Return to the S.T.F.

Or, the Savickas Testing Facility as I called it. All the stuff in this video I sold, more's the pity. Admittedly, a lot of the plates were rusty and mismatched, and the 'squat cage' would crimp if I loaded it with the weight I can move now, so it wouldn't be of any real use if I still had it. But I really miss my extra-long handled loadable dumbbells. And I am in dire need of a bench.


I am still tripping a little about how this is where I began, and almost exactly ten years to the day
I started this journey with my dinky little bench and dumbbells at home, I'm back here again. Only now I'm a strength athlete. Won't the neighbours be thrilled.


My first session at home went pretty well. The routine was improvised and is likely not the final form of whatever pulling and pressing template I put together. It was just as many movements as I could think of at the time. With variations limited, volume must increase, so I'll be doing four or more sets of most exercises that are not main lifts.


It's lucky I decided not to go heavier on deadlifts today, as there's now two divots in the paving and the bar already rolls straight to them. I will need to get something sturdier to put between the pavers and the mats... or only deadlift from blocks (boo).


I put together a short video of some of the things I did during this session, primarily to showcase the Savickas press. This is a great way to totally isolate the pressing muscles. It removes any drive or power provided by the lower posterior, and makes it all about the triceps, deltoids and pectorals. But you can use this contraption to bench and even squat, if you begin the squat (or press) from the bottom of the movement... and, if you're using your pergola, you aren't loading up hundreds of kilograms on it.

I finished off with some Ez-bar skull-crushers and curls, weaksauce rubber band triceps pushdowns and isometric holds with my dusty old SISU Warhammer wrapped in a Fatgrip 'Extreme' to make it a little harder.


No, squats I'll be doing at Navarre's place rather than risk my pergola. He's very kindly offered to let me train with him, and he lives real close by, so it's actually pretty sweet, all things considered.


Pull & Press Tuesday March 31st

SISU Warhammer w/Fatgrip 'Extreme'

Deadlifts with barbell:

65 kg x 10

105 kg x 5

145 kg x 3

165 kg x 3 x 5 double overhand

Barbell bent-over rows:

70 kg x 4 x 10

Savickas OHP:

20 kg x 8

40 kg x 5

50 kg x ME 10

Skull crushers w/EZ bar:

24 kg x 10

29 kg x 10, 10, 6

Standing EZ bar curls:
29 kg x 4 x 10
EZ bar front raises:
19 kg x 4 x 10
Rubber band triceps pushdowns:
3 x 20
Warhammer +Fatgripz 'Extreme' isometric side holds:
30 seconds per arm x 2