Lifting stuff up and putting it down again

[Cu Chulainn]

Hi. Been posting a training log on another forum, but came across Rebellion HQ and thought I'd feel right at home here.

I began lifting 9 months ago at 39yo and have followed a few programs including Stronglifts 5x5, One Lift A Day and the 40 Workout Challenge from Dan John. That got me to a 100kg deadlift, 95kg squat and 52.5kg push press (I don't like benching). I recently began trying strongman-style training and have fallen in love with how it translates into real-world practical strength, ie. picking up heavy awkward stuff and moving it around (when was the last time someone asked you to pick up a barbell shaped object and squat up and down with it on your shoulders?).

So anyway, my training at the moment is nice and simple, ie. one main lift followed by an assistance lift normally 6 days a week (little and often) using a mixture of barbell, dumbbells, log, tyre, sandbag etc.

So here goes...

[Cu Chulainn]

14/9/15

Trap bar deadlift

Warmup

6x8x80kg

15/9/15

Power clean & press

5x30kg

5x35kg

5x40kg

One-arm dumbbell press

4x8x15kg

16/9/15

Tyre flip (80kg)

5x25m

Barbell curl

4x8x20kg

[Cu Chulainn]

17/9/15

 

Keg clean & press

5x5x30kg

 

One-arm dumbbell press

3x8x15kg (each arm)

 

My keg clean & press technique is certainly unorthodox.  I kind of do an explosive deadlift/high pull then bounce the keg off my stomach/lower chest and press it up.  These are much harder than barbell c&p due to the water sloshing around in the keg (hence the lower weight).  You really need to fight the movement and instability of the keg to get it up there.

[Cu Chulainn]

18/9/15

 

Farmers walk

3x50m 45kg in each hand

 

Suitcase deadlift

4x8x30kg (each side)

 

Traps and forearms were totally fried after these.

[originalpiratematerial]

Hello, I'm only a beginner at free weights. Intrigued by your name though. Are you Irish or or Irish descent or just interested in Irish myth and legend?

[Cu Chulainn]

Hey pirate, thanks for dropping by. In Irish folklore, Cu Chulainn was a great Celtic warrior who protected Ulster (Northern Ireland) against its enemies. When in battle, he would become possessed by incredible strength and power making him a force to be reckoned with (he's also the star of a cool graphic novel by Will Sliney). I'm certainly nothing like the character in my avatar, but I do live in Ulster and I like to take Cu Chulainns intensity and ferocity into my battle with the barbell/keg/log/stones etc.

What's the story behind your username?

[originalpiratematerial]

Ah, well I'm an Ulsterwoman myself by origin.  But the reference comes from The Streets very fine album of that name, not actually anything at all to do with pirates in the oo-ar me hearties sense!  

 

https://youtu.be/2m8qJbEY6lo?list=PLFA5103005D077F83

[Cu Chulainn]

20/9/15

Bear hug keg squat

5x5x30kg

Barbell curl

4x8x20kg

Nice and easy tonight. Just greasing the groove.

[Cu Chulainn]

21/9/15

Trap bar deadlift

6x10x80kg

Static hold

1x32sec

[Cu Chulainn]

22/9/15

 

Press

6x2x45kg

 

1-arm DB press

2x8x15kg (each arm)

[Cu Chulainn]

23/9/15

 

Zercher squat (bottom up from pins)

6x2x50kg

 

BB curl

4x8x20kg

 

Started each zercher from a dead stop in the bottom position and paused each for a couple of seconds at the top.  Really felt these in my upper back and core (which was the point in doing them!).

[Cu Chulainn]

24/9/15

 

Press

6x3x45kg

 

Keg press

4x8x30kg

 

All good.

[originalpiratematerial]

Hi Cu Chulainn, i don't know if you want to join in with the current six week challenge - obviously you're really motivated already but if you start a thread in Recruits and tell people what your goals are, you will get some people noticing your posts and cheering you on. Disregard this if you're happy just to use this as a place to log your workouts or if you're already on the Recruits threads.

Anyway it's a happy Friday for me, hopefully more deadlifts today, always like a deadlifts day.

[Cu Chulainn]

Thanks originalpiratematerial, I must take a look around and figure out the other sections of the site.  At the moment, I'm just using it to log my own training and lurk around other people's logs to see what I can pick up.  Got to admit, I enjoy deadlift day too.  Have fun and keep up the good work!

[Cu Chulainn]

25/9/15

 

Power snatch (from blocks)

Singles up to 50kg

5x3x40kg

 

Keg squat

4x8x30kg

[Cu Chulainn]

26/9/15

 

Push press

2x5x40kg

 

Split jerk

2x5x40kg

 

BB curl

2x5x25kg

 

Zercher squat (bottom up)

2x5x60kg

 

Trap bar deadlift

2x5x100kg

[Cu Chulainn]

28/9/15

 

Press

2x5x42.5kg

 

BB curl

2x5x25kg

 

Zercher squat

2x5x65kg

 

Trap bar deadlift

2x5x105kg

[Cu Chulainn]

29/9/15

 

Trap bar deadlift

6x3x105kg

 

BB curl

2x8x25kg

[Cu Chulainn]

30/9/15

Press

6x2x45kg

Zercher squat

6x3x67.5kg

Nice workout. Felt good.

[Cu Chulainn]

1/10/15

Trap bar deadlift

6x3x105kg

BB curl

2x8x25kg

Abs and upper back were still feeling it from yesterdays zercher squats. Doing zerchers from a dead stop in the bottom position is one heck of a back and core workout!

[Cu Chulainn]

3/10/15

 

Worked up to max singles in push press, zercher squat and trap bar deadlift.  I'm going to start the 9-week extended Russian peaking program on Mon with these three lifts.  I hear it can be brutal, so to be on the safe side I'm plugging a 'comfortable' max for each into the calculator.  Those will be:

 

Push press 55kg

Zercher squat 90kg

Trap bar deadlift 140kg

 

Roll on Monday!

[Cu Chulainn]

5/10/15

 

Week 1, Day 1 Extended Russian Peaking Program

 

Push press

6x3x42.5kg

 

Zercher squat

6x2x70kg

[Cu Chulainn]

6/10/15

 

BB curl

3x10x20kg

 

Lying leg raise

3xAMRAP

 

Bit of additional core and arm work between main program days.  All good.

[Cu Chulainn]

7/10/15

 

Week 1, Day 2  Extended Russian Peaking Program

 

Trap bar deadlift

6x3x110kg

 

Short and sweet.

[Cu Chulainn]

9/10/15

 

Week 1, Day 3  Extended Russian Peaking Program

 

Zercher squats

6x3x70kg

 

Push press

6x2x42.5kg

 

Had hoped to get a bit of event practice in over the weekend, e.g. farmers carry, yoke carry (with barbell), keg loading etc. but that's not going to happen now.  Oh well, the volume increases to 6x4 next week so at least I'll get a bit more work in then.