Sunday, August 20, 2017

Events Saturday: What We Do Between Injuries...


THIS was a pretty busy clinic considering more than half the crew are currently nursing injuries. The Lion, who also injured his bicep tendon (his in March of this year), has not been around much of late; this was his first clinic appearance in some months. He tells me he's also been crook lately, and I concluded that his rehab has not been going as well as we'd like.

Mick has just bounced back from his back issue a few weeks earlier and was keen to apply himself today. After some discussion with his primary coach and physio, Dan Rucci, I was pleased to watch Mick perform some straight bar deadlifts for the first time since joining the team. While I did have to cap his weight at well below 100 kilos, I think Mick was just happy pulling something other than the hexbar for a change.
Mathew hasn't been around much lately as his hips and posterior chain are all kinds of messed up. This is a condition he's had all his life, I expect. The training brings these issues to the fore and makes them near impossible not to address. It was great to see him moving some weight and doing it comfortably, with technical advice dished out by PTCSM's oldest member and resident physio, Ryan aka 'Hightower'. Ryan, notably, is not one of the injured many.

But Nathan is. It was his second clinic and the back complaint he mentioned last time was, predictably, still holding him back. Which means he needs to quit what he's doing and get that checked out. I don't allow people to train through injuries. I was even more concerned to learn that Nathan's legs are not the same length, and he should be wearing orthotics. I advised him that this sport will exacerbate otherwise minor impediments of this nature, and in addition to the info I gave him last week about getting regular physiotherapy, it was imperative that he sort this stuff out before continuing with his strongman events training.
Alec's calf tear from just before the WASM August qualifier is almost one hundred per cent, he tells me, which is excellent news. He is currently in a deload phase with plans to ramp up again a little closer to the next competition, scheduled for some time in September.


My focus, of course, is still on the Perth Cup. And my next deadlift session... which may be at PTC Headquarters in Melbourne.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

PRESS+ Wednesday: Doing it Right

I JUST kept on hitting paused triples tonight. I'd programmed at least four sets, but with the removal of axle overhead press from the routine I discovered last session that I had more in the tank, so I used it and did six. Solid. Reworking the template (again) now.


PRESS+ Wednesday August 16th
Stretch
Bench press (paused):
bar x 10
60 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 3
120 kgs x 1
135 kgs x 6 x 3
Incline BB press:
67.5 kgs x 4 x 8
DB front raises (p/h):
10 kgs x 10
12.5 kgs x 3 x 10
Seated French press:
25 kgs x 4 x 10
Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 15
HS chest press (p/h):
47.5 kgs x 4 x 8
super-set w/HS bicep curls (l&r):
17.5 kgs x 3 x 10

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

PULL+ Tuesday: Moment of Truth

PEOPLE who know me know how much I enjoy deadlifting heavy. It's something I haven't been able to do all year. I am certain people are also tired of reading me harp on about this injury that's blighted most of my year, as far as competing is concerned.

What people don't know, coz it's not something I've ever been moved to write about before, is that my family don't support what I do. After this last injury, where friends and relative strangers were offering words of encouragement on social media, my own mother called me up one morning and told me to quit. We haven't spoken since.

These last six months haven't just been rehabilitation. The first 30 years of my life I wasn't a lifter. In my mind I fought a steady stream of reasoned arguments for quitting this life and returning to the person I used to be. The defeatist in me could have won.

Instead, I trained harder and longer. I ate bigger. I programmed smarter. I started out with the measly 1 kilogram bicep curls that the surgeon prescribed, six weeks after the surgery itself. This was March. Fucking March, I was a fat weak 130 kilograms. In March, people who know what they're talking about told me to expect it to take a year or more to come back to full strength. I did it in half that time.

Tonight I pulled 305 like a warmup, because it was. I'm getting warmed up for Perth Cup.

350 falls in September.

https://www.facebook.com/abaddon.quinn/videos/vb.1223146239/10213942492136087/?type=2&theater&notif_t=video_processed&notif_id=1502810353742162

PULL+ Tuesday August 15th
Stretch
Deadlifts:
70 kgs x 10
120 kgs x 5
170 kgs x 5
220 kgs x 3
250 kgs x 1
275 kgs x 1
305 kgs x 1
Bent-over BB rows (overhand):
105 kgs x 3 x 10
HS seated rows (p/h, neutral):
65 kgs x 4 x 8
Seated rows (underhand):
full stack x 3 x 10
Meadows rows (l&r):
40 kgs x 4 x 10
super-set w/Face-pulls:
plate 10 x 4 x 20
hardlio cardio: assault bike 30 seconds @ +80 rpm

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Press+ Saturday: Meet the Yak & My Pasty Butt

TODAY'S session takes a back seat to the advent of Nathan, who comes with the built-in alias 'the Yak.' Nathan hails from Two Rocks - fifty minutes drive each way. He says that, having lived remotely all his life, he's used to long commutes. Obviously not all of our members live in places convenient to PTC Perth; there are plenty, like Kong and Nathan, who invest the time because they want to train with the best equipment, and learn from some of the best in the state.



So our team gains another promising new member! I'll be updating the PTC SM athlete bios in due course. First let's give Nathan more opportunity to show his mettle. His was a light session today; for all his enthusiasm, the fella did just compete a week ago... and managed to injure his back doing so.



Ah yes, that's right, 'the Yak' was in the mix at the WASM qualifier also. Already comp experienced. Excellent to see. But, as I told him, even if my crew were not either working or sick at home today, they'd be forgiven for not training this soon after a competition anyhow, and he should most definitely be seeking treatment for his complaint and not attempting to train through it.


Hours beforehand, Ryan and Mat were in the gym doing some overhead press. I recruited them to spot me as I did my money sets on bench. I'm glad I did, as Ryan has had enough PL comp experience to know when a press hasn't been paused long enough, and at 140 kilograms, mine were not. Bad sign. I immediately shed 10 kilos and continued with the programmed triples. These were better. I do have to scale back my aspirations for a comparable bench to my best.


The combination of dropping axle OHP from the program and taking a time-out to introduce Nathan to just some of what we do meant that I had more in the tank than expected when it came time for Hammer Strength chest press. I could have done 8 or 10 rep sets here for the prescribed four sets, I'm pretty sure, but I kept them to six. I could have done another couple of those, too. So I clearly need to mess with this comp prep template and get it working better for me, stat.


I did make the threat of another body re-composition update. So here it is. I was feeling pretty bloated in these pics, and my Fitbit scale tells me I've climbed from 26% back up to 29% body fat. And the heaviest I've reached (and maintained) in my lifting career.








PRESS+ Saturday August 12th
stretch
Bench press (paused):
bar x 10
60 kgs x 6
100 kgs x 3
120 kgs x 1
140 kgs x 3
130 kgs x 3 x 3
Incline BB bench press:
65 kgs x 4 x 8
DB front raises (p/h):
7.5 kgs x 10
10 kgs x 10
12.5 kgs x 2 x 10
seated French press:
20 kgs x 4 x 10
super-set w/Tri-pushdowns:
full stack x 25 PR
full stack x 3 x 15
HS chest press (p/h):
45 kgs x 6 x 6 PR
super-set w/HS bicep curls (l&r):
17.5 kgs x 3 x 10
Cardio: Assault bike 5 minutes @ 50 rpm

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

5 Weeks Out: Comp Prep Begins

THIS is exciting for me! Finally programming some proper heavy lifting. I am jumping into comp prep mid-week, managing to salvage much of the final month of my original press program for use here. The repetitions have dropped and the focus will be on the pause, but the loadings are the same.


It's gonna be interesting since the pause is the point in the press that most directly aggravates my bursitis. Because of this impingement I don't know if I'll be as strong in September as I was in 2015. But I'll be giving it my best fucking shot.


Not included here is what I'm planning for events training. Now is potentially the time to check my clean press again. Not aiming for a new one rep max; I have learned from the last time I made that stupid assumption. No, I'll do reps of something heavy... I just haven't decided what yet.


AUGUST Week 2
Bench press: 145 kgs x 3 x 3


AUGUST Week 3
Deadlift: 200 - 275 kgs x 1
Bench press: 152.5 kgs x 2 x 3
Squat: 230 kgs x 3 x 3


AUGUST Week 4
Deadlift: 280 - 310 kgs x 1
Bench press: 160 kgs x 3


SEPTEMBER Week 1
Deadlift: 315 - 340 kgs x 1
Bench press: 167.5 kgs x 2
Squat: 240 kgs x 2 x 2

Pull+ Tuesday: Calling It

I'M CALLING it. It is time to scrap this program.

Reasons:
* On deficits, I couldn't even complete all 8 reps of the first set double overhand; I swapped over for the final rep, just like last session. So the chances of me completing one set of 8 at 200 kilos are nil.

* I managed the first two sets of meadows rows, but the range of motion was not sufficient on the second. Combined with a developing tendon strain, I couldn't see much value in continuing them.

* I am running out of time to maximise my deadlift before the Perth Cup. On the whole, things are going pretty awesomely... but I should devote more time prepping for September. Just as I've transitioned to the straight bar for squats and will be hitting heavy, paused doubles and triples on bench from here on out, it's also time to make my pulls comp-specific.

This program, which is now approaching failure, has lasted a long time and is definitely one of my more successful templates. I wrote it entirely by myself, where in the past I've either followed instruction from my former coach, Joel McCaughan, or taken advice from Joel (and other people I trust) in formulating my own. This time I honestly felt like I knew, from the outset, what needed to be done and how best to do it. I started with one kilogram bicep curls and cambered bar squats in mid-March, after six weeks of doing nothing post-surgery. People in the know told me I should expect to take a year or more to return to strength after a tendon reattachment.

Well, that was a little over seven months ago. Now my overhead press is stronger than it's ever been, my squat is stronger than it's ever been, and soon I'll be able to say my deadlift is stronger than it's ever been. I'm also heavier (140 kgs), feeling healthier (60 bpms resting heart rate) and I reckon looking better (26% body fat) than I have, ever.

It's not all good news: my strongman events have gone to shit while I've been developing my static abilities, and the ones least worked due to their direct activation of the biceps (like farmers walk, atlas stones and various axle movements) are also mongst my favourites. But with that hip injury no longer bothering me, I can see a return to events training just around the corner...

I'd better turn that corner quick if I want to compete in SM this year too.

PULL+ Tuesday August 8th
Stretch
Deficit deadlifts:
70 kgs x 6
120 kgs x 4
150 kgs x 3
180 kgs x 3 x 8 PR
Bent-over BB rows (overhand):
70 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 5
115 kgs x 2 x 8
HS seated rows (p/h):
62.5 kgs x 4 x 8 - accidentally did 10 reps 1st set
Seated row machine (underhand):
full stack x 3 x 8
Meadows rows (l&r):
52.5 kgs x 2 x 6 PR
super-set w/Facepulls:
plate 10 x 4 x 20

Saturday, August 5, 2017

The WASM August Qualifier

WHAT A day. Though it has been a factor in previous years, the weather was merciful today in the bustling centre of metropolitan Morley. Coventry village has played host to many excellent strength sports events over the years, including some that were truly memorable for me and the lifting community at large. WASM held a qualifier here in 2014 where I competed alongside my first ever trainee, Ashleigh. And it was here that PTC held the first ever Perth Cup; an emotional two day event which also marked the tragic passing of Ron Rucci.

A calf injury just three weeks out put our under 105 division future champion, Alec, out of contention for this event. He will join Mick (and maybe even yours truly) in entering the final qualifying round scheduled for late September. PTC Strongman fielded two competitors today; 'Wonderboy' Steve in the under 90 kilogram division and 'Kong' Kania in the heavyweights. Kong joined PTCSM sixteen months ago having had zero experience in strength sports, and this competition marked his move from the novice category into the legit heavyweight field. Steve, on the other hand, is a peak strength athlete with a background in Crossfit who has joined us fat slow strongmen to beat us at our own game, much like John Champion did two years before him.

The heavyweight division was both thick and lean with talent, and I mean that quite literally. A fresh young PT from the 'Shredded Strength Institute' called Max McCall has made a big (and some would say premature) step up into the division while still walking around at a bare 100 kilograms. Obviously he thought the under 105s wasn't going to be enough of a challenge. And, watching his lightning 350 kilo yoke run, you'd have to agree with him.

He joined Kong, the baby faced assassin Jack Opferkutch and Australian Strongman Alliance's reigning under 105 national champion (to name but one of his several wins) Matt Lynch Blanche. Predictably Matt took the win with some awesome displays of strength and speed.

Today's comp was Kong's first ever deadlift in excess of 250 kilograms. 275, in fact. It was a long tussle but he locked that bastard out. He also did some of his best work in the carry events, the second of which (the fifth and final event for the day) was a late change from Farmers walk. But, in an upset for Kong, he was pipped for third place by the combination of a supercharged Max McCall and some unexpected technical issues that were had with the axle clean press. Kong was understandably disappointed, but it's an invaluable learning experience for him... and, assuming he hasn't already earned an invite to the WASM state championships, he will have the chance to qualify again in September.

While the day saw many gutsy efforts from all competitors, Steve stood a touch above the rest in the under 90s. He was the outright winner in all five events, and I can't help thinking this victory was a comfortable one for him when compared with the rigours of his last Crossfit event earlier in the year.

It has been hard for me to put into words how pleased and proud I am of Kong and Steve, and all the crew who spent the day cheering them on. It's the people who've built PTCSM up into what it has become, and it is an honour and a privilege to be their coach.

There are only bigger and better things in store for our team this year; Steve has earned his invite to states, scheduled for November, and before that another contingent will be testing their might in the final qualifying round for the year.

More immediately, I'm uploading several videos from today to YouTube which are taking their sweet time. But watch this space...

Thursday, August 3, 2017

PRESS+ Wednesday: Wet Wreckage

PRIOR TO taking in the scene of violent wreckage that was once our strongman shed, I was chatting with Shane about the state of play regarding injuries and such. He is planning a year off competing to heal up and slim down. Obviously, I am doing the exact opposite; competing next month, and currently the heaviest I've been since 2010, before I had muscles. At some point I might even take some pics.
RIP PTC SM shed v1

Joint pain on my left side made everything heavier tonight. Left wrist and elbow were complaining the most from the overhead press, which I quit after two sets. Ordinarily this would mean the session was a failure and, while I am pretty disappointed about the bench work, that's still a new all time personal record on axle overhead press for me. I checked my records and could find only one set of five or three triples at that weight were done previously.

The pain assisted in helping me focus on a much slower French press tonight. Everything was slower, in fact. I am trying to pause my bench press properly from here on out, which made completing the reps as programmed pretty much impossible. As a point of reference, here's what I was benching in March of 2015 (my strongest year of competition in both PL and SM), in my first week of prep for the CAPO state championships:

Bench press:
20 kgs x 5
70 kgs x 5
100 kgs x 3
125 kgs x 1
145 kgs x 5 x 4 PR

Now... if that's touch and go, then my bench is not far from this level right now. But if those reps were paused - and I have a strong suspicion they were - then this is not the case. Not at all.

To compare my overhead press, then to now, brings a slightly more positive outcome. In late July of that year, when my primary focus had returned to strongman and the WASM qualifier a month away, this is what my overhead axle press looked like:

OHP w/Axle (strict):
20 kgs x 8
65 kgs x 5
95 kgs x 1
110 kgs x 5 PR

And that was literally my peak pressing strength before the SM comp; a victory which also marked the beginning of a long bout of injuries that have kept me sidelined for much of the last two years.
From here on out, I think it's going to be wise to separate my overhead and bench press; keep OHP for weekends and bench through the week. I also think some heavy paused double and triples should be my strategy for the next five weeks. And it's time to return to clean-pressing too.

PRESS+ Wednesday August 2nd
Stretch
Bench press (paused):
bar x 10
60 kgs x 4
90 kgs x 3
115 kgs x 2
137.5 kgs x 2 x 4
127.5 kgs x 4
117.5 kgs x 5
Axle OHP (strict):
50 kgs x 5
80 kgs x 3
100 kgs x 6, 5 PR
Incline BB bench press:
62.5 kgs x 4 x 8
DB front raises (p/h):
7.5 kgs x 10
12.5 kgs x 3 x 10
seated French press:
20 kgs x 4 x 10
super-set w/Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 20
full stack x 3 x 15
HS chest press (p/h):
42.5 kgs x 4 x 7
super-set w/HS bicep curls (l&r):
17.5 kgs x 3 x 10
- stopped at 7 reps of the final set on my left side due to some straining. Let's not detach it again huh.