Snodgrass Strongman Log

Training Training Logs
61

SUNDAY 4/6/14

14" Deadlift:
warm up
495 x 1 x 2
545 x 1
585 x 1
630 x 1 <–ugly. Lower back got loose and I had to hitch early to get it up
650 x No ← got it up but couldn’t lockout
650 x No <–felt much easier at the start and almost locked it out, but couldn’t quite get my hips through

Safety Good Morning → Banded Flies:
165 x 8 → sets of 20 x 4 sets

Safety Squat with 135lb Deadlift:
165 on SSB + 135 DL x 1
215 + 135 x 1
255 + 135 x 1
305 + 135 x 1

^^ Don’t really know why I was doing this, but it seemed like an interesting way to work on deadlift lockout since I had to work hard to keep my head and chest up while that Safety Squat bar was on my back

MONDAY 4/7/14
Warmup
335 x 5
385 x 3
425 x 8 <–felt pretty good on these. Tried for a 9th, but only got halfway up before I got too far forward and my partner had to get help me up

Yoke:
training partner wanted to do “light” yoke walks
430 x 110 ft
520 x 110 ft
610 x 110 ft x 2 <–110 ft is ALOT longer than we normally train so about 1/2 way there these really sucked. The second one my legs were very unstable since I had just squatted a bunch.

TUESDAY 4/7/14

Axle C+P:

my neck on my left side is still feeling like something got pulled from axle a couple weeks ago, but still trained anyways.

185 x 3 (strict)
185 x 3
231 x 1 x 2sets
251 x 1
231 x 4

Farmers/Zercher Yoke Medley:
205lb → 360lb 60ft one way and 60ft back for 2 sets. My times were 21.5 the first time and low 19sec the second time since I didn’t get set with the yoke and just grabbed it.

WEDNESDAY 4/9/14

Strict Press:
warmup
135 x 5
155 x 3
175 x 9 <–pretty happy with that amount of reps on my 1’s week for 5/3/1. There was ALOT of lean/ bent press on the last two reps though

Incline → BB Rows:
175 x 3 → 185 x 10
205 x 3 → 185 x 10
225 x 9 → 185 x 10 <–neck felt bad on left side on the bottom of each rep, but I fought through them anyways
nothing → 185 x 10

Random Shit:
Cable flies for a few sets of 20
Tricep pulldowns for a couple sets
A couple sets of Lat pulldowns and pullups

THURSDAY 4/10/14

My buddy got a deadlift suit and really wanted to break it in so I brought my single ply squat suit my friend got me for Christmas that I hadn’t ever used to see if it would help with deadlifting and then to break it in for squating.

Deadlift:
Warmup
405 x 5
455 x 3
515 x 5 <–Couldn’t lockout 6th. My grip gave out.

Put Squat suit on
Deadlift:
630 x No x 2
Easy off floor, but the suit put me in a horrible position for the lockout.

Squat work in the suit with 205. Just trying to get it all the way on and working on getting to depth with just 205 on the bar. Finally made it and by that time I was exhausted.

62

SATURDAY 4/12/14

Push Press:
warmup
185 x 1
185 x 2
225 x 1 x 3
245 x 1
245 x 0 ← don’t know what happened :
245 x 3

Front Squat:
45 x 5 x 2
135 x 5 x 2
185 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5
315 x 5
365 x 1 ← was going to go for a triple, but didn’t feel it after the first rep

Ab Rollouts:
3 sets of 10-15 trying to do a couple standing at the start of each set

SUNDAY 4/13/14

Behind the Neck Push Press:
145 x 5
245 x 1
265 x 1
295 x No

Push Press:
275 x No
245 x 5 <–making progress on my reps at about 90-95% of my max

Yoke:
450 x 100ft
630 x 100ft
720 x 80 ft
810 x 20 ft

Farmers:
245 x 100ft (50 and 50) x 2 sets

MONDAY 4/14/14

Squats:
warmup
300 x 5
345 x 5
390 x 5 x 5sets ← 3 set felt awesome and the last two sets felt strong afterwards

DB Rows:
170 x 8 ea

^ Light day for assistance work, but had stuff to do that night.

TUESDAY 4/15/14

Press:
125 x 5
140 x 5
160 x 15 <–lots of lean on the last 3 or 4, but a huge increase over the previous 5’s week of 11 reps with 155

Floor Press → Romanian Deadlifts:
225 x 8 → 225 x 10 x 2 sets
245 x 8 → 245 x 10 x 2 sets

Stones:
225 x 1 x 2 sets
275 x 1 x 2 sets
315ish x 1 x 2 sets
Series: 225, 275, 315ish, 335ish <–did all the sets except the last one. Just couldn’t get it off the floor. I think I was sweating so much the tacky just wasn’t sticking.

Bench:
225 x 10
275 x 1
300 x 1
315 x 1
275 x 5
315 x No <–narrow grip

Ring Hanging Leg Raises:
2 sets of 8

THURSDAY 4/17/14

Deadlift:
warmup
355 x 5
415 x 5
475 x 5 x 5 sets with straps

18" Deadlift:
315 x 1
405 x 1
495 x 1
585 x 1
635 x 1
675 x No x 2 tries

DB Row:
200 x 5 each

^^ Deadlift is feeling good, but my 18" pull is not very good and not even any better than my regular deadlift for some reason. I need to really work on my lockout strength or upper back strength or something.

SATURDAY 4/19/14

Strongman day

Axle C+P:
warmup
85 x 3
125 x 3
175 x 1
195 x 1
215 x 1
235 x 1
255 x Nope ← got the clean but just no power for the press

Hussafell Stone:
300lb x 90 ft
300lb x 270 ft

^ first time every doing that and really enjoyed it. Used elbow and knee sleeves to protect forearms and biceps

Farmers:
200 x 100 ft straight x 2 sets

TUESDAY 4/22/14

Axle C+P:
125 x 5 C+P every rep
125 x 3
210 x 2 C+P every rep
210 x 1
230 x 1 x 2 sets
250 x 1 clean just to work on form
260 x 1 clean
230 x 2 cleans x 2 sets

^Tweaking my continental form on the second part of the pull so that I catch it in the racked position instead of rolling it up my chest. It seems to feel much better and tires me out less.

Squats:
warmup
320 x 3 <–feeling really good
365 x 3
415 x 12 <felt really solid and every rep felt good.

Farmers Picks:
200 x 3 x 3 sets <–just working on picking the handles super quick since that will be contest weight this weekend.

Hanging Leg Raises:
2 sets of 5

^^ Long post. My training lately has mostly been maintenance for my squat and deadlift with the 5/3/1 work. Been working on getting my press up and working on my speed with farmers.

Strongman contest this coming weekend at Dan Green’s gym BOSS Barbell Club. Not NAS sanctioned, but there will be lots of strongman friends there to hangout with and the competition will be good.

I will be competing in the under 200lb weight class (was originally thinking of doing 231 since it wasn’t sanctioned). Events are as follows.

Max Axle Clean and Press. Three attempts.

  • Don’t know what the jumps are going to be, but I’m expecting to do 220, 240 and 260ish

18" Deadlift:

  • It is rising weight format. i am expecting with with a 650ish deadlift if need be.

205 Farmers/ 315 Zercher Yoke:

  • 90m there and back
  • 205 farmers is super light for me and 315 zercher yoke is super light so as long as I don’t trip.

Truck pull:

  • Been training pulling a tire so hopefully that carries over.

Stone Series:

  • 225-320lb
  • hoping to redeem myself after a poor showing at CA Strongest.

Couple more training days until the contest this Saturday the 26th. Probably just going to do my 5/3/1 deadlifts and 5/3/1 strict press.

63

SATURDAY 4/26/14

Northern California’s Strongest Man in Mountain View, CA at Dan Green’s BOSS Barbell Gym

Woke up at 4am to start the drive down to the Bay Area to make an 8am weigh in. I had been on a water cut the past 3 days and hadn’t had food or water since noon of the previous day. Slept 1/2 the way down and then started chewing gum and spitting into a bottle.

Got to the gym and weighed in at 200.4lb which was the cutoff. One of my training partners weighed in at 201 and had to go run around for a bit to sweat that off.

Started to hydrate as well as I could in the 2-3 hours before I had to start competing. Drank a mixture of alot of scoops of MAG-10 and Pedialyte. Felt pretty good by the time we had to start.

Axle C+P: Three Attempts
-223
-243 - tweaked my left wrist on the second clean and it nagged me for the rest of the day
-253 - Tied for first place in the under 200’s with my training partner

Farmers (205)/ Zercher Yoke (305) Medley for 100ft:
I made it down and back in a little over 17second. That was good enough for first place. My training partner got second with around 18 something.

18" Deadlift: Three Attempts
-585 - conservative first pull just to test the water and the bar we were using. Wasn’t feeling good about this event since I had only pulled 635 with horrible form at the gym.
-635 - Easy. Now I was just waiting until the guy who was still in it was going to take his third attempt and then I would pull more for first.
-675 - My competition took a 655 pull and then I went up 20lbs and beat it. Easy pull. I believe I could have pulled well over 700 on that day.

Truck Pull: Cancelled due to time constraints

Stone Series: 5 stones 225-300lb

I didn’t even need to do the stones since I was so far ahead in the points. Even if I got dead last I couldn’t have lost. I did the series with amazing speed UNTIL the 300lb stone and then I couldn’t get it over the 56" platform. I threw it straight up a few times well over the platform but not over the lip.

MAS Wrestling after the Strongman:

Had to beat 3 people to take away the under 200lb title.

Summary: Pretty good day. Our whole training group did well. I took first and my under 200lb partner took 3rd. My buddy in the 231 class took 3rd and our big guy in the heayweights took 3rd also against some monsters. I realized I REALLY need to work on my stone loading, especially for height.

After the show I took a few days off. Did some rehab work the next day. Just curls and shoulder raises. Next contest is in August at Northern Nevada’s Strongest Man in Reno, NV.

TUESDAY 4/29/14

Deadlift:
warm up
385 x 3
440 x 4
495 x 10 (had to put straps on after 8 since my grip was gone)

BB Row → DB Raises:
225 x 6 → 15’s x 12 side, 5 front x 4 sets

BB Shrug/Row:
315 x 10 x 2

Ring Pullups:
BW x 8 x 3

Crunches → Curls:
set of 15 with a 40lb weight near head → 20’s until a good pump x 2 sets

315 bench for 1 because our big guy couldn’t get it so I had to rub it in his face :stuck_out_tongue:

THURSDAY 5/1/14

We got kicked out of the gym that we normally train strongman at so we are in the process of looking for a new gym to host our stuff and possibly teach strongman out of. So everyone came over to my place to lift and talk. Didn’t do much work myself since my left wrist still hurt from the contest. I couldn’t press or get in the position to back squat.

Did lots of curls and db raises.

3" Axle Deadlift:
225 x 1 x 3
295 x No
225 x 2 x 4sets of rows

Yoke Squat:
250 x 5
430 x 5
520 x 5
590 x 5
690 x 1
780 x 1
850 x 1 ← PR

64

MONDAY 5/5/14

I got a new girlfriend about a month and a half ago. Our schedules are a little off. She works 5-2 and I work 7-4. When I spend the night at her place I end up getting up at 4am so I decided to try and hit the gym in the morning before work.

This was my first morning session. Left wrist is still bugging me from the contest two weekends ago so I’m off of 5/3/1 until I feel good enough to get into my squat position and overhead press/bench.

Snatch High Pull:
135 x 5 x 3

Snatch Grip Deadlift:
225 x 3
275 x 3
315 x 3

Front Squat:
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 x 10 sets with less than a minute rest between sets
335 x 1 x 5 ^^

Pullups → AB Rollouts:
BW x 8 → x 10 x 2 sets
BW x 6 → x 10 x 2 sets

Pretty good session. Doing an explosive movement like snatch high pull really woke me up after a few sets. Then the snatch grip deadlift seemed to loosen up the rest of my body. Front Squats felt good. It had been awhile since I did them so I’m okay with the weight. Couldn’t get into the clean position, which I usually use, so had to do the over the bar method which always feels a little looser.

TUESDAY 5/6/14 AM session

DB Snatch:
75, 85, 95, 100, 110 and 120 x 1 set on each side

Press → Chest Supported T-Bar Rows:
45 x 5 → 45 x 10
95 x 5 → 55 x 10
105 x 5 → 65 x 10
115 x 5 → 75 x 10
125 x 5 → 85 x 10
135 x 5 → 95 x 10
145 x 5 → 105 x 10
155 x 5 → 115 x 10
165 x 5 → 125 x 10

DB Bench → Band Pull Aparts:
60’s x 15 short 1/2 reps, 5 full ROM reps → x 15 x 3 sets

^ The short ROM on the DB Bench really gave me a huge pump in my chest which I was going for. Then the 5 full ROM to grind out the rest.

Front DB Raises → DB Hammer Curls:
45’s x 5ea → 30’s x 10 ea x 3 sets

150lb Dumbbell Hold for as long as I could

TUESDAY 5/6/14 PM after work

Went to the gym with my roommate to back squat.

Squat:
LONG warmup with bar to loosen my wrist up enough to get into position.

95 x 5 x 3
135 x 5 x 3
185 x 1
225 x 1
275 x 1
315 x 1 x 4 <–put on a wrist wrap on my left wrist which helped ALOT and allowed me to get in position
365 x 1
405 x 1 x 2
455 x 1 x 4
405 x 5

Good Morning:
135 x 10
185 x 10 x 2

Chest Supported T-Bar Rows:
45 x 5
135 x 5
180 x 5
225 x 5
270 x 1
180 x 6 <–long slow scapular retraction rows. No biceps
Drop Set:
180, 135, 90, 45 x 6,6,18,6 reps

Really good training session. My back squat felt really good once I got my wrist warmed up enough and used the wrist wrap. Didn’t feel fatigued at all from the morning workout. So I might be hitting 2 a days a little more often. Just got to make sure I get enough sleep and go to bed at a decent hour on the days I do a morning session.

65

Geez, those are some killer training sessions. Are you preparing for an event?

66

Awesome job at the contest last weekend!

67

[quote]Loftearmen wrote:
Geez, those are some killer training sessions. Are you preparing for an event?[/quote]

I usually have a contest lined up to train for. At the moment, the next contest is Northern Nevada’s Strongest Man in Reno, NV August 9th. I will be defending my title in the 200lb class. We like to train frequently and heavy most the time.

68

[quote]csulli wrote:
Awesome job at the contest last weekend![/quote]

Thank you very much! It was a fun show. Wish it had been NAS sanctioned. I think there would have been a few more strong competitors out there, but still a strong showing.

69

THURSDAY 5/8/14 AM

DB Snatch:
70, 75,80, 85, 90, 95, 100 x 1 ea with no rest other to rack and then unrack the next weight

1 Arm Deadlift (with straps):
135 x 2ea
185 x 1
225 x 1
275 x 1
315 x 1
365 x 1
405 x 1

Sumo Deadlift:
405 x 1
455 x 1
495 x 1
545 x 1
585 x 1 ← New Sumo PR

THURSDAY 5/8/14 PM

Bench:
warmup
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2 x 2sets
325 x 1
275 x 2 paused
275 x cluster of 4 singles
Random set: started with 225 on the bar. Hit a single while my training partners added weight randomly. The set went something like this:

225, 245, 250, 295, 275, 245 ,275

Dips:
BW x 10
45 x 5
90 x 5
115 x 3

Banded Pullups:
a few sets of 3

Shrugs:
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 6
495 x 6
585 x 5
675 x 5
725 x 1 hold for 10seconds
775 x 1 lift
845 x 1 lift

FRIDAY 5/10/14

Did a few sets of db raises and curls while training my girlfriend in the garage.

SUNDAY 5/11/14

Moved our strongman equipment to a new gym. We will be teaching a strongman class two days a week there. I was hungover so couldn’t hit any reps or my headache would destroy me, which still didn’t stop me from doing stuff.

Log Press:
145 x a few
195 x a few <–then the headache was killing me

Deadlift:
225 x 3
315 x 1 x 3sets
405 x 1 x 2
495 x 1
545 x 1 x 2

1 Arm Deadlift:
315 x 1
365 x 1
405 x NO
405 x YES

Dumb Log (Ghetto Circus Dumbbell):
110lb x 10 reps on right side

70

MONDAY 5/12/14

First night in the new gym. Had to show the crossfitters there what being strong was about :stuck_out_tongue:

Squats:
225 x 5 x 3sets
315 x 1 x 2 sets
365 x 1
405 x 1
425 x 1
455 x 1
475 x 1

Olympic Back Squats:
315 x 3
365 x 1
385 x 1
405 x 4

People were Axle C+Ping. Showing the crossfit members of the gym the axle and the need to continental when it got heavier. My training partners had just hit 203 x 10 and x 11 with the axle so I went over there

Axle C+P:
203 x 12

Then we had to bust the stones out as a final event.

Stones to about 48":
225 x 1
275 x 1
315 x 1
335 x NO
315 x NO

I REALLY need to keep working on my stones. Reno show is 250-275ish stone for reps over bar. I like going heavy, but will be working in more stone rep work to train for that.

WEDNESDAY 5/14/14 AM

Press → Pullup:
45 x 10 → x 5
65 x 6 → x 5
95 x 6 → x 5
135 x 6 → x 5
155 x 6 → x 5
185 x 3 → x 5
195 x 3 → x 5
205 x 1 → x 5
215 x 1 → x 5 <–PR on my strict (bent) press.
225 x NO

DB Incline → Band Curls:
50’s x 10 → 15 ea
65’s x 10 → 15 ea x 3 sets

DB Bench → Seated Band Pull Aparts into OH Snatch grip:
60’s x 15 short reps and 5 Full ROM → x10 x 3 sets

AB Wheel → Front DB Raises:
x 10 → 30’s x 6 ea x 2 sets

71

I’m impressed with the work you are putting in here man

72

[quote]Alpha wrote:
I’m impressed with the work you are putting in here man[/quote]

Thank you very much! I love to train and have a great crew that makes going to the gym a blast even if I’m not having a good day.

73

THURSDAY 5/15/14 AM

Squats:
45 x 5 x 2
135 x 3 x 2
185 x 3 x 2
225 x 3
275 x 3
315 x 3
365 x 5 x 5

GHR → 30" Box Jump:
x 8 → x 5 x 3 sets

Pretty quick and easy morning workout. Hips felt tight so we kept it pretty light and did more reps instead of going into the 400 range for 1-3

THURSDAY 5/15/14

Deadlift:
135 x 3
225 x 3
315 x 3
405 x 3
495 x 1
495 x 3 (Not feeling 100%)

Frame Deadlift:
200 x 3
290 x 3
380 x 1
380 x 3
470 x 1

The crossfit guys got me and my buddy to do Tabata Wall Balls so we did that for 4 mins with a 25lb ball. Those were pretty tiring, but not too bad on the muscles.

Back to Frame Deadlifts:
560 x 1
560 x 1
650 x 1
740 x 1
810 x 1 ← PR

Farmers Walk:
200lb x 100ft x 3 sets

MONDAY 5/19/14

Took the whole weekend off to recover and hang out with my girl.

Squats:
45 x 5 x 2
135 x 5 x 3
225 x 5
275 x 1
315 x 5
345 x 5 x 5 sets
405 x 1 <–Easy
425 x 1 <–Easy
455 x 1 <–slow out of the hole :\

Axle Strict Press:
123 x 5 x 2
173 x 5 x 3 sets

Dumb Log:
110 x 5 right
110 x 3 Left
110 x 10 right

Random Shit:
Worked on my handstand walks. PR’d with about a 6 foot walk. Did some ring pull ups and dips. Ran around like an idiot. The usual end of a training session.

74

TUESDAY 5/20/14

Had an hour to kill so went in the garage to bench and do pullups:

Freaky 55 Incline Bench with 185 → Freak 55 BW Pullups:

Freak 55 = 5x5, 4x4, 3x3, 2x2, 1x1

I did the incline then walked over to the pullup bar and did those and just went back and forth with no rest breaks except somewhere around the middle of the 4x4 to go to the bathroom and p.

75

WEDNESDAY 5/21/14 AM

Sumo DL → Viper 145 log → BB Rows 185:
135 x 3 → x 4 → x 5
135 x 3 → x 4 → x 5
225 x 3 → none → x 5
315 x 3 → x 4 → x 5
405 x 1 → none → x 5
455 x 3 → x 4 → x 5
455 x 3 → none → x 5
455 x 3 → x 4 → x 5
455 x 3 → none → x 5
455 x 3 → x 4 → x 5

GHR → Reverse EZbar curls:
x8 → x8 → x 3 sets

Random Stuff:
PR’d on my Handstand walks for about 8 feet and did some random pullups

THURSDAY 5/22/14

BB High Pull:
135 x 3 x 3

Power Snatch:
135 x a few
155 x 1 x 3

Farmers for 50ft:
200 x 1
250 x 1
300 x 2ft
300 x 20 ft
360 x NO
360 x Picked up using straps

Stones 52-54":
275 x 2
275 x 1 x 2 sets
275 x NO x 2 <–just couldn’t get that third extension to get the stone over the bar

MONDAY 5/26/14

Drove down to Sacramento the previous day to pick up the new Log and Circus DB that BeastMetals made for us. 170lb empty log and 90lb circus DB with a SUPER thick grip. First time ever trying a real circus DB and it was awkward.

Circus DB:
110 x 1R
110 x 1L
110 x 1R
110 x 3R
110 x 2R missed 3rd
110 x 3R missed 4th
110 x 1L
120 x 3R
120 x 0L
120 x 4R
130 x 1R
130 x 2R
140 x 0R
140 x 1R
160 x 0R
90 x 8L
90 x 10R

OH walks with the Circus DB

Log:
170 x 5 strict presses
220 x 1
220 x 2

WEDNESDAY 5/28/14 AM

Front Squat:
45 x 5 x 4
95 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 5 x 5

Dimel DL → Pullups:
225 x 8 → None
225 x 8 → BW x 6 x 3 sets

Ring HLR → BB Rows:
x 5 → 225 x 5 x 2 sets
x 3 → 225 x 5

THURSDAY 5/29/14

LOG:
170 x 2
220 x 2
220 x 1 (Viper)
240 x 1
260 x No x 2
220 x 3
220 x 5
220 x 6 missed 7th

Circus DB:
110 x 7R missed 8
110 x 4L
130 x 4R missed 5
140 x 2R
90 x 8L

Stones:
300lb 18" x multiple picks but couldn’t load to 52-54" bar
380 x 1 Pick <–REALLY happy with this
275 x 2 over bar
275 x NO

SATURDAY 5/31/14

Axle Push Press:
lots of warmup with bar
83 x 10 x 2 sets
133 x 10
173 x 7
173 x 1
205 x 12 <–tied PR
225 x 5 <–PR

13" Deadlift:
135 x 6
225 x 5
315 4
405 x 2
455 x 3
500 x 11 <–9 in a row, couple seconds to breathe, 2 more

Rested about 5 minutes

500 x 15 AMRAP in 1 minute. Did a 5, short breather, 6, short breath, did 3, short breath, pulled 1 right before the time stopped.

^^ So GASSED after these. About to puke. In Reno is will be a 14" deadlift for AMRAP in 1 minute. I want to get 20+ in the contest so doing 15 today from 13" was really good. Also did it on a bar that had ZERO bend.

76

SUNDAY 6/1/14

Just got moved to working weekend shifts so I won’t be able to do Strongman on weekends during our usual time. Luckily the new gym is literally across the parking lot from my work so I am going to walk over there on my lunch breaks on Sat and Sun and get some assistance “Jacked and Tan” work in.

I went over there and hit some shoulder raises, curls, GHR, and hanging leg raises for about 30 minutes.

MONDAY 6/3/14

Friends on Facebook were posting tons of videos of squats and PRs and it got me REALLY pumped to try and PR on my squat. So I went to the gym with the mindset of hitting 515 on my squat.

Squats:
45 x 5 x 2
135 x 1 x 2
225 x 1
315 x 1 x 2
405 x 1
455 x 1
495 x 1
515 x No x 2
405 x 2 x 6 sets <–upset about missing 515 and did these with a little amount of break
405 x 1 <–didn’t have the 2nd in me without alot of grinding

Farmers:
200 x 80ft x 2 about 10 seconds each
250 x 80 x 1 ~12sec
270 x 80 x 2 sets ~16 and ~17 sec

Felt pretty good about the 270 farmers. My hands were giving out near the end, but farmers is one of my worst events and I feel like I’m getting much better at it.

Stones:
Working on loading a 300lb stone to 52"

300 x 2
300 x 1
300 x No
300 x 1
300 x 1
300 x 1
300 x 1

Will post video later today or tomorrow. Need to edit it. The first 2 were slow and the second set was horrible. Missed the third. Then I started deciding to actually lift it with some balls and do it fast and it got WAY better. Video will explain look like it filmed backwards with the first sets looking like I was super tired and gassed and the last sets looking like I was fresh and just started.

77

TUESDAY 6/3/14

Day off from work. Decided to hit some bench in my garage.

Close Grip Bench → EZ-Curls:
45 x 12 → none
135 x 12 → 50lb x 10 x 2 sets of each
185 x 12 → 50lb x 10 x 2 sets of each
185 x 10 → 50lb x 10 x 2 sets of each
185 x 8 → 50lb x 10 x 2 sets of each
185 x 6 → 50lb x 10 x 2 sets of each
185 x 4 → 50lb x 10 x 2 sets of each

WEDNESDAY 6/4/14

Went to the gym in the morning and forgot that it was only open until 7am in the morning.
Decided to just hit Circus DB.

Circus DB:
90 x 5R
90 x 5L
90 x 8R
90 x 8L
90 x 8R
90 x 8L

Easy day. Just spent the rest of the day relaxing.

THURSDAY 6/5/14

Front Squats:
45 x warmups
135 x 5 x 2 sets
185 x 5
185 x 1
225 x 5
295 x 3 <-hamstring was being weird.

Axle Press:
Warmup
83 x 8
123 x 8
163 x 8
203 x 10
203 x 5 x 2 sets

Axle Floor Press:
205 x 8 x 5 sets

Ring Dips x 2 sets of 5

Crucifix Hold:
15lbs in each hand x 1 min
15lbs in each hand x 1:10

SATURDAY 6/7/14

On lunch break

Circus:
90 x 12R
90 x 12L
110 x 5R
110 x 3L
130 x 3R
130 x 0L
150 x 1R <–PR

MONDAY 6/9/14

Squat:
Warmup
135 x 5 x 2 sets
225 x 5
275 x 5
300 x 5
345 x 5
390 x 5 x 5 sets (had to throw the belt on after the first set. Just didn’t feel comfortable or strong)

Sumo Deadlift: → Crunches off GHR:
225 x 1 x 3 sets → x 8 x 2 sets
315 x 1 x 6 sets → x 8 x 3 sets

Ring Pullups: → Ball Throws:
25 x 5 x 4 sets → 20lb ball x 3 x 3 sets
45 x 5 x 1 set

Crucifix Holds:
20’s x 1 min
20’s x 1:10

TUESDAY 6/10/14

Press:
warmup
125 x 5
145 x 5
165 x 10

Incline Bench: → Pullups:
165 x 5 → BW x 5
190 x 5 → BW x 5
220 x 5 → BW x 5

Tricep Pulldowns:
90 x 5 ← too heavy to feel a pump
60 x 10 x 3 sets

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WEDNESDAY 6/11/14

Press:
45 x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
165 x 5
180 x 1
185 x 1
120 x 16

Log Bench Press:
180 x 10
220 x 10 x 3 sets

This was more of a board press since our new Beastmetals Log is 13" in diameter. Trying to work on tricep lockout strength and size.

THURSDAY 6/12/14

Deadlift:
warmup
350 x 5
405 x 5
460 x 5 x 5 sets <–first 2 sets I was dreading, but after that I hit my groove and they were quick and powerful

Box Squats:
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 2 x 5

Strict Press:
185 x 1 x 4sets

BTN Press:
135 x 3 x 2
185 x 1
225 x 1 x 5
245 x 1
275 x No <–pretty tired by this point and just didn’t even commit to it.

Crucifix Hold:
30’s x 45 seconds

SATURDAY 6/14/14

Axle Strict Press:
33 x 5
83 x 5
123 x 5
173 x 5
193 x 1
173 x 3
173 x 5
193 x 2
173 x 5
173 x 3
173 x 5

Axle Push Press:
223 x 3
243 x 2

MONDAY 6/16/14

We started drinking when we got to the gym. I was about 3 drinks deep by the time we started pressing.

Axle C+P:
warmup
213 x 2
213 x 0
213 x 4

^ The guys were cracking jokes this whole time. So that plus the drinks really made pressing hard.

233 x 1
233 x clean no press
213 x 5
213 x 3
213 x 5
213 x 3
213 x 0 ← I was done physically and kinda drunk by this point.

WEDNESDAY 6/17/14

Went to the local gym with my girlfriend so she could squat. I decided to clean and press behind her on the platform in between sets.

BB Row/Clean/Strict Press:
135 x 5, 5, x 2
185 x 5, 3
185 x 5, 3
185 x 5, 2
205 x 5, 2
205 x 5, 1

Power Clean + Push Press:
205 x 7 x 2
225 x 5
225 x 6

Good and quick session. My power cleans felt really explosive and I was glad i could strict press 205 for 2 especially after rowing and having to clean it!

Maybe need a little break from pressing for awhile. It seems 3 out of 4 sessions are dedicated to pressing since my press sucks so bad and I NEED to be able to hit a 275 axle at Nationals in October. Necessity is the mother of invention so I will keep having to work on ways to get that press up to a respectable strongman level.

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Do you have a specific program that you follow or do you just play it by ear?

80

[quote]Loftearmen wrote:
Do you have a specific program that you follow or do you just play it by ear?[/quote]

No specific program. I go through phases where I really like to go heavy on certain lifts from time to time and just do maintenance on the rest. That has worked pretty well in the past. Generally, I have a goal I’m working towards and a program usually doesn’t fit my specific needs. Last year, I had to get strong enough to win the Reno show which meant training alot to get specific things up like my car deadlift, atlas stones and log press. Right now I have Reno in my sights with Nationals right behind it.

For Nationals, I realize my press is shit in comparison and I need to be able to comfortably hit a 280-300lb axle in order to do decent enough on the press medley the first day. I am pressing quite frequently right now in order to try and do that. The only thing I’m really concerned about at the Reno show is my stones since I have recently been mind fucking myself about loading over a bar.