I've been working through a series of injuries over the last 18 months to get back to a remotely decent level of strength on Atlas Stones. Loading Stones is one of the few exercises that I really care about. It is right up there with Deadlifting and Log Pressing. Nothing else, to me, REALLY matters.
About 18 months ago I heard and felt my right bicep POP while loading my 365 stone. Actually, I didn't actually load it. I took 4 months to rehab it and pulled it again with a 265 stone. Smashed that bicep again with a 500 lb bench press and it was a constant pain for about 6 months afterwards. Bicep cramps leading to tricep tears and lat tears (they are all connected at the shoulder) made training really frustrated.
So how big is loading the 365 stone? Last year at this time I had been training hard for 6 months JUST to load my 230 lb stone!
Sunday rolled around and I'd set a goal to load my 365 stone in 2016, and the weeks are getting smaller.
In a sweatshirt:
190, 230, 245, 265, 285 all loaded
Added tacky to my finger tips
310 x 1
Tacky Added
345 x 1, but not pretty on the load
365 x easy pick but not quite on the load
...and it was nearly lights out!
Back to the drawing board, accessory work, and diner table!