May 24, 2023 – Week 11, Day 2

Iso Deadlifts Against Pins (straps, to 13.5”)/13” Axle Jack Stand Pulls w/ bands (straps, +26lbs/+79lbs)
135x1 second/136x2
175x1 second/226x2
205x1 second/316x2
245x3 seconds/406x2
245x3 seconds/406x2
245x3 seconds/406x2
245x3 seconds/406x2

Safety Squat Bar Squats
90x3
142x3
194x3
244x3
284x3
320x10

Band Assisted Nordic Curls (3 second eccentrics)
mmbx10
mmbx10

Roman Chair Sit-ups
bwx20
bwx20

Stretching
 
Comments: Still feeling a bit stressed with work stuff. Perhaps admitting in writing or out loud that I’m feeling a certain way is helping me kind of “release” the tension so to speak. Realize that as I get closer to competing, that stress will build. Has been that way since I’ve really took thing seriously (as in pursuing victory). Just got to keep doing what I can. But I did feel tired waking up and I was thinking what was the point if I went to bed early if I’m still feeling tired (I mean like maybe 30 minutes earlier). This catch up has me doing less recovery/soft tissue stuff and hoping the slight increase of sleep covers it. I did not end up getting any icing done after Monday (told myself what I did Sunday after the yard work was fine) and didn’t get soft tissue work done Tuesday evening. But on to training. The plan was the contrast training protocol. Isometric pulls alternated with banded axle pull doubles. 60-90 seconds rest between the exercises and then 3 minutes rest after the two exercises were done. It took time to setup but I had a better idea of what was needed and it was a good bit quicker setting things up during my lunch break compared to last time. Probably helped that I didn’t need to also figure out band tensions and what heights and such. I had been worried it would eat up time and with trying to work through breaks that I may not have a full lunch period to set things up. Thought was to set it up after work the day before but thought better of it to get sleep. Last time it had been a total of 5 runs through the series of exercises. The progression was a bit different. One less set from the previous time and the weight increased slightly on the axle pulls. That was fairly standard. The isometric stuff was where it really changed up a bit. The increase in weight was substantial. It was listed as 35% but I was told I could do like 40%. And adjust the pull height up 1-2” from last time. So essentially adding 60lbs to last time. The iso pulls weren’t actually that bad the last time as far as feel. It was more the axle pulls not feeling as easy as I was expecting them to with the lowered band tension. Things did seem to go better this time around as far as getting comfortable and having the pulls feel like they should. I was initially worried it would be harder and was second guessing the weight for the iso pulls but that thankfully turned out fine. And the band pulls I think I was more ready for how they’d feel but they felt better compared to last time as well. From there moving on to squats. Similar to last week with the safety squat bar in that doing triples with the last two warm up sets and then a top set of 10 reps leaving 3-4RIR. I figured that I probably could do between 315lbs and 325lbs here and leave the appropriate reps in the tank assuming I was feeling good. I didn’t want to overly push this as this is more to maintain and I could be doing some more weeks of this. Things got a little goofy with warming up as initially I was going to do the standard 40-50lbs jumps I had been doing. But last time I started with that and then did odd 25lbs plate jumps. So I adjusted things and I set things to potentially be good for 325lbs. I had done the mobility drill that seems to be doing good for my knees so I’m not feeling so crappy starting out. I have been doing it at the beginning of the workout even if just pulls to start off. While might not feel like need a lot of mobility there, it is helpful and then it doesn’t feel like I need to do a ton to get ready to squat later. My last warm up set I wasn’t feeling supremely confident in a +40lbs jump and I was going to go for just 315lbs but then talked myself into doing 5lbs more for 320lbs. So in between where I wanted to be. Got things feeling ok on that set. Probably was good for 5lbs more and be in the right range still. Oh well. Squats are feeling a lot better compared to where they were at the end of last cycle and start of this cycle as far as comfort. I think I like the higher rep stuff more than pushing the weight on the lower back. I guess as long as I have to fight the weight from folding me over at some point it is beneficial for pulls. Then it was the band assisted Nordic curls. Same plan as last time with 2x8-10 with 2-3ct eccentrics. Last week of these before switching to something a lot less intense for the rest of the training. I do like these kind of movements but eventually have to stop as they are incredibly taxing and sometimes the recovery isn’t the greatest in the lower legs and tendons/ligaments. Last time I did these, it was quite humbling in that the same setup had felt a ton harder compared to the week prior. It is possible I had the band closer last week and a slightly more worn band. So I made sure to replicate that this time and it was tough but I was better. Second set actually felt easier (this sometimes happens on these kind of exercises). Good to end this on a successful 2x10 here. Abs were my choice. I was debating what to do. I didn’t want to do another session of 50 reps a set on abs like last time. But it was tricky to think about what to do that wasn’t taxing too much on the eccentric. I was also thinking of side bends but then usually it’s the time under tension on the grip here and I wasn’t sure what Saturday would bring as far as grip work (as it has popped up a bit now). Then I remembered I had that back extension bench that I bought. So did sit-ups on that. That seemed to work out well enough (if a little shaky). Put stuff away and cooked up dinner before stretching. Again, skipped on icing my knees to try and get sleep so I can keep performing well at work.