Highland games training with bourbon and a bum ticker

[Urban]

I've had an on again off again love affair with lifting in my absence from the forum. Always in love with it but not always giving it the time and encouragement it needs. Last year I competed in my first highland games... then my second. This year two more with a little improvement this go around. So my training is going to be geared largely towards that.

To make matters more complicated I have a heart condition. It's a bicuspid aortic valve. This past March was my first ANNUAL echocardiogram in 7+ years. And the first time they've ever used terms like moderate/severe ascending aorta dilation and valve regurgitation. So no heavy deadlifts or squats. The toll on my body is too much and there's a really good chance it'll make my heart explode in the long term (aortic bifurcation means you bleed out internally before the dial the second 1 in 911).

So I did some playing around with lifting and a blood pressure cuff. Turns out low rep cleans and push presses and high rep squats can be done without my systolic blood pressure destroying any internal organs I need. So I'm basic my routine around those. I've changed my diet to include lots of veggies, with a goal of 30-25-45 carbs-protein-fat calories each day. I probably only eat about half a pound of meat a day these days and make up the difference in cheese and eggs and nuts [especially pumpkin seeds and tahini (1 cup and 2 ounces daily respectively)]

Current Highland games PRs

• Braemer Stone (22 lbs) 24' 3" - 8-15-2015
  
• Open Stone (16 lbs) 32' 10" - 8-15-2015
  
• Heavy Weight for distance - 18' 6" 7-19-2015
• Light weight for distance - 39' 3" 8-15-2015
  
• Heavy Hammer (22 lbs) - 51' 0" - 8-20-2016
• Light Hammer (16 lbs) - 63' 2.5" - 8-15-2015
• Sheaf Toss (20lbs) - 16.5 feet - 8-20-2016
• Weight for height (56 lbs) - 10' 0" - 8-20-2016

My routine as of 4 - 13- 2017 is m-t-th-f
Monday
High Pull variant 12x1 with 1 minute rests, 6x2 with 2 minute rests, or 4x3 with 3 minute rests.
Deadlift variant 5x10
Pinch grip / fat bar work 3-12 × 1-15
Cardio x 10 minutes

Tuesday & Friday
Push press variation 12x1 with 1 minute rests, 6x2 with 2 minute rests, or 4x3 with 3 minute rests.
L sit pull up density training for a 20 rep max
Press assistance 5x10
Sustain grip work 3-5 sets

Thursday
Explosive squat variation 12x1 with 1 minute rests, 6x2 with 2 minute rests, or 4x3 with 3 minute rests.
Squat variant 5x10
Pinch grip / fat bar work 3-12 × 1-15
Cardio x 10 minutes

The goal with the singles double's and triples is to get through each set without hitting a systolic blood pressured of 160 before moving on to more reps in the next session. A reading of 160 or above and I'll take an extra rest period before the next set. If I get 4x3 without hitting 160, I'll up the weight 5 lbs and drop back down to 12x1 next session.

Other exercises progress similarly, but surprisingly the squats have not been a blood pressure killer. But right now my sets of 10 are about 50% of my 1rm so it's hard to gauge exactly how long that will last as they get heavier

 

[Urban]

My routine is m-t-th-f

Monday & Thursday
Cleans 12x1 with 1 minute rests, 6x2 with 2 minute rests, or 4x3 with 3 minute rests.
Squats 5x10
Good morning 3x15

Tuesday
Push press 12x1 with 1 minute rests, 6x2 with 2 minute rests, or 4x3 with 3 minute rests.
L sit pull up density training for a 20 rep max
One hand overhead dumbell press 5x10

Friday
Overhead squats 5x10
L sit pull up density training for a 20 rep max
One hand overhead dumbell presses 5x10



** Clean **
- 135.0 lbs x 4 reps
- 155.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 175.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 195.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 195.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 195.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 195.0 lbs x 3 reps

3 minute rests in between sets. Did some foam rolling on my lower back during the rests. Not a lot, just 5 or so passes focusing on one side then the other.

Last week I tweaked my back during my third warmup set and couldn't even clean 135 to unload the 45's. So this week I was super attentive to my lower back, and it went well.

Blood pressure stayed under 160 systolic each work set. So I'm in the clear to bump up to 12x1 @ 195.

** Barbell Squat **
- 170.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 170.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 170.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 170.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 170.0 lbs x 10 reps

2 minute rests.

Tried doing some psoas stretching with a band in between sets, took too long to get in and out of position.

** Good Morning **
- 170.0 lbs x 15 reps
- 170.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 170.0 lbs x 15 reps

Don't know why the second set felt so impossible. Third set went off without a hitch. Systolic BP was under 150 between sets. Did some foam rolling on the lower back again.

 

[Urban]

Friday 9th September 2016
Did push press today cause I didn't do it tuesday and its more important than overhead squat.

** Push Press **
- 95.0 lbs x 4 reps
- 125.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 160.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 0 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep

One minute rests, checking BP every three sets (BP check takes 90 seconds or so). I dont know why I had a failure on the 7th work set. But my BP stayed under 160 systolic for all 15 sets. Actually all my sets today. But I'll be repeating 12x1 next week.

** Pull up Lsit **
- 8 reps
- 8 reps
- 8 reps
- 8 reps
- 5 reps
- 4 reps

5 sets of 8 again next time. 60 second rests.

** One-Arm Standing Dumbbell Press **
- 45.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 45.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 45.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 45.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 45.0 lbs x 10 reps

2 minute rests. Shoot for 50lbs next time. I WAS doing these with 50s a few weeks back but struggled to get a 4th set so I backed down to 40 and have built back up over a few weeks. Time to try again.

 

[Flash_Monsta]

Welcome back to teh logs, bruh. Best of luck with your training, and your heart condition sounds nuts.

 

[Urban]

Welcome back to teh logs, bruh. Best of luck with your training, and your heart condition sounds nuts.

Good to be back. My hearts something I've known about for 33 years now... well 30 of them or so that I remember . So yeah it can go bad on a hurry, but it's never been a real issue for me, just something to keep an eye on.

Monday 12th September 2016

** Clean **
- 135.0 lbs x 4 reps
- 165.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 185.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 200.0 lbs x 1 rep

Felt solid. Hamstrings are sore as he'll today from good mornings on Friday, so I rolled on them during a 1 minute rest between most sets and took my blood pressure every 4 work sets. Peaked at 155 systolic, not too bad, I'll do 6 sets of 2 next time.

** Barbell Squat **
- 175.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 175.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 175.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 175.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 175.0 lbs x 10 reps

Felt good, my systolic BP didn't push past 148 on the second set and dropped even lower after that. So I'll go up in weight again next time. I'm wondering how heavy I'll have to go before I start having BP issues. So far it seems like a non issue.

** Good Morning **
- 170.0 lbs x 15 reps
One set cause I was running out of time and had to get to work. Hamstrings were feeling better by now but still pretty tight. No big deal I'll do another 3x15 @ 170 on Thursday

 

[Urban]

Tuesday 13th September 2016

** Push Press **
- 95.0 lbs x 4 reps
- 135.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 165.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 0 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep
- 195.0 lbs x 1 rep

One minute rests. Workset 6 had a diastolic BP of 161 and I thought maybe it was a bad reading so I did set 7 and checked again and got 162. So I rested an extra minute and started checking every set instead of every three. No further problems but checking my BP is longer than a 60 second process so it might have been the longer rests that kept it lower. I'll repeat 12 x 1 next time.

** Pull up Lsit **
- 8 reps
- 8 reps
- 8 reps
- 8 reps
- 8 reps

One minute rests, checked BP on set 2 and 4. No BP issues but my pull ups got a little sloppy. I'll repeat 5x8 next time and see how it feels.


** One-Arm Standing Dumbbell Press **
- 50.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 50.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 50.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 50.0 lbs x 10 reps

2 minute rests. Checked my BP after set 1, no issues, so remaining sets were done without checking. This has never been an issue for high reps on this exercise. Should have been 5 sets instead of 4, I'll repeat this one next week.

All in all, kind of a luke warm day. Some progress, but a everything is going to be the same loads next week, hopefully with better performance.

 

[btwrestler119]

I don't even want to know what my systolic bp is after heavy squats. Nice work in here, I remember you log for years ago, welcome back!

 

[TehWeak1]

That's Vidal Sassoon amounts of volume there, @Urban

 

[Urban]

I don't even want to know what my systolic bp is after heavy squats. Nice work in here, I remember you log for years ago, welcome back!

Thanks, good to be back. It's weird what does and does not pin the needle on blood pressure. Still exploring it myself.

That's Vidal Sassoon amounts of volume there, @Urban

And my hair looks fantastic too! I remember Dan John saying he liked high rep squats for developing "pop" and explosiveness. When I wrote him about it once he said specifically back squats. Since they don't make my heart explode, I thought I'd give them a shot.
Thursday 15th September 2016

** Clean **
- 135.0 lbs x 4 reps
- 160.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 180.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 200.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 200.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 200.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 200.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 200.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 200.0 lbs x 2 reps

2 minute rests. Took BP every 2 worksets, didn't go above 150, weird, but good. 4×3 next time

** Barbell Squat **
- 180.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 180.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 180.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 180.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 180.0 lbs x 10 reps

2 min rests. 185 next time. Trying to do these without the valsalva maneuver. They're light enough I can get away with it, and it's likely easier on my heart. Rolled and stretched my psoas and quads on even sets checked BP on odd ones.

** Good Morning **
- 170.0 lbs x 15 reps
- 170.0 lbs x 15 reps
- 170.0 lbs x 15 reps

Felt good. Bar didn't move, went down till I felt it stretch my hamstrings and came back up. If I'm not crushed by soreness tomorrow, I'll up the weight next time. BP under 150 systolic on the second set, rolled my hamstrings the first.

** Plate Pinches **
- 70.0 lbs x 0+1 rep
- 70.0 lbs x 0+1 rep

This was done left handed, for what is probably something of a pr. Right hand could barely get it floating, but this is pretty hard on my blood pressure. Checked it after the second set and it was 155 systolic. I'll lighten it up for higher reps and see what that does.

I updated my initial post with some highland games PR's from this year so I can keep track of them in here too.

 

[Urban]

Friday 16th September 2016

** Overhead Squat **
- 65.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 95.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 120.0 lbs x 5 sets x 10 reps
Felt good. Current pr on these is 145 for 15 reps. BP was up around 155 systolic for the third set, so this is a good weight to vet back into these with. Overhead squats are a low priority day for me. By Friday I've already been in the gym twice and if I haven't time would be better spent on cleans or push press. So really they're just for some extra squatting practice and cause Dan John said to do them once.

** Pull up Lsit **
5 sets x 8 reps

Up to 10 rep sets next time. First set is tight, last set is sloppy. Who cares.

** One-Arm Standing Dumbbell Press **
- 50.0 lbs 5 sets x 10 reps

Up to 55lbs next time.

 

[Urban]

Monday 19th September 2016

** Clean **
- 135.0 lbs x 4 reps
- 160.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 180.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 200.0 lbs 4 x 3 reps

3 minute rests. BP under 150 again. Weird. Good, but weird. 12x1 with 205 next time.

** Barbell Squat **
- 185.0 lbs 5 x 10 reps

2 min rests. Felt winded. But bp was good.

** Good Morning **
- 175.0 lbs 3x 15 reps

2 min rests. Back started to tighten up after my last of squats. Rolled my lower back between sets

** Plate Pinches **
- 50.0 lbs x 10 reps
Would have done more but I got to the gym a little late. These pushed bp up to 155 systolic. I'll have to play around with loading and see if this rep range will work. I know grip work has a reputation of increasing blood pressure, so it's gonna take some fiddling to find loading parameters I'm comfortable using regularly.

 

[Urban]

Tuesday 20th September 2016

** Push Press **
- 95.0 lbs x 4 reps
- 130.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 165.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 195.0 lbs 12 sets x 1 rep

1 min rests. BP under 150 on sets 5, 10 & 12 so up to 6x2 next time.

** Pull up Lsit **
- 10 reps
- 10 reps
- 5 reps
- 5 reps
- 5 reps
- 5 reps

Form wasn't there today so I lowered the reps and made sure to get good depth and height. I'll go for 4x10 next time


** One-Arm Standing Dumbbell Press **
- 50.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 55.0 lbs x 10 reps

Ran out of time. 55 x 5 x 10 seems doable though. Give it another shot next time.

Strongman comp on Saturday. May not hit the gym again until monday

 

[TehWeak1]

Good luck Saturday!

 

[Urban]

Good luck Saturday!

Thanks, I'll be the weak guy with the bp cuff!

Thursday 22nd September 2016

Kind of a go to the gym and dick around kind of day. I don't want to push too hard cause of the comp, but my back has been a little wonky so getting some blood flow did me some good and helped me get a feel for a little more dynamic effort.
** High Pull (Snatched Grip) **
- 135.0 lbs x 4 reps
- 145.0 lbs x 4 reps
- 155.0 lbs x 3 reps
- 155.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 155.0 lbs x 2 reps
- 155.0 lbs x 2 reps

Set the pins 7th hole from the top, about neck height and pulled to hit that. Took a couple trie's since the first rep never hit the pins. BP was no.better than cleans.

** Barbell Squat (Light Band) **
- 135.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 135.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 135.0 lbs x 10 reps
- 135.0 lbs x 10 reps

Used 60 lb dumbells as anchors for my bands. At the top of the squat the bands are pulling an extra 40lbs each, that's 80lbs extra at lockout, and are negligible at the bottom. It felt good, easy depth, good hip drive, might not have even tail tucked. Who knows, might be good for me to work on driving my hips forward and my heels down. BP was 155 on the first set and under 150 on the others.

 

[JauntyAngle]

It's amazing how dedicated you are to training and competing- to keep at it given your health issue, and to put so much effort into doing it safely. Really impressive.

 

[Urban]

It's amazing how dedicated you are to training and competing- to keep at it given your health issue, and to put so much effort into doing it safely. Really impressive.

no. I think I'm just too dumb to quit. I couldn't imagine my life without lifting, and not in the infantile way I might have talked about it a decade ago, but every time I stop lifting, I get super irritable. I was dating this woman for a while once, and was on a break from lifting, and it was like everything was a sharp edge. then I got a membership to the local gym and said, "hey look, I NEED this" and a shitty deadlift session later I was the most mellow person on the planet. Lifting is therapy, even the shitty sessions, and I'm convinced that some day it'll save my life (and I would have already probably lost my fucking mind on some idiot on the road and gotten into a fight in a parking lot somewhere and then looked up his address on his license I found in his bloody walled and burned his house down while laughing maniacally before regretting my decisions immensely, panicking and praying to a wrathful god I didn't believe in hours earlier that I didn't get caught... cause who the fuck changes lanes without signaling?!).

See cause I think life isn't some rocky quote about how hard you can get hit and get back up. I mean sure, that's something, but it's really about how hard you've been hitting yourself to be able to get back up. Toughness doesn't grow on trees. any dumb mother fucker with a couple bucks in his pocket can win the lotto and buy his way into greatness, but the reality is, we're not all going to be the god damn president of the united states. There's only so many rockstars, and super models, and presidents in the world. We won't all be well recognized heroes. But EVERY SINGLE ONE of you mother fuckers can be tough as a god damn nail. And toughness counts, but it's earned, it's paid for, and it's not cheap.

So I spend some free time in the gym. It keeps me sane, it keeps people who think turn signals and stop signs only apply to other people alive, and one day when the doc says it's time to rip me wide fucking open and break out the rib cage spreaders cause I'm overdue for a porcine replacement part, it'll probably save my life. Cause I'll bounce back faster than some couch dwelling, cheeto sucking basement dweller who couldn't lift his bodyweight if his life fucking depended on it.

 

[JauntyAngle]

no. I think I'm just too dumb to quit.

Well, then let's say that your diligence and dedication in enabling your dumbness is... remarkable.

 

[calvus]

Welcome back Urban - I didn't do any throwing this summer due to schedule & some of my own health issues, but Highland Games are super fun - where are you located? I'm in So Cal & have a bunch of cool local throwing buddies. Do you have any other games scheduled this year?

Good luck this weekend!

 

[Urban]

Strongman comp results-

I competed in the novice class against 11 other people. Novice had no weight classes and was the lowest weights used (less than light and heavy... but heavier than womens) there were 5 events:

12" log press - 180lbs, didn't get 200, but gave it 60 seconds of grunting. BP took a really high reading on my right arm (180 systolic), then took a readdng of 155 on the left.. bad reading on my right? not sure what happened. Failed attempts may be much more stressful than I could have expected.

Descending deadlift - Kind of a weird event, 450lbs on a bar that starts at 18" and every successful rep they pull a block out (a 1 x 12 I think) and lower the weight 1.5" for the next rep. Then you rep out from the floor. I have not been deadlifting, but had hopes to do ok on this one... nope. bombed out. not even off the top block. Systolic BP at 162 afterwards

Farmers walk - 2 x 200lbs for distance in 60 seconds, no drops. Crushed it. After last event I was feeling pretty bummed, and more than a little concerned I wouldnt get this one either. But apparently THIS is my event. 192' with 2 turns (64' straight-aways). 12 competitors, and I took first place on this one. I still don't know what happened, the weights came up, and I started shuffling my feet. All I could hear in my head wa, "keep moving your feet, keep moving your feet" And one tiny step after another, I think I beat second place by 35'. BP was 162... which was super weird given the level of exertion.

Fingals fingers - 325, 350, 375lbs (I think), 60 seconds, heaviest finger flipped for time. got 2 fingers in 17.32 seconds, which I think was the fastest time for my class for two fingers, but three guys got all three. This was the first time I've ever played with these, they're awesome. and again, "Keep moving your feet" over and over again once it was overhead. BP was 173 on my first reading (right arm) and 158 on my second (left arm). Pressing events are pretty hard on me apparently.

215 atlas stone over 48 bar for reps in 60 seconds - 4 reps. I was eighth going into this, So I had some ground to make up. Lucky I have SOME experience with stones, but this is probably the heaviest stone I've ever loaded over a bar, and the last time I played with a 205, was like 8 years ago. BP 158, so that wasnt bad. Next time I'll tape my forearms and I'll be able to get another rep or two.

Overall I finished 6th in my class, which I feel pretty good about. If I hadn't bombed out on deadlift I would have done quite a bit better (obviously). Three or four reps might have put me in third place. I competed beltless, wrapless, strapless all day: nothing more than chalk. And my forearms are a little tore up from the stones, so I'll probably tape them next time. I'm hesitant to belt up because I think a belt with the valsalva maneuver would put unneeded strain on my heart. I'm sore today, but looking forward to going to the gym tomorrow.

 

[Urban]

Welcome back Urban - I didn't do any throwing this summer due to schedule & some of my own health issues, but Highland Games are super fun - where are you located? I'm in So Cal & have a bunch of cool local throwing buddies. Do you have any other games scheduled this year?

Good luck this weekend!

I'm actually in Maine now. I had always intended to do the games on the west coast but never got off my ass when I was out there. No more HG events this year for me, but it looks like I have about 4 near by for next summer, which is pretty awesome. things are picking up. Hopefully I can inch my way towards the top of Amatuer B by then and get into AM A.