Mobster's Wrist Roller Work

[mobsterone]

Wednesday

2HP @ 44mm

[mobsterone]

Thur

Rest ((last one pre comp)

Friday

Stuff

Saturday

My back is, as per, giving me gip. I went to the post office this morning and was leaning on the barrier posts to take pressure of my sciatica. So on returning and sans pre-workout coffee I took extra time to stretch and warm up. I took even more care with the warm up sets feeling my way. However, once passed that I was once again into PB territory. Joining me in PB space was Loz who worked to a triple with 200-kilos on our Viking press set up once her arrived.

One hand deadlifts thumb over

B/H: bar x 6 reps @, 60-kilos x 3 reps @, 90kilos x 3 reps @, 120-kilos x 1 rep @

L/H: 150-kilos x 4 x 1 reps (PB)

R/H: 150-kilos x 1 rep, 167.5-kilos x 3 x 1 rep

[mobsterone]

Sunday

Last but one session. Stiff as per. Legs

Leg Press

plate x 12 reps, 80-kilos x 8 reps, 160-kilos x 8 reps, 240-kilos x 8 reps, 340-kilos x 8 reps

Leg Extensions

60-kilos x 8 reps, 125-kilos x 8 reps, stack+25-kilos x 8 reps

s/s with

Leg Curls

15-kilos x 8 reps, 25-kilos x 8 reps, 35-kilos x 8 reps

[mobsterone]

Monday

The last days training before British. The next 4 days is walking and stretching only.

At GN

Vulcan Gripper

2HP on 70mm set up

Bwt: 21st 4lbs on their scales

At WG

W/Roller.

light pin+30-kilos x 3 n/s reps, then 3 x 3 reps with set up + 40-kilos x ouch! I'd forgotten what an evil burn and pump one gets... ouch++!! Right f/arm x 16.5-inches after 3rd set, left 15.5-inches.

Edited May 3, 2010 by mobsterone

[mobsterone]

Sunday

The morning after the night before. Last year, after the British Grip Championships, my main rival (Paul Savage) wrote 'I feel like a train wreck'. David Horne, bless him, rubbed it in by saying 'that's how you should feel if you gave 100% in competition'. Well I'm a train wreck. I'll be able to look at my first place trophy by way of compensation though... but I'm getting ahead of myself.

The last 4 days pre-competition which are effectively rest days were spent pottering around the house. Doing errands, sorting out equipment for the event and so on. Wednesday, with no sign of the medals or an email saying they were being made, I chased the company up. Even today no bloody reply.

Saturday

There are a few indicators that my body is prepped for competition. Muscles, like on a race horse made ready for the Grand National, quiver, spasm and cramp. The night before I get antsy and find it hard to settle and even though I'll not have slept well I'll awake early. So even though I think I'd feel better more well rested and less on edge I know that these are, for me, actually good things.

So when I was awake at 6am I had a banana then another hour or so's rest then checked emails and had my usual breakfast. I started taking over the bits and bobs (coffee, tea etc) to the gym around 9.30am and a little after 10am saw the first arrivals showing their faces. I knew we'd be down as 3 had dropped out and one more, David Horne, had said he's not competing but is such a competitive athlete (plus he's done this before and Stew had said as much this week) that I wasn't too surprised when he changed his mind. Waiting a few extra minutes for Mark Martin-Dye we kicked off shortly after 11am. I'll write about my performance as the results are a matter of record (see link later) and some impressions of other lifts and lifters.

Vulcan Gripper 20mm block set.

My right bicep and tendon, especially in the last 2 or so training sessions, had been twinging to the point of discomfort and not allowing me to crush down on the harder settings. It had done the same, following a brief test, with torsion grippers so I decided to use my left (non-dominant) hand.

Opening with a level 13 effort, following warm ups, shows I'd have been 2nd just with that effort. I followed with a level 15 which David Horne matched tying us for 1st place. But my whole mindset in the last few gym sessions had been to win each and every event. So When David missed his 3rd and 4th attempts on level 17 my more successful one put me in the lead. I missed a level 18 which I thought I'd caned but which Liz Horne, refereeing said wasn't quite shut. No matter - job done. First place

Two hand euro pinch

Because the set up is adjustable we go in groups. So those at 42mm wide go together, those at 44mm next and so on. We flip a coin as to whether it's thin to fat or vice-versa. I was the ONLY lifter at 44mm so when my turn came (fat went first so I was towards the end) I followed myself. I did, however, have the competitive advantage of knowing what David Horne, the leader at that point, had done and so I only needed to lift more to win. I COULD have gone for more but it's all too easy to balls stuff up so, with a combination of the width and using different slightly heavier calibrated plates (in fact oh so heavier 1.25kg discs a side) I beat David by a mere 31g (111.61kg to his 111.57). Those that followed did not beat David or myself so that was another win.

Mark's over bodyweight 3rd lift was also a highlight.

Double overhand axle deadlifts

We had a quick chat about the rules and it was going to be strict (see forum comments on Mighty Mitts... ahem). I'd been pulling 205-kilos for multiple singles in training but, as you'll see, so nearly ballsed it up never mind going for any record.

I, while reffing, seemed no doubt to sit out many, many attempts that others made taking only token warm ups to keep blood in my back etc and stop from cooling down too much. I knew what my gym lifts were so when I opted for what would have been an immediate event winning 190kg I could have stopped there. However in training to conserve strength and save my back I'd been pulling and then throwing the weight down at the top. So I pulls 190kg easy and then like a moron throws it down without thinking. D'uh!! You can imagine what people said. I know I can do more and even though I have trouble standing fully erect I opt for 200-kilos. Without noticing I hitch it a little and so it's another fail. More comments follow. But I take a moment, with the benefit of a few contests by way of experience, not to balls it up again and so rather that follow the previous plan I take 200kg again and get a 2-1 from the refs. Screw a 3rd attempt at a heavier weight... too risky and of course a wins a win. Phew! 3 for 3.

Dinnie for reps

This is brutal, brutal and did I say brutal? event. It just plain wears you down and you may well lose skin. The lifters have two options - a lighter 146kg 'stone' (actually a loaded set up) or the heavier 187kg 'stone' (ditto) thus mimicking the famous Dinnie stones. They have to lift their chosen weight at least 2" off the floor (I literally laid down face on the mat to judge all bar my own attempts). GThe back gets pumped, the legs and tendons are on fire and it's all too easy to rip and tear skin on the hands. 90-seconds feels like an age.

Liz Horne, wife of David and our only female lifter, did well pulling the light stone for 1. Everyone else got PB's. Worthy of mention was David's effort - with damaged shoulder taped up and in some pain - with 15 hard taken reps. They were made worse by no one counting (I was still face on floor, now bleeding from my right forearm from a glass fragment down there, checking the height was good) but fortunately a count back on video showed his 15 reps. Jim Wylie's 21 reps was, if only briefly, the British record regardless of hand and in between my calling out 'good' when each rep made the height I was also shouting at him to set me a good target. At some point, probably around rep 15, he tore skin on his palm but still managed 6 more.

Once again I went last and did enough. 22 reps. No skin tears but man was I puffed out - wow wee. Another win and 4 for 4.

Weaver to the front - no straps

Final event and no records down so whatever we did set the pace. I had my beady eyes on Stew Killick following his recent effort with Weaver to the rear during our super series and, as I told him, I wanted to beat him and used that to motivate me in training. I hit 4.01kg on my 3rd and missed 4.6kg for my 4th. Stew creamed me with a 4.10kg 3rd and a missed 4.6kg. Thus he won and I managed 2nd on the 5th and final event of the day.

I had had a good feeling about my winning the event but having people to push me, so nearly bombing on one lift and the like meant that it was a far from easy win. There was no nonchalant attitude at any point on my part. But, come the end of the day, 4 wins and 1 second place meant an overall first place. Next up is the show days at the NEC May 22nd and 23rd followed by the Euros

Edited May 9, 2010 by mobsterone

[bencrush]

Great work Steve! You showed your strength quite well.

[ChrisJames]

Great lifting mate and congratulations on another win !!

[rico300zx]

Great work Mobster do you have any pictures or video to post?

Rico

[mobsterone]

Too busy reffing etc. But here's one by Mark MD of me winning:

Monday

Went to GN and did what the hell I felt like. I had half a mind to do something which will help me with the display stuff I'll do at Bodypower so:

2HP @ 70mm

set up (43.6kg) x 6 reps, 63.6kg x 3 reps, 73.6kg x 1 rep, 83.6kg x 1 rep, 93.6kg x 1 rep, 103.6kg x F, then 4 x 1 reps* (got better as I did more), 108.6kg x 1 rep, 111.1kg x F (did not budge).

2" W/Roller

** super setted with heavy pinch work

set up (hvy pin) + 30-kilos x 3 reps, +40-kilos x 3 reps, +50-kilos x 2 reps. Nice pump.

Bwt: 294lbs on their scales.

[FrankyBoy]

Congrats on the win Steve.

[mobsterone]

Tuesday

Legs

Leg Press

0kg x 12 reps, 80kg x 8 reps, 160kg x 8 reps, 240kg x 8 reps, 360kg x 8 reps

Leg Ext

60kg x 8 reps, 125kg x 8 reps, stack+25kg (170) x 8 reps, stack+40kg (185) x 6 reps

Leg Curl

15kg x 8 reps, 25kg x 8 reps, 36.25kg x 8 reps

[mobsterone]

Wednesday

One hand deadlift work

Worked to 150-kilos but was unable to lock hand down so knocked it.

Thursday

T/Gripper work

Issues with the right hand, as per the last few weeks, were in the back of my mind. But it was only a little off on the close. Left was ok.

B/H: Seated unless stated otherwise. CoC 1 x 6 reps, HG200 x 3 reps, CoC 2 x 1 rep, HG300 x 1 rep, CoC 3 x 1 rep, BBGM x 1 rep

L/H: seated BBE x VVN, TnG, TnG, VVN, standing TnG, TnG, TnG

R/H: BBE x TnG, 1, 1, HG350 x 1 rep, standing CoC 3.5 x VN, VVN, VVVN (1mm).

Weaver ®

B/H: Bar x 3 reps @, +1.5kg x 3 reps @, +2kg x 3 alt reps @,

L/H: +3kg x 2 x 1 reps (held back on both hands hvy sets)

R/H: +3.5kg x 2 x 1 reps

[mobsterone]

Friday

Shoulders n' arms

Seated machine press

1/2 stack x 8 reps, stack x 8 reps, +60-kilos x 8 reps, +120-kilos x 8 reps, +140-kilos x 6 reps

Alt DB Curls (supinated)

Right wrist then bicep twinging from the get go

10-kilos @ x 8 reps, 17-kilos @ x 8 reps, 27-kilos @ x 8 reps

TPD on COP

stack x 10 reps, +20-kilos x 10 reps, +40-kilos x 10 reps

[mobsterone]

Saturday

2HP

worked +85-kilos (106.7) x 5 x 1 reps

MDB

3 x 1 with MDB with each lift longer than the last

[mobsterone]

Sunday

RT work.

Started with the 87-kilos disc loaded (no warm ups or lighter sets) x 1 rep @, x 1 rep @ (easy for the left hand). Added 10-kilos (97 plus set up) x 1 rep and then 3 n/s reps. Added another 10-kilos disc (now 107kg plus set up) and bombed with the right (probably the MDB work yesterday) but managed a solid left handed rep. So I upped it again by 5-kilos (total set up etc weighed scaled at 114.2-kilos or 251.76lbs) and did a final hard left handed rep.

'Blob' work

Blob (20kg) x 1 rep @, 3 reps @ (alt). Added (gaffer taped on) 2.5kg and managed 1 rep each plus a couple of attempts.

I'll train Mon and Tues and rest the rest of the week for the Bodypower expo.

[mobsterone]

Monday

Chest n' back @ GN

Could have gone a tad heavier and or done an extra rep. Still got a nice pump

V. Bench

20-kilos a side x 8 reps, 40-kilos x 8 reps, 60-kilos x 8 reps, 80-kilos x

Pullover machine

1/2 stack x 8 reps, 18p x 8 reps, stack (20) + 10-kilos x 8 reps.

LPD

stack (15plates/100+kg) x 2 x 8 reps

Bwt: 21stones dead on their scales

[mobsterone]

Monday pm

Coaching James (wrestler) and did Low Rows with him. No sign of Clive.

Low rows

60-kilos x 10 reps, 100-kilos x 10 reps, 120-kilos x 8 reps, 135-kilos x 8 reps.

Bwt (later in the day so fed) 290lbs on our scales.

[mobsterone]

Tuesday

T/Gripper work

B/H: CoC 1 x 6 reps, HG200 x 3 reps, CoC 2 x 1 rep, HG300 x 1 rep, CoC 3 x 1 rep (poor), BBGM x 1 rep, CoC 3 x 1 rep (better)

L/H: BBE x VVN, VVN, VVN, VVN, VVN, VVN (a), VVN (a), VN (a). (a) equates to assisted or with my free hand holding the spring (helps with the close)

R/H: 3.5 x F, TnG, HG500 (a la Expo Ultimate Grip/Heavy Grips $500 challenge) x F, F (like a brick LOL), 3.5 x N, SE x VVN (a), 3.5 x VVN (a), TnG (a), TnG (a), HG350 x VN, 1 rep

Weaver ®

B/H: bar x 3 reps @, +1-kilo x 3 reps @, +2-kilos x 3 reps @

L/H: +3-kilos x 3 x 1 reps. Hard work.

R/H: +3.5-kilos x 3 x 1 reps.

[JohanB]

Got to be honest with you here mobster... I can´t understand half of what you´re saying here but considering it´s you, I´m sure it´s quite impressive =)

[mobsterone]

I've posted what the short hand means in the past.

[mobsterone]

I'll start training properly in a little over a weeks time (8 weeks or 56 days out) for the European championships and will work on a program tonight.

Wednesday

Training today much delayed by 2 pupils (James and come back kid Elias) and at least 5 asking to join in (of which I may see one as per) and work/packing. So I did a 1pm-1.50pm session.

T/Grippers

NB: (a) equates to 'assisted' in which I use the free hand to hold the spring of the working gripper.

During my weekend at Bodypower I had struggled with an HG350 on the table on the Ultimate Grippers stand (Charles Rinaldi's company). I put this down to the other stuff I was doing. Thanking me for my effort, sending people over etc they gave me a new HG350. As can be seen I almost closed a medium hard CoC 4 with the assist. But struggled, as I have been for a while, with the last fraction of the close without the assist.

B/H: CoC 1 x 6 reps, HG200 x 3 reps, CoC 2 x 1 rep, HG300 x 1 rep, BBGM x 1 rep, CoC 3 x 1 rep.

L/H: BBE x VN, VNa, VVNa, VVNa, HG350 (new) x VN, BBE x VVNa, VVNa, VVNa, older HG350 x 1a rep

R/H: BBE x 1 rep, HG350 (new) x N, TnG, VVN, VVN, 1a, 1a, BBSE x 1a, CoC 3.5 x 1a, CoC 4 x VVNa (painful on the opening/negative portion as I let it open with less control than usual.

[Joefrey]

Impressive work ! Good luck with your training !

[The Mac]

Can't remember if I said it before, but well done at the Brits!

[mobsterone]

Cheers.

[mobsterone]

Thursday

Dealt with an order / walk-in customer, chatted about the weekend with some gas guys (good laugh), put the bins out and again about stones and molds with a local.

In between had an amazing one hand deadlift session and felt good for more. Done outside in the sun as before and using the oh-so cambered bar.

One hand deadlifts - thumb over grip.

B/H: bar x 6 reps, 60-kilos x 3 reps, 90-kilos x 1 rep, 120-kilos x 1 rep, 150-kilos x 1 rep (felt like no problem so), 170-kilos x 3 x 1 reps PB for both hands.