This year marked year 7 for Spud Inc going to the Arnold Classic as a vendor. Personally, if you count competitions and going to help or in the case of 2007, recover from a tricep year I have been to 12. Witnessed 1100 fall for the first time ever in the squat by Steve Goggins in 2003 to my best meet ever in 2006 where I squatted 1107 and totaled 2562. Watching the feats of strength over the years drop left and right is even more impressive as 1100 plus squats and 1000lb multiple pulls with the elephant bar. Additionally you get to see alot of your old pals as well as meet lots of new ones. Occasionally, I see get asked for a autograph which is cool any one still remembers your lifting.
Although being a vendor pales in comparison to competing there it is still fun. This year proved to be quite difficult going into it as we have had lots of things going on. Unfortunately, awhile back we both mentioned we thought we had our best crew of people ever and felt confident on moving on with the future plans as we made a bunch of big ones to promote and keep our family happy . I call it Disneyland as it is quite a magical place at Spud Inc. It really is something I have always fostered.
With the large amount of changes we were instituting, I took it upon myself to plan and execute this Arnold for the most part. We had lots of new products to take and posters I had made to help attract attention. We planned and did take alot of shit!
I try not to believe in jinxing but sure enough after alot of planning, one of our people came to us and said his wife was graduating and was going to take a job about 45 minutes away and he would have to take care of the kids. He is a great guy and what can you say to that. Luckily he will still be coming to the gym as a regular(unless saying this jinxes it too!, ha) He did come to us about two weeks before the Arnold and also give us till the end of March. Okay we are still good...
Well less then a week later, another employee who was slated to go to the Arnold with us came to us and said she was going to take a position at the hospital making a tad bit more money plus some better health benefits. No problem there, it is life and I get it. Alittle upset we did not know she was looking to go back after we made her full time and looked forward to seeing what she could really do. She has a good skill set and would have done great but such is life. She did give us till the middle of March. Very nice there but going to the Arnold is a perk as it is five days not at work work and a spectacle a person should see at least once in their life(not 12 as in my case) This was schedule change two by the way. After letting her know that we would take another person and she would have to stay and work, I got a letter and the key after the shift stating her departure was immediate. Having gone through this many times, I was not surprised. Schedule change three.
It is not over yet. Another chap who worked for us for about a year had already planned on qutting in April-ish. Not really sure as it was heresay as that changed moment to moment. Anyhow, he had asked for a Thursday/Friday off. You guessed it right at Arnold time. We told him he could not take it. Okay he says. Well not really, as he tells other people he plans to not show up those two days and beg for forgivness on Monday. The wife says go ask him now and sure enough he says, "yes" and that was his plan. Not sure what you expect at this moment but out you go. We will figure it out. Schedule change four.
We are a small company and with four of us going to the Arnold, a skeleton crew to work is saying it lightly. So where does it go.
We took off on Wednesday and get there, drop off everything at the convention center which went fine after a huge traffic jam in Charleston, WV and a small one in Charlotte. Next day is Thursday after a swell meal and a couple of beers on Wednesday, we wake up to set up and I get several calls and messages from our managers. One text read to a break in at one of the stores. Yep, Wednesday night someone, breaks in through the side of the wall of the building!. They rip out a 4 footby 4 foot section trying to find the best way in. So while setting up the booth all day, there is that going on with coordinating getting it fixed up enough and talking with investigators. We hammer on and get done about 5pm. Enough time to eat and relax a bit again.
The end result is the Arnold went great and we got to see lots of people and hang out. The kids we took did a fabulous job and got to see things they have never seen before. Taking pictures with people they only get to see on social media who were all super gracious from Larry Wheels to Stan the Man Efferding to Mike Tuchscherer. Watching the kids light up at this makes it all worthwhile. Trully glad they had a good time.There are a few more ups and downs but all in all it is never about all the challenges you face, but getting up and moving on. "Tis but a flesh wound!" All in all another great Arnold in the books. It went by so fast....again.
3/9
Stepmill 20 min
Me Tim Tam locked up so I had to break out the BT XWIFE and roll out the hips and guts along with the pecs and arms. Much better afterwards. Body is beat up from all the Arnold prep so just getting some work in
Reverse Hypers 4 pre, 2 post
Got some step up boxes and used a stump strap to do some deficit pulls. Worked up to 3x3
Staying in the same vibe, Broke out the Zercher Straps and did some squats. Interesting, I have never just held the straps in place with the heel of my palms. This worked pretty swell. 4x6
3/8
Little bit of activations with the Tim Tam then it locked up....Boo!
Stepmill 20 mins
Standing pulls with long ab on elbows for 6x12 added in some rear delts raises and hold on 3 of the 6 sets
Push ups off susuapnesion straps 6x15
4 sets of assisted pull ups on rings mixed with more sets of push ups on rings
Smith machine steep inclines 4x10
3/7
30 mins stepmill
3/6
Activations with the Tim tam
20 mins stepmill
Reverse hypers 4 pre, 2 post
Belt Squat 50 reps add two plates, 40 reps add two, 30 reps add 2 , 20 reps add 2 , 10 reps
First training since Arnold Classic so just wanted to get something in.
2/25
Actiavations with the Tim tam
Machine rows 12 sets
Bench 10x10 with a minute of less rest
Plate lying tricep extensions with burn out press. Tricep 5 reps , Burnout 20 reps. 5 rounds
20 mins steppper
2/24
20 mins stepmill
2/23
Actiavtions with the Tim Tam
Stepmill 20 mins
Reverse hypers 4 pre, 2 post
Reverse band deadlifts Worked up to 515x2, then some back off sets for 5 and 8 reps. Work sets 12 sets
Finished packing and loading for the Arnold. As usual I am taking way more product then we will sell but it is the enthuasium is really high and it always so much fun thinking of what you can do. This year we had so many changes and issues going on, it fell on me to put it together the display portion and set up. I started a couple weeks back with the racks and grids setting them up in the gym and organizing them in various puzzle pieces till I have a main outline. This year we are taking alot of apparel which in the past we didn't do too much of in the past and we had a abundance of yellow sleeves and yellow bowties so do a super sale on. We also did some rearranging of people to go this year based on some circumstances which we thought were super cool. That was great and all until this week when life situations called for other wise. One guy's wife graduated and is taking a position so he gave us a month's notice. The next person, who was slated to go with us the Arnold as a bonus and learning experience threw in her notice so she ain't a going to the Arnold. Another guy in the back was going to just not show up and beg for forgiveness but he decided to tell someone and we found out so he got booted on Friday before the Arnold week. So my excitement level got drained off a large amount but I believe it is restoring itself.
2/22
Activaitions with the Tim Tam
Bejesus amounts of pull downs with the Tsunami bar. 20 sets.
Snatch test with 44lb 4 mins 14 sec(so ok there)
Speed press 9x3
Stepper 20 mins
2/21
Stepper 20 mins
2/20
20 mins stepmill
Activations with the Tim Tam
Reverse Hypers 4x12, 2x15 post
Box squat 285x6x5, (325x3x5, 355x3 with squat buddy) Second week back after hip sprain about 8 weeks ago. Felt pretty good on this with no issues.
2/19
20 min stepmill
2/18
Activations with the tim tam
20 min stepper
Standing rope pulls 12x12
Lightning rod standing pulls 8x12
Dumbell rows worked up to 150x10
Reverse assisted bowtie dips 10x12
Regular dips 10x10
Standing ab pulldowns 8x10
2/17
Stepmill 30 mins
2/16
Activations with the tim tam
Reverse Hypers 4x12
Deadlift. 6 weeks ago the reverse band set up was a strong and a average. Then I dropped the assist to just a average band the following two weeks. The last two weeks were straight. The conventional has been a bit of struggle bit I managed a 635x1 about 3 months ago. Plan was to just work on both forms over the six weeks which is what transpired. So back around to the beginning we are this week. Work set were 495x3x3 sets, 545x3, 595x3,645x3. Straps and squat buddy were used. I went up higher then I was going to this week.
Dr Squat Strap with KBs. 108sx6 to 8x4 sets.
Reverse Hypers 2x15
Tim Tam work to loosen it back up. Cbd sports cream on the neck to keep the jacked up down to a minimum.
2/15
Stepmill 20 mins
Activations with the tim tam
Machine 17 sets working down. Failure sets 3 sets non stop x 3 rounds averaging 10 to 25 reps
50 one arm snatches with the 36lb(had not done these in awhile)
More tim Tam and boomstick activations to keep my neck from locking up
2/13
20 min stepper
Activations with the tim tam
Box squat. Trying to work it back up after popping the labrum a bit in my hip. 235x5x5, 285x5x5, 325x1x5
Reverse hypers 5x12 with 200lb extra
Shot videos and demoed the sand dune row shrug. Yep it jacked my neck up again
2/12
Stepmill 20 mins
2/11
20 min stepmill
Activations with the Tim Tam
Hammer pulldowns. 3 giant sets changin grip x10,8,5x6 rounds
Dumbells worked up to 80s supersetted with 15 secs rest 10, 8x4
Hammer decline press 6x10 with 4 sets of of negatives
Ropes 5 mins straight
2/10
20 mins stepmill
2/9
20 mins stepper
Actiavtions with the tim tam
Reverse hypers 5x12
Deadlifts against light bands. 415x2,3,4,5
Made up a partial pistol squat with arm assist 4x failure each leg.
2/8
Stepmill 30 mins
Arm and shoulder blade were jacked from Monday so just pushed the Prowler for lap which was only slightly less painful then a training session.
2/6
Activations with tim tam
Reverse Hypers 5x12
Tsunami bar off slant box 8x6 with min rest, one drop set for 4:30
Prowler push 6 or 8 75 yard pushes with walk off each round.