April 12, 2018 – Week 9, Day 2

5 Minutes Precor Stationary Bike

Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30

Sumo Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15

Regular Box Touches (12” Box)
BWx15

Band Rows
MMBx20

Push-ups
BWx10

Hip Airplanes (supported)
BWx5/5

Biceps Stretches
20 Seconds
20 Seconds

Axle Strict Presses
72x1
92x1
112x1
132x1
152x1
172x1
192x1
212x1

Deadlifts
135x5
225x3
315x2
405x2
Added Straps
495x2
585x2

Stretching

Comments: Continuing to rest as much as I can. Head is spinning with the fast pace changes with work. Want to walk to destress but it’s better to rest and let my whatever heal. I’m noticing that car buffer work might be too intense for the hamstrings so not going to use it going forward on my legs. Upper body is fine with it. Anti-inflammatories don’t seem to do much. Best I’m seeing is icing it in the morning and maybe after work (if I’m not lifting) and then wrapping it to keep warm. Spring in full force today. Second half of the day I felt like every time I moved something was going to cramp up. Not a confidence builder haha. I was thinking maybe I was resting too much and my body was finally feeling all the weeks of training at once. Warmed up on the stationary bike. Legs were feeling a little crampy from last time so I had the intensity down by a third. That seemed to be better. 138bpm highest reading. Calf work was pretty easy. Hamstrings tight on wide stance box touches but no more than usual as of late. Regular style box touches felt ok as well. Band rows were good. No cramping or tension in the upper back. Hip airplanes were needed. Still doing alright with these. Biceps stretch I had to use yet another setup as both bench stations were in use. First item up was axle strict presses. Plan was to do 20lbs jumps up to 210lbs and stopping there. Goal being to have it feel so easy I get mad I’m stopping there for the day. Adjustments to get the fatigue and peak right. With how I was feeling, doing any axle pressing was going to make me mad haha. Since not going for a max, I just did singles starting with the empty axle. I forgot my collars to get the weight even. Unracking the axle is still the most stress on these. But my knee is feeling a lot better. No support gear since I wasn’t going that heavy. Didn’t feel like some of the reps were going up that fast as far as lockout but I hit what I needed to for the session. Definitely more there but no desire to go heavier today. The rest of the workout had been adjusted. Initially it was going to be a top single on the squats to box followed by banded wide grip pulls. With how I was feeling though, it was modified to less weight and volume. But then with my inner thigh issues, squats have been dropped completely and just regular deadlifts. Plan as written was to do set weights and stopping with a double at 495lbs. When it comes to training, I try to stay as strict as I can with the plan. A little like Ron Burgundy in that if it’s there, I will try it. With the workout had “eat a pinecone” as warm-up, I’d probably do it after requesting clarification. The movement itself felt good on the first set. But my inner thigh was not a fan. Maybe I should shut it down if 225lbs feels terrible. 225lbs felt great as far as getting into position but still a little bit in the inner thigh/groin. 315lbs and I put on the rehband belt. Didn’t even notice the thigh this time. Maybe it needed to get warmed up a bit? Like I said, it feels better when it’s warm. 405lbs on the bar and belts on. Well I tried to but my ratchet belt popped off on the first rep and the rehband on the second haha. Chalked up my belt strap for the next set so it didn’t come off again. 495lbs went up pretty good. But I wasn’t done. I had thought about going for 585lbs going into the workout. I forgot my phone to ask if it was ok so I figured I could ask for forgiveness later for the slight deviation. My form was feeling good on deadlifts and I really wanted to put that missed lift at 585lbs out of my rearview. I put a lot of emotional value into deadlift. Self-worth even. I had the ludicrous notion that I could double this weight. 600lbs had been the goal before I missed the weight so it would be redemption here. Would also be a 40lbs improvement on the controlled negative double. Everything got set and I pulled. Went up well. I figured why not and go for the double. Didn’t pause it as long as I would’ve liked on the floor. It was a tough one but it went up and no hitching. Back and hamstrings sore from that. A boost of confidence in my abilities. I feel good for this competition. Home to stretch, relax, eat a large meatloaf and sleep.