June 13, 2017 – Week 3, Day 1

5 Minutes Percor AMT

Leaning Calf Raises
BWx15

One Leg Leaning Calf Raises
BWx15/15

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
95x3
145x3
185x3
225x3
275x3
247.5x3
1 Second Pauses
210x5

Chest Supported Rows (1 second holds)
150x10
225x8
225x8
225x8

Circus Dumbbell Clean and Presses
Plate Loaded Dumbbell with Fat Gripz Extreme
(3 stage 2 second pauses)
40x1 L
40x1 R
70x1 L
70x1 R
80x1 L
80x1 R
90x1 L
90x1 R
100x1 L
100x1 R
110x1 L
110x1 R
120x1 L
120x1 R
Circus Dumbbell
130x1 L
130x1 R
140x1 L
140x1 R
(competition style)
150x7 L
150x7 R

Stretching

Comments: Today didn’t start off well. This week didn’t start off well. Cold hit me pretty hard Sunday. Only went outside to go for a walk. Hasn’t helped that it has been over 90 the past few days. On top of the cold (which is slowly going away), my upper back has been really sore and achy. Started feeling it Sunday afternoon and it got more tense after that. I’m hoping it is more just getting used to the new demands being placed on it, similar to my biceps from last cycle. Today though it was a lot more than I liked and I put some lidocaine on it before going to work for some relief. With the head cold, the heat and the upper back issue (specifically the left side) I was debating just chalking up the week as a recovery week and try it again next week. Debated leaving work to go home and sleep. Did all kinds of movements and stretches at my desk to find some relief. Started to feel slightly better so I figured I’d go train. As long as it didn’t make things worse I’d give it a shot. Warmed up as per usual on the AMT. Heart rate got to 153bpm. Calf work followed. Reduced work load here so quite easy. Box touches and band rows with biceps stretch again. No aches on box touches. Rows didn’t appear to make things any worse or any better. Some shoulder tightness on the stretch but seemed uniform between both sides. Hip airplanes went alright. No loss of balance (was able to catch myself). Incline bench after that. Essentially the same as last time just working up in sets of three to a top set where I had good form followed by a second set at 90% and then pause reps. I was initially planning on just going for 265lbs for the solid triple as I had done a double with it during one of the cycles and it wouldn’t be something I couldn’t get with good form. I ended up talking myself into going for 275lbs and I’m glad I did as that went up pretty well with good form. Second set with the reduced weight was good too. Pauses were done for a set of five with more weight than last time. Not bad either. Chest supported rows with static holds after that. I went down in weight only because I forgot how much I had done on these last time and didn’t put in on my workout sheet for this workout. I did more on the warm-up set so maybe that evens things out. Now it did indicate I could back track on weight as the goal is more for the control and blood flow. With the right side of my upper back feeling as it did, it was probably best that I didn’t increase the weight. However, I feel that if I knew what I did last time, I probably would have added weight. I’m stubborn like that sometimes. Circus dumbbell after that. Plan this time was working up in singles with the push press pause and hold method until I got to the working weight to use my competition style. Goal being to do AMAP in 60 seconds with my stronger side with a set percent of my 1rm (so far) and then match it with the lagging side with no time limit. Of course my “strong side” was the side that was bothering me. I mimed the motion at work during the day to see if it would bother me. Thankfully, it didn’t. Switch sides to start off on as usually I’m leading with the lagging side. Granted, they are neck and neck now with training. I was reviewing the equipment I had versus the contest equipment. My dumbbell setup has slightly thicker handle and larger bell diameter but is about 8” shorter than the contest dumbbell is going to be. First time I think that part of it has set in. Will just have to keep pushing it and see how it goes contest day. So I was anxious as I usually am when I got to put it on the line, even in training. Little shaky on the first rep but I got a into a groove. Touch and go on the ground so now relaxing of the dumbbell and cleaning right back to the shoulders. Got seven and missed number eight twice. First miss with the eighth was due to not squeezing the handle enough as it rolled out of my grip at the lockout. I had ten seconds left after I put down the bell and I gave it another try but couldn’t get it back in the right spot and went for it but no dice. Too far out from my body to recover and get under it. I got the seven in about 45 seconds so about one every 6.5 seconds. Not a bad pace, potentially nine reps there if I can get it all to come together. Obviously this is quite a bit under contest weight but it is a good start. No time limit then for the other side. Happy to get the same reps with no breaks. Definitely taking things a little longer to setup. Even without being on the time limit, I got them in under a minute but I was beat. I had just under eight seconds left (if I was on a time limit) and I was nearing my limit. About one rep every 7.5 seconds. Not bad. Home to stretch and eat. More lidocaine and ibuprofen before going to bed.