"And in those simple beautiful movements I remembered what was really important in training; that consistency trumps intensity; all the time. That intensity is born from consistency. That one cannot force it, one has to lay in wait for it, patiently, instinctively, calmly and be ready to grab it when Grace lays it down in front of you."
Finally a good press day! Tried to think as little as possible; I just concentrated on two things
Locking the knees
Eyes on the X
During the warmups I felt my head moving back as I initiated so I went with that and that actually seemed to be a good trigger
Press
65 85 105 x 2 135 x 2 155 x 1 175 x 1 195 x 1 nice and fast. good line too
205 x 1215 x 1 a little wobbly ( let my elbows flare) but overall strongSince I've been getting nervous when 215 goes on the bar ( ridiculous) because it's the heaviest I've been going decided to just go to 220. the best rep of the dayNot quite confident for 225 so I split the difference 222.5 Decent, just shy of lockout. Rushed the start a bit and got a little "bouncy" and it cost me but still , it moved pretty well, I was under it good and it was close at the endthen five singles at 205, last four are shown
Couldn't be happier especially after the last two weeks
Wt pushups
bw x 10 53 x 10 x 3
one arm laterals 3 x 10 20 lbs
rear delts 3 x 10 20 lbs
BW 176 BF 12.2 !!1 wow havent been this low at 4 am in forever! W 58.2 !! really did hydrate a lot yesterday. thirsty for the first time in forever
Well off by a week. I had my knee replaced Aug 21 2013 which was last saturday. I guess it's a good thing the knee is working so well I actually forgot about the anniversary! What a freaking miracle and I thank G-d everyday for it. Nothing has changed my life more for the better. What a gift to be pain free, to be able to walk normally and for as long as I want. Just to be able to move humanly again after so many decades of limping and gimping and suffering
This went great. All systems go; sacrum and low back good. sciatica all gone,left arch of foot normal and even sleep has been solid for the last 3 days
Today was strong and legs and lungs were solid
40 kg one arms 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 5/5 x 15
all reps and sets really strong Pistol practice 3 x 3/3 twicelaterals rear delts 3 x 10/10 15s
Yes a walk, not a ruck. Had a great night last night. no sciatica or hip/low back feeling vulnerable and wanted to keep it that way. So I did my normal six laps sans ruck and man is it different! So easy. Surprisingly, as last time I walked instead of rucked I wasn't that much fast. Wasn't trying to go faster but I thought I would
did the six laps in 50 min and it was strong and I felt light
I did however, as I did last time, feel a much different 'use' of my lower back, no doubt because of increased hip rotation without the 45 lbs compressing it
It was pretty fun too, to walk so light and feel so fast!
This went very well. Was more than a bit nervous but putting my hip into it but I figured going back to really locking the knees and my closer stance could do the trick. The presses worked fine but I did get a little glute tightness post workout that had me worried. Until I unlocked things with a completely different corrective strategy. releasing deep hip rotators and activating hip flexors ( marching in place, some banded knee raises, isometric adduction holds, and toe touch stretches with adduction activation and abs as well.
I think that one weird day with my hips all the way out in front, essentially unsupported really pushed me over the edge.too much external rotation and glute tightness pushed the sacrum forward
So, to bring it back A to P do the opposite ( as described above) .seems to be working, and I don't think it was my regular press that tweaked it again today but an unweighted demo of what I did last wed as I felt my glutes start to get tight and feel weird right after that
But NOT from the prior presses. We'll see
Press technique: close stance, spot the X, lock knees ( including big toe down)pause, hip drive and shove bar overhead
195 x 1 x 5
These went great! really really nice line
205 x 1 x 5 sets ( 4 shown)
These felt a little more 'off', mainly from balance at start( separating big toe plant from knee lock, have to do them simultaneously
All in all very satisfied and encouraged about the future of my press
Well that completely sucked. Went from the best press workout I've ever had and knowing I had figured out the technique to not being able to do it ( nor much of anything) and just a few short days! I was so scared or re fucking up my sacrum that my body just wouldn't let my hip get forward enough to press well
I pulled my feet back in close but no go. My hips just shifted back to unload them and I had no leverage
Thankfully nothing hurt, or even hinted at hurting my I just didn't want to go there and my body wouldn't let me
Have no idea what to do now
I know it was the wider stance and locking in the forward hip position that tweaked things but that's where my true leverage is. But it looks like I won't be able to do it
I tried the same set up technique with the close stance but it wasnt the same
Plus, for some damn reason the top of the left foot, the metatarsals near the navicular seemed BRUISED! WTF?
Had NO inkling anything was wrong after the swings and the ruck
Just go hurt sleeping again. The definition of old age.
Fuck
Press
65 85 105 x 2 135 x 2 155 x 1 175 x 1 195 x 1
this felt decent enough then 205 x 1 almost but missed backwards which was the theme of the day215 x MISS, bad one then another one I couldn't even just past my nose. just deleted the video couldn't even look at it. Nothing to learn from it, I wasn't in the right position and I know it
then 205 for 3 down sets I made them but meh. pumping knees instead of hips I see now
then went flat footed with 185 and missed that twice so I called it a day
ACK
wt pushups
bw x1)
53 x 10 x 3
One arm laterals 3 x 10/10 20 lbs Bent laterals 3 x 10 w 20
BW 176 BF 11.2 W 59.5 ( bath at noon)
Who knows what's next but it will involve my narrow stance and locked knees and go from there
This went great. All remnant of my sacral issue is gone and I slept very well. Woke rested and not that sore either from the heavy bell work. Legs were definitely tired and a bit heavy but not big deal
It was cook, overcast with an actual cool breeze as well which made it, well, just perfect
Time was fast : 12 laps with 8 squat stretches in 1:50. Door to door in 1:54
New bell in the collection; a GreatLakes Girya 64 kg bell. Makes for a very nice transition from the 60 to the 68, which I've done, obviously, but it's a big jump
But when I got the bell I realized it was not what I expected with a 9.5 " wide and 5 1/4" thick handle!
I was sure I would hit the side of the handle on the inside of my knee,as I did with the Rogue 44 kg, although I didn't think the thickness would be an issue
I was wrong on both counts
The grip was a bitch and I only did 4 reps per side, no transfer on the first set as I hadn't taken it seriously enough and it was slipping. Cinched up better on the right arm and made 5 reps. But it was a beast
But the edges of the handle didn't bother me at all! 72.5MM window makes the center of gravity even lower and this bell, all considered swings as heavy as my Rogue 68. But it's a great bell nonetheless and by the 6th set with it I was getting the hang of it
I will add this in 5sets with 60 kg 3 sets with 64 kg 2 sets with 68 kg
as the last part of the micro cycle
today was 4 sets with 60 x 5/5
Second set of 4/5 with 649th set 64 kgPistol practice 3 sets of 5/5 I like the double front squats but I could feel my hip flexors missed these
side raises, rear delts
3 x 10/10 15s
BW 174.8 !! lowest I've been in eons BF 13.5 !
not great sleep of late and had a sacral sublux scare on top of it thursday. not fun but all good again. haven't had sciatica in 20 years. That was enough of a reminder
Really strong one today. No particular reason why although it was fairly cool ( 82) for this time of year and my heat tolerance is going well. But overall the legs and the lungs felt great. My mind was strong too and I almost felt like I didn't sweat enough! Not hot enough to take a cold shower afterwards; which I have for the past 3 weeks or so
But a good one
45 lb ruck
6 laps
56 min!
top speed 3.5 mph
BW 176.8
BF 13.0
W 58 body comp numbers have been really good of late. No noticeable changes either, maybe just getting in better shape
I thought about the Ed Coan squat setup and how long he takes to wedge under the bar before he unracks it and took extra time and care to lock in my feet and hips before I unracked the bar. Also unlike the other technique I have to unrack it with my hips and lock them in, not so much my knees
The goal is to set up with my hips in front of the bar and keep them there. Lock in to the starting position I want to press from before I take the bar out, not after.
This felt so good
Press 65 85 105 x 2 135 x 2 175, 195 x 1
200 set 1 this is the set I locked my knees not my hips and it shifted me backwards just a bitset 2 was GOLDAs was threeset four was great too but there was a slight hitch there somewhere but can't see it but it slowed a bitSet five could have been the best of the bunch: FASTset six was fast but with a little wiggle but hey, I'll take it
set seven was blazing too!set eight good but just a little forward. lost some starting hip tightness I believeset nine was solid tooIt may not be perfect but it feels great. Now to memorize it and re do it on heavy day!
24 kg swings
5 x 8/8 felt strong and fast
Green band triceps extensions 3 x 20 love this exercise and the pump. hits just the meat of the long head and no elbow or shoulder issues
BW 176.8 BF 13.3 ?!! W 57.8 No bath this is great the lowest it's been in the am in a long time
Can't say I'm happy but being able to make 5 singles with 215 has to be a good thing but it did not work out as I hoped it would, i.e 5 identical perfect reps with ease. LOTS of grinding, too much
The good news is that I'm strong. The bad news is that my newest 'new' technique did not go as planned. Lots can go wrong with the squeeze the sponge technique and it did.
Some elbows went behind me causing elbow flare, some I leaned back too far and bar went out in front
ACK!!!!
205 x 1 warmup
215 x 1 set 1( I actually missed the FIRST set 1, out in front. bad signset 2 of 5 leaned back as I 'squeezed' and knees got loose and elbows flared
set 3 basically the same issue but not as dramatic. thought I figured out a stable 'trigger' . guess I was wrong
set 4 basically just winged it here. not too bad but not right either
set 5 almost. decent line just ran out of gas
sets 1 and 2 with 205 down sets. why I can't do this with 215 at the start baffles me. just so much easier wt pushups
bw x 10 53 x 10 x 3
strong
One arm laterals 3 x 8/8 20's bent laterals 3 x 8 25s ( by mistake. lol)
Thought at first I was going to get off easy today as I slept well and woke up with almost no soreness anywhere. That's highly unusual. But when I got going I could tell my legs and glutes were just fatigued and felt heavy. I didn't try to push the pace but it was slow going.
Weather wasn't too bad at all but humid, and I worked up a good sweat pretty fast. Definitely feel like I am getting in decent heat shape for a change
Wow. this went great. Best I've done in quite awhile. Swing technique was spot on, grip was solid and swing height was easily the best perhaps ever. Probably ever
this was last months 48 kg effort
Did 5/5 on all the warmups just to get a little more volume and not sure if it helped but it certainly didn't hurt
48 kg one arms 10 sets of 5/5
Double 20 kg front squats
3 sets of 5
these felt solid also, 24's will be no problem. Might have to bring the other 28 kg bell back from Cal ave
15 lb side raises/ rear delts
3 x 10/10
BW 175.8 ! wow so low! BF 12.3 W 58.3 ( post bath)
Good one. Nice and hot and my heat tolerance is coming along very well. Not minding the heat anywhere near as much and am learning to embrace the heat quickly of the session. The sooner I sweat the better; thinking of it as a walking sauna :)
This went great. About as solid as I've even done them and held technique pretty much perfectly except for the second set. but I learned something valuable from that one mistake too ( I don't need to drive the hips first after the lat flex, just pause and push.) Crucial piece of the puzzle
Press
65 , 85 105 x 2 135 x 2 155 x 2 175 x 1 195 x 1 fast! up to now the technique was solid!
Spot X lock knees flex lats and glutes Come to dead stop ( still have to decide optimum time, but it's longer than today by a fraction) Drive
205 set 1-5
200 lb press x 1 2 down setsexcept for set two couldn't be happier Just noticed didn't push bar back enough on set 4. drive to face!
24 kg swings 5 x 8/8 strong
green band extensions
3 x 20 liking these high reps really hitting the long head and shoulders feel fine
Back to shitty sleep ( cat) and two nights in a row put me on the ragged edge but got through it ok First with this new technique at this weight and it went very well, not perfect, but learned a ton about the technique at weight
Mainly DON'T RUSH lol. Started off with a 'drop and pop' rather than 'coil the spring'
I should know this by now
Good news is that each set got better as I found the feel. Also, good news is that I didn't miss any reps. some were just better than others
normal warmups to 195 which was rushed but fast moving
205 which was sloppy and loose in the knees which pushed the bar forward a bit. but still fast but dropped head a bit too at start and lost the "X"then 215 hadn't figured out I was dropping and popping too much yet. led to elbow flare too215 for second set much better. lost balance a bit but much tighter coil and stayed on "X"3rd set first really solid all around4th set ok but reversal still too fast5th set best all over. Got on X, lock knees, coil the spring and hold, then launchthe 2 down sets with 205 were spot on have to make sure when I coil I don't tilt forward or backward. Just lock in, stay focused on the X and tighten the lats and glutes
Wt pushups
BW x 10 53 x 10 x 3 slow with pause at lockout
one arm laterls 3 x 8/8 20s bent laterals 3 x 8 with 20
BW 175.8 BF 13.7
really happy with today. learn a ton about the timing and rhythm of this technique. great promise here. One more week at 215 though. Already can't wait for wed!
Very solid ruck, all systems go and even had a nice cool breeze for one side of the park. Got distracted by talking to a neighbor in the park who just lost his wife in a car accident. Crazy how fast like can change. How terrible for him, married 42 years and she's gone in an instant!
I felt stronger somehow after that, grateful I could walk at all. Nothing seemed hard after that
45 lb ruck
12 laps in 1:55 min
13,413 steps
3.4 mph ave speed
5 squat stretches. Lost time talking had to make it up
What a difference sleep makes. Slept completely through the night as my cat finally decided to chill. Unbelievable. Great sleep is beyond amazing
One, I can think. Two I feel so much more recovered. Of course I knew this but feeling it is another level after weeks of really fucked up interrupted sleep
One arm swings 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 36 kg x 4/4 44 kg x 4/4 x 12 sets
really felt strong, grooved and powerful. Nice. Still loving the low reps and the focus on strength and power
Double 18 kg front squat 3 x 5
Next week double 20's then onto 24s These felt easy and strong. Happy with the depth and back position
Definitely in decent heat shape condition despite only getting hot once a week now. we've had some really cool moderate weather for a summer, 75's and such. very nice
But today was 80's and low breeze. Decent pace but not pushed
Foot and knee ok fibula head back in place ( right knee weirdness- not dangerous though - just not tracking right for some reason
The workout started as planned, using the latest technical cues of X KNEES GLUTES ARCH HIP DRIVE
Worked ok went up pretty well
65 85 105 x 2 135 x 1 155 x 1 175 x 1 195 x 1 ok but not super fast, already feeling more loose than I want in knees 200 x 1 slow, knees gave a bit and bar out in front, PLUS I was getting a little 'drop and pop' which was the whole point of this session TO AVOID THAT~!
Then I got the crazy idea to 'feed the mistake' -since I wanted to use my old lat flex ( squeeze the sponge technique with my kb press AND actually, my barbell bench press style ) see if I could do it on purpose instead of by mistake
Dropped down to 175 and if FLEW! then this 195
then 200 the samethen SEVEN singles with 205 and it worked like a freaking charm every single set. I set up with the X, then knee lock then SQUEEZE THE SPONGE AND LAUNCH and it did! I found that as soon as I flexed the lats the glutes fired too! Bonus. sets 1-7
Can't wait to try this with 215 on Monday! this really feels comfortable, natural and man did it give me some speed all the way to the top!
This went very very well. Not perfect but much better than last week. Cues went well and timing was pretty solid except for the fifth set Even better on a night of poor sleep ( cat )
Press
65 85 105 x 2 135 x 2 155 x 1 175 x 1 195 x 1 fast and nice line! 205 x MISS! WHAT? push it right forward! ack! didnt help my head 205 x 1
215 set 1 pretty good timing just a little loose in the hips set 2 very solid effort. no knee bend and good secondary hip drive not to much elbow flareset 3 probably the best rep of all. Spot the X, lock knees then glutes,drive hips THEN bar then hipsset 4 good but looser in glute resulting in looser knees and sticking point. Trying to keep upper body quiet at start is key too. no drop and pop; lock in and just start the drive from the hips then push bar this fell apart a bit. lower body locked in well but lost tightness on the drive and elbows flared, that's why the lockout was so weak Just tired now and fell back to drop and pop and elbows flared no lockout set 2 of 2 205 lb down sets. really good. Really got my upper body static and the elbows stayed in perfectly. really good sets wt pushups 2 x 10 with paused lockouts 53 lb
one arm laterals 3 x 8/8 20 bent laterals 3 x 10 20s
Pretty solid one. Yesterdays workout was in the legs and glutes, in a good way and I forgot,( again) to take creatine yesterday so had some with my morning coffee and think it worked really well. Didn't now if there was enough time between taking it and the ruck to have some helping effect but it sure seemed like it did
Felt pretty strong THROUGH the tenth lap which is usually where I start to feel the fatigue; in my legs as well as overall but was strong today and the last two laps falloff wasn't much at all
also really focused on 'walking left' as my right ball of foot calluss has been telling me I'm too heavy o my right foot step and it helped
didn't really 'feel' the right foot at the end as I have been
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