Monday, May 26, 2025

Thoughts and Plans

 I’ve had a week to reflect on things and it is ending up to be a longer thought process than I was anticipating so I feel that I need to do a separate post rather than just have it be a little add-on to the beginning of the next week of training.

The Competition

As far as how training went for this competition, I feel that the only thing I got wrong here by the end of it was focusing too much on the “truck tire” aspect with the deadlift event. Considering the unknowns, I feel that I prepared to the best of my ability. I also need to learn my lesson that often the height for the pulls tend to be not in my favor and lower heights tend to be worse for me. This is the second time where I’ve had a show indicate it would be an 18” thick bar pull and it has ended up changed day of to be something else. The first time being my first Pro/Am where it got changed to axle for same weight from the floor as the “wheels” didn’t fit (was also no straps but changed to straps too). It would appear that the deadlift was closer to 16” pull height than 18” pull height for the contest. I’ve had my best performances in deadlift events where I was training 3” lower than contest and while my training weights ended up being lower, I hit big PRs at the show as far as elevated pulls. But I probably need to keep some kind of floor pull in the event this happens. I think I was hoping that lower pick farmer’s would cover that base for me. I’m annoyed with competition but I knew it was going to be like this going into it from seeing the show venue and how it was last year as well as just seeing the other events that have been put on for this particular organization in the USA. I think what most gets me was the specialty stuff like thick handles for Hercules hold and the 2.5” thick bar for the deadlift that I bought to prepare when didn’t end up happening for one reason or another. I’ve been in this long enough to know that events change, weather issues, and other issues but knowing about it being a possibility and then literally all the bad possibilities happening don’t help matters.

The Next Thing

I’m not sure if I will compete again this year. The only shows that have events that I like are pretty much Strongman Corporation Nationals (would need to qualify and weights not posted yet) and the two regional shows happening 7/19/2025 (logistics don’t work to do these). Everything else is just blah to me looking at them as far as Strongman Corporation right now. I have no intention on doing United States Strongman for a few reasons. With SC Nats, I could technically qualify through a show but it doesn’t feel “right” doing it that way just to get there. I kind of feel like I have to “earn” it. I had potentially looked at that route but I wasn’t expecting to get a cold from the travel that put me out of training for this past week beyond walking and neck rehab exercises. As the show that would work is 6/14/2025, only really have 3 weeks to actually train so losing one makes that a no go. I also don’t plan to do online qualifier for Natural Strongman World’s. I have literally 5 days to do it and I’m definitely not there after competing. And it would cost a lot of money after spending a good bit for the past competition with travel, lodging and food. Events are cut down from 8 to 7 this year and I’m only really liking 2 of the events. Two of the events feel very much like the same event just a little different too. It isn’t exciting enough of events to go across an ocean to do in a university gymnasium is all I’m saying.

The Plan

So while I like competition prep peaks and I feel I’m good at doing them with a goal and progression, I feel I need to take an extend off-season. Looking at minimum of 9 weeks and potentially closer to 19 weeks to run through a full offseason to fix my deadlift and get pressing base back. Which would get me to middle of September with the plan so that potentially ready to pull back and start training for a winter show. And if not, still cut back by get more event specific with things (like having implement cleans in the mix) with the offseason for another 12 weeks. So kind of sticks to treat another year like 2024 with 2025. But I feel I have to give this more focused and dedicated off-season a shot to see if I can build up my base so that my pressing and deadlifting can peak higher. It will probably be a boring thing and I will feel sore for the start of it for sure. But going to try and keep things interesting as well. Some stuff I’m keeping from this last prep with modifications. Still doing 3 days a week training. Off season stuff focused toward pressing volume and getting stronger off the floor with deadlifts. Borrowing stuff for the overhead and pressing from MST, Juggernaut Method and 5/3/1. Lower body stuff is also MST but some from past coaching. Event stuff is partially past coaching and MST. I feel the MST stuff is way too much volume so 8 weeks have been pushed out of 16 weeks. Event work being sandbags, yoke and grip stuff. See how this goes.

No comments:

Post a Comment