April 12, 2016 – Week 3, Day 1

Dynamic Warm-ups

Plyometric Push-ups
(regular)
bwx3
(plyo)
bwx3
bwx3
bwx3
bwx3

12” Log Jerks (explosive)
90x5
90x5
120x3
120x3
150x1
150x1
180x3
180x3
180x3
180x3
180x3
180x3
180x3
180x3

Close Grip Barbell Bench Presses (explosive)
45x10
95x5
95x5
135x3
135x3
185x1
185x1
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3

Band Pull A-parts
LBx12
LBx12
LBx12
LBx12

28 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Lower back thankfully eased up but hip flexors are still ridiculously tight and sore. Getting better thankfully but still annoying. However, not of that would really effect this particular workout. Plyo push-ups up first. Same as it has been and I did the same warm-up this time too. I noticed on the first two sets that I was kind of doing a two-step push with the bottom and then near lockout. The near lockout is obviously the triceps trying to assist. Doing this usually means loss of tightness to achieve and it is perhaps me trying to compensate for not as much power from the initial push off the bottom. I kept that in mind for the following two sets and I feel those were my best two sets of plyo push-ups to date. Then on to log. Same sets, just a little more weight now. I felt that it took a few sets to really be firing on all cylinders. Felt powerful on these still. Hopefully what I’m learning here will be transferable to the big boy weights haha. Didn’t start to get a headache until near the end from holding my breath. On the last set, I took a breath at the top of the last lift and that got rid of the headache. Just need to remember that for next time haha. Bench presses after that. This actually took a while as someone took the height adjustable bench as soon as I finished log work. I checked upstairs and that one was also in use (it’s not as good as the downstairs one). I really took my time on my sets warming up on another bench (literally a half press to unrack and bugs my back to get out from under the bar) and as I get to the end, the guy offers the bench to another guy so there goes those plans. The upstairs one was cleared by then but this added about 30 minutes to my workout. I was bit cooled off physically but I was pretty fired up mentally haha. Same weight, one more set. Felt about the same as last week but I felt it just wasn’t the best. Trying to push fast without doing that extra thrust with the triceps near lockout to artificially speed it up. Then on to band pull aparts. Felt tougher but I think that was more from my forearms feeling beat from the pressing this week as it was quite comfy on my shoulders. Home to stretch and eat.

April 10, 2016 – Week 2, Day 4

Dynamic Warm-ups

Prowler Sprints
145x30’ in 2.75 seconds
145x30’ in 2.85 seconds
145x30’ in 2.69 seconds

Sprints
bwx30’ in 1.97 seconds
bwx30’ in 2.03 seconds
bwx30’ in 1.97 seconds
bwx30’ in 1.91 seconds

Prowler Sprints
55x60’ in 4.47 seconds
55x60’ in 3.99 seconds

Sprints
bwx60’ in 3.53 seconds
bwx60’ in 3.67 seconds
bwx60’ in 3.72 seconds

Nordic Leg Curls (5 second negatives)
bwx4
bwx4
bwx4

36 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: This workout again. Back wasn’t bugging me but my tight hip flexors were. Had to take ibuprofen to ease some of it so I could sleep last night. Right side definitely tighter and my gastroc and hamstring were also tight. I ended up doing a few other things after my usual dynamic effort to loosen up (heel to butt, straight leg walks). I wasn’t expecting to really improve on these with how tight and sore my hips flexors were. Last week, I was doing more prowler sprints then regular sprints. This time, the set were reversed. On the short prowler sprints, I didn’t beat my fastest time from last week but my average was better by a little over .1 of a second. Then on to regular sprints. I was actually more concerned with these than the prowler versions. Short sprints and my first set was .05 faster than my fastest last week and that one set had been an aberration. I managed to match it on my third set and then beat it by quite a bit on my last set. I assume this is more beginner gains than anything as I was expecting some improvement but not this much and not this quickly. Hip flexors just getting sorer and sorer each set. Had my younger sister come to help me time these sprints. Then back to prowler sprints with a lot less weight but for twice the distance again. I noticed on the previous sets that I was getting better at slowing down (could also be the pain in my hips making me slow down quicker haha). First set of the prowler was just .01 faster than my slowest time last week. Got it together and got just under 4 seconds on the next run. Then back to regular sprints for the same distance. Hip flexors tight. I got slower each one but all of them were still faster than my fastest time last week. Took my sore self to the Y to finish up with Nordic leg curls. No cramping issues this time but I had issues with the setup. I moved the setup just enough during the first set that my foot was able to slip out lowering the last rep. Definitely not as elegant as last week on these but it will do. Lots of stretching for my hips. Unfortunately, my back got tight as I was finishing up stretching so more Icy Hot and ibuprofen when I got home.

April 9, 2016 – Week 2, Day 3

Dynamic Warm-ups

Farmer’s Walk
125x60’
125x60’
175xpick
210xpick
210x60’ in 7.79 seconds
210x60’ in 8.18 seconds
210x60’ in 8.03 seconds
210x60’ in 8.69 seconds

Tire Flips
425x3 in 10.68 seconds
425x3 in 9.72 seconds
425x3 in 9.86 seconds
425x3 in 9.54 seconds
425x1

Yoke
300x35’
300x35’
400xpick
500xpick
500x35’ in 5.33 seconds
500x35’ in 5.15 seconds
500x35’ in 5.28 seconds
500x35’ in 5.13 seconds

Ring Pull-ups (McGill Style)
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1
bw+5x1

35 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: I wanted to get there sooner this week then I did last so I made sure I went to bed early and actually set an alarm (granted I hit the snooze like seven times). Snow was falling outside and it was going to be worst at the time I was planning to leave so I left an hour earlier. Only had to deal with the scary conditions for the about the last six miles of the drive to B.A. Athletics. Obviously this was all inside. First up was farmer’s walk. More weight than last week but still speed focus. Lots of foot traffic so diagonal was not an option so I just made the lane as long as possible. I put traffic cones on the handles because apparently someone sprinting with metal I-beams wasn’t incentive enough to make sure people weren’t in the lane. Not sure what was up but my hip flexors felt like they were going to pull my leg bones out. Must be really delayed muscle soreness from the jumps. Again, hard to track the times this week on these with the limited space. Camera didn’t want to cooperate and I’m fairly certain I bruised a finger and a foot. Tire up next. No warm-up needed as I knew this tire now. Sets were easy and I improved my best time by about half a second. I was supposed to do five sets but I misread my sheet and only did four same as last week. Yoke next. Big traffic cones on this just to be cautious. Same weight but I started heavier with the warm-ups. I really had to slow down my warm-ups as my hips were just burning. With how tight they were, I didn’t think I would do as well as last week. But I improved on times here as well. McGill Style pull-ups to finish up this one. Added weight and dropped the sets a bit. Left biceps and forearm didn’t like the first few sets but I got better as I did them. Stretched a fair amount and then home to recover. All the snow melted by the time I got back so only thing to make sprint work tomorrow a pain will be my tight hips haha.

April 6, 2016 – Week 2, Day 2

Dynamic Warm-ups

Contrast Training (Vertical Jumps/Hatfield Overload Squats)
170x5
170x5
260x3
260x3
350x1
405x1
bwx1/465x1
bwx1/465x1
bwx1/465x1
bwx1/465x1
bwx1/465x1
bwx1/465x1
bwx1/465x1
bwx1/465x1

Contrast Training (Vertical Jumps/Deadlifts)
No Straps
155x5
245x3
335x1
Added Straps
405x1
bwx1/455x1
bwx1/455x1
bwx1/455x1
bwx1/455x1
bwx1/455x1
bwx1/455x1

Lying Leg Curls (short rests)
120x3
120x3
120x3
120x3
120x3
120x3
120x3
120x3
120x3
120x3
120x3
120x3

Kneeling Cable Abs
210x12
210x12
210x12

30 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Contrast work again. I was debating taking a day off to let the SI thing heal so more but I figured it was best to do it now as give two days of rest before the gruesome twosome of weekend training. This workout got modified a bit from last week. Box for box jumps was unstable so the box jumps were replaced with standing vertical jumps. No anxiety and just up and down. Paired with hatfield squats for the first round. Warm-ups on the squats felt so much heavier than the weight actually was. I kept double checking each set to make sure I didn’t have an extra plate on there. Things felt somewhat normal on the working sets. I biffed the first jump. I went up and my legs just locked. I don’t know what I was thinking, that my legs like that would give me more air? So very awkward landing haha. Much like the plyometric push-ups, I can’t really gauge how high I’m actually jumping. Squats felt slow but still moving well. Then switched out the hatfield squats for deadlifts for round two. No change in weight on these; they were quite tough last week. I used a plate combination to make the weight more dead this time. Feels horrible but I didn’t feel like I was near my limit on any of the pulls like last week. Really trying to get my form down and get my hamstrings into it more. Only thing I noticed with the jumps from the previous coupling was that it seemed to take me longer from the initial dip to then launch off the floor. I felt that I was slow on deadlifts too and that I was favoring my left side. Not really seeing it on the video. I really want to get this deadlift up. Then it was time for 5 minutes of leg curls. Cluster sets again. My right hamstring was definitely feeling these. More weight this time. Managed a dozen in the time limit. Abs went much better this week, I didn’t get lifted off the ground. Home to stretch and eat.

April 5, 2016 – Week 2, Day 1

Dynamic Warm-ups

Plyometric Push-ups
(regular)
bwx3
(plyo)
bwx3
bwx3
bwx3
bwx3

12” Log Jerks (explosive)
90x5
90x5
120x3
120x3
150x1
150x1
175x3
175x3
175x3
175x3
175x3
175x3
175x3
175x3

Close Grip Barbell Bench Presses (explosive)
45x10
95x5
95x5
135x3
135x3
185x1
185x1
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3

Band Pull A-parts
LBx12
LBx12
LBx12
LBx12

34 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Still feeling the weekend training on my lower body. Hips really tight and they haven’t been like this since I did speed box squats with a lot of band tension (relative to my max and bar weight back then). None of that should really effect this particular workout. Same as last week. I didn’t need to do two sets for push-ups to get ready as I knew I could handle it. It felt different from last week, like I wasn’t as powerful. Video seems to suggest it was about the same (really hard to tell slight differences on these haha). Could just be that it was so new and a shock to the system last week that it isn’t so strange to me this week. Log up next. Same weight as last time, just more sets. Trying to make a definite pause at lockout on these this time rather than just using the rebound from the previous rep to rocket the weight up. Again, same technique as last week. Makes the set a little longer and I get a headache from holding my breath. Didn’t feel like I was as tired getting through these this time. Bench presses after that. Again, same weight, just more sets this time. Much like the push-ups, I felt like I was slower this time. Again, video says otherwise. I did have some slight pain in my right SI joint which is what I think was causing my back to be sore. It thankfully seems to be getting better. On the bench, I just seem to feel comfortable lowering that first rep slowish and then blasting it up. Much easier time with the band pull aparts this week. Home to really stretch out my legs and hips.

April 3, 2016 – Week 1, Day 4

Dynamic Warm-ups

Prowler Sprints
145x30’ in 2.81 seconds
145x30’ in 2.65 seconds
145x30’ in 2.99 seconds
145x30’ in 3.08 seconds

Sprints
bwx30’ in 2.40 seconds
bwx30’ in 2.50 seconds
bwx30’ in 2.02 seconds

Prowler Sprints
55x60’ in 4.48 seconds
55x60’ in 4.29 seconds
55x60’ in 4.84 seconds

Sprints
bwx60’ in 3.77 seconds
bwx60’ in 3.82 seconds

Nordic Leg Curls (5 second negatives)
bwx3
bwx3
bwx3

39 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: One of the strangest workouts I’ve done. Speed training, working on getting fastified. I wasn’t sure how things would go as my back was still tight from the session before. Lots of pounding on the knees. Never tried sprints in training before as usually sprints were conditioning in high school for wrestling or volleyball. I feel this would have been something beneficial when I first started but can’t dwell on that now. Starting off with prowler sprints. I did some fast jogs up my driveway to help get ready for moving fast. Had my younger sister come to help me time these sprints. Moving fast I think. Hard to get up to max speed that quickly and really tough to slow down after I got past the finish haha. This was more so with regular sprints as I can’t let go of the excess weight at the end like with the prowler. My sprinting mechanics aren’t good (usually strongman running looks funny). I’m not sure what I did on the last run but it really went fast. Then back to prowler sprints with a lot less weight but for twice the distance. Definitely can build up speed with this distance. Again, hard to slowdown haha. Then regular sprints again. Trying to not slow down and not look awkward when sprinting. Then to the Y to finish up with hamstring work. My calves and hips were pretty darn tight after the sprints so it took some coaxing to get the leg curls done without cramping haha. I had to stretch a lot to get my legs and hips to stop being mad at me. Lower back still finicky so more Icy Hot and back massage.

April 2, 2016 – Week 1, Day 3

Dynamic Warm-ups

Farmer’s Walk
125x60’
125x60’
165xpick
200xpick
200x60’ in 8.74 seconds
200x60’ in 7.89 seconds
200x60’ in 8.01 seconds
200x60’ in 8.13 seconds

Tire Flips
425x1
425x3 in 10.84 seconds
425x3 in 11.45 seconds
425x3 in 10.53 seconds
425x3 in 10.09 seconds
425x1

Yoke
200x35’
200x35’
300xpick
400xpick
500xpick
500x35’ in 5.75 seconds
500x35’ in 5.35 seconds
500x35’ in 5.28 seconds
500x35’ in 5.41 seconds

Ring Pull-ups (McGill Style)
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1
bwx1

27 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Had to modify my workout week with this new training plan. Light speed events require equipment haha. I was initially going to do what I could nearby in my first draft plans. Then the weather was saying that that days I would need to be able to lift at particular gyms it would rain so this day got moved to Saturday so I could do indoor event training. Of course, it didn’t rain at all (it was 80-100% up to the day). Whatever. So off to B.A. Athletics to train. I got up later than I would have liked (I blame the burritos). It starts spritzing so it was best to just do the stuff inside. First up was farmer’s walk. I used the top loaded implements. Haven’t lost a step haha. Just got to get faster. It was hard to track my times on these with the course (I had to go diagonal to get a full course inside). No issues. Then on to tire. Never had issues with tire but that was many years ago. I want to say four years ago. So even though the tire was super light, I was worried it would injury my biceps. I wore the copper fiber sleeves for extra mental protection. Had to do some familiarization with the tire. It came back to me haha. I remembered the feeling in my wrists on the first set. I had to get quite low and deep into the tire so I got some scrapes on my shoulders. I got enough pop off the floor that it pretty much flipped itself. Arms still intact haha. On to yoke. Again, light but with speed. Haven’t used a Rouge Fitness yoke before. I set it lower than I would normally do on yoke. No issues here, just got to get better. I was surprised these runs were all under six seconds, it felt longer haha. Then it was time to do McGill style pull-ups. Not sure if I did these right (tense, push scap down, pull explosively) but I did my best effort. Hard to gauge how high I’m pulling with no bar like I usually have for pull-ups. Short rests meant little time to think. Stretched and then my entire lower back seized up. Icy Hot and ibuprofen and rest now.