26.06.
Strongman competition no.12
I competed at the German cup (2nd league) in Steinmauern. I arrived the day before and spent the night at a pension. I slept very poorly the nights leading up and the hotel room turned into a sauna, so I also slept poorly heading into comp. The prep went decently well, apart from a small injury that I carried into competition (pull in my left lumbar spinal erector) but that wasn’t a big deal.
We were a field of only 18 guys and it was a very tough field. I felt small and almost out of place (like my last German cup) on account of being relatively small among those guys (at 123 kg and 190 cm).
My mindset was pretty relaxed. I didn’t feel anxious, joked around and had a good time. I knew the events didn’t suit me and I didn’t feel a lot of pressure.
Event 1: log lift for reps
From the ground in 60 seconds. You could choose between 110 and 130 kg (weight beats reps).
Exactly what I could expect from training. Good job by me bc I’ve never performed up to my training in a log event before. Competition PR for sure.
130 in 2nd league would have been insane a while ago but a lot of guys could do that. Placed joined 14th/ 18.
Event 2: deadlift for reps
60 sec, weights to choose between 225 and 255 kg. No touch and go.
Decent pulling but 4 would have been a PR. 5 kg under my best triple.
I was the only guy with the lighter weight and even a single at 255 would have had me in last place. No sugarcoating it: I am a shit deadlifter and that needs fixing if I want to continue competing.
Event 3: Atlas stone to shoulder
75 sec, 110 kg.
Decent fight with the marble but should have done 3. 3 way tie for 15th.
Event 4: arm over arm vertical pull
90 kg, 60 sec.
I think I should have been given a second rep but the ref is always right. I executed very poorly technique wise.
Final thoughts
I placed dead last. That is always bitter, no way around that. In shows like these, focused, around static strength, I really am not competitive whatsoever anymore. I don’t feel the drive and the determination to make the changes necessary to change that. These days other aspects of my life are fun. I don’t want to engage in steroids or excessive weight gain, as discussed before and I obviously have my limitations in talent/ genetics. That said, I showed up and confronted my weaknesses and did better than I would have last year!
Individually for me this was not a bad comp! I was just so much weaker than the rest of the pack. My progress is there, it’s just not up to the speed of the progress in the sport.
In the future I might be pickier about the comps I do (chosing closer comps with events better suited to me). That said, this did motivate me again to train harder and get stronger. My strongman days aren’t over yet!
