As songwriter Rod MacDonald sings, “that’s why you play
the game”. It’s an adage applied often to sports in that things aren’t decided
on paper. I work with numbers all the time and I know they don’t tell the whole
story. Kind of one of the reasons I have such lengthy write-ups for training
sessions and definitely with competitions. Numbers can help with predictions
from previous data but those modules become outdated with the constant
evolution of the sport and players. And a lot of things aren’t really
recordable data. The intangible. Can you truly quantity one’s spirit, will, heart
and guts? And is it admirable or pitiful depending on the outcome of said
struggles or in the eye of the observer? How often can one break their lance
tilting at windmills and get back up to do it again? Perhaps like George
Mallory, because this mountain is there, I will continue to try or die trying.
It is an obsession at this point.
After the last show in March, I was feeling pretty good.
Good about myself, life and training. But things change. Changes at work made
things a lot more stressful. People being out or quitting, getting moved around.
Not helpful when the work culture is akin to trying to save a sinking life boat
by tossing the water into the other life boats rather than into the ocean. And
also trying to find ways to get around the telework agreements from collective
bargaining with the union. I may lose this option later this year due to
logging into my computer 3 seconds late on day, a first in over a decade. Another
technicality also prevented my application for a promotion opportunity as well
(something out of my control). There was also my grandmother’s rapidly failing
health. I knew the end was coming soon from just seeing the difference from
when I saw her at Christmas and then a few months later. She was 95 and passed
away in her sleep last month, surrounded by her children. If there is a way to
go, I guess that is it.
I knew this was going to be a bigger show with it being
one of the new regional shows that Strongman Corporation was starting this
year. Taking the place of platinum plus shows. I like the change that the spot
for the Arnold is guaranteed rather than based on number of competitors. Also
expanded the number eligible for Nationals to top 5. With how things were
looking here, I’d be striving for five. While there were good events for me, I
wasn’t feeling the same enthusiasm in training like I had for the last show. I
had thought the events were light here for the most part and it was a fairly
new promotion as this promoter had only done an unsanctioned show but
apparently impressed Strongman Corporation enough with his enthusiasm that he
got this show made into as big a show as it was on a second contest and is now
the co-state chair. I’m always leery with new stuff in this sport haha. But he
did seem to be the most on top of things which is a welcome breath of fresh
air. E-mail updates and timely responses rather than in some cases having to
track down the promoter’s info due to blocking messages on the event page on
Facebook. He also sent videos of how each event would be setup and contested.
Even though the contest was relatively close by (4.5 – 5hrs),
it was decided that we do a hotel stay rather than get up at 3AM to make it in
time for late weigh-ins. I say we because it wasn’t just my father and I going
out. My younger sister was also coming and was competing. Her last show had
been PA Dutch in 2016. We only did that one show together whereas usually she’d
do a show and I’d be there and I’d do shows and she might be there. As they
say, life happens. It gets in the way, finds a way or is the way. So away from
any kind of strength training for 5yrs. 5yrs in that she has been having me do
remote coaching (free) for her for the past year and working with what limited
weights she had (up to 90lbs) and starting from scratch essentially. After a
year of it, she got the itch to compete again and did a very compressed peaking
cycle with minimal event work due to life and such. A lot of trial and error. I’m
also self-conscious about coaching or giving any advice as I feel I’m not qualified
in any sense. I got no certifications or training. I have a coach and I’m
coaching someone else. Why trust me if I have to get help for my own stuff?
Like a human centipede of training. Anyways, relatively smooth drive out there,
ate a bunch of tacos as a place my dad and I stopped at out this way in 2015
(good but not as good as I remembered) and hit the hay as early as I could make
myself.
Woke up at 7:15AM to get ready for the day. I felt ok.
Not great but not terrible. I didn’t have nerves that made eating breakfast a
chore or anything like sometimes. Sometimes those nerves are helpful for things
and other times not. Feeling something is what is important. Made it out to the
venue for weigh-ins. Well check-ins as they didn’t bother weighing the over 265lbs
weight class. Weight wasn’t going to be a determining factor. Got an athlete
lanyard, contest shirt, thank you card, pre-workout and a container of liquid chalk.
I’m good with a cup of coffee in the morning so no additional stimulants for
me. I have been interested in trying out liquid chalk so I will see about using
that but not today. As a rule, I don’t try out stuff for the first time at a
show. Lot of people here, just under 100 I think showed up. Got to see my friend
James Smith who I also had life get in the way and be away from competing since
March of 2019. He did a tune up show in April this year and had planned to do
PA Dutch as his comeback show but pulled is hamstring in prep for that. Still bothering
him but he’s managing. Damian also there but as MW (he is masters age now) and
probably the three of us are the guys that have been competing the longest.
This is year 14. I had a few people come up to me and ask who I was and how long
I was doing this as they had seen me in pictures or other people’s videos from
years ago (weren’t you the guy in the top hat judging that one show in 2013?
Yes, yes I was). Rules meeting was fine and the competitors were going to be in
two groups after the first event was done and be going two at a time (four at a
time for the first event). So that would make things very tricky to see my
sister and be her handler with use being in different groups. Our dad was there
so he could be able to watch and help. There were 17 competitors listed for
scoring in the weight class (though I think only 16 were there and the one guy
didn’t compete after checking in).
The first event was axle clean and press, last man
standing. Starting weight of 275lbs with 20lbs jumps. Once you came in to lift,
you had to hit every lift after that. Number of attempts mattered for ties and
30 seconds per attempt. Belt cleans allowed. So initially I was looking forward
to this. My coach was/is one of the best in the world at this event. And
training was feeling good for the pressing with leg drive, not so much the
other stuff but I think I was trying to make equivalency of log work to axle
work and they just aren’t the same for me. My lifetime best is 320lbs clean and
press with a close miss at 340lbs back in 2016. I haven’t had this event
contested since besides a 295lbs axle as part of a press medley in 2018. I was
feeling on track for a PR performance. And then we added in the clean and that
is where I fell off the wagon. I wasn’t expecting to be this bad at it. My
first session back I missed 230lbs on the clean. I did eventually get things to
work but it had me shook and I panicked. This panic resulted in me trying to do
different things (trying out jerks) that I know frustrated the hell out of my
coach. This was like a repeat of circus dumbbell prep last year (though I did
have to come back from a fractured elbow). Missing a planned 2nd
attempt weight the week before also was frustrating. So I wasn’t expecting a PR
here today. The showrunners notice how tall I was as the axles were setup
downstairs that they had me test things and decided to move the event outside
for the HW and SHW class. We were under a tent so no issue with the sun but
this did bring some unwanted attention. Not the best warm-ups here as I pretty
much had to do plate jumps with my last warm-up being 20lbs under the opener
for a double (one rep jerk and one rep push press). Jerk felt fine but the push
press didn’t feel as easy as it should. I got set with 275lbs and went. But it
didn’t. I hit missed. I hit the bottom of my belt buckle. This is only the
third time this has happened. I was struggling to get this and eventually upright
rowed it onto my belt and went but I couldn’t get it high enough to get under
to rack it. Panic had official set it. I was about to zero the opener as I only
had 30 seconds I collected myself and got it up no problem this time to the
shoulders. Press wasn’t as strong as I would like. But I was on the board. But
I was kind of shook up about it. I didn’t get that much rest as a lot of guys
were passing the first two weights (and a few guys bombed). So I had to go for 295lbs.
I got the clean no problem this time. But I just couldn’t get the lockout done.
I gave it three tries. Just kept going out in front of me and my triceps wouldn’t
go no further. Looking at it, it was like my hips and my upper back mobility
were not there like they are usually in training. I was so angry at myself here.
As I expected, someone hit 375lbs to win it with 335lbs being what was needed
to be competitive. I need to figure out what is wrong with my pressing come contest
time. Really felt terrible and embarrassed with this. Not a good start with 14th
place. But I guess I wasn’t injured physically. Drank a shake at this point as
it seemed it would be a bit before the next event.
The next event for the day was yoke. A bit different from
what I’ve done before but I guess it’s the new thing with having a run up to
the implement. As with most things that seem to be added by the bigger shows,
it seems to be a “time saver” akin to having people strap in own time for
events that allow it so there isn’t waiting on people and can move things along
like cattle. I feel in those instances, it is less a thing if it is reps and no
split times given. Here it really matters as it is not a time limit but total
time. So event here was 720lbs with 5’ run for 50’. Unlimited drops. It was on stall
mats so it would be kind of impressive if someone was able to get it to slide
haha. Good traction with these mats as well. Yoke has been hit or miss for me
at contests. Often when it is north of 800lbs. With my height, it can be tough
to get in quality warm-ups. So I’ve kind of gotten to expect that. Minimal
warming up, usually big jumps and often with a lot lower pick height than I’d
normally use. Frame and farmer’s are always the same height for everyone to
pick up from at a show. The yoke was similar to the one I was training on.
Titan Fitness is truly the “can I borrow your homework” of Rogue Fitness. But it
felt solid. Training for this had been mostly good. I had to kind of build back
confidence on this event after years of lower weight and a lot of knee pain. I
knew I could get by with less than perfect training from past experience (as
long as I was doing runs up to 80% and picks at 95%, I had a shot) and with the
end of last training having a lot of heavy frame carries, I was in a good place.
The run-up was the tricky part and I did minimal training on that as I really
needed to get comfortable with yoke again. The run-up requires timing and
getting a quick brace and I tend to take my time to get a good brace going. So
last two weeks of prep were focused on that and I feel that got me the absolute
minimum needed here. But I was facing an uphill battle with myself. I felt like
nothing. Head cloudy. I didn’t want to be here. Telling myself if I dropped the
yoke I was going to withdraw from the show and give up strongman. That kind of
negativity. But I knew if I stuck it out, I’d prevail over it. Like, oh hey depression,
been a minute. I was feeling during warm-ups (the typical 180lbs jumps to
200lbs under contest and then wait 30 minutes or so) that feeling. Maybe it was
good there was down time. I got to think and I snapped out of it just in time.
I took off the grip shirt (I’ve had issues with yokes sliding on me with it)
from axle and my heart finally started to beat like it mattered. The yoke runs
were head to head. So that was exciting. I was slower off the pick but I
started to catch up to the other guy. I just couldn’t get into another great. Photo
finish as I was less than half a second behind. Finished in 11.01 seconds,
which slightly faster than my best time in training with this weight. Even so,
it wasn’t good enough with the field today as winning time was just over 7
seconds. 9th place here so moved up 2 spots. The slow climb begins.
Up next was frame deadlift. 650lbs to start with 50lbs
jumps and 60 seconds. Strap in own time. Up and down calls. No split times so
ties were possible for same reps. These were specially made frames for the show
that were to look like the bridges from the area with black and yellow colors.
These were long frames, I believe 8’ long. The pick height was listed as 16”
but it was 19” when I measured the setup. Deadlift isn’t my best event
(especially without a suit) but my hope here was that I could use the implement
and my own leverages to my advantage. I’m tall and my hope here was that I
could grab the back of the handles with this long frame and alter the point
where I get the full weight in hand with the front then barely coming off the
ground. But I wouldn’t know until I tried it at the show as maybe this wasn’t
workable and the setup wouldn’t work. My training for this was as good as I
could make it. At my own pace, just really hoping that I could pull off my
bullshit technique at the show to the craziest levels possible. As the thought
was it was going to be 16”, that was what I trained for the contest with. This
is the second show where the height was increased 3” in a row on the deadlift event.
I did end up hitting a lifetime PR for this height as part of my last run
through and it was part of a ladder set as opposed to working up to a 1rm. And
I had something still in the tank. I only did the ladder set for my last frame
pull workout. This was a good thing as I had my father do the loading and give
me up and down calls and he was making me hold the frame until it was level in
training so that was good prep for it taking a bit to lockout the weight to
come off the ground. I was feeling a lot more like my usual self after the
yoke. So moment of truth was seeing if I could pull off this Novikovian trick.
It appears I could but it would require a good bit of balancing on my part to
get the wrists to flick forward and the hips to get the front to even come off
the ground when I stood up. It was also going to depend on which judge I had as
one side seemed to be stricter than the other here. It was a big risk but like
James told me, what have I got to lose here? I’m with guys that I know can pull
900lbs or more here today and I’m in 12th place. For this, I feel I
did get enough warming up in. With how long it took me to pull, I knew I was at
greater risk of running out of time then missing a lift really. So I got set.
Versa Gripps are a game changer with these strap in own time events when not a
thick bar. I felt like I was getting generous down calls with things but I didn’t
want my lifts to be that big of a joke. I wouldn’t count these as PRs but it
was within the rules. First two lifts easy. Third left I was off balance and
had to regroup. I didn’t hear the up command after that lift and I thought the
judge was giving me a warning or something but no, I just missed it and he was
telling me I should move hands forward a little to stay more balanced. Fourth
rep up and I rebraced for the Fifth rep. That was a grinder. My lower back was
feeling it by this point. I had to stand up to get my air. I looked over to see
how much time I had left and heard 10 seconds and I stopped there. I knew that
wasn’t going to be enough time for me to attempt to grind out 900lbs. 850lbs is
the most weight I’ve lifted in a deadlift event, even if it was with this
bullshit haha. However, with this group, this effort was only enough to tie for
9th place. Winner got 1130lbs (they went to 40lbs jumps after 9
lifts) but he was way above everyone else that got 900lbs or 950lbs. I think I
moved up another placing or two after this.
The fourth event was a sandbag over bar. 52” with 265lbs
and 60 second time limit. Have to chase down your own bag (could go under the
yoke or around it). No split times and last rep had to have hit the ground
before time is called to count. If 60 seconds was up and it was still in free
fall, doesn’t count. Most loading events are banger events for me. It just kind
of depends. There are different strategies depending on the rules of play. Just
because I should be good at these kind of events (long arms, tall) doesn’t mean
I take it easy. I do what is needed. Training for this was pretty basic. Usually
EMOMs of singles, doubles and triples as well as rep sets and adjusting rest
periods to enhance fatigue factor. I also train my load heights 4” higher than
contest and bring it down to about 2” higher for the last session or so. Reason
being that I know how I fatigue over the course of show and usually loading
events for reps are near the end (and stones almost always last) so build in
that cushion to deal with fatigue. Training for this was pretty much perfect. I
got my setup down, trained with firm packed and looser bags, trained in the
event that a bag landed lopsided for to the side loads. It is an embrace the
suck kind of event. There were different kinds of sandbags (all same brand but
different styles depending on weight). As has been the case as I got closer to show,
my forearms and biceps tendons were not happy after axle and now having to do
sandbag. My lower back was feeling stiff and shot from the exertion on frame
deadlifts. I had my dad do some soft tissue work on my lower back after that
event to help some. I was trying to make the sandbag move fast and while I
outwardly looked nonplussed, my arms were screaming at me and I was worried that
I’d do very poorly here. That I’d be struggling to lap the bag. Canvas seemed a
little slicker too. Not as tightly packed as the sandbag I used but not as loose
as the other ones. So I chalked up my forearms and put on my grip shirt just for
that extra security feeling I guess. I had to go pretty early so I couldn’t hold
back here and see what others got. Not that I could afford to do so and it is very
hard for me not to go all out anyways. Before we started, I talked to the one
guy holding the yoke down to see if he could either just stay on the one side
or not hold it as I was going to go around the side (I ain’t going to be able
to go under the limbo bar here) and I really didn’t want to inadvertently close
line him. He said he had to stay but would move to the side. Oh well. I don’t
think he knew how fast I’d be going here if I was on. And I was one. After that
first rep, I knew this was my event. I was going to make people work for the
top points. Controlled aggression of repeated effort. I see a lot of people
toss loads well over the bar height. It is wasted energy. I go by tactile
notification that I got it. I feel the control was more needed here as opposed
to loading it over to someone catching and returning it as it was goal rules on
lift were it lies. I was prepared for that. After the 9th rep, I wasn’t
too sure on time and looked over and saw what I had left and rushed things up.
I thought I missed that last rep as time expired and walked away all “ah shucks”
and then I heard it was counted and celebrated reasonably as I was pretty tired
haha. My effort held up as two guys managed 9 reps but they didn’t have time to
even attempt a 10th. Moving up a little more. Second shake for the
day as I just had to stand there for the last event.
The final event was the Hercules hold. Hold until you can’t.
Weight doesn’t really seem to matter. 150lbs listed per hand but not what it
was going to be in hand. No hook grip. It is a crapshoot as very rarely is it
the goldilocks situation. Too heavy or too light. But someone’s just right may
fall outside of that range for another. Even with the weight listed light, the
promoter said he wanted it heavy and have it so that 30 seconds could be the
winning time and no one went over 45 seconds. So I did train for that but also
kept in longer stuff just in case. Hard to tell how each is going to be. In the
past my only training for this event when I lacked access was to do rolling bar
hangs and farmer’s holds. Rolling bar hangs are still a must and go to for me,
even having access to a Hercules hold at the gym now. I made good progress here
but it was time consuming to get spotters and reset. Also worked on crush grip
on top of other stuff and wrist work. I was kind of shocked to be hitting lifetime
PRs on the rolling bar hangs with more weight added and at a higher bodyweight.
I commented to my coach that we were building something frightening with my
grip here. I see a lot of people think training grip covers all the bases when
there are many aspects to it. Why they got a sport for all those grip weirdos.
Being good at one aspect doesn’t mean good at all. You’ll people doing grip
work for things they are good at and then become surprised that their grip hasn’t
really improved on this thing they struggle at. So I worked on those aspects as
well as the event. At this point in the show, I knew I was out of contention
for the 5th place and SC Nats qualification. Even if I got the full
17 points here, I’d only tie with someone and they’d have to get a zero on this
which is impossible besides not doing it. I got a test run with weight that was
for the lighter classes just to see if it was going to need to book another
night at the hotel. Might have been 90lbs added I think. Yep, this was going to
be hard. I can see why if this was the HWW weight why winning time was just
over 2 seconds. There wasn’t a gradual adjustment, it was 3-2-1 and then you got
it. I went and had my father carve grooves into my fingernails just for that additional
little bit. Fractions of a second could mean the difference. I felt confident
that I’d be in the top 3-4 on this. I just knew there were some strong grip
guys that have put good efforts on this event in the past coming after me. Left
side helper didn’t “help” with getting the implement into my hands so I had to
do that and then he helped once I gripped the handle. 3-2-1 and then there it
was. This felt very similar to how 320lbs felt on the setup at the gym. So this
was heavy. Judge didn’t read off time so I wasn’t too sure where I was. I
thought he'd say something if I got to 20 seconds since I think the time to
beat at that point was just under 17 seconds. Just kept straining. Had to be at
30 seconds. Just silence. Finally dropped it and I wasn’t given a time had to walk
up to see it. 38.38 seconds. My time held up for second as one of the guys
after me managed over 43 seconds on this for the win. The two other guys that I
knew would be up there I beat by about 5 seconds and less than .20 of a second.
Maybe the grooves in the fingernails helped.
At the end of the day, I came up short again for what I was
trying to do. Tied for 7th out of 17. Even with the absolute
disaster of a showing on axle, that wasn’t the sole thing points wise that kept
me from getting to Nationals. I either needed to hit 335lbs on axle or get that
900lbs lift on deadlift to get into 5th place with this field. So
again, overhead and deadlift. Improving a second on yoke would’ve only gotten
me 2 additional points. I couldn’t do much better on sandbag or Hercules hold.
Deadlift continues to be improving and I’m hitting weights well above training
at shows. Everything else seems to be there on contest day but not overhead the
past few shows. That has been a problem for me in the past too so not like this
is new. I really got to figure out what is up with that if I want to do more
than hang overall. The level keeps improving and I feel only the axle is where
I underperformed. So failing my main objective yet again isn’t great but I
still had fun (besides axle). Things went pretty smooth for a show with this
many people and it only being a second show (first official). The split groups
did prevent me from seeing most of what my sister did but she hit or tied
lifetime PRs on everything after a 6yr hiatus. Got to meet new competitors and
familiar faces that I’m sure all see around.
Or not. I say that just with thinking about how this sport
can wear you down. James was talking to the guys and mentioned Lou Costa. He
was a character. A smooth talker, got within inches of a pro card on the Arnold
stage. People liked and people hated him. He put most people he cared about
through hell one way or another. He died almost a year ago to the day. He was
lifting in the gym, working on another come back when something went in his
brain and went down. Last words calling out for his mother before he went into
a coma and then passed away. I called my parents as soon as I heard to tell
them I loved them. But these guys don’t know about him, for better or worse. James
had to do a tie breaker event and talking about how stupid it was and pointed
out to him he was wearing a shirt with the picture of the man, Michael Jenkins,
who often said “strongman is stupid”. And he too is gone and often not
mentioned. Both Jenkins and Costa were parts of my start with strongman. It
makes you wonder about things. Will there be stories of me in this niche
community after I’m gone?
Tired and heading back after stopping at place for Mexican
food before heading home. The kind of achy and tired where just so much that I
won’t be able to fall asleep and then I’ll still wake up early the next day.
Maybe because I need to get out these thoughts. So now I got to think. My hope
had been that I’d do well enough here to qualify for Strongman Corporation Nationals
in mid-October since they are going to be in Pennsylvania. They’ve never been
closer since they’ve had Nationals. Be able to take bit of an off-season to
recover and work on some things and then do a fairly competition cycle. As
either a long build up or nonexistent one seems to work best for me depending
on the show. I got to figure if I can squeeze some more juice out to try and do
another show by the end of summer to have another shot or if I should pack it
in and wait and aim for next year.
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