Arden Cogar's Journal

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

September 22, 2006

Began Workout with 30 minutes Eliptical on level 10.
Followed by - core stability (as one continuous giant set) exercises as follows:
3 sets
1. "Balistic" Ball Crunches 50 reps
2. Incline Leg Raises 20 reps
3. Ham Glute/Hyperextension 30 reps

2 sets
1. Rotational Twist on Bosu Ball 30 reps
2. Petal Swiss ball rotation from push up position 20 reps

Yoga - 15 minutes

Power Snatch - 75x5 (full), 95x5 (full), 135x5
Power Clean - 135 x 5, 185x5 205x5, 255x3, 285x1
Sumo Deadlift - 285x5, 355x5, 465x3, 555x1, 575x5

Good Mornings supersetted with Front Squats 135x2x10

Supersetted Lying Hamstring Curls with Seated Hamstring Curls 4x20x various weights

10 Minutes of Yoga.

never did this, but I'm going to keep track of it this way. I like reading others' journals. I honestly believe I could have pulled 575 for 10 this morning. The set of 5 was very easy.

All the best,
Arden

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

September 24, 2006 - Sunday

Event training with the wife and kids. We crosscut sawed for about an hour. My six year old and my nine year old made about five or six cuts each. My wife and I practiced switches for the upcoming Fryeburg Fair.

She cut two underhands. I sat them up.

Took a nice hike too.

September 25, 06

Began workout with 30minutes of Elliptical Cardio. Followed by 10 minutes of Yoga.

Then to the weights.
Lateral raises - giant set of sides, bent over, front raise, then dumbell press.
Did 3 sets of 40 reps with 5, 15, 25, and 40.

Push press - 95x5, 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 255x2, 275x1
High Pulls suppersetted with Handstand pushups
(first time doing handstand pushup since I was 200lbs (that was 17 years ago at age 19)) 135x2x5 with the high pulls at snatch grip. Set one of HSPU was only 3 reps. Second set was 7 reps. Gotta start somewhere.

Lateral raises - 40lb x 20

Pec Dec fly 3x20 of 90, 150, 205
Close Grip Bench 135x20, 185x10, 225x10, 275x10

Dumbell Pullovers 5x20 of 40, 60, 80, and 60
front Pulldowns ss with upright high pulls 4x20 of 110, 150, 180

Reverse curls 4x10 of 45, 65, 85, 105.
Forearms with 105 prone, reverse, behind the back.

My right elbow was wicked sore today. The push presses and the closegrips we're really hard. I did everything with a fast pace and less than 30 seconds rest between sets. Should have my heart rate monitor back on for my next workout. Back was really sore from deadlift workout from Friday. Getting old sucks.

All the best,
Arden

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

September 25, 06 (evening)

Did a heckuva lot of event training for this upcoming weekend. The wife cut two underhands.

The same thing is planned tonight.

All the best,
Arden

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

September 27, 06 midday

Began Workout with 30 minutes Eliptical on level 10.
Followed by - core stability (as one continuous giant set) exercises as follows:
3 sets
1. "Balistic" Ball Crunches 50 reps
2. Incline Leg Raises 20 reps
3. Ham Glute/Hyperextension 30 reps

2 sets
1. Rotational Twist on Bosu Ball 30 reps
2. Petal Swiss ball rotation from push up position 20 reps

Yoga - 15 minutes

OHS - 45x10, 95x10, 135x5, 135x5
Front Squat - 135x10, 185x10, 225x5, 275x5, was going to do 315 for 5 but my right knee started hurting.
Sissy Squats was the only exercise that didn't bug my knee so I did my bodyweight for 5 sets of 20 reps. Getting old sucks.

Adduction ss with abduction 110x50, 120x50

Standing calf raises 2 sets 40 reps - don't care about the weight. I never train calves. Since my knee was bugging me, which it's fine now, I did some calves.

I have two good sized contests this weekend. Kingwood, WV on Saturday and the Fryeburg Fair in Fryeburg, Maine on Monday. I'm not sure if I'll lift tomorrow; but I will event train on Friday as I'm doing a demonstration.

All the best,
Arden

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Saturday September 30

Competition day. Won Underhand chop, Standing block chop, Axe throw. Placed second in the jack&Jill, fourth in the two man. Cut 12" yellow poplar underhand in 17 seconds; Cut 11" yellow poplar standing in 16 seconds.

Sunday - off, flying to Boston

Monday - Competition Day - Fryeburg Fair. Won Underhand and Peavey Log Roll competition. Second in the Springboard, 6th in the two man crosscut, and 3rd in the Jack&Jill.

tuesday - return travel


Wednesday October 4 - abbreivated workout because big contest on Saturday.

30 minutes of ellipitical.
Ab workout described above.
Yoga for 15 minutes.

The following was completed in less than 25 minutes:
Squat 45x20, 135x20, 225x10, 315x15, 135x10
Push Press 45x10, 95x10, 135x10, 185x2x5
Bench Press 45x10, 135x10, 185x10, 225x20, 135x20
conventional Deadlift 185x10, 305x10, 395x5, 485x5
Lateral raise giant sets described above 10x40, 20x40, 25x40
Hammer Curls 20x40, 30x30
Reverse Curls 105x10

yoga for 10 minutes

Big Show on Saturday and Sunday, so I'm going to take it easy for a few days. However, I will be performing a wood gathering exercise tonight and tomorrow night, so that should make for some serious calorie burning.

All the best,
Arden

[Ralph Coates]

I take it that you are training for the lumberjack sport type stuff? Was only made aware this sport existed the other day - looks pretty hardcore. Do you do any strongman type competition too?

Congrats on your performance btw, and apologies for cluttering up your log...

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Ralph,
No worries. I don't do strongman comps, but I incorporate traditional strongman lifts into my training. I've trained a lot with Phil Pfister and hope to continue doing so since he won the WSM. We're going to make me some stones for my home gym and the Atlas stones will become part of my normal training regimen. Conan's wheel and farmers walk are also done as frequently as I can do them. I stay away from the other stuff as they are simply too heavy and I want to avoid injury.

I've been involved in lumberjack sports my entire life. I'm a third generation competitor. I wasn't big enough to play college ball, so I took up the sport and haven't looked back. I've done pretty well over the years and had my best year this past season. We've got three contests left (two this weekend) and one in Virginia Beach next weekend. After that, I'm going to stop the event training for two months and concentrate on getting strong for next year.

All the best,
Arden

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Thursday - silly wood gathering exercise. Neighbor fell a white pine tree and saved it for us. The darn thing was huge - about 24" in diameter at the stump. Kristy and I had to make two trips and only got 18 blocks. The biggest weighed at leasr 450 pounds. I loaded it by mself fairly easily. Battling some sort of intestinal virus so I'm wicked weak.

Looking forward to this weekend. Two big contests. One more next weekend then it's back in the gym on a regular basis until next spring. This is the best I've stayed in shape in my life.

All the best,
Arden

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

friday - nothing
Saturday - competing - did really well.
Sunday - competing - did excpetionally well. Set two new world records in the Standing Block and the Springboard. The standing block record was held by my father and was set in 1978.

Monday - did nothing, worn out

Tuesday - Began workout with 30minutes of Elliptical Cardio. Followed by 10 minutes of Yoga.

Then to the weights.
Lateral raises - giant set of sides, bent over, front raise, then dumbell press.
Did 3 sets of 40 reps with 5, 15, and 30.

Push press - 95x5, 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 135x10
Hammer Strength Behind the Neck Press: 6 plates - 10 reps, 6 plates + 50lbs 10 reps, 8 plates 8 reps.
Lateral raises - 40lb x 20

Pec Dec fly 3x20 of 90, 150, 205
Bench 135x25, 135x20
Dips BWx20, BWx20

front Pulldowns ss with upright high pulls 4x20 of 110, 150, 200
Dumbell Pull overs 60x20, 100x10
Barbell Rows 135x10, 225x10, 315x10

Dumbell Tricep ext 3x30 of 10, 20, 30
Bench Dips BWx3x20
Reverse curls 4x10 of 45, 65, 85, 105.

10 minutes of yoga

The wife and I are going to run tonight and I might do some split jerks. Not sure yet. We're training legs tomorrow A.M. as I have to drive to a hearing. We might also get some more practice wood. Not sure yet. My elbow is still sore, but it's getting better.

All the best,
Arden

[Rene Renteria]

Saturday - competing - did really well.
Sunday - competing - did excpetionally well. Set two new world records in the Standing Block and the Springboard. The standing block record was held by my father and was set in 1978.

Congratulations! That's just fantastic.

Would you mind commenting on what you think the difference has been? Has it been mostly an increased committment to training, adding some CrossFit elements/more GPP to your training, getting your home gym up and running, or something else like better nutrition? Curious what mix of factors you would attribute any extra oomph this season to.

Great feats!

Best,
Rene'