11/4/19 - Lightish log day. Felt horrible, lack of sleep and just fried. Did what I had to do though.
Log C&P
110x5,5
160x3
250x3
250x3 laughably bad, shaky, and just miserable.
200x3
200x3
200x3
200x3
200x3
Strict Log w/ suspended bands (old thing i did a while back, seemed to help stability a bit)
160x4
160x4
160x4
160x4, four reps were all i could manage. This shit is hard!
Overhead Rack Lockouts (bar at forehead)
135x8
185x5
205x3
225x2
245x1 heaviest I’ve done on this. Grinder.
225x2, failed 3rd.
185x5
135x6
135x6
136x6 one of the best delt exercises. If you keep constant tension at the bottom off the pins, you absolutely nuke the shoulders.
I can’t really say that I am supporting this… I mean there are only men at my comps and I am kind of a lightweight at 273 lbs…
But on a more serious note I actually disagree. There is nothing stopping me from squatting/ pressing just as much weight without sleeves (yeah I get the point if we are talking about the ipf guys that need plastic bags to get their xxs knee sleeves on: Just lift in wraps damnit) BUT it feels better on my joints and leaves them less beat up. Same goes for the soft under belt. It warms my back and can help if I am beat up and experiencing back pumps.
Less beat up from the same work > faster able to do more work > get better.
I just don’t see the “bravery” in lifting sleeveless. It kinda feels like the guy always saying that he did a lift beltless when he never uses a belt. It’s not a statement that he used a variation. It’s bragging about his superiority when in reality it means shit since everyone can use a belt. Kind of Brian Shaw on deadlift suits, you know what I mean? How he made that big scene about how he feels it is cheating and not real strength to use one bla bla. When in reality he just doesn’t get anything out of it because a detail oriented athlete like him would have used everything within the rules to get an edge.
Hm this turned into a rant that makes it seem like I have strong feeling on this matter which I actually don’t
The opposite: barbell makes my elbows and wrists hurt more. The wider diameter of an axle displaces the weight out further, which tends to beat up joints less.
Do you use a thumbless grip with an axle? A full grip could be causing issues.
I only use a thumbless grip if I am doing strict pressing. I think the issue stems from the eccentric portion of push presses. I usually try to do my eccentric in push presses like a weightlifter. I let the bar come down in a controlled fall and absorb the impact. The lack of any whip and rotation with the axle might cause me some problems there. That’s just a theory
We have very different approaches to overhead training. I (can) rely a lot less on brute strength and rely a lot on leg drive and technique. The strict press usually doesn’t have a big place in my training since I seemed to progress better by filling that slot with other exercises in the past. I am bringing it back currently for my off season though.
Less different approaches and more that I am at the point where I don’t train to be the best strongman I can be anymore. I am giving up weight with how I train, but it’s how I want to train. Otherwise, I would push press more.
The prefatigue seems to work well for me though. Set PRs in recent comps with it.
Good point. Although I have to admit that I am pretty fixated on having a big push press just for the sake of it. I really want 130 next and 140 kg after irregardless if it carries over to log much (the by far most offen featured ohp event around here).
That’s totally fine. I ultimately give no discredit to someone who gets stronger with tons of gear on. In fact, I lost to some people at nationals who wore gear. They would have won without it, almost certainly.
As far as the “bravery” (really not much when you’re used to it) that goes into it: For me, I know my body well enough to feel when I can push beltless work. I used to do it all the time and end up injured, but nowadays I use it as a test of my “intimacy” with the weight.
Like today, I did beltless front squats up to 400lbs. I never do this really,but I wanted to get as close to raw weight as possible and feel my knees, quads, back and hips really brace under the load. If I went any heavier - quite a risk, and I’m losing the reward and gaining risk. It’s a balancing act that requires quite some aptitude.
That said, I take pride in being able to lift stuff with very little preparedness, but on the other side of the coin, I do risk injury. So I’m not any better for it. I think I’m just slightly insecure that I’m not fulfilling my goals as much as possible if I were to grab some gear. So yeah, I was being a bit inflammatory with my statement. Don’t think what I said dictates a strongly felt opinion on the matter; it’s all good at the end of the day. An aside- I’m actually in awe at how far you (yes, you @Koestrizer) have come in the last 3 years. I never consider what you’re wearing, only the incredible persistence and devotion you’ve acquired.
11/6/19 - bw 219. Finished a paper, napped and woke up feeling really sluggish. Ended up going really well.
Beltless FS
135x5,5
185x3,3
225x3,3
275x3
325x2
375x1
395x1
395x1
395x1 I did black out and had to dump it, got too pumped up pre lift
395x1 really smooth. Feels really good, as long as I descend slowly and stay centered, I barely tip forward and my quads have plenty of gas.
Sandbag Carry
200x100’
200x100’
260x250’ just about ties a PR with this bag. I have way more in me. I had turns at every 25 feet, so it was quite rough on the total distance.
Deadlifts
135x3,3
225x3
315x3
405x3
495x1
545x1
585x1 can say I’m actually happy with this. It’s not substantial long term, but it’s the most I’ve been able to work up to without pain or issues in a while, so i’ll take it.
Javorek Complex with Axle: 7 each of stiff leg deadlifts, hang cleans, push press, back squat, then rest 10 seconds and do 6 reps of each after, then to 5, all the way to 1.
Brutal but got it done with no issues. sooo much harder with an axle.
11/11/19 - bw 218, not a heavy or very strong day, but a productive day.
Log C&P *mix of push jerks and split jerks
110x5,5,5
160x3,3
220x3
220x3
220x3
220x3
220x3
Atm push jerks are feeling way better as to be expected. I also jerked on my left leg which isn’t used to this exercise at all. Might stick with left leg, as it’s my stronger leg, but feels somehow less natural?
Front Squat
135x5,5
225x3,3
275x3
belt on
365x3
395x3
395x3
395x3
395x3 sooooo so so so easy. Lightest a 400lb front squat has ever felt. My CNS is pretty thicc right now. Could have done 3 more sets if I wanted to. Stopped when the reps began to slow a bit.
Sandbag Carry
200x75’
200x75’
260x100’
260x290’ all time PR with this bag. Beats my prenationals run by 15 feet. I took top 10 in the husafell (out of 70 competitors at nationals, so i consider myself okay-ish at this event overall). Very very very fucking happy to see this. I have so much more strength to unveil. Got to play it safe and let my body recuperate.
