My pasta is made from veggies and is green.
1 Like
DEADLIFT (ss: Hanging Leg Raises, Jump Rope, KB Swings)
405x3
455x3
485x3
500x3
455 @ 3x3
405x10
FARMERS WALK (ss: Lunges, Push Ups, Curls)
150 each hand x 35 yards
150 each hand x 35 yards
150 each hand x 35 yards
NOTES
Going to try atlas stones for the first time this Friday! Should be excitng. All the strongmen at the gym told me prepared to be humbled!
4 Likes
I can’t wait to hear how the stones go. Based on what I’ve seen here, I’d expect you to be good for… I’ll say low 200’s. Maybe more. Your general level of strength is actually enough for 300+, but you won’t actually hit a number like that without some experience. It will really depend on things like whether or not you use tacky, how slick the stones are, stone diameters, all that. I can’t remember if you have long arms, but if you do, that will help. You’re not really tall, so that doesn’t help… lol.
How fast are your runs with the yoke and the farmers handles? Those are very light compared to your static lifts, I’m assuming you’re able to fly pretty fast with those lighter weights?
1 Like
I’m going to start with the stones in the 100s to develop some good technique. I have short ass arms and I’m short, but big hands and big feet, so probably will be really difficult lol. The stones I’ve seen are not that slick they’ve been abused a bunch, but I will def need to chalk up or use tacky to be able to pick up anything 200+. But I won’t be doing that for a few weeks. I think the smallest stone is like 120-140 I forget.
Going to treat them with linear periodization. Do light weights with a ton of reps to get good at the movement and move up a stone each week or two weeks and drop the reps. I think within 2 months I’ll be doing ones in the mid to high 200s.
The stones are like 14 to 22 inches in diameter. I think they range from 120lbs to the biggest being like high 300s or low 400s. Short arms don’t look like it’s gonna help haha.
So the yoke walks are not as fast as the farmers walks. Since I did those trap bar carries all the time it’s transferred over pretty well to the farmers walks. I’m just getting use to the implements being in separate arms and keeping good posture while moving.
Yoke walks are actually pretty tough man. Trying to move fast with a load on your back and it swinging is super odd lol. Definitely just getting use to the movement and first thing I’ve done in about 2 years that the next day my core is sore as fuck lol. Just working on technique and foot speed and not really worrying about weight. Building that foundation because I know I have the strength to do much more.
1 Like
lol, yea I didn’t mean to insinuate you should pick up a 250 on your first try, hahaha.
The first time I did stones, I was good for about a 600 deadlift, near 400 bench press, and 550ish squat. So I’m kinda basing it on my own experience. I think I did up to a 200 lbs stone my first session. Within a few months I was up to 285.
Don’t chalk up. That’s counter productive, it doesn’t work. It makes it slip more. Chalk is useful for stone of steel, not concrete stones. ‘Dusty’ stones are infinitely harder to lift. They slip easily.
Remember to squeeze the hell out of the stone with your forearms, and sustain your effort. Keep pulling through even if it feels like the stone isn’t moving. Breaking the ground is hard to get a feel for at first, but once you really start clamping down on it hard, you can see results. I also recommend approaching the pick kinda like a stiff leg deadlift. Don’t try to squat the stone up. deadlift it up, then sit back into a full squat to lap it. then put your arms over the top of it. Arms under is dangerous for the biceps, get above the equator of the ball. Then lift into a triple extension to pop it up onto a platform.
no kidding… lol. It’s my worst event in strongman, without question.
I agree with your approach. Keep your foot speed up, and progress slowly to heavier weights while maintaining that speed. If you practice slow, you’ll stay slow.
Oh ok, so I’m at a similar level now. Not too far off overall. I’ll probably end up going up to 200ish easily lol.
Good to know! I know a lot of the guys at the gym told me to get sleeves for the stones to protect my arms a bit.
Thanks for the tips man! I would never do it arms under lol, my bicep cramping just thinking about that. I’ll have to remember not to try to squat it up though. I’m so use to using my legs to protect my back that I’ll have to loosen that mindset a bit.
Sounds good man! I learned that olympic lifting, lift fast and you’ll be better at lifting fast. Lift slow and you’ll be good at lifting slow haha!
Dude, your strength levels are like EXACTLY where mine were when I got into strongman. About 8 months before I started training for strongman, I competed in the 181 class in powerlifting, and totaled approximately 1480. Breakdown was like a 385 bench, a 515 squat, and 595 deadlift. Something around that. So yea. Very, very close to me in bodyweight and static strength. Only difference would be that I’m 5’11 with a 6’2 wingspan, lol. And very strong hands. But yea, that’s why I’m so interested in seeing what you can do.
Sleeves are good. I use them. Not necessary though, there are other options. Duct tape is very common, and significantly less expensive, lol. You just duct tape your entire forearm from wrist to elbow. you can also tacky on top of that, and not have to deal with so much clean up on your arms, just the hands.
I highly recommend SOMETHING covering your arms though. Not just for lifting sake, but for preventing transference of communicable diseases. Your skin will likely bleed, as will the skin of your fellow lifters who choose not to protect their forearms. Plus the stones are dirty anyway. So be smart.
Damn yeah pretty close stats. I got big hands but short arms and height so excited to see how I can do with the stones for sure! Log pressing has been a blast tho lol.
Damn wasn’t even thinking about that! Good looking out, I’ll think I’ll just order some sleeves to make my life easier. Duct taping just sounds like too much work, but I’ll do that for this Friday for sure!
Thanks for all the advice man!
one of my favorite events, and definitely my favorite press. Any guesses as to where your 1rm max is? Are you using leg drive much? And what do you think your limiting factor would currently be for a 1rm, the clean or the press? For me it’s definitely the press. I can clean over 300, but can’t press 300 yet.
EDIT:
just as a side note, I’d love to see you at strongman nationals next year. You’ve probably addressed it somewhere, but are you planning to compete soon? And if so, do you know if it will be USS or strongmancorp? With your work ethic, I feel you’ll progress quickly. You could legitimately be ready for the national stage by next summer if things go well.
I have no clue man, just getting use to the implement just like the other events. I am push pressing it though. I strict press with a barbell, so figure use that strict strength for that and really use my leg drive for the log press.
I can do a full C&J at 315-325 for multiple sets with a barbell, but the log is such a different movement. Can’t clean the log like a squat clean or power clean lol. Plus you are not dropping under the bar which is the reason I can squat clean a ton of weight (big front squat helps for sure). Got lightning speed to get under the bar. I’m getting use to “rolling” it to my upper chest. I’m built for pressing and squatting so I think it’ll be easier for me to push press it, but cleaning that much weight with a log will probably take a long time for me.
Man I haven’t even thought about competing yet. My life is all over the place right now, so can’t even think about that. But once winter time comes and it stabilizes I’ll see what comps they have in Denver and look to compete at one of them, even if it’s just a local meet just to get in a competition and then I’ll go in from there.
I think it’d be fun to train specifically for an event once I know what the events are going to be. For now just going to have fun, get use to the implements and just get stronger at the implements. I have no desire to push the strength on the barbell lifts because I just don’t really wanna eat more haha.
1 Like
Nice read through, Flip you’re such a great dude lots of tips and tricks and encouragement.
I hope you’ve lit the fire of strongman competition in Nutty’s head.
Nutty I hope you’ll give a little review of how the stones felt and not just “picked up 250 lbs stone for 5 x 10 reps”
4 Likes
Will do man, I’ll detail what was good and bad lol.
SNATCH
Lots of warm up sets from 135-205
225x2
235x2
245x2
245x2
245x2
245x2
225x2
1 Like
Why did you cut chicken, I’m curious as I’m eating a lb of chicken thighs a day at the mo!
Honestly because I have some close friends that are in the farming industry and over the course of the year I’ve learned A LOT about factory farming. I just can’t put that shit in my body anymore just ethically and morally. I believe in eating animals though.
I don’t have the time to get locally sourced raised chickens that are raised right (get eggs delivered to me though) so I decided to opt out of the factory farmed (even organic) chickens and products in general. The chicken that is locally sourced and done right in the stores is just too expensive for my liking. For the extra $1-3 per pound, I’d rather get some good seafood or some game meat.
It’s my personal belief that locally sourced (where it’s just a regular family farm and not using all sorts of shit) is the way to go long term. I know where Costco gets their wild caught salmon from and I’ve been to the “farm” where the bison meat comes from, so I am good with those sources.
I eat 5lbs (raw weight) a week of meat and feel so much better that the sources are animals that are more “wild”. I do have chicken if I go to someone’s house depending on the dish, but I don’t want to make it a staple of mine anymore. Once I can get to a point where I can get some locally sourced ones with farmers I trust, I’ll start getting them again.
Just a personal preference that is all man lol. I personally LOVE seafood and I can live off the sea. The wife would just kill me if I tell her I’m spending $100 a week on meat and double our grocery budget haha. Right now I spend $40-$50 on meat a week. Luckily she’s vegetarian so our grocery bill is between $100-$125 each week total.
2 Likes
So is it ethical more than health?
It’s a mixture of both. I don’t think chicken is bad for you. I think that factory farmed chicken is bad for you. But chicken from reputable local farmers is just fine where it lives like a regular animal and not being fed all sorts of crap. If you look at the size of a factory farm chicken vs a real chicken it’s a big difference lol.
1 Like
You just described my household! I’m trying to make that transition myself. Life is hectic atm but I am getting some game meat. I snagged some venison, nalgai(?), and the local meat market carries elk.
I also live on the coast so am planning to do some fishing, along with some hog & deer/turkey/duck this winter. I’m bout to get down on some black bean noodles though!
1 Like
My beef is raised close to my parents’ house. It still gets corn to fatten it up, but it never leaves the field. I feel like it has a good life and is treated well.
I’ve started buying chicken that’s raised in Illinois or Iowa (one of the I’s). It’s not injected with hormones and according to the employees at the local meat store, they’re raised humanely. The breasts are smaller than store bought and it’s $140 for 40 lbs. I get 10% off for being a first responder. It comes out to about $3.38/lb.
How much is the meat at Costco? I wonder if ours uses the same sources as yours.
Awesome man! I think “eating healthy” is best for the long term approach. Elk is super delicious! Man I’m land locked in Colorado but you can fish for trout and bass (mostly trout though). Still have yet to go fishing here, but I will before the cold season hits. This season I will definitely go bird hunting! Yeah man gotta mix in the veggies. Veggies are important to your overall health. When I first started this journey I thought you needed to eat a crazy amount of meat, but I realize you really don’t have to do that to get big and strong. With actual meat, eggs, beans, and nuts I get about 110g ish of protein daily (I don’t count cals, but just looked it up lol). I mean I probably get more protein on top with all the breads, oatmeal, etc, but I’ve noticed no drop off in my strength level. I think I might be sort of an outlier like @flipcollar where I really just push the carbs and I’m ok as long as everything else is in check.
But I do gorge on meat when I’m at a BBQ haha!
Happy Hunting my friend!
See I want ones that are not even fed corn and all that. But sounds like you got a pretty good option there!
That’s a pretty good deal! Do you have a meat freezer? Even here the type of chicken I would buy is like 7.99+ a pound!!! I mean I’d rather pay the premium and get salmon or elk or bison instead.
At Costco the package of 2.5lbs of ground bison is $19.99. The salmon is a bit more being 2.5lbs of wild caught sockeye salmon filets for about $25. Since I only buy 5lbs of meat a week I end up spending anywhere from $40-$50 on meat. Some weeks I will spend like $75 if I really wanna buy shrimp, crabs, scallops, or sometimes at some of these meat markets someone will be selling some recently hunted elk or deer.
1 Like
FRONT SQUAT
315x10
335x8
355x6
385x3
405x1 (PR!)
ATLAS STONES
120 @ 4x6
150 @ 3x3
170 @ 3x3
200 @ 3x3
PRESS MEDLEY (Log Press, DB Press, Keg Press - supersetted with band pull aparts)
4 rounds, I don’t even know the weight that was on them. I was just told to press each for 3 reps.
PROWLER
5 x 50 yards
NOTES
I absolutely HATE strongman training LOL. Just playing, it was super fun and different. I threw up during my 3rd prowler push. I thought my work capacity was great, but this was something else completely.
So since we were doing stones and I was waiting for the guys to get here decided to do some front squats to get my body warmed up. Hit a 405x1 front squat which was cool.
STONES were TOUGH!!! 120 was easy, 150 was easy (I’m guessing because the diameter of the stone wasn’t too big). But 170 started to get tough. I taped up my arms like @flipcollar suggested. It worked well, but I ruined my workout hoodie a bit but that’s ok. Going to invest in some walmart workout hoodies haha. 200 was tough. Technique was not optimal but it was good enough for today. I think I will have to stick with 200 for a while until I can pick it up with speed and just use really good technique. I did the equator grip thing and that saved my arms a bit. My forearms are still sore as shit lol. I kept making the mistake of squatting it up, so I really have to work on NOT doing that. Picking it up is the hardest part so far. I think once I have it rolled up on top of my quads I can power through to push it up and get it on the platform. I can see how this event is the worst for people with my build. I can see why treating it as a SLDL in terms of picking up works best. Everyone that was watching said I could probably stick to 200 for a few weeks until I’m just super comfortable with the movement. 170 looked too light, but would be a good weight for some heavier conditioning.
Overall I had lots of fun today and I think I got to stick to my original plan of fullbody 3x a week and an events day on Saturday since the events do take a while and you don’t really want to rush them. Plus with a press event also being done on Saturday that’s an extra “upper body” movement. I can see why an events day could take 2-3 hours especially if you are with other people. I think I can do this though since the wife wakes up at 8am on Saturdays, I can get in from 530-730 on Saturday mornings to get through my events.
I haven’t felt this wiped out after a workout in a LONG time! I wish I could go home and just sleep but I’m meeting with potential new customers so will have to push through. I’m so hungry though, could probably eat a whole goat to myself at this point lol.
6 Likes