215 x Miss twice, 205 x 1 x 2 195 x 1 x 2

 Right hip flexor woke up wonky and I had a very hard time getting my hips in front during the setup

Everything rushed then. But I survived and it wasn't that bad , although second attempt was lousy.. WAAY heavy just in the arms

Next week go back to smaller jumps. totally rushed everything today BUT the total load was solid

Handled many lifts at and above 205

135 x 1
155 x 1
175 x 1
185 x 1
195 x 1
205 x 1
215 x Miss x 2
205 x 1
195 x 1 x 2

rolling  db ext 25s x 5 x 8

12 lb laterals and rear delts 3 x 8/8

band rev curls 3 x 15

172.9

4.94 mile 35 lb ruck 1:17:56

 Wanted to go exactly five miles but  need a better route lol. Close enough

35 lb ruck

4.94

1:17:56

15;45 ave pace

116 ave BPM

first mile 16:16

second 15:55

third 15:54

4th 15:24

5th 15:14

last two laps was clocking 14:20 min mile pace!

this is great fun

40 kg one arm swings 25 x 5 ( 30 min) 40 kg belt squats 4 x 10, pullaparts 3 x 30

 This was strong. Solid. Thumb  was fine from start to finish

Just me and nick and pace was fast

173.2 BW

175 x 1 x 10 chin press, 20 kg swings 4x5/5 24 kg swings 4 x 5/5 band pushdowns 3 x 15

 These went perfectly.Good thing too as I'm having trigger thumb surgery and won't be pressing bars for two weeks but it has to get done

Plan is right arm bottoms up press as well as some one arm swings with right and bodyweight squats

The setup is key and the key to the setup is

1) feet in front

2) elbows swing up

3) push back

bw 173.9

210 chin press Pr, rolling db extensions, laterals, rear delts rev bar curl

 This went well but those small jumps are interminable! Completely necessary but SO hard to say calm while doing; I feel like I'm wasting energy I could  be using on the top set press but I have to do it

135 x 1
145 x 1
155 x 1
165 x 1
175 x 1
185 x 1
195 x 1
205 x 1
210 x 1 pr
200 x 1
195 x 1

205 got out in front at the top just a little bit.I have to place my feet just a bit more in front so I can more easily swing the elbows up. if the feet are right under the bar the elbows end up too vertical and the bar goes up/forward bit. I still controlled it but it's not perfect

Feet in front
Elbows swing under
Push  Back and Up

173.0 

Five mile ruck

 It went well but I was so close ( 9 laps = 4.7 miles it seems) that I tacked on a longer walk home to get to five

slow start again

35 lb ruck

1:18

5 miles

15:45 ave pace

1st 16:24

2nd 15:59

3rd 15:53

4th15:23

5th 15:06

172.2

32 kg swings 30 x 5 ( 30 min), 40 kg belt squats 4 x 10, pullaparts

 This was harder than expected too, especially since it was 50 reps less than the usual 20 x 10, Lower  back got a bit tight after 20 sets as the pace was very fast. Adjusted technique a bit and slowed down and it was fine

Also, thumb gripped much better than it as and that helped

Fives lets me really get the most out of each rep in each set. No doubt about it.. And going that fast is no joke

172.2

13.9 bath

Thursday ruck: heavy legs

 This was harder than expected, with my legs feeling heavy and sluggish for the first time with the 35 lb weight

The time was slower but not that much off last weeks PR ruck. As usual the last two laps were the fastest

35 lb ruck

6 laps

3.01 miles

47:01

15:37 ave pace

117  ave HR

15:48
15:46
15:16

170 lb chin press 10 x 1, 20 kg swings 5 x 5/5 24 kg swings 5 x 5/5, band pushdowns, band rev curl

 This went great. Ten sets, two more than last week and ALL were so similar I can't really tell them apart!

These are sets 1, 4 ,8 and 10

Just have to make haste slowly. Definite potential for elbow overloading

173.6

205 x 1 x 2, rolling db extensions 5 x 8, laterals rear delts bar rev curls

 This  went great aside from losing balance with my first attempt with 205 but then did 2 great reps with it.

Misloaded my ( supposed) 200 lb down set to 195 which went great. Still need to get more solid at unracking but no complaints and  no shoulder biceps or elbow issues

135 x1
145 x 1
155 x 1
165 x 1
175 x 1
185 x 1
195 x 1
205 x  miss
205 x 1 x 2
195 x 1
190 x 1

25s on the triceps and 20's for the laterals

straight exercise bar for rev curls

173.6

5 mile 35 lb ruck 1:19, 15:56 ave pace

 Bit bad but hard going as my quads were very tired from yesterdays swings and squats and a surprise visit from tracy and the dogs slowed me down on my 4th mile

but all good

mile one 16:15

mile two 16:01

mile three 15:37

mile four 16:43

mile five 14:59

173.4 bw

48 kg Swings 20 x 5, 48 kg belt squats 4 x8, pullaparts 3 x 30

 I decided I wanted to swing the 48 again, despite my thumb being very tight yesterday. IF I COULD

I hadn't realized, until I looked, that it's been months since I decided to top out at the 40 kg

Mid December . wow

But the warmups and thumb went well, I just REALLY had to set my grip AND I started all with left arm first as warmup showed it was easier than taking the transfer

These were solid, nowhere near as high or powerful as I've done BUT they were decent and got done AND I didn't tweak anything

Good, back to the old cycle but only sets of 5

32 kg 30 x 5

40 kg 25 x 5

44kg 20 x 5

48 kg 20 x 5

172.4

13.0 after bath
56.7 ( dehydrated)

3 mile 35 lb ruck pr : 45:24!

 Another 3 mile 35 lb ruck PR

Getting closer

35 lbs

3 miles

45:24

15:31 first mile

15:03 second mile

14:43 third

130 hr

Chin Press 170 x 1 x 8, 20 kg swings 4 x/5/5, 24 kg swings 4 x 5/5, purple band pushdowns 4 x 10, exercise bar rev curls 4 x8/6

 This went super good today. Totally solo and it was fine.

Really focused on the setup and they went pretty much identically

135
145
155
165 
170 x 1 x 8

The Rehband sleeves are amazing and a blessing, perfect for this style. Just enough support but not too much

And what a surprise I could do barbell reverse curls again with no thumb or bicep tendon pain

And it seems my trigger thumb, sans splint is ( slowly) getting better!

173.2

205 x 1 !!! Chin press

 Feels like it's been months but I guess only 3 weeks or so. Warmup went well and mental state was solid, for a change

135 x 1
155 x 1
165 x 1
175 x 1
185 x 1
195 x 1
205 x 1 !!
200 x 1 ok but a bit out in front
195 x 1 x 1
185 x 1

Key thing is to  get the elbows up and in on unracking

Otherwise they end up vertical and so does my torso. Bar goes out in front a bit that way

No tricep,elbow or shoulder stress in the workout or now, three hours post workout

Elbow sleeves  are perfect. Just enough support but not too much

rolling db extensions 4 x 8 25 lbs

laterals rear delts 3 x 8 15s

reverse band curls  3 x 15 red band

173.6

Sunday 35 lb ruck

 This was decent. Started slow and got a bit better at the end

35 lb ruck

9 laps

1:14 time

15:40 ave pace

4.73 miles

SPLITS:

16:15

16:05

15:49

15:09

14:52!

173.2

7:40 min sleep on DST switch

44 kg swings 20 x 5( 35 min ), 44 kg belt squats 3 x 8, pullaparts 3 x 30

 Very weird session. Nick cancelled at last minute and glenn was hurt and my thumb was having a hard time so I was adjusting my grip.. Not a good thing with 44 kg. Going to have surgery asap. just get it fixed.. tired of this

But all in all the swings were decent and my legs have recovered from the DOMs enough to do the workout

173.4

35 lb ruck 3 miles 46:39, 15:30 ave pace

 Went back and re measured the distance for my half mile loop and I was right; it was spot on. Using the stopwatch and the walking app must have messed it up

All good but my quads were ( are) toast! from the fast mile walk and the 100 squats. I'll give it another go and see if I adapt and get less sore but I don't want to be so sore for my ruck

If I don't adapt I'll change it back to swings or clubs

Ordered new elbow sleeves as I think they are going to help on the press. certainly can't hurt

Normal muscle soreness from the presses( mainly mid upper back) but triceps and elbows were fine

173.4

175 x 1 x 10 Chin Press , BW squats 5 x 20, rev band curls, band pushdown

 This was very decent. The only mistake I made was unracking with too much leg and not enough arm tension. I was confused about that from the very start.What I did on Monday ( which was correct) was done un consciously and today I was thinking about it

But, in retrospect, that was the problem, not enough arm tension. And still all ten moved great

Noon weighin ( bath)
174.2

10.1 bf

MaxVo2 One Mile Walk Test

 Had a cancellation today and was feeling VERY spry; NO residual anything from yesterday's presses. Pretty amazing actually

Last time I did this was Feb 1 2024 so almost a year to the month. I wrote that I did 13:31 for the two lap mile with a HR of 155 ( hand counted) after ten seconds. I wrote that gave me a max vo2 of 41 but that doesn't seem right

Warmed up with a  1/2 mile at 6 min half mile or so so I had hopes for a 13 min mile and a lower HR

Used the stopwatch on the apple watch to time the first half mile then turned it off. BUT when I started the test the aver pace was already too high. I just kept watching the stopwatch but it distracted me thinking it wasn't right

Passed the first lap in 6 :30 pace so I thought I was golden but when I hit the second lap that I started it said I still had .04 to go or something!

It  didn't register the mile til I got back to where I started     THE WARMUP 

ACK

But based on two laps

13:15 mile

HR at finish 130

Max vo2 score 36.2

Rating Excellent

VERY close to a superior rating

Oh I also wore my old Go Rucks but I'm not used to them. Let anterior tib started tightening up 1/4 mile in: not used to this pace but I still gutted it out

Next time: normal ruck boots
                  don't use stopwatch to time warmup

                 GO FASTER 

155-200-180 Chin Press! rolling db ext 3x8 with 25s, laterals, rear delts, rev band curls

 This went great! Tried to just go as naturally as I could and not overthink things. Wore elbow sleeves too and that seemed to help

135x1
155x1
165x1
175 x1
185x1
190x1
195x1
200x1
190x1
180x1

Very sure I could have done 205 but didn't want to push anymore til I see how things are 24 hours post

Once I realized my elbow flair is not new I just accepted it and went by feel

the rolling db ext felt great but hard! can't believe I used 65's for set of 8!

also weighed 175.2 this morning! Impossible burger for the win lol

Sunday ruck in the rain

 Wow, quads were sore from the start today! good sore. though it would affect my ruck more but it didn't

another fast and strong one! 35 lbs is the sweet spot it seems

35lb ruck

9 laps

4.73 miles

1:13

15:27 ave mile pace!

lots of stopping to put  on and take off raincoat!

Slept great 7.5 hrs!

174.6

12.9 no bath  my body likes the impossible whopper it seems lol

40 kg swings 20 x 5 ( 25 min) 40 kg belt squat 4 x 10, Chin press 45-115 x 1

 This went well. Trigger thumb actually seems to be better after a week of wearing the splint 22 hours a day ( training and such), so I will put off the surgery for a bit more and see what happens

SO I could grip the bell harder and that was certainly better than last week. Of course I was doing five's not tens; back to my old current style with the armed glued and leaning back at the top to maximize bell height

Definitely staying with this style it's the strongest and safest

Probably going to just do 20-22 sets of 5 with all the bells going forward
wk1 36
wk2 40
wk3 44
wk4 48

rinse and repeat. that should be plenty

40 kg belt squats
wow my legs got sore in ONE DAY from this

4 x 10 haven't done this in a minute

Chin presses ; just very light grease the groove

173.4