ralst Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 (edited) I've been keeping a log on Vegan Fitness for a while now. I thought I'd start posting over here as well. Right now I'm trying a Westside-style split, modified for a strongman-focus. There's a contest in Petaluma, CA on August 23rd, and that's what my training is focusing on right now. I'm not particularly strong (yet), so my main goal with the competition is to gain some experience and, hopefully, embarrass myself as little as possible Here's the link to my old/current log: http://www.veganfitness.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=223718#223718 And without further ado, today's training. All weights in pounds. 7/3/08 DE Lower Box Squat2 X 5 X 455 X 953 X 13510 X 2 X 165 Still not blazing fast, but pretty good. Weight goes up to 180 next week, then I'll switch to some repetition style work instead of dynamic. Good Morning5 X 45 X 953 X 135belt on:1 X 1551 X 1751 X 200 PR1 X 210 PR I hadn't tried these with a belt before - it made it a lot easier Goal was 200 today, 210 was even nicer. Felt like I might be good for 225 in the next couple weeks. 45 Deg. Back Raise3 X 20 X BW My girlfriend was training with me - she lifted after this, and I tried a couple ab exercises with her. Didn't really like either of the exercises I tried, so I basically blew off abs for today. After we got home we drove over to the park and I did some sprints: 5 X 50 yds, with 30 seconds rest between each one. That should have been easier than it was. Finished with some car pushing, just a short distance down the parking lot and back but it fried my legs. Mission accomplished - Eric Edited April 5, 2009 by ralst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 7, 2008 Author Share Posted July 7, 2008 7/6/08 RE Upper Today's my dad's birthday. We went on a short hike up by Silver Lake, which was really nice but we got caught in the smoke from all the wildfires (far from us, but sending plenty of smoke to fill up the Sacramento valley and beyond) on the way back to the car and we all ended up with pretty bad headaches from the bad air. And since I was lifting at my dad's place, with no A/C and plenty of the smoky air, the workout was a brief one. Here's a picture of me and the old guy up on the ridge over Shealor Lakes: http://lh5.ggpht.com/ericgribkoff/SHHF54gU8pI/AAAAAAAAAbs/PD_B-JYojIw/s400/IMG_2232.JPG And here's the cupcakes my girlfriend made for him: (they were good!) http://lh3.ggpht.com/ericgribkoff/SHHGRy2OrdI/AAAAAAAAAb4/OMQpiHYGSN4/s400/Dad%27s%20B-Day%20003.jpg Oh yeah, the workout: Press2 X 5 X 454 X 10 X 95 Too light, but haven't done sets of 10 in, well, forever. Bent-Over Row10 X 9510 X 13510 X 1576 X 185 Some grip work and done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjohanx Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 cool stuff. i'm siked to follow your journal. we almost have no strongmen around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 Thanks, xjohanx. 7/7/08 ME Lower Spotted a conan's wheel in the gym on my way in today - it's not fully setup, so I didn't have a go, but hopefully it'll be ready for use by next week. I'll get a video Trained later in the day than usual, and saw some of the powerlifter guys in the gym today. Saw a guy two-board press something around 700 pounds for three reps. Pretty cool. Platform DL5 X 455 X 1355 X 1853 X 2251 X 275belt:1 X 315 1 X 365 equal to previous PR1 X 3751 X 3851 X 3951 X 405 PRf X 415 400 lb deadlift is officially easy Seated GM5 X 455 X 955 X 1355 X 1555 X 185 One-Leg Romanian DL15 X 4515 X 952 X 5 X 135 Seated Leg Curl one-leg at a time15 X 6015 X 9015 X 10515 X 120 I know, I know. But I'm in desperate need of hamstrings and willing to try anything at the moment. Sidebend10 X 4510 X 7510 X 10510 X 115 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 7/9/08 ME Upper Safe Press This did not go well. Tried adjusting the yoke a bit because I thought it might be easier to press if the bar was higher - definitely not so. Got up to a tough single @ 155 (made 175 last week), then the gym owner came in and gave me some technique tips and helped get the yoke set at a good height for me. Think I more or less got the technique down pretty ok, but still was weaker today than last week. The contest weight for this is still not finalized, but it's probably going to be 210 pounds. I've got six weeks, but that's going to be a tough # to hit. Along with this and learning that at the contest the farmer's will probably weigh in at 275 lb/hand for the lightweights (my best so far is 210 or 215/hand), I was getting somewhat discouraged. Figured I'd try out the Conan's Wheel and see how it went. Conan's Wheel1 revolution X 1001 X 2001 X 3001 X 4001 X 4901 X 550 - Yes! That's the contest weight right there. Video: Axle Clean + Push Press5 X 335 X 775 X 995 X 1275 X 143f X 165 (missed the clean, too heavy for double-overhand)1 X 165 JM Press10 X 4510 X 657 X 858 X 75 DB Row5 X 705 X 1002 X 5 X 110 Face Pull10 X 604 X 10 X 80 Some grip work and done. Longest workout in months, I was at the gym for almost three hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 13, 2008 Author Share Posted July 13, 2008 7/12/08 Event Training I trained at Powerhouse with Keith (the owner) and his cousin. I didn't keep a detailed log, but we started out with... Safe Press: My previous best was 1 @ 175. Yesterday I got 2 @ 183 - except that Keith says the yoke weighs 90 pounds, not 75, so the weight would actually have been 198 - close to what it will be at the contest. Either way, it's progress, and I'm pretty hopeful about nailing some reps come August 23rd. Farmer's Walk + Tire Flip: The gym doesn't have a good size tire yet, so the tire flipping was too light to really count as anything other than a little extra conditioning. The farmer's went well, finally found out the weight of the handles - did 60' @ 225/hand with one turn. Weightwise, that's equal to my PR. Then Keith took it up to 275/hand and I thought, what the hell. Made it 8 feet Contest distance will be 30', I think that's nailable - already pumped that I could even get them up, and still have weeks to work on covering further distance. Conan's Wheel: Worked up to 2 and a half revolutions with 510 lbs on the apparatus, which Keith said will probably work out to be the same weight-in-hands(arms) as I'll see at the contest. Also did just over one and a half revolutions with 600 lbs loaded on it, which is over the LW contest weight and close to what the HW will be using. According to Keith this is my event - if I can work up to 4-5 revolutions by the contest, I'll have a good chance of either placing highly or winning this event. Fantastic session overall - three hours saw me going from thinking I was likely to bomb the first three events to actually thinking I can be somewhat competitive come contest time. Pretty cool I'm training with the same group next Saturday as well. - Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 15, 2008 Author Share Posted July 15, 2008 7/14/08 ME Lower Went in with a vague plan and had a vague workout as a result. Wide-Stance Squat These were solid. 2 X 5 X 455 X 953 X 1353 X 185added belt:1 X 2251 X 2751 X 295 slightly high1 X 305 depth good, PRf X 315 Then did a power stair/duckwalk type thing, pickup only - basically a loading pin and a two-handed attachment to heft it up. Worked up to 5 @ 350, which was all I could fit on there. Tried some axle zerchers from the floor, 1 @ 123 and 1 @ 213 - which felt way heavier than I expected it to. Messed around with some axle dl and romanian dl, nothing much, then l did some leg ext/leg curl supersets, don't know why really, and ab pulldowns - those were good, did 2 sets of 8 @ 130, which is the heaviest I've gone. I'll head back in on Wednesday with a better defined plan, and hopefully a better workout. The squat PR was good, but my squat still sucks, so I can't get that excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjohanx Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 nice going dude. i really like that you post videos. it rules! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 16, 2008 Author Share Posted July 16, 2008 Cheers xjohanx 7/16/08 ME Upper Press2 X 5 X 453 X 953 X 1153 X 1253 X 1351 X 145 (f on 2)2 X 140 (f on 3)2 X 135 Not quite PR territory, but pretty happy with 8 total reps at or above 135. Incline Log Press On the advice of Keith. First time doing these.10 X 708 X 1146 X 1364 X 1514 X 160 Surprised I got all these, honestlyf X 17015 X 114 A couple (literally) pullups and chinups. Seated Low Row5 X 1405 X 1605 X 1802 X 5 X 200 Some rear delt work and db hammer curls (biceps have been taking a beating with conan's the last couple weeks). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 19, 2008 Author Share Posted July 19, 2008 7/19/08 Events We were up at my dad's last night for the season premiere of Monk - ate pizza, and then went out in the garage where he'd added bench supports to our squat stands. I worked up to a quick failure @ 207, then dropped the weight and worked back up to a pretty smooth single @ 200. I'm not sure if it just takes me a long time to get warmed up on bench, or I just suck at it Anyway, fatigue from the benching was non-existent today, and training went well. Safe PressWorked up to 4 @ 200 lbs. Pretty sweet, getting good leg drive and a solid second dip. Last week only managed 2 @ 198. Conan's WheelSwitched to moving clockwise, and for whatever reason it was a lot harder that way Still did okay, got two full revolutions with 510 lbs and one and a quarter with 600 lbs, but need to figure out why it's so much harder facing a different direction. Farmer's WalkUp to 275/hand again. Made it the same distance as last time, but with a putdown mid way - so my grip got slightly worse, but I made a second pickup, which I couldn't do last week. Not bad, not good, lots more work to be done 18" DeadliftDone in the rack. Got up to 1 @ 455, and then 6-7 failures with 495 - I could break it off the rack, but it just stalled a couple inches up. Need to get stronger. Mark made 605 and Keith made 635. And that was it. I don't think I've mentioned it on here yet, but there's a raw powerlifting competition in town in September I'm probably going to enter. As a 100 kg Junior (20-23) lifter, I can set a state record in the deadlift, which will be cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 7/22/08 ME Lower Front Squat2 5 X 455 X 953 X 1351 X 1551 X 1851 X 2051 X 2251 X 235 PR - nice and deep, got ugly about half-way up but made it1 X 215 SLDL Tried GMs, but left shoulder bothering me just enough from the safe pressing on Saturday to make it holding the bar uncomfortable5 X 1353 X 1853 X 2233 X 273 Thick Bar Hold I didn't have a clock with a second hand, so just counted the times - most holds probably around 20 seconds1 hold X 1224 holds X 152 Ab Pulldown10 X 10010 X 1306 X 1403 X 14020 X 11010 X 120 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 7/24/08 ME Upper So-so training today. Presslots X 452 X 5 X 753 X 951 X 1151 X 1352 X f X 15f X 1455 X 95 Ugh. Just wasn't feeling these today. Spent a lot of time warming up my shoulder, which is still bothering me a little bit - felt better after the pressing, but the strength just wasn't there. Incline Log10 X 708 X 1145 X 1345 X 160 Lat Pulldown12 X 1002 X 12 X 120 DB Row8 X 558 X 758 X 95 Machine rear delts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 26, 2008 Author Share Posted July 26, 2008 7/26/08 Events Log Press8":lots X 702 X 3 X 1142 X 1341 X 1601 X 18012":1 X 210 PR2 X f X 215 Ugly cleans, failed the press3 X 215 PR One good clean, three presses. Highlight of the day. Conan's Wheel Get worse at this every time I do it 1 X 1001 X 2001 X 3001 X 4001/2 + 1 X 5501 X 550 18" Deadlift5 X 455 X 1355 X 2252 X 3151 X 3655 X 3 X 405 - trying an idea from an article on the Sugden Barbell site - next week I'll try 3 X 2 X 455, and then 2 X 1 X 495 - plan is to nail 500+ at the comp, should be good enough for dead last Keg Run2 X 100, 125, 175, 200, 225 lb kegs Total Workout Time: 4 hours PR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 (edited) 7/28/08Car pushing: think I only did three runs with the thing, but each run was pretty long and I was properly nauseated by the end 7/29/08 Farmers2 X 30 ft X 1352 X 30 ft X 18530 ft X 22530 ft X 245 PR for distance. Grip felt pretty solid too, no put downs. Video here: The camera only filmed the runs with 185 lbs for some reason, so the video's kinda useless, but I put it up anyway. Power Shrug5 X 50 kg5 X 70 kg5 X 100 kgstraps:5 X 120 kg8 X 150 kg12 X 140 kg DB Row5 X 605 X 805 X 100Had a go at the 110s, but the DBs over 100 lbs at my gym are these "tribar" monstrosities - angular, skinny bars that make it impossible (for me, anyways) to hold on to. So I used straps for:2 X 5 X 110 Keg LoadDid 15 total loads with a 100-lb keg, just to get myself breathing hard(er). Switched back and forth between bearhugging it up onto the platform, and doing short runs with it across the room. Ab Pulldown12 X 9012 X 11012 X 13012 X 1405 X 1503 X 150 Done. Edited July 31, 2008 by ralst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted July 31, 2008 Author Share Posted July 31, 2008 7/31/08 Yoke Press3 X 5 X 903 X 1103 X 1301 X 1501 X 1701 X 1901 X 210 PR - after letting it down, yoke rebounded into my chin, knocking me over and knocking off my glasses. Got it on camera - it's not half bad f X 220 Had a few goes at this, but couldn't quite lock it out.3 X 190lots X 90 working on the technique Squat5 X 45 X 955 X 1355 X 185belt:1 X 2251 X 275Pretty easy, so..1 X 315 PR At least another 5-10 pounds in there next time3 X 275 ATG Incline Log10 X 708 X 1144 X 1342 X 1602 X 170 Thick Bar HoldFour holds @ 173 Face Pull10 X 6010 X 803 X 10 X 100 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted August 2, 2008 Author Share Posted August 2, 2008 8/2/08 Heading out of town for the day so went in early for a solo session. Powerhouse was closed Had to lift at the shiny gym as a result. Still got a pretty good workout in. 18" DL (thinking about it now, this may have been more a 20" DL...) Snuck in some chalk to help grip the slippery bars5 X 1355 X 2251 X 2751 X 3151 X 3651 X 4053 X 2 X 455 PR, except possibly the wrong bar height due to being at the wrong gym Jerk10 X 455 X 952 X 1351 X 1551 X 1751 X 1951 X 2051 X 215 PR, except way too easy to call it that. Nervous about misses w/o bumpers, so stopped there. Finished with a couple pump sets of hammer curls and cg bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted August 4, 2008 Author Share Posted August 4, 2008 8/4 Axle Clean & Press Weights in kilos3 X 453 X 52 X 651 X 1751 X 851 X 95 - Big PR, because I never really got the clean before. They're still ugly, but they work f X 99 kg - got the clean, missed the press Power Shrug5 X 1355 X 2255 X 275straps:5 X 3155 X 36510 X 315 Squat5 X 455 X 13512 X 230 Rep PR Bent-Over Row8 X 458 X 13512 X 185 Completely spent after the squats. Couldn't bring myself to do abs today. Uploading a video of training from the last week or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted August 4, 2008 Author Share Posted August 4, 2008 Video here: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted August 7, 2008 Author Share Posted August 7, 2008 Hey, thanks all, I appreciate the comments 8/6/08 Bench3 X 8 X 455 X 955 X 117paused:2 X 1352 X 1571 X 185 - ok1 X 195 - ugly1 X 185 - better 2-Board3 X 185 3-Board2 X 1951 X 2073 X 2173 X 222 Bent-Over Row Underhand grip10 X 4510 X 9510 X 1352 X 10 X 157 Hill Sprints X 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted August 10, 2008 Author Share Posted August 10, 2008 Cheers Bronco 8/9/08 Two weeks till the contest Big old group of us training today. Highlight of the events was Mark, a under-200 lb competitor, doing a 30' run with 315 farmers. Safe Presslots X 906 X 1305 X 1503 X 1783 X 208 PR. Meant to have 198 here, but accidentally left an extra 10 lb plate on one side.3 X 218 PR, and a couple closes misses too. More in there. Also took the chance to (semi) accurately weigh the yoke. We've been thinking it weighed 90 lbs empty; that's pretty much dead on, the scale said about 87 lbs but close enough. The contest weight will be 200 or 210 (still haven't posted finalized weights), so I'm thinking I should be good for around 5 reps. Farmer's Walk Disappointing today runs with 125, 175, and 225/hand, along with some pushes with the new prowler.Then tried 265, ten pounds under contest weight. Two pickups on the first attempt, made it a grand total of...three feet Left grip just wouldn't hold. Tried again a few minutes later (after a couple other guys did runs with 315) and, again with two pickups, made it about ten feet. This is going to give me trouble at the contest, as my grip strength seems to be regressing, not improving. 18" DL5 X 1355 X 2252 X 3151 X 3651 X 4051 X 4551 X 500 PR. Not sure if I hitched it or not, but it won't matter at the contest. It was a damn hard lockout, but I got it.f X 500 nothing left Did several more runs with the prowler. It's brutal. Bodyweight is spot on for the contest, I was 230 lb today in mid-afternoon. - Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted August 12, 2008 Author Share Posted August 12, 2008 8/12/08 I had planned to take the Conan's Wheel for one last spin before the contest, but a big shipment of new equipment just arrived at the gym and it was in pieces all over the floor. Not enough space to do Conan's, so I hemmed and hawed and finally settled on Power Cleans. Then I changed my mind and did full clean and jerk: C & J Weights in kilos2 X 1 X 501 X 601 X 70f X 80 + 1 X 80 (didn't commit to getting under the first one)1 X 90f X 100 - made the clean, a PR, but missed the jerk1 X 100 - ugly clean, my front squat isn't strong enough to handle much more than this, but I made it. Slight pressout with the right arm on the jerk High-Bar Squat Inspired by Krypto, but not as strong, or as tough (insane) 10 X 4510 X 9510 X 13510 X 185Then a giant set, or whatever it should be called - no rest other than loading and unloading plates:1 X 205, 1 X 225, 1 X 245, 1 X 265, 1 X 245, 1 X 225, 1 X 205, 5 X 185 These killed me. The high bar position throws me forward quite a bit, the 265 was damn near a max effort. DB Row6 X 803 X 5 X 100 Ab Pulldown10 X 10010 X 1202 X 10 X 140 Two pullups and some chinups. Prowler3 X 40 yd, down and then back, alternating between the high and low handles X 100 lb I don't know why I was so eager to get to use this thing. It sucks, and I'm sure with a little more motivation another sprint would have seen me vomiting out front of the gym - Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 8/14/08 News: The Farmer's Walk at the contest is gone. Vanished. In it's place...frame carry, for the same distance (30'). It'll be 560 lb for my weight class. So after hearing this I decided today to do some: Frame Carry (well, Trap Bar Carry, but close enough)4 X 8 yd X 145 lb2 X 8 yd X 2452 X 8 yd X 295Realized here that there was no way I was going to be able to trap bar dl 560 off of the floor. Threw the bar up on some blocks (14"-15" pickup) and continued:1 X 355 pickup only1 X 445 pickup only1 X 495 pickup only1 X 2 yd X 495 - had the handles gripped off-center and the weight came forward on me. Lost it.1 X 8 yd X 495 - if there had been enough room inside, I could have made the full contest distance. It's not the contest weight, and I don't know how thick the handles will be or how high the pickup, but I think I'll have a better chance with the frame carry than I did with the farmer's. Only problem is that if I finish the distance with the frame, I'll have to flip the tire - and I haven't been practicing that at all Tire Flip4 sets X 10 flips Good cardio, but the tire at the gym is too small to really be much else. I'll see if I can get somewhere that has a 800lb or so tire this weekend, or maybe next Monday, to try and figure out how to flip them properly. Glute-Ham RaiseLots. First time doing these, the machine just arrived at our gym. Along with two top-class power racks and a competition bench, all with band attachments. Sweet Finished with some GHR situps and a few sets of DB hammer curls, as my bicep was protesting a bit during the frame carries. - Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralst Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 8/16/08 Last real training day before the comp. Tire Flip4 X 3 flips X 525 lb tire2 X 5 flips X 525 lb tire 12" Log strict3 X 1135 X 1132 X 1381 X 153 Safe Press5 X 905 X 1303 X 1503 X 1702 X 1902 X 200 easy, technique felt a little off though Conan's Wheel Contest weight1 1/2 revolutions @ 5501 3/4 revolutions @ 5502 1/4 revolutions @ 550 - PR, I think. Tire Flip4 X 1 flip X 800 lb tire Done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganEssentials Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Looking good, Ralst! Keep up the excellent work, and best of success come contest time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John V Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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