December 13, 2015 – Week 9, Day 4

Dynamic Warm-ups

Paused Front Squats (2 second pauses)
No Pauses
45x10
95x5
95x5
145x3
145x3
195x1
195x1
Added Pauses
245x5
245x5
245x5

Deadlifts
No Straps
135x5
225x3
315x1
405x1
Added Straps
495x1
545x1
590x1
No Straps
475x2
475x2
475x2
475x2

Circuits (no rest between exercises)
Shrugs/T-Bar Prison Rows/Neutral Grip Pull-ups/Ab Wheel/Glute Ham Raises
600x6/+280x6/bw+20x6/bwx7/bw+35x3
600x6/+280x6/bw+20x6/bwx7/bw+35x3
600x6/+280x6/bw+20x6/bwx7/bw+35x3

34 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Unseasonably warm for this time of year both yesterday and today. Upper back pretty sore from the weird upper back stuff I did. Weighed in light at 274lbs. Didn’t need to even wear my warm-ups to get ready for the day. Started off with the usual front squats with pauses. Felt light on my clavicle but it definitely felt substantial in my legs and core. First set was very good and almost easy. Each set got tougher and I was definitely out of breath by the end. Deadlift was next. Work up to a big single and then speed sets. I knew the top weight goal for the day was too much for double overhand. I had planned on doing these last few weeks with straps anyways. My form changes with straps so even though I didn’t need them, I used them for the lighter pulls to get ready. 315lbs went up much the same as it did two weeks ago so I thought that was a good sign. Strapped in sets felt slower than I would have liked. Definitely slower than I would have liked. Last one felt pretty darn heavy. Now, I know I got more in me so it definitely wasn’t a max effort. It is still the most weight I’ve pulled in training this year and after reviewing my older videos from the past three cycles, it wasn’t that bad. Straps off for speed work. Weight increased but reps and sets decreased. Felt heavy, not much to say there. But again, this was more than the top set weight at the start of this cycle. Then on to the circuit work as per the norm at this point. Everything was increased in weight besides ab wheel. Shrugs had the biggest jump in weight. Definitely at the point where these are getting tough. Not sure if it just the bar rolling in my hands or if the weight has gotten heavy haha. Much like last time, rows felt heavy the first set. Got better each set though. Good power on the pull-ups. Was definitely having to push myself by the last set. Ab wheel was easy stuff. Catching my breath really. First rep of ghrs was a wake-up call. Pretty big jump in weight really. These were tough even with the low reps. Was breathing pretty hard after each go through of the circuits. Stretched and called it a day.