24 kg Speed swings 12 min 7 RPA, 105/115 press 10 x 3, walking lunges, laterals

Decent one today, no where near as cold. Weird weather these days. Decided to go back to the 24 for this next cycle but drop the reps to 7 and really focus on power. Worked great. No rush to get the reps in and the total time for each set was close to 13 seconds as I milked each rep to the max.
I might go back to 8 rpa but perhaps not as I take the cycle back to 15 min

24 speed swings
15:15
12 min
7 RPA
RPE 7
168 reps
8904 lbs

decent

 Press
 105 x 3 x 5 sets
  115 x 3 x 5 sets

took awhile to open up. pressing muscles still a bit tired from monday

walking lunges
3 laps of 40

tracy took m vibrams so I had to do it barefoot on concrete,sucked. should have worn regular shoes

laterals
3 set of 8/8 with 20
felt heavy

BW 169.4
BF 13.3

datsit

ruckup tomorrow

165 lb Press 5 x 4 PR, 44 kg belt squat, floor pushups, laterals

This was way tougher than it should have been and it's only because i misjudged the temperature in the gym. It was freakin' cold; much colder than outside and I didn't take a hot bath or shower and was wearing just compression shorts and t shirt!

I really have to be warm to press well and I just wasn't getting there! So I went back in and dressed in sweats but it really through me off till I got to 155 and warmed up just a bit. The first set at 165 ( hard) finally got me warm but it was a tactical mistake I won't make again

Winter isn't coming; it's here.

Press
45 x 5
65 x 3
85 x 3
105 x 3
120 x 2
135 x 2
155 x 2
165 x 4 x 5 sets PR

RPE 8.5-9.0

the technique held well as I had more than a couple  iffy reps I would have missed just a month ago or so. Bar got out in front but I did the right thing and got my hips under instead of trying to shift the bar and it worked fine.

PLUS my left biceps tendon had been out all morning and didn't have time to really unfuck it til i got home, But it was inflammed a bit as I was pressing and made me slow down a bit on some reps. It all ended well but not the best day in terms of ease.

BUT it all got done!

44 kg belt squat
12, 14, 16, 20
strong!

Floor pushups
45
40
40

hard today and my left shoulder wasn't loving it . But it did feel better on the third set than the first

Laterals
3 sets of 10/10 with 15s

strong and focused

BW 169.8
BF 13.0

Fast pace ruck

For no good reason at all today's ruck was fast and easy from the start. Nice cool morning and pretty dark for the first half hour til the sunrise above made it's appearance. So beautiful. And it was so nice to have loose and strong legs from the start! Especially after yesterday's volume fest.

Mind was solid too and all systems were go!

45 lb ruck
12 laps
1:48 min
RPE 6.5

ok big presses tomorrow. 165 for sets of 4

BW 170.2 !!
BF 12.1

lol back to fighting weight

40 kg One arm swings 10x10/10, box step ups, wt pushups, laterals

From the heaviest weight to the heaviest volume, just a week apart. this workout is always hard but it's getting easier. Today was not bad at all. Great sleep the night before always helps tons

One arm swing
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 4/4
28 kg x 4/4
32 kg x 4/4
40 kg x 10/10 x 10

RPE 7.5

not that bad and power was solid

Box Step ups
4 sets of 7/7

really worked on feed forward tension and hyper irradiation on the negative and it really helped! more than I expected. Flexed opposite fist, abs and Rec fem
much improvement

Wt pushups parallel bars
53 x 3 sets of 10

left bicep tendon was not set well. strong but not fluid

laterals
3 sets of 8/8 with 20s

decent

BW 169.4
BF 12.1

datsit

Ruck it

Didn't have my third cup of coffee today and I could feel it when I set out for my ruck. Plus, it was hot, no shade, no wind and HOT.
Can't get used to one shade of the weather without it changing on a dime these days.
Just. Not. In.The.Mood.

But I got it done. Just slow

45 lb ruck
6 laps
1:05 ( slow)
RPE 8 (just tired and notinthemood.)

BW 169.8
BF 13.6

get er dun

20 kg speed swings 15 min, 105/115 press, walking lunges,laterals

   Top of the cycle for this bell. Next week I'll go to 12 min and go back to the 24 kg bell. Perhaps for 7 reps per arm. We'll see. Felt solid today. Again, amazed at the how much harder ten reps per 15 sec is compared to 8. Not even close in effort and cardio

20 kg speed swings
15 min
8 rpa
240 reps
10,560 lbs tonnage
RPE 7

very strong and powerful

Press
45 x 5
65 x 3
85 x 3
105 x 3 x 5 sets
115 x 3 x 5 sets

very very solid teshnik and bar speed/ path

walking lunges
3 laps of 40 steps

legs have been tired. backed off a bit

laterals
3 sets of 8/8 with 20s

BW 170
BF 12.7

ruck up tomorrow

165 lb press 4 x 3, 1 x 4 PR 40 kg belt squat, floor pushups,laterals

This went so well. Could not have asked for more. Not a bad rep in the five sets and the last set four reps was not bad at all. This technique is working out great. Best press workout I think I have ever had.Actually it is for sure. I was very confident in the technique and it all held together. Energy and strength were good as well

A little tight and stiff today from the heavy bells and first ruck in awhile but it didn't affect the performance and, as usual , the press is as a corrective.

Press
45 x 5
65 x 3
85 x 3
105 x 2
120 x 2
135 x 2
155 x 1
165 x 3 x 4
       x 4


40 kg belt squat
12, 14, 16, 18

strong

floor pushups
50
50
35

these were strong but overall fatigue caught me. Not long rest, either 2 min or so

Laterals
3 x 10/10 with 15s

BW 169.8
BF 12.0 !!

datsit!

First ruck in a week

Between the move and the weekend at StrongEndurance my rucking has taken the brunt of it.  Didn't miss any workouts but I missed two rucks in a row last week and today was get back on the horse day. It went well although  with so few miles in my legs over the last twenty years a week off feels like a month off to my upper body!

Not exactly the best day to come back after the 60 and 68 kg swings but so it goes. I just started slowly and took a lot of 30-60 sec rest to let the legs 'aerate' lol. Towards the end it was my upper back muscles yelling but I got through it.

Have to confess there were more than a few times I gave myself permission to only do 9 or 10 laps. And that would have been fine. Nothing I'm more scared of these days than a foot bone injury! Slow is fine.

45 lb ruck
12 laps
1:55 min
RPE 7 (took it very easy)

BW 169.8
BF 12.8

datsit!

Big presses tomorrow, 165 for 3's

60 and 68 kg One Arm swings 7x5/5,3x5/5, box step ups, wt pushups, laterals

Back in the saddle , back to really heavy bells. This went very well, especially considering the last months distractions and relatively poor training.Perhaps the rest/ change/chaos helped? who knows but today was strong

One arm swing
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
40 kg x 4/4
44 kg x 4/4
48 kg x 4/4

60 kg x 5/5 x 7 sets : 9240 lbs
68 kg x 5/5 x 3 sets: 4500 lbs
13,700 lbs!



RPE 8

grip was very solid too

Box steps ups
4 sets of 6/6

right side was stronger thank goodness but still way weaker than I ever would thought. Long way to go on this exercise but it is where I need to be right now and works my hips as well as the quad

Wt pushup
bw x 10
53 x 10 x 3

horizontal grip today.
ok strength once I got warmed up. this opens up the pec/shoulders but it starts out tight

laterals
3 sets of 8/8 with 20

always feel how this balances the muscle tension in the shoulder

BW 169.6
BF 12.1

RUCK TOMORROW! Can't wait!

datsit

20 kg speed swings 14min 8 RPA,107 lb press 10x3 , walking lunges,laterals

Solid one today. Going back to swings as I just I can do more work more safely this way . A few more week of 20 kg then back to 24kg but only for 7's

20 kg one arm swings
15:15 8 RPA
14 min
224 reps
9856 lbs
RPE 7

Press
45x5
65x3
85x3
117x3x5
122x3x5

very strong lat flex and presstiming worked great

lunges
4 lapsof  40
strong

laterals
3 sets  of 10/10 with15

BW 168.6
BF12.4

datsit

ruck tomorrow!

165 lb press x 2 x 4,3 x 1,48 kg belt squat,floor pushups,laterals

This  went so much better than expected. LONG weekend at StrongEndurance seminar with very little food and right into early wakeup and regular work day. Very tired plus bad traffic on the way home left me sitting for 30 min. something I really didn't need at this time. But  everything worked out very well

Warmups didn't feel particularly good but once I got to weight it FLEW!

Press
45 x 5
65 x 3
85 x 3
105 x 3
120 x 3
135 x 2
150 x 1
165 x 2 x 4 sets  so fast!
165 x 3


48 kg belt squat
10.12,13,14

strong too

Floor pushups
50
45
40

can't bitch about this

Laterals
3 x 10/10 with 15's

BW 168
BF 13.3

ok back to normal schedule now ( I hope) for awhile!!

48 kg One Arm Swings 10 sets of 5/5, box step ups, wt pushups, laterals

Strong one today

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 3/3
40 kg x 3/3
48 kg x 5/5 x 10

RPE 7.5

Step ups
4 sets of 7/7

right side is weaker than left! it's not crazy given how much extra attention I've given to that side but it's weird to actually see and feel it!
This is the exercise for me now. Lots to go to be able to do it with no self spot or touching of the leg

Wt parallel pushups
bw x 10
53 x 10 x 3

strong!

laterals
3 x 8/8 with 20's

BW 167.6
BF 12.1

datsit!

No ruck today as I have to work as Master for recerts at StrongEndurance course!  damn

Back off ruck

Despite a good nights sleep I was seriously beat by the time it came to ruck. Add in extra hot day again I was dragging ass from the start.

Even though I have to miss Sunday ruck to work for StrongFirst to re certify a group of instructors I cut short the ruck by one lap.
Discretion and all that.

a full hour and a half nap told me I made the right choice

still
45 lb ruck
5 laps 52 min ( slow)
RPE 8.5

BW 167.8
BF 13.6

datsit

13 min SNATCH Vo2, 105 lb press 10 x 3 ,walking lunges, laterals

Yes I did SNATCHES! Got a wild hair I could do them and it worked fine. Pretty much like I never stopped ( although I'll see tomorrow). Don't think my overhead position  has changed very much from when I could do snatches but it has changed from when I stopped doing them because  I pretty much lost it, after my TKR

It's not better than it ever was but it's about the same as it was when I could do them, if that makes sense

Started out VERY easy, just 5 reps per set for 10 min then upped it to 7 reps for the last three. No problem and these are much easier than swings!

Snatch Vo1 13 min 16 kg
5 reps per arm 10 min = 100 reps
7 reps per arm 3 min = 42 reps
142 reps total
5112 lbs

not much of a workload. If I had done the 20 kg swings it would have looked like this
8 rpa x 13 min = 208 reps and 9051 lbs work. Have to think on this

Press
107 x 3 x 10 sets  ) regular reps, working on fast start: flex and press!
strong but shoulders are sore

walking lunges
3 laps of 40 steps

laterals
3 x 10/10 with 15s

BW 168.8
BF 12.3

ruck up tomorrow!

160 lb Press 4 x 2, 1 x 3,44 kg belt squats, floor pushups,laterals

much stronger than expected and groove was more solid than ever! perhaps the time off helped? don't know but the bar moved great today!
Decided to just fuck it and go back to my "internal' bounce start trigger and man it worked well. That's the problem I have been trying to solve so hard and this is it. Perhaps it' not 100 % strict no momentum press but it's NOT a push press and it does start with a dead stop. I'm not competing and this will have to do for the purists

Press
45 x 5
65 x 3
85 x 3
105 x 3
135 x 2 (strong!)
150 x 2 strong also
160 x 2 x 4sets
          1 x 3!
also took a bit narrow stance and that seemed to help keep my hips under the bar better too.


44 kg belt squat
10 ,12,14 16 very strong and smooth

Floor pushups
40
42
44

strong too!

laterals
3 x 8/8 with 20's

BW 169.6
BF 12.3

good start! Man not having so much extra stress is really really really nice!

too old for that shit

Full Ruck

Was a good one today. Slept well and it was dark and crisp early fall morning, my favorite time of year

Still started out slow though as goal one was just to  make all twelve laps strongly. It's only been a few weeks but this falls off fast for me

 Got a decent stretch out before hand but still felt the need to do some assisted squat stretches during the walk. Just felt right

45 lb ruck
1 hr 53 min
12 laps
3 squat stretches
RPE 6.5

slow and steady. Compared to all that heavy equipment lift and carry schlepping this is piece of cake!

BW 168.9
BF 12.1

 160 lb press tomorrow for five sets of something

44 kg One Arm Swings 5 x 8/8, 5 x 5/5, kickstand squats, box step ups, wt pushups, laterals

Back in the saddle! Yay! Slept well and body felt fine this am. Right glute, adductor tightness 90% resolved by Thurs ruck and normal ROM and activity. but still had a slight twinge on set 4 when I overcontracted glutes too much at top of swing ? weird. Strong but didn't want to push it, hence splitting the sets of 8s and 5s

One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20kg x 5/5
24 kg x 4/4
28 kg x 4/4
32 kg x 4/4
36 kg x 3/3
40 kg x 3/3
44 kg x 8/8 x 5
          x 5/5 x 5
7760 lb
4850 lbs
12,610

these were strong

Kickstand squats
2 sets of 10/10

these are too easy now. Have to hold weight or just do the step ups



This went very well on my left side and for the first time, did a set on my right and was shocked how weak it was! I'm used to it being SO much stronger than the left I hadn't thought about it basically being too weak for itself!

I will use this exercise instead of kickstands at the start and finish with one set of kickstands for a burnout pump to failure for the last set

Parallel grip weighted pushups
bw x 10
53 lbs x 10 x 2
           x 8

prefer this grip now. gonna stay with this

Laterals
3 x 10/10 x 15s

BW 168.6
BF 12.1

rucks could be tough tomorrow1

Good Ruck

First ruck in a week and boy did it feel good! So strange. I so didn't want to get started. My body did not want to stretch out, strideout. It felt flexed. Cramped. My right adductor has been tight since all the moving. Did a bunch of bodymaintenance but it didn't want to fully release

But the ruck squared it up pretty fast and helped my anxiety as well. It felt great to just move again, not too fast, not too slow but take in all that air and get onto auto pilot.

I almost thought I had forgotten how to walk again. Christ it's only been a week but that's what I was thinking. It was so hard to get started again, I can see how people can get stuck just not getting started.

Once I did I felt better immediately but so many can't even get there.


45 lb ruck
6 laps
55 min
RPE 7

Nice cool  breeze, and  overcast. My favorite. Fall is here, my favorite season

20 kg speed swings 12 min, 105 lb 1 1/2 press 10 x 3, walking lunges , laterals

Back on track. Got a decent nights sleep for a change, the gym is set up well enough to function properly and I had a few cancels and got a decent stretch out as well. yet as soon as I got home I had to take a 15 min power nap to get my head ready to train.

It's amazing how fast I fall out of my routine and my strength and endurance goes right with it. But it comes back fast with just a few solid sessions

Speed swings
20 kg x 8 RPA
12 min
240 reps
10,560
RPE 7

this was strong! Very unexpected

105 lb press
3 reps x 5 sets
 1 1/2 reps x 5 sets

this was ok but my groove and balance is off. it'll be back as soon as I get some solid workouts in

Walking lunges
4 laps of 40 ft

Laterals
3 sets of 8/8 with 20's

BW 168.4
BF 12.7

too light,lol!

datsit  Gotta make sure I ruck tomorrow!

155 lb press x 2 x 4, 40 kg belt squat, floor pushups, laterals

It was a miracle I actually got my ass in the gym and away from the other gym but it had to be done. Time to get back on schedule. Plus, I knew the hip and back extension would really help my very fatigued back and hams. Way too  much round back lifting these last weeks. I  was beat though but all things considered things moved pretty well. Surely could have been worse

Press
45 x 5
65 x 5 ( touch and go)
85 x 5
105 x 5
120 x 5
135 x 5
145 x 5
150 x 5
155 x 4 x 2 first and last reps stop and go. was running out of air more than strength!
135 x 6  strong!

40 kg belt squat
10,12, 14,16

these felt great and really helped take tension out of my hams and back

Floor pushups
3 sets of 30 strict

just tired

laterals
3 x 8/8 2 15s

BW 168
BF 12.9

datsit!