April 8, 2023 – Week 4, Day 4

Bulgarian Split Squats with Rotation
9’sx10/10

Sandbag Tosses
30x1
30x1
30x1
35x1
35x1
35x1
EMOM
40x1
40x1
40x1
40x1
40x1
40x1
40x1
40x1
40x1
40x1

Hatfield Split Squats
95x5/5
145x5/5
185x5/5
235x5/5
280x12/12
280x12/12

Pin Safety Squat Bar Zercher Goodmornings w/ bands (+24lbs/+58lbs, 33” height, swiss ball)
65x2
125x2
155x2
205x2
245x2
245x2
245x2
245x2
245x2

Deadlift Grip Barbell Back Extensions (2 second holds, Versa Gripps)
65x3
95x6
125x6
125x6

Standing Band GHD Abs/Single Leg Seated Calf Raises
(2)ab+(2)lbx15 – 30x15/15
(2)ab+(2)lbx15 – 30x15/15

Stretching
 
Comments: Some stress with this week of work. It didn’t help getting several calls from the doctor’s office about upcoming procedure (again, for stuff that could’ve been an e-mail). I bit surprised that I’m being told to pay beforehand and that the amount may be even more afterwards. I had intended to go to bed earlier but I was apparently very distracted on Friday (I forgot to water the spider plant I water every Friday morning). I was trying to get stuff in order and make sure that I was ready for the next day. Like adding new songs to my playlist. It wasn’t like I had to be there at the gym early (and I had been thinking about just training at home before exercises were adjusted) as I didn’t “need” assistance with anything like the frame carry (and Hercules hold not programmed yet) but I did need to get done at a reasonable hour to be available for family stuff in the early evening. So I ended up sleeping in an hour (and had a stress dream about the doctor’s office lol). It was definitely needed as I realized there were some things I didn’t have ready for the session if I had tried to book it upon waking. So it does sometimes benefit me to slow down for a second. Anyways, out to train (after filling up gas). Again, people training for the next strongman show hosted at the gym on 4/22/23. Some new faces, people out of town. It does make me happy to see people training and learning. There is only really one person at the gym that competes in the same weight class as me and not always doing the same shows. Before I started training, I did some upkeep. Really the only reason I came out to train here was because sandbag toss was added to the workout with the change to Regionals. I didn’t have a sandbag at home for tosses (yet) and I needed to check what was here. That meant checking out the refurbished throw tower and seeing what the sandbags were. I was a little bummed the throw tower (while having 1’ markings) only had a section to put a “barrier” at 13’8” and I knew I’d need to be tossing well above that. But it wasn’t feasible to setup the other setup (the PVC pipe and yoke) with the stuff going on at the gym. Sandbags I made it so that they were 5lbs increments. I was intending to make the 55lbs 45lbs but it seemed like it would be a hassle scooping out that much substrate and while I was expecting the contest weights to be 30-50lbs, couldn’t be 100% yet so maybe it was a good idea to have a “heavy” one so will get another bag for 45lbs. After doing all that, it was time to get started with the workout. Start of workout was Bulgarian split squats with rotation of back leg. This was the only one set week (I guess rotating 2x10 and 1x10) and seeing as light weight seemed to be ok after I did some mobility stuff for ankles and knees, I did weight for that set again. Left side definitely has a harder time of it as far as ease of movement. The tension in the hip flexor continues to dissipate and be minimal. So then it was time for sandbag toss. Last did these in the 2021 season training for a max toss over 15’. There had been some temptation to do 2021 Nats that year but it didn’t seem like a good idea with two pressing events, me being undertrained in weight laden moving events and the tosses being 1.5 feet higher with multiple implements. It was getting very difficult to get my makeshift setup to even be near that height. And I kind of wanted to do that event again but didn’t pop up with the shows planned but now in a turn of events, I get to. I’m a good bit out of practice but had found that doing drills and actual competition throws did improve things. Like adding 10lbs to what I could do consistently. I know training will need to be different for multiple bags due to power drain/fatigue and I’ll need to get back into it. I had assumptions for the show setup with the weights and height range and likelihood of there being a “run up” but figured I’d keep it simple for now. Plan was to do 8-10 singles with 80% of what I can hit for the height (15’). I’ve done 55lbs in contest but only 50lbs in training so using 40lbs. I needed to do a few singles I felt with the weights below this to get some kind of groove. I probably need a good bit of practice to get the form down again and get things clicking to get that extra height. I didn’t do any “run up” with the lighter weights and the singles were like 20 seconds rest between. I did a slight run up with the actual chosen weight more to work on reaction time and how I’ll setup quickly rather than setting myself up like it would for a not timed event. I had more power at the beginning obviously but I think I got better with the extension and the pull mechanics near the end (my highest toss might have been the 8th). I feel that last toss was when I didn’t have the best toss. I do feel that I cleared 15’ for these but can be hard to tell with the front view and there not being a cross bar. If I hit the cross bar I had, then I’d know I was way too low. Put stuff away and it was inside for the rest of the workout. Hatfield split squats with the first rep initiated via reverse lunge. I had been quite pleased with how these went last time with not having any hip flexor pain and how these felt quite solid. I did have some hesitancy after seeing someone dislocate their shoulder doing hatfield style lifts. I had to do some exploring to see what was here to figure the best setup for these here (never done hatfield stuff at the gym). Plan here was to work up in sets of 3-5 reps and do 2x12 at RPE 7. Last time doing 40-50lbs jumps and keeping it 5 rep sets seemed to work out. I did also plan to where my hard belt this time to keep pushing these since for working my moving events and a way to work my legs and not fatigue the lower back. There is certainly tension in the left shoulder/trap with hatfield stuff. My right knee was feeling quite tender bending for the back leg but no issue with being the working leg. Maybe from the pause squats and then the sandbag tosses. In either case, the sensation went away as I went and got to the working weight. Added 30lbs and it was feeling similar to what I did last time really. Left side does have a harder time of doing these compared to the right. Pleased to see these continue to improve. Next up was the banded zercher goodmornings off of pins with the safety squat bar. I tried my best to get it the same setup like at home with the sawhorses. As luck would have it, I was able to get it to be almost identical in band tension. This was initially going to be the same as last time but with the changes for sandbag, it was made to be heavier. I’ve done this weight before. The added weight was definitely noticeable today. Right knee was feeling a little tender but again, it seemed to shut up as I did more of these. I do think the swiss ball as something to squeeze/distract is helpful here for not just the movement (which I could probably do fine without) but allowing for adjustment in the body position for something that is more in front like a stone vs just something in my arms. Heavy day for the back extensions. Increase in the RPE like the Hatfield split squats but dropping a set from the previous time did the heavier session with longer holds. As I’m getting stronger on these, definitely noticing the hamstrings aren’t feeling as “shocked” and it is more the bracing for the lower back. There were notes about subbing in stone holds if I felt like it but I think the arms need a break and that it is more the holding the stone on the shoulder to get the down call that is the issue for me rather than the rolling up. Considering how last week with the higher reps went, I was feeling like I could probably push here a bit. Definitely was tough with the 20lbs weight jump but it was doable. Last thing was the band standing abs and single leg calf work superset. I’ve been rotating the calf raise stuff around depending what is available really or what I think will work best. My calves are feeling better but my right one is still a good bit behind and is quite fatigued by the end of these workouts. I found that the increased band tension I did last week would be best for both sets (but need to weight down the glute ham more) and figured that seated would be good for the calf raises. Took off the glasses and do-rag for the abdominals as they tend to come off anyways. I think I thought I did 25lbs added for the seated last time but it was actually 15lbs so good to see getting used to doing the calf work in some capacity. Put stuff away to get home to clean up for family stuff. Stretched when I got back home from that and iced knees before bed.