"I'm feeling skinny Tony!"

[Craig Pfisterer]

December 09, 2010 - ME UB

Dynamic Warm-ups

Close Grip Axle Bench Presses w/ Chains
No Chains
75x5
105x5
Add Chains (+50lbs)
85x3
Add Chains (+72lbs)
95x3
Add Chains (+116lbs)
85x3
115x3
145x1
175x1
205x1
225x1
245x1
255x1
265x0
218x3

Barbell JM Presses
145x3
175x3
205x3
235x3
265x0

One Arm Dumbbell Rows (straps)
145x12/12 PR+5lbs
145x12/12
145x12/12

35 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Okay day, certainly getting better at benching exercises (should carry over to log press). Never benched with an axle or done full range presses with the chains. The axle is quite a bit friendlier on the wrists, but tough to lockout, like the Swiss bar. I set the chains up so that they were off the ground at lockout to add a stability issue. Should teach me to be more efficient in my lifting by cutting down on wasted movement when I unrack it and when I press. I got off balance with 245lbs so 255lbs went up about the same. Should have just went to the down set but it was very close with 265lbs. Triceps and pecs sore after fighting that rep haha. JM's sucked, not much to tell there. I'm going to switch to suspended presses on the floor (z-presses) as the supplementary lift on my benching days. Rows were heavy, sloppy and hard. Didn't help that the middle of my upper back is still feeling that halfton yoke walk from Saturday. Finished up with stretching. I believe I have the goodmornings situation figured out as well as the z presses, just a few tweaks to get a good schedule set up and it's a go.

[Craig Pfisterer]

December 10, 2010

Walking – 31.5 minutes

Comments: Just walking today. Went late so it was much cooler outside. I want to get used to breathing in the colder air for Battle at the Barn. While it wasn't a factor for me last year when it was four degrees Fahrenheit, I was doing event training at night after work every week, getting used to moving breathing and recover on moving events in cold air. That is why I was kind of hoping to get in some medley work on event day this Sunday but the 90% chance of rain/sleet is putting a damper on that plan. Can't on Saturday since most training partners are competing in competitions other than strongman. Oh well, I have time. Got my workout schedule ironed out and ready to go.

[Craig Pfisterer]

December 11, 2010 - DE LB

Dynamic Warm-ups

13.5” Safety Squat Bar Box Squats w/IW#3’s dbl
No Bands
60x10
105x2
155x2
205x2
255x2
Add Bands (+285lbs)
60x2
105x2
135x2
165x2
165x2
165x2
165x2
165x2
165x2
165x2
165x2

Safety Squat Bar Lunges
180x3/3
210x3/3
240x3/3
270x3/3
300x3/3 PR+5lbs

Weight Swings
157.5x12
157.5x12
157.5x12

39 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Kind of a struggle to get off my duff and go lift. I was saying, oh I'll do it tomorrow, I won't do events tomorrow. But I got in my car and went because that inner voice needs to shut up some times. Upper back felt awful warming up but it went away. Damn is this band tension a lot. Really working on sitting back and spreading the legs wide. Apparently too much as my shorts ripped. I put on my warm-ups to continue the workout. Lunges were tough but I got them done. I've added quite a bit of weight to this exercise this year. Then it was on to weight swings. This is not a PR even though it is more weight because I made some adjustments. I'm using a different handle attachment so I have a parallel grip. Also I'm not aim for as much height. I was finding that required me to round my back and I got off balance at the top so I'm aiming for ribcage height as opposed to eye level. Went home to do a lot of stretching.

December 12, 2010 - Events

Dynamic Warm-ups

12" Pick Frame Deadlifts
225x5
325x5
425x5
526x5

Atlas Stones to 51.5"
No Tacky
240x3 (18")
324x2 (20")
354x1 (20")
Add Tacky
385x1 (20")
427x2 (20") PR+1 rep/385x2 (20")/354x2 (20")

Crucifix Holds
10'sx15 seconds
20'sx15 seconds
30'sx15 seconds
40'sx15 seconds
50'sx16.63 seconds PR+10lbs

Comments: Well, I wasn't planning on much happening today. Raining so no outside events. Didn't help that I stayed up late looking up stupid training stuff on Youtube. Really, my plan was to drop off the stone baby and leave but I brought my stuff just in case. It was just Joe and Wes there so it wasn't crowded. I figured screw it, I'll do something. I started out with low pick frame deadlifts. I used 25lbs plates so that it was a 12" pick height. Unfortunately, we don't have a ton of 25's so I did sets of 5. I wore my squishy shoes and no hard belt to make it tougher. Got the first three with 526lbs no problem but really had to fight for the last two. Then it was stone time. I didn't really want to do stones since I had done them pretty hard last event day and it's kind of my best event and doesn't need as much work. Well, Joe gave me a training idea I really liked, dropset. I warmed up to 385lbs for a single and then got ready for the pain. Up first was the 427lbs stone. I haven't touched it since I first loaded it in January. I got a little off balanced lapping it but recovered and threw it up there. Next rep was a little tough to get a hold but went up much the same. Could have done one more I think. Then it was on to the 385lbs stone. Much easier to lap but getting harder to load (fatigue). As I finish the load, Joe says one more. I had been told to do one but if he says jump, I say how high? Another rep with 385lbs. I'm sucking wind. On to the 354lbs stone. Both times the lap is easy but the load is tough. Both reps I grind out. The last one is a little short and I have to dig deeper to archer even harder and push it on to the platform. Dead. Almost as tough as the stone series I did for the Brute Strength Charity competition. Just what I needed. Joe and Wes had to get going so I cleaned up, got a chicken sub and drank a protein shake. When I got home, I just did some crucifix holds for shits and giggles.

[Craig Pfisterer]

December 13, 2010 - DE UB

Dynamic Warm-ups

12″ Log Push Presses w/ IW#4’s choker & #3's basket
No Bands
90x5
90x5
130x2
160x2
190x2
Add Bands (+125lbs)
90x2
115x2
140x2
140x2
140x2
140x2
140x2
140x2
140x2
140x2

Double Overhand Axle Power Shrugs
235x5
275x5
315x5
355x5 PR+5lbs

Seated Rope Cable Face Pulls
110x12 PR+5lbs
110x12
110x12

39 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Pretty good lifting. I've been intentionally missing the bus to work so I can get in some more walking. Helps me relax, recover and get used to breathing colder air. Kind of took things at a lazy pace. Log pressing was bit off as my ribcage and abs were sore from stone loading. It's been awhile since that area has been sore from stones. A bit anxious with how it would go. Some reps were awful and some were quite good. Most times it felt like my brain was trying to eject through my forehead. The first three sets of axle shrugs, it felt like nothing in my hands. I noticed a little slipping when doing reps with 355lbs. My first attempt at a fifth rep it came out of my hands. I regripped and got it stupid easy. Kind of took my time with the face pulls as I had to do some more extra lifting after the workout. The one other gym I train at, recently had a member leave and they took the equipment they had brought over to the gym, namely most of the chains the welded safety squat bar. So I figured I'd bring over my chains and keep them at the gym for the next month until they buy some new chains. Not the best decision to do grip intensive work and then carry an plastic crate of chains. Arms did not appreciate it. Went home and stretched.

[Rich Knapp]

on the PR's

[Craig Pfisterer]

Originally Posted by Rich Knapp

on the PR's

Thanks Rich.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Craig Pfisterer

Double Overhand Axle Power Shrugs
235x5
275x5
315x5
355x5 PR+5lbs

Do you have a video of yourself doing these? I can't recall seeing one but I know I have missed a few.

[Craig Pfisterer]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Do you have a video of yourself doing these? I can't recall seeing one but I know I have missed a few.

No, I do not have any videos of this lift. I stopped filming the hip thrusts, lunges, incline dumbbell presses and double overhand axle shrugs since they are longer sets and tend to eat up battery power on my camera. I'll start filming those again if you want.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Craig Pfisterer

No, I do not have any videos of this lift. I stopped filming the hip thrusts, lunges, incline dumbbell presses and double overhand axle shrugs since they are longer sets and tend to eat up battery power on my camera. I'll start filming those again if you want.

Don't want to inconvenience you. I am more interested from a learning standpoint, and was wondering how the shrug itself was performed.

I assumed it was similar to bench shrugs, with you holding the weight at contraction and shrugging the traps/shoulders up, but was curious if I was missing anything.

[Craig Pfisterer]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Don't want to inconvenience you. I am more interested from a learning standpoint, and was wondering how the shrug itself was performed.

I assumed it was similar to bench shrugs, with you holding the weight at contraction and shrugging the traps/shoulders up, but was curious if I was missing anything.

It like this but with my 2" axle.



I also try to shrug it powerful enough that goes the bar goes higher than my belly button and I reset the bar each rep (I have padding covering the pins). I'm doing them as a less stressful alternative to axle cleans. Allows me to work on pulling the axle hard with a double overhand grip (more efficient for a clean) as well as getting my hands used to squeezing hard and fast. I also wear my wrist wraps on these since I use those for cleans and I want to get used to pulls with them on. Hope that helps.