So after talking to Eric tomorrow’s events will look like:
No medleys tomorrow. Going to focus on technique and making sure I’m doing things right. I’ve only done farmers walks with a trap bar, so I’m excited to actually use some farmers handles.
But what I’m most excited about is the Atlas stones. I’ve never done them in any sort of capacity. I think there will be something primal about it!
Hell yeah man. Things are getting serious up in here! Building the Monolith + Strongman Saturday is no joke. You better be eating and sleeping like it’s your job. Also, don’t skip out on the LISS and mobility, they will pay dividends for recovery.
Take some before and after shots!
Thanks man! I found out the hard way on Saturday on how important food is. I absolutely have to make sure I am eating A LOT consistently. That’s gonna make or break these next 6 weeks. I’ll be taking before pictures tomorrow for sure!
##DAY 21 of 365
Saturday May 13th 2017
YOKE WALK
185x50 ft
185x50 ft
185x50 ft
185x50 ft
185x50 ft
FARMERS WALKS (weight in each hand)
100x50 ft
100x50 ft
100x50 ft
100x50 ft
100x50 ft
ATLAS STONES over bar
116x5
116x5
116x3
116x3
116x3
116x3
116x3
NOTES: Strongman training is no joke. I was so fucking tired after this session. I drank 3 glasses of milk after and went to sleep for 3 hrs lol. My body feels such a crazy sense of fatigue. Every fiber was worked lol.
God damn I’m so fucking sore lol. My glutes and lower back still feel a bit fatigued. I know today’s session will be tough. But this will set the tone for the next 6 weeks!
##DAY 22 of 365
Monday May 15th - Day 1/Week 1
BACK SQUAT
135x5
155x5
185x5
205x5
205x5
205x5
205x5
205x5
*Add 5lbs next week
OVERHEAD PRESS
45x10
95x5
115x5
125x5
135x2
105x12
105x7
105x7
*Try to get to 135x5 next week.
CHIN UPS
100 reps total - Used that weighted gravity machine to get to all 100.
DIPS / PUSH UPS
75 / 100
AB WHEEL
75 reps
@MarkKO so would you say something like this would fit the bill diet wise for me? Obviously it would be spread out throughout the day. I didn’t put he veggies because I’d probably only get like 150 cals worth of veggies on top of this. I’m eating anywhere between 2300-2700 cals a day, but I fast on Sundays so that means I’d probably need to increase my cals for the other 6 days.
That looks fine as a starting point. What I would suggest is when you first increase calories, get it mostly from carbs and protein, say a 2:1 ratio.
Thanks man, appreciate the input!
##DAY 22 of 365
Tuesday May 16th
45 Min Brisk Walk
Limber 11 + 50 OHS + 50 shoulder dislocates
Did a bunch of cart wheels and handstands.
My ENTIRE BODY feels it today. I think I’m getting the soreness from saturday and from yesterday. Gotta make sure to EAT today!
Wednesday May 17th
DEADLIFT
135x5
185x5
205x5
225x5
245x5
245x5
245x5
*Bar moved much faster today. Will go +10lb next week.
BENCH PRESS
160x5
160x5
160x5
160x5
160x5
*Last set was a grinder, but I think I can move up to 165 next week.
BB ROWS
155x8
155x8
135x12
135x12
135x12
135x12
115x26
*Just got some volume in
BB CURLS
100 reps
BACK RAISES
62 reps
NOTES: Felt good. I think I found my go to recovery food!
Turkey Chili
1lb of ground 93% lean turkey
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 can of chili beans
= 1350 Cals, 80g carbs, 60g fat, 125g protein
Gives me the majority of my protein in one meal and the beans fill me up.
Breakfast (Smoothie)
-2 Bananas
-1 packet (6oz) blueberries
-2 cups non fat milk
Lunch (Post Workout)
-1/2 cup shredded cheese
-1lb ground turkey (93% lean)
-1 can chili (pinto beans) (1.75 cups)
Dinner
-1.5 cups white rice (masoori)
-6 eggs
-a monster salad (spinach, tomato, cucumbers, lime juice as dressing)
-roasted veggies (carrots, broccoli, asparagus)
Before Bed Snack
-1 tbsp peanut butter
Not counting the veggies this puts me @
265g Carbs
97g Fat
194g Protein
2684 Calories
It didn’t feel like a ridiculous amount of food and I think overall well balanced. I’ll eat like this for 2 weeks and watch my body/scale and adjust up if I need to like @MarkKO said. Never realized beans could be so filling. Eating like this puts my weekly prep time to an hour lol. No excuses now!!
Wow that is some volume on your BB Rows! You seem to have quite a bit stronger upper back in comparison to the rest of you.
Thursday May 18th
Brisk 45 min Walk
Limber 11 + 50 OHS + 50 Shoulder dislocates
My body is sore as shit, so today took it easy. Feel much better now after walking and stretching.
On a side note, I already miss my Snatches and C&J’s lol. So after the wedding I will go back into my olympic lifting focus. But I think I will always keep my “strongman saturdays”. It’s such a nice change a pace and definitely gets you strong as shit.
@Koing - So now that I know you are alive and kicking, I did have a few questions lol. No rush man, but whenever you get a chance.
My stats:
Snatch - 70 KG for 3 reps
C&J - 80 KG for 3 reps
Back Squat - 245lbs x 5
Front Squat 205lbs x 5
Once I’m done with my wedding in 6 weeks, I’m gonna go back to a 3-4 day Olympic lifting routine.
My long term goal is to hit a
100kg Snatch
124kg C&J
(Basically want a 225 snatch and whatever C&J that strength allows)
My questions for you would be:
I don’t do any pulls really (I do a shit ton of rows, chin ups, farmers walks, clean/snatch deadlifts) because I feel like they mess with my timing in the classic lifts. Is it better in your opinion to just do the full lifts 90% of the time? I don’t really do powers unless I’m feeling really beat up.
If I have efficient to pretty decent technique, how much do I need to back squat/front squat in order to hit my goals?
Based on your logs and replies I’ve seen, I know you were oly lifting 2x a week for a good amount of time. I’ve thought about going into a sort of “Pendlay Super Total” program where I would oly lift (Snatch & C&J only) 2x a week and then just squat/press/pull/core/bb stuff 2 other days. For a beginner, is 2x a week efficient? I feel like I would be really fresh for every session.
Now that you will be moving into Masters competition, how is your training evolved?
Sorry for all the questions man, but not too many high level olympic lifters on this site (the other forum sites I don’t find as informative).
So I have not had a formal coach, but I do 3-4 seminars a year that are hosted by previous Olympians or high level foreign team members, so I’ve been able to get pretty decent technique and numbers for not being strong at all.
Friday May 19th
BACK SQUAT
135x5
155x5
185x5
205x5
225x5
245x5
*Try to go up 5-10lbs next week on my top set. Felt really heavy this week though.
OVERHEAD PRESS
45x10
95x5
115x5
115x5
115x5
105x5
105x5
105x5
105x5
105x5
95x5
95x5
95x5
95x5.
*Main goal is to get 10-12 sets. Start higher and ramp down. My shoulders/triceps FELT it today!
WEIGHTED CHIN UPS
+25lb x 5
+25lb x 3
+25lb x 3
+25lb x 2
+25lb x 2
+25lb x 2
+25lb x 2
+25lb x 2
+25lb x 2
+25lb x 2
*I think the deadlifts and rows tired out my back to plenty for today. It’s all good still got 25 reps.
AB WHEEL / BACK RAISES
50 reps / 50 reps
BACK SQUATS
135x20
*Felt a bit better today, but was still gassed!
NOTES: Felt a bit weaker today, but I think that’s just due to the shear amount of volume. My hamstrings FEEL it from the deadlifts on Wednesday. Doing the 20 reps squat as the absolute last thing in the gym is the best IDEA!!!
So Eric talked to me today and went over pointers on my other lifts. I need to drop the weight on my DL next week to make sure my back stays flat and I’m engaging my abs. Using a bit too much “arch” to get it up. Squats I have to remember to STAY TIGHT from the second I rack it until I’m done with the set. In the DL it looks more like a clean pull because I’m use to C&J. I’ll continue pulling in this manner because once I get back to the Oly lifting schedule I won’t be doing traditional DLs. Was tempted to explode at the top! Lol.
POSTWORKOUT MEAL: I had a MONSTER poke bowl today. It had literally 1lb of salmon and 1 full avocado. I don’t know about macros, but it was DELICIOUS!!
Do you have any videos of the lifts? Get video of you just lifting the bar for 3reps. This tells me a lot about your lifting. You should know I’m keen on this if you’ve read my posts 
What are your best lifts for 1RM? Sn 70 for 3 should give you at least 77. CJ 80 for 3, gives you at least 90-93.
To Do 100 125 you’ll need to at least FS 130x3 or more likely 135x3. You could lift it being weaker if you better technique. Sometimes you’ll have to be a lot stronger if your technique and speed aren’t as good.
Sn100 is a solid goal.
You need to practice pulls so that they feel exactly the same as your lift minus getting under phase. Pracitce it. Embrace it, don’t shy away from it.
FS 135x3 and you will have enough strength to do 100/125. BS should be around 145-150x3reps.
2x a week is a good amount. You can add another day of just lifting the bar or doing 10kg’s on each side for technique work. Don’t get in the habit of taking too long inbetween your sets. Just get through your programme. It builds training density and intensity. Perfectly fine to have the other 2 sessions doing whatever you want.
It’s involved in that I don’t max out as much and I train less. I use to train about 3x a week for 8yrs. Then up it to 4x for bits and pieces. Then I did a stint of 2x a week. now I do 3x a week but 1x is much lighter and more prehab/ strength based. I don’t max out every session as my body doesn’t recover as well and I’m more beat up.
Whose seminar have you attended? I find the issue is that they all say something different and have some similarities. Stick with something and go with it. Don’t try too many things out as it’ll confuse/ mess with your timing way too much. Stick with something and go with it and evole it slowly.
I will get a video pretty soon here of doing just the bar (or having 10kg on each side) for 3 reps so you can see my movement.
I’ve actually never pushed for a 1RM. I was always told in the beginning stages do more doubles and triples and don’t worry about pushing for a 1RM until my technique is pretty dialed in.
Once I’m done with this “wedding training block” I will definitely go back to my olympic lifting programming and keep the pulls in. I’ll keep it to 2x a week and then 1 extra day where it’s just technique work.
I’ve done so many lol. I’ve been to the seminars of Christine Girard, Klokov, Vasily Polovnikov, Fernando Reis, etc. They definitely all have different ideologies on everything. The russian seminars definitely showed me what hip contact should look like and the best seminar that I went to that “made everything click” was Christine Girard. So I use her ques when lifting.
Get just the bar and 40kg and at heavier weights.
It’s good to see what you can lift every 4-5 weeks or so. But yes the bulk of your work should be triples and doubles, but don’t be scared of doing a single. You ultimately want a heavy a single so you will need to feel what it is like pulling sonething that you’ve never done before.
That is cool man about Christine. I met her and her husband, Waldo at the 2012 Olympics. I was a loader so if you watch the 2012 Olympics on youtube you’ll see me running up and downt he stage loading weights haha.
Random Thoughts
Sore as FUCK today! My shoulders hurt a bit. I think that’s going from a moderate volume to high volume program in a quick turnaround. I’ll monitor it as I go forward.
I REALLY like doing more sets for fewer reps. I think it allows me to keep my reps crisp. I could have stayed in my 5’s mentality if I would have known I could do 10x5 instead of 3x5 lol. I like having the 1 set of AMRAP depending on the day.
Going tomorrow to do my strongman event day, so I’ll be going into my Monday workout he day after. No biggie though.
I have a love/hate with the 1x20 back squats on fridays. I can see how it makes you stronger mentally and physically. When I get to rep 15, I want that 20 soooo bad!
5/3/1 structure but really progressing using LP seems to be working pretty well for me. I think the structure that Jim has laid out has been awesome for Building the Monolith. In a sense it is a bit self regulated. Love this training block! I definitely have that “power look” pump after these training sessions lol!
Sunday May 21st
ATLAS STONES!
116x5
116x5
116x5
116x5
116x5
116x5
116x5
*Ready to move up weight next week. Technique is not perfect, but Eric said it’s good enough. Since I’m going for brute strength that’s ok.
FARMERS WALK (weight in each hand)
110x50ft
110x50ft
110x50ft
110x50ft
110x50ft
*Grip was screaming. I don’t think I’ll be able to 100 chin ups tomorrow lol.
YOKE WALK
205x50ft
205x50ft
205x50ft
205x50ft
205x50ft
*Timing was much better today.
TIRE FLIP
x6
x6
x6
x6
NOTES: I laid there for 20 minutes after not able to move. Not because I was hurt, but because I was SO worn out. Going forward I’m going to try to pick up my fiance off the floor each day a few times to get use to it and see how well it’ll carry over.
##DAY 27 of 365
Monday May 22nd
BACK SQUAT
135x5
155x5
185x5
205x5
215x5
215x5
215x5
215x5
215x4
215x2
*Stick to 215 next week to get a true 5x5. Felt strong today though. If I feel fresh, I might just shoot for 225 5x5.
OVERHEAD PRESS
45x10
95x5
115x5
125x5
135x4
135x2
105x8
95x12
*Will definitely get that 135x5 next week!
CHIN UPS
50 reps total - grip was fried from farmers walk yesterday.
CHEST SUPPORTED ROWS
50 reps (did these to get to 100 total reps of back work. Did 2x25 with 70lbs)
DIPS
75 reps total - pressing muscles were fatigued today.
AB WHEEL
80 reps
NOTES: I’m loving this building the monolith structure! It almost has a “Texas Method” type feel to it. With the volume and intensity days. Definitely getting stronger. I think I need to add in some hard conditioning at least the end of sessions on Monday/Wednesday. Friday I don’t have to since I got strongman events on Saturday!
##DAY 28 of 365
Tuesday May 23rd
BRISK WALK
60 min
HOT YOGA
60 min
NOTES: Feel sooooo good now! Walking and mobility work definitely make me a feel better after a day of heavy lifting. @robstein in terms of my weight, how “much” should my weight be creeping up. I haven’t gained anything in the past 2 weeks. If I’m trying to get bigger but minimize fat gain, should I be creeping up like 1/2 lb a week? I know you said if I was gaining a 1lb a week I’m probably gaining too much fat. So what should I be looking for on the scale? My body looks a bit bigger in my trap/shoulder area, but I see my obliques starting to cut up a bit. I’ve been eating at 2700 cals (196g protein, 90g fat, 285g carbs)
