Matts strength and strongman log

[MFarrar74]

I want to keep a log to track my progress as I attempt to develop some strength and eventually compete in a strongman event or two.
Background:
I have been an avid lifter since 2006 and was very dedicated until late 2009 when I broke my arm, arm wrestling. It was a catastrophic break that cost me a full year of training and has really hindered my development and motivation ever since. At the time of the break my big 3 were around 450 bench, 650 dead and 550 squat. I always trained for mass and size and did tons of cardio. I guess you could call it a bodybuilding routine. For the last year ive been back to training pretty steady and I am finally starting to see some real upper body gains, although I still get a ton of pain in my left arm/elbow when I go heavy.
Current:
Ive decided to start training for strongman and power and would like to pursue competing in the future. My current base lifts are as follows
Bench 345
Squat 450ish (need to get deeper)
Deadlift 545 probably can hit 600.
Clean and press 245 (did this for the first time in 10 years last week)

Ill be following a hybrid routine, basically 5x5 for a week 3x3 for a week 5-4-3-1 for a week then an 8-10 rep week.
Mondays
Clean and press
Bench or incline
Squat
Tri push downs

Tuesday
Deadlifts
Front squat
Accessory

Wednesday
Off/sled pulls

Thursday
Squat
Rack pulls
Hang cleans or power cleans
Accessory

Friday
Off/stairs

Saturday
Events day
Don’t have a lot of yet. Truck pulls, shouldering natural stones and railroad ties. Im working on getting a big tire and building a yoke/ farmers walk.

Ill try to update after each workout so I can track my growth. Wish me luck getting back to strong and taking it even further.

Matt

[MFarrar74]

Monday 3/26 3x3
Felt very weak today. I had to workout in the morning due to work. Just didn't feel it.
Bench working sets
275x3
315x3
315x2
315x1
Never had the juice to step up.

Clean and press
135x10
185x 5
205x3
225 missed.
135x10

Tri press down 3x8 300 lbs

Lateral raises 40s 3x10

Didn't even attempt to squat. I'll make sure I get enough food in my system before I go today.

[MFarrar74]

Deadlifts day
5min warm up on tread
Hang cleans
2x10 135
2x3 185
2x3 205

Deads
Speed sets
10x2 reps 225 with 20 seconds rest between sets
315 x3
405 5 x 1 1min rest between sets
455 1x1
405x3

Front squats deeeeep
1x8 135
2x5 185
1x5 205
3x3 225

Cardio mowed my grass up and down as fast as I could. My yard is on a 30 degree angle and around half acre of grass.

[MFarrar74]

off day and i need it. last two days ive felt a bit weak at high weight stuff. coming back tomorrow with the thunder.

[MFarrar74]

Snatch
115x10
135 5x5
185x1

Squat way deep
135x10
225 3x3
275 2x3
315 3x3

The depth is killer if I go an inch higher I can push twice the weight. Really have to focus on explosive hit in the hole.

3" below parallel box squat
135 5x8

Static weight hold 3 sets 30 seconds 130 lbs db in each hand.

[NC_Tarheel]

In on tall person log

Subbed

[MFarrar74]

saturday event training.
odd object carry
300lbs rail road tie carrys
5 ties carried 100ft up hill

10 40 yard sprints

[MFarrar74]

Press focus days
Straight leg dead lift
4x10 135
Power snatch 5x3 135 super set with chest supported rows 80s each hand 5x8

Speed sets 5x3 standing strict press. 135,135, 155,155,155. 20 seconds rest between sets.

Superset front squat, bent over bar row, incline bench
3x3 reps each
Front squats 225 all 3 sets
Row 270 all 3 sets
Incline 225, 225, 255.

2 extra sets of 255x5 after

Tricep push down/dip 3x10 300 lbs

Superset cable lat pulls underhand and cable tri pushdown max machine weight 3x8. I think 300lbs each.

Great workout, very little rest between sets.
Next week ill skip the supersets and cleans and focus on big weight.

[NC_Tarheel]

You got any specific contest in mind or are you just training to get stronger right now??

[MFarrar74]

You got any specific contest in mind or are you just training to get stronger right now??

just trying to reestablish my power and get stronger. especially core and explosiveness. Once I get my clean and press over 250, squat over 500 and dead over 600 ill probably look into a strongman event. My conditioning needs a lot of work as well. I was sucking wind with the supersets last night.

[NC_Tarheel]

just trying to reestablish my power and get stronger. especially core and explosiveness. Once I get my clean and press over 250, squat over 500 and dead over 600 ill probably look into a strongman event. My conditioning needs a lot of work as well. I was sucking wind with the supersets last night.

That's kinda where I am headed but I would gladly trade you some conditioning for some static strength!!

Do you train at home or in a gym??


EDIT: My college roommate was from Delray...nice place to live

[MFarrar74]

That's kinda where I am headed but I would gladly trade you some conditioning for some static strength!!

Do you train at home or in a gym??


EDIT: My college roommate was from Delray...nice place to live

Delray is awesome. i moved back to arkansas and i miss it.
i train at a local gym, its pretty decent they have a back room with rubber floors you can get pretty crazy in. good for bangin weights around.
lol, i could use all the conditioning you can give!
tell you what, being tall makes it tough on gym lifts but i think we have an advantage when it comes to actual real world power. carries over well to strongman. have you competed at all?

[MFarrar74]

Morning workout! Felt great today.

Power cleans Superset with shoulder dislocaters
135x3 with fatgripz 2 sets
185x3

Speedsets Deadlifts
225 3x2 with fatgripz
225 3x2
315 2x1
20 seconds rest between sets
405x3 after short rest

Squats Superset with one arm db clean and press
75lbs db with fatgripz 3 reps in each hand after each set of squats

225x1
225x1
315x1
315x1
315x1
365x1
365x1
135x10 butt to floor
Depth is still my weakness

Standing db curl with fatgripz
3x10 35s

Fatgripz are crazy... I like them.

[NC_Tarheel]

Delray is awesome. i moved back to arkansas and i miss it.
i train at a local gym, its pretty decent they have a back room with rubber floors you can get pretty crazy in. good for bangin weights around.
lol, i could use all the conditioning you can give!
tell you what, being tall makes it tough on gym lifts but i think we have an advantage when it comes to actual real world power. carries over well to strongman. have you competed at all?

I've competed once as a novice and 4 times as an <231. I got my first powerlifting meet coming up on the 14th of this month.

I agree about being tall. I just need to add some quality size to help move along my crappy gym lifts!!!

[MFarrar74]

I've competed once as a novice and 4 times as an <231. I got my first powerlifting meet coming up on the 14th of this month.

I agree about being tall. I just need to add some quality size to help move along my crappy gym lifts!!!

Good luck with the meet, sounds like fun. I bet the adrenaline alone will up your lifts. Sounds like your squat will be up over 400 by then for sure!

[MFarrar74]

Superset snatch Bb rows and box jumps

5x5
Snatch 135
Bb row 225
Box jumps x10
This had my heart beating like crazy

Standing strict press
135x 5 fatgripz
135x8 fatgripz
185x5
185x5
3x8 135

Bb shoulder shrugs 3x10 315 fatgripz

Neutral grip cable lat pulls fatgripz 275lbs
4x8

Db shoulder shrugs 130s each hand 3x8

3x10 box jumps

No more than 1 min rest between any set. Feel like my conditioning is getting better. Next week I'm cutting the super sets and focusing only on press, squat and Deadlifts. It's going to be a heavy week.

[MFarrar74]

20 mi hilly bike ride today fun cardio

[MFarrar74]

8mi easy bike ride.

[MFarrar74]

Hang clean Superset with bent over Bb rows
3x5
185
185
225

Straight leg dead
3x8 225

Bench press
135x10
225x8
225x5
275x3
315x2
315x2
335x2
355x1

Strict press oh Superset with db dead lift
135 3x10 120s each hand 3x8

Dips 3x8

[MFarrar74]

In hotel on business, had to do a basic workout.
Superset db curls, db front raises and db laterals.
3x8 40s in each hand

Curl up to Arnold press
3x8 40s

Concentration curls
3x8 30s

Hammer curls
3x10 50s

20 seconds rest between sets.

Back to heavy tomorrow.

[MFarrar74]

Deadlifts
225x2
225x2
315x2
315x2
315x2
405x2
455x2
495x2

Ohp
135x5
185x5
185x3
225x2

Bentover row
225 5x5

Db shrugs
130s each hand
3x10

[MFarrar74]

Power clean
135 2x5
185 3x5
205x3

Clean and press
205 3x3

Box squat
45 x10
135 2x5
185 x3
225 2x3
275 2x3
315

Squat 315 x 3

Close grip cable pulldowns
Max weight 3x5

Rack pulls
225 2x5
315x5
405x2
495x2
585 miss

Tricep pushdown
2x20 300lbs

[MFarrar74]

18 mile bike hilly and windy ride yesterday.

[MFarrar74]

Superset snatch and shoulder dislocaters
5x3 135
5x10

Speedsets ohp
135 8x2 20 seconds between

Speedsets box squat 20 seconds between sets
135 x2
185x2
225 5x2

Bench
225x5
225x5
275x5
275x5
315x3

Deficit Deadlifts
225x5
225x5
315x3
315x3
405x3

Cable pulldowns
2x12 185

Cable seated pulls front
2x8 300

[MFarrar74]

Hang clean
135 2x5
185 3x3

Speed Deadlifts 20 seconds between sets
225x2
315 8x2

Squats
135x10
225x5
285 2x5
315 2x3
Finally got my form right, these were super deep. Now. I can start making real gains.

Ohp standing
135x10
185x5
135x10

[MFarrar74]

Shoveled 3 tons of dirt today, layed sawed. Doesn't sound like much cardio but 6000 lbs of dirt moved by hand will get the heart beating and it's good core work.

[NC_Tarheel]

Shoveled 3 tons of dirt today, layed sawed. Doesn't sound like much cardio but 6000 lbs of dirt moved by hand will get the heart beating and it's good core work.

I had to do the whole dirt/sod thing when I worked at a golf course. Possibly could have been the worst day of my life

[MFarrar74]

I had to do the whole dirt/sod thing when I worked at a golf course. Possibly could have been the worst day of my life

I feel your pain. Kicked my ass.

[MFarrar74]

Hang snatch
135 3x3

Incline bench
155x10
185x5
225x5
225x5
245x3
My arm was killing me.

Smith shoulder press
225 5x8

Bent over row
225 5x5

Straight leg dead
225 3x8

Db rows
3x7 130s

Lat cable pulldowns
250 2x8

[MFarrar74]

Squat
135x10
225x5
275x5
275x5
315x5
315x5

Bench
135x15
225x5
275x5
275x5
275x5

Bb row
225 5x5

Killer workout