Becoming a HW Strongman

[WHT_LIGHTNING]

Even though my old lady hates how much money I spend on training, I honestly spend far less than I used to when I was going out to the bars regularly.

so much truth

[WHT_LIGHTNING]

Squats and Stuff

"Axle" CG Incline Bench Press

145 x 5 (6 sets)

*All paused for 2-3 count. Focused on explosion up. Not really intended to be speed reps, but the first few of each set were pretty quick.

BB Row
225 x 5
245 x 5
265 x 5
285 x 5
305 x 5

*Pretty happy with these. Last set was very tough, but stayed tight and hit the upper back nicely.

Pause Squats

*All Beltless
275 x 5
295 x 5
315 x 5
335 x 5

*Fourth squatting session in a row that I leave the gym in very good spirits. A couple weeks ago, I hit 275 x 5 with a pause and mentioned that it would be cool to hit 315. Well, 315 felt good and I moved up. Honestly, 355 would have probably been good too, but I hit my planned volume for the day and will conquer that and maybe more next time in the rotation.

Sumo Stance SLDL

225 x 12 (2 sets)

*Again done with stone width stance. Keeping the volume and intensity low on these for the time being.

Tricep Pressdown

3 sets of 10


Keeping the train rolling. I felt really good today and left a bit in the tank. I am going to try training on Monday and Wednesday next week with events on Saturday so I can push a bit more on my second training session. That said, resting and cooking tomorrow with events on Saturday. I have to work Saturday afternoon and early evening, so I am going to take my smoker into work and try my hand at smoking a pork shoulder. Pretty excited.

Nice work, how do you like the paused squats? I have never done them with any real amount of weight before

[thom2355]

so much truth

Says the man who dranks the goose

Nice work, how do you like the paused squats? I have never done them with any real amount of weight before

I really like them. After talking with some folks a lot better at this strongman stuff than I am, I found that finding ways to get stronger through the week without throwing a ton of load on your body is a very good thing. Three ways I have tested in the past few weeks have been the pause squats (and presses), beltless squats and fatigued singles on squats (squat for singles every 60 seconds)....and any combination of the three. I have found that the paused beltless variety seem as though they will really help my core strength, which is always nice (not real rocket science there).

That said, I only want to run paused squats once a week so that I can still focus on keeping my squat speed for heavy work.

[Black_Spit]

gjdm

That's a lot of weight to row for reps. That's a pretty loose style I assume?

Also I like the pause squats too. Especially @ moderate to light weights. Good assistance or speed exercise.

[thom2355]

gjdm

That's a lot of weight to row for reps. That's a pretty loose style I assume?

Also I like the pause squats too. Especially @ moderate to light weights. Good assistance or speed exercise.

Yes and no. I am not really swinging with my torso, but it is not at the same angle the whole time. I will drop the weight and keep the torso more tight and hit higher reps, as well as use the chest supported maching to take some stress off the lower back and focus more just hitting the back....but wanted to go heavy today. One of these days, I will start filming again.

Indeed. Make you feel more comfortable at depth. That said, I wouldn't used them excessively when training for a PL meet, but with what I am doing now, they seem like a perfect fit.

[FrmrHoss]

Jesus... I'm not shocked how fast you're putting the strength back on, but it is very humbling to us wannabes.

[dan_g_28]

Good job in here lately! A lot of work being done.

[thom2355]

Jesus... I'm not shocked how fast you're putting the strength back on, but it is very humbling to us wannabes.

Well....I only have like a 100 lbs on you.

I am feeling pretty good. Focused mentally, ready physically and following a plan. I want that 500 squat.

Good job in here lately! A lot of work being done.

Feeling good. I really like when my training revolves around squatting

[FrmrHoss]

May be true, but the bar doesn't know what either of us weighs

[workoutjunkie94]

1000 post!

[NC_Tarheel]

Solid session man!!

You are leaving us wannabes in the DUST!!!

[thom2355]

May be true, but the bar doesn't know what either of us weighs

But my knees do, hahahaha

1000 post!

indeed.

[thom2355]

Solid session man!!

You are leaving us wannabes in the DUST!!!

Another few months and I may actually be strong.

[NC_Tarheel]

Another few months and I may actually be strong.

I vary my squatting so I go like this....

Week 1 - squat @ X% - 5 X 2
Week 2 - Squat up to 3 RM
Week 3 - squat @ X% - 5 X 2
Week 4 - Squat to 2 RM
Week 5 - squat @ X% - 5 X 2
Week 5 - Squat to 1RM

I may toy around with my 5 X 2 weeks and work in pauses or possibly some accomidating resistance. I also do some type of GPP after squatting (prowler is my go to unless I get rained out)

I think (as you well know) that it's a delicate balance because our Saturdays are going to be slightly taxing on our hips

[thom2355]

I vary my squatting so I go like this....

Week 1 - squat @ X% - 5 X 2
Week 2 - Squat up to 3 RM
Week 3 - squat @ X% - 5 X 2
Week 4 - Squat to 2 RM
Week 5 - squat @ X% - 5 X 2
Week 5 - Squat to 1RM

I may toy around with my 5 X 2 weeks and work in pauses or possibly some accomidating resistance. I also do some type of GPP after squatting (prowler is my go to unless I get rained out)

I think (as you well know) that it's a delicate balance because our Saturdays are going to be slightly taxing on our hips

I am having the debate in my head as to whether Monday would be best for heavy work, or Wednesday would be. I think I want to keep Monday volume oriented at this time and hit the heavy stuff on Wednesday. If I stay at Tues/Thur, it is much more delicate as Tue would be heavy, but I don't want to cause too much damage on Thursday night as it really only leaves ~36 hours to Saturday morning training.

I want to squat with chains....

[NC_Tarheel]

I am having the debate in my head as to whether Monday would be best for heavy work, or Wednesday would be. I think I want to keep Monday volume oriented at this time and hit the heavy stuff on Wednesday. If I stay at Tues/Thur, it is much more delicate as Tue would be heavy, but I don't want to cause too much damage on Thursday night as it really only leaves ~36 hours to Saturday morning training.

I want to squat with chains....

I like to leave two days between my last gym session and event day myself. I mean..sometimes life happens and you just gotta get it in but this has been the most optimal way for me.


Squatting w/ chains does seem and even look awesome.


Wonder where the best place to get those for cheap would be??? Any ideas??

[thom2355]

I like to leave two days between my last gym session and event day myself. I mean..sometimes life happens and you just gotta get it in but this has been the most optimal way for me.

Squatting w/ chains does seem and even look awesome.

Wonder where the best place to get those for cheap would be??? Any ideas??

Kill prison work crew, take ankle chains, reduce state expenditure, get swole....profit????

Pretty much need 5/8" chain to make it worth your while. Damn near impossible at Lowe's, not probable at Home Depot, possilbe at large supply shop (Granger in this area)....but they will be expensive. I might order some from Elite, but really don't want to swallow that pill.

I have asked a couple of contractors that work for me to check their yard for old chain. Some of that stuff is pretty stout.

[NC_Tarheel]

Kill prison work crew, take ankle chains, reduce state expenditure, get swole....profit????

Pretty much need 5/8" chain to make it worth your while. Damn near impossible at Lowe's, not probable at Home Depot, possilbe at large supply shop (Granger in this area)....but they will be expensive. I might order some from Elite, but really don't want to swallow that pill.

I have asked a couple of contractors that work for me to check their yard for old chain. Some of that stuff is pretty stout.

Plus I would need A LOT since my rack position is a little higher than most (yours isn't too far behind either )

[thom2355]

Plus I would need A LOT since my rack position is a little higher than most (yours isn't too far behind either )

Yeah, but that is just a smaller (1/4" or 3/8") leader chain. Those are a little bit less expensive.

[NC_Tarheel]

Yeah, but that is just a smaller (1/4" or 3/8") leader chain. Those are a little bit less expensive.

Good point

[thom2355]

Events

Yoke

300 x 160'
400 x 160'
500 x 160'
590 x 80'
590 x 80'

*This is feeling better. The first run of 590 only had one drop, but that was a technical error on my part by setting the bar too low on my shoulders. The second run of 590 was pretty grueling. It was only ~3-5 minutes after the previous run. I think I only had two drops though, both because I got the damn yoke swinging.

Farmer's Carry
175 x 160'
225 x 160'
275 x ~10'
255 x ~70'

*225 was cake, as it should be. The other guy jumped to 275....I did pick it and start moving, but damn that was heavy. The pick pretty much took all I had today and I couldn't pick it again after the 10' walk. A couple guys brought some 10's and 5's and after a quick pit change, I was off to finish with the 255. Both are PRs in a half-a** kinda way.

Stones

*No tacky
205 x 4 (to 59")
240 x 4 (2 to 59", 2 to 54")
260 x 2 (both to 54")

*Pretty stoked here. That f*cking 260 didn't want to come off the ground last week and I double the b*stard today. If I feel up to it, I may take the 280 for a ride next week. Actually, we are suppose to tacky up next week as a few of the guys are competing in the Hoosier Strength Challenge II on June 9th. They have stones there, so tacky practice will be had. May go for the 300 stone if all feels well, but that also changes from an 18" stone to a 20" stone, so that will be way different.


Very happy with my training today. I bettered everything and won several mental battles along the way. I avoided pressing as I am having a couple shoulder issues out of no where. Gonna get on fixing that up right away.

[Black_Spit]

That's awesome. I may start making an effort to start doing some farmers walks too. You find them to be a good conditioning tool?

[thom2355]

That's awesome. I may start making an effort to start doing some farmers walks too. You find them to be a good conditioning tool?

If by conditioning you mean leaving yourself heaving for 3 minutes after a 15 second run, then yes....good for conditioning.

Honestly, everything I do on events day is what I consider good for conditioning. If you were to use it in just the sense that pulling a sled gets old, treadmills suck and my pants don't fit amymore....so I have to do something, any of it would be great. Use a weight that allows you to recover for your normal training and get to it. Probably my favorite tool for conditioning though is a sandbag. I like to take a 200 lb sandbag for 50-100' walks and repeat. Keeping in the 60-90 second range seems to be my sweet spot. I think a very effective conditioning program would be something like:

Sandbag or farmers for 100'
Pull sled for 3-5 minute as a slow pace
Repeat until say 20 minutes has expired (4-5 times)

Weights and pace are individual to the person doing the training, but I would start at say a 150 lb sandbag or 175 (each hand) farmers carry and keep the sled at say 45 lbs.

[WHT_LIGHTNING]

**** yoke

[thom2355]

**** yoke

I am regaining the callouses on my back from squatting still, so the pause squats Thursday left a few raw areas on my back from the knurling. These were further aggitated by the yoke today. Now my upper back is tender....like you say....f*ck yoke.

[NC_Tarheel]

Awesome progress man. I got stone over bar next week and farmers followed by prowler.

I love warm weather!!!!

[thom2355]

Awesome progress man. I got stone over bar next week and farmers followed by prowler.

I love warm weather!!!!

Thanks man. I am feeling really good. Gotta hammer the dead lift though.

Mid 80's here. Soaked shirt by the end of the farmers. Not a single fu'k was given. Beats winter ten fold.

[WHT_LIGHTNING]

I am regaining the callouses on my back from squatting still, so the pause squats Thursday left a few raw areas on my back from the knurling. These were further aggitated by the yoke today. Now my upper back is tender....like you say....f*ck yoke.

lol, nice.

[csday924]

**** yoke

Yep.

Nice strongman day thom!

[thom2355]

lol, nice.

I don't hate it quite as much as I use to, lol.

Yep.

Nice strongman day thom!

Thank you. It felt good.