Training for 175lb Arnold Strongman World Championship (2013)

Training Logs
21

[quote]novaeer wrote:

[quote]Kalle wrote:
how you been? Any comps lately?

Yeah had nothing else to do while injured! Now to build the strength back up at this weight.[/quote]

I haven’t competed since last November. I got really beat up from training and took some time off from lifting for about 6 weeks earlier this year. I have been learning the olympic lifts for the past couple of months at a training facility, but with my wife due to give birth in the next few weeks I’m going to have to forego that luxury. I’m going to keep the quick lifts in my training, but put my focus back on powerlifting. As for the next competition, probably next year given the priorities that go along with fatherhood.[/quote]

Congrats on the new addition to the family!

22

Saturday I competed in a Highland games event. I haven’t done any throwing in probably 6 months but was within a few feet of all my numbers from last year (except for the hammer which I bombed) despite being 20lbs lighter and down in strength got a new pr on the 56lb weight for height of 9’ barely missed 9’6" Had the height

My traps and low back and grip are still sore from that going into todays training session.

8/10/10

Deadlift

135x5
225x5
275x5
315x5
355x8 est 1rm 449

Military Press

(full pause at bottom)

95x5
105x5
120x5
135x8 est 1rm 170

Dead hang pull ups

3x5

dips 3x10

I saved it on deadlifts fresh I have 10-12 easy (did 15 touch and go a couple weeks ago.)

This was my first time trying to deadlift and press in the same day and didn’t like it at all, won’t be doing that again!

Going to take tomorrow off and rest up for front squats Thursday.

23

8/12/10 Front Squats

Currently doing a product review for a pre workout drink but out of respect I won’t mention it here!

Bodyweight 181

Front Squat

135x5
185x5
225x5
255x5

This was a horrible set of front squats, kind of scary on the 2nd rep never had that happen before, I think I widened my stance a little to much, My low back has been real sore which I think took my concentration off the lift. I felt strong though as you can see the reps flew up but just didn’t feel comfortable. I am just going to do required reps on the front squat as I focus on my deadlift, overhead press and strongman events.

Circuit

1A Overhead Squat

95 3x5

1B Pistols right leg only (as you can see in the vid my left leg is WAY bigger than my right and a lot stronger.)

3x5

Hanging leg raise toes touch bar

3x5

I am not going to go crazy on this day as you can’t go all out every workout without running yourself into the ground I’ve learned. Just going to use this day to adress a few weaknesses.

Still have plenty of energy which should help me get some work done today!

Going to do some type of cardio in the PM

24

I noticed that during squats, my left leg takes more of the load and usually burns more. I gotta fix that before it becomes a visible problem.

Those front squats are killer. My wrists bleed for you :stuck_out_tongue:

25

[quote]Nikki9591 wrote:
I noticed that during squats, my left leg takes more of the load and usually burns more. I gotta fix that before it becomes a visible problem.

Those front squats are killer. My wrists bleed for you :P[/quote]

Yeah same here, I think its from growing up on a ranch and carrying things on my right side, means you lean to the left a little so my left leg took more of the load.

Thanks hopefully next week they feel better. They don’t hurt my wrists at all anymore from them but that took doing a lot of them.

26

7/14/10 Events

axle clean & press

80xsome
170x3
190x3
210xm clean
210x1
170x8
170x5

Yoke 100ft
150x2
240x2
330x2
420x2
belt on
490xlittle shy of 100ft

Keg load over 49" yoke
250 x 3 felt off

Good first real day back at event training for the most part. My press has felt off at this lower weight, My continental clean (wow I think that is the first time I have spelled continental right ever, what now it is two!) is real off, It will go back up! Doing a drop set on my pressing to work on explosiveness think it will work out.

yoke, hate it, it got better as I went along but on the 490 I got a horrible position with it on my back so it was way more of a struggle than it should have been.

27

8/15/10

close grip Flat Bench

95xsome
135x5
155x5
180x12 PR+5lbs

Close Grip Incline
135x10
135x10
135x10
135x8

BO BB ROW

185 3x8

Hammer curl

45s 3x8

DB Flies

30s 3x8

28

8/17/10 Deadlift

Two scoops again for a little 7am training

Strength feeling great, still as effective as the first time I used it. Hopefully this continues. Can’t say the same for all preworkout drinks.

Deadlift touch and go

135x5
225x5
295x3
335x3DOH
Add straps
375x8 EST 1RM 475

Power cleans

185 3x3

BB Shrugs

225 3x10 no straps

Deadlift felt ok strapped up for the top set as my left bicep is a little tender and no reason to play around. I think I set my grip a little narrow and didn’t adjust my belt right as my arm kept touching my belt really threw me off. Probably had 12 but oh well next time.

Man shrugs really hurt at first ever since I injured my trap/spine but the area feels better by the third set, train through the pain to improve!

Next two weeks I think I’ll be training in the PM I got a few extra commitments at work for a bit so I have to rush my training which I don’t like doing.

29

8/18/10

Strict OHP

Axle clean and strict press
80x5
115x3
130x3
150x6 est 1rm 179

BW Dips

5x10 up it to 12 next week I want to work my way up to bw 4x20

BW Pull ups

3x8 (not sure why my pull ups been sucking)

circuit

1A bb curl

95 2x8

1B Y raises

2x8

1C Band tricep pushdown

average band 2x15

ab rollouts 2x10

Plate pinches

3 10s should have times them but damn my right thumb strength is still horrible and painful

max time x2 each hand

The axle felt real strong I went back to wearing olympic shoes and felt a lot more stable. I don’t know what happened the reps where flying up then on the 6th rep it stalled right above my head but I knew I was going to blast through the sticking point and I thought in my head this is a struggle but its going up which I think made me not push past the sticking point and wore my shoulders out so the 7th rep wasn’t there. Stupid me just lift!

30

3x8 pull ups doesn’t suck… well, not for weaklings like me anyway.

You go hard dude :wink:

31

[quote]Nikki9591 wrote:
3x8 pull ups doesn’t suck… well, not for weaklings like me anyway.

You go hard dude ;)[/quote]

Nah they don’t suck just felt off, my damn traps are real tight lately and feel weird when I do pull ups

Ok I’ll go hard, starting NOW, or tomorrow when I do front squats 270 for reps best ever was 8 reps when I was fatter.

32

8/20/10 Front Squat

Yesterday I went with my friend 280 miles each way to pick up a GTO he bought and didn’t get my normal meals in (btw wendys is great.) So I was real ran down today. Checked the NAS website and saw nationals events where posted! I instantly got real pumped to train.
Power Snatch

95x3
115x3
135x3
155x1

Front Squat

135x5
185x5
210x3
245x3
275x6

Went back to the OLY shoes for my squats as well, positives and negatives to barefoot. Looking at the video real pissed at myself for not getting those last two reps for a 5lb all time pr. who cares next week I’ll get 285x8

Kept it short, doing some events tomorrow AND sunday Going to get used to doing events back to back for Nats Got to bring it for that!

33

Strongman Nationals Events and thoughts
The events for North American Strongman (NAS) Nationals where released today and my entry is in the mail!

Nationals will take place on November 12th and 13th in Reno, NV at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino.

It is a two day contest with 3 events Friday starting at 11pm! and 4 events Saturday starting at 1pm. I have never done a two day contest let alone 7 tough hard events so I am a little nervous about that but excited at the same time! If I reading it right and the first day starts at 11pm this is going to be crazy!

The 175lb class is being contested separately with different weights in some of the events. I think this is a great idea by NAS and something I have said would be a good idea for awhile now. Just real happy to see NAS giving a little more attention to the little guys and seems to me they might try to build up the little guy classes in 2011 which I am real excited for

Day 1 events

Event 1. Medley: 600lb yoke 60’ 250’ sandbag 60’ 60 second time limit

My yoke is really coming along, the weight isn’t to heavy at all. Just got to continue to improve on my yoke and get a sandbag and get comfortable with the pick, pretty confident with this event.

Event 2. 150lb 10" Giant DB Clean and Press for reps

Man this event is daunting but I think very crucial for me to take home the national championship. 150 is real heavy for a 175lber hell its 25lb under bodyweight press with 1 arm! My best is 130. I think I have a real shot at getting a rep or two if I train my ass off. If a few 175’ers pull a rep or two it will most likely really seperate them from the pack and that is my plan.

Event 3. Car deadlift for reps (Economy sized car) Side handles

This is a good event for me! Excited this is in nationals and that it seems to be one of the events that isn’t lighter, which suites me.

Day two Start time 1 PM

Event 4 Axle Clean and press each rep 200lbs clean each rep

Happy the weight is fairly light, my axle clean is fairly slow so I really got to work on the clean, my press will be fine, key is fast and effective clean to not waste time and energy

event 5 keg load and sled drag everything 60’ 230/250 kegs 500 sled drag.

Kegs have somehow became a good event for me so excited this is cardio cardio cardio! got to work on my sled drag

Event 6 500lb Giant frame carry 60’

Happy it is a frame compared to farmers as in my experince they seem a little easier to grip for me and they are a bit wider which keeps my hands away from my wide hips and legs, a problem I have with farmers. as it is one solid piece, the “giant” word makes it a little intidmating but glad it is not overly heavy.

Event 7 Atlas Stones 240,300,330,360,390 60 seconds

Basically I got to train stones hard.

Just putting my thoughts down, it really helps. Can you tell I am excited for my first trip to nationals?
Entry form says 100$$'s will be given out for each event win so I plan to win some $ in Reno :slight_smile:

34

That sounds awesome! Can’t wait to hear how well you do.

35

[quote]Nikki9591 wrote:
That sounds awesome! Can’t wait to hear how well you do.[/quote]

Yeah real excited for it!

Todays training

8/21/10 Axle press and farmers walk
Damn got some sleep and ready to go, happy I know the events for nat’s so I can start training specifically for them.

Axle clean and press (clean each rep)

80xsome
150x3
200x3

clean and press for reps

150x8 for speed/endurance/explosiveness

farmers walk

up to 240 for 50ft

kept it short, going to train events saturday and sunday to get used to a two day contest so I’ll increase the volume up over the next few weeks.

I was really working on having a fast transition from the clean to the press, happy with how that went. Need to get better at my clean but good for the first week.

36

Everything’s looking good? How in the hell do you front squat with such a wide stance?

37

[quote]novaeer wrote:
Everything’s looking good? How in the hell do you front squat with such a wide stance?[/quote]

Thanks?

It just feels the most comfortable for me, I stand with a fairly wide stance for alot of my overhead pressing as well.

I’ve seen other strongman do wide stance front squats. I’ll switch it up sometimes but I have the most power from that stance.

38

[quote]Kalle wrote:

[quote]novaeer wrote:
Everything’s looking good. How in the hell do you front squat with such a wide stance?[/quote]

Thanks?

It just feels the most comfortable for me, I stand with a fairly wide stance for alot of my overhead pressing as well.

I’ve seen other strongman do wide stance front squats. I’ll switch it up sometimes but I have the most power from that stance. [/quote]

Sorry. That was a keyboard misfire. I put in the proper punctuation. :0

I only ask because I tried it the first time I front squatted (yes, the first time - I’m averse to trying new things) a few months back and it didn’t feel very good. I just stuck with the close stance. Seemed to work the best and no problem getting rock bottom.

39

[quote]novaeer wrote:

[quote]Kalle wrote:

[quote]novaeer wrote:
Everything’s looking good. How in the hell do you front squat with such a wide stance?[/quote]

Thanks?

It just feels the most comfortable for me, I stand with a fairly wide stance for alot of my overhead pressing as well.

I’ve seen other strongman do wide stance front squats. I’ll switch it up sometimes but I have the most power from that stance. [/quote]

Sorry. That was a keyboard misfire. I put in the proper punctuation. :0

I only ask because I tried it the first time I front squatted (yes, the first time - I’m averse to trying new things) a few months back and it didn’t feel very good. I just stuck with the close stance. Seemed to work the best and no problem getting rock bottom.[/quote]

haha I figured,

my knees get jacked when I do them close stance, just goes to show everyone is different.

40

8/22/10 Highland games throwing

Did some wfd with a 10lb weight
some 16lb hammer throws then down to 12 to work on technique I think I finally got the technique down so I am sure at my next games pr’s will be obliterated.

Bramear stone,

more hammer

some light log presses

some tire flips

8/23/10 Bench Press

man my back was tight coming into training it took forever to get warmed up, Doing this I ended up taking Methyl Mass about 45 minutes before training which I think was awesome. as I usually wait about 15-20 and I noticed it really picks up a little into my workout. So I think this worked out well.

barx
135x5
155x5
175x3
190x12 PR+10lbs

Dips

BW 4x20 PR

chinups band assist 3x10

behind the back wrist curl 3x10

This was a great training session, my training is going exactly how I need it to, strength is climbing, endurance is getting better, weight is staying the same and I am visibly leaner.