That comp sounds bloody good, nice to see the Barry Carry get a mention too. I like that they have got the announcement and events out early too. Can’t wait to see how you go mate.
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@simo74 Much appreciated man. I can’t remember the last time I’ve signed up for a comp where I actually liked EVERY event there. Now, hammer hold doesn’t excite me, but it’s not something I detest like throwing, circus dumbbell, MAS wrestling, etc. And, of course, having it have a Heracles them just absolutely delights me. I’d prefer the deadlift be a rep event, but max on a frame is at least better than max on a bar, and I’m just so over the moon about not needing to make weight. That’s been one of the biggest detractors to competing for me.
Oh yeah, on top of all that, with it being unsanctioned, it’s a fundraising event for mental health. They actually have a “hero” category, which is anyone that works in medical services. A very light weight class, even lower than novice, just to get people out there having fun. THIS is why I signed up for strongman. I never cared about calibrated plates and standardized events: I wanted a freakshow where we all get together, lift heavy stuff, have some fun and eat some food.
Chaos is the plan. Skipped the morning workout this morning: I was needed elsewhere. Going to try to get it done this afternoon. Along with that, the Valkyrie asked “Are you going to do the kettlebells with me?”, so of course I said yes. I won’t be running ABF in full, as I’ll be using her weights, but it will at least be good active recovery/additional volume. Probably be just the thing to get me to want to run the full program sometime.
I’m having a VERY good knee day today. I drove without any pain, walked upstairs without pain, and only some minor discomfort downstairs. I was able to work for an hour before I put my foot up. And this is still just 1 week into PT, so this bodes well. I honestly think it’s the foam rolling of my IT band that has been the most crucial part of this process, because it hurt like HELL when I started, and now it’s much more tolerable.
As far as ways forward goes, I intend to stick with my plan to gain until New Years. If nothing else, this is the feasting season, and I’m not going to spend it being a nutritional martyr. I have a cruise coming up after Christmas through the New Years, and my full intention is to show up looking like a “before” photo, and, of course, to eat my way through the week. Once that is done, I’ll return and start up Operator with a focus toward the events (which will really mean just throwing in a push press rep on the end of my press exercises and make carry medleys a part of my conditioning). But up until then, I can certainly start training my grip and shoulder endurance for the Heracles hold and hammer hold without either impacting my recovery/strength. I’m blessed that I have a legit Ironmind Rolling thunder kicking around in my goodie bag from that craigslist score I had in 2013, and I can so bring back hanging from a bar like I did before. Lateral raises can be replaced with Crucifix hold: they both hit the shoulder just fine.
One other change: I’m going to wear my grip shirt when I Buffalo bar squat from now on. My forearm pain stems from holding the bar on my back during the squat. This is the most obvious and easiest solution. I’ll do some extra laundry. Maybe even treat myself to an extra grip shirt: it IS almost Christmas.
Oh yeah, still have that grappling comp on 7 Dec. More and more competitors are signing up. There is now someone in my weight class…born in 2005. Which makes him 20, which makes him half my age, which makes me feel like I’m about a million years old. There are also 2 guys in various masters categories: one is one weight class above me and 9 years younger than me, one is two weight classes above me and 2 years older than me. I honestly think I’d rather stay with the Masters guys: they simply have something to lose and aren’t going to make me risk another ACL for a medal. But there is still time for more folks to show up. If nothing else, going up a weight class delights me because, again: I won’t have to make weight.
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That comp sounds awesome, excited for that.
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Excellent plan!
I like the sound of the comp, too!
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Glad to read the knee is feeling better. I find the same here post ACL surgery too.
I look at it on the bright side, that yep we’re older, but we’re also still active and able to enter such events. You’re miles (er kilometres!) ahead of the general population (as you’re well aware of already). And the comp reads the goods.
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My mom has a sign on our fridge, “Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill.”
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@dagill2 Thanks man! It’s the first strongman comp I’ve had in a LONG time that I haven’t had any sense of dread.
@EmilyQ No better plan than chaos! Haha.
@raven78 Oh, it’s not the competitor that concerns me, or my own age: it’s the fact someone can be born in 2005 and be 20 years old. I told my wife I loved her for the first time in 2005. I was a junior in college in 2005. I was a handful myself in 2005: for kids to be born there and now well into adulthood is mind boggling, haha. Funny enough, I didn’t do much foam rolling for the ACL.
@OyAmPipMayo Though true, youth imparts some Wolverine-like healing powers that allows those kids to play a little rougher than I care to. They don’t see the big deal about a popped elbow, but mine doesn’t pop back! Haha.
PM WORKOUT (1530)
TACTICAL BARBELL GREY MAN Cycle 2, Week 1, Workout 1
MAIN CLUSTER
Buffalo Bar Squat
4x8x315
Axle strict press from rack
3x8x148
1x6+2x148
SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER
(3) Incline DB bench
2x12x70s
9x70
9+4+2x70
DB row
4x12x125
GHR
4x12x30
ASSISTANCE
GHR sit up
3x10
Notes:
- Was needed elsewhere this morning, so got this done after work. Moved quickly through the warm up and shaved off the chins to make some time up.
- Squats felt solid. I switched to wearing my tacky shirt so the bar would stay in place on my back, which should reduce my forearm pain.
- First time in forever I thought about actually squeezing my glutes on the press and it made a huge difference. I honestly think the physical therapy is helping there: I’m developing my glute meds and they seem to want to come out to play some more.
- Forgot my shoes for the GHRs/sit ups. Small impact on results.
- No weigh in this morning, but carried a 220lb keg yesterday and 221 tonight.
Nutrition Recap
Breakfast was 1lb of brisket, some beef liver, 3 whole eggs, 5 whites, and some application of sour cream. I’ve taken to cutting up the brisket before putting it in the air fryer, so I can get more of the surface area with salt. Also sprayed it with some duck fat spray beforehand.
Dinner was kalua pig, 3 eggs and 5 whites. I had a LOT of pork.
EDIT:
Also, I don’t have many friends, but the ones I have are good ones
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AM WORKOUT (0515 natural wake up)
TACTICAL BARBELL GREY MAN Cycle 2, Week 1, Workout 2
“ROW ROW ROW YOUR BLOAT”
20 minute recovery row
Notes:
- Knee regressed a little, which is to be expected after a squat workout, but it regresses back to a better point than before. Moving forward.
- Sitting on a rower first thing in the morning is a little tight on the hips.
- Bodyweight was 85.3 this morning. Seeing some growth.
- Tang Soo Do sparring tonight.
- Did an official Day 1 of ABF with the Valkyrie last night. She’s really digging the program. Likes kettlebells, taking to it quite naturally. We did 2 rounds 2-3-5-10 and then 5 rounds of the ABC EMOM, along with a general warm-up and refresher on the movements.
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So much good stuff in here lately: competition, Valkyrie and ABF, general training! But I’d be remiss if I didn’t comment on this:
It’s that time of year again—fantastic!
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Post some pics of the deer meat once you do get! haha That’s awesome! I need to find friends like that!
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I love this. I literally think this about various body parts through the week. Like today is a good Hip day, driving to work was great. 
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I’m reading a book that I think you might like: Built from Broken by Scott Hogan. Really good, and discusses how the medical field has historically lead as astray in terms of healing and thriving. It’s very well researched and really aligns and articulates some of what I’ve observed and had to stubbornly learn myself over the years. Definitely worth the read, and, from what I can gather, aligns with your approach.
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@SvenG Appreciate you swinging by! And pumpkin cheesecake is the superior form of pumpkin consumption: no question.
@DJoftheJungle1 I’ll definitely make it happen! It’s funny: he’s my hunting buddy, and I haven’t had a chance to get a shot yet. But our original arrangement was he bags them, I drag them. He’s saving me the trip now!
@simo74 No doubt man. I’ve been having “good shoulder days” since I was 15. It’s not the age: it’s the mileage.
@antiquity Funny enough, that showed up on my kindle recommendation list recently. I’ll have to give it a look. Good looking out!
Nutrition recap
Breakfast and dinner were the same as yesterday
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AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)
TACTICAL BARBELL GREY MAN Cycle 2, Week 1, Workout 3
MAIN CLUSTER
Axle bench press
5x8x221
(3) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat pull
5+2x470
SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER
Lever belt squat
5x12x190
Dips/axle curl superset
3x12x60, 1x10+2x60
2x12x71, 1x10+2x71, 1x8+4x71
ASSISTANCE
Reverse hyper/standing ab wheel superset
2x15x360/2x10
Chins between sets
Notes:
- Training motivation was high. I genuinely look forward to the day I get to deadlift. That said, it was made clear to me today that I am exiting the realm of training and entering the realm of testing with the weight I am using on the mat pulls. I am proud of myself that I still somehow managed to break the weight off the mats and get reps in, but I keep trading more and more of my soul each week to make it happen, and I am surviving the sets rather than thriving. I have nothing to prove and nowhere to be, so I’m gonig to drop the weight back to 405 to finish out this cycle and try to beat my previous rep PR at that weight, then bring it up to 425 and just repeat and regrow.
- Bench weight was perfectly dialed in.
- If I wasn’t in a rush for time, I’m certain I wouldn’t struggle on the curls as much as I do. Using a lighter weight on deadlifts might also help there.
- Very happy I’ve figured out the belt squats. They went from destructive to therapeutic. I’m going to try barbell squats in my flats next workout. As much as I’d had to admit that I had it right all along back in 2007 and never needed a pair of weightlifters and just needed some Chucks (thanks Pavel), it may truthfully be the next step in mitigating knee pain. Be curious if I can squat deeper that way as well. I was never built for the movement, so maybe I need to break all the rules to make it work.
- Weighed in at 84.8 this morning. I’m feeling fluffier. That’s the goal.
- I hung from a bar for a little over 1min 45sec yesterday, without much difficulty. Going to try to ease myself back into grip training for a bit, but I think I’ve got a good shot there. I also re-read the rules and the hammer hold is a front hold rather than a side hold, and I thankfully have an oversized loadable hammer I won as a prize in a competition back in 2015 (my return to comp after ACL surgery), so that’s cool.
- Tang Soo Do sparring was really awesome last night. I got 3 matches, the final one against the Valkyrie. We went 1 to 1 on points, going into overtime. Typically, I leave some openings for her to chase/strike as a learning opportunity, but last night she scored a legit awesome final point with a spin side kick that had her foot turn in just such a way that she snuck it in between my guard, right into a floating rib. It was like a spearman finding the slats between the plates of armor. I said “oh, that was good”, fully acknowledging the point before the judges scored it, because I was just such a fan of how she sent that. We have another class tonight, and then doubling up tomorrow.
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I was talking to some buddies that have their license and I am really looking into getting mine in 2026!
I can picture you just rucking a giant deer on your back and dragging another one by 1 leg LOL.
Also excited to see you in that competition mentioned above man! You’re going to kill it!
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I got my license 2 years ago and STILL don’t have my rifle sighted in, haha. This time of year is, unfortunately, one of my busiest. But retirement is in my near future, which will open up some avenues.
I remember selling myself to my buddy that way too. “I’m like a hunting dog that has better conversations”, haha.
Also excited to see you in that competition mentioned above man! You’re going to kill it!
I appreciate that sentiment dude. Given that this is open weight, I do NOT anticipate that, haha. Depending on who shows up, I could be up against some legitimate mega-fauna, whereas I am but small game, but my goal is to enjoy myself. That’s really what excites me about this competition: it looks fun. A while back, I boiled down the things I needed to do if I wanted to be the best strongman I could be, and it shook out to get coaching and take drugs, and I refused either. And once I did that, I no longer put the burden on myself to win, and, instead, to enjoy. It’s the same reason I don’t train leg drive for my pressing in my off season training: it’s not how I want to play the game.
Strongman is fun…or, at least, it is for me. If I started playing to win, it wouldn’t be, and then I wouldn’t do it.
It’s the same reason I just sign up and show up to grappling competitions, rather than train for them. I don’t like training grappling, but I like grappling….so I do that, haha.
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That’s awesome man! I can’t recall, have you said what you do for work?
I’m in due diligence process to sell a company. If it goes through, I have 3 years of transition before I will retire. CANNOT WAIT.
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That is awesome about retirement soon!! I was also curious what you do for work.
I agree about just doing things for the enjoyment, just train so you can actually be healthy and fit enough to do these types of activates you enjoy and if you happen to be the best one that shows up that day then so be it! 
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My goodness there’s a lot of awesome in here, comp, deer meat and a retirement on the horizon!
Curious about what the plans are for retirement? I’ve seen a bunch of early retirees struggle with the transition, but it’s usually because they’re retiring from something, not too something, they’re desperate to quit a job rather than having a clear sense of what they want to do afterwards. I’m sure you’re all over that already, hence the curiosity.
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Appreciate all the love and support folks. @dchris and @DJoftheJungle1 I haven’t ever said what I do for a profession, but I’ve left some bread crumbs. There is a reason I cut my hair the way I do, why I’m one of the few strongman competitors who doesn’t have a beard, and why tell time with a 24 hour clock.
@alex_uk You know chaos is the plan, haha. Most likely, I’ll find another career to start, since I’ll be only 41. If not a career, then just something that keeps an income flow. Ultimately, it will depend on what the Valkyrie is up to at that point. She put a lot of her life on hold to support me: I’m planning on returning the favor.
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