Axle Continentals 193lbs
10 minutes
EMOM
Notes: Started off with triples, ended up at singles. Conditioning couldn’t hold up, but I’m gonna blame coming back from the bug. I was catching this thing real bad; up on my sternum. Hurt like hell. At least practice recovering a bad catch can help.
Cheat meal was 5 slices of pizzahut bacon stuffed crust pizza with a lot of meat toppings. Just amazing. Perfect for putting back on some weight.
AM workout was a bust. Still dragging. Couple of highlights though. Managed to perform a double overhand hold of 226 for a minute, and worked up to a 410 squat. Pulled something in my groin, but it’s minor. The dehydration was apparent though; I just had no gas or max strength.
Woke up at 190.0. Getting back.
I’m guessing since it was 226 and not 225 the timed hold was with an Axle? Nice man. I love(/hate) the fucking axle, it’s like the barbell’s meaner older brother.
You got it. Everything I do these days is with an axle. For a barbell, my best was like 405 for 90 seconds, which shows just how brutal the axle is, haha.
Haha, no quarter at all
Was it visually apparent or did you just feel it?
I honestly wouldn’t know about the visual. I don’t look at myself in the mirror much when I am sick. I don’t like to see myself weak. The performance definitely showed it though. Lots of cramping and pulling.
30 minutes running outdoors
Notes: Wind was something stupid like 50 knots. I ran with it to my back downhill for the first half then uphill against the wind for the second. Felt like I was running in place for a bit. It’s stupid, but I only like to run outdoors in adverse conditions. It helps me feel like even god and the elements are against me. Otherwise, I run indoors and try to make it as miserable as possible.
Woke up at 189.4. Need to stay on top of nutrition.
Awesome log and awesome blog man. I really dig your insight!
I had a question, more of a curiosity I hope you could answer.
I’ve always been curious about how someone that is really strong that can lift 4+ times a week would go about training if they were forced to adapt to only train 2-3x a week only (both lifting + hard conditioning).
Let’s say for the next 2 years you could only train twice a week. How would you go about setting up your training? How would you eat? Maybe this is something you can touch on in your blog but I was curious into your insight to this. Let’s say you have 2-3 hrs to train on Mon/Thurs and that’s it. Thanks man!
Hey man, appreciate you stopping by and reading my blog.
I have difficulty with your hypothetical honestly, because it goes against a lot of my beliefs. I content that we all have the same amount of time to spend training; it’s simply a question of how badly we want it. We all get the same 24 hours in a day, and some use it differently than others. If my schedule changed, I’d change with it. I write “AM WORKOUT” at the top of most of my posts, and that indicates my training sessions that start at 0500 after waking up at 0445. It’s what I do to make time to train. If I couldn’t get in a full hour, I’d at least get up 20 minutes ahead of time to get in a 15 minute quick workout, and maybe repeat that a few times through out the day to stack up volume. Or I’d install a pull up bar in my doorway at work and knock out stuff there. Or use grippers on my commute. You can see where I am going here. I would FIND a way to train as much as I needed through the week, even if it meant skipping sleep or meals.
That said, if I was in some sort of bizzaro universe where that couldn’t happen, I will say that 3 hours of training a day is a luxury I haven’t enjoyed in a LOOOONG time. If I could train for 3 hours for Mon and Thurs, that’s 6 hours of training, which is about how much I get done in a week. So I would just do a full week’s worth of training in those 2 days. It’s one of those “glass half full” situations. It’s not “I only have 2 days a week to train”, it’s “I have 5 days a week to RECOVER”. This means I can just absolutely go completely and totally balls out for those 2 days of training and spend the rest of the week recovering.
I’d do something like squats and bench with conditioning on one day and deads and press with conditioning on the other. Most likely lots of giant sets, drop/stripsets, and all the volume I could possibly throw in so that I just completely get nuked and crawl out of the gym.
Hope that shines some light on things!
AM WORKOUT
DELOAD
Axle continental and push press (press away) 156
3x10
1x7
1x6
superset w/
Axle rows 156
5x10
Notes: Plan was 5x10 for both, but didn’t have the wind for it. I’m mostly recovered from being ill, but my cardio still sucks. Good day for a deload at least. I’m a little off on my schedule, but basically the deload is split between 2 calendar weeks. I’ll resume normal training tomorrow. I need to start developing my plan for contest prep now, as it’s coming up and I need to start specializing more.
Dips (upright)
150 reps
Notes: 2 sets of 75 with rest pausing. Managed 40 in the first go. I might start using some weighted sets of these, but the unweighted work really seems to play out well.
Axle rows 156
2x10
Axle curls
1x135
General notes: Woke up at 190.2. Feeling beat down but recovering. Just gotta keep moving forward.
PM WORKOUT
CoC #1 Timed hold
1:15
1:00
Notes: Already seeing improvements. Despite a late start, I think I’m gonna see some good stuff from this.
Getting some ideas down for how I’m gonna proceed forward with my contest about 6 weeks out.
Press
-Think I’m gonna go for required reps on the 5/3/1 work, then chase it with a heavier topset for push pressing. Looking at the contest rules, opening weight is going to be 175, then 20lb jumps from there. I have to open with the open, after that I intend to skip the 205, hit the 225, then the 245 and finish with the 265. I have never put anything over 250 over my head, so 265 would be a victory. I know I have more in me, but I don’t think this show is going to be where I find it. That said, I do have a lot going for me, as I got to see the implement we’re using and it’s a knurled axle with tires. Switching from the smooth Ironmind axle to the knurled axle will be easy mode, and tires mean that my practice from an elevated height will pay off.
-After the push press, I think I’m gonna go @strongmanvinny2 mode and follow it with a ridiculous dropset of strict pressing. I’ve finally built my strict press up to something respectable, and I’d like to keep that.
-Dips I might alternate between bodyweight and weighted. Still undecided.
SQUAT
-I like what I’ve come up with on the axle front squat/SSB rotation, so I’m gonna keep that going. The axle front squat has more carryover, but the SSB really does a good job of making me tough and strong at weird angles.
-I’m gonna keep rotating between the car deadlift and the axle continental. There is no car deadlift in this show, but I have 2 neutral handle deadlifts in the medley (frame and farmer’s), and the car carries over well enough to that. If I get close and feel like I need the practice, I’ll hit up the farmers a little closer to the show.
BENCH
-Main work remains.
-I MIGHT consider push pressing for assistance. I KNOW that pressing twice a week leads me to impingement, but I might be able to skate it by using push press. I feel like the technique work could pay off.
DEADLIFT
-I am sticking with axle ROM progression, only using straps on the last set. I didn’t document it, but during my deload workout, I managed 456 from the floor with the axle with no straps. If I can do that with the Ironmind, the knurled axle will be cake. Still, the trick on the medley is speed, and if I can quickly grip and rip the axle, that’ll do me much better than having to take my time setting up.
-Squat workout remains, just to stay tough.
CONDITIONING/MEDLEYS
-I’ll keep the EMOM workout, but I might switch from triples to doubles or singles with heavier weight. I feel like I’m re-enforcing bad technique. Be better to be crisp.
-Sticking with the yoke/carry rotation with sled drag finishers. Contemplating having a second sled drag day as well. I think the final medley is going to go to the fastest guy first and the toughest guy second. I’m trying to build up my speed, but I know that can take time, and I can get tougher faster than I can get faster. If I can get it so that my pain tolerance and conditioning are jacked up, I think I can put some daylight between me and everyone else.
I am going to eat to recover. If that means gaining weight, I am for it, but I won’t intentionally try to do it. I’ll have zero issues making weight for this.
AM WORKOUT
SSB Squats
5xBar+chains
5x115+chains
5x155+chains
3x205+chains
1x245+chains
1x295+chains
1x335+chains
1x395+chains
10x295+chains
superset w/
Reverse hyper 270
4x11
Notes: Tried out an experiment and warmed up while supersetting on the reverse hyper. Back was fatigued a bit, and almost got stapled on the set of 395, but it really made the training move quick. I think I might keep up with this. Still figuring out loading with the squats, but as long as I’m straining and life sucks, it’s working.
Car deadlift simulator
5x2plates
5x3plates
1x4plates
1x5plates
15x6plates
superset w/
Standing ab wheel
4x8
Notes: Got some video of the deads, I’ll upload them later. It was a solid effort. My knee sleeves kept peeling my fingers away from the handles. After I was done, I was huffing and wheezing pretty decent. I’m a bit out of practice with various other weird training issues popping up.
General notes: Woke up at 190.2. Feeling less beat up. My trap is still pissed off at me; guess it’s gonna be one of those things that takes a while.
Got some video from the car deads
I like the new camera angle; it makes me look bigger.
At least someone is being honest hah!
What’s the point of lifting weights if you’re gonna look small? Haha. My last camera angle had me straight on the side with the belt cinched tight; made me look like a goddamn praying mantis.
Training Log: Entry 2251
AM WORKOUT
Axle bench press
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
5x186
5x211
5x241
9x276
16x211
Notes: Still just beat down. I am recovering, but not 100% yet. Giving what I can. Really gotta up the food.
NG Chins (various grips)
4x25
DB lateral/rear lateral 25
5x12
Notes: Performed in between sets of benching.
GIANT SETS
Axle push press 173
4x6
DB rows 105
3x10
1x20
DB reverse curls 30
5x12
Notes: Had a major breakthrough on push presses. Much like I theorized, there is a psychological block preventing me from push pressing in front of the rack. It’s irrational, but I think I’m afraid of hitting the rack when I use leg drive. I walked the weight out of the rack backwards (so basically unracked and walked it forward), facing away from the rack, and had zero issues. This is gonna be pretty big as I prep for my show; glad I discovered it when I did. Push presses still exhaust the crap out of me, so that’s something I gotta work on. Ran a little short on time today while tinkering around, but I think I got a solid plan now.
PM WORKOUT
Yoke 50’
2xYoke
2x320lbs
2x410
6x500
Notes: It’s still shaky at the start, but after some warm-ups I can feel the speed coming back. I finally got that “controlled fall” thing going on toward the end, and I could feel the yoke carrying me a good amount of the way. Getting closer to comp weight. It feels heavier than it should, but I still have some time.
Backwards sled drag dropset (only rest to change plates) 50’
2xProwler+230
2xProwler+180
2xProwler+90
2xProwler
Notes: Wanted to focus more on yoke speed/technique, so skipped throwing the sled on those and just did one long ass drag dropset. The 230 was moving real slow, as the prowler kept swaying. I think on a sled it’ll be a little easier. Getting better at dropping my hips.
General notes: Woke up at 190.0 this morning. Upped my post workout meal with more protein powder and cereal. I’ll see if that helps.
I know you work out in your garage so I wondered where you did you prowler and yoke work etc? I have a small garage gym at home but there’s very little room.
I just walk it outside and use the street. It helps to be very friendly with the neighbors, and it’s why those are always PM workouts, because I don’t want to make a lot of noise early in the morning.
EltieFTS’s heavy knee sleeves are on a sale right now making them very affordable. Do you have any experience with these? I’m really just looking for warmth and maybe some slight stability so I can happily keep squatting for a couples decades still. I’ve used the classic Rehbands in the past and liked them a lot.
They are the only sleeves I have ever used. I have nothing to compare them to, but they certainly get the job done. The SHD are 2 ply, and they are TIGHT, but the HD aren’t bad at all. You can keep them on the whole workout, and they seem to work. For the price right now, I would get them.