My Journey To The Pro Circuit

[Clay Edgin]

The Wive's Workout:

Push Press:

Kelli: 45x5, 50x5 (PR), 55x5 (PR), 55x6 (PR)

Jen: 45x5, 50x5, 55x5 (PR), 55x6 (PR)

Kelli was throwing up the weight tonight and made them look easy. I'd guess she's good for 90-100 for a single although she wouldn't believe me if I told her that.

Farmer's Walk on 2" handles (weight listed per hand)

Kelli: 90x100ft, 95x50ft (PR)

Jen: 90x100ft, 95x50ft (PR)

90 was a breeze for both of them but 95 definitely made a difference. Jen has like 6" hands so the 2" handles were a big challenge. Kelli's hands are actually about 7 3/4" but her middle finger and thumb touch together on the 2" handle, even through workout gloves.

Yoke:

Kelli: 80x100ft, 120x50ft

Jen: 80x100ft, 120x50ft

I need to find a good way to pad the bar for their necks I think. Alex yesterday used a towel but I forgot about doing that today.

Sled backwards:

Kelli: 95x50ftx2

Jen: 95x50ftx2

They were both game to pull the sled tonight, and I happily loaded weights and walked alongside during their pulls.

A very good workout tonight. They are both more enthusiastic about doing this twice a week and I'm proud of their progress so far.

[Jedd Johnson]

We did the ring the bell lift the other night and i really like it. Thanks for posting about it Clay.

All the best.

-Jedd-

[Clay Edgin]

No problem Jedd, glad you liked it. I learned about it from Meat Loaf, who credits that exercise with some of his progress. The guy is putting 365 overhead now at a bodyweight of 270 so I figure I ought to listen to what he has to say about overhead work!

[Tom of Iowa2]

Good reports Clay.

I think you have the size and fortitude to make it as a pro.Your already world class grip will of course be an asset too.

Good job on the famers.

500# a side some day?

[Clay Edgin]

500 a side for even one step would be pretty damn sexy.

"Variety Show"

Push Press:

Me: 135x5, 185x5, 230x2, 270x1, 305x0x0

Chan: 115x5, 135x5, 180x0 (six times) then he got it

It's sad how much I've stagnated on this stuff. I think I need some more assitance stuff.

Squats:

Me: 365x2, 405x1, 455x1, 505x2 (PR)

Chan: 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x1, 365x0

Shawn: 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x3 (2 forced reps)

I spent most of the night dicking around with my squat suit. I really think it is too tight since I can't get it high enough around my thighs and hips. And when I squatted down, my knees would come together so I think my hips are weak. I'll see if I can trade the suit in for a larger size.

Windmills

Me: 20 right handed with 32kg kettlebell, 20 lefty with 24kg bell

Chan: 20 right with 24kg, 5 left

Shawn: 20 right and 20 left with 24kg bell

It was a pleasure to introduce this core torture.

Kettlebell snatches:

All: 20 snatches with 24kg with either hand.

Then we spent some time practicing the WOB event for the McPherson contest with the 24kg kettlebell. It isn't the same feel, but the technique is important to get right.

This Sunday we're hitting stones, farmers, yoke/keg medley, sled, and who knows what else.

[carusom1]

Sorry if I missed this somewhere

What is the ring th bell lift?

thanks

Mike

[Clay Edgin]

Mike,

The idea behind the partial push press in the rack is to use a weight over your push press max and see if you can hit the top of the rack with it, which then rings like a bell. Hence the name. I like it because I can get used to having heavy weights in my hands and building that leg drive. Failing on 345 makes 300 feel like nothing.

[smitty]

Awesome workout log Clay!

Did you use your squat suit for your 505?

[Clay Edgin]

No, I couldn't get it fitting right so I just went with wraps and the belt.

[Clay Edgin]

Wive's Workout:

Push Press:

Kelli: 50x5, 55x5, 60x5 (PR) 65x5 (PR)

Jen: 50x5, 55x5, 60x5 (PR) 65x3 (PR)

Neither one believed they could do more, but were surprised that they got as many reps. I told them so! haha

Deadlift:

Kelli: 65x5, 95x5, 135x4

Jen: 65x5, 95x5, 135x5, 155x1

Roman chair back extensions:

Jen: 10

Kelli opted to not do these, but Jen tried.

Sled:

Kelli: 70x50ftx2

Jen: 70x50ftx2

[smitty]

Hey man - great squat you freaking beast!

Did you check out the contest T's? In the Grip Contest forum.....

[Clay Edgin]

Big group today - Warren, Robert, Alex, Chan, myself and Travis who I met at the Albuquerque contest in May. We got through stones, yoke, farmers, sled, and a little grip work in just over 3 hours. As happens from time to time, we got rained out before doing the sled so we did the grip work inside then. Shawn wasn't able to make it because his wife was sick today and he was on baby duty. Real life always comes first.

Stones to 47":

Me: 175kegx2, 230x2, 290x1, 320x1, 350x1

Chan: 175kegx2, 230x1

Travis: 175kegx4, 230x2, 290x0 (lapped twice though)

Alex: nearly lapped 175keg

Robert: lapped 230 but couldn't stand with it.

I was inside for part of the stone lifting so I might have missed some lifts. The 350 is nothing now. I think 380 would go up and I think 400 is possible by the end of the year.

Farmer's walk for 80ft: (weight listed per hand)

Me: 160 in 9 seconds, 210 in 10 seconds, 260 in 11 seconds

Chan: 160, 210, 240 (PR)

Travis: 160, 210, 240

Alex: 70, 90, 120 (PR)

Robert: 160, 210

Warren: 160, 210, 240

I'm not sure what everyone else's times were. I was trying to hustle as fast as possible on the farmers and was really feeling good about my speed. At our next comp in two weeks, I have to do 260 for 80 ft and it's a straight sprint, so I think sub-10 seconds would be sweet. Not too long ago, Chan wasn't able to lift 250 per hand without straps and even then he had a really hard time lifting it. Today he smoked it and finished without any drops. Warren weighs a buck eighty five and really busted his ass on the farmers. Got a lot heart, that one does. Travis is a real strong dude too.

Yoke for 50ft:

Me: 360 in 7 seconds, 440 in 9 seconds, 600 in 11 seconds (PR), 600 for maybe 25 feet.

Chan: 360, 440, 550 (PR)

Travis: 360, 440, 550

Alex: 180, 230 (PR)

Robert: 360x2 runs, 440x1 (PR)

Warren: 360, 440, 550 for maybe 10ft

Hard to believe how much more stable we all are on the yoke compared to last week. For me, the hardest part continues to be standing with the weight but once I get going I feel like bald headed freight train! I paid the price in pain last week so I'm glad those sore stabilizers got stronger.

Sled backwards:

Me: 100x100ft, 205x100ft, 247.5x50ft, 300x50ft (ties PR), 347.5x50ft (PR), then 300x40ft

Chan: 100x100ft, 205x100ft, 247.5x50ftx2 trips I think (PR)

Travis: 100x100ft, 205x100ft, 247.5x50ft, 300x50ft

Alex: 100x100ft, 100x50ft

Warren: 100x100ft, 205x100ft (I think, might have been 50), 247.5x50ft

I did not want to pull the sled today but before I knew it I was already grabbing the handle and leaning back. I'm glad I did it though. When Travis fought through 300 and I took it back, I knew I had to improve on my PR because 300 wasn't that bad. 347.5 was just nuts. I was leaning back so far it was hard to pick my feet up and put them down again because of the extreme angle. Halfway through, I wanted to quit. My back started rounding and my lean lessened. Then my grip began to give. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the 50ft mark and I'll be damned if I'm going to friggin give up when I'm within eyesight of the finish line. I passed the line and laid down for a while. Someone pulled off a 45 and started to pull it downhill but didn't go any more than maybe 10 feet. Chan helped me up and held me up while we walked. As we passed the sled, I stood on my own and finished off the other person's pull at 300. That was truly painful. My legs were so pumped and toasted that I kept stumbling back under my own weight.

Afterwards I loaded my 260lb keg onto the platform and felt that was about all I had left in me. Travis said he'd like to go to Kansas to compete in two weeks so we now officially have a car full of people and can split the $3 per gallon gas four ways. This trip is going to rock. Next Friday is my birthday so I'll probably take it easy and hang with the family, but since next Saturday is one week before the contest, we're going to do an all out training day and then feast upon taquitos, beans, cheese and many other Mexican delights. Then I'll have a beer and go to bed.

[Jedd Johnson]

Good work Caly. Good luck at this show.

-Jedd-

[Clay Edgin]

Thanks Jedd.

Travis and Chan came out tonight. Shawn has to pull 12 hour days for the next 3 months straight if he wants to keep his company afloat so he won't be working out for a while. That really sucks for him because he won't get to see his 1 year old son until the weekend since he leaves when the boy is sleeping and gets home after he goes to bed...

Push Press:

Me: 185x5, 225x3, 245x1, 275x1, 305x0x0x0

Chan: 135x5, 155x5, 185x0 (missed it 11 times!) then got x1 (PR)

Travis: 135x5, 155x5, 185x5, 225x3, 245x1 (PR)

Maybe I should take a lesson from Chan and keep trying a weight I fail with and eventually I will get it! He was very happy to have finally put this weight up overhead.

Deadlifts:

Me: 225x5, 365x1, 405x1, 495x2, 610x0x0

Chan: 225x5, 275x5, 315x1, 365x0, 345x1 (PR)

Travis: 225x5, 275x5, 315x3, 365x3, 405x0

Travis is a sumo puller and has done 495 before but says that was quite some time ago. I was trying out my Centurion suit tonight to see how it would help my deadlifts. 495 flew up pretty dang fast both conventional and sumo, but the belt on 610 kept pressing into my stomach making it so I couldn't breathe. Sad to think that I can't pull 5lbs over my raw PR with a squat suit! Every other lift has come up a lot since I pulled 605 but maybe it's a sign I need to pull more to get the technique right.

Floor presses - normal grip, reverse grip, normal grip, reverse grip:

Me: 135x30, x20, x18, x9

Chan: 115x20, x20, 95x14, x8

Travis: 135x20, x20, x20, x20

Travis used to be a long snapper so his triceps are not human.

Standing french presses:

Me: 75x20, x17, x14

Chan: 75x12, x9, x5

Travis: 75x20, x20, x20

Sled backwards:

We all did 100lbsx100ftx2 trips, 200lbsx100ftx2 trips

Sled for 100ft is much tougher than two 50ft trips back to back with the same weight!

Got one more training day left this Saturday. I want to make several runs through each event, going as fast as possible and timing each attempt. My 12" 220lb empty steel log was shipped yesterday by freight truck and should be here next week sometime, and the urge to go out there and clean and press it a couple days before the contest will have to be suppressed!

[Clay Edgin]

Last workout before McPherson Scottish Festival, and a good post-birthday session.

Push Press:

Me: 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x1, 300x0

Chan: 135x5, 155x5, 190x0, 185x0

Travis: 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 255x0

Alex: 45x8, 65x5x5x5, 70x4

Robert: 135x5x4x3x2

Warren: 135x5, 155x1, 185x0

Still pretty dang sore from Wednesday's tricep overkill.

Stones to 47"

Me: Same as before, up to 350

Chan: 175kegx3, 230x2

Travis: 175x3, 230x2, 290xALMOST!

Alex: lapped 175 keg (PR)

Robert: loaded 175 keg several times easily, and lapped my 350 stone without tacky!

Warren: 175 kegx2, 230x3, nearly lapped 290

Granted, there was some tacky residue from the rest of us using it, but the ease with which Robert lapped that 350 was scary. He weighs under 200 and is a bodybuilder, yet has some pretty strong legs. I got on Chan's ass today about doing the stones and he did well. He was loading the 230 4-5 times but after the last contest he really tore up his forearms and I think the memory of the pain was f-ing with his head. I think he's on the right track mentally.

Farmers 80ft runs: weight per hand...

Me: 210 in 11 seconds, 260 in 13 seconds, 260 in 11 seconds (PR)

Chan: 160, 210, 240x2 (no drops on second run)

Travis: 160, 210, 240x2

Alex: 100x2 trips with 2" handles

Robert: 160x2 trips with 2" handles, I think he did 210 also

Warren: 160, 210, 240

Good work by all. And unlike last week, nobody fell! haha I was destined for a sub 10 second run on my second trip but started to stumble and needed to slow down. My stability really wasn't there today, I think from the strain the deadlifts put on me Wednesday.

Yoke/Keg medley (40ft each way):

Me: 260/175, 440/175, 600/265, 550 yoke x 80ft, 600 yoke x 100ft (PR)

Chan: 260/175, 550x0, 550/265

Travis: 260/175, 440/175, 550x265

Alex: 180x100 per hand farmers twice

Robert: 260/175, 440 yoke

Warren: 260/175, 500/175

My first attempt with 600 crushed the crap out of me. I dropped it 4 or 5 times and felt so unstable that I wanted to quit on every step. Every step hurt so much. Afterwards, I went to the bathroom and by the time I got back out I was collected enough to try it again. Someone had just walked with 550 when I came back out so I sacked up and took it for 80 feet. Travis walked it back and said "Now you have to do 600 again!" so I did, but didn't really hit a stride until about 30ft into the run. His turn was motivating enough for me to take it for 100ft.

Sled backwards for 100ft:

Me: 100x2, 200x1, x80ft, x100ft

Chan: 100x2, 200x1, x50ft

Travis: 100x2, 200x1, x20ft, x100ft

Alex: 100x50ft, 200x12ft

Robert: dozen flips with the 500lb tire while we sledded

Warren: 100x2, 200x1

Afterwards we hung out for a little while. When the urge to lift came back again, we did push presses with the 3 1/2" thick bar and worked up to 160. Very tough on the core at this point. Then we worked some 2 hand pinch and I got up to 180 which I'd say was a 90% effort, then worked some thick handled deadlifts and vertical bar. After vertical bar, the food was ready and I grubbed like there was no tomorrow. Enchiladas, taquitos, beans, and topped it off with ice cream cake. Oh yeah.

I hurt right now; I can only imagine what the next 3 days will bring pain-wise.

[dadams]

good workout big guy

[Clay Edgin]

Light night.

Overhead:

Me: up to 225x3 on a bar, 240x2 on 12" log

Chan: up to 175x1 on bar

Travis: up to 225x2 on bar, got 220lb log to clear his head.

Log is hard.

Yoke for 40ft:

Chan: 260, 440, 550 (one drop)

Travis: 260, 440, 550

No yoke for me. My back still aches.

Then we commenced the grip stuff. Worked some two hand pinch, vbar, one hand deadlifts using an apparatus similar to the European setup except my handle isn't knurled, and some levering. Hit some really good PR's I wasn't expecting. Even training grip full time, I've never been this strong...

[Clay Edgin]

The week off was worth it. I was a little mentally fuzzy on technique but it came back pretty quick. Travis, Alex, and Robert came out today, although Robert didn't do much lifting since he is two weeks out from his next bodybuilding show.

Stones to 47":

Me: up to 350

Chan: 230x3, 290xalmost

Alex: 80lb keg for probably a dozen singles

Stones felt good today. 350 wasn't bad and I might have been able to get 360-370. I never did pour that big stone today so that will have to be on hold until I get some time.

Yoke for 50ft without drops:

Me: 360, 540, 720 (PR), 720x45ft

Travis: 360, 540x2 runs

Alex: 200x4 runs

Oh yeah, time to get heavy on the yoke. Baby steps keep me stable but keep me slow. I would have liked to have taken the 720 back 50ft again without dropping it though. Seems like I get about 30 ft into a run and then I start to hit a good stride. I'd like to be smoking 900lbs by December. Travis was game for 720 but couldn't take it more than a foot or so. Everyone is looking much more solid on the yoke. Alex was crushed by 200 not too long ago and now she is walking it without staggering or losing speed.

2" farmers walk for 100ft (weight per hand):

Me: 250, 300, 300 (PR)

Travis: 250x80ft, 210x2 runs

Alex: 100x4 runs

Felt good to not drop those weights on the 300lb walks. I started to sweat the grip a bit in the left hand on the second run but it held just fine I guess. Alex used struggle with making 100ft with 100lbs per hand just once, and today she did it four times. I don't think she realized how far she has come on that.

2500lb pickup truck pull for 100ft uphill

Me: 4 trips (2 with harness, one backwards, one with head harness)

Travis: 4 trips (2 with harness, one backwards, one with head harness)

Alex: 4 trips (3 with harness, one backwards)

After pulling the truck forwards and backwards we looked for something more challenging and I found an old neck lifting harness I had sitting around, so we clipped it to the chain on the truck and pulled. Seems like once in a while you have to do things that hurt more than they are productive just to make regular training easier. You know, you can bitch about that set of squats hurting but then say "Well, I guess it wasn't as bad as the time we pulled the truck with our head."

After that, some grip work. I missed a plate pinch PR by a little bit, Travis hit 135 and that was a PR. Then we did some nail bending and Travis did a 60d while I coached. Then we did some card tearing and I managed to tear a deck longways, another the regular way, and then notch a corner out of a third deck. We finished off with some phonebook tearing. Kinda nice to have someone around on a regular basis that enjoys grip work and wants to do more of it.

So far I've managed to avoid crap food and increase my protein intake by quite a bit this week, so that's encouraging.

[jad]

Good stuff Clay

[dadams]

great job Clay, your well on your way!

[Clay Edgin]

Thanks guys. Every workout I push just a little bit more. I've kept my diet in check this week, consuming between 200-250g protein every day in the form of tuna, shakes, and munching on some green salads now and then.

I like to name my workouts, so tonight is called "Lower Body Massacre III: Revenge of the Ouch"

Just Travis and me tonight so the rest breaks were quick. We pretty much finished a set and then loaded the weight for the next person who steps in right away.

Push Press:

Me: 135x8, 185x3, 225x2, 250x1, 295x0

Travis: 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 250x0

Feels like I need to be pressing twice a week to stay in the groove. Travis missed 250 by just a little bit.

Squat:

Me: 275x3, 315x3, 365x1, 405x1, 455x1, 545x1 (with suit and wraps)

Travis: 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5, 315x3, 345x3 (PR), 365x1 (PR) (with wraps)

Man, that suit is hard to get used to. I need to do a ton of reps in it to find that groove. In the bottom position with 545, my face felt like it was going to explode. I shot up pretty quick but my hips came up faster than I'd like and I ended up pulling a half good morning with the weight. NO more maxes until I figure out that suit thing. I won't count it as a PR even though I'm tempted to; that wasn't entirely me lifting the weight and it wasn't entirely pretty.

Partial DL (from about 20")

Me: up to 605 conventional and sumo

Travis: up to 515 sumo

Sumo feels WAY easier with the partial pulls, but it also feels easier to get out of position and end up shooting the hips too high. The first time I pulled it, I just pushed my hips through and it was locked out.

12" log cleans:

Me: 220x3, 270x1, 290x1, 340x1, 360x0

Travis: 220xmaybe 8 singles, 270x0

340 wasn't that bad, but 360 felt impossible. Travis had trouble with the 220lb log until he put on a belt and stuck the loop out to cradle the log. Then it popped right up.

Sled backwards:

Both: 100x100ftx2, 150x100ftx2, 200x50ftx6

Woohoo! Travis is the second person to puke during a workout at my house! Shawn heaved between overhead presses one day some time ago and now Travis has speckled my yard with whatever he ate. I didn't care to investigate that further. We were done after four pulls with 200lbs and sat down for a while and BS'ed. Then I was like "You down for another set?" and he was game. I like Travis because he is game for any sickness I can think of without hesitation. He pushes me just by not quitting.

With only two of us, the rest breaks between the sled were murderously short but we both survived so the question has to be asked "How many more trips can we do next time?"

[Rick Walker]

Clay-

Here are a few key points for learning that suit:

#1-always sit back into the suit. that is how they are desgined to be used. Sit back as far as you can and you should literally feel the suit tighten around you. Back then down.

#2-I believe you said you got a Titan? If you did, you should know that unless it is custom made, you shouldnt try to squat with much wider then a shoulder width stance. The Titan suits will pull your knees in QUICK.

#3-Dont fight the suit. Sit back with it, and when the suit stops you, come back up. This may be 4" above parallel and that is okay-just put more weight on the bar! Fighting the suit leads to knee drift and hunching over-that may be why you hunched into the goodmorning?

#4-Get used to it with the straps down, then get used to it with the straps up. Most importantly, get used to the suit with no knee wraps FIRST!

#5-get an IPF approved METAL suit!

Just got my IPF approved METAL Viking straight from Sweden today. It went on without much struggle and the straps went up easily. I blasted 605 up so hard and fast, the bar jumped at the top. This was in the suit and a belt only-no knee wraps and untied chucks. I was about 1" above parallel-might take 650 or more to get depth.

METAL is the real deal my friend-and right now, the viking is only $99.

-Rick

[Clay Edgin]

That's great advice Rick, thanks a lot. I did get a Titan. The guy I bought it from squats over 800 in his and says he needs 675 to get to parallel and I know I will need close to 600 to get me to parallel. I think my biggest problem is not sitting back because I'm afraid of falling backwards. Guess I just gotta do it, huh?

[Rick Walker]

Get some competant spotters and sit WAAAAAAAAAAAAY back bro!

You havent begun to feel the power of the suit till you sit back into it. Trust me.

-Rick

[Clay Edgin]

"Training in Hail"

Travis came over early and we drove to a nearby creek where I had seen a giant tire. It is a 26.5-25, thin and is steel belted, so it's close to 1100lbs I'd say. The tread is worn down pretty well and in between the treads it was painted like it belonged in a school playground. So we get down into this ditch and there is a service road leading up to the street, but the tire is a good 200 yards away from the street. Took probably 25 minutes of tire rolling uphill to get to the street where Travis' pickup was parked and waiting for us was a police officer. So far we're 2 for 2 when it comes to playing with tires and police He of course asks what we're doing and isn't quite sure how to approach the situation. We're actually doing a community service because we're fishing this tire out of the ditch and we're not making a mess. Neither of us have warrants or outstanding tickets. So he ends up helping us load the tire into Travis' truck and we get back to my house.

Loading to 53":

Me: 175kegx3, 230 stonex2, 290kegx5, then x5 at 59"

Travis: 175kegx3, 230 stonex2, 290kegx5, then x5 at 59"

With just two of us today, we decided to go higher on the platform. Halfway through our set of 10 keg loads, we threw up a six inch thick beam cutoff I had from a construction job and we loaded the keg onto that. Keg loading kicks ass.

Tire:

Both: 500lb tire x 50ft x 1 trip

It began to rain on us pretty heavy at the middle of the trip and the rain turned to stinging hail within moments so we bailed inside the garage. The hail got heavier for about a half hour so while it caked itself on our vehicles we did some other stuff inside.

Farmers deadlift 2" handles:

Me: 160x2, 250x2, 300x1

Travis: 160x2, 250x2, 300x0

These felt heavy after the loading and tire.

Zercher lifts on 2" bar from knee level in rack:

Me: 160x2, 250x2, 340x2, 430x2, 500x0

Travis: 160x2, 250x2, 290x2, 340x2

Hand and thigh lift:

Well, this one was a bust - literally. First we worked up to 670 and then the carabiner snapped. So I used a Master lock as a carabiner and actually broke that with 760, so we were done for the day after that. I didn't want to go through all my carabiners doing a novelty lift like this.

2.5" axle:

Both of us did tons of cleans, presses, snatches, BTN presses, Zotts presses, overhead squats. Not sure of the axle's weight but I'm guessing 30lbs; otherwise I don't have weights or sets/reps of anything, but I know we worked our asses off. Travis has some OL background and was showing me the lifts a bit.

By this time the rain had stopped and the street was starting to dry off but we were done.