Thursday, August 25, 2011

CSM Vid and Last 2 Sessions

Tues Aug 23/2011
MAF

Military Press-135X5, 155X5, 180X5, 200X7, 155X15

Squat-225X5, X5, 315X5, 405X4, X4, X4, X4, 455X2, 500X2 (belt on for this set only). 405X11

GHR-2 sets of 12


Thurs Aug 25/11
MAF

Box jumps-3X3 @39"

Bench press-135X10, 225X5, 275X3, 315X3, 315X3, 315X3, DB bench 100X12
Chins-3 sets of 10, Body Rows-3 sets of 12(my forearms and elbows are still pretty smoked from the weekend so I took it easy and switched to body rows)

Barbell Rows- 135X10, 225X10, 225X10, 225X10, 225X10
A super jacked gorilla told me this is the only exercise he does for lats, so I decided to put them in the mix. I really had to focus on squeezing with the lats instead of just herking and jerking away with my arms.

DB military-75X10, 75X8, 60X10, 60X10, 60X10

A bunch of shoulder mobs with bands and LAX ball.

CSM 2011

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

CSM RECAP

Pics and vids to follow soon, but here's the rundown in my own words.

CSM Recap:

I'm going to keep this short as my wife is putting together a video and its just easier to watch the fucking thing instead of me typing all afternoon.

Event #1 Tractor pull (CAT front end loader)
I lucked out on the raffle and got to go last. It was the same tractor we pulled last year but on a different surface (the venue was moved to a different part of the parking lot) thats right bitches, CSM is held in a parking lot!

In my mind it was an easy pull, I drilled it last year and was gonna drill it again in 2011. When my turn came up nobody had finished. I stuck to the plan, kept my head to the ground and moved my limbs fast. I came to a complete stop about 6-8' from the finish line but was able to HIP THRUST it back into motion and finished. Not sure on my time but it was over 1 min. Dizzy, incoherent, wobbly legged and dizzy are all good ways to decribe how I felt. Adrenaline carried me through the interview with Hugo but walking back to the ten was a long scary challenge.
1st PLACE !!! YEAH!

Event #2 Truck squat
Hugo was estimating it around 800lbs. We'll never know for sure, but i was really goddamn heavy. And, he made it very clear to us on sat morning that it was going to be a full squat, below parallel, no fucking around. This event buried me in 2008 and I was really looking forward to it this year. Def a bit nervous, but excited to squat.

When my turn came up (I was last to go again, that's so awesome to say) Only 5 guys had gotten reps and half the field got zero. My plan from the start was to get 1 rep and hang it up. Getting to go last helped my decision, as the leader had 7, 2nd place 6 and 2 guys tied with 4 reps in 3rd, and 1 guy with a single.
The squat felt like 405 at the top, and heavy as fuck in the hole. It felt good all the way through, I stayed tight in the bottom, soft touch, and up it went. It was pretty big grinder, my nose and eyes blew out pretty hard but man I was satisfied. Watching the video afterwards, perhaps a 2nd rep was possible, but not a smart move for the overall.
Very satisfied with this event.

Event #3 Tire flip
Tire flip has been a thorn in my side this summer. I used to be pretty damn good at it, and I feel its an event that has regressed this year. 955 for 100', I didn't finish, and my placing was 6th. Not too happy at all but it was over and time to move on.

Event #4 Power stairs (425, 475, 525)
I've never gotten the 11th stair with the 525 bell, and that was the main goal this day. They were also taking splits on 5 and 10 stairs so I wanted to blister then first ten just in case. First ten went smooth and then I took a little rest before #11, got it up real well, felt great, went for #13 but it was a bit much. PR on the stairs and 3rd place finish behind JF and Savoie. Pretty satisfied with this event also.

Event #5 pierres de atlas

Bandana Mike broke the 4th podium so the took out stone #5 and it was only a 4 stone run. I've nailed all 4 in competition 3 times this summer but on this day that 4th had my number. I finished in 4th place behind Mike, JF and Savoie. good points but pissed that I missed #4.

Finished Day 1 with the 4th spot locked down. 11 points over Jacki in 5th, and only 2 points behind Scott in 3rd.

Day #2 Pouring rain caused for some adjustments to the schedule, we didn't start till 3pm and they took out the medley. NBD I'm good at DL hold and farmers.

Event #1 DL hold.
This event isn't fun. I went till I suffocated myself and fell forward. Steve Bourgeois was coaching me from the sidelines and I had a decent time on 1:39, enough for 4th place. I've never had a hold crush my lungs like this one. I really did just suffocate, as it slowly pulled me down to the front, breathing got extremely difficult until everything went blurry and dark. Thanks to Steve for yelling in my ear and keeping me going. all I kept thinking about when it got tough was how bad I want on that podium.
This event moved into a tie for 3rd place. So the pain and suffering was worth it.

Event #2 Log Press for max
Log is another event that has regressed for me since last season. I hit 350 on Hugo's logs in competition consistently last summer and have not made it past 320 this season.

I went out at 320 and not sure how I placed, the score sheet Grant posted has to be a mistake as Rayner and I should've tied. We both went out on 320 on our second attempts. Perhaps not, doesnt matter now.

This slipped me 3 points back of 3rd and had Jacki breathing down my neck only 3 points back in 5th.

Event #3 Farmers walk.

330 for 200', Scott and I were head to head, I needed to beat him and have someone in between us. We both went out like a couple of retards and tried to out sprint one another. My wife said we had the sloppiest farmers of the entire field. I dropped twice before the turn. I was super gassed and just couldn't get the pick at the end. 120ish feet for 8th place. Scott went a bit more and finished in 7th on this event and secured his podium spot.

Overall 4th place. Very happy, but never satisfied completely. Always a few things that can be done better.
Awesome weekend, felicitations to JF Caron, Canada's Strongest Man 2011. A shout out to all the great guys I competed with and hung with all weekend. Rainman, great job this weekend man, it was great to be out there with you bro. (even though I'm a selfish MF in the athletes tent)

I will get another shot at that filthy ginger wilderbeast hunter in 2 weeks at the North Americans in Gatineau. (sept long weekend, I don't know the details but it will be on during the weekend at the balloon festival) If you are close, and don't come watch, you and I will no longer be friends. Gat will be the closest I've competed to home in the last 2 years. I expect some peeps to come out and see me swing my shit around.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

CSM in less than 1 week

Last Weeks training went as planned, and now just a wee bit of a taper leading into my favorite show of the year.

GAME TIME!


Thurs Aug 11/11
MAF
Guest Starring, Jason "The Unicorn" Hansma

Box Jumps- 3X3 to 39"
Long Jump Throws-3X3 @7kg

2 Board Press (red+blk elite short bands)- 135X5, 175X3, 205X2, 215X3, 225X3, 135X11
Chins-4 sets of 10

DB Rows-5X10 @ 150lbs

Dips-X20, X17, X16

Prowler- 4 trips low/high


Sat Aug 13th 2011
Events

Tire flip- 4 sets of 3 flips (focus on explosive, and efficient), 1 set of 5 reps, felt good, fast and fluid.

Log-worked up to 285X1, 320X1, 255X3, 255X3

Stones-320 to 56" X3, X3, X3, X3

Nice and easy, as it should be.

Everything is feeling good, bodyweight is pretty steady at 259lbs. I feel ready and confident, especially coming off my podium finish in Warwick.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Feelgood Session of the Summer

Tuesday aug 9/11
MAF

Military-135X8, 175X5, 200X3, 220X2, 185X8
Chins-3 sets of 8

Squat-225X8, 315X5, 390X4, X4, X4, X4, 445X2, 500X2, 390X10 (belt on for 500 set, squats finally feeling decent again, takes a lot of sets to get under the bar though)

RDL-315X12, 405X10
Weighted sit-ups-25lbs behind head X2 sets of 15

Prowler- 4 trips low/high

It was pretty awesome to get this sesh in and leave the gym feeling alright.




Last/First: The last song in the car on the radio, on my way to work and the first song on the playlist when I walk in the gym.

Today's Last/First was an eerie co-incidence, both songs by the same band, and even more interesting is that another song by the same band plays as I type this.

Last



First


Monday, August 8, 2011

Catch-up, not Ketchup

Big Catch-up post. I'm still not sure where the hell the week went. Since its sooooo long and texty, I've posted a video and the end to keep you interested!

Tuesday Aug 2nd
MAF

Military-135X8, 160X3, 190X3, 210X6

Squats-225X8, 315X5, 380X4, 380X4, 380X4, 380X4, 435X2, 435X2, 380X11 (good to be squatting again, felt pretty good, took many sets to get in the groove and get myself under the bar correctly.)

GHR-2 sets of 15
GHR Sit-ups- 2 set of 15

Prowler- 2 trips, low/high
500m row-1:29.7
Extreme manlge



Thurs Aug 4/2011
MAF

Box jumps-3X3 to 39"
Long jump throws-3X3 (7kg)

2 board press (red and black elite short bands)-135X5, 175X3, 185X3, X3, X3, X3, 205x3, 205x3, 135x8
Facepulls-20 reps after each set

DB Rows=120X5 sets of 10/arm

The gym was very hot this night, I think I overheated a bit, after the DB rows I felt like I had just drilled the prowler. I opted to stop and get the conditioning work in the next evening.


Friday Aug 5th 2011
Cond

650 tire- 3 sets of 10 flips

500m row-1:27.2




Saturday Aug 6th
EVENTS

DE log-worked up to 3 sets of 3 @285, 305X1 (this single felt very crisp after all the DE practice)

Stones-warmed up to: 385 to 56" X2 sets of 2, 410 to 56" (tried for a double but hands were dirty, this felt super easy)

Tire flip-100', second round of 150' alternating reps with pete. (which meant I did the last 100' in doubles with short rests while he attempted)
Good pop and technique on the second set of tire