Thought i would post some workouts. Because i have been reading everyone elses and do appreciate the Illinois strongman competitions. For being small comp's, Tony does a great job. Nice t-shirts for every competitor and some of the coolest trophies, i've ever seen.

11/16/08

Barbell Push press
95x15
135x5
185x5
225x5
245x3
265x13

standing dumbell Arnold presses
55x10
75x10
75x10

barbell shrugs
225x20
315x10
315x10

band pullaparts
monster mini x 15
purple x 10
purple x 10

band pressdowns
doubled purple x 3 sets x 15

ab work
standing w/one foot out 2 blue bands x 2 sets x 20
side bends w/bands doubled green x 2 sets x 20
stability ball /oblique crunches w/50 lbs x 2 sets x failure

11/24/08

Squats w/bands
blue x 10
blue + green x 5
135 + bands x 5
225 + bands x 5
315 + bands x 5
405 + bands x 5
455 + bands x 3
495 + bands x 3 all squats were easy

sandbag lifts (like stones)
200 x 5
225 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5

seated one leg band curls
blue band x 3 sets x 20

reverse hyper ext
90 x 3 sets x 10

concentration curls
40 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10

grip work
c.o.c.
#1 x 10 each hand
#1.5 x 10 each hand
#2 x 5 each hand

Hangs
bw + 25 lb chain x failure

11/26/08

8" log clean & press
75 x 15
125 x 5
175 x 5
195 x 5
215 x 3
220 x 5 Log training is done with a clean/ straight into a strict press on each rep. focusing on form and is usually kept light. Because i deadlift tomorrow.

Bench press w/ chains
135 + 50 lbs x 5
185 + 50 x 5
225 + 50 x 5
275 + 50 x 5
295 + 50 x 3 first time with full bench press in probably 6 months. I usually use floor presses. Which is alot easier on the shoulders

side laterals
30 x 3 sets x 10

rear laterals
30 x 3 sets x 10

pressdowns
3 sets x 10

ab work
standing crunch w/ 2 blue bands x 2 sets x 10
stability ball crunch w/ 50 lbs x 2 sets x 10
leg raises x 2 sets x failure

Byron,

Welcome to the training journals. Good to have you here.
Training is looking real good.
Thanks for compliments, we do what we can here.

Tony

Here is a brand new sanction that is mixing strongman and highland games together, in the same contests. Looks very small right now, but interesting.

http://www.nahighlander.com/Home.html

11/29/08

Saturday I train 4 events. Usually with little rest in between sets and maybe 10-15 min between events. This day has been more of a light/ high volume day, working mainly on form and conditioning.

power cleans w/ apollo axle (double overhand)
85x15 -more of an upright row/ warming up
135 x 5
155 x 5
175 x 5
195 x 5
205 x 1 - grip was weak/ started to work singles
210 x 1
215 x 1

Chain yoke w/apollo axle
200 x 100 ft
300 x 100 ft
400 x 3 sets x 100 ft -focusing on foot speed and control/ very fast & easy

Harness bear crawls w/bands
2 green x 10
2 green & 2 monster mini's x 3 sets x 10
(reps are counted as max streches of the bands/ maybe 5 ft each stretch)

Tire flips
3 sets x 10

11/30/08

Barbell Push press
95 x 15
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
245 x 3
265 x 12 -form & timing off

Standing arnold dumbell presses
55 x 10
75 x 10
75 x 10

barbell Shrugs
225 x 15
315 x 15
315 x 15

band pullaparts
purple x 3 sets x 15

band pressdowns
doubled purple band x 3 sets x 10

Ab work
standing one foot out w/ 2 blue bands x 2 sets x 20
side bends w/ green band x 2 sets x 20
stability ball oblique cunches w/ 50 lbs x 2 sets x failure

All my workouts are started with atleast a 10 min warm-up. Including dynamic stretching for upper and lower body, 2 sets each of internal and external shoulder rotations and 2 sets on each leg of TKE's (terminal knee extensions). These warm-ups are a mixture of re-hab and pre-hab exercises. That i feel have really helped me get healthy from previous injuries and also maintian that health. By preventing the small strains and sprains, that we all run into eventually.

The tke's have basically eliminated all the knee pain that i was having and would suggest anyone who is having knee pain. Try this exercise for awhile to see if it will help. I first started doing them before i squatted, just once a week and they helped a little. But once i started doing them in all my warm-ups, 5 times a week. Is when the knee pain dissapeared, hopefully for good.

The internal and external rotations, have also really helped my shoulders. I was starting to get pain in my right shoulder due to an impingement. That alot of people get from bench pressing. I started doing the external rotations and away, went the pain. Also to get the best results out of the rotation movements, you need to use bands. Even cheap wal-mart bands will work. Because you really only need 5-15 lbs, for these to be very effective.

If anyone has any questions, about what i have posted on this log. I would be glad to answer them.

Byron,

The pressing is looking awesome! How do you keep the axel yoke from swining way too much?
I have some questions on the TKE and shoulders. what exactly are they, and how do you do them? Any video would be appreciated. Also to add an observation to your comment on the inuries caused by bench. Most people go way too wide! bench is fairly safe if you stick around shoulder width and tuck your arms a bit. but the wider you go the more stress on the shoulders, when you take the weight conpletely to the chest. I had a buddy rip his shoulder when I was spotting him, the sound still haunts me everytime I bench. wet jeans ripping... <shudder>

Shon

smj091977,

Thats the whole point of using a chain yoke, is to learn how to control the weight. The chain yoke has really taught me how stay tight and breathe at the same time. Move my feet faster & smoother. The best way to describe smoother is "lighter on my feet". Because when u slam ur feet into the ground when carrying weight, u create alot of extra energy that isn't needed. Which is what causes the weight to swing. The chain yoke allows you to train for the yoke with lighter, but more challenging weights. That will force u to improve your technique.

Here is a website for TKE's
http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=33895&tid=115
This is a very simple movement, that is well worth the 2 minutes it takes.

Here is a video i found for the Internal rotation
http://www.hyperstrike.com/Band-Shoulder-Internal-Rotation-Standing-Exercise-791.aspx

The External rotation video on this website dosen't work. But the external rotation is the exact opposite of the internal. U start with the hand in front of the abdomen and rotate the shoulder out, until the hand is at 90 degrees in front of u, then return hand to starting position and repeat. One main focus that they dont describe, is keeping the elbow and upper arm pinned to ur side at all times. Also When doing either internal of external, your arm only needs to start at 90 degrees in front of you (internal). Or end at 90 degrees in front of you (external). Any further is unnessacery.

About the bench press. I totally agree about the wide grip, being alot rougher on the shoulders and i have experienced this. Now when i bench i use the same grip as i do for push presses. Which i think has been really helping my lockout strength on all overhead movements. Also i usually always use a form of floor press. Either barbell, axle, log, floor pin press w/any of these. If i do full bench presses, which is rare. I will use chains or bands, so it is lighter at the chest but challenging at lockout. Also most people dont even use proper technique when benching, most people dont even know what scapula retraction is.

Hope this helps, any other questions. Just ask

12/1/08

Reverse band squats (1st time/ reducing bar weight about 100 lbs in hole)
135 x 10
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 5
495 x 5
585 x 3
635 x 3
685 x 3 - all easy squats

Sandbag loads (like stones)
200 x 5
225 x 5
250 x 5
275 x 5

Seated one legged band curls
blue band x 3 sets x 10

Reverse hyper ext
90 lbs x 3 sets x 10

concentration curls
40 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10
I used super sets with these last two sets, with body weight hangs from a suspended bar. BW is around 290-300 x 2 sets x 30 sec

c.o.c. grippers
#1 x 10
#1.5 x 10
#2 x 5 -didn't get full closes with left hand

I do a version of the external rotation with light dumbbells. I take them like I was going to bench press them, standing up. I rotate them so my triceps are parallel to the ground, basically like I would be if I was doing a double bicep pose. I use the light weight because the rotator cuff is weak and exhaust quickly and the rest of the shoulder starts working.

Shon

This movement with out the shoulder horn
http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=41741&tid=115

This movement is inferior, to the standing verision with bands. Like in the video, that i posted.

12/3/08

8"log clean & press
75 x 15
125 x 8
175 x 5
195 x 5
215 x 5
225 x 5 - all reps with clean/ straight into strict press

Floor pin press w/ 8" log
175 x 5
200 x 5
225 x 5
250 x 5
275 x 5 - all easy & explosive

side laterals
30 x 3 sets x 10

bent rear lateral
30 x 3 sets x 10

band pressdowns
doubled purple x 3 sets x 10

ab work
standing crunch w/ 2 blue bands x 2 sets x 10
stability ball crunch w/ 50 lbs x 2 sets x 10
leg raises x 2 sets x failure