Rob's strength journal - got 600kg now I'm hungry for more...

Standing barbell overhead press
1 x 8 40kg
1 x 4 60kg
1 x 6 75kg
my friend attempted a single of 90kg as we both have pb's of 87.5kg and he failed, Thought I'd have a crack as I felt strong on my last set.
1 x 90kg - got it, pretty clean too probably close to getting 92.5kg.
3 x 6 75kg
onto 77.5kg next shoulder session.
 
Squats
1 x 6 80kg
1 x 6 100kg
1 x 6 120kg
1 x 6 130kg
3 x 6 140kg
didn't go too heavy today as I don't want to aggravate my back.
 
Seated dumbell shoulder press
1 x 6 20kg
1 x 7 36kg
1 x 8 36kg
2 x 7 36kg
 
EZ curls
1 x 10 bar + 20kg
3 x 6 bar + 52.5kg - all strict
1 x 10 bar + 40kg
 
Practised this 50kg dumbell floor to overhead for reps in 75s.
Best I managed was 7 reps in 40s but I was spent by this time.
Best so far in this comp is 17 so I have some work to do there.

thats a very strong deadlift !! couldnt really see what was going on with your back due to angle but it didnt look too bad !
 
i train saturday mornings at the OSG if you ever wanna come along

Thanks boar, I'd love to come up and train with somebody with a wealth of experience such as yourself, but I work saturday mornings couldn't get up there until around 2pm which I'd be guessing is too late for you.
 
Re the deadlift - back still isn't fully healed from it so I know something went wrong somewhere, I felt something go just as the bar cleared the floor but I persisted with the lift and it cost me.  Things are improving though and I hope to be deadlifting again pretty soon.

Great session today, got two new pb's today, one on flat bench and one on incline the extra weight gained now seems to be paying dividends.
 
Flat barbell bench
1 x 8 60kg
1 x 4 80kg
1 x 3 100kg
1 x 6 120kg - a little easier than last time
1 x 2 130kg
1 x 135kg - flew up real fast
1 x 137.5kg
got a spotter
1 x 140kg - didn't stall and knew I had a little more to give.
1 x 142.5kg gave it my all and it resulted in a very slow but clean rep.  New PB.
1 x 6 120kg
 
Incline dumbell bench
1 x 6 50kg
1 x 7 50kg - new pb for reps.
1 x 5 50kg - running low on energy here
1 x 11 44kg
 
did two sets of cable flyes.
 
Decided to practise 50kg dumbell floor to overhead again.  First set managed 8 reps, second set got 9.  Form definitely improving here.  I'd love to get 15 before the comp, perhaps fresh on the day I stand a chance of matching the record so far of 17.  We'll see.
 
Dumbell preacher curls
1 x 8 20kg
3 x 12 22kg
1 x 16 22kg

Dumbell floor to overhead
1 x 8 30kg
1 x 10 50kg pb by 1 rep
1 x 12 50kg pb by 3 reps
Significant improvement here.  I put this down to technique as I was pushing out the reps much faster here.  remember my target is 17 or better by 20th Aug.
 
Single arm barbell deadlift
1 x 100kg
1 x 120kg
1 x 140kg
1 x 150kg
1 x 160kg - tough but wasn't having to go all out.
 
WG Chins
2 x 8 bw + 20kg
2 x 7 bw + 20kg
 
Barbell rows
4 x 8 120kg
felt harder but it's been a while since I've done these.
 
EZ curls
4 x 7 bar + 50kg

Session three days ago (3rd Aug)
 
Standing barbell shoulder press
1 x 8 40kg
1 x 6 60kg
1 x 6 77.5kg
1 x 4 80kg
1 x 5 80kg
 
Push press
1 x 90kg
1 x 2 100kg
1 x 105kg - felt easy.
0 x 107.5kg, not this time.
 
Squats
1 x 6 80kg
1 x 3 100kg
1 x 3 120kg
1 x 3 140kg
belt on
1 x 6 150kg
1 x 6 160kg - pretty easy set.
 
Seated dumbell shoulder press
1 x 6 22kg
1 x 8 36kg
2 x 6 38kg
1 x 7 34kg
 
Did some bicep work but cannot remember what exactly.

Flat barbell bench
1 x 6 60kg
1 x 4 80kg
1 x 3 100kg
2 x 6 120kg
1 x 3 130kg
1 x 2 135kg
 
Incline dumbell bench
4 x 7 50kg
 
Glute hamstring raises
4 x 6 12.5kg assistance
 
Didn't do any deads, still resting back, not taking any chances with the comp only two weeks away.

Had  bit of time off due to a few nights out, the riots causing the gym to be closed and  a few other issues but I'm back now - eight days before my SPS N Qualifier.
Going a bit lighter in some of the exercises but heavy in the even related things in prep for the qualifier.
Did some bench work on the smith as the normal bench had a queue waiting for it.
worked uto 50kg per side for 7 reps.
 
Incline dumbell bench
2 x 7 50kg
 
Squats
1 x 10 60kg
1 x 8 80kg
1 x 6 100kg
2 x 6 120kg - very easy.
 
Single arm deadlift
1 x 100kg
1 x 120kg
1 x 140kg - the easiest this has ever felt.
1 x 150kg - not very challenging
1 x 160kg
1 x 180kg - new pb.  although started to loose balance of the bar but locked out before this happend.  Grip held firm.
 
While the bar was down I decided to try and clean and push press 100kg for the first time - previously I've only managed to clean it or press it on separate occasions.
This time I managed it quite comfortably.
Decided to do a few singles on 100kg push press.
 
Dumbell floor to overhead
1 x 10 50kg - dissapointing
1 x 13 50kg - better, the last rep was close to failure.
 
 

Clean & press
1 x 10 60kg
1 x 13 60kg
 
WG chins
2 x 7 bw + 20kg
 
Cable rows
1 x 8 80kg
1 x 8 85kg
1 x 8 90kg
 
EZ curls
1 x 8 40kg + bar
3 x 6 50kg + bar
1 x 10 40kg + bar

Great session today, two new pbs on flat bench, incline dumbell bench and matched my single handed deadlift pb.
 
Flat barbell bench press
1 x 8 70kg
1 x 6 100kg
1 x 7 120kg - new pb for reps.
1 x 2 130kg - easy.
1 x 140kg, went up really fast.
1 x 145kg - new pb, didn't stall at all so added some more weight.
0 x 147.5kg - bar came too far forward which resulted in me missing.  I am convinced I'd have had this if that hadn't happend.
 
Incline dumbell bench
2 x 8 50kg - new pb
 
Squats
1 x 6 60kg
1 x 3 100kg
1 x 6 120kg
1 x 6 130kg - really easy.
Stopped here on the squats as I wanted to focus on single handed deadlift.
 
Single handed deadlift
1 x 100kg
1 x 120kg
1 x 140kg
1 x 150kg
1 x 160kg
 1 x 180kg - tough but held on for a second or two at lockout
 
EZ curls
1 x 10 bar + 20kg
2 x 8 bar + 50kg
1 x 7 bar + 50kg

I Competed in the UK SPS strongman event on the saturday just gone.  Overall I came 4th out of 8 which I think is pretty darn good for my first ever competition.
 
The first event was a 53kg circus dumbell floor to overhead for reps in 75s  I managed 7 reps, would have got 8 but one was failed for not fully touching the floor.  The winner of this event totalled 15 reps.  Strong!!
 
The second event was a seated van pull.  A transit type van weighing in at 4.5T had to be pulled a distance of 25m while sat down inside a tyre.  I managed to pull the van in 29s.  The winner of the event pulled it the distance in 24s.
 
The third event was a single handed deadlift for max weight.
You have 7 lifts, but you are only allowed one failed lift.
I went in at 100kg, 120kg, 140kg, 150kg - I went up first for this lift as only 3 of us remained by this point.  I managed an easy rep, the other two both had failed attempts previously and they both failed this lift which meant I won the event!
The organisers told me the record in this event stands at 170kg and if I'd like to try and beat it.
180kg went on the bar, again another easy lift.  setting a new event record.  Can't be bad :D
Vid to be posted shortly.
 
The final event was a medley, cosisting of a 210kg yoke for 25m then 100kg per hand farmers for 25m then back another 25m, finally another 25m with the 210kg yoke.
I managed this in a time of 4:25.
This event totally destroyed me, after only half way I was out of steam and breathing very heavilly. but sheer determination got me through the event.  by the end I just collapsed in a heap, totally exhausted.
The winner managed a time somwhere between 2-3 mins.
 
So overall a 4th placing.  My biggest obstacle in this was my cardio fitness which let me down in most of the events.  fellow competitors had far better strength stamina than me.
 
All in all a great day out and introduction to strongman type events.