Looking fwd to seeing some new PR vids. You made the squat in that last vid look easy!
[quote]Alpha wrote:
Guhkes: Hey man! Great to hear from you, I was wondering how you have been doing! Thanks for all of the kind words! Well I am already putting myself out there pretty far with the website stuff and in order to keep those around me as safe as possible, I am trying not to post too much of my personal relationship life out of this log. Sorry brother, I hope you understand. But don’t be a stranger! It is great to hear from you again, my friend!
[/quote]
I understand very well brother. You protect those you love.
I’m still training, but I’m not logging online anymore. But I still have my notebook of course. I’ve been doing some heavy kettlebell work lately. I like it really much. And finally just started to get my diet in order. I’m still in shape but still need some body recomp.
I will (need to) vistit your log from time to time just to remind myself what the hard work really looks like.
Stay safe.
g
just found your log and bookmarking it for later reading. thank you.
Roran: Thanks brother! I hope not to disappoint!
Lift and Eat: Yea man, it felt pretty smooth, we will see what is in the tank for this week. I really hope that I have some new PR’s to show soon!
guhkes: That sounds great man! I hope you stop in and post often, brother!
StevenF: Hey man, welcome to the new log! Don’t be a stranger!
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“At a certain point, a fighter has to learn the difference between a truth and a lie. The lie is thinking that submission is an acceptable option. The truth is that if you give up, afterward you’ll realize that any of those punches that you thought you couldn’t deal with, or those rough moments you didn’t think you would make it through, were just …MOMENTS. That’s all. Pain is an illusion.” --Teddy Atlas
Monday, 04AUGUST2014 - Work For Today
CONDITIONING
As Many Rounds As Possible in 20 Minutes
50 Feet of Walking Lunge Curtis P?s (135lbs on the bar)
Run 400 Meters
STRENGTH
3 Sets of 5 Conventional Deadlifts @ 550lbs. Completed 2 Minutes of Flutter Kicks between Sets
I knew I wasn’t going to break any records today but wanted my body to feel a little bit of heaviness again So I added 3 Sets of singles after my working sets. Looked like this:
585x1
605x1
620x1
GIANT SETS
5 Stiff Legged Deadlifts: 275x5, 275x5, 275x5, 275x5
5 Good Mornings: 275x5, 275x5, 275x5, 275x5
10 Ring Pull-Ups: 1, 1, 1, 1
10 Ring Handstand Push-Ups: 1, 1, 1, 1
10 Barbell Rollouts: 1, 1, 1, 1
NOTES:
- Normal Rucking first thing this morning.
- Deadlifts were moving slow today, i think from the yokes on saturday…
- Ring Handstand Push-Ups are challenging but awesome
- I hate Curtis P’s. They killed me.
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“Mental toughness is learned. It’s not skill that everyone has or is born with. There are people that are born tougher than others mentally or figure things out earlier in their life. But if you have motivation you can acquire mental toughness, it’s just what your body gets used to putting up with.” --Greg Jackson
Tuesday, 05AUGUST2014 - Work For Today
I followed the direction of a guy I saw on youtube. I took the end off of a barbell, loaded plates on it, threw a collar on top and created my own “Atlas Stones”. Worked surprisingly well.
CONDITIONING
5 Stone Loads to a 54" Platform 250lb “Stone”
30 Ring Dips
30 Ring Push-Ups
30 Burpees
Run 300 Meters Holding a 25lb Medicine Ball
5 Stone Loads to a 54" Platform 275lb Stone
20 Ring Dips
20 Ring Push-Ups
20 Burpees
Run 300 Meters Holding a 25lb Medicine Ball
5 Stone Loads to a 54" Platform 285lb Stone
15 Ring Dips
15 Ring Push-Ups
15 Burpees
Run 300 Meters Holding a 25lb Medicine Ball
STRENGTH
Started walking my bench up today to hit some singles
135x5
225x5
275x5
315x3
365x1
385x1
405x1
425x1
455x1
Completed 5 Bent Over Rows and 8 Toes to Bar Between Sets.
GIANT SETS
10 Single Arm Inverted Ring Rows: 1, 1, 1, 1 (Each Side)
Log Incline Bench Presses: 255x5, 305x5, 325x5, 355x5
Run 300 Meters Holding a 25lb Medicine Ball: 1, 1, 1, 1
Dumbbell Snatches (Each Side): 90x10, 90x10, 90x10, 90x10
NOTES:
- Normal Rucking first thing in the morning.
- I couldn’t believe how well the “Stones” held up. I am definitely going to start doing these on a regular basis until I can get out and buy some stones.
- Bench: This is the heaviest I have gone in a while. 455 moved pretty well, the hardest part is my left bicep that is still inflamed felt weak on the eccentric and kinda painful on the concentric. The 405 was paused and was no problem at all.
- Medicine ball runs always suck. Was running in the 9’s for all sets including the Conditioning portion of the workout.
- Skipped fighting practice because I had to go see the cardiologist today. It is just making sure my heart is in good condition before nationals, my next fight and BJJ tourneys…Have an echo and stress test thursday.
Looking strong. The strongman event work seems to be paying off.
IronWarrior: Thanks brother! It really seems to be. I honestly think i am stronger right now than I have ever been in my life. Craziness. Thanks so much for stopping in and posting man!
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“There are worse things than looking stupid. Sleeping through life is one of them.” --Laura Preble
Wednesday, 06AUGUST2014 - Work For Today
CONDITIONING
Completed As Many Rounds As I could in 12 Minutes
40 Double Unders
20 Squats
20 Lunges
20 Jumping Lunges
20 Jumping Squats
Gator Walk 50 Feet
GIANT SETS
Front Squats: 185x5, 225x4, 275x3, 315x2, 365x1, 385x1, 405x1, 425x1 455x1 (PR) Vid Below
10 Jack Knives: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
10 Towel Pull-Ups: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
:40 Seconds Barbell Waiter Walks: 185lbs: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
SPEED
Then Loaded a Bar with 245 and set up for High-Bar Squats.
Minute 1: 2 Reps
Minute 2: 4 Reps
Minute 3: 6 Reps
Continued to add 2 Reps Each Minute Until I reached 10 Minutes/20 Reps
NOTES:
- FINALLY I got 4 plates and the quarters on front squat. Weird thing is, it really wasn’t that hard at all. I think I had 475 in me today but decided to take the PR and give it another shot later.
- Normal Rucking first thing in the morning.
Front Squat - 455lbs
Lookin good man. Nice p.r ! Is your foot stance same as your back squat or did you vary it to what worked?
Barbedwired: Thanks brother! My foot placement is actually pretty close to the same as it is on my back squat. It may be just a hair bit closer for my front squats but not by much. I think I do rotate my feet more outward on my Front squat though. Thanks for stopping in and asking!
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“All men dream, but not equally. those that dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act upon their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.” --T.E. Lawrence
Thursday, 07AUGUST2014 - Work For Today
CONDITIONING
In Front of a Running Clock
3:00 Minutes of Kettlebell Swings (70lbs)
3:00 Minutes of Sandbag Carries (Bear Hug Position)
2:00 Minutes of Kettlebell Swings (70lbs)
2:00 Minutes of Sandbag Carries (Bear Hug Position)
1:00 Minute of Kettlebell Swings (70lbs)
1:00 Minute of Sandbag Carries (Bear Hug Position)
STRENGTH
Took 20 Minutes to Work up to a 1RM Log Clean and Press.
165x5
185x3
215x2
255x1
275x1
295x1
315x2 Fails in one rep
315x1 (PR) Video Below
325xNot Today, probably next week
Then Completed 3 Sets of 5 Log Clean & Presses @ 255lbs
GIANT SETS
Weighted Chin-Ups: 165x5, 165x5, 165x5, 165x5
?Z? Presses: 135x5, 185x5, 205x5, 225x3
8 Deficit Handstand Push-Ups: 1, 1, 1, 1
10 Full Contact Twists: 1, 1, 1, 1
100 Meter Hill Sprint
NOTES:
-
Normal Rucking First thing in the morning
-
Had to do a stress test/echo this morning right after this workout. For those of you who don’t know me, i sweat. A LOT. Also, when I exert energy my heart rate shoots up pretty fast and then just stays there. So about 15 Minutes into my stress test the leads attached to me just kept falling off. My heart rate wouldn’t get quite high enough for the test to be over but I was dripping, so the techs had to keep pulling off leads, wiping me down and attempt to put new ones on…all wile still running on a considerable incline…it was pretty funny but the test went on a lot longer than it should have. Hopefully they got all the info they needed and I should hear back today or tomorrow about the results.
-
the 315 Log Press…First attempt I cleaned it right up, got my leg drive but pushed the log too far out in front of me, so it went about 3/4 of the way up and then came back down. The press didn’t feel to bad so I went for a second rep but this time I failed and dropped the log right back onto of my head…
So i took a few minutes, got my head right, kept repeating my cues and got the 315. Vid below.
- I went for 325 but think the bad set prior kind of killed me a little bit. But I’ll take the 315 PR for this week and should get more next week.
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“He who has a ‘why’ to live, can bear almost any ‘how’” – Nietzsche
Friday, 08AUGUST2014 - Work For Today
CONDITIONING
5 Rounds
Row 300 Meters
10 Burpee Pull-Ups
30 Dumbbell Chopper Sit-Ups
30 Deck Squats
STRENGTH
Barbell Snatches
135x3, 185x3, 205x3, 225x2, 245x1, 265x1, 275x1
Between Attempts Completed 20 Glute Ham Raises
Then At the Top of Every Minute for 10 Minutes Complete 3 Barbell Snatches @ 165lbs
Then, because I was bored I decided to see how heavy I could get up to on the Log Incline Bench Press.
Log Incline Bench Press
165x5
215x5
255x4
305x3
325x3
345x3
265x2 This set felt pretty easy…so being an idiot, I made a huge jump to 400lbs and completed the longest, slowest, ugliest rep in history!
Getting 400lbs going from a dead stop like that was not cool and I set the pins so that the log actually compresses my chest when I roll it on top of me. As you can see, it got a little away from me a few times but I finally got it to lockout.
I think next week i will take a new video of it with a normal clean rep…
That rep was sooo ugly and slow, good work buddy!
Dat Front Squat… bare footed and with a clean grip.
Have you always used a clean grip or do you mix it up with the cross arms sometimes?
Dude ugly or not that was bada$$!! How many people would have failed haflway to lockout because it was difficult? You kept at it and had the WILL to do it…the will is everything.congrats on the lift Alpha, you are a huge inspiration.
Regev: Hahahaha thanks man, I’m pretty happy with how ugly it was. I have gotten 435 on incline with a barbell, but the log is a completely different animal.
Sutebun: Thanks brother, yea, i lift in shoes like 0.00000001% of the time. I know it sounds weird and hippie but I just feel more connected to the earth when barefoot. I hardly ever wear shoes. Not around work, not at home, not when training…Weird, i know. Ever since I was a kid i have never liked how shoes feel on my feet and I perform better without them.
And yea, i always clean grip. I was never really able to find a groove with any of the other methods so I just stuck with it. Thanks for asking brother!
Farmer Owen: Thanks so much for saying that man! I almost didn’t put the vid up because it was so ugly, but i figured I should let people see me struggle like that. I often want to make it all look pretty and easy but the reality is that it is always hard. I figured I’d try to share that some. I really appreciate you stopping in and saying that man!
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“Achieving life is not the equivalent of avoiding death.” --Ayn Rand
Saturday, 09AUGUST2014 - Work For Today
CONDITIONING
8 Rounds
Yoke Zercher Carry 60 Feet: 450lbs, 450, 500, 500, 500, 450, 450, 450
20 Glute Ham Raises
20 Glute Ham Sit-Ups
60 Foot Sled Full Body Row: 200lbs, 290, 290, 290, 290, 290, 290, 290
20 Jumping Lunges
20 Jumping Squats
NOTES:
- Hard.
- Fight Practice this morning, went right into this because I don’t have a lot of time today.
Nice grind on the press. Am I the only on e noticing those slabs of meat you call legs? Lol
We called those Spiderman crawls at my old gym. They are brutal!
Your front squat looked great! Congrats on the PR.
Barbedwired: Hahaha thanks man. That rep almost killed me! and yea my legs and butt are pretty big…makes buying jeans so much fun! Thanks for posting, brother!
LiftingStrumpet: Thanks so much! I am hoping to get up to a 500 Front Squat before the end of the year. And yea, gator walks suck. Try doing them backwards, it is even worse! Thanks for stopping in!
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"Don’t prepare. Begin. Remember, our enemy is not lack of preparation; it’s not the difficulty of the project or the state of the marketplace or the emptiness of our bank accounts…The enemy is Resistance.
The enemy is our chattering brain, which, if we give it so much as a nanosecond, will start producing excuses, alibis, transparent self-justifications, and a million reasons why we can’t/ should’t/ won’t do what we know we need to do…
Start before you’re ready." --Steven Pressfield
Sunday, 10AUGUST2014 - Work For Today
I trained a group of people today, so was running around doing a little bit of everything, but the workout looked like this:
5 Rounds
:35 Seconds Barbell Squat Presses
:35 Seconds Battle Ropes
1:10 Rest
5 Rounds
:35 Seconds Tire Flips
:35 Seconds Box Jumps
1:10 Rest
5 Rounds
:35 Seconds Prowler Push
:35 Seconds Barbell Lunges
1:10 Rest
5 Rounds
:35 Seconds Sandbag Shuttle Sprints
:35 Seconds Farmer’s Walks
1:10 Rest
NOTES:
- It was puke city, but everyone did an awesome job!
- Also, for those of you who read them, I put up a new tips of the week on my site yesterday. I really appreciate those of you who check out the site. It really does mean a lot to me. Thank you!
Great tips! My favorites are farmers and rucks with heavy bag.
Thanks for the tip on the Yoke/Squat Stand combo, totally forgot those existed. Probably going to be moving soon, definitely picking one of those up instead of just a rack.
Regev: Thanks man, and thanks for stopping in and posting!
BJack: Yeah man, I actually just bought another one for my gym, they are so versatile. Thanks for stopping in man!
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“Never was anything great achieved without danger.” --Niccolo Machiavelli
“Life is either a great adventure or nothing.” --Helen Keller
Monday, 11AUGUST2014 - Work For Today
STRENGTH
Took 20 Minutes to Find my 1RM Conventional Deadlift.
405x3
500x2
550x1
585x1
605x1
625x1
655x1 (PR Vid Below)
Then Completed 15 Rounds of 3 Speed Deadlifts @385lbs. Took 15 Seconds Rest Between Sets.
CONDITIONING (With a 60lb Dumbbell)
10 Single Arm Dumbbell Swings (Left Side)
10 Single Arm Dumbbell Snatches (Left Side)
10 Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squats (Left Side)
10 Single Arm Dumbbell Swings (Right Side)
10 Single Arm Dumbbell Snatches (Right Side)
10 Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squats (Right Side)
8 Single Arm Dumbbell Swings (Left Side)
8 Single Arm Dumbbell Snatches (Left Side)
8 Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squats (Left Side)
8 Single Arm Dumbbell Swings (Right Side)
8 Single Arm Dumbbell Snatches (Right Side)
8 Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squats (Right Side)
5 Single Arm Dumbbell Swings (Left Side)
5 Single Arm Dumbbell Snatches (Left Side)
5 Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squats (Left Side)
5 Single Arm Dumbbell Swings (Right Side)
5 Single Arm Dumbbell Snatches (Right Side)
5 Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squats (Right Side)
Then for 5 Minutes
:30 Seconds Weighted Sit-Ups
:30 Seated Good Mornings (135lbs)
NOTES:
- Normal Rucking in the morning.
- Finally, I am closer to 700lbs instead of 600lbs on the deadlift!!!
It felt heavy and I never really hit my groove today, but I’ll take it!