31.01.
Some glute + t-spine rolling, some stretching, some scaled hip airplanes (recently discussed on @FlatsFarmer’s log), one round of McGill’s big three.
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Made some diy bench blockz for the total cost of 7€.
Also in the process of making a diy viking press. A suitable grip ist already on it’s way
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That bench block is really cool, it looks like the real thing. What material did you use?
What did you think of the hip airplanes? Did they blow your mind?
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I used a yoga block and a drill used for fretwork (no idea if I am using this right, it’s straight out of google translator). Surprisingly easy going and fits perfectly on the barbell.
The hip airplanes were pretty good. I see some potential for them prior to lifting. Next goal will be unassisted airplanes. That could be challenging
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Good luck with the comp mate. Smash it
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Thanks buddy!
That’s a pretty bitchin viking press setup man. I’ve been daydreaming now and then about building something similar, I just don’t have a great space for it in my basement right now.
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Thanks for sharing. Great idea!
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01.02.2020
Competition write up: Viking United
As you know I entered pretty spontaneously and with a team mate I didn’t know prior or practiced with. I also entered with a small back injury so I set myself the goal of not overdoing it. The comp took place in Hamburg which was a 2,5 hour drive each way. Since it was as close as a comp gets for me it was logical to enter, haha.
Event 1: Stone to shoulder
85 kg atlas stone, 60 seconds time limit. I went with spray tacky but no tape. You could go however you wanted with your team mate. We decided to go alternating on the stone, which I think turned out to be the wrong strategy but we weren’t sure how it would it go, so all good. I could have kept going for a good bit actually.
I think we got 8 reps.
Event 2: Log lift for max, three attempts (powerlifting style)
I chose a safe 100 kg for my 1st attempt. Went with something I could get for 3+ reps under normal circumstances.
Second attempt was 110 kg and it went up pretty easy and smooth.
I initially said I wanted 115 kg which would have been pretty safe I imagine but the comp hype got the better of me and said I’ll go for 120 instead. I cleaned it easily and it didn’t feel like a bad attempt but ultimately didn’t get it done.
Took a gamble, lost it. No big deal but I should have went with 115 kg. Call it being inexperienced (this was the first “x for max” ever for me).
Event 3: Tandem deadlift, 360 kg for reps in 60 seconds. No straps
I was the most worried about this event going in because of my back and because I had no idea how a tandem deadlift is supposed to go. We warmed up with 250 and did a rep with 280 (most we could get on the bar for warm ups). We settled on a system were my partner would count 1-2- and then we lift. He was a stronger puller than me and I thought this would give me more space to concentrate on bracing. I made it crystal clear that I am not taking any chances here and that we will stop before things go grindy. He was fine with that.
We got 6 reps and then I called it because things felt too ugly. Strength-wise we could have kept going. We were pretty asynchron though because I am taller and he lifted faster which made things pretty awkward. Also I had to go with a closer stance so we could both fit onto the barbell which in turn made my shoulder be very far over the bar compared to my normal deadlift.
I really don’t feel like doing something like this again but it went okay after all.
Event 4: Front hold
Rules were: Arse and back against the wall, hold a 20 kg on extended arms in front of you. Referee would warn you if you held it too high and if you went under 90° they would call “warning one”, “warning two” and you were out.
Things got a little weird here because 1) I didn’t here the ref call warning one. I just heard warning two which was followed by “put it down” within a second and on video it didn’t even look like I was under 90°. I am not mad though, this is not a good event for me in any case and it would have probably made little difference in the end.
I don’t know my time yet.
We went into the last event in a shared 6th place.
Event 5: Tire flip
The weight was originally stated as 500 kg but no way in hell that it was this heavy. The tire was huge though and on one of its side, it was impossible to get a grip under it. You could have gone however you wanted but every team chose to do each flip together instead of back and forth.
We ended with 13 flips which was one short of the team we had a tie with, which ended up in place 5. So it was very tight point wise between teams in the mid field.
My mate briefly forgot the plan, otherwise we might have gotten 14 but it’s redundant to discuss that.
Wrap up
Overall it was a fun event. Very very well organized and fast paced without being hectic! Great job by the organizing team and host. My team mate ended up being a nice guy. It was his first ever contest and he had a great experience. I did mainly what I said out to do: Test the waters before my real season, don’t get hurt further and have fun.
Video
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Today was all about sleeping in, taking naps, the massage chair and the infrared sauna. Also used the inversion table.
My body actually doesn’t feel too bad. I just feel very fatigued.
I’m happy to have done this comp in hindsight. It made me feel alive while I was doing it.
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Given you took it at short notice, sounds like you went pretty well.
Yeah pretty good outcome after all. Hopefully it means I have a great season ahead
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Thanks for the write up and well done. It sounds like it went mostly to plan and given you were with a partner you hadn’t met sounds like you went ok.
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Very good K.
Well done, you had a great time, learned a lot, met new people.
Great write up
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03.02.
Rolling the glutes and upper back.
Stretching
McGill Big three + assisted hip airplanes
Also started self medicating with ibuprofen. In case that thing in my back is some kind of inflammation.
Fyi the contest didn’t make it worse nor better. It’s not really a muscle, it might be spinal but might also be a fascia or something. After my SI was adjusted the back pumps and such went away.
I have very little to no pain and slight discomfort. It seems like my right side (glute) is tighter than the left.
Can’t make heads or tales of it but I guess it will reolve with time. I’ll continue the rehab protocol, add a little ibuprofen (not for pain!) and listen to my body.
Also a friend and I went to the first of a series of dance lessons tonight. I haven’t had much chances to dance since graduating school but I generally liked it. The course was advertised with “for singles”. However for whatever reason we both assumed that the other participants would be around our age. We were wrong! Oh so wrong 
Good fun non the less.
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There’s a good story in this I think…
Hahaha yeah we were brought to the table where the new participants met and I think you may have been able to hear our jaws drop as we realized that the age average is around twice our age. Well forever alone it is 
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I feel like these sort of things should be made clearer. Somewhere in the ad there should be be something like, FYI this is targeted towards (age group) although anyone is welcome.
Except for really obvious stuff, like, I don’t know, bull riding classes or some shit. Except maybe that’s not so obvious now I think about it…
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That’s how we felt as well. Because apart from learning to dance, we were genuinely interested in meeting women.
Well the instructor is smoking though, so that’s something
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04.02
1 squat
Up to
2 @ 140 kg (belt from here)
1 @ 160 kg (wraps from here)
1 @ 175 kg
1 @ 187,5 kg - failed the second due to a technical error (I do think I could have gotten it and I stand by my decision to go for it). PR.
1 @ 187,5 kg - PR
3 x 6 @ 140 kg (very very lightly wrapped)
2 Farmer’s carry
10 m @ 105 kg
2 x 10 m @ 115 kg
I was scheduled to do 3 x 10 m @ 130 kg but I felt that was pushing my luck. Instead I concentrated on a clean pick up technique.
3 behind the back barbell hold
2 x max @ 120 kg
Notes:
- I continue to not get my back. Had the problem of weird back pumps again which made squats unpleasent at first. I didn’t feel that spot on squats though. After I layed down with my feet up in a chair for a few minutes, back pumps and discomfort were gone and didn’t return which made squats feel a lot better. I didn’t feel my back at all when I failed the squat. Today, one day after super heavy squats, my back feels actually better instead of worse.
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