January 14, 2012 to January 16, 2012

Back in PA. Exhausted is an understatement.

January 14, 2012 - Extra Workout

Walking - 32 minutes

Band Face Pulls
IW#1'sx100

Band Press Downs
IW#1'sx100

Band Straight Arm Lat Pulls
IW#1'sx100

Comments: Just the usual. Nothing major and went to sleep early.

January 15, 2012 – Events

Dynamic Warm-ups

12" Log Clean and Push Presses (one clean)
115x5
145x5
175x3
205x3
230x3
260x4

Tire Flips
700x1
700x1
900x1
900x1
1100x0
1100x1 PR+100lbs
1100x5 PR+4 reps

Biggdogg Strongg H-Stone Carries
240x50'
290xpick
349xpick
429x18'
429x62'

Anchor Chain Drags
500x50'
500x50'
800x50'
1400x0
1400x0
1200x32'

Atlas Stone Loads
250(18")x1 to 52"
330(20")x1 to 50"
360(20")x1 to 50"
380(20")x1 to 50"
405(22")x1 to 50"
432(22")x0 to 50"
432(22")x0 to 50"

Comments: This was a long day. Got up at 4:45 to make it to Brute Strength Gym at about 10:30. I slept about 2.5 hours on the way down so I wasn't super out of it. I love Brute Strength Gym and wish it was closer. My plan was to beat myself up on events to simulate a contest and not just to prep for Viking Fest. I have a feeling other big shows this year will involve a decent amount of traveling and I know it affects me. Knowing this, I started off with log pressing. I knew it was going be rough just starting with the warm-up weight. I got all the reps for this week but only one extra rep on the last set. Whatever, I'll take it. Moved on to tire flipping. So many tires there that they have a tire rack. My goal on this was to flip the 1100lbs tire and then do a heavy rep set. The heaviest tire I have access to is 957lbs (not including Tiny Tim, the plate loadable tire from hell) but it isn't too bad and I've been hearing that the tire for Viking Fest is really tough so why not go for a tire 200lbs over the contest weight. Did some easy singles to warm-up and then tired the 1100lbs tire. First attempt no luck. I was not going to let this happen, hell no. I'm a man and I'm going to flip that tire! Rested maybe 30 seconds and walked to the other side of it and gave it hell. Slow and ugly but I got it up. My wrist was sore after that lift and it has been a long time since I've felt soreness in my wrist from tire flipping. After getting it for one, I knew had it solved and went for an all out set. Surprised myself by getting five reps. I think I could've kept going. Next up was H-Stone carries. I have only played with a Biggdogg Strongg H-stone a couple times and usually for light weight (when it is empty) and my issue seems to always be that it is slick to hold on to with the diamond plating and smoothed edges. Seeing as how I have a bear of a husafell stone carry at Viking Fest, I wanted to make sure I could even get it into position. Loaded it up with all the chains and had at it. This sucked huevos grande. Took forever to get it into position and I lost my grip after 18'. I rested a bit and tried again with much better success (hey, failed attempts are warm-ups) and I lost my grip on that attempt too. Chain drag was next. It is part of a medley but I wanted to hit it heavy too since I'm not really going to have opportunity to max out on a chain drag back home. Besides, the contest weight was super easy so I wanted to push it. Now I thought that was adding just 500lbs but it turns out it was actually 600lbs. I tried once and couldn't budge it as I was slipping and sliding. I changed my shoes to hopefully get better traction with minimal changes. Switched some chain out to make it 200lbs lighter and actually got a fair distance at a snails pace. Just too beat to finish the 50' course. Stones were just awful as I was exhausted and the massive bruises on my inner thighs from the h-stone just hurt so bad when anything touched them. Decided to do low volume singles over a bar. I'm almost embarrassed to tell you how much trouble I had with the 330lbs stone. If I had not gotten it, I would have have just run towards the nearest living thing and just kill it. I felt better on the next two lifts and felt like I was back on my game. Had some issues with the new 405lbs stone but got it. 432lbs was just not going today. Definitely a fatigue thing as I haven't done this many events in one day in awhile. I also may ditch the stone sleeves as it looks like they were sliding on the heavier stones. Had a lot of fun and took a two hour nap to recover from that fun.



January 16, 2012 - Extra Workout

Walking - 32 minutes

Band Face Pulls
IW#1'sx100

Band Press Downs
IW#1'sx100

Band Straight Arm Lat Pulls
IW#1'sx100

Comments: Glorious sleep. Drove the rest of way home after staying the night at my relatives in Richmond. Bruises on my everywhere. Walking felt good and band stuff was understandably tough. This will be a tough week.