The American Guido!

[Reesem5]

Looking good Mike. I've been dropping in and keeping an eye on you to make sure you're not slacking:) I haven't lifted anything heavier then a shovel full of snow lately but my reps are up to about 360,000 scoops so far this winter. I'll swing out to Kelly's one of these weekends and catch up with you guys and check out the place. Later, Reese

[carusom1]

Reese- thanks for checking in; come by Kelly's anytime, we look forward to seeing you soon! I'm doing my best to get ready for the Arnold, hopefully, I can pull one out here.

020910

SS

BTN Push Press:

all wt + ~75 in chains

W/U then

295 x 2, 315 x 1, 325 x 1

BTN Strict Press:

W/U then

255 x 2, 275 x 1, 300 x 1

Happy with this lift; it took me a good amount of work to get this lift up.

Medium Close Grip Bench Press:

3 board press

W/U then

450 x 1

435 x 2 normal grip

Band Face Pulls / Int Rot / Ext Rot

Stretch

[carusom1]

021010

Farmers:

165 x 80ft, 215 x 80ft, 255 x 40ft, 305 x 40ft, 315 x 60ft, 350 x 60ft (12 sec, w/ straps)

Deadlift:

all touch and go

495 x 3, 545 x 3, 600 x 8, 3 x 3 x 455

BB Shrugs:

sets of 8

315, 405, 494, 545

Pull Up (narrow neutral):

3 x bw, 3 + 25, 4 x 3 + 45

bw = 284

Stretch

[Magnus]

Deadlift:

all touch and go

...600 x 8...

Insane.

[carusom1]

Thanks Franky!

021310

SS

Yoke:

up to 800 x 60ft, 830 x 60ft (11 sec [slow])

Log Press:

push jerk

W/U then

365 x 2, 365 x 4

a few vipers but my back wasn't happy

tried 380 but I was shot

Stones:

W/U then

series 63"-43" (5" drop each box) 235, 280, 315, 340, 365 x 3

each set was faster

340 x 3, 340 x 5 (53")

quick stretch

didn't feel that great today, need some rest...

Edited February 14, 2010 by carusom1

[Matt Brouse]

You're getting strong, dude.

(Yeah I still look here)

[carusom1]

Matthew- Yes, I am getting stronger, although, it feels like it comes at a geologic pace. I'm a long way off from being STRONG.

Need to up my bw

This week was a deload; some light pressing, medley mobiles for conditioning, and cardio.

022010

SS

Log Press:

Push Jerk

W/u then

385 x 1

a few Vipers but my back hates these

For some reason my max log drops off very quickly; much better at reps for heavier weight.

Stones:

various heights

63"-43"

235, 280, 315, 340, 365, 420

multiple singles working on speed and transition

a couple series

a number of loads, hard to track

Reverse Hyper:

3 x 15 x 360

Stretch

[carusom1]

022310

SS

BTN Press (push jerk):

up to 405 x 1, then 2 misses at 435, ugh this is frustrating

Log Incline Press:

13", 37 degrees

all wt + purple and mega mini (~20-25 @ bottom, ~45-50 @ top)

190 x 5, 240 x 5, 2 x 5 x 290, 310 x 3

Stretch

[carusom1]

022310

SS

BTN Press (push jerk):

up to 405 x 1, then 2 misses at 435, ugh this is frustrating

Log Incline Press:

13", 37 degrees

all wt + purple and mega mini (~20-25 @ bottom, ~45-50 @ top per side [double])

190 x 5, 240 x 5, 2 x 5 x 290, 310 x 3

Stretch

[rico300zx]

I am making 13" log this summer. I have everything just have to weld it up. Let me ask you how fat are the handles 1" or 1 1/2" I don't want to make them two small in diameter. Also are they knurled, I don't think that mine will be. And I was thinking to use pipe with 1 1/2" OD for mine. I a little confused on what to weld first though. I just don't wanna screw up. Also I'm going to make the propane tank circus dumbell. I think it would be lots of fun to have around.

Rico

[carusom1]

I am making 13" log this summer. I have everything just have to weld it up. Let me ask you how fat are the handles 1" or 1 1/2" I don't want to make them two small in diameter. Also are they knurled, I don't think that mine will be. And I was thinking to use pipe with 1 1/2" OD for mine. I a little confused on what to weld first though. I just don't wanna screw up. Also I'm going to make the propane tank circus dumbell. I think it would be lots of fun to have around.

Rico

If you have a choice, a 12" log is much more common in competition than a 13". 11/2" handles are a thicker than anything you will see at a contest; the handles should be close to an Olympic bar (1.1024"). I've never seen a knurled handle on a log but I wouldn't recommend it, unless it was very light knurling. Because the propane DB with easily deform, you may want to think about reinforcing it. Good luck, post pics when you get it done.

[carusom1]

022410

Farmers:

W/U then

295 x 60ft (8.5 sec), 340 x 75ft (12 sec @ 60ft)

at least my grip training has paid off

Yoke:

W/U then

840 x 60ft (12 sec [slow]), 710 x 60ft (8.8 sec)

My plantar fasciitis has brought my foot speed down.

Medley:

all 80ft runs

Sled / Sandbag

225 / 250

Yoke / Farmers / Sandbag / Sled

530 / 225 / 250 / 260

Stretch

[Guest drfish]

Nice FW pr! Just thinking of the last few months, compared to last summer, it seems like you've done a little less FW recently, but more of other types of grip work. As to last summer (or was it 2 summers ago) when it seemed like we did FW almost every weekend or every other.

[carusom1]

Arnold

Day 1

Yoke / Sandbag Medley:

900 / 250 60ft each

21 s

Despite the contest starting at 8:00 a.m., warm-ups felt good and I was ready to go. I don't know what the split was with the yoke but it was a good run (probably close to PR pace). I was a little conservative with the sandbag b/c of the way it was loaded; I didn't want to mess up the pick so I pulled it back into me rather than pushing it forward (maybe a second difference but worth it). My goal was sub 20 sec, but this was still good enough for 2nd. I feel like the off season squat training I did with high band tension helped with my core strength (allowing me to hold more weight) and training was fair with this event.

Log Clean and Press each rep:

315 x 7

I was not looking forward to this event because of how poorly it had been going in training. In training, every time I set the log down my lower back was killing me. Thankfully, on game day my back felt great and I was able to have a decent showing. My goal for this event was 9 but all it took was 7 to win so I guess it doesn't really matter. The coolest thing about the whole competition was having Magnus Ver Magnusson as my judge on log press; if your not motivated when you see him in front of you, I don't know what the hell will get you going.

Farmers / Keg Carry Medley:

320 / 230 keg / 270 keg 60ft each and run back

40 sec

Goal: 35 sec

Farmers training had been going very well for me and it showed on game day. I don't know what my split was but it felt fast on the farmers (as fast as anyone else). Surprisingly, I was just a little too slow with the kegs and that shoot me down a few points. I had done zero training with kegs and I'm not sure how much difference it would have made in the end. The lesson is no matter how much previous training you've had with an event; to be the best, your training needs to be as good and as current as possible. However, the reason for not training kegs is really that there was no opportunity to do it (Fargo in the winter, I don't think so).

Stones:

series 235, 300, 340, 380, 410

all @ 54"

I don't remember my time but I think it was in the low 20's. Finished the first four but couldn't get the 410; I had it to the lip but 54" was tough at the end of that run. Everyone is good at stones, so this event always needs improvement. My picks have improved but the load needs to get better and more explosive. The prescription for this is going to be more/heavier squats. The best thing would be cleans but I need to give my back a chance to heal for a while until I can improve on that movement.

need to go, I'll finish Day 2 tomorrow...

[Matt Brouse]

if your not motivated when you see him in front of you, I don't know what the hell will get you going.

Carmen Electra. In a tank top. With beer. And fast food. Boobs.

[carusom1]

if your not motivated when you see him in front of you, I don't know what the hell will get you going.

Carmen Electra. In a tank top. With beer. And fast food. Boobs.

retraction noted

Arnold

Day 2

Press Medley:

335 Log x 1 / 310 Axle x 2 / 180 Circus DB x 3

I think my time was around 50 sec. Not bad, but for some reason I felt flat and didn't have the usual pop/explosiveness that I usually do with pressing events. The lethargy continued all day for some reason, I just couldn't get physced up like I normally do, maybe I didn't get enough rest between Fri. and Sun.??? Warm-ups went well but we ended up starting almost 45 minutes late so timing was messed up. The log and axle felt easy but for reason the DB felt heavy, heavier than 180 (180 in training felt light). DB is my least trained overhead event and that should continue to improve. Although I'm good at each of these overhead events I've realized after doing this a few times that you have to practice them together in concert in order to get a fast time within a medley; probably because you never know how you'll respond to the next implement coming from the previous.

Deadlift Medley:

800 frame x 2 / 655 Axle x 2 / 710 BB x 2

By the time I got done with press medley they were already setting up for the deadlift; they didn't bring an extra bar so there was nothing to warm-up with for this event, jc. The frame and axle were light and fast. My original goal was to pull 1 or 2 reps on the BB and I did that (I should have made it 3). I really feel like I could have pulled a third if I whould have taken more rest between the axle and BB. They gave us 90 seconds and perhaps if I would have stopped longer to catch my breatch I could have banged out a third; good lesson for next time.

Stone over bar:

380 @ 52" x 6

Because we were running late and they had to shut down the convention center we were moving a hell of a lot faster than any other contest I've ever been to. I swear I had 15 min. between the deadlift and stones; just enough time to get my suit off, throw on some vet wrap and tacky, then I was right back out on stage again. I think the entire contest was done in less than 75 minutes. In some competitions, you will only do 1 event in 75 minutes. I had the 7th rep at the bar but my hamstrings were fried. My goal was to hit 7 so I came pretty close.

Although I hit some PRs in the comp. it was only because training had been going sub-par. I took more rest for this contest than any others previously and I think that really payed off; good note for the future. Preparing for competition in strongman takes the help of so many people. Venue, time, training partners, and equipment are always difficult to mediate. None of us here in Fargo would be able to do any training if it wasn't for Reese and Kelly opening up there homes to us every weekend, thank you! As always, a thanks to all my training partners that bend there schedules to assist in fitting my needs with a competition.

For the next few weeks I'm going to try to put on some mass attempting this workout here

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/my_greatest_gains_ever_dave_tate

after that, I need to take a break and let my back heal up from pressing and my foot heal from mobile events; my focus will be more toward powelifting until then.

[Matt Brouse]

Do it to it, brother. Build some mass and heal up. Again, great job at the Arnold. I miss training with you.

[carusom1]

Do it to it, brother. Build some mass and heal up. Again, great job at the Arnold. I miss training with you.

You too chief; get back to MN and we can hit some workouts. Hopefully we can hit a show together this year.

031510

First Day of Time under Tension workout

all sets are max reps for 45 sec.

same reps for right and left

Single Leg Press:

230 x 39, 37, 35

Single Calf Extension:

210 x 35, 140 x 32, 90 x 30

Single Leg Curl:

140 x 32, 30, 32

Stretch

Edited March 16, 2010 by carusom1

[jwdeff]

Results are up.

http://nastrongmaninc.com/pdf/results/2010arnoldday1.pdf

http://nastrongmaninc.com/pdf/results/AMworldchampionshipsfinals.pdf

You did awesome. World's Strongest Amateur.

Also, with your new workout you'll be jacked and tan in no time. It seems like a lot of top powerlifters are doing more high rep stuff - Kroc, Konstantinov, etc.

[Guest drfish]

Yes, great job at the Arnold! Just seeing how the 2 HW pros placed shows how tough it was.

And I think the TuT is working already, you looked really swole after that leg pressing. Don't forget to do some posing!

[Matt Brouse]

LOL, swole.

[rico300zx]

Great lifts at th arnold! Wish I could have competed.

For the time under presure how did you come up with your weight? Could you do a regular set then a real light superset till 45 sec was up. Or just one light weight the whole time?

Rico

[carusom1]

I just sunk about 5 inches into my chair. Looking at day 2, if I would have pulled one more rep on the dead, that would have given me 5 more points (2.5 points ahead in 1st), FTW. To say not going for the 3rd rep was a mistake, cannot even be quantified as an understatement (although, I had no idea of this at the time)!

[rico300zx]

That's crazy, but was it that easy at the time, why didn't u know it then?

Rico

[carusom1]

Parris- You could do it a number of ways; the point is to keep the set going for a set amount of time.

Your right, I might not even been able to pull the 3rd, so I might as well just get stronger and shut my mouth about the "what if".

Kelly- You should have seen it today; Collin and hit the upper body, unbelievable pump. I'll take some before and after pics just for you.

031610

SS

Single DB Overhead Press:

60 x 37, 60 x 24/50 x 4, 50 x 24/45 x 6

Straight Arm Flyes:

20 x 20, 2 x 20 x 24

Single Cable Tri. Ext. (neutral):

60 x 37, 60 x 24/50 x 4, 50 x 24/40 x 6

Cable Lat. Raise:

25 x 37, 25 x 24, 20 x 30

Stretch

Edited March 17, 2010 by carusom1