April 10, 2023 – Week 5, Day 1

Bottom Up Kettlebell Presses/Dumbbell Pullovers (3 seconds stretch)/Cobra Stretches (5/15)
15’sx10/10x10/bwx3
15’sx10/10x10/bwx3

Viking Presses (push press, facing away, hands 11” down handles)
+20(40.5)x3
+65(73.5)x3
+110(106.5)x3
+155(139.5)x3
+200(172.5)x3
+245(205.5)x3
+280(231)x5
+252(211)x5
Pauses (3 seconds in dip)
+214(183)x5
+214(183)x5

Feet Elevated Pull Ups (swiss bar, 2 second holds)
bwx3
bw+42x8
bw+42x8
bw+42x8

DeFranco Band Pullaparts (30 seconds)
mbx32
mbx34
mbx33

Kettlebell Tibialis Anterior Raises (3 second holds)/Single Arm Overhead Band Triceps Extensions (3 second eccentrics)
38x10/10 – lbx15/15
38x10/10 – lbx14/14

Stretching
 
Comments: Was feeling a little bit of disc pressure symptoms after training. I mean, it was already feeling that after the deadlift session and while calming down, it was definitely stressed again on Saturday with the training. Just got to keep an eye on it and adjust as needed I guess. I had felt surprisingly well rested Monday morning. Like I had overslept kind of rested and was worried I accidentally set my alarm for an hour later. But it was the current time. Maybe the “vegetarian” meal (I added 2 chicken breasts to it) had helped. Had some eye twitches still popping up on the left side. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try and do some dip station traction before training. With the weather being nice out, it felt safe to setup the viking press before starting with the workout. I think this was also to give me a chance to get some fluids in and see how I was feeling moving around too. Starting things off was a circuit of exercises. Remains the same for now. Some discussion of potentially adding in some sandbag toss drills here as well. Started off well enough and then my right glute decided to cramp up on me on the cobra pose. Just worked through it. Hope that it didn’t bother me on anything (it shouldn’t). Viking press as has been the case (and will likely be the case) for this first workout of the week. Got some idea of the weight for the show. Granted it is 490lbs added to the implement, but from the weight placement, it looks to be like halfway so probably about 50% of that weight to whatever it is in hand. So probably looking at like 300lbs weight in hand or so likely. Just have to keep going I guess. Push press today. Plan was work up to a top set of 4-5 (2-3RIR). Push pressing last time had felt ok but not super awesome. But strict pressing had felt pretty darn good last week. I was initially thinking of just going up 10lbs from last time (as far as the top weight used) but reconsidered when I thought about it. Last time I had done long pause triples and then did the top set leaving reps in the tank and it had felt a little wobbly for me. So seeing as I was feeling better with these, maybe I could do well here. So initially I was thinking of just doing 45lbs jumps and triples but then decided to add 20lbs so it would be 30lbs more than last time. I was slightly worried my legs weren’t going to be cooperating with me as they felt funky setting up and putting weight on the apparatus. But I felt fine when I was doing the lift. As I was working up, things were feeling ok but I didn’t have the confidence that I could do 290lbs added and leave enough RIR so I made the last jump 35lbs instead. I wish I had stuck to my plan though as this went up quite smooth. But I guess as long as I make steady progress and make the improvements each time. Definitely feel like I’m getting the movement down. But will need to keep adding weight and hopefully get closer to 90% of 300lbs weight in hand to be certain I’m getting a lift. Been trying to not zero any events and been good about that since October 2021. Drop the weight by 10% and do another set of matching reps. This felt comfortable. Then I was to drop the weight 15% more for paused reps. Matching reps for the other sets. Last time the paused reps had been first and then the regular style. I think these actually have merit with how this setup is as I’m trying to not do rebound reps and with how I have to fully support the weight on the shoulders as opposed to letting it rest on the body like other pressing, it carries over to the fatigue felt for a longer set when not setting it down. And could add to some additional shoulder muscle hypertrophy. I was curious about the increased reps even with the lighter weight and shorter holds. These were quite easy and really snappy. Getting that hip drive. I was pleased with how things went on the viking press today. Well enough to be satisfied to move on. Rest of the workout was about what it has been since this training prep start. So next thing was feet elevated pull ups. Same as it has been. Indication that this was the last week of it. I felt it was a bit tough last time but with the RPE increased a good bit, I felt that I should be able to do this and finish out. Elbows and forearms were feeling these holds and this weight. Definitely could feel upper back, lats and shoulders working hard on the holds as well as my grip and biceps. I’d say this was a good run on these considering the hold requirement. DeFranco pullaparts again for 3 sets of 30 seconds. Apparently the last week of these. I will miss them. These have felt quite good the last few workouts. I was very close to getting 100 reps total here. Finishing up with tibialis anterior raises and band triceps. Same as it has been. It would seem that perhaps the tib work will be dropped to allow more recovery and to give time for drills. I can tell I’m walking slower the next day after these when I go for my walks. I didn’t intend to increase the weight again but I did and it actually felt the best it has this entire time. Maybe being outside helped haha. After the first set, I noticed I had a cut on my left palm on the outside. It was dried so no idea when I did that or on what. Maybe the pullaparts? Not sure. But not in a spot that will really hamper anything if that kind of thing would ever hamper me. The sets of 10 reps were quite comfortable. With the triceps, I used the same band tension as last time with the switched up grip. Granted it hadn’t made things feel better for the elbow on the left, it was something that seemed to feel ergonomically better on my hands/wrist. I did push these a bit more to try and get more reps. Right side has a tougher time of it. Left side the elbow was achy on the first set but was quiet the second set and that was a good sign I think. I meant to get 15 reps both sets but it was just too challenging to push through on the second set so settled for one rep shy to not over do it. Put stuff away and ate a roast before stretching. Iced knees before bed.