December 17, 2013 & December 18, 2013 - Injury

Week 3 was a bust. I hit a detour in the way of an injury. Did something to my back doing block pulls. Feels similar to what happened back in June. Understandably pissed off about it. Going to spend time thinking about how to proceed from here. I've come back from injury before and can do it again. Not sure how long I'll be out though.

December 17, 2013 – Overhead Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

Axle Clean and Jerks (one clean)
85x5
115x5
145x3
175x3
205x1
235x4
235x4
235x4
235x4
265x2
295x2 PR+5lbs

Axle Jerks
270x6
270x6
270x5

Axle Klolov Presses
85x15
85x15
85x15

Band Triceps Pressdowns
LB+MMBx25
LB+MMBx25
LB+MMBx25
LB+MBx25

Face Pulls
AB+MMBx25
AB+MMBx25
AB+MMBx25
AB+MMBx25

22 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Still going strong here. I screwed up the light single before the work sets. I pulled it too high and had to think about it and ended up like strict pressing it. Soft belt keep trying to pop off during the work sets. It did on the last set of 235lbs. Had another wake-up call with 265lbs when I missed the first rep. I tried to use the rebound from catching the weight from pop off the stomach but it was too far out in front. Had to slow it down and get the double I needed. Definite wake-up for me going in to the heavy double. Made sure that I took my time and hit that double solidly. I think the rack work with holding the weight for so long is making it easier for me to let everything settle on my heavy attempts. Weight felt heavy with the rack jerks, only got six reps on my best set. Klolov presses are starting to get hard at this point. Band stuff was good, forgot my mini band so I made a bigger jump than I had planned for face pulls.



December 18, 2013 – Lower Body Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

6" Block Pulls
135x5
225x5
315x5
405x5
455x5
Add Straps
495x5
545x5
585x0
585x1

Safety Squat Bar Squats
155x3
205x1

Comments: Another terrible deadlift session. What stinks about this one is that I felt strong. The plan was sets of five on 6" block pulls, adding plate-quarter-plate style after warming up. I was doing the sets beltless and was going to put the belt on eventually. My body had other plans. Something in my lower back just went on my fourth rep with 545lbs. I felt a lot of tension and then something shifted, the tension was gone and pain flooded my back and hips. I took a moment to regroup and pulled my fifth rep. It was a weird feeling and I wasn't sure what it was but I thought it would pass. Put on the hard belt and couldn't budge 585lbs due to the pain. I rested a good five minutes or so and gave it another shot and managed to pull it up once. I started doing squats but it was too much and I packed it in and called it a day.

December 09, 2013 – December 13, 2013

Second week down in the book. Upper body still going strong but had a hiccup with lower body. Going to make changes to that from here on out. I can handle the two overhead sessions in the week but deadlift is suffering from doing heavy squats. Will have to try alternating them. We’ll see how things are in two weeks’ time if the contest is in the cards. Didn’t get event training in this week due to stress from this week as well as snow. Will be a bit more planned from here on.

December 09, 2013 – Overhead Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

Axle Clean and Jerks (one clean)
80x5
110x5
140x3
170x3
200x1
230x4
230x4
230x4
230x4
260x2
290x2 PR+5lbs

Axle Jerks
265x8 PR+5lbs
270x7 PR+5lbs
270x6

Axle Klolov Presses
80x15
80x15
80x15

Band Triceps Pressdowns
LB+MBx25
LB+MBx25
LB+MBx25
LB+MBx25

Face Pulls
ABx25
ABx25
ABx25
ABx25

24 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Not bad. Continuing the Ort/Mag and still feeling good. Some hesitation with the heavy double at the end. Just got to keep pushing. Rack work felt better this go around, possibly from the heavy front squats making it feel light. I think that rather than doing straight sets of 8, I’m going to do a weight and when I hit 8, I’ll add weight. Not much to say after the big work, just finished up with the light stuff.

December 10, 2013 – Deadlift Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

Deadlifts
135x5
135x5
225x3
315x3
405x1
Add Straps
455x4
455x4
455x4
455x4
520x2
585x0

Comments: Ass. This all felt heavier than last week. Plan here was to do a double with 585lbs. My best triple is 585lbs. Couldn’t even break it off the floor. Ort/Mag for deadlift is out. Called it a night to simmer down.

December 12, 2013 – Squat Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

21" Axle Front Box Squats w/ AB’s
No Bands
72x5

72x5
116x3
160x3

Add Bands (+145lbs)

72x3

116x3

160x3

205x3
225x3

245x3

265x3

285x3

305x3

325x3

345x3

Axle Zercher Squats
305x10
305x10
305x10

Meadow Rows
125x12/12
125x12/12

Band Leg Curls
ABx25
ABx25
ABx25
ABx25

26 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: This went well. I really wasn’t expecting much and I’m happy to hit my goal plus 40lbs with no hard belt. I don’t think I’ll be doing this again though and just stick with straight weight. Spent time after this to recover and think about what to do next. After messing around with some stuff, I went with zerchers again. Had to use the tiered rack so a lot of walking out for these. Put rows in this day to see if my arms would let me. Going to move it back to press day.



December 13, 2013 – Press Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

Seated Axle Rack Presses (Forehead Height, No Back Support)
75x5
100x5
125x5
150x5
175x5
200x5
225x5

Close Grip Axle Incline Bench Presses
175x3
210x3
240x8 PR+5lbs
245x8 PR+2 reps
250x6 PR+5lbs

EZ Curl Bar Skull Crushers
110x12
110x12
110x12

IYT’s
5’sx12
5’sx12
5’sx12

21 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: I liked how z-presses went so I stuff with something similar. I’ve done them with the swiss bar and barbell but from the top of my head. Makes a big difference. Just keep adding weight and doing sets of 5. I decided to take the same idea that I started using for jerks and did sets of 8, adding weight if I got it. Added 10lbs from last week but it was ugly. Skull crushers seem to get easier the more I do them.

Training Plans & December 02, 2013 – December 07, 2013

Normally I try to update daily but I just couldn’t this week. I’ve been trying to at least get video up as soon as I can. Work then right to the gym for several hours leaves little time to post stuff up besides the weekend so this might be the norm for now. I was supposed to start training under Mike this week so I’m trying my best to set it up to what I’d think he’d have from my talks with him and from his logs and from other people that have trained under him. Pretty much means a 4 day week minus events. I’d said I was going to wait until mid-Spring for a contest but considering the circumstances, I’m aiming for one at this time to keep my mind occupied. So training is geared toward PA Dutch Strongman on February 1, 2014 in Lancaster, PA for now. I’m giving myself two weeks to at least see how I’m holding up and then another two weeks to see if I’m running on all cylinders. Nine weeks until the show to get in some good training.

December 02, 2013 – Overhead Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

Axle Clean and Jerks (one clean)

75x5

105x5

135x3

165x3

195x3

225x4

225x4

225x4

225x4

255x2

285x2

Axle Jerks

265x7 PR+3 reps

265x6

265x6

Axle Klolov Presses

75x15

75x15

75x15

Band Triceps Pressdowns

LB+MBx25

LB+MBx25

LB+MBx25

LB+MBx25

Face Pulls

LB+MMB+MBx25

LB+MMB+MBx25

LB+MMB+MBx25

LB+MMB+MBx25

28 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: First week back to training. I’m using the Ort/Mag scheme for axle like I did for dumbbell as it definitely seemed to work better than 5/3/1 did. Made some tweaks to it based off of how it went with dumbbell. My overhead is explosive in nature due to utilizing jerks so not really much sense in doing 80%x2x2. I need to feel the +90% weights for the clean (build it up for later) as 275lbs is a piece of cake to lift once. I should be getting in some good clean practice with this setup and that is definitely what needs the most work. Work in progress. 285lbs ties my best double so this is a good start. Rack work was tougher than expected. Axle work beforehand made a 5lbs increase near impossible. Noted for next time haha. Couldn’t just use push jerk style and went to split style. Dropped a set as I had some other things to add to this workout as well. Klolov presses are weird. Even this light weight in the awkward position felt welded to my back. Once it was up, it was smooth sailing. It will be interesting to see how these play out. Went for the band stuff to finish up the day.

December 03, 2013 – Deadlift Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

Deadlifts
135x5
135x5
225x3
315x3
405x1
Add Straps

455x4

455x4

455x4

455x4

520x2

520x2

Add Mini Bands (+50lbs)

455x8

Cambered Squat Bar Goodmornings
270x12
270x12
270x12

Pull-Ups

bwx12 (regular grip)

bwx12 (hammer grip)

Reverse Hyperextensions
50x25
50x25
50x25
50x25

29 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Definitely tired from yesterday for sure and in an especially foul mood from gym chatter that I won’t go into here. Mad enough that I screwed up my first work set and cut a gash in my shin from the deadlift bar. Using Ort/Mag here as well and I’m doing it pretty much as written. Grinding lifts are painful with this. Hopefully this entry week will get me ready for next week because this was rough. I’m thinking just shoot me at this point haha. Down set I added mini bands with the goal of just eight reps. Seemed to do the trick. Made good work of gm’s, don’t think I could handle anything heavy after the deadlifts. Was going to do pulldowns but just felt off so I went with pull-ups. Even though I haven’t done pull-ups since I was around 265lbs, these were pretty easy at 285lbs. Did two different grips and I’ll see about adding a little weight next time. Finished up with reverse hypers and stretching.

December 05, 2013 – Squat Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

21" Axle Front Box Squats
72x5
116x5
160x5
210x5
250x5
300x5
340x5
390x5
440x3

Axle Zercher Squats

300x10

300x10

300x10

Band Leg Curls

ABx25

ABx25

ABx25

ABx25

31 Minutes of Stretching

Comments:  Even with a day of rest, a bit leery about doing this kind of workout. Still got the clicky right knee thing going on too and with how my deload workout with these went, not thrilled going heavy. Initial plan was 5/3/1 like I had been doing but I figured screw it, I’m not interested in doing high reps, that is what assistance and supplementary lifts are for. Can’t rep out a car deadlift if I can’t break it off the ground. So I went with plate-quarter-plate jumps, aiming for sets of five. Definitely surprised myself with how easy this stuff felt. I was having issues breathing with 440lbs but still got a solid triple. Will have to see how I feel next week. Best thing was no issues with the knee. Went for the gusto with zercher squats. The most reps I’ve done on the axle version is five so doubling that was no fun, especially since it wants to roll out of your arms the second you come out of the hole. I felt close to retching between sets. I’d forgotten how hard this works the upper back as you got to keep it flexed hard the whole time to keep the weight close to you. Forearms swelled up from holding the weight so any attempts at rows were pointless. Finished up with band leg curls and a lot of stretching.

December 06, 2013 – Press Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

Axle Z-Presses

75x5

95x5

120x5

145x5

170x5

195x5

220x3

Close Grip Axle Incline Bench Presses
165x3

195x3

225x8
235x8 PR+3lbs

245x6 (misgrooved)

EZ Curl Bar Skull Crushers
105x12
105x12
105x12

Meadow Rows
100x12/12
125x12/12

IYT’s
5’sx12
5’sx12
5’sx12

25 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: This went well. Triceps still super sore from Monday. Initially put down axle strict pressing just to have some idea of what to do today but I decided to go with z-presses as I haven’t done them in forever. Same idea as front box squats yesterday, just keep adding weight. Hit my old, old PR single for five and then hit more for a solid triple. Right quad cramped up hard on me during the heavier sets. Didn’t use my hard belt as I think it would have defeated purpose of the lift some. Moved on to incline. Took a page from Dimitar Savintinov by doing them with a slight pause on the chest. Makes them tougher but still hit a small PR. I felt strong with 245lbs but I misgrooved on the fourth rep and had to readjust and rerack it. Really killed the rhythm I had. Oh well, next time. Triceps didn’t like skull crushers at the start but I pushed through. Was going to call it here but I figured I should try to get some rowing in. Tried out Meadow rows. Might keep them, just have to see next time. Stretching and burritos to end the night.

December 07, 2013 – Event Training

Dynamic Warm-ups

55 Gallon Oil Drum Bearhug Carries (turns at 235’6”)

85xpick

110x471’

110x471’

Sled Drag

45x.25 miles

Comments: First week back and I didn’t want to kill myself. The contest doesn’t really have the typical moving events so I had limited stuff to use at home. I want to crush the keg carry event. I’ve always been good but my last showing at the Pro/Am in May was pitiful. No more. I took out my big oil drum, but some weights in it and walked down the block and back while holding it in a bearhug. I know from experience that keg will fatigue the legs, but the upper body is going to fail first. Arms, back and chest were sore from the first run and I was definitely out of breath. So I did it again and I think this time was smoother as I knew what to expect. I could have gone father both times. Not going to do this every week but I do plan to have this in here to help get my endurance on a carry up. I’ll try next time with more weight. Decided to walk around the block with a light sled to finish off the session. Not bad but definitely noisy haha. So far, so good. Just going to have to see how next week goes.