January 9, 2023 – Week 12, Day 1

Circus Dumbbell Clean and Presses
60x2 R
60x2 L
80x2 R
80x2 L
100x2 R
100x2 L
115x2 L
130x2 L
145x2 L
155x1 L (3 misses)

Behind the Neck Strict Presses (3 second eccentrics)
45x3
75x3
105x3
135x6
135x6
135x6

Band Assisted Pull Ups (pin 24)
sbx10
sbx9
sbx8

Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
26’sx5
46’sx5
63’sx10
48’sx20

Paused Side Plank Lifts (6 seconds)
40x12/12
40x12/12

Stretching
 
Comments: I wanted this to be a good workout. Granted, I was feeling some stuff from Saturday but not as bad as they could be I guess. I just know that stones were hard on the body. I felt that I got enough sleep and felt rested. I was expecting things to go a certain way. Near end of my work day, started to have cramping/tension in the lower/mid back and more so the right side. This was going to a workout where I was doing it after work unlike the past two sessions on Monday being holiday observances. Circus dumbbell to start things off. Plan would appear to be alternating between working up to a top set one week with down sets and then the other week being lighter EMOM stuff. So this was to be a heavier week. Work up in doubles like two weeks prior and hit a top set of 3 without pauses. No grinding reps and make it tougher than last time. I felt I had made the first week light enough to be able to improve 5-10lbs with pauses removed. And I could understand that. I was fully prepared for going for 160lbs left and 145lbs right if feeling good. But stuff just felt heavy. My right wrist was aching just trying to hold and press the weights. Left side it felt heavy but locking out and moving was feeling good and I guess that’s what matters. When I switched to just left, I had the dumbbell seem to get caught on my trap rather than where it normally sits for the last double before swapping in the big bell. Didn’t inspire confidence. Neither did any set after that. 145lbs felt a ton heavier than it did last week. Felt heavier than 150lbs felt two weeks ago as well. Usually, I seem good with controlling the weight down and keeping hands on to reclean right away (quicker reps) but I had to reclean 145lbs a second time with a slight break because I got off balance lowering it. This was not feeling good for my ego today. I could understand if I was having this the first week but not the third week. If I was following the effort, I’d have done 145lbs for the triple. But that would mean less weight and having that triple be harder than the EMOM I did with this weight last week for 10 comfortable singles. I stupidly and desperately added 10lbs to hope that I’d treat this more seriously and get a surge or jolt to get the reps in. It worked for 1 rep but just a mess after that. Wasn’t able to balance a second or third rep and I tried it again and couldn’t really get it much off the shoulders on the fourth attempt. I shut it down there for circus dumbbell. Something was wrong and I saw not value in continuing to punish myself. That also meant I didn’t bother with any working sets for the right side as that side was feeling even worst than the left today. I told myself to move on to the rest of the workout and trying to not let negative thoughts paralyze me. Next exercise was kind of new. New in that it’s been not pushed as a heavier exercise before; behind the neck strict presses. Indication is that these will be alternated with a band push press every other week but with how circus dumbbell went, who knows if I’ve messed up those plans. Idea was 3x6 with 3 second eccentrics at RPE 7. I did triples starting with the bar and adding 30lbs. Touching 135lbs I realized it was the working weight and not a working up set. These feel weird on the first rep in that I don’t feel like I have any strength or power in the position until I really tense up everything. An alien feeling compared to pressing out front. I had to recheck video to make sure I did 6 reps the second set and not 5. Could feel fatigue building by the end. I was still incredibly bummed about circus dumbbell and knew it was going to eat at me a good while. Moved on to band assisted pull-ups. Same as last week with the plan being 3x8-10 with 2R but indicating to use less band assistance to get into that range since I did 3x10 last week. Dropping the band pin height by two placings to the lowest I can set it to. Arms were feeling quite sore after these. These sit feel ok and I’m glad I’m making sure I’m controlling the reps better and getting full ROM rather than just heaving. Into the garage to finish up the day. Lying dumbbell extensions. Same as last week with two top sets (10-12 and 12-20). Indication was to make these so that RIR was 1-2. I figured a 5lbs jump for the heavier set and then 8lbs for the second set (using the bolted on collars) would work out for me. Besides the first warming up set, these just felt heavy in my hands and on my elbows. It was a struggle to get reps with the heavier weight. Switching out weights took time. Still felt heavy in my hands but less so on the elbows. Last thing for obliques with paused plank lifts. Reduced to 2x12 but hold times increased to 5-6ct. Less discomfort from the bursitis elbow this time around. Still using the 40lbs dumbbell. These are getting exhausting for this many reps with this long of a hold each rep. Just work at this time. Put stuff away and ate dinner. I struggled to find the motivation (or point) in stretching rather than just going straight to bed. But I did before cleaning up. Hopefully I’ll feel less insecure about this in the morning after sleeping. But probably not.