Mobsters training diary

[Mobster]

Wednesday
Back still iffy although the more I move about the better it gets. I take ages to stand up but once I'm there it feels ok.

Nutter that I am this has not prevented me from hitting the gym so...

Vulcan Gripper
a little off where I'd have liked to have been but the next lift was on, on, on!
B/H: L1 x 6 reps @, L7 x 3 reps @,
L/H: L10 x 1 rep, L12 x 1, VVN, 1, 1, VVN, VVN, VVN
R/H: L12 x 1, L16 x 0, VVN, L15 x 1, L16 x 1, VVN, VVN, VVN, 1

2HP @ 44mm
Having discussed the merits or otherwise of smaller loaded plates I gave it a spin today. Given the state of my aching back it went very well.
equ x 6 reps, plus 30-kilos x 3 reps, plus 60-kilos x 1 rep, plus 70-kilos x 1 rep, plus 72.5-kilos x 1 rep, plus 75-kilos x 1 rep, plus 78-kilos (100kg total approx) x 6 x 1 rep (there was an initial attempt which failed so it would read thus: 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)

Had a visitor down for the latter part of the session and they brought along a very nice gift of 20 250mg ampules of sus. Now that's a nice-a gift ha ha

[Dabear]

nice gift!

so what is a vulcan gripper? like a coc?

[Mobster]

Similar. See image:

[Dabear]

ah sweet. looks kind of like the ivanko gripper or same concept.

[Mobster]

Kinda but I have both and prefer this over the Ivanko SG any day. That I've got the official record has no bearing whatsoever... he he

Friday
Back still feels fucking awful and so loads of time spent stretching etc and then, when working out, not doing myself in.

Seated Press (s/s with deadlifts)
50-kilos / 110lbs x 8 reps, 75-kilos / 165lbs x 6 reps, 90-kilos / 198lbs x 4 x 1 reps

Thick bar d/o deadlifts
Pulled from 9" blocks and used both a thumb over and a thumbless grip. Had no problems locking out with the 70-kilos but had to slow things down when using the 100-kilos. I was use a 2-inch thick hollow scaffolding tube over a 2" thick solid bar today. I also used a more upright sumo style stance to help take some pressure of the injury.
40-kilos / 88lbs x 8 reps (easy), 70-kilos / 154lbs x 8 reps, 100-kilos / 220lbs x 8 reps (harder), 100-kilos / 220lbs x 4-6 r/pause reps (trying hard to lock out at top)

DB Curls s/s with triceps
V hard on the final set so ended up doing the second heavy set one arm at a time. Weights only noted - does not inc bar and collar weight.
10-kilos / 22lbs @ x 8 reps, 17.5-kilos / 38.5lbs @ x 8 reps, 25-kilos / 55lbs @ x 2 x 7 reps

Tricep Pressdown
40-kilos / 88lbs x 8 reps, 60-kilos / 132lbs x 8 reps, 85-kilos / 187lbs x 6 reps, x 7 reps

Like the press and deadlifts I was modifying my stance to stop hurting the back. Like curls this made it much harder to do. Still got the work done.

Overall the session was made that much harder by me being fucked up, injured, whathaveyou. The whole time was a question of how much grit, determination and yes stupidity I had to get the work done without slacking off or going light.

[Dabear]

interesting combo...deads and press

good stuff!

[Mobster]

The thick bar deads is for the upcoming European Grip Championships. I write out my planned lifts etc weeks ahead of events and workout what seems to be a balanced method. For example some lifts are done twice over a 12 day period and others once. Because the workout above is shoulders and arms and they are done once over the 12 day program then deads are ok. I'm doing, I think, one handed deads tomorrow (normal size bar) so deads are being done twice.

Today one of the lads brought his sister Nicky down. She drives an 18 wheeler as most MD members would call it and the plan is for the lads to pull the tractor unit first (8 tonnes) and then I am sure the whole rig at another time. I had her do some events alongside the guys but with lighter weights natch. I had her warm up using our light tyre and flipping it. She did some light log lifting (we have three - a 27-kilo, a 55-kilo and a IFSA spec 80-kilo log). That was followed by farmers walk, stone lifting and finally a little Rolling Thunder work. I didn't push her too hard so she'll have had a taste but not so much she wont come back. Her forearms got the slight abrasion all newbies get with their first atlas stone lifts but I've seen loads worse on the lads. The strongwoman scene in the UK is, to be frank, weak as piss and I'd LOVE to take a girl as far as winning the Britain's Strongest Woman comp. We used to sponsor a former winner, the very strong Gemma Taylor, but as I said the scene is weak. We will see.

[Dabear]

are the one arm deads suitcase style?


truck pulls my favorite. cool to have a woman train. yeah the womens ranks are dwindling. just read about WSW in poland though.

[Mobster]

Nah straddle. Easier to pull more weight. One of the few woman competing is David Horne's wife Liz. She competed in what was gonna be the European women's event but which, when loads of US based girls asked if they could have a crack, became the worlds. The Poles are MAD for strongman and they had between 2000 and 4000 in the crowd just for the girls.

[Dabear]

Nah straddle. Easier to pull more weight. One of the few woman competing is David Horne's wife Liz. She competed in what was gonna be the European women's event but which, when loads of US based girls asked if they could have a crack, became the worlds. The Poles are MAD for strongman and they had between 2000 and 4000 in the crowd just for the girls.

cool. 1 arm deads are fun.

damn i need to go to europe!

[Mobster]

Poland or eastern Europe for sure. The top boys are treated like superstars.

Sunday
Decided to train at the other gym I use - Gymnation. There were a bunch of teenagers 'working out', I use that term very loosely. Perhaps 'fucking about on all the machines' would be more appropriate. Bless his heart one approached me after I'd done my last rep on bench and asked for some advice. I asked if he had some kind of program (it had looked as though he and his buddies were using every machine the gym had).

Anyway they had him, sensibly for his age, doing 3 sets of 15 reps, two body parts per session over three sessions. I asked what he'd done today and it seemed to be a little from all three days. So i then asked 'did you do these?' pointing to seated shoulder presses on a machine. He said yes. So I said 'let me give you a feel for what it could really be like...'.

Off we trot and I showed him that there were three different handle grips and had him do 5 reps in each position one after another for two sets. He got that 'oh fuck' look on his face. The realisation of his going through the motions and then he still had a set to go. Poor sod. I dropped the weight down to a magnificent 11-kilos and pushed him a tiny, tiny bit. He almost looked upset and I explained that that was why he wasn't really being asked to push hard on squats, bench or whatever. I pointed out that he really had only worked his side delt and tricep and yet looked, ha ha, fucked. No doubt I haven't made a freind and am sure he'll be cursing me when he gets his first taste of delayed onset muscle soreness. He should be grateful it wasn't something hard.

One hand deadlifts
B/H: 60-kilos x 3 reps, 100-kilos x 3 reps,
L/H: 120-kilos x 1 rep, 135-kilos x 4 x 1 reps
R/H: 140-kilos x 1 rep, 150-kilos x 1 rep, 155-kilos x 3 missed reps

CG bench - max
60-kilos x 8 reps, 100-kilos x 6 reps, 140-kilos x 1 rep, 155-kilos x 4 x 1 reps

[Dabear]

nice deads

gott alove ill-informed kids. but it is great when you can pass on good info and they listen.

[Mobster]

It remains to be seen. The summer has arrived and I had never seen so many teens training in one place at one time (again 'training' is used loosely). Having instructed in the past I know as most of us oldies do that between the 9 and 12 week mark is where we see if they stay or go. Especially at this time of year.

I had a mentor of sorts back in the day and have read of other old dogs like myself being shown the ropes. If it is done well 1 in 6 will stay the course. Previously I would go in hard and push said poor sod to see if they had what it took but that was me treating them like I do myself. Age makes me a little wiser and I've found taking an easyish approach with just a taste of 'hardcore' is better. It still sorts those that will from those that wont.

We get people stop and watching us freaks working out through the gates of our training yard constantly. Often they will ask to 'have a go'. 9/10 I'll send them away, nicely mind, perhaps asking 'if I see you in gymnation I can see if you're up to it'. You can guess how many I see never mind if they are good enough or not. 1/100?? Less probably.

I also contacted a local community project re seeing if I can get myself a little part time job as a 'Health Trainer'. I've done some free shows and talks here as well as taken part in and organized charity stuff (good promo for the sport). The HT positions would be the same but I'd get paid for it. The blurb seems to indicate that HT's would need to talk to residents and help them make healthy choices, etc etc. As I live in the area the project covers I could walk to said stints. I'm looking for something I can do for 2 half days a week. If it paid just £300 / $600 a month that would pretty much cover my needs (I have other income strings) and it'd be for doing what I do now for free.

[Mobster]

A rant of sorts...
Get involved! One thing I can take great pride in is being what some call, in my own small way in our niche sport, a 'mover and a shaker'. I am able to, on occasion, speak with some passion and more find out what 'hooks' a person has. By hooks I mean I can talk to someone already training with a passion and quickly workout what it is that drives them. Be it their children, a great film, an inspiring story, whatever. With a crowd I'll say I need their strength to help me. During a show I'll get the kids, then the parents to cheer, clap, whathaveyou. One to one is easier. Take a guy I know at the other gym I use (I'll call him Joe). Joe has a medical condition - something to do with digestive problems. Myself and the other regulars there just know that at some point during a session he'll mention some injury or other. Man who hasn't got one of those on the go!

Anyway 'Joe' is a lifetime natural drug free powerlifter. Not great but a real keep at it year in year out sort. Anyway I was asked by the local drug free fed rep to help load and spot at an event earlier this year. I hadn't been asked until I turned up to watch and having done this sort of thing before know it can be as tiring as actually competing - perhaps more so.

Anyway I proceed to say yes. At some point during the start up 'Joe' asks me if I will 'give me the talking to I'll need'. Knowing what he means I say 'just nod to me before you step on to the platform and I'll come over and do what's needed' He's only doing the bench portion of the day and at some point his turn arrives. I have him stand down below me and lean in right close and say 'ignore the staring eyes, do not worry about your competition, remeber only the 1000's of sessions which have led you to this place and this time'. 'It is a one time thing, no second chances, do nothing and think nothing but pushing the damn bar of your chest' and then slap him on the back of the neck and push him forward. He ended up breaking his own record.

My rant, if it is one, is that all too often we take part in events, we train and maybe we even compete but how often do we get actually involved? Post after post, thread after thread and forum after forum with ideas on how stuff should be done. But always by 'they', 'them' and 'the others'.

What about you?

[Mobster]

Monday
Feeling 'on' so worked out again.

2HP @ 44mm
Going great guns on this at the mo.
equ x 8 reps, plus 30-kilos x 3 reps, plus 60-kilos x 1 rep, plus 70-kilos x 1 rep, plus 72.5-kilos x 1 rep, plus 75-kilos x 1 rep, plus 78.5-kilos (another new training PB) x 4 x 1 reps. Only the 3rd was touch and go and I then took the whole set up and weighed it on our super scales (accurate to +/- 100g) and it showed 101.6-kilos or 223.52lbs. That means I did more for multiple singles than the man at No 7 of the top 50 of all time spot (he did 101.4). Sweet.

T/L/R/Thunder
need to warm up more to top weights as evidenced by my right hand progress
B/H: 45-kilos on heavy pin x 8 reps each
L/H: 86.25-kilos x 8 x 1 reps using light pin (2-kilos??)
R/H: 97.5-kilos x 0 reps, dropped to 90-kilos x 1 rep, 95-kilo x 1 rep, 96.25-kilos x 1 rep, 97.5-kilos x x 1 reps (actual total weight is 102.9-kilos as pin and set up weighs 5.4kg)

Bwt settled down now at about 274lbs or so.