Knox's Log

Some info:

  • Bought my first gym membership 5 years ago, did the usual body building nonsense and went nowhere. Started training for strength 2ish years ago and never looked back.

  • Entered my first strongman comp last year placed 3rd in the novice division but at the weight class above me (weighed 225 but competed in the 231+ division because it was the only way I would get a chance to deadlift a car)

  • plan on competing again over the summer in the open division even if my ass gets handed to me

Current Maxes

  • Push Press 255
  • Deadlift 525
  • Bench 325
  • Squat 425 (shit)
  • Front Squat 295 (horrible)

I’m also getting married in 3 weeks so I’m in a bit of a dieting phase at the moment

6’3’’
215

3/25 - 7pm

  1. Bench
    225x3 255x3 275x3 275x3 275x4

2a. Close Grip Decline Bench
225x6 245x6 255x6 255x5 245x7
2b. BB Row
225x5x6

3a. Steep Incline DB Bench
75x9, 8, 7
3b. Strict Chins
3x10

4a. Overhead DB Triceps Extension
80 4x10
4b. DB Curls
50x8,7 45x7,6

Trying to stay strong while also trying to look good for the destination wedding. I’ve already lost 15 pounds from my max earlier this year of 230. Some loss in strength but I’m liking the increased conditioning and work capacity.

3/26

Stayed late at work so got home and just did some conditioning work (all I have is a kettle bell)

5 rounds:
20 1-arm KB Snatches 50lbs
20 Goblet Squats 50lbs
40 Hollow Rocks

3/27

  1. Deadlift

365x3 405x3 435x3 455x1 475x3 475x3 475x3 (last 2 reps were harder than I would have liked)

Conditioning:

3rds
2a.Tire Flip 500# 100feet
2b. Trap Bar Farmers Carries 330# 100 feet

Doesn’t look like much but I really had to convince myself that the third round was a good idea. Running short on time so kept it simple today.

3/28

Warm-up - Jogged half mile @7mph

  1. Push Press

205x5x5

2a. Strict press

135x4x8reps (had to break up last set)

2b. Pullups 4x8 (calluses turned into blisters from yesterday, did these on finger tips)

3a. DB Lateral raises

30x5x10

3b. Face Pulls 5x20

4a. BW Dips 5x15

4b. Decline Sit-ups 5x15 (tank empty)

3/31

  1. Front Squat
    225x3 255x3 275x3 295x2 (PR) 295x1 225x8

2a. ATG High Bar Paused Squat (2 sec.)
275x5x5

2b. Toes-to-bar
5x8

5 rounds:
20 KB Swings 50#
10 Lunges 50# in 1 hand
10 Lunges 50# other hand
20 Situps

Front Squats felt good today and was able to get a descent PR. The reason for my drastically weak front squat compared to back squat is a mobility/form issue (I think). I have abnormally long femurs which sucks for squatting. My goal is to get my front squat as close to 80% of my back squat as possible. But I have a long way to go…

4/1/15

  1. Incline bench (felt pretty shitty)

225x3 235x3x3 225x2x3

2a. DB Bench

95x6 110x6 115x4 125x3 (pr)

2b. DB row

110x12, 10

3a. Skull crushers

80x12, 10, 10

3b. BB curls

80x10, 10

My body weight was at 212.6 this morning a little below where I want to be but I’ll keep an eye on it.

4/3/15

AM

Ran Half Mile

10 rounds of:
5 strict pullups
10 pushups
15 BW squats

Ran Half Mile

Did it in 19:43

PM

  1. Speed Squats
    A lot of sets of 2’s from 185 to 275

  2. Rack Pulls (4 inches below knee)
    365x2 405x2 455x2 495x2 525x2

  3. Front Squats
    225x30 in 10:55

  4. Stiff-Leg Deadlift (no rest)
    135x6 185x6 225x6 275x6

4/4/15

  1. Strict Press
    135x3 155x3 175x3 195x2 195xfail 185x2

2a. DB OHP
80’s x3x6

2b. BB Curl
90x3x10

3a. Lateral Raise
25’s 3x15

3b. From Raise
25’s 3x10

4a. BW Dips
5x15

4b. TRX Rows
5x10

5a+b. 3 sets of Tri Extensions/Cable curls

BW back around 214

4/6/15

Rower Sprints:

10 rounds of 500m sprints

1min rest between rounds
Averaged 1:45 per round

4/7/15

  1. Squat

315x2 335x2 355x2 365x2 365x2 385x2 315x8 (high bar)

  1. Power Clean

225x5x1

Took it easy today I just wasn’t feeling strong so I listened to myself and backed off

4/8/15

1a. Bench

225x3 245x3 255x3 275x3 275x3

1b. BB Row

225x8, 8, 8, 6, 8

2a. Incline DB Press

75x12, 10, 8

2b. Cable Row Machine

210x10, 8, 8

3a. Pull-ups
12, 10, 6, 4
3b. Dips
12, 10, 10, 6

4ab. BB Ext./BB curls

Rushed for time - did this in 40 mins

4/9/15

5 rounds:

20 KB swings 50#
20 push-ups
20 Goblet squats
20 Reverse Crunches (bad exercise choice)

did it in 14:40

Welcome and congrats on the pending nuptials.

Strong push press.

Looking forward to following this.

Thank you man. I’m flying out on Thursday so it’s crunch time.

4/10/15

  1. Deadlift (beltless)

405x5, 6, 5

  1. Shrug

315x3x10

  1. Front Squat

185x12, 6 very little rest

  1. Back extensions
    BWx 25, 15, 10

The weight loss and increased frequency are taking its toll on my strength. After the wedding the goal is to gain 15 pounds as clean as possible to compete in the 231 class. I’m really looking forward to that.

4/11/15

The loss in strength sucks but I’m looking good for the wedding. Weighed in at 213 with a full blown 6-pack so it’s a trade-off.

  1. Push Press
    185x1 205x1 225x3 225x1 225xfail (pissed about this)

2a. Seated Press Behind Neck
95x12 95x12
Seated Press
135x8 135x6

2b. Pull-ups 4x10

3a. Lateral Raise
25x15, 12, 12, 12

3b. Hammer OHP machine
1 plate x 12, 12, 12, 12

4/12/15

Ran 3 miles in 25 mins.

4 days out

Well I got married on the 19th of April and have been trying to add some size as cleanly as possible ever since. I got down to 208 after the honeymoon but have been able to add 10 pounds. My lifting numbers are back to a respectable level.

I will be aiming to compete in Long Island’s Strongest Man competition in October. So over the next 6 weeks my goals are to add about 10 more pounds to my frame so I can start a peaking cycle around 10 weeks out at 225-230lbs and to work on conditioning. To achieve this I have been doing a lot of volume and eating 3,000-3,500 calories a day. Here’s what I did today:

  1. Rack Deadlifts with straps:

315x3, 365x3, 405x3, 455x3, 495x3, 545x1 (left a bit in the tank)

  1. Bent Over Rows

225x4x10

  1. Good Mornings

135x10, 185x10, 205x10

  1. Lat pulldowns 3x12ish

  2. DB Curls 40’sx3x10

  3. Hex DB Holds 25#x25 seconds (Grip shot at this point)

6/30/15

  1. Push Press:

185x3 205x2 225x1 245x1 225x1 185x5x3

  1. Floor press:

225x5 245x5 265x3 225x7

  1. High Incline DB Press

75’s x 10, 8, 7, 5

  1. Skull Crushers: 80x50 in 4 sets

7/1/15

Box Squat:

315x3 335x3 365x3 385x3 405x3

Squat:

315x3x8

Decline Situps

BWx10 +25x10 +50x10 +75x10 BWx27

Then did the stepper for some reason for 10 minutes…