Mobility Prep
Javelin Throws
500gx1 for 60’3”
500gx1 for 60’5”
500gx1 for 57’0”
500gx1 for 54’2”
500gx1 for 71’4”
500gx1 for 101’6” PR+16’0”
500gx1 for 107’0” PR+21’6”
500gx1 for 100’10”
500gx1 for 100’9”
500gx1 for 103’8”
13” Wagon Wheel Deadlifts (deadlift bar)
135x2
225x2
315x2
Added Straps
405x2
475x2
545x4
Fingal Fingers
400x1
400x7 (60 seconds time limit)
Sandbag Loads (15’ apart)
175x1 to 57”/200x1 to 52”/225x1 to 48” in 18.44 Seconds
250x1 to 57”/275x1 to 52”/306x1 to 48” in 24.51 Seconds
Stretching
Comments: This week didn’t go as planned. I was to be back
to a normal 3 day a week routine but my back had other plans. Pushed it too
hard too soon after competing and going for that heavy double on viking press
brought back some pains I’d wish to never experience again. I’ve had worse and
dealt with worse. But I know it lingers and not that any time is a good time
for a minor setback. I didn’t want one now. Life is great right now and this
upcoming contest would be an opportunity to have some people special to me see
me be me. All of me so it were. Not just glimpses. I knew the risks of doing
numerous contests essentially back to back. I ended up doing this I think as I
rebounded from my depression bout in the end of May. So my back wasn’t
listening to my rational and that ended up having me not do Day 2 this week. It
was just going to be deadlifts and some light accessories. Ended up booking
chiropractic and decompression table sessions for Thursday night, Saturday
morning and Monday night. May do more as I think an aggressive approach is
needed. Heating pad, TENS unit, stretching and foam rolling. It’s a lot of work
but it is what it is. I made myself go for a walk Friday evening (I did nothing
Thursday after chiro). I wasn’t sure if I was going to even train this week or
next week. That uncertain. I didn’t want to get out of bed Saturday morning.
But I had the session scheduled and since this was outside normal hours, it
would be super rude to cancel it. Riddled with doubts. Traffic is just terrible
getting to anything that side of the state with this stupid construction to “repave”
the highway on the weekends. GPS isn’t helping matters as it keeps wanting me
to go that way. Eff that noise. I had to take a longer way after I realized it
wanted me to go through the construction again. I had a bunched up towel and my
copper back wrap on for the drive to the chiro. I sat in my car a bit trying to
decide if I wanted to just go home. I convinced myself to at least drive out
there and warm-up. This was going to be my last heavy workout until the comp
and I honestly needed to see if I could handle competing. I was hyper focused
and almost missed a call from my girlfriend letting me know that she was free.
Put a little pep in my step knowing that I could see her sooner than planned
and that she could come visit as I wasn’t so sure on how sitting in the car
this much today would be for my back. Fair number of people training, look to be
getting ready for the competition I’m doing though not in my weight class or
division. I knew I was going to need to really get loose and limber for today
so that I wasn’t stiff as a board. I kept the copper back wrap on the whole
time, just moved it down a little to keep my hips warm as they ached on the
left side due to my muscles and nerves firing. Did the switch strides every 75
seconds again on the NordicTrack. Joints feeling pretty good for the most part.
Did the usual movement prep and stretching stuff and then did some more
stretching of problem areas and did some foam rolling. So again with the
javelin. Not taxing really but requires practice and technique work so I can do
it more frequently. My shoulders had ached from last time. Too much shoulder
and perhaps not enough warm-up. I watched several videos Friday evening to try
and get better technique on this. Holding it differently and getting used to building
up some forward momentum better. Hips still not doing as much I think on
account of my tight as hell back. I did rotator warm-ups (MARTINS!) and did
some walks and strides inside. I even did some standing throws to try and get
that foot position and hips into it. The start of the actual throws looked like
not a darn thing had helped. I was hitting about what I was hitting last week.
Frustrating but at least consistent haha. Then someone pulled a junky looking
car into the parking lot and I got a little pissed off as they had already
circled and parked before (I didn’t know they were going to take it apart in
the garage up on the hill) and then things just seemed to click. My next throw
got over 100’. And my next throw went even further. My last five throws were
all over 100’. Granted still like 1/3 of the top 10 distances but it’s
something haha. I was dreading the rest of the workout. Lots of bending and
snapping haha. I was to be doing more things but since no deadlifts and I kind
of needed to do deadlifts, some things got dropped from today to allow me to
get deadlifts in and others modified. Maybe this was a good thing. I had been
talking myself up in my head that I was going to do everything for Thursday and
today that was previously written just to spite myself. But that wasn’t a good
idea or healthy. Train smart. The plan was to do doubles from the contest
height (13”) for the pulls and the do a set of five reps. Confidence in raw
deadlift has been down. I struggled with 472lbs on my first deadlift workout
back after the Arnold to prep for USS Nats. But I was feeling good (besides the
tight back and the nerve and disc issues) and Mr. Westerling felt that I “had
the strength, just need to get used to this height again” and coupled with my
attitude of trying to double 300lbs on the log in training that I wasn’t
doubting myself as much I had hopes of getting at least 500lbs for five today.
Now being at the gym, normally I’d use a stiff bar and my jack stands. But this
contest is at the gym and I figured I might as well use the implements. So used
the wagon wheels and a deadlift bar. Not 100% certain it will be a deadlift bar
but whatever. We got more of these then we do regular bars that are good for
deadlifts I think haha. But I was still very worried about my back. I ended up
doing a set of 20 reps with a barbell from knee height to warm-up a bit more I
guess and got set. I’ve just been so used to 18” deadlift that I think I
dropped it the last few inches on the first set. Bar was really biting into my
knees so I ended up putting my knee sleeves on to keep from tearing up my skin
so much. My socks weren’t really helping either. Had my spandex shorts on to one
not have much drag and two to hopefully provide some additional compression for
the hips. I ended up putting on my hard belt a set before I needed it. I felt
it was smarter that way so as it wasn’t so jarring and because I had no idea if
my back would explode today. I did plate jumps up to 405lbs. Last double to be
475lbs and figure from there what to do for the top set. Fully grasped the
405lbs set with straps and then went more toward the fingers on the 475lbs set.
Mike thought 545lbs was a safe bet. My weight range goal had been 500lbs to
560lbs. 530lbs was my goal as that for 5 would equal 595lbs (comp weight) for a
single. I knew 545lbs would be tough. Firs three felt good, the fourth rep I
felt it break down slightly and I think that I became a coward and took a brief
rest before trying it. Broke off the ground but not going. I took a knee and
rested and tried one more tug at about the minute mark (like competition) but
that wouldn’t go. Not exactly as expected but I repped 545lbs no suit and I
didn’t die. And this would still equal 595lbs for a single. I feel I have that
in me. It would awesome if I got a double and over the moon with a triple. Just
have to see how I recover from this setback. Definitely felt my hamstrings
today haha. I think if I can be healthy, I got an idea to get my deadlift to
keep pushing upward. Then it was fingers. The original plan had been to do 5
singles EMOM style. But then the weight got dropped from the intimidating 500lbs
finger to the challenging 400lbs finger. I knew I could rep that and I had just
done 10 singles EMOM my first time with a broken finger. So then new plan had been
to do 5 doubles EMOM style and if feeling good do 5 reps that last set. That
was before my l4-l5 rebelled so it was changed to doing a few warm-up singles
and then do a minute like contest. No funny business with the wraps today.
Receiver gloves worked well but I figure that I will get tired and I’d need to
try a more laborious technique (one I had planned for the 500lbs one). I did a
few I guess high pulls and then cleaned it and locked it out overhead. No
really issues other than my back was tight and walked it over for a flip. I was
worried as this was similar to the position I’m in with the viking press going
heavy. I told myself I needed one more flip to really get warm but I knew that
was a lie. I just didn’t want to do this as the rep I just did felt tough and I
just wanted to be a coward to fatigue. It was good that I did this as it
allowed for some troubleshooting for the contest as usually people just would
do singles or a double in training. Couldn’t be worried about anything as that
hesitation will slow you down and that is where you can get hurt on things. I
was hoping for six reps as far as pacing. But also worried that I’d get two and
flounder. I’m surprised I got four flips
in under 30 seconds. My pace was much slower after that. I got to figure if
catching the finger or resting it and then popping it up it the best option
here. Number six drained me. I was too tired and missed the clean initially so
I had to try that other technique of essentially bear hugging it and pulling it
high to rest and then pushing it up. Not efficient or fast but it allows me to
keep going. That ate up a lot of time and was going to finish the rep I was one
even if time expired. But I timed it just right and got the rep in time. That
was something haha. I still had one more thing for the day. Sandbag load
medley. I had coined this as “strongman hurdles” but it was originally more
involved. This version of it is like a running stone series but with sandbags.
Sandbags at yokes to be loaded over and 15’ apart. I’m out of practice for
sure. Especially when it comes to moving without weight fast and moving this
fast. Plan was to do a lighter run and then a contest weight run. I was initially
going to do about 100lbs less on the lighter run but I felt that wouldn’t be
too accurate a warm-up since my heavy bag on that run would still be 50lbs
under the light bag of the comp run. So I bumped it up 25lbs so that I was
essentially doing 25lbs jumps each time. The weight was light but man was I
off. I didn’t crush that 175lbs enough so it was floppy. The 200lbs I had it
too far forward and dropped it. Back down. Luckily it was light or this could’ve
been disastrous. No issues with the last one. There was a lot of slop to get
out of this. I had somehow managed to untie my right shoe half way through
this. I guess I needed the extra level of difficulty. I hate the 306lbs dense
bag but I knew I needed to treat it with the respect it deserves. I had a bit
more respect in general for that last run. I thought I cleared the yoke feet
after that first load and almost got a face full of concrete. So much for a
clean run. Still tossing the bags over at this point. But took my time with the
heavy bag. No mistakes here. I definitely didn’t have anything left in me today
for more events. Put TENS unit on my back for the drive home and stretched out,
took a hot shower and put my heating pack on. Hopefully recover this week and
next does the trick.
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