March 31, 2024 - April 6, 2024 - Week 16

 April 1, 2024 – Week 16, Day 1

Dynamic Warm Up

Axle Clean and Overhead (1 clean)
Strict Presses + Push Presses + Jerks
46x5+5+5
70x3+3+2
Push Press + Jerks
100x1+1
130x1+1
160x1+1
190x1+1
220x1+1
240x1+1

Axle Push Presses + Jerks
240x1+1
240x1+1
240x1+1
240x4+1

Band Assisted Pull-ups
sbx5 at pin 16
abx5 at pin 16
lbx5 at pin 16
lbx5 at pin 16

12” Log Incline Bench Presses
90x10
120x5
150x3
180x2
200x1
220x5
220x5

Stretching
 
Comments: April and it looks like mostly rain. Just have to work between the rain showers I guess with training. It was a nice weekend and the past week of training had been good. Sunday was needed to reset and prep for the coming week (annual physical, changes at work, training). I was very surprised that I was still adding weight despite the disruptions in schedule resulting in changes in meals and I know I didn’t get all the meals in that week. Finding out as soon as I got into work that the thing everyone was stressing out about for weeks was given an extension for an additional 3 months at the 11th hour meant that what was to be a very stressful week was back to just a regular week. So that was nice, especially with the routine adjustments going forward. No issues with warming up. I was a little leery about my right knee as it had felt sore randomly during the beginning of my walk on Sunday. But thankfully nothing and I felt fine. This is the axle week for the start of the pressing session. Plan being as it has been with working up to a top complex two reps and then out of the rack for several sets. So the same as it has been. But this phase seems to be focused on a harsher/drastic increase session to session compared to before with the 10lbs jumps. As now it is 20lbs jumps. The expectation is that hopefully I improve on the from the floor stuff with that kind of increase but if not for the rack, I can go with smaller jumps as needed. My knees were a little achy in setting up for the pick up on the axle. But no issues actually doing the movements. I’m getting used to axle cleans and not getting so hung up on the bar position. I’ve tended to have it very close to my shins but I’m finding that with the improved back strength that having it a little bit away actually works better with getting the bar path right so that I’m not hitting my belt. Warming up was going well until it was time for me to start adding support gear like the soft belts and such as I seem to like the gradual approach. But apparently I must have left my soft belts at the gym in my distraction/rush on Saturday. And worse was that the gym would be closed Saturday and Sunday because of the two day powerlifting meet so it would be two weeks before I could be out to find them (assuming they don’t get misplaced during the meet). So I guess I’m ordered a new set just in case. I’d been thinking about it for a few months as my belts are falling apart lol. I already had ordered other stuff so might as well. So this meant warming up was a little different. I didn’t want to add the hard belt right away as I was saving it for when I got above 200lbs here. I forgot how “odd” it feels with just the hard belt and nothing between that. A sensory issue. 220lbs didn’t feel as easy as it did last time but I also wasn’t trying to treat it like the top set as it wasn’t. I had another 20lbs to go. I chalked up my shirt for this one. I was also aware that I might over pull it like I did last time and be ready to accidentally get it at the spot right away. It was also misting a little bit so there was some worry added of slippage. But expecting what could happen prepared me and I was ready for it to end up higher on that second pull. The press felt fine and I feel the jerk felt better compared to last time with 220lbs. Rack work after that with the same weight. Now if for some reason I felt that 240lbs wasn’t doable for it to be smooth reps, I could do less but ideally at least 5lbs more than last time. So 225lbs to 240lbs. With how things were feeling, 240lbs should be just fine. I got the right rack height this time around. That first set I was maybe second guessing things as it felt heavy unracking it and I ended up pressing out the jerk. So maybe this is the limits. But I know that I tend to do better as I go with these out of the rack sets (and often with several sets and shorter rests) and stuck with it. And I’m glad I did as it did get easier feeling and I was having managing to get under the jerks well. I was doing about 90 seconds rests here. I did have a little bit of stability issue with the last set for reps but it was controlled and I feel I could double those reps. I was not sure with the jerk that set after the push pressing but I nailed it. I felt good about this. I’d say this is the first workout I’ve done for this prep where I’ve felt like I could get back to doing 300lbs or more overhead. I forgot that I could totally get some oatmeal ready at this time for when I finished training. So I did that and then got ready for band assisted pull-ups. A little different here but understandable why. The plan is to increase intensity of the events and decrease the assistance stuff as we get closer. So instead of working up in 4 sets of 5 reps to a rep set, I was to do 2-3 sets working up and then do 2x5 with the top set. Try and pull explosively and control. Less overall volume but two sets at the working weight set and have it easier but more total reps at that intensity. I was not entirely sure how this would go as I was not really certain the biceps were going to be too pleased after the heavy sandbag to shoulder. As I’ve pulled the biceps a little when they have been overworked before on this exercise. I did not have that happen thankfully. Felt explosive for that first set and noticed some decrease in that after the first three reps in the second set. Left shoulder was feeling a little tight. Last thing was log incline benching. Same as last time with 2x5 continuing and adding 5lbs. Idea to keep progressing and keeping things “speedy”. I had a feeling this wouldn’t be feeling as speedy as last time. Namely because I’ve added 75lbs to the sandbag to shoulder from last time I did these and 20lbs added to the axle work from the last time. But this should all be fine. Shoulders were feeling a little more worn compared to the past few sessions of these. But the joints didn’t hurt/ache and it didn’t feel like the weights were going to crush me like they did when these were sucking. Put the Mortal Kombat techno theme on for the sets to get me feeling excited. I got them done and they were speedy but I could tell the other stuff was adding up. Ate oatmeal before putting away the rest of the equipment. Stretched and then got dinner ready.

April 3, 2024 – Week 16, Day 2

Dynamic Warm Up

13” Wide Grip Jack Pulls w/ Hip Circle (straps)
135x5
225x3
315x3
405x2
495x1
555x5

Hyper Extensions
bwx10

Hyper Extension Holds (Neck Harness & Plate)
15+20x51 seconds

Planks
bw+53x60 seconds

Side Planks
bwx60/60 seconds

Stretching
 
Comments: April weather makes more sense to me. It is more than likely going to be rainy and hope that it isn’t a downpour at the times when it is not convenient. The day before it was a downpour during my lunch break but had stopped around the time I got off work so did my walking after work instead. I’ve added some stress with trying to take a day off to do a family thing on a week day. It should be something I enjoy but I know that deviations from the “schedule” will impact me. Ended up not having any issues with physical (but blood work for end of the month so see then I guess). There was some feelings from the last training session but not as much stiffness as I was expecting. Warming up I guess felt fine. It was cold and rainy so all the stuff done inside. This was also the week where it wasn’t stuff that really needed to be done outside and if anything, would make the workout longer. It does seem that the hamstring aches and hesitations are gone doing the warming up stuff. Knees tend to be stiffer with the increasing bodyweight and increasing weight on everything. Everything is above 80% of contest at this point. Time for the wide pulls. I guess sticking to the slightly elevated (13”) for these going forward. It does seem to be a good height for them with my levers and being able to move weight. So going to be using the jack stands for a bit longer. It appears that I will be alternating between these and suited work (gradually working to floor I guess) as need a bit of time to break in the new suit. Since I was able to do as much as I did last time, the warming up was changed to be similar to my conventional stance pulls with mostly plate jumps. The plan was to do 5-10lbs more on these than last time. I think I was a little cautious with the hamstring just because it was going to be more weight and all event work is now pushing things. There was also getting used to just using a hard belt until my new soft belt shows up (or I get my old one from the gym if it is there). I do think it had less sensory issue compared to when I was using the axle. Likely due to having to bend over more for that. I don’t think my knees were feeling as achy as they did at the start of last time for these. It is weird not having the soft belts working up. Again, my right lat was feeling pretty stiff with breaking weights off the ground but stopped with adding a belt. I was trying to get these pulls done in a way that I was getting a good idea of where I was and know what I could do when I wasn’t trying to keep calm and unbothered. The last working up pull was 495lbs and I was to do 1-2 reps. I figured that it was likely I’d just do a single to see. I’m not 100% sure but I feel that this didn’t feel as easy/good as it did last time. But even still, I felt that I should be able to do 10lbs more than last time (also still waiting on a replacement 2.5lbs plate). I knew from last time that I should chalk up my hands (the straps were plenty chalky from last week). So this was challenging. Compared to last time, I didn’t feel like I was going to pass out at any time and I didn’t feel like my grip or the straps would slip on me due to fatigue holding for so long to get my air and regroup after each rep. Since it is something I’m to be controlling with the eccentric and such. Got the hamstring shaking going on that last rep. I was not 100% sure that rep was going when I went for it but it did. I don’t think I had another rep in me keeping with the controlled nature. Maybe if I set it down and reset and took a few breathes. It was tough but nothing went. My form was good and my body held up to it. I think I can get another 5 rep but perhaps after that maybe drop down (either weight or reps) but not sure what the plan will be in the last month of training. I did put some weights away but only a little. Enough that I could get things setup so that I could do the remaining bracing based exercises with little rest. Warming up with hyper extensions to get things loose. Needed that after those pulls. This time I was to do 5lbs added to the neck harness on top of what I did last week and hold for time but leave time in the tank. As in leave like 10 seconds before failure would happen. That can be a bit tricky with these kind of things. This was going to be interesting with this being the first time I’ve put more than 10lbs on the neck harness. The added weight was definitely noticed and I was worried I’d crap out at 20 seconds but I just kept going. My slow counting had me at 45 seconds when I called it but was about 6 seconds slow for actual time. So I’d say pretty good that I was probably good for a minute here. Lower back was stiff from the pulls as I moved on to the abdominal stuff. There has been no changes to either of these planks as got a good working weight (53lbs) for the regular and side planks seem to be fine with bodyweight as a training stimulus. They do get me working up a sweat with the braced breathing and full body contraction attempts. Ate oatmeal and finished putting away weights before stretching out.

April 6, 2024 – Week 16, Day 3

Dynamic Warm Up

Sandbag Tosses (16’)
EMOM
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1
30x1

Sandbag Rows
175x5

Sandbag to Shoulders
175x1 R
175x1 L
225x1 R
225x1 L
265x1 R
265x1 L
305x2 R PR+5lbs&1 rep
305x2 L PR+5lbs&1 rep

Stretching
 
Comments: With the changes to this block of training from the last with exercises for the Day 3 sessions, it meant that some things made less sense than before and other things made more sense. With a changing and consolidating, it didn’t make sense to drive over and hour one way to train at a gym if I could do it at home with some adjustments. It made sense when it was one way and with the changes, it no longer did. I had ordered stuff to hopefully arrive a few days before Saturday so that I could prep ahead of time as it would involve time and effort and I’d prefer taking some time to rest. I had gone to Home Depot to get replacements for the destroyed parts of the toss tower and 300lbs of sand on Sunday and did most of the work on Thursday evening before finishing up Friday evening (because I broke my scale Thursday). Friday was a deviation from the norm for me with going to the National Aquarium with family. I think it has been over 20yrs since I was last there. Some stuff the same, other stuff changed a lot. I went not so much for myself but to be there and see my nephews have a good time. So a day off work for that. Got off the eating routine for the day and figured walking around the aquarium for a few hours counted as my walking. I was not too sure how my training would go as I was feeling really tired off and on when I got back and figured I’d go to bed somewhat early and just wake up when I felt like it. I should be good as the rain wasn’t expected but for a little bit early and then not until later in the afternoon. The sleep felt good but I was still nervous about training. Warming up stuff was good and all. Today would be bag toss and sandbag to shoulder. Bag toss is I guess every week but one week light (this week) and the other week heavy. And by light, 30lbs and trying to do 10 singles EMOM and trying to toss it higher and higher if I can (last 2-3 being max effort). Max effort put into a toss can be tricky. The weather this week had caused part of the toss tower to disconnect so I had to fix that first. I figured it was best to leave the ladder out just in case. These new pieces for whatever reason aren’t as “secure” as the old pieces were. Normally I’ve been doing a bit of warming up with swings and tosses but that has been with working to heavier weights where it isn’t a sure thing and often after a long drive. This is home so not really the same and it is only 30lbs. So I just went right at it here. Plan was to do the first four reps with no “support” (testing out new soft belt) and then do three with soft belt and last three with the soft belt tightened. Right as I was about to start, it hailed for a few seconds and then stopped. First two tosses were fine, the third the arc was a little too narrow so it grazed the top of the upright on the way back down and knocked it off in a way that I had to take another piece off and had to wait until there was enough time to get up the ladder and fix it and get back down. I ended up having to do this twice during the session haha. I got a bit too excited for the last one and made the arc really wide. I’d say the seventh and eighth toss were the highest and best. Put stuff away and then into the garage for the sandbag shouldering. This had been the pain in the butt that required work before the session. I had been trying to get the new sandbag to be 300lbs (over was fine, under would be unforgivable) for these next two home weekend trainings. My scale broke when I was checking to see if 300lbs and had to wait until Friday afternoon to check and it said it was 303lbs. I had used the scale to get the toss bag down to 30lbs. It is exhausting to make this heavy a sandbag and try to make it accurate weight. I also don’t like the sensation of sand/dust on my hands. The medley work of yoke and frame are on one week so that meant sandbag to shoulder was going to have a back to back session. I had not felt the best last time I did these at home. To start with rows, I skipped the 112lbs and just went with 175lbs. It felt tougher to row compared to last time but again, it is over 60lbs more. The shouldering felt better compared to last time with the 175lbs bag. 225lbs wasn’t an issue. There was some hesitancy with the 265lbs bag. I think it was just partly nerves and also not getting fully psyched for this weight. Then it was time for the 300ish bag. I say that as while I had a weight of 303lbs from the day before, I attempted to reweigh it with the other scale again (I was waiting on the new scale to arrive) and it came out at 290lbs, 279lbs and 242lbs. So that one was broke too. Just do it and check later I guess. So plan was to do a double with it on both sides. Until this training cycle, I’ve not attempted more than 250lbs to my right side as it seemed to be going smoother for the left side when I was prepping for my first event with sandbag to shoulder. But I’ve also not done reps with a bag over 250lbs I believe either. I’ve done 336lbs over shoulder for singles so I figure about the same but not quite. I was nervous for this. The hamstring and also just screwing up in general. I know that there are inefficiencies with the technique I’m using but it works toward my strengths. Essentially trying to save my lower back and biceps. Working up I was trying to work on placement for the next rep. I don’t feel like there will be a lot of time to really rep out the last bag anyways but need to work on that too. Since I won’t be lifting to the right side, I didn’t bother with the tilt and go style as that seemed to be where I was feeling worried about the hamstring on that side and letting it settle made the most sense. So I just setup and secured my grip with it laying down. The pick was a little tougher than I would’ve liked but the rest of it felt great. Having a packed sandbag makes a difference with transferring effort through the bag. I did end up rushing the second rep at the top as I got excited and it did end up sliding off my back. Good enough for that side. Thrilled to be lifting that weight that well. Took a breather and came back for the left side. I was able to do the tilt and go style. This was event better. I got the new scale and checked the sandbag to confirm it was 305lbs and some ounces so that is great. With training done, started putting down food and fluids as putting stuff away before stretching.