NZ's most Aesthetic Powerlifter

[PeterDolan]

Any reason you weren't pyramiding your weights up on other exercises?

[Gwright]

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[soundsgood]

Nah PD. I pyramid up the weights on my first exercise of any muscle group to warm it up. If Im still warm from the previous exercise, I dont see the point in doing it again.

[PeterDolan]

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[Calvin]

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[Optimass]

OCT 09 92kg on stage in this pic @ 5% (89 @ weigh-in) (was so dehydrated and carb depleted I put on 17kg within the next 3 days after this show)

Well done SG - Hard work is paying off for sure. Can't help thinking you missed an opportunity having gained 17kg after the day. need to go back through your journal - but just interested to know how you managed your water through your pre show prep. Perhaps too dehydrated? May have given you an extra 2-5kg of size (safely). Awesome effort tho -

[frantic]

All righty then... Has that doco air'd yet?? any chance on that link...

[PeterDolan]

Nah PD. I pyramid up the weights on my first exercise of any muscle group to warm it up. If Im still warm from the previous exercise, I dont see the point in doing it again.

I do that too but wondering why you stayed at the same weight for more than 2 sets? Just cause you didn't wanna risk going heavier or felt that was your max weight?

[soundsgood]

Probably cos it gets progressively harder the more sets I do so I dont pick my max the first set. Bodybuilding not Powerlifting bro!

All righty then... Has that doco air'd yet?? any chance on that link...

It aired around lunchtime and I missed it on TV (already saw it on DVD though). A few people have told me they caught it by chance and it was good. I will have a hunt around online for it.

[soundsgood]

OCT 09 92kg on stage in this pic @ 5% (89 @ weigh-in) (was so dehydrated and carb depleted I put on 17kg within the next 3 days after this show)

Well done SG - Hard work is paying off for sure. Can't help thinking you missed an opportunity having gained 17kg after the day. need to go back through your journal - but just interested to know how you managed your water through your pre show prep. Perhaps too dehydrated? May have given you an extra 2-5kg of size (safely). Awesome effort tho -

I was worried about making weight on the day optimass so I delayed my carbup until I weighed in. Just made the under 90s then boom smashed back 5kg on kumara that night plus every carb I could find before I hit the stage. Using diuretics is a funny thing too. Once your body empties out all your water the body goes into survival mode and holds onto everything you put in. Hardly peed for 3 days, hence I blew up like a balloon hahaha.

The plan for my coming shows is to do a slower extended carbup of perhaps 3-4 days. I will never worry about making weight again if it comes at the cost of my physique. Lesson learned

[soundsgood]

WED 6 JAN - LEGS (hi-rep)

SQUATS

20 x 60kg

20 x 100kg

20 x 140kg

20 x 140kg

20 x 140kg

21 x 140kg

LEG PRESS MACHINE

21 x stack

21 x stack

21 x stack

32 x stack (rest paused)

LEG EXTENSION

18 x stack (100kg)

21 x 90kg

21 x 90kg

21 x 90kg

WALKING LUNGES

2 x 24 paces with 30kg DBs

SEATED CALF RAISES

21 x 50kg

21 x 50kg

21 x 50kg

21 x 50kg

STANDING CALF RAISES

21 x stack

21 x stack

32 x stack (rest paused)

LYING LEG CURLS

21 x stack

21 x stack

21 x stack

21 x stack

21 x stack

STIFF LEG DEADLIFTS w DBs

21 x 45kg

21 x 45kg

21 x 45kg

CARDIO

30 min HIIT on Crosstrainer = 650 calories

Today's volume session was all about smashing the muscles, short rest break then smash them again. I wasn't so sure I could keep up the pace after the squats but somehow managed to get thru. No training partner at the mo, which is good sometimes cos there's no chitchat and you just get straight into it, no downtown in between sets.

[morattigirl]

Mean sesh SG. Nice 8) I hear you're gonna be round these ways over Jan? Might catch ya in the gym

[soundsgood]

Mean sesh SG. Nice 8) I hear you're gonna be round these ways over Jan? Might catch ya in the gym

I sure will be! Looking forward to training with Mr Elusive (Tongan terror) again. Let you know before I turn up so can catch up

Thurs 6 Jan - Arms

Trained at the 'Muscle Pit' today. Was near it on business this afternoon and been dying to check it out for a while.

'Perths strongest gym'.

They don't call it that for nothing. 5 squat racks, 2 deadlift platforms, safety squat bar, a whole wall of chains and bands, more 20kg plates than you could count, dumbbells up to 85kg and the only mirror in the whole place was one the size of a CD in the toilets. Yep I wasnt in Kansas anymore :pfft:

Got talking to one of the blokes there. All 6'2 165kg of him. He was deadlifting sets of 7-8 reps at 6 and a half plates (280kg), no wraps, no suit, no lifting straps, just a bit of chalk. :shock:

Turns out he is a top Australian Amateur strongman, placed 2nd at a national event recently. I know I talk about fat not being strong but farken hell what a beast!!! And only twenty fucken one years old! Apparently he had just lost 10kg as well. Crazy.

Anyway we got talking and I said how one day I'd like to do abit of strongman training, the conditioning would be epic and tyre flipping etc would probably help my back development. He called my bluff and asked me to come along and train with him on Saturday. He'll put me through my paces and see how I like it. I thought, hey why not, keen to give it a go. So rest day tomorrow, just a bit of cardio, Saturday morning I'll suit up and do 3-4 hours of various strongman stuff. I'm pretty lean and fragile at the moment, hope I don't pull something. I'll just have to drink a few cups of Harden the f*ck up before then :pfft:

Anyway training was pretty stop/start due to conversations with all the interesting guys training there. Highlight was 8 x 140kg closegrip bench. Was nice to use perfectly weighted plates and bars with no kinks for once, makes such a difference. Wish I lived closer....

[soundsgood]

SAT 8 JAN - STRONGMAN TRAINING

Yoke

205kg - 25m

245kg - 25m

285kg - 25m

325kg - 10m

345kg - 10m

405m - Static lift

Farmers Walk

175kg - 25m

195kg - 25m

235kg - 25m

275kg - 10m

275kg - 10m

Atlas stones

80kg to 1.3m

125kg to 1.3m

145kg to 1.2m

Log clean & Press

To 92.5kg

Axle clean & Press

To 90kg

Keg tosses

35kg to 6m

Wow, what a hardcore day. Whole session lasted 5 hours with a meal in the middle and a change of venue. Loads of fun and really enjoyed it. Strength is a huge part of it but every event was very technical too. Can't wait to have another crack. Not too soon though, my back is aching!

[Big john]

wicked work on the strongman day Soundsgood...esp in the yoke and Farmers :clap: wicked grip/forearm strength if you blasted the 25m in one go without dropping too!

[soundsgood]

Thanks Bigjohn! It was amazingly fun too, never had an upper back pump like I do today. Gonna incorporate this training more regularily. I'm even thinking might do a proper strongman event too, there's one in May over here.

On review I realized I had the event names around the wrong way (yoke and farmers walk). Edited and corrected :doh: Still picking up and walking 25m with those weights was killer on the forearms!

Got squats tomorrow. Should be fun squatting with a guy who has squatted 410kg in comp. I've got the nurofens ready :pfft:

[steak]

Get some vid happening bro 8)

[soundsgood]

Thurs 20 Jan - Legs

SQUATS

12 x 60kg

12 x 100kg

8 x 140kg

8 x 180kg

6 x 225kg

3 x 250kg

1 x 266kg. NEW PR

15 x 180kg

12 x 180kg

12 x 180kg

LEG EXTENSION

5 sets of 12 @ Stack

HACK SQUAT MACHINE

3 sets of 10 @ stack

Training and diet has been pretty intermittent while back in NZ on holiday. Tried to train quads on Wednesday, just got up to second top set of squats when the gym manager came and told me they were shutting. So tried again last night. Hardly ate or drank anything all day but went for it anyway. Borrowed a mates knee wraps and felt good so pushed all the way up to 585lb's

Weighed in @ 106kg so that was 2.5x bodyweight. Im Happy with that

Funny how you can have a crap buildup but still nail a great session some times \:D/

[steak]

Good squatting bro :clap:

[nate225]

Sounds like you trained at the same gym as our pal Paul McManus (kiwi boy in Perth). There's a few good Strongmen up there as well as PLers. If you meet Mac say hi!

[Daniel]

Thurs 20 Jan - Legs

SQUATS

12 x 60kg

12 x 100kg

8 x 140kg

8 x 180kg

6 x 225kg

3 x 250kg

1 x 266kg. NEW PR

15 x 180kg

12 x 180kg

12 x 180kg

LEG EXTENSION

5 sets of 12 @ Stack

HACK SQUAT MACHINE

3 sets of 10 @ stack

Training and diet has been pretty intermittent while back in NZ on holiday. Tried to train quads on Wednesday, just got up to second top set of squats when the gym manager came and told me they were shutting. So tried again last night. Hardly ate or drank anything all day but went for it anyway. Borrowed a mates knee wraps and felt good so pushed all the way up to 585lb's

Weighed in @ 106kg so that was 2.5x bodyweight. Im Happy with that

Funny how you can have a crap buildup but still nail a great session some times \:D/

mean squatting :clap: :clap: :clap: Sounds Good congrats on the new PR

[soundsgood]

Sounds like you trained at the same gym as our pal Paul McManus (kiwi boy in Perth). There's a few good Strongmen up there as well as PLers. If you meet Mac say hi!

Bit of a running theme in Perth, lots of the strong guys are kiwis, even Henry who owns the Muscle pit is from Christchurch hahaha.

I'll say hi to Mac from you when I run into him Nate

Thanks for the encouragement Steak and Dan!

[soundsgood]

Just got back from 2 week holiday in NZ. Plan was to continue on the good progress made but unfortunately tragedy struck and a close family friend was lost in a car crash while I was there, and to be honest training and diet weren't that important. Didn't get a chance to train @ the mount with TT & Moratti girl either . Next time hey!

So yesterday was first day back into training. Knew I had let myself drop off a bit but when the scales read 110.5kg I wasn't happy. Estimate bodyfat back up to 10ish%. Never mind, smash the diet, start hitting the crosstrainer again and I'll be back on track.

Trained legs. Usually split Quads and Hammies seperate workouts and calves with delts but felt like doing them all. After talking to Rookie about reverse Pyramids I thought id give that a go.

SQUATS

warmup

220 x 8

200 x 10

180 x 12

160 x 15

140 x 15

Then went back and did 2 sets of 180 x 12 cos I still felt like I could

Moved onto leg extension. Did 3 sets of 21 @ stack, big squeezes at the top

Jumped onto Leg press and did 4 sets of 21 @ 6pps, short rest breaks

Moved onto Hammies and did 3 sets if stifflegged deads with DBS. 12 x 50kgs, hitting the hammie with every rep.

Then did 3 sets 21 of lying leg curls @ full stack. Hammies were burning almost cramping by the end.

Calves turn now. Did 3 sets of 21 calf raises of full stack on leg press machine. Then did 2 sets on standing calf raise. 21 reps of full stack.

Finished on 3 sets of 100 pitter patters. That's where you jump up and down on your toes. Absolutely killer calf exercise.

No cardio, legs weren't up to the task after that

[Rookie]

Awesome bro! Good to see you gave it a go :nod:

Some insane weight being thrown around there :shock:

You reckon you could've gone any heavier on the first set ie to hit 6 reps?

Good format though bro, I will be aiming to smash quads this Tuesday again since they weren't sore enough from last session.

How do you find the high rep leg presses?

[soundsgood]

Yeah man it felt good aye. I intended to just do 6 at 220 but felt like i could do more so why not. Probably should have went 230 to hit the 6. The extra eating and weight on me made me feel strong. Can't wait to be in a calorie excess for the first time in ages! Strength gonna rocket! Tempted to just start bulking now cos I think the early shows are gonna be off the menu due to work unfortunately.

I prefer higher rep leg press than lower rep More Of a burn. I don't feel leg press is a good mass builder for me anyway. Squats are my staple 8)