Mobility Prep
Single Leg Squats to Box (16”)
bwx5/5 (assisted)
bwx5/5 (assisted)
bwx10/10
bwx10/10
Single Leg Squats to Box (16”)
bwx5/5 (assisted)
bwx5/5 (assisted)
bwx10/10
bwx10/10
Safety Squat Bar Box Squats (20” box) w/ bands (+60lbs bottom/+86lbs top)
75x3
125x3
175x3
225x3
275x3
325x3
375x3
375x3
375x3
375x3
375x3
375x3
75x3
125x3
175x3
225x3
275x3
325x3
375x3
375x3
375x3
375x3
375x3
375x3
Frame Carries
Titan Fitness (16”)
Casual Pace
115x50’
115x50’
Makeshift (18”)
Normal
276x50’
376x25’
Added Straps
476x50’
BiggDogg Strongg (20”, 1.5” handles)
568x25’
628x25’
700x50’ in 9.57 seconds
700x50’ in 10.57 seconds
700x50’ in 9.76 seconds
700x50’ in 9.87 seconds
Titan Fitness (16”)
Casual Pace
115x50’
115x50’
Makeshift (18”)
Normal
276x50’
376x25’
Added Straps
476x50’
BiggDogg Strongg (20”, 1.5” handles)
568x25’
628x25’
700x50’ in 9.57 seconds
700x50’ in 10.57 seconds
700x50’ in 9.76 seconds
700x50’ in 9.87 seconds
BiggDogg Strongg Frame Holds (20”, 1.5” handles)
600 for 57.30 seconds
600 for 57.30 seconds
Sandbag Shoulderings
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 L
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 R
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 L
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 R
205x1 L
205x1 R
Lying Leg Curls
45x10
70x5
95x5
115x3
135x3
160x15
160x15
160x15
45x10
70x5
95x5
115x3
135x3
160x15
160x15
160x15
Backwards “Sled” Drags (Exer-Genie)
12x60’
12x60’
12x60’
12x60’
Quad Fallbacks
bwx12
bwx12
bwx12
bwx12
Stretching
Comments: We got more snow than they were expecting. Was to be like maybe 2” at most and some places it was 6”. It was only about 2” where I live but that meant that the neighborhood wasn’t a priority so plows didn’t come by until the afternoon. I didn’t have anywhere to go but of course this was when the freight shipped piece of equipment came. They’d have missed all this snow if they came the day before. I usually don’t go for walks after work when weather is like this due to risks but with how my lower back was feeling, I felt it was best that I go for a walk to help loosen things up. Got up at a somewhat reasonable hour to get ready to go out and train. Roads mostly good. Only issues was a tractor trailer that had not cleaned snow off the top and just not much being done in Lancaster proper. Still made really good time. A lot of people in the gym but most people I didn’t recognize. Didn’t seem like many were there for strongman and it appeared that most that were were done. Got set for mobility stuff. Wasn’t bad but I was feeling quite fatigued doing this stuff. Not a great sign as I was already worried that I was not recovered enough from earlier in the week for the things expected today. Starting things off with single leg squats to box. This week being 2x10 instead of 3x8. I did my own thing this week to warm-up. No band TKEs and no higher boxes. Used a standing rack out in the “wind tunnel” to support myself and work on getting to the box. Left leg feels more discomfort on these warming up. But I don’t want to be doing like 3 times the work for the one leg when it only really takes one set for the right leg to be good to go. So I did two sets. I was feeling fatigue between sides and sets. But I think the warming up plan works for me. But not pleased with feeling “gassed” at the start. Maybe what happened next was to my advantage. So SSB box squats with bands to high box was up next. Work up to 375lbs for 6x3. So an extra set from last time I did the “lighter” session. But not so fast. In the gym, there are three setups that have places to do squats and have band pegs. One is the monolift and I wasn’t going to bother messing with that (wider base, might not go high enough and could change the band setup drastically). The other two were in use. One by a single individual and the other by a trio doing dumb stuff. It looked dumb but that might have just been me annoyed that I had to wait so long and that I was anxious about how the workout would go with feeling fatigued doing my warm-ups. Finally got to go and do my squats. Feeling pretty good. Hardly any knee discomfort working up. These felt pretty darn good as far as how the weight felt on my back as well as bar speed. So this was a pleasant surprise. These hadn’t felt as strong last week when working up to a top set and then back down sets. I guess that’s why you play the game. Frame carry was up next. This plan has been aggressive. It excites but also gets me concerned. I know that if I can pick up the weight, I’m going with it and finishing. I’ve enjoyed this and happy that weight is piling on so fast here. But I was worried that my lower back was too fatigued to put in the showing asked of me today. A lot of that was alleviated with how well squats went though. The suggestion on these was to try to do a staggered stance since this isn’t so much a grip event but a speed event with the straps on the frame. I’ve never tried a staggered stance. Casual pace stuff I just did the normal thing. The plan for today was 700lbs for 4 sets of 50’. 50lbs under contest weight and 10’ further than contest distance. Add straps after 400lbs on the warm-ups. So for the lighter weights, the staggered stance did seem to be an option. Even with the big frame. But not so much with the top weight. Just off balance immediately trying to pick it up. So went back to what I’ve done. First set ended up being my fastest. Now it is hard to tell if I’m getting slower times when I feel like I’m moving faster because the pick is so draining on me each time that I’m slower on that but then make up for it with my moving. I’m at least fairly consistent when things go well. First set was the best time wise. Second set I guess I gripped the handles too far back and ended up banging the front into the floor and dragging before I got things level enough to move so that had me a second slower and my first time so far being over 10 seconds on these heavy runs. I feel 10 seconds or under at contest is doable. Third set I gripped a bit too far forward. Though clearance was better, I was a little unsure with the balance feeling more weight in the back than the front. I’m not used to that. I think if I practice that more, I might feel more comfortable with picking up my pace. Generally the pick is the problem so I’m very used to picking up the handles from the back to change the leverage point and I’m tall enough that I don’t hit the floor doing that. At least most of the time. Seemed about right on the last run. I got myself a little more hyped up with it being the last run and trying to improve on my time. I didn’t haha. But this was a good session of frame work. So the next thing I guess was because there wasn’t any real work done without the straps. Frame hold for time with 600lbs. I was told to go for RPE7-8 for the hold time. Not too sure what that would be but it said not to go to hand tearing territory. I wasn’t certain how this would go. My PR is just over a minute with that weight on this frame. And that was to failure. I haven’t really done anything with a grip and hold focus other than that one run with the farmer’s where I ran out of space and then did a hold for like 30 seconds. My thinking here was no countdown or having someone keep time. Just count in my head. I figured that 40-45 seconds would be where I was hopefully. It can be difficult to gauge as sometimes I get the pick and it feels stupid heavy and like it will drop in 10 seconds but then it doesn’t and hold it forever. That is kind of what happened here. I put it down because I counted to a minute but I definitely feel like I had about 10 second more in me. I was just shy of minute with my counting. So would’ve beaten my PR without even trying and not doing any grip focused work. I think my support grip endurance is better than ever but not so sure on the support grip strength. A lot of facets to grip and assuming because one is good at one thing, they are good at all. Not the case for me. I can just hold on to things for too long. I think that the increase in upper back work is the case here. I found that early on in my strongman career that doing a lot of upper back work (even with straps) helped build that support needed for the support grip to shine. In most cases with holds for time, it is my traps, neck and upper back that give out on me before my hands and forearms do when it gets to be a long hold as opposed to a heavy one. Like they fatigue and compress nerves and I have to let go. But that’s enough contemplating on that haha. Next was sandbag shouldering. Listed plan was to do 200lbs for 10 lifts alternating sides and to do so with 45 seconds rest. 200lbs bag is gone so 205lbs it is. I just set this to EMOM as I figured that was close enough. But turns out that was too much rest and I’ll get to that. It was suggested by Drew that I try a different way to shoulder the sandbags. The style I’ve been copying has been Martins Licis from when he was training for the Arnold with the tombstone to shoulder event. That style does seem to break things down a bit as far as knowing from position which side I’m lifting to. However, it was quite apparent last week that there were issues with 250lbs bag. I had thought the longer bag would make it feel more comfortable but it didn’t. My shouldering to the left side felt like I could get it into the hip better but I struggled with the shoulder whereas the right side the position wasn’t optimal on the hip but I could muscle it up better. The process involves me breaking things down. Is this a movement where the control and breaking down of the movement is beneficial or is it a “keep moving so you don’t die” type situation where power is king? So with this being the light session, I decided to play around with it. Try treating it like I would to normally pick and lap a sandbag and go from there. It needs work but it is certainly faster. Before starting the EMOM, I did two single each side. First attempt I accidentally threw it over my shoulder. I wasn’t ready haha. The efficiency meant that my rest became closer to 55 seconds between reps as opposed to 45 seconds. Even the one near the end where I hesitated. However, this is a light bag and I have no idea if this will be workable on contest weights. Will have to wait and see. Leg curls after that. Regular style for 3x15 with 3RIR. So first thing was that I had no discomfort in the lower leg on these whatsoever. Second I wasn’t expecting these to feel so strong. It always makes me laugh when I see how easy the “normal” variation of a lift feels after using light weight on the tempo version. Seen it with overhead, squats and deadlifts. Not sure why this should’ve surprised me. There was considerable fatigue on these as that first set I felt I could do a lot more but by the end, it was tough to get reps and stay in the 3RIR. Backwards “sled” drags with the exer-genie after that. Two sets again. First set felt tough (usually the case) but turns out wasn’t that bad comparatively. Second set was super easy. Almost sub 30 seconds. Quad fallbacks after that to finish things up. Just 2x12 as has been the case. Thing is that some days these are really easy and others really tough. Though usually that only applies to the first set as the second set is always easier and better. Maybe I should just skip right to the second set? This was a day where that first set felt tough. Knees tight and legs stiff. My ROM wasn’t what it usually was here. Everything was fine on the second set though. Put stuff away so that I could drive home with it still being light out and then stretch at home.
Comments: We got more snow than they were expecting. Was to be like maybe 2” at most and some places it was 6”. It was only about 2” where I live but that meant that the neighborhood wasn’t a priority so plows didn’t come by until the afternoon. I didn’t have anywhere to go but of course this was when the freight shipped piece of equipment came. They’d have missed all this snow if they came the day before. I usually don’t go for walks after work when weather is like this due to risks but with how my lower back was feeling, I felt it was best that I go for a walk to help loosen things up. Got up at a somewhat reasonable hour to get ready to go out and train. Roads mostly good. Only issues was a tractor trailer that had not cleaned snow off the top and just not much being done in Lancaster proper. Still made really good time. A lot of people in the gym but most people I didn’t recognize. Didn’t seem like many were there for strongman and it appeared that most that were were done. Got set for mobility stuff. Wasn’t bad but I was feeling quite fatigued doing this stuff. Not a great sign as I was already worried that I was not recovered enough from earlier in the week for the things expected today. Starting things off with single leg squats to box. This week being 2x10 instead of 3x8. I did my own thing this week to warm-up. No band TKEs and no higher boxes. Used a standing rack out in the “wind tunnel” to support myself and work on getting to the box. Left leg feels more discomfort on these warming up. But I don’t want to be doing like 3 times the work for the one leg when it only really takes one set for the right leg to be good to go. So I did two sets. I was feeling fatigue between sides and sets. But I think the warming up plan works for me. But not pleased with feeling “gassed” at the start. Maybe what happened next was to my advantage. So SSB box squats with bands to high box was up next. Work up to 375lbs for 6x3. So an extra set from last time I did the “lighter” session. But not so fast. In the gym, there are three setups that have places to do squats and have band pegs. One is the monolift and I wasn’t going to bother messing with that (wider base, might not go high enough and could change the band setup drastically). The other two were in use. One by a single individual and the other by a trio doing dumb stuff. It looked dumb but that might have just been me annoyed that I had to wait so long and that I was anxious about how the workout would go with feeling fatigued doing my warm-ups. Finally got to go and do my squats. Feeling pretty good. Hardly any knee discomfort working up. These felt pretty darn good as far as how the weight felt on my back as well as bar speed. So this was a pleasant surprise. These hadn’t felt as strong last week when working up to a top set and then back down sets. I guess that’s why you play the game. Frame carry was up next. This plan has been aggressive. It excites but also gets me concerned. I know that if I can pick up the weight, I’m going with it and finishing. I’ve enjoyed this and happy that weight is piling on so fast here. But I was worried that my lower back was too fatigued to put in the showing asked of me today. A lot of that was alleviated with how well squats went though. The suggestion on these was to try to do a staggered stance since this isn’t so much a grip event but a speed event with the straps on the frame. I’ve never tried a staggered stance. Casual pace stuff I just did the normal thing. The plan for today was 700lbs for 4 sets of 50’. 50lbs under contest weight and 10’ further than contest distance. Add straps after 400lbs on the warm-ups. So for the lighter weights, the staggered stance did seem to be an option. Even with the big frame. But not so much with the top weight. Just off balance immediately trying to pick it up. So went back to what I’ve done. First set ended up being my fastest. Now it is hard to tell if I’m getting slower times when I feel like I’m moving faster because the pick is so draining on me each time that I’m slower on that but then make up for it with my moving. I’m at least fairly consistent when things go well. First set was the best time wise. Second set I guess I gripped the handles too far back and ended up banging the front into the floor and dragging before I got things level enough to move so that had me a second slower and my first time so far being over 10 seconds on these heavy runs. I feel 10 seconds or under at contest is doable. Third set I gripped a bit too far forward. Though clearance was better, I was a little unsure with the balance feeling more weight in the back than the front. I’m not used to that. I think if I practice that more, I might feel more comfortable with picking up my pace. Generally the pick is the problem so I’m very used to picking up the handles from the back to change the leverage point and I’m tall enough that I don’t hit the floor doing that. At least most of the time. Seemed about right on the last run. I got myself a little more hyped up with it being the last run and trying to improve on my time. I didn’t haha. But this was a good session of frame work. So the next thing I guess was because there wasn’t any real work done without the straps. Frame hold for time with 600lbs. I was told to go for RPE7-8 for the hold time. Not too sure what that would be but it said not to go to hand tearing territory. I wasn’t certain how this would go. My PR is just over a minute with that weight on this frame. And that was to failure. I haven’t really done anything with a grip and hold focus other than that one run with the farmer’s where I ran out of space and then did a hold for like 30 seconds. My thinking here was no countdown or having someone keep time. Just count in my head. I figured that 40-45 seconds would be where I was hopefully. It can be difficult to gauge as sometimes I get the pick and it feels stupid heavy and like it will drop in 10 seconds but then it doesn’t and hold it forever. That is kind of what happened here. I put it down because I counted to a minute but I definitely feel like I had about 10 second more in me. I was just shy of minute with my counting. So would’ve beaten my PR without even trying and not doing any grip focused work. I think my support grip endurance is better than ever but not so sure on the support grip strength. A lot of facets to grip and assuming because one is good at one thing, they are good at all. Not the case for me. I can just hold on to things for too long. I think that the increase in upper back work is the case here. I found that early on in my strongman career that doing a lot of upper back work (even with straps) helped build that support needed for the support grip to shine. In most cases with holds for time, it is my traps, neck and upper back that give out on me before my hands and forearms do when it gets to be a long hold as opposed to a heavy one. Like they fatigue and compress nerves and I have to let go. But that’s enough contemplating on that haha. Next was sandbag shouldering. Listed plan was to do 200lbs for 10 lifts alternating sides and to do so with 45 seconds rest. 200lbs bag is gone so 205lbs it is. I just set this to EMOM as I figured that was close enough. But turns out that was too much rest and I’ll get to that. It was suggested by Drew that I try a different way to shoulder the sandbags. The style I’ve been copying has been Martins Licis from when he was training for the Arnold with the tombstone to shoulder event. That style does seem to break things down a bit as far as knowing from position which side I’m lifting to. However, it was quite apparent last week that there were issues with 250lbs bag. I had thought the longer bag would make it feel more comfortable but it didn’t. My shouldering to the left side felt like I could get it into the hip better but I struggled with the shoulder whereas the right side the position wasn’t optimal on the hip but I could muscle it up better. The process involves me breaking things down. Is this a movement where the control and breaking down of the movement is beneficial or is it a “keep moving so you don’t die” type situation where power is king? So with this being the light session, I decided to play around with it. Try treating it like I would to normally pick and lap a sandbag and go from there. It needs work but it is certainly faster. Before starting the EMOM, I did two single each side. First attempt I accidentally threw it over my shoulder. I wasn’t ready haha. The efficiency meant that my rest became closer to 55 seconds between reps as opposed to 45 seconds. Even the one near the end where I hesitated. However, this is a light bag and I have no idea if this will be workable on contest weights. Will have to wait and see. Leg curls after that. Regular style for 3x15 with 3RIR. So first thing was that I had no discomfort in the lower leg on these whatsoever. Second I wasn’t expecting these to feel so strong. It always makes me laugh when I see how easy the “normal” variation of a lift feels after using light weight on the tempo version. Seen it with overhead, squats and deadlifts. Not sure why this should’ve surprised me. There was considerable fatigue on these as that first set I felt I could do a lot more but by the end, it was tough to get reps and stay in the 3RIR. Backwards “sled” drags with the exer-genie after that. Two sets again. First set felt tough (usually the case) but turns out wasn’t that bad comparatively. Second set was super easy. Almost sub 30 seconds. Quad fallbacks after that to finish things up. Just 2x12 as has been the case. Thing is that some days these are really easy and others really tough. Though usually that only applies to the first set as the second set is always easier and better. Maybe I should just skip right to the second set? This was a day where that first set felt tough. Knees tight and legs stiff. My ROM wasn’t what it usually was here. Everything was fine on the second set though. Put stuff away so that I could drive home with it still being light out and then stretch at home.
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