Goals change, methods change but the iron never dies log

[Jay Ashman]

I competed in strongman, powerlifting, highland games, crossfit hybrid events (yes I did CF for a while) and played numerous sports in my career.

I stopped posting my log on my webpage because I am not mixing business with personal workouts, so it will come to here.

My goals will change, I will compete in whatever I want to and adjust my training for that. I get bored doing the same stuff all the time, I have the attention span of a 5 year old kid after a liter of Coca Cola.

Criticize, comment, add your two cents... I am very strong in some areas and need a lot of work in others. You will see where those areas are as you read along.

[Jay Ashman]

Right now I am planning to compete in a highland games in June.

I need to be able to generate power and get myself in throwing shape again. After focusing on pure strength the last couple years, competing in strongman and PL (and doing well at my two contests) its time for me to get back to my roots of throwing and see what I can do.

Lost a lot of upper body power, lower body explosiveness so the training template will be adjusted to fit those needs.

[reneelee]

Definitely looking forward to following along with you here, Jay!

[Jay Ashman]

Thanks, Renee!

Ok day one, new program, eating better (finally) and really need to start to generate more power and get myself back to throwing shape.

Neglected power cleans, hang power cleans, snatches, etc for so long that doing them will require an ego check.

Hang Power Cleans:
45 x 3
95 x 3
135 x 3
185 x 3
225 x 3 x 3

Stuck with the 225 to work on form, proper triple extension and landing correctly since its been a while since I did them.

Back Squats
135 x 10
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 5

Kept it there since its off a deload and been a few weeks since I squatted heavy anyway, kept it on the moderately heavy side not pushing it.

Band Pull Throughs
super heavy 3 x 10

Lat Pulldowns
160 x 3 x 10

[Marotta]

Pretty strong numbers, Height/Weight?

[Jay Ashman]

Pretty strong numbers, Height/Weight?

6'3" - 275. Max DL recently in meet was 615#, the day after doing high rep deads (competed on a whim) in gym 650#, recent max squat in gym 525# (squat is my weak point), max press - 250#. I have work to do, in my opinion, but one thing I NEED to work on is my power. Since I have been focusing on getting stronger I have neglected athleticism and power and it suffered badly. I don't bench much, have no desire to do it, I prefer overhead work but I will be adding in ballistic benching soon to get ready for the highland games and to get back into throwing.

Thinking of doing some track and field events as a shot putter as I used to throw in high school and got out of it when I started playing rugby and football more.

Thanks for the compliment, but they aren't where they need to be, or where they USED to be...

[Jay Ashman]

Today:

Press
95 x 10
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5

Again, not pushing it past that, first week heavy in about a month

Farmer's walks
120 x 60'
210 x 60'
260' x 60' x 2

First time doing these in a while, and the legs knew it. Plus these are new handles without a knurled grip so these will really test your grip, in two weeks I will shoot for 300' per hand

Standing Crunches with two heavy bands
3 x 10

After next weeks volume week I am thinking that the next heavy week will be time to really push it up...

[Jay Ashman]

Yesterday:

Hang Power Snatches
75 x 3
95 x 3
135 x 3
145 x 3 x 3

Frustrated because my upper body flexibility is horrific. Getting into the overhead position after the pull is difficult and is something that is a NEED to work on.

Snatch Pulls
145 x 4 x 3

Did some work on just the pull/shrug portion, I feel like a bitch with these weights but since I neglected them so long I can only blame myself.

Front Squats
225 x 5 x 2

Kept it light to work on flexibility. Nothing is more humbling than trying to struggle to get into a proper rack and knowing that I caused this. Its embarrassing as hell to feel like this.

Good Mornings
225 x 3 x 10

Called it a day, pissed off, frustrated and can only blame myself.

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

Jay,

Are you doing dislocates for your shoulders?

[reneelee]

Jay, if it makes you feel any better, I came to the realization recently that I have completely wasted the last year of training. Goal ADD + being overly cautious + unintentional sandbagging + Nobody knocking any sense into me = Making almost NO progress on anything.

At least you got better doing what you focused on for the last year or so, even if it was at the expense of some flexibility!

[Jay Ashman]

Jay,

Are you doing dislocates for your shoulders?

I have been recently, yes... along with many other things to increase the ROM and flexibility. I've focused so much on getting stronger that I have neglected one important area, well two.

Renee, I did get better, it was my goal to get my squat up to above 500 again and I did, I was never a great squatter, always a much better puller and bencher. Hence why I was a better strongman than I could ever be as a PL...

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

Once you have the flexibility for O-lifting, just doing the olifts will keep you that way.

[Jay Ashman]

Once you have the flexibility for O-lifting, just doing the olifts will keep you that way.that's what I keep hearing... let's hope it happens for me