Adventure Time!

solid work going in Craig

thats a massive stone load even if it is only to 44".

you should post the vid in a thread of its own as i think I'm right in saying that would be the heaviest stone ever loaded by anyone on this forum

Thanks Neil.

I will, I'm going to making one for my training log of all the stuff I did and then make a separate one of my friend Mike Jenkins and I battling the stone.

Looking forward to seeing those videos. I can't even comprehend moving a stone like that nevermind loading it. I've tried a wee baby stone in the past and it was a nightmare. How you guys manage with stones like that is really beyond me.
Good work!

Looking forward to the ridiculous stone load video!

What's the heaviest atlas stone ever loaded?

Solid effort mate look forward to this stone video

I tried the Big Z presses really liked them and gonna keep them. Have you got Any stone tips I have just got a 80k stone that I can shoulder and pickup no probs and a 120 that's glued to the floor

January 09, 2011 - Events

Dynamic Warm-ups

Duck Walk
95x20'
136x20'
177x20' PR+20.5kgs
197x20' PR+41kgs
218x20' (2 drops) PR+61kgs

Atlas Stones
No Tacky
109x3 to 51.5"
147x1 to 51.5"
174.5x1 to 51.5"
229x0,0 to 44"
229x1 to 44" PR+24kgs

55 Gallon Oil Drum Bear Hug Carries
55x50'
75x63'
95.5x63'
116x0
116x0
116x63' PR+11.3kgs & 11'

Comments: Well, today was the day. I had a bit of good luck as my friend Mike Jenkins finally came out to train. He's getting ready for the Arnold Strongman Classic and not many places nearby have heavy stones. Joe was sick and Wes was in Jamaica on his honeymoon so it was just Mike, Bill and Zack and my dad. Bill and Zack were finishing up on duck walks so I did those first (I don't like doing just one event). Never gone heavier than 156.5kgs on these (second time) and it definitely gets a lot harder with more weight swinging like that. Then it was stone time. Mike had easily done my 204kgs stone to the low platform (44") for couple singles and doubles. He was just killing it so of course he was game for the 505lbs one as well. I only worked up to 174.5kgs no tack before giving 229kgs a try. Mike had gone first and just barely missed. He has an interesting 'rocking horse' like technique for getting more hip drive into the stone. That style wouldn't work for me but it obviously works for him. So I went next knowing that it wasn't impossible. I picked up easy but I wasn't center and it dropped back down as I tried to lap it. I refocused and gave it another shot. This time I lapped it, had to push off the platform to keep the monster from escaping. Heavy is the best word I can use to describe it. It felt like it was crushing my soul just sitting there. I positioned myself to the platform and tried to drive it off my lap. No luck. I would have called it there but Mike wanted another shot. And sonofab**ch if he doesn't get it. Now I have to try it again. Not only was he the first to touch my stone, now he's the first to load it. I stewed in my anger and focused, muttering to myself I can do it. I got setup again and lapped it easier than the last time. Still heavy haha. I square up to the platform and give it all I got. I feels just like the last time but I just keep fighting. I kind of crapped my pants but I keep going and finally, it moved up a bit, then a little more. Enough to get a bit on the platform and I shove it. Still not all the way and it starts to come back down. NO! I'm too close now and I shove my whole body into it. It still hesitates before I land the final blow and put the beast in its place. Success and exhaustion. Mike and talked about training for the next few sessions and I went up to finish up my training. Definitely looking forward to more sessions with Mike. I did the oil drum bearhug carries at my house. The first set was awful since I had a long sleeve warm-up on (cold out and the win was vicious). So I had to take it off for the other sets. I missed picking up 116kgs twice before I got it. I feel wrecked but I feel I accomplished something.

Sorry guys, I must have missed these when I posted last night.
I think the heaviest officially is the one they do at the Arnold Classic (242.67kgs) but Poundstone has done his custom 249.5kgs one.

They're a good lift to have. As for the stone, a 40kgs jump is a lot. If you're having issues with the pick up, work on on crushing strength for the forearms and chest. For the first year of training, I didn't have stones or know what tacky was (which I highly suggest you use for getting to heavier stones) but I did makeshift stone lifts bearhugging plates with a pipe going through and a flange on one end.

well done on the 229 mate

Your sessions are going marvelously keep it up!

January 11, 2011 - DE UB

Dynamic Warm-ups

12'' Log Push Presses w/ IW#2’s & #1's clinched
No Bands
41x5
41x5
59x2
Add Bands (+25kgs)
47.5x2
Add Bands (+45.5kgs)
41x2
54.5x2
Add Bands (+70kgs)
47.5x2
47.5x2
47.5x2
47.5x2
47.5x2
47.5x2
47.5x2
47.5x2

Neutral Grip Incline Dumbbell Presses
38.5'sx10
43'sx10
47.5'sx10 PR+1 rep

Seated Rope Cable Face Pulls
63.5x12 PR+9kgs
63.5x12
63.5x12

44 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Yesterday's workout hit me hard today. My back muscles were so sore that taking a deep breath made them ache. My hamstrings were also twitching all day. And that was just from the stone. I have bruises right under my knees from the duck walk and my right thumb pad is bruised from oil drum. But I still had a good workout. Push pressing went well. Got ten reps on the dumbells with 47.5kgs. I nicked my left thumb so how and that started bleeding a bit and had to get a band-aid. I was going to do 59kgs for the face pulls but it felt like nothing on the first rep so I added another 4.5kgs. Really surprised considering how much those muscles had to strain yesterday. Tons of stretching after that. Also, Dave Ostlund commented on my stone load from the other day which was unexpected and very awesome. I guess I getting somewhere.

January 11, 2011 - ME LB

Dynamic Warm-ups

15" Rack Deadlifts w/ Monster Mini Bands quad
No Bands
61x5
84x5
102x3
125x3
Add Bands (+125lbs)
20.5x3
43x3
61x3
84x3
102x1
125x1
Add Straps
143x1
165.5x1
184x1
195x1
165.5x4

Wide Stance Zercher Harness Rack Lifts
143x3
165.5x3
184x3
206x3
224.5x3 PR+13.5kgs

Strict Reverse Hyperextensions
68x12 PR+4.5kgs
75x12 PR+11.3kgs
81.5x12 PR+18kgs

32 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Super duper! Very happy with how this workout went, especially considering how beat my back felt from stones on Sunday. Second time pulling against this band tension. Mike lent me his thick latch belt to try out (it doesn't fit him anymore). I was skeptical but after today, I love that belt. Hit 9kgs over my goal for the day and got four reps with 165.5kgs. Zerchers went well, even though I did them two weeks ago. I sorted my schedule around and it made more sense to do the straight weight version of these on the workouts when I do rack pulls against bands. Had a little hiccup with 224.5kgs as I lost my balance a little on the second rep and had to catch the sides of the rack. Number three was a bit hitched and I had to fight the lockout for a quite a bit. I held it to make sure. Really hit my hamstrings hard. Everything is getting stronger. My plan on reverse hypers was 3x12 with 68kgs but it felt so easy, I increased it. That wasn't so bad so I boldly went with 81.5kgs for my final set. It was a fight but I got it. 18kgs PR on that. I'll do all three sets with 81.5kgs next time. Went home to stretch and eat pot roast.

strong work on those Zerchers Craig, they will help with the stones?

i dont have a fancy harness but found 130kg in the arms on a barbell tough enough

double post

Thanks I definitely think they help. I used to do nothing but zercher lifts in the rack with an axle for heavy triples and bearhugging plates last year when I didn't have access to atlas stones and went from 150kgs to 184kgs for a triple in six months. But I didn't have good extension until I started training with the group in Chambersburg.