Remembering How to Deadlift

I AM not yet ready to give up on these incline bench presses. My last press session didn't produce quite the number of reps I wanted, though I am still not sure if I repped it five or six times in the second set. I am going with five as I'd rather underestimate than overestimate. Even so, I programmed three sets of six and, at most, managed two of them. If the next press session is just as disappointing, I will reconsider.

Last week I began my new axle squat template, and at the start of Saturday's events session I rolled out my new deadlift template, which looks like this:

Barbell deadlifts
wk01 205 kg x 3 x 8 - done
wk02 215 kg x 3 x 7
wk03 225 kg x 3 x 6
wk04 235 kg x 3 x 5
wk05 245 kg x 3 x 4
REST
wk07 255 kg x 2 x 6
wk08 265 kg x 2 x 5
wk09 275 kg x 2 x 4
wk10 285 kg x 2 x 3
wk11 295 kg x 2 x 2
REST
wk13 305 kg x 4
wk14 310 kg x 3
wk15 315 kg x 2
wk16 320 kg x 1


I am adding rest weeks because I need them, and previous years have ended prematurely thanks to injuries sustained from going too hard for too long. But even so, I recognise this program is pretty ambitious. I'll be extremely happy if I can manage to perform all reps as written.

I had plans on moving some decent weight on the farmers picks but after the deadlifts and dumbbell rows my grip was already beginning to fail, so I backed off and did my requisite cardio to finish up.

It's a shame too, as our farmers picks are currently damaged: we were using Jacqui's pair for the day. She came to do some training with Navarre and Anthony, as all three are in comp prep mode for the Arnolds! I had not caught up with Jacqui in some time. It was excellent to see her as strong and determined as ever. She's one of those athletes who always looks like she's having fun, because she really is.

EVENTS+ Saturday February 15th
Deadlifts w/barbell:
65 kg x 10
105 kg x 5
145 kg x 3
185 kg x 1
205 kg x 3 x 8
DB bent over rows (l&r):
30 kg x 8
40 kg x 8
50 kg x 8
Farmers walk (p/h):
80 kg x 2 x 15
Cardio:
assault bike 5 mins @ +50 rpm

PRESS+ Tuesday February 10th
Chest press machine flat (p/h):
25 kg x 8
30 kg x 8
35 kg x 8
Incline barbell press:
50 kg x 5
70 kg x 3
90 kg x 1
100 kg x 6, 5, 4
Axle OHP (strict):
50 kg x 3
70 kg x 9
Triceps pushdowns:
90 kg wide grip x 10
90 kg close grip x 10
63 kg rope x 10
63 kg x wide grip x 10
63 kg x close grip x 10
45 kg x rope x 10
Preacher curls:
24 kg x 10
29 kg x 10
34 kg x 8
DB curls (p/h):
12.5 kg x 2 x 10
DB side raises (p/h):
10 kg x 3 x 10
Cardio:
assault bike 5 mins @ +55 rpm

Squat Saturday: Ten Kilos Lost in Three Months

Ten kilograms lost in 3 months

I unofficially started eating in a caloric deficit at the end of October / start of November, when I was still hovering around 135 kilograms body weight. I didn't do anything overly scientific; I just made sure I was hungry all the time and gradually reduced the amount I ate each meal. The less I trained the less I needed to eat, and I was training only once a week on average at this point. It would always include some cardio at the end, coz I'm not keen on dying in my forties, and while I suck at it and will never actually enjoy doing it, I know I need to.


I would subsist on a small bowl of muesli in the morning, a piece of banana bread around ten o'clock, a small meal for lunch (on days I had time to sit and eat lunch), and a couple of nut or grain bars in the afternoon; one around two o'clock, another around four. I'd have a small meal when I got home at six, and dinner would be anytime between eight and ten o'clock. It was only really on post-training days that the hunger pains were hard to deal with. I'd have a protein shake some time during the day after a session if they got really bad. Like, dry-retching bad.


From the beginning of December I was on holidays, so was able to de-stress (which had a great positive impact on my quality of sleep, amongst other things) and focus on things other than training, while still keeping fit and active. But, while most people were indulging in food and drink over the holiday season, I was abstaining and sticking to my goal. And by the end of January, that goal was reached.


Today before doing my money sets on yoke I had to adjust my Inzer belt again. I am one notch away from the smallest setting I've ever used. And, while it was only 250, the yoke didn't suck, even after high volume squats, which I was happy about. I am looking forward to getting back into more regular events.


EVENTS Saturday February 8th
Axle squats:
20 kg x 10
60 kg x 5
100 kg x 3
120 kg x 1
140 kg x 3 x 10 TPR maybe a PR
Yoke walk:
130 kg x 15 meters
190 kg x 15 meters
250 kg x 3 x 15 meters
Cardio:
assault bike 5 minutes @ +50 rpm

Three Week Recap

When I began exercising properly for the first time, I was 30 years old, weighed over 150 kilograms, smoked and drank excessively, and just wanted to get healthier. But, when I found Strongman about 18 months into it, I also found a training method that I really enjoyed and a level of intensity I’d not experienced before in any gym, or following any of the usual bodybuilding-style templates I saw most other people doing.

My endeavours in the sport over the following 10 years aside, it has allowed me to drop over 25 kilograms on the scale while recomposing my body from 50% body fat to around 25%-30%. My blood pressure, resting heart rate, liver function, and all other vitals are checked twice a year and are in ideal ranges. I have to monitor my cholesterol on the occasions I decide to bulk up, but that’s not a major issue. I have learned *so much* in the last decade that has helped me be a better athlete and healthier person.

There are people I went to school with, who had the same attitude to health and fitness that I used to, and who are dead now because of it. I think about that a lot nowadays.

 

PRESS+ Thursday February 6th
Chest press machine flat:
25 kg x 10
30 kg x 10
35 kg x 5
Incline barbell press:
20 kg x 5
55 kg x 5
75 kg x 3
85 kg x 1
95 kg x 7, 8, 3
Axle overhead press (strict):
25 kg x 5
55 kg x 3
75 kg x 5
Triceps pushdowns:
90 kg close grip x 10
90 kg wide grip x 8
63 kg rope x 8
63 kg close grip x 10
63 kg wide grip x 10
49.5 kg rope x 10 PR
Preacher curls:
24 kg x 10
29 kg x 10
34 kg x 9
DB curls (p/h):
12.5 kg x 10 - left elbow issue
DB front raises (p/h):
10 kg x 3 x 10
Cardio:
assault bike 5 mins @ +55 rpm

PULL+ Thursday January 30th
Deadlifts w/barbell:
75 kg x 10
115 kg x 5
155 kg x 5
DB bent-over rows (p/h):
20 kg x 10
30 kg x 10
DB meadows rows (p/h):
60 kg x 3 x 8
Seated rows (neutral grip):
90 kg x 3 x 10
Lateral pulldowns:
60 kg x 10
52.5 kg x 10
37.5 kg x 10
Face-pulls:
54 kg x 3 x 20
Cardio:
assault bike 5 mins @ +55 rpm

PRESS+ Thursday January 23rd
Chest press machine flat (p/h):
20 kg x 10
25 kg x 10
30 kg x 10
Incline barbell press:
20 kg x 5
55 kg x 5
75 kg x 3
90 kg x 4 x 4
Axle overhead press (strict):
25 kg x 5
55 kg x 3
75 kg x 2
90 kg x ME 4 - FAIL
40 kg x 15
Triceps pushdowns:
90 kg close grip x 10
90 kg wide grip x 10
63 kg rope x 10
63 kg close grip x 10
63 kg wide grip x 10
45 kg rope x 10
Preacher curls:
24 kg x 10
29 kg x 10
34 kg x 10
DB curls (p/h):
12.5 kg x 3 x 10
DB front raises (p/h):
10 kg x 3 x 10
Cardio:
assault bike 5 mins @ +50 rpm