215 x 1, 225 attempts( 3), 205, 185, 195 , 205 ( incline bench technique idea, wt pushups, laterals

 It's just shocking to me how much differently I perform with 225 than 215 or even 220. the techniques that work below it just don't created enough  acceleration and hip drive with that weight.

Super frustrating. I can muscle my way through 215 and 220 but not, it seems 225

Started out ok the hit the skids with the first 225 attempt , the two decent grinds but not enough hips centered forward of the bar

Dropped down and went back to load the bow technique but felt I was still just "searching" for tension at the start

Then I thought about just trying to get into an incline bench position and that seemed to really work ( with light weights it seems but at least now I had a VISUAL of where I am supposed to go, to put myself. 

Again, we'll see it works with real weight

Press

155, 175, 195 x 1 fast

205 x 1 ( out in front lost the x. still made it but slow. not a good sigh

215 x 1 better

225 x complete miss pushed  bar forward. fuck me

225 x 3/4 way higher on video than it felt under it

225 x 3/4 second attempt

then down to 205 with load the bow technique meh

then 185,195 and even 205 again for "incline bench" technique. like it

tons of heavy volume if not just that

Wt pushups
bw x 10
53 lbs  10 x 3

two db side raise
3 x 8 with 20
Bent laterals
3 x 10 with 20

BW 173.6
BF 13.1 ( 4 am)

BW 174.4
BF 11.
W 59.6

A back of iron and legs that never quit

 

The best ruck I've had in months and months. Legs and lungs were both  solid, it was cold and crisp and I slept fairly  well. Body felt fine and pace from the start was good

It was boring as hell, read hard, to just stay so focused on keeping the pace that I knew my legs and lungs could do but was hard as hell to do mainly from a motivational standpoint. I'm just tired lately more than ever from all the extra work with the dog and, well EVERYTHING. i.e Life.

But that's what All Day Strong is about and that's real life strength. The urge to do as little as possible and recover as much as possible is still and powerlifting and, bodybuilding, carryover and while fun, is not the functional.

But I know that and pushing the ruck strength, speed and endurance is probably the most important workout I do each week even though it's been hard of late.

45 lb Ruck

12 laps

13, 420 steps

1:52 min!

last lap  7:50 not bad

no supportive stops but lots of little ones

BW 173.4
BF 13.1

44 kg one arm swings 14 x 10,44 kg goblet squats, 3 angle pullaparts

 This went pretty well.All parts in decent working order, sleep so so  but not horrible and felt ready to "get it over with" lol. have to be honest.

But focus was good as was power and bell speed. Looking at the videos the height could have been better but I'm sure I was holding back a little as we had 14 sets to do and the most I've done in this fashion was 11 last month. It compares with last months but I should be better.

But I didn't hurt anything so I'll take it

One arm swings

16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 4/4
24 kg x 4/4
28 kg x 4/4
32 kg x 4/4
36 kg x 4/4
40 kg x 3/3 ( didn't skip this bell as usual, wanted some more warmup, damp and cold again this AM)
44 kg x 10 x 14 sets
sets 7 and 14 shown

Goblet squat
24 kg  x 5
32 kg x 3
40 kg x 2
44 kg x 2

Not bad but didn't have the great hop and catch and the grip was a bit high on the horns. Good enough not to do over but not perfect
Strength was solid though

3 way pullapart red band
3 sets of 30

BW 173.6
BF 11.2
W 59 %

185 x 3 singles x 8 sets, 24 kg swings, floor pushups

 As usual did not feel any soreness until it was time to train,lol. But tired too. Literally zero prep time from last client to walking in the gym and it's frozen tundra in the gym as usual but once I got warmed up it actually felt really good. timing worked well and I was able to keep my knees locked at the start pretty  well

Press
65 85 105 x 2
135 x 2
155 x 2 singles
175 x 1
185 x 3 singles x 8

I had delusions of going up to 190 after 4 185 set but though better of it even though they were moving well
Sets 2,4,6,8

24 kg swings 5 x 8/8

floor pushups
52
52
40

Pushing muscles really  tired but good pump too

BW 174.2 !!!
BF 14.

215 x 1 225 attempt x 3, 205 x 1 x 5, wt pushups one arm laterals, bent laterals

 I actually thought this was going to go better. The warmups felt great and even the reps up to 215, while not perfect, moved fast enough that I had no doubt 225 was going on the bar

But it turns out I still couldn't keep my knees locked out enough and I missed all three

This was the third and the best of the attempts

it doesn't help either that I'm 172 lbs when the last time I did this in  June of 2021( EIGHT  months  ago! fuck) I was 176.8  But I weigh what I weigh right now and if I can hit 225 again at this light of a weight it will be even more epic at 65!

205 and 215 warmups moved well

and then onto five very good 205 downsets

Weighted pushups
BW x  10
53 lbs x 10 x 3 sets

One arm laterals 3 x 8/8 20s

Bent laterals  3 x 8 20s

BW 172.6
BF 13.5

12 lap 45 lb ruck! Back to full ruck strength!

This was a great one despite not expecting it to be after yesterday's volume and high day  work load. Very very busy but was properly hydrated, and I might actually be getting into shape again. Legs were strong and loose and lungs actually felt open early too.

I did stop and rest each lap a bit but did NOT rest the pack on a table top at all this time, a first in many  moons as well. Was rushed this morning too but it was cold and crisp and easy to get going fast, to keep warm

Started a bit slow but speed increased each lap( always a good sign) and I had more than decent energy throughout.

Calf/knee issue seems resolved thank g-d

45 lb ruck

12 laps

1:55 for 12, 2:05 door to door

13,230 steps

3.2 ave mph

BW 172.8
BF 14.0

40 kg One Arm Swings 17 x 10, 40 kg goblet squats, pullapart

 This went great. 10 is the  perfect number for these ( at least at this weight ,lol). I'm just getting my  rhythm at 5 reps and hit my peak power at 7 or 8. 10 is hard but not too much a loss of real power. Very happy with height as well even on my 17th set. Need to do 20 sets but this is the first go round with this bell and last time only did 11 sets of 10 with the 44 kg so I compromised

40 kg one arm swings

16 kg x 5/5
20 kg x 4/5
24 kg x 4/4
28 kg x 4/4
32 kg x 4/4
40 kg x 10 x 17 sets
170 reps
14,960 lbs
sets 5 and 17

goblet squats
24 kg x 5
32 kg x 5
40 kg x 2
depth could be better but no problem

Pullaparts
3 x 30 3 angles

BW 172.0
BF 11.2
W 59% ( bath)

185 x 3 dead stop singles x 4 sets, 190 x 3 dead stops x 2 sets, 24 kg speed swings, floor pushups

 Man this went great. Even tired and sore the bar moved great as the technique and the cues all worked perfectly well

Elbows up helped immensely, cleaning up lots of parts I didn't think it would affect, such  as locking the knees and helping with the start.Elbow angle should mimic torso angle I  think and that would create more bow tension in the front line. Really helped

I do notice on the reps I fell a bit backwards on I didn't keep the hips moving forward on the lockout. On the balanced reps I did keep them going forward.

But all in all very happy with this work. It seems to all be FINALLY coming together

135 x 2
155 x 2
175 x 2 felt hard
185 x 3 dead stops x  4 sets

then 195 x 3 x 2 sets this is set 1

24 kg swings  5 x 8/8

Floor pushups
2 x 52

 too tired and sore for more

BW 173.6 !
BF 13.5

205, 215, 220 205 x 1 x 4!, wt pushups, one arm laterals, rear delts

 Wow this went great. Plenty of things to clean up but considering how beat tired I was going in I can't have asked for more!

Didn't miss a rep all workout . 

Changed the mental cuing a bit and it worked well

Thought about driving from locked knees instead of the hips to start the press. timing was off ( I rushed it, go figure :) ) but the lockouts were decent,no elbow flare

Bar went too much straight up but mostly because although  I raised my elbows looking at the vids now they weren't high enough to drive the bar back quite enough for an effortless and solid lockout

Re looking back for the X at the sticking point saved the lifts. Had I not done that I think they would have stalled at 7/8

Press
195 x 1
205 x 1
215 x 1
220 x 1!! pr at 172.2 bodyweight!
205 x 1 x 4

The CUES

HIPS

ELBOWS UP

SPOT X

KNEE DRIVE

RE SPOT X 

Wt pushups

3 x 10 with 53

one arm laterals 3 x 10/10 w 20

bent  laterals  3 x 10 w 20

BW 172.2
bf 13.2!

45lb ruck 11 laps

 

Almost back to full strength. 11 strong laps and could have done 12 although I had to talk myself into the last two. Definitely not easy but not hard, more just boring.Which is rare for me as I'm so grateful to be able to walk at all.

But it's harder these days to convince myself I have to push to these levels to be fit enough to have "back of iron and legs that never quit" but if I  back off I'm afraid of the slippery slope.Especially as I turn this next age corner

I can see precisely how easy it would be to give myself more slack, stop pushing so hard, go more easy.

But I'm not trying to up the game just maintain it. But at this point that IS upping the game

So I pushed through and it was good

45lb ruck

12 laps
1:42 min ( last laps was fast)

short rest each lap, unload ruck for 30 second and shake out legs

10,350 steps

BW 172.2
BF 13.7

60 kg One arm swings x 10 RPA(PR) 68kg x 5/5, 36 kg goblet squats, pullaparts

 I thought this might be easier than it was but I don't know why I thought that. I've never done more than 5 reps per arm with either weight and even though last months sets were solid my grip was never NO problem

Nevertheless, the 48 kg last week gave me no grip issues so I thought I'd give it a go.

And I did. And I made 8 set of 10 BUT I'm not going to repeat it

Doing 10s per arm makes this pretty much 100% a grip move and I've strained my forearms before and it's shit for my elbow and shoulder so I knew pretty much right away this was not staying in the cycle

BUT it wasn't bad in retrospect AND a big big PR

60 kg one arms x 10 left arm ( 5th set) and right arm( 6th)

I definitely did not want to even try with the 68 and was actually hesitant to do set of 5, hence no transfers but they went better than expected
2 sets of 5/5

Just glad nothing tore off, although I'll actually have to wait until tomorrow AM to know that for sure

Goblet squats

20 kg x 5
24 kg x 5
32 kg x 5
36 kg x 3
working on depth

band pullaparts 3  x 30 three angles

BW 173.2
BF 11.9 Bath
W 58.5

185 x 3 singles x 7 sets, 24 kg swings, floor pushups

 This went really, really well. Better than I even hoped. I did 3 dead stop singles for each rep at each set and the end result is I got to do 21 single start reps and I could feel the technique sinking in with each set'

The bottom line is this

Hips

Elbows

Spot the X

Hip drive into hands into spot the X again

I wasn't quite sure if it was hips then hands or vice versa but Glenn said hips first and he was right. If I go hands first the bar goes forward and my  hips may or may  not get into the mix

But when I drive hips then hands I have to make sure to LOCK THE KNEES  or they bend and the bar goes forward too.

So, hips in front, elbows up, unrack and spot the X, lock the knees and drive the hips almost immediately ,the hands towards the X again. Easy peasy

sets 6 and 7 of 7 total sets

24 kg swings 5 sets of 8/8

practicing knee lock and hold

floor pushups

3 sets of 50 VERY STRONG

BW 174  FINALLY!

BF  13.7

 A very good day!

210, 215, 217 x 3/4, 205 x 1 x 3, wt pushups laterals, rear delts

 very close. this was decent. changed the elbow setup that helped a ton but forgot that with this technique I have to lead the lift with the hips not the hands and MOST IMPORTANTLY NOT LOSE CONTACT WITH THE 'X'

If if do the bar goes forward

knees bend at start- bar goes forward

lose track of the X bar goes forward

push with hands first- bar goes forward

But it was more right than wrong

Strength wasn't bad too for 173 lbs

135 x 2
155 x 1
175 x 1 fast
195 x 1 a little out in front at start. not spotting x secondarily alreayd
205 x 1 out in front
210 x 1 decent

215 x 1

217.5 x 2 misses ( this is where the spotting X really killed me) then this attempt

205 x miss, x 1 x miss x 2 !

 CUES
Hips

ELBOWS 

X

HIPS HANDS X

WT Pushups
BW x 10
53 x 10 x 3 

strong!

One arm laterals 3 x 10/10 w 20

bent laterals 3 x 10 with 20

BW 172.2
BF 14.0

Best ruck in forever

 Despite being a bit hungover this was the best ruck I've had in months. Strong the whole way through and the 36 degree crisp air helped the hangover fast. As much as I hate strength training in the cold I LOVE rucking or running in it. Helps me move faster trying to stay warm and my engine doesn't overheat

Did ten laps and could have done the full twelve no problem but didn't allot enough time and ten was enough. Still have to see how the calf is tomorrow but it feels normal so I'm betting it will be fine

The salomons are working well

45 lb ruck

10 laps

1:40 min

about 3.2 MPH ave

No squat stretches but rest pauses each lap for 20 second or so.

BW 172.2
BF 14.9

48 kg One arm swings, 12 x 10, goblet squats, pullaparts

 Harder than expected but decently strong too. Not that cold which was nice and I thought would help more but this was just hard. Height was better than it felt during the sets; grip was ok but left hand wouldn't let me put out more power without threatening to let go and hips were sore for no good reason but settled down into it.

Overall I can't complain and on video height was decent

One arm swings

16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 4/4
24 kg x 4/4
28 kg x 4/4
32 kg x 4/4
36 kg x 4/4
40 kg x 4/4
48 kg x 10 x 12 sets
Sets 5 and 11 shown

Goblet squat
20 kg x 5
28 x 5
32 x 5
36 x 3

Pullaparts
3 x 30 love these

BW 172.00 lowest yet
BF 12.0
W 58.5

Thursday Ruck

 Another weighted thursday ruck, full six lap distance and with the low top salomons. All good. Not exactly fast (20 min miles ) but no pain or issues during or after and going the full distance

Can definitely tell wearing the ruck on thursday is making it easier. Didn't feel heavy at all today

45 lb ruck

6 laps

3 miles

60 min

BW 172.8
BF 14.0

165 x 5 170 x 4.5,175 x 5 x 4, 24 kg swings, floor pushups

 What a difference a minor detail makes. By making sure my elbows were "up" at the start of the press, the bar went back instead of up and lockouts were strong and didn't stall.Also went back to old setup ( Ed Coan setup) and that worked great too. But elbows up is key

I wondered why my elbows flared for none of the usual reasons Monday and now I know. Elbows were down at the start

My eat up day yesterday worked decently and I was a pound up

173.8! I'll take it

Press

135 x 3
155 x3
165 x 5
170 x 4.5 ( lost balance at mid 5th rep)
175 x 5 x 4 sets ( strong! and pausing for 5th rep worked in many  ways. Didn't have to rush form to get it AND it allowed me to start from a dead stop simulating a first rep max

24 kg swings 5 x 8/8

floor pushups

50

50

40

strong, surprised I got 40 on the third set

BW 173.8
BF 13.3

45lb ruck back on track

 

Really good one today. Best ruck in literally months. Knee was pretty much perfect from the get, it was 33 degrees out and I was really ready to get outside this morning

Not sure if it's the salomons or not ( going to wear the gorucks on thursday to see) or just getting the fibula to track right but the leg feels 98% normal

45 lb ruck

1:25 min

9 laps

10,248 steps

no squat stretches

Legs felt really strong and steady with no weird tweaks or imbalances present for a change

BW 172.4
BF 13.3

44 kg One arm swings ( 10 reps per arm x 10 sets), goblet squats, pullaparts

 Decided to change this up and bit and do the same number of reps per set, 10, but all in one arm at a time

Wasn't sure how this would work but it came across perfectly. REALLY like it.

At five reps I'm just getting the groove and building excellent momentum ( height) into the swing. Always loved the power from the reps but the second arm just put it into too high an intensity level. This is a great compromise

regular warmup
one armswings

16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 4/4
24 kg x 4/4
28 kg x 4/4
32 kg x 4/4
36 kg x 4/4
40 kg x 4/4 ( freaking 33 degrees in the garage, needed the extra warmup)
44 kg x 10 x 11 sets

Not sure how this will play out with the big bells, the 60 and 68. don't think  10 reps is possible but perhaps 7's or eights. Give it a test run. BUT not having to deal with transfers sounds good too
goblet squat

20 kg x 5

24 kg x 5

32 kg x 5 
these went well although definitely NOT as deep as I used to do them! that's a big surprise actually but I'll get the ROM back soon, just have to focus on it

Pullaparts

3 x 30 ( three way)
think I'll keep these in on this way or do the crawls or both

BW 172.4
BF 12.1