Saturday, July 31, 2021

40 kg One arm swings 15 x 5/5, 2 kb front squat,laterals, rear delts

 This went very well. Strong  from the beginning and all the way through the 15th set. Form felt solid, body felt solid and fluid and recovery was good too

Also hands held up good too



Sets 5 and 15. Felt like power output was good as was bell height even on the last set

2 kb front squats

16 kg x 5
18 kg x 5 x 2



 Think these will help with left leg mass better for some reason as well as strengthening the rack position. IF they don't over load the abs too much and compromise my back. Depth looks good

Don't plan on going over 2 24 kgs

Laterals/rear delts

3 x 8/8 with 15s

BW 176
BF 13.5

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Thursday ruck



 Pretty decent one. Hot too but I was again mentally good for it, embraced the heat and sweat and it was fine. Definitely getting into heat shap again. 4-6 more weeks of summer and I should peak out

The main thing is the mental game, as it is with most things. Starting to enjoy 'cooking' just a bit

45 lb ruck

6 laps

60 min door to door

BW 177.2
BF 13.5

Press Cues

 

1) UNRACK AND SPOT THE X

2) LOCK KNEES/ GLUTES

3) FREEZE UPPER BODY

4) DRIVE TO FACE WITH ELBOWS IN

Monday, July 26, 2021

215lb press x 1 x 7, wt pushups, one arm lateral, rear delts

 So close but not like last wednesday. It was solid but not perfect.Left wrist was bothering me again and that distracted my setup just enough . I switched to my old powerlifting wrist wraps and that seemed to help. More hoop tension and coverage

But that wasn't why it didn't go as well. I rushed the setup and did not develop nor keep enough lower body tension

I wasn't ROOTED. Knees were locked but then I just pushed my hips forward without tightening glute so I leaked a bit through the knees on some

Did spot the X though and that definitely helped. I DID make 7 reps with 215 and the weren't that slow either!

Gotta 

UNRACK AND SPOT THE X

LOCK KNEES THEN GLUTES THEN PAUSE!!! DEAD STOP PAUSE!

DRIVE BAR TO LOCKOUT AND KEEP KNEES LOCKED

Watching the videos I don't like how I push my hips forward to get some stretch reflex as the bar drops and my chest does as well. take away from my hip tightness

135 x 2
155 x 1
175 x 1
195 x 1 ok
205 x 1 ok but not lightening fast
215 x 1 set one two and three



set four and six


set seven


205 x 1  downsets
sets one and three


Gotta get and stay  rooted. that is the key. getting better but not there yet. repeat 215 next week if not also on wednesday. maybe 210

wt pushups

bw x 10
53 x 10 x 3
Slow and strict with pause on each lockout

one arm laterals/ bent laterals
3 x 8
3  x8/8 20s

BW 177.2
BF 13.6

         

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Slow ruck

 


Took the long way today. By that I mean a lot of stops for squat stretches and tweeting. Plus I forgot my creatine yesterday and knew by the tenth lap it would get a bit tough and it did. Yesterday's heavy swings hit my  whole body like a hammer this morning; no injuries just stiff and sore, especially in the traps and mid back. 

Legs proved to have been worked too as they showed not too long into the ruck

But all was good, just took my time, held a steady pace and enjoyed the cool breeze and temps

Just putting in the miles and time on my feet

45 lb ruck

12 laps

9 squat stretches

2:05 total time

13, 255 steps

BW 176.4
BF 15.5
W 56.7

Saturday, July 24, 2021

60 and 68 kg One arm swings, pistols, laterals, rear delts

 

This was a pretty solid day.. Left wrist is still a bit wonky and affected my grip a bit but other than that technique felt good and all parts are still attached!

One arm swings

16 kg x 5/5 x 2
24 kg x 5/5
28 kg x 4/4
32 kg x 4/4
36 kg x 4/4
40 kg x 4/4
44 kg x 4/4
48 kg x 4/4
60 kg x 5/5 x 8
68 kg x 5/5 x 2

the second time I've only done 2 sets with the 68 and I think I'm ready next month to go back to 3 sets with it. That is fucking heavy AND wide! Don't want to alter my stance but the 68 always grazes my right calf on each rep lol
First set with the 60 kg was a bit off balance wise but then things settled down. this thing demands my complete attention and focus on every rep of every set. NO room for errors

pistols support
3 sets of 5/5

man my legs were torched from the swings,lol! Not bad pistol work but legs were tired to start

laterals/ rear delts
3 x 10/10 with 15s

could really feel the traps and upper back from the swings on this too. that  thing get the entire body working

BW 176.0
BF 14.0 ( bath)
W 57.3

lol, keep making weight by saturday somehow without trying. Perfect

Friday, July 23, 2021

Thursday ruck

  


Solid one. Not easy but not too hard. The city got the encampment cleaned up and it was nice to walk around with out that stench in my face

A bit hot and dead air but legs and lungs felt good

53 min or so for the six laps

45 lbs

6 laps

7500 steps

:53


BW 177.4
BF 14.4

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

205 lb press x 1 x 5 ( best grouping ever!) 24 kg swings, banded triceps extensions

 Wow! Did not expect things to go this well today. Easily the best group of press reps I've done  with heavy  weight. Five almost exact singles with the best bar speed I've had for this weight ever.

Could only be happier when I do it with 215 and up! 

Especially after so much heavy volume just two days ago.

Really focused on just two things: locking my knees hard at the start and keeping my eye on the "X" on the ceiling above. that seemed to make a big difference

Otherwise just like last time; unrack, lock the knees push the hips forward and drive up.

195 x 1

205 x 1 set 1
set 2
set 3
set 4
set 5
man the bar speed and line were damn near perfect

24 kg swings
5 set of 8/8

Banded triceps extensions
4 set of 15

BW 177.4
BF 14.4


Slept like a champ for the first time in a week  and what a difference that made!


Monday, July 19, 2021

215 lb press x 1 x 6, 210 x 1 x 3, triceps exten, one arm laterals, bent laterals

 This was interesting. Switched back to adidas flatter shoe thinking it would help with hip drive and to not bend my knee at the start. Worked 'ok' but nothing dramatic.Switched back to Innov8 on sets 5 and 6 and they felt better balance

Press

65 85 105 x 2
135 x 2
155 x 1
175 x 1
195 x 1
205 x 1 this felt solid. using Lock, hips forward, glutes, drive technique

215 x 1 x 6 sets 1 was solid


set 2 rushed set up, knees bent and lockout wasn't there.

But set three was good but not what I wanted to so I put back on the heel

Switched back to inov8 for set 4 and wobbled all over. made the rep but ugly. Was separating the hip foward and lock in too much. decided to lock, load the bow and go! 
hench LOCK AND LOAD!

set 5

set six even better. getting tired now
down to 210 for three singles and they flew!

Green band tri ext
3 x 15
one arm laterals
3 x 8/8 20s
bent laterals
3 x 8 20s

BW 177.
BF 13.7

Will repeat this workout next Monday and nail each set! Wednesday will be 200 or 205 for singles as well

Sunday Ruck



 Tough one.  Pushed the pace the whole time although legs were pretty tired from yesterdays heavy swings. Nothing hurt or tweaked just 'used', so it felt like a slog even though the pace was decent.
Hot and humid never helps but it's part of the training so I pushed through. First hour was strong, second hour was a slog

Gait technique feels good; back to the 'chi' running forward lean more than I have been and it definitely helps keep speed up.

45 lb Ruck

12 laps

13,224 steps

5 squat stretches

1:52 min for the 12 laps

BW 176.3
BF 13.4

Saturday, July 17, 2021

48 kg One arm swing 10 sets of 5/5 pistols, laterals rear delts

 

Good day today. All systems go and felt strong throughout. No body issues to speak of. Bell handle was a but slippery for some reason for the first 3 sets but overchalked the handle and that helped. Weird. 
Nick said I was rocking back and forth on my foot more than usual and I think I was not keeping my big toe planted as usual as I was hinging more than usual

One I re planted the big toe the balance came back

One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
28 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 5/5
40 kg x 5/5
48 kg x 5/5




did fives for all warmups as opposed to my usual 4s or 3s as I wanted more work. Also, next time no skipping the 44 kg

Pistols

Felt like I had better depth this time

3 set of 5/5

side laterals/ rear delts

3 x 10/10 15s

BW 176.0
BF 13.1(bath)
W58.0

Friday, July 16, 2021

Thursday Ruck

 Another really fast one. Not stupid hot and that helps. Legs and lungs both good and solid steady pace

45 lb ruck

6 laps

48 min 

BW 177.2
BF 141.


Wednesday, July 14, 2021

205 lb press x 1 x 6 sets, wt v pushups , laterals/rear delts

 Decided to put the new plan into action and went with 205 as the start weight. Monday it will be 215 and if it goes like today I'll be at 220 the next week.

This really proved productive as even though the first four sets were good the details didn't emerge until the last two sets, as well as all the cues

sets 5 and 6


 This is turning out to incorporate ALL the different techniques/ ideas I have had over the years, especially the last 2

1) Lock the knees

2) Hip forward ( load the bow)

3) Squeeze the glutes ( but only  after moving hips forward)

4) Drive

5) Re drive hips to lockout

This seems to work better in this sequence. If I squeeze the glutes and then , or at the same time, shift the hips forward then don't load as well. Hips forward then squeeze seems to lock them in place and still leave me room to move as I drive into the press

sets 2 and 4 were ok but I wasn't squeezing glutes



this is very good especially only one day after heavy max press

wt v pushups
bw x 10
53 x 10 x 3

One arm laterals, bent laterals
3 x 8,9,10 on each with 20s

BW 178
BF 13.7  weight is up and BF is down!

Monday, July 12, 2021

205, 215 225 misses( 3x) BW v pushups, band pullaparts

 This should have been better despite having to train alone. Good sleep and enough,light workload and plenty of prep time mentally. Went into the gym very  calm actually, focusing on not thinking, just moving through it and doing it when I had to not before

It worked well for the most part but it turns out from the videos I was moving too much in the knees and not enough in the hips

And because it was just a little bit from the knees there wasn't enough force put on the bar to get through the sticking point and I stalled

I stalled at a decent place but  there was no going further. Have to learn to load that hip better, load the bow better. I felt it from the warmups, they were strong but not fast and when I lead from the knees the bar goes forward. Again, because it wasn't too much leaking it didn't go too forward, but just  enough to slow things down and again, that won't go with 225.

195 and 205


215 ok just not enough hip
the first attempt with 225 which turned out to be my best attempt. with just a little more hip this would have gone. the overall technique and positions were fine

the second one I leaned back at the sticking point

and the third was not too bad, actually. pretty tired now but a good fight

set 2 of 4 downset with 205, couldnt have done another set. triceps very tired but symmetrically


I think I'm going to go back to triple progression now, with singles. work up to 5 x 1 with 215, then the same with 220 then go back to 225. I think I need more heavier volume. 215 is 95% of 225

Can't hurt to give it a try

V pushups
bw x 10, 15, 17 20
no way  to load weight on back

Band pullapart
4 sets of 30 red band

BW 177.1
BF 13.8

Sunday Ruck

 


Way late getting this posted. this was a good one. very fast. Much better than expected after Sat heavy swings. Legs and glutes were tired but not cooked. legs just seemed to turn over easily. Not cool but not too hot nor humid

45 lb Ruck
12 laps
1:47 min!
8 squat stretches


BW 177.2
BF 14.4

Saturday, July 10, 2021

44 kg One arm swings 10 x 5/5, pistols, side and rear laterals

 This went great. I'm loving fives! Power out put and locking in at the top are the focus not just trying to do as much power as I can WHILE surviving the 16 or 20 reps, These feels like the perfect thing to be doing now. Height on these, as it was with the 40 is much better it seems

Last month's 44 kg for sets of 8/8

 Ended up with 12 set which seemed perfect as the hands just started to feel a bit crispy after 12. I'll stay here as long as it seems right. The extra power output definitely takes more out of me
 
One arm swings
44 kg 12 sets of 5/5

Pistol practice
3 sets of 5/5
these felt great, and I tried to go deeper after seeing how high last week's reps were
Side and rear laterals
3 x 10/10 15s

BW 175.8 !
BF 13.7 no bath either too hot
W 57.4

Friday, July 09, 2021

Thursday Ruck

 Ok this was a tough hot one. Not as easy as last weeks but still strong mentally. It was a bit hotter ( 83) with no breeze and direct laser beam sun on me. Legs and lungs felt good but with no breeze I can really smell the nastiness of the park's denizens ( dogs, homeless, garbage cans) and that makes it all that much more fun

Not

But it got done

45 lb ruck

6 laps

55 min

BW 177

BF 14.5

that's what the ruck felt like :)


Wednesday, July 07, 2021

175/185 lb press x 2 x 5 ea 190 x 2, 24 kg swings, band tri ext

 Man this was the best workout ever! The timing was spot on,literally could not be better. THIS IS IT.
Now to just be able to do exactly this with 225 on the bar. No shit, Just do this

1) Lock in and pause after unracking. Locked knees. LOCKED. Come to a dead stop pause before

2) Hip drive then press almost at the same time

3) Redrive hips at sticking point. Do not press to lockout, hip drive under it

This is just what it should feel like and move like

175 x 2 x 5 sets FAST and STRAIGHT! Elbows were in as well

185 x 2 x 4 sets equally as fast elbows still in place
190 x 2 x 1 just to check if it held under a bit heavier load. It did perfectly
 could be happier with this.  This is as good as I can do this lift

24 kg swings

5 x 8/8

green band bent triceps ext
3 x 15
1 x 12

BW 177.2
BF 14.5

Monday, July 05, 2021

Three 225 lb press misses , wt pushups one arm laterals rear delts

 I thought the wrist thing was going to work ( as usual) . It didn't and went back to reflex position but not letting it bend all the way back. But it was making me overfocus and other things went wrong

Knee flex on 195 and pushed it right away. Haven't missed that in ages so it didn't bode well

Repeat was fine but definitely not feeling 'connected' yet
205 x 1 Hip drive and bar speed ok but elbows flared and slowed it down at top

215 x 1 Not quite sure what went wrong here. Knees were pretty locked elbows flared but not too early. Second hip drive was ok ( perhaps loose) but the  whole thing was leaking
First 225 miss. the good news is that all these attempts were decent, the groove was basically correct, I could fight at the sticking point BUT I was fighting with my arms and NOT my hips for second locked leg hip drive. I didn't figure it out until the 3rd 205 down set. Made all the difference ( would have too) 

Why  does it always seem to take me to the end of the workout to figure out the groove of the day? ARGHHH!
Way too much knee flex here.




205 x 1 x 5 down sets

wt v pushups on paralletes
bw x 10
53 x 10
85 x 10 x 2
strong. 

one arm laterals
3 x 10/10 20s
bent laterals
3 x 10 20s

BW 177
BF 12.7!!!!
W 58.3

crazy hasn't read this low in forever
really hydrated yesterday. took a Nuun too

Sunday, July 04, 2021

Sunday Ruck

 


Shit sleep last night ( again the freakin' cat) but the legs were strong and loose as Thursday and speed was decent. Spent too much time fuckin around on my phone so it slowed the total time down but it was good all things considered

Cool and crisp though unseasonably so and that's always such a gift. overcast too. even better

45lb ruck
12 laps
5 squat stretches
2:10  total
13,284 steps

 BW 177
BF 14.5

Saturday, July 03, 2021

40kg One Arm swing, new protocol, pistols, laterals/rear delts

 Today was the first workout of the new protocol. Five sets of five reps on all weights as I cycle them each  week. 
This worked better than I expected with power output ( bell height) dramatically higher. Not thinking about saving your energy  for what you know will be a death march for the last 5-6 reps of the second arm made a big difference

today's set


last months

Like I said, dramatically better
Plus MUCH less mental stress

Fifteen sets was no problem but I could tell hands were starting to start to heat up. I will increase this volume very slowly to 20.Eventually but it could take months

No hurry

One Arm swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5
24 kg x 5/5
28 kg x 5/5
32 kg x 5/5
40 kg x 5/5 x 15 sets

150 reps
13,200 lbs
Nice!

Also, and could be an important point, I found myself going back to the "baboom" technique of the athletic hinge today almost by accident but it felt right so I went with it
hinge first then squat down. I've been breaking at the knee then hinging back of late but this just happened today.We'll see if it's an anomaly 



Pistol Practice
3 x 5/5
Shifted my weight ( head over foot) to get my COM over my base and it felt good. But it's different and my depth was way off. Couldn't even feel it but the video doesn't. Will concentrate on it next week.
Also, will start on right leg to get the Rec Fem pre activated before the left leg pistols as it needs ore work

Laterals/rear delts
3 x 10/10 20 lb

BW 176.4 
BF 13.2
W 57.9

Thursday, July 01, 2021

Great fast hot ruck!



 Man today was excellent. the best thursday ruck I've had in over a year, no doubt. From start to finish I was strong, fast and  did not feel the heat even though it was high 80s. It just didn't bother me and my legs were loose and kept moving.

Perhaps the heat tolerance is coming. That would be very very good.Plus my mind was strong which has been very rare of late.

Did all 6 laps ( 3.6 miles ) in 50 minutes or so and it was solid. A little under 14 min miles! That would be great if this is the  start of a strong heat summer season

45 lb ruck

6 laps

50 min

RPE 5

BW 177

BF 14.1

155 x 3 x 5, 160 x 3 x 5, 20 kg swings 5 x 8/8, floor pushups 40, 35

 Thought about going back to 5x5 for a hot second then my left shoulder  reminded me why I stopped doing them before. It doesn't seem to...