May 22, 2023 – Week 11, Day 1

Bottom Up Kettlebell Presses/Dumbbell Pullovers (3 seconds stretch)/Cobra Stretches (5/15)
15’sx8/20x8/bwx3
15’sx8/20x8/bwx3

Sandbag Tosses (Bottle Drill)
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1

Viking Presses (push press, facing away, hands 11” down handles)
+55(66)x2
+100(99)x2
+145(132)x2
+190(165)x2
+235(198)x2
+280(231)x2
+326(265)x3
Rebound
+280(231)x6
+280(231)x6

Swiss Bar Chest Supported Rows
92x6
144x4
194x2
245x6
245x6
245x6

Dumbbell Lateral Raises
10’sx10
26’sx15
26’sx15

Incline Band Tate Presses (2 second holds)
abx20
abx15

Stretching
 
Comments: Again feeling a bit worn from the previous week. I know there is stress stuff but I think I’m getting over that. But also when thinking about the time and such, I’m realizing I have very little time until the competition. And I feel the competition (the contest and the competitors) are going to be a good bit above last year as it stands. The “joy” felt in the middle is being replaced with fatigue and panic. And I need to resolve that for my own sake. I didn’t really do myself any favors to be fresh for this workout as I spent a chunk of Sunday afternoon cleaning the gutters. I didn’t have to do that last year as nothing ended up growing in them but they did this year so had to use the ladder. So shoulders got a bit of a workout before my upper body day. Trying to make some changes to how I operate at work to get back above the water line. Mobility stuff to start as I have been. Routine and no issues. I guess thankful no disc discomfort going into this week (though lower back a little stiff from Saturday). Outside for the bag toss drill. I made changes to this. I had spent probably about an hour watching sandbag toss videos Sunday. Conflicting stuff depending on who you watch. But the changes made were to lower the weight substantially (30lbs) for starters. Maybe this was too much using the 45lbs bag every week on top of regular sandbag work. Even if not going full power on the tosses. It could be something like where “form work” for circus dumbbell or axle was being too much and had to be a lot lighter to be beneficial to allow recovery. Other things were to lower the height of the “bottle” to try and get more of a dip. And then also try to consciously extend my ankles and stay on my toes after the toss to hold for a moment to get that cue ingrained. I accidentally ended up doing an extra set as I lost count halfway and didn’t want to do one short like I did last time and have to come back to do another set. Not worrying about clearing anything or the run out and such at this point on this day. Leave that for the “Event day”. Push press week. This might be the “heaviest” this is going to be though not sure if that was the plan. Plan here was to work up in 1-2 reps and do a top set of 4-6 with 1-2RIR. I think because I realized I only had like 2 of these sessions left for each event (granted this gets hit every week in some fashion) I felt the pressure to go heavier rather than stick with the weight I did last time and try to get more reps with it. Initially working up I felt like I was making the right decision. I was actually feeling pretty good and thinking maybe I do slightly smaller jumps so that I could do even more but I decided not to and stuck with my initial plan of a bit more than last time. Slightly odd weight to get it to be 265lbs weight in hand. I got set and went for it and that first rep was tough. I was annoyed it felt that tough when I should be good for this weight for at least the 4 reps with 1RIR. I got a second rep and went for a third and it didn’t happen and I set it down (which was like the one thing the notes said to not do ugh). I turned around to make sure the bungee cords were still intact (as it was feeling wobbly) and they were. So I attempted again to “salvage” the set and get 4 reps. I managed to get another rep and set down (I already screwed up) and didn’t have it for another rep (felt like it was going to flip over). So not how I wanted this to go. 3 at 0RIR is not close to 4 at 1RIR minimum. Down sets were the rebound stuff again but both sets were to be 2x6 but could do 3+3 as needed (with hold at lockout). Suggested was 12.5-15% off what I did for the to weight. I went in between that even though I had definitely gone too heavy for the top set. I guess to see how this felt. I didn’t really want to take another plate off and add back weight. These actually felt about how they should. First set was a little tougher than the second set. I did not end up having to hold at lockout to complete these reps with the rebound. My hope is that the top weight I did is no less than 90% of the weight in hand of the contest. Into the garage for the rest of the workout. Chest supported rows with the swiss bar. Notes had it be 3x6 at RPE 6-7. So to me sounded like I should stick around what I did. Maybe it wasn’t fast enough last time or maybe caution because my left side upper back had been really sore last time. I ended up pinching one of my fingers between the plates setting up and it started bleeding so I had to get band aids on for a little bit. But I sweated them off before I got to the working sets. I was a little distracted so I ended up doing a pyramid warming up rather than just triples. I elected to just use the top weight I did last time for all the sets. It felt like it was too light the first two sets but then it started to feel challenging enough on the last set. Next was dumbbell raises for shoulders. Same as last week with 2x10-15 with RPE being 6-7. I ended up doing more reps with the lighter dumbbell to warm up. Again, I wasn’t expecting to be doing over 2x10. Same as last time, stuff felt a little off at the beginning but then felt fine. I wasn’t expecting these to feel as good as they did again this week, especially after the Saturday and Sunday stuff. Last thing was band tate stuff. Back to 15-20 rep range. I figured I could still get that with the average band and try to stick to a normal rest between the sets. 20 reps the first set with the holds and eeked out 15 for the second set. Put stuff away and got ready to make dinner but then I realized I was missing an ingredient because the ones I bought earlier in the week had turned out to be rotting so I ended up getting burritos. Ended up being a later evening for me so I felt it made more sense to rest then to stay up to ice my knees.