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Jim's Training to Become a Human Tank!

Can't figure out how to play it on my phone. Stupid YouTube...
 
That sure makes dead lifting look awkward.
 
What do suggest I do for my forearms on stones?

I was thinking just using athletic wrap down the forearm and tape the wrist.
 
What do suggest I do for my forearms on stones?

I was thinking just using athletic wrap down the forearm and tape the wrist.

Athletic tape will probably tear.


My first show I went bare skin, which works just fine but requires a bit more tacky on the forearms for it to stick. (plus there's always the chance you get staph)


A lot of guys just use duct tape. 2-3 strips down the inside of the forearm and then 3 horizontal strips around the arm. 1 at the wrist, 1 in the middle of the arm, and 1 just below the elbow.
 
Athletic tape will probably tear.My first show I went bare skin, which works just fine but requires a bit more tacky on the forearms for it to stick. (plus there's always the chance you get staph)A lot of guys just use duct tape. 2-3 strips down the inside of the forearm and then 3 horizontal strips around the arm. 1 at the wrist, 1 in the middle of the arm, and 1 just below the elbow.
Don't have any tacky and wasnt planning on buying it, might beg and borrow if I see anyone with it the day of the meet.Last time I did stones, I still have scars from it, lol.I'll try athletic wrap with duct tape. I've seen guys cut a sleeve off that covers the forearm and taped both ends.
 
Don't have any tacky and wasnt planning on buying it, might beg and borrow if I see anyone with it the day of the meet.Last time I did stones, I still have scars from it, lol.I'll try athletic wrap with duct tape. I've seen guys cut a sleeve off that covers the forearm and taped both ends.

Someone there will most likely have some, and I've never seen anyone refuse to share it.
 
Also, got hit with some bad news recently. The gym is closing on April 26. So, I'm trying to get a rack and weights in the very near future so that I can start training in the garage (a little sooner than planned).


I should be making stones this week (I'm gonna make a 120, 175, 230, and 300 tomorrow) and then I'll get some lead shot and make a 270 and 340 after.

I'll be ordering another TPB soon, and as of now have the single TPB and a SSB (came in today). I plan to get a rack, and right now I'm shopping around so if you guys have any suggestions on where to get a good rack for a decent price I'm all ears. I plan to call power-lift tomorrow to get some prices on some of there equipment and will call pro maxima for the same thing as well. I don't plan to get any dumbbells for at least a little while, and will probably just get some plate loadable handles (saw an awesome one on spud that can be loaded to over 500 pounds, Kroc Row goals?) and will get DBs as I can after I have enough weight to meet my immediate needs.


What kind of weight plates do you guys recommend? I can get some cast ones over at academy for a decent price, but I'm willing to bet that they don't last incredibly long. I can order a 500# set from EFS (I think it was EFS) and get a TPB from them, but they only give 4 45's with that, and then a bunch of 35's (who even uses 35's, no one?).


I plan to get most of my implements from pit bull (the prices are good and everything I've heard is good quality wise), but I'm not too worried about that right now since I can't do any implement work anyway (and I don't plan to compete any more this year), and right now I'm just worried about getting the basics so that I can start training.
 
I'd Craigslist hunt for random metal plates and then order a bumper set if it were me.

I think there's something called a Kroc Handle too lol.
 
I'd Craigslist hunt for random metal plates and then order a bumper set if it were me.

I think there's something called a Kroc Handle too lol.


I've been checking craigslist, but haven't had a lot of luck yet. Mostly guys just getting rid of random 10's and ****. Plus, I reallly, really, hate when **** isn't the same so it bothers me to have different types of plates and **** on a bar.....


My buddy says scrap yards normally have a lot of plates and they can be had for 30-50 cents per pound.
 
What's your gym going to do with their equipment? Maybe you can get some of it for a deal.
 
Lol. I bet he is!
 
So my wife found some place selling a bunch of plate weights about 40 minutes away that we are going to check out on Sunday. Says they sell for 60 to 70 cents per pound (depending on condition) but I might try to get them for about 50 if I can. Also, found a guy willing to sell 6 100# plates for 75 cents a pound (I might send him an email and try to get all 6 for 300), but I'm not sure I need any 100# plates.


Also, I called pro maxima today about the Texas Power Rack (sumo base, band pegs, 1000+# limit, pull-up bars) and they charge $570 for those (and I need 2), which isn't terrible for a quality rack. I might try to talk them down a little (although, I'm not sure they can do much that way). They also have a multi rack, that could work for both of us to use at the same time which might be cheaper (and maybe even more convenient). What say you guys? Two racks, or try to work out of 1 multi rack?

Link for multi so you can see what I mean: Invalid Link Removed


Also, for those of you who already have your own gyms, how thick should I get the rubber flooring? Is 8mm going to be thick enough or do I need to get 3/8"? I plan to get enough to cover about half of the garage floor (parts not covered by the racks) to do DLs and most everything that isn't done in the rack, and want to have enough extra to add some extra padding to where I plan to do stones. Ideally, I'd want it to be thick enough that I can dump the log from overhead if I need to, but I also plan to get tires for that anyway.
 
Call me old fashioned Jim, but you could just get one rack, use the same bar, and do a bit of loading/ unloading between sets.
 
3/4" horse stall mats should be pretty cheapo, Jim. Those will take a rhinoceros charge. Don't know what to say on the racks, I'd probably go with one.

EDIT: Also, what Ace said.
 
3/4" horse stall mats should be pretty cheapo, Jim. Those will take a rhinoceros charge. Don't know what to say on the racks, I'd probably go with one.

EDIT: Also, what Ace said.

Hmm, I'll have to look around for that then. A cursory check shows it to be expensive (online), I can get the 8mm thick for 1.25 per sq ft. 1/2" for 1.99 per sq ft. From what I've found so far the horse stall mats are 2.25 per sq ft (although they are much thicker too).


Does that sound about right?
 
Perhaps it's a regional thing, but I can get mine at the local Tractor Supply for $1.67 a square foot.
 
Yeah, 4x6 for $39.99. Good old tractor supply. One day this summer I'm going to clear out the shed, tear up the floor, reinforce it, refloor it, and then floor the whole thing with the mats. My current use for the mats is for pulling, I bought two mats and cut them into rectangles and can stack them to create blocks and deficits.

EDIT: Nevermind on the project. I could do that in a day, but materials would be way out of my budget.
 
Another vote for the mats from TSC. I used them on my pulling blocks and have seen them used as gym flooring. As mentioned, cheap and bulletproof.
 
You going to be on a concrete pad that you care about?
 
My first set.


116, 173, 228, 336.



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I might concrete patch the outside to fill in the holes later. Planning to make two more, something around 260-270 and then something around 300. Maybe a 365 too.
 
My first set.


116, 173, 228, 336.



Invalid Link Removed

I might concrete patch the outside to fill in the holes later. Planning to make two more, something around 260-270 and then something around 300. Maybe a 365 too.

Nice. Just pour concrete into a form I assume?
 
It's just concrete, or do you add something to toughen them up? I'd imagine they wouldn't be too tough without rebar....
 
It's just concrete, or do you add something to toughen them up? I'd imagine they wouldn't be too tough without rebar....

They're solid with just concrete, when you put inserts in you're supposed to add some type of fiber to them (Slater sells it), but Idk anyone who has.



They can break if you just drop them onto a hard surface from a decent height, which is why everyone always has rubber mats around where they load stones. Honestly, I've never seen one break, but I have seen them take chunks out of concrete floors when dropped onto it without mats.
 
My first set.

116, 173, 228, 336.

<img src="http://anabolicminds.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=99827"/>

I might concrete patch the outside to fill in the holes later. Planning to make two more, something around 260-270 and then something around 300. Maybe a 365 too.

Easter bunny hooked you up young James!
 
Over time even with mats the concrete slab will crack. For the higher volume lifting like deadlifts, id do maybe a little more than just a rubber mat. Maybe build a small deadlift platform?
 
The way I heard it, concrete's guaranteed to do two things: get hard and crack. YOLO
 
Over time even with mats the concrete slab will crack. For the higher volume lifting like deadlifts, id do maybe a little more than just a rubber mat. Maybe build a small deadlift platform?
If I do that I will probably just lay plywood across the whole garage floor.


Which isn't too ridiculous, really.
3 layers of plywood boards, mats, carpet
Carpet?
The way I heard it, concrete's guaranteed to do two things: get hard and crack. YOLO

Fact.


I am going to double up the mats where the stone platform will be (don't want the stones to crack!) and I am pretty sure I'm gonna put a sheet of plywood across the wall in that same spot (to hopefully protect the sheetrock a little bit).
 
This is what I did on Monday for ME Upper:



Strict OHP: 135 x 2, 145 x 2, 150 x 2, 155 x 2

I didn't have too much pain with these, and what pain I did have was primarily with the unrack. I was, however, having a lot of stability issues with the OHP so I'm going to have to keep an eye on that to make sure it doesn't become an issue....


Klokov Press: 85 x 10, 95 x 10, 95 x 7

Machine Row (because I can't do bent over row variants): 120 x 12, 140 x 12, 160 x 12

a1. Lateral Raise: 15 x 12 x 3
a2. Band Pushdown: Purple Band x 15 x 3
a3. Band Facepull: Red x 25 x 3



Also, made another atlas stone today. Should be ready to crack open in ~2 days, and should weigh ~300#.
 
Missed my workout this morning, which isn't a really big deal, and I'll make it up tomorrow.


I needed the extra sleep anyway, I've been waking up early and going to bed late a lot this week trying to get everything ready for us to train on Monday. Got 5 stones now (116, 173, 228, 302, 336) and plan to make 1 or 2 more. Picking up my rack tomorrow, walls are almost done being painted (and will be done this weekend), getting rubber flooring this weekend. Bench should be here Monday, bought about 950# of plates already, and am planning on getting a couple of plate loadable dumbbell handles next week. Still need an inclining bench, have a log bar now, still have to sand and paint the ceiling in my front room (although it is patched now).


So much to do, so little time.....
 
James coming through with the set up fast. Nice man
Really looks like things are starting to come together for that gym.
 
Really looks like things are starting to come together for that gym.

If my gym closed Id be screwed for awhile. Not a lot of younger guys...or I guess Americans in general are good at saving to be prepared. I am impressed.
 
Or maybe I won't....



Woke up this morning, and went down to Pro Maxima to pick up the rack and was told that some random sales rep apparently called the manufacturing plant and told them that I said I wouldn't be there to pick it up until Monday. So, it wasn't ready. They told me they were going to paint it if I wanted to wait 1.5-2 hours for it, but I didn't have that kind of time because I had to get to work.


So, I'm heading down again to pick it up tomorrow morning. Along with an inclining bench that I bought from them today (they gave me a discount and put a rush on it for free so that it would also be done on Saturday). And, because of all this BS, I wasn't able to get home early enough to train, and barely made it to work on time too.



Bleh.


So now I'm picking that up tomorrow, then heading to the gym to train and pick up the rest of my equipment from their and bring it to the house, then renting a bigger truck and going to get the flooring from tractor supply, getting more paint and hopefully finishing all of the painting tomorrow (I don't want to do it on Sunday).......
 
If my gym closed Id be screwed for awhile. Not a lot of younger guys...or I guess Americans in general are good at saving to be prepared. I am impressed.

I actually haven't even dipped into the savings yet. I'm trying not to actually, so that it can remain intact....



My real issue at this point is time. I still need to build a platform for me to load the stones onto (maybe a project for next week). I'm not in too big of a hurry to do that since I can't load stones yet anyway, but I still want it to be done. (along with the fact that I need to figure out what dimensions I want for it so that I can get the plywood backing to protect the sheetrock a little bit).
 
I had no idea if the CEO status. You the man! Haha and yea, you can build I decent deadlift platform once you have supplies and what you wanna do in a few hours. That said I don't know the type of platform you are gonna need with all you do in training.
 
I had no idea if the CEO status. You the man! Haha and yea, you can build I decent deadlift platform once you have supplies and what you wanna do in a few hours. That said I don't know the type of platform you are gonna need with all you do in training.

Lol, that $11.00 an hour status. I just don't usually buy anything besides food (and obviously paying the minimal bills that I have) so my money tends to save pile up for when I need it (like now, or when my distributor goes out lol)

As far as platform, I only am worried about a platform to load stones onto. Base height of close to 44" probably, with boxes that I can place on it (and each other) to a max height of ~65. Ideally, I'd like it to be long enough to load 5 stones onto in a stone run, and wide enough to set the bigger stones onto.

I'll have to do some measurements this week and figure out how much the lumber is gonna cost....


Also, picked up the rack and inclining bench today. Also, got some bands from my buddy (he owed me money) so I'm good there for now. Got all of the horse stall mats today (312 sq ft worth), and almost all of the painting is done. Need to put a second coat of black on the stripe, and the second coat over the ceiling and I'm done painting. (until I paint the words, in silver, in the black stripe) Will lay the rubber flooring down tomorrow, and assemble the rack and do some organizing, and I should be good to train on Monday. I'll probably order the dumbbell handles this week, but I might not. Then, my main focus will be my strongman equipment and a GHR. I'd like to get a Reverse Hyper, but it will probably be a while before I do that because it isn't 100% necessary and is pretty damn expensive.




Also, probably gonna go pick up some plain white siding tomorrow so that I can put it up on the wall to use as a dry erase board (for keeping track of PRs in various lifts, and writing the days workout on).
 
How's the back feeling anyway? Did you ever figure out what exactly was wrong? Also, what kind of training can you do with that injury?
 
Post pics as you go!


65" platform to load stones to? Holy ****, 50" today was high!
 
How's the back feeling anyway? Did you ever figure out what exactly was wrong? Also, what kind of training can you do with that injury?

It is better. It was sore this morning, but I can bend most of the way over, run, jump (to a certain extent), etc. I don't intend to start doing any deadlifting/squatting/events quite yet, but I should be good to do some light weight assistance type work this week. Probably mostly lunges and bridges, I might give some light good mornings a try this week.

Upper body work should be fine for the most part, I might not be doing any heavy bent over rows (or bent over rows at all), but everything else shouldn't be much of a problem. Basically, I'm gonna see what I can do and if it hurts I'm going to stop doing it.


I can't be 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure it was just a strain in the SIJ that was causing spasms and shooting pain. I can definitely do a lot more now than I could last week though, so that's a good sign.
 
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