May 25, 2012 - ME LB & May 27, 2012 – Events

Went down to Virginia earlyish on Saturday to visit relatives and then trained at Brute Strength Gym on Sunday before heading back home late that day.

May 25, 2012 - ME LB

Dynamic Warm-ups

12” Axle Block Pulls w/ Chains
No Chains
162x5
Add Chains (+70lbs)
162x5
212x3
262x3
312x3
362x3
412x1
452x1
502x1
542x1
577x1
597x1
532x4

Cambered Squat Bar Goodmornings
190x3
240x3
280x12
300x12
325x12 PR+10lbs

Underhand Grip Pulldowns (straps)
140x3
190x3
240x12
240x12
240x12

26 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Deadlift day has come again. Last two sessions had been awesome. Things started out slow so I was expecting to be using less weight than expected. When 542lbs felt slow, I was certain that my next pull would be my last. Looks like I just needed to get psyched up as it went up easy. Next attempt was slow but still solid. Nearly 600lbs in straight weight. Went a bit heavier than I planned for the down set. I figure that on the low position weeks, I'll keep it a higher percentage and save the reps for the higher position pulls since it will be closer to contest conditions. Goodmornings felt good, made a bigger jump for the last set and that went smoothly. It was getting late for the pulldowns so I tried to move through those quickly. Really had to fight to get all the reps.



I need to give some background to this workout. After my deadlift workout on Friday, when I was back home, my back kind of went out on me while going down the stairs and I had to lay down and massage it for awhile. It was still tender the next day and I was worried about it. I had planned to go down to train at Brute Strength Gym for a few months now and I didn't want something like this to ruin it. Very hot down there, over 90 and humid. Went for a walk with my little cousin who took me on a "short-cut" which ended up being over and hour long walk.

May 27, 2012 – Events

Dynamic Warm-ups

Bigg Dogg Strongg Dumbbell Clean and Presses
115x3
115x3
115x3
165x1
165x1
185x3
185x4

BiggDogg Strongg Yoke/Frame Medleys
y-500x60'
f-500x20'
700x50'/500x50'
800x50'/600x50'
910x50'/700x50' (1 drop)

Wheelbarrow Load Medleys
1000x20'/260/1000x20'/257/1000x20'/250/1000x20'
1250x20'/250/1500x20'/257/1500x20'/260/1250x20'

Comments: Woke up early to get there when they opened. Setup dumbbell first. Legs are always tired in the AM and the extended trek from the day before had exacerbated that. I made sure I warmed up well and decided to do reps. Not pretty but got in some decent work. I think I'll try and do reps one week and singles the next with log cleans to break it up some. Moved on to yoke and frame carries. I felt like death moving the yoke and frame to the starting positions. Not a confidence booster. I should mention that this frame has no grip, the handles are smooth, custom made for the gym. So with much hesitation, I set up for my first run and surprise-surprise it was pretty easy. Alright, add a 100lbs to everything. Again, not that bad. I figure why not try a little above contest weight. A little shaky on the yoke but I make it at a decent pace (for me) with no drops. A big PR for me on the no drops. Frame was a different story. Completely sapped of strength and I have a slow pick and drop it a little more than half way. Haven't lost my grip on a frame in a long time. I sack up and go again. Pick this time was even uglier but I will myself to finish the course. Next on the agenda was the main reason I came down to train in the first place; the wheelbarrow. The upcoming Pro/Am has a wheelbarrow load medley. It will be a new piece of equipment but essentially carry 20', stop and pick up a 250lbs object, load it and then carry the barrow 20' and repeat until the 80' course is complete. Brute is the only gym I know that has a weight loadable wheelbarrow and I figure I'll be pretty good at this event so one training session is all I can afford. I have no idea how heavy the barrow will be at the contest at the start so I attempted to make the run decently heavy throughout. First run through, I loaded it up to 1000lbs (not including barrow weight) and it was pretty easy. I then added a bit of weight to the upper pins and that was a bit easy so I threw the sandbag on it. That was a disaster as it went on lopsided and I had to put it down and readjust the bag. This weight was really challenging. Didn't help that the bag slid down and was compressing the tire. Like pushing it with an emergency brake on. It fell off the last leg of the medley so I just tossed it off to the side and finished the last 20'. I was so dead after that. I'm always exhausted after a training day at Brute.