I have a similiar tea, should maybe start drinking it more.
1 Log lift (Clean every rep)
EMOM doubles -
stopped at 6 doubles. Last rep got super ugly. Hard effort.
2a Seated shoulder Press
2 x 10 @ 52 kg
7 @ 52 kg
2b lat pull-row-hybrid with wide grip
20 @ 35 kg
15 @ 50 kg
3 x 10 @ 70 kg
3 “seated dip machine”
2 x 25 (second with the stack)
Notes:
- this was my lighter upper body/ log session. Body is feeling the work I am putting in. I may need to Invest a little more time into warm up/ recovery/ prehab to keep up the pace. Also next lower body session will be way lighter than the last.
- now time for some sauna to help recovery
- tomorrow a lighter lower body session and then on Sunday a heavy event day.
2 Likes
Decided against training friday. Body is beat and somehow I can’t seem to get my sleep issues under control. I thought the benefits of an already light workout don’t really justify the damage in this case and I would benefit more from just resting up for event day.
Slept good for the first time in what feels like ages. Ready to crush it!
Also just when I was ready to drop money on a program for the first time, @Alpha released a new free one that I can fit into my needs. Thanks man!
4 Likes
06.05.
1 yoke walk
200 kg x 25 m in?
200 kg x 25 meter in11.36 sec
Lost my time stopper her because she and I fought. Threw off the Training big time. From here on out times are vague because I had to take them from cellphone videos.
200 kg x 25 meter in ca. 11-12 sec.
200 kg x 25 m in ca. 13-14 sec.
200 kg x 25 m in ca. 12-13 sec.
200 kg x 25 m in ca. 12-13 sec.
There was no way I would get my head back in it. Lost my rythm and stumbled around a bunch. Messed up every single set.
2 Farmer’s Walk
- 95 kg per hand x 48 m.
(Was going on a narrow street, had to turn on the spot instead of running half a circle). Desperately wanted 50 m but grip gave out. - 95 kg x 30 m. at best
- 95 kg x 20 m. to get it back.
Notes:
- wanted to do either stones or front carries as well but fuck it
- In a very bad mood right now. This training was far from what I had planned. A hit in my confidence also besides the psychological damage, this hurt physically as well. Mainly in my hips. Will hopefully figure itself out over the next day.
1 Like
When I was just starting to get serious about lifting, I got beat up at myself during a training session. The coach just said to me “I don’t give a fuck about how much you lifted today, I care what happens in 8 weeks time (comp date).” He then went on to tell me about the good 4 weeks I previously had and how as long as I put full effort in, these bumps happen to everyone and they simply don’t matter if you can quickly get onto course.
2 Likes
Winning. Quality
Your coach was a wise man and what he said is right. Next session are going to be better!
1 Like
Haha yeah I will start the program after my next comp, depending in how much time I have before a possible second comp.
07.05.
1 Log lift (clean every rep)
7 @ 80 kg in 60 sec - PR
6 @ 80 kg
7 @ 80 kg in 75 sec
8 @ 80 kg (Clean once and Press away) - PR, I think. Not sure
2 Bench press
2 x 2 @ 100 kg
3 @ 100 kg
7 @ 90 kg
7 @ 90 kg
3a row-lat pull- hybrid
10 @ 75 kg
3 x 8 @ 75 kg
3b db lateral raises
10 @ 10 kg
3 x 8 @ 10 kg
3c 30 sec in turned off treadmill
4 sprints
From c to a about 45 sec rest, from a to c only as much as needed for equipment change.
Notes:
- I have major trouble with breathing in the log. If it was only a question of strength, I am sure I could pull off 9-10. However this enourmous thing on my chest interfers with inhaling. After about 4 easy reps, I start gasping like I am about to drown. It is probably just the case that I’m terribly conditioned.
- Just learned that the time cap for log will be 60 seconds. This is in my favour. I don’t have enough capacity to keep up a decent pace for 75 or 90 seconds which would cost a lot of points. I am aiming for 8 reps in competition.
6 Likes
10.05.
Back isn’t feeling too well. Need to adjust accordingly.
1 Front squats
Up to
3 @ 80 kg
3 x 3 @ 90 kg
1 @ 95 kg
2 @ 100 kg
2 Sumo deadlifts (t&g)
6 @ 140 kg
4 @ 160 kg - planned more but decided to be cautious and cut it early.
5 @ 160 kg
3 Leg Press
10 reps
8 reps
I don’t know what was up with me but I was in a shitty mood the whole training and hated everything and everyone. I couldn’t really get in it. Fuck man I am angry and I don’t really know why. Maybe because my back hurts.
I couldn’t focus on anything and was an arse to be around.
4 sandbag misery A
shoulderd left - run 100 meter
shoulderd right - “run” 100 meter
5 sandbag misery B
Front carry 25 meter - ground to shoulder 5 reps
3 rounds + 25 m carry back (only pauses to gasp for air)
6 sandbag ground to shoulder
10 reps @ ca. 55 kg
Disgusting. Wanted to punish myself and I did but my shape is still horrible.
The sandbag isn’t packed tight, I think that makes it more difficult.
Remember me saying that:
Well today I did film a little and I’ll let you see it as well.
4 Likes
hahaha I almost choked in my coffee mate 
Can’t wait to see that video
1 Like
Competition is coming up. That always makes people ornery and mean. Focus on confidence and competitiveness. Safe the aggressive stuff for the contest and your opponents.
2 Likes
There’s what @FlatsFarmer said. Then there’s also another aspect that I’ve experienced, which is related to depression. If you’re angry as shit all the time for no reason you can fathom, it could be a symptom. Tell me if I’m out of line, but it sounds so similar to what I’ve experienced I couldn’t not mention it.
Oh absolutely. As you may or may not know from a medical perspective I am psychologically ill. I was diagnosed with very serious depression and panic attacks. I was treated in the past by a psychotherapist and I am on waiting list to maybe get treatment again. I have also been on anti depressants for years now.
I am much better than I used to be when I thought that I am going to die soon (not meant figuratively). It still is something that shows up from time to time and something that seems to be a part of me that I can’t totally get rid of. Still I am the best I have been in a long time in that regard.
So you are definitely not out of line!
3 Likes
11.5.
Back was feeling a lot better today (deadlifts cure back pain?) but I still took it very easy. I am kind of angry because this is so unspecific to the competition and it feels like I am moving backwards, but this was probably the smart thing to do.
1 seated press
40 kg x 8
50 kg x 8
60 kg x 8
2 x 3 @ 70 kg
2 x 6 @ 60 kg
2 lat pull down
50 kg x 10
70 kg x 8
80 kg x 8
90 kg x 6
3 feet up swiss bar bench press
50 kg x 10
80 kg x 8
70 kg x 8
50 kg x 10
3 Seal row with swiss bar
3 x 15 @ 40 kg
Notes:
- @markko was right on the money. My mood continues to be bad and drift more in realms related to my depression. I get especially down during and around my workouts which impedes my progress.
- I am just gonna make a cut here. This training week ist over and I will rest for two days. On Sunday I’ll drive up to Hamburg for an internship at a warehouse gym. The owner has an interesting business model that I’d like to study. He was kind enough to agree to having me there and question him. I have a good friend in Hamburg who has a flat there that I can use because he is out of town.
Should be a good week with some hopefully good training sessions.
3 Likes
There you go @mortdk , even though I doubt that you’re gonna find this entertaining 
. I included some front squats, some deadlifts, Sandbag misery B and ground to shoulders.
2 Likes
you did really not like this workout
But it’s the workouts that build strength and endurance.
Nice grinding through though, really hope the next couple of workouts will bring just a bit more joy
1 Like
This is going to be a long looooong update about my last 5 training sessions and a bit about my time in Hamburg.
As I said I stayed in Hamburg last week (one of my favorite German cities). I wanted to learn about the business model of a gym I found online so I did kind of an unpaid internship there to ask as many questions as I could and get an insight about how the owner runs his business (the German word for what I described is ‘hospitieren’ but google can only translate this into ‘to sit in on classes’, so not sure if there is no English word for this).
To make sense of this: I study fitness science and fitness economics as a dual study. That means I am working 40 hours in a gym and study next to that as kind of a distance study. I am close to finishing my bachelors degree.
My long-mid range distance professional goal is to open up my own gym in the strength sport niche (you have to understand that the strength sport scene in Germany is way smaller than in other countries like Great Britain or USA).
Long story short: To get a first hand impression and some business insight, I resided in a strongman/ powerlifting gym in Hamburg.
The owner Daniel was beyond kind and a nice host. The gym is called KB-Gym, just in case you ever are in the beautiful city of Hamburg. I can highly recommend the gym.
I enjoyed my stay very much and got some great information and valuable contacts. At the end stays one thing that means more than anything and made the trip very valuable: I now know that this is really what I want to do. I am determined to work towards this goal (and am already doing so).
Now chronologically onto my workouts in Hamburg:
14.5.
This workout took place the day after my 10+ hours car ride (I live on nearly the opposite end of the country ) so I felt like garbage
1 log lift (from the ground each rep)
2 x 3 @ 80 kg
2 @ 80 kg
2 circus dumbbel
40 kg both arms
45 kg both arms
50 kg only right arm
55 kg fail
3 bench press
up to
5 @ 100 kg
3 @ 80 kg + chains (16kg each but obviously a great portion stayed on the ground)
5 @ 80 kg + chains
4 @ 80 kg + chains
4 bent over row
10 @ 70 kg
10 @ 80 kg
2 x 10 @ 90 kg
5 face pulls
3 x 15
15.05.
1 ssb box squats (in briefs)
3 @ 137 kg + chains (16 kg each but not everything left the ground. Most though)
3 @ 142 kg + chains
3 @ 137 kg
3 @ 157 kg
3 @ 162 kg
2 stones
1 load @ 90 kg
7 loads @ 90 kg
1 stone to shoulder @ 90 kg - PR!
Tried 120 kg two times but not even close
3 reverse hypers
2 x 10 @ 50 kg - dont like the machine
4 sandbad pick and run
3 x 5 meters (as one set) @ ? kg
5 sled push (one lane high handles, one lane low handles) a lane would be 10-15 meter
10 lanes @ 60 kg loaded on (without rest)
6 sled power rows
15 @ 20 kg loaded on
7 tyre flips
15 @ ca. 200 kg
17.05
My body was beat to crap.
1 Ground to overhead throw (mimics clean and press) with slam ball
5 @ 7 kg
3 x 3 @ 15 kg
2 kettlebell bottom up press
5 @ 10 kg
5 @ 12 kg
3 log loift (clean each rep)
doubles from 40 to 80 kg
I was super pissed. Crossed my plans and decided to stop with the cleans. I don’t know why but my problem from Monday continued and I had major issues with the clean on this particular log or I just forgot how to do a log lift alltogether.
4 log lift (clean once)
5 @ 80 kg. Way harder than it should be.
I officially have a log midlife-crisis. Kind of lost it here
5 push press (without wrist wraps because I forgot those)
5 @ 80 kg
2 @ 90 kg
2 @ 100 kg
1 @ 110 kg - all time PR!
1 @ 1125 kg - all time PR!
This was pure ego lifting to calm my mind because I was freaking the fuck out. It worked some. I feel better (apart from my elbows). I think if I would have missed 110 kg I would have lost it completely. I have plateued at this weight for an eternity. So in the big picture this wsa really really great although I am not seeing it right now. But now I am excited
6a paused bench press with chains (same deal as before)
3 x 3 @ 60 kg + chains
6b chest supported db row
4 x 8 @ 27,5 kg
7a db curls with fat grips (felt very good on my poor elbows)
3 x 12 @ 10 kg
7b fat man pull ups on rings
3 x 8
Notes:
- my elbows hurt but damn this was a good PR. Need to figure out what is happening on log but this is reastablished confidence.
18.05.
Early morning training on subpar sleep.
1 farmer’s walk
3 x 50 meter (turn at 25 meter) @ 50 kg each hand
This is going to be a poor event for me in two weeks. I an not bad when it comes to farmer’s walk for time (like it usually is set up) but for max distance, I don’t have the grip (and comically small hands, haha)
2 sumo deadlifts (touch and go)
5 @ 140 kg (beltless)
3 @ 150 kg
6 @ 150 kg
8 @ 150 kg (rather easy)
3sled (one lane pushed on high handles, one dragged backwards on bands)
Listed weights were what I have loaded onto the sled
80 kg
100 kg
120 kg
140 kg
160 kg
180 kg
200 kg
4 Failed to flip a giant 300/ 350 kg tyre.
Notes:
- took it rather easy besides the farmer’s which sucked
19.05.
Daniel invited me to stay one more day to participate in a seminar of the current Germany’s Strongest Man - Raffael Gordziliek.
Raffael is a big guy at 2 meters height and 170 kg weight. The seminar was not really planned out and he mainly held it because he was competing the next day in a contest at the very same KB-Gym ( I really wish I could have stayed for that but I had to leave and head home).
We were going over all the events that the small crowd wanted. Beginning with log, over farmer’s and yoke walk. He tweaked my deadlift technique and I am curious to try it the way he he suggested . I think they did stones and tyre flips afterwards but I left early to chat with some guys that arrived for the competition who I already knew from other strongman events and then I had a big car ride before me.
21.05.
Back in Munich, back to business. Last week of hard training before my competition!
1 log lift (every rep from the ground)
5 @ 45 kg
3 @ 55 kg
3 @ 65 kg
2 @ 75 kg
8 @ 80 kg in 1 min -PR! FUCK YEAH! This was important mentally
5 @ 80 kg
2 x 3 @ 80 kg
1 @ 90 kg - piss easy
2 yoke walk
200 kg x 25 meter in slightly less than 13 sec - time stopping was messed up a bit
200 kg x 25 meter in 12.74 sec
200 kg x 25 meter in 12.09 sec
200 kg x 25 meter in 12.50sec
200 kg x 25 meter in 12.79 sec
200 kg x 25 meter in ? sec
Notes:
- as great as the log performance was - the yoke was terrible. Not one run under 12 seconds.Also felt like I was trying to move a house.
- I have some problems with my left ql muscle and various aches, so I am looking forward to next week’s deload.
4 Likes
PRs, a little coaching, practice on a bunch of implements lifting/flipping/pushing/pulling, way to go.
Unkink that QL muscle, straighten out and you’re lookin’ good for your competition!
1 Like
Oh yeah the gym was awesome. Both atmosphere and equipment were great.
Thanks Flats, I think I am bringing a good package. Not the conditioning or grip I want but otherwise I should be ready.