IRON & STONE: Adventures of an Amateur Strongman

[mouse]

2/16/2021

Log Press
240x1x5

Incline Bench
185x6, 205x6, 225x6, 245x6

Lol this looks so pathetic on paper...

[mouse]

2/18/2021

13" Deadlift
500x1x5
(30 sec rest between, no belt)

T-Bar Rows
180x8
Sets of 8 up to what felt good and cheaty, I frickin love this handle

Air Bike
15 min@6-7

Should I have squatted? Maybe, but that t bar has been looking at me and I just wanted to play...

Some manual labor tomorrow (firewood) and then it's on to contest day!

[mouse]

REVOLUTION TEAM CHALLENGE
2/20/2021 @ Blood Iron Barbell, Syracuse NY
2nd Place Overall w/ Tom Fitzgerald, Autumn Bloss, and Alicia Sweet

Keg Carry Medley - 40ft - 90 sec
Master strategists we ain't hahaha, we figured Tom and I would start heavy and work down while the girls started light and worked up, where if one of the girls had to tap out we could finish. Didn't exactly pan out hahaha, we wound up in a 3 way tie but we can at least say we were the only team to take the 300 (me) and 275 (Tom) down the course hahaha, so we got that... I took the 300 and 250...

Never Ending Press - Fastest Time
CDB - 55, Barbell - 115, Sandbag - 100, 10" Log - 130
Yoke - 200, Axle - 225, Viking Press - 250, 15" Log - 265
Hell yes this is where we clicked, we completed the full course in 42 seconds, but we got beat out by a 30 second time for 2nd haha... they had super efficient barbell/axle cleans... I took the yoke and 15" log...

Deadlift Medley - 90 sec Max Reps
Silver Dollar 18" - 350, Axle - 250, 13" Wagon Wheel - 500, Frame - 600
Man we thought we put on a clinic, opening teams took a zero and 2 or 3 'reps' and we walk in and go for a full 8 'reps' in 90 sec even with a strap malfunction (Tom). Dream team came in again and beat us again with 10 reps, but we were damned happy...

Sled Drag From Hell - 250 to 650 Max Distance
400 FUCKIN FEET
This was unexpected... we took the sled 40 ft back and forth with ascending weight until 650 and then 90 sec went on the clock for max distance. Tom and I each had two drags with 650, and it wound up with me being the 'closer'. I was about 4 or 5 feet from the line when the final seconds started counting down and I managed to row the damn thing over the line at the very last second to lock in an even 400 ft drag. We won the event and prevented a full contest sweep for the winning team hahaha, we're all buds though and there was much shit talking lol

Awesome fuckin day, solid 2nd place effort concerning we had team changes up until the last second and one of our team (Alicia) had never competed strongman before... it's great to be back competing again...

[KringJ]

Congrats on the meet mouse.

Could you tell me a bit about the process of transitioning from more traditional "Squat, "Bench", "Dead" to strongman training. I've always thought it looked like a lot of fun, but haven't done much of it myself. Dont plan on shifting over anytime soon or anything, but maybe a year or so down the line.

[mouse]

Congrats on the meet mouse.

Could you tell me a bit about the process of transitioning from more traditional "Squat, "Bench", "Dead" to strongman training. I've always thought it looked like a lot of fun, but haven't done much of it myself. Dont plan on shifting over anytime soon or anything, but maybe a year or so down the line.

So without going on a huge tear, I'd say the easiest way to get in to it (especially if you don't initially plan on competing) would be to see if there's a decent strongman gym around you and go there on an event day. Typically those gyms have crews that will do group event days on the weekend, and if you train a 4 day schedule, you could just keep a regular 3-day for barbell work (emphasis on overhead, not bench), and then do whatever they train on event day because its almost always a push/pull/carry/load format.

If there's no strongman gym around or you just aren't a social butterfly (haha) start with easy DIY low cost stuff like sandbags or farmers handles and just goof off with them some within your regular training.

No need to be hyper specific about it unless it becomes an actual focus, probably do more front squats though...

Is that kinda what you were looking for?

[mouse]

2/22/2021

DE Box Squat w/ Bands (15" Box)
260x3x10

1.5" Deficit DL
315x8, 345x8, 365x8

Belt Squat
135x10, 150x10, 170x10

Planks 45 on / 30 off
BWx3

Look at me using a parallel box like a grown up.. prolly started those a touch high (load wise)... might keep them there next week...

[KringJ]

Congrats on the meet mouse.

Could you tell me a bit about the process of transitioning from more traditional "Squat, "Bench", "Dead" to strongman training. I've always thought it looked like a lot of fun, but haven't done much of it myself. Dont plan on shifting over anytime soon or anything, but maybe a year or so down the line.

So without going on a huge tear, I'd say the easiest way to get in to it (especially if you don't initially plan on competing) would be to see if there's a decent strongman gym around you and go there on an event day. Typically those gyms have crews that will do group event days on the weekend, and if you train a 4 day schedule, you could just keep a regular 3-day for barbell work (emphasis on overhead, not bench), and then do whatever they train on event day because its almost always a push/pull/carry/load format.

If there's no strongman gym around or you just aren't a social butterfly (haha) start with easy DIY low cost stuff like sandbags or farmers handles and just goof off with them some within your regular training.

No need to be hyper specific about it unless it becomes an actual focus, probably do more front squats though...

Is that kinda what you were looking for?

Yea man, that's exactly what I was looking for! This is really helpful, thank you.

[mouse]

Congrats on the meet mouse.

Could you tell me a bit about the process of transitioning from more traditional "Squat, "Bench", "Dead" to strongman training. I've always thought it looked like a lot of fun, but haven't done much of it myself. Dont plan on shifting over anytime soon or anything, but maybe a year or so down the line.

So without going on a huge tear, I'd say the easiest way to get in to it (especially if you don't initially plan on competing) would be to see if there's a decent strongman gym around you and go there on an event day. Typically those gyms have crews that will do group event days on the weekend, and if you train a 4 day schedule, you could just keep a regular 3-day for barbell work (emphasis on overhead, not bench), and then do whatever they train on event day because its almost always a push/pull/carry/load format.

If there's no strongman gym around or you just aren't a social butterfly (haha) start with easy DIY low cost stuff like sandbags or farmers handles and just goof off with them some within your regular training.

No need to be hyper specific about it unless it becomes an actual focus, probably do more front squats though...

Is that kinda what you were looking for?

Yea man, that's exactly what I was looking for! This is really helpful, thank you.

Cool, yeah I'd think most people dip their toes in to the strongman waters for conditioning purposes at first by setting up carry/loading medleys and stuff...

Somehow I missed an obvious cheap answer which would be to get (or make) an axle. That's easy to plug in 1:1 as a deadlift variation (or overhead, you just have to decide if you want to clean it or press out of the rack)...

[mouse]

2/23/2021

DE CGB + Bands
185x3x10

Incline Bench
195x6, 215x6, 225x6

Z Press
95x8, 125x8, 135x8

Band Pull Aparts
20x3

Close Grip Push Ups
34x1 (close fail on 35 haha)

So this is gonna sound weird, but I think I bruised my tail bone doing box squats hahaha... might check for some foam at work tomorrow...

[KringJ]

Congrats on the meet mouse.

Could you tell me a bit about the process of transitioning from more traditional "Squat, "Bench", "Dead" to strongman training. I've always thought it looked like a lot of fun, but haven't done much of it myself. Dont plan on shifting over anytime soon or anything, but maybe a year or so down the line.

So without going on a huge tear, I'd say the easiest way to get in to it (especially if you don't initially plan on competing) would be to see if there's a decent strongman gym around you and go there on an event day. Typically those gyms have crews that will do group event days on the weekend, and if you train a 4 day schedule, you could just keep a regular 3-day for barbell work (emphasis on overhead, not bench), and then do whatever they train on event day because its almost always a push/pull/carry/load format.

If there's no strongman gym around or you just aren't a social butterfly (haha) start with easy DIY low cost stuff like sandbags or farmers handles and just goof off with them some within your regular training.

No need to be hyper specific about it unless it becomes an actual focus, probably do more front squats though...

Is that kinda what you were looking for?

Yea man, that's exactly what I was looking for! This is really helpful, thank you.

Cool, yeah I'd think most people dip their toes in to the strongman waters for conditioning purposes at first by setting up carry/loading medleys and stuff...

Somehow I missed an obvious cheap answer which would be to get (or make) an axle. That's easy to plug in 1:1 as a deadlift variation (or overhead, you just have to decide if you want to clean it or press out of the rack)...

You know it's funny you say that. A buddy of mine are gonna use brian alsruhe's video to make an axle bar and some dumbbells this weekend. I think I'll start using that for my OHP press sessions.

I've also been using a rickshaw for deads recently cuz it's fun. I'm excited to get it outside for carries when the weather gets a bit nicer. Hopefully that'll atleast get me started

[mouse]

I've also been using a rickshaw for deads recently cuz it's fun. I'm excited to get it outside for carries when the weather gets a bit nicer. Hopefully that'll atleast get me started

Yeah absolutely, it's basically a frame carry and having the open end has certain advantages... like not having to jump over anything if you have too much momentum hahaha.

[KringJ]

I've also been using a rickshaw for deads recently cuz it's fun. I'm excited to get it outside for carries when the weather gets a bit nicer. Hopefully that'll atleast get me started

Yeah absolutely, it's basically a frame carry and having the open end has certain advantages... like not having to jump over anything if you have too much momentum hahaha.

....

Now that you've said that I'm sure I'll find a way to bust my shit haha

I'm sure that would be quite the sight for my old retired neighbors

[mouse]

I've also been using a rickshaw for deads recently cuz it's fun. I'm excited to get it outside for carries when the weather gets a bit nicer. Hopefully that'll atleast get me started

Yeah absolutely, it's basically a frame carry and having the open end has certain advantages... like not having to jump over anything if you have too much momentum hahaha.

....

Now that you've said that I'm sure I'll find a way to bust my shit haha

I'm sure that would be quite the sight for my old retired neighbors

Yeah if you're a garage gym guy strongman is a sure way to make your neighbors love/hate you...

One of my favorite contest moments is a frame carry in 2018 where I ended up doing an action movie dive/roll out of the frame as I went across the line... wife did not get it on video hahaha...

[mouse]

2/25/2021

Max Zercher Squat
425x1, 465x1
(was aiming for 500 but called it at 465 cuz smarts... these are just an awful variation lol)

Pin Goodmorning
200x7, 240x7, 265x7

RFE Split Squat
150x8, 180x8, 200x8

Standing Calf Raises
110x20x3

Seated Leg Curl
3x20

[KringJ]

I've also been using a rickshaw for deads recently cuz it's fun. I'm excited to get it outside for carries when the weather gets a bit nicer. Hopefully that'll atleast get me started

Yeah absolutely, it's basically a frame carry and having the open end has certain advantages... like not having to jump over anything if you have too much momentum hahaha.

....

Now that you've said that I'm sure I'll find a way to bust my shit haha

I'm sure that would be quite the sight for my old retired neighbors

Yeah if you're a garage gym guy strongman is a sure way to make your neighbors love/hate you...

One of my favorite contest moments is a frame carry in 2018 where I ended up doing an action movie dive/roll out of the frame as I went across the line... wife did not get it on video hahaha...

Dude thats awesome, how long have you been competing?

[mouse]

Dude thats awesome, how long have you been competing?

Got started late 2017... honestly almost as long as I've been training hahaha...

[Hardartery]

2/25/2021

Max Zercher Squat
425x1, 465x1
(was aiming for 500 but called it at 465 cuz smarts... these are just an awful variation lol)

Use your Axle for them. Wrapping a towel doesn't hurt either, except it seems to me that you are DLing the bar to your thighs first. I like doing Zercher DL's at times, meaning the pick is in the crook from the floor. It's a new form of pain, you know the weight is right when you get a sharp pain in the center of your forehead on the first rep, lol.

[mouse]

2/25/2021

Max Zercher Squat
425x1, 465x1
(was aiming for 500 but called it at 465 cuz smarts... these are just an awful variation lol)

Use your Axle for them. Wrapping a towel doesn't hurt either, except it seems to me that you are DLing the bar to your thighs first. I like doing Zercher DL's at times, meaning the pick is in the crook from the floor. It's a new form of pain, you know the weight is right when you get a sharp pain in the center of your forehead on the first rep, lol.

I used the axle when I was training the carry back then, honestly neither bar bothers me much...

[Hardartery]

The meat on the outsode ofmy forearm at the joint would just get chewed up with the regular bar, and the heavy pulls really were a test of pain tolerance more than anything for me. But, that squat you posted is certainly in the realm of where it hurt for me. That's awsome if it doesn't bother you with a regular bar.

[mouse]

The meat on the outsode ofmy forearm at the joint would just get chewed up with the regular bar, and the heavy pulls really were a test of pain tolerance more than anything for me. But, that squat you posted is certainly in the realm of where it hurt for me. That's awsome if it doesn't bother you with a regular bar.

It also doesn't hurt that it's a cheap beater bar with absolute garbage for knurling...