Update

Hey again everyone, a new blog update is due I think. 

Now we're gonna start off with some bad news, in that I've had to drop from my first comp. It was a challenging novice comp  already, but with the event changes and weight increases, it's a little beyond my grasp. I'd rather not waste mine and everybody else's time by driving 110+ miles to no rep each event. It's not that I I'll suck; I knew that from the start, but going there to essentially spectate isn't exactly my ideal plan for my first comp.

The good news is I'm all paid and ready for the next one, the Newark charity comp in July. These weights are challenging yet still fun, and while I'll still probably be in the lower placings, it'll be cos the other guys are better, not from my colossal shitness. The events are as follows:

85kg log for reps 

180 deadlifts for reps (head 2 head)- staps allowed

250kg yoke over 20 metres 

80kg sand bag carry for 20m followed by a van drag for 20m

100k farmers walk 40m

Now minus the 250kg yoke, I'm fairly confident I can rep/complete the course. My placing in each event will no doubt be terrible but again it won't be from a no-contest so it'll be fun. I've moved a 220kg yoke for 40m very slowly with pauses (on my first training sesh) so we'll just see how that goes on the day. I'm completely out of event training sessions now uni is over, so I've literally just got gym training on my side. Still, overall I'm pretty psyched for this and I look forward to competing. It's only in Newark and it's all for the Headstart4Babies charity so if you're free on the day, feel free to pop along and throw a few quid in the bucket.

As far as training goes, my gym lifts have been improving a ton. I've hit a 240kg deadlift (albeit with straps) and a 200kg squat within the same week, which totally made my day with all these exams around at the moment. My bench is still pretty weak but I'm hoping to bump that up over summer with a lot of assistance work even on leg days. It's a serious weakness of mine and it crosses over to my arms which again need work so it's all good. 

Event training has gone really well lately too. I still totally suck at axles but I've had a ton of advice from friends which I'll put in to practice after the summer. Luckily there's no axle in any upcoming comps this season so I'm safe. As far as stones go, I found using tacky really bloody useful (duh), and I was loading 105kg for reps fairly easily. I didn't try the 120kg properly but I think with a bit of technique work, I've got the strength to get it up. I also had a few goes with the circus dumbbells again and got 51kg up first try to my surprise, but still failed 57kg. I've got the strength for it, but my technique is shocking. Maybe next time.

And now onto my nice new toys. I've had em a while but I thought I'd dedicate a slot in this brag about to my new stuff. Since easter holidays, I've acquired

StrengthShop resistance band set (2x No.2, 3 and 4)

Strengthshop lever belt

Rehband compression shorts

Rehband neoprene back support

Spidertack competition grade tacky

Atlasstones.co.uk custom wrist straps

Risto White Thunder weightlifting shoes

A combination of a generous student loan, having a lovely mummy and getting free stuff from jt's means this term I've had a ton of new stuff to play with and increase my performance in all areas.

Anyway, that's about it. I should probably be revising for Ionisation Radiation but I really can't be arsed. Will probably go and play Diablo for a bit. Yeah, my life has become eat, sleep, train and Diablo. Epic life.