Weighing in around 225ish these days.
Whatever weird strain thing I have is still playing up so I’m doing something of a deload this week.
Hopefully that gives it time to recover and then I can get in six more weeks of solid training before a week of rest then comp.
So this week I’ll just do some dumbbell/machine work and a bit of conditioning over a few sessions. Today is a lazy day though.
Down to 223.8 today; calories have been lower as I’ve been doing fuck-all.
Saw a GP today, who reckons it’s a sprained rib rather than oblique but seems much of a muchness. Either way, it’s something I can work through/around without dying.
Back on comp prep next week after this deload.
Weighed in at 224.8 today. Champing at the bit to get back training after the week off and fortunately had a good one. Managed to not tear my rib muscles or anything, and in fact it feels pretty OK overall, so a solid Monday.
On a non-training note, fairly happy with the ending of Game of Thrones. I wish they hadn’t rushed so much to get there but that’s a satisfying wrap-up. My only major gripe is the ending of the White Walker plotline and the Arya ex machina fanservice but I’m pretty much over that.
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Limber 11
Circus Dumbbell Clean & Press Away
Right hand:
5x25kg (55lbs)
3x27.5kg (60lbs)
5x29kg (63lbs) (PR)
3x26kg (57lbs)
Right/left alternating:
3x4x25kg (55lbs)
Will take each rep from the floor next time, but at this stage the clean isn’t an issue. Left is significantly worse than right, mostly due to being unable to get the bell in a solid rack position on that side. A problem to be addressed in future, but for now I just need to power through and get as strong as possible with the side most likely to get a rep in comp.
Axle Strict Press
10x5x40kg (90lbs)
Superset with 3-5x chinups/pullups/NG pullups; varying grips.
Incline Bench Press
3x8x50kg (110lbs)
Superset with 3x12 DB rows with a 35kg (75lb) DB.
Lat Pulldown
12x80kg (180lbs)
10x90kg (200lbs)
8x100kg (220lbs)
Superset with 3x12 standing DB press with 12.5kg (30lb) DBs.
Arms Superset
3x15 hammer rope curls w/30kg (75lbs)
3x15 rope pushdowns w/40kg (90lbs)
Conditioning
Run 15-20m (50-60ft), grab a 50kg (110lb) med ball and run back. Not honestly sure how many rounds I did. More than 5, fewer than 10.
Done in around two hours including warmup, setup and a few minutes lying on the ground contemplating the agony of existence after the conditioning.
Went home to 1,000kcal of pork shoulder and rice plus Game of Thrones. A solid evening.
Still around 224lbs today. Outrageous lat and tricep doms.
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Limber 11
Deadlifts
5x120kg (270lbs)
3x140kg (315lbs) (strapless/beltless PR, I think. They went on after this.)
7x150kg (340lbs) (PR - at rep 5 I doubted I could get 6. After letting go after rep 7 I felt I could have had 8…)
3x145kg (330lbs)
3x130kg (295lbs)
5x120kg (270lbs)
Front Squats
Supersetted with 15x face pulls.
12x40kg (90lbs)
10x50kg (110lbs)
8x57.5kg (130lbs)
6x60kg (135lbs)
Reverse Hyper
Superset with 15x GHR situps.
3x12x25kg (55lbs)
DB Lunge
Superset with KB swings
2x8x per leg w/10kg (25lb) DBs each hand
Farmer’s Walk
10x 20m (60ft) runs with 50kg (110lb)
Meant to be EMOM but I was absolutely done. Hands were fucked. This just took as long as it took.
Up to 226.0 today. Last training session until next week as I have to catch a flight tomorrow, won’t have gym access on Saturday and then the future in-laws are visiting Sunday.
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Limber 11
Farmer’s Walk
For 40m (120ft) approx, with a drop and turn halfway.
15kg (35lbs)
35kg (75lbs)
45kg (100lbs)
55kg (120lbs)
2 runs at 65kg (145lbs) (not super tough on any part of my body except my brain and hands)
Axle Continental Clean & Press
Superset with straight-arm lat pulldowns
3x45kg (100lbs)
3x55kg (120lbs)
4x60kg (135lbs)
3x57.5kg (125lbs)
3x50kg (110lbs)
SSB Squats to Parallel Box
3x12x60kg (135lbs)
Reverse-Grip Yates Row/Close-Grip Bench Press
12x40kg (90lbs)
12x50kg (110lbs)
12x55kg (120lbs)
Arms Superset
Triceps pushdown: 3x15x30kg (75lbs)
Axle curl: 3x15x20kg (45lbs)
Still have visitors but had time to sneak out for a quick session today.
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Axle Continental Clean & Press
2x30kg (65lbs)
1x40kg (90lbs)
1x50kg (110lbs)
1x55kg (120lbs)
1x60kg (135lbs)
1x65kg (145lbs) (beltless PR)
0x72.5kg (160lbs)
1x72.5kg (160lbs) (all-time PR)
Strict Barbell Press
Superset with chinups
10x5x45kg (100lbs)
Able to get back to normal, training-wise, as of tomorrow. I do have to visit Leeds next week though so will have to hunt down an appropriate gym.
OK session today, short and sweet with some tangible PRs. Missus has obviously snuck into my gym bag and tightened my belt, though. Can’t think how else it happened. Anyway up to 229.2 today…
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Limber 11
Deadlifts
5x60kg (135lbs)
3x100kg (225lbs)
3x130kg (295lbs)
2x140kg (315lbs)
1x155kg (350lbs)
1x170kg (385lbs) (very easy)
0x185kg (415lbs) (5kg/10lb PR attempt, got it mid-shin)
2x170kg (385lbs) (weight PR)
Press
5x40kg (90lbs)
3x45kg (100lbs)
9x50kg (110lbs) (PR)
13x40kg (90lbs)
Close-grip Bench Press
3x8x60kg (135lbs)
Superset with 12x100kg (225lbs) lat pulldowns.
Had to drop off the missus at the airport today and Saturday gym hours are 9-12 so only had time to get in an hour of training. Told myself if I PR’d farmer’s walks I could do whatever stupid shit I wanted afterwards. It was raining which made them extra hard.
Warmup
None
Farmer’s Walks
40m (120ft) with midway drop and turn
35kg (80lbs)
55kg (120lbs)
65kg (145lbs)
72.5kg (160lbs) (two drops, but a PR for this distance)
Bench Press
Because why not? Superset with chest-supported rows (12x45kg/100lbs)
5x20kg (45lbs)
5x40kg (90lbs)
3x50kg (110lbs)
3x60kg (135lbs)
3x70kg (155lbs)
3x75kg (165lbs)
Snatch-Grip Deadlift
Speed reps, basically: 3x8x75kg (165lbs)
Just playing the long game to win Most Improved 2020.
Not sure of weight as I’m at a hotel in Leeds on business.
Found an AWESOME strongman/powerlifting gym near the hotel so I am more than happy to come back as I’ll likely have to.
Saw a lad deadlift 300kg (650lbs) for a triple and got cheered on myself as I ground out an overhead PR. Great place.
Axle Continental Clean & Press
Think this axle was even a little thicker than my usual.
3x35kg (75lbs)
1x45kg (100lbs)
1x55kg (120lbs)
1x65kg (145lbs)
1x75kg (165lbs) (PR - easy clean)
Axle Continental Clean
EMOM for 10m
2x60kg (135lbs)
Strict BB Press
10x5x45kg (100lbs)
Lat Pulldown
3x8xhalf stack
DB Row
3x12x40kg (95lbs)
Triceps Rope Pushdown Dropset
15x40kg (95lbs)
15x30kg (70lbs)
15x20kg (45lbs)
Also some curls and some DB flyes because it didn’t feel right to leave without a chest pump.
Keen to deadlift there tomorrow.
Nice work on the OH PR. That’s my favourite type of PR.
Yeah it was pretty nice. Second week in a row for it; I think that working on the continental clean technique has paid dividends because I’ve been able to save energy for the press.
That being said, I did tweak my wrist at the start of the session which was so minor I didn’t even mention it in the log. Now, however, I’m struggling to rotate it without some pretty decent pain. Will make deadlifts and front squats pretty interesting this evening…
Elected not to deadlift Tuesday because of the wrist. It’s still twingey now but nothing major. Paid off given how fresh I was today; PR’d everything.
Up to 231.1 which helps also.
Farmer’s Walk
40m/120ft with drop and turn
35kg (80lbs)
60kg (135lbs)
80kg (180lbs) (PR)
Clean & Press
3x40kg (90lbs)
2x50kg (110lbs)
1x57.5kg (130lbs)
1x62.5kg (140lbs) (PR)
Barbell Clean
EMOM for 10m
3x45kg (100lbs)
Close-grip Bench
3x8x60kg (135lbs)
Superset with 8x chest-supported rows @ 45kg (100lbs)
Behind-the-back Double Overhand Hold
30s @ 90kg (200lbs) - just the one set. Wrist was playing up.
Was hoping to do some car stuff today but the weather isn’t cooperating. Wrist still a bit bothersome.
Weighed in at 231.4. Dialling down the volume as the comp looms so should have a bit of bloat dropping off.
Strict BB Press
5x42.5kg (95lbs)
3x47.5kg (105lbs)
7x52.5kg (115lbs) (rep PR)
3x50kg (110lbs)
5x47.5kg (105lbs)
3x45kg (100lbs)
5x42.5kg (95lbs)
5x40kg (90lbs)
SSB Squat
5x60kg (135lbs)
5x70kg (165lbs)
5x80kg (180lbs)
10x90kg (200lbs) (rep PR - felt very dizzy after)
Actually thought this was 100kg so I was really pleased with it. Bit disappointing when I realised. That said it’s still an overall rep PR at this weight for any kind of squat.
NG Lat Pulldown
15x80kg (180lbs)
15x90kg (200lbs)
2x15x100kg (225lbs)
12x100kg
11x100kg
Up to 231.4 today for some reason after a Sunday weigh-in of 228ish. Hamstring and glute DOMS were silly yesterday but I realised it was my first time squatting in about 10 days so that’s what I get.
Swapped upper and lower days around to give myself more time between heavy deads and heavy farmers.
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Some of Limber 11
Deadlifts
10x60kg (135lbs)
5x100kg (225lbs)
3x120kg (270lbs)
5x130kg (295lbs)
3x145kg (325lbs)
6x160kg (360lbs) (PR)
1x150kg (335lbs) (Double Overhand PR)
3x3x140kg (315lbs)
Pleased with this. Last year 160 was my insurmountable 1RM for about five months and has for a while been my best triple.
Front Squat
Superset with 20x facepulls
5x40kg (90lbs)
5x60kg (135lbs)
3x70kg (160lbs)
3x85kg (195lbs) (PR, hilariously)
Farmer’s Walk
EMOM for 10m
20m/60ft run with 55kg (120lbs)
Back down to 229.0 today.
Was pretty disappointed in the axle work today until I realised that:
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Some of Limber 11
Axle Continental Clean & Press
3x40kg (90lbs)
1x50kg (110lbs)
1x60kg (135lbs)
1x65kg (145lbs)
0x70kg (155lbs)
0x70kg (155lbs)
1x70kg (155lbs) (easy press)
0x77.5kg (170lbs) (well yeah obviously not, come on Matt)
Axle Continental Clean
EMOM for 10m:
2x50kg (110lb)
Barbell Press
6x5x45kg (100lbs)
Superset with 5x neutral-grip chinups. Not bad for a fatty.
Loading
AMRAP in 10m:
Run 20m/60ft to 50kg (110lb) med ball
Run back with the ball
Run back to the start
Did six rounds. Didn’t like it.
25 days to comp.
Awesome work in here!
So today I basically wanted to go as heavy as I possibly could on farmers walks as my last heavy session training them.
I managed to pick up contest weight - 100kg (225lb) - which almost made me shit myself and then I took four or five short steps. Technically that’s a deadlift PR at least?
So all in all here’s where I stand three weeks out. Probably about 85% as strong as I need to be overall.
Not feeling hugely confident if I’m honest but hopefully a fortnight of conditoning/technique work and a week of deloading plus on-the-day adrenaline will get me that extra 15%.
75kg (165lb) BB, 80kg (180lb) BB, 90kg (200lb) axle pyramid (5 total lifts)
I’ve had a pretty easy 65kg clean and press, a 70kg barbell push press from the rack and a 75kg axle continental clean and press. So about 82-88% of the way there.
I’ve pulled this weight before and more recently had 160kg (360lbs) as my AMRAP topset for six reps.
60kg (135lb) then 2x 75kg (165lb)sandbags 15m (45ft)
I’ve not trained with sandbags but the ones used last year look super dense at least. Using med balls and bumpers on loading pins this is the only event at which training weight has surpassed contest weight.
100kg (225lbs) for 40m (120ft) with drop and turn
I’ve had 80kg (180lbs) for full comp distance and 85kg (190lbs) for one 20m (60ft) run.
Arm-over-arm and push back 20m (60ft) each way
Haven’t practiced this a ton but hasn’t been terrible when I have, though admittedly the car has been half the weight. Sure they’ve all got wheels though.
That loading medley seems oddly light compared to the rest of the events, looks like it’ll be a fun contest!
Looks like a fun one!
Not shitting yourself was a PR in and of itself!
@mr.v3lv3t I ain’t complaining!! I checked out some vids from last year’s event for research as there’s a lot of crossover and it was a loading followed by van push that time. I guess they havent adjusted up a lot after removing the push. Also, the farmers for prospects was only 80kg for 30m. Massively jealous as I’d confidently smash that.
@littlesleeper good point. I’ve still yet to earn my brown wings while lifting and hopefully can avoid it for a while. Will be bringing spare shorts and undies to the comp though.
