Diary of a novice strongman

Charlts

Didn't train today as my back is in pieces still from the weekends exertions (free booze is awful for recovery), so I did loads of mobility and stretching work, as well as egging on all the guys whilst they worked hard on legs day. Looking forward to more foam rolling over the next day or so and getting to grips with limber11 intime for some hard work deadlifting on Wednesday.

sheriffwoody

when they say "foam roller and a lacrosse ball" do they literally mean just a normal lacrosse ball?

Charlts

Yep, I have friends who use cricket balls or rounders balls, as long as it's round and hard without being too big as it needs to get right into the trigger points. It's like a vicious foam roller in a bad mood on steroids, the first time you try one you'll come close to tears but they're so worth it after.

Charlts

With the disappointment of missing squatting on Monday still ringing in my ears I'm more motivated for dead lifts later, this is where the difference between a novice natural trainer and an experienced assisted trainer become obvious as a few of the guys I trained with have done two solid sessions since then! Deads tonight, the plan is use the axle to get warmed up with and build up to working sets on a Texas bar, then back to the axle for speed work.

triggerh4ppy

Im at the same gym. Warehouse gym, Leicester?  Great place. although I dont make use of the equipment as much as I should..

Charlts

Sure is dude, pop over and say always good to put faces to names. When are you training next?

Charlts

Mega sesh tonight, got there early, got my head on and got loads of work done!

Warmup

Trap Bar dead - bar x10x2, 75x10, 115x5, 155x3, 200x1, 222.5 fail - Came off the floor well but low back still in bits and felt like I'd snap!
Axle Deadlift - 75x5, 105x5, 125x3, 135x3, 145x3

Deadlift - 155x10, 155x10, 155x10
Single arm rope low row - 6 plates x10, 6x10, 6x10
Two hand low row - 12x10, 12x10, 13x10
Lateral raise machine - 40x10, 45x10
Axle Row - 65x10, 75x10, 75x10

Loads of core/mobility work in between sets as well to stop waiting around.

Felt really good today, back DOMS have really disappeared with some hard work and lots of stretching/foam rolling.

Charlts

Fridays pressing session was an odd one as one of the guys had mixed pre workout with redbull so what started as a bit of Olympic lifting practice, turned into an axle marathon and the big bear hit loads of stimulant fuelled pb's. I'm noticing with the axle that cleaning it takes so much out of me as rather than dropping under it and squatting it up, I'm pulling it straight from the floor to shoulder height. The good news is that my split jerk practice with a broom handle at home is paying off and I can make a 90kg axle jerk look effortless when it comes together. I also managed to smack myself under the chin with a bare barbell leaving a suspicious looking bruise!

Warm up
Prowler  30 x 4 lengths
Prowler  30, into sled drag x 5 continuous
Stretching
Tyre flip battle between two x20
Shoulder mobility drills

Barbell Oly drills - bar x 10 C&J, 40x5 C&J
Axle - 65x3 C&J, 65x3 C&J, 75x5 C&J, 85x2 C&J, 90x1 C&J, 90x1 C&J. 65x10 strict press, 67.5x10 strict, 70x10 strict
Bench - 105x5, 105x5, 105x5, 105x5, 105x4 (too much strict pressing the axle!)
Rope cable pull down - 11plates x 10, 12x10 (sloppy form), 11x7 into 10x2
Cable crossover - 4plates x10, 5x10, 5x10
Dips (explosive) - BWx5,  15x3,  15x2

Charlts

Events on your own sucks, but as my training buddy is photographing a wedding there wasn't much choice, so got in early and discovered duck walks are awful, I'm rubbish at yoke so need to do more.

Duck walk - 80x30m, 100x30m, 150x30m (comp weight hard), 150x30m, 100x30m (fast)
Yoke - 50x30, 130x30, 190x30   5sec hold, 190x30, 190x30
Arm over Arm into drag - 130x20m, 130x20m

Did some stretching and foam rolling to finish, then played with the gym dog.

Charlts

Quite a few have mentioned how they'd love a go at some of the strongman type stuff, but don't have the kit. I stumbled across this article this evening which has what I thought has some good improvisation.

Strongman Training for Your Clients