185 x 1 x 5, 190 x 1 x 4, 195 x 1 x 4, 20 kg swings 5 x 8/8, db curls 3 x 8, pushups 40

 This went very well and  learned a few very important things

1) push hips as far forward as possible after set up. If not far enough I end up to vertical

2) Don't just look for the X SPOT IT AND STAY FIXATED ON IT! When I just 'saw' but lost fixation my chin dropped and the bar went forward a bit

On the sets I did this the bar FLEW

175.0

205 x 1 x 10! great day! laterals, rear delts, wt bar pushups

 What a great workout!  The technique worked great at 205 and the small changes I made also made things better. To be honest I had very little faith this would actually work but it worked spectacularly and gave me so much hope ( been running low on that )

The two new cues that really seemed to help were :

1) Think "right" arm when I unrack ( so I dont have the right side drop)

2) Squeeze glutes to push hips forward ( NOT just move hips forward)

3) REDRIVE the hips at sticking point ( I wasn't sure I would remember during the grind but I did)

CUES

Push Right
Squeeze glutes hips forward
Drive head to X
Re Drive hips

this one above was wrong. I leaned back BEFORE driving the head and bar got forward.DON'T DO THIS

174.6

Sunday Ruck

 Slept well but legs were tired and heavy from the start from Saturdays  training so overall time was a bit slow but everything was stead

Second half definitely sped up with top speed of 4.1 mph and good stride length

45 lb ruck

9 laps

1:30 min

4.5 miles

174.4

44 kg swings 25 x 5, 48 kg belt squats 3 x 10, pistols 3 x 5, pullaparts 3 x 30

 Terrible nights sleep for no good reason but swings were as strong as ever. Right arm is now, finally equal in height to left. Cardio good too, same I go, you go speed but it wasn't easy though as last week

Decided to bump the belt squat weight up as I want to go up to 60 kg for the top weight
so it will be 40 kg on 32 kg swings, 44 for 40 kg swings, 48 for 44 swings and 60 kg for 48

BW 174.4

Fast hot ruck

 This was a big surprise. Super fast and loose legs right from the start. SO nice. and while it was hot (high 70s) it wasn't too bad and there was some breeze

Kept expecting my legs to get tired but they didnt'. how nice for a change,especially on a thursday

45 lb ruck

6 laps

3 miles

53 minutes~!!

4.1 mph top speed

35.8 top stride length

174.4

Hybrid Technique 195 x 1 x 9, 200 x 1 x 2, 20 kg swings 5 x 8/8, floor pushups 35, 25, curls

 This worked great. Took a few reps to get the timing down past very basic but not too long to discover some power and strength in the start position

It's the hip position setup  as the load the bow but the upper body angle of drop and pop,combined with the 'throw the head' to intiate technique lol. all rolled into one

My initial head position was too low( intersection of wall and ceiling) which made my head have to travel too far as I looked back for the X, so I raised it 20deg or so and it worked much better

False grip,WAAAY more lat involvement AND more pecs

I did not RE DRIVE my hips after I initiated the launch and those are the reps that stalled a bit.

But I'm very comfortable in the setup (can hold it without feeling I'm losing  balance) and the heave/launch  start feels natural too.

Next week multiple sets with 205 and see

174.2

Shit press day

 Man I could do NOTHING right  today. Played with  few ideas early but abandoned them quickly ( false grip load the bow ) etc but by 195 went back to "stiffen then drop and pop"

What's happened over time is my strength  and groove has changed to a more upright, shoulder press version of what I was doing before BUT my shoulders still aren't normal and it won't work for the lockout.

Not enough hip drive just arm and shoulder. that's why I can't lockout; it's ok up to the sticking point but I'm too upright to get under it

Up and down again, playing with techniques. No bueno

Missed 215 at 3/4 two times

this was after all kinds of testing

then laterals, rear delts, curls

I was abnormally sore going in in the shoulders and legs . Not tired but sore

Sat and Sun must have taken out of me more than I thought

174.8

13.4

Sunday Ruck Fast!

  Surprisingly strong and fast. 4.5 miles in 1:23 min or so. Hit a top speed of 4.9 MPH and the last half mile in 7:55! Not blazing but way better than of late.

Everything was solid nice cool crisp morning too, always helps

45 lbs

9 laps

1:23

4.5 miles

10,071 

174.8

13.4  ( no bath!)

40 kg Swings 25 x 6, 40 kg belt squat 3 x 10 pistols 3 x 5, pullaparts

 SUPER strong today. Slept really well and was a strong under the bell as I can imagine

Best height on swings as well
All systems go

40 kg x 25 x 6 in 35 min 

174

13.4 B

Thursday ruck

 Running on low sleep. Super hot, dead air and just getting my steps in 

45 lbs

6 laps

65 min

not too slow a pace but lots of rest pauses

215 x X x 3 205 x 1 x 5, 20 kg swings 5 x 8/8, laterals db curls

 despite the misses at 215 from sheer fatigue ( monday) the groove and form was more than decent. Really created leg stiffness just as I drop and pop really works, just have to get stronger in it

Elbows were flaring from the fatigue and man I was I could take a medium grip in this. I really think it would help keep my elbows from spinning out!

195 x 1
205 x miss ( balance)
215 x 3/4 x 3 ( pure fatigue)

205 x 1 x 5

they all pretty much looked like this

Cues were

Elbows up
Spot the X
Stiffen the legs into drop and pop

it felt very  natural after the first few sets and I felt I could be aggressive even in 'going for it'

174.8

190 x 1 x 9 205 x 1, laterals rear delts

What a cluster fuck . Started right away too. Completely lost as to how to start. was trying to hold the bar as my shoulders layed back then pushed the  hips forward. Nothing

Crzy nothing. then went down then up then down then up again . Ended up ok with a tight legged drop n pop but MAN!

135 x 1
155 x 1
175 x X
175 x 1
195 x X
195 x 1
205 x 1 ( barely)
215 x X x 2
180 x 1
200 x 1 
205 x 1

then set up with elbows up, spotting the X lock the knee then drop and pop

the drop and pop seemed to work much better with locked knees

ELBOWS UP

X

'ROOT'

DROP AND POP

190 x 1 x 9 sets
205 x 1

 

 all things considered the 205 was good. I was just fatigued from 23 sets or so!

Wednesday I stress  test this

175.0

Sunday Ruck

 THREE NIGHTS SHIT SLEEP IN A ROW!

FUCK

I was hard getting out the door but surprisingly the ruck wasn't bad at all. Don't know how that happened but I'll take it

45 lb ruck

9 laps

4.5 miles

10,380 steps

1:30 min. Not fast but not bad

top speed 3.6 mph

stride length top 30.6

174.6

32 kg swings 20 x 10, 32 kg belt squats 3 x 8, pistols 3 x 5, pullaparts 3 x 30

 Hard one . Two nights poor sleep. Stress, etc . It got done but HR was more elevated than normal because of all that

32 kg swings

20 x 10 in 23 min or so. basically ten reps on the minute by accident. we just went fast HR around 140

hammies were talking to me early for some reason. Must have been sitting back more than quad loading

belt squats ; only did 8s as legs and lungs were toasty

pistols 5s are getting easy now and depth is getting better too

pullaparts as usua

174.4

Thursday heat ruck

 Wow, that was a surprise. SO strong and fast and a legit 80 degrees with no breeze or clouds!

couldn't believe how good I felt but I'll take it

45 lbs

6 laps

3 miles

53 min

last lap 8:07

174.2

Kono press

 

Kono Press 205 x 1 x 11 sets PR, kb press 20 x 3,24 x 3 28 x 2, 20 kg swings 4 x 8/8

 Decidded to try the kono start position again, even change my head position (  didn't last) to looking up and in thinking I could get away from the spot the x but it didn't take) But the idea of 'falling away from the bar' did seem to work a bit

Ended with with no drop and pop OR lowering the bar from the higher unrack position

It seems I have to "hold" the bar as I fall back but NOT push up on it til after or it will go forward

did 175, 195 x 1 x 2 then 

205 x 1 x 11

 swings 20 x 8/8 x 4

kg press 28 was heavy! and left arm spun out even with my attempt at a single bell version of my bar press

174.8

Sunday ruck

 Despite feeling a bit hungover this was very strong and decently fast. Best in weeks!

45 lb 

9 laps

1:30 ( must have taken more rest breaks than I thought)

4.5 miles

174.8

15.9 !
56%

48 kg swings 20 x 5, 48 kg belt squats 3 x 10, pistols 3 x 5, pullaparts 3 x 30

 Strange one. Fast pace and decently strong but mentally disconnected. have to REALLY remember, especially on these heavy days, to make sure to lat engage before I hike pass. Second time I forgot this early on and can feel it in my left biceps. Don't forget again!

The 48 is NOT the 44 and the technique is different enough that I have to go slowly into the first few sets ( sit back more at start AND at top. My grip getting challenged on left is a cue I'm not paying attention

Also, NO MORE SKIPPING the 44. Take the weight!

Pistols went very well. Depth is better and reps are up. SO strange tho I thought my knee WAS locked.have to fix that

174.8

195 x 1 x 8, 225 x miss x 2, 205 x 1, 20 kg swings 5 x 8/8, floor pushups 45, 40

 This went great and I damn near made 225 on a second attempt at the end. This is going to work

Wasted a few warmup sets with false grip till I realized I have to wrap the thumb to push  the bar back over my head enough

And also realized the HIGHER I rack the back on my collarbone the higher off the pins it starts and this important

 FIRST TIME EVER  taking a 195 -225 lb jump and it felt fine, literally the same as 195 I just needed more power at the start

BW 176 at noon