531 for Strongman, week 1, day 1 cycle 7
I moved DL day to Tuesdays instead of Thursdays so I am fresher for event days.
Deadlift
5 x 275
5 x 305
1 x 2 x 345 my hamstrings and glutes were breaking down pretty quickly, feeling really tight and close to getting broken. This was pretty surprising because 305 x 5 was no big deal
Front Squats
5 x 175
3 x 225
2 x 245
Glute ham raises
3 x 3ish, again, glutes, hams, toasted
531 for Strongman, week 1, day 3 cycle 7
Log clean and press
5 x 120
3 x 140
1 x 160
2 x 1 x 180 these felt really good. I missed 180 a few eeeks ago after finally hitting it.
Atlas stones
155, 195, 225, missed 250 (not lapped right)
I could feel the gas tank emptying so I decided to move to 275 rather than another 250 attempt
275, had trouble finding that leverage point to break the ground. Broke the floor, stepped in/under it, lapped right, but just not enough drive to stand up.
I’m in my own head too much. This holiday season sucked for a variety of reasons. I’m in a miserable funk. Going low carb as of now. It might make the next couple of days hard, but usually my mood improves as my waist shrimks.
531 for Strongman, week 2, day 1 cycle 7
Deadlift
3 x 285
3 x 224
3 x 365 did all of these sets double overhand. I attempted to use straps (really thick spudz) but I didn’t like the feel off it. I decided to start using straps so I don’t need a mixed grip, and because most strongman contests allow them anyways
Front Squats (paused)
3 x 175
3 x 225
3 x 265
Glute Ham Raises
3 x 5ish (different machine, a little easier)
I started a low carb phase to try to trim the holiday weight off. I feel fantastic, which is surprising considering I am in day 2/3 when I usually feel like hell. This is also the micro-phase when my strength bottoms out, but I handed 365 like a boss and probably should have hit front squats harder.
531 for Strongman, week 1, day 2 cycle 7
OHP
3 X 105
3 X 115
3 X 130
Dick’s press
3 x 5 x 85
Lat Pulls (fat bar)
10 x 150
2 x 10 x 170
Incline press
3 x 155
3 x 185
3 x 205
Dips
3 x 5–feeling stronger on these again
sled pushes
3 x 100ft x 180lbs (with 10 second turn around) 8-9.5 level sprints.
On day 5 of low carb, I can’t believe the difference in this time. I have more energy than I did eating carbs, or than any other time low carbing. I have been eating a lot of fatty pork from a roast and I think the higher fat is making the difference. I have been supplementing with some Metrx protein bars, which are higher in carbs than I would like, but they are a treat and got my through training. I’ve been pissing like its my job, but it hasn’t reflected in the scale yet…but I don’t care because I feel like a Boss.
531 for Strongman, week 1, day 3 cycle 7
I was feeling good, so I thought I?d take a crack at my nemesis, the 275lb stone first. I warmed up on lighter stones but I could feel something was off. My sleep has been erratic, and the negativity was seeping in. I was over thinking everything, and needless to say after 3-5 attempts I came up empty.
A week before I have a FB conversation with Chase Karnes about ?off season? programming. He said essentially, get as strong as you can, and then work on the event skills closer to the competition. This and my experience with the stone got me thinking. My work capacity seems low these days and some higher volume might be just the thing. I had my some of my best gains from Sheiko cycles, so why not use the template and structure it around the strongman core lifts? So, I took the latest Sheiko program directly from his forum, changed squats to front squats, and bench to overhead. I may use some of the overhead sets for the assistance I have been doing, but I think some controlled hammering of OHP and Front Squats will make some real progress. I am going to try to include some events as ?practice? so I don?t lose the skills, but I?ll be Sheiko-ing for at least the next month starting this week.
Sheiko For Strongman, week 1, day 1
My awesome handcrafted spreadsheet wouldn?t open when I got to the gym so I had to do it from memory.
Front Squats
5 x 135
5 x 175
5 x 185
5 x 205
4 x 225
3 x 235
OHP
5 X 95
5 X 105
5 X 115
3 X 120
3 X 125
Front Squats
5 x 175
5 x 195
3 x 205
3 x 225
These are all estimated because of the trouble with the spreadsheet. This was actually supposed to be an OHP centric day, not FS but the deep to the bone soreness is a pleasant reminder os Sheiko’s warm embrace.
Sheiko For Strongman, week 1, day 2
Deadlift
3 x 205
4 x 245
3 x 285
3 x 4 x 305
Incline dumbbell press
3 x 45 ea
3 x 50 ea
3 x 55 ea
3 x 4 x 60 ea
Deadlift from boxes
3 x 245
3 x 285
3 x 4 x 305
I “super-setted” pressing and DL from boxes due to time. I have been running late all week and as a result rushing through everything. the superset actually worked out really well, but I doubt it would work when the volume increases.
I am considering doing my regular event day on Saturday, kind of steering away from my original idea of solid strength work for at least a month, but I am concerned about loosing my skills and realizing that it might not be realistic to add some events after Sheiko sessions.
Sheiko For Strongman, week 1, day 3–events
Log Clean and Press
2 x 140
2 x 1 x 160
2 x 180
1 x 180
3 x 0 x 190 It seems everytime I go for a new PR I have to readjust my technique. I would have had (famous last words) but I keep throwing it forward instead of up. My new DL off the floor vs rowing it is working nicely. For what ever reason it makes the clean portion stronger and I rack with my elbows up…finally.
Yoke
100ft x 355 punctuated by braining myself with the bar on the drop
2 x 50ft x 445
2 x 50ft x 505 sooooo slow, but no drops and done
Sheiko For Strongman, week 2, day 1
Front Squat
5 x 145
4 x 175
2 x 205
4 x 225
2 x 3 x 225 (misread the program, should have been 4 sets of 2)
OHP
5 x 65
4 x 85
3 x 100
2 x 5 x 115
Front Squat
3 x 175
3 x 195
3 x 4 x 225
Good mornings
5 x 5 x 135 I have not done these in a long time, but they were not as bad as I expected.
Sheiko For Strongman, week 2, day 2
Deadlift to knees with 1 second pause
3 x 205
3 x 243
3 x 4 x 285
OHP
5 X 75
3 X 95
3 X 4 X 105
Deadlift
3 x 245
3 x 3 x 285 I messed up on loading, this should have been 3 x 4 x 305.
3 x 315
I was not feeling 100%, but both lifts felt light to the point that I checked the math on the percentages. This morning, I had a stomache issue, so maybe that was just the foreshadowing.
following my last post came down with a stomach bug. Getting tight and under weights with a stomach bug is not good, so I missed my day 3 workout. Then, Winter storm Whatever hit the following Tuesday, which caused me to miss again. So, back finally Thursdays, I made deadlifts the priority
Sheiko For Strongman, week 3, day 2
Deadlift
3 x 205
2 x 2 x 265
3 x 285 I pretty much messed this group up. This should have been deficit DL’s, and the last set should have been 3 sets of 1.
OHP
4 X 65
3 X 85
3 X 95
3 X 2 X 115
2 X 125
Dick’s Presses
3 x 3 95
Deadlift from boxes
3 x 285
3 x 325
2 x 2 345
3 x 3 x 365 again, off script but I was feeling good so I went with it
Sheiko For Strongman, week 3, event day
circus dumbbell
3 x 65
3 x 0 x 100
I barely locked it out once, a judge might have given it to me, but I need practice on this badly
Atlas stones
155 x 3 to 58inches
175 to 58inches
195 to 52
240 to 52
275 to 52 soooo close i could taste it. lapped correctly, I just wouldn’t arch to pop it up
sandbags
1 x 100lbs (or 125, i cant remember) 100ft
1 x 150 x 100ft
2 x 175 x 50ft
225, kind of gassed, I was having trouble getting a grip on it so I didn’t move it. @ 175 I grapped the bottom corner like a gi. there must be a better way to do this
Sheiko For Strongman, week 4, Day 1
Front Squat
5 x 175
4 x 185
3 x 215
2 x 4 x 225
OHP
5 x 65
4 x 85
3 x 95
3 x 4 x 115
Front Squat
3 x 175
3 x 2 x 200
2 x 4 x 225
I shoveled 14 or so inches of snow the day before so my back, and upper back/shoulders were a little fatigued. The FS felt light, but I did not have the drive for OHP and had a lot of trouble finding the groove. That being said, I think I should increase the max’s slightly in the next cycle.
Sheiko For Strongman, week 4, Day 2*
Deficit Deadlift
3 x 205
2 x 2 x 275
3 x 285
OHP
4 X 75
3 X 85
3 X 95
3 X 2 115
Dick’s Presses (aptly named)
3 X 3 X 95
Deadlift from boxes
3 x 245
3 x 285
2 x 2 x 345
1 x 3 x 365 these were a grind, but I got the work done. Lack of sleep, moon cycles, et al.
4 weeks into this experiment I feel good. Slightly beat-up, but not hurt. My ribs (probably really the lat attachment) ache a little, which is typical for me on a higher volume program and sticking to low carb, but they felt better once I was warmed up to operating temp. I feel strong and ready for the volume. The last sets of DL were tough, but I knew I’d get them done.
*As usual, once I get o the gym I get kind of stupid. I flipped my spreadsheet to what I thought was the right week/day and ran with it. I actually should have done a lower volume on DL and a higher volume on OHP, a’ la week 4 day 2, but I can always use more DL work so here I am.
Sheiko For Strongman, week 4, event day
Log clean and press
3 x 140
1 x 3 x 180
Circus Dumbbells
65 no problem
100 4-5 attempts, an inch from lockout, but zeroing in on technique
Log c&p
3 x 0 x 200…but pretty close
3 x 0 x 180 lost my spark
keg carry
100 x 100ft
150 x 5ft x 3
Sheiko For Strongman, week 5, day 1 (officially #31, new version)
OHP
5 X 75
4 X 85
3 X 105
2 X 4 115
Front Squats
5 x 2 x 175
2,4,6,7,5,3 x 215 da’fuk! Shit just got real.
Dick’s presses (due to the clock running down on me)
3 x 3 x 95
So, #37v2 (the first 4 weeks) is really just a prep period. #31 is where things get serious, apparently. The FS volume was a grind. I tried to keep rest to a minimum too, for scheduling, so it compounded the pain. This is the Sheiko I love to hate.
Sheiko For Strongman, week 5, day 2
Deadlift to knees
3 x 205
3 x 245
3 x 285
2 x 4 x 325
OHP
5 X 70
4 X 85
3 X 100
2 X 2 115
2 X 2 X 125
2 X 2 115
Deadlift from boxes
3 x 245
3 x 285
2 x 2 x 325
1 x 2 x 365 I am not sure if
Sheiko For Strongman, week 5, day 2
Deadlift to knees
3 x 205
3 x 245
3 x 285
2 x 4 x 325
OHP
5 X 70
4 X 85
3 X 100
2 X 2 115
2 X 2 X 125
2 X 2 115
Deadlift from boxes
3 x 245
3 x 285
2 x 2 x 325
1 x 2 x 365 I am not sure if
Sheiko For Strongman, week 5, day 2
Deadlift to knees
3 x 205
3 x 245
3 x 285
2 x 4 x 325
OHP
5 X 70
4 X 85
3 X 100
2 X 2 115
2 X 2 X 125
2 X 2 115
Deadlift from boxes
3 x 245
3 x 285
2 x 2 x 325
1 x 2 x 365 I am not sure if I got 1 or 2 singles done. I got a splitting headache from the first rep. I also was super setting the OHP for the sake of time. This morning I surprisingly not sore, but bodily tired. DL from the boxes murders my glutes, but doesn’t murder me, but I guess that is the point.
Sheiko For Strongman, week 5 Event day
I got a flat tire on the way in, Saturday morning in 7 degree weather. This would generally be no big deal, but I couldn’t get the tire off for 45 minutes, which I spent banging, pulling and slamming the tire trying to get it loose.
I got to the gym (finally) and thawed out, being strangely frozen, yet warmed up.
Circus dumbbell
5 x 65–easy
? x 100 starting to figure this out
1 x 5ish x 85 (smaller steel one w/o caps) I think I found the spot on this. I had my elbow lower, shoulder aligned and I took off nicely.
120 ish (same with caps on) I may have had 1 legit rep, in a lot of attempts, but I am making progress. I am actually starting to enjoy this
Atlas stones–all to 52 inches
155 x 3
185 x 3
225 x 2–nice triple extension
My goals for the day were sorting out techniques. I feel like I accomplished that. My atlas feel confident, 225 being aprox 80%. I wish I could find big diameter stones at the same weight. the 275 is larger by a few inches, so it throws me off a little, but I got my knees together under the stone so its nice and high on my chest as I come up. The dumbbell…coming along nicely.
the constant cold and snow up her in New England is hurting my recovery. The cold makes every ache worse, and it seems like I am shoveling when I need to recover the most…and my diet is crap because I contently hungry.