New to the sport

[Ian MacFayden]

I figured i would start my own little journal here to try and get some feedback from the pros. I guess ill start off by introducing myself. My name is Ian, im 19, 6'0" 200lbs about 12% BF. been lifting for about 3 years (first 2 years involved mens health workouts and me weighing 150lbs...). I olympic lift when i can, by which i mean; i have a coach in another city who i try and see every 2 weeks. Just recently got interested in strongman but dont have any equipment yet (i live in residence at the university of western ontario), but i will be purchasing/making/finding whatever i can in the summer.

Ill start with yesterday's workout, then post today's a bit later. here it goes!!

Feb, 15, 2006

Rack Pulls (3rd pin, just below knees)
10x135
5x225
3x275
3x315
3x345
3x365
3x385
3x405 (probably could have pulled 455, but first time doing these and i completely underestimated myself)

Front Squats
5x135
2x185
2x205 (4 sets)

Farmers' walk ~100 ft each time
70, 80, 90, 100 <-- i have the weakest forearms in the world, never worked them in my life be4 starting these 2 weeks ago (at which point i could only do 70's, so im improving fast)

Finished up with some weighted crunches and leg raises.

Felt amazing today coming off of a few days off.

[Ian MacFayden]

Feb 16, 2006

Push Press
5 x 95
3 x 115
3 x 135
3 x 155
3 x 165
3 x 180

Dips
5 x BW
5 x BW+25
5 x BW+35
5 x BW
5 x BW+45

Flat dumbell press
10 x 40
10 x 60
10 x 70 (2 sets) <---- really need to work more with dumbells.

all in all a decent day, the dumbell bench hurt my left shoulder a bit, i think im just not used to them.

[DaneGarreau]

Were those farmer Walks done with DBs or actual Farmer Walk implements. DBs are much much harder because the handle rolls.

[Patrick McGuffin]

I think on thing that you could get that would help alot would be an axle, all you need is 7 feet of 1.5" steel pipe and some sort of contraption to hold the weights in place ( I used big ol' washers and welded them on) then some clamps or screw lock collars , the thing only will cost 20-30 dollars and will be a good multitasker (grip, oh, dl ). Plus you could just hide it under your bed if neccecary. Hope this helps some. :)

[Ian MacFayden]

lol, ya they are dumbells. ok thats nice to know... would a 2" thick bar be better maybe? i was thinkning of getting one of those. im planning on getting a bunch of stuff that i would be able to put in my car over the summer. a pair of farmers', a steel log, some sandbags for carries and what not, and a sled. i was also thinking about a 2" thickbar. wish i could get some stones, but i have no where for them :S.

ian-

[Patrick McGuffin]

Most steel shops measure pipe from the inside so a 1.5" pipe is actualy about 1.9" on the outside.

[Ian MacFayden]

Feb 18, 2006

Squat
95 x 2
135 x 2
185 x 2
225 x 2
245 x 2 (3 sets)

Power snatch from knee
45 x 3 (just warming up and loosening up)
65 x 2
95 x 2
105 x 2(2 sets)

Pull - ups
5 sets of 5 wide grip

Pull-downs
10 x 150
10 x 165
10 x 150 (felt dead after the pull-ups)

Bar curls
45 x 10
65 x 10
75 x 8
75 x 6

Bar holds - 30s each. 135, 185, 205

Felt sorta tired during the workout, but all in all it was ok.

Feb 19, 2006

Bench
5 x 95
5 x 135
5 x 155
3 x 185
3 x 205
3 x 225

Military press (strict)
5 x 65
5 x 95
5 x 115
5 x 95
5 x 115

Rack cleans (just above knee)
2 x 95
2 x 135
2 x 155 (2 sets)

Seated behind neck press
5 x 65
5 x 90
5 x 110
5 x 115

Cable row
10 x 135
10 x 165
10 x 180
10 x 195

Skull crushers supersetted with dumbell curls
10 x 50 10 x 30's
10 x 70 10 x 35's
6 x 90 10 x 35's
10 x 80 10 x 40/30/20 (drop set)

good day, felt strong, happy with the numbers, theyre all climbing!

[Ian MacFayden]

feb 20, 2006

Squat (olympic style)
3 x 135
3 x 185
3 x 225
2 x 245 (4 sets)

Good Morning's
5 x 95
5 x 135
5 x 155
5 x 115
5 x 165

Snatch Pulls
3 x 135 (3 sets)

Clean Pulls
3 x 225 (4 sets)

Finished with some abs.
Decent day, felt strong, im just really pissed at my squatting weight, i need to pay more attention to it. the good morning's have been helping since i started doing them.

[Ian MacFayden]

Feb 22, 2006

Deadlifts
5 x 135
5 x 225
3 x 275
3 x 315
3 x 365
2 x 405 <== PR

Rack pulls (3rd pin just below knees)
3 x 365
3 x 405
attempted 425 but couldnt move it an inch

Front Squats
3 x 135
2 x 185
2 x 205 (4 sets)

Finished up their. happy with the deadlift, but felt dead for the rack pulls.

[Ian MacFayden]

I've decided to start up this journal again, i just sort of stopped writting in it last time... I guess i should update everyone on my stats and lifts. Then tomorrow ill start into my workouts (day off today).

Ok, so im still 6' :P. I now weigh around 240lbs. and the BF i have no idea about, and quite frankly i dont care. Gettin a little extra pudge, not too happy with that but im switchin up the diet now and hoping to stick with lean mass gains for the next few months, then itll be cuttin time.

My Lifts: all in lbs. unless noted otherwise
Deadlift: 500x1
OL Squat: 360x1
Front Squat: 280x1
PushPress: 185x3 (this was a while back)
Power Jerk: 185x1 (ive done these once in my life)
Bench: 275x5
Power Clean: 80kg (these are easy, but im workin form)
Farmers' Walk: 200 per hand for 100 feet, in something like 52 seconds
Log: 180 (worked this 3 times in my life)
Tires: 800x1 (steel rimmed), 700x4 flips
Grip: closed the #1 CoC, again, never worked this until the other day

alright, i guess thats good enough, tomorrow ill get to putting up my workouts.

[Ian MacFayden]

11/27/06

Power Clean
- 60kgx3x3 sets
- 70x3x2
- 75x3
- 80x2x3 (nice and easy)

Push Press
- 135x3
- 155x3
- 165x2
- 185x2
- 200x2
- 200x1 (gotta get this up)

Front Squats
- 135x3
- 185x2
- 205x2
- 225x2
- 245x1
- 275x1
- 285x0 (This must increase aswell)
- 225x2x2

Preacher Curls
- 70x10
- 80x8
- 90x8
- 100x6
- 100x5

good day overall, im happy with the ease of those power cleans, but my front squat and push press really need a boost.

[Ian MacFayden]

11/29/06

Came straight from an exam on this one. it really effected me a little into the workout... the brain needs lotso energy ya know!

Deadlifts
135 - 2 sets of warmup, which involves a bunch of random stuff.
225x3
275x3 --> straps added
315x3
365x3
405x3
455x3 --> belt added and PR!! for a triple. felt like i had another 2 or so in me, but i felt my dinner returning from whence it came.

Overhead Press
65x8
95x5
115x5
135x3
155x1 all is going well up to this point, i feel like i have 185 in me, which would be a PR.
165.... could barely move it an inch, dont know what happened, i just sort of crashed.
135x3

Front Squat
135x5
185x3 --> wraps added, i will never squat with bare knees
205x2
225x2
245x more problems here. what normally is an easy 5 or so became two hard singles

Dumbell rows
60x10
85x10
100x10
120x8

Tri. pressdowns with rope 4 sets of 10-15

finished with some light stretching.