Per aspera ad astra (strongman Koestrizer)

18.12.

1 close grip bench press
80 kg x 5
90 kg x 3
102,5 kg x 7 - PR

1b 45° chest supported row
3 x 10 with 40 kg

2 slingshot bench press (regular grip)
120 kg x1
130 kg x 1
135 kg x 1 - PR!

3a pendlay row (touch & go)
70 kg x 8
75 kg x 8
80 kg x 8

3b “deficit” push ups (with handles)
BW x 18, 10

4a 20 kg plate curls
25, 25

4b band pull aparts
50

Notes:

  • failed the 8th rep, very happy with today’s close grip benching.
  • butt left the bench slightly on the rep with 135 kg. Otherwise this wasn’t even everything I have got. There was actually a little more in me. Maybe even three plates… Eccentric feels horrible with these kind of weigths, freaking heavy!
  • finally had my girlfriend back in the gym with me! It has been a long time and I am beyond happy to have here back in the gym with me. She had a massive comeback with benching 30 kg for 25 reps as her plus set (I can hear her voice in my head, saying how that isn’t a lot of weight and how she has done way more in the past but for a lay off od about 3 or 4 months, I thibk that is pretty damn good!)
  • my rowing strength is ridiculous. The 80 kg set was with mild cheating and the max I can for this amount of reps
  • really happy with today!

Do you have any access to a hot tub or something similar? I recently moved somewhere next to a hotspring and going there regularly has made a big impact in recovery for me. Just a thought.

My parents do have a tub but unfortunately I don’t fit in it. Living near a hot spring sounds nice! I could get regular access to a infrared booth (which is similar to a sauna). I don’t know how beneficial that is.

21.12.

Been low on sleep these last days. Wanted to lift yesterday in the evening after work but something got in the way. So I had to squeeze in this quick workout in the morning before work. Not the conditions I wished for but that’s life.

1 sumo deadlifts
150 kg x 6
140 kg x 7 (miscounted)

2 conv. deadlift from 1 thick mat (no belt and t&g)
100 kg x 5
110 kg x 5
110 kg x 9 (miscounted)

Notes:

  • will probably do this workout again next week. The set with 150 kg was supposed to be for 8 reps and I am sure that I can get it on a normal day.
  • conventional deadlifting is about the most unnatural lift of all for me. The difference between my sumo and conventional is really big.
  • I think going forward I will try to implement both, like today. I don’t know how good and effective that is but I can’t decide right now.
  • felt horrible to train in the morning today. It was cold, I was tired, I didn’t want to deadlift… Still I got it in. Will go for 150 x 8 nwxt week again!
  • video will be uploaded in the near future for critique on the conv. pulls

22.12.

Trained with one of my best friends today that I have trained a lot with in the past. Despite having great potential for strength training, he doesn’t take it as seriously as I did and after he moved away he only lifted on and off and stops altogether for extended periods of time. Anyway it was a great session and we hat a lot of fun.

1 axle push press
8 x 3 with 81 kg
Drop set (directly following the 8th set of 3, pauses only to strip the weight)
76 kg x 6
66 kg x 7
56 kg x 5

2 chin ups (supinated)
BW x 3 … yeah…
band supported: 3 x 5

3a lat pull down (close neutral grip)
4 x 10 with 60 kg

3b standing one arm db press
25 kg x 10
22 kg x 10

3c lateral raises
10 kg x 10

Notes:

  • great session. No pain in shoulders and elbows today. The main reason last time seems to be the day time. Training in the early morning seems to lead to more joint pain for me.
  • weight moved very smooth
  • liking the push press program so far. The great amount of sets at a relatively high weigh lets you practice the movement a lot

Video:

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Video of yesterday’s deadlifts:

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24.12.

Christmas lifting today with two good friends, who used to be my training partners. We had a glass of hot spiced wine (is that a thing elsewhere by the way?) and it was a relaxed atmosphere.

1 banded front squats
10 x 3 with 50 kg + band tension (about 30 kg at the top and 0 kg at the bottom)

2 trap bar carries
146 kg x 20 meter
166 kg x 20 meter
186 kg x 0
166 kg x 20 meter
166 kg x 20 meter

3a one legged deadlifts
5-6 x 1-2 with 28 kg kettlebell

3b kneeling ab wheel roll outs
2 x ?

Notes:

  • fun workout, nothing too special
  • pretty sure I could get the 186 kg but I didn’t feel like pushing that hard and risking my back when I am not fresh.

Video:

Merry Christmas to all of my friends on T-Nation!

3 Likes

Glad you’re liking the program for pressing. Hope to see you get a lot better this upcoming year.

Merry Christmas!

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I think I am in a good place to make progress right now. I have had a good stride already but I feel like there is plenty of progress right before me and I am hungry to take it.

I wish you all the best for your contest prep! Also I hope you get through your recent injuries and come in at your best!

Since 2016 is almost over I think it is time to set some lifting goals for 2017.
I want to achieve the following lifts:
Front squat - 120 kg with wraps if necessary
Deadlift - 200 kg
Trap bar carry - 200 kg
Push press - 110 kg
Close grip bench press - 100 kg x 12, 110 kg x 5
Sling shot bench press - 145 kg
Push ups - BW x 50, + 20 kg x 15

I think the deadlift and trap bar carry will be the hardest. I would be very suprised if I didn’t reach the push press and squat. The push ups will be hard aswell but it is a goal along the line. I won’t focus on it specifically.

27.12.

1 close grip bench press
70 kg x 5
82,5 kg x 5
92,5 kg x 11

2 slingshot bench press (regular grip)
105 kg x 1
115 kg x 5

3 HS seated row
40 kg per side x 10
50 kg per side x 7
40 kg per side x 10
40 kg per side x 10

4a push ups
+20 kg x 9
Bw x 20
Bw x 17

4b bent over barbell row
80 kg x 10

4c HS low row
30 kg per side x 20

5 bicep curl
Bar x 30

Notes:

  • was not the greatest workout. Near the end of it I lost all focus because my mind was somewhere else.
    -Generally I wasn’t too focused and didn’t enjoy this session.
    -Lifting wise the reaults are pretty average. I just suck at high reps, that is not new.

29.12.

Trained again at the gym that we use when I stay at my girlfriend’s home, like last workout. Although we have visited that gym many times before, it has been a while and I have only lifted in the cheese factory. I think if you are used to training alone with your own stuff, that is always the same, it is a weird feeling to train in a regular gym. I prefer to be alone or with people that I invite in my unheated cheese factory and not be irritated by the things you see in a comercial gym.

1 sumo deadlifts
150 kg x 1 - easy beltless PR (not a display of what I can actually do beltless, I just don’t lift that heavy without a belt usually)
150 kg x 8
140 kg x 8

2 beltless conventional deadlifts (little elevated, about the size of a plate or a bit more even)
110 kg x 5
110 kg x 5
110 kg x 11 (touch & go and straps)

3 45° back raises
Bw x 30

Gym closed. Another thing that does not happen if you have your own place.

Notes:

  • the 150 kg were a much harder effort than I thought. Was actually really difficult. Resulted in massive hamstring and glute fatigue.
  • the conventional deadlifts didn’t feel bad. I am very cautious with weight here for the beginning but I am starting to gain a little confidence. Will upload video for critique as soon as I can get to it.
  • hip/ groin area didn’t want to play along at first. Something to watch but not to worry.

01.01.2017

Happy new year fellas!
Was actually put partying till six in the morning. I am not used to that anymore and so I lacked some sleep and energy today.

1 axle push press
6 x 2 with 86 kg
Dropset (directly following the sixth set and rest only to change plates):
75 kg x 6, 66 kg x 7, 56 kg x 7

2a band assisted pull ups
4 x ?

2b standing one arm db press
31,5 kg x 4 with left, 3 with right arm
24 kg x 10

3 bicep curls
Plate x ?

Notes:

  • misjudged weight on db press
  • quick evening workout. Nothing special. Weight isn’t that heavy yet
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03.01.

Early workout before work. Sonething is up with my sleep. Been sleeping a little worse a couple nights in a row now.

1 paused front squats
80 kg x 1
100 kg x 1 - PR

2 regular front squats
105 kg x 0
105 kg x 1 - PR for sleeves
110 kg x 0
80 kg x 5 (beltless)
80 kg x 5 (beltless)
80 kg x 5 (beltless)

3a HS lat pulldown
3 x 40 with 40 kg per side

3b bulgarian split squats with barbell
2 x 8 per leg with 40 kg

4 sprint intervals on rowing machine
20 sec sprint/ 10 sec rest x 5 intervals

Notes:

  • hard workout. Should not have gone for a PR this sleep deprived and tired.
  • I still don’t count this as a bad workout. It is just very hard for me to increasemy front squat but I put in some solid work today.
  • no carries as I was in that comercial gym again. Which was detrimental to my performance because I lack proper agression and focus in that kind of enviroment.
  • split squats were straight up killing me.
  • now I only have to get through ten hours ofwork somehow, haha.
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05.01.

Trained at a new gym that I wanted to try. Had a shitty workout. Anyone ever benched with an eleiko weightlifting bar? Those are awesome but for benching they have too much spin/ rotation. Made benching feel very unstable.

1 close grip bench press
77,5 kg x 3
87,5 kg x 3
97,5 kg x ‘8’ (gf grabbed the bar too early but I know I would have had the 8th)

2 slingshot bench press (regular grip)
105 kg x 1
115 kg x 1
125 kg x 2 - failed 3rd
125 kg x 2 - failed 3rd

3 bent over barbell row
60 kg x 12
80 kg x 10
80 kg x 10
80 kg x 10
60 kg x 12

4 db bench press
30 kg x ?
42 kg x 4 - ouch that was heavy

5 incline db bench press (45°)
30 kg x 12

6 HS lat pulldown
30 kg per side x 12
2 x 55 kg per side x 10

7
4 sets of different curls with dbs and ez bar

Notes:

  • I have plenty of good excuses for this workout but I won’t list them. At the end of the day it was a shit workout and I have to deal with it. Will destroy the next bench day even harder!
  • Actually wanted to go heavier on the dbs because I was so angry and disappointes. 42 kg turned out to be plenty heavy.

07.01.

Things went better today.

1 sumo deadlifts
150 kg x 1 (beltless)
155 kg x 1
155 kg x 6
145 kg x 6

2 beltless conventional deadlifts (same height as last time)
110 kg x 5 (hook grip)
110 kg x 5 (hook grip)
110 kg x 15 (straps, t&g + rest pause)

3 kneeling ab wheel
3 x 10

4 band leg curls
1 x ?

Notes:

  • the top set felt good and looked pretty good. The drop set not so much.
  • the conventional deadlifts were pretty solid. Hook grip held up much better. The plan for now is to add weight as soon as I can hit 15 reps.
  • I actually feel the conventional deadlifts only in my glutes. The 15 rep set had my glutes pumped to the max.

10.01.

The cold of the empty cheese factory on this late evening felt like a warm hug today. After lifting in commercial gyms a couple times in a row it was nice to be back.
SI joint flared up at the start of the week. Left oblique and erector is pretty tight, some light pain in my mid back and some medium discomfort overall. I have been too lazy with mobility and everything.

1 axle push press
86 kg x 1
91 kg x 1
96 kg x 1 - ties PR
101 kg x 1 - new PR
106 kg x 0 - too greedy and nearly killed myself
96 kg x 1
96 kg x 1

2a band assisted pull ups
5, 5, 5

2b dead stop axle Z press
56 kg x 5, 5, 6

2c side plank
1 min, 1 min

3 neutral grip lat pull down
3 x 10 with 60 kg

4 seated db press
25 kg x 12

Notes:

  • deviated from the plan today. Hit a PR though.
  • because I am a bit banged up, I skipped the drop set
  • will edit video tomorrow
  • was tired after a very long day at work.

I can not imagine that someone watches a video that long but here you go anyway :D.
I made a video with the “highlights” of my last ~3 weeks of lifting, meaning what I have on camera.
Included is my deadlifting, front squatting (PR) and axle push pressing (PR).

Great work! Very happy to see you doing well. Keep up the pace.

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12.01.

Back felt better today, about 75-80% maybe.I feel pretty sluggish today and I guess I am coming down with something. Hopefully I can dodge that bullet somehow.

1 banded front squats
10 x 3 with 60 kg + bands (adds about 30 kg or a little more at the top and 0 kg at the bottom)

2 carry medley
20 meter trap bar @ 106 kg
20 meter jog back
20 meter sand bag @ 55 kg
take as little breathing pauses as possible

completed six rounds.

3 jumping alternating lunges (or whatever this is called)
2 x 20

Notes:

  • used a belt for nearly all of the squat sets which I don’t normally do on this day.
  • also lacked explosiveness. I don’t think it is because the weight was too heavy, it was because I feel a little banged up and not too fit.
  • because of my back I decided to skip heavy trap bar carries and do a medley instead. This had me dying. I am not kidding, this kicked my arse very bad. I guess I am in very bad shape but atleast I am trying to do something about it.
  • these jumping lunges had my legs pumped and since it was done shortly after the medley my lungs gassed. I would consider it an unhealthy exercise for the knees though.