Rebirth of the Juggernaut: Brute Force and Ignorance (Part 1)

Training Training Logs
1082

You seem to have hit a nice groove with your training. Always jealous of your great lifting sessions.
A few comments / questions:

  1. Nice work with the 4 sets of standing ab wheel. I’ve just started opening my second set with 1-2 standing rollouts and they are no joke.
  2. Would you consider the Viking squat a pretty valuable exercise for Strongman crossover? I’m always looking for other useful additions to the home gym.
  3. Any chance you could explain or even briefly video how you use your neck harness? I have one now and my attempts at using it are the most uncomfortable, awkward, embarrassing thing I’ve ever been a part of in a weight room.
  4. Very nice OHP strength, congrats on the PR.
1083

Thanks man. I seem to have really figured out something here.

For your comments

1: Thanks dude. Standing ab wheels are killer, but they pay off well. You’ll build up quick. 8 is where I cap it these days, just because I don’t see too much more benefit from really pushing it. I keep eyeballing a weighted vest, so I might go with that in the future.

2: Hard to rule on the carryover yet. I think they’re a solid exercise just for getting strong in general. In terms of new toys, I would buy a few more things first before I went front squat harness. A SSB should take precedence, as that has amazing carryover and lots of benefits regarding training while injured. That said, I imagine the front squat harness might actually be similar in that capacity.

However, if you got money burning a hole in your pocket, you could do a lot worse.

3: This is a solid video on neck harness

I actually own that exact neck harness. I have the Ironmind one too, but never use it.

I do “side to sides” too, but that’s basically swinging the weight with my neck and probably isn’t safe, haha.

4: Thanks again man! Seems to be getting figured out.

DELOAD

GIANT SETS

Log clean and push press (clean once) 153
5x8

Chins
1x25 overhand
1x23 underhand
2x20 various neutral grip
1x25 all grips

Hammer curls 35
5x10

Notes: Got a solid pump and called it a night. The workout I needed.

General notes: Woke up at 196.4. Ate late last night, so things are a little jacked up. Slept in this morning.

1 Like
1084

Thanks man,
I do have a SSB which I have just recently programmed into my training (this week will be Week 1) after not using it now for a a few months and never really used it very consistently.

As for the neck harness, that direction is the only way I felt comfortable using it. I tried laying on a bench and doing side to side and the forward nod and that did not work as planned. I was attempting to perform the 4-Way Neck as it was prescribed in one of Wendler’s 5/3/1 templates.

1085

Cool stuff. If you have a SSB, a prowler would be next on my list of must haves, followed by a keg and sandbag. After that, much more free for all, with the front squat harness easily earning it’s place there.

For more neck harness options, Ironmind put out this video

Some of it is Ironmind exclusive, but it can help you get creative.

Prowler 60’ w/200lbs loaded
12 laps

Notes: 30 seconds rest for the first 11, 60 seconds for the final. Absolutely awful; total prowler flu again. Streets have cleared enough to run this without being too slippery. I know I should yoke and farmers sometime, but I think this is just building up some solid baseline conditioning.

General notes: Woke up at 195.4. Spent all day on the road, had a sandwich for lunch and little to eat otherwise.

1 Like
1086

AM WORKOUT

Deadlift
5x135
5x205
1x288
1x378
1x468
1x525 (straps)
1x615
2x0x660

Notes: First time pulling with the texas deadlift bar since Oct 2015. It was the end of the ROM progression cycle so I figured I’d see what I could do off the floor for real. This is 35lbs below my absolute max, but this was done first thing in the morning with no psyche up. Bodes well for what I could do in the right conditions. Broke 660 off the floor twice, but couldn’t stay tight.

Buffal bar squats
5xBar
5x100
5x140
3x190
1x230
1x280
1x330
1X370

REST PAUSE (15 deep breaths between reps)
8x410
4x410
2x410
1x410
8x370
4x370
2x370
8x370

Notes: Helluva squat workout. Really hitting full stride again.

General notes: Woke up at 195.4 this morning. This wasn’t as killer a workout as usual, so next week’s “deload” might be a little more intense.

5 Likes
1087

Awesome deadlift man!

1 Like
1088

Just what I needed to see before deadlifting this morning. Fuck yeah man.

1 Like
1089

Yup, I’ll come back and watch this before my heavy pull day tomorrow…

1090

@furo @strongmanvinny2 and @ActivitiesGuy : Thanks all. REALLY wanted to see 660, but it’ll come in time. Just happy to continue the momentum in my comeback. That axle really seems to have cleaned up my pull as well.

1091

Treadmill Run

Incline: 2
Speed: 7.5
Distance: 1 mile
Time: 8:00

Notes: Was feeling burnt out, so upping the incline instead of the speed. Still only went a mile. Imagine that deadlift beat me up a touch.

General notes: Woke up at 196.2. Got a physical tomorrow requiring me to fast for 12 hours beforehand, and with this being my deload week for press, I’m just gonna skip the workout tomorrow and resume my schedule on Tues.

1092

No workout today but at my physical I clocked in at a resting heart rate of 47. It was low enough the machine was frantically beeping at the tech to alarm them to my “condition”. That’s some sort of PR.

10 Likes
1093

AM WORKOUT

Viking Squats
5xBar
5x95
5x135
3x185
1x225
1x275
1x315
4x315
15x135

Notes: Legs were shot this morning. On the first rep of just the bar, my left hamstring cramped halfway through the squat. Was pretty much using the squats as a loaded stretch during the eccentric. Just a product of my Saturday workout getting more intense. I’m getting better with the harness.

That set of 15 was intense. Weight was light, but I just pumped the reps out non-stop. Quads were on fire.

GHRs
4x10

Standing ab wheel
4x8

Notes: Performed between sets of squats. GHRs were brutal on the hamstrings.

Reverse hyper 50lbs
3 minutes 10 seconds

General notes: Woke up at 196.0. Legs still sore from Saturday.

1094

AM WORKOUT

Axle bench
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
5x186
5x206
5x241
14x276
20x206

Notes: Weight felt heavy all through warm-ups and into the topset, but the backoff set was really incredible. Just how it works out sometimes. I imagine the week without benching might’ve thrown off my groove.

T-bar rows 210
5x8

DB laterals/rear laterals 25
5x10

Notes: Performed between sets of benching

GIANT SETS

Log clean and push press (clean once) 160
4x6

NG chins w/70lbs
1x5
1x6
1x7
1x6

Hammer curls 40lbs
3x8

Notes: Felt like something was pulling apart in my left forearm towards the 3rd round, so I cut things short today. It’s feeling pretty achy right now. Thinking it’s just a strain on a muscle. I’m smart enough to hold off at this point. The log felt really awesome today. Thinking putting some real weight on it helped with leg drive.

General notes: Woke up at 195.6. Been having some GI issues the past day, was affecting me while lifting. Hitting the whole family, so it might be some sort’ve bug. Got the word that the Empire Classic in Spokanne WA will be happening on 22 Apr, so I’ll be signing up there for my next show. Events to follow.

1095

Interval carries with sandbag and 182lb keg

5 rounds each

Notes: Was supposed to be tabata, but I fried out on round 5 at both. Couldn’t grip the sandbag, and was just too damn fatigued with the keg. Worked through lunch again today, so might be the issue. At least my left forearm has healed.

Woke up at 194.8 this morning.

1096

AM WORKOUT

(7) Axle Mat Pulls
5x136
5x226
1x276
1x366 (mixed grip)
1x456 (mixed grip)
10x576 (straps, rest pause, touch and go)
10x486 (straps, dead stop)
39 second DOH hold of 276

Notes: Usually I deload after pulling off the floor, but since I went for singles vs reps last week, I wasn’t feeling too beat up, so figured I’d count that as a deload. The topset of 576 was smoother than I anticipated, but on the third rest pause I felt my right oblique start to give, so I called it on the first rep. Otherwise, 12 might’ve been in my future. The deadstop set was super smooth.

GHR sit-ups w/25lb plate behind head
3x8
1x6

Buffalo Bar Squat
5xBar
5x100
5x140
3x190
1x230
1x280
1x330
1x380

REST PAUSE (15 deep breaths between sets)
9x410
4x410
2x410
1x410
9x320
4x320
2x320
1x320

Notes: I was feeling drained by the time I got here, and thought 9 wasn’t gonna happen. Surprised myself with how “easy” I managed it. Really firing on all cylinders here. Had to scale down the backoff sets to start compensating for the top one.

General notes: Woke up at 196.2 this morning. Cheat meal was last night; another super opulent burger, but this time with fries and a glazed donut for dessert. It was that one week a month where I was really craving carbs. Most likely a result of feeling so flat after 2 missed lunches. Think I was able to affect some change.

2 Likes
1097

Treadmill Run

Speed: 7.5
Incline: 2.0
Distance: 1.25
Time: 10:00

Notes: Feeling much better than last week, but still absolutely zero desire to do this. Kinda excited about the upcoming competition because I can justify losing the run to focus on events.

Woke up at 195.4.

1098

AM WORKOUT

Axle Strict Press
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
3x156
3x176
8x196
6x196 (push press)
9x156

Notes: Really seeing some results here. Still lost a bit of tightness on the topset. Forgot the elbow sleeves for the push press set, so didn’t go too far with it. Almost got the 10xBW goal.

GB pulldowns 140
1x12
1x10
1x11
2x10

Notes: Grip is the limiting factor here. Might switch to d-rings.

Band pull aparts
5x20

Axle rows 186
70 reps

Dips
155 reps

Notes: Ran late, moving curls to the evening.

General notes: Woke up at 197.0. Right elbow is a little achy. Last week it was the left.

1 Like
1099

AM WORKOUT

SSB Squat
5xBar+chains
5x115+chains
5x155+chains
3x205+chains
1x245+chains
1x295+chains
1x335+chains
1x385+chains
1x425+chains
1x475+chains (+15lb lifetime PR)
6x335+chains

Notes: Was feeling strong this morning so decided to see what I could do. The walkout was the most difficult part, which most likely speaks to some reduced torso strength from lack of heavy lockout work. I liked the Anderson squats I used to do, but I’m a little gunshy about zero eccentric work with the new ACL. I feel like the eccentric helps load it. The 475 was grindy, but not the hardest effort ever.

Reverse hyper 410
4x8

Standing Ab Wheel
3x8

Notes: Performed between sets of squats. Had some GI issues to attend to at some point, so ended up cutting out a set of ab wheel.

Viking squats 135
1x20

Notes: This feels like one of the better ways to use the harness. My quads were on fire after this.

General notes: Woke up at 197.6. Dealing with some GI issues, so might see some drastic weight changes. Right forearm is achy again. Got a lot of snow last night, so elbows might be sore from shoveling soon.

2 Likes
1100

Congrats on the PR mate. Do you think you’ll ever go back to Anderson squats?

Also, what did they help you with? Explosiveness out of the hole?

Oh yeah… one more question, if you don’t mind. Are you a fan of hip thrusts?

1101

I really liked Anderson squats, but right now I think it’ll take a bit before I’m confident with it. It was basically an Anderson squat that blew out my ACL in the first place, and I used to get knee pain back when I did them, so the safety conscious part of me is averse to it. I’ll probably have to be well into PR territory before I attempt it again.

I amazingly used them to recover from a different injury, when I suffered a level II hamstring pull that made it that I could no longer use heavy eccentric loading. It wasn’t explosiveness, as I’ve never been an explosive lifter. It was more training the ability to strain as hard as possible to overcome inertia and break the weight off the pins. Pretty much the textbook definition of brute strength. Had a lot of carryover in that regard.

Never done a hip thrust before. For that sort of movement, I’ve been a big fan of kettlebell swings.

Hope that helps!