Everyone is different. I personally clean a LOT more on a log than an axle. And I can even press more. The clean on the axle gets tremendously difficult as you get heavier. There’s a reason why the world record on the axle clean and press is significantly lower than the log record. I’ve never cleaned more than 275 or 285 on an axle, but I can clean at least 325 on a log. Pressing strength is similar for me on both implements. I prefer the log because my lack of mobility is a hindrance when racking the axle.
Some people just suck at cleaning a log. Really depends a lot on body type. I know a lot of people who are opposite of me, who can press more with a log than they can clean. And others clean and press more with an axle than a log.
EDIT: I should add that I am exceptional at cleaning a log. That’s a strength for me. I assume that whatever it is that makes me good at log cleaning is the same thing that makes me really good at overhead throws, and power stairs. Essentially explosiveness in the hips.
Definitely this. You need to almost lean back a bit more from the upper back to not only give you a better “rack”, but to give you a hip pop that utilizes the stretch of your abs and hips to jolt the log up.
Also, when you dip, I notice the log kinda bounces off your chest which is a dump of energy and redirects the drive in the worst possible direction (in front of you).
Lock that log in, squeeze your butt to slightly push your hips forward and lean back slightly in the upper back. It’s gonna feel like shit at first, and be cautious not to lean back too far. Hafthor does this, albeit not a functional position to press in, it’s what people with his bodyweight do. Guys like Martins Licis are the opposite. You can be strong from both positions, point is.
Hey man, didn’t want you thinking I was ignoring you, but technique is SO outside my wheelhouse, and once I saw @strongmanvinny2 had already thrown down knowledge I knew there was nothing for me to add, haha.
Yeah, yeah. In actuality, Pwn probably typed that while doing burpees with a hundred pound weighted vest circuited with max effort inverted zercher deadlifts with no belt OR straps and a neck harness added.
He’s a cool pretty guy, man.
**Edit: I meant pretty cool guy, but that works too, I guess.
@T3hPwnisher no worries dude I was like 97% sure that some kind of reference to your oafishness would be your response but, y’know, you can pick up some reasonably heavy stuff, so I figured it was worth an ask. Also Vinny apparently thinks you’re pretty so that’s gotta be worth something.
@strongmanvinny2 thanks for the input. Kind of annoying that I won’t be able to get hold of a log with much regularity to hone it in, but I should be able to slowly improve every few weeks at least.
I clean more on a log probably, never tried for anything super heavy. Or let’s put it that way: Cleaning the same weight on a log takes way less energy than on an axle and I can’t power clean for shit, so let’s skip that. I can however press way more on a barbell or axle
Yeah, was pretty pleased with the stone work for the first time.
After I move I should be able to get my hands on them somewhat regularly. Mike Westerling’s off-season program has me doing them once every 3 weeks, but after that I’m thinking of giving Chase Karnes’s 5/3/1 a whirl so it would be on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Sure we’ll see what happens though; a lot can change in a few months.
Scale is packed away so no idea what I’m weighing these days. Trying to keep nutrition clean though.
Quick session today as the gym closes early on Thursday.
Workout
Warmup
Setting up the damn yoke
Yoke walk Roughly 15m/50ft each way with drop and turn
40kg (90lb)
60kg (135lb)
80kg (180lb)
100kg (225lb)
120kg (260lb) First time touching a yoke. No run was fast but none was super-slow either. It’s a bit of a shit yoke. Last set got a little wobbly so I called it there.
Axle Press
8x20kg (45lb)
5x30kg (70lb)
3x40kg (90lb)
3x50kg (110lb)
3x55kg (120lb)
3x57.5kg (130lb) (PR and a proper 3RM)
Picked a great day to start properly training again seeing as I have to spend the day loading everything I own into a van.
Pretty sure I’m living in a simulation though because I hit squat and bench PBs today which is very unusual.
Training
Shoulder work and air squats to warm up
SSB Squat
5x20kg (45lbs)
5x40kg (90lbs)
3x60kg (135lbs)
3x80kg (180lbs)
3x90kg (200lbs)
10x100kg (225lbs) (SSB PR and all-time squat PR. Previous best on barbell squat was 100x7. Pretty dizzy after this.)
Bench Press
8x20kg (45lbs)
5x40kg (90lbs)
3x50kg (110lbs)
3x57.5kg (125lbs)
12x65kg (145lbs) (massive PR. Previous best was 65x9. This has jumped up my E1RM by about 12%)
Assistance
3x8 inverted tow
3x8 pressups
3x20 situps (awful - I’m a way away from Deep Water’s superset!)
Slept like a log last night but still pretty tired after two days of disassembling beds, lugging stuff upstairs into a van, driving across the country and unloading the van at the other end. Given that, and that this is only my third early morning session since circa May, today could have gone a whole heap worse. Still hit some PRs.
Workout
Shoulder work and barbell complex to warm up.
Power Cleans
3x45kg (100lbs)
3x52.5kg (115lbs)
3x60kg (135lbs)
Deadlifts
3x120kg (260lbs)
3x130kg (285lbs)
9x140kg (315lbs) - weight PR, but wanted 10. Maybe had it, but it would have been a horrible hitcher.
Managed to secure a new apartment in Dublin that isn’t a shithole which is some kind of miracle. Moving in this weekend.
Training
Warmup
No time, just general moving.
Front Squat
5x20kg (45lbs)
3x40kg (90lbs)
1x50kg (110lbs)
3x60kg (135lbs)
3x65kg (145lbs)
11x70kg (155lbs) (PR but also the first time I’ve done a front squat AMRAP)
@simo74 it’s not too bad since we’ve not brought a lot of our furniture, but still a bit of a pain. Just some extra conditioning work I guess.
Sunday, 4 August
Since our new life in Ireland is getting sorted out a lot more quickly than anticipated and there’s a super-well-equipped strongman gym around a 45m drive from the in-laws’ house I decided to start the 12-Week Offseason Built By Mike program today.
Also I weighed in at the gym and was around 232lbs after breakfast with clothes and shoes on, so I’d say I’ve lost a little weight over the past week or two.
BBM W1W1D1
Log Clean and Press The 12" log was 100kg (225lbs) unloaded, so a little out of my league. There was a 10" 65kg (145lb) log and an 8" 35kg (80lb) log as well, so onto the baby log I went.
3x35kg (80lb) strict, 2x push press
3x45kg (100lb) strict, 2x push press
3x50kg (110lb) strict, 2x push press
3x55kg (120lb) strict
2x60kg (135lb) push press
2x65kg (145lb) push press (PR, albeit on a smaller log) Switched to the 10" log here
2x65kg (145lb) push press (sort-of PR as well i guess)
Pushup
2x12, 1x8+4 Program is 3x12-15 banded but I am not a strong man, so regular pushups it is until I’m at 3x15. And here I am wondering why my bench sucks…
Got to weigh in today at 234.6, so I guess I haven’t lost weight. Haven’t gained any either, though.
Would like to lose around 20lbs by the end of the year, methinks. I’d hope to look a lot better at 215lbs now than I did a year ago.
BBM W1W1D2
SSB Squat Hit an accidental PR here as the bar was 10kg (25lbs) heavier than the last one I used.
5x50kg (110lbs)
5x70kg (160lbs)
5x90kg (180lbs)
5x110kg (250lbs) (SSB PR)
5x115kg (260lbs) (might be an all-time squat PR, nevermind SSB)
Banded Deadlifts
EMOM with doubled red minibands (+60kg/135lbs or so I think)
10 rounds: 1x100kg (225lbs) + bands
45-degree Back Raise
10x BW
10x5kg (10lb) plate behind head
10x15kg (35lb) plate behind head
Might be abandoning Built By Mike as I’ve got an opportunity to train strongman with a group not too far from where I live.
The trainer in question has a recent Instagram vid of himself doing a barbell complex of clean pull into clean into front squat into push press into jerk… with 160kg (350lbs) which is pretty disgusting. Going to check it out next week and hopefully make it regular.
Going to start training with that group on Monday - or at least do the one free session and see how it goes. Hopefully it’s a good vibe and becomes a regular thing; I’m able to join Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu afternoons if I want to. Hope it pans out because it should get me a lot stronger than just training on my own.
BBM Conditioning/Recovery
Just pushed a Prowler around a bit. Quite light, nothing too insane in terms of intensity or breathlessness.
Next Comps
I’ve signed up for two more contests, both ages away - one in April and one in July next year. Ideally I would like to squeeze one more in this year but they’re thin on the ground in terms of spaces available.
First one in April is as follows - actually probably will be a little on the light side by then I hope, but the next category up is full. Will try and get moved up if possible, though.
Press Medley: 45kg (100lb) DB, 80kg (180lb) log, 70kg (155lb) keg Silver Dollar Deadlift: 180kg (405lbs) in 60s Loading Race: TBD, 90s Super Yoke: 200kg (450lbs), presumably for 20m (60ft) Frame Carry: 180kg (495lbs) for 20m (60ft), no straps
Second one in July is: Log Press: 100kg (225lbs) Hammer Hold: 17kg (40lbs) Axle Deadlift: 220kg (495lbs) Loading Race: TBD Stone Over Yoke: 120kg (250lbs)