C. Fay Training Log

I hear you. For some reason the stone has become a total act of frustration in this sport.

Warmup: Hyperextensions 2x10, Side to side on hyper bench 2x10, GHR 2x12, Rev hyper 2x12, Standing abs 2x12, Landmines 2x12, BB Front squats 2x10, 1 leg squats 2x10, 1 leg KB deads 2x5, hip mobility work

2 Rounds of BB Complex: Snatch grip high pull x6/Behind the neck snatch grip press x6/Snatch balance x6

BB Hang Power Snatch

95 2x1 @1.57-1.67 m/s

135  2x1 @1.73-1.75 m/s

155x1 @1.67 m/s

175x1 @1.64 m/s

185 3x1 @1.53-1.69 m/s

DE BB Box Squat w/strong bands 

barx10

145x3

work sets

195x2 @.75 m/s

215x2 @.74 m/s

235x2 @.67 m/s

265x2 @.71 m/s

285x2 @.67 m/s belt added here

305x2 @.62 m/s

345x1 (misread on velocity)

375x1 @.43 m/s

Snatch Grip High Pulls from floor 185 2x1, 205 2x1, 225 2x1

Finished w/2 rounds of the following exercises: Jump rope x50, Walking lunge w/barbell on back x10, Standing BB twists x10, 1 arm KB swings 70 x8 per arm, ab wheel x10

Brutally hot day today as usual. I worked to some slightly heavier sets on the power snatch and with my poor form on this movement I thought things would get too ugly if I went heavier today. The box squats were done with strong bands which probably give me somewhere between 200-250lbs of tension at the top. I wanted to have a heavier day in which I would start sets at around .75m/s and gradually work up until I hit a single that was slower than .5m/s. My last double was 305 @.62 m/s and then unfortunately I couldnt get a reading 345. I assume by the feel that is was a little over .5 m/s. The 375 was much slower @.43 m/s and that signaled the end of squats for the day. I didn't bother testing my speed on the high pulls since my 2 speed style of pulling would not give me an accurate read. I pushed hard this week and have one more intense upper body workout and 1 more high volume throwing workout before the week is over. The idea is to really push it to the limit this week and then deload next week.

I am still training at Southside Barbell and my wife and I now run the place. We have a relatively small crew we train with these days and have a nicer, larger space in Boynton Beach. I have a field right next door to the gym where I can train the throws and can store my caber at the gym. You are right, it is a funny path from multiply powerlifting to the games. While I have some great powerlifting memories and did some respectable lifts in the sport, Highland games seems like a hell of a lot more fun to me.

Thanks Justin. Lol! Unfortunately in the realm of strength, I am a shell of my younger powerlifting or football playing self, but I am not as fat as my younger self either, so that's a decent bargain I guess.

16 lb Hammer 10 winds 2x10

22lb Braemar ball

Standing toes to trig x5

Braemar drop to 1 knee x3

Braemar no reverse x3

16lb stone

Braemar no reverse x3

Braemar w/reverse x12

12lb shot Braemar x3 (plastic shot got too slimy, shut this down after 3)

16lb stone Braemar x3

49lb Weight

Entry drill x3

2 turns x6 (started off around 32 ft and gradually ramped it up to 37 ft)

28lb weight 2 turns x9 (55-62 ft)

Due to a test prep schedule, I had to train early this morning and the conditions were not good. It had just rained and the field sucked bad, it essentially alternated from muddy and slick to soft and sandy. Not good for distances but prepares me for worst case scenarios. The stones were difficult because they were both sandy and slimey. If anyone who reads this likes to cook and has fried something before, I liken it to when you accidentally use your wet hand to bread something, that is what the stone, braemar ball and indoor shot were like, I could never get any flick at the end of the throw as a result. Separation sucked as usual but I am trying. 49 went well, I just tried to stay smooth and patient and the more I did that, the farther the weight went. 28 was all over the place, I think is was just fatigue setting in. I was going to WOB at the end at this 15ft fence by standing under the gate, I gave up after 2 throws, something about worrying about hitting the chain link fence was making me finish all wrong and leave it out in front, I will only use my branch at the other field for WOB, this is just a no go. Deload week here I come, yay!

16lb stone

Toes to trig standing x5

Braemar no reverse x5

Braemar w/reverse x5

49lb weight: entry drills x5

28lb weight: 2 turns x6

Another deload throwing day. No extreme efforts here and a reminder to take it a little more easy with the weights. By going a little slower, hitting the right positions and being patient, I managed to throw much farther than I intended to without really putting much energy into it. 

16lb Hammer walking winds 2x10 (forwards/backwards)

16lb Stone

Standing toes to trig x5

Braemar (drop to one knee) x5

Braemar (no reverse) x6

Braemar w/reverse x10 (ranged from 33-36ft)

56lb weight

Entry drills x3

2 turns x5 (29-30 1/2 ft)

49lb weight 2 turns x5 (32-35ft)

28lb weight 2 turns x6 (53-58ft)

WOB x5  (worked between 13'6 and 15' section of branch, cleared 3, left 1 out front, one hit the top of the branch which is around 20" in circumference)

It rained all day today and despite the dour weather, I went out and threw in the rain. HG is an outdoor sport and being such I practice in all conditions except lightning. At this point in the game I just can't miss sessions. I have my work cut out for me at Am nationals and ECCs, I am already at risk of getting embarrassed by some seriously talented throwers, I need to take every chance I can to get better. Needless to say due to the field conditions, slimey stones and handles the distances were not impressive, but I got the work in. Weather should be bad all week long, so this might be the first of several nasty sessions. 

Warmup: 45 degree hyper x20, GHR x20, Rev hyper x20, Standing abs x20, Landmine x20, BB Front squat x10, 1 leg squat 2x10, 1 leg KB deads 2x5, hip mobility work

2 rounds of BB complex: Snatch grip high pull x6/Behind the neck press w/snatch grip x6/snatch balance x6

BB Hang Power Snatch

95x3

135 2x1 (1.65-1.68 m/s)

155 2x1 (1.7-1.76 m/s)

175 2x1 (1.69-1.73 m/s)

185x1 @1.65 m/s

195x1 @1.71 m/s

Close grip snatch

95x3 avg 1.48 m/s

115x3 @1.44 m/s

135x3 @1.3 m/s

Speed strength phase DE BB Box Squats w/SSB and lots of bands 

bar (counting it as 45lbs) +strong bands x5

bar+strong and average bands x3

bar+stong, average and light bands x2 (kept this tension throughout)

95 6x2 (sets ranged from .82-.98 m/s)

Box Jumps

24" box x5

36" box 2x5

Ab wheel 2x12

Speed was the name of the game tonight. From powerlifting to highland games, I have always found the speed strength phase for DE squats to help get me fast and explosive. I used a bunch of band tension, probably around 500lbs tension at the top with very little bar weight. Thee great thing about this massive amount of tension is that it slams you down to the box and creates a tremendous stretch reflex with which you rapidly explode through the rep and finish fast to outrun the band tension. The box jumping went well at the end as well and I may include some depth jumps next week. Hopefully this cycle will be the icing on the cake and I can maximize my explosiveness.

Warmup: Cuff complex, Incline DB press 2x20, rev hyper 2x10, standing abs 2x10, band pullapart 2x20, CSR 2x20, med ball throws 40lb x6, 30lb x6

DE Fat Bar Bench w/bands

barx20

bar+doubled monster minis x10

bar+doubled monster minis and doubled minis x10 (kept this tension throughout)

125x3 @1.03 m/s

145 5x3 between .87-.92 m/s

165 3x3 between .84-.9 m/s

Behind the neck snatch grip push press: bar 2x10, 95x5, 115x5, 135x5

Push press was supersetted w/explosive pullup 9x1

Finished w/2 rounds of the following superset: Supine med ball throws 30lb x6, 25lb plate winds, 1 arm KB snatch 70x3

Lots of band tension on the fat bar today, probably around 180lbs of tension at the top give or take. Bar speed stayed fast with the minimal bar weight that I put on. Still just trying to get comfy with the behind the neck work, so staying conservative there so i dont destroy the shoulder. Good day overall, the elbow gave me minimal problems.

22lb HH

10 winds x2

1 wind throws x5

2 wind+release x5

2 wind throws x8 (between 77-84)

16lb LH 

2 wind throws x4 (between 97-100)

Caber x4 (turned 3 times for 11-12ish)

20lb sheaf 

Bottoms up x4

Full x4

16lb sheaf 

Full x4

Hammers felt pretty decent, a few were a bit off when I tried to put too much into them. I just need to stay long and loose because that will give me more distance than trying to kill it. Throws were around 90-97% on my HH of my practice best and around 97-99% of my practice bests with the LH. Often I get around 10ft more on my HH in a games than I hit with my own hammer in practice. If this holds true, then by the way hammer practices have gone I should be in striking distance of a small PR. Caber felt pretty good and same with sheaf. The 20lb sheaf is a real mystery to me having never thrown it in a games. I have no clue how I will do with it when I get under some actual standards. Should be a fun challenge.

HH Walking winds 2x10 forward/backward

HH 2 wind + release x5

Stone

Standing toes to trig x5

1-2 drill x3

Braemar no reverse x3

Braemar w/reverse x10 (ranged between 32-37, most around 36, or between 84-97% of best practice throws)

HWFD 

Entry drill x3

Full throws x8  (ranged between 28-32 with most around 30-31, or 82-94% of my best practice throws)

LWFD Full throws x10 (ranged between 50-63 or 76-95% of best practice throws)

WOB x4, cleared twice at around 14 and once around 16

Last serious throwing session today before the big games next weekend. Stones felt pretty good for me. Since my form is just so bad on them, fatigue couldn't really hamper my technique since my technique is so bad to start with. HWFD really took the biggest hit today, very inconsistent on the throws, finishing off balance, a couple of times I didnt wait to get both feet down on the throw and a few side fouls. Ugly and pretty much the same issue I had with LWFD the last few sessions. On the other hand LWFD felt better, I tried to slow down out of the back and then really focus on catching it and driving hard on the second turn, gradually I ramped the throws up and hit a few at a good distance before the elbow started to feel like crap. Hit a few WOBs at the end and called it a day. I went home and between the heavy band tension on thursday with the jumps and the friday throws, my legs felt completely shot. Saturday bench is all I have left and then a walk-through throwing session next week and some light GPP work. Thank god.

HH 

Walking winds x10

10 wind drill 2x10

2 wind + release x3

2 wind throws x3

16lb stone

Flicks x5

Toes to trig x3

Braemar no reverse x3

Braemar w/reverse x3

56lb weight

Entry drill x3

Full throw x3

28lb weight full throw x4

20lb sheaf

bottoms up x2

full throw x2

Caber 

walk x1

turn x1 @12:00

Did my games "walk through" practice today, took a few moderate reps at each event and got through everything in an hour. The rest of the week is just going to be some blood flow/gpp work and thats it. I'm going to try to bump up my food a bit this week and eat a little more red meat as well as take some cissus and fish oil to keep the inflammation down. The goals for the Amateur Championships are to have fun, try to learn as much as I can from the awesome competitors that I will be throwing with, hopefully PR in a few events and just try not to shame myself out there with this class of competition. I am excited to see how things turn out.