Ingatestones Strongest Man - 2021 Prep Log

I forget that they essentially have 3 different competition levels across the ocean. If I remember correctly, y’all have novice, intermediate, and open? Here we have novice or open, and that’s it (and PRO too, but I am not sure if I would count that)

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Yes mate in general terms:
Novice, Inters and Open,

Then the weight classes are all separate. So anyone wanting to do under 105kg has to go:
Novice, Interns, Under 105.
The issue is that most of the guys in the under 105kg (like yourself) are really strong. So going novice to under 105kg comps is not a good idea. There should almost be a separate group for under 105kg inters. Or at least a nod. IE the best inter under 105kg.

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So do novice and inters not have weight classes?

Nope. In at the deep end bro. Once you go into a weight class you are in with the “pros” in that weight class.
Ironically the event weights over here often go:
Novice, under 90kg, inters, under 105, open.

Its one of the reasons I’m so big right now (115kg/252lb). I could very easily bring it down but why?
It will make getting stronger harder. And there are no brownie points for being a touch smaller.

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I can see why you aren’t ready to make the jump yet! It is set up a bit different in the UK than it is here. I am actually dieting down so that I do not have to water cut. I started at 247 July 5th and this morning I was 235. I want to be 231-232 in another couple of weeks and from there just focus on maintaining/recomp and getting stronger for nationals on October 15-16. So far, even though I am 12 lbs down, I am still getting stronger and faster. But I have the help of anabolics that you do not have (at least I don’t think you do).

That’s a good weight loss. and a good idea I think. I don’t like the idea of water cuts to make weight. I think they have too much effect on performance. I mean 5lb of water cut - sure. But I did MMA and I saw guys do 5kg (12lb) and it really took it out of them. Even with 24h advance. I mean the day of the fight no one felt like eating.
Once I do a season at inters next year I will diet down and get to 105kg.

100% natty for now. I’m SORELY tempted. I have a 12-16 week cycle all planned out. I just can’t do the blood tests. My wife is not keen on the idea - but I think she is open to TRT. The issue with that is paying. It is £90 a month. I can not afford that.

First and foremost I would never push any into anabolics. It is a highly personal decision that no one should take lightly.

With that said, we, in the states, have quest diagnostics and… something else I cannot remember the name of. But we can do testing on our own. Is that not an option for you?

And yea, that monthly TRT cost adds up. I’m seriously considering dropping my doc and doing it on my own

I have the private blood test kit in doors. I’m looking at it. But I hate doing it.

100% agree. And part of me knows 1 reason I’m tempted is because I’m told I’m not allowed to do it. The performance side is almost a “side effect”.

And yeah if I did it I’d go “no profession help route”. And that is a step too far. Even just keeping it at 50-62.5mg/E3.5D I feel there is too much that can go wrong for someone that has never used.

I think that is part of the allure with many illegal things. And I find it ironic that our respective governments believe they have the need or right to “protect us from ourselves”

It certainly feels that way when you first do it. I remember feeling like I was a junkie after my first pin ever. But it’s really not that big of a deal, and if you do it responsibly, there’s really not that much that can go wrong.

And there’s not some magic definition behind the word “responsibly”, it’s more just like “don’t be a fucking idiot”.

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BUT there is a magic definition of “irresponsible” and that would be me. I have low level bipolar. And in an up phase I can do stupid shit. I could see myself running major “blast cruise” sort of thing for years - only to realise that its taken a decade off my life.
And that is the constant battle. I’m not sure me wanted to run self administered TRT is me being raitonal and level headed as I can genuinely make it work or my bipolar going “Do it - it will be great”.

That’s a self-limiting statement if I have ever heard one. And I don’t say that to shit on you because we all do that all the time, or at least I know I do. People have a tendency of saying they cannot do something because of “insert reason here”, and it’s nothing more than an excuse, and in the end, the only thing that happens is you don’t strive harder for your dream.

(I was diagnosed with hypo-mania, which is a similar diagnosis to yours, but without the depressed side. So trust me when I say, I get it.)

Now I am not saying to throw caution to the wind and just start pumping yourself full of shit, but I think the best thing you can do is make a plan and require yourself stick to it. If you know you’re going to run 500 mg test/wk for 12 weeks, then make sure you get roughly 6000mg total so that you cannot run more than you want, or you’ll just run out faster.

Again, I am not saying to just go do it, but if you do it, this would be a “responsible” way.

Sorry for “ignoring this” - classic read it on the phone and want to reply at a laptop. Then forget.

The issue is - I do have history of making bad calls. Its not even that I think once I’m on I can’t manage it. Its the desire to go on. I’m not 100% confident it’s not some sort of low level desire to go nuts. This would be my MO. Every single one of my really stupid things has been at the end of a series of seemingly innocent decisions. A while back my Dr said this was perhaps the bast way to stop the really bad things from happening is to stop those stepping stones.
That said - my wife is kinda on board. TRT is a legit treatment and I’m not against it.

ANY WAY
Training:
Last week was good. I’ll concentrate on the events stuff
Car dead lift - managed to get to 3x5 at 280kg. The event is 230kg. I’m very happy with this. This is an event I have to look to win.
Viking press - worked up to a set of 6, then 4 with 125kg. Event weight is 105kg. Did a drop set after with event weight got 10 reps.
Throw - we managed to get a sand throwing bag at the gym - 17kg and I JUST about manage to get it 4m in the air. So the 10/12/14/16 should all go. This is a timing as well as power exercise. I’m glad I got chance to practise.
Yoke - worked up to a 150kg front yoke > all the evil in the world. Did 2x 20m returns and then a 45m run. I’ve dropped my belt for this event. I find my lungs get cramped already. Putting the belt on makes it 10 times worse.
No holds - but I do my car dead lifts with no straps. I might do some holding stuff. I normally do okay. A bit ashamed I’ve not done that much to be fair!

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So a long time with out a post. A lot has happened to me aside from training and I this prep was awful. The last 2 weeks where shocking. I had really heavy stuff at work steel fixing and a music festival last weekend. Which put last weeks training on hold and this weekend was really taxing. So not ideal at all.

This is the event sumary.

TLDR:
The good was great. The bad was awful. Not sure on final placement I left early as my kids had come with me and the show lasted 7 and a half hours (65 athletes and they were running all of them at the same time). But before the last event (which I did poorly in) I was in 4th.

Longer version.
Turn up and all is good. sign in and the event starts late. Standard. They tell us that they are running all classes together. There are 15 guys in my category and we are not the most subscribed. So the day is going to be LONG. Women and beginners go out on the 2 viking press machines. The women finish quickly as there are only 7 or so of them. The Novice starts I’m 3rd off last. Then the Beginners end and the inters start. 2nd or 3rd inter guy slips on the loose gravel ground and it has all gone pear shaped. As in his knees are not in the right place. Both caps have moved 90 degrees around the leg. Bad times. Cue a 1h break and an ambulance ETC. In the end they moved the equipment so we could carry on. After a quick warm up (in which I managed to get a quick feel on the comp weight on the bar feels light) we were back on it.
Event 1 viking press 105kg - I was 3rd last to go. 21 reps was the winning total. I managed 17 placing 3rd. I should have rested at the bottom a bit more (1 pick up no put downs). But still a good result. I always knew I’d do okay here with this event. My training has been good and I have sound technique. Very happy. I know it sounds “callous” but I didn’t even care that a guy was semi crippled 5m away from me. I know some guys did.

Event 2 Car dead lift - 230kg (it was not) - I was 3rd to last again and managed 5 reps. Coming 5th.
This was a joke. Again I had managed to get a rep on the comp weight. I pulled it once I knew it was heavier then they had said. But my theory is - everyone has to pull the same object. I don’t care how heavy it is. Its the same for everyone. At the back I watched 50% of the guys before me 0 the deadlift. 1 guy got 9, one guy got 6. I got out there and did 5. I did 5 in a row. Then could not get another for love nor money. I got 1/2 there. A few more guys got 6 and 7. But over all aside from the guy that got 9 I was mixing it well. I feel bad for the guys that 0’d. This car was heavy. I was aiming for 10 reps or so. It was like wise on the inters. 50% of guys got 0.
I will say this - I’m not against heavier weight but that much over advertised is wrong.

Sand bags - 1 out of 4. 12th place. Fucked it. Bag one went well over. Bag 2 high enough but not the angle, then I tried again and again and again. But after throw and retrieve 5 I was just so angry inside I quit out. I had 2 more event to do.

Conan’s Wheel - 2 and 1/2 turns - 1st place. Well we think 1st place. It would be the only way for me to jump back to 4th over all.
So I’ve always said that these events are not only a test of strength but a cock measuring contest. Are you willing to get to the point where you go out on your feet? Will you pass out and to get another half meter?
I did not pass out but I 100% went grey, went faint and lost control of my legs and fell over. I know it sounds odd - but that was the aim. I knew that my “weak point” in the event was my breathing and oxygen level. Not strength. So go till you pass out was the plan. It sucks - but it works.

Next event is Hercules hold. Not sure of the place. But I got about 25/30 seconds - the bench mark was 45/60. The handles span and I did not notice that before. I went for the classic motor bike reach right through. Let it pull the skin off if needed. But as the handles span and I was not ready. So there was 30 seconds of holding onto it in my fingers.

So over all a great day. I think I will be moving to intermediates from now. Aside from 2 events I could have mixed it with them. I wold 100% have beaten more then a few of them over all.

Videos to come.

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Great work!

And Stone Cold like Ivan Drago!

Video’s below. No video of the hold. My camera lady had made a move by then.

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Good job big dawg! You really looked like you knew what you were doing out there, which I think is a big compliment. Obviously it didn’t all turn out the way you wanted it to, but that’s just how it goes some days. I think you can go a long way in strongman if you stick with it and maintain consistency.

Thank you. Aside from the 2 events i fluffed it felt really good. Much calmer than last time. And those two were fluffed not due to nerves but I was not good enough. Which is easier for me to process.
I’d rather lose cuz I’m weak than lose cuz I panicked.

I’m gonna go intermediate level next year. I’m fine never winning a novice comp. I think I will train harder knowing my competition will be stronger. I won’t lie there was a bit of me that eased off the training at points as I knew I’d get 15 reps on the Viking press and do well on the Conan’s wheel.

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You can’t have every event be your best event. But I agree with your mindset. The other day I failed a log press and I was mad at myself, but I wasn’t as upset as I am usually. Normally I fail log press due to shit form or technique, but this time I failed it because I was too weak. Technique has always been hard for me to figure out, but getting stronger is the easy part for me. So the more I thought about it, the more I was ok with it because honestly, having my technique on point andnot panicking under heavy weight was a big win for me.

But enough about me. I think you’ll do fine in inters. You seem to be making some really good progress, and you certainly did not look like a novice in your videos.

and in reference to training harder for inters, my coach always says “rising tides bring up all ships”.

I think for me - being strong is something that takes time to do. And I have to accept I can’t get that right straight away.
Preforming poorly due to nerves or lack of practice I feel is a more immediate fix.
Like I would rather preform my best and fail, than fail to preform my best.

Thank you. I felt calmer this time out. Sure I still had butterflies but I was ready. Ironically my prep was shocking. And I did worse over all. But I felt more assured. After my Viking press I felt brilliant. I knew I was top 5 at least.

Time double down in training now. I’m looking for comps in early 2022. 5/6 months of hard core work. Aiming for big things.

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Just caught up on how you went and wanted to say well done mate. These things rarely go to plan but you out yourself out there and gave it everything and did a bloomin good job. Quality

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