Diary of a novice strongman

Charlts

Totally ignored the knee flare up and squatted tonight, hit some pb's too, though sadly Mrs C isn't great at sorting iphone cameras out so there's loads of blurred pics of me squatting rather than a video!

Squat - bar x loads, x20, 60x15, 100x10, 140x5, 160x5, 180x3 (pb)
Hack squat - 180x10, 220x10, 260x13, 260x13

After that I spent ages stretching and loosening off. It's amazing what you can push through with a man mountain encouraging you!                                                                       

sheriffwoody

looking good. your pendlay rows seem to be going more into your gut? i perform them so they hit my chest (aim for nipple area). maybe that is where i am going wrong and i should pull it up a bit shorter etc.

the pressing looks good. is log press easier than just a standard OHP with a barbell or exactly the same?

sniffer66

Epic 180 squat

Charlts

I'm pretty limited by my shoulder mobility on most things but the rows were hitting around my nipple line. I find pressing a log easier as it's such a big implement it's already off your chest so you don't have to move it so far. The handles being in a neutral position helps a lot as well.

Charlts

Haha, cheers they all went up quickly so once my knee sorts itself out I might try to max out at squatting.

sheriffwoody

i never thought of that, what with the bar being slightly higher off your chest etc meaning you haven't got to push it up as far. shame we don't have a log at our place.

Charlts

It's not much but I can press a 100kg log much easier than a barbell as there's less stress on my shoulders, that's got to be mostly the grip position. The closest you'd get with an oly bar would be pressing it with a squat pad in place.

sheriffwoody

trouble is with the olly bar, it would be a nightmare trying to roll it up your body like you do with the log, just because it would dig into your hips/stomach etc and would feel horrible.  rolling the log up would feel much better?

Charlts

It's a different technique cleaning a bar. I'm pressing tonight and planned on doing axle reps in 60secs so I'll video the attempt.

Charlts

Good session tonight, Mrs C is repping within 10% of her 1rm on all her pressing moves so making huge progress. I took a while to warm up, struggled with anything on my feet as my left knee doesn't feel right at all and I struggled with getting momentum off the deck - Video'd the last set of 3 for @sheriffwoody though. However after I'd warmed up on the axle things went really well, pressed nice and fast and really surprised myself on the incline bench.

Axle floor to overhead - 30x10, x10, 55x10, 75x5, 85 reps in 60 secs 5, 85x3
Incline bench - 60x10, 100x5, 110x3, 120x3, 130x3, 140x2 (anything past 100 is a pb I think)
Seated mil press - 60x10, 80x4
Cable pull down - 50x20, 60x12 into 50x8

Absolutely banjaxed after this , am currently enjoying a 6 egg omlette with a pair of sweet potato's and a family portion of green veg! Not decided on dessert yet!

Axle vid
                               
Incline bench vid - Cameo appearance from Xplosive Ape's Uchit