LAST POST

At least for now, I am going to stop posting on this blog. I am taking a 2 week break from training and will resume in early January. My primary focus for 2016 is training for USAPL Raw Nationals in October. I will be posting any significant training news on twitter. Anyone interested in my training and competing should follow me there. I am @bamastrongman on twitter. 
 

Thursday 12/17/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
375 x 3
465 x 1
555 x 1
605 x miss

Tuesday 12/15/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
350 x 1 paused
365 x 1

Monday 12/14/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
500 x 1

Friday 12/11/15

Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3 x 2
Deadlift
154 x 5
264 x 5
374 x3
484 x 1
 

Tuesday 12/8/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
365 x 1
335 x 1 paused
315 x 5

Monday 12/7/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 3
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 3

Friday 12/4/15

Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3 x 3

Dips

Thursday 12/3/15

Deadlift
154 x 5 x 3
264 x 5
374 x 3
485 x 2
551 x 3

Tuesday 12/1/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
350 x 2
350 x 1 x 2

Monday 11/30/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 3
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
475 x 1

Tuesday 11/24/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
345 x 2 x 3

Monday 11/23/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1

Friday 11/20/15

Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3 x 3

Dips

Thursday 11/19/15

Deadlift
154 x 5 x 2
264 x 5
374 x 3
440 x 1
535 x 1
600 x miss

Tuesday 11/17/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
340 x 3 x 3

Monday 11/16/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
455 x 1
405 x 5
315 x 5
 

Friday 11/13/15

Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3 x 3

Dips

Thursday 11/12/15

Deadlift
154 x 5 x 2
264 x 5
375 x 3
485 x 1
573 x 1

Pullups

Tuesday 11/10/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
335 x 3 x 3

Monday 11/9/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 3

Friday 11/6/15

Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3 x 3

Thursday 11/5/15

Deadlift
154 x 5 x 2
264 x 5
374 x 2
440 x 1

Back still a little tight. Kept it light so I can be ready for squats on Monday.

Tuesday 11/3/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
325 x 3 x 2
325 x 5

Monday 11/02/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 3
225 x 5 x 2
Back was extremely tight and stove up this morning so I decided to take it light and live to fight another day.

Friday 10/30/15

Wide Grip BP
135 x 8 x 3
Close Grip BP
135 x 8
225 x 6
275 x 5
315 x 3 x 3
Dips

Thursday 10/29/15

Deadlift
154 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
375 x 3
441 x 2
529 x 1
551 x 3

Tuesday 10/27/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3
320 x 3
320 x 5

Monday 10/26/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 3 x 3

Back to work.

For the last several weeks since my contest, I have been on a sort of "off season" phase of training. Pretty much just doing what I feel like each trip to the gym without any concrete plan. It's time now to start hitting the main lifts a little harder and work up to some heavy singles before Christmas. 

Not too bad for an old man

I was able to win the open superheavies with a 1488 total Saturday at my first powerlifting meet in 13 years. I had a great time with some old friends and met some new ones. I went 8 for 9 with my only miss being my final deadlift after I had secured the win with my second. My lower back decided that I was done for the day when the third deadlift came off of the floor. I finished with a 529 squat, a 342 bench and a 617 deadlift. I had hoped for a little more, but this raw total was only 83 lbs off of my all time best geared total from 2002. Not sure at this point if I will do any more meets between now and then, but I am definitely in for 2016 Raw Nationals in Atlanta.

As ready as I'm gonna' get.

In four days I'll compete in my first powerlifting meet in thirteen years. I never intentionally stopped powerlifting, I just got distracted by other things when there weren't any good powerlifting meets close to home. I played semi-pro football in 2004 and I've been competing in strongman since 2006. When the USAPL announced that RAW Nationals was coming to Atlanta in 2016, I knew it was time for me to return to the platform. Saturday I will qualify for 2016 Nationals.

Tuesday 8/4/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
310 x 1 paused

Monday 8/3/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
455 x 1

Friday 7/31/15

Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5 x 5

Thursday 7/30/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
375 x 3
475 x 2
555 x 1

Tuesday 7/28/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
310 x 1 paused
330 x 1 paused
340 x 1 paused

Monday 7/27/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
475 x 1
520 x 1
Walkout
635 x 1

Friday 7/24/15

Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5 x 5

Thursday 7/23/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
375 x 3
465 x 2
555 x 1

Tuesday 7/21/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
345 x paused and missed
315 x 3

Monday 7/20/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 2
475 x 1
535 x 1

Friday 7/17/15

Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5 x 5

Thursday 7/16/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
375 x 3
465 x 2
555 x 1
615 x 1

Tuesday 7/15/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
335 x 1 paused

Monday 7/13/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
575 x 1
505 x 1

Friday 7/10/15

Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5 x 5

Thursday 7/9/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
375 x 3
465 x 2
555 x 1

Tuesday 7/7/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 3
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
315 x 2

Monday 7/6/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 3
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
405 x 3

Deload

I'll be taking a break from the gym until July 6th while I take a planned deload week before the final push for my contest. I will also be moving during that time, so it won't be complete rest by any means.

Thursday 6/25/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
355 x 1 paused

Tuesday 6/23/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
475 x 1
545 x 1

Monday 6/22/15

Overhead Press
44 x 8 x 2
88 x 8 x 2
132 x 5
Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5 x 5

Friday 6/19/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
375 x 3
465 x 1
555 x 1
625 x 1

Thursday 6/18/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
350 x 1 paused
350 x 2 x 3

Tuesday 6/16/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
335 x 3
405 x 2
475 x 1
525 x 1

Monday 6/15/15

Overhead Press
44 x 8 x 2
88 x 8
110 x 5
Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5 x 5
 

Friday 6/11/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
375 x 3
465 x 1
555 x 1

Thursday 6/11/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
345 x 1 paused
345 x 2 x 2
345 x 3
Not too shabby for an old man with monkey arms.

Tuesday 6/9/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
475 x 1
505 x 2

Monday 6/8/15

Overhead Press
88 x 8 x 2
110 x 5
Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5 x 5

Friday 6/5/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 3
265 x 5
375 x 5
465 x 2
555 x 1
585 x 3
 

Thursday 6/4/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
340 x 1 paused
340 x 2 x 2
340 x 3

Tuesday 6/2/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
485 x 1
485 x 3

Monday 6/1/15

Overhead Press
88 x 8 x 3
Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5 x 5

Friday 5/29/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
375 x 5
465 x 2
555 x 1
605 x 2

Thursday 5/28/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
335 x 1 paused
335 x 3 x 3

Tuesday 5/26/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 3
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1

Friday 5/22/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 3
265 x 5
355 x 5
445 x 2
535 x 1

Thursday 5/21/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
335 x 1 paused
335 x 3 x 2

Tuesday 5/19/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 3
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1 x 2
475 x 3

Monday 5/18/15

Overhead Press
strict, out of rack
110 x 5 x 3
Close Grip BP
135 x 8
225 x 5 x 5

Friday 5/15/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
355 x 5 x 2

Back was a little tender this morning following last week's "twinge", decided to take it easy and get healed up for next week.

Thursday 5/14/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
330 x 1 paused
330 x 3 x 3

Tuesday 5/12/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x3
405 x 1
455 x 3
405 x 5
315 x 5
 

Monday 5/11/15

Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5 x 5

Friday 5/8/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
355 x 5
445 x 2
535 x 1
625 x miss
Had it almost to my knees and felt a little "twinge" in my back so I bailed on it. Felt good off the floor and I probably could have locked it out, but I didn't want to risk injury on a gym lift.

Thursday 5/7/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
330 x 1 paused
330 x 3 x 2
275 x 8

Tuesday 5/5/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5 x 2
315 x 5

Monday 5/4/15

Log Press
90 x 8 x 3
Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5 x 5

Friday 5/1/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
355 x 5
445 x 3
535 x 1
575 x 3

Thursday 4/30/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
325 x 1 paused
325 x 3 x 3
275 x 5 x 2
275 x 8

Tuesday 4/28/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
475 x 3 x 3

Monday 4/27/15

Close Grip BP
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5 x 5

Friday 4/24/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
355 x 5
445 x 2
535 x 1

Thursday 4/23/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
325 x 1 paused
325 x 3 x 2

squat trainining video

here's a video of the second of three triples at 455 from this morning.

Tuesday 4/21/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
455 x 3 x 3

Friday 4/17/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
355 x 5
445 x 2
535 x 1
555 x 5

Thursday 4/16/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
320 x 1 paused
320 x 3 x 2
320 x 4
275 x 5 x 3

Tuesday 4/14/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
405 x 2

Monday 4/13/15

Log Clean & Press
clean once
90 x 8 x 2
156 x 5
Close Grip BP
135 x 8
205 x 5
225 x 5
225 x 10

Friday 4/10/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
355 x 5
445 x 3
545 x 5

Thursday 4/9/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
320 x 1 paused
320 x 3 x 2
320 x 4
275 x 5 x 3

Tuesday 4/7/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
435 x 3 x 3
365 x 5

Monday 4/6/15

Axle Press
out of rack
86 x 8 x 2
130 x 5 x 5
Close Grip BP
135 x 8
225 x 5 x 5

Friday 4/3/15

Deadlift
155 x 5 x 2
265 x 5
355 x 3
445 x 2
535 x 5

Thursday 4/2/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
315 x 3 x 2

Tuesday 3/31/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 5 x 3

Powerlifting in August

I'm all officially registered up for the USAPL Powerlifting for Pups meet coming up on August 8th in Atlanta. This will be my first powerlifting meet in 13 years, and my first USAPL meet in 20 years. The last USAPL meet I did, the USAPL was still the ADFPA. I did a couple of NASA and WNPF meets in 2001-2002 because they were close to home, but I have always considered the ADFPA/USAPL to be the "big daddy" federation for drug-free lifters. I found out this morning that my buddy Zac is lifting too. If we can recruit a few more of our strongman buddies, we can get some good competition going in the superheavies. 

Friday 3/27/15

Deadlift
154 x 5 x 2
264 x 5
374 x 3
462 x 2
529 x 5

Thursday 3/26/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 1 paused
315 x 3 x 2
Close Grip BP
275 x 6 x 2

Tuesday 3/24/15

Squat
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
315 x 5
365 x 5 x 3

Monday 3/23/15

Axle Press
strict out of the rack
86 x 8 x 3
Bench Press
135 x 5 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 3 x 3

Friday 3/20/15

Deadlift
154 x 5 x 3
264 x 5
374 x 3
440 x 1
517 x 1

Thursday 3/19/15

Bench Press
135 x 8 x 2
225 x 5
275 x 5
315 x 1 paused
315 x 3 x 2
Close Grip BP
275 x 6
Incline BP
135 x 8
225 x 5

Tuesday 3/17/15

Squat

135 x 5 x 2

225 x 5 x 2

315 x 5 x 3

Monday 3/16/15

Axle Clean & Press

clean once

130 x 5 x 2

174 x 5 x 2

218 x 1

218 x 5

Back in the saddle

I'm going to resume posting my workouts here. It's been a rough couple of months on the workout scene for several reasons that I won't get into, but it looks like the smoke has finally cleared and I'm ready to get down to business. I'm still working toward 2016 USAPL Raw Nationals, and I'm currently eying a meet in Atlanta this August as a potential qualifying opportunity. For now, I'm going to Squat on Tuesdays, Bench on Thursdays, and Deadlift on Fridays. I am also going to continue to work axle or log pressing on Mondays so I don't lose too much on the overhead while training for powerlifting. I can't afford to lose what little overhead strength I have when I return to Strongman at some point.

 

Update

Just so both of the people who read this will know that I haven't dropped off the face of the Earth just yet, I thought I'd post an update.

I have been training even though I have not been posting. I may start back posting at some point, or I may not.

I am currently shifting my focus away from strongman competition for the next 21 months in order to train for USAPL Raw Nationals in October of 2016. I am a powerlifter from way back and a meet this big this close to home is not something I want to pass up. 

After Nationals, I will make a decision on whether to continue powerlifting, go back to strongman, or do both or neither. 

I'll post again when I decide which USAPL meet I am going to do later this year to qualify for Nationals.