Thursday ruck

 Strong one. Five laps  and nice cool temps and breeze

All systems go

Normal pace about 18 min per mile. 48 min total

45 lb ruck went back to black new(er) Rush 72 . can't believe how much better it fits and carries

BW 174
BF 13.2~

205,210,200 x 1 x 2, 24 kg swings, floor pushups

 Well as bad as this went monday, that's how good it went today. And, as usual, for no good reason as I had barely any sleep and woke up feeling tired and pissed.

But sometimes when I'm too tired to overthink things it works out and it seemed to today

Went back to my old techniques and it went great

arched setup
false grip
spot the X
lock in a drive ( no long pause)
keep eyes on X

I've finally come to realized that nothing is going to be perfect, and every technique change I make will have it's limitations as well as strengths and at least this one has proven itself ( 8 225 lb presses)

My T spine was jacked up after Monday's session and I knew that could be a problem. My lumbar spine loves extension, my upper spine does not, and told me so, in no uncertain terms

I've learned to not argue with my body anymore
SO Press
135 x 2
155 x 1
175 x 1
195 x 1 x 2
205 x 1 x 2
210 x 1  x 2
200 x 1 x 2

the only problem I had was when I lost the X and the bar drifted forward at the top

VERY HAPPY with these, especially after doing heavy on Monday  as well

24 kg swings 5 x 8/8

Floor pushups
2 x 54

BW 174
BF 13.5

295 200 and 205 press, wt pushups, side laterals rear delts

 Meh

I thought this was going to go much better as with all things, one thing gets fixed and another problem arises

This fixed my soft knee start problem, The start was great. But the groove loads my thoracic spine more than my lumbar spine and it's nowhere near as strong. OR flexible.My lumbar spine loves extension. My T spine does not and is mega tight .

Wrapping the thumb didn't help as I imagined either; actually just confusing the issue even more. 

205 definitely did not feel light in the rack position and moved pretty poorly although 195 motored!

Press

65 85 105 x 3 all great

135 x 2 fast
155 x 1 fast
175 x 1 fast as well!
195 x 1x  2 decent

then 200 x 1  x 2 sets

then 205 x 1 x miss, x 1, x almost, x 1 good ( no video) x 1 so so

not sure what I'll do wednesday

Edit:
I'll do this
1) rack the bar a bit lower

2) use false grip

3) repeat same rep scheme
2 @ 195
2 @ 200
3-5 @ 205

It's all easy 'til it's heavy

wt pushups
3 x 10 with 53 slow

side raises 3 x 10 w20

bent laterals x 10 with 20

BW 174.!
BD 13.9
W 58

44 kg One Arm Swings 16 x 5/5, 36 kg belt squats, 3 way pullapart

 This was strong. My T spine has been super tight since thursday ruck from the combo of the new press position and groove AND the ruck with the older, softer rucksack

All good to go today though and this was a super powerful workout. All the sets and reps felt great

16 x 5/5 
160 reps
15, 520 lbs

36 kg Belt squats
3 x 10

these went well no problem

Three way pullaparts

3 x 30 
as always way harder than they should be

BW 173.0
BF 11.2
W 59.2

Thursday Ruck

 

Really decent  one although only four laps - two miles. Was going to have to miss it again but came through at the last minute but only had time for two. Good enough

Wore my OLD coyote pack and was contemplating going back to it for the summer BUT the fit was nowhere as good as I expected ( or remembered). I think the pack had really stretched out and lost it's structure. The black one is definitely better so it's back on the menu

45 lb ruck

4 laps

2 miles

40 min

BW 173.8
BF 14.1

175 x 2 x 12 sets ( new technique ) 24 kg swings, floor pushups

 This worked great!

My idea to do the set up and unracking with my head up and eyes forward from the start worked great. Seemed perfectly balanced on my feet

But it took me 6 sets or so to realize I have to drive my hands first and NOT throw my head first or the bar also goes forward

But when I pushed hands first from the new starting position it worked like a charm VERY fast reps

These are  sets

10 and 12

Everything else just fell into place

Set up straight ahead, drive the hands. I  hope it stays that simple

Lots of muscles being worked at new angles in new ways so THIS time I will take it slower than normal and build the groove correctly

Press
135 x 2
155 x 2
175 x 2 x 12

24 kg swings 

5 x 8/8 felt really good and fast . AFTER the first set. always tough to transition from pressing to swinging

Floor pushups
2  x 53 strong

BW 174.8 !
BF 14.2

Press New Technique ( again) 175-205-175, wt pushups, side raises, bent laterals

 This has promise. Increased the pin height one inch , bar higher on chest,elbows under the bar instead of in front of it.Looking straight ahead not back. Lock out the knees and THEN drive the bar and hips as I get my head out of the way

Learned some good things

1) I think this will work

2) I think I need to look straight ahead on unracking not down then look up

3) I need to drive the bar up first THEN drive the hips as my head goes back. If I drive my hips first the bar ends up forward

At first I tried to re arrange my elbows out to the side a bit after unracking but that didn't seem smooth or doable under real load

Also drove my head and hips first which also made the bar go forward

 LOTS of sets and even tried some doubles with 185 which just messed things up. Gotta get one rep right before worrying about two's

Press
135 x 2
155 x 1 fast
175 x 1 fast
185 x 1 fast
195 x 1 fast as well
205 x 1 decent
205 x miss( drove head back and hips forward first. Had to figure this out)
205 x 1 x 3
185 x 1
175 x 1
185 x 2 ( missed second) x 2
185 x 1
175 x 1

On wednesday going to start looking forward and NOT tuck my chin

THEN drive bar first letting head go back and hips go forward

Lots of little things to get solid but overall I found decent leverage pretty quickly here which is a grea sign AND I really like being upright at the start. Looks much better too

Wt pushups
bw x 10
53 x 10 x 3

side raises/rear delts
3 x 8/8 with 20s

BW 173.8
BF 13.5

Full Ruck

 

Woke up feeling good today, despite yesterdays speed and volume. Walked the first hour with Tracy and Walker and surprisingly my pace was better than usual. Less stops to check my phone, lol. But legs felt good although lungs took some time to open up, as usual

Nice and crisp though and that always helps

45 lb ruck

12 laps

1:50 min!

13,200 steps

All systems were go

No asymmetries, stride length good and top speed up to 3.6 mph

BW 173.8
BF 13.5

40 kg one arm swings 20 x 5/5, belt squats, pullaparts

 This very strong. Probably the strongest performance we've had for , well, maybe years. Bell speed, bell height, power output from start to finish all really good. AND a natural 65-75 second rest between sets with three of us. We were flying and that's almost never the case

Take it when you can get it!

One arm swings

40 kg x 20 x 5/5

Belt squats
32 kg x 10
36  kg x 10
40 kg x 10

Love the arm work that I'm getting with goblets but not so much the ab overload and the limited variety  of reps I can get. Will add in some db curls

pullaparts
2 x 30

BW 173.8
BF 11.9 ( bath)
BF 58.9

185 lb press 8 x 2, 195 x 1, 205 x 1, 24 kg swings, floor pushups

This went well. I got my knees to stay locked and maintained good upward pressure on the bar at the start. That worked well.
I still need a better start trigger though as it appears I'm leaning back just slightly before, or as I drive my hips.
I think my elbows might need to be more exactly vertical under the bar as I start to drive straight up. I still think I'm driving the bar back too much early and this is giving me some wiggles in the drive line too often.

I'll play with it. Slept well, wasn't too sore but it was cold and I had trouble warming up. Have to do more multiple warmup sets with 135 I think, Perhaps 155 too instead of just blindly making the jumps even if  things feel creaky

Had one weird dip/shift/ twist on 175 that I've never done before that was bizarre. Thank g-d I didn't tweak anything 

The 195 went great then I missed my first attempt with 205 as my knees unlocked and the bar moved forward. Great test that showed if my knees soften the bar shifts forward. First time it had done this all workout

Got to get the visual of pressing in a straight line with my  forearms directly under the bar and see if that works. I have to press vertically and adjust my body  around THAT line

press
135 x 2
155 x 2
175 x 2
185 x 2 x 8
195 x 1
205 x miss
205 x 1

24 kg swings
3 x 8/8
1 x 8/8/8/8

floor pushups
2 x 52

BW 174.8
BF 13.5

215 x 1 x 2 225 miss, 205 x 1 x 6, wt pushups, db laterals, db bent laterals

 This went pretty well even though I missed 225 twice. Warmups went well and the new technique worked pretty well, still a few bugs to even out but I have a much better idea now and the stuff I wanted to try with heavy weights worked decently

I missed 225 mainly because I reverted to the old technique( trying to push the bar back ) and there was nothing there.

Knees unlocked too. I still have to figure out a better standing balance position for the start. I end up rushing mainly because I am losing balance and have to go or not have  chance too. Doesn't matter if my hip drive can overcome it, if my knees unlock the bar goes forward at lockout and that's that

I became confused what to do with my arms too. I didn't hold too much tension in them and I think that's a mistake. I still have to push  up into the bar in the standing rack position.

Also, despite my intentions it seems I am still laying back as I initiate my hip drive and that brings the CCOM back over my heels too much ( instead of my ankle) and this also makes me lose balance

On my best lifts ( like this 205 warmup) I almost seem to drive my  torso up and in as I drive my hips. then press straight up

If I can find that standing balance point so I don't rush and fall back AND still get some initial  acceleration that should keep all the CCOM in balance as I drive

SO

135 x 2
155 x 2
175 x 1
195 x 1 fast!
205 x 1 (above
215 x 1 ( barely knee unlock but I still press it in the right line)

then 225  miss  x 2 pushed bar back and unlocked knees

then some really good 205 downsets for 3 sets of 1

then, feeling spunky, another 215( still falling back too much at start) but still I made it

then 205 x 1 x 2

then weighted dips 3 x 10 with 53 slow with  focus on lockout hold

side raise/bent laterals

3 x 10/10 with 20s

BW 173.4
BF 13.1

Sunday Ruck

 

Surprisingly strong! Very strong and this came out of  the blue, especially after Saturday's heavy heavy work. I'll take it!

Kept expecting to get heavy legs and or overall fatigue but it did not happen, so nice for a change. Hardly any stops and NO support the ruck breaks.

45 lb ruck

12 laps

1:55 min for the 12

Reverse splits 3.2 - 3.6 MPH ave

13,260 steps

BW 173.8
BF 13.7

60 and 68 kg One arm swings, 36 kg goblet squats, pullaparts

 This went great! Probably the best height, power and transfers I've done yet. A bit slow start as my left wrist was giving me a bit of grief, especially on a right to left transfer but then it got sorted and the wrist was fine on both sides.

Fell into a hip groove with strong knee lockouts which really helped the float and kept it out of my lower back

One arm swings
16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 4/4
24 kg x 4/4
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 7
68 kg x 5/5 x 3

I was beat after this and the last set with 68 was hard. Energetically more than strength wise!

goblet squat
32 kg  x 5
36 kg x 5 x 2

Pullapart
3 x 30 three angles

BW 173.8
BF 11.8
W 58.9

Always happy to survive this workout unscathed. Something I never take for granted

175 lb press x2 x 4, 185 lb press x 2 x 8 sets, 24 kg speed swings, floor pushups

 Well, back on track! This feels good and I didn't have to wait too long, either.Looking back at those Wednesdays workouts prior to my best ever 225 lb press this was the form and workloads I was doing

Thumbless grip.Bar high on the chest, almost the clavicle. Swing under the bar and take off with the legs but  lock them at start. but not squeezing glutes. Chest up and stays up

 Spot the X and drive the bar to the X when I press BUT initiate the press with hip drive ( on locked knees). Let the elbows stay under the bar but not try to get them in front of the bar.

A vertical line drive towards the x with vertical forearms and elbows under the bar.Straight line

A secondary hip drive ( again with locked knees) at sticking point

Today went great

135 x 2
155 x 2
175 x 2 x 4  started a little rough as I was pressing hands first then hip drive. That's backwards. Hips first then hands straight up

then onto 185 and what turned out to be 8 more sets! I was thinking 4 but it felt like I was figuring something important out

this felt great. SO much speed and such a nice straight line. much more natural

24 kg speed swings

5 x 8/8 about 3 sec rest /sets

Floor pushups
2 x 50

BW 174.6
BF 13.7

205-215 x all over the place, wt pushups, side raises, rear delts

 What a clusterfuck. All over the place. Obviously changing to false grip didnt work well but changing back didn't either. Leaning back too far and not getting a base at all. Really really really frustrating

Press
65 85 105 x 3
135 x 1 ( false grip, elbows up. lock knees and drive to face was the 'idea')
155 x 1
175 x 1 
195 x 1 ( out in front)

205 x miss!
205 x 1

215 x miss then 215 x 1 barely

then back to 185 x 1 with squeeze the sponge technique. this felt ok

205 with same technique

then 215 miss with squeeze sponge technique

this is the technique I think is the best

Wt pushups  3 x 10 with 53 lbs

Side raises 3 x 10 with 20
Bent laterals  3x10 with 20

BW 173.4
BF 13.2

Sunday Ruck

 Full distance but super slow and tough. Legs were solid but  overall fatigue was there for sure from saturdays heavy swings. Lots of stops per lap, sometimes two! But still finished under two hours.  

Legs started tight for the first two laps , then loosened up but I was just beat!

Feet and ankles and calves were solid though

45 lb ruck

12 laps

1:55

13,000+ steps

BW 173.0
BF 12.5 !! no bath either

Beast swings 12 x 5/5 with 48 kg, 32 kg goblet squats, band pullaparts

 Pretty decent one once I got warmed up. All bodyparts on board but I forgot to set my grip with enough  respect for the Beast and quickly found out how much I need to do that! Almost lost the bell on my third rep.

Strap in or fall out!

One arm swings

16 kg x 5/5 x 2
20 kg x 5/5 
24 kg x 4/4
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 ( taking this was a good idea)
48 kg x 5/5 x 12 sets
120 reps
12,720 lbs work

Really decent  bell speed, height and power on all of these. Really focused on holding the standing plank as I let the bell float to max height before breaking. Great leg work!
Seemed to revert to a knees break first then down and back style naturally. 

The lumbo pelvic rhythm doesn't work well with really heavy bells. Way too easy to get pulled over

Goblet squats
3 x 5 with 32 this felt hard enough

Red band pullaparts
3 x 30 three angles

BW 173.6
BF 12.2 ( bath)
W 58.7

Thursday full ruck

 Really solid one, out of the blue. All six laps and legs and lungs felt really good. again, a surprise. Wore the GoRuck boots and no foot or calf issues either. Just nice to be able to walk a bit quickly again.

45 lb ruck

6 laps

54 min!

solid steady pace all throughout

3.4 ave MPH

BW 173.6

BF 13.1

225 x Miss x 3, 205 down sets, 24 kg swings, floor pushups

 This was all over the place. As usual fix one thing, really focus on one thing and the others go to shit. Plus add in one experiment that doesn't work and I lose another week.

The Oly belt worked great on monday and I thought it would help. And it felt great through the warmups; until I got to the big weights (215 and 225) then it didn't.I recognized it, switched back to my power belt and then the change through me off for the next set.

I made the correction for the third attempt but it was too late, I was too beat by then.

Plus I did not lift my elbows near enough and it pushed me into a miss on my first 215 attempt! I made the next try( barely) but didn't even know why I missed so it was luck. Not so lucky on my 225 attempts
Here's the 215's

Another mistake: not rowing myself into the bar on the setup and losing upper back tightness at the sticking point. ack how'd I forget this?

Also losing focus on the X. This I knew I was doing but with so much going on just couldn't maintain my visual on it

Main focus was on setting up with CCOM in front of the bar and this I did. Everything else though, no bueno

three misses with two plates

then another miss with first attempt 205! then this make and a third one and I was cooked.

Just an ugly day.

24 kg swings

5 x 8/8

floor pushups

2 x 50 ( toast)

BW 173.6
BF 14.1

175 lb press 12 x 1, wt pushups, band pullaparts

 This went perfectly.  And I seemed to have figued out what's causing me to lose balance backwards. 
I did my latest setup; chest through first and lock it in, the lift the elbows while spotting the X, unrack the bar and THEN- DO NOTHING except keep tension in the hands and the bar

IF I tightened the glutes OR the quads I shifted back; which made me feel the need to rush the start. On the reps where  I didn't consciously  flex anything my CCOM stayed in front of the bar and my back was more solid and I didn't fall back into the start

sets 2, 4,6,8 10, 12

Now if I can figure out how to do this with 225 I'm golden

Wt pushups 3 x 8 with 52

band pullaparts 3 x 30

BW 174.0
BF 13.1