk7 110 kgs x 3 x 5
wk8 120 kgs x 3 x 3 - 1st week of August

SQUAT ROUTINE - Fortnightly
Cambered bar squats:
wk1 210 kgs x 3 x 4 - 13/06
wk3 220 kgs x 3 x 4
wk5 230 kgs x 3 x 3
wk7 240 kgs x 2 x 3
wk9 250 kgs x 2 x 2
wk11 260 kgs x 2
wk13 270 kgs x 1

PULL ROUTINE
Deficit deadlifts:
wk1 100 kgs x 4 x 8 - 15/06
wk2 110 kgs x 4 x 8 - 20/06
wk3 120 kgs x 4 x 8
wk4 130 kgs x 4 x 7 - 1st week of July
wk5 140 kgs x 4 x 7
wk6 150 kgs x 4 x 7
wk7 160 kgs x 4 x 7
wk8 170 kgs x 3 x 8 - 1st week of August
wk9 180 kgs x 3 x 8
wk10 190 kgs x 3 x 8
wk11 200 kgs x 3 x 8
wk12 Max testing +250 kgs - 1st week of September
wk13 Max testing +300 kgs

Press+ Wednesday: New Routine Time

I'VE PRETTY much come to the end of this press routine, which has spanned my rehabilitation up to this point. I mean, I could keep pushing, but the resultant reps wouldn't promote much of a training response. Better that I begin another routine; one that is focussed on new strength, not returning to condition.


The last one resulted in 100 kilo axle strict overhead press for three triples, and a triple 140 kilo bench press. The one I'm working on now ends with two triples of 120 OHP and a +170 bench.


PRESS+ Wednesday June 14th
Bench press:
bar x 10
60 kgs x 5
85 kgs x 3
100 kgs x 3 x 8
Axle OHP (strict):
30 kgs x 10
50 kgs x 4 x 10
45 incline BB press:
60 kgs x 2 x 3 - missload
90 kgs x 8
DB front raises (p/h):
7.5 kgs x 10
12.5 kgs x 2 x 10
Seated French press:
30 kgs x 10, 10, 5, 6
super-set w/Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 4 x 10
HS chest press (p/h):
35 kgs x 4 10 PR
super-set w/HS bicep curls (l&r):
12.5 kgs x 3 x 10

PTC Strongman: Branded. Also, Squat PR!

PTC Perth Strongman: Branded

THERE are huge things brewing this year for PTC Perth Strongman, and for strongman in general. Many hands make light work, as they say; an ironic idiom given the nature of the sport. With the valued assistance of a dedicated team and the constant support of Dan and Paul Rucci, dreams continue to be realised. We now have a fully-equipped training pen, a logo, and team shirts on the way. The Static Monsters are booked for 28th/29th October, so the crew who enter will be able to officially represent.

Big thanks have to go to Mick, the newest member of the team (and honestly the largest human I've met, next to Hafthor), who counts graphic design amongst his eclectic skill set. What you see here are his own designs, knocked up this week. The decision was made to go with the yoke as it's not been done before. But I love them both.

I haven't made the following concrete till now, but in October, to coincide with the ASA Static Monsters, I intend to hold a fundraiser in Malaga for the RSPCA. A truck pull event, because I love truck pull (and state-side, it's a somewhat rare and difficult event to organise), and I'll be pulling the truck in a RompHim.

You read that correctly.

I've been in touch with one of the RompHim sales team, who is looking into making me a tailored RompHim just for the occasion. If this happens... well, it'll be pretty entertaining to watch I'm sure. I just hope they use stretchy fabric, and I don't get too much bigger between then and now (my body weight's up to 136 kilos), or I'm liable to have a wardrobe malfunction on the day.

As for my training; much like my body weight, it's on the up and up. On Sunday I was extremely lucky to have received what felt like nearly an hour of free treatment from the best needle man in town, Stephen Hooper of Body Genius, and Michael, one of his skilled staff. The pair of them worked me over pretty thoroughly as I lay on their portable massage table at the WRPF State Powerlifting Championship. Stephen got right down into the groin on occasion, in full view of the platform and the modest crowd. It's lucky I'm not shy.



Yes. One of these things.

After the treatment I felt a marked improvement in my hip mobility. I hit the gym Tuesday night and squatted both heavier and more comfortably than I have done in nearly a year. But I got a little over confident when I decided to do some hack squats straight afterwards. Those five reps of just the machine were bone scraping bone. I also had some calf raises programmed here which I skipped, as direct calf activation is still not a great idea just now. The tear, or whatever it was, feels almost completely healed and I don't want to mess with it.

SQUAT Tuesday June 13th
Stretch
Cambered bar squats:
50 kgs x 10
90 kgs x 6
130 kgs x 4
170 kgs x 3
190 kgs x 1
 210 kgs x 3 x 4 PR
Hack squats:
BW x 5 - fuck that!
Axe swings:
plate 8 x 4 x 10 PR

The Week in Review: Bullet Dodging

HIGHLIGHTS of the week that was: an all time new personal record achieved on strict axle overhead press - 100 kilos for three triples. I asked Linus to spot my bench prior to this, which he took to mean lean over me and follow the bar with his hands... I guess I didn't make myself properly understood there; I just wanted someone to grab the bar should I fail a rep, not hover next to it. I reckon I could have made a fourth of 140 were it not for the distraction, but even four reps is below where I'd hoped I'd be. I really lost a lot of benching power during this last rehab, and it was already diminished thanks to the partial thickness tears to my rotator cuff tendons, sustained in late 2015. But the tears never really impacted my overhead, which explains the current disparity between the two movements.

During the previous weekend's clinic I walked a 330 kilo yoke for 20 meters, slow and uncomfortable, but the heaviest I've done in some time so I was pretty happy with that. Then I went and nearly spoiled it by straining, or maybe slightly tearing, my left calf during a prowler pull using PTC Perth Strongman's newest piece of gear, a Spud truck pull harness. Steve was savvy enough to grab footage of the mishap, which I'll embed here just as soon as I figure out how. But the injury was minor, so I still got most of my training done through the following week, though it was a shittier one than average and I didn't get to my pulls and rows till the clinic on Saturday.

EVENTS Saturday June 3rd
Stretch
Yoke walk:
130 kgs x 2 x 20 meters
210 kgs x 2 x 20 meters
270 kgs x 20 meters
310 kgs x 20 meters
330 kgs x 20 meters TPR
Log clean-press:
45 kgs x 10
Prowler drag:
240 kgs x 12 meters approx. - injury

PRESS+ Wednesday June 7th
Stretch
Cardio: assault bike 5 minutes @ 50 rpm
Bench press:
bar x 10
60 kgs x 6
90 kgs x 3
120 kgs x 1
140 kgs x 3 - Linus!
Axle OHP (strict):
35 kgs x 6
65 kgs x 4
85 kgs x 2
100 kgs x 3 x 3 PR
Incline barbell press:
60 kgs x 5
85 kgs x 9
Dumbbell front raises (p/h):
10 kgs x 4 x 10
Seated French press:
22.5 kgs x 4 x 10 PR
super-set w/Triceps push-downs:
full stack x 20, 20, 10, 15
HS strength press (p/h):
37.5 kgs x 3 x 10
super-set w/Bicep curls (l&r):
12.5 kgs x 3 x 10

PULL+ Saturday June 10th
Stretch
Log viper-press:
45 kgs x 10
60 kgs x 3
75 kgs x 3
Deficit deadlifts:
70 kgs x 10
90 kgs x 4 x 8
Bent-over barbell rows (underhand):
90 kgs x 4 x 10
HS seated rows (p/h):
45 kgs x 2 x 10
40 kgs x 2 x 10
Meadows rows (l&r):
35 kgs x 4 x 10
super-set w/Face-pulls:
plate 9 x 4 x 20

Press+ Thursday: Blitzed

BODY WEIGHT keeps going up, body fat percentage keeps going down. I'm actually considering posting up some graphs from my Fitbit app. Not only do I have the Fitbit, I got the scales to go with it, which makes body re-composition a whole lot easier to manage and precise to control.


Tonight's session was 33 sets; I've recently added incline barbell bench because it's something I've been shirking in my training lately and it has a better carry-over to OHP than flat bench press. In addition to the Hammer Strength presses, my upper body now feels properly blitzed.


PRESS+ Thursday June 1st
Stretch
Bench press:
bar x 10
60 kgs x 6
90 kgs x 4
115 kgs x 2
130 kgs x 5
Axle OHP (strict):
35 kgs x 6
60 kgs x 4
80 kgs x 2
95 kgs x 3 x 4 PR
Incline BB bench press:
60 kgs x 5
70 kgs x 3
80 kgs x 8
DB front raises (p/h):
10 kgs x 4 x 10
Seated French press:
25 kgs x 10, 8
22.5 kgs x 8
20 kgs x 9
super-set w/Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 20, 20, 20, 18
HS chest press (p/h):
35 kgs x 4 x 8
super-set w/HS bicep curls (l&r):
10 kgs x 3 x 10