Press
45x10
135x5
155x5
175x5
140x5
140x5
140x5
DB Press…ss…DB Row
60’sx10-90’sx10
60’sx10-90’sx10
60’sx10-90’sx10
Hello Lofty.
I don’t know if you’ve seen my log recently, but I’ve been considering trying to get into amateur <90kg/200lb strongman, to try to give my training some direction and purpose. I wouldn’t expect to be particularly competitive at first, but I’m trying to get a feel for what sort of standards would need to be met so as not to get stapled.
Everywhere I’ve looked on line, people seem to be posting some quite high numbers, even for lightweights - many of which seem to be in excess of what you’re lifting, which seems pretty unlikely to me given your strength, size and experience.
I just wondered whether you had any advice, as to time frame from where I am, and the weights I should be aiming for, to try to give myself some focus - or equally level with me and let me know if I stand no chance!
Much appreciated as always mate.
You won’t even come close to winning your first competition but that is okay. Noone expects you to; it’s your first time. Also, in North American Strongman Meets there is a novice division with weights that are much more manageable. The main consideration for a strongman is access to implements. You cannot effectively train for strongman unless you have a shit ton of strongman implements (or at least a gym that has them) so it can get quite pricey. As far as gym work is concerned, I would follow a certain protocol leading up to a comp:
Strongman Event
Accessory Barbell Lift NP Template
Supplementary lifts (bodybuilder type shit)
So say for example I was doing a meet and one of the events was a farmer’s walk with 500lbs for max distance. I would work up to a really hard set of farmers walks with slightly over 500 (say, 525), then I would do some deadlifts with a double overhand grip to train my hips, traps and grip (I would follow my powerlifting template for this) and then I would do some assistance work for my back and traps like barbell rows, barbell shrugs, pull ups, etc…
I would train 4 days a week and one of those days would only be the strongman events. The rest of the week would be the template I just posted (which usually winds up being kind of like a deadlift day, overhead press day and squat day, depending on the upcoming events)
Thanks very much for taking the time to explain that mate. It makes a lot of sense. Do you have any idea in mind of what a <90kg/200lb lifter should be able to lift in order to do their first competition?
Don’t worry about that right now. I am being completely serious. Just get as strong as you can by the time the next comp comes around. I would say that a 225 ohp, 315 bench, 405 squat, 495 deadlift and 275 powerclean are good numbers to shoot for in the long run but you don’t need them to go compete. Just sign up for a comp and do it.
[quote]Loftearmen wrote:
Don’t worry about that right now. I am being completely serious. Just get as strong as you can by the time the next comp comes around. I would say that a 225 ohp, 315 bench, 405 squat, 495 deadlift and 275 powerclean are good numbers to shoot for in the long run but you don’t need them to go compete. Just sign up for a comp and do it. [/quote]
Thanks very much mate, for the encouragement and the advice!
No problem man. I will be following your log to see how it goes.
In other news, I think it is safe to say that I am recovered from my illness/overtraining stint. My resting heartrate this morning was 47bpm! My right biceps tendon is still feeling a little sore though so no ohp today.
On Saturday I went to the Europa bjj tournament with my coach. It was a huuge tourny with roughly 700 competitors! I watched every match in my division and afterward I wish I would have signed up. I would have wiped the floor with just about everyone and there was only 1 guy that would have been a challenge. He looked like he ate a bottle of dianabol for breakfast every morning. He wasn’t particularly good at jiu jitsu but he was 300lbs with a 6 pack so… anyway, I am going to research some upcoming tournies and enter 1 of them.
Squats
45x10
135x10
225x5
315x3
365x3
405x3
425x3
340x5
340x5
340x5
High Bar, Close Stance ATG Squats
275x8
275x8
275x8
OMG it was hot today. I barely got through my squats. My shoulders and elbows weren’t happy about doing front squats today so I did the oly squats instead. I will do some cardio tonight with my wife.
Bench Press
45x10
135x10
185x5
225x5
265x3
285x3
225x5
225x5
225x5
Narrow Grip Incline Bench
185x10
185x10
185x10
185x10
DB Rows
80’sx13x10
I did a set of 10 db rows on each side between every set of bench and incline bench for a total of 13 sets. Nice lifting session. My biceps tendon felt good during training but is slightly tender now. I have bjj class tonight.
Bjj class
I felt kind of sloppy at bjj. I moved pretty well but my techniques were a little overly deliberate. I could really tell that I haven’t practiced much over the past 2 weeks.
Block pulls
134x5
225x5
315x3
405x3
495x3
545x3
Deadlift
385x5
385x5
385x5
Barbell Shrugs
315x10
315x10
315x10
315x10
T bar rows
3 platesx13x10 *I did a set of these between every other set
Then I worked outside in 100o heat for 6 hours. After that I went to jiu jitsu and tweeked a muscle in my lower back. No fun. I did learn a cool little loop choke in a gi that you can set up off of a single leg takedown or when you have a guy go turtle on you. I will be good to go by Saturday. I have to stop myself from training tomorrow.
That’s a pretty awesome amount of volume there Lofty, nice work capacity.
[quote]LondonBoxer123 wrote:
That’s a pretty awesome amount of volume there Lofty, nice work capacity. [/quote]
Thanks. Lifting has felt a lot better since I stopped doing so much conditioning work and my conditioning on the mat has not dropped at all. Hopefully I can keep it up.
I have been catching up on my weight training sessions as my schedule got slipped up and set me on a path where I am lifting on Tuesdays and Thursdays which happen to be the days that I have jiu-jitsu; however, I am changing that now. Last Thursday I managed to hurt myself from doing too much in one day (nothing serious). So, I will not be lifting on days that I train bjj anymore. I am going to train tomorrow at Marcelo Garcia’s school in Dallas.
I had an outstanding day of training at mg’s yesterday. I am feeling it today though! Everything hurts. I am becoming an old man.
I took a few days off because of my shoulder and knee hurting so much. They feel better today but they aren’t gone completely. I was seriously itching to train. I hate being injured; especially in my upper and lower extremities simultaneously because I can’t do anything!
Squat
45x8
135x8
225x8
315x8
315x8
315x8
365x1
385x1
405x1
425x1
445x1
425x1
405x1
385x1
365x1
315x8
275x8
225x10
I did 2 chin ups between every set. I probably could have done 3. Squats felt nice, grooved and fast. I didn’t go too heavy. 445 was the first weight that didn’t “explode” so I stopped there. I think I need to back off on my intensity a bit. Volume doesn’t seem to bother me but when I put too much intensity in I tend to get hurt in BJJ.
BJJ Class last night was okay but not great. I really need some bigger training partners. When a guy is 1/2 your size you can do techniques improperly without even realizing it. We drilled some reversals from half guard. One of them you blocked their knee and pushed them backward, the other you lifted them up by their knee and rolled them forward. Both were easy techniques so we didn’t spend forever on them and opted to get some good rolls in. My shoulder started bothering me during drilling. I am about done with this tendonitis bs.
Bench Press
45x10
135x10
225x8
225x8
225x8
245x1
265x1
285x1
305x1
325x1
345x1
325x1
305x1
During this rep I felt something cramp up in my neck. Now I can’t turn my head… great…
100lb DB rows between every set
I am not sure what happened to my neck and upper back but I can hardly do anything. I will need to go see a doctor on Monday 
Shit Lofty, I’m sorry to hear about the latest injury. I hope it heals up quickly. Neck injuries are the very worst in my opinion. All the best, mate.