January 26, 2023 – Week 14, Day 3

Band Assisted Thread The Needles
mbx10/10
mbx10/10

Swiss Bar Bench Presses
45x3
95x3
135x3
185x3
225x3
275x4
235x10

Paused Inverted Ring Rows (2 seconds)
bw+20x12 PR+2 reps
bw+20x12

Single Arm Dumbbell Y Raises on Incline Bench (Iso Hold)
10’sx12/12
10’sx12/12

Single Arm Overhead Band Triceps Extensions (followed by 30 seconds stretch)
mmb+µbx15/15
mmb+µbx15/15

Knees Over Toes Calf Raises (3 seconds stretch)/Deep Squat Holds
bwx15/bwx45 seconds
bwx15/bwx45 seconds

Stretching
 
Comments: I must have been very distracted today. Work stuff and then a lot of interruptions and noise with tree services going through the neighborhood doing maintenance of vegetation around the powerlines. It was so loud at times I couldn’t hear myself think. More suckers didn’t really check my backyard that thoroughly before they brought and had move the yoke I got setup back there for keg toss that is like 220lbs. In either case, whether feeling beat from yesterday’s workout or all the things going on I was trying to take care of, I got wires crossed and went for a walk on my lunch and then realized that I don’t do that on my days were I lift. Oh well. Extra walk day I guess (unless I decide to make up for the time lost with work). I think I was commenting to myself how my hamstrings were feeling pretty toasty from the day before when I realized my mistake. This was to be the easiest workout of the week by design. Last time, it was after a lower effort session for the lower body as well as the first session in the week. Also first time doing upper body stuff after the what I feel was a botched elbow draining situation. It had felt surprisingly fine last week but I knew things weren’t as “rested” this time around. It was about the same as last week though. So first thing was the “thread the needles”. I lowered the band tension a lot and put down a thin foam mat so my knees weren’t bothered by the hard concrete floor. Was feeling some aches in the elbows today and some shoulder soreness. Again, suit work and shrugs weren’t what I did last time, nor did I do heavy circus dumbbell. Not really sure if these are doing much for me besides the upper body rotational aspect. Next thing was swiss bar benching. Notes are that will be alternating between paused and not paused. So just regular this week. Work up in triples to a top set of 8-10 reps with 2-3RIR. I had expectations of myself that were erroneous considering how long it has been from me really benching besides incline and lighter weights. Also assuming that there is a big difference between paused and not paused for me on pressing. Not so much at the chest, more so if done where stuff is about to take over. Nothing as drastic as say rowing and similar. I had felt that based off what I’ve done before with a barbell that 275lbs was doable. And I was wrong. Wrists and elbows were feeling achy compared to last week. Unracking wasn’t feeling quite like last week. 275lbs felt heavy but the first three reps seemed to go fine but then the fourth didn’t and I racked it there. I had to adjust things. I wanted to not put myself in a hole (didn’t miss any lifts and left reps in the tank) and do a more appropriate weight for the proposed set. Took off 40lbs (I was trying to rationalize 245lbs but knew that was too much really after that set). 235lbs ended up working with only the last rep feeling a little off with the locking out. So unlike stones, I guess benching doesn’t come back quick for me. I was admittedly annoyed with myself but need to remember that this isn’t the thing I’m contested on at this time and need to be smart with getting in quality work and not burning out. Still feeling sore in the shoulders (not painful, just like they’d done work). Up next was the inverted ring rows. Notes suggest that these will be phased out after another week of them. Starting to feel good. So plan again was 2 sets no more than RPE 7. 1-2ct holds and aim being 8-12 reps per set. So would seem suggestion would be more weight. I decided to go with 5lbs more and see about getting 12 reps with that with some in the tank. That seemed to go well enough. Again, feeling soreness in the shoulders/traps/upper back. More so the left side. Don’t think it is anything to be concerned about as it is likely just from the demands of the week and each week it is more and more. The rest of the workout was essentially unchanged from last week. So Iso Y raises were next. 2x10-12 again. I think I was ready for it to suck with going 2x12 on these. Bracing harder and not just passively. I think that cue helped me get through these better this time. Still exhausting. Mobility stuff to end the session really. Overhead single arm stuff with anchor point being around my knee again. Do a set of 10-15 reps and then hold the stretch for 30 seconds with deep nasal breathing for stretch in lats and tris. I decided to increase the band tension slightly. Elbows had been achy today so maybe I stay here or go back down. I think I was looking more for the stretch to be more this time around. I shorted my counting to get it to be closer to 30 seconds vs the 40 seconds it ended up being last time. I was closer this time around. Seeing as how both elbows were feeling the aches today (left more so) that may just be something rather than my left being explicitly related to the bursitis. Last thing was ankle mobility tied in with calf work with option to superset with hip mobility stuff. So knees over toes again. Suggestion was to use a raised platform for these to try and get more a stretch. Maybe it helped me think I could go further. I really tried to do these with my knees bent and over the toes. Maybe this was better or maybe this was worse. As has been the case, the right side is a ton tighter than the left on these. Knees didn’t seem to ache as much compared to last week. Hips felt fine doing the deep squat holds. Again, knees felt pretty good here. Cooked up dinner and put stuff away. Stretched and iced knees before bed.