TX's quest to be a Strong Man

I am planning to enter my first strongman competition in February of 09. Right now my goal is to cut a little weight and mix in some strength training. Once I get to my goal weight I plan to switch gyms and focus purely on strength and event training. So for the time being here is the template I will be following.

6 Week Cut Program
Here is the workouts we will be doing for the next 6 weeks.

Monday & Thursday

Workout A (Quad Dominant/Horizontal Push/Horizontal Pull)

A1: Overhead Squat 1x10
A2: Push Up 1x10
A3: Split Squat 1x10
A4: Bent Over Row 1x10
A5: Hanging Leg Raise 1x10

Rest 2 minutes
Repeat A1-A5

Rest 2 minutes
Move to B's.

B1: DB Front Squat 1x10
B2: Flat DB Bench Press 1x10
B3: Elevated Full Lunge 1x10
B4: Horizontal Ball Pull Up 1x10
B5: Incline Leg Raise 1x10

Total Sets: 15
Total Rest: 4 min

Tuesday & Friday

Workout B (Posterior Chain Dominant/Vertical Push/Vertical Pull)

A1: Hang Clean 1x10
A2: Pull Up 1x10
A3: Hip Pull Thru 1x10
A4: Dips 1x10
A5: Cable Crunch 1x10

Rest 2 Minutes
Repeat A1-A5

Rest 2 Minutes
Move to B's

B1: Deadlift 1x10
B2: Standing Cable Pulldown 1x10
B3: Leg Curls 1x10
B4: Standing DB Overhead Press 1x10
B5: Cable Crunch 1x10

Total Sets: 15
Total Rest: 4 min


Week 2 - add 2nd set of B group, rest 2 min.

Week 3 - Drop rest to 1 minute

Week 4 - Add 20 jump ropes between exercises and increase rest to 2 minutes

Week 5 - Decrease rest to 1 min

Week 6 - Do full workout with no rest

I'll be keep the carbs low during the week and refeed on Sundays. I don't really have a goal for this 6 week run for weight loss I'm just going to bust my ass and see what happens. After this is over I will switch to 4 weeks of heavy weight low reps, probably a WS template, and then repeat until I am at 250.

Week 1 Day 1
Workout A (Quad Dominant/Horizontal Push/Horizontal Pull)

A1: Overhead Squat 95x10
A2: Push Up BWx10
A3: Split Squat 10lb DBs x10
A4: Bent Over Row 135x10
A5: Hanging Leg Raise BWx10

Rest 2 minutes
Repeat A1-A5

Rest 2 minutes
Move to B's.

B1: DB Front Squat 55lb DBs x10
B2: Flat DB Bench Press 55lb DBs x10
B3: Walking Lunges 10's x10
B4: Horizontal Ball Pull Up BWx10
B5: Evil Ab Wheel BWx10

Comments
I almost threw up

Week 1 Day 2

Workout B (Posterior Chain Dominant/Vertical Push/Vertical Pull)

A1: Hang Clean 135 x 10
A2: Pull Up BW x 6
A3: Hip Pull Thru 110 x 10
A4: Dips BW x 10
A5: SB Crunch BW x 10

Rest 2 Minutes
Repeat A1-A5

Rest 2 Minutes
Move to B's

B1: Deadlift 225 x 10
B2: Standing Cable Pulldown 60 x 10
B3: Leg Curls 110 x 10
B4: Standing DB Overhead Press 45s x 10
B5: Decline Situp BW x 10

Total Sets: 15
Total Rest: 4 min

Comments
Deads and DB OH Press we a bit light. Everything else was ok and I think I might go puke now




Day 3 is OFF

Week 1 Day 4
Workout A (Quad Dominant/Horizontal Push/Horizontal Pull)

A1: Overhead Squat 135x10
A2: Push Up BWx10
A3: Split Squat 15lb DBs x10
A4: Bent Over Row 185x10
A5: Hanging Leg Raise BWx10

Rest 2 minutes
Repeat A1-A5

Rest 2 minutes
Move to B's.

B1: DB Front Squat 65lb DBs x10
B2: Flat DB Bench Press 65lb DBs x10
B3: Lunges 15's x10
B4: Horizontal Ball Pull Up BWx10
B5: Hanging Leg Raise BWx10

Comments
Wow this was a tough workout. I increased the weights and got a little aggressive I think. This next workout I will lower them down again.

You ever get that feeling of a migraine, queasy stomach and it feels vomit is in your throat? Me too

I have much respect for Strongmen......Heck of a lot of work...:-)

James

Admin wrote:

I have much respect for Strongmen......Heck of a lot of work...:-)

James

I'm just learning but it seems really fun. I have a lot of work to do on my PC but first I need to drop a few lbs

Week 1 Day 5
Workout B (Posterior Chain Dominant/Vertical Push/Vertical Pull)

A1: Hang Clean 135 x 10
A2: Pull Up BW x 6
A3: DB Swing 30 x 10
A4: Dips BW x 10
A5: Cable Crunch 160 x 10

Rest 2 Minutes
Repeat A1-A5

Rest 2 Minutes
Move to B's

B1: Deadlift 275 x 10
B2: Standing Cable Pulldown 60 x 10
B3: Leg Curls 110 x 10
B4: Standing DB Overhead Press 45s x 10
B5: Cable Crunch 160 x 10

Rest 2 Minutes
Repeat B1-B5

Total Sets: 20
Total Rest: 6 min
Total Time - 18min
Total Calories - 275
Max HR - 165
Avg Hr - 140

Comments
Deads were moved up. I think I should go to 315 next week but I'm not sure once the rest time is cut and the jump ropes are added. Everything else felt ok.

I added Universal Shock preworkout and the only think I really noticed so far is an extremely dry mouth.

Very nice Brother.

Admin wrote:

Very nice Brother.

Thank you sir.


I don't think I mentioned it but right now I'm hanging in around 290 and trying to drop the weight down to 250. Ideally I'd like to compete in my first event and a LW instead of a HW so I am going to try and at least get close enough to give myself a chance to cut weight for the event.

Thats about what I am at in weight....I float around 290 +/- 5...lol

James

Admin wrote:

Thats about what I am at in weight....I float around 290 +/- 5...lol

James

Big Guys FTW

Nevermind what I said about trying to be a LW, I'm a dumbass. My LBM right now is 225 so there is no way thats happening. I'm going to try and compete in my first event around 260

Thumbs up Week 2 Day 1
Workout A (Quad Dominant/Horizontal Push/Horizontal Pull)

A1: Overhead Squat 115x10
A2: Push Up BWx10
A3: Split Squat 15lb DBs x10
A4: Bent Over Row 155x10
A5: Hanging Leg Raise BWx10

Rest 2 minutes
Repeat A1-A5

Rest 2 minutes
Move to B's.

B1: DB Front Squat 55lb DBs x10
B2: Flat DB Bench Press 55lb DBs x10
B3: Lunges 15's x10
B4: Horizontal Ball Pull Up BWx10
B5: Hanging Leg Raise BWx10

Rest 2 minutes
Repeat B1-B5

Total time - 16min 24secs
Calories - 335
Max HR - 169
Avg HR - 155

Comments
This was a great workout. Three times I almost threw up. My quads were on fire.

Well my BIL has ditched 3 of 6 workouts so I'm gonna say goodbye to the circuits and get back to training for the contest in February. If I can figure out travel plans I may do a small show in Louisiana in August.

Been resting up for a small gym comp this weekend then its back to a WS split come Monday. I just ordered a new 13mm belt and a training journal, my spiral sucks, that should be here early next week. I chose the 24" Convict wrist wraps which I'm looking forward to using. Hopefully I'll be able to order the knee wraps soon. Right now I use some Rehband knee sleeves which I love.


Thanks to APT for having such badass products at great prices. Hopefully someday I'll be a Pro SM and they will want to sponsor me

DE - Lower

Below Parallel Box Squats
225 x 10 x 2 - 30 seconds rest between sets

Dbl OH Grip Axle Deadlift
Axle + 180lbs x 10 x 2 - 30 seconds rest between sets

GHR
BW x 5 x 3 - Negatives with pushup

Reverse Hypers
90 x 5 x 3

Hanging Leg Raise
BW x 10 x 3

Out of Gas ME Upper

Push Press
135x12
185x8
225x5
245x3
275x2
135x25

Bent Rows
225x5x2
275x3
325x1 - Little too much jerk


CGBP
225x5x2
225x4


Hammer Curls
70,60,50,40,30,25,20,15,10 x 5 each arm non stop

Rope Extensions
200x20
170x15
140x5
110x5
80x10
50x50 - All done without stopping

Decline Situps
BWx25
BW+25 x25x2

Side Bends Holding 45lb plate
50 x each side

Foam roll and stretching of glute/hams

Squats
135x10
185x8
225x5
* put on Inzer Groove Briefs
315x3
365x1
405x1
455x1
495x1 - to high
495x1
505x1
525x1

Knee High Rack Deads
315x5
405x2
495x1
545x1
585x1

Comments
First off let me say that those f'ing squat briefs are tight as fack. Previously 455 was the best I've done. Tonight I decided to go ahead and try to really get some weight up. The first try at 495 was bad. I refocused and got a better rep in. After that I went for 505 and 525. I think I was just a tad high but I wanted to just get that weight on my back and break the mental barrier of it all. As far as progress goes I say it felt good and I'll practice getting lower in the next go round now that I will have some confidence.

Rack deads were hard since my lower back was feeling it from the squats. I managed to get 6 plates on each side and it really felt pretty easy considering I've never had that type of weight in my hands. I think in order to get my full deads up I need to start pulling from a deficit though.

Upper Horizontal Push/Pull

Bench
225x5x3

Bent Rows
135x20x3

Tricep Pressdown - 1 set non stop
110 x 5
90 x 5
70 x 10
50 x 15

Alt DB Curls - 1 set non stop
50's x 10 each arm
30's x 8 each arm
20's x 6 each arm

[b]1 arm KB Swings [b]
20kg KB x 10 each arm x 2

100lb Sand Bag Carry
I carried it on my shoulder around the block

Comments
I had a migraine and my ankle was really burning for some reason so I just went out in the garage and get some work in.