My journey into Strongman

[barryisawinnah]

looked pretty quick, a little sticking point about 8 in off the chest. May have to go for 320 to 335 in a month or so

yeah, I probably won't try for a max single on bench for a long while. Just wanted to get that 3 plate monkey off of my chest, lol

Bench is my least important lift since doing the strongman thing. I mean I still want to bench 405 raw someday, but that is about it. Next cycle I might do a max single for squats to get that 4 plate monkey off my back, lol.

Yeah normally my sticking point is about 3 inches off the chest, so I was surprised to see it come off the chest easily, yet struggle a bit in that range. Oh well.

[StLRPh]

A lot of the time the actual sticking point is a few inches below where you see the bar slow. Loss of speed at the bottom may not be visible until you've started the up stroke. Another option is to work on your arch and shorten the bar path. I feel like I read Westside article to that affect somewhere.

Anyway, I agree with you. For what you want it's really just an accessory lift for overhead work.

[barryisawinnah]

A lot of the time the actual sticking point is a few inches below where you see the bar slow. Loss of speed at the bottom may not be visible until you've started the up stroke. Another option is to work on your arch and shorten the bar path. I feel like I read Westside article to that affect somewhere.

Anyway, I agree with you. For what you want it's really just an accessory lift for overhead work.

yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Maybe I just improved my speed off the chest, thus causing the sticking point there.

I've tried to improve my arch but never really stick with it, lol.

[barryisawinnah]

Saturday-Events
Axle: Worked up to a single of 230 with continental clean
Yoke: Worked up to 500 for 80 feet twice. Also 700 for about 6 feet, lol
Farmers: 200 for 80 feet and 240 for 80 feet
Truck Pull: 1x80 feet
Stones: 5 with 200, 3 with 245, 2 with 265 and 1 with 300 over 50” bar


No videos, which sucks, because I was a bit better with the yoke and the 240 farmers for 80 feet was a PR (no drops and pretty damn smooth). The 200 was very fast.
The 700 yoke was just cause, lol. Brutal

The 230 axle is technically a PR too. I've never went above contest weight before. Press was easy, had to continental it up there, which can be tricky sometimes.

Rock climbing shoes helped a ton on the truck pull

Stones were stones, was going to try the 325 stone, but 300 was tough enough, lol

[barryisawinnah]

Monday-Cleans and Pullz
Power Cleans: 165x3 185x2 205x1
Snatches: Some singles up to 165
Deads: 345x5 390x3 435x5 (added belt) left a few in the tank.

Power Cleans felt better, I read that the 1st pull to the knees isn't supposed to be all out, then once the bar hits the knees, then you explode up. If anybody has some advice to help my power cleans, I am all ears.

Video

[barryisawinnah]

Tuesday-Overhead and Bench
Push Press: 165x5 185x3 205x5
Bench: 215x5 245x4 (oops, supposed to do 3, brainfart) 275x5
DB Rows: 120sx2x8


Last upperbody day before the show. I will do squats tomorrow morning, then off until Saturday. Didn't push it real hard on overhead and left at least 1 in the tank on bench.

[jkstrength]

Monday-Cleans and Pullz
Power Cleans: 165x3 185x2 205x1
Snatches: Some singles up to 165
Deads: 345x5 390x3 435x5 (added belt) left a few in the tank.

Power Cleans felt better, I read that the 1st pull to the knees isn't supposed to be all out, then once the bar hits the knees, then you explode up. If anybody has some advice to help my power cleans, I am all ears.

Video

Good job man! I am not an olympic lifter but I do a ton of research on it for school so for what its worth... as far as the first pull, everything I have read on the subject says the entire movement should be performed explosively or to use the NSCA's term," forcefully". I have never seen it said to not go all out on the first pull but that doesn't mean its not true, just that I've never seen it. But since it is a full-body movement meant to build explosiveness and RFD, i would see little advantage to doing the first pull not all out unless it is technique related. Like I said, I'm not an olympic lifter so I could be missing something.
The only other thing you might want to watch is the catch phase. It is hard to tell with a front camera angle if your doing this or not but the torso should be, "almost fully erect with the shoulders slightly ahead of the butt" and the hips and knees "...in approximately a quarter squat position". So instead of leaning back to absorb the weight, you should absorb it by quarter to half squatting while maintaining a flat or slightly arched back.
I hope some of this helps man. Everything in quotes is straight out of the Exercise Technique Manual for Resistance Training published by the NSCA so I'm not just ripping it off some forum or something, LOL.

[barryisawinnah]

Good job man! I am not an olympic lifter but I do a ton of research on it for school so for what its worth... as far as the first pull, everything I have read on the subject says the entire movement should be performed explosively or to use the NSCA's term," forcefully". I have never seen it said to not go all out on the first pull but that doesn't mean its not true, just that I've never seen it. But since it is a full-body movement meant to build explosiveness and RFD, i would see little advantage to doing the first pull not all out unless it is technique related. Like I said, I'm not an olympic lifter so I could be missing something.
The only other thing you might want to watch is the catch phase. It is hard to tell with a front camera angle if your doing this or not but the torso should be, "almost fully erect with the shoulders slightly ahead of the butt" and the hips and knees "...in approximately a quarter squat position". So instead of leaning back to absorb the weight, you should absorb it by quarter to half squatting while maintaining a flat or slightly arched back.
I hope some of this helps man. Everything in quotes is straight out of the Exercise Technique Manual for Resistance Training published by the NSCA so I'm not just ripping it off some forum or something, LOL.

thanks, all that sounds good to me. Yeah I just read that somewhere, but I have always just pulled explosively, lol. I think my torso is pretty erect when I catch it, but I will have to take some side videos of it. I just haven't really figured out how to pull myself down into the 1/4 squat position, lol. I always catch it pretty much just standing straight up.

[jkstrength]

No problem man. Hopefully someone with a little more olympic experience will chime in, lol. I think the whole squatting business comes into play when your working with more maximal weights but its probably good to practice when using light weights so its second nature. I think you're right to just always do it explosively.
Your progress is awesome man. You can tell you've been working hard. Keep it up!

[StLRPh]

Not an expert either but I can add the following:
1. those are the strangest looking bumpers I've ever seen
2. looks like it got a little in front of you
3. way too light, it was at your chest before it even slowed down. You have a lot more in you than that.
4. the pink shoelaces are probably costing you at least 10lbs...just saying

If you get a chance check out Glen Pendlay's videos. He's a very good OLY coach and has a ton of stuff on Youtube.

[barryisawinnah]

No problem man. Hopefully someone with a little more olympic experience will chime in, lol. I think the whole squatting business comes into play when your working with more maximal weights but its probably good to practice when using light weights so its second nature. I think you're right to just always do it explosively.
Your progress is awesome man. You can tell you've been working hard. Keep it up!

thanks, it feels good. I made some good progress when I got back into the swing of things a few years ago, then I pretty much just stagnated for while, feels good to get back to the basics and to progress.

[jkstrength]

Not an expert either but I can add the following:
1. those are the strangest looking bumpers I've ever seen
2. looks like it got a little in front of you
3. way too light, it was at your chest before it even slowed down. You have a lot more in you than that.
4. the pink shoelaces are probably costing you at least 10lbs...just saying

If you get a chance check out Glen Pendlay's videos. He's a very good OLY coach and has a ton of stuff on Youtube.

I was also thinking he has alot more in him.
Lol @ the shoe laces.

[barryisawinnah]

Not an expert either but I can add the following:
1. those are the strangest looking bumpers I've ever seen
2. looks like it got a little in front of you
3. way too light, it was at your chest before it even slowed down. You have a lot more in you than that.
4. the pink shoelaces are probably costing you at least 10lbs...just saying

If you get a chance check out Glen Pendlay's videos. He's a very good OLY coach and has a ton of stuff on Youtube.

Ooh, I missed your post the 1st time around.

Yeah I have never seen anything like them either, lol

Yeah, I've cleaned 240 before once when I did my 240 press. IDK how my form was, I'm a pretty explosive guy, but never really did the OLY lifts other than freshman football, and those were way fucked up, lol. When I was 200ish I box jumped (no steps) 46" and broad jumped 9 feet with a vertical of like 32". Not exactly world class, but pretty decent for a guy that was only squatting in the mid to upper 3s and pulling in the mid 4s. So I think if I can get the form down, that I could be decent with the OLY lifts at least.

The pink is in, lol. It started when I was still in the Marines in like 2008. I decked out my barracks room with pink satin sheets, and all kinds of shit, lol. It would piss off the people who had to inspect my room, but they would generally get distracted and leave my room without really checking it, lol. I do want to purchase some oly shoes though.

I've heard of Pendlay, so I will YouTube him. Thanks

[barryisawinnah]

Just Skwats today, nothing else. Felt good, left at least 2 or 3 in the tank. Ready for Saturday.

Wednesday-Skwats
Skwats: 270x5 305x3 345x6

[jkstrength]

Just Skwats today, nothing else. Felt good, left at least 2 or 3 in the tank. Ready for Saturday.

Wednesday-Skwats
Skwats: 270x5 305x3 345x6

Good luck man. Of course you don't need luck when you work hard right? Lol. Post some pic/vids of the show when if you can.

[barryisawinnah]

Good luck man. Of course you don't need luck when you work hard right? Lol. Post some pic/vids of the show when if you can.

Thanks, luck still helps, lol

Yeah the GF is coming to the whole contest for this one, so hopefully she can get some good video/pics. I think I got a good shot in my class, since it has 3 moving events, and those are more up my alley right now.

[StLRPh]

nice work and good luck this weekend

[barryisawinnah]

nice work and good luck this weekend

thanks bro

[barryisawinnah]

I made this about 2 months ago after my birthday, some lofty goals, but I think they are achievable. I put it on my fridge, so I see it many times a day.

I figure if I am like 240, then that would equal to a beasty 231, lol. Also had to put 1 non training goal on there, lol. Got a 4.0 GPA last semester, so a 3.5 shouldn't be that rough.

[jkstrength]

I made this about 2 months ago after my birthday, some lofty goals, but I think they are achievable. I put it on my fridge, so I see it many times a day.

I figure if I am like 240, then that would equal to a beasty 231, lol. Also had to put 1 non training goal on there, lol. Got a 4.0 GPA last semester, so a 3.5 shouldn't be that rough.

I like it. Lofty goals but definitely attainable.

[barryisawinnah]

I like it. Lofty goals but definitely attainable.

Yeah from when I made it, it was about 10lbs a month on deads and about 7.5lbs for squats and about 5lbs a month on overhead.

Form is getting better on overhead, so I should be able to get that, somewhat easier than the deads and skwats, It's just motivating to see them multiple times a day in writing.

[ironwill727]

I like the goals man. I have mine written on my fridge for the end of the year and I have already smashed some. You got the right attitude. Keep it up and you will go far.

[barryisawinnah]

I like the goals man. I have mine written on my fridge for the end of the year and I have already smashed some. You got the right attitude. Keep it up and you will go far.

thanks man, so much of training really is mental.

I should also add that the 300 overhead has to be done from the floor. Not just out of the rack, that shit doesn't do me any good, lol

[barryisawinnah]

took 2nd in the Novice LW by 1 point. I locked out my 9th rep on overhead about a tenth of a second after Time was called. Would of tied me for the lead in that event, which would of ended up tying me in the end, so I was damn close to a farmers hold standoff for the win. Either way I am happy with my performance, Now the real test begins, the moving up to the Open class.

1st event was Yoke walk for 80 feet with 500lbs. I can't remember my time, but I know that I was 2nd in the event by .4 seconds. So it was close.

2nd event was truck pull for 60 feet (or was it 50?) with an F-150. Took 2nd again by less than a second, so I was right there. My time was 20.3 and the winner was 19.6 I think. I had a slight misstep at the beginning of the pull that cost me.

3rd even was Axle Clean and Press (clean each rep) with 185 ( I think) for 45 seconds. As I said above, locked out 9th rep just a bit late. Matt who beat me is a much stronger presser than me, so I was happy to basically stick with him.

4th event was 200lb per hand farmers for 80ft. Took the win with a time of 9.5 secs (pretty happy with that). The 200s are pretty light for me, so I can really just worry about picking up speed.

Final Event was 220lb stone over 50" bar for 60 seconds. Won this event with 9 reps (Had the 10th started when time went off, I wanted to get 10, lol). Light stone, so it was mainly just about speed and cardio. Was a brand new stone though, so it made it a bit more difficult since it was so smooth.

Overall I am happy with how I did. Might do a show on Sept 3rd, but i know I have to get stronger to be competitive in the Open class. I'm pretty damn athletic, so it lets me stick with some of the stronger guys, but overall my strength needs to come way up.

[barryisawinnah]

Need to add stone pics as well, will do that later, lol

Yoke



Truck Pull




Axle Clean and Press




Farmers