February 17, 2022 – Week 19, Day 3

Paused Behind the Neck Strict Presses (3 seconds)/Half Kneeling Single Arm Band Pulldowns
45x10/sbx15/15
45x10/sbx15/15

12” Log Clean and Push Presses
(clean once)
87x2
112x2
139x2
164x2
191x2
216x2
241x1
266x1
291x1
(clean every rep)
255x2
255x2
255x5 (75 seconds time limit) PR+5lbs

Paused 12” Log Incline Bench Presses (1 second)
97x6
122x5
149x4
174x3
201x2
226x1
251x6 PR+36lbs
251x6

Paused Head Supported 12” Log Rows (3 seconds)
97x3
149x3
201x6
201x6
201x6
201x6

Paused Band Y Raises (2 seconds)
mbx12
mbx12
mbx12

Stretching

Comments: I should preface this workout a little. When what I was assigned to do for log on this day when I first got it, I was excited and anticipating good things. Then I started to feel under the weather. Coupled with stress from stupid things (like blood work), I started becoming terrified of this workout session. Terrified that I’d fall short of my expectations and be terrible. I’ve put in almost 20 weeks of effort toward this contest at this point and trying to show what I can truly do. The day before this workout, I wasn’t feeling that great as far as whatever (cold most likely) and I decided that I’d not go for a walk after work and just eat a big but simple meal and go to bed as early as I could feel comfortable doing after eating 3lbs of beef. So got at least 10hrs of sleep and that seemed to do the trick to kick most of it. But I was incredibly nervous for training log but I calmed down around lunch time. Then I heard patter of rain. What?! So I had been aware that it was going to be unreasonably warm for February (mid 60’s) and this fluctuating weather wreaks havoc on my body as far as breathing and joints. Forecast had said nothing about showers until late in the evening. So it was windy and raining. I was really contemplating doing this workout tomorrow but this would throw everything off. I did my last heavy log clean and press workout in the rain so I figured I could still do it. Granted that had been with less rain and in daylight. I would’ve done this workout at lunch if I had known it would rain many hours earlier than it was supposed to and this hard. Started things off in the garage. BTN presses with pauses into one arm band lat pulls again. Felt good and fine. I was kind of hoping that I’d get some breaks in the rain for the log stuff but nope. I at least got stuff setup so that I could try and make things quick. I had to squeegee down my patio of excess water before setting up a few times. I eventually just put a towel down on the floor in front of the log to hopefully suck up the water to keep from having a puddle under my feet. Towel draped over the log as well. Heaviest log workout so far. So a bit different in how this was approached. Doubles to warm up but only one clean. Doubles up to 70% and then switch to singles. The plan here was a top single (RPE 8-8.5) and then take off 12.5% for 2x2 (clean every rep) and them do a timed AMRAP (60-75 seconds). The top single and the AMRAP were the things I needed most and the things that I was worried about the most with the conditions (getting over cold/stress and training in a downpour). Goal listed for the workout was 285x1 and then 250 for the down sets. My plan here was 25-26lbs jumps (my odd weight 25’s) and then after putting all four on, do 20lbs jumps or so. I decided to change that as I realized that I could stick with 25lbs jumps after that point and reach my goal with hopefully less time in the rain (one less working up set). So my goal was to actually do 291lbs for the top single with some in the tank. This might be the last workout pushing this kind of weight for the show and I definitely wanted to know that contest weight was going up, even in the worst conditions. My paranoia of contest weight potentially being as heavy as 293lbs if the 25’s are overweight like mine haha but that wasn’t the true reason to do this weight. Not just to get above contest on this but then to have 255lbs be the downset weights. So doing reps with 30lbs under contest (or just under 90%) comfortably would be a good work too. Anyways, Clean was comfortable for 291lbs but I didn’t feel like it was settled right for the leg drive and kind of did a false start dip and then a second. The log did drift a little forward off my shoulders on that dip but I was strong enough to force it up there. 6lbs under my best clean and push press on this log (307lbs most weight anyway from floor to overhead on this log) and 18lbs off my all-time best on any log. Considering no log clean and pressing for almost a year before starting 5 weeks peaking cycle for log that is fantastic. But as always, I could be better. So took off about 40lbs for the down sets. Two doubles were ok. The main thing was the AMRAP. 60-75 seconds and leaving 1-2 reps in the tank. I usually like to have times called when doing this specifically for exercises so that I can gauge my fatigue and how many reps I get at certain intervals (30 seconds in, 45 seconds in and 55 seconds in for a minute). I figured that with best to take the longer period to pace myself. It is probably a good thing I did as after the first rep, my left wrist wrap came undone and I had to reconfigure it. No stopping the clock, contest conditions. This could happen at the show so stay calm and get back into it. These felt pretty good. I hit 5 reps comfortably despite the malfunction. Actually beats my 5rm clean and press every rep from like 2010 haha. So I was elated things went as well as they did considering the worries and issues. So good bit of time was spent getting all the stuff out of the wet. I needed the log for more things for this workout. Log incline bench with pauses again. Plan for this week was 2x6 with a weight I should have 3RIR on. This weight was suggested as 250lbs. Now I felt I could do that weight and for those sets and reps but that it might not be a true 3RIR. But I didn’t want it to be a 1RIR situation. Pauses and increased weight take a bit out of the sails with log incline bench. I choose to have faith in myself on this today. Pyramid sets to warm-up and started with a weight that would have me doing 25lbs jumps to get. So 251lbs because easier plate math. Weight hasn’t really been pushed on the paused incline log stuff but reps have. So doing this was technically a 36lbs PR getting six reps. I got it with some in the tank. Can’t say for sure it was 3RIR but it was more than 1RIR. Same with the second set. Shoulders weren’t feeling achy like last time so that was a plus. I know that these paused presses correlate better to my competition style vs the bounce style. Log rows with my head supported after that with holds again. Listed to do 200x4x6. Went 1lbs heavier again as easier plate math. Swapped out the lifters on for these again. These felt comfortable for me. Even if not specific to log, these I think could be helpful with training some other events/aspects of lifts in the future. Last thing for the session was y raises with bands. 3x12. I figured I’d test and see if I could do a mini band and kept to 2ct holds and feeling like I have 3RIR. I did and I was so that was pretty neat to see that the little difficult movements are getting better and stronger. Put stuff away and ate dinner before stretching. I didn’t feel like I needed to ice the knees tonight and got to bed at a decentish hour.