It's not over until I beat Matty -- Castiel's battle log

[Castiel]

I am a villain.

 

It took me a little while to realize this.

 

I have been on this site since october, and everyone else is talking about their hero's journey, and such and it hit me. I am the antagonist, someone for the hero to fight against and become better.

 

So, here is my battle log of my epic battle against Mattyboy7one8.

 

**Backstory**

 

I was always the skinny kid, but right before high school I grew 8 inches, and suddenly I was the tall, extremely skinny kid. I played a couple sports, but ended up going to college to study music. In my senior year I got tired of being 6'6" 175lbs of skinnyfat and started lifting weights. A friend introduced me to powerlifting via Starting Strength, and I was hooked (turns out that years of ballet classes are good for your squats).

 

I got stronger, and managed to gain about 25lbs. But then I moved to Philadelphia and didn't have money for a gym. I promptly lost 15lbs. I floundered around, took some ballet again, realized my knees didn't work like that anymore, tried joining planet fitness because it was cheap, realized I hated planet fitness. I missed the weight room in college.
 

Then I discovered Bodyworld Fitness in South Philly. Great place. It's just a room where a bunch of guys move around heavy pieces of iron. I found my home. I started back up where I left off with SS, became active on this forum, and life is good. 

 

Through all of this, the goals had been purely aesthetic. I wanted to be a barihunk. However, I was starting to have fun getting stronger. And then I started watching all of the World's Strongest Man shows with Hafthor Bjornsson, because he seemed cool.

 

So, strength became the goal. I reached the end of my Starting Strength gains, and that's where I am now.

 

TL;DR, I really want to be strong.

 

Where I am now.

 

6'6"

212

 

1rm from 2v2l

Squat: 335

Bench: 235

Dead: 350 (boo!)

 

Realized that is 920.

 

Where I am going.

 

Shooting for 1000 before Mattyboy.

 

Also, 5/2 is the Beast of Bloomsburg strongman competition in Bloombsurg PA, for which I am training.

 

Events:

 

Log clean and press for max:

12" log starting at 170 - current max 180, apparently, with an 8" log.

 

Car Deadlift:

I honestly have no clue how this is going to go.

 

Farmer's walk:

 

205/hand for 80'. More than I currently deadlift. Need to get cracking on this one.

 

Circus DB:

 

90lbs for Reps in 60s. - Have tried with 80. We shall train hard for this one.

 

Truck pull:

Pickup truck with harness and rope. Huh. That will be fun.

 

 

More specific updates to follow soon, with my current programming and progress.

 

The gauntlet is thrown, @mattyboy7one8

[matty_mcfly]

Haha I literally laughed out loud when I saw this. You're such a dick...I don't think I could have found a better nemesis. The only issue...in movies and cartoons I'm usually rooting for the villain myself.

Those events really are super appealing. The car deadlift and truck pull feels far more strongman than the one I have coming up.

[Castiel]

Haha I literally laughed out loud when I saw this. You're such a dick...I don't think I could have found a better nemesis. The only issue...in movies and cartoons I'm usually rooting for the villain myself.

 

Well thank you. Everyone else is about finding a team. I think finding a nemesis is more important.

 

 

 

Those events really are super appealing. The car deadlift and truck pull feels far more strongman than the one I have coming up.

 

I just wish there was a loading event or stones. I think that my height would help in that.

[matty_mcfly]

Well thank you. Everyone else is about finding a team. I think finding a nemesis is more important.

I just wish there was a loading event or stones. I think that my height would help in that.

Yeah I do much better with competition than I do with attaboys and you tried your best.

Yeah I set up a platform at 54 inches and just stared at it like "fuck..."

[Rookiebeotch]

I am also no hero. I tend to exhibit bouts of chaotic neutral and chaotic evil behavior, so while I have no particular reason to, I will aid you. Mattyboy must be taken down. You apply pressure from the strongman front, while I attack from the powerlifting side. He only has me in squats, so my side seems easy enough. You should also have an advantage due to the fact that Matty gasps for air like a baby seal.

[matty_mcfly]

Haha I didn't go looking for a nemeses yet I come back with two. I'm so good at making friends smh

[SpecialSundae]

I think I speak for many when I say, "I'm here for the visuals, please. Thank you."

[Rookiebeotch]

I think I speak for many when I say, "I'm here for the visuals, please. Thank you."

 

Here are some visuals with audio.

 

 

At first, I thought of this as a hit below the belt, but from the PoV of a villainous role, hits below the belt count!

 

Castiel, this sound is a sign of weakness! Let us use it to our advantage. His air pathway is constricted, he needs oxygen, and the mother seal is too far to hear the cries.

[matty_mcfly]

Here are some visuals with audio.

At first, I thought of this as a hit below the belt, but from the PoV of a villainous role, hits below the belt count!

Castiel, this sound is a sign of weakness! Let us use it to our advantage. His air pathway is constricted, he needs oxygen, and the mother seal is too far to hear the cries.

I think I speak for many when I say, "I'm here for the visuals, please. Thank you."

Lmao! Sir that is an example of my superb valsalva maneuver and my incredibly strong intra-abdomnial pressure!

Also I don't think that's what SS was requesting visuals of lol

[SpecialSundae]

Lmao! Sir that is an example of my superb valsalva maneuver and my incredibly strong intra-abdomnial pressure!

Also I don't think that's what SS was requesting visuals of lol

 

#strongmangroupie ;-)

[matty_mcfly]

#strongmangroupie ;-)

Lol we're no Hafthor but we're trying

[Castiel]

Alright, so, since I started this randomly on a Friday evening, I'll do a summary of last week. Sorry, SS, no pictures yet. I'll figure out how to do video soon.

 

On Monday I started my first cycle of 5/3/1. This is my first program after Starting Strength, so it's taking some adjusting. I'm doing Dave Tate's assistance template, and it's the first time I've done isolation work of any sort. My hamstrings hurt. Also, everything was a bitch to move, even though it was not maxed out. The new program is going to take some getting used to.

 

So, Monday was press day, which went well, and then at the end, because I had more time, I decided to work on the Log Press, since that's one of the events I am worried about for Beast of Bloomsburg.

 

I gave it a try, and kept pushing singles until I couldn't do them any more. The event is for max, and starts at 170, so I am just hoping that I can get that. I had no idea at this point how much the log weighed. 

 

Turns out that it was an 80lb log and that my new PR on Log Clean and Press is 180  190lbs (I can't add correctly). If this is true, I'm really excited, because that's miles ahead of where I thought I was.

 

The other highlight, also Strongman related, was yesterday. I got to the end of Squat day, and while I was tired, I had more time and wanted to push a little harder. One of the big boys was there who has apparently been doing really well in the Masters strongman competitions around, and he offered to coach me on the DB clean and press.

 

The DB at Bloomsburg in my class is going to by 90lbs, and the the one I was just using was 80lbs, but I have the idea. Still pretty shaky on my left side, but definitely can improve it. This is going to be part of my regular training now.

 

BONUS! apparently the local strongmen do an event day on sundays out in a parking lot somewhere in the city. I'll probably be trying to go out and join them next week (I've got an audition tomorrow, and can't mess anything up for that.)

 

I'll be back Monday with more press day, and hopefully I'll figure out how to video.

[El Exorcisto]

Check out Chase Karnes' article on 5/3/1 for strongman over on EliteFTS and waste no time getting with that strongman group. I wish I had an opportunity like that locally.

[Castiel]

Check out Chase Karnes' article on 5/3/1 for strongman over on EliteFTS and waste no time getting with that strongman group. I wish I had an opportunity like that locally.

 

Just read the article. Pretty cool, although I'm going to stick with my basic/powerlifting routine for the most part. Still just trying to build up that base strength. Might use it to modify my assistance setup though. And I am certainly going to start working with the strongman group as soon as possible.

 

Funny sidenote: I seem to have accidentally done a little recomp. I've been on a bulk since September (when I started back into Starting Strength), and I had hit 210 by the first week of January, but then I slacked off on shoveling food in my mouth, and right now I'm at 212ish and I seem to have acquired abs again. Huh. Well, time to eat until I'm fluffy.

[matty_mcfly]

BONUS! apparently the local strongmen do an event day on sundays out in a parking lot somewhere in the city. I'll probably be trying to go out and join them next week

Yea really envious of this. My gym claims to have "Hardcore Saturdays" where PLers, WLers, and strongmen come and lift but I only ever really see the PLers.

[Castiel]

Alright, so, looking ahead... week two of 5/3/1. Heavy triples.

 

Monday: Press. This ought to be a rep record (surprisingly) for strict press, so I'm excited for that. Also, will be playing with the log some more, trying to hone the technique. 

 

Tuesday: Deadlift and Power Clean. This is the one I need to get up to beat Matty to 1000lbs, so I better get my reps in. 

 

Wednesday: Rest. I won't allow this to mean I can let up on the food though, I need to really get back onto this bulk.

 

Thursday: Bench day. Like a bro.

 

Friday: SQUATS! and probably more strongman stuff. This is my day off this week, so I'll have more time to putz around at the gym.

 

Non scheduled: I have a gorillapod on the way from Amazon, so maybe I can figure out how to record myself doing some of this stuff (for you, SS). Also, this week I'll figure out when and where the strongmen meet, if they are, on Sunday.

[matty_mcfly]

How about in bloomsburg for the beast of bloomsburg strongman?

I know why this date looked so familiar. I'm gonna be in Vegas for work that weekend.

So I'll just be cheering you on from afar

[Stronkey Kong]

Haha I literally laughed out loud when I saw this. You're such a dick...I don't think I could have found a better nemesis. The only issue...in movies and cartoons I'm usually rooting for the villain myself.

Those events really are super appealing. The car deadlift and truck pull feels far more strongman than the one I have coming up.

 

 

Yeah. I'm along for this ride. Matty's goin' down!

[Castiel]

Alright, so here's today, no pictures yet, but I'm working on that part.

 

5/3/1 Week 2, Press.

 

Hit a rep record for strict press. 135x3. I have a lot of trouble with strict press, but I seem to finally be making progress.

 

I'm new to this working out with assistance exercises. 30x12x5 dumbbell presses and 60x10x5 triceps pushdown murdered me (and pullups too, even though I do those all the time.)

 

After I was done with my actual routine, I went to work on the log. Hit a triple at 170, and it's feeling better and better.

[matty_mcfly]

 

Yeah. I'm along for this ride. Matty's goin' down!

Haha oh come on!  Up until the 1000lbs (and 4 plate pull) we haven't exactly been competing against each.  Lol only recently did you turn heel.

 

Alright, so here's today, no pictures yet, but I'm working on that part.

 

5/3/1 Week 2, Press.

 

Hit a rep record for strict press. 135x3. I have a lot of trouble with strict press, but I seem to finally be making progress.

 

I'm new to this working out with assistance exercises. 30x12x5 dumbbell presses and 60x10x5 triceps pushdown murdered me (and pullups too, even though I do those all the time.)

 

After I was done with my actual routine, I went to work on the log. Hit a triple at 170, and it's feeling better and better.

 

I find that the only way I make progress with the press is by doing the press, haven't really found any accessories that have directly help push it along. And good work with the log, that event really shouldn't be much of an issue for you.  Were you cleaning every rep or just the first rep?

[Rookiebeotch]

Dips moved my OHP up, once upon a time.

[Castiel]

I find that the only way I make progress with the press is by doing the press, haven't really found any accessories that have directly help push it along. And good work with the log, that event really shouldn't be much of an issue for you. Were you cleaning every rep or just the first rep?

Cleaning every rep. The event is a single, so I'm working on solidifying the whole movement.

We will see how my press progresses I have a feeling that my log push press and circus dumbbell will help, and I'm certainly feeling my shoulders go on the regular dumbbell presses that my program has me doing.

[Castiel]

5/3/1 Week 2, Deadlift!

 

Week 2 is already going better. Today was triples for my deadlift, and the day that I chose to add in my cleans. Doing cleans before deadlifts really seems to help me explode off the floor. Either that or I just ate and slept better than I did last week (although two dry manhattans last night can't have helped anything. Monday night is a weekend when you work in a restaurant).

 

I hit 205 for a triple in my cleans, and they were the cleanest I ever threw (see what I did there? eh? Never mind, I'll stop trying to be funny.)

 

Then the last triple for my deads was 330, which I've pulled before, but felt smooth and fast this time. I have high hopes for this program now.

 

 

Unfortunately, I don't have any strongman stuff to add in today, due to time constraints at the gym.

 

Life w00t however: I was just booked for an opera gig in Maryland for this summer, so that's awesome, and it looks like there might be another one in May/June here in Philly. 

[Stronkey Kong]

Triples week is my favorite on 5/3/1.

 

5's week is my least.

[Castiel]

I lied when I said I pulled 330 for a triple. It was supposed to be a triple, but I pulled 5. Not sure how that slipped my mind while I was writing it. Deadlift induced amnesia.