February 16, 2025 - February 22, 2025 - Week 11

 February 17, 2025 – Week 11, Day 1

Dynamic Warm Up

Axle Push Presses/Dumbbell Push Presses/PVC Thoracic Extensions
46x3
76x3
106x3
136x2/10’sx2/4
166x2/10’sx2/4
196x2/10’sx2/4
226x3/40’sx2/4
228x3/40’sx2/4
230x3/40’sx2/4
232x3/40’sx2/4
234x3/40’sx2/4
236x3/40’sx2/4
238x3/40’sx2/4

Dips
ssx5
bwx8
bw+25x8
bw+50x8

Paused Push-ups on Kettlebells (2 seconds, feet elevated 6”)
bw+20x16
bw+20x16

Paused Prone Dumbbell Retractions (1 second)/Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extensions w/ bands
10’sx12/12+mbx20--20
10’sx12/12+mbx20--20
10’sx12/12+mbx20--20

Stretching
 
Comments: Again, thankful I had off work today. Let me take the weekend as something to get stuff done and recover. Weight maintaining from last week. Keeping an eye on things and making sure I get in my soft tissue work and low intensity cardio walks. I didn’t really get to sleep as earlier as I was hoping I’d be doing over the weekend but I didn’t have places to be so I was able to be rested. But I know I need to make an effort to try and get to sleep earlier this week. Especially since next week I have to go into the office for the dumb collaboration day. With being off work, that meant I could do training while there was light out. I was a little anxious to train earlier in that wanting to get things done but I knew I needed to wait to let food and such settle in my stomach before pushing things. Warming up with the mobility stuff actually wasn’t that bad. Most things felt good. I did notice that there is a discrepancy between my left and right leg with knee extension. But that isn’t really new I guess. Just odd in the one aspect I was testing. I needed the knees and hips to feel good and springy for today. Triphasic stuff again. This is the last two weeks of it. First mini cycle being focused on the eccentric and the second the isometric. This being the concentric. Putting it all together really with fast movement to transfer over. Essentially what Andrew had dubbed “rebound” style or reps with push pressing. What I pretty much had been doing on my own for years really before switching eventually to taking the reps as single efforts. Which I felt was more like training for the actual lift as the rebounding was more of a like a touch and go style. Only that first rep really starting with just concentric. But the idea here being to get used to that flow state of going and loading. So I was going to have to relearn something I stopped a few years ago almost all together. This wasn’t just by itself. As has been the case, pairing it with the dumbbell push presses and bringing back the PVC stuff. Since this was to be more sets compared to the previous two mini cycles, I wasn’t doing an additional exercise to emphasize things with the dip drive. Ideally, I’d have been doing extra work there on another day but this mishmash of stuff doesn’t really allow for that. The deadlift programming more focus than the overhead stuff since I have more time to work there before actually tested in a competition setting. No actual overhead press event at the competition in 3 months so I can still work offseason stuff there for the most part. See if other things help. No RPE indication here like there was for the past 2 mini cycles. So I figured I’d work up to something that should feel comfortable after these past 4 weeks. I’ve done tougher variations on the lift so I should be able to gauge where I’m at. Despite it being below freezing and really windy, I had to bring out my polarized lens for my glasses because the midday sun just bearing down on me right where I unrack the weight. Can’t really face the other way like I’ve done when doing log clean and presses. I was feeling decently good. I had meant to only do doubles all the way up but realized after two sets I had been doing triples. 30lbs jumps all the way up and once I got within 90lbs I added in the other two exercises. Form was feeling decent for me on the rebound reps. So plan here was 7 sets of these exercises. Hoping that I can do what I’ve been doing with adding a little each set on the push press the first week with the variation. Depend on how things feel if I do it and how much I do. The sun was not helping here with unracking and reracking the weight. First set felt just ok but I decided I’d go up in 2lbs jumps as long as I could manage it. Second set was about the same. Third set felt really good finally and I was thinking this is the way. Fourth set I got a little off balance on the second rep and I couldn’t go right into the third rep so I had to press that as I have been normally doing. So that wasn’t great. Not like I’d screw it up more. I was wrong. Firth set I had the same issue but the balance forward issue was more severe and I had to catch the weight on the recovery and walk back out a little. Had to hold it after that for like 3 seconds before initiating the press. I told myself I can’t have another rep like that. Sixth set balance wasn’t great but it was at least consistent and it didn’t pitch me forward so I was able to keep the rhythm going and get back to doing these all rebound reps. Try to end on a good note with the heaviest set of the day here. First rep a little slow and I wasn’t sure this would hold up but I braced and committed to it and got the other two reps as I should. The dumbbell and PVC stuff were really just afterthoughts here. Considering the axle was rebound reps, I did the same for the dumbbell to reinforce that. Next week the plan will be to do this again but hopefully with more weight and better. And then move on to testing and contest prep. So since there wasn’t really a secondary exercise here for the dip drive like the past two cycles, I felt that maybe I should test out some things planned for the next training cycle to see if doable/viable. I’ve been comparing myself with past performances and trying to see what I was doing at those times (besides being younger) to try and figure out if there are some missing pieces I can add in. While there is a ton of stress in putting together my own training (and I’ve been revising it almost weekly) it is helpful that I have the control to adjust things as needed and I don’t feel like a failure if I do. Something I want to keep pushing is my triceps strength as that perhaps is where some things are lagging from before. Or perhaps not hitting them in way that benefits me. One thing that was recurring was seated lockouts (8” ROM) and weighted dips. Lockouts I’m saving for when contest prep starts (among other things) but I figured this would be a good time to bring in dips and see how they feel and get an idea where I am compared to what I used to do on these. I’ve shied away from these due to shoulder issues and the bursitis in the left elbow has also had me leery. For a while, I was only really able to tolerate doing them with a slingshot to get power out of the bottom for the shoulders and chest and still work triceps. Then shoulder and neck issues. So I wasn’t sure if my upper body would tolerate these. So this was just feeling things out. I used the slingshot to warm up and that felt fine. Bodyweight was going to be different. These felt good and my shoulders and sternum didn’t explode. I felt tension in the triceps and upper back which I’ve not felt in quite some time. That pretty much meant I needed to do these. I was initially going to do just 2 sets at bodyweight but figured I owed it to myself to do at least something with weight to see if the swaying and added weight drastically effected things. I was nervous but thankfully it did not. I figured that I’d finish off hopefully with another set but decided more weight. Aim at this point was kind of doing 3x8 with RPE increasing by 1 each set. Get close to RPE 8 or something for the last set. 50lbs added happened and no worse for wear. I used to do 100lbs more than this for these reps so I know I got something to work on and grow here. Maybe this gets me back into 300lbs and over form again. From there it was push ups. Same as last week with the “block” pushups. Plan was to do 2 sets of max reps leaving 2-3RIR. I was kind of surprised that I was able to do 20 reps on these and I like how they had felt on the shoulders and chest with “opening” things up. I was also surprised since usually I do these with feet on the floor and not on a box. So I figured I should add some weight to my body this time around as don’t really want to do +20 rep sets here since I’ll be pivoting on these shortly. So using the backpack with weights once again. 20lbs added was enough to have the reps dip a good bit here. Shoulders felt more stable this time. Definitely feeling fatigue in the triceps. Like last week, I was able to match reps the second set. Last thing being a superset. Now in my haste last week, I was apparently incorrect and did the same workout of dumbbell y raises and band triceps extensions. I was actually supposed to change these up last week. Oops. So changing up the exercises. Still similar pairing in that upper traps/rear delts/external rotation paired with triceps extension. The first exercise was a prone dumbbell retraction. Light weight and very short ROM. More a contraction and hold. I knew this was going to feel rough the first set. It did take some time for me to get adjusted to the movement again and have things feel good. The triceps was just single arm dumbbell extensions. I decided I’d borrow from other training which would sometimes have these be with bands and dumbbell. I was worried I went too much band tension that first set on my right arm but I managed to correct and adapt things for the next sets where I didn’t have it feel that way. My left side started out stronger but seemed to feel the fatigue sooner as I went. I’m probably keeping these the same for next time. Put stuff away and ate a few meals together. Stretched after letting my stomach settle.

February 19, 2025 – Week 11, Day 2

Dynamic Warm Up

Front Squats
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x2
263x2 (oops)
263x3
263x3
263x3
263x3
263x3

Deadlifts w/ Bands (straps)
No Bands
135x5
Add Bands (+12/+71)
135x2
185x2
225x2
265x2
302x2
302x2
302x2
302x2
302x2
302x2

FFE Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats (6”)
bwx3/3
25’sx3/3
40’sx12/12
40’sx12/12
40’sx12/12
40’sx12/12

Band Lying Leg Curls w/ Ankle Weights (10lbs each)
2(mmb)x20
2(mmb)x20
2(mmb)x20
2(mmb)x20

Paused Ab Wheel (2 seconds)
bwx25
bwx21
bwx21

Paused Banded Lying Clam Shells (3 seconds)
mbx15/15
mbx15/15
mbx15/15

Stretching

Comments: Snow was threatened for today and tomorrow (as much as 18” at one point lol) but turned out to be a bust and maybe get flurries. Just continues to be cold with what is being called the coldest of the polar vortexes so far. It has not been as cold as it was like that one week where it was single digits so whatever. Trying to get groceries and meals figured out around weather and for not just this week but next week since I have to go into the office for the once a month bs and also dentist appointment. Warming up for training today felt fine. I was a little uncertain about how my right hamstring would be today with the back of the knee on the left side. It has been feeling a little tender from last week. But I’m seeming to be able to do everything and so I push onward. I did try to do a little more to see if get my knees ready for front squats. Plan was to go up a little bit in weight on these for 5x3 again. I’m trying to stick to the planned percentages like I’ve been doing with the deadlift variations here. I’m a bit more comfortable with front squats. Well scratch that, I’m more familiar with them since been doing them consistently for months before the 2 month break here. I figured that I’d see if I noticed a difference in doing these without my lifters. I wasn’t sure about the lifters last time as I felt like I was coming up forward on my toes. I was feeling ok with the regular shoes but maybe feeling a little off. But not enough that I wanted to switch back. Didn’t think there would be an issue. I was trying to focus on making sure these didn’t suck working up like last week. Knee aches, not feeling so powerful out of the hole and breathing troubles. Switch in footwear maybe had the knee aches feel a little different. Not so sure with the feeling of power out of the hole. Breathing wasn’t feeling as funky and I did a double rather than a single with the last weight just to make sure I was feeling good. Then it was time for the working sets. Or so I thought. Unrack felt a little odd on my knees before I went for the squats. I somehow screwed up my breathing at some point and couldn’t get air. It was like a repeat of last week on that first set but I was not going to be able to keep myself conscious if I stood there so I attempted to rerack after the second rep but I was not able to get the right side of the bar onto the j-hook. Bar, weight and clamps survived but the left j-hook got bent too much to be usable. But thankfully I had a spare from the last time this happened in November. Just annoyed and had to take all of it apart to reset. I figured since I was having to reset everything that I’d swap in my lifters. Felt a little weird after working up with regular shoes but I didn’t get lightheaded and managed to get 5x3 here. I felt like I got better with these as I went and the hesitancy between doing the next set lessened the time I took. I’m trying to not do these sets hyped up and low key. A little tough after having the disaster of that first attempt. Bit of down time tearing that setup down and then setting things up for banded deadlifts. Which I knew would be the case and it did give me time to get some fluids in. Also time to order another set of j-hooks for backup purposes. Though only doing 2 more weeks of front squats before changing things up for contest prep. Front squats have taken out two sets of j-hooks on me haha. Band pulls with 6x2 like last time, just more weight. Matching the same percentages as I was doing the first block of training with the paused pulls. I turned around how I pulled these from last week. I was watching the hamstrings on these but I was also glad my deadlifts had felt powerful on Saturday. The added weight was noticed on these. Felt like more effort compared to last week. To be expected. But not in any way where these terribly exhausting for fatiguing. These were more enjoyable to do than the front squats. Fourth set felt like the one set that was on point and wish to get other sets to feel like that all the time. Still surprising to me that the platform pulls were so much more taxing on me. I was feeling some biceps tightness in my right arm with setup but not as much as I had with the platform pulls. Again, took some time to put stuff away before moving on to the accessory work for the session. I shouldn’t be that nervous for this stuff but I was as it could be stuff that exacerbates the hamstrings. Really that only applies to the first two exercises. The front foot elevated Bulgarian split squats starting things off. I was easing into them I thought last time with the greater ROM even though tempo was dropped. I was initially thinking of just doing similar and aim for a slight increase like I did last block with getting accustomed to the volume. But I decided I go heavier and see if I can tolerate it. I didn’t want to deal with my plateloaded dumbbells today. Just grab the solid weights. So warm up with low reps and grab the 40’s and see if I can do them. My aim was to do 4 sets and just whatever reps I could tolerate. Keeping an eye on the tenderness. I managed 12 reps on the first set and kept at it. These were tough and I could tell from how gassy I was after the sets and trying to get my breathing right. I added weight to anchor the foot rest as the angle had caused it to shift last time. The three sets weren’t bad but going for that fourth set definitely is another kettle of fish of difficulty. But I got it done. Next was banded lying leg curls. Again, not sure how hamstrings would handle these. The combo of bands and the ankle weights here was surprisingly effective. I figured I’d aim for four sets again and try to improve my reps from last time. That first set I got 20 reps easy. Then the other sets it was more like how I expect things to go with my hamstrings as these got tough and could feel the fatigue. It was reminiscent of when I used to do like 200 reps of lying leg curls with ankles weights rehabbing my hamstring back in 2011. Also managed to get 20 reps for all sets this week. Not entirely sure how to progress this really. I took a break at this point to start getting dinner ready with the plan to do the rest of the workout while it was cooling off. Ab wheel again. I had done 3x20 last week with pauses so I was aiming to beat that rep total if possible. I was surprised how well I had recovered from those last week and not having any issues with deadlifting that weekend. The first set it felt decent but the subsequent sets felt quite tough and questioning life choices. But I pushed through on these and eventually I’d get to a point where it wasn’t feeling so sore and just got difficult so stopped. Last thing was lying clam shells with bands. I relooked at when I was doing those and I was using them as a warming up for session kind of thing (often with trying to do a side plank) and I was doing 2x10 with 3ct holds. I had done 2ct holds last week for the reps. So I figured for progression that I’d do 3ct holds this time around and maybe try to push the band tension on the last session of this block. The added hold time was definitely tougher but I was also adapting to it and I was essentially able to just alternate sides with hardly any break between them. Last time I was taking a normal rest. I think I wanted to move things along because it was getting late and wanted to eat dinner. My right hips definitely feeling sore after these but it went away shortly after that. Put the last of things away before eating dinner and then stretching out.

February 20, 2025 – Week 11, Day 3

Dynamic Warm Up

12” Log Incline Bench Presses w/ bands
No Bands
87x3
Added Bands (+17lbs bottom/+36lbs top)
92x3
122x3
152x3
182x3
182x3
182x3
182x3
182x3

Inverted Ring Rows
bwx3
bw+45x12
bw+45x12
bw+45x12
bw+45x12

Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions (3 second eccentrics)
10’sx5
40’sx10
40’sx10
40’sx10
40’sx10

Dumbbell Lateral Raises/Half Kneeling Single Arm Band Rows
32’sx20/sb+lbx15--15
32’sx20/sb+lbx15--15

Stretching
 
Comments: Left side trap and upper back and shoulder have felt stiff. Noticed it with Wednesday training and still present today. Not pain mind you. I figured it was probably a good idea to do foam rolling with my warming up for today’s session. Hamstrings also tense and sore from yesterday and I know that there will be DOMS in my quads by Friday on my rest day. I felt like it made sense to get everything kind of setup for training and then get warmed up today. It’s not the coldest it has been but it just felt really darn cold. Not tolerable. Feeling the chill in my bones. Warming up felt fine since that was indoors haha. As I mentioned, I had plans to adjust log incline pressing since I overshot last week. If that hadn’t been the case, I’d probably have stuck to the plan. But maybe if not, I’d have thought about reconsidering with the cold today. I was not really looking forward to doing anything outside, let alone pressing stuff with stiffness. So instead of working up to top set of 5 reps and then the typical drop down and pauses, changing gears to doing triples with bands. My plan with the contest is to work strict log and axle push press as kind of “off season” continued and my log strict pressing had been good working up for PA Dutch prep in 2022. So borrowing from that with alternating bands and top set. So that is what looking at here with banded pressing on the log with incline. Estimated 65% of my max here and adding a decent amount of bands. I only plan to do like two workouts like this before the switch over anyways. Things just felt ok with the cold and such. Could also be all the pressing and such on Monday too. First set was ok and then second set I was a little higher up on the chest and bashing my chin on the reps. Didn’t do that for any other reps. Last set was definitely the one that felt the best for me. Like how I’d hope all sets feel and go. Put most of the stuff away outside (minus the rack arms and anchoring plates) before going inside the garage for the rest of the training. Inverted ring rows were up next. 4x12 week for them. Considering how joints and such were, I figured it was a good idea to do at least a few reps at bodyweight since the weight is adding up here and might not be wise to go at it no prep going forward. This was probably a good idea. I had meant to do 44lbs here but forgot I had already setup dumbbells for later in the session so I went a little heavier. It wasn’t going to be noticeable. Trying to lock in like last time where the reps were good and powerful in a short burst. Didn’t get things to feel exactly like last time but it was close so felt decent. I put away stuff outside between sets and hoping that doing so with my warm-ups on would keep me the right temperature through the sets. I ended up finishing things here comfortably. And feeling pretty toasty by the end of it. Up next was triceps dumbbell extensions. I didn’t realize this would be the last session of these for the training block and likely not doing much dumbbell triceps stuff in the next contest prep. Switching up to a different variation for two weeks after this session. Still dumbbells and tempo but different. It does seem like my triceps need to get with it considering things. But I was also using not the best form I admit in the past when I did these workouts. But I had hoped to be using the 40’s by the end. 36’s were tougher than I was expecting honestly last time with the reduction in reps. I had put as going for 2-4lbs increase in weight or even sticking to the same weight here. But that was when I thought I had more time. I want to do the 40’s so that is what I’m going to do. Check off a box. I felt it was best to do some kind of warming up here as well and used my 10’s. The 40’s felt substantial and a few reps in had me wondering if I was going to get 4x10 with them. That first set was rougher than I’d have liked so I decided I’d slow things down a good bit with the rest here so that I finish these. Like I said, switching up next week with lighter fare. Less sets but more reps. Second set wasn’t much harder than the first really. It might have been easier. Maybe just warming up better or my imagination. But it was definitely obvious I was feeling better and moving better on the third set. So maybe this is happening. Fourth set was actually feeling the easiest and best of the sets until the last two reps. That was when the cumulative fatigue got to my right triceps. I tend to have issues with lockout and such and not using the shoulders when they burn out. My last rep with that side wasn’t the best but it still passed the muster. Hell, I’ve had worse where my arms just “went” trying to control the eccentric sometimes in the past doing the hellacious tempo work. As mentioned, last week for these and I’ll play nice with the last two weeks before switching to contest prep. Superset to end things. Dumbbell lateral raises and half kneeling single arm band rows. Same as last week with only 2 sets. I figured I had hit a good weight for the dumbbells so I only went up 1lbs on them and that seemed to be fine. I wasn’t too sure with shoulders and tight stuff but it was no worse for wear. I felt compelled to increase the band tension for the one arm rows in the half kneeling position. Just felt too easy last time. But I didn’t want to deal with a lot of small bands so I went with a bigger jump then I was really planning on here. That was some good band tension. Had fight in it and needed a lot of effort to pull and stabilize. Which was something sorely missing the last few times. This felt like effort well spent. Put stuff away and got dinner fixed. Stretched after eating.

February 22, 2025 – Week 11, Day 4

Dynamic Warm Up

Depth Drops to Box Jumps (12”)
19”x1
19”x1
25”x1
25”x1
31”x2
31”x2
31”x2
31”x2

Deadlifts (straps)
155x5
265x3
315x2
375x1
425x1
487x2
433x2
433x2
433x2

16” Wagon Wheel Deadlifts
255x1
305x1
345x1
395x1
445x1
Added Straps
500x2
500x2
500x2

Elite FTS Chest Supported T Bar Rows/Glute Ham Raises (4 showing)
+70x5/bwx6
+110x10/bw+35x10
+110x10/bw+35x10
+110x10/bw+35x10
+110x10/bw+35x10

Machine Lying Leg Curls/Hanging Leg Raises
+115x25/bwx27
+115x25/bwx21
+115x25/bwx21

Stretching
 
Comments: I was feeling a little worn by this point in the week. The cold Thursday had me not really excited to train and possibly knowing that I had to change plans because I went to heavy and had to pull back and adjust might have had something to do with the motivation and enjoyment going into that session. I did have things ready for training and travel for today so that I could hopefully get out there earlier. But things change. I had not been able to get myself to go to bed as early as I had been trying to (and had been successful with) the week or so before so I knew I was going to be hitting snooze a few times on Saturday morning. Still have some concerns with the right hamstring tension but at least soft tissue work was good. Added stressor with my younger sister’s training as apparently still having tension and pain from two weeks’ prior session and she was concerned about that so I needed to take that into consideration with plans. I had indicated she was the priority for today as I’m doing offseason training for a few more weeks so rather than attempt to swap between hers and mine with training, we’d do her stuff and then I’d do my stuff. This did take a bit longer than I was expecting as needed to do some pain and mobility assessments and soft tissue work for her as well as manage anxiety and stress. I’ve been here many times before so I have experience. There is a plan in place and she hit lifetime PRs during the session and hopefully she is feeling better and can compete end of next month as planned. Beyond that, the other people there seemed to all kind of be not in the best mood or energetic. Understandable for some with frustrations with competition next week and others in the malaise of offseason with no real plan in sight for competing. And others just frustrated with others that are in either camp taking up space for them to do their own training. Not everyone there mind you but most. I didn’t realize how long I had been at the gym before I started my own training. I still do my mobility warming up despite being on my feet for hours as I knew I needed to do that stuff. I did some modification to the bounding warm ups for the box jumps just based off of how things were last time as the depth drop seemed to throw me off initially. Plan here was again to do 4x2. I felt that I’d probably do 1” higher than last time if I could manage it and set things up for that. I did a few depth drops without a jump just to get used to it. There is a skill to falling safely. Of course when I went to put it all together for actual working up jumps it went out the window. So instead of just doing single jump and moving up in height, did two at each height before doing so. Like last time, it does seem like it takes me like 1-2 sets of these before I’m doing them efficiently as I caught half of the reps the first two sets at or below parallel rather than above like the plan is. First rep of the third set was how they should be and I got cocky and messed up on the second rep in that I forgot how to jump. I laughed it off and did it again easy as pie. Fourth set was the best of the day and I felt good with it and how things were with the height of jump, the landing and even how quickly I went from one rep to the other. I’ll have to keep this in mind with this particular style of box jump. This is one of the more intense ones so it won’t be coming up often in my training. I’m likely not doing any box jumps for contest prep coming up (will still have some kind of bounding/jumps). Then on to deadlifts. Again, still leery about the hamstring but of the attitude if it happens, it happens. I ended up using a different platform for pulling today from the three I’ve been on due to them being in use one way or another. Plan was to work up to the working weight last week for the block pulls for a double from the floor and then take some weight off for 3x2. The easiest way to get to that weight was to do the 25kgs plates. I wanted this to be stiffer and dense feeling. Next week is going to be the test week that I’ve been spending all this work on deadlifts for. The difference in feel was noticed when I got to 2 plates. Because closer to 275lbs then 225lbs. I could tell that I wasn’t feeling as “fresh” compared to last week as I was working up. Could be from training later in the day by a good few hours after helping out and coaching. I was on my own last week so at my own pace. Also didn’t let that phase me as much as it did last block as I knew to expect some things like this. 425lbs felt tougher than I’d like and had me worried the next pull would be the one to do in the right hamstring. I mentally prepared to know who to ask to help me take the weights off the bar and potentially help me to my car in the event that happened. Obviously that didn’t happen. It felt tough but not in the demoralizing way that 460lbs had felt a month ago and had me panicking in my soul. This was no hype pulls and I felt like I had 3-4 reps here. I realized after the fact I had been 1lbs heavier than I planned (forgot that after 200kgs it is 1lbs heavier). Oh well. Took some weight off for the doubles and those felt ok as well. Onward to block pulls. I had been looking somewhat forward to these after how comfortable the 16” pulls had felt and this would be the first time in the prep where I’d be doing 500lbs for multiple sets on any variation at no hype mode. I switched platform I was pulling on as they cleared up by this point. I didn’t want to bring the big wheels to this platform as bit harder to navigate and not the largest platform to begin with. Same as last time with doing singles with no straps working up with 40-50lbs jumps. Once I got to the second to last weight, I did adjust the jump slightly so I could swap in the Jenkins wheels as weights. The last single was a bit tough on the grip. I don’t think I was expecting these to be that difficult really. I didn’t focus as much initially and I was more concerned with synchronizing my pulls with the music playing. I’m not sure what happened here as it felt damn heavy attempting to break off the floor (like I’d just added 150lbs to it) and then the Velcro popped off on the belt. That has not happened before since I’ve had this belt. I swear I had that on tight. A little flustered and got strapped back in. Then it went up fine and easy that first rep and then a little bit harder the second. No further issues after that but pulls did feel harder than I would’ve liked here. The pulling was done for today and rest of the session would be the two supersets. But it was late and seeing as it was almost 4:00PM at this point (I’d been here since 10:40AM) I felt I should take my post workout shake now so that I wasn’t on fumes and already screwing up how late I’d be eating dinner. Just have to hope that I’d keep it down for the rest of the session. Chest supported rows and weighted glute ham raises to start things off here. I did one warming up set here as two didn’t really seem to help matters at all and the second set felt like the one that actually primed things. My plan here was to keep same weight as last time I did for the rows since that was really tough to get 4x8 with and aim to get more total reps on that (8-10 range). With the glute ham raises, since I got 4x12, I was going to increase the weight as rep range of 6-12. Adding weight can be tricky here with how much it adds strain and how you hold the weight. My concern being more ease of access and size. A big plate can be tough and dumbbells not the best two hand grip or able to pick up from the top easy. So I went with kettlebell weight and that worked perfectly. I was very surprised with the rows as they felt much better compared to last week. Usually there is tension in the right biceps but this time around it was the left one. I was able to get 4x10 here so I will be going up 5lbs next time. Glute ham raises this is actually the most weight I’ve done on them since my 2016 back injury. I’ve done a lot more weight on these in a modified version in the past (not great form). I’m surprised I was able to get 10 reps for each set here after the first set. I’m probably going to increase the weight just because next time. Have to see how I’m feeling. Then the last superset pairing. Hamstrings and abdominals. I was a little leery with the right hamstring as the initial tension on the machine leg curl last time had me stressing but then I actually did it and had no issues. The leg raises I switched to a taller setup and slightly tougher grip setup so that I could stay elongated and have my grip worked a little harder. I was tempted to go up to 135lbs on the leg curls after getting 90lbs for 3x25 but decided that wasn’t smart and save that for next time. Aim was then in between that for try to do 3x20 with it. But I kept pushing and using the bite size method of counting managed to do 3x25 for each set here. I did take longer breaks between the sets because I didn’t want to puke from putting strain on my abdominals from being on the bench and from the leg raises. I wasn’t sure how those would go really as I was feeling some tension in the left side lower abdominals when I was warming up for the session and was present again getting ready for the hanging leg raises. These had been tougher than I was expecting. Still tough but not as bad and I managed to add reps from last time to every set. 69 (nice) reps compared to 53. I put stuff away and stretched my calves out before leaving for home as it was after 5PM at this point. Stopped to fill up gas (as got to go into office Tuesday) and stretched when I got home. Aiming for a lazy Sunday to get sleep and stress back on track.

February 9, 2025 - February 15, 2025 - Week 10

 February 10, 2025 – Week 10, Day 1

Dynamic Warm Up

Paused Axle Strict Presses (2 seconds at forehead)/Dumbbell Push Presses/Prone IYT’s
32x2
62x2
92x2
122x2
152x2/10’sx2/1-1-1
182x4/40’sx3/3-3-3
182x4/40’sx3/3-3-3
182x4/40’sx3/3-3-3
182x4

Paused Axle Push Presses (5 seconds in dip)
32x2
62x2
92x2
122x2
152x2
182x2
212x2
242x2
242x2
242x2

Paused Push-ups on Kettlebells (2 seconds, feet elevated 6”)
bwx20
bwx20

Paused Dumbbell Y Raises (2 second hold)/Band Triceps Extensions (facing away)
10’sx12/lbx25
10’sx12/lbx25
10’sx12/lbx25

Stretching
 
Comments: Didn’t quite get to rest as much as I wanted to for the weekend. I made plans for two social things Sunday so meant I couldn’t just be on my own time and had to actually get up and do stuff. Not be able to eat the usual meals kind of thing. It is fine once in a while. Weight down a little. Work was surprisingly quiet today. I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop with how things have been the past few months. I’m still not where I want to be with work but I’m not as bad I guess and not as stressed out about it. I was a little delayed in starting training after work. I did foam rolling for upper back and hamstrings. My right knee was feeling stiff the day before and while I was initially warming up but seemed to go away pretty quickly. So that was good. Not really feeling any soreness as far as muscle wise, just noticing some joint aches. Then to the session. Triphasic stuff again. Last week was the first of two isometric focus sessions for the overhead axle pressing. So plan being to increase the weight on the main exercises (the strict press and push press) by 2.5-5% from last. Last time being getting used to a new movement and this session doing more than that consistently. Like with how the last mini cycle was, aim was to do same weight each set for both exercises as that seemed to work out well. First thing being the strict presses with pauses at forehead height. Four sets of those with three sets of the other stuff. I did 30lbs jumps this time around as I felt like I knew where I was going to end up and was using enough weight that it made sense. I went with 2.5% increase here just because the last set last time was a bit iffy on me. And by that, I mean on the weight I did for the last set. Average from last workout this is 4% more. This actually felt pretty good. I felt more comfortable/confident with the strict pressing and the isometric. There hadn’t really been concentric portion to the strict style the previous mini cycle. The dumbbell push pressing felt much crisper and I felt like the IYT’s felt less restricted. I actually didn’t wear my knee sleeves for these. This was nice to see this come together so well. Of course always want to lift more and have it be easier but I need to be smart with progress here. Stuff changes up next week anyways. Then I was to do push presses with pauses. Same as last time with it being 3x2. I did doubles all the way up with 30lbs jumps. Didn’t feel as fatiguing as it did last week. Like the strict press, I went with 2.5% increase but again on the top weight I hit. Which again about 4% on the average from last time. I knew that I needed to take a breath on these with the heavier stuff as rushing out of the rack and trying to keep that brace going the whole time is not good. I also tried consciously make the effort to not have myself descend even a little bit after the catch and the bottom of the tip with the hold when going for the lower body drive on the press. I feel like I did better here compared to last time on that aspect. First rep of the first set, I was a little forward so lockout was tougher than I’d like. Corrected for the second rep and that went up as it should. Second set was near perfect, which made the last set kind of a bummer in that I got it out in front of me a little too much on both reps so lockout was tougher than it should be. I will say that this weight was feeling lighter on the shoulders comparatively to the first few weeks of training under my own mishmash of programming. So this has been beneficial I feel in getting my groove/confidence in overhead back on track. I still have another two weeks of triphasic stuff but it is less “complicated” for the next mini cycle. From there it was push ups. A break from the chaos band ones. I only like them so-so but I feel it is important they are in the rotation time to time. Now initially the plan was to do regular push ups against band tension. Always a hassle and having issues with getting into position safely and keeping the bands in the right spot for tension. I’m sure I could try and rig up something to fix that but I didn’t want to bother with that hassle for what is kind of just some work to get chest and shoulders feeling good and healthy. So I deviated from that and swapped in a variation I like to do that seems to get shoulders feeling good and “opens up” the chest. Paused block push ups. I actually prefer using my kettlebells to press from and get a deep stretch in the chest. Plan was to do 2 sets of max reps leaving 2-3RIR. I was going to try to leave at least 3RIR because it has been some time since I’ve done these. I still figured I’d get decent reps even with the hold in the stretch position from doing all these eccentric and stability focused push ups for 8 weeks now. I was somewhat worried these would be too easy doing them from the floor and took a page from the chaos band push ups and raised my feet up on the 6” plyo box so that it less mechanical advantage on the movement. I initially thought maybe too much but I just kept pumping out the reps. Honestly, I might have been closer to 5RIR that first set. I was feeling soreness in the chest already. I wasn’t sure what my recovery would be like as usually when I go hard on a set of push ups, I don’t recovery so good and it is hard to get more reps. Perhaps this has improved for me with these past few weeks as I was able to match reps on the second set and about the same level of effort (just slightly less in the tank I think). So these had felt good. From there the superset of dumbbell y raises and band triceps extensions. These had felt more challenging than I had expected last week. Which was possibly from the change in the exercises of the beginning of the workout. Or who knows. Anyways, this was the same as it had been the previous two weeks. Not really one to progress on so just trying to make things feel less difficult. I was successful in that part of things as these definitely felt easier compared to last week. Rep quality felt better too. Seeing as how this workout and Day 3 tend to get my upper body pump up with the reps, I measured my arms and they are back up to 19” again. Put stuff away and ate dinner before stretching.

February 12, 2025 – Week 10, Day 2

Dynamic Warm Up

Front Squats
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x1
255x3
255x3
255x3
255x3
255x3

Deadlifts w/ Bands (straps)
No Bands
135x5
Add Bands (+12/+71)
135x2
185x2
235x2
289x2
289x2
289x2
289x2
289x2
289x2

FFE Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats (6”)
15’sx12/12
21’sx12/12
25’sx12/12
31’sx12/12

Band Lying Leg Curls w/ Ankle Weights (10lbs each)
2(mmb)x16
2(mmb)x16
2(mmb)x16
2(mmb)x16

Paused Ab Wheel (2 seconds)
bwx20
bwx20
bwx20

Paused Banded Lying Clam Shells (2 seconds)
mbx15/15
mbx15/15
mbx15/15

Stretching

Comments: I wasn’t 100% certain on what I was doing for this session. Which is to say that was the case for the assistance lifts and not the main lifts. Just kind of came down to what I had available and what made sense. The winter weather continues to be inconvenient at times. There had been expected snow Tuesday but ended up not coming until today. Folks out of town so I had to do some shoveling at their house and my house during my lunch break so that the sun light could get at it and don’t end up with ice with the refreeze. It was really light and so not much of anything really. Joints and such were feeling ok warming up for the session. I was slightly concerned about my right hamstring feeling a little sore. But not in the spot where I had felt it cramping slightly on Saturday. I just kind of get stressed and paranoid about that kind of stuff as I get older with training and trying to keep going. Start of new training block and the last one of this 12 week plan (not including the first week break-in). Which means the exercises changing. My hope being that these won’t be as rough recovery wise compared to last training block. So for the squat variation, we got front squats. The thinking here is still a squat but not as taxing on lower back to hopefully allow for more recovery with the heaviest weeks of pulls to come. I had been doing those for probably a year or more every other week and now I’ve not done them for like 2 months now. Plan here was doing a little higher percentage wise of the training max for 5x3. Lower reps and more sets compared to how the other two squat variations were. I’ve generally done these with my lifters so I didn’t really want to mess with that. The unracking of weights felt fine as sometimes my knees ache doing that on these and with push press wearing lifters. These didn’t feel as good as I was hoping these would feel. Knees feeling a little achy and I felt like I was pitching forward. Wasn’t feeling like I was powerful on these out of the hole. I also was having issues with my breathing as I felt lightheaded on the last single working up and then had to stop midset on the first set to regain my composure before going for the last rep. I didn’t like that. I thankfully didn’t have any further issues like that after those two incidents but that wasn’t something I wanted. I never felt super great here but I did feel like these felt better as I went if that makes sense. Plan next time is to do more weight but same reps. I may see if I can tolerate or do better with my regular shoes like I did with the pause squats after the first week and what I’ve been doing for axle push pressing. The rest of the workout was potentially going to become a time vampire in that requiring setups and possibly having to alter exercises. Secondary deadlift variation being regular deadlifts against bands. Lower percentage in weight compared to the platform pulls last block but making up for it with the added band tension (10-15% of 1rm added). It has been a bit since I’ve had the deadlift with bands setup. I had kind of wanted to setup this up before training because I needed to figure out the right band tension for these and moving around but I couldn’t with the work I had to do during the day. At least not in good conscience. 6x2 so more sets vs reps per set. These felt a lot more comfortable compared to the platform pulls. I was initially going to go lower in weight because of how platform pulls had been feeling so to have these feel good was a nice sign. I was keeping an eye on the hamstring but no issues and these felt strong. Time to put the setup away and see what was next. The change in the Bulgarian split squat exercise was a bit drastic. No modification to tempo so these were just go as you please. But the other change was to do these with front foot elevated. Now I’ve done that with just single leg split squats but never on a Bulgarian split squat. So I wasn’t sure how the setup would be and how I’d handle the increased ROM. I felt I was probably going to have easier time bailing if it was dumbbells like the past two cycles rather than loading with a weight in my arms or on my back. Used my 6” plyo box because anything less than that was not really worth the effort of doing an increased ROM. Balance was tricky here but knees seemed to tolerate it. I ended up doing about 5lbs jumps per hand on these going up in weight each set. I’ll probably feel the effects of these a few days later with the increased ROM. My right hamstring where it ties into the calf behind the knee was feeling a little sore on the last set. Will have to keep an eye on that like I’m doing. Hopefully I can do more next time. I feel like I need to get more comfortable with these movements and add weight to get my lower body up to par. Next was banded lying leg curls. The original program had this just being regular leg curls and using a lying leg curl machine likely for all these weeks. But I didn’t want to put down the money for one that was going to be likely just used for one thing and not be good quality if I went cheap and fast. And using bands has worked for the previous two blocks because of the tempo. Especially since I was doing a different band leg curl style on the primary deadlift day. This block though has both variations being lying leg curls. I have access to a machine on Saturday so that one will be a machine leg curl. The reps increased on the no tempo variation but I knew I’d have issues with bands for that. So I figured I’d try to make things interesting and add ankle weights so there was more resistance at the bottom compared to with bands. I wasn’t sure it would even work as I had issues trying to do that during my testing/break-in week. But this ended up working. This was challenging and I was a little shy of 20 reps the first set so I stuck to that as I felt I could repeat the effort. The ankle weights do make the rest period a little tricky as I don’t really want to be walking around much with 20lbs of ankle weights haha. No issues with the hamstring thankfully. For core work, ab wheel with pauses. Same deal as the roman chair situps with 3 sets of reps to what feels comfortable but not to failure. It has been a while since I’ve done these and I didn’t usually get too many reps compared to doing them normally when doing pauses. And these have been hellacious in the past on my lower abdominals, especially when I’ve not done them in while. But I guess doing the hollow body holds with the medicine ball coupled with doing the roman chair situps helped me maintain and improve on these without doing them. I was also not expecting to be able to recover well enough to match reps the second set. The third set it was bit tougher but I was so close to 20 reps I just finished up with that. Will remain to be seen if this was not a good move lol. Last thing was my choice for lower back/glute exercise. First block had been one I knew had helped with waking up my glutes with the single leg hip thrust with pauses and that had been good. The second block I kind of wanted to do something like that but the banded variation I found wanting and not worth the hassle and went with a very taxing back extension (which wasn’t the best thing with the platform pulls and pause squats and lower heigh block pulls) so I was feeling every time I pulled. The initial plan had been to do one legged variation of back extension but I felt that wasn’t wise with the right hamstring feeling a certain way and I knew this would be really hard on the hamstrings. I then tried out b-stance good mornings with the ssb but I felt that the other exercises I’ve done up to this point already had fatigued a lot of things and it wouldn’t be productive as the last exercise. So I eventually landed on doing something I had used to for dynamic warming up for glute activation: banded clam shells. Mini band doubled up around the knees and lying on my side. Ended up doing 2 second holds with these. This was getting challenging by the end. I’m not sure how I want to proceed with progression, whether it be increase hold time or band tension. Might end up little of both. Put stuff away and ate dinner before stretching. I kind of figured that with the new exercises and such that this was going to be a later session and I’d probably not get to sleep as earlier as I was the previous week.

February 13, 2025 – Week 10, Day 3

Dynamic Warm Up

12” Log Incline Bench Presses
87x3
127x3
157x3
187x3
217x3
250x5
227x6

Paused 12” Log Incline Bench Presses (1 second)
207x6
207x6

Inverted Ring Rows
bw+33x12
bw+33x12
bw+33x12
bw+33x19

Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions (3 second eccentrics)
36’sx10
36’sx10
36’sx10
36’sx10

Dumbbell Lateral Raises/Half Kneeling Single Arm Band Rows
31’sx20/sb+mbx15--15
31’sx20/sb+mbx15--15

Stretching
 
Comments: Windy as a bastard today. It at least seemed to be not so darn windy by the time I started training after work. I wasn’t in a terrible rush as my dinner needed to cook a bit longer before I could eat it and this is often the shortest workout of the week. Because I took a bit to get going, I did try to set things up so that I could move things along smoothly once I started. Warming up felt decent. I didn’t feel like I was having issues with staying warm. It was a bit warmer than it was the day before but the wind was making it feel cold at times. Again, the good ole log incline press to start things off. Plan this time was to work up to a 6rm and then drop down sets accordingly. My notes had indicated to aim for 10-15lbs more than what I did for my 8rm set two weeks prior. Which would be 240-245lbs. I was intending to do that with how I felt when I did that session where I did 8rm. But I had felt a little better last week where I felt that I could do more reps with that weight. Also with feeling like I need to keep working to close the gap between my pressing in 2021 vs now from these repeated sessions. So I made the aim for 247-250lbs then depending on how warming up feels. I wasn’t feeling too bad warming up. The initial 40lbs jump was noticed but after that not so bad. I’ve not really done much in the ways of reps above 200lbs warming up for these this training cycle. I was iffy on going for 250lbs here but it would have me just 5lbs off track from the 2021 pressing. I should’ve stuck to the plan not tried to be greedy with pushing things here. I got hyped up (not quite to 11) which I guess good I didn’t feel training and couldn’t tap into something. I felt heavy but good initially and I figured it would be hard fought effort. At least it felt doable for the first two reps. Then not so much the third rep. Fourth rep I felt like I was really screwed here. I felt I had just one rep left and I was going to go for it. This was a close one, barely got this past the sticking point and came up uneven. Blast. Not happy about this with overestimating what I could do. I know that even though I didn’t miss a lift but that I didn’t meet my expectations and there is still a gap in my upper body pressing from before that I will ruminate on it and think about what to do and if I can still be competitive for open strongman. I also need to remember to not be so hard on myself as the last time I tried this weight was a little over a year ago and I couldn’t manage 1 rep because of how shot my shoulders were at the time. But I’ll save that for when I have time. The planned down set had been to drop 20lbs but since I didn’t get 6 reps, I dropped it by 23lbs instead. That didn’t feel too bad. Another 20lbs off and it was for the paused reps for 2x6. This was a bit surprising in how difficult and heavy it had felt unracking. Usually the paused reps the weight difference has it feeling light. But I guess a 17lbs increase from last week is quite noticeable. These were tough. I took longer rest than I usually do after that first set with how close it felt like I was to my limit on the last rep and I seemed to do better that second set. Possibly from getting a little more rest and also knowing what to expect. A little miffed with how things went with the top set. Looking at the upcoming planned sessions, I know I’m going to have to modify things as I went too heavy here and I know I won’t be able to go much more than this next time. So going to treat this week as the heaviest session I had planned and do the remaining as planned to get used to the next training phase for the competition. I’ll also need to see if I need to make adjustments to some stuff for that next training cycle for working on stuff that needs to improve here. Again, save it for when I have the time to unpack fully. Inside the garage for the rest of the training. Inverted ring rows were up next. Seems to be the case where one week I do straight sets of 4x12 and then the following week 3x12 and a max rep set with the same weight (leaving 1-2RIR). So this is the week where I rep it out. This was shaping up to be one of those sessions where these weren’t going to feel good. At least for the first two sets it was the case. Just felt awkward and stuff wasn’t feeling as smooth as it usually did. But then something clicked on the third set and they felt a lot better. Slight change in my technique made a world of difference in how these felt here so made sure I repeated that for the rep set. I was tempted to push for 20 reps on these for that top set (19 matching reps from 2021 but 13lbs heavier) but I felt like that last rep was going to push close to actually being a max so called it there. I got like three more row exercises to do this week as well. I’m very close to my all-time best for a set of 20 reps on these and potentially I will surpass that by the end of this block. Up next was triceps dumbbell extensions. Again a reduction in reps per set so 4x10. I had felt a lot better with how these were when it went from 15-12 reps so I was hoping for something similar with 12-10 reps. I only went with 2lbs to get to 36lbs rather than go right to 40lbs. I wasn’t feeling like doing that before I went too heavy on the log stuff. Initially these felt fine but the added weight with the 3 second eccentrics does build up. Even dropping reps didn’t really put a dent in the difficulty. It was definitely feeling tough by the end of it. I’ll have to see how I feel I think next time whether I stick to this same weight or if I try to go for the 40’s in on last hurrah before changing up the exercise variation. Superset to end things. Dumbbell lateral raises and half kneeling single arm band rows. Sets decreasing to two from three. Reps increasing on the dumbbells to 20 while no change to the band rows. I decided to push the laterals again since it was one less set even with the increased reps. I wasn’t sure what I’d done post 2016 injury reboot but I felt like I was close to it here. Turns out this was a 3lbs PR as 28lbs is the most I’ve done for 20 reps on this variation. Side delts are looking bigger and triceps have been looking more defined at times. So I’m building something here. The rows felt surprisingly easy. I was still a little leery with the right biceps how it was last week but seemed to not really be any cause for concern. I did stretch the band setup a little more on the second set but it wasn’t much tougher. The laterals were where the effort went today. But stuff away before finally getting to eat dinner and then stretching. Another night not really getting to sleep when I want to. Got to try and make up for it with the next few days. Off Monday holiday could also help with that.

February 15, 2025 – Week 10, Day 4

Dynamic Warm Up

Depth Drops to Box Jumps (12”)
18”x1
24”x1
30”x2
30”x2
30”x2
30”x2

Deadlifts (straps)
135x5
225x3
295x2
345x2
395x2
420x2
445x2
472x2
445x2

16” Wagon Wheel Deadlifts
255x1
305x1
345x1
395x1
435x1
Added Straps
486x3
486x3
486x3

Elite FTS Chest Supported T Bar Rows/Glute Ham Raises (TBD, 4 showing)
+45x4/astx6
+70x4/bwx6
+110x8/bw+25x12
+110x8/bw+25x12
+110x8/bw+25x12
+110x8/bw+25x12

Machine Lying Leg Curls/Hanging Leg Raises
+90x25/bwx20
+90x25/bwx16
+90x25/bwx17

Stretching
 
Comments: I wasn’t sure with how this session would go. I was hoping that by not doing pause squats and platform deadlifts and the paused back extensions that I’d see a truer glimpse at the scope of my deadlift ability. But I was also nervous about the slight tenderness in the right hamstring. I meant to get stuff ready to train before bed but I got distracted somewhere down the line and still went to bed later than I wanted to. I didn’t have to train with my sister this weekend so there wasn’t really a rush to get going. I also was good as long as I got there to train before 11:00AM with the incoming snow/ice. So I slept in about a half hour. I needed that. I also probably needed some more of that as I was still kind of letting my mind wander and drift while driving. Thinking about big things and little things. Will I get my overhead press back up, are deadlifts going to be tough, will my hamstring hold up and other stuff like that for myself. But also worries and stress with just the things going on in government these last few weeks. Just a lingering sense of dread when the other shoe will fall. But I need to get sleep and let that be the time I process things healthily. I did manage to get out to the gym before snow started. Like the first flurries started when I got there. I had been expecting stuff in my area around this time and then like 5-6hrs later here but I guess weather predictions are just that; predictions. So I wasn’t in a rush here as hopefully the stuff that was following would melt or at least be less slick later. Warming up was a bit scattered in that I did most of it and then ended up helping someone and then resumed. As I’ve mentioned, I end up doing a bit more warming up due to the drive out and also because bounding stuff requires it. So for the last block of this training, the box jump variation is another new one for me. It is a very intense variation so indication is to only do if for a little bit out of training blocks because of the force on the body from the overspeed eccentric. These are box jumps but I’m to do a depth drop first and use that to then jump on to box. I did my usual bounding warm ups plus one depth drop just to see how it felt and absorb impact. So unlike the other variations, I’m to do 4x2 instead of 4x3. I figured I’d probably be able to do 30” as I seem to be able to do that consistently now for the previous variations. These felt weird and were tricky to get down. First set with the goal height I wasn’t feeling like I was getting the rebound right. This was probably on me taking too long a break from my last single warming up and then going because of assisting with other people’s stuff. But once I start my actual work sets, I’m focused and doing those (ok, maybe I will if it is easy stuff and a breather is fine lol). There is skill involved in falling and that became apparent as I did these. As is usually the case, I got better and more confident as I went with the last set feeling the best. I’ll have to try and get things feeling like that sooner in the session next time around. Then on to deadlifts. I was a little leery with the hamstring but kind of going on the sense that if it goes, it goes and sometimes I’m just being a baby about things. I could tell just doing 135lbs that I was feeling less fatigued and it was moving easy and powerfully. But I didn’t want to get my hopes too high and took each set and rep as it came. But it did seem to be going well and not feeling terrible. I was also not hyping myself up as this is not a week for that. This is the more volume of the weeks with doing several doubles with a little jumps in weight. I decided to get a little funny with the weights here so that I got a little rest between the sets. Less than 3 minutes rest between the sets once I started working. These all felt comfortable. I was pleased with how things were feeling here. From there on to the block pulls. Still using the wheels. This last block is bumping up to 16” pull height so that meant bringing out the really big wheels again. I was trying to think of other setups since this would be a little tricky with getting that height but I managed with the rubber mats. I was initially thinking big jumps but decided against that as this pull height is more lower back and hamstring and I didn’t want to risk here just because I was feeling good. Make sure I don’t rush things. Plan was to do a little bit more than the top double on the floor pulls. Which shouldn’t be an issue as I’m stronger here than off the floor. Can’t say for certain on the other two heights as pretty close. But I know I can from this height. This would probably be the easiest the block pulls have felt actually even though most weight for the working sets besides the max days. 3x3 here after doing 40-50lbs jumps up. I was feeling confident in myself these would go well so I started singing along to the music playing as I was setting up for the first two sets. A little cockeyed on the second set with the second rep so I felt it was best to just pay attention and move the weight with purpose on the last set. Which I did. These felt comfortable and easy. Still there is strain on the body as this isn’t nothing. I do feel like my goal of getting a rep PR with 500lbs at the end of this is back on the menu. I wasn’t so sure about it last block but I think that was just the hardest block of this training cycle. Pulls were done then and it was time to do supersets to finish up the session. I took a little time before getting to doing these after the pulls. One to help out and another being wasn’t sure if someone was going to be using a piece of equipment I needed. So the first pairing has been a familiar one with the chest supported rows and a glute ham raise variation. The rows I was not needing to do pauses/holds this time around. Even with that restriction lifted, I knew I couldn’t just increase the weight drastically. This particular plateloaded row is tough after a certain weight it seems. As for glute ham raise, I was to add some kind of resistance to it in the form of either weight or band tension. I wasn’t too sure what I wanted but eventually settled on just doing weight as it would be consistent and put more strain at the bottom of the lift like I need there to be. I did some warming up here so that not such a shock to the system. It seemed to be fine for the glute ham raise stuff but just seems any weight over 90lbs on those rows feels rough regardless of what I do to prep. I decided to stick to 4x8 today on these as that first set was tough and usually those don’t get easier. I’ll just try to add reps each session on these and keep the weights the same. With the glute ham raises, I was to get 6-12 reps on each set. I didn’t want to just jump to something stupid heavy since I felt like something had wanted to cramp up on me last time with all those 20 rep sets with bodyweight only. I felt it was risky doing weight on these but I had no issue with bodyweight warming up so I went at it. Not too bad. Definitely feels harder than no weight. I managed to get 12 reps every set so I’ll need to increase the weight for next time on these. Then the last superset pairing. Hamstrings and abdominals. This was a big change up in that I’ve been doing seated band leg curl variations coupled with holds/braces for the abdominal stuff. As I mentioned in the Day 2 session, this was to be lying banded leg curls for high reps. But I decided I’d just do these with a machine instead since I’ve been doing lying banded leg curls for the past two months already. I’ve not done these in well over a year really. Honestly closer to 2yrs or more. I was a little concerned about the right hamstring so there was hesitancy. Plan was 15-25 reps but going for the higher rep range like I’ve been doing with the band stuff. Even the weight I picked (which was lower than I was expected) felt tough just testing it but once I actually committed it was doable and I got 25 reps all three sets. The abdominal exercise was closer to what I do on the Day 2 abdominal stuff with it being hip flexor involved. These were to be hanging leg raises and done like the past two abdominal exercises on Day 2 have been with it being for reps until I don’t want to. This was always going to be tricky to combat swaying. I was unsure if I should take grip out of these or not but decided I should keep that aspect in since I will need to use my grip a good bit for this upcoming competition. These were ok but surprised how quickly I seemed to fatigue on these. I’ve been used to doing weighs and doing them with holds doing knee lifts vs legs out in front style. Definitely tougher that way. I got things done and put stuff away before drinking a shake. I figured it was best to head home now because not sure what the next few hours could bring as far as wintry weather. Had to clean off the car before driving and then shoveled snow at my house and my parent’s when I got home before stretching. Need to rest up.

February 2, 2025 - February 8, 2025 - Week 9

 February 3, 2025 – Week 9, Day 1

Dynamic Warm Up

Paused Axle Strict Presses (2 seconds at forehead)/Dumbbell Push Presses/Prone IYT’s
26x2
56x2
86x2
116x2
146x2/10’sx2/2-2-2
172x4/40’sx3/3-3-3
174x4/40’sx3/3-3-3
176x4/40’sx3/3-3-3
178x4

Paused Axle Push Presses (5 seconds in dip)
46x2
76x2
106x2
136x2
166x2
196x2
226x2
231x2
236x2

Chaos Band Push-ups (5 seconds negatives, feet elevated 6”,pin 24)
bwx15
bwx15
bwx15

Paused Dumbbell Y Raises (2 second hold)/Band Triceps Extensions (facing away)
10’sx12/lbx25
10’sx12/lbx25
10’sx12/lbx25

Stretching
 
Comments: While everything else in the country seems to be on fire some way or another, I’m doing pretty good. I was for sure thinking I was going to be bedridden with illness with how I had felt during and after training Saturday but I guess I just had a lot of stuff I needed to get out by lifting heavy. Because I didn’t even feel that bad beyond being stiff and sore (as expected from heavy deadlifting) and seemed to be for the most part ok. I am glad I didn’t have any obligations for this Sunday as I needed the day to deload. Weight up a little bit but again, not an issue. Still around 272lbs at this point. This had been my baseline for a while anyways so this is maintaining I guess. It was weird when it went do so much in that one year. Walking and soft tissue work were needed. I’m getting closer to getting the main body of training setup for the possible contest in May in Washington state. Some updates with events and seeing some of the implements. This is going to be an odd one. Twists on everything just about so having to invest a little more to be prepared. Workload has thankfully not be that stressful for me, which I think is helping me stay sane here. Warming up with stuff for the session. Foam rolling needed for the soreness/stiffness in the upper back from the pulls Saturday. Right knee a bit achier than I’d like but a load better than last week coming into this session. This session is the one that will change the most since I’m trying out a short stint of triphasic stuff here. Be interesting to see if the good times continue to roll here. Last two weeks focused on the eccentric. This is focusing on the static. IE moving, pausing (hard) and then resuming with speed. No easing into the hold. This is to be violent. Stopping and starting power. So the first thing was again a pairing of three different exercises with one being the main exercise, the second being explosive movement and the third being a mobility exercise. The explosive movement for this whole experiment is going to be the dumbbell push presses with 40lbs dumbbells. The mobility thing changed from PVC pipe stuff to doing a bit more reps with different prone raise variations. I kind of wanted to do these with a band setup instead but figured there was a reason prone was mentioned. The meat for this was a paused strict press variation. Pauses at forehead height. Not something new to me but it has been a good bit since I’ve done them. Also a good bit (but not as long) since I’ve really done strict pressing with axle consistently. I did do a few sets without a belt a few weeks back and I was hoping the eccentrics from last two weeks got me a little primed here. Warm up to a weight to do 4x4 with. Now something a little different from the previous block is that I was going to actually be doing more sets of the main exercise than the other stuff. Four vs three. So ending and starting on the press. I was initially looking at 30lbs jumps like I’ve been doing but I felt maybe I should adjust that in the event that I’m not really up for the higher end I’m hoping I would be. So did alternating 20-30lbs jumps. I ended up at the same place essentially but just more sets. Like with the first week of the new stimulus, I found myself wanting to add a little weight. I knew that doing 5lbs jumps like I did would be too much to keep over the course of the sets so elected for 2lbs jumps. Shoulders felt a little restricted at the start with the mobility exercises and perhaps not doing a bunch of warming up push presses had the dumbbell feel a little slow at the start. But things felt good as I went. The last set of the pressing maybe a little close there on the effort for that last rep. But got things done. Then I was to do push presses with pauses. A little different from how I’ve done them. Before, I kind of just thought of this variation as something that slowed me down to make it harder and use less weight. Not entirely correct. There is purpose in the isometric at spots in lifts as well as body awareness and adjustment. I’ve learned that with paused deadlifts that have helped my deadlift a good bit for something I initially thought was silly. The intent with violent stoppage and then going again is what needs to be focused on. So that is what this was to be. Doubles with 5 second pauses in the dip portion of the lift. Again, emphasizing on the lower body drive. Doing stuff for the pressing (strict style) and the drive. I had an idea in my head where I should be with these after how I’ve been feeling with the change in footwear. I’ve been feeling much more like how I used to be able to press overhead. I was kind of hoping I’d hit the weight and then add like I did with strict pressing and I guess like the eccentric loading jerk dip squats. These certainly felt much easier than those did on the body by comparison but made it so this didn’t feel so bad. It does get exhausting with the pauses even just doing doubles working up in weight. I did end up doing the weights I wanted to get to here but I will need to work on these next time. Balance on second reps the first two sets weren’t the best but I feel that had to do with me being too focused on my breathing and rushing or holding my breath. I don’t feel like I got that issue on the last set with the most weight of the three. I feel like I may be doing better on the overhead stuff. From there moving on to the usual suspects. Chaos band push ups again. Last week of these and still the 3x15 and the 5 second eccentrics. My hope I guess is that these at least get a little easier. Definitely feeling them in my chest this time around. I guess I got my wish in that these did feel a little easier. I didn’t have to take a breather on any of the three sets this time around. From there the superset of dumbbell y raises and band triceps extensions. Reps had increased last time and sticking to that. Upper back and neck had been a little tense most of last week so hoping these didn’t start that up again. These seemed to be mostly ok. Band triceps stuff I was feeling fatigue from the strict pauses and the chaos band stuff. This felt a little more challenging than I was expecting. There could be a difference in the tension between the two light bands I have as well. But it is all good. Put stuff away and ate dinner before stretching.

February 5, 2025 – Week 9, Day 2

Dynamic Warm Up

Paused Safety Squat Bar Squats (2 seconds)
65x5
115x5
155x3
205x3
245x1
295x1
335x4
293x4
293x4

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats (3 count eccentric)
15’sx3/3
40’sx12/12
40’sx12/12
40’sx12/12

Paused Band Lying Leg Curls (2 seconds)
2(mmb)+mbx15
2(mmb)+mbx15
2(mmb)+mbx15

Romain Chair SItups
bwx30
bwx25
bwx25

Paused Snatch Grip Back Extensions (2 seconds)
65x12
70x12
75x12

Stretching

Comments: Considering how I felt going into this workout last week, I’d say I was better prepared. Winter weather threatening again but seems will not be at a time where it will be an inconvenience for me at this point. Warming up for the session felt pretty good. Starting off the day with the paused ssb squats. The heavy week for the squats. So no secondary deadlift and only light pulls for EMOM on Day 4 session. Last time had been box squat with csb and I had undershot a bit there. I had an idea of what I should be doing here. Now a little different in that the pause time was lowered for the heavy week. I was doing 2-3 for the previous weeks and this was to be 1-2 for the pauses. I figured I might need some more reps warming up considering I’d probably need to go heavier by a good bit from what I was doing for the sets the past few weeks. Things felt a little (a lot) rough. Maybe from using my big wagon wheels but I don’t think that really mattered. I just noticed stuff was feeling darn heavy and stuff was a little achy. Which didn’t bode well for me. My last warm up single felt heavier than I had wanted my top set to even feel. I was even wondering if maybe I had the bar flipped upside down. So I went for the lower end of plans. Goal was to do top set of 4 at RPE 8-8.5 (so 2RIR to 1-2RIR) and then drop down 12.5% for 2x4. I kind of had to treat that top set like I was doing singles with how heavy and rough that felt. But I know what I’m about and I got it done. I will be very happy when I’m finished with this block of training as this has really kicked my rear. The down sets felt heavy too but I seemed to feel better as I went with the second set feeling better than the first. Both felt loads better than the top set. It has been like 2.5yrs since I really did any ssb squats and I’ve not gone above my own bodyweight on them until this week so it could just be not being used to the weight with how it wants to pitch forward as you add weight. No deadlift afterwards (I’d have been in trouble lol) but I was to do the toughest week of the block for the assistance work. First up the dumbbell Bulgarian split squats 3 second eccentrics. Plan was to do 3x12 with the 40’s. The weight had felt easier than I was expecting last week even with everything going on and I had kind of wanted to do another set with that weight. I was initially thinking of trying to push more weight but felt it was best to aim for volume with that weight considering last time at the end of the block that I had to take a brief nap after I was done to recover. I do feel my recovery is a little better this time around with making sure I got in more volume with the lighter weights at the start. Did a warm up set and that seemed to be enough to get the aches out of my knees. I was surprised that my right side was feeling stronger. It oddly enough does feel the stronger side but it hadn’t been last training block and only felt like that about halfway into this one. This was tough but it wasn’t hellacious like last time. I honestly wasn’t too sure with how rough the main squats were and how slow those felt. Those were slow but like a piston I guess. Moving on to banded lying leg curls. I hadn’t expected things to be as tough as they were at the end of last time. Ideally, this was the level I wanted for this day. But sometimes the bands can be weird with how they are arranged. Like two lighter bands can feel tougher than a single bigger band that should be more tension. Just got to be consistent and judge based on the effort put in. All I can really do with band based stuff rather than straight weight with it. So I picked something that would probably be tough but would probably be not as tough as last time even if on paper it should. This was challenging but within what I expected and good effort for the hamstrings. Roman chair situps were next. Not really looking forward to these as I already set a benchmark with two sets and now I got another set back in the mix. And already I was feeling like these were going to be tougher. It was much harder to match the reps I did on the first set with this week. Even though I was feeling that effort, the second set felt a little bit more tolerable with the expected drop off in reps. Last set was when the hip flexors started to get sore besides just the abdominals. Got a little bit of a second wind here. I have to admit the previous block of training abdominal/hip flexor exercise was the “easiest” of the variations I’ve been doing and am going to be doing. The paused snatch grip hyper extensions were the last thing for the evening. These have been quite taxing and even just doing 2 sets of them last week was tough. Well probably because I added weight. Do not need a lot for these to be tough. And I had the wise idea to try and add weight to that this time, working up over three sets to do so. Guess see how that goes haha. First two sets weren’t so bad. But I knew the last one was going to be an ask. Started out ok but was getting quad twitches holding the contraction on the last two. But I was able to finish these. I plan on using these in the future but looking forward to some break on these for the next and final block. Put stuff away and ate dinner before stretching. Hopefully the winter mix stuff isn’t too bad.

February 6, 2025 – Week 9, Day 3

Dynamic Warm Up

12” Log Incline Bench Presses
90x3
120x3
150x3
180x3
205x3
230x6
230x6
230x6

Paused 12” Log Incline Bench Presses (1 second)
190x12

Inverted Ring Rows
bw+33x12
bw+33x12
bw+33x12
bw+33x12

Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions (3 second eccentrics)
34’sx12
34’sx12
34’sx12
34’sx12

Dumbbell Lateral Raises/Half Kneeling Single Arm Band Rows
30’sx15/sb+mbx15--15
30’sx15/sb+mbx15--15
30’sx15/sb+mbx15--15

Stretching
 
Comments: Wintry mix came and I feel like the precautions taken might have been a bit drastic with having schools and offices close. Icy for sure but not a lot of it and it was melting by middle of the day already. Still felt it was best to clean off the surfaces as likely would be lifting outside for the start of training. Could always do inside if necessary. Ice a bit harder to move compared to the light snow that has been the case the past two times got winter weather. Was hoping that it didn’t fatigue the shoulders too much for training today. This day with warming up is a bit on the easier side. I didn’t feel like I was struggling today to get warm. Log incline pressing again. The go to for right now of secondary pressing. Consistent and a good gauge of how things are going. Plan today was to do my 8rm established last week for 3x6. I feel kind of a big ask but I’ve done these training sessions before. Warming up was feeling ok. Little achy in the joints of my upper body, like shoulder, elbows and wrists. But not in a way where the weight felt heavy and I worried I had overtrained something. Did same warm ups as last week. Time to see if I could do the thing again. Unrack for some reason felt a little off working up today and was noticeable on these working sets. But I felt pretty good despite that on the first set. I felt like I could match last week and maybe feel like another rep was there. I kind of forgot I had to take allergy and cold meds last time and was worried I couldn’t get hyped up to train. I didn’t really need to dig that deep this time around. The other two sets were definitely a little closer to the point of being near the limit for the day but no grinding reps like the 8th rep last week. Felt good and continuing to improve. I’m probably not going to see a chance to really close the gap but it will come in time I feel as I keep working at this. Pause reps after that with 40lbs taken off. Like a few weeks ago, this was a max rep set leaving 1-2RIR with the 1 second pauses. I’m trying to be consistent with the form on these as I know in the past that I relaxed at the chest to save from fatigue. I wasn’t really thinking about the intent at that time or until recently. Just thinking it was more of a dead stop with some of the stretch reflex there so it was tougher. But I’m trying to keep it so that I’m stopping it violently and keeping tension and then pressing back up. So a bit more exhausting. I know that I’m not always getting that right with the pause reps but this is new to me. I got 12 reps which is 1 off from the 2021 sessions with 10lbs more. Like I said, I’ve changed the intent/form a little (like the triceps extensions) so not miffed about this. Inside the garage for the rest of the training. Inverted ring rows were up next. As last time was 3x12 and then rep set, this was going back to 4x12 but with more weight. I was initially going to do 10lbs more but figured since I meant to have it be 22lbs last time that I’d do 33lbs to keep the numbers like kilogram jumps for 5. Sometimes I like to get taken away by the little quirks/obsessions like certain lifting numbers or plate combos with colors and what not. Let me have my fun haha. These have felt good for the most part since being brought back into my training. I may benefit from doing a no weight warming up set but it isn’t that drastic a thing at this point. The other sets do seem to feel better as I go. Not always the case but it was this session. Glad no issues with forearms or biceps here. Right biceps had felt a little tight last week after this session and going into Day 4. Keeping an eye on joint aches and where muscles feel sore. Triceps dumbbell extensions after that. The reduction in reps per set had me feeling like adding weight to these for the first time in a while. This week again was 4x12. I didn’t want to get crazy and go 40lbs here and probably not 36lbs. Something in between that depending on what I could conveniently get my dumbbells to weigh. A little off balanced but 34lbs seemed to work out fine. I was to increase the RPE on these to 8 and that little bit of weight did the trick here by the end. Assuming the reps or sets drop on these, I may be looking at getting back up to the 40’s on this movement once again. In due time. Superset to end things. Dumbbell lateral raises and half kneeling single arm band rows. Aiming to increase the weight on the laterals again but staying put on the band rows. Honestly, I was a little nervous about the right biceps with the rows as that was the one that felt a bit tight and was more sore compared to the left one after last week. But hard to really know what is the case when taking anti-inflammatories a few days during the week to get through said week in one piece. Anyways, increased the dumbbell weight was fine since the RPE was to be increased 8 from 7 while rows to stay the same. The added weight was noticed here but I managed to get through these. Certainly tougher than last week. The rows are odd in that the tension is a lot in the contracted state but I feel like I can do more than 3RIR here. I was a little concerned with what felt like the motion in the right biceps elbow insert area but it could be nothing. No pain or anything really other than just felt something was moving that didn’t feel like it was on the left side. Put stuff away and loaded some equipment into my car for Saturday before eating dinner. Stretched out afterwards.

February 8, 2025 – Week 9, Day 4

Dynamic Warm Up

Seated Box Jumps (22”)
18”x2
24”x2
30”x2
36”x1 (2 misses)
33”x1
33”x2

Deadlifts (straps)
135x5
185x3
225x2
275x1
315x1
EMOM
355x1
355x1
355x1
355x1
355x1
355x1
355x1
355x1
355x1
355x1

Smith Machine Romanian Deadlifts
120x3
210x3
300x10
310x10
320x10

Elite FTS Chest Supported T Bar Rows/Glute Ham Raises (4 showing)
+100x12/bwx23
+100x12/bwx21
+100x12/bwx20

Seated Single Band Leg Curls/Hollow Body Holds w/ Med Ball Between Ankles
sbx25--25/bw+10x30 seconds
sbx25--25/bw+10x30 seconds

Stretching
 
Comments: Essentially the end of the this last block and moving on to the last 4 weeks block of training. I kind of feel like the block is done after the deadlift testing session but that isn’t truly the case as I end up having to test the squat on the secondary day and push the assistance stuff too. This workout is the deload of sorts for the deadlift (with also not doing the secondary pull during the week). So no pressure really other than what I desire to put on myself. Plan was to get out to train earlier due to impending ice storm. I had been getting to bed earlier to recover and sleep more and got just about everything ready for getting up and going. But stuff came up and I ended up leaving about the same time as last week. The weather models indicated the ice storm was not coming until late afternoon so not too concerned with the planned workload and drive out was nice. I did forget though that potentially some people training for the Arnold were coming from out of town so there were a good bit of people there. I was also going to be training my sister again (next week she’s off doing her own thing) and this would be an important session to try out new stuff for the competition that she had better sign up for with how well things are going lol. The plan was to alternate between her doing something and then me doing something so that she got rest and I wasn’t stuck coming home in the ice. I did my warming up and felt decent enough. She was to do her first session with an actual log and not the one my dad made out of my swiss bar and some dowel rods. I had made it so that her lighter weeks she does at home with the makeshift log and then the heavier sessions at the gym with the real equipment and me as the coach’s eye. I already knew she could do the lightest log option just from seeing her training and numbers but not sure on the middle weight or heavy weight. She managed to triple the middle weight log first time on a real log so she is likely wanting to try for the heavy log. Have to see how things go but this is a good sign. She is progressing well and some of the technique and confidence work is resulting in big improvements. With the log work done for her, I went on to do seated box jumps. Did the bounding warm ups and such. This was the testing day for this box jump variation, aiming for a top double. I did things a little differently here as I felt like maybe singles wasn’t the best way to prep necessarily as I felt like last two times that my jumps got better after I did a few reps. So I did doubles working up. 30” is now an any day jump for me. I had indicated to try 34-36” for my top double. The highest I’ve ever attempted to test with a box jump was for singles to 33”. So any of those would be a PR for me. I went with 36” as I felt that that setup would be more stable than trying to do an in-between with the plyo mats. It felt daunting looking at it. I went for it and I got that first rep. It was good but not in the sense that accomplishing what I wanted. I definitely caught that below parallel rather than the above parallel I’ve been aiming for with the jumps. I gave it two more tries at the double but was like an inch short each time with one foot and then the other. So this was annoying. I had to figure out how to get a setup that was in between 30” and 36” to retry the double again. 33” ended up what I could setup with what was available and was somewhat sturdy. Time to do it again. I got it for a single at first but I didn’t like how it felt and initially was feeling like it was a missed jump (video says otherwise). I was successful with the next two attempts to satisfaction with the last one feeling the best. Another break in the action for myself as working on the next thing for my sister. As we were doing this, I did find out the ice wouldn’t hit for 3hrs later than expected so I could adjust things. Also, she was having some soreness in upper back and neck so plan was to finish up her stuff and then I do my workout. Again, it was mostly deload after the jumps for me. She hit everything planned and I was then free to go on to deadlifts. With deadlifts, this was the light session for the deload. So work up to a weight in 40-50lbs jumps to 10x1 EMOM. So 15lbs more than last time I got to this point in the cycle. These were comfortable and no doubt they’d be done. Unlike last time, I didn’t feel like the weight I did the week before for the testing rep set was something I’d make feel just as easy if done EMOM singles with it. This was thankfully easy to do and get through and be able to move on to the next thing as while I had time, I didn’t want to chance it with an ice storm. No block pulls on this session and was to do an rdl or gm variation for 3x8-10. Last time I had done an rdl using the belt squat setup. I’d probably have done it again but it required more setup than I had expected last time so it wasn’t a quick thing. So I had figured I try doing something different each time I did this session for the 12 week programming. Do it in a way that was different from what I’ve done and not wear any support gear of any kind. I was curisous about how the smith machine would feel. I figured it would be tougher. It was in a way. The grip was the most taxed thing here with double over hand. It hadn’t felt like that being as much the issue with the belt squat handle setup but here it was. The initial rotating of the bar to unrack/unlock was an issue. I eventually decided I’d just start from the dead stop at the bottom for the heavier sets so I didn’t have to deal with the rotation issue. That did seem to fix that issue for me. This felt interesting and I’ll have to keep this in mind if I end up doing some kind of lever deadlift with a front bar setup in the future as a good accessory/supplemental lift. The supersets to end the day. Reducing by one set and some adjustments to the actual exercises. The first pairing of chest supported rows and glute ham raises. Like last time I did the training cycle here, this week the pauses were lifted on the rows. I was to still attempt to rep out the ghr stuff. Warming up seemed to be good but again, it seems that going from that to the actual weight I wanted to use for the rows was a bit rough. So much so that I ended up only doing 12 reps instead of the hopefully 15 reps like I did last time (with 10lbs less). My right biceps is a little tight and I was focused on that but thankfully this didn’t aggravate things at all like I was expecting. I do wonder if the smith match rdls made things tougher for these with how I did them. My right hamstring got a little tense near the end of the first set of the ghrs so I was a little concerned there too. But it didn’t pop up any more during the set of the workout so just might be that I’ve been working them hard. I was not expecting to get over 20 reps on these each set to be sure. But it is nice that I’m feeling like bodyweight movements are feeling comfortable for me again. I spent a little bit of time putting stuff away that was leftover from when I was helping others and my own stuff before moving on to the last superset pairing of single leg seated band leg curls and the hollow hold thing I’m doing with the medicine ball. Only two sets of each here. The holds being the harder of the two. No issues with the leg curls as expected. Holds were fatiguing but this is the last of them. Put what remained away and downed a protein shake before heading out to beat the ice storm (which I did). I ended up signing up for the competition in Washington state in May and booking the travel for that. Another 4 weeks of this off season training and then into competition prep.

January 26, 2025 - February 1, 2025 - Week 8

 January 27, 2025 – Week 8, Day 1

Dynamic Warm Up

Axle Push Presses (5 second eccentric, 3 second pause in rack)/Dumbbell Push Presses/PVC Thoracic Extensions
35x2
65x2
95x2
125x2
155x2/10’sx2/3
185x2/10’sx2/3
216x3/40’sx3/5
216x3/40’sx3/5
216x3/40’sx3/5
216x3/40’sx3/5
216x3/40’sx3/5

Axle Jerk Dip Squats (3 second eccentric)
215x3
265x2
315x1
365x1
415x3
415x3
415x3

Chaos Band Push-ups (5 seconds negatives, feet elevated 6”,pin 24)
bwx15
bwx15
bwx15

Paused Dumbbell Y Raises (2 second hold)/Band Triceps Extensions (facing away)
10’sx12/lbx25
10’sx12/lbx25
10’sx12/lbx25

Stretching
 
Comments: Still a bit miffed about how deadlifts had felt on Saturday. Even though I’ve rationalized why it still bothers me. Just have to hope that I can bring it next time around for the testing session. I was expecting to sleep like a log after that similar to last week but that didn’t happen. I woke up about when I’d normally wake up for work. Weight about the same, up slightly. I was a little irritable with work stress and just the aches I was feeling in my body with my right knee and hip. Those little things getting me to feel some doubts in my decisions. Training went well for my sister. I was thinking of not doing anything besides that Sunday but then remembered I’d be in the office Tuesday so no walking that day so went for a walk. Going to have to try and catch up on sleep I guess for recovery. I was feeling mentally down. The “pep” I had coming into this session wasn’t there this time around. Body aches had me worried and just feeling a little dull mentally. I was feeling like I was having a hard time getting warm doing my warm ups. I did foam rolling for upper back and hamstrings. I do feel like my upper body was feeling good to go here. My right knee was acting up on me. It had seemed to be fine after a bit with recovery last week and then seemed to feel wonky at times last week. Then fine and then not fine. It decided to be not fine today. Which isn’t great. The session for this week was the same as last week with the plan to be doing 2.5-5% more weight on the main exercises. Ideally the same RPE as last time but I was going more by the weight than anything. So the push pressing portion increasing in weight and the dumbbell and PVC stuff remaining the same. My intent was to do straight sets with the top weight rather than build up like I ended up doing. I did misload as I thought I had 5lbs more on the bar than I actually did. Which in hindsight appears to have been the right call. I’m still surprised how much better unracking the axle feels with the regular shoes vs my lifters. Things were not feeling as “crisp” on the dumbbell and PVC stuff I felt a little tight. I did end up with a bruise from the dumbbell at some point on my right shoulder. The axle stuff seemed to be good and able to handle. There were times that I was forgetting about holding in the rack before racking the weight. The hold was noticeable for making these a little tougher on the following reps. I could tell my right knee was getting a little sick of the day as I went, hence having to pause the first rep on the 4th set before pressing it. But I never felt like any rep was wonky or not firing properly like I’ve felt on most overhead sessions this training cycle so far so I take that as a win here. It could also be that I wasn’t feeling it since this was after work vs middle of the day like last week. From there moving on to the eccentric focused jerk dip squats with axle. Same as last time like the above with reps and sets and attempting for 2.5-5% increase in weight. I wasn’t too sure here about how I wanted to proceed because I knew I’d probably need to go heavy and my right knee was not feeling too great. But sometimes more weight is the answer to discomfort. I felt compelled to stick with what I had. I did feel like I had a better idea of what I needed to do for warming up here. The aim was to do straight sets like I did with the axle push pressing since I hopefully found the right level of effort. Unracking the weight was most uncomfortable part of these. Felt damn heavy on my body but I seemed to still be able to move things fine and controlled. This definitely felt heavier than what I did last time. Especially since it was about 20lbs more than the top set which had been a 30lbs work up weight over three sets. I survived here. I’m glad I’m only doing these two times during this stint. New protocol for this stuff next week for two weeks. From there moving on to the usual suspects. Chaos band push ups again. Same as last time with 3x15 and the 5 second eccentrics. I stuck to the setup I had last week with it being the harder setup. I could tell that I was feeling the stuff beforehand coming into this. Again, there were moments where I’d relax my shoulders in kind of a downward dog pose to catch a brief respite before continuing the set to get my 3x15. From there the superset of Dumbbell y raises and band triceps extensions. The reps per set on both of these increased. Another good reason I didn’t increase the difficult last time. I was feeling it by this point. The extra reps were noticed. Put stuff away and ate dinner before stretching. Aiming to get to bed early-ish due to having to go into work.

January 29, 2025 – Week 8, Day 2

Dynamic Warm Up

Paused Safety Squat Bar Squats (3 seconds)
65x5
115x3
155x2
205x1
248x3
248x3
248x3
248x3
248x3

2” Platform Deadlifts (straps)
135x5
185x3
225x2
275x1
328x2
328x2
328x2
328x2
328x2
328x2

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats (3 count eccentric)
10’sx12/12
25’sx12/12
40’sx12/12

Paused Band Lying Leg Curls (2 seconds)
2(mb)+2(µb)x15
2(mmb)x15
2(mmb)+2(µb)x15

Romain Chair SItups
bwx30
bwx21

Paused Snatch Grip Back Extensions (2 seconds)
70x12
70x12

Stretching

Comments: Going into office was again dumb. It is going to continue to be dumb. Lot of stupid stuff going on outside of work. So I guess I should be thankful that work wasn’t really that stressful. I was feeling a bit tired and figured it was probably for the best if I tried to get to bed early this whole week to try and give my body sleep to recover. Besides the allergy meds for work, I had taken anti-inflammatories for my right knee just because I didn’t want to be having issues at work. Also my neck and traps were quite tight from holding tension and the y raises. It has been a good while since I’ve taken any. Like I said, little aches and such and stress gets me feeling a little doubtful and paranoid about things. Warming up for the session this time did feel like my aches weren’t as bad as they had felt on Monday. Still not 100% confident but this was better. I had not been looking forward to this. Starting off the day with the paused ssb squats. This is the “light week” for the squats, usually with more sets and less reps. For this variation, the volume was inverted so 5x3 instead of 3x5. Seeing as how using lighter end of weights on the squat seemed to be good on the third week with the box squats, I did that here too with going to the low end for these sets. I was also considering my knee, hip and back. But also seeing how much this session is sapping me with hitting my weak points before the primary deadlift day. I was a little concerned about how squats would go but thankfully there were no issues here and I felt pretty good about things. From there it was the platform pulls. Again, going up in weight. Going from 5x3 to 6x2. The first set with 135lbs I’m not sure what happened there. I was fully expecting it to feel uncomfortable and not good and it just flew up like nothing. Which got me excited. But then I couldn’t get that feeling to be present on any of the following sets. Surprising how much the 2” change is with my start position. Just doesn’t feel like I want it. But it is perhaps why I should be doing them for a stint. The combo of paused squat and deficit deadlift is rough and I’m hoping that when I recover from it that it will pay off with my competition style deadlift. As this is the session during the week of deadlift testing, the assistance work is at reduced volume. First up the dumbbell Bulgarian split squats 3 second eccentrics. I had decided with how the knee was that I was going to working up weight sets rather than straight sets at a weight. Essentially doing 30lbs jumps in weight (10’s, 25’s and 40’s). My right knee was not particularly enjoying the light weight first set. Left side was fine. The odd thing was that adding more weight seemed to have things feel better on the right side. Balance is tougher when holding something in both hands on these. I was glad I could do the 40’s here for the top set. I was kind of wishing I hadn’t done the 10’s for a set but it was needed to work up to these. I’ll need to see if I can do more sets with the 40’s next time. But it was good to see that I could handle it. Moving on to banded lying leg curls. I was going to attempt similar here with working up to a top set with the reduced volume. My right knee had felt a little funky on these by the end of things last week so I was keeping an eye on that here. Thankfully no such issues. The band tension setup seemed to be going well for the first two sessions. Admittedly, I feel I was closer to my effort limit with the setup compared to the bss stuff. That was more a work capacity issue. But I was quite surprised how difficult the last set was with the band tension configuration. That was a tough one to finish. I’m likely to not attempt that setup again for next week. Perhaps find a middle ground. I guess have to see how things are feeling as maybe I’ll feel stronger next time. It can be tricky with band tensions. Roman chair situps were next. Just two sets this week. I’ve not had any abdominal soreness since that first week acted as inoculation I guess. Hip flexors were getting a little sore in combination with the bss stuff. The setup I have isn’t the best as the one roller came apart midway through my second set and I had to put it back together. The paused snatch grip hyper extensions were the last thing for the evening. Also two sets. These are surprisingly taxing on top of the other stuff I guess. Has me rethinking how I want to look at the lack block of this training offseason since this exercise is kind of dealer’s choice. But for some reason I thought it was a good idea to try 5lbs more than last time for 2x12. Weight added on this is really challenging. I managed to get through these as well. Really felt like skin of my teeth that last set. Put stuff away and ate dinner before stretching. Again, trying my best to get to bed early.

January 30, 2025 – Week 8, Day 3

Dynamic Warm Up

12” Log Incline Bench Presses
90x3
120x3
150x3
180x3
205x3
230x8
210x8

Paused 12” Log Incline Bench Presses (1 second)
185x8
185x8

Inverted Ring Rows
bw+21x12
bw+21x12
bw+21x12
bw+21x17

Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions (3 second eccentrics)
31’sx12
31’sx12
31’sx12
31’sx12

Dumbbell Lateral Raises/Half Kneeling Single Arm Band Rows
26’sx15/sb+mbx15--15
26’sx15/sb+mbx15--15
26’sx15/sb+mbx15--15

Stretching
 
Comments: Even though it has been warming up, it has felt difficult to “get warm”. The fluctuating temps are playing havoc with my joints. Really windy the day before and may have kicked up some allergens. At least I hope that is the case as I woke up feeling like that was the case. I didn’t want to take any chances and did allergy meds and then decided I needed Dayquil if I was going to make it through the day and be productive in some fashion. I already felt like I was going to take Nyquil before bed to make sure I slept restfully. Warming up for training today I did feel like I could get a bit warmer but still not quite how I’d like. But stuff seems to be moving well. Log incline pressing again. Got a few more weeks of this. And really only changing up to see if other pressing options work. This does seem to be a good one I can recover from at this point. So this time around, aiming for an 8rm and then doing sets with less weight and so on. Like I’ve been doing. Two weeks ago I had been able to close the gap from 20lbs difference from 2021 to 10lbs difference. But I was a little nervous here going into this with trying to stick to that. I was feeling worn/tired having had to take meds and I wasn’t sure I had the hype needed. Warming up as usual. The last warm up set I wasn’t sure on. Did it make sense to do 30lbs up and then do a 20lbs jump? I decided to go with two 25lbs jumps. 230lbs was close to limit. Eighth rep ended up a little grindy with the right side locking out slower. But I got it. Took off 20lbs for a downset and that moved quite well. Then took off 25lbs from that for two paused sets. Those felt pretty good. Not as much fatigue in the lockout as I felt last time I did them but shoulders were a little more achy. I did look at video to compare from 2021 and this session and the gap is probably still not 10lbs as it wasn’t a grindy lift to get the set of 8 reps that time. But I am chugging along here. Just got to keep pushing when I can. I took all the stuff outside down and put away before going into the garage for the rest of the session. Inverted ring rows were up next. So I was wrong last time here as I did 10lbs for the session in 2021 and not 20lbs. So I was doing 12lbs more than I did then. Oops. But good on me I guess. So the setup for this session was to do the same things as last time but do the whole “max reps” on the last set if I felt like it, leaving 1-2RIR. I didn’t check my stuff from last time so I accidentally did 1lbs less than last time. But so what. This was one of those days where these were feeling pretty good. Not feeling like I’m pulling with the biceps and my upper back and shoulder girdle are moving and mobile. I felt I was able to get more reps in at a clique than last week before I felt like I had to slow down. Matched the reps I did from 2021 with the 11lbs more. Arms feeling pretty big from these rows. About to feel bigger since triceps extensions with eccentrics next. Finally getting a reprieve in the form of reducing the reps. Still 3 second eccentrics and 4 sets but now just 12 reps. You wouldn’t think that dropping 3 reps from a set on these would be a lot but boy howdy did 5lbs more feel closer to the proposed RPE 7 on these. The weight did initially feel heavier in the wrists but stuff moved well. Just to show how much better this felt, I actually feel like increasing the weight a little next time, which has not been the case for the longest while here haha. Superset to end things. Dumbbell lateral raises and half kneeling single arm band rows. I was pleased I was able to increase the weight on the lateral raises last time. Hopefully could manage that again. The row part of things I wasn’t sure if I should attempt to increase the band tension as it can be tricky adding bands. I ultimately did add a band to the big band as it was too easy last time. The laterals were a little tougher since the weight combination wasn’t allowing me to have it got down to my thighs. But this was fine and felt strong. Could tell my neck and traps were still tense from everything still. The rows definitely took a bit more effort this time around. A good spot really. The tension felt like too much at the start but eventually I got adjusted to it and it moved like it should. Even when feeling worn down on stuff, I’m glad stuff still going up and improving. It will be the testing day on Saturday that I’m concerned/stressing about. Put stuff away and ate dinner before stretching. Again, getting to bed earlier with some Nyquil to hopefully keep recovery up.

February 1, 2025 – Week 8, Day 4

Dynamic Warm Up

Seated Box Jumps (22”)
18”x1
24”x1
30”x3
30”x3
30”x3
30”x3

Deadlifts (straps)
135x5
225x3
315x2
385x1
425x1
472x8
420x3

12” Wagon Wheel Deadlifts
185x5
275x3
365x1
415x1
Added Straps
465x1
521x4
468x4

Paused Elite FTS Chest Supported T Bar Rows (2 seconds)/Glute Ham Raises (4 showing)
+100x8/bwx19
+100x8/bwx18
+100x8/bwx15
+100x8/bwx15

Seated Single Band Leg Curls/Hollow Body Holds w/ Med Ball Between Ankles
sbx25--25/bw+10x30 seconds
sbx25--25/bw+10x30 seconds
sbx25--25/bw+10x30 seconds

Stretching
 
Comments: I was nervous for this workout. Because of how tough and heavy deadlifts felt last week. This was the testing session and I was terrified that I would not do as well as I was hoping I would here. I was worried that I’d fall short of that and that I was too tired to even get anxious. Last time this testing day came around, I was annoyed with how anxious I was going into the deadlifts and now I wanted that to be there desperately. I wanted to make sure I was still on the right path with my training. The whole focus is more so geared toward the deadlift capacity so if that fails, what was the point? Ok, not really but it is the combination of stress (it has only been 2 weeks of this). I was also stretching myself a little thin as plans to help out with Arnold prep for one person and then also doing the training/coaching for my younger sister. This month she is doing her training on Saturdays to get time at the gym and see if that last 1% of uncertainty will disappear after session or two. I made sleep the priority and did the getting stuff ready in the morning before heading out. About half way out to the gym I was thinking maybe I should’ve taken all the allergy stuff and not just nasal spray. There were a good bit of people at the gym. About half for strongman and the other half I guess general fitness stuff. There was a dog (I think a Portuguese water dog) that was very friendly that came up to me and that was nice and bit helpful with my nerves petting her. I was not feeling great and was regretting not taking all the meds. Did the warming up that I feel seems to work best for this day. Dropping some stuff and adding some stuff. I do feel like I am getting better at warming up for these box jumps. I had pretty much decided I was doing 30” for the working sets this week after last week. I was not expecting the allergies to hit me so hard right before I went (little coughing fit) so I was anxious how these would go. But I feel like these went better than 28” initially went and I was feeling good by the end of it. Which is usually the case. By this point, my sister got to the gym. She unfortunately had to wait as what she needed to use for the session was in use. So I went on to deadlifts. I had kind of hoped that I’d get through at least these before dedicating time to the coaching duties. So on top of the nervousness about how deadlifts would feel heavy, I was also dealing with not feeling so great in general. Bad allergies or a weak cold mind you. I guess the one thing that was at least in my favor was that the weights seemed to be moving well warming up. I didn’t throw up in my mouth warming up this time like last testing day in the previous block. Then it was time to do the rep set. Plan here was a top set with 90% of the training max and leaving 1RIR. With how 460lbs felt last week, I was worried that I’d get triple here with 472lbs. I changed the music to something more intense here as I kind of needed it with how I was feeling. This is the one session I allow myself to do this during these training blocks. After that first rep, I felt like a lot of my fear was assuaged but I could feel the fatigue after the first four reps. Catching my air at the top of the lift seems to work best for me. I ended up with 8 reps here with for sure 1RIR. Maybe 2RIR was there but it wasn’t for certain like when I did 445lbs last training block. I had kind of hoped I’d get 10 reps here again but considering how I was feeling and how much this training block has taxed stuff, I’ll take it. My hope is with how things will be this next block that I will be able to put it all together without the fatigue. Dropped down to 420lbs for a triple. I then took an extended break to help out with my sister’s training (she had a time she needed to go) and other stuff. I get distracted with helping setup stuff and spotting when it comes to strongman stuff. She did 90-100% contest weight on what we had planned which is a bit ahead of schedule from how long she has been in non-competition mode. I think if she feels that in a good spot with the next week that she may be all in for the competition. I’m not sure how long a break this ended up being but it was probably an hour. I had kind of hoped that I’d have gotten through all the deadlift stuff first and then it just be accessory stuff but not the case. So I had to warm up a bit more to do the 12” wagon wheel pulls. These also had a testing day. Unlike the deadlifts with a set percentage weight and repping, I was to find a max on these. Top set of 4 reps and then 10% off that for another set of 4 reps. Feeling off, I wasn’t sure. These slightly elevated pulls had actually been feeling pretty good comparatively. Which I think was what also let me know I wasn’t completely buggered with my deadlift last week. Ideally, I wanted to do about the same weight or more than the 14” pulls but that potentially might not be the case. Last warm up lift was 465lbs and that actually felt pretty darn good so I said, screw it, go big. A little less than what I did on the 14” pulls but considering I was thinking more like 505lbs for this working, I’ll take it. Got more intense music for this again. Throat was feeling a little scratchy and I was grunting loud on these reps. I potentially undershot this a little bit like I did with the 14” pulls. But that is ok. Down set felt about the same difficult honestly because I guess a done deal after that top set. That was it for the deadlifting. The supersets to end the day. The first pairing of paused chest supported rows and glute ham raises. 4x8 and then 4 sets of reps. A little warm up set on both seemed to feel good last time. My right biceps is a little tight but I think loading up with 25’s vs 45’s made the 10lbs increase on the rows that much tougher. Didn’t feel like that warm up set for the rows was enough with how these felt. The ghr stuff did seem to be good. I pushed these a bit more this time around. Which netted me 7 more additional reps in volume over last time. I was feeling pretty sweaty and exhausted at this point but I had to finish things up with the last superset pairing. This one didn’t require as much thinking. Single leg seated band leg curls and the hollow hold thing I’m doing with the medicine ball. I was kind of surprised my hamstrings weren’t so darn fatigued at this point but not complaining. It is good they are getting strong and conditioned. I always seem to pick a challenging starting weight on these abdominal hold exercises and it ends up being what I use the entire time. Though same could be said for the single leg banded curls this block. I was feeling quite done by the end of this and maybe a little worse for wear. Then I drank my protein shake and perked up a good bit. Decided it made more sense to get home before the sunset and stretch at home. One last week of this block and then moving into the final four weeks after that. Crunch time to get things figured out for after that I guess.