December 22, 2024 - December 28, 2024 - Week 3

 December 23, 2024 – Week 3, Day 1

Dynamic Warm Up

Axle Push Presses
28x8
68x5
98x3
128x1
158x1
188x1
218x1
248x3
248x3
248x3

Paused Axle Push Presses (2 seconds in dip, beltless)
218x3
218x3
218x3

Ring Push-ups (3 seconds negatives)
bwx14
bwx12
bwx11

Underhand Band Pullaparts/Band Y Raises/Band Triceps Pressdowns
mbx10/µb’sx10/lbx25
mbx10/µb’sx10/lbx25

Stretching
 
Comments: Well I survived the first week of my own training. I guess technically two weeks but that first week was really light to break in. So first week of normal intensity training. Weight is up a little bit, so still above 272lbs. But only up .2lbs so not much really. Just seeing where the needle ends up. Joints were a little achy walking on Sunday. Needed a little bit of break from work and family to recuperate as it will be rough this week. Very cold in the morning Sunday but it did gradually get close to freezing by the evening. Work was rough and I’ll only have half a day to get a full day of work in tomorrow. Trying to let the workload and what is not done psyche me out. I wore my warmups for getting ready and setting things up. Right knee a bit achy but nothing else was really sore or worn out. I turned too quickly at some point during the day and my right hamstrings/calf insert felt sore. Slightly annoyance and slightly worrisome. But just keep on going. I had let my brother my car for the day and forgot to take my iPod out so no tunes today. Outside in the cold for the start of the session with axle push presses. I kept the warm ups on since it was still quite darn cold. Plan here was to warm up and do 82.5% for 3x3. No rep out set and I was honestly not going to have that be some I’m going to do with overhead right now. Save that for benching exercises when it comes to upper body stuff. Knees felt achy and crappy at the start so not a great start here. The knees were achy and maybe my shoulders were too but hard to tell. I did start feeling better as I switched to singles and added some support gear. I had my suspicions that perhaps I went too high a starting point on the overhead stuff after last time. This first triple was pretty rough. It didn’t feel like my triceps were fatigued but my shoulders certainly felt these. And unfortunately, this was not a session where things were going better for me as I went. The weight did feel somewhat lighter on the subsequent sets but I was having quite the time here. The second triple I was worried that this was it for the day with how rough locking out the third rep was. This is only 8lbs more than last time. But also last time I hadn’t done a full week of training beforehand. I was worried that I’d fail on this last triple with how the second set had felt. I managed to get that one done too. The last rep was also iffy like the second set. And while not happy with how these went, I was able to gut out the lifts and get the bar back in the line when shoved out in front and able to use my belt and back to brace to lockout the errant reps. My triceps were also not feeling cooked at this point. The first triple felt heavy but was probably my best one of the day. Usually the weight feels better as I go. Took weight off for some more axle push press stuff. Paused and without belts. Like last time, I dropped 10% off for 3x3. These had cooked me pretty good last week and my triceps were struggling by the end of these. Now what I had initially put here was to actually do less weight than last time (5% less) and slightly longer holds and more reps. This was borrowing from the routine I did in 2021 which I think was more adjusting to how things were rather than the initial plan of progression. I had done the paused push pressing that first week in 2021 with a belt and things had been tough so taking belt off and doing more reps lighter weight was the plan. My thinking (before actually doing the regular sets) was to try and progress the paused style in weight these next two workouts and then drop weight with increased time and reps for a “deload” pressing week on week 5. After how the regular push pressing felt, I was having doubts that this was a wise decision but figured I’d just do what I wrote down. And even though this was 8lbs more than last time, these felt really good. Really fast and explosive power on these. These honestly felt like nothing. It had me trying to figure out if I had 20lbs too much on the bar or something before but math was right. So this has me wondering why these felt good but the regular didn’t. I may need to adjust how I warm up going forward. My hope is that I can make it through next week’s session (more weight, less reps) and kind of be in the “safe” zone and adjust things going forward in 4 week blocks. I put stuff away to give myself a little rest for the shoulders before going into the garage for the rest of the workout. First thing in the garage being ring push ups. Same as last time with it being 3 sets of bodyweight with 3 seconds eccentrics and leaving some reps in the tank. So not to failure. These had really cooked my chest and shoulders last time and was sore for a good bit. Eccentric stuff I feel like is the slow cooker of training in how it just feels like it slowly catches up to you and it feels like the heat in the muscle is going to have to fall off the bone by the end. I ended up taking off my shirt at this point since I was feeling quite warm from the push pressing outsides. I was pleasantly surprised how much easier these felt on that first set. I definitely pushed things a little closer than maybe I should’ve on the second set but seemed to be leaving enough RIR on the other two sets. As long as reps go up and I’m not going to failure and missing reps I should be good here. From there it was on to bands to finish out the evening. So unlike last week, all three band exercises were going to be together as a triset instead of broken up. So the first two exercises only for two sets to match the third exercise. No changes to the band tensions here. This grouping actually felt pretty good. I feel like it gave a little more of a cushion for the triceps between the sets here. Put stuff away before stretching and then eating dinner.

December 25, 2024 – Week 3, Day 2

Dynamic Warm Up

18” Cambered Squat Bar Box Squats
85x5
135x5
175x4
225x3
265x2
320x5
320x5
320x5
320x5

Paused Deadlifts (3 seconds mid-shin)
135x2
185x2
225x2
265x2
Added Straps
302x3
302x3
302x3
302x3

Contralateral Load Bulgarian Split Squats (3 count eccentric)
40x12/12
40x12/12
40x12/12

Band Lying Leg Curls (3 count eccentric)
abx15
abx15
abx15

Standing Band Abs
2(ab)x25
2(ab)x25
2(ab)x25

Paused Single Leg Hip Thrusts (2 seconds)
40x12/12
40x12/12
40x12/12

Stretching

Comments: This was not an ideal session or I guess ideal circumstances for a session. Tuesday was mercifully short as far as work but it was a lot of work packed into the 4hrs. Definitely needed to get moving and walking. My stomach was a little rumbly. Folks wanted me up an hour earlier than I was hoping for with Christmas so I did go to bed early and took some Nyquil as my allergies were feeling pretty bad (I hope allergies). I had taken the other meds when I woke up. This is the second Tuesday in a row where I’ve felt not great. I ended up waking up at 2AM due to digestive issues, went back to bed and then was up again at 2:30AM again and stayed up for about 30 minutes before getting back to sleep. I was worried I was really sick rather than just something not agreeing with me. Maybe the ricotta cheese in the pasta. Bad gas and having to go more often than I’d prefer. Also have a little cyst on my left inner thigh that I knew wasn’t going to be fun with this training session. Assuming I did it. I go through Christmas morning before making my exit to see if whatever it was worked its way through my system and I felt it was safe enough to train without risking evacuation. So I wasn’t expecting the best out of myself for today. I didn’t think I’d need the warm ups but my body said otherwise so I wore them to keep warm. No issues with upper body despite the hard training. I guess adapting to that in terms of soreness. Right knee aches to be expected with the increased workload. Starting off training was box squats. The plan was to do 2.5-5% more weight than last time on these with the csb for 4x5. I knew I was going with the smaller end weight increase because this was not as speedy as I would’ve liked things to be. Knees were feeling a bit stiff but did feel better as I did more reps working up and added more support gear. Last set before going felt pretty good. I little slow with getting set but the actual squats felt smooth. I felt I was ready for these but man did that 55lbs added sure feel heavy on my back. I guess I should’ve expected right knee to be feeling a certain way after how it was feeling on Monday. And the interrupted sleep certainly didn’t help. The added 12lbs was certainly noticed here. Thankfully, this did feel better as I went as far as the weight moving and with how the weight was feeling on my back. I’m glad the weight is going back down for next week. Just hope that I can keep recovering so that I can do solid work on this day and still push the deadlift work on Day 4. Speaking of deadlift, that was next. Paused deadlifts with pause at midshin again. I felt like I was able to get my form down much quicker compared to last week when I did these. I had been a few months away from floor pulls. Same as last time with it being 4x3 with 3 second pauses. 2.5% increase in weight from last week. Enough weight that I needed an extra set warming up. My hope here is to keep these with soft belt and no hard belt really. I started to get a little nervous with the right hamstring on these but not sure why when odds are the box squats would’ve triggered it more and added stress of leg to box for the cyst. I did notice that my lat inserts were sore on these so I guess the paused chest supported rows did something. These felt less taxing then the box squats. The big lifts were done for the session and then it was the other stuff for reps and such. Bulgarian split squats with contralateral loading again. Still 3 second eccentrics. Parameters still 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. Initially I was thinking of just going a little heavier than last time and gradually build things but that was before I realized that with the phases for this programming that these exercises (besides the squats and pulls) are also changing slightly each 4 week block. So I should probably push things as I get acclimated and do my best. So rather than doing my planned 25lbs with aim for 4x12 I went with 40lbs. That was noticed immediately but seemed to be fine at the start. Right side was having a tougher time today and it was definitely getting challenging after the second set with sets of 12 reps so I figured I should just stay there. Then lying leg curls with the bands. It would seem to make more sense to have these done on a machine but I don’t have one and I don’t really want to invest in a several hundred to thousand dollar piece of equipment that will last or a piece of crap that may break and is still like $200. What I got right now is working for me. This had felt too easy last time but I held off on going for a fourth set as sometimes the volume just gets to the hamstrings. But they seem to be handling the new workload fine for now. So I figured I’d see if I could handle the next level of band tension. To my surprise it worked out. Definitely harder than last week as I was getting near the inability to contract the muscles fully on the third set to getting all the reps. When hamstrings are feeling strong and are strong, it is a good sign and I feel good. Same with my upper back. With ab work, I modified things a little. I used bands again but switched it up to being two bands instead of one big band. This worked out nicely. I actually had to ground myself and could feel my tibialis working along with my hip flexors and abs. I still did 3x25 but it wasn’t as bland and easy as last week. I’ll probably need to stick at this tension. I also might have been a bit hesitant here with the bowels since putting stress on that area directly rather than indirectly. But did seem to get some gas moving. Last thing was the single leg hip thrusts. I knew from last time that I needed to anchor the bench to keep it from sliding. I was able to have the power rack I was weighing down for ab work take the place of the sandbags this time around. Plan was to do same weight as last week and same sets but aim for more reps with the 2 second holds. So goal being 3x12. I definitely feel like I’m getting better control on these. The unilateral bracing on these is also and unexpected bonus. This was definitely a longer workout session. This is not one I could conceivably fit in during my lunch like the upper body sessions can be for the most part. It would truly have to be broken up into two parts for sure. Put stuff away and got in some food and fluids that thankfully didn’t run amok before eventually stretching.

December 26, 2024 – Week 3, Day 3

Dynamic Warm Up

12” Log Incline Bench Presses
90x3
120x3
150x3
180x3
205x6
205x6
205x6
180x13

Inverted Ring Rows
bwx3
bw+31x8
bw+31x8
bw+31x8
bw+31x8

Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions/ Dumbbell Lateral Raises/Band Face Pulls
26’sx15/10’sx15/lbx15
26’sx15/10’sx15/lbx15
26’sx15/10’sx15/lbx15

Stretching
 
Comments: I did seem to recover from whatever it was that made me have to crap 7 times in less than 12hrs yesterday. So that was nice. Just wish I was able to rest a little more before coming back to work. I did manage to get myself to go to bed somewhat decent time to try and get some rest. That did seem to help some. Work wasn’t horrible but I was essentially nonstop doing stuff. Still so much to do. It made more sense to work through the day then to try and do things at lunch for training. I had nothing planned after work anyways. I wore my warm ups to get ready and it was kind of 50/50 if actually needed. There was stuff sore in the lower body. Upper body kind of feels like it is fine. I was more concerned about that tightness that popped up randomly in the right calf/hamstring insert area. Right knee continues to have aches but tolerating it. It is kind of funny to me that last week my triceps, chest and shoulders were really sore and worn out going into this workout and now hardly anything. Log incline benching to start things off. Again, working up in triples. But plan here was to do 5lbs more than my top set last week and do that for 3x6. Which should be doable with a top set of 8 leaving 2RIR. I was the least concerned about how things would go for things as far as main exercises for this week considering how I was feeling. But there is always a risk with things and who knows how I’d feel as I got to the top weight. I was not feeling any shoulder aches like last time. That had been more from my shoulder tendons being irritated from the increased workload. Essentially the same warming up to the working weight as last week. I shed layers as I added weight. Things actually felt pretty good. I could feel some fatigue in the chest muscles and triceps. But managed to get through these with no issue. Last set was to drop the weight down to what I did for my sets last week (180lbs). Goal was max reps and leaving 2RIR. My hope here was at least 10 reps but I was hoping for more than that. But who knows how things go. I got set and went to work. Weight was moving well. I slowed a little bit but still had plenty of power. Managed to get 13 reps before I felt I was getting close to 2RIR range. I tend to hit a wall hard on these. This manages to tie the reps I got last time I did this session (albeit with 20lbs more) so this is a good sign that I’m recovering well enough for the two pressing sessions. The non leg drive pressing does seem a better fit for me doing rep sets and drop sets. Honestly, I think I only have my regular axle push press and my box squat weights not where they should be to feel how they should. Make it through these next two weeks and I can tinker with weights and the progression programming with the 4 week block plan. But so far, so good. Into the garage to finish up the workout. I put away some of the outside weights beforehand. Inverted ring rows again. These had gone quite well last week. Plan was to do 4x8 again with brief holds but perhaps a slightly tougher RPE. I figured that since 20lbs had felt pretty good on that first set that I could probably be adapted enough to tolerate another bump up in weight. When I had my first introduction to these 3yrs ago with the training, I had done with 11lbs in chains the first session and then 20lbs in weight the second. So I figured I could do 31lbs if 20lbs was as good as it was. Back pack really makes these a lot easier and safer to load compared to balancing on my waist/hips. Definitely feeling the shoulders and back moving with these which is good. Means I’m not trying to muscle through with my biceps like I was trying to do (because of fatigue and lack of use) the first week of light training. I was feeling some tension in the shoulders (mostly the left) but might just be from everything really. Tension in the shoulders/traps from all the deadlifts. Last thing was a triset. Same as last week. While it might feel too easy that first round, by the third round this is plenty challenging for these little muscles. Of any of the movements, maybe the face pulls I thought I could up the tension on. But I know with those I can adjust that with the same band rather than swapping out a thicker band. The thinking going into this is still if I get through the triceps part no issues, I’ll be fine. The other stuff is tough in the lactic acid part of things but the triceps can fatigue and not cooperate. These continued to be harder on the right arm. With the dumbbells, I’ve been toying around with positioning. Like not keeping my wrist stuck in one position. Similar to how one might supinate the wrist during the arc of a biceps curl. That seemed to feel better and keep my shoulders tight and stable as opposed to loose. Also seemed to keep the tension on the triceps. No issues besides the fatigue building that first set of triceps. The laterals were fine and easy. Had some snaps and cracks in my shoulders and upper back initiating the first set of face pulls. Fatigue built on the triceps each set while lactic acid became more ferocious as I went on the laterals and lesser extent the face pulls. Face pulls feel the “nicest” of these haha. But got through all sets again. Put stuff away and cooked up dinner. Stretched after eating.

December 28, 2024 – Week 3, Day 4

Dynamic Warm Up

Box Jumps
18”x1
18”x1
18”x1
25”x3
25”x3
25”x3
25”x3

Deadlifts (straps)
135x5
225x3
315x2
385x1
435x5
380x5
380x5

14” Wagon Wheel Deadlifts
295x1
345x1
395x1
Added Straps
445x4
445x4
445x4

Paused Elite FTS Chest Supported T Bar Rows (2 seconds)/Glute Ham Raise Eccentrics (4 showing, 5-8 seconds)
+75x10/bwx8
+80x10/bwx8
+85x10/bwx8
+90x10/bwx8

Seated Band Leg Curls/Smith Machine Planks
ab’s+mb’sx25/bw+100x30 seconds
ab’s+mb’sx25/bw+100x30 seconds
ab’s+mb’sx25/bw+100x30 seconds

Stretching
 
Comments: I guess whatever is going on with the digestion isn’t quite done with me. I felt fine Thursday but a little bit of gas similar to how I was feeling Tuesday before Christmas on Friday. Needed that walking to get my body moving and my head clear. Soft tissue work also. I didn’t quite get to bed as early as I wanted to as I got distracted and hyper focused on things that don’t need to be at this time. Woke up to having to use the restroom twice before I even ate breakfast and then another time immediately afterwards. I decided to wait a bit and have things settle and use the restroom one more time before making the drive out to train. I’d not want to have to pull over to use an unfamiliar restroom. As of this writing, no further incidents. I did make a decision based off of how this week has been with the uncertainty. If I wanted to compete end of April, I’d have a very tight window to get prep in for that and if I had to change up my routine because I had to reassess something I pushed too hard (or wasn’t recovering well enough) or if I had to take off sessions because of illness, it would kind of screw that up. I don’t have a lot of cushion if I want to get in a decent off season session. And honestly, I don’t really care for the event. So at this point, I’m looking at May or July for competing. Have to see if stuff gets posted timely for the one and that I’m still going well with the training. The end of the training week does feel like it is the final lap of the week to let me know if I made it. See if I can make another round and add a notch to the post. I had a later start than I had planned and there were a ton of people there. Most just doing offseason type stuff but some training for shows. My one friend has his girlfriend from France visiting and she is competing in the Arnold. She had gotten 4th at OSG in her weight class. I’m not sure if she is staying for the 2 months until the Arnold or what. As to be expecting, she is quite strong. My time on the UK lifting forums a few years back was helpful in my “quick maths” with metric conversions. Anyways, on to my own business. I was feeling ok I guess joint wise doing the warming up. I was a little leery about the right hamstring insert with it getting tense Monday before I started training. But it hasn’t gotten worse since and I’ve moved more weights and actually targeting the area. Starting off the session with box jumps. I was feeling pretty good with how things went last time. Same plan of 4x3 here. I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to do same height or try and squeeze in a little more. I figured that 12” was not worth attempting since it was so low. So right to 18”. Good lord were my knees stiff. Like as stiff as they were that first week. Not the confidence builder to try any higher. But I knew that I probably need to do some more jumps to get ready. I did another jump and it felt a little better but still stiff in the knees. I did another for good measure. By this point, the area I was planning to do the jumps at was getting crowded and my anxiety was starting to go up with so many people near me. I’m generally good with it but when I feel like I’m not at my best, it is harder to ignore the irrational. So I moved things to the other side of the wind tunnel so it was out of the way of everyone. I decided I’d go up 1” and hope that I meet expectations. I was a little nervous for the first rep but I got it fine enough. Still some hesitancy going for the second rep here. But after that, I think I got out of my head with things and I actually took less time between the reps after that. So I was feeling fit to be tied with that. But this was just the primer and deadlifts were next. Second week of the first wave on the pulls. So last time was doing 3x5 working up in 5% jumps to the top set. This time I was to do top set with 2.5% more than the top set and then backdown 10% less for 2x5. I was going off memory here as I forgot to make a copy on my phone like last week. Luckily my recollection was correct. My right knee was feeling stiff and achy warming up here. It was like the box jumps hadn’t happened in that feeling good after doing them. Oh well. Really hoping that my recovery here is good as this is the big thing being worked with goal to improve. Plate jumps like last time and then a single with a little more than what I’d do with the down sets. Get a feeling of what the full belt combo would be. Bar got a little bit out in front of me so it was a bit harder than I’d have liked here and more strain on hamstring/lower back. But trying to not get hyped for the pulls here. As low key as I can be but still bracing appropriately. Time for 15lbs more than last week. That first rep didn’t more super fast but it felt noticeably better than 420lbs did the first rep. After that first rep, pretty casual. So that was good. Dropped the weight down for the next two sets. First rep with 380lbs didn’t feel great. It was better than 385lbs single had been but about how 420lbs was feeling last week. But no issues for the following reps. Can’t have that happen again. Last set and I’m not sure what I did but the weight felt weightless the first rep. It surprised me how easy it felt. I’m going to have to figure out what I got to click there as that would be the ideal pull every time. Perhaps I don’t need to be so drastic to say I have to keep a floor pull in all the time as four sessions seems about what I need to get things on point. More pulling with the elevated pulls. Like the floor pulls, the working weight was increased 2.5%. But little less volume with it being 3x4. Used the big wheels again. I had forgotten that Mike’s old wheels from the fixed axle he had made were actually 14” so I could’ve used them instead of the 18” wheels. But whatever. I figured I’d just use both haha. Load up the big wheels with slightly smaller big wheels. Just like with the box jumps and the deadlifts, my right knee decided it wanted to be achy at the start. So like working back up again. Singles with 50lbs jumps no straps double overhand to prime. I knew what to expect here. What the strain would be and that I can push through it. And that I don’t need to get amped up to do these. These felt fine other than the first rep of the last set as I seemed to screw the timing up on that one royally. It was the opposite of the perfect pull I hit on the deadlifts haha. I didn’t feel like there was tension in my lower back like the disc bulge or pressure this time around so that is a good sign. It was present last week and the last three sessions of wagon wheel pulls for the aborted competition prep. I feel the increased work for my back, legs and glutes are getting things to be firing in a way that protects. Put the big wheels away (while also seeing the strongwoman from France load 325lbs keg first try at like 180lbs bodyweight). Need to stick to the plan for at least 9 weeks. So rest of the session being the supersets. First up being paused chest supported rows and glute ham raise negatives. I was thinking here that I’d probably only go up a little bit on the rows considering how challenging these can be with the pauses and see how the glute ham raises are feeling. I had done those last time with 5 holes showing and 4 holes showing would be what I should be doing for true ghr when doing those. Got set and off to the races. Rows were feeling pretty good. The ghrs negatives were a little tougher with the adjustment. I felt like the rows were a little too easy so I added 5lbs. Still okay but it was maybe going to be too much by the end as this was only halfway into this. I had committed to it and did another 5lbs for the third set. I had stuck to 5 seconds on the ghrs the first two sets but decided that was too easy and did some at 6 and 7 on the third set.  Fourth set of rows that weight was definitely the limit for me and need to make smarter choices next time haha. But I should recover from that fine I feel. Last set of the ghrs I did 6-7-8-5 in sequence twice to finish things off. I’ll probably do all 8 seconds next time around. Last pairing was the seated band leg curls and smith machine planks. I knew for the planks I wasn’t increasing anything as that was already a bit much comparatively. But the band leg curls I could do more. I found the things I had intended to use last time to anchor the bands which meant things went a little smoother. Added mini bands to the average bands and that was a good jolt to the tension. I will probably stick to this for next time as it was getting challenging by the end. Having to do the bit by bit chunk method of counting to get things done. The planks were on average I guess better. The first set sucked huevos grande in that I had only one thing to put my forearms on with foam as the other was being used and balancing on that was a bigger challenge then I was expecting of things. Securing the second one made things more tolerable. Put stuff away, downed a protein shake and loaded up my power keg to take home so that my younger sister can get familiar with it for a possible competition end of March. Stretched out before driving home.