August 4, 2025 – Week 11, Day 1

Dynamic Warm Up

Axle Clean and Push Press
off pads
46x8
76x5
106x3
13” wagon wheels
136x2
166x2
196x1
226x1
256x1
256x1
256x1
256x1
256x1

Zercher Yoke/Sandbag Carry & Loads (49”, with run backs)
235x33’/112x33’/235x33’/112x33’
325x33’/112x33’/325x33’/112x33’
415x33’/112x33’/325x33’/112x33’
505x33’/265x33’/505x33’/265x33’ in 68.40 seconds
505x33’/265x33’/505x33’/265x33’ in 82.74 seconds

Paused Axle Floor Presses (2 seconds)/Sandbag Squats to Box with Extension (24”)
76x8
116x6
166x4
206x2
242x8/225x8
242x8/225x8
242x8/225x8

Dips (2-0-2-0 tempo)/EZ Curl Bar Curls
bwx40 seconds (9)/72x12
bwx40 seconds (9)/72x12
bwx40 seconds (8)/72x12

Stretching

Comments: Sunday was needed low effort day. But not quite in that I did end up having to move furniture for my parents. I wasn’t sure what my work and training this coming week was going to be but if it was anything like this past week, it was best to get this done now when I had a breather. Weight about the same as last week so still under 260lbs. I was not sure what I was to expect with training this week. But it ended up being that last week was just the tutorial level and it was getting real this week haha. Essentially the same as last week but more weight and some volume reduction on the event specific stuff in most cases. So going to be put through the ringer again. But this does seem to be what I need right now as seeing I’ve been able to meet the demands last week and not break despite fatigue. Since Day 1 session was pretty much the toughest for me and doing same but heavier on the two events on this day, I didn’t eat my late afternoon sandwich so that I wasn’t having any indigestion issues. Did foam rolling and discovered I had a soreness in my glutes/hamstring tie-in and I’m a little flummoxed on the culprit. I think it was either the walking lunges (as like twice the volume and with weight) or the seated gms with ssb. No clue. But it wasn’t present just existing and moving around since until that moment. This was followed up with the usual neck rehab stuff and stuff to get my knees, ankles and hips ready. Axle clean and press again. I should’ve expected this but maybe I was just hopeful/wistful I’d be doing like strict pressing instead today haha. So plan was to do 5x1 with more weight than last week. Suggested being 10-20lbs more. I was feeling better about axle with how 240lbs had felt but I figured it was best to split the difference here. This would also match the most weight I’ve been successful with this prep for single when I first came back to doing clean and press going to the other gym that one rainy day. It wasn’t as hot as last week so I didn’t need to use liquid chalk on top of regular chalk. Do 30lbs jumps up to the working weight and make those singles count. I did make a change from last time in that I put on the wagon wheels. The axle at the competition will be with these (slightly different height due metric conversion) so best to get used to that. I wasn’t too comfortable with trying these out last week with doing reps as I’ve never tried doing clean and press with my own wheels before and I wanted to make sure that I was deloading these on pads before ground just to be safe on both the ground and the equipment. It is difficult for me to not push out the weight in front as I tend to be more hip drive for my pressing. I’m trying my best to listen to cues from my coach from feedback of last week’s video. The wheels I feel are important for me to get used to things because the weight feels more “dead” or “solid” to me with the picking up of the weight compared to being with plates on pads. The other thing is that the weights don’t move as freely so takes a moment longer for the weights to settle on the catch of the clean. Trying to also sink my hips a little more on the first pull. The added weight was noticeable but things seemed to be moving well. Not sure what I screwed up with the last rep on the press as the clean felt really smooth and I had to keep walking forward to lock it out and held it. I had planned on doing a little showboating with it for the last set but guess not today. Honestly, with how these were going, I feel like the opener of 130kgs isn’t out of reach now. This was effort but not so much of a first shock like the first week. The thing that was still going to be terrible to do was up next with the zercher yoke into sandbag. Just when my skin on my forearms had healed from last week. That is a little funny in that it feels like my recovery in improved but just so it can be smashed again haha. So thankfully and mercifully, this was only to be for two working sets this week. But not that much mercy as the weights for both implements was increased by 40lbs. So pretty close to what I attempted to do when I got back from the vacation. I tried to think what would work best here with warming up. The zercher carry is quite a bit of weight to build up and already should be ok for sandbag from the axle. I elected to add in my lightest sandbag just so that I was doing a front carry movement rather than just running/jogging between carries of the zercher stuff warming up. Attempting my best to implement the cues from coaching assessment here. Trying to not have my feet splay out to the side as much (fatigue glutes faster) on the zercher carry as well as try to hike up the implement higher (both zercher and bag) so that not as fatiguing. I feel like the sandbag I should be able to get higher this time around even though heavier because it is bigger and more packed. The size and firmness will take the slack out of my wingspan which doesn’t happen with my 225lbs bag. Other than some hesitancy on the repick of the yoke, that first run went about as good as it could. I finished in the 75 seconds time limit. But one good run with that kind of weight was apparently all I had in me. Now I didn’t breakdown and need to sit and take my clothes off to cool off like at the end of the third set last week but it did take about 15 minutes for me to feel ready to do the second set. Everything that went right on the first set did not on the second set. I couldn’t get the yoke up like I could for at least the first half of the first set. Then I messed up with the sandbag. I had pulled the bag in a way that the thick Velcro cover was where my hand was and I couldn’t dig in to get a secure grip. I didn’t want to rush things with fatigue and sweat and potentially pull something so I had to regroup. This was a slow walk and I didn’t have the mental fortitude to actually try and place the bag like I did the first set. I was trying to just finish this. Managed the second length with the yoke and was slow getting to the bag. I went all the way around so I had the most secured grip because I was definitely at max fatigue here. This was a slow and plodding march with the sandbag but it got done. A bit over the time limit. Might have pulled it off if I didn’t screw up with the sandbag so much. But again, I couldn’t string both legs together on this with these kind of weights when I tried doing it a few weeks back so this is good. And I’ll only have to do this dumb thing one time at the show. I was not as dead as last week but still had more to do in the garage. Supersets for the evening to come to a close. Same but different form last time. First was still axle floor press with sandbag squats to box. Pauses still with the floor presses and same weight and sets but more reps. The squats to box I was told to switch so that I was holding them like I would if I were be loading a sandbag as well as aiming to get an extension on these. Lower reps but same weight and sets. I didn’t need warming up for the sandbag stuff but I did for floor press. Those added reps were noticed and it was getting quite tough here. Picking up the sandbag was the hardest part for me. I tried my best to keep it high and into my chest but it tough with this looser and smaller bag. Last thing was superset of dips with tempo and ez curl bar curls. Still bodyweight with dips but increasing the time from 30 seconds to 40 seconds. Curls reps reduced to 12 and told to go up a little in weight. Cutting reps on biceps tends to let me go up a bit honestly. So joints (as in wrists and shoulders) were a bit achy with the dips. The added 10 seconds felt like a lifetime with the tempo. I had no issues with the first set but second set I pretty much was at no more reps and on the third I hit failure a few seconds before time expired. Triceps (especially the right side) were just done for the day. Curls went well. Felt like I wasn’t struggling so much at the end. I was a little surprised how well they handled things considering the strain I’ve been putting on them this past week. Bit of late night but don’t have to get up super early like last week. Put stuff away and ate dinner before stretching.