Challenge Workout: The 16 Ton Beast

by Brian Pittman 

Alright BigFellas, we've got a challenge for you.  Protein and Carb up boys and girls, this one is rough!

This workout will totally blast your body for one week.  It's loosely based on a CrossFit challenge, so if it looks a bit familiar it may be.  The goal is simple:  lift 16 tons (or more) per workout, three workouts a week, focusing on the major powerlifting lifts of deadlift, bench, and squat with supporting muscle groups as well.

Day 1:  Deadlift and Traps

Sample Workout:  Deadlift  10 sets, 225x10 = 22500 lbs

                             Barbell Shrug  10 sets 225x5 = 11250 lbs

                             Total Weight 33750 lbs, 16.75 tons

Day 2:  Bench Press and Triceps

Sample workout:  Bench Press  10 sets, 225x10 = 22500 lbs

                            Tricep Cable Pushdown   10 sets, 100x10 = 10000 lbs

                            Total Weight  32500 lbs, 16.25 tons

Day 3:  Squat and Calves

Sample workout:  Squat:  10 sets, 225x10 = 22500 lbs

                            Seated Calf Raises  10 sets, 100x10 = 10000 lbs

                            Total Weight  32500 lbs, 16.25 tons

Oh yeah, and did I mention that this is a timed challenge?  Your goal is to complete this workout with two people in under 90 minutes!  Yes, that means that this will be a cardio push as well kiddies...

If you aren't able to complete the challenge with 225, don't worry: it's completely scalable!  Just track the math and make sure your total weight is over the 16 ton goal line.  It works whether you're lifting 135 or 405. Just keep in mind that safety is and will always be the most important goal - if you start to feel ill, take a break and get some air and water!

Remember this is a one week challenge, solely intended to give you a different take on your normal workout or a good gap workout to bridge the end of one routine and the start of another.  Enjoy!

Prejudgment

by Brian Pittman

Wassup BigFellas!  To begin, no, the title's not a typo.  Our contributing writer Brandon Stoops and I were actually preparing pieces on a somewhat similar topic this week.  After reading his piece I decided to just go ahead and publish mine as well since they cover just enough differing information that I thought maybe someone could get something out of both.

I wanted to talk to you all today about prejudgment.  Let me clarify what I mean by prejudgment, however.  I'm talking about making a decision on someone's ability to work / learn in the gym by an external factor, be in you know them from outside the gym, their reputation, or even how they look.  As we're looking to build our BigFellas powerlifting team, my Brandon and I are learning the hard way that we could be really missing some great people by prejudging a bit based on things other than watching iron move up and down.  To give you an example, we had a gentleman that I work with join us for a couple of nights this week to see if he liked training with us.  Now, to be honest, at work this man gets his job done but doesn't go out of his way to "knock it out" day in and day out.  There's nothing wrong with that, it's just not my personal philosophy.  Judging him by his work ability as I knew it to that point from lifting couches and the like, I didn't really expect this man to be able to move a lot when it came to the iron.  He surprised me greatly by putting in some quality work on both rack pulls and squats this week, knocking out three reps of 315 on the rack pulls at his heaviest and pushing through five sets of five at 185 on squats.  He's been sore as hell for the last few days but that's not a bad way at all to get back in the house of iron and pain.  I stand corrected sir, and welcome!

The other prejudgment I want to mention is prejudging someone on their size.  Every single BigFella out there has had someone develop a wrong opinion about them just because they are larger than average.  It's like a law of nature or something.  For some reason people are naturally judgmental toward those much larger than they are and the gym is no exception.  The sad thing is that in most cases, the larger guys are one of the best resources available to you as a novice lifter or an experienced lifter trying to learn more about his hobby.  In fact, that's how a lot of the bigger guys learned themselves.  Someone taught them.  Consider this: the silverback gorilla in the hoodie, cargo shorts, Chuck Taylor's, and weight belt that's over there grunting through his fifth set on the squat rack may not be the mindless gym monkey he looks like he may be.  He may have an English degree, author two blogs, and be in the middle of writing his third book.  He might also know exactly how much he owes to all those who pitched in and helped him as he was starting back down the iron road a little while back and is perfectly willing to help you out.  Just saying and all.

Have a good one all!  

Judgment

by Brandon Stoops

     Sometimes a BigFella has something on his mind that he just needs to say.  Here's mine for the week.  Everyone at some point in time thought twice about walking into a gym.  Particularly when you're new, you're probably a little bit paranoid about what other members that might look better, be stronger, or just have been there longer might think about them.  A lot of individuals that I have trained and trained with over the years have taught me over that it really just doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of you.  Why you might ask?  It's simple, we all started at the same place:  barely able to move the damn bar!

     My workout partner and I get a lot of the classic "back in high school" or "back in the day stories" from people that are always followed up with "well I can't do as much as you guys" when we invite them to partake in a little training time with us.  When I hear this the answer that comes out of my mouth is always the same:  "So what?" We all start at the same place and who are we to judge someone for where they are in their training.  I don't mind changing weights out all day long if someone is wanting to learn to lift.  I really don't and neither does my training partner.  It's all just part of the process of getting into anything dealing with strength sports: you're going to have to flip some plates back and forth.

     The only time I will ever rag on someone or just blow them out of the water on something is if they are just running off at the mouth and acting like a complete douche.  Act like that and I promise you that the moment you fuck up or even breathe wrong it's on.  I'm going to find every reason in the world to make you feel like you should never bother to touch a weight again if you're some cocky ass.  

     It's my opinion that lifters should be supportive of each other regardless of what your individual goals may be.  We all have this portion of our life in common.  We all have the same goal: to be the best we can at be at what we do, whether it's to be the strongest or the fittest or just to better ourselves individually.  I mention all this to get you to think a little more the next time you see someone training with weight that isn't quite what you work with.  Don't be rude if someone asks you training questions to better understand what you're doing.  We all need to help each other out.  No one should have to second guess themselves going into a gym. 

     Well I'll leave you with that little piece of my mind.  Until next time... stay healthy and keep lifting.