Heavy press practice, 32 kg belt squat s( vibrams) floor pushups, laterals

What a fucked up workout. Too busy right til the second I stepped in the gym, had a bad neckache/headache since last night and just too much stuff going on. Plus I'm changing all kinds of things. Not a great day but it got done



First off the floor under my press position is NOT level, despite FEELING flat. It's INCLINED at least 1/2 inch. NO WONDER I'm shifting forward with a one inch heeled shoe. Course I have to figure out how to level the damn thing.

Plus without the shoe the rack position is too high and with the mat too soft. Damn.

Press
45 x 5
65 x 3
85 x 3
115 x 2
135 x 1
155 x 1 strong
175 x miss
175 x 1 weak
155 x 4, 5, 5,5, 4

just freaking beat and my traps, neck and head were aching but the form and weight didn't feel bad, I can do it fresh no problem
probably what I'll do next week but up it 165 and start with trips

32 kg belt squats ( in vibams)
15, 17, 18, 20

meh

Floor pushups
3 sets of 40

don't know where this came from

laterals 3 sets of 8/8 with 15's
felt good to go lighter

BW 172.2  high!
BF 11.9 Low! first time under 12 in forever


datsit

Steady and fast ruck

Another really excellent ruck! I'm definitely on a roll and at a new place in my gait mechanics but especially conditioning. Feel like I've really turned a corner; I almost feel like a runner again! That sounds strange but it's true.

Not sure if it's as much about not doing the iso squats each lap and finally letting myself develop a rhythm or just getting into better shape finally ( as well as the new shoes) but it's real.

I also think dropping weight and just using 45 lbs has helped too. Just as in a military press, five pounds in the ruck seems a huge increase over 45. 45 seems light and 50 feels heavy. So weird but it's consistent.

Finished 10+ minutes ahead again and I got to 8 laps and barely even felt it. Cool am helped too

45 lb ruck
12 laps
1:50 min
No timed laps
RPE = 6

BW 171.8
BF 12.5

ok dat's it

44 kg One Arm Swings 10 x 8/8, barbell hacks, wt pushups, laterals

Very strong day today. Everything felt connected with no aches or pains! Nice and not stiff much either. Didn't hurt that it was low '60's in the gym this morning either

One Arm Swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
28 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 4/4
36 kg x 4/4
44 kg x 8/8 x 10 sets
160 reps
15, 520 lbs tonnage
RPE 7.5 but strong output throughout all sets and reps.

wind good too

Hacks
95 x 8
115 x 7
135 x 6
155 x 5

might switch these to kickstand bodyweight squats. I think they have run their course

Wt Pushups
bw x 12
53 x 10 x 3
felt good to have these in here

laterals
3 x 8/8 x 3

datsit

45 lb ruck. Hot

Things started out fine but it was seriously hot and I was tired. Went fast to get it over with quicker but there was no clouds and hot dead air. Decent leg speed though, and my legs felt light and loose. Just hard to keep focus.

Just wanted to get home and eat

45 lb ruck
6 laps
55 min
7:17 last lap
RPE 8.5

BW 170.6
BF 13.3

good to have a down day tomorrow

20 kg Speed swings 12 min 10 RPA,135 lb Press practice( vibrams), walking lunges

Short and weird one today. Worked late and got a late start. Not too bad but distracted the whole time

20 kg Speed swings
12 min
10 RPA
240 reps
10,560

not bad, actually. 20 is so much easier and lighter than 24 !

Press
started with vibrams med grip, false grip
45 x 5
65 x 3
85 x 3
115 x 3 ( so so)
125 x 3 same
135 x 3 ok lockout seems to be smoother
switch to oly heels
135 x 1 felt forward shirt
125 x 1 same thing
back to vibrams
115 x 3
switch back to thumbed grip
115 x 3 this feels right( er)
135 x 2 vibrams and thumb
 this is better.

also used the old " lat launch" internal bounce.. Gotta have SOME trigger, some way to activate a stretch reflex. Every other lift has it.Whether I hip drive, or lay back  or  trigger grip something has to initiate!
Now just have to adjust rack height better

Walking lunges
3 laps of 40

knees feel good

BW 171
BF 12.9

ruck up tomorrow

datsit

200 lb Strict Press x 0 x 2, 48 kg belt squats,floor pushups, laterals

Well that didn't quite go as expected. Both attempts were better than last week but no go. I think what's really happened is that I just ran into the strength limitations of my shoulder mobility. Right when I get to the sticking point my right shoulder runs out of room and the weight essentially gets heavier. No go.
I can't keep back and when I shift forward the bar goes forward and and then down a bit and of course I can't recover.

But it didn't ever feel heavy! Not in the unracking,nor the walkout nor the press! it just wasn't in the right position to push it fully back
Ack!!
Not having the mirror messed with me a bit and I'm not sure where I should be looking

Plus I'm just tired. Even though I'm not psyching, there is an emotional cost to these attempts and I just had very little emotional juice to give today for a lot of reason.

Also I was slow off the chest and I still don't have the right trigger. I WAS back far enough though and that helped





and yet this 185 FLEW!




Press
45 x 5
65 x 3
85 x 3
105 x 2
135 x 1
155 x 1
175 x 1
185 x 1
200 x 0 x 2
155 x 5  this was solid if not tired

48 kg belt squat
10, 12, 14, 16

Floor pushups
40
30
30

tired

laterals
3 x 8/8 with 15s

BW 171.4
BF 12.2

datsit! back to 5x5 next week and perhaps a flat shoe and thumbless grip- have to keep from shifting forward as well as keep my elbows under me longer

Super fast ruck

Wow, another amazing ruck. I cut 15 minutes off my regular time again and ended up with a pretty easy 7:05 last lap

Not one bit of trouble in my calves, feet or legs throughout. Just fantastic. Truly reminds me of my best running and cycling training
All nasal breathing too
Hardest part was just staying with the pace and not getting bored even though it was pretty easy to maintain,
Really happy with my improvement
Pretty warm too this morning but zero problems with heat tolerance
Thank goodness for the xoskin shirts though, they are perfect as are the socks



45 lb ruck
12 laps
1:45 min
12th lap 7:05
RPE 7

BW 171
BF 12.9

feel solid and lean

40 kg One Arm Swings 10 x 10/10, barbell hacks, crawls, laterals

 Just me and old training partner Joe Sarti today, everyone one else out on easily the hardest workout of the mini cycle! It was good to have Joe to share the pain with. Solid reps, all the parts were fine, stinkin  hot out early and I sweated good. This is always 5 reps too long :)

One Arm Swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
28 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 4/4
40 kg x 10/10 x 10
200 reps
17,600 lbs
RRE 7.5- 8.00

Barbell hacks
95 x 8
115 x 7
135 x 7
155 x 5

Crawls
4 laps of 70 ft

excellent

laterals
3 sets of 10/10 with 15's

BW 170.6 !!!
BF 13.5 ack :) dehydrated

heat ruck tomorrow

Thursday Hot Ruck

Forgot to blog this Thursday, It's now Saturday

This was a later than normal start so it was hotter than normal. Everything was good though. legs still on cruise control. Loose and fast! But it turned out to be 93 or so so it was tough. But good news was that my heat conditioning is solid. No real problem

45 lbs
6 laps
55 min
no timed laps

BW 171
BF 13.3 %

 good to go

122 lb Strict press, 24 kg speed swings 10's,walking lunges, laterals

Switched it up today and started with presses instead of swings. I was itching to practice this new technique and do some without the mirror. Both things went very well. Trying to get maximum leanback before the start of the press really felt right and not having any reflection pulling me forward really changed things. More than I imagined. Really brought be way back in to my body and I can tell my reaction times to the groove will be much faster, and better.

Also played with the trigger again and it will take some to master that's for sure but I think eventually I will use that. My rack position just has to be  much better though before.

Strict press
45 x 5
65 x 3
85 x 3
107 x 3
122 x 3 x 10 sets

24 kg speed swings 15:15
10 RPA!
12 min
240 reps
12,720 lbs tonnage

ouch this was hard  . super hot in the gym too and doing it second AND going to tens was just plain tough! A lot of double breathing but I got through it. Glutes were sore from the presses!

Walking lunges

3 laps of 40

ok this killed me. Just dead now. Plus not used to doing lunges right after swings
Good this will be something new to adapt to :)

Laterals
3 x 8/8 with 20

should have used 15s

BW 171.4
BF 12.7

hot ruck tomorrow it seems

3 more attempts at 200 lb strict press, wt pushups 44 kg belt squat laterals

SOOOOOOO cloooose! First attempt didn't lay back fully but the second , man the second SHOULD HAVE GONE! I just released my glutes at the exact moment of the sticking point and the bar dropped a bit then I tried to re claim it and it just wouldn't go!

But I learned a key component: at the start I have to lean back enough to feel if I went any further I would lose my balance. Because when i start the lift and the bar goes up/forward that brings me back over my base but with the proper amount of arch and over the base.

Also good new is that 190 as last warmup was not in doubt. it too got out in front a bit as I hadn't figured out exactly how much lean to use at  the start but I finished decently

Three very calm attempts and I felt very strong throughout

One more week , If I miss then I go to 190 for multiple singles for awhile

I also realize that handstand and handstand pushups are probably the needed assistance exercise. I havent even tried one in so long. But it might actually be ok. I'm thinking too of  a tuck up instead of a kick up but I'l know more after next week

Strict press
190 last warmup










Press
45 x 5
65 x 3
95 x 3
115 x 2
135 x 1
150 x 1 fast!
160 x 1 solid
170 x 1 best ever
180 x 1 same!
190 x 1 got out in front
200 x 0 x 3

185 x 1
175 x 1 both were strong just fatigued

Wt pushups
BW  x 8
53 x 5 x 2
    x 8

think this has to be rep day :) and go back to belt squats before. too fatigued

44 kg belt squat
15
17
19
20

solid endurance good

laterals
3 x 8/8 with 20's

tired

BW 172!!
BF 12.0 ( recent early morning pr )

datsit

Negative split rucking continues.

As does the speed, and endurance

Did have a little left anterior tib tightness first lap but only after I did one assisted squat stretch to open up the tight hips from yesterday's heaviness
It took a couple laps to get it completely loosened and I think the badness had come back but it stayed open and things got faster each lap.

Leg definitely felt heavier and tired from the swings and the hack squats though. to be expected.

45 lb ruck
12 laps
1:50
8th laps 7:34
12th lap 7:03 !!
RPE 7.5 ( start ) - 7 ( finish)

thought I was actually going to get under 7 minutes when I turned the last corner of the lap

soon

BW 171.4
BF 13.1

exactly the same as yesterday!

Well it will be great if I can nail the 200 lbs press tomorrrow!

datsit

60 kg One Am Swing 10 x 5/5, hacks, crawls laterals

This went very well on every level; grip bell height, endurance, low back,etc. It likes me I think. Feels almost just like the 48 kg does and I was surprised to see the bell height as good as it was. I thought it was lower when I was swinging.

As long as I set the grip deep into the palm of my hand (both on hike pass AND during transfer) the grip was fine. If i didn't concentrate it was tougher. But still not that bad at all.

One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
28 kg x 4/4
32 kg x 4/4
36 kg x 4/4
40 kg x 4/4
44 kg x 4/4
48 kg x 3/3
60 kg x 5/5 x 10
100 reps
13,200 lbs !
RPE 7

Hacks
95 x 8
115 x 8
135 x 7
155 x 7

technique of lowering straight down and letting my hips do some of the work continues to do well. This instead of just breaking from the knees

Crawls
three laps of 60 ft

strong and fast

combo laterals
20's x 3 x 8/8

BW 171.4
BF 13.1

datsit!

More ruck goodness

This went super well. Hot day but it didn't bother me at all. Legs were fast and loose from the start and stayed that way. Gait felt "on" and calves and feet were fine as well. Could it really be that just using a low top shoe fixed all this?

Feeling like I'm in the best heat shape I've been in in quite awhile. Better than the end of last summer and it's just mid July.

Plus I'm a bit heavier too. Very pleased


45 lb ruck
50 min
6 laps
no timed laps
RPE 5.5

BW 171
BF 13.4

datsit

24 kg PushBand Test one arm swings, strict press 5x5 walking lunges

Well this didn't go as planned. I followed brett's 24 kg swing protocol AKA 044 from pavel's strongendurance course and got some shitty numbers , despite feeling like the bell was flying seriously fast!

don't know what's up but I can't swing it any harder or faster and still the numbers are shite

One arm swings
Left arm 5 reps per set ( 1.5- 2 min rest between arms(
x 5 sets
Right arm 5 reps per set, same est
x 5 sets

x three rounds
 150 reps
7950

average velocity per rep was from .83 - .93  for left arm and max velocity was 1.92 m/s

for right arm is was average velocity was .94 - 1.07 and max velocity was 1.75 ms

for left arm average power was 372 watts ( !) and peak was 728! that sucks. but I don't have how it could move that fast and have so little watts compared to brett's almost 2000 watts

any way it was tough! especially over time. I could really concentrate on keeping max acceleration on every rep of every set and the damn thing took 53 minutes! too long. I didn't enjoy this at all. I basically swing as hard as I can, ( and feels safe- i could feel myself on the edge of 'trying too hard')

experiment over. back to my training

Press
45 x 5
65 x 5
85 x 3
115 x 5
120 x 5 x 5

this was hard.! the hour of max effort swings really took it out of me . plus another super hot day. no excuses but it was what it was
hot

Really tried to lay back first as I pressed but I have to be careful, it's a VERY fine line as to how much is too much! I can lose balance backwards too. Not good

walking lunges
 3 laps of 40

datsit

BW 171.6
BF 12.7

200 lb Strict press MISS x 3, wt pushups 40kg belt squat compound laterals

This was strange. My normal  apprehensions when going for a weight I've never tried before but I felt relatively good going in. And as usual the most important, and difficult part of all this is controlling the mind. Or trying to. Or trying not to. Or. whatever.

Think about it and mentally rehearse it or not to as to not pre start.Ack. Then I realized that I have to think about the form on the warmups and NOT the top set.

and that's what got me through. I started mentally rehearsing the warm upsets and how I wanted them to go and it felt right. No adrenaline, fear of success or failure. Just a dispassionate step by step approach to what I wanted to do.

And it worked GREAT til 200. 190 flew up faster than I have ever done it and was still accelerating at the top for the first time. I didn't tape it as I didn't want to over focus on the weight but it would be nice to have that one. Perfect timing on the layback and press and it proved to me that if I do it right it will fly just like that.

Walkouts ALL felt light too! and I noted that each time I took the weight out. Just not back far enough fast enough

Strict press
45 x 5
95 x 3
115 x 2
135 x 1 155 x 1 fast!
170 x 1 fast also!
180 x 1 no prob
190 x 1 fastest ever!
200 x X
       x X
       x X

ack

Wt pushups
bw x 10
53 x 10
85 x 8 x 3 nice no problem

40 kg belt squat
4 sets of 15

close stance

compound laterals
3 sets of 10/10 with 15's

BW 172.2
BF 11.7 ? going down
W 57.1  very strange this too

dastits

Cruise Control Ruck

The goal of any endurance training, whether it was running, cycling, swimming, or now, rucking, is to experience what I call cruise control of the legs. Where you just turn them on, turn them loose, sit back and watch them go.

That used to happen to me all the time when I was an endurance athlete and it has just a few times in the last five years since I started walking right again and even fewer since I started really rucking 2.5 years ago.

But it happened today, and it's been leading up to this these last weeks since I changed my shoes.

Wow.

The only trouble I had keeping the pace, and even going faster was my mental ability to keep up not the body!I'm just so used to taking breaks, albeit short, that I don't know how not to it seems. But still things were so loose and strong and light it was awesome.

Even as it heats up it's not that bad

Also,did the whole ruck with nasal breathing and tongue on roof of  mouth ala Buteyko breathing


Ready to explore this even more now. I've been using Combat, or square breathing for years to control anxiety and switch from sympathetic to parasympathetic state for years but now I have to be even more concious of it as I understand the principles and methods behind it

45 lb ruck
12 laps
1 squat stretch
1:50 min!
11th lap 7:30
RPE 6 or under !

BW 171.4
BF 13.1

 Going to load 200 lbs on the bar tomorrow for press day so it's  good nights sleep for me!

48 kg One Arm Swings 10 x 10, barbell hacks, crawls, compound laterals

This was solid and not too hard. The sets where I have to transfer are harder, actually. But it's good to keep in touch with 10 rep sets with this Beast. perhaps I should do 15 reps sets, 10 one arm then only 5 on the other. Then switch the starting arm the next set. I always seemed 20 reps was just 5 too many. perhaps next month when this bell comes up again

One arm Swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg 5 x 5/5
32 kg x 4/4
36 kg x 4/4
40 kg x 4/4
48 kg x 10 x 10
100 reps
10,600 lbs
RPE 6

felt strong and the bell didn't feel heavy. hot as hell though, even at 8 am

Barbell hacks
85 x 8
105 x 8
117 x 7
127 x 7

started lower with both hips and knees simultaneously instead of trying to maximize knee and ankle flexion and think I had more total ROM overall. leg tension felt more balanced with hips/no feeling of quad strain at all

Crawls
4 laps of 70 ft
fast!
Love doing them on saturdays! who would have thought it would make such a difference

compound laterals
3 set of 8/8 with 20

BW 171.0 !!
BF 12.3 !!

finally. now just don't mess it up

datsit

Another fast and good ruck

 Another good one and another hot day. All nasal breathing, no problem, I am finally finding my legs. Today was one of those days where I wanted to stop and rest but didn't need to. It was weird. I could keep the pace but it was hard but I could

Lately I've been wanting to keep the steady pace but couldn't because of some kind of muscle restriction, today it showed me I'm just used to stopping. Just a few 20 second stops to breathe more then off. Same low top Salomons worked perfectly

A trend it seems

45 lb Ruck
6 laps
55 min
last lap 7:11 ! :)
RPE 6.5

BW 171.4  I'll take it
BF 13.7 ? wow
W 55.6

datsit  feel good

24 kg speed swings 18 min 9 reps, 115 lb strict press 10 x 3, walking lunges, parallel bar pushups, lateral combo

This was relatively strong considering plan had to change right before the workout. Planned on testing the push band monitor again with Pavel's 044 StrongEndurance plan to see what the hell is wrong with my power production but my push band, which was supposed to be here did not arrive so I decided to punish myself with 18 min of swings
Solo

Not to bad although I spent most of the time pulling my head out of my ass. the last five minutes were more focused as I got too tired to bitch as much

Power and speed were actually pretty good and I contemplated doing 10's except I was too pissed to push that much :)

24 kg speed swings
15:15
9 rpa
18 min
324 reps
17,172 lbs work
all reps to chest height
RPE 7.5

Strict press
45 x 5
65 x 3
85 x 3
105 x 3
115 x 3 x 10

these were excellent and I found myself holding the positions longer to get more time under tension. I actually think this day should be five by five now. Plus perhaps some overload walkout and holds.Being absolutely rock solid in the start position is everything I now know

Walking lunges
4 laps of 40
decent slow and stretchy

Parallel bar pushups
20
15
12

3 sec down,quick reversal and hold at top lots of tension. ( no one to add the weight) this should be reps day and Monday should be weighted pushups. Just skip the down sets and go right to heavy pushups and or triceps work!!

BW 172 !!
BF 12.4

ruck up tomorrow

195 lb Strict Press x 1 PR!!, 60 kg belt squats, floor pushups, combo laterals

Another great workout. Despite feeling like taking a nap on the ride home from work this went great! Just as I visualized and hope. The technique held. The big jumps worked. I felt strong and confident from start to finish.

Actually knowing HOW to get this lift started and having it work every time is the confidence booster! Not know exactly what to do to get it started and trying to figure that out on the fly an under the weight!

with the double layback I literally catch the bar at my chin level and press from there. Very very much like my old barbell bench technique. It was the only way I could bench without shoulder pain and it worked great there too

Strict Press
45 x 5
65 x 3
95 x 3
115 x 2
135 x 1 strong!
155 x 1 strong too
175 x 1 no problem
185 x 1 not enough layback so a bit out in front
195 x 1 PR!!! trusted it but still need MORE layback at start.
175 x 2 !
165 x 3
160 x 4 could've done five just pooped!


60 kg belt squats
10, 12, 14, 16

interesting. only let me lower to parallel but worked the top part of the lift more. I like it

Floor pushups
2 x 50
1 x 30

got tricep death fast!

combo laterals
3 x 8/8 with 20's

BW 171.8 !!! WTF??
BF 12.3

BF is going down steadily too. weird. the 7-8 isoflavone adaptogen is a keeper for sure!

Solid ruck

Not perfect. Started out fine for the first two laps, then left calf got a bit tight and had to stop and shake things out. Now I DIDN'T do my 100 ups as planned, just 30 or so but I'm not sure that was the problem.

Wore the low top salomons so I can't blame that. Perhaps just not enough warmup because on lap 4 things loosened up and it was smooth sailing from there on it! Really lose and fast and I could push it

7:19 last lap and it could have easily been 7:10 but very happy. Cool start but then it heated up and the heat did not bother me much. Feel really more conditioned lately than I have in forever.

Hope it sticks!

45 lb ruck
12 laps
2 sets of squat stretches
1:50 min
Last lap 7:19

RPE 7.5 at start, then 6 for last part

BW 172 !!1 WTF?!
BF 12.4

thought I was good yesterday Today will be better!

big press tomorrow

datsit