Spezzy Focuses

[spezzy]

12 hours ago, Alanna said:

Great plan! That sounds like a good approach for a more gradual transition to strongman-style training. How many possible events are there in a strongman competition?

 

 

 

I realized I forgot to answer the question on how many events there could be in strongman. And the answer is basically unlimited. And every comp can do whatever events they want.

 

A lot are similar enough that once you sign up for a competition, you can work specifically on those events, but some of the most common are:

 

Loading: Atlas stones, keg loading, sandbag loading

Flipping: tires, fingal's fingers

Throwing: keg toss, caber toss

Pulling: deadlifts and every variation you can think of - deadlift, axle bar deadlift, tire deadlifts (basically a shorted ROM deadlift), car deadlifts

Squats: car squats, squats (not often but they show up)

Clean and Jerk type things: log clean and jerk, axle clean and jerk, circus dumbbell

Carries: Yoke walks, farmer's walks, sandbag carries, husafel stone

Random other: truck pulls, grip events (like hercules hold), Conan's Wheel

 

sooooo yeah there's a lot  basically if it's an odd shaped object (aka not a barbell) and it can be flipped, carried, or thrown overhead, you'll find it in strongman

[Alanna]

22 hours ago, spezzy said:

 

The gradual approach was my initial intent, and then a good coach moved here and was available and I figured lets just do it. But with all of the other change in my life and other things up in the air, it just wasn't a good choice. I'm still super excited about strongman, but the gradual approach feels much more manageable for me. 

 

For do I change my programming based on training on a calorie deficit - short and easy answer is no, it's all based on nutrition. 

 

 But it's a bit more complex than that.

 

First, you'll see my goal is to get to 153-155 by the end of the year, which is 11 weeks, which is around .75lb per week. So this is such a slight deficit I won't really notice the difference between maintenance and cutting. It won't feel as easy as eating in a surplus. 

 

The biggest thing that needs to change while working in a deficit is expectations. The larger the deficit, the harder it is going to be to make gains and the less energy you'll have in the gym. Sometimes it's mental and you can push through, and other times your body just needs more fuel. 

 

I change my programming based on my current goals performance wise, but I use periodization - so my intensity, volume, and frequency are changing all the time. 

 

Ideally, when intensity is at its highest, right before a meet, I don't need to be in a calorie deficit. Thankfully I've never needed to do any drastic weight cuts, and the goal with cutting weight 15 weeks out will help prevent me from needing to do that. 

 

When looking to change body composition, on the most basic level, you can do one of the following things:

Eat less, move more

Eat less, move less

Eat the same, move more

Eat the same, move less

Eat more, move less

Eat more, move more. 

 

This plays on calories in / calories out. 

 

What strategy to start with depends on where you're at currently. 

 

For me, my plan is to actually eat more and move more. My calories have been fairly low lately because my intensity and volume has been fairly low, and I'm planning on ramping up to training 6 days a week again (including conditioning and yoga) so in order to stay in a small deficit, I'm going to need to eat more. 

 

But there have been times in my life where I take a few weeks and eat less and move less. I'll typically do this after a big event or a hard training cycle where my body is just beat and needs a few weeks to recover. And it works just as well. 

 

One level above the amounts your eating, what you're eating and nutritional timing is also really important when you want to perform at a high level on a deficit. For example, I do carb cycling, and eat the majority of my carbs around a workout, and ALWAYS get 1g of protein per bodyweight. On my heaviest workout days I'll actually eat at what I've estimated is maintenance for that day (or maybe a tiny surplus), and then on rest days I'll take a larger deficit. I plan my "cheat" meals (I hate that term, but for lack of a better term) after my heaviest and longest workouts. I'm a huge proponent on quality of food, but a lot of people do really well on IIFYM that allows them to eat less-quality food as long as they hit their macros, but your metabolism has to already be in a healthy state to do that and have it work like it's supposed to. 

 

Sometimes you'll see lifters close to a meet needing to cut some weight to make weight, and they'll add in some low intensity cardio - that's eat the same, move more, and doing something like the elliptical or walking on off days or a short HIIT after their lifting - because those shouldn't mess up your lifting and are a way to eat what you need around your workouts while being in a larger deficit. 

 

And all of this depends greatly on your body. So your current leanness, your metabolism, etc will all change up the exacts.

 

So short answer: no.

 

Long answer: I start by figuring out what I want to do programming wise, and then adjust nutrition.

 

Thanks for the detailed response! It's interesting to hear what's worked for you and what your strategies are.

 

In the past, a deficit (even a small one) has made it very difficult for me to progress lifts-wise, but that was probably largely because the deficit worsened some sleep issues, which made everything more difficult, not just lifting. Now that my sleep is becoming more stable, my workouts feel much better, even when training at a deficit. I probably need to be better about eating more on my lifting days, though!

 

17 hours ago, spezzy said:

 

I realized I forgot to answer the question on how many events there could be in strongman. And the answer is basically unlimited. And every comp can do whatever events they want.

 

A lot are similar enough that once you sign up for a competition, you can work specifically on those events, but some of the most common are:

 

Loading: Atlas stones, keg loading, sandbag loading

Flipping: tires, fingal's fingers

Throwing: keg toss, caber toss

Pulling: deadlifts and every variation you can think of - deadlift, axle bar deadlift, tire deadlifts (basically a shorted ROM deadlift), car deadlifts

Squats: car squats, squats (not often but they show up)

Clean and Jerk type things: log clean and jerk, axle clean and jerk, circus dumbbell

Carries: Yoke walks, farmer's walks, sandbag carries, husafel stone

Random other: truck pulls, grip events (like hercules hold), Conan's Wheel

 

sooooo yeah there's a lot  basically if it's an odd shaped object (aka not a barbell) and it can be flipped, carried, or thrown overhead, you'll find it in strongman

 

I can see why going from three competition lifts to that lengthy list would be overwhelming! Sounds like fun, though :).

 

[spezzy]

okay so!

 

did my programming

 

this weekend's workouts went GREAT

 

Saturday I did:

Back squat - 3 sets of 12 at 200

Deficit Speed Deadlift - 6 sets of 2 at 235, every minute on the minute.

SSB Good Mornings, L Sits, Hollow Holds

 

Sunday:

Bench Press - 3 sets of 12 at 135

Floor Press with Dumbbells, 4x8

Shoulder Taps 4x50

 

Then DB Flys, Rear delt flyes, tricep extensions, bicep curls, etc. 

Inverted Rows - 3x15

Then some good mornings with the bar to just get some blood flowing into my hamstrings because they're already sore from yesterday

 

Tomorrow is off from lifting, going to pick a restorative yoga class - i just need to pick which studio to go to.

[spezzy]

Today's workout!

 

Log Push Press - worked up to a single at 135

Strict Press - 80x12, 75x12, 75x12 (all PRs since I haven't done 12 reps in years haha)

ring pushup / inverted row superset - 12 ring pushups, 15 inverted rows x 3

Rope pullups - got a total of 30 in 8 sets

Upper hypertrophy dumbbell stuff

[spezzy]

wheeee okay last few days have been good.

 

I'm down about 2lb this week, which puts me way ahead of schedule.

 

My body hates this whole "working out on a deficit" thing and I'm getting used to being sore again. 

 

Yesterday's workout I had very little time so just went in and did a few squats and leg press:

Back squat: 4x10, weights being 220, 210, 200, 185 (goal to hit RPE 8.5 every set)

Leg press: 4x10

 

Todayyyyy I had upper body, and my bench was TERRIBLE but considering the amount of upper body volume I've been doing, I'm not surprised nor upset.

Bench: 150x8, 140x8x3

Feet up dumbbell bench: 45x5x8

Superset of: 5 chinups, 10 dips, 15 GHD situps, 1 minute rest for 5 rounds

Upper body pump stuff (curls, lat raises, front raises, etc)

1000ft prowler push 

 

 

[Urgan]

15 hours ago, spezzy said:

1000ft prowler push 

 

Prowlerrrrrrrrr...

[spezzy]

1 hour ago, Urgan said:

 

Prowlerrrrrrrrr...

 

man. this took all of my mental energy, but my quads were so sore from the 4x10 squats on saturday I needed to get blood flowing into my quads. I think it worked?

 

I'm still terribly sore today haha. 

[Teros]

On 10/21/2017 at 12:10 AM, spezzy said:

I feel 10000000x better about everything now that I have a plan.

 

[spezzy]

yesterday I was really dragging. calorie deficit + struggling with sleep this last week + getting used to higher volume training = ouch.

 

but i made myself go to the gym anyway, and I hit a nice little deadlift Rep PR. 

 

deadlift: 

315x10

275x2x10

 

pistol squats - 5x5

bulgarian split squats

hip thrusts

good morning

hamstring curl

ghd situp

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

1 hour ago, spezzy said:

yesterday I was really dragging. calorie deficit + struggling with sleep this last week + getting used to higher volume training = ouch.

 

but i made myself go to the gym anyway, and I hit a nice little deadlift Rep PR. 

 

deadlift: 

315x10

275x2x10

 

pistol squats - 5x5

bulgarian split squats

hip thrusts

good morning

hamstring curl

ghd situp

A PR in the midst of all that is really impressive.

[spezzy]

okay, a few things!

1) I have been experimenting with no preworkout because I think caffeine is linked to my anxiety. 

2) Diet has been great. Averaging 158-160 in the morning which is about 2-3lb down from where I started so that's a good thing. Definitely feeling leaner:

 

I could be doing better with vegetables with my breakfast, but other than that, it's been on point.

 

Workouts! I increased frequency by 25% (I did 5 days this week) and definitely feeling the fatigue from that. Have shortened my workouts because of the increased frequency to even things out.  Today is off and then I'm going to push it really hard this week - I leave for California Thursday night and am unsure about when I'll be able to get to the gym while we're in California (Ben is competing at Reebok Record Breakers on Sunday). So it will be a mini deload, then start meet prep when I get back.

 

last few days of workouts:

 

wednesday - 

overhead press:

95x8, 85x8, 85x8

 

single arm dumbbell snatch - worked up to 3 sets of 3 per arm at 70

 

then upper pump stuff.

 

friday - 

sleeveless beltless musicless squats:

185x4x12
 

trap bar deadlift + 20 foot walk:

8 rounds, worked up to 230 and did the last 4 sets at 230, so 140, 160, 180, 200, 230, 230, 230, 230

 

saturday - 

bench press

140x12, 140x10, 135x2x8 (goal was 4 sets between 8 and 12, and i overshot it on the first set)

 

4 rounds:

6 chinups, 10 dips, 15 GHD situps

 

upper pump day

 

 

[CourtnieMarie]

hope the no-caffeine experiment helps!

[bigm141414]

If you aren't going to use your pre-workout, you can send it my way. I could use all the caffeines. 

 

[spezzy]

On 11/6/2017 at 10:50 AM, CourtnieMarie said:

hope the no-caffeine experiment helps!

 

It's definitely helping anxiety, but the lack of it is messing with my focus. Or I'm just a mess. haha. Who knows. 

 

On 11/8/2017 at 1:56 PM, bigm141414 said:

If you aren't going to use your pre-workout, you can send it my way. I could use all the caffeines. 

 

 

hah. you have enough.

[spezzy]

okay so last few days!

 

i'm out in california right now, Ben competes at Reebok Record Breakers tomorrow. 

 

2 days ago I did squats and some hamstring stuff.

 

Today I messed around and did:

Deadlifts EMOM 10 minutes 275x2

Pendlay Row 5x8 at 95

OHP 5x8 at 75-85

EMOM 5 minutes 1 pullup, 2 chinups

Arms

 

Still on track diet wise even with the travel!

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

17 hours ago, spezzy said:

Still on track diet wise even with the travel!

Well done. You are doing better on the road than I am at home.

[spezzy]

22 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Well done. You are doing better on the road than I am at home.

 

A few things with this:

1) As soon as I start to see results with leaning out, it's easy for me to be disciplined about it.

2) There are a lot of foods I just don't eat. Ever. So that's full time and just what I'm used to. I'm not really food motivated. I don't consider them an option, so for example, if the only option is pizza, it is the same to me as there is no option. I'm not going to die if I wait until there is an option.

3) Planning is everything. We bring a cooler full of food and check it at the airport. So when I got in, I already had 2 days of food ready to go for the first few days of my trip.

4) We always book an airbnb / hotel with a fridge if not also a microwave. Always.

5) Grocery stores are better options than restaurants, always, and are often cheaper. When we got in I went to whole foods and made a few salad bases from the hot food bar, and then bought a rotisserie chicken and used that for the meat on the salads.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

1 hour ago, spezzy said:

I'm not really food motivated.

I am, and that's a big part of my struggle. I'm glad you found a solution and a rhythm that work for you. Excuse me while I go in search of mine.  

[spezzy]

27 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

I am, and that's a big part of my struggle. I'm glad you found a solution and a rhythm that work for you. Excuse me while I go in search of mine.  

 

I used to be food motivated. I think a few things that helped me were consciously trying to change it and focus on doing other things when I wanted food - meditating, going for walks, journaling, and other methods of self care. And then the stricter I got with my diet, the less sugars I was eating, and the less I was interested in food when I wasn't truly hungry, which has some negative aspects to it too (nothing ever sounds really good anymore, it's all just meh). 

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

1 hour ago, spezzy said:

 

I used to be food motivated. I think a few things that helped me were consciously trying to change it and focus on doing other things when I wanted food - meditating, going for walks, journaling, and other methods of self care. And then the stricter I got with my diet, the less sugars I was eating, and the less I was interested in food when I wasn't truly hungry, which has some negative aspects to it too (nothing ever sounds really good anymore, it's all just meh). 

 

 

I think that's key for me, recognizing the emotional component of wanting food when I'm not actually hungry.

[spezzy]

56 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

I think that's key for me, recognizing the emotional component of wanting food when I'm not actually hungry.

 

This sounds kind of woo woo but, when you think "I should eat," try any (or all) of the following:

1) A 1-2 minute meditation (Amy Clover has a great one she made just for this (here)

2) Journaling. Make yourself write in a notebook for 1 minute before you eat anything. Write why you're eating. Are you hungry, are you stressed, are you bored, are you sad? 

3) Drink a bottle of water (keep it in your fridge so it's the first thing you see) and walk away and if you're still hungry in 15 minutes, come back then.

4) Go for a walk.

5) Ask yourself: "Am I really hungry?" "Will the 2 seconds of happiness the food gives me make me feel better?

 

A lot of times, for me, just stepping away and thinking about it really helped. These are all ways to do that

 

[spezzy]

So, a few days left of this challenge and I just got back from a week in California.

 

Ben got his all time world record and it's already been updated on powerlifting watch so that's super rad to see.

 

For me, though, I'm unsure of where to go next. In an unexpected turn of events, I'm really enjoying my high volume workouts, and I didn't come home from the meet excited to start my meet prep. It's 10.5 weeks out so I've got another week or two to decide 100% for sure, but I think I might want to do the March meet instead of the February meet. 

 

A few things with this, though:

-I could just be putting off the meet because I don't really want to do one. If that's the case, I shouldn't do one at all.

-I could be putting off the meet because I'm really freaked out about my umbilical hernia, and saying I'll get it repaired after the meet means pushing off the meet pushes off the repair.

-There's potential travel before both meets

-My mom is planning on coming around the time of the March meet - so that could be a cool time for her to watch me compete and then stay after the meet so I could use my deload time to spend time with my mom. 

 

I don't know. I need to figure it out. I'm just really enjoying my training the way it is right now and am not sure if I want to change it up quite yet. 

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

9 minutes ago, spezzy said:

I don't know. I need to figure it out. I'm just really enjoying my training the way it is right now and am not sure if I want to change it up quite yet. 

It's been a while since you've been able to say that about your training, now that you've found something you enjoy I'd suggest sticking with it.

[spezzy]

18 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

It's been a while since you've been able to say that about your training, now that you've found something you enjoy I'd suggest sticking with it.

 

Well, I always enjoy my training, but this style I've been doing is something I haven't focused on in a while and I've been surprised how much I like it. Plus the freedom of not having any sort of event to plan for is nice - I could go away for the last week and not stress about finding a gym because I have no events coming up.

 

But yes, 100% agree on the "if i'm enjoying x i should continue to do it" thing. My goal for this is enjoying, not being the best in the world (and that's a case where sacrificing some enjoyment is often necessary)