April 5, 2023 – Week 4, Day 2

Nordic Curl Eccentrics (5 seconds)
bwx5
bwx5
bwx5

13” Axle Jack Stand Pulls (straps)
110x3
160x3
200x3
250x2
290x2
340x2
380x1
430x1
470x1
520x5
490x5
490x5

Trap Bar B Stance Romanian Deadlifts (3 second eccentrics)
125x3/3
195x3/3
245x10/10
245x10/10

Paused Safety Squat Bar Squats (3 seconds, 2” above parallel on concentric)
65x4
115x3
155x2
205x5
210x5
215x5

Landmine Bar Twists
52x8/8
52x8/8
52x8/8

Stretching
 
Comments: Well the vegetarian meal was a start but it was a lot of work for something that did fill my stomach but didn’t “satiate” me. I had felt hungry even into the next day with my normal meals haha. I think part of it was the prep time and that it wasn’t a sit down and eat thing like the other meals that I’ve made and are in the rotation. I will be making it again at least two more times to use up ingredients but I’m probably adding in some chicken haha. I was feeling good but right before bed my right oblique started to get tight and sore. No clue. Was hoping sleep would resolve and it didn’t really so it was present all day. But I knew from past experience that it wouldn’t be a thing that was bothering me while training, especially once I put on support stuff. April has decided that it needs to be about 80 degrees every day so far. I was very tempted to put on the fans in the garage but felt I needed to “sweat” a little to get used to how things will be in June at the competition. Reacclimate to sweaty stuff haha. Starting things off with Nordic curl negatives. Same as it has been. 5 second eccentrics. The wake up for the hamstrings. I was keeping an eye on the lower legs to make sure not over doing it with strain. No problems. From there it was axle pulls. The “heavy” week. Plan was warm up as needed to 80% for a set of 5 reps and then drop to 75% for 2 sets of 5 reps. Last time it was for the heavier side of things, I had been allowed to do 75-77.5% for 3x5. These had felt unexpectedly heavy for me. Part of it being that the week before with the lighter weight had felt really good (had been first workout back from contest) and then frame carries on the weekend beforehand. So I think I was a bit more prepared for how things would go this time around perhaps. Like knowing that just because it feels heavy doesn’t mean I can’t just move it well and rep it out. I kind of felt that I could probably use what I did last time as “75%” really and then rebase things off that number projected for the percentages. Goal for contest is to get to feeling like 675lbs will go (I feel 635lbs now and with the planned jumps that 725lbs would be a bit much with the time remaining). Sticking to 40-50lbs jumps like how show will be but also to get in some volume working up and warming up. Once I got to the singles and the hard belt, I felt like I happened upon a good brace so rather than take the belt off each set to breath, I kept it on as I didn’t want to screw with it as rarely do I get it to feel so right like that. I am starting to notice that the jack stand blocks can add a balance component with the axle as it doesn’t quite move freely. I will also need to keep in mind to chalk up the straps as I get up in weight and it gets warmer. The top weight set I think I felt better about how I was approaching it even if it didn’t feel like it rocketed up off the ground. It was definitely heavier than last week but still felt like I had 3RIR on this. Took off 30lbs for the down sets. Felt fine the second set but not amazing. Second set I was to report back RIR. Everything clicked on that one for me and it felt the best and easiest of them all. It be like that sometimes. So next up was b-stance trap bar pulls. Last week of them. I felt like I could push these. I went with 70lbs jumps to warm up (the empty bar at this point was pointless). I could feel my legs quivering from the deadlifts and lower back was a little sore. Maybe I was trying too much here but I’d already committed to this with 50lbs jump after the last warming up set. This was becoming more a grip thing as far as holding out and more because I wasn’t using any chalk and hands were getting a bit sweaty by the end. I think I was fine with that as I did want to work the grip as it seems like actual Hercules hold training (no hook grip this contest) will likely be not until the last two months of prep.  These are quite exhausting too. But it was neat to get to this kind of weight on these. Probably have more here too. But something new will replace these for next time. Next was those odd pause squats. Still a low RPE for these. Indication was to aim for a 5-7.5% increase. Seeing as how last time I ended up using less weight than planned. Goal was to try and use the top weight I did for all three sets and maybe increase it a tiny bit to get to the 5% increase. I think I was bit better at these with what to expect. Also probably because I committed to using a hard belt here. First set felt ok. Second set felt like it was a lot heavier and then last set felt the easiest. Who knows. These are definitely interesting. Knees seem a little sore with these (mostly the right one). Last thing was bar twists. I guess last week of these as well. Used same weight as last time as likely it would feel easier compared to last time. Short rest between sides and normal rest between sets. Keeping an eye on the knees with these with the pivoting. I think this was the first session where I wasn’t experiencing or expecting to experience tightness in my traps/shoulders with these. Finished up and put stuff away before eating a roast. Stretched and iced knees.