Deload
Front Squat
4 x 3 @ 205
DOH Fat Grip
3 x 2 @ 155
Fiend Set Deadlifts
2 x 1 @ 275
Stepups
3 x 2 @ 205
Back Ext
1 x 20
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One of my squat sets from earlier. I want to start using Clean grip on Front Squats more and was able to achieve a 2 finger Front Rack with just a little bit of mobilization. Shit mainly hurts in my fingers.
Deload
The last deload day. Competing in 2 days.
KB Clean + Press
5 x 1 + 4 @ 50/hand
Gymnastics Rings Pullups (SS) Incline Bench Press
4 x 3 (SS) 3 x 3 @ 120
Band Pullaparts
2 x 15
Cable Row
2 x 15
Zottman Curls
2 x 15
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Weighed in @ 209.5lbs
Now just to chill and rest.
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Best of luck brother! You’re gonna kill it.
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Smash it man!
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Thanks for the vote of confidence guys
Today is the day!
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So this is my 5th strongman competition, but only my 2nd sanctioned competition. My main focus with competing right now is gaining experience, and meeting people/making friends. Which in that sense I have been very successful.
I weighed in at 209.5lbs, had I a huge dietary related issue pop up during prep causing 10lbs to fall off in a very short time. I had to take out a main stay of my diet while in the midst of trying to bulk to 220. I was left scrambling to get the weight I lost back and then I had an accident with some heavy deadlifts which set me off course. That said I had an amazing off-season and a phenomenal start to prep though and I definitely can carry through nicely into my next prep (which starts on Monday)
There were 6 events. Overhead Medley, Power Stairs, Carry Medley, Arm Over Arm Pull, Keg Series, and Max Axle Deadlift.
Overhead Medley. 225 Axle, 225 Log, 125 Circus DB for Reps. 5 competitors in Men’s Middleweight.
Zero. The odds were against me on this one, I have made some serious headway in fixing my Overhead Strength but I just didn’t have enough time to be able to do 225. I almost had 185 during the warmups. My leg drive has improved a lot, 185 felt weightless and missed it just short of lock out. Significant improvement over the scary garbage 165 I did sometime last year.
Power Stairs 150, 200, 225, 250 5th. Same weights as Winter Siege (Same organizers). I decided to throw caution to the wind and just go for it, I was overly cautious at Winter Siege and barely finished in time. Instead of taking 58 seconds I did in 34 seconds and only 3 seconds behind 4th place. I feel like if I hadn’t lost my balance on the 3rd one I might have been able to scrub 4th. Alas I did not. Still happy with this performance.
Carry Medley 475 Frame, 250 Duckwalk, 200 Hussafell 5th. After failing a 450 trap bar dead a few weeks ago I wasn’t sure if I could even pick the Frame. I did and only got 28 feet before dropping it, tried to repick it. Dissapointed. Upon examining the video on my repick I had my hands Waaaaay too far forward, I might have been able to re pick and get it the last 12 feet if my hands were further back.
Arm Over Arm Pull. 4th. I trained well for this one and it showed. Did it 21.2 seconds snagging fourth by less than a second. I was about 3 seconds off first. I feel good about this performance.
5th. Keg Series. 240, 270, 310 over 48 inch Bar Only got the 240. Lapped the 270 but couldn’t get it up. Disappointed, I honestly thought I could get it but I guess not. I knew I couldn’t get 310 but I thought 270 was a sure thing.
5th. Max Axle Deadlift. So I have very little experience deadlifting with an axle. I did buy a stubby axle not too long ago, but with my gyms plates I could only get 380 on it. I did tie some 10s to it so I could hit 400 but never went beyond that. I chose my first as something I knew I could hit with ease to make sure I got on the board. So I opened with 385 and it moved like it should, like butter. We had to make atleast 20lb jumps, so I went to 405 for a second. Moved well enough that I could have probably done 3 reps if this was a training session. I Went for 435 after talking to the another one of competitors, he said he was doing 435. If I did 430 for a 3rd I was getting last even if I made the lift. So I went for 435 in an attempt to tie him to avoid getting last on the event and scraping up some points. Unfortunately I missed 435 and he made it so I got last anyways. Not mad at all, especially for the final event of 6 event competition. I think I may have had 425 for a sick grinder but I wanted to push, it didn’t effect my overall placing at all so why not. I was getting last no matter what so I was just going for what I could at that point.
I know what I need to do, I need to focus on getting statically stronger (I knew this) but I have working reps, work capacity, and conditioning pretty hard for the last 10 months to build a base to facilitate future strength gains. I feel like a bigger focus on heavy work is what I need to potentiate what I have been building. I expected too much in too little time.
I have the Iowa Games in 10 weeks and then I am sure when I am competing again, but I am sure I will compete at least one more time after the Iowa Games this year.
Some cool side notes from the competition that have nothing to do with me. Boston Jacobs competed in the Heavy Weights weighing in at 224lbs and pulled a 700lb Axle Deadlift. He opened at 600 which was well above everyone else. Only one person made him have to pull more.
Heavyweight Novices had a tie so they had to go to tie breaker, which was a good ol’ fashioned tug of war. Winner had to buy the loser a beer.
@a_relentless_beast on Instagram: "Monsters of the Mississippi. 5th aka last Middleweight men. Power stairs will be a seperate post because instagram hates proper framing for multiple videos. Overhead Medley. Zero. Knew this was likely the outcome. Came pretty close to hitting 185 during warmups. Leg drive is definitely there. Just need the lockout. Power Stairs, same weights as Winter Siege so I threw caution to the wind and went as fast as I could. Which caused me to stumble. With 3 seconds between me and 4th, that likely caused me to lose 4th. Carry Medlely, got the 475 frame 28 ft. Dropped it and couldnt repick. Pretty sure I could have repicked if my hands werent so far forward, but I couldnt tell at the time. Last. Arm Over Arm Pull. I trained this pretty well. Sled on turf is harder than a truck with wheels. 21.2 secs. 4th place by .5 secs. I felt really good about this event even if I didnt place well. Keg Series. Got the 240 missed 270. Oh well. Dissapointes but not mad. Max Axle Deadlift. Hit a conservative 385 opener, hit 405 well, went for 435 to tie someone. Missed it just below my knees, and he got it. So last. 6 Points, still last but hungrier than ever. Watch out Iowa Games. Saw a lot of familiar faces. Always good to see @timwunder @polish_carr_bomb saw @stoughtons_strongest_brit and @bo_jangles22 as well. Was too sheepish to say hi though. #strongmancompetition #strongmantraining #strongman" @a_relentless_beast on Instagram: "Power Stairs from Monsters of the Mississippi. #strongmancompetition #strongmantraining #strongman"
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I saw your Instagram post. Nice work Beast. You are a competitive guy. The placements will come keep working safely and great things will happen. Have you considered the Darkhorse?
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Extremely competitive, I have to really keep it check sometimes.
Everytime Brian post a new program I am super tempted to run it. I do want to run Darkhorse specifically at some point. It seems like a good cure for my lack of static strength.
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Iowa Games Prep
Spent sometime earlier studying and watching Andrew Clayton do Axle Continental Clean and Jerks. Really want to work on improving the continental clean aspect and get more heavier reps putting shit overhead. This prep has 3 days a week of pressing instead of the 2 I am used to. 1 with regular Push Press (Axle), 1 with Pause Push Press (Barbell), and one with Kettlebells. Plus accessory work too.
Axle Continental Clean + Push Press
4 x 2 + 3 @ 120
OHP Pin Press (@ Eyes)
3 x 5 @ 115
Chinups
6 x 3 @ BW
Pause Incline Bench Press
5 x 3 @ 135
Band pull aparts 100 reps
Zottman Curls 4 x 15
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How much you weigh again? Maybe hit some dips or volume OHP and bulk up to 200+ odd.
not might.. you definitely would have! in the heat of the moment you make mistakes but thats what experience and training is for to fix
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i love this! at my comp 2 heavyweights betted that whoever lost had to do a shoey
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@guineapig Weighed in at 209.5 lbs for Monsters of the Mississippi. Plan on bulking to 220ish. Still doing decent volume over all its just more spread out and put into different aspects. Like learning leg drive and working the specific joint angles I need to improve.
@duketheslaya Yep thats part of why I compete as often as I do even though I get last everytime, building up experience and learning how to do what I need to do under pressure.
Never heard of that before, pretty funny.
Slow and steady on the bulk big boy. Fat doesn’t lift crap…
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Not planning on getting fat. That 10lbs is going take me a while.
Lol k. I guess getting bigger is still the solution just relatively. You and @idontbrag123 must have big head syndrome that bumps up your BW
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