January 18, 2012 - Extra Workout

Walking - 33 minutes

Band Face Pulls
IW#1'sx100

Band Press Downs
IW#1'sx100

Band Straight Arm Lat Pulls
IW#1'sx100

Comments: Felt better today stress wise but lower back (actually all of my back) was quite sore. Got cold and dark outside real fast but still made for some relaxing walking. Band stuff was a bit tough but I was expecting that after the two hard sessions.

January 17, 2012 – ME LB

The day didn’t start out well or perhaps I should say the night before didn’t start out well. The bruise on my right thigh looks like an orangutan punched me and the bruise on my left looks like I was hit with Australia. Some family stuff on top of the stress from traveling and hard training could become something bad. Bad enough that I woke up in the middle of the night from vomiting in my mouth. Very unpleasant way to wake up haha. I felt sick the rest of day and had plans to switch to a deload week. However, the session at the chiro made me feel a ton better.

Dynamic Warm-ups

21” Rack Pulls
135x5
245x5
295x3
335x3
385x3
425x3
475x3
515x1
565x1
605x1
Added Straps
655x1
705x1
735x1
755x0

Safety Squat Bar Goodmornings
215x8
245x8
275x8
305x8
335x7

Seated Cable Rows (straps)
225x12
255x12
285x12
315x12 PR+5 reps

27 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Despite feeling like crap, a good workout. I haven’t done rack pulls in a while as I like doing block pulls better but I figured it would be a good idea to do high rack pulls to get used to straining and a stiff bar. Happy to get 605lbs double overhand on the rack bar. Thought about doing the next set that way as well but my training partner reminded me that I was aiming for back work, not grip work so I strapped up. Goal was to beat my 18” pull and I did that. Tried 755lbs after 735lbs but it barely moved. I feel I can get it next time. My back was ready for gms this time. Hit my goal weight fairly easily so I tried 335lbs. Got seven but my form broke down going for an eighth rep so I called the set there. Good progress on them. Really surprised to not only feel okay on rows but to get all the reps. Usually after stones or tire flipping or h-stone, my arms cramp up like crazy on rows the next workout. I did all three and barely had any soreness. Didn’t do that much stretching since it was getting late and I needed sleep.

January 14, 2012 to January 16, 2012

Back in PA. Exhausted is an understatement.

January 14, 2012 - Extra Workout

Walking - 32 minutes

Band Face Pulls
IW#1'sx100

Band Press Downs
IW#1'sx100

Band Straight Arm Lat Pulls
IW#1'sx100

Comments: Just the usual. Nothing major and went to sleep early.

January 15, 2012 – Events

Dynamic Warm-ups

12" Log Clean and Push Presses (one clean)
115x5
145x5
175x3
205x3
230x3
260x4

Tire Flips
700x1
700x1
900x1
900x1
1100x0
1100x1 PR+100lbs
1100x5 PR+4 reps

Biggdogg Strongg H-Stone Carries
240x50'
290xpick
349xpick
429x18'
429x62'

Anchor Chain Drags
500x50'
500x50'
800x50'
1400x0
1400x0
1200x32'

Atlas Stone Loads
250(18")x1 to 52"
330(20")x1 to 50"
360(20")x1 to 50"
380(20")x1 to 50"
405(22")x1 to 50"
432(22")x0 to 50"
432(22")x0 to 50"

Comments: This was a long day. Got up at 4:45 to make it to Brute Strength Gym at about 10:30. I slept about 2.5 hours on the way down so I wasn't super out of it. I love Brute Strength Gym and wish it was closer. My plan was to beat myself up on events to simulate a contest and not just to prep for Viking Fest. I have a feeling other big shows this year will involve a decent amount of traveling and I know it affects me. Knowing this, I started off with log pressing. I knew it was going be rough just starting with the warm-up weight. I got all the reps for this week but only one extra rep on the last set. Whatever, I'll take it. Moved on to tire flipping. So many tires there that they have a tire rack. My goal on this was to flip the 1100lbs tire and then do a heavy rep set. The heaviest tire I have access to is 957lbs (not including Tiny Tim, the plate loadable tire from hell) but it isn't too bad and I've been hearing that the tire for Viking Fest is really tough so why not go for a tire 200lbs over the contest weight. Did some easy singles to warm-up and then tired the 1100lbs tire. First attempt no luck. I was not going to let this happen, hell no. I'm a man and I'm going to flip that tire! Rested maybe 30 seconds and walked to the other side of it and gave it hell. Slow and ugly but I got it up. My wrist was sore after that lift and it has been a long time since I've felt soreness in my wrist from tire flipping. After getting it for one, I knew had it solved and went for an all out set. Surprised myself by getting five reps. I think I could've kept going. Next up was H-Stone carries. I have only played with a Biggdogg Strongg H-stone a couple times and usually for light weight (when it is empty) and my issue seems to always be that it is slick to hold on to with the diamond plating and smoothed edges. Seeing as how I have a bear of a husafell stone carry at Viking Fest, I wanted to make sure I could even get it into position. Loaded it up with all the chains and had at it. This sucked huevos grande. Took forever to get it into position and I lost my grip after 18'. I rested a bit and tried again with much better success (hey, failed attempts are warm-ups) and I lost my grip on that attempt too. Chain drag was next. It is part of a medley but I wanted to hit it heavy too since I'm not really going to have opportunity to max out on a chain drag back home. Besides, the contest weight was super easy so I wanted to push it. Now I thought that was adding just 500lbs but it turns out it was actually 600lbs. I tried once and couldn't budge it as I was slipping and sliding. I changed my shoes to hopefully get better traction with minimal changes. Switched some chain out to make it 200lbs lighter and actually got a fair distance at a snails pace. Just too beat to finish the 50' course. Stones were just awful as I was exhausted and the massive bruises on my inner thighs from the h-stone just hurt so bad when anything touched them. Decided to do low volume singles over a bar. I'm almost embarrassed to tell you how much trouble I had with the 330lbs stone. If I had not gotten it, I would have have just run towards the nearest living thing and just kill it. I felt better on the next two lifts and felt like I was back on my game. Had some issues with the new 405lbs stone but got it. 432lbs was just not going today. Definitely a fatigue thing as I haven't done this many events in one day in awhile. I also may ditch the stone sleeves as it looks like they were sliding on the heavier stones. Had a lot of fun and took a two hour nap to recover from that fun.



January 16, 2012 - Extra Workout

Walking - 32 minutes

Band Face Pulls
IW#1'sx100

Band Press Downs
IW#1'sx100

Band Straight Arm Lat Pulls
IW#1'sx100

Comments: Glorious sleep. Drove the rest of way home after staying the night at my relatives in Richmond. Bruises on my everywhere. Walking felt good and band stuff was understandably tough. This will be a tough week.

January 13, 2012 - DE LB

Dynamic Warm-ups

18” Box Front Squats w/ Chains
No Chains
45x10
Add Bands (+65lbs)
45x2
95x2
135x2
185x2
225x2
256x2
256x2
256x2
256x2
256x2
256x2
256x2
256x2
256x2
256x2

Hammer Strength Uni-Lateral Leg Presses
445x12
495x12
545x12
595x10

Modified Glute Ham Raises
bw+5x12
bw+30x12
bw+55x12
bw+80x12 PR+2 reps

36 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Front squats feeling better and better each time. Leg pressing was tough today. Quads just inflated. Fought hard for every rep on the last set but couldn't get past ten reps. Glute hams went well too. I knew I'd get all the reps on the last set this time after the first rep. My legs slid a little on the ninth rep so I didn't count it and went for another rep. Good amount of stretching for the hamstrings. Extra workout tomorrow and then getting up before the sun on Sunday to drive down to Brute Strength Gym for some heavy lifting.

January 12, 2012 - ME UB

Dynamic Warm-ups

Axle Push Presses w/ Chains
No Chains
75x5
Add Chains (+28lbs)
75x5
Add Chains (+50lbs)
75x3
Add Chains (+72lbs)
75x3
100x3
125x3
150x1
175x1
200x1
220x1
240x1
255x0
265x0,0
265x1

Close Grip Axle Floor Presses
185x12
215x12
245x12
275x12 PR+4 reps

Seated Overhead Cable Triceps
75x12
90x12
105x12
120x7 PR+5lbs

32 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Despite some hiccups, a good workout. I decided to make a fairly big change to my ME work in that I will no longer do a down set at 90% after my best single. I think this will allow me to put more effort into the max for the day and allow me to recover from workout to workout better. I’m definitely starting to feel more comfortable with a bar/implement on my chest for overhead and I think a lot of it has to do with all the front box squatting and the log pressing I’ve been doing lately. I feel solid. I was leery with how axle push pressing with chains would go considering what happened the last time I did them. I almost blacked out and dropped the axle on to the pins of the power rack and it swung down on one end, dumping the plates. Scary and embarrassing. Axle is weird with the lockout being really tough for me. My form was a bit different than what I usually do with push presses in how I unracked the bar. My usual method would be to just quickly pop under the bar but I did a very deliberate unrack this time. I figure that if I’m calm and focused as opposed to amped to the max, I’ll make less mistakes. Leg drive felt good today and my quads were getting a little sore from even the warm-ups haha. The first hiccup came with my attempt at 255lbs. I started to lose my balance so I stopped and didn’t fully lock out my arms. Rather than attempt it again, I increased the weight since I knew I was good for more. Next hiccup was the weight went too far in front on the next set. I knew I could get it if everything clicked. Leg drive was perfect but it stalled inches from lockout. I fought it hard but my vision started to go dark. I got it locked out before I blacked out but I had to drop it from overhead. I feel like such a douchebag when that happens. Despite that, I was really happy to get that weight, just got to work on my breathing with heavy push presses better. So much trickier than strict pressing or jerks. Moved on to axle floor pressing. Only done it twice but this time was definitely the best it has felt. I was expecting low numbers but it felt really good and I hit 275lbs for 12 (and I struggled to get eight last time) with some in the tank. After all those reps, I knew cable triceps were going to be tough, especially since I was increasing the weight from last time. I was right and got what I expected on the last set. Top of my hamstrings were really tight during stretching. I blame the goodmornings.

January 10, 2012 – ME LB

Didn’t walk the day before, I just felt like relaxing. Probably should have still gone for one to help get the tire flipping soreness out of my legs. Not walking today with the rain coming down. Upper back really sore from the workout haha. These past two weeks of log pressing have made me feel confident that I can get better and eventually put up some decent numbers. I want to hit over 300lbs at Viking Fest but I’ll just have to wait and see. Speaking of that, another goal I want is to beat my no tacky stone lift before the contest as well. The stone series is going to be tough with the super dusty 405lbs stone. I’m 2 and 1 with it so far in contests and I want to crush it this time. I’m a little worried about taking so long between event days where I’m doing stone work. On the one hand, it is my best event but on the other, I don’t want to get rusty and loose my advantage. I feel I can do well at under 265lbs but I continue to compare myself to those in the super heavyweight class. Weight is not staying on though. I’m looking forward to Jenkins’ gym opening up in the next few weeks as it will provide me another place to train events.

Dynamic Warm-ups

Deadlifts w/ IW#2’s dbl
No Bands
135x5
Add Bands (+112lbs)
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x3
315x3
365x3
405x1
445x1
485x1
Added Straps
525x1
565x1 PR+5lbs
575x0
500x4 PR+5lbs

Safety Squat Bar Goodmornings
155x12
185x12
215x12
245x12
275x12

Seated Cable Rows (straps)
225x12
255x12
285x12
315x7 PR+5lbs/270x7/225x12

36 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Ok workout today. Managed 485lbs double overhand against the bands before switching to straps. Felt slow as crap off the floor when I strapped in to the bar. Granted I did manage a 5lbs PR, I was expecting more. I shouldn’t have tried for more weight. I got to get used to making small increases and not expecting the big jumps. Really had to fight for those reps on the down set. Had to change my plan a bit with ssb gms. I was going to start at 215lbs but it felt like way too much so I dropped it down to 155lbs. As I progressed, I felt better and eventually worked up to my original goal weight. Just took two extra sets. All that work and I knew I’d be beat when it came to rows. Got a tough seven reps with 315lbs but I was still mad about my deadlifting so I did a double drop set. Lots of stretching for my hamstrings.

January 08, 2012 – Events

Dynamic Warm-ups

12.5" Log Clean and Push Presses (one clean)
115x5
145x5
175x3
190x5
215x5
245x7

Tire Flips
860x1
860x1
860x1
860x8
860x13 PR+1 rep

20" Pick Frame Carries (1.5" handles)
570x110' (drop at 55')
570x110' (drop at 55')
570x110' (drop at 55')

Comments: Felt good. As I mentioned, not too sure what to do other than log and tire. Joe said I should skip stones as I was going to be pulling heavy this week and stones are my best event. Log felt awesome today, the best it has ever felt for me. Just missed getting an eighth rep with 245lbs, just got too far out in front of me. I was slow getting into tire today, long breaks between the first three warm-up singles. Goal was just light form work but it felt good so I did eight instead of six reps. I figured I'd beat my rep PR on the next set. Pretty gassed by that and the cool air doesn't help the breathing haha. Definitely good for more if I had to push it. Since I had unexpectedly got in some conditioning work, I decided it was not the best time to do sandbag carries. Jenkins had brought his frame out with him so I just did that for a few runs. Felt easy.