February 27, 2023 – Week 19, Day 1

Circus Dumbbell Clean and Jerks (2 second holds at lockout)
Left Side
40x3
60x2
80x1
95x1
EMOM
110x1
110x1
110x1
110x1
110x1
110x1
110x1
110x1
110x1
110x1
Right Side
40x3
60x2
EMOM
80x1
80x1
80x1
80x1
80x1
80x1
80x1
80x1
80x1
80x1

Axle Push Presses w/ bands (+22lbs bottom/+40lbs top)
46x2
76x2
106x2
136x2
166x2
196x5

Paused Band Half Kneeling One Arm Pulldowns (2 seconds)
abx15/15
abx15/15

Paused Band Pullaparts (2 seconds)
mmbx16

Paused Underhand Band Pullaparts (2 seconds)
mmbx16

Band Triceps Extensions
lb’sx20
lb’sx20

Stretching
 
Comments: Feeling a bit beat. Aches and what not. Hoping that the pull back at this point is going to be enough that I recover and feel healthy. I know I can still perform well at not 100% on things as demonstrated with this past week. I slept a good bit on Sunday and with weird meal times, I was bit off schedule. Trying to get quality sleep in and just monitoring things as far as my back, hips and knees. This week a bit of an odd man out. Generally this is heavier session but with how switching to alternating weeks on circus dumbbell intensity, this ended up falling on a light week so this need to be adjusted a little so that not coasting too light for the show next week. So it was circus dumbbell for a bit more intensity than what has usually been the case these times (26-40lbs). So indication was use contest form and hold for 1-2ct at lockout with 100-120lbs for 8-10x1 EMOM. I was planning on doing 110lbs for both arms since that would be the handle and the two sets of overweight 25’s on it. Range given in case I needed to pull back on these. Right knee was feeling sore and crappy today. Also didn’t help that it started to rain/hail while I was doing these. I wore a fleece as it was cold and kept me somewhat dry. I decided to do things a little different this time around since the weight being worked up to wasn’t really heavy. Just work up on the left side and then start back down again for the right and work way back up. I ended up needing to do a few more reps warming up rather than singles to feel like stuff was clicking and wasn’t holding back due to soreness in joints. For the left side, the weather wasn’t that terrible. Or terrible I guess compared to what it was going to become. I got annoyed on reps 3-5 as jerks weren’t timing right and it was feeling slow and like I was doing a push press. That annoyance got me to really punch the rest of the reps. The intensity of the rain/hail increased rather than dissipated. I was planning to do 110lbs and using the tucked elbow style but I found that was putting too much strain on my wrist and thumb on that side. As it was getting more and more rain and hail, I decided I’d do just 80lbs for the other side. I switched back to doing the form I was doing when my arm/shoulder was cooperating. Finished up with the dumbbell and planned what I was going to do next out of the elements. From there it was on to axle push press against bands. I was trying to think if there was something I could do inside instead but nothing really fit the bill for something that would be light and use more leg drive but still be more weight than the circus dumbbell from last week. I did have two options here depending on how I felt. I could do 5-10lbs more than last time for 5x2 or I could work up to a top set of 3-6 (roughly the reps I want to hit at the contest) at RPE 7.5. The hail was starting to sting a little. I figured I’d see how I was feeling with the 30lbs jumps but I was leaning towards doing one top set to be done with it. I think my worry was of course the hail/ice at my feet but also that putting too much weight on this could be an issue for my wrist, back and knees. Thankfully, these were pretty kind to my joints this week. I went 15lbs more than last time and was seeing how it went. If that first rep wasn’t super fast, then I’d do a set of 3-6 reps. It wasn’t super fast so rep set it was. I tend to stick at reps on banded stuff with the axle. 5 reps was comfortable and good place to shut it down. Took a bit of time to get stuff out of the rain and hail to wipe down and setup the rest of the workout. Rest of the workout was easy band stuff. One arm pulldowns in half kneel. Everything was to be RPE 5 or so from here on. So I had originally thought strong band but then realizing lower RPE with holds and higher reps (2x12-15), it made more sense to go down to average band here. There was some tension in the hip flexor or whatever it is with the overhead stuff and also here holding the position. Not detrimentally painful, just enough to be like “how do you do”. Reminding me still there. My upper back did like these being for higher reps and with holds. No rest between sides and sets. Band pullaparts with pauses were next. Plan was 15-20 reps here. I went with the monster mini and was not sure if I did 15 or 17 reps. Checking I realized that I was supposed to be doing these with an underhand. Oops. So I did another set with them the way I was supposed to. Last thing was those triceps extensions with bands. Same as last week, aim to have it feel easier. Which I think worked out. Put stuff away and ate dinner before stretching. Iced knees and wrapped the left arm (if had felt a little tender from wearing the knee sleeves for zercher stuff Saturday). Got to keep those feelings that I think my body is falling apart at bay. Keep up the recovery stuff of soft tissue work, sleeping and not overdoing it with stretching or exercising the hips too hard.