Two weeks today and I’ll have competed in my second Strongwoman competition. Northampton’s Strongest is being held at Progressive Training Systems on 4th June and I’ll be competing in the over 75kg category.
My preparation for this competition has been very different to that for my first. For a start, I knew when I entered that I could lift all the weights I needed to which put me in a very different mental space. This competition has a couple of events which are rep based rather than single heavy reps and that’s meant a different style of training, more focused on speed than on building maximum strength.
Trapbar deadlifts are a new one for me. I have to lift 110kg for 10 reps as quickly as possible with a 60 second limit. The bar at the gym where I train is really harsh on the hands so this one is as much about ignoring the pain as it is about lifting the weight! I don’t know what kind of frame we’ll be using at the competition – many frames have a higher handle which is apparently easier than the level handle I’ve been training on. Either way I can lift the weight, it will be about how quickly I can get through those reps!
The yoke features again but this time at 140kg with a drop and turn. This ought to be relatively straightforward given that I did 170kg at my first competition. As should be keg carry, at 40, 50 and 60kg I know that I can manage these weights – it will be all about the speed.
Another new one for me is the sled pull and drag. First a seated arm over arm pull followed by a backwards drag. Training for this has been quite entertaining with Jess sitting on the sled to add weight!
The event that I’m practising most is the axle clean and press. We have to get a 45kg bar from floor to overhead 10 times in a 60 second time limit. That’s really tough. I can do the lift, but at the moment 10 reps in 60 seconds seems a long way off and with just 2 weeks to go I’m not sure it’s achievable. So on the day it will just be about gritting my teeth and getting as many reps as possible.
There’s also a 6th event listed which has yet to be announced. I’m not sure if this is going to be a surprise on the day or if we’re going to find out beforehand. It will be interesting whatever it turns out to be!
Having come third in my last competition quite a few people have said “well of course you’ll do as well or better at this one won’t you?”. But it doesn’t work like that. I know one other woman competing who is the person who beat me to 2nd place in Camberley. Apart from that this will be a different group of competitors altogether so my focus, as before, will be on me and me alone.
Lift, carry and drag as quickly as I can and we’ll see what happens on the day!
From Strength to Strength 