STRONGMAN - Tom Mutaffis

[Tom Mutaffis]

9/19/2009 - Lifestyle Fitness (Shoulder Training)
Time to get back in the gym, starting off light with a shoulder workout (bodybuilder style) since that is not overly taxing on the CNS. Bodyweight is up from a big dinner last night - weighed in around 228 lbs today. Trained with my girlfriend and we kept a good pace going.

Warmup: 7 minutes on Elliptical @ level 2 (HR 115-120)

Seated Military Dumbell Press:
70 lbs x 5 / 55 lbs x 10
85 lbs x 5 / 55 lbs x 10
100 lbs x 3 / 55 lbs x 5 (not to failure)

Wide Grip Upright Row / Side Raises
70 lbs x 10 / 20 lbs x 10 x 3 sets each, very short rest

Hammer Iso Front Delt / Front Raises:
Plate + 10 x 10 each arm, 15 lbs x 10 each arm
Plate +10,5 x 10 each arm, 15 lbs x 10 each arm
Plate +10,5,2.5 x 10, 15 lbs x 10

Rear Delt Machine:
70 lbs x 25
100 lbs x 20
150 lbs x 10, 55 lbs x 10

Agility Drills:
Around the world - 2 sets, one each direction
Shuttle Run - 2 sets

Good workout today, fast pace the entire time and shoulders were screaming at the end. Knee felt pretty good on the agility work. The plan is to train again tomorrow and maybe throw in some very light events work.

I just found out about a contest in Georgia on 10/10. The weights are quite light but if the drive is not too bad it might be a decent training day, and then will be looking at some heavier events in November or December.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Trained some light events today at a friend's house in SC. Just wanted to test out my knee since it has been feeling better, and do some grip work. Didn't eat much today but bodyweight was steady around 225 lbs.

ATG High Bar Squat:
385 lbs x 3
405 lbs x 3
425 lbs x 5 - Easy set, knee feels pretty good.

Rolling Thunder:
Worked up to 130 lbs left hand and 140 lbs right hand, did a bunch of 5 second holds on the lighter sets.

Tire Sled:
150 lbs? x 200 feet w/ turn
450 lbs x 25 feet x 2 sets (had some help on the second one, started to feel it in my bicep and shut it down.)

Farmers Walk:
180 lbs x 250 feet, then 150 feet (total of 400 ft.)

Good training day, we had a big group and everyone was working hard. I am taking it easy on the heavy events work for another week or two.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Decided to do a quick Back/Biceps work at home last night, still keeping the intensity down for a couple more workouts. Also took some measurements... they were all taken cold (flexed)

Weight: 225 lbs
Chest: 48-50"
Arms: 18" (Neck and calves both match)
Thigh: 28.5"/29"

Not bad considering I haven't done direct arm work or consistent squatting in a long time. Going to start adding more gym training just to see where it will take me.

__________________________

Monday 9/21

Iron Gym Chins:
BW x 7 sets of 5 - Mostly wide grip, a couple sets neutral grip. Short rest and slow tempo (easy).

Dumbell Curls:
15 lbs x 25 reps Each Arm - Mixed it up here a little as well with some preacher and hammer curls.

Swiss Ball Crunch:
BW x 50

Captain Of Crush Grippers:
Trainer x Warmups
#2 x Static Hold (Right) / No Close (Left)

Good quick workout; am planning on hitting the gym for some pressing tonight.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Wednesday 9/23 - Lifestyle Fitness
Wanted to hit the gym for a quick workout tonight. Starting to feel better and bodyweight has been steady between 225-228 lbs, while improving body composition. I am pleased considering that my diet is not overly strict and I just started training again basically a week ago. The supplement changes have made a big difference in my opinion - drinking 3-4 (1 scoop) Nitrean shakes per day and have been steady on Results for 6-8 weeks now.

Speed Box Squats:
345 lbs x 2 x 7 sets - All done beltless; felt good on these though my knee is still a little sore.

Standing Strict OHP:
225 lbs x 3 x 3 - Beltless, relatively easy and all of these were completely down to my collarbone.

Hack Squats:
2 Plates x About 25 reps - All paused at the bottom and time under tension was about two minutes

Calf Raises:
2 Plates x 25 reps

That was it for today.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Here is a photo from last night, have been basically doing some "clean bulking" and an up to 227 lbs now. Only my second week of being back in the gym after about a month of layoffs/competing.

[Off Road]

When I grow up, I want shoulders like Tom's

[Clifford Gillmore]

)

Weight: 225 lbs
Chest: 48-50"
Arms: 18" (Neck and calves both match)
Thigh: 28.5"/29"
.

I beat you on the thigh at 30"+ and on the weight, but your chest is a full 10" thicker than mine - Great work!

[Cmanuel]

You should contact elitefts and get a sponsorship. They really need to sponsor up and coming strongmen

[LuNa]

When I grow up, I want shoulders like Tom's

Shoulders, arms, chest, abs, legs... The list goes on and on.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Thursday 9/24
I am trying a new deadlift program, it looks a lot easier on paper than it actually is. Bodyweight is steady around 225 lbs and things at work are busy which leaves me a bit tired when it comes to training. This program is pretty interesting because of the volume; in the first workout I perform a total of 28 repetitions with around 500 lbs. Stopped by my friend's house in SC to train with a couple of the guys there.

Deadlift:
475 lbs x 4
475 lbs x 4
475 lbs x 4
475 lbs x 4
545 lbs x 2
545 lbs x 2
475 lbs x 8

That is the whole workout, accessory work is on a seperate day (I did some of mine yesterday which might not have been the best idea). Was feeling pretty good afterward and had a nice dinner when I got home. Need to bump up the calories today since I plan on doing some gym training tomorrow and strongman events on Sunday.

I am working on editing a couple of training and competition videos that I have from earlier this month.

[LuNa]

Here is a photo from last night, have been basically doing some "clean bulking" and an up to 227 lbs now. Only my second week of being back in the gym after about a month of layoffs/competing.

That picture is really motivating me to keep cutting.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Here is a video from the competition earlier this month:

Video

[Travis Bell]

Lookin good Tom! You are really going far in strongman.

[tryme]

your journal scares me

[Off Road]

I love that intensity you bring to the events. How many guys would have bailed on that last keg lift? Great stuff.

Oh, and that guy (in the foreground) helping with the axle lift was an absolute BEAST! He must eat small cows for dinner

[Tom Mutaffis]

I love that intensity you bring to the events. How many guys would have bailed on that last keg lift? Great stuff.

Oh, and that guy (in the foreground) helping with the axle lift was an absolute BEAST! He must eat small cows for dinner

Thank you, I was actually pretty tired so it was hard to get fired up for the events. In the last contest here I smoked the keg medley but I think they put some extra weight in that last one because I was one of only two guys all day in the LW & HW (30+ competitors) to get that final keg.

The loader in the first part of the video is my training partner. He is 6'1 and 340 lbs. Has enormous bone structure. We give each other a good push on the events.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Saturday 9/26
Trained at Lifestyle Fitness, just a quick shoulder workout, bodybuilder style. Not sure what my bodyweight was but am thinking that it was down just a little bit. I went food shopping yesterday so that should be resolved now.

Push Press:
135 lbs x 5 x 2 sets
185 lbs x 3 x 2 sets
225 lbs x 10 - Beltless. Very easy, haven't done them in a while and this was the lightest that 225 has felt. Will start hitting some big numbers again soon.

Smith Machine Military Press:
2 plates/side x 5, 5
1 plate/ side x 10, 5, 5 (minimal rest for this movement)

Complex:
Side Raises - 20 lbs/hand
Upright Rows - 100 lbs
Seated Military Dumbell - 45 lbs (slow)
Front Raises - 15 lbs (rotating wrist)
Rear Delt - 50 lbs
Face Pulls - 55 lbs, 85 lbs / 5 sets total

**The entire complex was high rep, at least 10 reps on every set. Hit probably 20 sets total in about a half hour then called it a day.

I would not normally do this many sets for shoulders (I didn't even train them directly for years) but since everything was relatively light it was actually more of a conditioning workout. Going to try to work in some heavier stuff next week.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Sunday 9/27
Trained at a friends house today, just looking to do some grip work. Have never really devoted time to grip training but this will help to make me more well rounded in strongman. Already making gains after just one workout and am feeling good with the increased consistent gym work.

Rolling Thunder:
*Worked up to 157.5 lbs Right Hand, 147.5 lbs Left - Both PR's
*Held 102.5 lbs for 30 seconds each hand with more in the tank.

Farmers Walk:
175 lbs/Hand x 350 feet (no drops); Added straps then re-picked and carried an additional 175 feet with 2 drops... brutal.

May not look like much on paper but it was pretty tough. Will probably rest and eat tomorrow then get back into the gym on Tuesday.

[twm]

shoulder sessions are looking rough light weights or not! when youre doing push presses do you use a staggered stance or do you keep your feet parallel?

[Tom Mutaffis]

shoulder sessions are looking rough light weights or not! when youre doing push presses do you use a staggered stance or do you keep your feet parallel?

Thanks, the weights are light in terms of things that I have done previously but I am working back in some heavier weights now (just getting back in the gym). My PR for military is 275 lbs x 3, full range completely down to collarbone and 115 lbs for a few on seated military. Standing push press I have done 305 lbs x 5, 275 lbs x 9, and 250 lbs x 12 - looking to crush those numbers soon.

For the push press my feet are always parallel. The staggered stance may not be the best idea for your back/knees.

[JSully]

looking strong, awesome video!

how akward is that keg medley?

[Cmanuel]

If someone wanted to start doing strongman events, what's a good baseline in terms of weight, strength, lifting experience, etc?

[Tom Mutaffis]

looking strong, awesome video!

how akward is that keg medley?

Keg pressing is interesting. It is one of those exercises with a big dropoff; I have done a 200 lbs keg for 15 reps yet a 275 keg is a whole different world.

If someone wanted to start doing strongman events, what's a good baseline in terms of weight, strength, lifting experience, etc?

It is tough to say where you really need to be to get started, and some of it can depend on your athleticism, coordination, and mentality.

Some general guidelines would be that you probably want to weigh at least 170 lbs and be relatively strong on the power lifts (2X bodyweight squat/deadlift). The only way to find out if you really like it and if it is something that you want to pursue would be to find a local training group and give the events a try. If you are interested I can try to help with that.

[twm]

do you know when your next contest is?

[EatMyWay2TheTop]

Impressive workouts, just came accross your log and there's a lot of interesting stuff there