6/13
Short Warmup
Kneeling Jumps 4x3
Rolling Hang Snatch 2x8@60kg

Log Clean and Press 90x5 180x3 220x2 miss 260 220x1 180x10ish?
-My log SUX. I need some serious upper back work to help with the clean.
Axle Deadlift worked up to 405 for an ugly single then 315x12 or so
Tire Flips 1x5 500lber then 2x6 with our 650
Sled Drag 3 plates for 2 down and back trips
4x10 Hanging Leg Raise


Just starting a new log now that i'm done with the V-Diet and back to regular eating and training. A little background:

I'm 28, live in Denver, train for strongman predominantly along with some OL and track work thrown in; i'd like to go to another bobsled camp and see if i've got the goods. Also going to do a highland games here in CO to see what that's all about.

Specifically, you'll see how i'm breaking things out as I go along. I take some ideas from everywhere. Our training group is in the gym M,W,Th and Sat so I add in my own track and cardiac work outseide of those sessions. I'm a bit of a glutton for punishment and i'll try and outline everything i'm doing and why I think it's helping. Open to any and all comments and suggestions.

If you're looking for someplace to train in Denver or going to be in town and need a place for a workout, please come down to our gym Armbrust Pro Gym in Arvada. I can't say enough good things about the owners (Dylan and Heather Armbrust) or any of the people there. Bodybuilders, Oly lifters, powerlifters, strongmen and non competitive gym-goers and we're all one huge family looking out for each other. Tremendous atmosphere.

6.14 Track Work
LONG LONG Warmup
Med Ball Workx2 sets
-Bucket toss x6
-Chest Pass x6
-Side Throw x6
-Squat Throw x6
-Forward Bucket Throw x6

Some random stairs and jump work

Tempo-Sprint straights, walk corners x3 laps

Achilles is killing, need to get back to seeing my soft tissue and chiros 1-2 times a week. Gotta stop neglecting that aspect of training.

6.15
Y,W,L,T Warmup
Snatch Press 40kgx6
Rolling Snatch 2x8

Floor Press worked up to 225x6 (normal bars feel tiny now after using that damn axle so much)
Incline Log Press 90x5 140x5 180x2 160x5 160x5
T Bar Row superset with cable face pulls 4x10 each

BB Rollouts w/35s 2x10
Hanging Leg Raise (feet to the bar overhead) 2x6
Reverse Hyper 3x10

Just bought Charlie Francis' e-books and GPP video so i'll be doing homework tonight and getting a better plan together for running work. FYI: www.charliefrancis.com is doing a 40% off sale on orders over $100. Enter "summertime" in the special code window.

6.16 Tempo/"Low"
Various Med Ball Throws 8x100m
Tempo Runs/Big Circuit
100+100+100
100+200+100+100
100+200+100+200+100 (I miscounted this one)
100+200+100+100
100+100+100
Various Ab Work-maybe 150-200 reps?

6.17
Afternoon: Explosive Med Ball Throws x30ish

PM:
Warmup (Roller, YTLW, bar work, etc)
Power Snatch 5x3 70kg (78-80%)
Zercher Squat 135x10 185x10 205x10 205x10
Step Up 135x5+5 185x5+5x3
4 Way Neck x100

Felt really good today with the snatches. When I get a chance to do some work during the day (med ball throws, jumps, etc) before weights, I have much better CNS results and I don't need a ton of time to get warmed up. Martin Rooney has mentioned this a million times i.e. the speed work "primes the pump" for later.

AM: 35 Mins cardiac work @ 130-140bpm
Ab Circuit x 225 reps

PM: RE Lower
Press 155 8x3
Pullups (switching grip each set) 6x5
DB Alternating Iso Palms In Press 4x10 60s (R Shoulder little dodgy) supersetted with
DB Rows 4x10 75s
Pullups 6x5
Some foam rolling and stretching

6.19
10X100m med ball throws
Short synamoic warmup
Big Ciruit tempo runs
Static stretch

So change of plans. One of my partners is getting ready for strongman nats and wants to train Saturday AND Sunday. Lump in our usual ME upper body workout on Monday and that'll be 9 days in a row training. I feel really good, just really tight from the re-intro of running. Mike Young's idea of no off days may be taking shape, but let's get through 10-20 days and we'll see how I'm feeling/performing.

6.20
AM1:
Short Warmup and Med Balls Throws
Hill Sprints-10x10m 8x20m 5x30m

I got about halfway through this workout before I realized there was a homeless guy sleeping under the tree next to me. Well done downtown Denver!

AM2: Events (no belts today)
Bar work and 4 positions cleans for warmup
Pwr Clean 60kgx5 80kgx3 100kg 3x3
50 ft Yoke Runs 520x8
50 ft Frame Carry 435x5
Stones 250x5 250x5 250x6 250x7 (gotta work the endurance)

Lots of capacity work today, nothing beating down weight-wise.

6.21
AM: Whatever day
bar work/hyper/roller/YWLT warmup
Snatch Complex x5 (pwr snatch, below knee snatch, at knee snatch, above knee snatch, hip squat snatch)
-think of working the reps from the lowest bar position to highest with a full snatch for last rep.
Reverse Hypers 5x10
Upper back superset 4x10+4x10
Sled Drag-3 plates, 4 100ft trips
Side Bend/GH Raise Situps 4x10 each

Outside of an afternoon core circuit, this is the extent of my work for the day. Big day full of reading, cleaning my place and napping on the schedule for the afternoon.

6.22.09
Quick Lunch work:
10 forward underhand throws
10 backward underhand throws

PM: ME Upper
Axle Foam Bench 135x5 225x5 then 225x12ish and 225x10+185x5ish drop set (bench still blows)
Axle Seated Military Press 135x5 3 sets strict OH still blows)
Viking Press for one long set to pseudo fail
Football Bar skullcrusher+bench superset 75x5+5 75x5+5 95x5+5 95x5+fail
Russian Twist 45x10 60x10 55x10
Pullups 1x10 2x8 1x5

Forgot to put this in Saturday: I'm only weighing myself once a week, on Saturday mornings post-deuce.
On 6.20.09 I was 208.

6.23
AM: Abs X150
30mins cardiac development @ 130ish HOUR

PM:
Clean Complex 40kgX1 50kgX2
Neck x 150
20 mins cardiac development @ 120ish HOUR

6.24
Noon: 30 med ball throws, some max effort, some throw+sprint.

PM:
Bottom Up Squat+light bands
Front worked to 275x1
Back worked to 275x5
Stones-no tack for a few
Front foot raised split squat
40x8+8 50x8+8 60x8+8 ss w/
Kneeling Cable Crunch 3x15

6.25
PM: RE Upper/"Get the blood out of my legs because it burns" work

Kroc Rows 50x10 75x10 85x10 95x10 105x10 115x10
Palms in Pulldown 4x10 (upper back needs WORK)
Std Face Pull for a few sets, finished alternating between low pulls and face pulls
Swiss Ball Iso Bench 40x15+15 50x20+20 Both Hands 60x20+20

My legs are hurting; bottom up squats were awesome. Tomorrow big recovery day, prob 40 mins of cardiac dev work in the AM and some easy med ball and tempo runs in the afternoon. As always, BIG Saturday coming up.

6.26
First complete and total off day since I started this log, so a little under two weeks I think?

6.27 Events (bw 208)
Full Snatch warmup 60kg 4x3
Yoke 4 total runs (I think), last was 560 then did a 10s hold with 740. Partners rolled 740.

Now it gets interesting

Frame/Stone carry medley
1st set: 430 frame for 50ft, couldn't lap 240 stone
2nd set with a little stickum:
520 Frame for 50ft, lapped stone and couldn't get it to my chest or shoulder, so I duck walk/waddled the thing 50ft. I think it took about a minute, gotta check out the video. I have GOT to learn these fucking stones!

Odd object carry (400 tire) with heavy sled drag
Two runs, 50 ft each way.

Once I get my camera back, I'll post the video of the marathon stone carry. It frustrates me to no end to be so terrible handling stones. Just gonna keep working them twice a week and let them come around.

6.29
Band Traction, YWLT circuit and Short (TOO short) warmup
Axle Bench off of foam worked up to 245x6ish? then 225x10+2
Seated Axle Press Lockout 135x5 135x5 155x5 155x7
Lying Skullcrusher off the floor 75x8 95x8x3
Side Bends w/farmers implement (112) 3x10+10 supersetted with
Kneeling Cable Cross 55x10 65x10 70x10
30 pullups to loosen up the shoulder
Neck x120

My wings are HURTING. They need some ice and anti-inflammatory STAT.

Comp is being difficult about uploading that video, will try and get it out later this week. View at your own peril as there is nothing insightful; it's basically a "this is how NOT to carry a stone" Public Service Announcement. But it makes me happy because I ground the whole thing out. I'm far from the strongest cat out there but i'd like to think I can grind with the best of them.

6.30-"Low"/recovery day
Short Med Ball/Dynamic Warmup
Explosive Med Ball and Starts-Aprox 40 reps
Big Circuit (2000m total tempo)

7/1 happy 29th birthday
Bottoms up squat with bands-worked to 275x7
Stones over bar (set one notch higher than usual) bunch of triples at 250 and a couple singles at 300.

7/2 RE Upper work at Sallys
Palms in Alt Ext Press work to 75s x 10
Kroc row to 100 for 3x10
Pullups-30 total

7/3 OFF

7/4 Events
Rolling Snatch warmup 60kg 2x6
Yoke 1 run at 380 1 run at 560 (popped right calf/Achilles)

Really hurt when it happened, felt like something popped. Now its just tight and sore as hell. Hoping its a little strain and I'll be good to go come Wednesday. Partners killed it as usual. Lots of medleys, carrying our freshly created odd objects: they really defy description, they're just odd shaped and heavy.

7/5 OFF

7/6 ME Upper
Nice Long Warmup
DB Palms In Bench worked up to 95x6 (post-neck injury PR)
Pullups 3x5
Single Arm DB OH Press worked up to 95x3
Pullups w/45lb plate 5x3 then 1x10 with bodyweight
Pony Keg OH Press (can't remember the weight on it) bunch of singles, couple triples, couple doubles, never pressed a keg before and it's awkward as f*ck
Rolling Hang Snatch 50kg 2x6

Calf/Achilles is better, still hurting a bit. Getting it worked on tomorrow to get some kinks taken out and get on the road to recovery. Might need to stay off the yoke for a few weeks as that aggravates my heels. Frame, carries, stones, etc don't bother them but the yoke always tears me up; can't imagine why...

7/7
20 Mins rowing
High rep abs

7/8 ME Lower
Roller and short warmup
Front squat worked to 345 for 2 singles. This was stupid and i'm going to pay for it tomorrow and Friday. not front squatted in AGES and going to a semi-limit lift wasn't smart. One of my training partners smoked 455 for 3 and a guest hit 455 for a single. The real dirty thing is this: that's close to a double-bodyweight front squat. I don't care who you are, that's dirty.
Axle Good Morning 135x10 185x10 185x10 225x6
225lb Odd object Carry-100ft for 3 trips (Achilles' held up, we'll see tomorrow)
Kneeling Cable Crunch 180x12 210x12 225x12

ART/Chiro this morning and hopefully another session Friday in anticipation of Saturday Funday. Barring any injury, i'm gonna go to the local Highland games training Sunday and learn to throw stuff and toss cabers. I want to do the Highland games in Estes Park this year but i'm not gonna be that guy that just enters for "the experience". I wanna work for it, compete and see what happens.

You too man, the pulls were dirty. Be sure and mention the part where the skin on the top of your head exploded during your DLs.

In hindsight the track work + yoke has probably not been the best idea for the Achilles'.

I've never thrown anything before but it sounds like a new fun way to hurt myself. I'll email you the info this afternoon.

Training note: forgot to mention that after the two 345 singles, I did 185x20 for front squats.

Took 7.9 and 7.10 off totally besides some stretching and band work, not worth mentioning

7.11
Long Warmup w/3x12 reverse hyper
Clean 60kgx5 80kgx3 100kgx2 110kgx1 120x1 130x0 125x1 130x0 130x1
Bunch of 100 ft runs with our 225 sandbag/odd object and some presses with our pony
Tire carry (I think it's around 350-400) 2-100 ft runs with a turn
Neck x100
Rev Hyper 2x12
Stretch and couple throwaway sets of ab wheel

I'll take the 130 but I wanted 140. First limit clean in ages so i'll take it since this ties my post-back op PR. I think i'll focus on this (and front squats) a bit the next few weeks and then swing for 140.

First taste of throwing tomorrow. Sleep and eating on the schedule for tonight.

7.12 Throwing

This was between 3-4 hours of throws.; i'm exhausted. Went through sheif toss, caber, heavy and light hammers, heavy and light stones, weight throw for distance and weight for height. I have a funny feeling my right arm is going to be a little stiff in the morning.

I'm hooked. Throwing shit is fun. The only way I could get any more packed with sports is if another invite comes down for training camp with USA Bobsled. The next few months are going to be a ton of work and a ton of fun. One partner has LW Pro nationals in a few weeks, one is either doing a pro-qualifier in Texas or HW Nats and the other is leaning towards doing HW Nats as well, which we qualified for by winning a local comp on a whim a few weeks ago. As i'm sitting here thinking about it, we're building quite a crew between the bodybuilders, figure competitors, strongmen and the lifters at our gym. It's awesome to contribute to it and be a part of the whole thing.

7.13 Re Upper/Deload
DB Seated Press 40x12 50x12 60x10 60x10
Machine Bench 1 plate per side x12+12 2 plates per side x12+12 x12+8 x12+6ish
Machine Pulldown 1 platex12; 2 platesx12; 3 platesx10; 2 plates x a bunch
3 Sets of Ab Wheel

Knocked out some random band stuff (pull aparts, rows, ankle strengthening, etc) at home. I have an awesome exposed pipe that I can strap a band to right in my living room, perfect for little stuff while making food or doing laundry. My upper back is so weak it isn't even funny. I think that's part of what's holding back my log as well as my stones. Also need much better stability through my core and back for the throwing events, especially the hammer; the heavy hammer just about pulls you off the ground.

I'm surprised I feel/felt as good as I did today, because I was dragging some serious ass all day in the office. Nice and easy week up til Saturday. I think Wednesday i'll take a run of front squat and then some RDLs and other supplementals; something like 6x3 @ 75% (265 lbs-ish). Nothing intensive but something to groove the front squat again; same with the clean on Saturday (6x3@75% is 97.5kg). I'll bust in a half hour before the rest of the crew gets there and knock most of it so we're starting on the same page. Heels are WAY better now, just a little AM tightness that I stretch out in the shower. I think i'm going to take a shot with the new Cumin sup. If it's useful in managing inflammation then it's worth every penny; any pain management would be the cherry on top.

7.14
Med Ball tosses for distance 11x100m

Just getting some stiffness out and getting the blood flowing after a long day in the office and a surprisingly nasty little workout last night.