August 26, 2014 – Week 6, Day 1 & August 27, 2014 – Week 6, Day 2

I took a week off from training to let my arm heal. Kept it wrapped in an ACE bandage during the day and took it off after work each day. No anti-inflammatories or icing either. I did some cardio stuff on Saturday and Sunday, which involved going for about 30 minute brisk walk and then about 15 minutes on a SCIFIT arm cycle. Rested on Monday too so essentially ten days of rest. Only thing I really noticed from the injury was a little bruising in the pit of my elbow and it was very, very faint. Almost mistook it for a shadow. I don't have 100% confidence to go full bore on some of the more precarious biceps intensive events yet. I did have to put in my entry for the show earlier than I planned as spots were filling up quickly and I was definitely in the last three to sign-up before registration closed. I would have hated it if I was at my best but unable to compete because I was overly cautious. Just got to play it by ear these next nine weeks.

August 26, 2014 – Week 6, Day 1

Dynamic Warm-ups

Axle Jerks w/ AB's clinched & LB's bucket
No Bands
72x5
72x5
116x3
160x3
Add Bands (+125lbs)
72x3
93x3
116x3
137x3
160x3
160x3
160x3
160x3
160x3
160x3
160x3
160x3
160x3

EZ Curl Bar Skull Crushers
90x15
95x15
100x15
105x15
110x15

Triceps Pushdowns
65x15
70x15
75x15
80x15
85x15

Band Face Pulls (100 total)
ABx40/25/15/15/5

Band Pull A-parts (100 total)
MBx30/17/17/11/14/9

34 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Haven't done overhead speed work in quite some time. Back to the old clinch and bucket rig for the bands. I felt good on these, felt fast and speedy getting under the weight. Quads were getting a good workout in as well. I originally meant to do ten sets but I must have lost count. Nine is still good and it was done in under 10 minutes so rests were very short for the work sets. My elbows hated me with the skull crushers. 90lbs was just as uncomfortably as 110lbs so at least I got the consistency thing going haha. I went lighter than I probably could have on both skull crushers and pushdowns as I generally don't do this many sets and for this high of reps. I was also was not sure how fatigued my triceps would be going into the pushdowns. Last two exercises were for high reps for the upper back. Rest-pause style, with the rest between "sets" being the time it took me to write down the numbers in my log book a few feet away. I'd be lying if I said I didn't flex my delts and triceps in mirror afterwards haha.



August 27, 2014 – Week 6, Day 2

Dynamic Warm-ups

18" Rack Pulls (Squat Bar)
155x5
155x5
265x3
315x3
365x3
415x3
465x1
515x1
555x0
Add Straps
555x1
605x1
645x1 PR+10lbs
675x1 PR+40lbs

3" Platform Sumo Stiff-legged Deadlifts (straps)
225x8
275x8
315x8
365x8

Power Squats
+360x10
+410x10
+460x10
+510x10 PR+50lbs

Hammer Strength Low Rows
+90x3
+180x3
+270x3
+360x8
+390x8
+420x8
+450x8 PR+30lbs

27 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Second day going without my mandana, not sure where I misplaced it in my house. This workout was going to be more of a test than the upper body repfest since there would be quite a bit of stress from the back based work. Pulls from 18" is a bad spot for me due to the emphasis on my lower back and lack of leg drive; something I've been working on this cycle. My previous PR was only 635lbs as I stopped doing rack pulls in favor of block pulls with a deadlift bar. My best with that setup was 700lbs with ramping up the legs. So rack pulls with a squat bar take all the advantages away. I got greedy and tried for 555lbs on the thick bar double overhand. I stopped after I broke it from the pins as I knew it was going to slip out shortly. Rushed it on the second try as my belt wasn't secure and it popped open a bit to make it tougher than it should have been. I made sure I got everything synched for the next three attempts and it went well. I think I had a little more in me but the video suggests that 675lbs was a good place to stop for the day. Sumo stiffys went well and only felt like I had weight on the bar with 365lbs. It was like "who turned back on the heavy?" with that set haha. Moved on to power squats and just beat my legs down. Pushed it to get over 500lbs on it this week. I don't think I'll be making that kind of PR next time though haha. The final test of the night was the low rows. Had to see if the arm holds up to the weight. Really not bad so happy about that. Still got to be cautious and keep an eye on that arm every session.