I know. 45kg per hand is still crazy. Its crazy because hes db shoulder pressing what people struggle to flat db bench lol.
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That is very strong but that this, out of all of Vinny’s achievements in overhead lifting, is what is making you say that is kind of funny. 
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Hey Vinny, hope all is well and the calf is healing well?
1st question: How would I have to imagine a stone squat? Sound brutal! Do you shoulder it or bear hug?
Second, I would really like to get your opinion on something: We have talked a lot about deadlifts and after the last time I have switched to sumo deadlifts primarily. That has been going good so far. My program end in 2 weeks and I already have a new program picked out. I really would like to improve my deadlift to 190- ideally 200 kg, even though that is a stretch within this year.
Should I stick with sumo deadlifts to reach that and then see where I am at with conventionals or would you say I need to go back to conventional deadlifts anytime soon?
That is of course under the premise that I don’t compete in a show that features a deadlift this year. Which I wouldn’t know until 6 weeks out (yeah this federation kind of sucks…).
Stone squats is just when you lap a stone, then lift it into full extension as if to load onto a platform or over a bar, but then you just bring it back down into your lap and repeat.
Also, I would definitely experiment with sticking to sumo pulls. Get that number up more if you see it still consistently improving.
This has worked for me so well and I can only hope it does the same for you. If not, I’d feel kinda bad…though I can’t imagine how it wouldn’t. If your sumo pull goes up enough, your conventional will simply have to follow to a certain degree. Maybe try doing “form perfect”:RDL’s conventional deadlift style as assistance to keep your conventional form in tact while you hammer away at sumos. I know Martins Licis has done tons for his deadlift by almost exclusively doing lighter RDL’s but slow tempo and keen attention to form.
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Ah I got it, I just knew these as ‘stone extensions’.
Thanks a lot, Vinny. That is reassuring as I thought this might be the better route to go down.
In the next few weeks I will deadlift twice per week. I will do one sumo and the other some kind of conventional stance, like rdl or banded or something.
No problem man. Very happy to help.
3/9/18 - Bw 225
GM’s (i strongly dislike these as far as doing them, but they’ve done a lot for my posterior chain granted I don’t overdo them)
135x10
135x10
185x10
225x8
245x8
255x10
Bent Row (wide ass grip and straps cause biceps are trashed atm)
45x15
135x15
135x15
135x15
Banded Row (attached a black rogue band to an upright at about shoulder height and put the band around the bottom of my upper arm by my elbow, good lat isolation without bicep integration)
x10
x10
x15
x15 Definitely feels so much different than a DB row would.
2 Likes
3/11/18 - bw 224
Push Jerks (axle)
135x10,5
225x5,5
belt on
265x8
265x8
265x8
I was really not here mentally today. I just felt weak and just did not wanna lift at all. Still got a decent showing in.
Overhead Lockouts (bar set at just abovecrown height in rack)
135x10
185x10
205x8
225x7 grinder on last rep
drop set
185x10
135x10
Slingshot Narrow Push ups (on fists cause on my hands hurts my wristish)
x15
x15
x20
x20
Band Pull Aparts
x15
x15
x15
x15
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3/14/18 - bw 226
Beltless FS
135x5,5,5,5
225x3,3,3
275x3,3
335x3,3 eh feels misgrooved
365x3
365x5
365x5 hard
Definitely have never casually front squatted 365 with no belt for so many sets/reps. It felt so light I had to go for it.
Ab Pulldown
x15
x15
x15
x15 upped the tension on the band wiht this and it gave my abs hell, awesome stuff.
Waiter Walks
xa lot
x alot
x al o t
x a l o t
4 Likes
3/16/18 - bw 224
Stiff Leg RDLs
135x15
225x10
315x10
365x10
365x10 hook grip
405x10 hook
405x10 hook grip again, thumbs are numbed, tingly and very contused. Should have just used straps, just feel weaker with them than using hook.
Also getting some elbow pain from deadlifts. Doesn’t seem to mess with weighted pressing but general elbow movement is achy. I think it was from the bar shooting out in front during some of the reps and me saving it by pulling it in with my lats, and my elbow gets hit with a bunch of torque.
GMs
85x15
85x15
85x15
85x15
Banded Horizontal Row
x15
x10
x10
x10
x1 loaded the band up here, awesome lat engagement
Strict Press (axle)
135x5,5,5
185x3,3
225x1,1,1
245x1
265x3 ties a PR from a year ago, a bit upset about this.
My overhead hasn’t gone up at all in 3 years, (my log press has a lot), but everything else has, so eh.
I did some light laterals after, and I was gonna take today off instead but I just felt like lifting. I need a bit of a deload. Not sure if that’ll take place, but we’ll see.
3/21/18 - Bw 226
FS
45x8,8,8,8
135x10
135x10
135x10
Stone to Shoulder
180x8
180x8
180x8
Ab Pulldown
x15
x15
x10
x10
x10
DB Side Bend
40x20
40x20
40x20
40x20
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Bummer man. But I’d be stoked to be stuck at your overhead. Are you planning on changing your overhead training up to get it moving again?
3/23/18 - Bw 224, small injury in my low back from stone shouldering the 180# stone. A lesson to how strongman implements are a lot harder than barbells to use without getting injured.
Attempted DB rows, but my left SI joint was just not having it.
Pull Ups
x10
x10
x10 left bicep is aching.
Banded Horizontal Row
x15
x20
x20
x20
x20
GMs
45x30
45x30
45x30
45x30
45x30
3/25/18 - Bw 225, quick deload, boring stuff
Strict Overhead
135x15
135x15
135x15
Laterals
x15
x15
x15
Band Pull Apart
x15
x15
x15
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135 x 15 - just a boring deload !! Sounds like bodybuilding to me, lol
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3/27/18 - Bw 222
Front Squat
135x3,3,3,3
225x3,3
275x3
belt on
365x5
rest 60 sec
365x5
rest 90 sec
365x5
rest 120 sec
365x5 losing oxygen and stability, so i’m forced to bury these reps deep as fuck and honestly it’s pretty sketch. Still nailing it. Not sure if the marginally increased rest periods help recover.
rest 3 minutes
365x5
Belt was deliberately placed a hole short of max tightness just to keep things hard. Also, last session I did 3x5 with the same weight beltless, and it aggravated my back a little bit.
Ab Pulldown
x10
x10
x10
x10
DB Side Bend
x20
x20
x20
x20
3 Likes
So I take it life post calf tear has been okay-ish?
You are front squatting and shouldering stones again, so I assume your calf is mostly healed now.
Yeah, things are normal but both of my calves feel tighter than usual and get triggery from time to time. Also, I haven’t done tire flips yet, or anything extraneous of the calf muscles. It certainly healed enough to resume regular training, but I’m not sure how strongman movements will be to it.
3/30/18 - Bw 225, truly incredible how sore I get from squats. I couldn’t even bent over row with 135lbs without my left inner hamstring feeling like it was completely tearing from the bone. Holy shit! Can’t complain, my front squat is getting stronger.
Bent Over Row
135x8,8 ouch
-Flossed a bunch with a heavy band and it helped a bit-
225x10
225x10
225x10
225x10
Meadows Row (long time no see for these, always liked them)
25lbs x 15
50lbs x 15
75lbs x 10
100lbs x 10 great for grip considering i’m grasping the 2 inch sleeve of the barbell without straps
120lbs x 10
drop set (aboutt 1 min rest instead of instant, due to lactic acid in low back)
110lbs x 6-10 unbearable
100lbs x 10
75lbs x 15
50lbs x 15
Horizontal Banded Row (did these light, back just has nothing left in it so I just flushed it with blood)
x15
x15
x15
x15
Horizontal Band Curls
x15
x15
x10
x10
x10
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Do you extend with your calves in tireflips, or is it that you are just supporting yourself on the balls of your feet with them extended and that is difficult? In olympic lifting ankles extending are just a byproduct of knee and hip extension.