Man I am eagerly awaiting summer! Not only because of the temperature but training in the dark isn’t my thing either 
19.02.
Had to deal with some back issues the last 2 or 3 days. I am not really used to this anymore (I had plenty of back issues back when I played soccer) and I am a bit worried. I hope this is nothing concerning. That said I don’t know where it comes from… Maybe my posture is getting a little worse. Looking back at my training I haven’t done much upper back and rear delt training. Mobility is still on point. I hope my back will be fine tomorrow so I can perform well on my heavy lifting day this week. I will drive down to Magdeburg
to train at @buckaubarbellbenni 's gym and am very excited for this.
1 Bench press with slingshot
105 kg x 8
105 kg x7
105 kg x6
80 kg x 15
2 Pull Ups (band assisted)
about 5 sets of max reps
3a db row
3 x 8 with 30kg - strict form
3b face pulls
3 x 10-12
4a Chest supported incline row
2 x 10-12 with 25 kg dbs
4b Chest supported incline rear delt flys
2 x 10-15 with 5 kg dbs
5 curls with a 15 kg plate
x50
6 lying triceps extensions with curl bar
weight x 20
7 band pull aparts
x 50
Intensive foam rolling + Stretching
20.02
Drove down to Buckau Barbell and had an amazing time. Training was both, a lot of fun and very productive. Got some good feedback on my technique and both Benni and his girlfriend Lisa are amazing people, very passionate about the sport and what they do and kind hosts. This was hands down the best place I have trained at so far. Not necessary because it had the best equipment but I loved the atmosphere and how everything was arranged.
1 Deadlifts from the floor
Up to 160 kg for a fairly easy single
Down to 150 for 3, then 120 and then 130 for relatively high reps
2 Loading
First round was with 3 implements, each about 40 kg
Second round was with 4 implements, the additional weighing probably 50 - 60 kg
3 Farmer’s walk
Up to 70 kg per hand for about 40 - 50 m with one turn
4 SSB squats
ca. 60 kg for 2 sets, just to test this bar
5 Reverse hypers
one or two sets
22.02.
This week I have to test out different gyms for my work (analyzing the competition). So I will split my assistance work into three workout.
1 bench press with slingshot
100 x 8
110 x 5
105 x 8
105 x 8
100 x7
2 DB bicep curls
15 kg x 15 each arm
3 DB triceps extensions
2 x did not count
4 triceps machine
1 x DEATH, well over 100 reps
Notes:
- pec is feeling pretty good. Did a paused triple with 90kg before throwing on the slanger and felt no pain
- the gym was shit
- feeling slight cold symptoms. I CAN NOT get sick right now -.-
1 Like
23.02.
Gym test number 2. Getting payed to train is nice and all but I need to save my strength for the weekend when the real lifting takes place. So these workouts aren’t that productive.
1 pull ups (Band assisted)
3 x 6
2 lat pull down
3x ?
3 different types of rows
6 x ?
4 clean and press (one clean with 1-3 strict press es)
60 kg for one million sets. Like really a lot of sets
5 KB clean and press
In between the last two sets of clean and press
Stretching
Notes:
- gym was decent
- 60 kg feels unbelievabely light. Without a belt or weist wraps. It feels like I could press it for like 10 reps with a belt. One day after benching. Shoulder strenght is coming along nicely
26.02.
Today me and my training partner wanted to see were we are at 3 weeks out from the competition.
1 Axle clean and press AMRAP in 75 seconds
76 kg x 5
2 Axle Deadlift from the floor
161 kg x 1
3 trap bar walks 40m with a turn in the middle
146 kg
166 kg FAIL
Notes:
- This took very long
- felt good to hit competition weight (actually 1 kg above comp weight) on both clean and press and deadlift
- 161 kg is a PR! Not only on the axle but on conventional deadlifts in general
- The trap bar walks were harder than I thought. I could not lift 166 kg. It was getting late and I lost focus and a lot of energy. I can lift it if I am fresh but even if I can… com weight for famer’s will be 90 kg. So ideally I should be able to do trap bar walks with 180 kg. I can definitely not pull that off the ground right now.
Does someone have any idea on how to quickly boost strength in farmer’s walk? My plan is to akeep deadlifts lighter next week and focus on farmer’s, then one last heavy deadlift session and then deload before competition.
Congrats dude! Looks like signing up for the comp had some benefits for sure.
For the farmers, are you using any sort of supportive gear? Belt, sleeves, wraps, anything like that? If not, it might help break the weight for you. The height of the pick on the farmer’s on your comp might also play to your favor. Some handles are VERY high, and make breaking off the floor easier.
Absolutely! I feel like this prep is bringing out the best in me as a “athlete”, regardless of what happens on comp day I got stronger!
Yes I am using my belt and my knee sleeves (which don’t add anything but warmth) and chalk of course.
I have no information about the pick up height other than what Benni told me who said they were about knee height (which for me is lower since I am taller ). From this I guess the pick up height will be slightly higher than my trap bar. That said I don’t know how much that helps. For deadlifts for example I am not necessarily stronger from blocks.
Since you are here: What limits me in the clean and press is my shitty conditioning. On the last rep of my AMRAP I pretty much did a strict press because I got so out of breath that I could not stick to my technique, so strength is not the problem. Is there anything I can do to improve on this in the remaining time?
3 weeks out still gives you some time for conditioning. Here is a decent workout.
Take about 70% of the comp weight, and for 10 minutes, every minute on the minute, clean it 3 times. This should get you sucking wind pretty good. If it’s too easy, press the very last clean of each set. Do that 1-3 times per week (you could do it at the end of your sessions, or on a non-lifting day). This will also help you develop your clean technique even further.
Sounds really good! Thank you. I will try to fit it in. About technique: I will upload a video of some of today’s training in a few minutes. I would greatly appreciate if you took the time to watch it and tell me if there is anything holding me back with my technique (that can be changed in 3 weeks).
Video from today: Axle Clean and Press + Axle Deadlifts, 26 02 - YouTube
I didn’t see any glaring issues. You’ll have to keep in mind that I don’t have much technique when it comes to strongman. I come from a heavy static strength background, and just tend to brute force everything. Your continental looks better than mine, haha. Still, if it works, keep it up.
Thanks for your feedback. The beautiful thing about strongman is that there is nothing done right or wrong. It either works for you or it doesn’t. That said I do rely a good bit on technique in a lot of things so this is pretty new to me.
28.02.
I am out of town from saturday to tuesday so I don’t have access to my strongman equipment. Still had a great workout.
1 Strict OHP
up to 60 kg x10 - PR! (+4 reps)
2 Floor Press
up to 100 kg x6 - PR!
3 Hammerstrength row 1
3x15
4 Hammerstrength row 2
3x15
5 incline press 70 kg, 3 reps every 30 seconds
6 rounds
6 bent over row 60 kg, 5 reps every 30 seconds
6 rounds
7 Hamstring curls
3x12
8 rear delt flys
1x25
Notes:
- Two PRs in one workout where I just did assistance stuff is great!
- I am still sore from fridays work
- My lower back got more of a pump than my upper back from the bent over rows
- pec was okay with floor pressing and even incline. I am a bit excited to do flat benching without the slingshot again and see where I am at. My pressing power is taking off! Aswell as everything else (no idea about squats though).
01.03
Came home about 2 hours ago and thought it was a good idea to get in a quick workout. It was not. I did not warm up enough nad I think my body was not ready to lift. My SI joint made my back lock up and cramp pretty bad.
1 Axle cleans: 3 reps every minute on the minute for 10 minutes
- with 61 kg did only get 5 minutes
- dropped to 56 kg and did two more rounds but my back cramped so bad I had to stop there.
After sitting for 10 minutes I thought I am okay again and wanted to do a few trap bar deadlifts.
2 Trap bar deads
few reps with 106 kg and then called it a day because it felt horrible.
Notes:
- Note to myself: Be smarter, idiot!
- schedule is freaking horrible this week, I don’t know when I will get in the next good workout.
- Fuck I am pissed!
05.03
Back didn’t feel very good all week after Tuesdays fiasco. Was a bit worried the last days because I knew I had to deadlift today. I played it smart and did no training at all after Tuesday and it payed of.
Another deadlift day, another round of PRs!
I found out a funny thing when we were loading up the axle for deadlifts today. Last weekend I actually miscalculated the weight and did lift 156 kg instead of 161 kg.
1 Axle deadlifts
2 x 56 kg x some
96 kg x some
116 kg x some
136 kg x 2
146 kg x 1
151 kg x 1
161 kg x 1 PR (for real this time)
161 kg x FAIL
161 kg x 1
Trap Bar deadlifts
66 kg x 5
106 kg x 5
126 kg x3
146 kg x3
156 kg x3 PR
Trap Bar block pulls
161 kg x 3 PR
163 kg x 3 PR
Axle deadlifts
116 kg x 6
116 kg x7
Notes:
- awesome to hit PRs, huge confident boost. Especially since I haven’t gotten to train much lately and after I broke my back on Tuesday.
- Ground was too slippery to do Farmer’s walks, so we decided on Trap Bar deadlifts, since the pick up still will be the main task in competition.
- Going to train again later with the girl I date, will do some light - medium benching
- I am fucking fried from the workout. I am dead tired, my hams, glutes and back are extremely fatigued.
05.03.
PM training.
1 slingshot bench press
100 kg x 10
105 kg x 10 PR
2 seated barbell shoulder press
40 kg x 10
50 kg x 10
60 kg x 7
Notes:
- gym closed. We got there too late and I forgot they close at 6 pm on weekends. I fucking work there
- did not lift with any emotional intensity, just wanted to have some fun with it.
- did a paused single with 100 kg before I threw on the slingshot. No pain in the pec, single was very easy and extremely fast. My pec seems to be fully healed. Will start raw benching after my comp again but I think the slingshot bench is an amazing assistance exercise for the overhead press. Much better than standard benching.
08.03
Upper back was still crazy sore from deadlifts. It was below 0°C and I honestly was too lazy to train outside, so I went to the gym.
1 Push press + 25 sec planke + 4 (band assisted) pull ups
50 kg x 8
60 kg x 3
70 kg x 3
80 kg x 3
90 kg x 1 - Ties all time PR
95 kg x 1 - new all time PR
100 kg x 1 - PR! FUCK YEAH!
80 kg x 8 - most likely a PR
2 strict OHP
50 kg x 15 - probably PR
3 Power clean
every minute on the minute 3 cleans for 10 minutes
4 Face pulls + hard dead bug variation
Notes:
- there is no PR I ever wanted more or was more excited about. Two plates over my head is a dream coming true. May upload the video later. I honesty think I am capable of even a little more at the moment.
- One more heavy training session to go on saturday
Congratulations on your PR! I’m realy looking forward to see what you will do in competion!
Thanks Benni, great to hear from you again!