August 13, 2025 – Week 12, Day 2

Dynamic Warm Up

Axle Deadlifts (straps)
136x5
186x4
226x3
276x2
316x1
366x1
EMOM
406x2
406x2
406x2
406x2
406x2

Sandbag Carry and Loads (50’ run out, 53”)
265x50’/265x3 in 31.10 seconds
305x50’/305x3 in 67.20 seconds

Band Assisted Pull Ups (Pin 18, 3 second eccentrics)/Front Foot Elevated Split Squats (6”)
lbx12/bw+10x30 seconds (15)/30 seconds (16)
lbx12/bw+10x30 seconds (18)/30 seconds (18)

Supinated Bent Over Rows/Prone Band Hamstring Tantrums
135x6
185x6
225x12/(2)lbx25 seconds
225x12/(2)lbx25 seconds

Stretching

Comments: A little shaken in confidence from Day 1. Feeling a little worn. I think I dealing with some stressors subconsciously on top of the known things with work and the upcoming competition. My father getting a medical procedure this week, birthdays for my deceased niece and good friend in the next few days. All these things could explain it. This Day 2 has generally been the easier of the sessions I’ve done and things shouldn’t be beyond what I can do. I tried my best to catch up with sleep Monday and Tuesday. There were some thunderstorms early afternoon today but thankfully those passed so I didn’t have to alter anything with training. But that did mean it was incredibly humid even if not super hot outside. So all fans going today. My lower back had been feeling a bit tight from Monday training but it did seem to loosen up a good bit by today. But could still feel fatigue. My right calf needed a good bit of foam rolling but rest of legs didn’t really. Back and such I did make sure I was getting that done. Neck rehab stuff was fine and mobility stuff was ok as well. I could feel some fatigue in my lower abdominals. Trying to not put too much stress on my knees at the start here. Axle deadlifts starting off the session. Weight increased a good bit but volume dropped a lot. Advised to do 385-405lbs here for 5x2 EMOM style. I was initially thinking 405lbs but when my lower back was feeling sore and then how Monday had went, I was reconsidering 385lbs. As far as form, I was suggested I make sure that I hold lockout for a beat. I was told my form looked much improved from the first week so I guess on the right track. I had been a little fast with lockout with the new cues as also trying to do speed pulls. But I made it a point to pause slightly at lockout to insure that I was engraining the right movement pattern. I was a little cautious with these because lower back feeling a bit worn and just how much effort Monday required of me on my hamstrings with the sandbag stuff. A little slow at the start but I made sure the music I had playing was one that would have me feeling hyped. 56lbs added was definitely noticed but it wasn’t so bad. This was pretty comfortable honestly. I felt strong on my last set still. Might have been my best set. From there it was getting sandbag carry and loads setup. This was going to take a bit more effort than usual. Because I was going to be doing sets with different weight bags. And my handtruck has flat tires so setting up does take some effort. So the plan here was to do two sets again but with the first set being 265lbs and the second set with 305lbs. I hadn’t thought it would be that bad but then I saw how rough this bag was on Monday so I was quite nervous. I was worrying about my biceps going or just not being able to pick it up with my back fatigued. Just a lot of negative thoughts that pop up when I get stressed and closer to competing. I’ve mentioned before that I feel strong and fragile at the same time. Warming up for this was doing progressively faster sprints and doing picks into rows with lighter sandbags. It took a bit to get myself ready with combating the sweat. First set with 265lbs felt good. Maybe a little faster on the run but I didn’t really have any issues with the load and it was smooth. Ended up being a second faster than my best run last week. So that was a good confidence builder. Then it was time for 305lbs. 40lbs is a big difference on this kind of event. Sandbags vary like stones and kegs in weight and such. I’ve done heavier but when it comes to this particular bag, I’ve actually not picked and lifted it more than twice in a set. I’ve shouldered it twice to both shoulders last year. But I’ve not really done reps for loads or used it in EMOMs like I’ve done other bags now that I think about it. So it was time to do this and I was nervous. I ran down to it well enough but I took a little more time making sure I had a secure grip on it before picking it up. In hindsight, I probably should’ve tried to pop it up a little higher for the run as when I got to the bar to load, I was a few inches shy of clearing. So I was stuck and it wasn’t really budging with trying to shove it over. Then the yoke started to slide so I had to stop that nonsense. If I dropped this, I was probably going to call it there honestly. But I was able to manhandle it over for a successful rep finally. I’ve apparently not drilled going under the yoke enough for it to be automatic as I went around the yoke this time unintentionally. It took a bit for me to mentally prep to do another lift and it went over with a lot less hassle and I remember to go under the yoke to go for the next rep. I went for it but I guess the angle was off and I just kind of had it hover a few inches off the ground before I put it down to regroup. I was worried I’d be having issues picking up the bag a bunch of times with the lower back fatigue. I took a few breathes and ripped it off the ground and got my last rep finally over. I had thought I was still under 60 seconds but I guess I wasn’t. But the hard thing for the day was done. Well I guess kind of. The thing that was making me anxious this day was done but that didn’t mean the rest was easy. It took a bit to put this stuff away and moved on to the rest of the session with the odd couple pairings. As with Day 1, Day 2’s supersets were reduced in sets but reps adjusted. Pull ups and FFE split squats as the first pairing. Still band assistance on the pull ups for me to hit the reps and the accentuated eccentrics. Sets of 12 reps here. The FFE split squats I was advised to hold a 10lbs plate out in front as a counterbalance to try to have me be more upright torso and work that aspect of hip mobility. I was sweating a ton with the humidity so I had to keep applying liquid chalk so that I wasn’t losing my grip. The added reps were noted here on pull ups. The counterbalance was a bit funky. I can see I’m still tight in spots here. Little bit of a twinge in the right side (it acts up some times where the oblique was torn years ago) but I know that this is something to be hit as opening up the hips will allow me to have a smoother and larger gait on moving events. But as has been the case with these, the subsequent sets moved better. Last thing being pairing of the yates rows and the band tantrums. Two sets here with more reps on the rows and less time on the tantrums. I did lower the weight back to 225lbs for the rows just because with how back feeling and just noticing my biceps feeling some fatigue even on Day 1. Also I was instructed to try and bend over a little more. Little hard with long arms and the keeping bar in contact with the thighs. I think I did that this time. The tantrums weren’t as bad as last time with the initial shock. I understand why I’m doing them and they are beneficial to my hamstrings being good for sprinting to objects and with objects. Still going through a lot of shirts. One more tough session. Put stuff away as my dinner simmered and then stretched. Another late night.