Final announcement

I have finished moving everything over to the new website: www.strongmanvlad.com and from now on I will only post over there. So make sure you bookmark the other website as this one will not be online for much longer.

RPB Meet (15 June 2013)

I'll be writing an article for this meet "The longest of days". Make sure you check my new website for it. It's gonna be up in a few days.

Axle presses:

2x6x75 kg

2x105 kg

2x115 kg

1x120 kg

Full olympic squats:

6x70 kg

6x100 kg

5x120 kg

5x150 kg

3x170 kg

Frame carry:

190 kg - 30 m
240 kg - 30 m
270 kg - 30 m
290 kg - 15 m

Weight for height (weight, sack, keg):

3x2x20 kg for 3.5 m

2x2x20 kg for 4 m

2x20 kg for 4.25 m

2x1x10 kg for 4.8 m - keg

Log press:

6x75 kg

3x3x95 kg

3x100 kg

Atlas stones:

1x110 kg on 180 cm

run1:

110 kg on 132 cm

110 kg on 142 cm

110 kg on 150 cm

110 kg on 168 cm

110 kg on 180 cm

2x110 kg on 180 cm

3x120 kg on 180 cm

1x130 kg on 132 cm

1x150 kg on 132 cm

0x175 kg on 132 cm

1x160 kg on 132 cm

0x2x130 kg on 168 cm

Conditioning (just pain and more pain):

I don't remember the weights but it was just brutal, fucking brutal

4 sets I think of sled pulls and prowler back and forth for 30 m

Weight for height - beer infusion :))))))) 

1x20 kg over 3.5 m

1x20 kg over 3.75 m

1x20 kg over 4 m

1x20 kg over 4.25 m

1x20 kg over 4.5 m - PR

1x20 kg over 4.6 m - PR

1x20 kg over 4.7 m - PR

0x2x20 kg over 4.8 m

Chin-ups:

22xBW

19xBW

9xBW

Dips:

20xBW

EZ barbell curls:

50x40 kg - epic PR, totally in frenzy mode

Lower body training (RPB)

Powercleans:

6x45 kg
5x70 kg
5x90 kg
3x100 kg
3x110 kg
3x115 kg
1x120 kg - failed the second rep
0x125 kg

Front squats:

8x50 kg
8x70 kg
5x90 kg
5x110 kg
2x130 kg
1x150 kg - my middle back was stiff as hell
4x140 kg
2x145 kg

Deadlifts + green bands (approx. 60 kg at the top):

6x120 kg - without green bands
3x120 kg
3x150 kg
3x190 kg - beltless
2x220 kg
2x230 kg - PR, no thigh ride, no hitch
2x170 kg - beltless
2x150 kg

Farmer pick-ups (beltless):

2x60 kg
2x80 kg
2x100 kg
2x110 kg

Leg press calf raises:

30x110 kg
20x130 kg
3x20x220 kg

Upper body training

Standing dumbbell presses (paused):

8x20 kg
8x26 kg
8x30 kg
2x6x34 kg

Seated dumbbell presses (paused):

8x38 kg

Cable pulldowns:

12x81 kg
10x105 kg
10x114 kg
8x124 kg
8x114 kg

Incline bench press:

8x55 kg
8x75 kg
8x85 kg
5x100 kg
2x5x110 kg
5x100 kg

T-bar rows (paused):

8x60 kg
2x8x80 kg
2x8x100 kg

Barbell shrugs:

12x60 kg
12x100 kg
2x10x130 kg

Nautilus machine shrugs:

12x120 kg
2x12x150 kg

Dumbbell shrugs:

12x34 kg
12x38 kg
12x40 kg

Dumbbell curls:

6x16 kg
6x20 kg
2x6x22 kg

Cable side raises:

8x18 kg
2x8x23 kg
8x27 kg
8x23 kg

Inverted sit-ups:

12xBW
10xBW + 5 kg

Events training

Axle press:

6x65 kg
4x85 kg
3x105 kg
1x115 kg
1x120 kg
1x125 kg - PR
3x0x130 kg

Rock lift:

0x3x85 kg
2x3x85 kg

Truck-pull simulation:

2x1x150 kg for 30 m
2x1x175 kg for 30 m
2x1x200 kg for 30 m

w/ rope

1x250 kg for 15 m
1x280 kg for 15 m

Tyre flips:

4x380 kg
3x8x380 kg

Atlas stones:

3x1x110 kg on 180 cm
3x1x120 kg on 180 cm
0x130 kg on 180 cm
0x130 kg on 168 cm

run1:

110 kg on 168 cm
110 kg on 150 cm
120 kg on 142 cm
130 kg on 132 cm

run2:

110 kg on 168 cm
120 kg on 150 cm
130 kg on 142 cm
140 kg on 132 cm - nasty stone

Farmer's walk:

90 kg for 60 m (30 m turn) - 30 sec?
90 kg for 60 m (30 m turn) - 28 sec
120 kg for 60 m (30 turn) - dropped the farmers , nuff said

Conditioning:

3 sets of sled-drag (150 kg) + prowler (100 kg?) for 30 m

Upper body training

Trained for only 90 minutes today.

Bench press:

8x60 kg
8x80 kg
6x100 kg
5x120 kg
3x140 kg - ugly, freakin' weightlifting bar
2x2x140 kg

Hammer chins:

8xBW
8xBW + 15 kg
8xBW + 20 kg
6xBW + 20 kg - some pain in the left biceps
10xBW

High incline dumbbell presses (paused):

8x30 kg
8x36 kg
2x6x44 kg

Seated cable rows (close grip):

12x82 kg
12x96 kg
10x105 kg
8x114 kg
8x129 kg

Dumbbell hammer curls:

6x18 kg
6x20 kg
6x22 kg

Dumbbell curls:

6x16 kg
6x18 kg
6x20 kg

Nautilus machine shrugs:

12x80 kg
12x120 kg
10x150 kg
2x8x180 kg - iron grip

Triceps pushdowns:

12x64 kg
12x82 kg
12x96 kg
8x105 kg - my abs were cramping up like crazy :))

Lower body training

Full olympic squats:

8x60 kg
8x80 kg
5x100 kg
5x120 kg
5x140 kg
4x5x160 kg

Front squats:

5x60 kg
5x80 kg
5x100 kg
4x5x120 kg

Deadlift (beltless):

5x100 kg
5x130 kg
4x160 kg
4x180 kg
2x2x200 kg - easy, could've done 220 or even 230

Calf raises:

12x120 kg
12x150 kg
2x12x187.5 kg
2x12x150 kg

Lying leg raises:

12xBW
8xBW + 8 kg
8xBW + 10 kg
8xBW + 12 kg
8xBW + 14 kg
8xBW + 16 kg

Upper body training

Check out the article section for the upcoming articles.

Military presses:

8x50 kg
6x50 kg
5x70 kg
3x5x80 kg
6x70 kg

Front cable pulldowns:

10x82 kg
10x91 kg
10x96 kg
8x109 kg

Incline dumbbell presses (30 degrees):

8x30 kg - 45 degrees
8x36 kg
6x40 kg
6x48 kg
6x52 kg

Nautilus machine rows:

10x60 kg
3x10x77 kg

Close grip bench press:

8x60 kg
8x80 kg
5x100 kg
2x5x120 kg

Nautilus machine shrugs:

16x80 kg
10x120 kg
8x150 kg
8x180 kg
8x200 kg

Dumbbell curls:

6x16 kg
6x20 kg
2x6x24 kg

Neck raises:

12xBW + 5 kg
10xBW + 10 kg
2x8xBW + 15 kg

Inverted sit-ups:

4x8xBW

Events training

What a day. Even on some of my best days I still barely edge Gijs on just a few events. It's gonna be a long and painful journey to complete victory but I already signed my soul up. In other news Sven has now officially entered the wounded warriors book dislocating his right shoulder. He's gonna be back in no time. Just stay away from jerks and behind the neck presses for a few months or close to a year. Military presses and strict log are better anyway to increase shoulder strength.

Gijs beat me thoroughly on the log press, tyre flips and yoke, no contest. I edged him on the weight for height (on height not reps) and on stones (for singles not height as he did 3x120 although I didn't attempt a third rep). We were equal on conditioning.

Frank was spot on. We're gonna be training smart from now on, focusing on peaking on the final. No more balls to the hospital deadlifting. The final presents too much of a fierce battle to waste valuable resources in a war of attrition before it even counts. As far as I see it the main ingredients should be:

1. Get the food in check. Only eat proper food and stay away from anything that causes stomach aches or meaningless junk food. Stop and eat midway during event training.
2. Have an approximate purpose on each training day. Don't just go and hit a max or a double with 150% effort. All the probable events (medley, log press, deadlift, stones, yoke, farmers, holds) need to be approached in a step-by-step manner.
3. Use the massage therapist and chiropractor before lighter training days.
4. Diminish or eliminate all nagging injuries. In the same note, don't exacerbate any recurring ones by being a tough guy. Do you want to win or do you want to go to the hospital?
5. Relax and disconnect from any training activities. It's a good life outside the gym as well. Balance it all out.

Log press:

6x52.5 kg - wooden log, strict presses
6x75 kg - push presses
4x95 kg - push presses
3x105 kg
3x115 kg - PR, failed the 4th
4x110 kg - failed the 5th
5x110 kg - PR, failed the 6th
0x120 kg - lol
2x120 kg - PR
2x3x110 kg
5x95 kg - push presses

Tyre flips:

4x380 kg
8x380 kg - 32 seconds
2x8x380 kg

Yoke:

150 kg - 15 m
200 kg - 15 m
250 kg - 15 m
300 kg - 15m
320 kg - 15 m
360 kg - failed to pick up, adjusted the height
360 kg - 15 m - PR, no drops
370 kg - 14 m - PR, no drops

Weight for height:

1x20 kg over 4.15 m
1x20 kg over 4.25 m
1x20 kg over 4.40 m
2x0x20 kg over 4.50 m
3x0x20 kg over 4 m - arms toasted
1x20 kg over 4 m - 3 attempts

Atlas stones:

3x110 kg on 180 cm - no tacky
2x120 kg on 180 cm - no tacky
0x130 kg on 180 cm - no tacky
1x130 kg on 132 cm - no tacky, no belt
1x140 kg on 132 cm - PR (no tacky, no belt)
1x150 kg on 132 cm - PR (no tacky, no belt)
1x175 kg on 132 cm
3x150 kg on 132 cm

Conditioning:

50 kettlebell swings + 50 hammer hits + 50 push ups - my triceps and shoulders were fully pumped

Upper body training

Extremely lethargic training session.

Bench press:

2x8x60 kg
8x80 kg
5x100 kg
5x120 kg
5x130 kg
5x140 kg
3x150 kg - failed the 4th
3x150 kg - ugly last rep
18x100 kg - rep-out

Hammer chins:

2x8xBW
2x8xBW + 10 kg
6xBW + 10 kg + 3xBW + 3xBW + 2xBW - drop set

High incline dumbbell presses (60 degrees):

10x28 kg
8x34 kg
8x38 kg
6x40 kg
7x40 kg

Face pulls:

8x59 kg
8x68 kg
8x77 kg
8x86 kg

Nautilus machine shrugs:

12x110 kg
8x140 kg
3x12x140 kg
10x140 kg

Dumbbell curls:

6x16 kg
6x20 kg
6x22 kg
6x24 kg

Behind the neck cable pulldowns (rehab for left shoulder):

12x59 kg
12x68 kg
2x12x77 kg

Triceps pushdowns (extended pulley):

12x25 kg
12x35 kg
12x45 kg
12x55 kg
12x65 kg

Seated cable rows:

12x86 kg
12x91 kg
12x105 kg
12x114 kg

Cable ab crunches:

2x12x77 kg
12x91 kg
3x12x105 kg

Leg press calf raises:

16x120 kg
16x160 kg
3x16x190 kg

Lower body training (RPB)

Full olympic squats:

10x70 kg - beltless (just rehband belt)
8x100 kg
5x120 kg
5x140 kg
3x150 kg - belt on
3x160 kg
2x170 kg
2x180 kg
4x180 kg
2x170 kg

Front squats:

8x70 kg
5x100 kg
5x120 kg
3x130 kg
1x150 kg
1x160 kg - heavy

Power cleans:

5x50 kg
5x77.5 kg
3x97.5 kg
1x107.5 kg
1x120 kg - equals PR
1x125 kg - PR
1x130 kg - PR
2x0x135 kg
2x0x120 kg - beltless, too tired (Frank said lazy)

Upper body training

I wrote a short article. Check it out.

Military presses:

2x8x50 kg
5x70 kg
5x80 kg
2x3x90 kg
2x90 kg

Incline dumbbell presses (30 degrees):

10x32 kg
8x36 kg
6x40 kg
5x48 kg
7x52 kg
6x52 kg

Front cable pulldowns:

8x82 kg
8x91 kg
8x100 kg
10x109 kg
8x100 kg

Nautilus machine shrugs:

8x120 kg
8x160 kg
2x8x180 kg

Crucifix holds:

12 kg kettlebell for approx. 20 seconds - left shoulder is fucked so no point in being a hero

Dumbbell hammer curls:

6x14 kg
6x16 kg
6x20 kg
6x22 kg

Seated cable rows (close grip):

8x91 kg
12x105 kg
2x12x114 kg

Neck raises:

8xBW
8xBW + 5 kg
8xBW + 10 kg
8xBW + 15 kg
2x8xBW + 20 kg

Lying leg raises:

12xBW
3x8xBW + 8kg

Events training

Back in action at RPB.

Log press:

6x75 kg
4x95 kg
3x105 kg
3x110 kg
6x100 kg

Tyre flips:

4x4x380 kg
4x6x380 kg
8x380 kg - 28 sec PR
8x380 kg - 30 sec

Yoke:

150 kg - 15 m
200 kg - 15 m
250 kg - 15 m
2x300 kg - 15 m
320 kg - 15 m

Weight for height:

2x2x20 kg over 3.5 m - a few fails, lack of flexibility
4x2x20 kg over 4 m - again a few fails
2x20 kg over 4.15 m
5x0x20 kg over 4.3 m

Atlas stones:

3x110 kg - 132 cm
4x110 kg - 180 cm - 5 attempts
2x120 kg - 180 cm - 4 attempts
2x130 kg - 132 cm - same speed with Gijs
1x150 kg - 132 cm - no contest
1x175 kg - 132 cm - best grip ever

Medley (2x):

3x380 kg tyre flips
150 kg yoke - 15 m
80 kg farmers - 15 m
155 kg duck walk - 15 m
100 kg prowler - 15 m

Lower body training (RPB)

Box squats:

8x70 kg
5x100 kg
5x120 kg
5x150 kg - beltless
5x170 kg
4x180 kg
2x180 kg
5x160 kg - ugly, ugly reps

Front squats:

8x70 kg
5x90 kg
5x110 kg
3x120 kg
2x140 kg
2x150 kg

Deadlifts:

5x120 kg
5x150 kg
4x180 kg
3x200 kg - beltless, 1st with pronated grip
2x5x220 kg

Viking press calf raises:

12x50 kg
16x100 kg
16x140 kg
2x20x140 kg - ahhhhhhh, the pain....sets you free

Lying leg raises:

3x12xBW

Crucifix holds:

10 kg plates for 30 sec
10 kg plates for 45 sec

Upper body training

Bench press:

2x8x70 kg
5x100 kg
5x120 kg
2x140 kg
3x155 kg - PR, last one was freakin' ugly
7x130 kg

Front cable pulldowns:

8x86 kg
8x91 kg
8x105 kg
8x114 kg

High incline dumbbell presses:

8x28 kg
8x36 kg
6x40 kg
7x48 kg

Behind the neck strict presses:

8x40 kg
6x50 kg
6x60 kg
6x55 kg

Face pulls:

12x64 kg
10x77 kg
8x86 kg
10x96 kg - PR

Triceps pushdowns (extended pulley):

8x45 kg
8x55 kg
2x8x45 kg

Straight arms pushdowns:

4x8x25 kg

Hammer plate curls:

6x10 kg
6x15 kg
2x6x20 kg

Dumbbell holds:

6 kg for approx. 90 sec
7 kg for approx. 60 sec - no rest after the 6 kg

5 min stretching

Upper body training (RPB)

A lot of people like to quote big words and give speeches but nobody wants to get their hands dirty with old school hard work. Is it a coincidence that the hardest working individuals in the gym are also the ones with the best results? Is it a coincidence that no matter their outside life they manage to make time for training? And is it a motherfucking coincidence that when those never-ending injuries begin to surface they keep pushing till it hurts and beyond? Be harsh with yourself. Don't be the guy who always wallows in his own misery. I'll be adding another article today so keep an eye on the article section.

Strict log presses (wooden):

5x52.5 kg
5x52.5 kg - push press
5x62.5 kg - push press
5x72.5 kg - push press
5x82.5 kg - don't remember the weights exactly
3x92.5 kg
2x97.5 kg - PR
1x102.5 kg - PR
0x105 kg
3x92.5 kg

Chins:

2x8xBW - wide grip
8xBW
8xBW + 20
8xBW + 30 kg
5xBW + 40 kg - nice without much pain in left biceps
10xBW - hammer grip
9xBW - hammer grip

Incline axle presses (62 mm axle):

8x35 kg
8x75 kg
5x95 kg
5x105 kg
5x115 kg - PR
2x125 kg - PR

Bent over barbell rows:

8x60 kg
8x80 kg
3x8x100 kg

One hand strict dumbbell presses:

3x20x16 kg L&R - no back support

Farmer shrugs:

2x8x60 kg
8x80 kg

EZ barbell curls:

8x25 kg
8x35 kg
8x45 kg - niiice!
8x40 kg
2x8x25 kg

Cable ab crunches:

12x30 kg
12x45 kg
2x12x55 kg
12x25 kg

Triceps band pushdowns:

3x30 kg

Lower body training

Full olympic squat:

8x60 kg
6x100 kg
5x120 kg
3x140 kg
3x160 kg
2x180 kg
1x190 kg

Deadlifts:

6x70 kg
6x110 kg
3x140 kg
3x160 kg
3x180 kg
2x210 kg
2x230 kg
1x240 kg - easy but my back was toasted from Wednesday

Deficit deadlifts:

2x2x160 kg

Close grip bench press:

8x60 kg
8x80 kg
5x100 kg
5x120 kg
2x5x130 kg
2x2x130 kg

Front cable pulldowns:

8x73 kg
8x91 kg
8x105 kg
8x114 kg

Powercleans:

6x60 kg
4x80 kg
3x100 kg

Inverted sit-ups:

5x8xBW

Upper body training

Finally, after almost 3 years of constant pain in my left biceps tendon (had a partial distal biceps tear whilst doing a rack pull using a mixed grip in August 2010) I could go above 26 kg on the dumbbell curls. You can't even begin to fathom how delighted I am. I didn't even use my rehband sleeves. What a day. 3 years of pain might finally come to an end. Biceps tears are debilitating injuries. My left biceps (curls, stones, cleans, etc) has been functioning at about 70% strength compared to my right ever since. I thought the highlight of the day would be the 1x165 kg bench press but that was nothing compared to the "heavy" curling :))) When I was 17 I did 8x42 kg dumbbell curls per arm and a 1x120 kg barbell curl.  

Bench presses:

2x8x60 kg
8x80 kg
5x100 kg
5x120 kg
2x140 kg
2x150 kg
1x165 kg - equals PR
0x170 kg

Cable pulldowns:

12x91 kg
8x105 kg
2x8x114 kg

High incline dumbbell presses (60 degrees):

8x30 kg
8x36 kg
6x40 kg
5x48 kg - PR, right shoulder cracked at the 6th rep
7x48 kg - huge PR

Face pulls:

12x51 kg
12x68 kg
12x73 kg
12x86 kg

Nautilus machine shrugs:

8x110 kg
8x150 kg
8x180 kg
8x200 kg
6x220 kg - PR is 8
2x8x110 kg

Neck raises:

12xBW
12xBW + 5 kg
12xBW + 10 kg
12xBW + 15 kg
2x8xBW + 20 kg

Dumbbell curls:

6x14 kg
6x18 kg
6x22 kg
6x24 kg
6x26 kg
5x28 kg
5x30 kg

Hammer dumbbell curls:

6x20 kg
2x6x24 kg

Triceps pushdowns:

12x64 kg
12x86 kg
12x105 kg
12x114 kg

10 min stretching

Lower body training (RPB)

Full olympic squats:

8x50 kg
8x70 kg
5x100 kg
5x120 kg
5x150 kg - beltless
3x160 kg
3x170 kg
5x180 kg - PR

Front squats:

5x70 kg
5x90 kg
5x120 kg
3x140 kg
2x150 kg

Block pulls (12 cm):

5x120 kg
4x160 kg
3x200 kg - beltless
2x230 kg
2x250 kg
2x270 kg - PR, mixed grip

Safety bar good mornings (beltless):

8x75 kg
8x95 kg
8x105 kg
8x115 kg
8x125 kg

Farmer deadlifts:

2x5x93 kg - beltless

Cable ab crunches:

16x30 kg
12x40 kg
12x55 kg
2x12x40 kg

Upper body training

Military presses:

3x6x50 kg
5x70 kg
5x80 kg
4x90 kg - equals PR?
2x3x70 kg - speed

Push presses:

5x100 kg

Hammer chins:

3x8xBW
6xBW
5xBW

Incline dumbbell presses (30 degrees):

10x28 kg
8x36 kg
8x40 kg
6x48 kg
5x52 kg - like Frank said, 4 is not a number :))

Cable rows:

12x96 kg
10x105 kg

Behind the neck strict presses:

8x40 kg
6x50 kg
8x55 kg
8x50 kg

Crucifix holds:

10 kg dumbbells for 42 seconds

Lying leg raises:

16xBW
8xBW + 8 kg
2x8xBW + 10 kg

Neck raises:

16xBW
12xBW + 5 kg
12xBW + 10 kg
12xBW + 15 kg
10xBW + 15 kg

Dumbbell curls:

6x14 kg
6x18 kg
6x22 kg
6x24 kg
6x26 kg

Hammer dumbbell curls:

6x16 kg
2x6x20 kg

Nautilus machine shrugs:

12x80 kg
6x8x120 kg

Front cable pulldowns (wide grip):

12x73 kg
12x86 kg
12x91 kg