Off-season - Axle (rep PR) & Stones and some programming observations.
I am currently in an "off-season" phase focused on putting on some serious bodyweight while still getting stronger. I'm also raising an awesome baby boy, while still working, training and living life. My next competition will be the USS National Championship in late June where I'll be competing in the 220# class.
This was my third time training events since October, so I'm getting back in the swing of things. I had a good session and it felt good to hit atlas stones again. I haven't loaded a stone since February of last year. It just so happened that every contest I had competed in after The Arnold through England didn't have atlas stones.
I've also found a correlation between my deadlift progress and my loading event training (stones and kegs). My deadlift has felt a bit "off" since after England. Then I had the hamstring injury and that set me back a little more. While the hamstring is doing great my deadlift still feels off. I also looked back through my training logs and noticed that the times I was loading atlas stones and/or kegs my deadlift was progressing nicely and felt good. At times when I wasn't training a loading event my deadlift has been off. I'm still not saying it's the cause, but I think I'm onto something. These next few weeks will tell.
Speaking of atlas stones - there's just something very demanding about loading stones. They wipe me out more than heavy deadlifts or squats. I took a nap on Saturday and that never happens. I was wrecked and my body ached, in a good way.
1.17.15
A. Axle Clean & Press (Clean once)
95x5
135x3
185x3
215x3
245x3
275x9 - PR
215x6
215x6
215x6
215x6
B. Atlas Stones (to 52 inches)
160x5
230x5
260x5
230x5