December 27, 2015 – Week 11, Day 4

Dynamic Warm-ups

Paused Front Squats (2 second pauses)
No Pauses
45x10
95x5
95x5
145x3
145x3
195x1
195x1
Added Pauses
245x5
245x5
245x5

Deadlifts
No Straps
135x5
225x3
315x1
Added Straps
405x1
470x1
520x1
570x1
620x1
480x2
480x2
480x2

Circuits (no rest between exercises)
Shrugs/T-Bar Prison Rows/Neutral Grip Pull-ups/Ab Wheel/Glute Ham Raises
625x6/+300x6/bw+25x7/bwx7/bw+35x3
625x6/+300x6/bw+25x7/bwx7/bw+35x3
625x6/+300x6/bw+25x7/bwx7/bw+35x3

31 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: I was very invested in this last workout. I tried to get a good night’s sleep but I tossed and turned for a few hours thinking about it. I also woke up earlier because of that as well. This was going to be the last heavy workout of 2015 and the starting point for 2016. This deadlift needed to happen. Weighed in at 274.2lbs so down a kilo from last week. Winter lasted all of three days apparently. However, I was so anxious that I was shivering without my warm-ups at the start. Kept long pants on for front squats. Same weight as it has been now. First set was good, got tougher for the second and then a little easier on the last set. Definitely working. Deadlift after that. This was the thing that kept me up last night and got me up this morning. Same idea with the straps this week as last. Bar speed looked and felt great up to 520lbs. 570lbs moved well but felt heavier than I would have liked. 620lbs would be the most I’ve pulled from the floor in over 4 years. I wanted to not have to go all out but it is hard not to for me when the weight is over 600lbs for deadlift. It was tough but I felt there was more there. I hadn’t turned the mental screws quite to eleven so there is a reserve. No hitch so quite pleased with that. Definitely a wave of relief as I put it down. Speed pulls were next. Same weight as last week and it felt heavier. Second rep was still the better rep. Video showed that these were faster than last week’s. Maybe the final runs of the heavy circuit were up next. Shrugs, rows and pull-ups were all increased in weight this time. I was to do slightly less on shrugs but it was easier to put all the 100’s on with two plates a side. Didn’t really notice it in my hands until the last set. Rows were tough off the bat and I felt like I was pulling slow motion most of the time. Pull-ups were tough. I was trying to pull fast but I had to keep adjusting my body’s position mid rep a few times so I had to either slowdown or adjust the tempo. Not much difference in difficulty from last week. Ab wheel was alright, spent my time catching my breath for ghrs. Ghrs were also good. First felt big contractions in hammies and the following sets were some of the easiest I’ve done. Stretched and ready to finish up this cycle.