DEstrength's Strongmanish Training

Training Training Logs
121

10/5/15 evening

DE effort bench

Circa bench
doubled lights+set of chains
45X5 chains only
45X5 bands only
95X3
115X3
135X3 for 3 sets

decided to fuck around and show off, someone was deadlifting with the trap bar, so…
trap bar shrugs
315X20
315X12
315X7

some curls/giving my friend some pointers

headed home since I came to the gym late

Slept.

10/6/15 super early morning
push press
175X5
175X5
175X4 suddenly had bad pain in shoulder

neutral grip pull ups
bwX15
bwX9
bwX7

Shoulder felt a little painful, so it affected the pull ups some

doubled mini rack walk for three sets

I haven’t been getting enough back volume lately, and my triceps had gotten a lot of work from circa-max benching, so I just did back and shoulder work.

122

[quote]MarkKO wrote:

[quote]Destrength wrote:

[quote]MarkKO wrote:
It’s all looking pretty good. You’ve got a meet in a week or so right? I’m looking forward to seeing how you go.

With DL, if you feel like you’re not getting much out of the belt there’s no reason to use it too much. [/quote]
Nope, about four weeks. And thanks, man. Don’t you also have a meet coming up really soon?[/quote]

Ah, right. Yes, this coming Sunday. Just did my equipment check. I think I’ve found the best way to wrap my knees too, and it isn’t too hard to do myself. [/quote]
Oh, okay. I hope you do good. I wonder how much your bench has improved, you seem to be leaving a lot on the table with your bench. Your total would be at least another hundred pounds higher if your bench was up to your squat and deadlift’s level.

123

[quote]Destrength wrote:

[quote]strongmanvinny wrote:
Man, you are lucky you get nothing out of a belt LOL. It’s an amazing thing to be able to frequent heavy pulls beltless. I used to be able to do that, but not anymore…[/quote]

Thanks. lol What happened to your ability to do that, was it just the weight getting too high, or did you have a bad injury to your spine?[/quote]

Not sure. I trained beltless exclusively for 3 years just because I didn’t care to buy a belt. Pulled 500 off deficits without one plenty of times in the past, but it might just be that I’ve gotten so used to a belt with strongman lifts that taking one off makes my body confused. Might just be lack of acclimation to that kind of thing. I’ve also adopted the idea that training beltless is a good tool in your training but it’s not something that should be taken very seriously unless you’re trying to be Paul Chek or some shit.

124

[quote]strongmanvinny wrote:

[quote]Destrength wrote:

[quote]strongmanvinny wrote:
Man, you are lucky you get nothing out of a belt LOL. It’s an amazing thing to be able to frequent heavy pulls beltless. I used to be able to do that, but not anymore…[/quote]

Thanks. lol What happened to your ability to do that, was it just the weight getting too high, or did you have a bad injury to your spine?[/quote]

Not sure. I trained beltless exclusively for 3 years just because I didn’t care to buy a belt. Pulled 500 off deficits without one plenty of times in the past, but it might just be that I’ve gotten so used to a belt with strongman lifts that taking one off makes my body confused. Might just be lack of acclimation to that kind of thing. I’ve also adopted the idea that training beltless is a good tool in your training but it’s not something that should be taken very seriously unless you’re trying to be Paul Chek or some shit.[/quote]
Or if you are trying to emulate KK.

Being strong beltless really doesn’t matter unless you want to be strong beltless, so it depends on your training goals. Do you know if it is actually good for your back health to include a lot of beltless work?
I’ve always assumed it was, or at least having the ab/back strength and stability to be able to lift well without a belt. For me beltless work is not something I force; I started lifting without a belt and just introduced it late enough that my back and abs have been forced to be ridiculously strong (otherwise I’d fuck myself up/be weak). By the time I got introduced to a belt, my back and abs were already strong enough that I don’t need belts for anything. It might give some carryover to my squat, but I honestly can’t tell.

125

[quote]Destrength wrote:

[quote]strongmanvinny wrote:

[quote]Destrength wrote:

[quote]strongmanvinny wrote:
Man, you are lucky you get nothing out of a belt LOL. It’s an amazing thing to be able to frequent heavy pulls beltless. I used to be able to do that, but not anymore…[/quote]

Thanks. lol What happened to your ability to do that, was it just the weight getting too high, or did you have a bad injury to your spine?[/quote]

Not sure. I trained beltless exclusively for 3 years just because I didn’t care to buy a belt. Pulled 500 off deficits without one plenty of times in the past, but it might just be that I’ve gotten so used to a belt with strongman lifts that taking one off makes my body confused. Might just be lack of acclimation to that kind of thing. I’ve also adopted the idea that training beltless is a good tool in your training but it’s not something that should be taken very seriously unless you’re trying to be Paul Chek or some shit.[/quote]
Or if you are trying to emulate KK.

Being strong beltless really doesn’t matter unless you want to be strong beltless, so it depends on your training goals. Do you know if it is actually good for your back health to include a lot of beltless work?
I’ve always assumed it was, or at least having the ab/back strength and stability to be able to lift well without a belt. For me beltless work is not something I force; I started lifting without a belt and just introduced it late enough that my back and abs have been forced to be ridiculously strong (otherwise I’d fuck myself up/be weak). By the time I got introduced to a belt, my back and abs were already strong enough that I don’t need belts for anything. It might give some carryover to my squat, but I honestly can’t tell.[/quote]

It’s all applicable within your own reasoning. I personally don’t have a lower back made of steel so it doesn’t work to well for me lol. It’s good for others, most not I’ve found. Keep doing it since it works for you, but just be prudent at the same time.

126

I’ve still been training, but haven’t been logging well.

10/18/15
wide stance parallel box squats
45X5
135X5
225X3
275X3
315X3
365X2
405X1 PR
425X1

step ups
135X8 per side
155X8 per side
165X5 per side

suit case holds
135X30 seconds per side
135X30 seconds per side
135X30 seconds pe rside

shrugs
275X15
275X5 hands/grip were destroyed
275X3

Some highlights such as… 305X1 floor press, 345X9 squat (no knee wraps).

127

Went to the doctor today, weighed 185. wtf?

128

[quote]Destrength wrote:
Went to the doctor today, weighed 185. wtf?[/quote]

Good? Bad? If your performance is still where you want it to be does it matter too much?

129

[quote]MarkKO wrote:

[quote]Destrength wrote:
Went to the doctor today, weighed 185. wtf?[/quote]

Good? Bad? If your performance is still where you want it to be does it matter too much? [/quote]
It doesn’t really matter, it just surprised me. My strength is where it should be. I guess it is a good things since it’ll help with wilks.

130

10/23/15

Max effort bench

rack lockout off floor, #2 pin comp grip (like an inch above where a floor press starts)
45X5
135X5
185X5
225X3
275X3
295X3
315X3

overhead press
95X20
95X20
95X6

chin ups
bwX20
bwX5
bwX3

curls
45X20

Update: Changed meets to a USAPL (US branch of IPF) meet, my dad is very sick (probably mentioned earlier in log), and we decided not to do a meet that would take a six and a half hour drive. This one is in about a month and is two hours-ish away. At this point I just want to show up and do what I can. Training has been haphazard with school. I am going into off season-ish training to get back into shape, my GPP has been trash for a little while.

I am going to do some conditioning tomorrow.

131

[quote]Destrength wrote:

[quote]MarkKO wrote:

[quote]Destrength wrote:
Went to the doctor today, weighed 185. wtf?[/quote]

Good? Bad? If your performance is still where you want it to be does it matter too much? [/quote]
It doesn’t really matter, it just surprised me. My strength is where it should be. I guess it is a good things since it’ll help with wilks.[/quote]

Cool. I’ve realised weight really doesn’t matter until you’re at the pointy end of things.

Even then if you’re strong as hell you’ll probably be competitive a weight class above anyway.

The best you can do is just get stronger.

132

10/24/15

muscle snatches and overhead carries
95X6 then 1 trip for 8 sets, rest as needed (probably around a minute)

133

12/18/15

Max effort deadlift day

reverse light+mini band deadlifts, takes off about 110 off the floor
135X5
225X5
315X5
405X5
475X3
505X3
525X3
555X1
575X1
585X1
600X0, really wanted this
475X3 for 3 sets beltess

DB swings
90X10 R
90X8 L
90X4 R
90X4 L

paused shrugs and weighted pistol squats
315X8, 45X5 per side
315X4, 45X4 per side
315X4, 45X3 per side

back extensions
10X20
10X15
10X10

neck curl/neck extension with 10 pound plate

suitcase holds
175X15s R
175X15 L
175X8s R
175X8s L

Still shitty with logging this, I’ve been very busy with school. I am going to go do some sprints/carries tomorrow.

I think I am going to be good for 495.

134

I’ve been shitty with dropping by. I blame the new format, I don’t get much by way of notification now.

135

A bunch of missed logs then…

3/16/16

C&J heavy day

135X3

165X2

185X2 sat back nicely on second rep on the receiving

205X1 work on dropping down

205X1, 0 got clean but missed jerk, let the jerk fall out in
front of me

205X1, pressed jerk out a tiny bit

push press

175X3

175X3

175X3

clean high pull

185X6

185X6

185X6

front squat

275X5

275X3

like 70 total dumbbel flies with the 30’s

notes: work on catching barbell, and explosion from knees.
Work on dropping down for the jerk and not pressing it. Work on overall
mobility, especially shoulder mobility to reduce pain and make the lifts
easier. Increase volume from here, then deload. Test when singles with 205 is
easy. Maybe run doubles with 205 after deload.

Snatch workout

115X3 for 5 sets

overhead squat

95X5 for 3 sets

snatch high pull

165X6 for 3 sets

snatch RDL

225X6 for 3 sets

2/21/16

C&J light workout

C&J

175X3 for 5 sets

BTN jerks

155X5 for 3 sets

high bar squats

315X3

315X5

315X4

DB flies

20’sX50 per side, 10 per side

calves

45X70

3/23/16

heavy snatch workout

full snatch

135X2

135X2

135X2

overhead squat

105X5

105X5

105X5

Snatch RDL

235X8

235X8

235X8

biceps and triceps

3/25/16

Heavy C&J

205X1

205X2 clean no jerk

205X2, no jerk

push press

4X3X175

front squat

3X5X275

Weighted chinups

50X8

50X6

50X4

standing calves

45X100

3/27/16

Snatch workout medium

3 position snatch

85X1

95X1

105X1 for 4 sets

I am really liking 3 position snatches, feel like they help
my form/getting under the bar

snatch pulls

185X3 for 2 sets

205X3 for 2 sets

push press

155X5 for 5 sets

high bar squat

285X5 for 5 sets

3/28/16

light C&J day

power clean

160X3 for 5 sets this shit is ridiculously light, I
literally didn’t have to bend my knees to get low enough to catch it (still
needed to so that I could absorb the weight)

power jerk

160X3 for 5 sets

shoulders feel all kinds of fucked, so decided to get some
blood in there

bent over row

135X20

135X20

135X10

one arm light band row

X15/side

X15/side no rest X10/side

then because summer is on the way and arms aren’t exactly
worked doing the oly lifts/assistance…

curlz for the gurlz

115X5

115X5

115X5

I need to do some mobility work, and stretching before my
next workout.

136

Since I am starting oly style lifting, I decided it was better to use someone else’ program until I get more experience in, and have an idea of what I need to do. At the moment, it seems as though I just need to get more accustomed with the lifts, how to explode, and how to maneuver my body under the bar. My maxes are definitely really wonky and inaccurate though. When I do my heavy day for the snatch and C&J, I think I’ll try to go for a PR if my form doesn’t break down. I don’t think I am lifting as much as I should.

137

3/29/16

C&J medium workout

warm up

then

3 position C&J (basically a clean from floor, then below know, then above knee, then a jerk)
140X1
165X1
165X1
175X1
175X1

clean pulls
215X3
215X3
225X3
225X3

front squat
245X3
245X3
245X3
245X3
245X3

very strict goodmornings
205X7
205X5
205X4

3/30/16
Light snatch workout

power snatches
115X3
125X3 awkward, kept fucking up the cue I was working on
115X3
115X3
115X5

snatch grip push press+overhead squat
115X5+1 for 5 sets

snatch high pull
165X3 for 5 sets

bench
225X12
235X8
feet off just for fun 235X3

I don’t really know what happened to the bench, it just felt really insecure and awkward. Probably because this is my fourth workout in a row, and I threw it in at the end after other pressing. I have an off day now, will try to do some shoulder stretching/mobility work, and try to roll/massage some tight areas.

138

I’d say oly lifting helped me in a lot of ways. I just think it’s such a good way to build your bodies strength as a working unit by doing things like clean and snatch variations. If nothing else, it’s fun as SHIT. Good work man. Any strongman shows in the future?

139

I’ll probably do the annual-ish strongman comp this November for fun. At the moment though, I want to focus on the oly lifts until I can clean and jerk 315, and snatch 275. After that, I’ll choose to either keep getting stronger in the oly lifts, do strongman, or return to powerlifting and try to hit 5pl8/4pl8/6pl8.

It is definitely fun, and it is helping me work on some glaring weaknesses (mobility, speed, coordination) for becoming the strongest, most explosive person I can be.

edit: And thanks, man, always trying to put good work in. Any idea when you are going to put 400+ over your head? If any t-nationer is going to do that, it’s probably going to be you. By the way, do you have any idea what happened to Chris and Chia (I think that is the asian guy’s name)? Chris went on his first cycle or two, hit some really nice weights, then disappeared, and Chia stopped posting around the same time.

4/1/16

Heavy snatch and C&J day

Full snatch
85X3
105X3
125X2
150X1 5 pound PR compared to the ugly 145 pressed out previous PR that would’ve been dequalified in a meet
160X0 almost, I brought it overhead with my elbows locked out, but I caught it too high/wasn’t in the right position

C&J
140X2+1
165X2+1
190X1+1
205X1+1

squat
305X3 for 5 sets

deficit SLDL
225X13
225X4

Program called for optional cardio, but I didn’t what it called for so:

push ups and variety of chin ups
20Xpush up, 10Xpull up, 4 sets in 7:34, did push ups on fist, normal, incline, then decline, pull up variations were random/not kept track of. Goal was max amount of sets in 15 minutes, but form was starting to break down, so I called it there. I promise I am not a closet cross fitter.

140

Hey, definitely with you on taking some time to work out the weaknesses. Best thing you could do in the long haul for sure. Thanks, and as far as 400 overhead goes, not really sure lol. I’m relatively young (22), and I’m also too stupid to use steroids (T3hPwnisher said it best) so it might just be a while since there’s no logical reason to try to obtain such a huge number since it would take a lot of attention of mine thus siphoning from my baby deadlift. More concerned with a 350lb log!

Fucking Chris, Chia and Spar4tea all kinda bailed around the same time. Chris since then has pulled 630ish in competition at sub 200 bw, which was fuckin awesome to see on his facebook. Not entirely sure what the rest of em are up to but perhaps they’ll make a return.