July 21, 2022 – Week 7, Day 3

Mouser Block Presses (one clean)
Weights
25’sx6
40’sx4
Block
124.5x2
155x2
179x2
206.5x2
206.5x2
206.5x2
206.5x2
206.5x2
206.5x2

Narrow Grip Axle Standing Pin Presses (top of rack, 1” block, 5 second hold last rep each set)
136x3
186x3
226x3
256x3
286x3
286x3
286x3

Paused Half Kneeling One Arm Lat Band Pulldowns (3 seconds)
sbx12/12
sbx12/12

Paused Half Kneeling Band Face Pulls (3 seconds, high anchor)
lbx12
lbx12

One Arm Overhead Band Triceps Extensions (2 second hold in stretch)
lbx12/12
lbx12/12

Paused Dumbbell Pullovers (5 seconds)
40x10

Dumbbell Bench Press Iso Holds
46’sx45 seconds

Stretching

Comments: Hot day. Been hot all this week. Going to get hotter by the end of it. Block press back in the rotation again. A lighter week here again (last week was to be heavier but modified obviously) with the plan being next week to be the last heavy session before the show (following the setup that has been the case for the past few shows). Sun wasn’t directly on me thankfully but it was hot. Did the 25’s again for some reps but then also did 40lbs dumbbells as well. These felt good. I made sure that I got into a full squat position before picking them up to press just to get things ready and mobile. Quads were feeling stiff from the hatfield Bulgarian split squats. The plan for today was to work up to 200lbs for 6x2 with 90 seconds rest. I initially was thinking it was clean every rep which would be quite exhausting but read to make sure it was just one clean each time. Worked up in doubles. Clean wasn’t going great the first two working up sets. Almost overshot it with the empty block and I did on the second set and got off balance and it came back down and I stopped it from falling to the ground and recleaned it. My biceps were feeling these after getting a nice break from it last week. Wrists were getting a little scraped up here too. The good news was that it wasn’t feeling like I needed to let the block settle so much before initiating the press. I was a little worried that would be the case since I had the lingering stuff from last week from being stressed. All I really had was occasionally just the regular kind of balance issues that can arise on this. Weight came out a bit heavy at the end but fine. I actually had to talk myself down to doing closer to 225lbs just for my own sanity when I know I can do that and need to do the competition right. My rests did end up being shorter than 90 seconds. The jump to the working weight felt heavier as far as the pick but that could be because I didn’t wear a hard belt or wrist wraps. I think I was also a little self-conscious that I might nick my shin and have it bleed again. 3rd set felt the best of them. Those felt effortless and crisp. I think I’m starting figure out where I need to have the power come from and start when it comes to initiating the clean with this. But don’t know if that is just for this kind of block or if it will work for the odd shaped block at the show. I will have to try my best when I’m there to get my hands on it before we have to go. On the last one, I did a little bit of marching in place with the last rep overhead. Just to show I’m in control and some extra balance. Maybe to also wake things up for the next thing on the agenda. Axle rack work again. Going with my mistake of height from last time and running with it. Kind of surprised doing another rack session but fine by me. So plan here was the lighter weight I did for my sets of 5 reps last week for 3x3 and to hold the last rep of each set for a 5 second hold overhead. I saw that I said no. The weight of 276lbs would be about what the last block in the press medley is. But 286lbs would be about the opener for Nats on the axle clean and press event. So I went 10lbs heavier. I felt I could do it and still be ok as warming up my plan was to do first two sets working up as triples and then doubles and when I accidentally did one of the doubles as a triple, I just did triples all the way up. I want to redeem the axle showing at last contest. I want to be in the frame of mind that I’m winning this show in two weeks and I’m going to Nationals. So part that. Trying to be of two minds as I want to keep pushing higher and higher but I also need to do enough to stimulate and not annihilate as I do have this show in two weeks that I need to win. Definitely noticing my sore quads on these with bracing and putting the weight through my leg bones and hips with the stacking. My shoulders weren’t feeling nearly as complainy as they were last week. At this point in the session, I took a break. For about an hour. My family that lives in Arizona were stopping by for a little bit and I had not been able to see them at the beach vacation as planned. I had a new niece I hadn’t met yet so I felt it was best to see the little ones before they went down for bed in like an hour. It was nice to see them. My older niece picked some vegetables from my parents’ garden and then had me watch her play farm with a bunch of tiger toys. So after an hour of that, I got back to finish up the workout. I had taken the chance since the rest of the workout was bands and stretching/mobility stuff for upper body. Low volume stuff. Lat pulldowns single arm style was next. Indication was to pull to a specific point to try and mimic block press position. I think I got that right. This was followed up with band face pulls. High anchor point again but advised to do them in the same position of the half kneel like the lat band pulls. The balance issue added a little something to it. Last thing for outside was band triceps. Overhead style with the flex of biceps in the stretch. It was suggested I try one arm to make getting into position easier and less compromising. I did try with standing on the band but it didn’t feel right so used the same anchoring as last week. Right arm definitely lagging here compared to the left. Even after the left was the one that got fractured. Into the garage for the last touches. I had the fans going the whole time so it was fairly cool in there. Pullovers for a single set. 5 second holds in the stretch. Suggested was 30-35lbs dumbbell but don’t have that. I didn’t want to use the smaller plateloaded since I had those setup for the last exercise and the longer handle I’d be hitting the ground before reaching a stretch. So used the 40lbs dumbbell. My lats/chest don’t really get worked much on these, it is more the triceps having to stabilize. Trying to stretch but not like relax like I can in the bottom of a squat (hard on shoulders to do that and have to tense up again). Last thing was a set of bench iso holds with the dumbbells. These felt good. Ordered Indian food and put stuff away before eating and then stretching.