For those of you who follow my training log you know that I’m taking this week completely off from training. I normally deload every 7^th week, but I’m giving myself a full week off for a change.  I’m not just sitting around and doing nothing this week though. I’ve actually got a plan of “recovery” mapped out:

Monday – Foam roll full body + mobility work

Tuesday – 30 Minute Epsom Salt bath

Wednesday – 1 hour deep tissue massage

Thursday – Foam roll full body + mobility work

Friday – A few bourbons or possibly some rum.

Saturday – Foam roll full body + mobility work, 30 Minute Epsom Salt bath, nap

Sunday – Nap, Mentally prepare to “kill it” for the next 6 weeks

On top of the things above I’ll continue to eat well and get plenty of sleep.

And the Randomness:

We are hosting a strongman competition here in Paducah, KY as a benefit fundraiser for a good friend and strongman training partners of ours. He’s going through treatment for stage IV cancer, and while he has insurance, the bills will still be astronomical. We just want to do our part to help out. So if you live fairly close and are fairly strong (or really strong) come out and give it a try!

Click here for more information:

Strongman Entry

Strongman Event Weights and Message Board Info  

Gym owner and up-and-coming strength coach Mike Spagnola interviewed me a few weeks ago on strongman training for non-athletes, nutrition, overtraining and much more. It can be found here: Interview with Mike Spagnola

Speaking of interviews my boy Nic Peterson, owner of Relentless Performance and fellow strongman competitor, interviewed me a few months back and I don’t think I ever posted it on my blog. We talk training, nutrition and other badass things. It can be found here: Interview with Nic Peterson

I also have some exciting news in regards to speaking engagements for the upcoming year. I’m for sure speaking at Denison University at the “Central Ohio Strength and Conditioning Conference” this May. I’ve also been asked to be part of a Strongman seminar in the near future in New York. Nothing is for sure on this yet, but some things are definitely in the works and I’m super excited about it.

Any questions or comments? Let me know in the comments section.

Get Better Every Day

Next week will be a deload week. I’m actually planning to take the whole week completely off from training. I normally deload every 7th week, but I’m going to try something new out for a while. And that’s taking a complete week off. So there will be no training log updates. Training will resume the following week.  

1/28/12

Speed Deadlifts – 330x1x6

Axle Clean & Press – Worked up to 240×1

Axle Press Out of Rack – Worked up to 325×1 – PR

Tire Flip/Farmers Walk Medley – 550 Tire/220 Farmers – 7 flips (50 ft.), 50 ft. farmers – 34.9 secs – PR

Farmes Walk – 220′s x 50 ft.

Get Better Every Day

 Never let your physical strength surpass your mental strength.

1/25/12

Box Jumps – 3×5

Squats – Worked up to 390×8 – PR

Romainian Deadlifts – 235×5, 275×5, 315×5

Glute Ham Raises – BWx15x3

Straight Leg Sit Ups – Bwx20x3

Get Better Every Day

Post any questions or comments in the comments section.

Lunch on Lil’ Stevie’s Tailgate at EFS Seminar

I had actually planned to follow up what a typical “off day” of eating looks like after yesterday’s post. I also had some request for and questions about what I eat on off days. Below is actually what I’ve eaten and will eat the rest of the day. Every day isn’t the exact same, but I plan things out ahead of time for the most part. A quick note on “off day” eating for myself – Fridays are an off day for me, but I train strongman events on Saturday morning. So I actually eat more like a training day on Friday evenings and really load up on the carbohydrates and calories to fuel the next day’s training session.

Nutrition Journal

5:30am- 1 serving Greens+, Multi Vitamin, Vitamin D, 20 oz. Water w/Lemon

6:00am – Coffee with 1 tbsp. Heavy Whipping Cream

7:00am – Coffee with 1 tbsp. Heavy Whipping Cream

11:30am – 2 scoops Prograde Nutrition Protein Powder, 16 oz. Unsweetened Coconut Milk

2:00pm – 4 oz. Mingua Beef Jerky, 1 oz. Cashews

6:00pm – 16 oz. Sirloin Steak, 2 Cups Rice, Spinach Salad w/Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing

8:00pm – 2 Scoops Syntha-6 Protein Powder in 16 oz. 2% Milk 

9:00pm – Banana, 2 tbsp. Peanut Butter

9:30pm – 5 Grams Creatine, 500mg Magnesium, 30mg Zinc, 6 grams Omega-3 Fish Oil 

Any Questions? Comments? Let me know in the comments section.

I’ve had a few people ask me if I’d also include a nutrition journal occasionally with my training journal. Today I’ve included just that. I won’t be doing this every time, but I will throw these in occasionally. My nutrition is greatly influenced by The Renegade Diet, Carb Backloading and The Modified Warrior Diet.

1/23/12

Incline Bench – Worked up to 255×8 – PR

Bench – 210×5, 245×5, 275×5

Pull ups/Neutral grip chins/Chin ups (Alternated with all pressing) – 3×6, 3×6, 3×7 (57 total reps)

Face Pulls – 70x20x3

Close Grip Push Ups – 45 Total reps

Alternating Dumbbell Curls – 30×12, 30×12, 30×8

Nutrition Journal

6:30am – 1 Serving Greens+, Multi Vitamin, Vitamin D, 20 oz. Water w/Lemon

7:00am – Coffee w/1 tbsp. Heavy Whipping Cream

8:30am- 2 Scoops of Alphagen (From Morphogen Nutrition)

9:00am – (Train) – 10 grams BCAAs (Xtend)

10:00am – 2 Scoops Ultimate Muscle Protein in 16 oz. Unsweetend Coconut Milk

1:30pm – 4 eggs, 4 slices bacon

7:00pm – 8 oz. 93% Ground Turkey Breast, 1 Cup Red Potatoes, 1 Cup Broccoli, 1 Digestive Enzyme

8:00pm – 20 oz. 2% Milk, 2 Pop Tarts, 1 Digestive Enzyme

9:00pm – 16 oz. 2% Milk, 2 Scoops Syntha-6 Protein, 1 cup Frosted Mini Wheats w/4 oz. Milk, 1 Digestive Enzyme

9:30pm – 5 Grams Creatine, 500mg Magnesium, 30mg Zinc, 6 grams Omega-3 Fish Oil 

Get Better Every Day

Be sure to leave any questions of comments in the comment section.