40 kg swings 25 x 6, 40 kg belt squats 3 x 10, pistols, pullaparts

 

strong day. fast pace and groove felt  very solid. power and bell height solid too

173.6

13.7 b

190 x 1 x 5. 195 x 1 x 5, 16 kg snatch 3 x 7/7, pushdowns

  This went great. Focusing on 'feeling it in my head' and seeing myself do it works much better than paint by numbers I think

Pushup

Pushdown

Internal bounce

Spot X

are the numbers. Turning myself into a rigid concrete column is the visual worked well but as I got tired I had to make sure to watch the  X or the bar moved forward

Also probably better to do the sets of 195 first THEN 190 but it was a great practice

174.4

220 miss ( ALMOST) 205 x 1 x 5 , laterals rear delts floor pushups

 This went almost perfectly. Just a few inches shy of lockout on 220 but the technique worked, held and felt very comfortable

The stronger I pushed up on unracking and the locking the knees at sticking point really made the difference

More warmups at the lower weights ( multiple set up singles) also helped. Rolled the dice and made the jump from 205-220 and it was the right move

Just have to get many more reps under my belt with this technique. It's a keeper

Slow and steady ruck

 Slept well but thought yesterday's high volume swings and squats might drain me a bit and they did.

No worries I was ready for a slow one for a change. Body felt good, no dizziness just a bit fatigued

45 lb ruck

9 laps

10,003 steps

1:35 min with rest stops 

4.5 miles

173.4

32 kg swings 20 x 10, 32 kg belt squats 3 x 10, supported pistol practie 3 x 4

 Rough one today. Woke up a bit dizzy in the middle of the night and it continued in the morning. Not bad but I had to do the half somersault maneuver this AM to settle things down, Glenn came down with covid and we trained the day before so I was worried about that.

And we went fast as it was just Nick and I. 20 sets in 30 min exactly. HR was around 150 mid sets. Respiration was up too but not sure it just wasn't anxiety
Not covid, at least not yet

Feel much less dizzy as the day went on  ( 4 pm now)

173.2

13.5 ( late bath)

Thursday ruck

 Decent ruck. Not cool but not hot either

Tested last lap speed and ended up with 18 min mile and 18 beats per 10 sec which equals 108 BPM which seems low but that's what it was

45 lbs

6 laps

3 miles

54 min total time

190 x 1 x 5, 195 x 1 x 3, 205 x 1 x 2, 16 kg snatch 5 x 5/5, band pushdowns 3 x 10

 This went great. Changed back to a full thumb grip, racked the bar a bit higher and really focused on locking the knees at the start

Later in the workout I realized how crucial RE locking the knees at the sticking point is, too

I based everything off of this series of great presses last year , just about this time

https://rifsblog.blogspot.com/2023/03/225-two-plates-x-1-205-x-1-x-5-66th.html

and this two plate make, the only time I've 225 in back to back workouts and just missed in a third

https://rifsblog.blogspot.com/2023/03/225-lb-press-13th-timetwo.html

today went great

Push up
Pushdown
Push to X

HAVE to remember that at the sticking point to re lock the knees OR they get soft, I sink and the bar goes forward

kb snatch

5 x 5/5

better than last week. pretty happy with my overhead lockout on both sides!

174.4

195, 200, 205,210, 215 miss x 2, laterals rear delts

 No bueno

I thought I was laying back but instead I was pushing the hips forward! SO fucking picky this lift! argh
So focused on keeping elbows up, which I did but still all over because of the forward translation instead of laying back

195 x 1
200 x 1
205 x 1 slow
210 x 1

then 205 x 1 slower then TWO misses at 205

then 175 just : going for it

that felt good then 195 and 205 felt good too. looking over the video now I was indeed laying back on these

as usual I'm over thinking it instead of just trying to create maximum power

then laterals and rear delts

174.4

Sunday Ruck

  Another solid one as well.

45 lbs

9 laps

3 miles

1:22 min!

last lap 16 min or so HR after 10 secs = 16 beats

that means 96 BPM which can't be right but it was the count!

174.4

48kg swings 20 x 5, 48 kg belt squats 3 x 8, pistol practice, pullaparts 3 x 30

 This was strong. and fast. 25 min start to finish and there were three of us this time.I'm surprised the AXE style training is actually helping cardio as well as power

174.2

Thursday ruck

First weighted ruck in a week and it was solid.expected for it to feel heavier and me slower but all was good

45 lb ruck

5 laps

2.5 miles

50 min

17 min miles

feet were sore the next day tho  

195 x 1 x 12, 16 kg snatch 3 x 5/5 ,floor pushups 35 x 2

 Back on track. Looked back over my best presses(again!) and came up with this one, just three months ago. Titled " my best press day ever" there had to be something there and there was

First I ever jumped 205 to 225 and crushed it.on first attempt no less

https://rifsblog.blogspot.com/2023/10/225-x-1-16th-best-press-day-ever.html

The basics of load the bow

Set the arch

Layback and spot the X

Layback again and press to X

It worked great but I stopped doing it so what went wrong?

Today I found out. I dropped my elbows! that pushed the bar out front. I have to

Set the arch, lift the elbows

Layback and KEEP THE ELBOWS UP

Layback again and press to   X

Also , I have to really lay back and get super tight to be able to lay back again  (pull the trigger).It's way further than I THINK

The feel however is not. it's about getting SUPER TIGHT IN ARCH WITH THE ELBOWS UP

Good day today

 Not bad for a first day back at this technique and not realizing how critical the elbows were til the fifth set or so

then Kb snatches. thought they might be good to open up my shoulders more, work the upper back and shoulder strength unilaterally

they  felt great but we'll see tomorrow

LOTS of crunching going on in the shoulders especially right

174.8

215 miss x 2 205 x 1 x 3 ( + misses), wt pushups, laterals rear delts

 This didn't work either. As usual felt good but not enough starting speed and stalled at sticking point with 215 twice and two reps on 205 downset! ack

And I'm still bending my knees to start!

175.0

Sunday Walk in the rain

 Big storm no ruck but decent 3 mile fast walk. Incredible just how different rucking and walking really are. Now I get how close walking and running are without the extra weight

3 miles

6 laps

48 min!

16 min miles

totally soaked

44 kg swings 25 x 5, 44kg belt squats 3 x 10, pistol practice

 Strong, fast day. all 25 sets in about 28 min which is ten min faster than last time I think. Either way cardio. Power height and acceleration was solid, as was technique.

Seem to be sitting back more than quad dominant of later( athletic hinge) and it feels good. Definitely less load on the back.

then belt squats also good after the first set warms up the quads and some ring pistol practice. I like this assist technique the best

174.2

13.7 bath

1 mile Max Vo2 test walk 13:31~~ 4:44 MPH and 41 est max vo2

 Got an early cancellation and it called for rain at my usual rucking time so I decided to give this test a go.

I've been thinking about for a few weeks

1/2 mile warmup in  7:15 the the full two lap walk that ended with a strong 13:31! Don't know if thats my all time fastest but if not it's close

counted 15/16 beats in 10 sec and that correlates to a 41/42 Maxvo2 for my age although the chart stopped at 65 lol

It's almost 'elite' for the next age group down 55-59

really strong effort and very easy too

any faster I would have to break into a jog

155 x 5x5 175 x 1 185 x 1 195 x 1, 20 kg swings 5 x8/8 floor pushups 35, 31

 This was a good idea but I discovered somethings. If I hit the eccentric groove wrong on even a light weight my left should can shift. I haven't had that in months ( since I did reps last) and I don't like it

Doesnt happen with singles

Two, the reps allow me to stay more upright but heavier weights ( as I found out with even 185 and 195) require a much deeper backbend with the reps don't prepare me for. this is why it never converted before

The load the bow technique seems the right one but very hard to master 

 BW 175.0

205 x 1 x 10 (PR) laterals, rear delts, wt pushups

This actually didn't go anywhere near as strong as I thought it would! 135 felt heavy. Ack No real reason for it but it doesn't need a reason now does it?

My focus today was driving the bar back to my face as I was driving the head back

The bar went back but my head not enough the first four sets!

Then it got better but then I was tired.

The reps weren't fast but I got them out

135 x 1 x 2
155 x 1
175 x 1 x 2 
195 x 1 x 2
205 x 1 x 10 (  missed two out in front as well)
180 x 1 x 1 tired now

 weight at noon

175.0

Solid Ruck

 A bit dehydrated this morning and legs and hips feeling yesterdays big workload but steady pace the whole way

45 lbs ruck

9 laps

4.5 miles

1:25 min

18.53 min miles rest included

40 kg swings 25 x 6, 40 kg belt squats 3 x 10 pistol practice 3 x 5, pullaparts 3 x 30

This went great despite restless sleep. Fast pace do, basically I go you go with Nick

Really happy with bell speed, height, power and technique

 173.4

13.6