April 13, 2023 – Week 5, Day 3

Dumbbell Windmills
40x5/5
40x5/5

Close Grip Axle Floor Presses w/ Chains (+44lbs)
No chains
46x3
Add Chains
46x3
76x3
106x3
136x3
166x3
196x3
196x3
196x3
196x3
196x3

Dumbbell Z Presses (5 second holds last rep)
10’sx3
10’sx3
10’sx3
40’sx3
40’sx3
70’sx10
70’sx10

EZ Curl Bar Pullovers (breath holds in stretch)
33x10
33x10

Band Half Kneeling Face Pulls
lbx15
lbx15
abx15
abx15

Stretching
 
Comments: So a bit of a surprise late on Wednesday was that Strongman Corporation released the events planned for Nationals. I thought it was talk about stuff being released “soon” as usually it isn’t until July that details are known. But I guess I should’ve suspected it would be sooner after they made a Facebook page for the event last month. Interesting events and varied enough. Already thinking of approaches but actual weights and rules and such won’t be until it sounds next week. So just have to compile things and just see what ends up being the case with my assumptions to see if concerns/thoughts are still relevant. But before that, I still have a competition to prep for (I mean only in that I’m signed up for it, not that I have to do it to get to Nats this time around). So this workout is to be more of the quick in and out with the mobility stuff, pressing and then “restorative” stuff. The arm bars were replaced with windmills. It was suggested dumbbell but I could’ve used whatever. I just went with dumbbell since the weight would be similar and require less setup. Left shoulder was being tight and fussy with me. Similar to how it was feeling that first and second week of training back from the contest in March. Maybe it is just another angle or some things were stressed differently. Left arm up has a harder time compared to the right side up doing the movement. The shoulder part is hard the left and the bending easier but the shoulder part is easier on the right despite the bending being a little tougher. I did have to adjust stance slightly so as not to hit the ceiling. I just went one side into the other like the arm bars. Obviously not as easy compared to those. Much longer motion. Then it was time to do the axle floor pressing. Change is alternating intensities each week. Heavy and speed, which seemed to feel pretty good for me as far as recovery wise. This being the speed week. As is usually the case, 55-60% with 10-15% in accommodating resistance. Usually that is bands. But this time it was chains. I could still do bands but chains haven’t really been an option and I got 110lbs worth of chains that just kind of sit there unless I get creative. Maybe chains because likely easier to get setup for a floor press vs bands. So with the setup I had (I used my figure 8 straps) the chains weren’t ever fully off the ground. A fair amount of them were still on the ground even at lockout so I knew this wasn’t the fully 44lbs. Which was fine. I recall that was how it was supposed to be in the old Westside Barbell stuff. These were feeling pretty good. My abs were sore getting down and back up from the dragonflies the day before (as expected). I elected to do 55% just to be on the safe side. I can probably do more considering how these went. Plan was 55%x5x3 with 75-90 seconds rest and report the RIR on the last set. I actually did the first three sets in less than EMOM rest (Jolene by Dolly Parton was playing) and then it was closer to EMOM rest or slightly more the last two sets. I honestly didn’t know what to think as far as the RIR so I said 10+ or so. It is really hard to tell on the speed work stuff and I’ve indicated that when I was doing those banded axle push presses and it wasn’t reflective of when it was heavier by far. But I felt like I was actually pressing strong and powerfully. Next was z presses with dumbbells again. Still do holds but this time only on the last rep for a longer time. Like when I was doing those lean back log presses last year in prep for the 2022 PA Dutch. I initially forgot that I was to do triples warming up and rather than do a lot of weight jumps with the plateloaded dumbbells, I’d do multiple sets with short rests of the lighter solid dumbbells to work up. First set of the planned working weight felt fine. Definitively was fatigue going into that second set. Makes me wonder how I ended up doing 16 reps with these (no pauses) that one time. Left shoulder was definitely tight. The usual suspects after this were changed up a good bit. Instead of band rows, it was pullovers. Focus on the stretch so light weight and straight arms. Breathe in and out while in the stretch each rep. My left shoulder was catching on the first set. I wasn’t thinking this would be enough weight initially but it turned out it was. Second set felt a ton better as far as comfort and actually being able to focus on the movement. Last thing was band work with the half kneeling face pulls. It has been a bit with the face pulls and sometimes I end up too much biceps if I jump right into the usual band tensions I was doing. And hard to discern the fatigue. Plan was to only do 2x15 but I ended up doing double that with a lighter band tension. I feel that the extra reps were fine and low enough intensity that it won’t cut into recovery. My upper back tends to be able to handle volume well. Put stuff away and then stretched before eating a pot roast.