Irish Strength

[MalachiMcMullen]

DEADLIFT!!! day. Felt decent today, not strong, but I managed to set a new 5lb max PR. Not much but it is 5lbs more than last time and that pull wasn't as hard as it should've been. More will come up soon

Clean pulls

225x4

DL's

315x1

385x1

405x1

425x1(5lb PR)

405x0(hovered)

385x2 conventional singles

385x2 sumo singles

355x2 failed the 3rd rep

315x3 dive bomb reps(I just drop and go)

Smith machine shrugs

270x10

340x10

390x10

430x3 reps that were basically rack pulls from just above the knees

340x10

340x10

270x20

[tja]

Congrats on the DL PR, good work!

[matthcarl]

Congrats on the DL PR...now I'll have to see if I can beat that

[egg_uk]

congrats on the deadlift pr

[MalachiMcMullen]

Thanks guys

Here are some shoes from the past 2 or 3 weeks...

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?autocom...si&img=7207

[MalachiMcMullen]

Another 170 snatches with the 24kg. My heart wasn't in it today. I could've kept going for many more but the blisters and lack of skin on some parts of my hands slows me down a tad.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Deadlifts today

I wasn't feeling particularly strong today but I figured my little bro and I could use some DL's since I skipped last Thursday's DL session.

Deadlifts

315x1 DO

385x3

405x2 PR

415x2 BIG PR

385x1

345x5 off a 6" platform

Decided to leave it at that for now. I will go a tad lighter next week but I do expect to work up to at least 405x2 again. Both the 405x2 and 415x2 felt unexpectadly easy today. VERY happy about this considering I've spent almost 4 months stalled.

[egg_uk]

congrats, prs come when you least expect them

[MalachiMcMullen]

congrats, prs come when you least expect them

Very true

My little bro and I also did some 2" Vbar, sledge work and some hub lifts. I STINK at hub lifts So I'm really trying to get better on that lift. I had trouble with a 10lb plate the first time I tried it, no joke

2" Vbar

150x1

175x1

185x1

195x1

205x0 up 1"

195x2 third rep only hovered

185x3

175x3

With sledges we mainly worked the coin deadlift with varying hammers. I managed to get my 16lb with my hand at 8" and my 8lb with my hand at ~10" from the end of the 33.125" long handle.

Hubs were just a bunch of fun. I did a few hub curls with a 25, some cleans, an attempted snatch, and an attempted hub transfer. I can grab it on the transfer but I don't have the explosive strength to hold onto it yet. I also worked up to a DL of a 25+12.5 so I suppose I'm not far off a 35 hub lift. All this was done with both hands.

I also found that my 61lb little sister can hub a 10lb plate! By proportion that's not bad but her itsy bitsy hands make it pretty darned cool!

Edited April 14, 2008 by MalachiMcMullen

[nockowt1]

Nice job on the deadlift pr. Good luck with the hub lifting.

[EricMilfeld]

Congratulations on that well deserved deadlift PR, Zach!

Will be going for a one rep max any time soon?

[MalachiMcMullen]

Congratulations on that well deserved deadlift PR, Zach!

Will be going for a one rep max any time soon?

Thanks Eric!

I'm going to stay away from 1 rep maxes for awhile unless they happen on accident. 405 felt VERY easy and 415 wasn't so hard. I felt I had 430 in me that day but I stayed away so I could save my back for this thursday's DL session. What I think is happening is I'm finally comfortable with the weights I'm capable of pulling and so they are not feeling as heavy anymore. Thanks partly to Larkin's routine and to all the lower weight reps+rest I've been getting the past 2 months. What I'm banking on is that my back is ready for lower volume, heavier sessions for the next few weeks at least. I've outlined routines 2 or 3 times now and not followed them so I wont bother this time. I will say that I will focus on bringing my 3 rep max up which currently sits at 385. Once I pull 420 for 3 reps, I will max again and the # to beat will be 200kg. I've been striving for a 200kg pull for well over 2 years and I feel it is finally within reach.

PS, I actually weighed in at 184 at the last DL session. So not only was 415x2 an absolute strength PR, it was also a pound for pound PR. When I pulled 420, I was near 190lbs and it was a hard pull.

Edited April 14, 2008 by MalachiMcMullen

[MalachiMcMullen]

Well I had too much energy to not workout today. I normally deadlift today but since I did so last Sunday, I did some random back stuff and it ended up being a pseudo Olympic day. I can't remember what exactly I did but on the agenda were High pulls, high clean pulls, snatch pulls, shrugs, weighted pullups/chins, and some speed/power shrug DL's. I did a few clean attempts with 225. I have never done a full clean, always power cleans, so I tried to power clean 225 and got it to about nipple high but could get under it. That is a movement I'll have to learn someday soon. I didn't go over 315 but did attempt a snatch pull with 345. I couldn't get it very far off the ground and I felt a huge hamstring involvement. Snatch pulls will be a staple in my routine from now on!!! I did go up to 410 but that was the heaviest I went.

[bencrush]

Nice pulls Zach! What's your best DO Axle deadlift?

[MalachiMcMullen]

Nice pulls Zach! What's your best DO Axle deadlift?

Thanks Ben! I am limited to using the Axle only when in competition since I don't have one(I have a 10ft long, 2.5" axle but not enough plates ) but my best in competition was an easy 287ish on the IM axle at Gripmas '07. I gave 303 a good pull and got it to my knees twice, but it was not to be

A 300 DO Axle pull is yet another long standing goal of mine I'm sure I'm good for 300 now but I don't have the means to attempt it yet.

[big nasty]

That's nice work Zach nice dead's !!!

[mike landrich]

Thanks Ben! I am limited to using the Axle only when in competition since I don't have one(I have a 10ft long, 2.5" axle but not enough plates

That is the funniest looking axle I've ever seen. Just the balance aspect would make it tough.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Thanks Ben! I am limited to using the Axle only when in competition since I don't have one(I have a 10ft long, 2.5" axle but not enough plates

That is the funniest looking axle I've ever seen. Just the balance aspect would make it tough.

Haha, I actually continentaled 150ish on that thing and pressed it overhead... until the plates started slipping around Didn't go so well after that

[MalachiMcMullen]

The itch came over me today at 11pm, much later than normal but I figured "what the hey?" and went for it. I wasn't feeling the sledges or Vbar tonight but Hubbing and thickbar are coming along nicely. A month ago, hubbing a 25 was difficult. Tonight, however, I hub transferred a 25, full snatched it for a few reps and combined those with curls. I managed to pull 25+15 with no thumb loading with both hands. 25+20 still only hovers but at this rate I'll be hubbing my not-so-easy-but-still-very-doable 45's by the Michigan Grip Champs. I managed a few good, strong pulls of my ~125 Solid DB up to a PR pull of ~6". I pulled it with one finger assistance and actually had a good, short hold at the top with both hands. Nothing more than .5 seconds but I managed to one-finger-assisted pull it, the DB was not moving up or down nor was it resting on my hips so that is a PR as well. I don't have any 35lb plates but I'm certain I could lift one now and possibly add weight.

Something else; I noticed tonight that loading the plates for the hublift on the thumb side is MUCH harder than placing the weights on the sides or in front of the fingers. Obviously because the pinky and thumb are the only fingers lifting that side for me. Hubbing with thumb-loaded plates is VERY difficult! I only managed a 25+5 pull this way and it was MUCH harder than the 25+15 pulls.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Did a small bit of axle work today. I had to do it in the yard so when my mom saw the ruts created in the yard, I had to stop

Deadlifts (All DO)

120x1(90lbs in plates)

170x1(140lbs)

190x1(160lbs)

210x1(180lbs)

215x1(185lbs)

And 2 C&P with 120

All weights are appr. because I'm not sure of the weight of my axle. It is 10ft long black pipe and I weighed it on my scale twice and got about 39-40lbs. I will be calling it 30lbs though. That way I can surprise myself when next I touch a 2" axle

I only have 185lbs in plates at the moment, partly because I didn't use them much until recently and partly because the price of weights has nearly doubled thanks to gas prices.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Did some overhead/pressing work and a bit of tricep work. Went light and easy today since I my regular bench day is tomorrow and I finally have a serious training partner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My big bro and I are going to compete in the Novice division of Mike Landrich's strongman comp near Buffalo, NY. I wanted to go for the Open Division but the weights are a tad on the heavy side for me. Not much, but enough that I wouldn't stand a chance Besides, he needs to get back into lifting and seeing his little bro beat him in a strength comp might motivate him a bit

OHP-BB(all of them power cleaned into position)

120x5

140x3

170x1

190x1(PR)

205x0(I might be able to press it but I failed on the clean. I flipped my elbows underneath it but caught it to far forward and couldn't hold it :angry )

170x1

120x5

Incline Bench

155x5

165x5

175x3

185x3

175x3

165x5

Tricep pulldowns, vbar handle

150x10

175x10

175x8

175x8

One arm pushups

8 with both arms

I'll probably do some more later on with my axle.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Felt good today. Bench day.

Flat Bench

135x10

185x5

205x3

225x2

245x0

225x3(PR)

225x2

235x1

Decline Bench

225x3

245x1(PR)

225x5

225x4

Seated incline DB press(Never did these in the past because my shoulder felt like it was going to pop out, that was with 55's. Today I did it with 75's and shoulders felt strong all the way through so I will be doing more of these)

70x5

75x2

Tricep pulldowns with vbar

150x10

150x10

150x10

BTN Press

120x5

120x0

Overhead presses/KB snatches have DRASTICALLY INCREASED my shoulder and pressing strength. I was finally feeling completely healed up from all the KB snatches during the middle of last week so I started focusing on my pressing. It has gone up a tad 225, no matter how many singles I could do with it, always felt heavy. Today? MONUMENTAL DIFFERENCE. I am MUCH more confident with this weight now and I will continue to up the reps until I can get 2 sets of 5 in a row. After that, it's time to test my max.

Any day with two PR's is a good day despite the lackluster volume :rock

[MalachiMcMullen]

Well, I'm going to be competing in Landrich's strongman comp in Buffalo on July 19th. The last event is an 315lb axle DL for reps, no straps. I decided to test my reps today

Clean Pulls

210x5

Deadlifts

340x15 (in less than 2.5 minutes I'm pretty sure, I'll have to work on this

370x5

380x5 (I actually was going to go for 370x10 but I wanted to add weight. As a result, 370x5 went in less than 1.5 minutes and the last 5 went by in fast singles

300x2 (snatch grip with straps

300x1 DO

300x10

That's it! This was a CARDIO WORKOUT!!!!!!!!!!! I was huffin and puffin by the end but I am glad to say that every rep felt light... (except the last 3 reps of 380!) So my strength endurance is there but my cardio endurance is not.

[timiacobucci]

Man your deadlift is strong Zach. I don't have enough wieght at my house now but I went to the gym with my freind and tried a 405 dl and got it easy. I wasn't about the randomly try and max out then at the gym though. I know I couldn't pull as many with 380 as you though. I was pretty happy a while back when I got 315 x 10.

My friend from work was into bodybuilding and I embarassed him with the steel bending I did at work because he was suppose to be the big strong badass there. He looks so much bigger than me, but his legs are tiny. He didn't even know what a deadlift was. I had to pull the bar of a bench and throw it on the ground to show him, there are no real power racks and everyone was looking at me like I was crazy showing my freind deadlifts and cleans. He did pull 315 his first try though, never did it once before. I was impressed by that.

He did bench 315 a couple times though, I did 225 x 4 and he threw the 25lb plates on after that and I was all done. He want's me to go back into work and tell everyone he can bench more than me to save some face.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Man your deadlift is strong Zach. I don't have enough wieght at my house now but I went to the gym with my freind and tried a 405 dl and got it easy. I wasn't about the randomly try and max out then at the gym though. I know I couldn't pull as many with 380 as you though. I was pretty happy a while back when I got 315 x 10.

My friend from work was into bodybuilding and I embarassed him with the steel bending I did at work because he was suppose to be the big strong badass there. He looks so much bigger than me, but his legs are tiny. He didn't even know what a deadlift was. I had to pull the bar of a bench and throw it on the ground to show him, there are no real power racks and everyone was looking at me like I was crazy showing my freind deadlifts and cleans. He did pull 315 his first try though, never did it once before. I was impressed by that.

He did bench 315 a couple times though, I did 225 x 4 and he threw the 25lb plates on after that and I was all done. He want's me to go back into work and tell everyone he can bench more than me to save some face.

Haha, good story Tim! Took me a good while to get up to 405 so NICE on that one! I actually wanted to go for 340x20 but I got bored and wanted to go heavier I'm 500% positive I could've gotten 20+ reps. Those last 5 reps with 380 were killer man. I went up, pulled it, then either leaned or sat down for 1-2 minutes and went again. I was decently happy with my performance because I haven't gone 5+ reps in DL's since the very first day I did them over 2 years ago. High volume rules!!!!!!

I've got a similar story, somewhat There is a guy in the group of friends that I hang out with, he's a cool guy so this isn't really pointing anything out. He is 5'5" on a good day with shoes and weighs 260. He isn't a fat 260 but a husky 260. That's 80lbs more than me! Naturally, everyone assumed that he was stronger than me. I never really cared because it was never really brought up but once in a blue moon. However, we all ran into eachother at the local Y and just started playing around. I outlifted him and now I get the "freak" nickname Good times BTW, how 'big' was he? I pulled 265 for a few reps first time round. It's no 315 but I was 160 at the time

Tim, it's getting wierder and wierder by the day it seems! We're even comparable in basic lifting! All you need do is step up past the Regular #2 in the shoe world and BAM! Twins.