January 21, 2024 - January 27, 2024 - Week 6

 January 22, 2024 – Week 6, Day 1

Dynamic Warm Up

12” Log Incline Bench Presses
87x10
127x8
157x5
187x3
217x2
247x0

Band Assisted Pull-ups
abx5 at pin 12
abx5 at pin 15
abx5 at pin 18
abx5 at pin 21
abx6 at pin 24

Axle Clean and Strict Presses (one clean)
46x5
80x4
120x3
150x2
180x2

Axle Strict Presses
180x2
180x2
180x2
180x2

Standing Axle Lockouts
180x3 seconds
210x3 seconds
240x3 seconds
270x3 seconds
300x3 seconds
330x3 seconds
360x33 seconds

Stretching
 
Comments: Still cold but it is to be warming up this week to probably be enough to melt the snow all over again. But not yet. I needed to get in a walk Sunday as I was feeling the Saturday session (coupled with the snow shoveling) and with the return to the office once a month happening again the 4th Tuesday of each month, I wasn’t going to get to do any walking that day. It does seem that the adjustments to the diet have me adding weight again. Surprisingly so with over 3lbs jump. The addition of another piece of bread (I was doing one slice for sandwiches) and the big one I think being a cup of whole milk (lactose free). I just kind of forgot that lactose free milk was a thing and was getting hung up on milk substitutes to try and get digestible calories in that wouldn’t screw with my stomach. It has been so long since I’ve had milk that I wasn’t too sure if this is how it is supposed to taste haha. But it does appear to be how it is these days. With the work in office day, I was taking stuff to boost immune system as that would be where I’d catch something. It is possible that subconscious stress as well as having to shovel snow more in the month than I was expecting for the winter potentially had something to do with how some aspects of training went. Had some knee joint aches with the warming up. Not exactly more or less than I was feeling Saturday after shoveling snow three times in less than 24hrs. But I knew there was some recovery stuff (why I made sure to walk Sunday). Other stuff felt. Cold didn’t really seem to bother me. There was snow and condensation outside so it wasn’t ideal with moving stuff around. Starting off with log incline benching. This did not go well. If anything wasn’t going to be good, this was it. Seems to be a barometer for things. The canary in the mine. This can be tricky warming up at times as it usually will feel good and then just make too big a jump and then ugh. So the goal here was to do a little more than last time’s set of 5 reps (247lbs suggested) and then drop to triples and doubles as we went. Fair enough. Right away, shoulders were feeling achy with the empty log. That isn’t terribly unusual but usually these feel good and even if the first few reps suck, gets better as I go. Just wasn’t feeling it with the next weight either. Weight was feeling heavy on my shoulder joints but fine for my wrists and elbows as well as the weight in my hands. I think I was at about 190lbs when I kept double checking to make sure I didn’t have like 30-50lbs more than I had meant to on it. The double before the top set kind of told me this wasn’t happening as felt like garbage if I attempted to press near my face but seemed less and issue if I pressed out away. But of course that is away from the center of gravity and misgrooves. But I guess I needed to confirm it with the top weight. Ended up just being a controlled negative and barely getting it off my chest and immediately bailing on it. No sense trying to drop down to do a set of five reps. Accept it and move on. I knew what this meant and I just had to get through the workout and see how stuff felt and report. It is frustrating that it seems my shoulders can handle less and less volume and frequency in the last 2yrs or so. I was having no issues the first two full weeks of training. I know when my body is on point and recovered that I’m not this far off the mark. But it does seem to come suddenly. Unfortunate since I like to keep pushing. So having to walk it off and keep the session going. Band assisted pull-ups. Sets of 5 reps like last time. Well sort of. Same working up in sets of 5 reps but the top set I was to do 5-10 reps. And this is how it is to be for the next six sessions or so. The philosophy being to working a sweet spot range on this exercise and add reps when feels good. But making sure that things are feeling powerful and good with perfect form and ROM. I decided to use the setup from last time with the average band. Upper back was feeling everything really so I wasn’t really expecting to push things here. I was also trying to not freak out over the incline log stuff and let it affect things. These were feeling a little harder. But again, I’m 3.5lbs heavier from last time, did a lot of shoveling and increased the frame carry by 68lbs from last time. By the end, it was feeling similar to last time anyways. I did one extra rep just because so 6 reps here. Then a change in the program with the strict pressing. It has been rack work but need to work on the clean and might as well start light. So work up to the working weight with one clean and strict pressing and then do the remaining sets with it out of the rack. So work up to a top double (70%) and then do 4x2 with it in the rack (with the rep out option on the last set). I was curious to see how things were feeling. And I had a feeling I wasn’t going to be feeling 100% judging by how the incline stuff was. But this was a low enough percentage that I should finish stuff with no issue. The platform being wet was not ideal. The axle at the show is going to be off bumper plates rather than crash pads so get used to that (log will be crash pads). I’m glad I got 25lbs bumper plates so I can work things like this was better without having the 10lbs folding over getting enough weight to use the 45lbs. I kind of forgot what I was doing initially on the first set warming up and remember I was to be strict pressing. Not having the weight on bumper plates also had things making a satisfying “thud” when dropped as well. The added weight has definitely added to the girth of my midsection so I may now be back to where just one notch is required as opposed to two notches to allow me to brace and breath when doing clean and presses. Not terrible but could tell this wasn’t 100%. Out of the rack stuff I could tell that it wasn’t a good idea to try repping out the last set considering my thinking was I was overtraining the shoulders. I did keep it in my back pocket if that last set, best set, mentality came in. But I could tell it wasn’t good on that last set and went on to the lockout holds to end the session. Leaving right where the strict pressing left off. Log holds had been good last time once I got my head in the game. Axle I had pushed a bit too much last time. Plan was 30lbs jumps and then 20lbs and try for 370lbs. I thought better of it and elected to just do 30lbs so that I’d do 360lbs. Slightly less than last time but more than the first week (350lbs). This didn’t seem to be affected by what seemed to be fatigued and overtrained. I did have to retake the top weight as I misgrooved it and needed to rebrace. I felt much better under this weight this time around. I actually ended up getting over 30 seconds. I had done 31 seconds with 340lbs with the log and then 20 seconds with 353lbs last week. Axle had been 350lbs for 20 seconds and 366lbs for 16 seconds. So this was a big jump. So it would seem that not everything is beat to hell in my upper body. Just shoulders (and maybe chest, though doubt that). Started cooking up dinner while putting stuff away. Stretched after eating and made sure I had things ready for work as I’d need to wake up an hour early for the commute. Need to make sure I send Mr. Westerling something about the possible shoulder overtraining in case that affects future workouts (not likely for the remainder this week).

January 24, 2023 – Week 6, Day 2

Dynamic Warm Up

Wide Grip Deadlifts w/ Hip Circle (straps)
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x2
315x2
365x1
405x1
445x5

Hyper Extensions
bwx10

Hyper Extension Holds (Neck Harness & Plate)
10+65x37 seconds

Planks
bw+53x60 seconds

Side Planks
bwx60/60 seconds

Stretching
 
Comments: No walking the day before. Because of having to be at the office all day. As far as being made to go in for dumb stuff, it was probably the least stupid time I’ve had to be there. I’d still have gotten more done at home. My neck was feeling a bit tense and my hope was that sleep would resolve that (it did). I was definitely not 100% in to things. Lower back was feeling a little stiff (understandable not getting in a long walk and bringing back axle cleans) and despite my best efforts, the shoulder recovery issue was plaguing me. It is good we are so far out that I can afford to tweak things. But of the events, only the pressing medley stuff are feeling like issues with how things stand. I’ve no doubts I’ll be ready with everything else. The pressing needs the most work I fear and it seems they can’t handle frequency and intensity they used to. So that is weighing on me. The “what ifs” and I have to recognize the negative focus and try to use reframing and flip it around with positive “what ifs”. Which can be difficult. Anyways, I felt justified in that I’ve identified the issue as my entire shoulder girdle was feeling tense and worked. Not like lactic acid soreness. Just worked. Also needing to keep track of the food intake. I’ve not missed any but I’ll sometimes forget and need to adjust the rest of the times to make sure I can stomach everything comfortably. Mobility stuff to start things off. Wore the warm ups even though it was going to be warming up. I think just to get stuff feeling warm in general as unlike a lot of what I do, the warm ups would get in the way on the wide pulls, even at light weights. Also did ankle/knee/hip stuff as I felt needed as joints a bit achy from the snow related stuff (and not getting in a walk). Needed to do it more than once. As I mentioned, wide pulls for this workout. Again, the plan here is continuing with a slightly heavier then last time top set of 5 reps wearing the hip circle. Last time, 40-50lbs jumps and dropping reps off every two sets seemed to work out well for me. I felt like I finally got these to click for me in a way that I felt like it wasn’t bothering my knees. The suggested for this time based off last time was 440-445lbs. I was thinking of 455lbs felt it was best to go with the suggested as I was feeling that blahs a bit and trying to keep my intent and focus on the here and now and make sure I can do the next workout. This was probably the best that 135lbs felt on these which is saying something I guess. Bar knurling was scraping skin off my knees this week. Really no rhyme or reason for it. I was little worried with the hard belt as one notch seemed to be what was comfortable for clean and press but two notches was doable and fine here. I could tell that 445lbs was happening unless I screwed up with how 405lbs went. Felt tough, like last time. But it is the same tough as what 405lbs felt a month ago so adding 40lbs is good. What’s the saying, it won’t get easier but you will get stronger? I definitely feel more comfortable with the eccentric and not fearing I’ll lose my brace and round. That had been why I was doing it slower at the start. Controlling a much as I need at this point. From there it was time for the hyper bench hold with the neck harness and plate. Warming up for it with hyper extensions and they felt surprisingly good. Usually I feel beat from the deadlift variation and then these just tell me to expect suck when it comes to the hold. I was advised that I could add weight to this exercise assuming it would be at least 30 seconds. Suggested was to add where the weight would feel “easiest” so since holding the plate was feeling like an afterthought, that would be where we start. So same weight on the neck harness and 20lbs added to the chest hold. Yep, that was noticed doing these. I was worried I was going to crap out before 20 seconds. But lessons from last time with appropriate bracing helped and I was able to get a good bit over 30 seconds here. So things going well here. Last thing then being abdominal work. On to the carpeted area for the planks. Regular weighted plank. I added a bit more weight compared to last time. 53lbs in the backpack. I don’t see there being really any reason to go above this weight as this should be sufficient as a training stimulus and I can really brace and flex everything as well. I’ve done heavier in the past. I’m trying to also focus on my braced breathing as I’ve been having issues with that with the added bulk and I do think that I’m getting that in check. Then side planks. Again, no weight. I switched the sides I started with here as the elbow swelling issue last time seemed to be fixed. I was also trying to go through these with not as much rest so that I could cook dinner and hopefully eat it early enough to fit in a missed meal before eating before bed. The left side did feel a little bit of stress on the posted elbow. But again, I was being hypersensitive with the shoulders and recovery. I fixate. Got finished and cooked dinner while putting stuff away. Stretched afterwards.

January 27, 2024 – Week 6, Day 3

Dynamic Warm Up

Yoke
200x50’
300x50’
400x50’
500x50’
600x50’/50’

Sandbag to Shoulders
175x1/1
200x1/1
225x1/1
EMOM
250x1 R
250x1 L
250x1 R
250x1 L
250x1 R
250x1 L
250x1 R
250x1 L
250x1 R
250x1 L

Stretching
 
Comments: I didn’t have delusions of thinking that this would be an outstanding training session. I had stressed myself out with needing to adjust the upper body sessions and fixating on that. I could also tell that I was feeling a little worn with those thoughts. I did get to walk Thursday and Friday. But I could tell that I was delaying things as I was feeling tired Friday evening and was yawning before I even got to eat dinner. So I knew that recovery wasn’t the best. Plan was then to sleep in. I was even debating staying local and do the workout here to help that but it didn’t make sense for this time. I wasn’t worrying about weather and I didn’t have to be available for anything. Considering last time I showed up for this particular set of training, it was packed and I had to wait so showing up later than usual made sense. Driving out was fine but I was finding myself more introspective and not really singing to my music like I tend to do. I think that was needed though. Dealing with envious feelings of other competitors’ progress and success and my own feelings that that I’m not able to handle the work necessary to be the best. Coming to accept myself more in that I’m not one of those people that will be able to walk up to something and lift it right away. I need time and I have to tap into reserves. I can do things but it takes a lot out of me and have to recover. My training is more to build up tolerance so that my baseline is higher and that I hopefully don’t have to dig so deep to achieve that is needed every time. If I have enough time to prep, I should be good. But enough of that. I was kind of surprised that there were people there when I showed up. I guess that other people ended up showing up later than usual too. Great. Started out with the warming up routine. These actually felt the best they’ve felt all week. So hopefully recovering in the knees and shoulders from this past week and all the dumb snow shoveling the week prior. For this workout, I was essentially doing a repeat of the last time I did it. Yoke and sandbag and doing the same weights. It makes sense in recovery purposes. I don’t need to push the yoke as hard as I was expecting to for this show as already within 100lbs of the event weight and feeling fine. But it can be hard to quantify things when repeating a workout to try and make it better or have it feel easier. And it can suck when it actually feels tougher. But to training. First thing for this session was yoke. Work up in 50’ runs and do top set of 100’ with the 50’ down and back. 100lbs jumps here. 600lbs is what I did last time so that was what the plan was here. However, both lanes were in use by someone training for the local show happening in about 2 months. He didn’t have a lot of sets but considering the group of people here and how he was looking with warming up, it was going to take a while and I’d be done my sets before he got done. I was already at the gym like a hour later than I usually would be. So I decided to just do the yoke work on the turf instead. So I already was having some adjustment here and couldn’t really compare to last time as I moving on turf is harder than the concrete. Knees were aching a bit more than I’d have liked here. I didn’t feel like I was taxed too much with doing the heavy frame carry on turf last week but I guess that was only the top set and not all the working sets. I was just feeling ok here. But I did seem to be able to get myself to convince my knees they weren’t achy for that top set. I was definitely moving a little slower but purposely as I needed to make sure I didn’t damage the turf when I set the yoke down. My repick felt really good. My legs were feeling pretty fatigued as I was getting to the end of the run. I went a good bit past the line. It does seem that my time was similar to last time but slightly slower. It took a moment to catch my breath after that. My legs were feeling it. Kind of hoping this has more to do with it being the turf then me not being recovered from Wednesday wide pulls. Next was sandbag shouldering. Put away stuff for the yoke and took a little time here to get ready. I was waiting for the guy using the lanes to finish. This had been 250lbs for 5 singles to each side, alternating for EMOM style. I hoped this would feel better this time as I felt that these were rougher than I would’ve liked considering how easy 225lbs had moved last time. But it is a bit of jump on this all things considered. I’ve done 336lbs over shoulder (probably could hold it there) and 306lbs to shoulder so this kind of close percentage wise to my top end that I’ve pushed here compared to say frame and yoke with the larger jumps. The ease with 225lbs two sessions prior of this had me feeling like I was going well here. I did the same warm ups and I could tell that the picking up wasn’t feeling so bad but that last pop to the shoulders was not feeling as strong. That feeling had me not going so quickly between the reps warming up when swapping side to side. 250lbs at the gym has two options; more compact bag for one brand and the bag I used last time that has straps on it. I elected to use the compact bag this time. Neither bag is the style being used at Regionals. The first rep each side didn’t feel that bad. But the chalk came off immediately on those first two reps. I didn’t end up reapplying. At some point, I got distracted and completely lost where I was in the universe. And when I came back, I was apparently in the middle of a rep. This was to be the third rep with the going to the left shoulder but I forgot where I was and hesitated middle of the pop from the hips and had to recatch it and just assumed I was to go to the right side. So that meant I had to even things out by doing the next two reps to the left side to get back on track and make sure I was doing the same reps each side. So not too happy with myself for letting that happen. Kind of tossed the bag on the very last rep. Left wrist I managed to “jam” on one of the reps. Just going to be sore for a day or two. Put the sandbag away and ate several things I brought with me. I did a little stretching (I was waiting to use the restroom) before driving home and eating some more and then stretching. I’m going to need to make sure I sleep in a lot to help with recovery.