30 May MDLP: Log Strict Press PR
With my bicep surgery being well over three months behind me it’s time to start pushing that lucky fin just a little more. Most pressing movements do not cause me any kind of pain, despite them leaving my elbow a little achey. I’m motivated and despite having real life factors that are pulling at my training focus, I am still having very successful training sessions. I was faced with a bit of a predicament in writing this log. Last week I had an amazing press session at my good friend Heath’s gym (Valhalla Gym in ft. Lauderdale) and hit a PR of 230. The press came up smooth and pain free and I was ecstatic but all the variables were so right. I was with friends, at my first strongman gym, it was raining and the nostalgia and adrenaline all helped me push forward. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum there was yesterdays press. I was physically tired from the weekend coaching in Tampa, mentally stressed from handling athletes and lifters, joints achey from driving up and down from Tampa and honestly… running a gym can absolutely drain you sometimes. Maybe that’s why I chose to write about this weeks press because things weren’t going my way. Sometimes getting into that gym is the only control I have on my life and the only outlet to centralize my thoughts. After so many months and months and… months… of not being able to get a heavy training session as my therapy it was damn good to have them back.
Log Pressing and Wheelin’ N’ Dealin’:
It ached, it all ached. My joints, my legs, my mind, everything reminding me how “old” and tired I was. I wouldn’t say I was in pain nor any where near a level of discomfort that I would normally call it and head home. I’m not trying to write a script of complaints, simply, the reality that is my world. The goal was to work to a heavy press and beat last weeks single with perfect form and pain free movement. As I neared 200 it all started to feel like a grind, like an achey job, like a deep responsibility to keep going. Don’t get me wrong, these feelings weren’t alien to me, it’s just the last time I felt them was in a galaxy far, far away. I’m not condoning working through pain or injury but I am most certainly telling you that some days it’s your fucking job to get in there and work through mental battles and wars. Yup, “battles” and “wars”, that’s what they feel like and those are the words I use to help my broken ass get under that bar with the perspective that my life is not on the line and that perspective keeps me grateful that I can still train. As I inched past 230 pounds I knew I had one shot to get 240 safely and went at it full steam. I cheated, I used a PR song and had my friend and lifter Felipe film me. The charge of the music, the pressure of not messing up in front a lifter and the drive to prove I can work through anything absolutely helped me crush 240. Well by crush I mean knocking off rust, almost blacking out and hitting my previous 10 rep set for 1… but hey!! I’m back at it dammit and my mom think’s I’m strong so thats a win/win.
Warm Up:
- McGill Big 3
- Band flies 2×25
- Band pull aparts 2×25
- D bell should press 2×25
- Light Band Curls 2×30
Work Load:
- Log Strict Press 10×1 (worked up to a heavy single at 240#)
- Incline D bells 5×25
- D bell shoulder press 4×10/10
- 4 super sets of D bell Lat raises 15/band reverse flies x 20
- Band push downs 4×25
- Band flies 4×25
- Band lat raises 1×100
- Light D bell hammer curls 4x10m ( Bicep rehab)
- Stir the Pot 2 x 50/50
After Thoughts:
Thanks to Jocko and many other awesome podcast and social media faces, the idea of discipline over motivation has become very popular. Although it may be starting to get rather cliche to say it, it remains an absolute staple in my spirit. That being said, both discipline and motivation have their purpose. Discipline got me through a coaching weekend, it got me through the door and under the log. Motivation was the music, the weather, the nostalgia and lifting in front of my lifter. Although discipline allowed all of this to happen, I was able to use any bit of motivation to get the job done. I’m not saying to get lost in those intangible motivators that are often fleeting , I’m just saying as an athlete and as a warrior be resourceful with any tool that will make you better.
Never Stray from The Way
MDLP
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Michael “MDLP” De La Pava is currently a competitive Strongman and owner of The Battle Axe Gym. Born in Miami, Florida into a Colombian household, Michael finished his schooling by attending Penn State University where he graduated with a Degree in Psychology. Having his roots in martial arts, he would go on to compete in various sports as a Muay Thai fighter, Powerlifter, and rugby player before committing himself fully to Strongman. During this time, he opened Miami’s first Strongman gym, The Battle Axe, where he currently coaches athletes from various disciplines including powerlifting, MMA fighters, Strongman, officers of multiple authorities and enlisted and active military operators. Competing in Strongman for over 6 years has given Michael the opportunity to rank as high as 15th in the nation (105kg), won Florida’s Strongest man (1st in 2014 and 2nd in 2015 in the 105kg class), lift and load a 420 pound Atlas stone, log press 335, pull 700, and most importantly, share the competitive battlefield with some of the best in the game. During this journey, Michael suffered what some would consider a potentially career-ending spine injury. It was at this time that Brian and Michael would begin working together to not only rehab his spine, allowing him to return to Strongman but also develop a new Strongman training program revolving around the 10/20 philosophy. Strongman and coaching have given Michael the opportunity to travel around the nation and the world to train, coach and be coached, as well as share ideas with various leaders in the strength community. Michael’s experience and network in strongman brings a welcome connection with the ever-growing sport of Strongman to the 10/20 team and PRS family.
Latest posts by Mike De La Pava (see all)
- MDLP: Training 8 weeks out - March 15, 2019
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- MDLP: Blood, Sweat and Flesh - February 28, 2019
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