May 17, 2018 – Week 2, Day 2

5 Minutes Expresso Interactive Upright Exercise Bike

Leaning Calf Raises
BWx30

16” Box Squats
BWx25

Shoestring Romanian Deadlifts
45x20

Band Rows
MMBx20

Push-ups
BWx15

Bodyweight Plank
20 Seconds

Biceps Stretches
20 Seconds
20 Seconds

Front to Back Hip Swings
BWx10/10

Side to Side Hip Swings
BWx10/10

Circus Dumbbell Clean and Presses
Plate Loaded Dumbbell with Fat Gripz Extreme
(2 stage 2 second pauses)
37x1 R
37x1 L
72x1 R
72x1 L
92x1 R
92x1 L
102x1 R
102x1 L
112x1 R
112x1 L
122x1 R
122x1 L
Circus Dumbbell
132x1 R
132x1 L
142x1 R
142x1 L
152x1 R
152x1 L
162x1 R PR+10LBS
162x1 L
(competition style)
172x1 R
172x1 L
182x1 R
182x1 L

16” Front Box Squats
45x10
95x6
145x2
192.5x2
192.5x2
192.5x2

Wide Grip Deadlifts (straps)
135x3
225x1
315x1
405x1
495x1

Stretching

Comments: Sleep has been a precious commodity lately. Just not enough time in the day. A boring/stressful day at work didn’t help matters. And I knew this was going to be another late workout. Thankfully not as warm out so not as muggy in the gym but still unacceptable. Warmed up on the fancy bike again. 139bpm highest reading this time. My left quad wanted to cramp on me a few minutes in. Calves were tight, especially my right one. But the movement was easy. Regular box squats after that. Achy knees but not as bad as these sometimes are on the middle session of the week. RDLs also had achy knees but felt better as I did them. Good hamstring stretch. Band rows and push-ups felt good. I was expecting some shoulder tightness on the push-ups. Plank was easy. Then the biceps stretches. Wanted to get these as forearms and biceps were tight. Into the hallway for the hip swings. Felt pretty good. Pressing for today was circus dumbbell again. I knew what to expect this time so I was prepared for needing a metric ton of chalk. I added 2lbs to the weight as the plan was to do the pause style push pressing and then switch to contest style from there and get a little heavier than last time. My plan was to push up the weight on the push press if I felt good and aim for just 2lbs over last time if I felt good. Hard to tell with my current energy level. Last time I started light and took small jumps as I didn’t know how the layoff had effected me. This time I knew where I was at so I took bigger jumps to get up to 92lbs before I did the 10lbs jumps. Whatever form issues I was having last time with my right side seemed to be good. I also got a bit better with the hip loading with the push press style. I was also concerned that the big jumps was going to throw me off. It felt like it was going to but I seemed to settle. Had an issue with positioning the 122lbs weight on my right side. Getting to the circus bell, I noticed I was having an easier time cleaning to the right than to the left. Left side I think my arm was more fatigued from keg and log. I kind of surprised myself getting 162lbs push press style with my right side. Jerks were a little shaky. I think it is more just getting used to it after the push presses. I kind of want to move fast but I need to get stable with it to transfer the power. 172lbs with the right went up with no wobbly unstable lockout like last time. Matched it with the left. So why not go 182lbs for both then? A bit harder to get steady but it went up on the right side. Harder but not quite a max here. Not going to try any heavier on this side as it was 12lbs improvement. 182lbs went up ok. Lockout was a little harder to do but I wasn’t feeling like it was “alive” at lockout like 180lbs did last time. I watched the video and decided it was ok to stop here tonight for that side as well. Light front box squats were next. Really light as the plan was just to get back in the swing of things. Plan being about 50% for three doubles. Knees were aching like crazy on these. It has definitely been a while since I’ve done them. 50lbs jumps with higher reps to get used to it. First set felt a little rough as I wasn’t used to the breathing. Left hip and groin/thigh was a little achy. Much better on the second and third double with breathing and movement. On to the last thing. Deadlift with the “Shaw Stance”. Wide grip like I’ve been doing against bands. Warm-up and do singles with 50-90lbs jumps. My shirt felt like I was wearing rain poncho by this point. Maybe I’ll grow into it someday haha. Just a few reps with 135lbs was enough I felt to get ready to go. My plan was work up to 405lbs and then go from there from what I felt. Top single but not a max. This lift takes a little more prep in getting my breath at the bottom and making sure my hips and legs are in a good spot to fit between my arms. 315lbs didn’t feel so bad and I figured 405lbs was no question with doing the band work. I don’t use my usual deadlift belt on these as I have to get down further to the bar and that big ratchet bunches up so thinner prong belt like I use for overhead and moving events. 405lbs was ok but definitely felt it in the right hamstring. Got tight, not the full muscle just part of it. These deadlifts are strange in how much they stress the hamstrings and hips. It looks like a smooth pull but I can feel the shift during the lift from the muscles to the joints at lockout. I figured I had another pull left in me today before I was pushing it too much. I figured I’d go for another plate. Would technically be the most I’ve pulled with a wide grip on deadlifts. I’ve done reps with weights but never went about 475lbs. I was tempted to make it an even 500lbs but held off on that to stick with the jumps. More will come. That initial break off the floor is hard. My form broke slightly and I felt it in my right side of my lower back. Finished the lift and controlled it back down. But I knew I had a slight strain and it was going to need rest and recovery aids. Home to stretch and put on Icy Hot and massaged it. Hopefully it feels better soon as I got more to do this week. And the next. And the next.