The long road back to strength

[VeganEssentials]

Ah, it has been a while, hasn't it? I figured I needed to get back over here to have more accountability from everyone to make sure I stay the course for getting above and beyond where I used to be. After a rough 4 years of multiple back injuries and being told to quit lifting by physicians, stacked with my weird vision disease, things are FINALLY coming back into favor for training again to rebuild the lost strength (at a much lower bodyweight this time).

The last 1.5 years were spent working to bring the body of the old fat man down to a reasonable weight (265 to 225 at my lowest this past July), now it's time to slowly get that size and strength back up. The main goal is to get my strength to where it was while keeping bodyweight at 240 lbs. or less so I can be viable to compete as a lightweight in strongman, where I'll actually have a fighting chance of doing well

Here's the last workout done, and I will get back to keeping things updated here as time goes on!

Pull-ups -
2x12, 2x11, 1x10 @ bodyweight (240 lbs. clothed today, a bloated 234 without, normally around 230-231 lbs.), done from a full hang (I always come up a few reps shorter when I don't set my feet down and don't take a few breaths when I start to fizzle out), 2 sets wide grip, 1 medium, 1 narrow, 1 medium pull-up grip

Close grip BB flat bench -
1x5 @ 135 lbs.
1x2 @ 185
1x2 @ 225
5x2 @ 235, pause each rep on chest for 1-2 seconds
3x3 @ 230, pause on each rep, had a misload, thought I had 220 lbs. on there, then I was wondering why it felt heavier than it should have
1x10 @ 185
1x20 @ 135

1-arm BB shrugs -
1x15 each arm @ 185 lbs.
1x15 " " @ 205
1x12 " " @ 225
1x50 " " @ 115

1-arm Hammer Strength plate-loaded preacher curl machine -
1x15 each arm @ 45 lbs.
1x20 " " @ 35 lbs.
Keeping up with bicep work for injury prevention sake since I'm finally starting to get back to some event training again.

Training tomorrow at Wisconsin Barbell where I'm being "rebuilt" after all the lower back issues that kept me from any consistent lower body work for a few years. It's coming slowly, but where deadlifting 315 back in spring made me feel like my spine was going to snap, I'm back to being able to pull around the mid 400s again without any discomfort and the squats are slowly working back up as well.

Here's to finding my way back again, and hopefully giving some of you a run for your money on lift totals down the line once I'm back up to speed!

[hardcore iv]

Great to see you back. Look forward to seeing your progress.

[moggy]

I really wish you luck with your progress!

[Jonathan]

Great to have you back Ryan - I shall watch with interest

[sosso]

It's been so cool to read your log over at VBB and see how you're building the strength back up. I'll be keeping an eye on this!

[bronco]

I agree it is great to see you back !

[VeganEssentials]

Thanks much, everyone - it is good to be back!

Trained with Kirk today, new twist, he had me lift in a pair of Metal deadlift briefs which were interesting to wear, to say the least. The first pair he gave me were too small, he laughed while I spent 5 minutes trying to wedge into them with no success. Moved up a size, then they were much better.

Warm up - roll out for a few minutes, 2 rounds of 3 minutes of bodyweight squats followed by 2 rounds of 50 rep leg curls with a light 25 lbs. plus a small black band.

Deadlifting next -
1x8 @ 135 lbs.
1x5 @ 225, then the briefs went on and changed to sumo stance
1x5 @ 225
1x5 @ 315
1x5 @ 365
8x1 @ 405 to work on starting speed and form improvement

Monolift squats to 16" box, ultra wide stance -
2x2 with blue bands (est. weight 100 lbs. at top for max tension)
1x2 @ 135 + bands
1x2 @ 225 + bands
1x2 @ 315 + bands
2x2 @ 365 + bands
Still figuring out how to stay as stable as necessary with the bands that keep pulling down and back, but it's getting better

Played around with stones for a bit afterward -
1x2 rows @ 240 lb. stone
1x2 to lap @ 240
2x2 lifts to 52" @ 240
1x2 rows @ 270 lb. stone
1x2 to lap @ 270
2x2 lifts to 52" @ 270
Was too lazy to bring the 300 down from the platform, so I tried the 330 stone, didn't move more than a fraction of an inch. Only put a tiny bit of tacky on my hands so I didn't have an exceptional grip, none on forearms, so it just kept sliding out. Give me a month or two, it'll be going up just like the rest of 'em.

That was it, good session today, upper back and shoulders again on Friday.

[JP]

awesome to see you back big man!

One of the TRUE ORIGINALS! Its funny how long ago it was when we first started talking about vegan & strength isnt it.

Beautiful to see you back at respectable weights buddy. Funny to think we both ended up to the 105kg strongman category Both via injuries as well!

[XkillerX]

WTF is this??? Lil' JP and tiny Ryan???

HOW OUR IDOLS HAVE FALLEN!!!!!

[hannibal]

great to see you back, i'm sure you'll be a moving target on the strength table again in no time

[VeganEssentials]

WTF is this??? Lil' JP and tiny Ryan???

HOW OUR IDOLS HAVE FALLEN!!!!!

Yes, being in the 230 lb. range definitely makes me feel small, but who knows how long the plans to stay as a lightweight will go once we get to next spring and I've gained back a lot of what was lost It wouldn't be the first time I said I was going to cut down and stay there, only to gain like crazy again after a few months.

Overhead day with a small amount of upper back stuff thrown in for good measure -

Standing strict overhead BB press -
1x8 @ 85 lbs.
1x4 @ 135
1x2 @ 185
1x5 @ 205
2x2 @ 225
1x8 @ 185
1x7 @ 185, last rep stalled over my head, just dropped it behing the neck and that was it.
2x10 @ 135 for snatch-grip width behind the neck strict presses

1-arm rows -
1x5 @ 120 lb. DB each arm, set up EZ curl bar with more weight, then
1x10, 1x8 @ 175 lbs. each arm
Just wasn't feeling it for much back work tonight, not to mention I get in 2 upper back sessions weekly so it's no big thing to cut it short today

Standing partial overhead presses in the power rack (about 4-5" ROM to lockout) -
1x5 @ 225 lbs.
1x5 @ 275
1x5 @ 315, was a bit tough with this one today
1x20 @ 250, done as 15 reps, 10 second rest, 5 to finish
1x30 @ 185 lbs., done as 22 reps, 10 second rest, 8 to finish

Cable straight bar curls -
2x25 @ 110 lbs.

Enough for today, leg work on Sunday again!

[JP]

Hey do you have day before weigh ins in your 105 comps?

Strong pressing mate.

[VeganEssentials]

Hey do you have day before weigh ins in your 105 comps?

Strong pressing mate.

Thanks, JP!

Most smaller comps tend to have weigh-ins around 2-4 hours before lifting starts, not a lot of time to cut water and rehydrate, but I figure if I can stay around 238 or so it should be possible to get to 231 for contest day. I've been out of the game for a long time, maybe things have changed, but I figure if I keep myself 240 or less, I won't get too far out of hand to keep in the proper range Chances are, come around January I will take a month to cut some fat again, guy who owns Wisconsin Barbell is doing a vegan cutting diet (he's not vegan, but wanted to try it out for a month and has been doing very well with it) and already dropped 20 lbs. in a month without any loss of strength or lean mass, I'll probably try his program and work to get another 4-6 lbs. of fat knocked off to keep balanced as I get above 235. Gotta play it smart this time, enough of the old ways that let the weight get a bit out of hand!

[sosso]

guy who owns Wisconsin Barbell is doing a vegan cutting diet (he's not vegan, but wanted to try it out for a month and has been doing very well with it) and already dropped 20 lbs. in a month without any loss of strength or lean mass

I'd be interested to hear more about this diet.

[VeganEssentials]

I'd be interested to hear more about this diet.

He's going to get me the full details on it sometime this month as to his program (I know it involves high protein/low carbs and a pretty low level of caloric intake, only around 2200 cal/day, and he's around 210-220 lbs. when cut to around 8% BF). Believe me, I'm interested in knowing how he's doing it so well, so once I know more, I'll be sure to share it across the board

I guess his previous cutting diets were primarly protein shakes and some chicken, word has it he's so happy with how much better he feels on a vegan cutting diet he may want to try it for a longer duration after he's done dieting