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“In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves… self-discipline with all of them came first.” --Harry S Truman
[quote]Alpha wrote:
Then took 10 Minutes to Work up to a 225lb “Z” Press. Then immediately cut the weight down to 135 and completed 8 rounds of Tabata “Z” Presses
[…]
“Z” Presses felt good today. 225 was no joke! [/quote]
That’s impressive.
The CB: Thanks for the kind words brother! Hmmmm, for the next 12 months, some strength goals would be:
Bench - T&G 550lbs, paused 525.
Squat - 700, Front Squat 500
Deadlift - 700
Overhead Press - 350 Log, 315 Strict Press
I also would love to compete in Strongman at least 4-6 Times this year…Hopefully with a top 10 finish at Nationals.
I am not sure about lifelong goals…We will see where this next year takes me! Thanks for asking brother!
markws: Thanks so much man! That is hugely useful!
LoRez: Is it? I have no frame of reference for what a good “Z” Press is! I know that 225 was pretty tough! And thanks man! 600lbs is finally starting to feel like a fairly “normal” weight for me at this point. Hopefully 700 falls this year!
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“Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of ‘crackpot’ than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost.” --Thomas J. Watson
THURSDAY, 06NOVEMEBER2014 ? Work For Today
CONDITIONING ? As Many Rounds As possible in 12 Minutes
20 Pull-Ups
20 Dimel Dealifts @ 40% of Your 1RM
20 Ring Dips
Definitely tweaked my right calf during the yoke walk this past saturday. Today it locked up on me and still currently is. Hopefully it is just crampped up and nothing is wrong in there. I’ll have a better Idea of what is up by tomorrow. Hope all is well out there!
[quote]Alpha wrote:
LoRez: Is it? I have no frame of reference for what a good “Z” Press is! I know that 225 was pretty tough![/quote]
It’s impressive to me. It’s about 100lbs more than I can do.
But from what I’ve seen, it seems like anything better than 2/3rds of your standing strict press is pretty good. There’s not a lot of logs I’ve seen where people have done both, but it seems to be something like 60-70% for people who don’t really train it, and 80% for people who do. It’s been awhile since I looked, but it was around that.
TheCB: Thanks so much man! Hearing that from people is the entire reason why I keep this log.
LoRez: Thanks man, that helps give me a frame of reference. I may start working my way up on these. Overhead pressing is one thing I really want to improve upon this upcoming year.
spar4tee: Thanks brother, i hope you are right on both accounts. The calf is a little bit better today, but it is still definitely not where I would like it to be.
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“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” --Albert Einstein
“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.” --Albert Einstein
FRIDAY, 07NOVEMBER2014 ? Work For Today
STRENGTH
Took 20 Minutes to work up to a 1RM Push Press out of the Rack.
135x5
225x5
245x3
275x1
300x1
315x1
325x1
335x1 PR and Vid Below
EVENTS
Worked for about 20 Minutes on some light Yoke walks to try and abuse my calf into getting better.
Then Took 20 Minutes to Work on my Continental Clean & Press. Walked my way up to an easy 300lbs.
CONDITIONING
At the top of Every :45 Seconds for 12 Rounds, Completed a 50 Foot Keg Carry.
NOTES:
My calf feels a little bit better today. Hopefully it is just something that is seized up in there. Abuse usually helps me, so maybe today’s session will make it better.
Hit a 335 Push Press Today, which is a PR. It got stuck about halfway up, but I ended up getting it. I feel pretty good about this considering that my leg drive wasn’t as fast as usual because of the calf issue. Here is the vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2b5RsHSCf0&feature=youtu.be
Hope all is well out there and thanks for reading!
Haha your head looks much more bulkier without the hut, I love it!
Finally we’re able to see your Irish pretty face
Good lift bro! Your form is much better than the last push press vid.
By the way, how are you doing the z-press? With a bar or a log?
HI Alpha, I’ve been lurking around your training logs for quite some time and would like to admire the amount of respect I’ve for you! I’ve just sent you a PM to seek some advice from you. Would really hope you can reply. Thank you!
Regev: Hahahaha yea man, I do have a pretty bulky head…Good for getting punched! I am currently doing the Z Presses with a Barbell and Incline bench with the log. But Z presses with the log is a great idea as well!
pjlife: Hey brother! Thanks so much for the kind words! Unfortunately, PM’s don’t seem to work anymore and it doesn’t show that I have one. If you go to my site (just watch the video from my training below. It’s at the beginning and the end [they won’t allow me to post the site here]. If your head to the site and scroll all the way to the bottom of the first page there is contact info. Just email me there and I will be happy to help you out any way that I can! Thanks for checking in and welcome to the log!
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“If you are not willing to risk the usual you will have to settle for the ordinary.” --Jim Rohn
“If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission.” --Anonymous
SUNDAY, 09NOVEMBER2014 - Work For Today
CONDITIONING
At the top of every minute for 12 Minutes, complete 5 Burpees. For the remainder of the minute, complete as many Curtis P’s as possible.
STRENGTH
Deadlifts…
135x5
225x4
315x3
405x2
495x2
550x1
585x1
605x1
635x1
645x1
660x1 PR and vid below
Then loaded 315 on the bar and did this…
Minute 1: 1 Deadlift
Minutes 2: 2 Deadlifts
Minute 3: 3 Deadlifts
…Continued this pattern for 16 Minutes
NOTES:
I hate Curtis P’s.
Pretty stoked about the 660 Deadlift PR. It was a grind but it went up. I am just as happy that my lighter sets that are above 600lbs seem to be speeding up. I really want that 700lb deadlift in 2015…
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“When you’re good at something, you’ll tell everyone. When you’re great at something, they’ll tell you.” --Walter Payton
“I started my life with a single absolute: that the world was mine to shape in the image of my highest values and never to be given up to a lesser standard, no matter how long or hard the struggle.” --Ayn Rand
MONDAY, 10NOVEMBER2014 ? Work For Today
CONDITIONING
Tire Flips
:30 Seconds Work / :30 Seconds Rest for 10 Rounds
Ironwarrior: Thanks Boss! Yea man, Curtis P’s are absolutely brutal but great for conditioning. It is kind of like doing mini-complexes. Thanks for stopping in!
law8: Thanks so much man, I really appreciate that and you stopping by to post!
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“There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.” --Ray Goforth
EVENTS
Minute 1: 2 Atlas Stone Deadlifts
Minute 2: 4 Atlas Stone Deadlifts
Minute 3: 6 Atlas Stone Deadlifts
…Continued this pattern for 10 Minutes with a 300lb Stone
My first post on any of your logs but after reading through Alphas Work 2 for maybe the fourth time I thought I’d let you know that log completely changed the way I approach training. When you first started it I used to think to myself man how does he train like that? I thought it would be impossible for me to do those kind of inserts then jump into the strength stuff all the while giant setting everything etc. Well I moved away from bodybuilding style training when I took up kickboxing about a year ago and decided to give one of your templates a try and you were absolutely right.
It’s damn hard work, but once you get out of your comfort zone and break through that mental barrier the results speak, I’m stronger and faster then I’ve ever been by a long shot and haven’t looked back. We have some serious fighters at the club but my fitness/conditioning is without a doubt at the top and I attribute this to you, so I just thought I’d finally say thanks.
Like I said, I tend to read through your last log whenever I need a kick up the ass but I never got a chance to finish your first log and I can’t seem to find it anywhere now. Is it still accessible?
Thanks again man, and congrats on that 660 dead, I know how long you’ve wanted 700 and it’s getting closer.
Joe_89: Man, thank you so much for the kind words! Nothing makes me happy than to hear about someone who gave my programming a shot and are excelling with it! Good for you brother! Unfortunately, my first log is deleted. I know some people have parts of it saved, and I have posted a few old rants on my website, but other than that, it is gone. Sorry brother!
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“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” --Thomas Jefferson
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” --Pablo Picasso
WEDNESDAY, 12NOVEMBER2014 - Work For Today
CONDITIONING - At the top of every minute for 12 Minutes, Completed:
5 Chest to Bar Pull-Ups
50" Keg Carry (230lb Keg)
STRENGTH - Found my new 1RM Front Squat
135x5
225x5
315x2
365x2
405x1
425x1
455x1
475x1 NEW PR! (Vid Below)
CONDITIONING - Tabata Back Squats. 4:00 Minutes of 20 Seconds Work / 10 Seconds Rest. The Bar never leaves your back. Do not re-rack the weight. Once you walk it out, it is on your back for the duration.
The newspaper is coming to my gym tonight to do a story on my Maryland’s Strongest man win and my new gym. Hopefully they will make me look good so I can get some more business!
Wow great work on the front squat man! You seem to be breaking a lot of PR’s lately. How long will you continue trying to push these numbers, and what will the next training phase look like?
That’s great to hear about the gym picking up, it looks pretty awesome! Definitely my kind of place. If I’m ever near by I’ll have to drop in for a session.
Congrats both of the up coming newspaper’s article and the new PR.
After the 475 you’re like-never turn your back to your enemies.
Edit: Just saw a new video that DeFranco uploaded and thought you would like to give it a try:
