Finished the day with
NG Chins
5x20
Dips
1x55
Band pull aparts
1x110
Notes: Upper body is feeling pretty fried, but I’m going to keep pushing until something breaks. Shoulders are holding up to the dips, and the pump is getting pretty crazy.
410lb Yoke/205lb sandbag over bar
4x100’/1x1
Notes: To explain, it’s 50’ with a turn to get to 100’, and then ending it with sandbag over bar. Goal today was fast feet and better technique with the sandbag. No more arms under the bar trying to curl it up, instead doing arms over and trying to hit triple extension. I’m definitely weaker in that position, but it affords me the ability to get more height, which is what I’m going to need. Feet were moving great on the yoke. Really happy with where I am as a strongman. My strength and speed are there, now it’s technique.
General notes: Woke up at 193.6. Happy to be in the 193s. Going to be more sane with my cheat meal tomorrow and see how much longer I can ride this fat loss. Feels like I’m reaching where I was in 2012.
Finished the day with
NG chins
1x25
Dips
1x57
Band Pull aparts
1x114
Notes: Felt pretty beat up today after the event workout, so I just went for a near max set. I think I might actually keep up this approach, and do 4 days of 100 reps and then 1 day trying for a max set. Next week, I’ll do 4x25, now that I know 25 is within my reach. Noted that I was cutting the dips a little bit short, going to see if I can get fully extension in the future.
(6) Mat Pulls 600+chains
17 reps total
Notes: Another good training day. 10 in the first, 4 in the second, 3 in the third. X-factor is that my contacts have been bothering me, so I was pulling with blurry vision already. This made it hard to know when I was reaching the end of the set, as I couldn’t tell when my vision was going blurry from holding my breath too long vs simply being blurry to start with. Have lost the bit of my lower belly fat where my belt rested in the past as well, so not able to form the tightest braced core as well.
DOH hold 405+chains
30 seconds
Squats 410
1x7
1x4
1x2
1x1
DROPSET
Squats 320
1x5
1x4
1x3
1x2
1x5
Notes: 15 deep breaths between all reps. Was feeling pretty fried when it got time to squat, but sacked up. Actually felt like I had a bit more in me after that last set of 5, but figured it was time to hang it up.
General notes: Woke up at 193.0. Cheat meal today was a chicken quesadilla, half a carne asada burrito with french fries in it, and a quest bar. Actually chipped a tooth on the quest bar, but the nerve isn’t exposed, so it won’t affect my eating.
Hello mate, just read your latest blog post - really enjoy that style of post, always thought provoking. I noticed you said that the sandbag was a great bit of kit, and that everyone should have one. I definitely agree, but wondered whether you’d expand on your reasons why. I like the way you think about stuff, and I’d be interested to hear why particularly you think they are great.
For me, the fact that for £10 I can work every muscle from every angle, and fold it up small enough to put in a very large pocket when I’m done is a pretty serious reason to recommend it. ‘Sandbag’ is my answer to everyone who says they can’t afford a gym membership, or get down there regularly enough, etc.
Pretty much what you’ve hit on. It’s a very cheap, space economic piece of equipment that is incredibly versatile and develops an incredibly amount of strength and conditioning. Cleaning and pressing it, running with it in medleys, loading it, etc, all are great uses and great movements. I brought one with me to my in-laws this past Christmas and got a great workout in whenever I needed it.
todays blog post was great keep it going
realy like your writing style
why do you not post your blog posts on T Nation
[quote]cavemansam wrote:
todays blog post was great keep it going
realy like your writing style
why do you not post your blog posts on tnation[/quote]
It tends to be difficult to link to outside sites on T-Nation. It’s an issue of advertising, and I understand where they are coming from.
And since I update it weekly, it would get obnoxious, haha.
Thanks for the accolades!
Weighted chins 55lbs
21 reps
Bench
2x315
DB bench 50lbs
1x50
superset w/
Band pull aparts
Notes: Time to retire the bench program. It worked very well when I was gaining or maintaining weight, but with my weight loss, I just can’t keep up with it. 315 for a double isn’t terrible, but I should’ve been hitting 320 for 4x4 today. Hit the dumbbells just to get something going. Going to have to figure out a way forward from here. Couple of different ideas kicking around in my head: deciding between a 5/3/1 variant, a Cube approach, Dogg Crapp, Westside style ME days, or just using what I’m doing for overhead. I’ll flesh out my thought process later.
Shoulder circuit
3 rounds
Notes: Left shoulder blade/trap feeling a little tender. Might need to reduce the weight on the overhead partials.
DB rows 105
8x3
1x27
General notes: Woke up at 193.0. Feeling a little beat up coming in to this. Hit a feeder workout yesterday of 30 reps with just the buffalo bar for squats, legs feeling not as terrible as a result. Training schedule is changing slightly to account for Wife’s marathon training.
Finished the day with
NG chins
4x25
Dips
1x56
Band pull aparts
1x112
Notes: Left shoulderblade/trap area still in some pain. May need to work it with some dislocations. Dips aren’t bad for 2 days off of practice. Hoping to crack decently into the 60s this week.
1
Leaning towards stealing the DC upper body day. Similar to how I’ve been training amazingly, but with a few changes that I think are going to be helpful. I’ve assembled some rambling thoughts here, may flesh it out more.
Bench Day training
Lifted Directly from Dogg Crapp
Chest (heavy barbell 11-20, dumbbells 20-30) RP
Shoulders (shoulder circuit/raises/pull aparts)
Triceps (heavy barbell 11-20, dips 15-20, dumbbells/iso 20-30) RP
Back width (15-20 ) RP
Back thickness (10-12) SS (going to hit up small sets throughout and build up to huge finisher)
Variables that improve my bench:
-Movement variation
-Moderate rep range
Variables that cause bench to stagnate
-Weight loss
Unconfirmed variables
-Grinding reps
-Frequency
Chest Movements Available
-Barbell bench (flat or incline)
-Swiss bar bench (flat or incline)
-Floor press (barbell or swiss)
-Dips
-Dumbbell bench (flat or incline)
–Modifications available: bands, chains, reactive slingshot, metal catapult
Tricep Movements Available
-Same as chest movements with narrower grip
-Skull crushers (EZ bar, swiss bar, barbell)
-Extensions (dumbbell, grenade ball with loading pin)
–Same modifications available
Lat Width Movements Available
-Chin up/Pull up/V-bar chin
-Lat pulldown v/various attachments
Lat Thickness Movements Available
-DB row
-DB row handle
-T-bar row
-Meadows row
-Various barbell rows (not likely)
May approach using a more intuitive training style. Less pre-structured training day, more deciding on what needs work on that moment in time. Need to maintain awareness of records and feel of weight during warm-ups. Go at least 2 weeks before re-visiting a movement, then beat previous records.
Hey man, I was reading your blog. Great stuff as usual! I just had a question for you though.
Is there a reason you’ve never done a high bar squat? I was just curious.
[quote]isdatnutty wrote:
Hey man, I was reading your blog. Great stuff as usual! I just had a question for you though.
Is there a reason you’ve never done a high bar squat? I was just curious.[/quote]
I appreciate the feedback. There are a lot of movements that I’ve never done before (ox lift, jerk, snatch, high pull, pendlay row, snatch grip deadlift, etc etc) and the reason for them all is the same: I haven’t needed to. There just plain hasn’t been a point in my training where something was lacking and I felt like THIS was the movement that needed to fix it.
I wrote about the high bar squat specifically because, at the time, I was reading a lot of internet traffic talking about how the high bar squat was the superior way to squat, and was “better for athletes” and the “strongman squat” and how the low bar squat was only good for powerlifting and showing off strength, and it just made me chuckle.
(14) Chain Suspended SSB Squats
4x425+chains
6x365+chain
Notes: Much better day. May have had a 5th in me on the first set, but groove when crazy when I broke the weight off the chains, and I had to fight to keep upright. Belt is still all over the place with changing body comp.
Reverse hyper 5 plates
3x10
superset w/
Standing ab wheel
2x8
1x7
Car deadlift simulator 8 plates
1x2
Notes: Came into training beat up and seemed to be getting worse toward this point. Left hamstring and right hip were achy, and when paired with a belt I can’t quite get tight, just wasn’t able to keep pressure like I needed. May be time to start rotating this movement with another 1 or 2 to keep fresh. Been hammering this movement HARD for months and made some pretty crazy improvements, but it’s starting to get heavy. Either that, or mess with the programming at least.
Neck harness 45lbs
1x50
General notes: Watched an epic battle on my scale between 192.8 and 193.0 this morning before it finally settled on the latter. I’m starting to feel the effects of the weight loss. Just in a zombie like state. Body is racking up soreness/minor aches everywhere. Possibly the 100 chins a day are a factor as well, although they actually feel pretty pleasant on my body.
In general health news, got my blood pressure and resting heart rate taken yesterday at the dentist while they repaired my tooth. 125/72 with a heart rate of 59. The heart rate is actually somewhat elevated for me, as I tend to be in the mid 50s normally, but I did just drink a 240mg caffeine rockstar beforehand, so that’s most likely a factor. Was commended for my good health, had to chuckle at that.
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
There are a lot of movements that I’ve never done before (ox lift, jerk, snatch, high pull, pendlay row, snatch grip deadlift, etc etc) and the reason for them all is the same: I haven’t needed to. There just plain hasn’t been a point in my training where something was lacking and I felt like THIS was the movement that needed to fix it.
[/quote]
I have quite a long list of movements/training ideas I’d like to do but I just can’t justify. I’ve found in the past that my conditioning workouts are often a good place to put them so they don’t get in the way of the work I actually need to do.
That’s a stellar idea, and something I do as well. It’s hard to condition “wrong”, and it’s a great opportunity to try out new stuff. As long as you’re sucking wind, you’re probably doing it right.
Finished the day with
NG Chins
4x25
Dips
1x58
Band pull aparts
1x116
Notes: Dip progression seems to be 2-5-2-5-2. Don’t really know if that indicates anything. Still, another PR, and everything seems to be holding out ok.
Axle press from rack
0x263
4x238
Notes: Poorly racked the 263, and made it so that my leg drive as pretty poor. The 238 is technically 12lbs less than my best, but considering I haven’t done heavy axle in 3 months, I was 10lbs heavier, and that was an afternoon workout, I think this is probably a “good” number. I’m liking pressing out of the rack, I think I might keep this in as my “heavy” day. This would boil down to 1 day in a cycle where I clean each rep, 1 day where I clean the first rep, and 1 day where I perform no cleaning. I think that’s a good balance.
Triceps seem weak. I think my new bench training will help there. Got some more ideas on it, I’ll expand sometime.
DB incline press 105lbs
(5)1x7
(4)1x7
(3)1x7
(2)1x7
(1)1x7
superset w/
D-ring pulldown/kelso shrug combo 90lbs
5x10/10
Notes: Need to up the incline of the seat itself 1 more click on the (5) setting. I’m sliding too much. Nice to seem some strength increases here.
Axle curl stripset
25
25
25
25
Band pushdown dropset
Average x 25
Light x 25
General notes: Woke up at 192.5. Weight loss seems to be more rapid, but have to avoid trying to stupidly overcompensate. It comes in waves. Still feeling beat up, but it seems like the pain migrates, so no 1 part is beat up 2 days in a row. Belt placement is still wonky. Get to take a day off tomorrow, then do events on Fri and deadlift/squat on Sat. Should be my training schedule for the next few months.
Finished the day with
NG chins
4x25
Dips
1x60
Band pull aparts
1x120
Notes: Another PR on dips. Slightly slower progression. Once I hit 55 I completely run out of gas.
NG Chins
4x25
Dips
1x62
Band Pull Aparts
1x124
Notes: Woke up at 192.4. Left shoulder is feeling pissed off, curious if all the pull aparts are to blame. Another dip PR.
Leap Frog Medley (205lb sandbag, 100lb keg)
2 rounds
Notes: Here is how this works: Keg and sandbag start at the same spot. Run the sandbag out 25’, run back to keg, run the keg out 50’, run back to sandbag, run the sandbag to the keg, run the keg 25’ (back towards the start), run back to sandbag, run sandbag 50’ (back at starting point), run back to keg, run keg back to start.
This absolutely smoked me inside of 2 rounds. I was wanting to do something that combined suicides with a carry medley, and think this transferred over decently well. Had to set the keg down somewhat gently, as it was 0530 and I imagine my neighbors were still asleep, but still had some good intensity. Goal was very quick sprints between objects, as that seems to be where I slow down. Minor pull of my left glute/ham connector, just from picking up the sandbag with no warm-up first thing in the morning.
General notes: Woke up at 192.0. Real rapid weight loss this week, have to make sure my protein intake is up to snuff. Going to try to hit some farmers walks later in the afternoon.