August 1, 2022 – Week 9, Day 1

Wall Slides with Band/Band Y Raises (2 second holds)

mbx10/µb’sx10
mbx10/µb’sx10

Paused Axle Push Presses w/ bands (1 second in rack) (+22lbs bottom/+40lbs top)
50x3
80x3
110x3
140x3
140x3
140x3
140x3
140x3

Paused Push Ups (1 second)/Banded Face Pulls (chest height anchor)
bwx15/lbx15
bwx15/lbx15
bwx15/lbx15

Banded Triceps Push Downs
abx25
abx25

Stretching

Comments: Less than a week to go. Trying to find that balance where I am focused but not supremely confident. I need to do well to get a shot at competing at the competition I want to be doing (Nats). I want it to be a done deal but it isn’t. It still has to be done. This week will just be recovery and prep stuff. Taking a whetstone to my senses. It is a little tough though as some events are similar to Nats (ok, one is lol) so sometimes I’m drifting there when I focus on that particular event. But thinking about them when I’m out walking or nodding off to sleep. Getting stuff marked for packing to take with me but waiting until I see what the rest of the week is before doing so. On to the session. Plan was to do this without any support gear of any kind. Even the copper knee sleeves for compression. Treat this as something light and deload. No BCAAs during the session, save until afterwards and not as much because this isn’t intense. Usual band warming up of the wall slides and y raises. No changes to the wall slides but slightly less time on the holds with the y raises. These feel fine. My left shoulder I can tell is feeling better each week compared to how it was like three weeks prior. From there on to axle work. Closest thing to block really besides log but it isn’t the same. Plan here was to do the same thing as last week essentially but instead of strict pressing, this was to be push pressing. Same bands, same pauses and same 5x3 plan. Percentages were to be 40-45%. 45% as that still seemed light. I was advised to reduce load if these didn’t feel snappy. I swear this setup with the bands feels really tough compared to straight weight. I think I just have to accept that is the case and not get hung up on it and use this as the tool that it is to make me a better athlete. I feel like the pop got better near the end. From there it was on to some reps. Superset of push ups and face pulls. Plan here was 12-15 on the push ups with 5+RIR and RPE 6 on the band face pulls with being 15 and 5+RIR too. I was initially going to do higher band tension but decided on lower after seeing the RPE as 6 rather than 7. This was good move on my part. Push ups I can fatigue pretty hard on them if I don’t rest appropriately. That was the only thing I was worried about was not leaving enough in the tank really. These felt surprisingly good. Face pulls were feeling tougher than I expected so it was a good switch. Last thing was for triceps. 2x15-25 reps with less tension than usual. This was too easy. I took only half the normal rest (45 seconds or so) between sets to at least have the second set feel like I’d get tired at some point. Workout done in 45 minutes so put stuff away and stretched before my roast was done.