December 26, 2022 – Week 10, Day 1

Paused Circus Dumbbell Clean and Presses (2 seconds in dip)
60x2/2
70x2/2
80x2/2
90x2/2
100x2/2
110x2 L
120x2 L
130x2 L
140x2 L
150x3 L
135x3 L
135x3 L
110x2 R
120x2 R
130x3 R
117x3 R
117x3 R

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Presses (back support)
40’sx5
70’sx5
95’sx8 PR+5lbs
85’sx8

Band Assisted Pull Ups (pin 20)
sbx12
sbx12
sbx10

Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
10’sx15
Add 3 second eccentrics
40’sx15
40’sx15
40’sx15

Paused Side Plank Lifts (3 seconds)
40x15/15
40x15/15

Stretching
 
Comments: Off work so able to do another session with sun light out so figured I’d take it. Especially considering the planned stuff for the session. I was worried I had slept in way too long from how I was feeling but it was just past 9:30AM so I was only like 1hr behind my usual work day schedule. Still really cold but just below freezing so comparatively not so bad considering the past few days being single digits or just about. Family visits have pretty much meant I’ve not had to cook my own food for a week now haha. I was able to finally track down weights for the Arnold and definitely would be tough show to do as the viking and farmer’s event are heavier than I was expecting and all four prelim events are on one day vs over two days. The events for the prelim are heavier than I was thinking (or top range really) while the finals the weights seem what I was expecting. I kind of feel that I needed to be doing off season two months prior to now to really be ready for those weights. Might have to think on things as far as Arnold vs SC Nats in the future as far as doing one vs the other perhaps. Only really have to consider it for another week as an option until I close that door and consolidate my stressors and training focus. Circus dumbbell to start things off. This was kind of the start of the contest prep with the previous weeks more familiarization. Plan was work up in small jumps (like swiss bar last week) in doubles to a top triple for the day leaving 2-3RIR. It was my choice on doing pauses in the dip if I felt like I needed to do that for a few reasons (still working on keeping dumbbell in position, use less weight so more next time). Started out at 60lbs and did doubles with pauses and 10lbs jumps. Both sides were feeling about even but I knew that the right side would struggle once I hit a certain weight. 100lbs was the last weight I did alternating sides (taking short rests) and focused on just the left side. I’d come back to finish the right side. My hope with adding support gear and such as needed was that I could do enough weight that my down set would require the circus bell to get more familiarization with it.  110lbs didn’t feel amazing (first set using two 25’s on each side) with the sides rolling independently. Not something I was getting with just one 25’s pair. 130lbs I forgot it was just the double and started to go for a triple and stopped myself. I knew I had more in the tank here. I was glad I was moving the empty bell well enough after not doing anything with circus dumbbell since October 2021 and nothing since heavier than 100lbs from last week. 140lbs went up well enough that I knew 150lbs would be where to call it to leave something there. Biceps were getting sore on these with the cleaning. Not used to it and it isn’t something that can be worked with pauses and tempo and be effective like with the pressing portion of this lift. 150lbs was decent enough. Down sets with 90% so 135lbs here. First set easy and then about 90 seconds rest did the second so slightly tougher. I wanted to have one set fresh and one with fatigue. Dropped back to 110lbs for the right side and worked up. I could tell that 130lbs was going to be where I was stopping most likely for this side. Conceivably, I could’ve done 5lbs more but felt it wasn’t worth it here since this is not the planned side for the show and as long as I can hit at least the “light” weight option with this side to get another point if I tire on the left, I’m good. Down sets were 117lbs for this side then. No disasters on this today. Just sore biceps. This ate up quite a bit of time, which had been why I decided to start training earlier in the day. Into the garage for more shoulder work with the seated presses with dumbbells. The suggested for today was to work up to 95lbs for 6-10 reps leaving 2RIR and then drop down to 85lbs for matching rep set. But really it was up to me what to pick as far as weight but this was about what I was planning to use as far as weights for these since I’m to do a top set of 8-10 reps next week to finish the cycle of this exercise. Most of my time was figuring out the plate math for the dumbbells haha. The warming up jumps last time worked so I did them again but both sets for 5 reps and really controlled eccentrics to get things feeling good. Didn’t want my biceps to cramp up on me here on the shouldering. I was actually quite explosive with shouldering the right dumbbell that it almost got me off balance to try and get the left one up. Felt strong. Got slightly out of groove on last rep. Rest was pretty much just getting the weight changed which took a bit of time considering where I placed the weights needed to be taken off. That set was quite easy. Technically a PR here (most I’ve done 100’sx5 and 90’sx8 post 2016 but I’ve done 100’sx7 standing it would seem in like 2014). It will be interesting to see what I get next week. Back outside again for band assisted pull-ups. Same as last week with the plan being 3x8-12 with 2-3RIR worked. Same band assistance and indication to control movement. I knew I could do 12 the first two sets but it would be debatable for the third set. Especially with how sore my biceps were feeling from circus dumbbell stuff.  I kind of knew after the second set I wasn’t going to get 12 within parameters if I went for it. But got 10 so that works. Back into the garage to finish up the day. Lying dumbbell extensions again and indication was to use 40’s for 3x15. Notes were to either add tempo to the eccentric or shorten the rests to make the difficulty RPE 7-8. I wasn’t sure about tempo as sometimes the elbows and shoulders aren’t too thrilled with that on extension based exercises with free weight. I did more reps without tempo for the warming up to get things sorted and see if elbows ok today. They were so I went with 3 second eccentrics. Worked fine first two sets. Last set, my right triceps was not able to keep to the tempo quite right for the last 2-3 reps.  But elbows and shoulders seemed ok with things today. Last thing for obliques with paused plank lifts. Shorter hold times compared to last time so I felt I could use more weight. At issue was the elbow as the bursitis is more than it was last time. The couch pillow did alleviate pressure enough to do these but it wasn’t like a 100% removal like it was last time when it wasn’t as inflamed. There is still a noticeable difference between left side doing these and right side. Put stuff away and got cleaned up to go to dinner with family and ended up stretching when I got back home. Iced left elbow and right knee before bed.