January 12, 2012 - ME UB

Dynamic Warm-ups

Axle Push Presses w/ Chains
No Chains
75x5
Add Chains (+28lbs)
75x5
Add Chains (+50lbs)
75x3
Add Chains (+72lbs)
75x3
100x3
125x3
150x1
175x1
200x1
220x1
240x1
255x0
265x0,0
265x1

Close Grip Axle Floor Presses
185x12
215x12
245x12
275x12 PR+4 reps

Seated Overhead Cable Triceps
75x12
90x12
105x12
120x7 PR+5lbs

32 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Despite some hiccups, a good workout. I decided to make a fairly big change to my ME work in that I will no longer do a down set at 90% after my best single. I think this will allow me to put more effort into the max for the day and allow me to recover from workout to workout better. I’m definitely starting to feel more comfortable with a bar/implement on my chest for overhead and I think a lot of it has to do with all the front box squatting and the log pressing I’ve been doing lately. I feel solid. I was leery with how axle push pressing with chains would go considering what happened the last time I did them. I almost blacked out and dropped the axle on to the pins of the power rack and it swung down on one end, dumping the plates. Scary and embarrassing. Axle is weird with the lockout being really tough for me. My form was a bit different than what I usually do with push presses in how I unracked the bar. My usual method would be to just quickly pop under the bar but I did a very deliberate unrack this time. I figure that if I’m calm and focused as opposed to amped to the max, I’ll make less mistakes. Leg drive felt good today and my quads were getting a little sore from even the warm-ups haha. The first hiccup came with my attempt at 255lbs. I started to lose my balance so I stopped and didn’t fully lock out my arms. Rather than attempt it again, I increased the weight since I knew I was good for more. Next hiccup was the weight went too far in front on the next set. I knew I could get it if everything clicked. Leg drive was perfect but it stalled inches from lockout. I fought it hard but my vision started to go dark. I got it locked out before I blacked out but I had to drop it from overhead. I feel like such a douchebag when that happens. Despite that, I was really happy to get that weight, just got to work on my breathing with heavy push presses better. So much trickier than strict pressing or jerks. Moved on to axle floor pressing. Only done it twice but this time was definitely the best it has felt. I was expecting low numbers but it felt really good and I hit 275lbs for 12 (and I struggled to get eight last time) with some in the tank. After all those reps, I knew cable triceps were going to be tough, especially since I was increasing the weight from last time. I was right and got what I expected on the last set. Top of my hamstrings were really tight during stretching. I blame the goodmornings.