February 28, 2020 – Week 13, Day 2

5 Minutes Precor AMT

Mobility Prep

Hatfield Squats to box (18”)

60x10

150x5

240x3

300x3

350x3

400x3

450x3

500x5

Romanian Deadlifts (top start)

45x10

135x5

185x5

225x3

275x3

315x3

375x2

Added Straps

425x12 PR+20lbs

Pulldown Abs (pulldown station)

70x20

100x20

130x20

Side Planks

bw+50x60/60 seconds

Stretching

Comments: All in all, have to say this session was a better one than I was anticipating and better than what was two weeks ago. Two weeks ago the signs went up about no filming and I was still getting symptoms popping up from janky sandbag loading technique. I was worried this would be a subpar workout when I woke up on Monday. I felt sick and my lower back was just so tight. I didn’t think that just taking a day off from work to sleep was going to fix that but it did. Another late workout start due to the oversleeping in the morning to make up for the undersleeping at night. I was definitely a bit irritable and hair-trigger from having to shoulder another’s responsibilities at work for the week. And might have to do that again next week or the following. Warming up at least felt fine. Been trying to ice my knees twice a day (morning and night) to get inflammation down as they were not feeling good Sunday. Main focus is the right knee. Hatfield squats again. Same as last time in that work up in triples to the top set of five. 10lbs more this time. Not sure how long this will go but this seems to be the best squat style for me right now to not overstress my back, let me build the deadlift and work the legs well. I’m sure things would change if and when needed. Only change was the jump from 2 plates a side to have it be 50lbs jumps as I went up after that. Top weight 500lbs for a set of five. Someone I know at the gym that trains there thought I’d need a spot when I was doing 400lbs and I told them I shouldn’t need one and that I hopefully don’t need one for any of the weights I was doing today. Working up in the belts for support. No copper knee sleeves today. I’ve been thinking about knee sleeves and elbows sleeves a little bit. Something that would be firm and stiff as that seems to be the thing for a little extra pop to lockout. But it seems like more gear and would require some trial and error and I don’t know if I want to deal with that for right now with how I’ve got to be careful with injury relapse. Anyways, I did that thing where I did the thinner prong belt for the second to last set and then the thick ratchet belt for the top set. The support from that belt is crazy but mobility is down I think when I try and move with it. Not sure if that is work experimenting with. The 500lbs felt easier than 450lbs is what I was trying to say. Definitely felt I had another 5 reps there. I was sweaty but it was solid and controlled. Romanian deadlifts next. Like last time, I was definitely not feeling my best on them. Again, could just be that weight on these has gone up a lot comparatively. Did same thing as last time with my belts and assistance being added. Grip was feeling a little fatigued but still strong. On some sets, I wanted to not pause and hold at the top and move at a faster clip. I need to assert my control and dominance over the weight but it is good that I feel like I can move at the normal tempo if needed. Doesn’t always feel like that on some things. Young guy at the gym took the 15lbs bumper plates I was going to be using to do bench press (sigh) as I try to keep having metal plates on the ends with the platform in case I have to put it down on. 425lbs felt darn heavy. But I somehow got past five reps and I knew I could reach my goal of ten reps. This was adjusted based off how 405lbs went last time. Ten was thankfully not my limit but eleven was tough. I had to try for 12, make up for last time. This would be big one. I lost tightness in my brace on the concentric but I didn’t round and I didn’t hitch. Lockout was just difficult as hell and my glutes were sore. I was a struggle to walk this back into the rack. Happy with this. Not happy that my form broke but happy that I got the rep PR and that I didn’t feel in pain. I just got to keep my ego in check. It feel like a lesson I have to keep learning. Or a cue I need to keep using like “only a man” or something. The heavy stuff was done and now time for abdominals and core work. Pulldown abs next. This was changed a bit in that the reps were the same on each set. Grip was fatigued. I didn’t feel like this was pulling on my spine like usual. Maybe that’s good that it didin’t feel like that as my back may not be compressed right now. Again, had to wait a little to do my final set as a young woman decided to do pulldowns while I was putting my weights away. But I kind of welcomed the rest as this was hard to hold for that many reps on my hands. Last set feels like the most work for my core. Side planks afterwards. Like I said, sticking to the 50lbs dense weight for these. I don’t feel like I need to go any heavier to get what I need out of it right now. This weight is very challenging and I feel not only the obliques working hard to brace and stabilize but my hips, glutes and legs. I didn’t feel so destroyed this time but I was just as sweaty from straining as I was last week haha. It was late and rather than cook the chicken I had dethawed, I got recovery burritos so I could eat first and then stretch so that I could relax at my leisure and have another meal later.

February 26, 2020 – Week 13, Day 1

5 Minutes Precor AMT

Mobility Prep

Axle Strict Presses + Push Presses

PVC

22x10+5

Thick Bar

52x3+2

Axle

82x3+2

112x2+1

142x2+1

172x2+1

202x2+1

232x2+1

Axle Strict Presses

252x2

Axle Push Presses

252x10

Pulldowns

60x10

105x10

145x5

185x5

225x5

265x22 PR+5lbs

Precor Pec Flyes

105x10

145x10

185x5

225x5

265x24

Cybex Eagle NX Rows

140x10

190x8

240x5

290x25 PR+7 reps

Safety Squat Bar JM Presses

60x10

85x9

110x8

135x8

160x27 PR+5lbs & 1 rep

Stretching

Comments: Got through 12 weeks of training without interruption. However, I was worn by that last day. Body ached and lower back was tight. Monday I felt like I was getting sick and I did nothing once I got home. I was stressed with work. I hoped taking meds and going to bed I’d feel better. Woke up for work Tuesday and nope. Sinuses and throat and eyes were watery, everything ached. I called in sick and went back to bed. I knew if I went in to work, I’d get worse. I ended up sleeping until 2:00PM. I felt a load better after that sleep. I was at least smart enough to use the day to get the chores done and get quality food and fluids in. I’ve been guilty of trying to work through illness and I need to learn when to rest. Just wish I didn’t have to rest as much as I feel I have to haha. So training moved back a day. Good thing I felt well enough to train I guess. Could’ve been out longer. Warming up felt pretty good. I got everything setup the day before in my bag so I could just go right after work. Not near as achy in the knees. Anything was better than what I felt in the knees on Sunday.  Axle to start things off again. Bigger jumps like log last week. Less reps, getting to the heavy stuff quick. Not sure why but I’ve felt the shoulders just don’t feel as powerful compared to my chest, upper back and triceps on overhead. I mean, pressing is improving. I misplaced my copper belt that I usually use to warm-up and then to keep my rehband from popping off. I was not sure if I’d get the double with 252lbs today. Granted goal was 1-2 reps but I don’t want to miss reps. Tough but not max I guess. Push pressing felt pretty good. Didn’t feel as uncertain as last time. The ninth rep went up slow and stalled at lockout. Got out in front of me. I corrected and launched the tenth rep up after I paused to collect myself. So I thought I had another rep but nope, that one went forward too much and miss. First miss on the push presses in 13 weeks of overhead training. I wonder if the shoulders feel not as powerful since weights have been relatively low. This the first that axle has gone down on the projected max. It’s going to happen as the weight climbs as it isn’t always dollar for dollar here with the reps. Weight keeps increasing and I get several reps so that is good. Seems that I will need some changes to get above low 300’s but perhaps that will be for peaking. Building now. The usual accessory work for high reps followed. Didn’t have to wait on the pulldowns. 5lbs more this time. I got an extra day of rest but I needed it. Can’t say it was enough for the back to recover from sandbag rows haha. These felt pretty darn heavy and exhausting as these went. My left hamstring cramped up in the latter half of the top set for pulldowns. Always tricky with how things feel with weights added on top of the weight stack. Not as much friction as the pec flyes but still feels different. Fight to match reps from last time. Upstairs after that. This is where the workout screeched to a halt. Had to wait about 10 minutes to use the pec flyes. This time the top weight was the stack plus 20lbs. This was bit tricker than I expected as the bottom is not enough really for 10lbs to hang nice like on the top. I made it work, just had to be careful to not drop it violently. The friction certainly changes things a bit. I think that next time I’ll get things ok if more weight required for the setup. Felt good here. Little trouble taking the weights off afterwards haha. Another 10 minutes of waiting to use the row machine. Like I said, I usually feel pretty good by this point. Big jumps again and more weight. This machine I’ll have to see if I can find a way to add weight on to it as I have 15lbs left I think. Reps on reps again here. Increase of 7 reps over what I did last year training for USS Nats so stuff is definitely improving despite setbacks. After losing time upstairs, back downstairs for the triceps. Finished up with the ssb jm presses. Got it wrong the first time with the camber and had to adjust. Same plan as last time, just 5lbs more. Miscounted on the first set of eight haha. I wasn’t sure that I’d get much over 20 reps with how I was feeling but Enter Sandman came on the radio and I felt a bit some way and I got after it. Got and extra rep with it this time. I maybe had one more but it was a struggle. Save it, keep building forward. Lockouts and triceps have been feeling good. Home for dinner with family and a late movie before stretching and bed.

February 23, 2020 – Week 12, Day 3

5 Minutes NordicTrack

Mobility Prep

Yoke (increasing pace)

drop and turn at 50’

200x100’

300x100’

straight shot

400x50’

500x50’

550x50’ in 13.10 seconds

550x50’ in 12.01 seconds

550x50’ in 9.51 seconds

Sandbag Rows

125x10

175x5

235x7 (weight fell off)

250x24

Sandbag Loads (54”)

150x1

200x10

Sled Drags (turf)

210x50’/50’

210x50’/50’

210x50’/50’

210x50’/50’

210x50’/50’

Stretching

Comments: First thing is that not doing USS Nats. Made that decision after thinking about stuff and talking with Mr. Westerling. I’m trying to rush back into the fire. I need to make and maintain what I got. Have it be that contest stuff is training weight so it doesn’t kill me every time. I’m pushing too much on the deadlifts. So not done competing, just going to bide time for the “big shows” until I can get within 90% at least and have it be comfortable training weights. I will be competing in end of June still assuming no issues. Not sure how this decision will affect the current training. But back to the now. Took some risks. Had a fun night out with friends. Couldn’t train Saturday due to contest at the gym. Training wasn’t to be that intense so I figured I could have fun. But I felt out of it come Sunday. I felt dehydrated and was having a very slow start to the day. So slow of a start that I actually had my post workout shake before training. I was really tempted to just stay home and do the workout there but I had a belly full of shake and it wouldn’t be the same (I’d have to modify too much). Figured the drive out would give me a chance to digest. Can’t really do the reverse hypers home either. Started out with warm-ups. Felt good until I had to bend my knees. Good lord did they ache. So put on copper knee sleeves as soon as I finished those up. Got out the foam roller too. Got set for yoke, yet again. Still not full speed yet. Yoke felt like hot garbage today. Lower back was tense and my knees were aching on the pickups. Almost dropped 500lbs standing up with it as it felt like that much suck. The goal was to not go so heavy and do three runs with 550lbs and increase the speed each set. I did that but not how I wanted to. My knees ached like crazy and I was very slow on that first set. I was only slightly better on the next one. These should be sub 11 no problem. I took a break to do some more foam rolling. Drinking a lot of fluids to try and rehydrate and stay hydrated. For the last one, I busted out the soft knee braces I’ve used in the past (when my knees were hurting May – July 2018 and for keg clean and press practice). This took quite a bit of the discomfort away and I was good deal faster. But still below where I wanted it to be. Didn’t die, finished the work. But really, this is like 60% of what I’ve been capable of and it shouldn’t feel this damn heavy. Can only hope the day improves from there. Note to self to not be lax on the icing of knees on my rest days too. Plan was same warm-ups as last time and do a rep set with 5-10lbs more. Next up was rows. The weight I used last time for the top set was pretty much supposed to be what I used today. Seemed to be going well other than achy knees. No problem first two weights. Easy stuff. More control with the light one due to having a weight on it. Utter distain for the other bag. 10lbs dumbbell on the 225lbs and I started going for it. Felt good, even with the dumbbell hitting my chest but then it rolled off lifting the seventh rep. I put it back on but then thought that this was stupid as it was going to do it again. So I just brought out the 250lbs sandbag. I think that doing the same weight two weeks in a row or so and then going up is the way to go with the sandbags since doing them the short way isn’t easy to keep weights on. I’ve had trouble with the long way too. No clue what I was getting myself into here. This was a hefty bag. I could feel myself getting tired quickly but somehow I got past 15 reps and then go to 20. Just bit too much for 25 reps today. Maybe next time? Loading sandbags next. A single with 150lbs and then an extended set of 10 with 200lbs. Felt much more comfortable this time around. While not the best triple extension with the ankles, I think it’s improved from the last few times. No back issues other than it being tight and stiff. Trying to not rush things and be sloppy. I did rush the last one a little. It is a sloppy, floppy bag. Trying to do these with no support stuff until I get back up to respectable weights. Just got to keep building this back up and improving. I hate these long sets of reps but they are necessary so that I can keep going. Endure and outlast seem to be my creed. Conditioning to finish up the session. Dual sleds again. Just seems to be easier consistency wise. Added 15lbs to what I did last time. Still feels pretty darn easy. Especially compared to the prowler pushing. I was pretty consistent with my speed throughout. Not sure what was going on with my counting but somehow I made 40 seconds into 70 seconds. I know I count slow and that had been working but I guess not. Still short rests so still good. I felt beat after all that. Joints aching, muscles sore. Home to eat a ton of ramen and do recovery work.

February 20, 2020 – Week 12, Day 2

5 Minutes Precor AMT

Mobility Prep

Deadlifts

45x10

135x5

185x3

225x3

275x3

315x2

365x1

415x1

465x1

Added Straps

515x5

Precor Angled Leg Presses w/lb’s doubled

No Bands

136x15

Added Bands (+219lbs)

136x10

226x10

316x10

406x10

496x10

586x10

676x11

Hanging Knee Raises

bwx45

bwx45

Side Planks

bw+50x60/60 seconds

Stretching

Comments: Was hoping I’d feel rested for this session. But work has been high stress all this week. Got some aches in my upper body. Especially in the shoulders. With the weights being moved now, it’s too be expected. Took off a bit and it’s been 12 weeks straight. Over 100lbs added to the working weights for overhead and over 50lbs on most of the bigger accessory work. Not like supporting +400lbs on the dips isn’t going to get some deep muscle and joint aches. Deadlifts have actually gone up more. Almost 300lbs added to working weights? This was another deadlift day. I got things so I could go to the gym right after work. I’d probably have napped if I did with how the day went but I needed to stay on task so that I could be able to keep Saturday free. Though I guess I could’ve taken Thursday off. But I digress. So warm-ups felt pretty good though. Knees not really aching at all today. Deadlift to start again. Plan again being to work up to a top set of 1-5 reps depending on how the weight felt. I was advised to go up 10lbs from last time. I had already done 5lbs more than I was supposed to last week because I wanted to be  doing 500lbs instead of 495lbs. So this should’ve been 505lbs but really 510lbs. I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to do something that ended with a five this time. I think I was thinking ahead so that my next workout it would be a decent jump with 10lbs. Whatever. I could do my usual work up to 365lbs and just keep adding 50lbs to the top weight. Sticking to the same progression for “belts” as I work up and no straps until top set. I imagine I will bring in straps when I get to having say 495lbs as a work up weight. More because that might be iffy for a miss and to maybe get used to the straps right before the set with heavier stuff. My lower back felt tight and stiff all this session. I didn’t think it was wise though to stop and foam roll midsession. Want back rigid for deadlift, not loose. Bar speed wasn’t feeling the same. Not sure if because back felt stiff or I wasn’t trying to tear skin off my shins on the work up weights again. Things were feeling good form wise. For the top set, I was initially going to put the 100lbs plates on the end but thought it was better to do the 75lbs with a 25lbs bumper as the 75lbs are smaller and can slide on without having to lift anything up to get on. Any less work would be appreciated with my back feeling stiff. I got set and pulled with the weight. I knew I was getting at least a triple with how the weight felt on the that first rep but iffy after that as it felt heavy and I was feeling every negative. Four was still strong and I was aiming for number five. This was definitely the closest I’ve pushed these to the brink of failure. Like a half second more and form would’ve broken on that concentric portion. I really wish I could’ve filmed this to compare to last time as hard to tell bar speed from feel. I didn’t feel like I had any reps in the tank this time but I was controlled on every rep. I had kind of told myself that if I didn’t get this for five, I’d not do USS Nats. I know my back is going to be sore. Still uncertain if I’ll go as I feel there is so much work to be done and aiming for a 55lbs all-time PR in 18 weeks (when my recent best has been still 60lbs under that all-time raw best). I’m happy that my deadlift doesn’t seem to be hurting me and improving. Leg pressing followed this. I was expecting to be doing banded stuff this go but I didn’t expect this much weight to be used haha. I kind of guessed at what band tension to use on these to make it so the top weight was something I could do for 20-25 reps with something left but only do 10 reps. So this was the light bands doubled. Body was feeling a bit worn from the deadlifts and I thought it might be too much of a shock to go right into the bands as they pull hard so I did the empty sled for a few reps to make sure I was feeling warm and good. 90lbs jumps and going up by sets of 10 reps. It was feeling pretty good and strong. Trying to keep stance similar to deadlift stance. Last two sets I definitely noticed the weight at the top. I snuck my phone to film that last set so I could get an idea of what it was looking like. Not the best angle. I felt good though as I didn’t need my knee sleeves. Accidentally did an extra rep by mistake as it was easy enough once moving that I lost count. The leg press has become fun again haha. Abs after that. Hanging knee raises for more reps but one set dropped. I’m fine with that. My hip flexors are a mess after three sets of these. Hard to get shoes on and off. With it just being the two sets, I went up by two reps so nice round number overall haha. Needed this for my back with how tight things were. Last thing for the evening was the side planks. I went up more than usual. I think because the 45lbs plates are larger and that I only had three sets of hanging knee raises so I could afford more. So I used the 50lbs dense plate. I have no plans of going any heavier on these. This is plenty for this one and if I can get to the point where this is maintenance, I’ll have a core of titanium. This was difficult. Straining, sweating but got the minute on both sides. Glad this was done. I have two days to kind of rest before I train again. Home for food, stretching and recovery work.

February 18, 2020 – Week 12, Day 1

5 Minutes Precor AMT

Mobility Prep

12” Log Strict Presses + Push Presses

Dumbbells

25’sx10+5

35’sx5+5

Log

95x3+2

120x3+2

145x3+2

170x2+1

195x2+1

220x2+1

12” Log Strict Presses

245x2

12” Log Push Presses

245x10

Neutral Grip Pulldowns

70x10

105x10

135x5

165x5

195x5

225x5

255x12

Slingshot Dips

bwx10

bw+50x5

bw+100x5

bw+145x16 PR+5lbs

Neutral Grip Precor Chest Supported Rows

80x5

130x5

180x5

230x5

280x5

330x21

Standing Tate Presses

15’sx10

25’sx8

35’sx8

45’sx8

55’sx26 PR+5lbs

Stretching

Comments: Feeling a little better in regards to the symptoms on the left leg. Not 100% gone but a fair deal better than what I was dealing with. I was hoping to make it to this day with no issues as I could deload my spine with dips. Med check came back good. Only issue being that blood sugar just under pre-diabetic levels (pre-pre-diabetic) and systolic on BP was a little elevated. My arm is just under the max circumference for the cuff they were using. And BMI has me as obese. So no real problems at this time. Doctor wants me to do another blood sugar test next year for the check up to monitor. I had my self together before work so I could go right to the gym after work. Warmed up ok. Log for this session again. The usual drill of warming up with dumbbells then log and doing the strict and push press combos. Another session of no videoing. Felt a bit weird but things were able to move quicker too. Not too much that really needs to be watched on these gym sessions for now. New events and moving stuff is another matter and I can still record at that gym openly. Pressing was a bit different. Bigger jumps and the weight increase for the top set was not a 20lbs jump like all the past sessions. 15lbs so still good. I was expecting 250lbs going into this session haha. Right shoulder felt a bit stiff, tight and achy. Like it was the leading side at the start. Wasn’t much caring for that. Right calf tight. Expected only taking a day of rest from last session. Really get these hammered on prowler pushes. Not so much on the left but I think that has more to do with nerve issues from disc bulges than it not being worked hard. I was wearing the Jenkins shirt for today. I tend to avoid it as I feel like I sweat more in darker colors but I also think that maybe some of that has to do with not feeling good enough to wear it to remember him. Silly I know. Worked up adding support pieces as I went. This seems to work for me. For the top weight, plan was to do 1-2 reps strict and then push press after a rest. I added copper knee sleeves and wrist wraps for that weight. I had been pushing off using the wrist wraps but I feel like now was a good time as while it is 80% of my contest best clean and push press, it is closer to 90% for the strict. Got set and went. Little slow that first rep, second rep went up quicker. I think that I could’ve done 5 gun to the head. Been a while since I’ve had the wrist wraps on for these. Not sure how my hands were take the compression. Lifting it felt heavy but once I got that first push press rep going, I felt ok. Wrist wraps allowed me to have better control in the rack and be able to just shove the log up there. Little bit of lean back in the back and hips on the last two reps. I feel one more rep was there. Ten is good. Felt good about that. I had been worried that I’d biff these. Neutral grip pulldowns after that. Only 5lbs added to these weights from last time. Probably a good idea. Upper back has been twitchy, especially the left side. These were feeling heavy today. I didn’t think it would be that much more of a struggle. I guess I didn’t realize how much more work the back does on a stone of steel load with no grip support versus rowing the implement. Must be that time under tension and how hard I have to contract. Reps dropped off by five from last time. I felt like I was heaving these earlier than usual too. Hopefully I’ll be adapted to it next time. Next was slingshot dips. This was to be banded pushups as they would probably tie the upper body and core together as one unit better but I indicated that these have been wonderful on my back. I definitely needed these today as even doing no weight had my back feeling good. 5lbs more for the top set and much lower reps for the work up sets. No idea how 5lbs more got so tough? Maybe because I’ve also increased in weight a bit? I could feel my scapulae aching from the second to last set so I figured it would be best to wear the wrist wraps on this set. Good idea. Again, my back felt great. This is a hefty weight and it sways. This very much became a rest-pause set. Got nine reps and then did sets of 4-2 with like 10 seconds rests to finish out the reps. Triceps felt strong. Supporting over 400lbs for this many reps is something. I knew my elbow and the surround muscles would be sore. Chest supported rows followed that. Advised to start light, do 50lbs jumps of five reps. I generally feel better in my back after a few sets, even if I feel like crap on the pulldowns. This was also a struggle. I was able to at least keep the reps over 20 for another session but boy was this exhausting. Like a third of these reps were ones from almost a dead start rather than continuous motion like I try to do. Final thing for the session was standing tate presses. Same as last time but 5lbs more again. With how my arms felt (the entire arm), I wasn’t thinking +20 reps was happening again. Especially since the only matching pair of 55lbs was the larger rubber ones. Fully prepared for like 12 reps here. I guess just doing the work up stuff fast to get warm and then actually focusing for the top set makes a world of difference in the difficulty. Last rep was a grinder but I got it to match last sessions reps. Home for leftovers for dinner. Stretched and did recovery work. Assuming the rest of this week’s training sessions go well, I’ll be signing up for USS Nats.

February 16, 2020 – Week 11, Day 3

5 Minutes NordicTrack

Mobility Prep

Farmer’s Walk (16” pick, increasing pace)

Titan Fitness

(turns at 50’)

115x100’ (to the left)

115x100’ (to the right)

(turns at 25’)

205x50’ (to the left)

205x50’ (to the right)

Rogue Fitness

(straight shot)

263x50’

323x50’ in 10.80 seconds

Stone of Steel Loads (54”)

138x5

192x5

244x5

Prowler Pushes (turf)

240x50’/50’

240x50’/50’

240x50’/50’

240x50’/50’

240x50’/50’

Stretching

Comments: A tad anxious. Didn’t like that I was having symptoms in my leg again with aches and pains in the left hip. Had holiday plans so no walking on Friday as left right after work. Just wanted to sleep when Saturday evening after eating a ton of food in a short period of time. I ended up taking ibuprofen and a muscle relaxer so that I got some quality sleep and hopefully have my back not be in spasm. Trying something different with pillows (one under the lower back and one between my knees) to see if that makes me less stiff upon waking. I got up to my alarm after hitting snooze I think just once. Maybe twice. Still not keen on training. It would be one thing if I was at home or really nearby but driving out a about an hour doesn’t lend itself to being able to be close if something happens. But I guess that is a risk any time I train. Even when things are feeling 100%. Not like I had much warning that one time my hamstring tore or I pulled my biceps. Granted the hamstring one I had to call my parents to drive me home but I drove home with the biceps injury. I had bought a foam roller for at home so I did that before I felt like I was ready to go. There was just one person at the gym when I got there. Most of the lights were off and no music. Not a problem. Warmed up and got ready to train. I must have been distracted as I somehow messed up my timing between alternating forward and backwards on the NordicTrack. But I felt good despite symptoms. Started off the session with farmer’s walk. Same as last time, except I used the correct weights this time. Unlike last time though, I did shorter rests on the sets with the turns. Not in-between weights but with sets that were the same weight. This is light stuff so I’d do the set, turning to the left and then go for walk down and back on the turf and then to the set turning to the right.  Again, the 90lbs jump was noticeable. I did adjust putting on support gear for the midsection so that I didn’t strain something in my oblique again. Starting slow and trying to pick up my pace too. Tried doing that each set, even when the weight was the same. My second set with the right side turn was a slower than my left turn. I biffed that turn up. I’m getting more used to these handles but I still don’t like them when the wires are touching my legs on some sets. So far, so good. I switched back to my other handles for the straight shot runs. By this point, there were some people in the gym but I didn’t really want to bother anyone at this point, especially since the top set was the one that was going to matter. Very casual run with 263lbs. This was quite easy. It took a bit longer to get things ready for the top set. I had thought I could get away with doing it all bumper plates but some 45lbs are thicker than others so I had to swap out some different plates to make it work. This was one of the things I was anxious about for this workout. This was a 30lbs per hand jump from last time and that pick wasn’t that easy last time. Had Elena help with commands. Again, it can be tricky with timing and with a heavy weight like this. I was a bit slow on my responses and with how slow my pick up is there was visible confusion haha. This was a slow pick for me but I knew it was coming up after it started to go. It was more a matter of if I could stand up safely. I did and got moving. Still not hitting my top speed. Not sure why but I feel I can go up a notch if needed on the farmer’s vs yoke. Felt comfortable in my hands and on my body once I was moving. Very close to my time with 30lbs less per hand without even trying to. So this is looking good for me. Stone of steel after that. Just loads this time. Again, not sure how I feel with these. I feel more secure with the rows for some reason versus the picking this up to load. Not sure if it’s because I have to make sure I clear my knees or that I can’t always grip the same spot if going like a contest run. So nervous about the right biceps and then also the back. Just sets of five here. I did set things up so that the stone wouldn’t roll off the drop platform. Much easier to count reps haha. I was supposed to go up 50lbs and then 100lbs but not able to get things exact so went heavier rather than lighter. My form it off on these. Hitting the bar on the ascent and what not. My back cracked on the second rep of the last set. I was like “oh shit” as I didn’t triple extend with my ankles and was all back. It was the same spot but no pain. It actually felt like stuff went back to how it was. So lucky me? Last thing for the day was prowler pushes. Same as the past few times using the turf and two implements to get 100’ and constant work. Only went up 5lbs with how tough this was last time. Didn’t feel so bad to start honestly. Right knee did start to ache as I did these as my calves got tired. Much better and I had my switching the prowlers around down to a much quicker turnaround. Did some reverse hypers and bar hangs before heading home.

February 13, 2020 – Week 11, Day 2

5 Minutes Precor AMT

Mobility Prep

Hatfield Squats to box (18”)

60x10

150x5

240x3

290x3

340x3

390x3

440x3

490x5

Romanian Deadlifts (top start)

45x10

135x5

185x5

225x3

275x3

315x3

365x2

Added Straps

405x12

Pulldown Abs (pulldown station)

70x25

100x20

130x15

Side Planks

bw+35x60/60 seconds

Stretching

Comments: This month has been wearisome. Not to say there haven’t been good things but it just seems like little things keep piling on. Back is acting up on me. Not sure why as it seemed to be ok if not a little stiff from sandbag loads on Sunday. But I guess getting on the floor to play with my young niece was not a good idea for it as it feels not that great. Got some symptoms at times. I did end having to take some ibuprofen before bed to see if that helped at all. I really don’t want to back track. Another late workout start due to the oversleeping in the morning to make up for the undersleeping at night. I also had ordered new compression shorts as the one’s I’ve had for about a decade finally split a seem on the right inner thigh. However, the fabric on these new ones are bit shear and I’d get put on some watch list if I went out in public. So ended up having to wear the new with the old ones on top. Gym was pretty crowded. Going upstairs, I was confronted by a large poster board sign that indicated no recording devices allowed among other things. Seeing as how I’ve recorded my training for visual feedback in some way since 2004, I was not pleased with this. Especially since I’m trying to keep my form on point with video and I send these videos to Mr. Westerling for training. So unless I decide to train elsewhere during the week (very inconvenient) I’m going to only be able to film on the weekends and maybe sneak something on my phone for PR sets of important exercises. I was definitely a powder keg at this point so really didn’t want people to talk or even look at me. Warming up at least felt fine. Hatfield squats again. Same as last time in that work up in triples to the top set of five. 10lbs more this time. Going for that small increases as much as I can. Keep doing work, keep progressing but not beat things up for other stuff like deadlifts, rdls and event work. I was a little concerned about the lower back. This is an exercise that I can do with good form and not feel painful even when my back is feeling like crap. Just don’t want to be pushing things or having it feel like I got a lower back pump going. I didn’t have that or feel like my one cheek was higher than the other. Knees didn’t really bother me and I kept moving these well and at a good pace. Controlling the negatives and moving up fast. The ceiling feels high for these but again, not a comp lift, just training. Romanian deadlifts next. My back was a little stiff as I had mentioned. But doesn’t seem to be a problem with these. I was definitely not feeling my best on them though. Maybe the back was hampering things. I ended up belting up earlier than I had originally planned on these. I did use chalk for the double at 365lbs. 405lbs for the rep set. I had told myself that most I’d accept here was a dozen. Ten would’ve tied my PR from a while ago. But that had been no hard belt, no straps but it had been with worse form and was not the pause style I’ve been doing. This weight felt difficult. Every rep felt difficult. There was definitely one rep where it went forward on me in the beginning. Slow and steady. I got 12 and tried to do one more for the baker’s dozen. But I knew it wasn’t happening as I started that rep as I was shot and the only way I’d get the lift was if I broke my form substantially. Risk of back injury and it would become more of a deadlift with a hitch than the planned exercise. So ended up just setting the weight down. So 12.5 reps I guess haha. This would be the first time in 11 weeks were the projected max on the bigger lifts (overheads and rdls) has gone down. Trying to keep positive despite the little irritations. I know that the high rep stuff is going for hypertrophy and getting tendons and stuff ready and that it isn’t always a set increase based off the high rep stuff to the one rep stuff. As long as I’m healthy, I still got time to work on that aspect. 19 weeks to go I think. So hamstrings were sore from that effort. Pulldown abs next. Reps the same with them being high but adding 10lbs to each set. Needed these today. Help with the spine and hamstrings. Give a nice deload while doing them. I did have to deal with some youngsters having on to it when I was going to do my last set. The rope attachment does look out of place on the pulldown station but still. I was younger too but today I just wasn’t in the mood. Last item was side planks. The plan being 30-60 seconds. Kind of wanted to push this a bit heavier with the 35lbs weight. More to just simmer in my anger of not being able to record my training tonight. This was challenging. Didn’t hurt so that was good. Again, way too many people. I literally had people bumping into me while I was holding these planks. I just wanted to eat my Mississippi roast and do my recovery work and sleep after this.