First log, learning the basics

Hi mate!

Well i have my name down for the u90 novice in yorkshire, this will be my first comp and i have very little experience with strongman equipment so far too so im hoping to get some pratctise in before may.

nice PBs keep it going mate.

Ah yes, hypothermia, not pneumonia! May have been exaggerating with the death thing, but if you're anything like me (which by the sound of it you are!) that'll just encourage you more!!

Spartan race was great fun, made me realise I had a lot more fitness than I thought which was nice. Pretty tame though, only 5km (a nice distance to run). The worst part was one of the first obstacles where you had to go through a pitch black tunnel which seemed to go on for ever. It had stones on the bottom which felt like glass and shredded my knees/hands...GREAT FUN!!!

Hi mate! I think I'll be keeping an eye on your log and trying to catch up!



Got to start somewhere! Are you doing it with anybody or just turning up on the day? I couldn't see it in the competitions but I did a novice comp in Wales in March with events that look more realistic than most:

Medley: 100kg Farmers over 10m, 90kg Keg Carry over 10m & 250kg Sledge Drag over 10m
Log Press: 80kgs Clean and Press - Max Reps
Axle Deadlift: 180kg - Max Reps
Super Yoke: 250kg over 20m
Atlas Stones: 105 stone over Yoke

What are the events in the Yorkshire novices?



Thanks. One of the definite benefits of being new to all this is that you can see progress nearly every week.



You do have to sign a 'death warrant' that states if you die or get injured you won't sue the organisers. Fingers crossed it doesn't get to that! I like the challenge of it and that most people think it's a stupid thing to to do! The tunnel sounds pretty horrible, something that you want to get out of as soon as possible. I think there's a series of them on the course for Tough Guy, one of which is a dead end!

Today's training:

Behind the neck Push Press:
40kg x 5
50kg x 5
60kg x 3
70kg x 3
80kg x 2 - PB - I actually got one rep, failed the 2nd due to technique then got the 3rd
85kg x f - I didn't have the confidence more than anything. It felt heavy before I even dipped

Front squat
97.5kg x 6 sets of 3

Chins
10,10,10,9

CGBP
72.5kg x 8,8,7

I was using a curved bar for this due to the s**tty quality of the gym equipment. It kept rolling out of my hands so I left it after the 3rd set

Happy with the PB earlier but I think I'll take some smaller jumps in weight next week and get a bit of confidence before going heavier. Mentally I worried about geting the weight overhead more than anything.

Actually is this the one? on the 1st May?

Under 90's
Car deadlift for reps 90s
Medley - 90kg Farmers, Tyre Flips, 200kg Drag
Head to Head monster dumbbells 40kg reps 90s
Conans 220kg distance no drops
Atlas Stones

Another run, 6.5miles in 53 mins. How I managed the same distance and same time I don't know. I just headed out of the door and off on a completely random route.

Can't wait to have a day off on Thursday, my joints have been taking a bit of a pounding!

I think in the Summer I'm going to enter:

A novice / first timer strongman competition
Manchester 10k - 1st May
Chorlton Mini Triathlon (750m swim, 13.5km bike, 6.6km run) - 15th June
And I think the national 3 peaks at the end of May too

Thats a busy calendar with a lot of different stuff. Good to see some more people who train a few different aspects of health on here. Good luck with it and nice work on that pressing!

Couple of people including Smalls in the gym today but by far the person training hardest was the small Swedish crossfit girl who I've never seen before but who I hope to see again!

Went really well:

Deadlift
60kg x 5,5
100g x 5
140kg x 3
160kg x 3
180kg x 1
190kg x 3 - PB
200kg x 1 - PB
210kg x f - so very nearly up. Next week this will go, I just couldn't get my hips through at the top.

Bent over rows
95kg x 8
100kg x 5 x 5

Not the greatest ROM but they do the trick

DB Bench
40kg x 8,8,6 - big improvement on last week

Slightly cheated curls in front of the mirror
18kg x 3 x 8

Good today, tried to do some rowing afterwards. I wanted to do 500m/1min rest but only ended up doing a 2min/500m for warmup and then one under 1min 40 and then called it a day because I was hungry more than anything else! Since starting running again my appetite has gone through the roof!

Fick yeah man! PB tastic! Time to update that profile to a big 200 that's great man well done.

good PBs mate

Training from Friday:

Strict Press
50kg x 5
55kg x 1
62.5kg x 4, 2

Squats
105kg x 3 sets of 5

Weighted pullups +20kg x 5,5,4,3

Weights dips + 20kg x 8,8,8,7

SLDL
60kg x 5,5
90kg x 5
125kg x 3 sets of 5


Trying to get motivation to go for a run now...

I didn't warm up today, I as a bit tired, grumpy and just wanted to lift something. I wish I hadn't though as my joints ache now!

Behind the neck PP
50kg x 5
60kg x 2
70kg x 2
75kg x 2
80kg x 1 (failed 2nd rep!)
82.5kg x 1 - PB
85kg x 1 - PB
87.5kg x f - I thought it would be too heavy and it was but it annoyed me because I knew the reason I failed was mental so I had another go and got a little angry...
87.5kg x 1 - PB
90kg x f - I think I can get this but I worried about failing again. If I don't explode it gets stuck just above my head and it's a bit hard to dump it. I'd planned on doing some triples but went off plan a little. I think I'll stick some lower weights next couple of weeks and some higher reps and get a bit of confidence!

Front Squats
60kg x 5
80kg x 3
100kg x 6 sets of 3

The guy I shared the squat rack with worked up to a few 2 inch deep reps with 170kg then admired his hair in the mirror.

Chins (close neutral grip) x 10,10,10,9,8

CGBP
50kg x 8
60kg x 8
72.5kg x 8,7,7,5

yea thats the one pal, noticed your hoping to get in it now too! hope you manage to get a place, think it will be a good first comp and a great day.

Yup and trying to persuade someone at Sugden to do it too. Fingers crossed not everybody listed enters and I can get my money in before anyone else. Or I could do what smalls said and just send a cheque in right away!

Yesterday: 7.2 miles, no idea on time.

Today:

Deadlift
60kg x 5,5
100kg x 3
140kg x 3
170kg x 1
185kg x 1
195kg x 3 - PB
160kg x 5

Smalls brought up that I wasn't bringing my hips through on the 3 rep max so went down a bit on the next set for a bit of practice. It comes up fast but I have to grind it out to straighten up at the top.

DB Rows
50kg x 6 sets of 5

DB Bench
40kg x 4 x 8

Everything went smoothly tonight, really enjoying lifting at the moment. It seems running is actually helping rather than holding me back like I thought it would!