Dick Sharpe's Log

Training Training Logs
82

Well, in terms of 1-rep maxes it’s a bit hard to say as I’ve stuck to the Juggernaut Method since January so almost all of my work has been submaximal. The deadlift goal is the more realistic one. The most I’ve ever done was 190kg, that was before switching back to conventional. This morning I did 137,5kg for 13 after six triples at the same weight. When I look at what I used to do rep-wise before switching back to conventional I’m fairly confident I could do 180kg any day, so 200kg is not that far off.
With Overhead it’s going to be tricky. I don’t think I’ve ever tested a 1-rep max. I should be good for a strict press between 72,5 and 75kg but I’ll have to see what’s there with leg drive. Plan is to test that once this cycle of Juggernaut is done.

What I did today: Accumulation week of 3’s Phase for Deadlift

A: Deadlift

40kg x 8; 60x5; 80x5; 100x3; 120x2
Six sets of 137,5kg x 3
Top set of 137,5kg x 13

B Front Squats
Bar x 8; 40x5; 60x5
85 x 8
85 x 8
85 x 8

C Farmer’s Walk (“Volume week”, which means the maximum amount of trips in 2:30 mins. One trip is roughly 15m with a turn and re-pick)
Six trips at 60kg per hand.

D1 Weighted Planks: Three sets of 55 seconds with a 10kg Plate
D2 DB Walking Lunges: Three sets of 12 with 22,5kg Dumbells.

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83

Deadlift seems more than possible.
How heavy are you? 75 kg strict press is promising.

84

Right now 88 kg.

Just noticed, that’s the exact same weight I was when I started this log, but at least I’m leaner now than I was then.

85

There is no way you aren’t reaching a bw overhead press. Unless you get nothing whatsoever from your leg drive.

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86

Today’s session: Still Accumulation week / 3’s Phase

A 1: Bench
Bar x 12; 40x5; 60x5
Six sets of 87,5 x 3
Topset: 87,5 x 10

A2: BB Row
Same sets and reps as Bench.

B1: Cable Row
Three sets of 40kg x 15

B2: 1-arm Dumbell OHP
Three sets of 27,5kg x 8

C Sandbag medley: Carry 50kg sandbag for the length of the yard, run back, carry 70kg sandbag the length of the yard, then carry both back to the start.
2 run-throughs, short rest, 2 more run-throughs

D1: BB Skullcrushers
Two sets of 32,5kg x 15

D2: Latteral Raises
17,5 x 16
17,5 x 15

D3: Hammer Curls
17,5 x 15
17,5 x 15

D4: Face Pulls
20kg x 20
20kg x 20

Notes:
First time using my new econo-pulley system. Wanted to do Lat Pulldowns but the cable is too long for that, so more of a rowing motion. Couldn’t use more than 40kg because I had nothing to brace against, so instead I did higher reps and focussed on a good squeeze and a slow eccentric. Going to have to figure out how best to use this in the future and maybe get a shorter cable.

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87

We spent the weekend at a cousin’s wedding held in a medieval castle-turned-hostel, which meant little sleep on thin mattresses and a bit of a hangover on sunday, so that day’s training suffered a bit…

Yesterday: Squat day, Accumulation Week, 3’s Phase

A: Squats
Bar x 12; 40x5; 60x5; 80x3; 100x3
Six sets of 112,5kg x 3, then one topset of 112,5kg x 10.

B: Block Pulls (3 matts, which means around 13,5cm / bit more than 5 inches)
60x8; 80x8; 100x8; 120x8; 130x8

C: Yoke (speed - ramp up until I can’t stay below 13 seconds)
Did runs under 13 secs with 40, 80, 100, 120 and 140kg. 160kg was just over at 13:09 seconds.

D1: Ab wheel - 3 sets of 20.
D2: Forward Lunges - 3 sets of 15 holding 17,5kg dumbells.

Notes:

  • Happy enough with the topset on Squats. The rest of the workout suffered due to tiredness and a cranky back. My lower back was not happy with those block pulls, normally there’s more there.

Today: Press day, Intensification week, 3’s Phase

A: Axle Continental Clean & Press away
40kg x 5; 45x3; 50x3; 55x3; 60x3; 65x3; 70x3

B1: Axle OHP:
Five sets of three at 60kg, then a topset of 60kg x 8.
B2: Pull Ups: 12 reps on the first set, then four more sets of ten.

C1: Close-grip slight Incline Bench
Bar x12; 60x8; 80x10; 80x9; 80x9
C2: DB Rows. 17,5 x 12, then three worksets of 37,5 kg x 12.

D: Sandbag carries + loading over bar.
Three sets of five runs each with the lighter of my two sandbags (50kg)

E1: Pushups - 38, 34 and 31 reps respectively.
E2: BB Curls - 20, 20 and 18 reps at 27,5kg.
E3: Bent-over latteral raises: 19, 19 and 18 reps with 22,5kg DBs.

Notes:
I’m fairly happy with the topset of 60kg for eight with the strict Axle overhead, it’s a rep PR regardless of bar.

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88

Today’s session is done:

A: Deadlifts
40kg x 8; 60x5; 80x5; 100x3; 120x2; 135x1;
Four sets of 150kg x 3, then a topset of 150 x 10.

B: Front Squats
Bar x 8; 40x5; 60x3; 80x2
90x7
90x6
90x6

C: Farmer’s walk (heavy week, around 15m with a turn/re-pick)
40, 60, 70, 80 and 90kg respectively.

D1: Weigthed Planks: Three sets of 1 minute with 10kg on my back.
D2: DB Walking Lunges: Three sets of 12 holding 25kg dumbells.

Decently satisfied with 150x10 on deadlifts. 90kg per hand on farmer’s is a PR and the first time I went (slightly) over bodyweight per hand. By the way, bodyweight is continuing to creep upwards, as it’s supposed to. Weighed 89kg the past two mornings.

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89

Today’s training:

A1: Bench
Bar x 12; 40x5; 60x5; 80x5
Four sets of 97,5kg x 3.
One set of 97,5kg x 6.

A2: BB Row - Same sets and reps as Bench.

B1: Cable Row
20x12; 40x12; 50x12; 55x12; 55x12

B2: 1-arm DB Press
22,5 x 8
Three sets of 27,5kg x 9

C: Sandbag Medley (same execution as last week)
2 run-throughs, rest, then 2 more.

D1 BB Skullcrushers: 35x12; 35x13
D2 Latteral Raises: 17,5 x 17; 17,5 x 17
D3 Hammer Curls: 17,5 x 17; 17,5 x 16
D4 Face Pulls: 25kg x 20; 25 x 20

Felt like a solid session, even though bench is overall not progressing as well as my Overhead. Fixed the problem I had last week with the econo-pulley system by laying the 70kg sandbag across my legs. The end of this run of Juggernaut is in sight. I’m curious to see what I’ll be able to do next week and then it’s vacation time in Cornwall.

90

Second to last week is done.

A: Squats - Bar x 12; 40x5; 60x5; 80x3; 100x3
Four sets of 125kg x 3
One set of 125 x 6

B: Block Pulls - 60x8; 80x8; 100x8; 120x8
130x8
135x8
140x8

C: Yoke (“max distance” week) - warmups: runs with 40 & 100kg.
Then: Max amount of trips (15m with a turn/re-pick) in 2:30 min with 140kg. Got 7 trips. (= 105m, 14 picks)

D1: Crunches: 3 times to failure.
D2: Forward Lunges: 3x15 holding 20kg dumbells.

91

Last week of the program and the last week before the vacation has started, and it’s begun well.

Lesson from today: I need to expect more from myself than I usually do. I said recently that I wanted to put my bodyweight overhead before the end of the year. Well, it didn’t quite happen today, but at least I continental clean & pressed my bodyweight from the beginning of the program, which is definitively more than I expected.

A: Continental Clean & Press:
Worked up in 5kg increments from 40kg to 85kg x 1. Solid PR.
I then thought that 90kg might be there from the rack, but it didn’t go up. It will though, I’m not as far off as I thought.

B1: Strict Axle OHP: 65kg x 6
B2: Pull Ups: 12x; 13x

C1: Close Grip (slight) Incline Bench: 85kg x 8; 8; 10
C2: DB Row: 40kg x 12; 12; 12

D: Sandbag carries & loading over crossbar (50kg): 5, 5, and 6 runs.

E1: Push Ups: 40, 35, 31
E2: BB Curls: 30kg x 20, 16, 15
E3: Bent-over Latterals: 22,5kg x 20; 20; 20

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92

Very solid clean. My advice would be to work on your rack position. Lots of strong people get away with doing the press like you do it but generally speaking you will be able to transfer power from your legs and hips a lot easier into the press, if the bar is in contact with your body.

93

I’ll try to do that, thanks!

Today’s training:

A: Deadlift
40x8; 60x5; 90x5; 110x3; 127,5x2; 135x1; 145x1; 155x1
165kg x 7

B: Front Squat
Bar x 8; 40x8; 60x8; 80x8; 90x8

C: Farmer’s Walk (speed week)
Worked up in 10kg increments from 40 to 80kg per hand. Speed was a bit better than last time.

D1 Weighted Planks (10kg plate): 2 x 1:05 min
D2 Walking Lunges: 2 x 12 holding 27,5kg dumbells

After the upcoming vacation I’m going to have less time than I have now, so the plan is to improve work densitiy. Also, I’d like something that has me handeling heavier weights a bit more frequently than the Juggernaut Method. Might try one of Brian Alsruhe’s templates but that’s not decided yet.

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94

Today’s training:

A1: Bench
Bar x 12; 40x5; 60x5; 70x3; 80x2; 87,5x1;
92,5 x 1
97,5 x 1
105 x 4

A2: Barbell Row
Bar x 12; 40x5; 60x5; 70x3; 80x3; 87,5x3;
92,5 x 3
97,5 x 3
105 x 3

B1: Cable Row
40x12; 50x12; 60x12; 60x12

B2: 1-arm DB Press
22,5 x 8
27,5 x 10
27,5 x 9
27,5 x 10

C1: BB Skullcrushers 35x14; 35x14
C2: Latteral Raise: 20x15; 20x15
C3: Hammer Curls: 20x15; 20x16
C4: Face Pulls: 25x20; 25x20

God it’s hot.

95

Woohoo, second Juggernaut Cycle is done and I didn’t die from the heat.

A Squat: Bar x 12; 40x5; 60x5; 75x5; 90x3; 105x2; 112,5x1; 120x1; 127,5x1;
135kg x 3

B RDLs: Worked up to 130kg x8

C Yoke (heavy week): Worked up to two trips at 200kg.

D1: Crunches: 3 times to failure
D2: Forward Lunges: Three sets of 15 holding 22,5kg dumbells.

Expected and wanted at least one more rep on squats, but I’m still satisfied overall. Am propably going to write up a small conclusion about this training cycle later today or tomorrow.

96

So, I haven’t logged in a good long while and thought this would be a good time to summarize what has been going on here. Over the last few months I’ve been using Brian Alsruhe’s Beyond Linear template, which I’ve enjoyed quite a bit.
During the fourth (?) week of the program, I strained my right hamstring on deadlifts while going for a heavy set of ten. Felt something strange on the 8th rep, should have stopped but didn’t, and on the 9th there was a pop, intense pain and I couldn’t do anything that loaded the hammies for a while, including regular squats, barbell rows etc. Subbed in front squats for a few weeks and slowly worked my way back on deadlifts. I used double overhand axle deadlifts at first to still make it challenging in some regard. Hamstring feels fine now.
I did manage to hit my goals of a 200kg deadlift and a bodyweight (90kg) push press in december, which was nice. there’s two weeks or so left on the program, might go back to Juggernaut after that, but that’s not 100% yet.

97

Good job man! Hope you’re back to stay

98

Thanks! I’ve never really been away, I just can’t be bothered to consistently maintain this log and I just tend to read more than I post in general. I do read your log consistently though, hope the team competition goes well for you!

Anyway, I just read that the GFSA is going to introduce a 3rd league this year and publish competition dates until next week. That means I’m going to get my membership now. Based on the weights at last year’s competition most events should be right at my level where it’ll be challenging and I won’t go into the double digits on rep events but I can be confident that I can actually do most if not all events. What exactly I’m going to do in my next training block is now going to depend on when and where the earliest comp I can get into is going to be and what events it has.

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99

thanks man, should be a good fun.

Yeah that should be perfect! I guess it will be like the regular Newcomer Cup niveau but in a new format. It is about time to introduce those as their own league as the interest in strongman is growing faster than ever.

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100

That’s what I’m thinking, so I expect more 220kg Yokes, 90kg Farmers and around 80kg Overhead events, or at least in that general ballpark. Looking at last year’s competitions, I really need to get a log. Since the strengthshop one doesn’t seem to be great I’m thinking I was thinking of using a forwarding service from the US to Germany ordering the 12" Titan one…

Absolutely! I would have competed last year in Bremen, checked the GFSA page every day and the comp was already full when I first saw it. I really hope this move means more competitions overall.

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101

Exactly what I would expect.

Puh that would have to be a damn good service because delivery will otherwise be as expensive or more than the log. PMB makes excellent equipment but also pricy. Roman can also be unreliable at times when it comes to delivery dates, as I have heard. As long as the UK is still part of th EU you could also take a look over there - Rebel Strength makes some cool looking stuff.
Next option would be Heinz Ollesch himself. He sells the logs we use for 2nd league competitions on his website (fitgiant). I think he doesn’t deliver though. I might get one of those at some point in my training career myself.

I agree that you will need a log if you really want to pursue strongman at any level, really. It’s something you can’t replicate without the actual implement.

Edit: If you decide to get a log and pick it up yourself, please inform me as I might join in, haha :smiley:

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