I haven't been around much and for that I apologize. Lack of internet access sucks. But anyway, I just got finished competing in Iowa's strongest man today in Des Moines.
This was a big contest for me for a couple reasons. One, its pretty much my first of the season, so its always nice to start off on a good note, and two, the bigger reason, was that I decided to drop a weight class into the 175's recently and this would be my first show at that class. There were 60 total competitors and it was super well run. Great show overall. Plus, Chris Dorr from the forum came out to watch which was awesome, its always great to meet more forum members.
On to the show.
This was the first time I have ever really had to make weight for a contest so I was pretty nervous about it, but no sweat. I weighed in at 173 for the contest at 8:00 am this morning and then dominated a bunch of muscle milk and some bagels. This was probably my biggest mistake pre-contest. Muscle milk apparently makes me really bloated. Not doing this again, but I got over it quick.
-Event 1 - Log Overhead Press for reps 200 lbs - I need to mention how much I hate pressing on a log. I haven't really trained my overhead at all for about 2-3 months, especially not heavy so I had no idea how this would go. I got zero reps, which sucked and wasn't the way I wanted to start the day. This is the last straw with this and I have started taking some action to fix my overhead problems.
-Event 2 - 225 lbs per hand Farmers Walk for 80 feet - fastest run wins. I just had to shake it off here and focus on the rest of the contest. I did my run in 12.5 seconds which was good enough for 1st. Awesome, last to first! I was also the only lightweight not to drop them.
-Event 3 - Trap Bar Deadlift for reps 450 lbs in 60 seconds - Now I was pumped up and ready to go. I Pulled 6 without stopping and then set it down to rest. 8 was the leader so far and the guy I was going head to head with was right on pace with me. I started again and the judges were getting really into it. It was a race between me and the other guy. He pulled a 10th rep right after I did and with about 8 seconds left I managed to pull the ugliest 11th rep I could manage. I almost fell over mid rep, but I got it. 11 reps, 1st place...two in a row, feeling good.
-Event 4 - Keg Load to 48 inch platform. 5 kegs from 175-275 as fast as possible. I was the last guy to go and had to beat 5 kegs in 30 seconds. I went through all as fast as I could, but just wasn't quite fast enough. I finished in 35 seconds which was still good for 2nd. Another thing I really need to work on is my explosive abilities, and doing the breakout session with Dos at The Summit should help with that.
I ended up in 2nd place overall which I was happy with. The guy who won definatly deserved it and put together an amazing day. He never finished below 2nd place. I need to become more consistant with my overhead pressing, getting a zero in an event sucks, especially with only 4 events. It was actually almost impossible for me to win after that.
I am feeling really good right now and am definatly pumped about how my strength has stayed up while dropping weight and I am really excited to enter another season of strongman.
I should have some pictures up in the next couple days and I think Chris took some too, so hopefully he will post his.
Danny
__________________
Limitations are for people who have them.
__________________
"Rust on a nail builds tetanus. Rust on a barbell builds character, strength, and attitude." -EC
"Don't spend your life wishing. Spend it doing." -FishrCutB8
"You're a mutant, like a snake with two heads or a cat shy one nipple. Be thankful that your mutation is helpful." - LD
Nice job man! I was especially impressed by the farmer walk and deads, I'm 180 and my max is 450 . That's really strong, and now you're the 2nd strongest 175lber in Iowa, I wouldn't mess with you .
Impressive as always DK! Your lower body strength is fucking amazing.
__________________
Working "hard," or the perception of working hard, doesn't really mean anything. Sweating, vomiting, and breathing hard could be a good workout or a tropical disease kicking in.-Dan John
Woo Hoo!!!! Well done mate! Feel like I was there Looking forward to the pics!
__________________
Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable. -- Sidney J. Harris
Danny beat me to posting this. Also beware that this might be a bit long winded!
Yesterday my wife and I made the trip to Des Moines to watch Danny compete and watch the festivities.
We arrived right on time and made it into the event. The first person I spotted was Jesse Marunde. I went and introduced myself to him. if you have never met one of these guys you have no idea how huge they are. I shook hands with him and his hands dwarfed my hand. I couldn't believe it.
Any how the events were about to start and I finally spotted Danny. I think he was hiding in the back or perhaps the bathroom...after hearing about the Muscle Milk. After the 3 masters went it was time for Danny to do his thing on the log press.
As Danny said the log didn't go so well. But he knows it and I know he'll come around and make it one of his strongest events.
Next up the farmers walk. Again after the masters Danny was up. I thought it was 225 per hand, but Danny says it was 200. Either way it was awesome watching these guys go with it. The 175's in each hand were carrying more than they weighed. Can you believe that? Danny's run was nice and smooth and no drops as he said (I think my wife might have some video of it...I'll have to check and see)
Next up the deadlift for reps. This one was pretty exciting when it was Danny vs Zeb. Jesse (the MC and Willie) were going back and forth between Danny on the counts. Willie had given the dead lift to Zeb and then Danny cranked out his 11th rep to over take Zeb. Very impressive effort.
(that's either Danny's sister or girlfriend on the right I believe)
After the dead lift was the keg relay. We stayed just long enough to watch the 175's go through and some of the higher one's. Unfortunately I didn't get any good pictures of it...well what I could consider good. So hopefully Danny's got some of those.
That was it. Danny's run was nice and smooth without to much problems in my opinion, but as he said it was just a bit to long.
Best of all Danny's qualified for nationals and it sounds like he's got 3 or 4 more contests in the 175's that will allow him to get some good practice in.
It was great to finally meet Danny and sit down and talk with him. Perhaps there will be another time.
Alco - I decided to drop because I was having a hard time maintaining around 200 and was coming into too many contests 10-15 lbs light so I decided for now it would just be easier to drop a class and be at the top of that one than gain to try to be at the top of the 200's. Plus I am stronger as a 175
Chris - Thanks for putting up the pics man! Thats awesome! It was great to meet you. Hopefully soon I will be posting some pics and a write up of your first contest. Let me know as soon as you have one picked out.
Danny
__________________
Limitations are for people who have them.
Dear Danny,
Clearly your inability to place first was directly proportional to your bicep strength.
I carefully performed analysis on the video provided in one of the posts above, and I believe I have a solution to your second place embarrassment:
a. You must incorporate some descending, hyper-periodized, angled decelerating bicep curls into your training routine. I suggest the Cybex bicep curl station for such a venture. This type of training is quite intense and would be considered highly specified for those of high qualification. You are not one of those people, however I believe it is what is holding you back and therefore must be considered as a legitimate training staple.
Based on your somatotype and the vector of your pulling mechanism (again, as evidenced in the video) I would use a sliding, hypo-minded, transgressing set/rep scenario (i.e. take the calories of your breakfast, multiply it by 2 and then subtract your body weight. Invert that number twice, and you will have your set/rep platform).
b. I don't think that the explosive training that you suggested would be worth much, but I do believe that some long-slow distance cardio in conjunction with a Polar heart rate monitor would be best. I believe that you should consult a heart rate expert at Life Time fitness for guidance here.
Dear Danny,
Clearly your inability to place first was directly proportional to your bicep strength.
I carefully performed analysis on the video provided in one of the posts above, and I believe I have a solution to your second place embarrassment:
a. You must incorporate some descending, hyper-periodized, angled decelerating bicep curls into your training routine. I suggest the Cybex bicep curl station for such a venture. This type of training is quite intense and would be considered highly specified for those of high qualification. You are not one of those people, however I believe it is what is holding you back and therefore must be considered as a legitimate training staple.
Based on your somatotype and the vector of your pulling mechanism (again, as evidenced in the video) I would use a sliding, hypo-minded, transgressing set/rep scenario (i.e. take the calories of your breakfast, multiply it by 2 and then subtract your body weight. Invert that number twice, and you will have your set/rep platform).
b. I don't think that the explosive training that you suggested would be worth much, but I do believe that some long-slow distance cardio in conjunction with a Polar heart rate monitor would be best. I believe that you should consult a heart rate expert at Life Time fitness for guidance here.
All the best and good luck,
Brian Grasso
That's good advice. I'll add on to that, you definitely want to do all your squatting and deadlifting in the smith machine as well, that will build your power like you wouldn't believe.
__________________
I do not workout. I TRAIN.
I do not eat. I FEED.
I do not sleep. I RECHARGE.
My greatest fear in this life is the fear of being ordinary.
Good stuff. Were you able to push press or jerk the log, or was it strict?
__________________
"The strongest steel goes through the hottest fires."-Anonymous
"When you begin to believe nothing is heavy, all weights become light." -Rossbow
"Just remember, somewhere there is a little Chinese girl warming up with your max."-Jim Convroy
"It's a round hole, dammit. Everyone fits."--Anonymous Mod at Strengthmill
Just when I think I've managed to gain some strength, Danny turns up and makes me feel like an anemic 8 year old girl!
That is some amazing work, Danny! Congrats on the great finish.
And Chris, thanks much for posting the report, photos and video.
__________________ The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. -- Carlos Castaneda
Iowa's Strongest Man
. That's really strong, and now you're the 2nd strongest 175lber in Iowa, I wouldn't mess with you 
.
Linear Mode
