Alpha's Work IV

Training Training Logs
181

[quote]Alpha wrote:

emskee: You thinking about starting a log back up on here man? I know a lot of people that would be learning from you experience.

[/quote]

Alpha,

I have been thinking about it. But, the more I respond the posts, the more I go “what the hell am I talking about?!?!?!?!?!”

I dunno, it would keep me honest…

In the mean time, keep on keeping us caught in your stampede.

emskee

182

emskee: You should man, you have a lot of great things to say. Plus it would be awesome to keep up with how you are doing. Either way, I really appreciate your help!

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“Quit making excuses, putting it off, complaining about it, dreaming about it, whining about it, crying about it, believing you can’t, worrying if you can, waiting until you are older, skinnier, richer, braver, or all around better. Suck it up, hold on tight, say a prayer, make a plan & JUST DO IT.” --Nike

TUESDAY, 17MARCH2015 - Work For Today
Wave 1/Week 2/Day 2

STRENGTH
Paused Bench Press: 225x5, 315x4, 335x2, 365x1, 405x1, 425x1, 445x1

STRENGTH REPS
Paused bench Press: 340x8, 340x8, 340x8, 340x8

CONDITIONING - 5 Rounds
10 Wide Grip Pull-Ups
10 Plyo Push-Ups onto 24" Jump Boxes
Run 300 Meters holding a 25b Medicine Ball

NOTES:

  • Pretty easy day. 445 moved pretty well and this is the heaviest I have gone since my elbow troubles began. It is still hurting but seems to be improving.
  • The rep work was the real bench workout I was supposed to do today.
  • Conditioning wasn’t bad at all. I was just kind of messing around in the gym and this is what I ended up doing. I hope I get the chance to hit up some yoke walks and rope climbs tonight, but if not, then I will make it up.
183

[quote]Regev19978 wrote:
By the way, I have a question- What are your favorite squat movements you prefer to do on the conditioning part of your training before deadlifting heavy? Lately I’m doing high rep squat with about pretty light weight (BW) but it taxes my legs a bit. Do you think I should stick to it or change to front/over head/zercher squat?[/quote]
Bro you ignored my question haha

And is there any particular reason for doing the conditioning after the strength work?

184

Regev: Sorry man! I didn’t even see it!

I try to keep things a little bit light on legs for a Deadlift day. I like Front, goblet or bodyweight variations and really like using dimel deads and some plyometric jumping during the conditioning. I actually like using Overhead squats on shoulder days.

I think you need to try different things and see what is going to workout for you. Once you give it a fair 3 week shot, if it isn’t working for you then toss it. If it is not then keep it…I can’t really tell you exactly what will work for you without physically seeing the conditioning and the strength stuff.

And no. No real reason for the conditioning after the strength stuff, that is just kind of how it fell into place for that workout. I hope that helps and I apologize again for missing your question, boss.

185

Alpha, I got a car deadlift coming up in a future contest. Your advice has really taken me to the next level in all my contests, so I wanted to see if you had any tips on the event.

Keep on being crazy strong.

186

[quote]Alpha wrote:
Regev: Sorry man! I didn’t even see it!

I try to keep things a little bit light on legs for a Deadlift day. I like Front, goblet or bodyweight variations and really like using dimel deads and some plyometric jumping during the conditioning. I actually like using Overhead squats on shoulder days.

I think you need to try different things and see what is going to workout for you. Once you give it a fair 3 week shot, if it isn’t working for you then toss it. If it is not then keep it…I can’t really tell you exactly what will work for you without physically seeing the conditioning and the strength stuff.

And no. No real reason for the conditioning after the strength stuff, that is just kind of how it fell into place for that workout. I hope that helps and I apologize again for missing your question, boss.[/quote]
I’m sorry if you misunderstood me, you don’t have to reply my questions so I’m sorry! Thanks for answering my question, I really appreciate it.

187

Pwnisher: Ah, the car deadlift. AKA the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems… From reading your log it sounds like you have never performed one before. Firstly, it is NOT a deadlift. It is more closely related to a squat & a deadlift’s abortion that caught ebola then gave anthrax a case of syphilis…Then again, if you do well at it, they will become your new favorite exercise.

How well you do will largely depend on how the promoter sets up the event. If you are competing above 200lbs then they will usually always add extra weight to the car (either in the trunk [which is easier] or to the frame itself). A lot of the frames are also adjustable. If the “arms” are a decent distance away from the car then you will have more leverage and it will be lighter. If your butt is almost touching the car on set-up then your day just got worse. Also, to make it easier, some promoters will place 2x4’s under the arms so that the pick is higher. This is a very good thing. If it is directly off the ground, then again, your day just got worse.

I have only had the opportunity to deadlift a car twice. First time was at nationals and the second time was at Maryland’s strongest man. At Nationals, the car was a little bit lighter (Toyota Camry + 300lbs in the trunk) and I was able to get 7 reps in 60 seconds. I was fortunate enough to have some very helpful people around me that gave me some tips as I had never even attempted this before.

Any time there is a car deadlift, a LOT of guys will zero the event and not even be able to budge the car, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t do as well as you would like. Remember, it is NOT a deadlift. You have a very respectable deadlift, but this is just different. There were quite a few guys who zeroed even at Nationals. And at Maryland’s Strongest Man, all but 4 of us didn’t even get 1 rep.

This was my experience at Nationals:
First guy: 2 Reps then passed out.
Second Guy: 1 Rep and a nosebleed
Third Guy: 4 Reps, Passed out
Fourth Guy: Projectile puke on his 4th rep
…By the time it was my turn to try, I was pretty intimidated to say the least. I steeled myself and just decided that I would pull until something broke or I passed out…I just didn’t want to zero it. I strapped in, and started pulling. On like rep 3 (and every rep after), the internal pressure that was building up in my stomach trying to force everything back up my esophagus was pretty immense. Around rep 5, my ears clogged up and I felt like I was underwater. Every time I would pull, my vision went tunnel and to be honest, my last few reps are pretty hard to remember because I just wasn’t there anymore…I know this sounds really dramatic but it is true to my experience. It was like nothing else I had ever experienced in my lifting history. This event is very hard for me because I am not really built to be a deadlifter. My short little T-Rex arms are great for benching but not so wonderful for pulling. Top guys were in the 20-25 rep range.

Here are some tips that I wish I would have known before hand.

  1. Strap in tight. Cars are apparently heavy, and if one strap slips while the other holds, you may be crooked for the rest of your days.
  2. Continue squeezing the handles as hard as you can for the synergistic strength effect even though your strapped in.
  3. Get your feet slightly out in front of you on set-up.
  4. Get your hips through as early as possible. It is more like a horrendous hack squat than it is a deadlift. For this reason, push up and back, then hips through ASAP to get your reps.
  5. Listen to your commands. You REALLY don’t want to waste any of these reps by not waiting for a “down” command.
  6. Drive your chest as high as you can at the beginning of the rep. It is different because the start of the pull will feel easy because you are just pulling the slack out of the suspension. Then it will get VERY heavy fast as you take on the full weight of the car. Then, as your hips come through it will get easier again. It is the midrange that is the hardest.
  7. Get your mindset ready before you come in. Don’t kid yourself, if you get past a few reps, it is only going to get worse. Your body is going to go through a lot of stuff in that minute. Don’t let yourself be surprised by the weight. It will feel oppressive and horrible, but if you accept that before you go in, then you won’t be surprised by it.
  8. Don’s stop! If you are on a roll, keep going. If you stop to reset or fool with your straps or catch your breath, it is VERY hard to break the inertia again. Go in hard and keep going until you can’t go anymore or they tell you to.

Things that may be beneficial to you to work on.

  1. Farmer’s Handle deads. I saw that you just got a trap bar, use that. Get used to extremely heavy weights with a neutral grip. My max on this is 780lbs and I can honestly say that a car feels worse than that.
  2. Ghetto Car Deadlifts. Look how kale beck sets up these bars to simulate a car deadlift.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2wZ6E3ltLA
    The limiting factor here is that, as you add ore and more weight, you run out of room for your butt to go. If you work up to around 700lbs, you won’t have room to set-up. But it WILL teach you the “up and back” movement that you will need to perform. Even if you can familiarize yourself with the motion and getting you hips through, it should help you out.

That is all I can really think to tell you at the moment man, I hope this helps. And I hope you get some reps so that you get the desired result from your wife that you mentioned in your log! If i think of anything else I will mention it to you here on on your log.

Regev: No worries at all brother, i am here to answer all of the questions people post, i just didn’t see that one for some reason!

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“We’re out there. The ones who push you. Then try to push past you. Get you up before the alarm and out sweating. Dark or rain. We give you our best to get the best from you. Scoring against us tastes sweeter. Fighting us makes you fiercer. We’re not the many, but the few close enough to get under your skin, and that’s exactly why we take you further. Move with us or against us. Together we will make it count.” --Nike

THURSDAY, 19MARCH2015 - Work For Today
Wave 1/Week 2/Day4

CONDITIONING
10 Burpee Pull-Ups
1 Dumbbell ManMaker
9 Burpee Pull-Ups
2 Dumbbell Mank Makers
60 Meter Hill Sprint

8 Burpee Pull-Ups
3 Dumbbell ManMakers
7 Burpee Pull-Ups
4 Dumbbell ManMakers
60 Meter Hill Sprint

6 Burpee Pull-Ups
5 Dumbbell ManMakers
5 Burpee Pull-Ups
6 Dumbbell ManMakers
60 Meter Hill Sprint

4 Burpee Pull-Ups
7 Dumbbell ManMakers
3 Burpee Pull-Ups
8 Dumbbell ManMakers
60 Meter Hill Sprint

2 Burpee Pull-Ups
9 Dumbbell ManMakers
1 Burpee Pull-Up
10 Dumbbell ManMakers
60 Meter Hill Sprint

NOTES:

  • This. Was. Brutal. 3 of my least favorite exercises, over and over and over again.
188

Just today I tried pullup burpee after going through your 2nd log for some ideas to ‘warmup’ and punish myself. Next time I’ll push myself further with these. I also tried light Z press after I remembered you doing them.
Any tips for the Z press?

189

[quote]Alpha wrote:

THURSDAY, 19MARCH2015 - Work For Today
Wave 1/Week 2/Day4

CONDITIONING
10 Burpee Pull-Ups
1 Dumbbell ManMaker
9 Burpee Pull-Ups
2 Dumbbell Mank Makers
60 Meter Hill Sprint

8 Burpee Pull-Ups
3 Dumbbell ManMakers
7 Burpee Pull-Ups
4 Dumbbell ManMakers
60 Meter Hill Sprint

6 Burpee Pull-Ups
5 Dumbbell ManMakers
5 Burpee Pull-Ups
6 Dumbbell ManMakers
60 Meter Hill Sprint

4 Burpee Pull-Ups
7 Dumbbell ManMakers
3 Burpee Pull-Ups
8 Dumbbell ManMakers
60 Meter Hill Sprint

2 Burpee Pull-Ups
9 Dumbbell ManMakers
1 Burpee Pull-Up
10 Dumbbell ManMakers
60 Meter Hill Sprint

NOTES:

  • This. Was. Brutal. 3 of my least favorite exercises, over and over and over again. [/quote]

I feel naseated just reading that haha.

190

No experience deadlifting cars, but it seems like there would be some carry over from using a trap bar. Thoughts?

191

Alpha, you continue to remain the man. Thank you for that very detailed post. I’m going to keep all that in mind come event day.

It was actually another poster in my log that just got a trap bar. I’ve had mine for about 8 years now, but it caps out pretty low in weight due to short sleeves (like 585 at the absolute most). I think that ghetto rig may suit me better, or just farmer’s walk deads. Much appreciated.

192

Not sure if this is practical, but might be able to use an actual wheelbarrow that you load.
Could probably mess with the starting height pretty easily too, as far as progression goes.

193

[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
Alpha, you continue to remain the man. Thank you for that very detailed post. I’m going to keep all that in mind come event day.

It was actually another poster in my log that just got a trap bar. I’ve had mine for about 8 years now, but it caps out pretty low in weight due to short sleeves (like 585 at the absolute most). I think that ghetto rig may suit me better, or just farmer’s walk deads. Much appreciated.[/quote]

i know it’s not ideal but maybe you could attach bands to the 585 in order to make it heavier?

194

Alpha- The way you describe car deadlifts make it sound like the worst lift ever. I never thought it would be that hard and I’m glad it’s not one of the big three lifts, lol. Getting 7 reps is pretty good for not having any experience doing it. It looks like you can make quick progress with more practice.

MattyG35 & TheCB- To build on those ideas, another could be to modify a weighted sled so that it sits on top of the barbells in the knurling area and rests inside the collars. That could add a few hundred pounds but would be easy to pull since it’s closer to the pivot point. However the pivot point could be extended back to-about 10ft behind the body by attaching 2.25" diameter pipes to the barbell collars, which would help mimic the actual movement a little better too.

195

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[quote]lift206 wrote:
Alpha- The way you describe car deadlifts make it sound like the worst lift ever. I never thought it would be that hard and I’m glad it’s not one of the big three lifts, lol. Getting 7 reps is pretty good for not having any experience doing it. It looks like you can make quick progress with more practice.

MattyG35 & TheCB- To build on those ideas, another could be to modify a weighted sled so that it sits on top of the barbells in the knurling area and rests inside the collars. That could add a few hundred pounds but would be easy to pull since it’s closer to the pivot point. However the pivot point could be extended back to-about 10ft behind the body by attaching 2.25" diameter pipes to the barbell collars, which would help mimic the actual movement a little better too.[/quote]

I was thinking something along the lines of welding a couple of drums together and cutting a hole in each for a barbell. Pic is kinda dumb, but hopefully illustrates my point.

The problem would be getting the weight distributed like a car’s.

196

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]lift206 wrote:
Alpha- The way you describe car deadlifts make it sound like the worst lift ever. I never thought it would be that hard and I’m glad it’s not one of the big three lifts, lol. Getting 7 reps is pretty good for not having any experience doing it. It looks like you can make quick progress with more practice.

MattyG35 & TheCB- To build on those ideas, another could be to modify a weighted sled so that it sits on top of the barbells in the knurling area and rests inside the collars. That could add a few hundred pounds but would be easy to pull since it’s closer to the pivot point. However the pivot point could be extended back to-about 10ft behind the body by attaching 2.25" diameter pipes to the barbell collars, which would help mimic the actual movement a little better too.[/quote]

I was thinking something along the lines of welding a couple of drums together and cutting a hole in each for a barbell. Pic is kinda dumb, but hopefully illustrates my point.

The problem would be getting the weight distributed like a car’s. [/quote]

Seems like you could set this up with a set of barbells and a pair of landmines or this thing
www.elitefts.com/shop/strength-equipment/strength-accessories/eliteftstm-e-series-core-blaster.html

197

Regev: Yeah man, brace, brace, brace! If you fail this lift it is because your core got weak during the press and the thoracic movement took the bar out of the grove. Stay as tight as possible. Get your breath, hold it, brace…then unpack the bar and perform the lift. Don’t breath until your first 1-2 reps are complete. Then when you do breath, brace again with your body as upright as possible. I hope that helps man!

Fletch: Yep, it was a puke-tastic time! Haha

Pwnisher: Definitely do the ghetto car deads man. Nothing else mimics the movement at much as that. I’m glad you found the tips helpful brother! I would wish you luck, but you don’t need it.

MattyG: This is actually a really good idea. If you picked it up backwards and created a deficit to stand on so the pick was low enough. The only problem would be the weight. Wheelbarrows by design make heavy weight feel much lighter. At Nationals this past year, we had to run 60 feet carrying one that weighed 1,650lbs and in honesty, it felt like a dream compared to the car.

TheCB: That is also a great suggestion. It is just that the Farmer’s handles or the trap bar will definitely help prepare you, but a car deadlift is just such a different movement.

lift206: Yea man, I love them and hate them at the same time. I actually thought about building something similar but taking 2 long 2"pipes and then making my own collars out of plumbing fittings so that I could add more weight and do them they way Kalle Beck does the ghetto ones in the video I posted above. Great suggestion.

usmccds: That is also a great idea man. I think the issue with all of these suggestions is it still doesn’t mimic the way you pull the slack out of the suspension of the car, then take the full load. Elite FTS sells a car rig for like 2 grand without shipping. I think maybe I will get the specs online and then pay a welder to make me one. I really like all of the brain storming going on here though!

==============================================
“We’re out there. The ones who push you. Then try to push past you. Get you up before the alarm and out sweating. Dark or rain. We give you our best to get the best from you. Scoring against us tastes sweeter. Fighting us makes you fiercer. We’re not the many, but the few close enough to get under your skin, and that’s exactly why we take you further. Move with us or against us. Together we will make it count.” --Nike

THURSDAY, 19MARCH2015 - Work For Today
Wave 1/Week 2/Day4

CONDITIONING - In Front of A Running Clock
3 Minutes of Double Unders
3 Minutes of SledgeHammer Swings
2 Minutes of Double Unders
2 Minutes of SledgeHammer Swings
1 Minute of Double Unders
1 Minute of SledgeHammer Swings

STRENGTH
Paused Squats
135xihavenoidea
225xihavenoidea
315x5
405x4
455x3
500x2
550x1 (in video below)
590x1 (PR in vid below)
610x1 (Bigger PR in vid)

NOTES:

  • I have been out of town for a little bit for work, got off the plane, headed straight to the gym and hit this. (This is a VERY normal thing for me at this point) I wasn’t expecting much, but am really happy with how it went.
  • Conditioning was cool. Got my heart going, but my intent of the day was to just hit some heavy stuff with paused squats.
  • My warm-ups sets (up to 500lbs did not feel the best, but I figured I would just let it play out and see where I ended up)
  • 550 felt pretty good, my hips shot back just a little bit and it made this harder than it should have been.
  • 590 felt amazing. I hit 585 last week, which was a PR. i try o NEVER tie a PR, I will always throw at least 2.5’s on and see if I get it. It may have been just a touch high, but it felt like there was nothing on my back.
    1. In reality this was stupid of me to try with he competition coming up next weekend, and I wouldn’t recommend people do dumb things like this…but I am not the sharpest tool in the shed so I loaded it and went for it. my hips shot back a little bit again, but all in all it was not as hard as I would have expected. I probably had some more in me, but it can wait until after the competition.

Here is a vid of the 550, 590 and 610 sets.

198

Mother of God those were some legit pauses. Usually when people on here “pause,” it means …well, it doesn’t mean anything.

199

Just had an idea, not sure if it’s any good or not.
But with the land mines, cuz they’re flat on the bottom, so I would imagine that they can’t go much past 0 degrees (or 180 degrees).
Anyway, the idea was to put them on say a 30 degree slope, zipped down to a piece of wood or something, and slightly elevated, then you could play with the angles. Hope that was descriptive enough, I don’t have usmc’s artistic ability :stuck_out_tongue:

200

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I’ve been trying to figure out a way to mimic the suspension part of the car deadlift, but I can’t seem to figure it out without basically building a car suspension.

This is the best I can come up with. It’s probably cheaper just to get a actual car deadlift frame made though…