Countdown to Comp Day: Meet Mick

IT WAS Markos, of all people, who reminded me that I needed to finish this post. He asked how my rehab was going. It has been going; disjointed and differently-abled, but going. I will add more to this later because my training, while only really ramping back up again this week, is pretty uninteresting when compared with all the other things that have been happening at PTC strongman lately.


BIG LADS: Kong, Mick & Ryan. Oh, and Steve.


First and foremost: the ASA / PTC Perth Strongman comp is almost here! This Sunday April 9th will be only the second strongman comp PTC Perth has ever run, and the first at PTC v3. This 1000 square meter lifter's paradise is, by far, the best equipped strength gym in the state and provides an excellent venue for athletes and spectators alike. I'm extremely proud of the PTC Strongman team for committing themselves to the simple program I wrote them. They are all in the best condition of their fledgling careers and I look forward to seeing new personal records set across the board.


The team has another new member - a towering behemoth called Mick. Mick doesn't know how strong he actually is just yet, and is what people more knowledgeable than me would call an 'untrained state'; in need of some basic mobility work to get him to a 'trainable state', and from there he will be introduced to the sweet science of strongman. If he commits himself, like the rest of the team, he will also be a formidable athlete in a couple of years. I have no doubt. Utilising his untapped potential is my newest and possibly greatest challenge, as a coach.

The shed has been erected! And it's got our stuff in it! Considering the time and effort the guys put into it, and the frustration Bunnings caused when they failed to provide the missing parts needed to complete the job, This is about as chipper a response as I can give on the subject.

Getting to my training. Things have been feeling good so far. This week just gone I've been feeling more capable than in previous sessions, so I pushed the tendon more than I have done previously. By the end of my pressing session it was feeling strained, but undamaged. If I continue with the gradual increase in my loadings, I may be able to begin deadlifting et cetera in a month or so.

Bored with not being able to deadlift, with the cambered bar I can at least squat safely, and this has become my go-to apparatus for lower body training. I'm also using the hack squat machine fairly regularly without knee issues, which is excellent. Though I am in dire need of some dry needling and will have to get properly pinned soon if I expect this trend to continue.


Since the tendon detachment I've gained about 7 kilograms from sitting on my ass, and this has provoked my diastasis recti  (also known as Quaid) to reappear. So I've added 'axe swings' back into my regular training, to restrengthen my abs and force Quaid back into hiding.


Ryan & Steve build while Kong and Mick train.

I was, prior to this, the leanest and strongest I'd ever been, after coming back from quad tears at GPC states in September. I have no doubt that I will do the same again this year, though whether or not I'll compete is another question. If I do, I'll be aiming for something towards year's end. If I can get conditioned in time I might even enter the ASA Static Monsters, an internationally syndicated, strongman-oriented, push/pull event comprising Log clean-press and Axle deadlift. It will be good to get amongst it again.

April 6th

Assault bike: 8 minutes @ 50 rpm, 30 sec @ 75 rpm
Stretch

Cambered bar squats:
50 kgs x 5
80 kgs x 5
100 kgs x 5
120 kgs x 5
140 kgs x 5

HS seated rows:
Left 15 kgs x 4 x 10
Right 60 kgs x 2 x 10, 50 kgs x 2 x 10

Hack squats:
50 kgs x 3 x 10

Super-set w/Axe swings:
Left & Right Plate 6 x 3 x 10

April 4th

Assault bike: 5 minutes @ 50 rpm

Bench press:
20 kgs x 10
30 kgs x 10
40 kgs x 10
50 kgs x 8 - stopped here due to a pec strain

Axle OHP:


Almost done.

20 kgs x 10
30 kgs x 10
40 kgs x 10

DB bicep curls:
Left 2 kgs x 10, 5 kgs x 4 x 10
Right 22.5 kgs x 4 x 8

DB front raises:
Left 3 kgs x 3 x 10
Right 10 kgs x 2 x 10, 7.5 kgs x 10

Super-set w/Face pulls:
Plate 5 x 3 x 10

Triceps pushdowns:
Left plate 2 x 3 x 15
Right plate 10 x 3 x 15

Super-set w/HS chest press:
Left 5 kgs x 10, 10 kgs x 2 x 10
Right 40 kgs x 2 x 10, 35 kgs x 10

April 1st

Assault bike: 10 minutes @ 50 rpm

Squats w/cambered bar:
50 kgs x 10


The Strongman Equipment Shed is Finally Finished. Hooray.

80 kgs x 5
110 kgs x 5

Cambered bar GMs (low pick):
90 kgs x 3 x 5

March 21st

Assault bike: 10 minutes @ 50 rpm

Seated DB curls:
Left 3 kgs x 4 x 10
Right 20 kgs x 4 x 8

HS seated rows:
Left 5 kgs x 4 x 10
Right 40 kgs x 4 x 10

Tri-pushdowns:
Left plate 1 x 3 x 10
Right plate 6 x 2 x 20, 20, 10