217.5 x 1 x 5( pr) ,205 x 1 x 3, laterals, rear delts, pushdown

 Pretty  decent session. PR's are always good. Never handled this weight  for so many  reps before but most were not pretty. Strong but slightly forward.

Techniques seemed good but too much knee flex and bar goes up and not back enough. Hips too late. Think I was starting from hands too much and not enough hips

Stayed on X well tho and 'got under it' too.

Took seven attempts to make 5

one of the better ones. missed the second one outright in front next is set 3

then 3 down sets with 205. same problem here, out in front. this is the last one and the best

I let myself go back to setting up with the hip front ( probably too much) and this creates the knee flex and my COM goes vertical instead of horizontal.

This is me trying to initiate from the hips. With my hips too far forward it always goes into an up and down movemnt

But damn I am strong and there was plenty of 'grind time' as Glenn said lol

Next try is a more vertical unracking and then starting with the hips. last time I tried this I led with the hands and result was the same, slow hips

laterals

rear delts

pushdowns heavy 3 x 10

BW 174.4

BF 14.1

noon

175.2

10.2

60.4

Sunday Ruck

 Slow start but decent one. Sidetracked by close encounters with doggos this week but between the pets the lap times were good

Not too sore from yesterdays big bells too

Gait feels really good, as do legs and lungs, able to stride out pretty early  in the ruck

Not too hot with  an occasional breeze

45 lb ruck

9 laps

1:23 

ave speed 3.5 mph

174.4

14.0

The last 60 kg one arm swings, 60 kg belt squats, pullaparts

 I've decided to stop swinging the 60 kg. At least for the foreseeable future. It's been five years(!) now at it and I can't say it's not getting better, because it is; it's just that it's starting to concern me more and more that I'm going to tweak something in the process and, frankly, it's just not worth it.

I gave up the 68 for the same reason and now it's time to retire the 60 as well. It was a strong last session tho and I'm happy about that. It's just more about raw strength now than anything else and I really don't need to be that strong. The 48 is plenty heavy enough

The New Macro Cycle
week one : 32 kg 10 sets of 10/10

week two : 40 kg 20 sets of 5/5

week three: 44 kg 16 sets of 5/5

week four 48 kg 20 sets of 5 ( one arm at a time)

going to a Pavel'esque technique of just training one arm at at time I think will really let me concentrate on heavy power out put with the 48.We'll see of course

BW 173.8

BF  13.0
W 57.9 ( delayed bath)

Strong fast ruck

 Surprisingly strong and fast today despite it being decently hot with no breeze. I not only was strong but could step on the gas pretty well after the first two laps

45 lb ruck

6 laps

3 miles

51:17

17 min and .05 sec per mile

I really felt like I could 'embrace' the heat better than ever. Not fight it Not sure if it will last but it seems to be progressing week to week like this

Very happy  with this

Cold shower after was easy too. stepped full in but still couldn't get the back fully. soon tho

174,4

14.0

155-195-180 3 pyramid, 20 kg swings, pushdowns

 Another PR! 195 for 3 which surprised me, not only that I got it but how strong it was. Not enough  sleep last night either but technique held and new corrections were spot on

X

Hips

Pushup

 Get under bar

also did another 175 x 3 downset

20 kg swings 5 x 8/8

light pushdowns

3 x 20

174.2

13.3

57.7  no bath

Lessons from yesterdays session

  

Find the X

load the bow and push up on bar to take off

keep pressure on the bar after take off

drive hips AS I press up - basically hips THEN hands ( almost simultaneously)

get under the bar for leverage

225 x 1 ( two plates 14th time) 205 x 1 x 5, laterals, rear delts, pushdowns

 

This went great! Definitely made the right call as to taking 215 before 225 as I rushed it and barely made it, made the correctly for two plates and it went

205 warmup

ugly 215, stayed too vertical on unracking and got too much  knee bend, always sends the bar fwd

I fixed it on the 225 but by accident. I thought I could unrack more vertically and it would just allow for a longer hip drive but it seems I have to have some bow tension or my legs kick in early

I got it down to these cues

X

Push up

Get under the bar!

that last cue is crucial just  get under the bar and I can get leverage

then back to 205 for 1 x 5 (4th rep made but lost balance back)

SO the important points

Start by finding X

Stand up with arm pressure and keep pushing up 

Let hips load in front of bar on take off

Push bar up and get hips forward ASAP!

DON'T RUSH

laterals
rear delts  3 x 8/8 20s

heavyband pushdowns  3 x 10

173.6

13.1

noon

175

10.6

60.1  bath

been taking zinc gluconate 25 mg for three days, already feel it. definitely deficient

Fast strong ruck!

 

Haven't been able to write  those words for a sunday ruck in forever. This was good from  the start, almost like this last thursday

Slept good , its still hot but tolerable and got out early at 6:30

Added zinc gluconate 25 mg to the diet a few days ago and actually think somethings better

But, either way NO REST STOPS!! Haven't done that in eons! Just didn't need to, Crazy, Legs felt fluid and on auto pilot and the heat was not a problem

45 lb ruck

9 laps

4.5 miles

1:17

17:38 / mile

ave speed 3.6 top speed 3.8

Good stride length  too 31.1

174,6

13.7

Lets hope this trend carries over to tomorrows 225 attempt

48 kg One Arm Swings 12 x 5/5, 48 kg belt squats, pullaparts

 First couple sets were off a bit but then things kicked into high gear. One of the strongest and fastest 48 kg workouts in forever
Fast pace but I didn't feel like I was gonna die and it's toasty  here. Maybe the heat conditioning is works

16 kg x 5/5/x 2
24 kg x 4/4  ( nicks jump)K
28 x 3/3
32 x 3/3
36 x 3/3
40 x 3/3 ( already feeling good)
48 x 5/5 first set iffy, grip was slipping
48 x 5/5 x 11 sets 

Somehow it cleared up. First two sets were a little in my back, too. but that dropped right off. Really thinking LEGS

48 kg belt squat 3 x 8 strong too

pullaparts 3 x 30

174.2

13.7 no bath, too hot

Thursday Ruck HOT

 

Toasty today. 80 ish, no clouds almost no  breeze but it got done too

Decent mental attitude for a change

Looking forward to the cold shower on my first step out into the cauldron lol

45 lb 

6 laps

3 miles

55 min

minimal rest stops

174.2

14.1

155-185-165 full pyramid, 20 kg swings, light pushdowns

 Tough one. I wasn't sore from Mondays work but my  CNS was. It was super hot and I've been pushed hard with all the  animal stuff

But  it got done and it wasn't bad at all. It just didn't feel good but oh well

Also did pauses on each rep from 135 to 165 and 1) it was harder than I expected and 2) it didn't put  me in the better position I thought it would so I went back to touch and go at 175 and it was better. but I was cooked

135 x 3 p
155 x 3 P
165 x 3 P
170 x 3 P
175 x 3
180 x 3
185 x 3
180 x 2  1/2 ( missed third)
170 x 3
165 x 3

20 kg swings 4 sets of 8/8 

I so hate doing swings after presses on wednesday have to figure this out. I need the extra session but it doesnt fit with press

Maybe before? Maybe light snatches again?

pushdowns 3 x 20 15 15

174.6

13.4

215 x 1 x 8 PR, laterals, rear delts, pushdowns

 Another  crazy life day; this time with  Ronin at the vet dentist. Did not go into the session with a good head but still seemingly pulled it out.

Main things,better than last week overall and was able to make the correction I wanted: driving hips almost simultaneously with the press start

Super light  bodyweight  between the heat and the stress : 173.6 

Really, in retrospect quite the significant workload and intensity

BW 173.6
BF 13.9

Sunday Ruck

 Strong still!

Hot from the start, no breeze and no cloud cover but pace was good, legs loose, lungs open and mind good. Heat didn't bother me at all til the last lap and a half. heat conditioning is kicking in; but so  much of it is in my  mental approach

45 lb ruck

9 laps

1:20

4.5 miles

speed up to 3..8 MPH

10, 301 steps

173.8

13.9

44 kg One arm swings 16 x 5/5, 44 kg belt squat 3 x 10, pullaparts

 Strong day. Fast pace, solid height  and power with not too much  effort. Really focused on locking into the standing plank and trying to hold it while the bell floats. Not as good a height as the 40 but better than ever

power stayed up to the last set, too

44 kg belt squats 3 x 10 these felt solid too

pullaparts 3 x 30

BW 173.6 !! 

BF 15.0 no bath super hot last night

Thursday Ruck

 

Hottest one yet this year. High 80's no clouds, no breeze. Just hard hot work but heat conditioning is definitely improving

45 lb ruck

6 laps

3 miles

55 min

3.6 MPH  ave

Strong

173.8

14.0

135-190 x 3 pyramid, 20 kg swings, db kickbacks

 Slept like a champ last night for the first time in forever and good lord I needed it! We had to put Petunia down on Monday and I was in cat hospice for the three days prior. Loved her so but she was 18 1/2 years old and just crashed hard on Monday

So today was solid but energy  was just so so. I'll take it

135 x 3
155 x 3
165 x 3
170 x 3
175 x 3
180 x 3
185 x 3
190 x 3 ties pr
180 x 3
175 x 3 ( first rep forward a bit so )
163 x 3 paused.

technique and timing were good today  but legs just didnt feel strong. I could get the lockout but it was harder to hold than it should have been

Cues

X

Stand and Lock

X

Push Hips

Next week I will do all sets like this last 165 x 3 sets 3 pauses. Then the benefits of triples but also 30 first reps~

20 kg swings  4 x 8/8

20 lb db kickbacks  3 x 10

experiment. really like these

174.8

13.5

215 x 1 x 7 PR, 205 x 1 x 3 laterals rear delts heavy pushdowns

 Just a mess emotionally and physically from the weekend. Cat's dying and Ronin had a dental emergency( not as bad I was worried about but mental stress big time) Plus no sleep so I amazed I got anything today

Actually was pretty solid but bar was out in front too much at lockout and I didn't figure out why til the last two sets:

with  weights at 215 or above I have to start the hip drive sequence immediately after I start to push.

It's gotta be Push/Drive! or the bar hangs up

Everything else was right

Spot X

Elbows up and stand up and lock in

Re Spot X

Push up and hip drive forward right  away

Still need to lock in better but not bad considering. Not knowing I need so much earlier hip  drive made me impatient

then laterals rear delts and pushdowns

174.4

13.5

Sunday Ruck

 

Ah  cool breeze! 54 degrees and overcast. perfect. and a really solid outing. one of the best in awhile again.

45 lb ruck

9 laps

4.5 miles

1:17

10,056 steps

all systems were go. felt I am getting back into more of a POSE lean stride than I have in quite awhile. I've been trying to in the past but it wasn't as strong but now it seems to be back

173.8

13.7

40 kg One arm swings, 20 x 5/5, 40 kg belt squats 3 x 10, pullaparts 3 x 30

 This went way better than expected. Short on sleep again ( cat, this time) but felt really good anyway and it translated to the swings

Bell height, power and ease of movement was there from the first set and carried through to the 20th.

Very happy with this session and fast pace too with no problem for a change

40 kg one arms/ normal warmups

Belt squats

even these were strong and I was hitting depth pretty quickly too

pullaparts 3 x 30

BW 173.8 !!
BF 12.7
W 58.2

135-190-175 full pyramid, 20 kg swings, pushdowns

 Pretty much a perfect day although another bad nights sleep, this time from fireworks

But the techniques worked brilliantly, some more refinements were made and I didn't have a bad rep AND I got an all time pr of 190 for 3

135 x 3
155 x 3
165 x 3
170 x 3
175 x 3
180 x 3
185 x 3 ( stronger than last week)
190 x 3 all time PR
180 x 3
175 x 3!

Minor refinements:
Spot x
Push  up to lock strongly ( let elbows move slightly in front of bar)
Re Spot X
Push to X and hip drive

180 x 3

185 x 3

190 x 3 PR

then 180 x 3 and 175 x 3 all pretty much  the same form speed and lockout

Speaking of which, some of my best, if not my best lockouts ever

20 kg swings 5 x 8/8

band pushdowns 3 x 20

BW 174.8
BF 13.1

noon

176.2

10.0

60.6 

Sunday Ruck Hot

 A day late posting  but it got done

Hot from the start after two 95+ degree days. Dead calm at start no breeze

45 lb ruck

9 laps

1:20 minutes

Didn't track laps times but was strong probably 8:20 min 1/2 miles

 Big sweat but no problems

215 x 1 x 6 sets (PR),205 x1 x 4, side and rear delts, pushdowns heavy

 Dead as a doorbell from heat  induced dog lack of sleep but still pulled things together enough for this PR.Actually was hoping for 7 or 8 sets but had to grind a bit on 2-3 of them and thought it better to not be greedy

Technique held, cues worked great but had to add one- re acquire the X after locking out the knees. If I don't do that way to easy to drift a little and push the bar out in front

SO

X and Lock

X again

Push and Hips

135 x 3

155 x 2
175 x 1
195 x 1
205 x miss on balance ( had bar TOO high on neck)

205 x 1  set 1

Set two I didn't lead with the hands and ended up griding
Set three was good

set 4 of 6 good too

set five was off and grindy this is set 6

then sets 1 x 3 with 205 second set out in front a bit but they all moved fast

 the laterals rear delts and pushdowns
4 am
173.8
13.0

noon
175.4
10.3
60.3 ( bath)

60 kg One Arm Swings 9 x 5/5, 60 kg belt squats 3 x 8, pullaparts

 Tough  one day. Been a rough three days and nights for various reasons and my mind was not calm at all

Had to get it done and it did but was not my best day. Height and power were not as I hoped for but decent at the same time

Only did 9 sets as I was just beat. Oh it was the start of our heat wave and we were resting 1.5 / sets. Still not used to a two man rotation yet

But it got done

60 kg belt squats 3 x 8

these felt solid

pullaparts 3 x 30

BW 173.8 ( oh yea this didn't help either)
BF 12.5 B