Becoming a HW Strongman

[NC_Tarheel]

Very nice Paul!!!

[thom2355]

Events

Axle Clean and Push Press

155 x 5
180 x 5
210 x 5

*goal was to get some reps in. No rebend/dip was used. All sets done beltless. Felt good.

Farmers Walk

175 x 160'
225 x 160'
225 x 160'
295 x pick and hold (not timed, but ~30 secs)

*my knee has been feeling funny, so I went for longer distance today. Training partners went to 295, so I did a pick and hold rather than walking. Pretty pleased with how this came up as it is the most I have picked.

Highlander Sucktastic Death Medley

200 lb slosh Barrel, 180 lb DB CARRIED 100' each and loaded onto sled....drag sled back.

*this had me talking to Jesus....it was deemed the Highlander because "there can only be one"....as typically we do two runs through, but all three of us wanted to die after this.



Gonna eat insane amounts of food now....

[thom2355]

RE Deadlift

Deadlift from 3" Blocks (~12" bar height)

Singles to 475
515 x 3

435 x 3 (3 sets)

*I hit 500x3 from 16" a few months ago, so I wanted to try and better that mark. Perhaps a bit aggressive, but I think these pulls would have been a lot better if I would have oriented the boards properly and used longer screws. The gap in the blocks separated cuz the screws I used were too short....so the bar rolled around a bit. Live and learn.

Inverted Rows

4 sets of 12

CG Band Pulldown
*Doubled Light Band

4 sets of 20

Ab Wheel Rollouts

4 sets of 10

Band Crunches

4 sets of 25


Not my best day. Coming down with some sort of cold, my lower back was sore all day yesterday and I had no energy at all. Still got the work in though. I am confident that a better setup and better not feeling like crap situation will improve the next go round.

Also, my RE/ME deadlift work this wave will be done from 3" blocks....DE from floor.

[bmontgomery87]

I really like your gym man. It looks pretty sweet.

Congrats on what I'm assuming was a block pull PR. 435 was looking smoother/faster than some of your older pulls.

[bmontgomery87]

Oh and, next time you do the band pulldowns (or any cool band excercise) will you throw up a quick vid? I need more back excercises to choose from so I'd like to see how they're done.

[thom2355]

I really like your gym man. It looks pretty sweet.

Congrats on what I'm assuming was a block pull PR. 435 was looking smoother/faster than some of your older pulls.

It is working out nicely. I have a couple more additions to make, but am pretty happy so far.

It is the most I have pulled from blocks....but I don't really want to celebrate anything until I pull 600 from the floor....or 660 from 18".

Oh and, next time you do the band pulldowns (or any cool band excercise) will you throw up a quick vid? I need more back excercises to choose from so I'd like to see how they're done.

Will do. I basically just hung a light band over my rack's chin up bar and put a clip around both ends....then clipped it to a CG handle. Sit on the floor and pull away.

[samsont]

Oh and, next time you do the band pulldowns (or any cool band excercise) will you throw up a quick vid? I need more back excercises to choose from so I'd like to see how they're done.

Single arm standing cable or band rows I recently been adding. great low stress back movement.. pulldowns are meh. When I had access to 24 hr PL gym/bands etc I would hang a barbell by some bands and setup in the rack like i'm going to bench... Then proceed to row in your bench setup w/ shoulders pinched etc. it was awesome. learned that from a vincent dizenzo(sp?) vid. it's like an inverted row but better.

oh and nice lifting thom695817235

[FrmrHoss]

Yeah, I think that gym set up is looking pretty sick. And I'm also impressed by your ability to grind through those reps. I feel like if I did one like that I'd be tapped out.

[NC_Tarheel]

It is the most I have pulled from blocks....but I don't really want to celebrate anything until I pull 600 from the floor....or 660 from 18".

I know that feel bro

[bmontgomery87]

I've tried the bench press rows or whatever. Saw them on Elite, Vincent probably posted it actually.

I don't have a cable setup in the gym so I've been trying to find some of the low stress movements. I love doing DB and BB rows but I train my back every time I lift, so I can't fry my low back before squats/deads.

Gonna try the "bench rows" again that you described, and give some pulldowns a shot. It'll be a welcome change from pullups.

[thom2355]

Single arm standing cable or band rows I recently been adding. great low stress back movement.. pulldowns are meh. When I had access to 24 hr PL gym/bands etc I would hang a barbell by some bands and setup in the rack like i'm going to bench... Then proceed to row in your bench setup w/ shoulders pinched etc. it was awesome. learned that from a vincent dizenzo(sp?) vid. it's like an inverted row but better.

oh and nice lifting thom695817235

Can't always pull horizontal brah....gotta get vertical too!

oh and thanks.

Yeah, I think that gym set up is looking pretty sick. And I'm also impressed by your ability to grind through those reps. I feel like if I did one like that I'd be tapped out.

I can grind a deadlift like a mothafacka....but I would rather blow through them Hickson style.

I know that feel bro

Yup....ain't worth celebrating until there is something to celebrate.

[scott_donald]

everyone is puling PRs right now... awesome stuff...

[thom2355]

ME Press

Axle Strict Press

155 x 2
165 x 1
175 x 1
185 x 1
195 x 1
205 x 0

*Not my best day here. I took small jumps up to a max press and I felt the fatigue after a bit....but should have hit 205. Bigger jumps and I have it, prolly 10 lbs more....but the bigger issue is that I was pressing everything forward. Gotta press back and get the head through. I hit my nose with the axle on warmups....so that may have been an issue....

CG Bench Press

185 x 10
205 x 10
225 x 8

Floor Press

185 x 15,14,12

Band Pressdown

3 sets of 30

BB Rows

185 x 15 (4 sets)

Band Assisted Pullups
*Avg Band

4 sets of 8


Not happy with the strict pressing, but everything else went very good. Gotta build these triceps so I can press more!

[thom2355]

everyone is puling PRs right now... awesome stuff...

Indeed....my upper back was destroyed after that!

Hamstrings and glutes still are.

[NC_Tarheel]

Totally agree...get those triceps stronger and that press is yours. On your second attempt of 205 it looked like your bar path was perfect...all you had to do was lock it out!!!

[thom2355]

Totally agree...get those triceps stronger and that press is yours. On your second attempt of 205 it looked like your bar path was perfect...all you had to do was lock it out!!!

Pretty much agree. That is where the fatigue came in. The first "attempt" took a bit out and 10 lb jumps are not really good for setting PRs. I will keep 10 lb jumps on ME days for some stuff though, just won't be looking for a PR.

[bigwade800]

Don't discount the fact you are training where it's cold alot of the time. I know you ahve heat but, I'm telling you, I've been to comps where it's just cool and see guys struggle. One year, NAS natls was close by and it was spitting snow and I saw more pulled calf and hams. Cold has a dramatic effect.

[thom2355]

Don't discount the fact you are training where it's cold alot of the time. I know you ahve heat but, I'm telling you, I've been to comps where it's just cool and see guys struggle. One year, NAS natls was close by and it was spitting snow and I saw more pulled calf and hams. Cold has a dramatic effect.

Yeah, I am conscious of that. I haven't activated heat yet, as it was 44 degrees in the garage at time of training, but that will become an issue here. I have implemented a bit more involve of a warmup protocol....which also could have got to me a bit. Keeping injury free this winter is priority #1 with strength gains being #2....but they pretty much go hand in hand.

[bigwade800]

So, the lesson there is not to get dissapointed or discouraged. These are the fractional things that can effect performance.

You're on the right track.

[thom2355]

DE Squat

Speed Squats

315 x 2 (5 sets)

*Wanted more sets, but form just felt off on the 5th set. Cut it there.

Dead Squats

315 x 1 (4 sets)

DB SLDL

110 x 10 (4 sets)

DB Lunges

50 x 10 (3 sets)

Ab Wheel Rollouts

3 sets of 10

Leg Lifts

3 sets of 15



Squats felt rough today. My hips have been very tight all week. Gonna make more of an effort to get them bad boys loosened up again. First time messing with dead squats in a while. Took me a bit to remember how to set up for them, but I really like this movement and will throw it in every several weeks. I switched up the assistance to DBs to take a bit of strain off my low back. I am going to try and save that for pulling heavy on Monday.

[thom2355]

So, the lesson there is not to get dissapointed or discouraged. These are the fractional things that can effect performance.

You're on the right track.

Indeed sir.

[NC_Tarheel]

Looked effortless.

I see you got the Dave Tate training hoodie going on. I broke down and ran my heat for a bit before training yesterday (when I got home my son was riding his bike and had the garage door wide open )

It doesn't get rough in my garage until January/February but the benefits outweight training at a commercial gym (says captain obvious)

[thom2355]

Looked effortless.

I see you got the Dave Tate training hoodie going on. I broke down and ran my heat for a bit before training yesterday (when I got home my son was riding his bike and had the garage door wide open )

It doesn't get rough in my garage until January/February but the benefits outweight training at a commercial gym (says captain obvious)

It ain't even cold yet. The gym was still right at 48 degrees yesterday. That thing is very well insulated. It is getting down to about 20 degrees at night, so keeping the thing closed up is good for now.

I don't like having the sweatshirt hood on, but all my sweatshirts have hoods....and I cannot squat with the hood down. I personally hate those who walk around gyms with their hoods up. The whole, "look at me I am hardcore" thing pisses me off actually. Dave gets a pass though.

[austin.j.taylor]

Not that i am one to judge anyones pressing, but it looks like you set up with your elbows too far apart in the rack position. Try to get them closer together and rest them in an elevated position on your lats.

[scott_donald]

hmmm interesting with the dead squats....

[csday924]

Don't discount the fact you are training where it's cold alot of the time. I know you ahve heat but, I'm telling you, I've been to comps where it's just cool and see guys struggle. One year, NAS natls was close by and it was spitting snow and I saw more pulled calf and hams. Cold has a dramatic effect.

Was not aware, now blamming everything wrong with my lifts on cold.

[thom2355]

Events

10" Log Clean and Press for Reps

210 x 3 (4 sets)
210 x 6

*Wanted to clean each rep, but the weather required a sweatshirt to be worn. That makes cleaning the log a b*tch and would have not allowed me to work on my press much. Speaking of that, I am toying around with a split jerk with the log. I think having a foot forward will help if the log gets out in front of me too much.

Farmers Walks

240 x 80' (5 sets)

*This sucks on the frosty, wet, soft grass. Uphill runs on the aforementioned conditions are a bit scary.

Conditioning Medley

180 keg/200 sandbad x 80' load into sled and drag back 80'.

*Did this twice. The third time around, I figured that dragging the sled back uphill was not gonna happen due to footing issues with the grass (barely did the first time), so I did the following:

240 Farmers/180 Keg/200 sandbag x 80' all with "run" backs.


*Conditioning sucked, but it needs to be done. Hamstrings were shot after that one.



Overall felt pretty good. Couldn't train with the crew as I had plans at 9:00 am that I had to be ready for. As a result, this started at ~6:15 am. She was a bit chilly outside and wet grass sucks for training on. Oh well, the work was done.

[thom2355]

Not that i am one to judge anyones pressing, but it looks like you set up with your elbows too far apart in the rack position. Try to get them closer together and rest them in an elevated position on your lats.

Not sure how you see that in the video, but I will look at it.

hmmm interesting with the dead squats....

I like them. Josh Bryant speaks highly of them and he produces some pretty strong fellas.

Was not aware, now blamming everything wrong with my lifts on cold.

Yeah, me too.

[samsont]

Can you strongbrahs reccomend the best value farmers walk implements and places to look for them or make them if possible?.... I Really want to slowly add in strong man type movements and decided farmers walk will help me with my goals for now..

[thom2355]

Can you strongbrahs reccomend the best value farmers walk implements and places to look for them or make them if possible?.... I Really want to slowly add in strong man type movements and decided farmers walk will help me with my goals for now..

Pitbull strongman equipment on ******** (if he is still making stuff). Alan is a good guy and makes solid equipment at a great price. CFF has some good prices and I hear good things about them, but I do not own any of their stuff. http://www.christiansfitnessfactory....w-all-products