Luke Whippo- strongman journal part 2

[luke.w]

I'll start a new journal for the new year!

stats: 26 years old
5'8, I'm staying around 185lbs now! was 175lbs in August.

started "working out" around 21 years old (unhealthy and out of shape) was never an athlete in high school, I did "mountain bike", witch built my legs up, but I stopped that around 17, I worked for my families "sreen printing" business in the summers ever since I was 13, lifting 5gal buckets of ink all day and other back breaking work for a teenager, I wasn't very strong, but my body got tough. I was still a skinny 130lber when I graduated, then I got fatter around 20. I had smoked cigarettes and other things all through my teens and totally quit that around 23.

Started strongman training in the spring of 2003, and entered my first contest nov 1st 2003, I came in dead last in every event (was a good learning experiance).
trained my ass off!!!
competed april 3, 2003- won 5th place.
competed august 7, 2003- won 7th place.
competed october 23, 2003- tied for second place- 1st place in 2 events!!!

in nov. 2003 I could barely even take 2 steps with a 640lb "super yoke", now I can walk with 640lbs. (600lbs easy on concrete)
I could only flip a 700lb tire 2 times at a max effort, now I can flip a 750lber nearly 10 times.
200lbs "farmers walks" were heavy as hell, now 250lb "farmers" feels that way.
I couldn't push press 180lb over my head, now I can rep it.

This is some of the strength gains I've made so far,I'll be competeing in Maryland's 2005 season, I'm not interested in the am. natonals IF I WERE TO QUALIFY, I'm competing for the fun of doing this stuff, and my other goals are to become as strong as I can. (I'm not interested in getting really big) if I do get bigger, then I get bigger, but I'm not obsessed with size.

I'm working to carry a heavy "super yoke" for a long distance.
I want a strong looking mid-section so I'm doing one-armed farmers walks, carrying the yoke on my shoulder, one-armed overhead lifts, to really hit the obliques this year, and I'm doing serious neck and grip work as this plays a big role in overall strength plus I love neck and grip training.





Monday 12/06/04
All I did today was grip training and practicing the "bent press".

I'm doing the "bent press" with LIGHT weight to get a feel for the movement as it's tough, the "bent press" is rarley performed anymore, but it works the obliques great and even though SOME of the oldtimers exaggerated in most of their poundages, I'm told some serious weight can be lifted in this fashion.(more than a 2-handed press) it's a one-handed lift, that uses the back muscles, not the shoulders, since the lifter leans way down on one side side. Plus I've seen pics. of Saxson,sandow,grimick, and many other oldtimers with inceridable mid-sections (no drugs in thise days).

40lb barbell "bent press" 45lb dunbell "windmill"
attempted a "bent press" with my 75lb 2"bar (no lift) My first goal in this lift.

grip: grippers, plate wrist curl, 2-hand plate pinch.
25lb plate wrist curl, single left hand PR.
135lb 2-hand plate pinch,single PR.
I still suck at grippers failed coc#2 (so close), but closed "hg200" with left hand PR.
cheat closed coc#3 and held over parallel for 20secs. (nice and strong no this).

[luke.w]

tuesday 12/07/04

backwards "sled drag"
carried 125lb and 175lb sandbag 100' to sled +5lb plate =305lbs in sled.

2-50' warm-up drags

big set-approx. 100' nonstop,min rest,approx.70' (winded after that)

carried 125lb and 175lb bag 100' back (more winded now)

more rain, and the feild was muddy, my backyard ground is destroyed in some spots, from me carrying heavy things back and forth, because of all the rain.

[luke.w]

Wensday 12/08/04

SLDL 3"bar 155lbs-1 double, double overhand (easy)

2"axle clean and push press 185lbs- 2 singles (felt nice, good power clean)

11" wooden log clean and push press 161lbs- 1 single (easy, did a kneebend)

2"axle "high pulls" 213lbs- 1 double (very easy)

deadlift- 320lbs off a 45lb plate- 1single (simple) went up fast.
deadlift- 335lbs off floor- 1 single double overhand (simple)

2-hand plate pinch 135lbs for a 5-10sec hold (making easy work of this too)

SLDL 3"bar 155lbs- 1 triple, double overhand (making easy work of this)

cheat curl regular bar (first time doing these with a reg. bar)
cheat curl 135lbs- 1 double (very easy, had more in me for sure)

I never do curls, I like cheat curls, no one does them much anymore, I guess because of risk of injury, but like any exercise theres a right way, and a wrong way, and a strong core also helps.
I lean forward with the bar on my upper thighs and explode with the hips, the bar just pops right up, I don't lean far back at all, witch I THINK might be the wrong way. I think it's a great exercise. I should try a slow neg. next time.

Great training today I feel very strong, and the thing is, I'm sick, he!he! "head cold", and slight temp.

[SurfinAmy]

Originally Posted by luke.w

Started strongman training in the spring of 2003, and entered my first contest nov 1st 2003, I came in dead last in every event (was a good learning experiance).
trained my ass off!!!
competed april 3, 2003- won 5th place.
competed august 7, 2003- won 7th place.
competed october 23, 2003- tied for second place- 1st place in 2 events!!!

in nov. 2003 I could barely even take 2 steps with a 640lb "super yoke", now I can walk with 640lbs. (600lbs easy on concrete)
I could only flip a 700lb tire 2 times at a max effort, now I can flip a 750lber nearly 10 times.
200lbs "farmers walks" were heavy as hell, now 250lb "farmers" feels that way.
I couldn't push press 180lb over my head, now I can rep it.

This is some of the strength gains I've made so far,I'll be competeing in Maryland's 2005 season,

I'm doing the "bent press" with LIGHT weight to get a feel for the movement as it's tough, the "bent press" is rarley performed anymore, but it works the obliques great and even though SOME of the oldtimers exaggerated in most of their poundages, I'm told some serious weight can be lifted in this fashion.(more than a 2-handed press) it's a one-handed lift, that uses the back muscles, not the shoulders, since the lifter leans way down on one side side. Plus I've seen pics. of Saxson,sandow,grimick, and many other oldtimers with inceridable mid-sections (no drugs in thise days).

Wow Luke! Really impressive stuff! : Pretty incredible! I wish you luck (well, luck doesn't really have anything to do with it huh ) in Marylands 2005 season. Hopefully you will post some pics of some of this stuff, I think it would be really interesting to check out.

Like you I'm also going to be adding in some work on my grip.

Wish I had a pic of this bent press you're describing.

Happy day to you -

-Amy

[luke.w]

thanks for reading Amy, yes I want to post some pics, there are a few pics of me on www.samson-power.com go to "contest coverage"- go to "weekend workouts", these were taken 7/27/03 I'm loading stones, at the time I HAD BLEECHED hair (little long), I look way differant now!. their are also many cool pics on that site, if anyone wants to check them out.

[SurfinAmy]

Luke, I wanted to check it out, but couldn't access the site even after clicking "skip intro" !!
-Amy

[luke.w]

Originally Posted by SurfinAmy

Luke, I wanted to check it out, but couldn't access the site even after clicking "skip intro" !!
-Amy

that sucks, it works fine for me.

[luke.w]

thurs. 12/09/04
yoke routine, did this in the rain, and I was sick!!!

sat. 12/11/04
partial overhead squat/supported 244lb yoke overhaed and held for 10sec. PR weight (very easy)

one armed farmers walk 171lbs, 2"handle 100' ea arm (easy)


sun. 12/12/04
yoke routine
yoke lift under deck 6th hole(lockout) 655lbs 10sec hold (easy)
right shoulder carry- 165lbs 50' out to feild
yoke walk 5th hole (nipple level) 425lbs 100-150' warm-up 425lbs 300' (feelin nice)
yoke lift 4th hole (upper ab level) 355lbs single (simple)
left shoulder carry 165lbs 50' back to house.


mon. 12/13/04
2"axle clean and press 185lbs, My form was off on the clean (maybe not warmed -up enough)
1 single, 1double, 1 single
(missed a striaght clean once) it's bound to happen with a thickbar.

2"axle "high pulls" 215lbs 1triple (felt good)

deadlift 320lbs- single, standing on 45lb plate
deadlift 335lbs- 1-double, standing on a 45lb plate (simple)

[abarlament]

Nice workout luke, keep it up. PS man where's the keg?

[luke.w]

Originally Posted by abarlament

Nice workout luke, keep it up. PS man where's the keg?

I take a break on the keg now and then abarlament, everytime I add water to it, I struggle with it, and when I take a few weeks off from it, the keg feels much easier. The log might be more important though, I think the log will be used this season.

[luke.w]

tuesday 12/14/04
placed sandbag on top of my 30gal. drum. Loaded the sandbag to 325lbs.
this bag is fat and rock solid, when I bearhug it, my fingers just lock.

I bearhugged and locked out the 325lb bag (it felt tough)

I lifted it again (felt much better) I stepped back and did 2 front squats (approx. parallel) PR.

I duct taped a 25lb bag on top (350lbs) I bearhugged it and locked it out, off the top of the drum, I took 1 step back, turned, and took a few steps forward and stood at attention with the bag for a good 10 count.

(this was tough, but I felt I had more in me) I'll do this from time to time, working up to a 400lb bag.

deadlift 320lbs, single standing on a 45lb plate
deadlift 340lbs, 1-single, standing on a 45lb plate (simple)

I'm excited about these DL's, I feel if I keep doing this, and the yoke squat starting from the bottom position, 4th hole (upper ab level) and only doing 1-set, 1-3reps, I'll get some big numbers in the squat and deadlift.

I'm really learning how strength and weightlifting is a skill, and the do or die sets "attitude" should be left for a competition or, when your you get together with other strength athletes from other states, and everyone is trying to hit PR's, doing that in training just eventually sets long platuoes. I have a theory that everything I do can be very effective in bodybuilding too.

[luke.w]

Haven't had much time to update lately.

PARTIAL "overhead squat" with the "yoke" 250lbs- supported overhead and held for 10sec. PR weight (felt real easy).

one-armed farmers walk 175lbs, 2"handle- 50',turn,50' ea. arm (pretty tough) I'll add 2-4lbs ea. time and go shorter distance (in a circle,no turns) till it gets easier, so I don't hit a platoue.

keg clean and press 150-160lbs- I've been getting the clean on the first try and I did a STRICT press with it (I had to take a step forward to press it though) If I use too much leg drive on the keg, I lose control of it and drop it.

2"axle- I want more overhead pratice, so I did 1-continental clean and 3- "power jerks" at 190lbs (felt real good) I'll keep doing 1-clean (continental stlye) so I can get over 200lbs in the overhead.
2"axle "high pulls" 217lbs- a few singles and a double (felt good).

deadlift 340lbs - standing on 1-45lb plate for 1-triple (simple), double overhand


wensday 12/22/04
"yoke" routine-

"yoke lift" crossbar on 6th hole (lockout) 670lbs- 10sec. hold (easy)
"yoke walk" crossbar on 5th hole (nipple level) 440lbs 100',warm-up, 300' back (feels as easy as 400lbs did).
"yoke squat" crossbar on 4th hole (upper ab level) 370lbs- 1-single (simple)
"yoke" left and right shoulder carry 180lbs -100' ea side (easy).

this is good training, I'm adding weight every workout, and these poundages aren't beating me up too bad, at all.

[SurfinAmy]

Originally Posted by luke.w

tuesday 12/14/04
placed sandbag on top of my 30gal. drum. Loaded the sandbag to 325lbs.
this bag is fat and rock solid, when I bearhug it, my fingers just lock.

I bearhugged and locked out the 325lb bag (it felt tough)

I lifted it again (felt much better) I stepped back and did 2 front squats (approx. parallel) PR.

I duct taped a 25lb bag on top (350lbs) I bearhugged it and locked it out, off the top of the drum, I took 1 step back, turned, and took a few steps forward and stood at attention with the bag for a good 10 count.

(this was tough, but I felt I had more in me) I'll do this from time to time, working up to a 400lb bag.

I have a theory that everything I do can be very effective in bodybuilding too.

uh...ya....I think its building your body alright! :
-Amy

[luke.w]

I got Marylands contest schedule for 2005, It will be 2-contests this year with a big increase in the weights used.

The first is "Mid-Atlantic strongest Man" on May 7th, then "Maryland Strongest Man" on August 6th.

Events for the Mid-Atlantic 200lb class are:

"Apollon's Axle" clean and press for reps (ea. rep must be cleaned), good call at the lockout, with head through- 210lbs 60sec.

"Atlas stone" load, 6-stones, 235lb-325lbs 90sec.

Sandbag carry/chain drag, 50ft ea.- 250lb bag/500lb chain

farmers walk/super yoke, 20yards ea.- 250lb an arm farmers/700lb yoke 90sec.

conan's wheel- 480lb loaded (approx 600lbs)

tire flip- 680lb - 12 flips in 90sec.

I'm very excited, I need to work on everything, the biggest things are the axle presses, heavy yoke walks, core strength for the stones, and strength endurance for the tire flips,I actually need more endurance for all the events.

[luke.w]

Saturday 1/15/05

strict overhead presses- 145lb barbell clean and 2-singles

one-armed sandbag 75lbs "press-ups" ordanary press 2-reps each arm.

2"axle continental clean and "power jerk" 197.5lbs 1-clean, 2-power jerks. (felt pretty good)

deadlifts- 330lbs 1-single off 100lb plate
deadlift- 355lbs 1-single off 45lb plate (simple)


I'm very comortable with deadlifts now, so it's time to take it up a notch, every couple of weeks I'll add an extra 10-20lbs and do a single from the floor. My starting weight has gone up 10lbs(330lbs) and a higher platform (100lb plate)
these are going to help me with pulling the 500lb "farmers" implements off the ground the begining of the pull is my weakness.

I'm not doing any long distance super-yoke, I'm only going to stick to lockouts (hopefully 800lbs will be easy by contest) and I'll do a heavy walk on pavement (over 600lbs) every few weeks.


sunday 1/16/05
grip- Hitting a ton of PR's in grip, I still suck at the grippers, and bending, if everything else keeps going up, I MIGHT enter this years "Global Grip Challenge"