Friday, July 27, 2018

Squat+ Thursday: Back to the 80s!

THOUGHT I'd listen to something a little more chilled while training tonight and switched over to the 'Best of the 80s' radio station. Everything seemed to be going great until Rick Astley's 'never gonna give you up', when a quick gym census was taken and the radio was switched back to heavy metal. And that's just fine, too.

SQUAT+ Thursday July 26th
stretch & foam roll
Squats w/Cambered bar:
50 kg x 10
90 kg x 5
130 kg x 3 x 10
HS leg extensions (p/l):
20 kg x 3 x 10
HS hamstring curls (p/l):
12.5 kg x 4 x 10
HS calf raises:
45 kg x 4 x 15
DB front raises (p/h):
12.5 kg x 4 x 10

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Pull+ Tuesday: Low Gear

PULL+ Hypertrophy Tuesday July 24th
stretch
Deadlifts:
75 kg x 10
120 kg x 8
145 kg x 3 x 8
Meadows rows (l&r):
35 kg x 3 x 20
HS seated rows (p/h):
35 kg x 3 x 20
Seated row machine (underhand):
full stack x 3 x 10
super-set w/Axe-swings (l&r):
plate 8 x 3 x 10
Face-pulls:
plate 12 x 3 x 20
super-set w/DB side raises (p/h):
10 kg x 3 x 10

Sunday, July 8, 2018

Pull Tuesday, Yoke Saturday, Squat Sunday

SQUAT Sunday July 8th
stretch & aggressive foam roll
Squats w/cambered bar:
50 kg x 10
90 kg x 5
120 kg x 3 x 12
HS hamstring curls:
30 kg x 10
25 kg x 2 x 10
20 kg x 10
HS calf raises:
40 kg x 4 x 15
Axe-swings (l&r):
plate 8 x 3 x 10


EVENTS Saturday July 7th
stretch
Yoke walk:
130 kg x 2 x 20 m
210 kg x 2 x 20 m
280 kg x 4 x 20 m


PULL Tuesday July 3rd
stretch
Deadlifts:
75 kg x 10
120 kg x 3 x 10

Monday, July 2, 2018

Press, Pull & Press Again: Quaid Resurfaces

WITH the current state of my body, hypertrophy has become the primary focus of my last few sessions. I have yet to write up an actual template for this approach because it is, or at least was intended to be, only temporary. Like, a month at most. But now I'm considering running with it for a full 2 or 3 month program before I get back into heavy strongman events.

I am now doing axe-swings with each session in an effort to counter what I am experiencing with Quaid. On Wednesday the 20th June - the second last week in my axle and bench press program - I was unable to press a 120 kilogram axle for a single rep. I'd pressed it for a double at the end of my last template in mid-March.

Prior to this session, I'd developed a violent, hacking cough that I couldn't shake for a couple of weeks. It got to the point where I was experiencing a stabbing pain in my solar plexus each time I coughed or sneezed.

And now I was feeling like I'd lost some core stability. Later in the session, as I lay down on the bench and un-racked 60, my abdomen felt loose and distended. More so. I palpated my stomach and could feel Quaid extending further down to my belly button. After some disappointing and uncomfortable benching I ended the session.

From this week onwards, axle strict overhead press will be replaced with clean-press. It's time to get more strongman-specific movements into my regular training. Fingers crossed Quaid can be placated a little while longer. I really don't know what to do about him, other than wait for him to fully herniate so I can then have surgery.

PULL Hypertrophy Tuesday June 26th
stretch
Deadlifts:
75 kg x 10
110 kg x 3 x 10
Meadows rows (l&r):
32.5 kg x 3 x 20
HS seated rows (p/h):
32.5 kg x 3 x 20
Seated row machine (underhand):
full stack x 3 x 10
Super-set w/Axe-swings (l&r):
plate 8 x 3 x 10
Face-pulls:
plate 11 x 3 x 20
super-set w/DB side raises (p/h):
10 kg x 3 x 10

PRESS Hypertrophy Thursday June 28th
stretch
Axle clean-press:
40 kg x 10
60 kg x 10
75 kg x 5
Bench press (paused):
60 kg x 5
85 kg x 15
Incline barbell press:
65 kg x 3 x 12
DB front raises (p/h):
12.5 kg x 3 x 10
super-set w/Axe-swings (l&r):
plate 8 x 3 x 10
HS chest press (p/h):
22.5 kg x 3 x 10
super-set w/HS bicep curls (l&r):
15 kg x 3 x 10