Decisions, decisions, decisions.....

Unfornately I am one of those people who is constantly changing my mind on what I want to do with my strength goals. Right now I am probably the strongest I have ever been, I like this, but it is more a strength that is good for powerlifting, that is not to say it is not good for strongman but I personally think I am more suited for the goals I want to be lighter. Now if I prepare right I can still be a damn good strongman as a lightweight, and my ultimate goal is to win a national title. Now that is not to say I cannot do this as a 231, I just know there are certain areas I need alot of work at and quite frankly I am more suited to get better at these areas as a lighter person.

Now the problem that arises with getting smaller is mentally it can be exhausting. You start to lose strength, you start to wonder is this worth it, and you then you remember "fuck I like to eat junk food!" If I decide that it is time to get my weight down, I have to stick with it. I try to do this last year and I went all about wrong, I lost weight too fast and then freaked out and decided I needed to gain weight back.

One of the biggest factors in my decision is I will be in a financial position to be able to afford doing what I want to do next year. I will have the money to afford nationals, something I didn't have this year.

Right now I am not sure as to what I want to do, I actually feel comfortable with where I am at now. But at the same sense, I am not in as good of shape as I was as a lightweight, my joints hurt more when I am heavier. Now there are certain things that work better for me when I am heavier. My upperbody strength goes through the roof, I have put up some good numbers as a lightweight but nothing like I have as heavy. I am just as fast as a lightweight as I am heavier, I can just support heavier weights alot better, I do recover quicker,and I am more explosive. I can be a miserable prick at times, especially since I like junk food. If I want to be a powerlifter I need to stay where I am at weight wise, but if I wanna be a successful strongman I need to get lighter I think.

Jesse

First DL day back.

First real hard workout since the meet. I think I might be having a slight case of a food hangover, as I have done nothing but eat like shit since last week. I was feeling it today. It is time to revaluate things, since it is winter time I tend to get lazier, I don't want that to happen. I have what I need to not let that happen, so I need to do it.

DL from floor
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 3
460 x 5 Wow found out the belt was a little too tight on this set, little too fat right now.

Bent over rows
3 x 8

DB rows
3 x 8

Tabata KB swings
53# I wanted to die.

Jesse

Upperbody workout

My knee is still acting up so I decided to do my upperbody workout.

Strict Press
140 x 5
165 x 5
185 x 5 decided to stop here, my knee was bugging me.

Close grip bench
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5 added slingshot
315 x 5
365 x 1

I like the slingshot, great tool to have.

Fat bar pressdowns
5 x 10

DB flies
5 x 10

Ok workout for what it was.

Jesse

Training and things that bring happiness to me....

So today I was in a pissy mood as I had my powerlifting meet yesterday and it didn't go as planned for me. But getting to see the guys and gal get PRs today and knowing that I helped them accomplish it brought a lot of joy to my life today, I will get into that after I write down my workout.

Log press
180 x 5 x 2 sets
215 x 5
I could have done more, but this was just right.

Incline Log
220 x 10 or 11 I don't remember

18" DL
250 x 3
340 x 3
430 x 10
520 x 5

Keg loads
200, 220, 250, 270, 290 in 18.72 sec, but then Corey beat me 18.54, I let him win this battle today.

Band hammer curls
5 x 15

Pullups
3 x 5

Ok so first I have been helping Joe, Melissa, and Troy now for a couple months dial in there training and all of them rocked it today. Joe fucking looked like a rockstar today, first he does 215 x 10 on the log then proceeds to get 270 x 1 for a huge PR, then on the 18" DL he knocks out 4 singles with 600 and then on the last set gets 600 x 5 WHAT !!! Then he finished with 3 good runs ont he kegs in all fast times. I knew all my ball busting would eventually get to him.

Melissa just got done with a 4th place finish at women's nationals and decided to do a contest in 4 weeks so she wanted to test things out. She didn't disspoint either. First she did 140 x 1 on the log, then on incline log 110 x 10 I think, 18" deadlift 370lbs, and then did the 130 keg for 5 reps. Now I got 3 weeks to get those numbers up, and I guarantee she will do more.

Then Troy goes on to press 205 x 5 on the log and 220 x 1 both PRs, incline log he did 220 x 10 or 11 I think, which I am sure are PRs, then the 18" DL he did 600 x 1 x 5, and finished off with 3 runs on the keg loads. Awesome to watch.

Jesse

Omaha Open results

I competed in the Omaha Open today. I did the Push/Pull and lifted in the 242 division. I won't lie I wasn't completely ready for this meet, but I knew I was capable of some PRs.

Bench used a close grip for all benches

1st 300lbs good

2nd 320lbs good 5# meet PR

3rd 340 miss, very close to getting this

Deadlift

1st 550lbs good, highest I have ever opened.

2nd 600lbs Miss, I pulled smoot no hitch and damn foot for some reason moved right before the down signal.

3rd 600lbs miss, I was mentally drained from my last pull nothing left.

I won't lie I was quite dissapointed, I wanted my 600lb pull to be official. But I know I can do it now, back to the drawing board.

Jesse

Last workout before meet.

Had a nice last workout, took it easy as used this as a easy day.

DL double overhand no hook grip
245 x 3 x 2
315 x 3
365 x 1
410 x 1 PR Grip is getting better.

DB rows
3 x 8

Ab fallouts
3 x 10

Close grip bench
135 x 5
185 x 3
235 x 3 all paused
275 x 1 5 sec pause

DB flies
3 x 10

Tricep pressdowns
3 x 10

Jesse

Crappy workout

Today I planned on taking it easy, good thing as I lifted like shit.

Decided to mess around with the axle as I didn't feel like touching the log.

130 x 3
180 x 3
210 x 1
230 x 1
260 x been so long since I have tried to continental any weight and I got all messed up decided to stop.

Incline log
240 x 9 I think this is a PR

18" D
245 x 3
335 x 3
425 x 1


Triset
Front, side, bent over raises x 10 x 4 sets

Hammer curls
3 x 10

Blast strap curls
3 x 10

ABs
3 x 15

Time to rest up and get ready for this weekend.

Jesse

Lower body workout

Last night was the first official day of winter, my knees especially along with my other joints were killing me. But I pushed through and did what I could.

Squats close stance
135 x 5
230 x 5
280 x 5
330 x 5 stopped here I felt very off and in pain.

DB slds
3 x 10

Abs
3 x 30

Jesse

Past couple of workouts

Been a rough week, my car broke down and that was stressing me out. But I got it figured out and now hopefully nothing else will try and get to me in the next week.

DL
245 x 3
335 x 3
425 x 3
495 x 2
550 x 2

Everything here felt heavy. I was working on my car for 2 hours before this and I felt very tight and in pain. But still a good workout as the 550 x 2 ties a PR and it is the most I have ever pulled before a meet.

DB rows
115 x 8
135 x 8
155 x 8
175 x 8

Blast strap rows
4 x 10

That was it.

Thursday Upperbody night.
This workout really sucked, my shoulders were killing me. Now I look back I forgot to foam roll. Hmm should maybe do that.

Strict press
160 x 5
180 x 5
200 x 3 Considering everything, I am not dissapointed here. I think this ties a PR so I can't complain.

Close grip bench
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 1
300 x 3

Bench felt terrible. But I am done with it for a week.

Purple band extensions
5 x 10

Decided to call it a night. I need the rest and relaxation anyway. Time for some homework.

Jesse

Strongman day

Nice weather today, and great day of training. Had another person come over and train with us. Very nice guy and very strong. I think he will be a good addition to the crew, time will tell.

Log press
160 x 5
190 x 5
215 x 7 PR I think, I hate reps

Incline Log
250 x 7 PR

18" DL off blocks
625 x 3 huge PR, each rep dead stop

Keg loads
1 run of 200,220,250,270,290 to 48"

Hammer curls
3 x 10

Blast strap face pulls
3 x 12

Jesse

Upperbody workout

Ok workout today, I was very sore still from tuesday. Who would have thought deadlifting 600lbs would make you sore for days. Forgot to foam roll like a dumbass, that would have helped alot. Ened up having a good workout still.

Strict press
150 x 3
170 x 3
190 x 5 ties PR

Close grip bench
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3 all paused
275 x 1 pause
300 x 1 pause
320 x 1 pause
the 320 is a pause PR

Tate presses
4 x 8

Close grip blast strap pushups with feet elevated
10, 5,5,5,5,5,5 added a set of chains each set, it sucked.

That was it.

Jesse

Achieving goals

Goals what are they? Are they something that we strive to achieve or are they something that we constantly throw out there but never attain. For some people they are both and I think all of us can admit to that. Sometimes you just gotta throw something out there to keep you motivated, and sometimes that goal just seems so crazy you never know if you will get it. You fight to get it for years and years, and it just seems like it is getting further and further away. But no matter what you keep that goal in your mind, cause someday your gonna get that damn goal.

I achieved one of those long time goals tonight. I think I have been talking about deadlifting 600lbs for a good 4-5 years. I always kept going after smaller goals, but that 600 was in the back of my mind. For years it seemed so far away, even the closer I got it still seemed unattainable. But I knew back in my mind that it was gonna come some day. Now all I can think about is how long 700lbs is gonna take, it could be next year, but it could take another 5 years, but no matter what I am gonna keep chasing it.

Never lose sight of your goals, once you lose sight you lose your drive to keep pushing it. Just remember that just because you miss something the first time, doesn't mean you won't get it again another time.

Jesse

A New Horizon.....

So I just got done with an epic deadlift workout. What was so epic about it? I finally pulled 600lbs with just a belt and hook gripped it. Now I am not completely happy with it, as I had to slightly hitch it. Some one would say, be happy you just pulled a milestone lift. I never said I wasn't happy, just not completely happy. I am a perfectionist, so I want things to be perfect. But I am very happy.

All week I knew that today was a make or break workout. My routine called for 540 for reps today and no matter what I was gonna pull a PR with that. All day at work I kept thinking about my workout, seeing my friends, knowing they would be there to push me. Then around 3:00pm I started getting a massive headache, almost to the point that I couldn't see straight. I ended up leaving work 1 hour early, gotta love nice bosses(Thanks John). I got home and I couldnt' get this damn headache to stop. My wife asked me if I had any caffeine today, I was no I haven't. So I took 4 ibuprofen and 3 scoops of Jacked. I started warming up and the warmups felt like shit, this is a good sign. Finally after about 30 minutes that damn headache started going away. So I get all my warmups done and go for my last set which was supposed to be 540, but I was like 545 will look alot cooler on the bar. So I setup to do my rep set with 545 and I got 3 really easy and I stop. I knew after that set 600 was going to be my bitch today. I had just got myself pumped up to my favorite song, but now I needed bring myself back down or I was gonna amp myself out. So I put on my favorite happy go lucky song by Cee-lo "Fuck You". After about 3 minutes, I got my song going again to get me going. Once my hands touched the bar I knew that today 600lbs was finally mine. It felt solid the whole way until I reached my shorts and it caught my skin causing the bar to stick, so I had to hitch it a little to finish it. Next team remember baby powder.

So where do I go from here, not sure 625lbs sounds like a nice starting point. Right now a long term goal is to make it onto the top 100 for deadlift in the 242's, not sure where I need to be for this but my best guess would be around 650ish. So I will start at 625 and work on my way to 650ish.

Jesse