Alright, I've got to quit puting this off.

Long story short, I'm sick and tired off hovering around middle of the pack in a B comp. Haven't lifted or trained regularly since April & now I can see my season winding down. I refuse to spend another year struggling at mediocre(sp), so this is my motivation to get my ass in gear.

I'm 30 yrs old, 5'11" ( on a good day  ), 245#, Married w/ more than a few kids, 2 dogs & 2 jobs.

The gym membership was traded in for a Rec Center family pass back in may & I don't see that changing anytime in the next 10 yrs. Some Rec gyms are sweet - this one is not. 4 benchs, 20 treadmills, dumbells up to 60#, leg press & an old school smith machine. Not even enough open space to set a bar on the floor and pull .

My equipment at home will have to do for now, Atlas Stones from 65 -300, axle bar, ~200# plate weight, sled, medicine balls, & all the implements, light/regulation/overweight.

Over the years, watching this board I've created a Highland Bible from material generously posted on NASGA. Problem is, I seem to have mis-translated most of it

Enter Ryan Stewart. Probably the best thing I ever did was accept his help. After beating Ryan into submission  he has begun taking me back to zero so I can unlearn the bad things I've been drilling for the last 3 years & start over.

This is going to be a helluva ride

8/9/10

Shot Putt practice w/ Ryan

40-50 Breamar Putts

20-30 Glides

relearning EVERYTHING. My fingers/wrist/elbow/knee won't hurt if I keep the weight in the right position - go figure.

3' & 4' Pr's

I was toast by the time I got home. PP was out, skull crushers & CGP supersets were in.

5 x 5 SC x 10 CGP

Thanks Tony,

easy tiger PP=Push Press

Until recently I would throw the shot or work up through my stones until I couldn't take the pain in any longer. Then I would wrap/tap up enough to get through a PP work out. For once it was my hips/legs that kept me from Push Pressing - I tried but had no pop left.

8/11/10

40 hammer winds

Started over w/ LWFD

10-20 360 drills

10ish line drills

30-40 2 spin, just working on staying low and long. Vast majority 50+ w/o really feeling like I was moving fast or ripping on it @ the end.

Took my last 3 trying to put some cranky into them and my form breaks down completely. Drills and footwork will be the focus for a long time to come.

3 10-15 yard hill sprints

Lindon Games this saturday so the rest of this week will focus on active recovery( yard work ) and stretching.

Joel is going to start doing major damage here real soon. He learns  very fast. I think we are going to see big numbers in Cache Valley. We haven't even got to the hammer, WOB or sheaf yet. Bs beware.

8/16/10

Ben Hansen came over and we threw stones

10 release/extension drills w/ 16# putt

5-10 braemar w/ 22# putt ( just didn't feel very fast so I dropped the weight )

10ish braemar w/ 18# putt

15ish braemar w/ 16# putt

15ish glide w/ 16# putt

10 glide w/ 13# stone

Curls / SCer's and CGP supersets.

8/17/10

Stretching

Jump Rope x 100 - I'm going to replace this w/ the five dot drill on Thursday

Short box jumps - not plyo's, more like the jumps I did on the ascending/descending workouts.

Light Medicine ball work against my basement wall - some of the movements I saw on John Gallaghers website.

Nothing intense - still feelin it from yesterday. Just making sure I keep moving.

8/18/10

Stretch

100 hammer winds 50/side

20ish light WOB throws. Working on feeling the right technique

10ish 56 WOB throws. These felt better than they ever have before but when my timing is off it all goes to sh*t

Atlas Stone Snatches 5 x 3

Stretch

8/21/10

Stretch

100 hammer winds 50/side

Atlas Stone Squats 4x5, 1x4 w/ 235#

Stretch

Felt like crap all weekend. Haven't got the results back but I think it was my annual bout w/ Strep.  Amoxicillin cycle started and I'm back to feeling human.

Gotta make the time for some hammer throws w/ my new boots this week before Cache. I'm worried I'll be to unbalanced with the higher heels, so I've got to get the reps in.

8/23/10 Hammer Practice.

No Idea how many throws was out there for 1 1/2 hours throwing my ass off.

New boots worked great! they have forced me to counter w/ hips. was consistently several feet over my practice PR w/ less effort.

Velocity on the hammer is a whole new level when hips are involved .

Must have tweaked the left shoulder some how as I can't lift it past parallel. I don't remember feeling it subluxate, but something in there is cuss'n at me. Oh well, it's wednesday now and keeping my arm immobilized on tuesday helped a ton. I'll keep from moving it as much as possible and see how I'm feeling on Saturday for Cache.

Ya, ice is about the only thing that helps.

Lol, far from mastery, but thanks for the encouragement. I caught a tiny glimpse of what it's suppossed to feel like. Now I have to get my shoulder to handle it.

8/30/10

Finished 2nd overall at Cache Valley this weekend. I blew a 5 point lead after lunch by finishing dead last in the Open Stone . Finally cleared a 12' WOB & the power is there for 13' with more practice/better tech.

LOL, Will.

8/31/10

Helped my neighbor pour a new concrete patio behind his house. I had forgotten how much fun concrete work isn't. My shoulder has no love for the wheel barrow. I'll take training day by day for awhile. 

9/3/10

A buddy of mine decided he's tired of being 140 pounds with his tool belt on and wants to lift with me. I figured we'd start with something light & high volume.

Hammer winds 16# 5x10 both sides

Overhead 22# shot toss x 5

Front Squat/Walk x 3 - 55 reps - shoulders gave out.

My farmers bars weigh 80# a piece. I rack it on my front clavicle, holding the rebar thats connects the handle to the main bar, keeping my elbows high & head back. Walk 25' squat 5x, walk 25' squat 5x, turn around walk 25' squat 5x, walk 25' squat 5x = 100' & 20 fronts squat reps.

Goal is all 60 reps then add weight. I want to be able to do at least a 100' x 20reps x BW.

9/7/10

LH winds 5x10 each side

22# Shot Standing Putt x 10

16# Shot Standing Putt x 15-20

16# overhead toss x 10

9/8/10

6 hrs roundtrip to Roosevelt

LH winds 2x10/side

HS 85x10 105x6 135x5 155x3 155x2 - Haven't done these in months, timing/form is off. Felt more like a jump & swing rather than a coordinated athletic movement.

PP 135 x 5 Stopped cuz my shoulder did NOT like these.

FS w/ medium band 135x3x5

BS w/ medium band 135x2x5

Jump Shrugs - the hex was only loaded w/ to offroad tires - 3x5.

9/10/10

Retested the jumps and overhead shot - I'm reaaly looking forward to seeing these improve this offseason.

SLJ - 7'3"

SIIIJ - 22'9"

OHS - 34'3"

5 dot - did not finish - haven't done this since highschool. I was smoking along until I got to the 1 leg stuff.

100 hammer winds

This week begins more focused weight training again.

Anxiety is creeping on me again and I need the high of standing up with something that should otherwise bury me.

Wendlers 5-3-1 worked well last year, when I could commit to it, so I plan on using it as a foundation again this year.

For the forseeable(sp) future I'll only get 1 heavy pull or squat day a week, so I'll rotate through full deads, racks, fronts, box & Atlas stones.

Lifting goals are

600 dead raw

Load 300# Stone to 54"

Snatch 225

Clean 315

45' OHS

9/13/10

Clean 135x5 185x5 haven't done these in a long time - felt real jerky even this light

RDL 245x5 335x5 - felt quick

Deadlift 385x6 405x5 425x2

Heavy for me right now. Still sore from last week and throwing Sunday w/ Coach John, but it's a starting point. I don't remember pulling since the DL medley during the strongman in July. and I'm pretty sure it was April before that.

Light BS,OHP & 10 band assisted pull ups.

9/15/10

Still sore from Monday night so this was an active recovery/stretching day.

5 dot drill / 100 hammer winds

Took my son to his Cub Scout Pack meeting - after "business" we all played some cooperation challenges. Most of these ended w/ my daughters hanging from my neck as my son,his pack and I walked different balance beam/tile arrangements. Nice time w/ the family & I'm not as sore this morning.

9/16/10

Yard work

Agility/stability drills

step jumps forward and side to side - focussing on hieght

Medicine ball work against wall

20 standing 18# shot putts

Will be lifting again tomorrow, Atlas Stones sound fun.

9/20/10

Lt. Sled drag

Rack Pulls 195x5 245x5 335x5 405x5 445x5 495x3 515x3 565x3 585x1 haven't done these in alooong time. Felt good.

That 585 is the most I've ever stood up with I think, granted it was only a partial movement but holding a PR in my hands upright and strong is an incredible high

from the goals topic

Joel Sim wrote: 90'/70' - LH/HH 50'/25' - LWFD/HWFD 30'/36' - BS/OS 12'/20' - WOB/HVY SHEAF

It's been a year or so since I looked at this but it's nice to see I've hit almost all my goals.

97'1" LH / 72'5" HH

25' 7 1/2" HWFD / 50' 5 1/2" LWFD

Stones still suck

12' WOB / 20' Hvy Sheaf

So it's probably time to set new goals

80'HH/100'LH

30' / 60' WFD

13' WOB / 22' Hvy Sheaf

30' / 35' Stones

Enjoy Brother, sounds like fun!

10/12/10

Last night was my first workout at the rec center. Culture shock.

Started of with a clean/front squat/push jerk superset to warm up 185x8 / 205x6 / 225 x 5

Snatch 95x5 / 115x5 / 135x5 / 155x5 / 175 x 5 / 185x3 (to heavy, each rep needed a press out) Gonna stick with 175 until I can hit 8-10 solid reps.

Bench Press (feel free to laugh at my expense - I haven't bench pressed in years) 135x5 / 185x5 / 205x5 / 225x5 rep speed tanked with the 225 so I stopped there.

Incline Press 135x5 / 155x5 / 185x5 again the speed ground to a halt.

No where to go but up, just gotta Keep Moving Forward.

Last thursday

dot drill & agility ladder

Atlas Stones 125x5 150x5 175x5 200x5 225x3 250x2

Used to could work up to my 265 for 3, Give me a minute
and I might could again, plan is to surpass all that
though.

Found a contact for some strongman tires, can't wait to
tell the wife

10/18

All lifts are with heavy/thick bands and as fast/explosive as possible

Squat 95x5 105x5 115x5x5

DL 135x5x5

Medicine ball presses/throws

237.2 lbs @ 24%

light throwing last night

5 pop drills, focusing on release form

5 braemar stone, first 3 felt jerky - no rythum(sp)

10 MSA, was only planning on 5 but it took me that long to settle down and smooth out. I'll start paying more attention to this in practice as I think it will pay dividends on the field.

10 lwfd again focusing on a long first cast, landing in the place/double support and drive to trig staying low.

warmups

Walking Hammer winds / medicine ball pass for distance / agility ladder / dot drill

Overhead Shot 18# - all just past 35' PR'S with the 18# shot

thick band axle deads  - 135x3x5

axle snatch - 105x3x5

axle clean and press - 155x3x5 (got them just barely over my head, then had to press it out)

Cortisone(sp) shots are the sh*t  Thanks for asking Hoss.

SOS Halloween Game - last game of the season

BS - 25'8"

OS - 31'11"

HWD - 26' - PR

LWD - 51'3" - PR

HH - 67'

LH - 88'

SHF - 22'

WFH - 12'

This is my new starting point. My throwing goals as posted above are all the more important/appropriate.

Monday Night 11/1/10

Snatch 95x5 / 135x2x5

DL 135x5+band / 225x5+band / 315x5+band / 405x3 / 455x4 each rep would get to the knee's faster than ever before then stall, but when the whole Rec center is watching you can't quit on the pull .

Bench Press Bar+bandx10( stretched from either collar under bench ) 135+bandx10

Incline Press 135x5 185x5 205x5 225x4

Dips 5x5xBW

"DL 135x5+band / 225x5+band / 315x5+band / 405x3 / 455x4 each rep would get to the knee's faster than ever before then stall, but when the whole Rec center is watching you can't quit on the pull ."

Bada$$!  Good work Juggy!

11/15/10

offseason training will officially start next week.

Tonight I worked up to a 405 back squat. Felt uncomfortable/uncoordinated as hell. I haven't done these in years.

Stewart is taking me back to basics. Next couple weeks will be GPP/Volume hell and I needed to know where to start.

Giggidy

239lbs 20% bf

11/18/10

Fraser Hammer drill 16#

Agility ladder

A.S.S's up to 250x4

Plate walk

Plate slide

Wrestled w/ the kids for an hour; some how my to oldest have started to figure out hooks, the mount & ground and pound. Now I get to start working defense w/ them. hip seperation, control & reversal

After wrestling,

Hang Cleans (these sucked)

worked up to a double w/ 230# - 175x7,7,6,5,5

I was supposed to get 3x10 but I didn't have the muscular endurance

I did get all 30 reps though.

keep it up joel

Keep going Joel.  I know RS can be "that guy," but he has great confidence in you.  Have courage my friend!  And remember, nothing stops:

Thanks guys.

Duncan, I'm lovin working w/ Coach Stewart.

Back history is some guys don't think to highly of the term "coach" here in Utah & use it in a derogatory(sp) way. Ryan, understands and appreciates the respect I have for the title. When I'm being a knucklehead ( even if I don't realize my stubborness ) he motivates & teaches.

Never give up, Keep Moving Forward

Time I caught up my log,

Plan was to lift friday after turkey day, but that didn't happen. I spent the entire weekend hanging with the family and playing w/ my kids. It was one of the best weekends I can remember.

Monday 11/29

VMO's and plyo's for a warm up

PP 3x10 130 ( yes that's in pounds  ) I'm not taking any chances w/ my left shoulder.

I already know I don't have the endurance to bang out 3x10 w/ 75% now, but if I start @ 50% then 60% and so on I WILL GET TO WERE I WANT TO BE. It's not were I start that's important but were I finish.

Plate slides / Plate walks and planks to finish - all done in just over an hour while helping out w/ laundry

Tuesday 11/30

Ropes & VMO's

Squats 205x3x10 + other squat variations 6x10

Pull Ups

Wednesday 12/1

wrestled w/ the brood for almost 2 hours

Thursday 12/2

VMO's

Hang Cleans 135x3x10 - energy tanked on the last set but I got them, means it was to light so I'll add some weight next week.

Curls & French Presses

Plate Walk

12/4 11 AM workout after working the bar until 2:30.

Deadlift day

warm up clean & press 135 x5 - DL 135 x band x 5, 225 x band x 5 315 x band x 5

work x reps

375x10x9x5x3x2x1

Body wanted to shut down after that second set where I only got 9. I had no giddy up. I don't like sugar's for energy cuz they don't last, I've learned that food comes right up during a deadlift workout. So I made the mistake of hitting this workout on an empty tank and little sleep. I WILL learn & grow from this.

Incline Press - weakness by more weakness, next week I'll more farther north.

Tri's and more VMO's.

KMF

So go do it...get you some!

Myles owes me 585 DL, and you owe me those squats.  I've been a good boy all year Santa.

monday 12/6

VMO's

PP 125x10 145x10 165x10,8,2

Plate walk

Tuesday 12/7

VMO's

Squat

135x5 225x5 245x10 275x10 275x10 + 135x6x10 of other squat variations

Man, video is humbling. I'll post it later today or tomorrow.

Squat depth is only ok - not the rock bottom I thought it was. Up motion starts with my knees ( butt shoots out). Weak posterior chain right?

Originally I had planed to hit 300 on my last set, but after watching video I swallowed my pride and stayed at 275 to keep the lift from turning into a mutated good morning. Last set w/ 275 was a b*tch but form was better as I focused on my hips more.

Pull Ups

Plate walks 4x100'

12/9

Plyo's

Trig drills

Hang Cleans 95x5, 130x5, 150x10, 160x10, 170x10 - form
sucked on the last 3-4.

Found a mixture of B vitamins & Complex carbs that doesn't
leave me w/ a sour stomach, yet gets me through my workout.

Plate walk 100x2 - shoulder wasn't happy with me

12/13

Dot drill

PP 95x5 125x5 145x10 165x10 180x10

Stone Drills

12/14

VMO's

Squats 135x5 225x5 275x10 285x10 300x10 - I lift in Chucks & I found if I elevate my heels a 1/4" I can go squat deeper w/ better posture. Depth & coming out of the bottom butt first are getting better.

Other Squat variations

Would they look like this?

Or like this?

12/16

dot drill

hang cleans 95x5 145x5 165x10 175x10 180x10 195x6

Cup drill w/ 4kg KB

very large dutch oven turkey holiday party earlier this afternoon, I had NO motivation to lift. Thank goodness for training partners

the version I like is.

I should probably stop calling it the "cup drill" as i've finally moved past empty dixie cups.

It's a hip stability/balance movement that resembles the starting position in the glide. I've found that by strengthening/awakening all of these little "stabilizers" my form is better. Who knew?

Turns out Stewart did.

Shoot me a pm w/ your # and I'll send you a video of it.

12/20

VMO's

PP 95x5 125x5 145x5 165x10 180x10 180x10

bi's & tri's

12/28

Finally getting over my head cold

Squat

135x5 205x5 265x5 300x10 300x10 300x10 + other squat variations 6x10

So, I got my 3x10. Form wasn't always perfect but Stewart tells me it's not as bad as I make it out to be. Might not always be rock bottom but I'm always below parallel.

Thursday I'll go for my 185 3x10, one step at a time, KMF

1/3

PP 95x10 145x10 165x10 - hurt my left shoulder bridging a communication gap this weekend @ the bar so I wasn't going to push to hard & risk further injury.

*Edit*

I forgot to record my indoor shot put work,

10xform check for a warm up

15xBS

10x2 hand

10xkneeling

I can completely agree w/ Craig, eating sucks! It seems like I have to force myself to eat & if it's not constantly on my mind I don't come anywhere near the intake I need to grow. Truth is my poor eating habits combined w/ my increased excersize the last few months have lead to me losing 20+ pounds.

1/4

Medicine ball drills to warm up

Squat 135x5 205x5 245x5( was supposed to be 265 but I brain farted) 300x3x10 - felt ALOT faster/more explosive + other squat variations 3x10

Planks

Thanks Ryan. After doing almost nothing last offseason, I can't wait to see what happens this year. How's your training going? When are you coming up to west jordan for some stones?

1/10

Coach says it's time to move on from 3x10's & start w/ the next phase next week. That's cool and all but I had unfinished business. I had yet to hit my PP goal.

So not wanting to leave a loose end I got after it last night.

Push Press 95x5 125x5 155x5 185x3x10

They were honest push presses, not push jerks or nider presses. What's more with my left shoulder being suspect half the time I am very happy about this PR because of the volume it entailed.

Bad news is I pinched/tore my trap. I'm not sure how to explain it. My right trap was sore and knotted up from last thursdays hang clean PR, I didn't let it relax when I hit some snatches & SGDL's on saturday. So going into Monday night it was already NOT my friend. 5-10 minutes after my last set, there was flushing and blood spots right on top of the knot. 45 - 60 min later I had a nice, deep red, almost diamond shaped bruise right on top of the knot. Today it's purple.

I don't think it's to serious, Mel couldn't feel anything but the knot last night.

I've never exp. this before so I'll just have to play it by ear. 1 thing I know is it's stopped stinging & turned into just another ache - unless it gets touched.

Must be time for a week off

Thanks. It looked ugly.

1/19

Speed rack pulls up to 450x4x8, still focusing on explosive hip pop.

The first reps were steady, everything after was a nice touch & go pop. Gotta get that first Rep up to speed.

Bench up to 225x5, easy going form check with an old powerlifter turned thrower.

1/20

Light Day

Chopped wood

60 sledge hammer swings/side

Plyo's w/ my kids

CoC's

1/29

long story short version - restructuring at the bar I run security @ so I had to cover a door shift friday night.

=

throwing early saturday was out.

Some buddies came over around 12 and we got an atlas stone workout in

I worked up to 225 for 5 w/ no tacky. Everything felt heavy after being up all night.

I've been kind of fartin around the last couple of weeks since I started school again & the lack of a consistent effort towards my strength goals is starting to piss me off.

So, knowing my competetion days are the most taxing on me I figure I'll schedule backwards from saturdays.

Saturday - comp simulation or strongman fun

Thursday - upperbody / throwing 

Wednesday - Squats

Monday - Pulls

I'll start this today and we'll see how it works through this next cycle of lifting ( 6 - 8 weeks )

1/31

I finished the first layers of my pulling blocks. they're 6" so with 25's providing the clearance I need in my basement the bar sits @ 12".

Turns out this is a horrible spot for me to start any kind of pull from. I have NO power at this level. Guess I identified a weak point in my pull.

Snatches 12" blocks 95/115/135x5

Stiff leg DL 12" 135/155/175/195x8

DL 12" 300x3x2 holey moley this was crap tastic.

delts w/ 10's

Broke down and salvaged a cheap bench press "station"

BP 145/155/165/175x8

2/2

Couldn't make it over to Stewarts yesterday so I tried some over head squats & step up's at home. My hammy's are still cusing at me for the Stiff leg deads on monday.

OHS 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 x 8 never done these before so the focus was on sitting back & not leaning forward. Staying on top of my feet instead of over or out infront of my toes. Obv I'll keep adding weight, as long as my form and shoulders can handle it.

OH core crushers 60x3x10

Step Ups 95 / 115 / 135 / 155 x 8

2/3

Shoulders warm ups 3x10

Push Press 95/115/135/155/175x8 185 x 5

Strict Press 95/105/115/125x8

Close grip incline 95/115/135/155x8 supersetted w/ chin ups 3x5

2/8

shoulder warm up 3x12

OHS 65/70/75/80x5

Cleans (bar @ 18") 95/145/170/195x5

SG Deads 195+green band / 245/270/295/310x8 I'll have to buy a couple more quarters next pay day.

VMO's from 12"

Planks 3x1m superset w/ chin ups 3x5