May 4, 2023 – Week 8, Day 3

T-Spine Reaches
bwx10/10

Andrew Lock Shoulder Big 3’s (3 second holds)
10’sx10-10-10

Close Grip Axle Floor Presses w/ Chains (+44lbs)
31x3
61x3
91x3
121x3
151x3
181x3
211x3
211x3
211x3
211x3
211x3

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
40’sx3
57’sx3
70’sx3
87’sx10
77’sx10

EZ Curl Bar Pullovers (breath holds in stretch)
45x10
45x10

Band Half Kneeling Face Pulls
lbx10
abx10
sbx15
sbx15

Stretching
 
Comments: Stressful week for work. As I mentioned last workout that I’m realizing that I’m showing signs that need to be addressed. And sometimes that is just getting some quality sleep. Sleep that is restful and/or lets me deal with things in my head that I might be giving rain checks. But to add to that was news that the family cat will need to be put down. About 17yrs old and she had gone deaf earlier this year and within the last month her eye sight has gone. Plan to say goodbye tomorrow. Reminder of life and death. Training thankfully wasn’t that involved for this day as per usual so that kind of helped that not much thinking was needed. T-spine rotation to start things off. Just one set. I started with the left side this time as that had been the side that was irritated. Definitely noticed a good amount of snaps and pops doing the first rep on both sides with the spine. These seemed to be less stressful on the left shoulder was far as irritation. Not completely gone but I’d say at least half the discomfort I felt last time. These mobility drills it can be hard to tell if these are causing issues or just showing issues. I know from past times that it’s not always the exercise, it can sometimes just be that stuff is irritated and the exercise isn’t helping but is being hampered by that discomfort. But then be much improved later. Like just about all the other exercises. First rep each side was slower to get the feel for the ROM and then picked up the pace. Only one set this time as the next thing was also for the shoulders and upper body mobility. I’ve seen these three exercises given different names but would appear to be popularized by Andrew Lock that works the different components for the rotary cuff and connected muscles. Usually I’ve had to do holds with these. So it was that. I think actually watching the video from the main source was helpful in the how and why as well as what should be felt (like the one position is supposed to put stress on the triceps). I was a little worried the last one would stress the left shoulder too much but it didn’t. Took normal rest between the variations so it was like three sets. Shoulders and such felt sufficiently warm by this point for what I was to do. Probably a little too much fatigue if I was say competing that day though haha. From there it was time for axle floor pressing. It seems we are going with speed benching going forward with the chains. Which I’m fine with. Save the heavier stuff for the first session in the week so that I can still get some work in but be able to recover. And if I’m going to be doing speed work for upper body, might as well be a bench exercise since likely more muscles and weight loaded. Any ways, it does seem going to be doing cycles of increasing weight and then adjust the accommodating resistance and do the next wave. These been feeling pretty good when I’ve done them. None of the sessions have felt quite like after the first one where my chest was feeling sore from the dynamic effort. Still 5x3 with the same chain setup and option to add 5lbs to last time if I wanted to. With how “easy” these feel, I went with that. It actually made it so I could just do chains added from the start light enough. There is still some inconsistency between reps and sets but it felt better I guess compared to other times. Left wrist/palm was feeling a little achy but no issues with my shoulder or elbows. From there it was seated presses. Plan was work up in triples to a top set of 10 reps (2-3RIR) and then rest a little bit for another set with 10-15% taken off. 70’s had felt surprisingly easy and I wasn’t really needing to push effort into them last week. But I wasn’t so sure that I could do over 85lbs super easy like. But I figured that if I did fall short, I’d just take a bigger drop off of weight. Just as long as I didn’t miss a rep I guess I was good. The pressing was feeling comfortable. No unexpected spiders this time (but there were winged ants in the garage). Had a little issue with the clean on the 70’s so I was cautious with expectations on the top weight set. I ended up going slightly heavier for a technical PR and I was shocked how easy it felt. I guess I can press stuff when my shoulders and triceps aren’t overworked. Rest was pretty much just the time it took to swap out the weights on the plate loaded handles. Down set felt easy, paused the last one on the shoulders (these were to be controlled reps and not using rebound I get from my long arms). So that was a nice surprise. Then the “restorative” stuff. I had gone heavier than usual with the pullovers last time and that seemed pretty decent. So I just added a tiny bit to it this time. Mostly because while I knew that I could control it, I also knew that my triceps were feeling toasty in the places they do from the big 3’s. And I was right so it was a good thing I only went up a little as it was taxing for the right arm to not overly be stressed in the stretch position. Face pulls to end the session. I did the same thing as last time with it being two work up sets. I did stop and alternate my stance halfway in each set. The left shoulder was a little grumpy at the start but it didn’t say anything after the first warm up set. Which is why I’ve been doing these this way as it seems to get the complaints out in the first bit and then things are smooth for the good stuff. I felt like I was able to control this band tension the best I’ve been able to and not have it be long holds at contraction. I’m moving the band, the band isn’t moving me. Put stuff away and started cooking dinner. Ate and then stretched. Look forward to this work week being over.