July 25, 2013 – DE LB & July 26, 2013 – ME UB

Some kind of bug is going around and it hit me Wednesday night so I've had a bad head cold since then. So I've been quite miserable. Plan was to start integrating super light strongman work for the moving events this weekend but the new plan is to rest this weekend and hope that the bug in my system dies. Being miserable didn't stop me from hitting the gym hard though. Even sick, I need my body to get this first week of 100% training in the books as it won't be getting any easier from this point on.

July 25, 2013 – DE LB

Dynamic Warm-ups

18" Box Squats with LB's & MMB's
No Bands
50x10
100x2
150x2
Add Bands (+150lbs)
50x2
100x2
140x2
190x2
230x2
280x2
320x2
320x2
320x2
320x2
320x2
320x2
320x2
320x2
320x2
320x2

21" Axle Front Box Squats w/ 88lbs of Chains
72x3
122x3
172x3
212x8
232x8
252x8
272x8
292x8

Safety Squat Bar Step-Ups (24" Platform)
90x3/3
120x5/5
130x5/5
140x5/5

One Legged Angled Leg Presses
+270x12/12
+270x12/12
+270x12/12

Leg Raises
bw+44x12
bw+44x12
bw+44x12

28 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: I was concerned with how this workout would go with being sick and I was nervous with handling these kinds of weights healthy. I forgot to pick up a pair of average bands from Max Fitness the other day so I made due with my light bands and monster mini bands. Slightly more band tension than planned but I'll take it. Just got to get some more mini bands to make adjustments. I was also a tad unsure with how speed would be considering how tough the manta squats were on Tuesday. No issues, just took a bit of time to warm-up and work on pushing out the knees. Surprised myself on axle front squats. I did these with no hard belt which makes it much tougher and I will be keeping them this way to continue to work my core stabilization. Did many more sets than I planned (like the BTN jerks from Monday). I think I had another 10lbs in me. I was plenty warmed up so I did just one set to prep for step-ups. Not bad and not much to say here. Just going to make small jumps. Had a plan to warm-up some for the leg press as it seemed to be bothering my knees some. I had to wait to use it and it was getting late so I just went with the planned work weight. Felt easy, guess I just need to take the weight seriously and the pain goes away haha. Just about killed my abs with leg raises at this weight. I'll stay here until it is easy.



July 26, 2013 – ME UB

Dynamic Warm-ups

Close Grip Barbell Bench Presses w/ 2 Second Pauses
45x10
75x5
105x5
135x3
165x3
195x3
225x1
255x1
285x1
315x1
335x1
350x1
315x3
280x5

12" Log Strict Presses
90x3
130x3
170x3
190x8
200x8
210x8

Chest Supported Rows
310x12
310x12
310x12
310x12

EZ Curl Bar Overhead Extensions (seated)
140x12
140x12
140x10

IYT’s
5’sx12
5’sx12
5’sx12

28 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Again training while sick. Purposely picked a bench variation that I haven't done in some time and also one that I haven't really maxed on. Same principal as doing the manta box squats on Tuesday; new lift, nothing to really compare it to so I build confidence in my comeback from injury. Even feeling like crap, I knew I could crush my previous best here. Only paused the last rep of each set warming up to the singles. I was pretty psyched up on the 350lbs single and I think I pushed it up a tad early of 2 seconds. Felt good on pressing. Some niggles in my back warming up on strict press but nothing once I got to working weight. Got 190lbs well enough and knew 200lbs would be tough but doable. 210lbs was a max effort. I set it down after seven to catch my breath and give it one last push. Ugly but eight reps in the books. Jumping up 90lbs for rows was stupid. Toughest this exercise has been but I kept at it and gutted out 4x12 with the weight. Had a little scare on triceps as the weight felt like it was going to snap my wrists when I got it overhead. It felt way too heavy but it was easy weight for my triceps and shoulders. Fatigue was setting in bad by this point and the second set was a struggle and only mustered ten reps on the last set before finishing up the day with upper back and stretching.