Getting as huge, strong, jacked, and awesome as possible

[ChecksandGiggles]

Recent work

RDL
12r350, 15r350, 12r350

Press
Up to 3s8r210

Bodyweight is down to about 224 now. Like I said, I'm mostly just trying to get in and out of the gym and get some quick sessions in. If I hit small PRs, awesome. If not, then I'll just go through the motions. If I return to training balls out, this will have been good for me. If I don't, I'm at least gonna stay strong for the rest of my life. I am really glad that I am finding happiness outside of the weight room.

[ChecksandGiggles]

04/29/14

Deadlift
Up to 6r505
Best ever is 6r515 done at the peak of my training a few months ago, so to hit this while I'm down in weight and half-assing things is kinda nice.

Stiff Legged SLDL (First time)
Up to 10r315
Surprisingly difficult. Destroys the posterior chain as expected.

Done. Time to eat.

[ChecksandGiggles]

05/01/14

Press
15r185 (PR)

Rows
Klokovs

[ChecksandGiggles]

Did a light speed day for Deadlifts on Sunday.

Swam about .5 mile on Monday.

05/06/14

Push Press
Up to 1r290 (PR)
Last time I had done these I missed a 300, so I figure it's a smarter idea to hit smaller PRs.

Deficit Deadlift (2-ish inches)
Up to 12r415 (PR)
This really sucked, but hey, I like PRs.

I am contemplating a move down to 200 lbs for health and so I can compete in the next lightest Strongman division. I think if I can preserve most of my fat guy strength and lean out, I'd feel way better and be pretty competitive at 200.

[ChecksandGiggles]

05/08/14

Press
Up to 9r215
Felt pretty nice.

Deficit SLDL
Up to 8r365
This DESTROYS my hamstrings and glutes.

One-Arm Barbell Rows
8r135, 6r145, 10r155

Should start making videos soon or something I guess.

[ChecksandGiggles]

05/11/14

18" DL
Warmups
2r495
1r545
1r600
1r650

Yoke Press
5r150
5r170
5r190
3r210
2r220

[ChecksandGiggles]

05/12/14
Light Squats and Pressing to warm up

Farmer's Walk
Warmups
205 50' 11 sec
245 ~25 feet
This was at the high school gym where chalk is not allowed. The handles had knurling, though, so now I know I need to get my grip up.
Very brief 265 hold, palms were really sweaty by then

Chest Supported Row
A bunch

05/14/14

.5 mile swim

05/15/14

Press
Up to 21r145 (PR)

Row
Up to 21r235

Klokovs
Up to 21r105

And done, whole thing took less than an hour and was quite rough. Was only supposed to do 20 reps, but felt like getting an extra one in.

05/16/14

Deadlift
Warmups
1r405
1r455
9r475 (PR)
Ideal goal was 10+ since my best with 455 was 12, but I'll take it considering how trashed I am after Deadlifting 3 or 4 times last week, Farmers, and 21-rep sets yesterday.

Snatch Grip
5r225
5r315
5r365
5r415

Video coming soon.

[ChecksandGiggles]

[daniel300DL]

How much time your workout takes ?
Also very strong Deads!

[ChecksandGiggles]

How much time your workout takes ?
Also very strong Deads!

I try to keep it under two hours. I also take my sweet time.

[ChecksandGiggles]

05/18/14

Log Press
Warmups
1r215
1r225
1r235
1r245 (PR?)
1r255 (PR)

Yoke Walks
Embarrassingly light ~40 feet
Slightly heavier ~30 feet
I need to learn how to do this.

[ChecksandGiggles]

05/20/14

Press
Warmups
6s5r225
4r225
AAAAAND I missed a lift. This doesn't happen often. Goal was 10 sets like old times, but I seem to have hit a bit of a plateau on this progression. I am going to blame weighing 10-12 pounds less than my biggest. I heard the OHP goes down first (which really sucks), but I'm gonna press on.

[ChecksandGiggles]

05/23/14

Squat (High Bar, Close Stance, Beltless)
Warmups
3r315
2r365
10r405 (ties low bar, belted PR from a long time ago)
So I have heard from my strength mentor that this is a good thing to do for Strongman and for overall strength development. I have done perhaps two Squat sessions with weight on my back in the past 6 months-one to hit a 525 LB max and once to do some SSB work. It looks like all my previous beltless work and Deadlifting a lot has paid off. I had another rep or two left on that set for sure. I also had a depth check, and they were all good, so I'm quite happy with this.

Farmers
Up to 205 per hand for like 40 feet, palms were sweaty and no chalk allowed so I couldn't finish/do more runs
155 for 5 runs of 50'
I need to work on my grip and start sneaking chalk/liquid grip into this gym.

DB Flips (hexagonal DBs)
Worked up to 20 lb DB for a few reps, missed the 25
When I did these all the time last summer I could do the 20 continuously and had gotten a few reps with the 25. I am going to start doing them regularly because I think they're good for finger strength. Gonna start using some other grip tools as well.

Good session. It felt really good to hit a strong set of Squats without any knee pain and to be (rep-wise) about where I was at before I stopped Back Squatting on a regular basis.

[ChecksandGiggles]

05/23/14

Squat (High Bar, Close Stance, Beltless)
Warmups
3r315
2r365
10r405 (ties low bar, belted PR from a long time ago)
So I have heard from my strength mentor that this is a good thing to do for Strongman and for overall strength development. I have done perhaps two Squat sessions with weight on my back in the past 6 months-one to hit a 525 LB max and once to do some SSB work. It looks like all my previous beltless work and Deadlifting a lot has paid off. I had another rep or two left on that set for sure. I also had a depth check, and they were all good, so I'm quite happy with this.

Farmers
Up to 205 per hand for like 40 feet, palms were sweaty and no chalk allowed so I couldn't finish/do more runs
155 for 5 runs of 50'
I need to work on my grip and start sneaking chalk/liquid grip into this gym.

DB Flips (hexagonal DBs)
Worked up to 20 lb DB for a few reps, missed the 25
When I did these all the time last summer I could do the 20 continuously and had gotten a few reps with the 25. I am going to start doing them regularly because I think they're good for finger strength. Gonna start using some other grip tools as well.

Good session. It felt really good to hit a strong set of Squats without any knee pain and to be (rep-wise) about where I was at before I stopped Back Squatting on a regular basis.

[LegosInMyEgos]

you think you're cool posting the same workout twice eh?

[ChecksandGiggles]

you think you're cool posting the same workout twice eh?

Yes

05/25/14

Press
Warmups
Up to 6s8r202
Volume Press day. A little harder than I would have liked, but no terrible grinders or anything.

Klokovs
Up to 10r135

Grip Work-unilateral and bilateral crush grip training, hammer rolls

Sledgehammer
5 rounds of 10 strikes with 16# followed by 10 with 8# as fast as possible, 20 seconds rest between rounds

[ChecksandGiggles]

05/27/14

Deficit Deadlift (~2.5")
Warmups
1r405
1r455
1r495
3r525 (PR)
Never have I Pulled over 495 from a deficit, my best set being 5r495, so I'm pretty happy with this. I'm feeling like my regular DL has got to be pretty close to 600 by now.

Rows
10r135, 185, 225

Back Extensions/RH on Bench
2s10rBW

[ChecksandGiggles]

05/30/14

Press
Up to 20r150 (PR)

Farmers
Up to 225/hand

05/31/14
Spotting and loading at a meet

[ChecksandGiggles]

06/02/14

BW down to like 217 or something goofy

Press
9s1r225
4r225
Way harder than it needed to be. I guess the Press tanks first when you lose weight. I am down about...12 lbs at least though so I'm pretty happy with that.

SLDL
Up to 11r405 (PR)
Big PR here, I don't think I've ever done more than, say, 385 for 6 or something. I got into a really good groove. I am also noticing that the weight loss has been starting to improve my DL leverages.

06/03/14
About 20 minutes of steady, slow swimming while thinking about life.

[ChecksandGiggles]

06/05/14

Front Squat
Warmups
1r315
10r335 (PR)
A gut-wrenching, soul-crushing set. I haven't Front Squatted since I hit 7r365 a while ago and started having some knee pain, so this is obviously welcome. I think that doing a lot of Deadlifting has been fixing weak points in my entire body, and that translates to better performance across the board.

Rows
Up to 5r255
I had nothing left after that set of Front Squats. I just took it easy.

Klokovs
30r45
Done for blood flow, retraction, and posture.

Feels good man. Weighing about 218. Keeping my volume on the low end for a couple weeks has been helpful in dissipating some fatigue.

[ChecksandGiggles]

06/07/14

Viking Press (first time?)
5s and 4s up to 5 plates for 3 reps

Axle C&P
Blorg

Sumo
Up to 315 for a few doubles

[BombDonald]

Sumo, eh?

[ChecksandGiggles]

Sumo, eh?

Just for some Checksandgiggles

06/09/14

Deadlift
Warmups
1r405
1r455
1r495
1r545
1r585 (20lb PR)

Deficit SLDL
8r135
8r225
8r315

Wasn't even sure I'd go over 405 that day. Glad I did. 600+ is in the cards.

[ChecksandGiggles]

06/10/14

Log Press (weights approximate, I think the log weighed 110 but I'm not sure)
Warmups
3r175
3r195
2r210
2r220
1r230 (missed 2nd Press)
3r200 (Clean each time)
I was kinda struggling with this today. Cleans felt really solid but I just didn't have that much Pressing power. Watch the log actually be way heavier than it was.

Ward Press
Up to 8r75s

Nice and quick.

[ChecksandGiggles]

06/13/14

Squat
Up to 405 for a few doubles
Just didn't have anything in the lower body today after the PR earlier in the week and Log Pressing.

Some fluff work

[ChecksandGiggles]

06/14/14

Press
Up to 15s5r200
Just decided to get a huge amount of volume in. That was fun.

[BombDonald]

I randomly pressed 225 for a grindy single today while waiting for the squat rack. Made me realize how crazy your pressing ability is lol.

[ChecksandGiggles]

I randomly pressed 225 for a grindy single today while waiting for the squat rack. Made me realize how crazy your pressing ability is lol.

Thaaaaankth

It's dropped a little bit recently, but hopefully I'll learn how to be strong AND lean!

[ChecksandGiggles]

06/16/14

Deficit Deadlift
Up to 13r405 (PR)
That. Sucked.

SLDL
Up to 6r415 (PR)
Small rep PR, I've done 11r405 but I wasn't gonna go nuts after what I just went through.

[ChecksandGiggles]

A little backlogged.

06/19/14

Press
Up to 6s7r205
Man. Volume.

06/20/14

Front Squat
Up to 6r365
Wasn't feeling great, but once I got under 365 I felt a lot better! 7 is my all time PR, so this was not bad considering it wasn't too hard.

Trap Bar DL (first time trying this)
Warmups
3r405
3r495
3r545
5r585
Interesting movement...

One Arm Barbell Rows

06/21/14

Front Squat
Warmups
1r365
1r385
2r405 (PR) missed 3rd
For some reason I wanted to FS heavy two days in a row...hit a small rep PR (have never done 4 plates for reps before) and I think had I been a bit fresher I would have hit a 3rd.

Seated Press
Warmups
3r185
2r205
5r225 (PR)
3r235 (PR)
8r205

Sumo (learning this as an accessory)
3r315
2r365
3s1r405
All were quick and easy.

06/23/14

Conditioning-ish workout

Power Snatch
3s3r135
3s3r145
3s3r155

Power Clean to Press
3s2r205
6s2r215

Rack Pulls (bottom of knee)
Up to 3r455
Stopped there because my back was so damn fatigued.

Sprints
8-4-2 down a basketball court