Ingatestones Strongest Man - 2021 Prep Log

So fresh from the 5th place last time I’m bang on for my next show. I have entered Ingatstones strongest man. As a novice. The events are:
Viking press - weight TBC
Car Dead lift - 230kg side handles
Bag throw over bar - 14/16/18/20kg
Conans Wheel - 180kg
Fingers or Hercules hold TBC

My first thoughts on see this were - what great events. I’m so keen to have a go. I’ve done Viking press and finger before - but the rest are new. I have access to the equipment so I will start using it.

Training at the moment is very generic. There were a few items we (coach and I) wanted to sort out. We have brought up my log (the programme was written before I entered the show) and my dead lift. I’d now say I’d pull a 500lb (227kg). I pulled a 230kg from blocks 3 times recently.

I’ll update this weekly. “normally” at the weekend.

This weeks training - pretty standard. ME log was good. Managed 100kg 2x3. And block pulls 3x230kg. My upper body power feels better.
I have KB swings tonight. And DE squats. Lots of power work. That should be handy for the throws…

The event I’m most looking foward to is the wheel. I’m going to aim to keep going for the whole time. 0 put downs.

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So this week has been okay for strong man - shocking for personal.

I’d like to say I was good at keeping them separate. But I’m not. Food and calories are down. And I’m not training at the same intensity. That said I am training. Little wins right now. That’s what I need.

ME dead lift day was heavy triples - 4 sets at 220 from a 25mm mat. Hard work but done. Right now I think my 1 rep max is 235/240. Working towards a big 250 this year.

ME push press - 3x3 this was harder than I wanted it to be given my logs go so far north in the last few months. But @T3hPwnisher always says - when his press goes up. So does his log. But not the other way around. This will get better quickly though.

Strong man day today. Did cardio 100m sprint on the ski erg - 16.5 second. 300m sprint 56.5 seconds. This was HARD.

Viking press - 17 reps in 60 seconds with 95kg. Really happy with this. When the weight comes out for this comp I will be aiming for a nice high score. I think I could do 12 at 100kg. Which is the heaviest it will be. He says with great confidence.

Then stones. Big win here. I got the 130kg stone on the platform. Which 8 months ago I could not. So happy there. And then Hercules hold. not sure on the weight - but I got 1.08 mins. Best in the group. So happy again.
But what I’m most happy about is the fact that I’m making progress week on week. Or month on month.

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Keep your head up brother and stay grounded.

Thanks. Its been a tough old year already. Honestly - 2020 was okay. I mean I lost my job but there was a reason and I was in the same boat as millions of others And I knew it would be over soon. But this year is kicking my arse. I can’t seem to get a hold of it. And there seems to be no logical end to it.

The one good thing is the gym is keeping me focused. Its hard to explain to other people why I find pleasure in the gym. Or how it makes things “better”. But it does.

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So one of the changes in my personal circumstance is my coach. We have had to part ways. Which is a shame as we got along and I was making progress.

So its back to what I know. 531 upper lower full and then events day. If anyone has any views please let me know.

I use a 531 variation for strong man I found on the web. There are some changes but the bones of it (the 531 part) is untouched.

Upper
531 Press - SS - chins sets of AMRAP on all work sets
350 incline bench - SS face pulls sets of 10-15
Then extensions and curls super set
Abs

Lower
Dead lift 531
Front squat 531 (at 85% TM)
Belt squat 1 set of 20
Single leg work - 2-4 sets of 12-15 reps/leg

Event / whole body day
Viking press 531 with FSL / timed for 60 seconds
Front loaded yoke walk - working up to 50-75% of the comp wheel.
KB swings
Car dead lift - depending on how taxing the mid week work out was I will go for time - not weight.

Well you’re certainly amongst people that understand on this forum. I think there is so much that can be said about mental health and exercise. People aren’t made to be sedentary and feed their mind, body, and soul bullshit all of the time

You could look at some of the E-books that Kalle Beck and Anthony Furhman have put out. You could also look into the strenghlete collective as they have a TON of info/templates/coaches on there for something like $30/mo I think. If I didn’t have a coach, I would be doing something like that

Yeah one of the “life issues” is my job went south. So paid for services have been knocked on the head.
I’m fairly confident in the above. I will need to forward plan for a peak. To make sure I’m hitting the big numbers at the right time. But I’ll do that this weekend. Just sit there and work back. I have the “bare bones” of a plan. Detail will fall into place. I’m at the point where I’m just happy to compete. I REALLY wanted to the win this a few weeks back. But this prep has already been crap. And its going to get worse.

I struggle with my head space - which is one of the issue with work. BUT exercise helps. Its not a cure. But its a control. It is also an early warning sign for me. If I struggle to get up for exercise I know there is a chance my mood is about to dip. The idea that our minds and bodies are separate in any way shape or form is wrong. They are 100% one and the same and effect each other more than we know.

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So this weekends plan of getting more detailed in terms of prep failed.
Sunday was 100% taken over my a family emergency.

This meant I also only went to the gym twice.
These were okay sessions. But I need ore to progress
In terms of weight it was 2x225kg dead lifts and then 3x3 at 190.
Push press 3x3 at 105kg.

I’m going to try and get to the gym tomorrow. But il be fair I struggling. Life is really pressing the over drive buttons this summer. It’s taking everything I have not to rage quit and spend 2021 drunk and asleep.

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Feel you 100% here man, I’m barely getting a one maybe two sessions in per week and life stress is absolutely sky high. Try to remember the iron will still be here when life stress reduces you won’t have lost much and you’ll gain it back easily, even with a comp on the horizon keep the importance of what is only ever going to be a hobby, in perspective.

If you ever want to reach out, outside of the forum let me know, and don’t forget to pray, rest in him (Matt 11:29) and connect with your church family.

Perspective is one thing I’m not lacking in right now lol. After losing my job because my dad was ill, my dad did not make it. We were not overly close in the last few years. But at points he and I were very very close.

I have all the time in the world right now - but it is hard to focus and bring any level of desire.

Thank you. Perhaps my Church heard you. They reached out to me today. The hand posted letter arriving as I read your comment on the phone. I’m not a “God gave me a parking space” sort of guy. I do believe in chance. BUT this one feels like it belongs in the “To much like someone is telling me something” box. I will email the minister after I have done the school run.

If in the mean time you would pray for me. Not for me but for us. My dad had 4 sons and was involved with many people and organisations. But he was a complicated man and he left a lot of bridges 1/2 burnt. There was a lot left unsaid. There are lots of people that need healing.

Thank you.

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So - I had a quick look at how long until my comp and doing a 531 run in was stupid. I had forgotten I only had 7 weeks till comp…

So I’m doing a REALLY simple peak.
5x5, 3x5, 5x3, 3x3, 1x3, 3x1. With the assistance tapering down from week 4, and then week 5 even more and week 6 being very much lift and leave.

With that - this week was 5x5 week and I had a great time. press was a bit tougher than I would have liked. But not so much I’m worried. Car deadlift I did 5x5 with 220 on the machine. I’m happy with this. As the handles on the day are MUCH higher. I’m looking to double figures this event.
Viking press was good the other day. The event orgaisner has told me there machine will be 105kg. BUT it does not weigh that much in hand. Levers and all that stuff. I had 75kg on the machine with a 23kg machine. And it felt fine. I think again - somewhere near 10 reps. I did the 5x5 “fairly” easily. I could have got 6-7 reps out in a row, + 50% more is kinda what I get on my 60 second events.

Today I did the wheel practise, front loaded yoke / zercher carry with 110kg. I did 4x20m return. I did this in 15-20 seconds. And then I did a 60 second run. Almost passed out. This is where I think it going to be at. Just going to be hellish and have to get on with it. And take some smelling salts / iced water. Wake me up after.

So that was this week. I feel good. I’m on holiday next week. On a cruise. There is a gym so I will be working out LOTS. On the days I’m not doing weights. I’ll be doing some sort of cardio.

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Still praying for you. Even when you’re not close loss is hard, and particularly when you have been close in the past. I’ve been touched and moved by the deaths of people I’ve never even met; attended an online funeral of my bosses wife a couple of months ago, glad it was online I was balling my eyes out, as far as funerals go though it was amazing the impact for Jesus, that woman had(has) on so many people was astonishing, just an amazing testimony to a life lived well - I’d meet her once by zoom (such a stark difference to the normal funeral platitudes).

Sorry slight side track, all that to say death sucks and just take care of yourself these things can affect us without us realising and it can sneak up on you, also sometimes that takes a while to come to the surface.

(Sorry for the slow reply been off the forum a while).

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Awesome - enjoy!

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Thanks.
I’ll update this in holiday. The cruise gym is a bit soft. Max weight on a bar bell is 120. And its a 10kg bar.

So upper day 75kg 3x5. Belt less and easier than 70kg with a belt.
Lots of inclined bench and tris and back

Legs
Front squat 130kg x5
Back squat 130kg x20
Lunge 28kg 2x15

Cardio today. Will go rowing or do a bb complex

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Looks like it’s time to get good at high reps haha

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Yeah - I went tried and tested front squat into back squat.
Its so simple but it burns and it works.

I though on holiday I’ll be well feed and rested might as well do something stupid. Recovery will never be this good again.

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So a few weeks with out an update. But some good news.

3 event practices. 2 great results. 1 so so.
Car dead lift - with a touch more than comp weight 12 reps. I was plan on doing 3x5 with this weight. But I was training with a guy that told me I was not working hard enough. Turns out he was right.

Viking press - same deal. Was planning for 3x5 with comp weight. Aiming for 7-9 reps on theday. BUT the same training partner told me I was owning it and I went all out. Got 16 reps in 60 seconds.

The front loaded carry today is less brilliant. I’m struggling with positioning. I’ve dropped the belt on this event as I can not breath with it on. But I still managed 50m with 130kg. This might be okay it might not. I think today I was tried from dead lifts on Thursday still. The video for this cuts out. But I got to the white car and in the back ground and trun around and cam back 10/15m. So maybe a touch more than 50m?

On a personal note I think this is my last time as a novice. I’ve always said that if you can do 10 reps or more on an event you need to move up. I’m looking at 15 reps on 2 events. I can do 3-5 reps on the intermediates so I think next year I need to step up.

Videos to training/events below.

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Yea, you don’t appear to be a novice in training either!

My coach’s approach has always been, if you can hit all of the weights in the open classes, then you need to be in the open class.

Thanks man. But my non machine lifts are pretty much “okay”. I’m still a long way off say a 600lb (275kg) dead lift. And I’m not able to get more than 200lb (90kg) over head with out alot of leg drive.

But we shall see. I could in all honestly enter the Inters at this comp. I would not 0 a single event. But This in only comp 2. So I’m not getting ahead of myself just yet.

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