February 15, 2018 – Week 1, Day 1

5 Minutes Precor AMT

Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30

Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15

16” Box Squats
BWx15

Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15

Band Rows
MMBx20

Push-ups
BWx10

Hip Airplanes (supported)
BWx5/5

Axle Push Presses
72x5
110x1
130x1
150x1
170x1
190x1
210x1

Squats to 16” Box
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x1
265x5
318x5
371x5

Wide Grip Deadlifts w/ bands (straps)
No Bands
135x5
Add Bands (+99lbs)
135x2
225x2
275x2
275x2
275x2
275x2
275x2

Stretching

Comments: Not feeling as beat as I have felt the last two contests. Then again, last one I hurt my wrist and got the flu. On to the next one. Got a cold but I will manage. But it was enough that I forwent my usual evening walk on my off day from training to get to sleep. Only two days of training for this week. Biceps still not at 100% but slowly getting there. Bruises from the contest are healing nicely. Warmed up on the AMT. 160bpm highest reading. I fully expected something like that after a week break and being a bit congested from the cold. Usual warm-up exercises followed. Calf raises were easy, just felt some pressure in my wrist. Slight knee ache in the right knee on the wide stance box touches. Breathing was a little bit harder on both styles. Box squats felt pretty good considering things. Band rows were good. I wanted to make sure these felt good as my upper back was feeling the kegs and deadlifts. Push ups were ok. Thankfully no shoulder aches today. Then on to the weights. First item up was axle push press. This cycle has a big change in that there is an increased frequency on pressing. At least that is the plan right now. Nothing taxing right now as I get used to it. Warmed up with my empty axle before doing the set weights and jumps to the planned weight for the day. Shoulders were really, really tight today. Felt loads heavier than it had any right to feel but still going up real fast. Got to drill this into my genome. I think I usually pick from a little lower but I think this is fine for now as I’m not trying to rush my setup. Every rep crisp and the same is the goal. Other than my shoulders being tight and all my upper body joints aching it was alright start. Then squats. A bit different from the usual. Squats to box but not box squats. Since training after injury, all my squats have been box squats. This time just using the box as a depth gauge. Lower with control and then explode up. But not crashing onto the box or sitting back. These were rough coming back to “normal” squats. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of these in no time. But tougher on the joints having to reverse course without the box breaking up the movement. Warmed up to the working sets. Used odd weights since I had my collars with me to make exact weight based off of 1rm. Second working set I think I had my stance too narrow and favored the one side the first rep or so. I feel my stance was better on the last set and I was able to stay more stable and not shift sides. It will get there. Next up was deadlift with bands. Wider stance with the wide grip. I liked these last cycle and I think they really helped my deadlift mechanics. Idea this time being to have less of reset between reps so that there was more time under tension. Warm-ups didn’t go great as the first set the bar nicked my scabs from the deadlift bar at the contest so I had to take blood time. Good thing I have like 30 more rolls of that athletic tape. Taped up my shin and got back to it. I forgot how much the band tension kicks in as my upper back lit up on the first warm-up set with the bands. I took a plate jump as I was already feeling the squats. First set I think was a little too quick for my tastes on the second rep as it was almost touch and go. I made sure to get it just right (almost a hovering) to fully control the weight down and stay in position. Ended up ripping another scab on that set but that was covered by my now bloody sock. Really feeling these in the hips and hamstrings. It wasn’t as late as I was expecting when I finished the session. Home to stretch and 2lbs of pulled pork and a leftover pizza.