BEYOND STRONG

Back from vacation, some pics, and ready to get back in the f*cking saddle

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! 

Got up at 4:30 am and was on the road by 5:07.  Made it back in about 6.5 hours, much better then the 7.5 hours it took to get down there.  I had an awesome week of doing absolutely NOTHING for 7 days.  Did I train?  Well, I did go to Gold's once and did upper body, hit some decent lifts, not too shabby, but that was it.  Once.  So, I basically did the patent pending "Cullen Stokes De-Load Method" of de-loading by NOT training.  Hey, it works.  Give it a try!

So what did I really do?  I spent 7 beautiful days in the sand and sun, frolicking like a school girl in the ocean surf and drinking beer.  I got sand in my ass, ears, nose, and eyes.  I got tossed around like a rag doll by some decent waves, many times connecting with the ocean floor and getting scraped up by the sand and shells on the bottom.  Hell, I even tried my luck with the body board...it took 2 severe crashed to make me realize that 230 pound guys shouldn't mess around with waves.  The first crash I tumbled to the ocean floor and hit head first, making a very audible CRACK in my neck.  It actually adjusted me quite well, but made me realize how much it would have sucked if I would have broke my neck.  The second, I got tossed around like I was in a washing machine and somehow the board got between my legs and smashed my nuts.  I mean SMASHED my nuts.  The surf beached my like a f*cking whale and I just laid there in the sand clutching my man bag.  That was all it took to take the board back to the rental place and get my $25 back.

Some pics:

 

Sunrise.  My wife was very adamant about getting up at 6 am every day (which wasn't bad because most nights we were asleep by 7 pm anyway) and watching the sunrise while we drank our coffee.  Our condo was about 30 feet from the beach.

A mid day wave.  When I was attempting to 'board' I got caught somewhere in that white foamy stuff.  No matter how strong you are, that stuff will TOSS you like you are 100 pounds.

   

Why did I take a picture of this?  Simple...it said "World's Best Crabs" on the side of the boat and I thought it was funny as hell.  12 beers in the 90 degree weather makes everything funny.  Plus, the dude driving it had this annoying little air horn he would blow every 10 seconds to draw your attention to his advertisement.  Good times.

Who is that sexy beast???  Well, it's ME of course!  LOL!  My legs were burned, so I kept them covered.  That is a Sudoku book, I was working on a level "HARD" puzzle there.  I formulated if you work on brain puzzles while drinking beer, you can't possibly kill as many brain cells.  My wife said I looked like a little old man.

So that was my week.  All rested up and time to get back to the business that is IPA Senior Nationals.  My entry form was mailed 2 weeks ago and I have the hotel reservations done.  Now all that is left is to do it to it and get it fucking done.

We squat Sunday!  I am to pull 575 for 5 conventional, NO BELT, afterwards.  30 pound jump from last deadlift workout since I skipped this past week.  I am a slacker.  Weight check tomorrow am to see how much weight will have to be lost.  I have a feeling it is a lot!  LOL!

Let the games begin!  78 days to Nationals and my fucking ELITE TOTAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Rick

For who do you train?

Hello fans! (mom and dad..)

So, it is time for another headspin of mine.. I am slowly getting back into lifting again, all is fine, things are slowly going better again.. Don't you just  enjoy the soreness you get after a long lay-off?

Since last year I lost a total of 10kg bodyweight (94,5kg atm), and most of it (i hope) is fat. Abs slowly coming through, after what must have been at least 10 years ago when I was 15.. I feel better, fit, healthy and smoking sigarettes is giving me less fits so I puff away like a sailor at the moment..

Loosing a lot of weight, and looking less bulky is also a challenge. Besides the fact that it takes some dedication in order to properly loose weight, it's also a mindfucker.
Before I pretty much always used to be the BIG guy, coming in where ever I go, and having stares. Ok ok, I am not that huge, but still bigger than the average. When you are bigger than the average, I strange sort of feeling overcomes you. Most of you will probably know what I am talking about. Knowing you are stronger, knowing you can move or push a weight the average guy would not even dare to try. Knowing you can kick ass..

I have always been in the sport of lifting solely for myself, because it makes me feel good. Not to be bigger or tougher than the next guy. That's unrealistic, and an arrogant approach to your training.. Some however go for this..

I remember reading about Larry Scott and that he once was at his biggest and all of a sudden decided he wasn't happy with himself. He challenged his ego, and dropped down in weight in order to see if he would still feel happy being smaller.. He actually felt just fine too, and found it be a relief having to carry less weight around, stuffing himself with food al the time and try to big for the sake of being big.

Now, after having lost a few, I am smaller. My arms went down a whopping 2cm (44cm atm)  which is still a bit surprising. Overall I look less pumped, and people are noticing this.. Last night I went out to the clubs, and people are saying: What happened, where are your muscles, are you eating enough, why did you stop training, you look underfed, have a burger on me..

Anyway, I am not used to these things but I took it as a compliment, for actually getting some recognization that I did in fact loose some weight.

Where am I going to this? I think what I am trying to say is that although you might get a big boost out of being the badass where ever you go, it should not be your sole purpose to be just that, the badass. I see a ton of guys going out to clubs, wearing the most tightest of tight shirts just to show they worked there little pecs and arms.. Brrrrr!!!!

It all comes down to what makes you feel comfortable, what makes you feel healthy. There will always be the next guy, who is bigger stronger tougher.. Go and train what YOU want to train for, and get your potential and beyond..

Were back!

Sorry about the technical hitch and the lack of new articles.

Firstly, I changed the main picture to one of yours truly from a TV show called Beastmaster. I was playing a character called 'Dengen' hence the knee length boots, chain mail and trident! If seeing me half naked in a dodgy costume is too much though just let me know...;)

 

Last week my wife (Nicky) and I attended the Cast and Crew screening of the Bourne Ultimatum which I did a little bit of work on. We enjoyed the film despite the British summer providing us with more rain most of the day. The stunt coordinator was Gary Powell who also was the driving force behind Casino Royale and is currently filming the 4th installment of the Indiana Jones films.

Gary and the Bond team one World Stunt Awards and one of the best parts of the show was this "Fire burn Cat Walk show"...enjoy!

08/23/07- legs

-Close Stance High Bar squats: no belt, rock bottom, raw dog, 375 x5, x5, x5.  Each week these get easier.  Even though it was at 6 am, it was still very easy.

-Hack squats: 425 x6, x6, x6.

-Shrugs: 495 x10, x10, x10.

This will be my last update until September 1st.  The wife and I are headed to the beach for a week tomorrow morning.  There is a Gold's a block away, so I will still be getting my training in, but I wont have access, nor do I want access, to the internet.

Until next month: TRAIN HARD!

-Rick

Sam Byrd squats 1050 @ 198!

Congrats Sam!  Greatest squat of all time and he made it look effortless.  WOW.  I see 1100 in his near future...

-Rick

08/22/07- shoulders and biceps

-Hang clean to overhead press: 185 x5, x5, x5

-Seated db overhead press: 75 x8, x8, x8

-Preacher curls: 105 x8, x8, x8

-Overhead cable curls: 70 x8, x8, x8

Done.  Counting today, 2 more days of work, then I am off for 8 days.

-Rick

08/21/08- upper body

-Incline bench press: 250 x3, x3, x3.  Not bad.  I think this is an all time PR for me on inclines!  I wanted to take this time to let 300 pounds know that I am coming for him, and I will see him very soon. ;)

-1-arm flat bench db presses: 100lb'r x8, x8, x8 each arm.

-Close grip bench: each rep paused on chest, 185 x5, 205 x4, x5.

-Skull crushers: 125 x8, x7, x8

-Reverse grip pull-downs: 165 x10, x10, x8

-Harris Rows: 75 x8, x8, x8.

Brett Jones asked me a little further down how my training has changed.  I think the biggest factor is training with Cullen and Lance now.  I have a love-hate relationship with those 2 fuckers, they are my very good friends, but once we enter the basement, they are my very worst enemies.  I cannot quit in front of them and I have to step-up and get my numbers week after week.  They are both strong as hell, but each week I try to beat them.  I try to go harder, do more work, and hit every single number I have planned out.  This cycle the goal is simple: NEVER MISS A WEIGHT. 

My training so-to-speak has not changed much from years past (except I am now squatting twice a week) but my environment has changed.  That is made 100% of the difference.  If I would have been alone on Sunday I never, ever would have got my numbers.  I was wore out from being sick all week and sick to my stomach from slamming carbs all morning, but I knew I had to get my reps so I cracked an ammonia cap and got to fucking work.  There is no other way in the basement of pain.  Environment is EVERYTHING.

-Rick

Big Back Crew 08'

Thanks to some great information from Nick, I have been hammering my back these last 3 months something fierce!  I have been hitting lats, traps, and low back twice a week hard and heavy.  When I tried my one and only dress shirt on today to see how it fit, it was tight as hell.  This is the exact same shirt I wore when I interviewed for my transfer at work a year ago, and I am 20 pounds lighter now then I was then.

3 months of hard ass work, but it is finally paying off with some back thickness!  I use my necklace as an indicator of how big my traps are getting.  The closer the necklace gets to my neck, the bigger they are getting.  Also, my bodyfat tester (which isn't real accurate, but it shows gains and losses) is still riding along at 19% and I am currently sitting at 230 bodyweight.  It was 19% when I was 220 as well.  Good news.  Eating, training hard, sleeping, and taking supplements WORKS.

Still not in da 'club' but dammit, in 08' I will get there!

-Rick

08/19/07- squats and deads

Had to push all my numbers up today because Amy and I leave for the beach Friday and I will be missing my Sunday workout with them next week.  I will, however, be pulling at Golds down at the beach.

-Squats: work sets in briefs and belt, 560 x5, 575 x4, 590 x3, 605x2, 620 x1.  Pretty tough.  The set of 5 was the hardest, 5 with 560 is no joke, briefs or no briefs.  Last cycle I did a single with 605 in the briefs and before today, that was my pr in just briefs.  620 was not super fast, but I will take it!

-Conventional deads: switched to conventional because the squats wore my hips out!  Work set, 545 x5 no belt.  Then put the belt on and did 605 x1 extremely easy.  Very happy with this, my deadlift plan is going as I had hoped and I see 730 or more riding in November.  Maybe even 750...

-Glute hams: held 36-pound kettlebell and did x8, x8

-Cambered bar good mornings: suspended in the Spud Inc. Suspension Straps below parallel.  Used my conventional deadlift stance and did 325 (I think the bar weighs 55???) x5, x5, x5.  These were all paused on the straps and were harder then hell!!!  Great lower back, glute, and hamstring pump.  We decided we are going to do 3 week waves with these and reverse hypers.

-Shrugs: 405 x20, x20, x10

-Cambered bar sit-ups: x8, x8, x8.

Done.  Kick ass workout.  My couch is calling...

-Rick

Tech Issue

We may have a slight technical problem next week so we may be off line for a day or so.

Hopefully we will have it sorted ASAP!

Keep training - HARD!

Nick