December 7, 2022 – Week 7, Day 2

Romanian Deadlifts (beltless, straps, 3-1-1-0 tempo)
135x3
225x3
315x3
405x5
405x5
405x5

Hatfield Bulgarian FFE Split Squats (2”, 5 second eccentrics)
65x3/3
115x10/10
135x10/10

Paused Chest Supported Barbell Rows (4 seconds, straps)
135x3
185x6
185x6
185x6

One Arm Hangs
bw+30x40/40 seconds
bw+30x40/40 seconds

Single Leg Seated Band Hamstring Curls
sbx30/30
sbx30/30

Sled Drags (alternating backwards/straight leg forwards)
195x10 minutes

Stretching
 
Comments: Think just now realizing how much this break from competition focused training was needed. There is a certain stress from continually hitting stuff that is important and isn’t perhaps progressing as it needs to be to achieve what I feel needs to be done to get there. So not doing event specific work or implements (like axle pressing) has probably been beneficial for my mental wellbeing. Lord knows other minor stressors aren’t taking a day off. Still somewhat concerned with the left elbow. Not pain, just the bursitis swelling. Also having some miscommunication issues between pharmacy service and doctor about medication refills. Hopefully it gets sorted out quickly or this could be a very interesting (unpleasant) Christmas. This workout had some changes to exercises as well as exercise order. But starting off the same with tempo rdls again. Again, nothing is telling me to keep these beltless but I am. Figure works stuff and keeps me from overdoing it. The plan for today was 3x5 with 395-405lbs. I knew I was going to be doing 405lbs here. And then report RIR. For whatever reason, I decided to start at 135lbs rather than 95lbs. And that felt comfortable. Enough so I said screw it and did plate jumps up to my working weight rather than 40-50lbs jumps. Not sure why, just felt like it. Still probably would’ve been a good idea to do the triples up to that weight with the 40-50lbs jumps. Right knee was feeling a little sore/tender (Saturday and Monday training) and right hamstring was feeling a little stiff. 405lbs felt fine, even with the big jumps. Perhaps feeling a little heavier than I would’ve liked that first set. I didn’t take more than 3 minutes rest for the second set as I felt that I could manage it with that and then take a little longer for that last set for when the RIR matter. I think knowing that sometimes makes me push harder and make the weight move easier. Those first two sets they were like 2-3RIR (closer to 3) but then that last set it was like 4-5RIR (closer to 5). My understanding is that next week is working to a top set like has been the case with the different variations off the meat and potatoes before swapping over to something else. Unilateral leg work next. The lateral lunges did get replaced but didn’t mean that it was something that was going to be necessarily be easier. The replacement was my choice between doing Bulgarian split squat or more front foot elevated split squats. Well, I guess more an illusion of choice because even the Bulgarian split squat option required front foot elevated. Oh and also these were to be hatfield style with 3-5 seconds eccentric. So heavier weights and lots of control. I’ve been doing the FFE split squats for the past 6 weeks and figured I should do the Bulgarians. Those I felt would put more emphasis on legs and less stress on the ankles of the back leg and knee. I’ve done these before but without added elevation and for 3 seconds for 3x8. But I was going to do 2x10 with 5 seconds and aiming for RPE 7. Warm up in 3-5’s. I did a triple and felt I got the gist. I was kind of surprised I didn’t need to do any mobility stuff to kind of step right into these. These did end up going better than expected. I had an idea what weight I could do and was worried I aimed too high with that first set but turns out it was too light and added 20lbs to get it to be where it needed to be. Right leg felt stronger but was fatiguing faster. Also my left hip/quad was tighter on the left side when the right leg was working. Then it was time for rows. Chest supported barbell rows again but with 3-4 second holds. 3x6 and same RPE plan as last week. I was going to go for 4 seconds on these. I had a feeling that I could pull off 185lbs. Key would be if everything was feeling fine as sometimes stuff aches in the elbows and forearms and then chill out. Kind of that today. Holds are torturous on rows. I’m happy I was able to guess right for these and have good control. Grip work again. Indication was choice but something to alternate with the thick grip frame hold/shrugs. Suggested was one arm hangs or crush grip if I felt that was helping. I was initially thinking the crush grip stuff or other things. I think I was initially adverse to unilateral grip and that my setup at home might be different from the gym where I did these before. Then I was looking at axle stuff or one hand crush grip. And that was what my plan was but then I reconsidered the one arm hangs. This better fit the definition of bang for my buck. It was my bodyweight (which I think has gone down like 10lbs since Nationals) and I can add weight. It’s easy to setup with a challenging weight and it would work my core holding my legs up and control in the upper body keeping myself from swinging around. So I went to that. Plan was to do 30lbs added to the backpack for 2 sets of 30 seconds. But that first set was too easy so I held for another 10 seconds and changed it to 40 seconds. It got a lot harder quickly. So my right hand had no issues with that first set but the left hand was not appreciating the pressure on the skin palm how the bar was hitting. Similar to how it felt when I did these the first time with just body weight. But I got over it and got the other sets done but man was that making the skin of the palms tender. Band hamstrings next. Last week of these I think. Change up with the next exercise coming I guess. These have been nice but I imagine a change up is needed eventually as bands can’t cover actual weight on stuff all the time. Just from seeing how triceps felt from doing bands vs dumbbells for extension work. But finished up strong I feel on these. Hamstrings feeling beat but getting stronger. Then last week of the sled work. I know I sad that last week was by far the darkest, coldest and wettest out it has been when I’ve done these and still true but only because it was warmer tonight but it was just as dark and was even slicker from wet. I was kind of in a rush it seems to get things out and done as I was timing it to a roast in the oven. I forgot to add all the lights I usually do (and turn on the ones I did put on it). This extra 15lbs added from the week before was really noticeable. This was definitely getting into RPE 7 (which was ok for this week as RPE 6 past weeks but could be RPE 6-7 this week). Finished up and put stuff away before eating a roast and then having a pizza as a chaser. Stretched out but didn’t ice anything as I wanted to get to bed a little earlier than I had been to feel better rested in the morning. I’ll try to make up for it tomorrow evening.