May 16, 2017 – Week 11, Day 1

5 Minutes Percor AMT

Leaning Calf Raises
BWx15

One Leg Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30/30

Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15

Band Rows w/Biceps Stretch
MBx25/10 seconds

Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15

Band Rows w/Biceps Stretch
MBx25/10 seconds

Hip Airplanes (supported)
BWx7/7

Incline Bench Presses
45x10
85x5
125x3
165x1
195x1
225x1
255x1
285x1
305x1
320x1
2 Second Pauses
225x7

Chest Supported Rows (1 second holds)
150x10
220x8
220x8
220x8

Circus Dumbbell Clean and Presses
Plate Loaded Dumbbell with Fat Gripz Extreme
40x1 R
40x1 L
70x1 R
70x1 L
90x1 R
90x1 L
110x1 R
110x1 L
Circus Dumbbell
130x1 R
130x1 L
142x1 R
142x1 L
152x1 R
152x1 L
157x1 R
162x1 L
162x0 R
162x1 R
172x1 L
182x0 L
182x1 L

Stretching

Comments: Last two weeks of this workout cycle. Got excited seeing the workouts but I also knew they wouldn’t be easy. While Saturday’s event work had been tough, I wasn’t as beat up as I was from the previous session of farmer’s walk and sandbag. Got to mow my lawn for the first time. Didn’t get to do that until now due to my injury. Allergies starting to act up but I felt ready. Warm up on the AMT. Knnes and hip ached a little but went away within 30 seconds. Heart rate got to 152bpm. Then calf work. Change in that instead of multiple sets it was one max rep set each leg after the initial warm-up set with both legs. Max with lagging leg and then match it with the other. Managed 30 reps. Box touches and band rows with biceps stretch again. No aches on box touches. Hip airplanes are still a challenge but I’m continuing to make adjustments. Last session, I had done a practice balance with both sides before starting the actual set and it seemed to help me with balancing during the actual set. So I did that again this time and it definitely seemed to help. Trying to rely less on the supporting structure for balance. Then weights after that. Incline up first with the plan being to go for a new 1rm. I felt good and I knew I would exceed my previous 1rm. However, it can be hard to tell as the weight increases. I did the previous 1rm to see where I was. Not as easy as I had hoped it would be but form was better from last time. Butt still came off the bench slightly. I resigned myself that I wouldn’t be hitting an all-time PR this session so I went up 20lbs. Again, butt came off the bench but I felt I had more there to lockout. Initially just added 10lbs more for three plates a side but I got antsy waiting for someone to spot me and put on a little more. It was tough (butt came off the bench again) but I got it. Matches my PR on this lift (I had similar form when I hit it too) so I can definitely say my pressing is back to where it was preinjury (not including overhead events). Down set with pauses with two plates a side. Felt good here. Then the lighter variation of chest supported rows after that. Almost active rest. But not really, just a lot less taxing than the incline pressing and the circus dumbbell work to come. Reps feel better as I go on these rows. Circus dumbbell after that. I knew this was going to be a late session again. Same warm-ups as last time up to the empty big dumbbell. I wasn’t feeling like my shoulders were up to it this session. One of regular gymgoers stated he was happy to see me back to lifting that thing (he had been aware of my injury) so that certainly filled me with a little bit of pride in my efforts. I try to learn what I can from the previous sessions so that I can make the most out of the next session. I added the support stuff (wraps, chalk, belts) in layers so not all at once to get adjusted to how it changes things and I have to move and use it. I think this was better than what I did last time but I haven’t been using these for almost a year now haha. I always have two goals with going for a max; realist goal and optimist goal. For the circus dumbbell, I was telling myself to hit just a tiny bit more than last time while really planning on hitting even more weight than I had missed the last session. With my weaker side, I did hit the little increase and then went up in smaller jumps while keeping the bigger jumps with the strong side. With 157lbs, the weight went up fine but it tried to roll out of my hand. I knew I had to not just passively hold the dumbbell to correct that. I misfired my first attempt at 162lbs but got it after a quick breather to refocus. Same with the strong side as I got up to 182lbs. I noticed that I wasn’t feeling these in my hamstrings as much as last time. Also noticed my clean is becoming more efficient on my strong side and increased flexibility getting the weight to the shoulder. Biceps really feeling it this time around. Happy to have hit over contest weight with so much time still left. I know I got a ways to go still. Home to stretch, eat several pounds of bbq and sleep.