1 Bench press
72,5 kg x 5
82,5 kg x 3
92,5 kg x 6
100 kg x 2
80 kg x 12
60 kg x 10 (paused)
2 Seated cable row
2 x 8 @ 100 kg (stack)
2 x 10 @ 80 kg
2 x 12 @ 60 kg
3 Push ups
20 - well, halfway there :D, was at RPE 9,5 though
12
9
4 fat man pull ups (slow negative)
2 x 8
5 dead stop db triceps extensions
15 kg x 10 - elbow says No! Tried rope extensions but also a no from my favorite joint.
6 biceps curls
27 kg x 15
37 kg x 12
Notes:
I am on a good path right now. Strength is coming back and I feel like all the work I am putting in is showing.
had 2 in the tank at my top set. Forgot my slingshot at home, so did the set with 100 kg. I am happy to say that this was very light but I decided against pushing it just yet. I would guess that I am good for 100 kg x 5 right now on a good day. Not at my best but on track!
Completely forgot to update you on my farmer’s walks. I ended up sending them back as I wasn’t happy about the overall quality and also it bothered me that they were so damaged. For workout equipment it is obviously cosmetical but still If I pay for something new I want it to be damage free.
I ended up buying a new pair from a company that I didn’t know of before. Handmade in Germany and to the GFSA standard (not that there is a real standard but still this company seems to make some very high quality stuff specifically for strongman training).
The bars are 25 kg and top loaded. 250€, 350€ if I wanted the height of the handles adjustable.
Best thing is that they produce in Ingolstadt, which is an hour drive for me so I don’t have to pay for shipping.
Only downside is that they don’t have a storage capacity so they only manufacture at order. That is why I am currently awaiting my farmer’s.
Other News: I found a strongman club not terribly far. Too far to go regularely but I can do some Event stuff there that I don’t have access to like stones, yoke and viking press (this one might become important this year).
They will resume their training mid february depending on the weather and they meet every saturday afternoon.
Didn’t even know there were any in Germany. You’re in Bavaria right? I live close to Frankfurt. If it’s in the north of Bavaria I might have a look at that myself.
Hi fellow German
Nah it is the very east, near Burghausen about halfway between Munich and Passau, I believe.
They are definitely rare but you can go on the GFSA website to look for training oppurtinities. Most of them are in Bavaria though, some in Hamburg and I know two in Hannover. Never been to Frankfurt, so can’t comment on training oppurtinities there.
I’m no deadlift exprt, but they looked alright to me. I’ve heard a few coaches (Carter and a couple others) who say to use a very minor deficit if you are trying to use it to improve your pull from the floor, because something like a 2"/4cm deficit makes it too much of a different movement pattern.
Thanks man! These had way more knee flexion and thus a lot of quad involvement than my regular deadlifts, so maybe I was a little top agressive on the deficit.
Felt like dog shit this workout. Going in I just thought I was tired/ stressed/ under general fatigue. I now think it is more and I am getting sick. We will see how I feel tonight. I have to fight through a few hours of Work and then decide If I am gonna call in sick tomorrow. If nothing changes this obviously means no training tomorrow/ until I am fit again.
I cut assistance short today for said reasons.
1 Sumo deadlifts
4 x 5 @ 130 kg
2 barbell bent over row
100 kg x 6, 8
3 hip thrusts
140 kg x 8
180 kg x 8
200 kg x 8 - PR
Notes:
planned to re indroduce my belt for deadlifts. Wouldn’t have needed it by I need to be used to it soon.
Happy to say that despite how I felt, the deadlifts were super easy!
1 Push Press
Up to
80 kg x 3
90 kg x 2
90 kg x 1
95 kg x 1
100 kg x 1
102,5 kg x 1
90 kg x 7
80 kg x 12
2 strict press with chains
2 x 5 @ 40 kg + chains
1 x 8 @ 40 kg + chains
3 lat pull down - ascending in weight for the first 5 and then down again
7 x 10
4 one arm kettlebell press (strict)
24 kg x 10
5 reverse flys (with plates, bent over)
5 x 20 @ 5 kg
Notes (caution: long notes): 1 health and general stuff
doctor declared me unfit to work until saturday. So while it was perfectly legal to train for me, I still didn’t go to my regular gym, to not piss off collegues. That meant no log and that is why I did this yolo push press workout.
I still plan to go back to the doctor. I feel chronically tired and have been for a while. I sleep a lot for my standards and still, an hour after getting up I am tired. Doesn’t matter how much caffeine I take in. I always kind of had this problem but lately it has been getting out of hand and I suspect there might be a medical reason.
girlfriend is testing here one rep maxes this week and then I will help here prep for her first strongman show! Today she did bench press 52,5 kg and squat 77,5 kg. The squat ties here all time best and the bench was a 2,5 kg PR. I am very proud and think those were great results given that her training had major ups and downs due to training unrelated injuries, illness and deployment. Also this was done with no peaking whatsoever.
2 Training
damn this was a reassuring day! My pressing strength is still very much there and getting better. The 102,5 kg were no problem at all, I just didn’t go higher because I didn’t want to risk anything. The back down sets were good efforts as well.
program seems to work.
great to get moving again. I have a lot of stress right now with work and university, so it helps to be activate and have an outlet.
My take on box squats is yes, they help you squat. For me, they taught me to sit back and arch out of the hole. I think strongman uses box squats a lot because of how well they complement deadlifts. They feel - to me, at any rate - a lot like a deadlift, except without the negative strain on my back.
I think that’s kind of the point. They looked fine. I use a similar height and it definitely reminds me what position I need to be in. I agree that if you’re looking to improve strength off the floor a smaller deficit will work (maybe better), but a higher deficit IMO will improve strength off the floor too AND remind you what you need to do to get into proper position.
Yes it really has. More importantly I have been able to change my mind. I had to come to a point where I accepted that I am not at my old strength and that it won’t come back to me suddenly. I realized that the only way to get back to where I was and beyond was to train hard and be patient. That is always the only way. I tried to see this as kind of a fresh start and stopped comparing what I am doing to what I used to do. For example when I bench press 92,5 kg x 7 reps or something I will say “good bench session” instead of " I used to do 100 kg x 10 close grip. Oh man this sucks and I am weak!"
The problem is and always was in my head. I am my own worst enemy in this. It is getting a lot better though
I will upload today’s pulls as well when I have got the time. I was pretty pleased with them. Also I was really surprised by how heavy the chain deadlifts turned out
So I found an offer on eBay from a guy/ club selling all their strongman equipment in Bavaria (federal state of Germany that I currently live in). Including a freaking car deadlift frame, a yoke and a viking press attachment among other awesome stuff. I am not saying that I will get anything because I would have to convince my bank account, my gf and what is left of logic in my brain first but I admit that I did get overly excited and immediately asked for prices on that stuff, that I will get tomorrow
31.01.18
Late night training. Felt like I have been run over by a train all day but training was alright. Not powerful and was awfully stiff/ right but ok.
1 bench press
65 kg x 5
75 kg x 5
85 kg x 12
2 slingshot bench press
100 kg x 1
110 kg x 5
3 Bench press
80 kg x 10
60 kg x 10 (paused)
4 Seated cable row
80 kg x 8
100 kg x 10
100 kg x 8
90 kg x 8
80 kg x 10
70 kg x 10
60 kg x 10
50 kg x 10
5 Push ups
17, 8
6 biceps curls
2 sets
7 seated face pulls
2 x 12
Notes:
Back got really angry at my +set. I guess it is tight from deficit deadlifts and sitting.
I don’t suppose anyone has a good strategy to help with being stressed out. It is eating me alive at the moment. Which is always a situation that is very welcoming for my depression to take a strong turn for the worse. Btw. drinking and training are ruled out.
