Current Stats

Total weight lifted 2015: 3.6 M lbs
('14-6.5M, '13-6.6M, '12-8M, '11-5.2M)
Total cardio logged 2015: 22.0 hours
Current body weight 301 lbs, Height 6'8

Here's my lifting progress!






Progress!

Progress!

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Another track day

I've run out of things to lift this week as I overdid it on my squat day and hit shoulders hard yesterday (not in terms of weight, but reps on cords), and my elbow is still too swollen to do much, so I opted for another day at the track.  I hadn't been outside to train for a while, so I went over to the high school for some low-impact running on the rubber-based field.  I logged just over 3 miles, the bulk of which came from suicides.  A football field suicide is 5 and back, 10 and back...and so on until 100 and back.  That is just over a mile if you do the whole field.  I tied the day up with some stretching and light cord work just to remind my upper-body it is still there.

I'm hoping my elbow will feel better by next week so I can go and hit some events with the guys.  I hear the stones calling me!

Thanks for reading!

Friday, September 28, 2012

Interval training day

Today was all about intervals.  This is great for cardio, and a good way for me to work in all my shoulder rehab/maintenance lifts.  These lifts are low impact and more about range of motion than anything else.  So today, I hit 5 minutes on the treadmill and then a round of shoulder lifts, and repeated until I hit 2.5 miles and 1,100 total shoulder reps.  The workout took about an hour, and I was able to keep my heart rate up the whole time!  Hoping to hit a solid back workout tomorrow, though no strain on my left elbow so will probably focus on rubber band work.

Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

I'm back...kind of!

My elbow still hurts but with a Rehband wrap on it isn't so bad, so I was able to do leg stuff today with some very light shoulder rehab motions.  Main focus was on squats and calves with a little bit of rubber band work.  It felt pretty good, overall, though a bit tight after some 10 days off.  I did everything without wraps and supports, with the exception of the elbows.  Here is the workout:

Wed 9/26/2012
Lift Weight Reps Total Weight
Squat (Back), raw no supports 45 15 675
135 8 1080
225 5 1125
275 4 1100
295 4 1180
315 4 1260
Calf raises 45 25 1125
135 15 2025
315 15 4725
295 15 4425
275 20 5500
burnout 225 25 5625
Shoulders (rehab work) 25 225 5625
Static bar stepping 225 25 5625
Hip Thrusts (forward burnout) 200 40 8000
Hip Thrusts (reverse burnout) 200 50 10000
Abs 60 120 7200
Day's total 66295 lbs
Cardio for 0.5 mi

Saturday, September 22, 2012

A week of cardio

I've still got some swelling in my elbow.  It has subsided a bit, but not enough to have full range of motion, and definitely not enough to risk lifting with it.  I feel enough strain carrying my daughters to know better than to jump back into things yet!  My focus has stayed on cardio.  I logged 6 miles yesterday and another 6 today to bring my week total up to 14.  For a runner, that is a lazy week, but for a 300 pounder focusing on strength and power, 14 miles is bordering on ridiculous!  I try to shoot for 5 miles of cardio (running/walking combo, 1/3 multiple on bike) a week, and have been slightly under that for the year, so this week will help my annual average quite a bit. 

I did get in a lift on Monday and I helped some people move today which ought to count for something.  I also hit some abs, burnout calf raises (bar only) and burnout squat (bar only), so it wasn't a devastating week in terms of poundage.

Hopefully another day or so and my elbow will be in a position to get back to business.  In the meantime, after my 12 miles between today and yesterday, I'm looking forward to watching the Utes lose tonight and then a relaxing day off tomorrow! :)

Thanks for reading!

Friday, September 21, 2012

Swollen elbow

I way overdid things on Saturday/Monday and ended up with a swollen elbow holding some fluid.  It is coming down a bit, now, but for Tue/Wed I couldn't bend all the way.  As such, I thought it best to take it easy for a few days.  I did hit a bit of cardio yesterday, but had more work come up, and got caught short on that.  I'll try to work in some cardio and abs today if time allows as I'm starting to feel weak!  A few days off and the body just seems to slow down a little bit.  I probably won't lift again until next week.  Fortunately, the body does occasionally need a few days off to catch-up and rebuild, so this hiatus is probably not the worst thing in the world!

Monday, September 17, 2012

Strongman shoulder workout - speed focus

Thayne and I hit shoulders today and are extremely burned-out.  This is a great routine to work on speed and add some volume.  If you only ever lift heavy, it can be hard to add some of the size...if that is your end goal.  I'd like to add a bit of size in a few places as I continue to have my main focus on strength and staying healthy.

So with that, here is today's lift:

Mon 9/17/2012
Lift Weight Reps Total Weight
Cord work for shoulders
Push-backs 25 50 1250
Pull-forwards 25 50 1250
Laterals-in 25 100 2500
Laterals-out 25 50 1250
Downward fly for upper back 25 50 1250
Dumbell work for shoulders
Lateral Raises (two types) 10 80 800
Front raises (3 types) 10 120 1200
Standing half-presses 45 40 1800
45 30 1350
45 20 900
burnout in 10s 45 40 1800
Bent rows 45 40 1800
45 30 1350
45 20 900
burnout in 15s 45 60 2700
Shurgs 45 40 1800
45 30 1350
45 20 900
burnout in 20s 45 80 3600
Day's total 29750 lbs

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Gym day

I need an occasional day at the actual gym to hit some machines that just won't fit in the basement!  While not a weekly routine, I do like to do some leg curls, and triceps work on machines.  Today's workout took about 55 minutes as I didn't rest at all between sets and did more of a circuit training session to keep my heart rate up the whole time.  Here is the lift:

Sat 9/15/2012
Lift Weight Reps Total Weight
Triceps extensions (rope) 100 15 1500
150 12 1800
200 10 2000
200 10 2000
200 10 2000
200 10 2000
200 10 2000
150 12 1800
100 15 1500
Lat pulls superset 100 100 10000
Pull through superset 100 100 10000
Thinker curls 50 24 1200
50 24 1200
50 24 1200
50 20 1000
50 20 1000
50 20 1000
50 24 1200
50 24 1200
50 24 1200
Hamstring curls 120 10 1200
135 10 1350
210 6 1260
210 6 1260
210 6 1260
135 10 1350
120 10 1200
Shoulder fly burnout 80 25 2000
Day's total 57680 lbs

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Bench day - lockouts

I benched today with Thayne.  We focused on lockout work and some speed towards the end.  Last time we benched heavy I felt power generate in my shoulders but came up short on the way up otherwise I could do a lot more.  My triceps are just not where they should be...all in due time!!  SO today was all about strengthening my triceps and training the body to finish the bench motion, better.  Here is a video of our 9th - 11th sets...out of a total of 21!



Thur 9/13/2012
Lift Weight Reps Total Weight
Bench warmup barbell 135 15 2025
Bench warmup dumbell 30 30 900
Lockout bench from 25% 225 6 1350
245 4 980
275 3 825
295 3 885
315 3 945
Lockout bench from 50% 295 4 1180
315 4 1260
335 3 1005
355 2 710
375 2 750
95% of max 395 1 395
Lockout bench with 5 sec holds 135 12 1620
135 12 1620
135 12 1620
135 12 1620
135 12 1620
Burnout with band resistance (50%) 150 30 4500
25% 150 30 4500
full 150 30 4500
Abs 60 90 5400
Day's total 40210 lbs

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

A tribute to Bill Kazmaier

I was perusing some of Bill Kazmaier's old workouts and adapted one that he apparently used to do on a regular basis.  I subbed a few things based on the equipment I had, and had to guess on the weights.  On the squat and deadlift portion we went for about 50% of max and then tried to keep to medium/heavy weights for the other lifts.  This took well over 90 minutes with very little rest in between sets, so I'm pretty beat and Thayne walked away somewhat gingerly, too!  This is a very solid workout to hit legs and mid/lower back with some bicep focus, as well.  There is enough shoulders, too, to consider this a full-body day.  Tomorrow will definitely be a day off!!!

Here is the workout:

Tue 9/11/2012
Lift Weight Reps Total Weight
Back squat 135 15 2025
275 10 2750
275 10 2750
275 10 2750
275 10 2750
Deadlift 275 10 2750
275 10 2750
Shrugs 135 30 4050
135 30 4050
315 15 4725
315 15 4725
Seated hammer curls 40 24 960
40 24 960
40 24 960
40 24 960
Rolling thunder 100 20 2000
100 20 2000
100 20 2000
Bench rows 100 20 2000
100 20 2000
100 20 2000
Leg extensions (burnout) 75 40 3000
Leg kick-backs (burnout) 75 40 3000
Calf raises 315 15 4725
315 15 4725
315 15 4725
Chin-ups to failure 300 6 1800
300 6 1800
  300 10 3000
Day's total 78690 lbs

Monday, September 10, 2012

Atlas stone lift

I haven't had a good post for a few days now, and apologize for that.  Thayne and I hit mainly back today with some new and innovative lifts.  We also played with the Atlas Stone.  Last time I tried to pull it, I had a lot of trouble with nothing on my hands to grip.  This time we tried wrapping tape, inside out, and it seemed to do the trick.  Here is a pic of me lifting the stone, followed by a video:



And of course, the lift:

Monday 9/10/2012
Lift Weight Reps Total Weight
Shoulders (cord work) 25 160 4000
Deadlift Lockouts (bands) 150 20 3000
200 20 4000
Pin-grip deadlift 100 6 600
100 6 600
Atlas stone lift 260 2 1000
Lat pulldowns 200 10 2000
200 15 3000
200 15 3000
Deadlift from the knees 135 15 2025
135 15 2025
135 15 2025
Curls to burnout 35 40 1400
35 50 1750
Abs 60 75 4500
Day's total 34925 lbs