October 22, 2019 – Week 1, Day 1
5 Minutes Precor AMT
Mobility Prep
Axle Push Presses
75x1
105x1
135x1
165x1
195x1
225x1
255x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
Circus Dumbbell Clean and Presses
Plate Loaded Dumbbell with Fat Gripz Extreme
70x1/1
90x1/1
110x1/1
Circus Dumbbell
130x1/1
147x1/1
162x1 R
162x1 L
162x1 R
162x1 L
162x1 R
162x1 L
Seated Smith Machine Overhead Presses
70x3
110x3
150x8
150x10
Band Pull Aparts
mmbx12
mmbx12
mmbx12
mmbx12
Standing Tate Presses
40’sx12
40’sx12
40’sx21
Band Scapular Retraction Face Pulls
mmbx12
mmbx12
mmbx12
Stretching
Comments: I’m not sure if I’m doing a smart thing. It
probably isn’t but I’ve made my decision. I have to try. So first training of
my own training. I wasn’t feeling great as I got to the gym. Not like back pain
stuff, just felt lightheaded a dizzy. I wasn’t thinking it was withdraw
symptoms from my meds as usually they are much, much worse so I thought maybe
elevated blood pressure from stress and flu shot. I’m stubborn so I wasn’t
going to let things stop me. Usual warm-up. Since I’m writing this up almost a week
later, I don’t remember the bmp on the cardio stuff so I won’t bother with it
going forward as it seems like these are going to be much longer workouts.
Mobility stuff I added some things to see if they improved or helped. So first
up was axle push presses. Goal was to work up to a triple that wasn’t a max and
then do several speed triples after that. Now, I had actually meant to do jerks
but my legs didn’t want to cooperate as I went up in weight. May have to do
with whatever I was feeling (turns out I had missed my meds in the morning). I
did a good bit of warm-ups with PVC pipe and then did singles up to the weight.
I didn’t want to annihilate myself seeing as I had a lot of weeks to go and
wasn’t going to be rotating things. Not as easy as I would’ve liked. Then
triples with 225lbs with minute rest. Not exact but close. These felt better
than the single I did before the top triple. I was definitely feeling fatigue
on these. But it felt like work. Plan is 10lbs more on the top triple and another
set on the speed triples. Next thing was my choice over “overhead event”. Really not much to choose from. I want to
limit cleans until I get adjusted to things (got stones and sandbags later this
week). I had contemplated log stuff since press medley is axle and log but my
shoulders and upper back were really wrecked from the triples out of the rack
so I figured log can wait until volume is lower. So since Delaware’s Strongest
will have a max circus dumbbell, best see how that is right now. I had forgot
this was an option and didn’t wear a good shirt for this. I also forgot I don’t
have to pause these. I actually worked up heavier than I thought I’d feel good
at. I also had meant to take longer rests but ended up doing short rests
between the singles. No reps, can’t risk sloppiness with the biceps, shoulders
and back. The cleaning was the part that was fatiguing, the pressing wasn’t
terrible. After that was another overhead exercise. Originally was going to be
dips but those seem to be hazardous to my shoulders. And I realized that it may
not be what I wanted. Yes it works chest and triceps but is that where I miss?
Lockout is better trained with lockouts that I’ll be bringing in next block.
The smith machine press seemed to be good idea. Get a bit of chest involved,
shoulders and triceps. Almost the same spot that if I get out of a groove, I’ll
miss the press. If they work for Savickas, then let’s try it out. My injured
shoulder isn’t digging this afterwards but my shoulders, chest and triceps feel
this a lot. My side delts were popping out from these haha. First set was set
reps and second set was go for max. I imaging this will improve. Last three
exercises were lighter after all that stuff. Band pull aparts were a staple for
me many years ago. I think the upper back stuff like this is important. I’ll
save the rows, pulldowns for off season stuff that isn’t getting hit from heavy
event work. These felt good. Standing tate presses after that. Really light
stuff. Could feel the triceps on the right side cramping getting the last reps
on the max rep set. Another band exercise to finish up things. Retraction
follow by external rotation. Trying to keep the shoulders healthy and the back
posture strong. One workout down. I know I’ll be sore tomorrow, despite the
recovery stuff.
October 23, 2019 – Week 1, Day 2
5 Minutes Precor AMT
Mobility Prep
High Pulls
80x1
130x1
170x3
170x3
170x3
Hatfield 18” Box Squats
80x10
170x5
260x3
350x2
400x1
440x10
440x5
Nordic Leg Curl Negatives (3 seconds)
bwx3
bwx3
bwx3
Sandbag Carries (turns at 50’)
210x258’9”
210x262’9”
210x271’0”
Sled Drags
500x121’0” (75 seconds time limit, uphill)
500x119’7” (75 seconds time limit, uphill)
500x240’7” (downhill)
Stretching
Comments: So didn’t die. Just really sore in the
shoulders and arms. This workout was going to be something. This was one I didn’t
really know what I was going to do with like half of the things. Just that half
of the workout was going to be back home. I was tired in the morning and forgot
my gym bag so that meant I had to drive home after work for it. Not a great
start. Warm-ups as per usual. May drop an addition to the movement prep stuff
that is more effort than needed. So first thing a bit different with high
pulls. Lower body days seem to be setup for having a “speed component” to them.
Like say I have a keg toss or something, I do that. But I don’t so high pulls
it is. Figured less shoulder issues then trying to clean or doe snatch grip
stuff. Now I did these like singles rather than reps. When I was younger, I
strained forearm muscles trying these and holding onto the bar the entire time.
Not risking that. Just going to do short rest singles. Not issues with back but
this is light weight. Ended up using about 30lbs less than I had originally
thought but that’s fine. These need work. This then led to box squats, hatfield
style. These used to be big staple. This took a little trouble shooting as the
rack I used to use is long gone. Holding the rack allows me to really load the
legs and keep a neutral spine. There was such relief when I realized I could do
heavy legs. Leg press would be too much compression and a possibility of to
much ROM in the lower back. I can use the box to adjust heights. This seems
like a good one. I was tad nervous but my legs have been doing well. Didn’t
even need the knee sleeves. First set for ten and then a second set for five.
My hamstrings need work. Big time when it comes to deadlift. No access to glute
ham at the Y and leg curls just aren’t what I need. Trying out Nordic leg curl
negatives to build up strength. Not too bad. Trying to get through them quick
so I can get home to do events. Man it got dark fast. I really didn’t want to
go in the street for the sandbag carries so I figured I’d torture myself using
my driveway. Driveway is steep for about 2/3rds of it into the garage. Decked
out in reflective stuff and wearing a hat with lights in it. I really wasn’t
sure what to do. Contest is max distance in 60 seconds. I think I wanted to see
if I could hold the sandbag while moving for that long. This is a lighter bag
but it is so loose that I really got to crush it. This was difficult and every
time I made the turn to come back up the driveway, my hamstrings wanted to die.
The funny thing is that while I got further each time, I held it slightly less
time. Still over a minute on each run. But I wasn’t done. I still had sled
work. Build up that work capacity so rather than distance, just doing time
limit. It was super dark. I had a lantern on top of the sled to see. Uphill
much harder than downhill and it was so darn late that I did two sets uphill
and then to finish up, I just dragging it back home the whole way for the last
set and that was about 2 minutes to finish. I’d say work capacity isn’t an
issue. I need to organize this day a little better I think.
October 25, 2019 – Week 1, Day 3
5 Minutes Precor AMT
Mobility Prep
Seated Dumbbell Presses
5’sx15
20’sx10
30’sx5
40’sx3
50’sx3
60’sx3
70’sx8
80’sx8
90’sx8
Close Grip Bench Presses
45x10
95x5
145x3
195x2
245x1
295x1
295x5
295x7
12” Log Paused Incline Bench Presses
90x3
140x3
190x3
220x3
250x1
230x3
Straight Arm Lat Pulldowns
50x12
50x12
50x12
Stretching
Comments: Definitely feeling the fatigue but this is
hopefully not that bad a workout. Probably the easiest in terms of load really.
This workout will get more event specific and lighter on some stuff as I
progress this cycle. Not many people there which can be both a good and bad
thing. Warming up felt ok. I dropped one of the exercises I had added to the
movement prep stuff. It was too much stress. Didn’t think it would be but it is
and I need to keep this as something that warm-ups, not exhausts. So first
thing was dumbbell presses. Granted I did smith machine presses earlier this
week, this was a little bit different so should be okay. Goal was to do up to
8rm but do three sets of eight to get there. Left shoulder was feeling crappy.
It usually does these days from the sandbag drop. Usually it feels fine after I
get warmed up and I tried that with the dumbbells. Still seemed to not be enough.
I felt things would be good even so. Just need to keep an eye on things if this
becomes too much. I’d done this same workout years ago with a goal of getting
90’sx8 for the top set after 10lbs jumps. I had not been successful and had
only gotten it for six. I felt that even with how things were, I had that. 70’s
felt like not much of anything, 80’s felt like there was some fatigue and 90’s
were definitely something. I could feel my right triceps feeling fatigued still
from the standing tate presses. I got the eight convincingly though. Next was
close grip bench. The only bench that I fit on downstairs was in use so I went
upstairs for my benching. I had put down my goal weight of 275lbs for my
working sets. But I thought screw it, I’ll just do quarter jumps so that I end
up with 295lbs. This had been I think before I realized that my sets were to be
1,5,max as opposed to 1,3,max. Shoulders were tender and I had to do my best to
get things tracking right. Weight was going up much faster than it felt on
video. I had to wait a bit to find someone that I could trust to spot me for
the max rep set. Felt good for the first six reps. Seventh my butt came off the
pad. Got a little too carried away. But no damage so I guess I dodged that.
Next was something I came up with as an idea. The original thought was to do
paused incline bench with a close grip just hovering above the chest (spoto
presses) but then I figured if I wasn’t going to do log on the first day yet, I
could do incline with the log and do pauses since it would be above the chest
too. Work up to a 3rm for this. My shoulders were wrecked by this point in the
week. I had expected to do more. I thought 250lbs was going to be no problem.
But it was and I had to bail after one rep. Thankfully, log is like the least
painful to bail on besides dumbbells. So that wasn’t fun. Saved some face doing
230lbs. I’m so very weak at incline log press. Last thing was for the back. Straight
arm lat pulldowns. I had tried other things but settled on these. I had tried
pull-ups but I haven’t done them in years and apparently the pull/tear in the
right biceps doesn’t like them. I tend to initiate them with my arms instead of
my back like I do on rows or pull downs. However, it the biceps stress increase
from doing stones and sandbag stuff, it would make more sense to save those for
off season stuff and do something that would not stress the biceps as much.
Humbling to do this with this much weight but it is needed. I got weakness that
need to be worked. Really feel them in the lats and have to work to keep the
spinae muscles in the thoracic taut. In the past, I did these with a lot of
momentum. That can be fine with some back exercises for strongman but not this
one. Could feel my lats popping out. There was a warmness there after I
finished these. Despite being a quicker workout, this still ended up being a
late night for me. Recovery is going to be tricky.
October 26, 2019 – Week 1, Day 4
5 Minutes NordicTrack
Mobility Prep
Front Squats
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x1
275x1
275x1
275x1
275x1
275x1
275x1
Wagon Wheel Deadlifts (13”, straps)
135x1
245x1
355x1
465x1
465x1
465x1
465x1
465x1
465x1
Frame Carries
16” Pick (Titan Fitness)
115x110’
205x50’ in 6.61 seconds
295x50’ in 7.40 seconds
385x50’ in 7.42 seconds
475x50’ in 9.11 seconds
20” Pick (Bigg Dogg Strongg)
570x100’ in 15.69 seconds
570x100’ in 17.38 seconds
Wide Grip Deadlifts w/ MMB’s (+80lbs, straps)
155x2
205x2
245x2
245x2
245x2
245x2
245x2
Atlas Stone Loads (59”)
230x1
230x1
230x1
290x1
290x1
290x1
290x1
290x1
290x1
290x1
290x1
290x1
290x1
Inverse Leg Curls/Ab Wheel
+225 assistancex5/bwx6
+225 assistancex5/bwx6
+225 assistancex6/bwx6
Stretching
Comments: So I had made it through three workouts with no
major issues. This was the real test. Deadlifts, frame carries and stones. All
possible problems. I had a chiro session in the morning before as I had a deep
tissue massage for Monday so it would be tough to get in two sessions at chiro
next week. Constant treatment seems to help. Really anxious and wasn’t sure
that I was ready. That I was just driving out to feel like crap and then drive
back home another 40 minutes. Lot of people there today. Which was fine. Warmed
up and still just wasn’t sure. Just would be a matter of seeing how things
went. First up was front squats. It has been years that I’ve not done a free
squat to full range. It has been just box squats due to the back injury. So
this had me leery. But I felt like doing front squats to warm up deadlifts was
a good idea. I thankfully didn’t forget how to squat in all this time. I low
balled things as I’m very out of practice. Short rests here for six quick
singles. Like 30 seconds rest. Felt good. So far, so good. Next was deadlifts
with the wagon wheels. Idea being that I’m tall and that this is about the same
as what I pull from the floor and this could lessen the flexion. Straps from
the start, didn’t want to deal with any issues. I took 50kgs jumps as I
expected to be using 525lbs based off how the last time I did pulls felt. But
my first rep with 465lbs felt way too heavy. Like damn. I realized that I was
way further from my goals on deadlift than I had thought. I had been basing
things as if I could pull 600lbs now. I obviously cannot with a regular bar. SHW
really doesn’t seem like an option to get a rep at USS Nats, let alone NY
strongest unless this program works as well as I hope it does. So I accepted
that I’d need to adjust the deadlift numbers going forward and accept my
working weight as 60lbs under planned. No pain, no death. Definitely not as
easy as the front squats but solid pulls here. Rest was a bit more than 30
seconds but still quicker than say an EMOM. So adjusting deadlifts as if they
were 90% of the previous numbers. Then a break in the deadlifting action for
frame carries. Probably could’ve done these at home on Day 2 as an option but
this seemed to make more sense as the pick for the big frame is high so not as
much back stress. Just have to assume that the deadlifting will build things up
for a lower pick and train in excess of contest weight of 700lbs. But that darn
frame is 568lbs empty (I add weight to get it even) and since foot speed is a
must, I need to do some lighter runs. In the past, I might have done some picks
of the frame after deadlift and then go but I realize that it may work at
contest to be prepped but in training, it’s not enough to build and work that
foot speed enough. Luckily, the gym has a really light, rickety frame. Lower
pick but I only needed to work up to about 100lbs under the big frame to be adequately
warmed up. Had to carry it outside so that was decent enough to get warmed for
runs. Plan was big frame for 3 runs of 100’. I realized that was stupid as an odd
number of runs would mean that the frame was further away from the gym. This
thing isn’t exactly light and won’t fit on the hand truck. So I went for 2 runs
so that I could “return it” at the end. The light frame was its own challenge.
I usually grip the back of the handles but doing this had the back clip my
hamstrings a little so I corrected that for my next run. Just doing 90lbs jumps
seemed to work out fine. 475lbs felt like something picking it up. I only did
half runs so that I didn’t get too fatigued and that I still worked on the foot
speed. Getting the big frame out was an effort. Enough so that I thought I was
making a mistake. This is going to be the lightest week besides deloads. But I
got ready for the 100’ run and it felt like nothing in my hands after picking
it up. I was booking pretty good, despite the concrete and weeds. I was really
pleased with that. Second run was not as good. A good bit slower and it felt
heavy picking it up. Maybe because I was overconfident and had been taunting
the weight as I did the first run. Still, grip was strong and I ran past the
marker and put it back in the corner for bit more grip work haha. Then it was
back to deadlifting. I figured it made more sense to do the frame before I went
back to more lower back and hamstring fatiguing with lighter weight. Plan was
to do wide grip deadlifts against bands with a wide stance. Also have them be
no deload doubles and 3 seconds eccentric. These seemed to work well when I was
prepping for Beast of the Blue Grass for my raw deadlift. This would allow me
to work my hamstrings and hips, statically train the core and be able to get
used to regular deadlift height. About a minute rest. Well, besides the
distractions that is haha. I lowered this by 30lbs from my planned weight based
off the new numbers. Good idea I think. 275lbs would’ve been too much today
with everything. After this it was stones. I was going crazy trying to think up
the best approach to these. I generally don’t need to do much on stones to be
good. I eventually settle on doing ten singles kind of EMOM style. Not quite as
I didn’t use a timer (tacky not good idea). I did three singles with 230lbs and
decided to stick light with 290lbs stone. I wanted to keep the working sets to
20” diameter stones since that is going to be the usual size besides the 22”
stones. Singles would let me focus on perfect form and not have to worry about
my back fatiguing during a set. Granted that might not prevent things. Not
rushing either. Extension felt a bit tight at the start. I also wanted to get
used to limited tacky as tacky will get used up on a stone series or stone for
reps. Reapplying can be costly if it’s a short time limit and the stone is
light. So I did these without reapplying any tacky after the first lift. Worked
as planned. I had thought of using this stone for 5x2 next week and then 2x5
after that but this one is really grimy so I’d rather just go up 20lbs to see
how that stone feels and do 10x1. Have to see I guess. I have a better idea of
what to do the peaking time. Then cleaning up the stone stuff. Ugh, I really
hate this part and I still had stuff left to do. I wanted to do some more hamstring
and abdominal work. The gym has an inverse leg curl and I’ve been wanting to
use it for a while now. I know my hamstrings are not up to par and this could
be the answer. Add weight to assist up to an unassisted one. So I put 225lbs on
it to see if that felt like a joke as it would be like 40lbs of my bodyweight
maybe. It was not a joke. What I thought was going to be a deload weight at
most was crazy difficult. The original plan was 3x10. It was the lower half
that was tough, the top part was easy and I had to actively push the weight
down. I ended up supersetting with the ab wheel. Another glaring weakness as
this was wrecking my midsection doing just six reps. I think as long as this
doesn’t make me hurt too much, I can manage. The Nordic negatives and the
inverse leg curl complement each other. Need to really recover after this.
Again, no idea if this is sustainable.
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