Tomorrow will be the 70’s Big Thanksgiving Weight Gain Challenge. To clarify, submissions will consist of pre/post weigh-ins (on film) and extra points will be awarded to funny stuff. Be sure to check tomorrow’s post before filming (it’ll post at midnight).
Meanwhile, the friends at 70’s Big are all training well. Chris and Mike are getting ready for another strongman competition and AC is pressing his wang off. The fourth video are outtakes from USAPL Nationals and was fair at best amusing.
AC presses 270×2:
Mike squats 600 for the first time (decides not to double it after starting the second rep):
Chris continental cleans and push-presses 310 and 320:
That’s a 220 pound guy legitimately strict pressing 260 pounds overhead. For four. His knees don’t move and he’s not whipping his torso around. Impressive.
At USAPL Raw Nationals, AC had a shoulder tweak and was only able to bench 386 on his second attempt (at a 215ish body weight). In the meet write up, I said, “We’ll get the issue taken care of.”
Obviously the video above shows that we did. That and the fact that AC benched 405×2 on his final double recently. The major cue I gave him was to keep his elbows in on both movements (it maintains external rotation, distributes force across the triceps and anterior deltoid better therefore reducing stress on the A/C and glenohumeral joint, and allows for more efficient force application which makes a stronger press or bench). He’s also been using close grip bench as an assistance (I talk about the benefits and programming in The Texas Method: Advanced) as well as some direct triceps work (i.e. push-downs).
The reaction most people have to AC lifting is, “Wow! He’s a freak! I can never be like that!” There was a similar discussion a few weeks ago on /r/weightroom (here) about me. People think guys like AC, Chris, or even me are genetic freaks capable of unheard of feats. While we may lift well, it’s not because we have innate ability. It boils down to having an innate consistent and determined approach to training. All of my friends not only train with reckless intensity (with the exception of Brent who meanders to the barbell), but we aim to make our lifting, programming, and recovery better every day. I remember when AC pressed less than 185 and Chris deadlifted 440×5 — we are not genetic freaks. If anything, say that our obsession and focus is freakish.
At the same time it’s true that you may not ever get to press 260 for reps. That’s just reality. And it’s okay! If you started training in the last few years, most of us have many years on you. However, you shouldn’t gripe about it and feel like a bitch every time you go into the weight room. It’s okay that you’re squatting 230 while some fucking MASTODON is out there in the world doing his light volume work with 545 raw to full depth. We all start somewhere. Instead, decide to train your fucking dick off so that you can be the best at whatever your goal is.
There’s an amazing quote from The Lord of the Rings that had a profound effect on me when I first read the books in high school. Basically Frodo is bitching about the predicament they’re in and Gandalf lays down some Old Man Knowledge:
Frodo: “I wish none of this had happened.”
Gandalf: “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
Being weak is definitely a disparaging situation. Are you going to let your weakness consume you, or are you gonna get up and find that fucking dog? Make a decision to not give a shit what other people are doing; we all start somewhere. Decide to be the best you can god damn be with what you have. God damn it.
NolanPower
70’s Big reader Nolan Power has gone to Sweden for the first ever IPF Raw World Championships. He decided to cut down to the 93kg class (the weight classes are different nowadays in the IPF). You can read his post about his planned attempts HERE; it’s part of his training log. The stream for the meet is in the post, and he lifts some time on Friday. Good luck, Matt.
Criley
I just learned this morning that Chris is now considered the first place winner in the 120+ weight class from the 2012 NAPF Raw Challenge that occurred at The Arnold Sports Festival in March. This means that he won his first international IPF meet, and it also means he is the North American Champion! The guy who won the weight class tested positive for some kind of PED, so he was disqualified.
To celebrate, here is a video of how Chris trains bench press:
In case you missed them in the Facebook/Twitter feeds, here are some videos of Mike and Chris training recently. Mike squats 530×3 pretty easily and then reverse band deadlifts 615×6; Chris rack pulls up to 675×3 about a month and a half after injuring his lower back. Oh, and this video was part of Chris’ “rehab” of working back into things; I’m linking it cause Mike says something funny at the end.
If you’re still hankering for more vids, then review the “hip torque” concept:
(Since I just finished Dune Messiah, the second novel in the Dune series)
Videos
These videos are pretty sweet, so they’ll take precedence over what I was gonna type.
First is Mike pulling 585×2 in his final workout before he has to start cutting weight to ace his PT test. If I’m not mistaken, he hit 581 at USAPL Raw Nationals in July, so this is significant improvement. The bar kinda gets away from him, but I think he could have gotten 600. Boom? Boom.
Here’s Chris squatting 590×2. Brent thinks he could have gotten a triple. Chris’ best comp squat is 600, and we’re hoping to blow by that in training.
Chris then went on to deadlift. I think the squats hampered his heavy pulling, because he only got 600×3 (he was going for 5). That and he’s been traveling and hasn’t pulled heavy in about a month. He compensated by dancing and pulling 585 for fun. Oh, and he’s still sporting his Halloween haircut.
