Monday, 4/2/12 - The Day 365 Nearly Buried Me!
You know how sometimes you have one of those days where your body just isn’t running on all cylinders? Like you tell it to swerve to avoid something and it just responds sluggishly, and you end up bumping into it anyway? Today is one of those days. When I started warming up and my 135 set felt like 275, I knew it was gonna be a rough one. But I grinded through it (“ground”,” though grammatically correct, doesn’t seem like the right word), and made every rep. Somehow.
Foam Roll/SMR/Movement Prep - had some tight spots especially on left ITB, so stayed extra there, and did some more between warmup sets.
Squat
45x5x2, 135x5, 195x3, 245x2, 285x1, 325x1, 365x5x3 - what a grind!!! The first set was terrible. Lots of knees sliding forward, I could literaly feel the bar be in front of mid-foot and drag me in that direction. But all 5 reps went down and back up again. I was unsure about 1 or 2 reps if they were below parallel, but a friend working next to me confirmed. Next two sets were rough, and the last rep was a grind, but not nearly as bad as the first set. Whew, am I glad that’s over! Rested 5+ mins.
Bench Press
45x5, 135x5, 175x3, 215x2, 245x1, 275x5x5 - a bit harder than 270 last week, plus having my bad body day, but not too bad overall. Rested 3.5-4mins between.
Weighted Pullups
Had been doing these at a branch that didn’t have a straight bar, so was using the slightly bent pullup bars atop the power rack. Like the rack below:
http://www.savagestrength.co.uk/medi...ower_rack_.jpg
Today, had a straight bar to use like this rack:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PeQaZ5Vhkp...0/powerack.jpg
and either it was harder due to the straight bar, or just more of my bad body day. Did BW +37.5x5x2 - but not all reps were chin above bar. Lowered to +25 for the last set of 5, then 2 sets of pulldowns at 160lbs for 7 reps.
C2 Erg Intervals
6 x200m/1:30 rest going from 1:56/500m to 1:41/500m - not too intense, but hard to do more after that lift. Foot still too hurt to sprint on. Probably another couple weeks.
Power Clean Suckitude: Monday, 4/9/12
Today’s lift(s) were a mixed bag. Started well by nailing my squats, but my lateral epicondylitis on my right arm flared up again. Not bad, but enough to be annoying and affect my bench pressing, even if only a little. Benching went ok, hit every rep. Power Cleans weren’t going so well, and then I ran out of time before having to leave to teach the Equinox trainers about accessory work for the O-Lifts (Clean Pull, Snatch Pull, Snatch Grip DL, RDL, and Snatch Balance). So went back for round 2 of workout tonight @ 8:30 - Power Cleans and rowing intervals. I just sucked at power cleans. Sucked big, fat, juicy monkey balls. I will NAIL them next time!
On the bright side, I ran into a former client who I hadn’t seen in probably 9 months. Unfortunately had to run after about 15 mins cause my mom was waiting on my call, but was good to see her! Lift details below:
Foam Roll/SMR/Movement Prep/etc…
BB Squat - 45x5, 135x5, 195x3, 245x2, 285x1, 320x1, 375x5x3. Rested 5+ mins.
BB Bench Press - 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 275x5x5. First time I didn't go up on VD. Partially because of the tendinitis, partially because I'm doing a 5RM this weekend at the SS Seminar, instead of 5 singles, so wanted to be recovered for it. Rested about 4 mins.
BB Power Cleans - These felt off/bad because of the tendinitis flare up. Deep elbow flexion, required for the clean rack position, was bothering my elbow and so it was blocking me from getting into a good rack, and also from whipping my elbows around fast as required in a clean. Additionally, a guy there was talking to me, and I let the convo go on too long. Ugh.
Did 135x3, 135x1, 165x1, 195x1, 215x1, 225x1 for a few singles, but also a miss or two.
Then had to bail. Swore I’d be back…
…and I was. At 8:30, foam rolled and movement prepped again. Then more
Power Cleans - 110x1+3 front squats x2, 140x2, 165x1, 185x1, 210x1, 225x 2 misses, then 225x1 for 5 singles. I just. didn’t. have it. tonight. Was SUPPOSED to do 235 for 10 singles on the minute. Ugh. I did 5 more reps wth 175 for practice, to make up for my suckitude, then rowed.
Also, some douchebag walked right in front of me ON THE FUCKING PLATFORM when I was about to do a rep. I yelled at him "HEY!" then "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?" but whatever music he had blaring from his iPod prevented him from hearing. Which is probably good, because I might have killed him had he not walked away. It wasn't worth chasing after him.
C2 Erg Intervals: 200m row/1:20 rest, all pace/500m: 1:51, 1:46, 1:43, 1:42, 1:42, 1:34.
Marathon Lift: Tuesday, 5/1/12
Fooled you - you thought I jogged 17 miles, didn’t you?? Today’s lift was super long, over 2 hrs, because of a combination of
1. I didn’t lift yesterday b/c I was still sore from my first softball game of the season on Sunday. We lost 7-6, btw. Due to a delayed train, I arrived 3 minutes before game time, and had no time to warm up, so was sore the day after.
2. I had lots of really heavy work today - doubles (sets of 2) - so had to rest a lot between sets.
But I got it in and get ‘er done!
Did foam roll/movement prep as I slowly warmed up my bench press, so as to save a bit of time.
Bench Press
45x5x2, 95x5, 135x5, 180x3, 225x2, 265x1, 295x1, 325x2, 330x2, 335x2. Then sets of 2 paused singles: 275x2, 285x2, 295x2. Then 2 back-off sets of 5: 245x5x2. Last week when I did 315x3x3, I really felt like it wasn't enough volume for me to progress from it, even though I did a a few paused singles afterwards (225,255,275). So added a bit of volume today at lower intensity.
Squat
45x5, 115x5, 165x5, 225x3, 275x2, 325x1, 370x1, 420x2x3. PR, BITCHES!! I've never squatted over 405 below parallel (not counting the 550 3/4 squats I did back in 2007!). I did 405x3x3 last week, and while that was obviously a rep pr, it wasn't an actual weight PR. But 420 is! And I did 3 doubles with it.
Then back-off sets: 275x3x2, 295x3.
1-Arm DB Press - Mostly done between squat back-offs
45x8, 55x6, 65x5, 50x8 - stayed light with these.
Power Cleans
135x3x2, 165x3, 185x3, 205x3x2 -was supposed to work up to 230x3, but I just didn’t have the energy. Probably because of the large amount of work, and especially the heavy squats I’d already done; I was just tired. So just went till 205 today.
C2 Erg Intervals: 4x200m/1:20rest. Paces per 500m: 1:40, 1:39, 1:37, 1:34.
5/5/12 - Deadlift Rep PR! But failed rep...
Why is it so easy to look at other people’s bumps in the road towards progress objectively, yet so hard to be equally rational about our own? I need to stop obsessing about my failed rep today, and just come out and CRUSH IT next week. My training is fine, this was just a blip on the map, a local setback - not indicative of what I CAN and WILL do.
Foam Roll/SMR/Etc…
Deadlift
135x5, 225x3, 315x1, 375x1, 430x1, 505x2 - was going for 3, the 3rd got stuck @ mid-shin and I felt like if I kept fighting, my back was gonna round something awful, so I let it go. As I look back on it, I really think I could have gotten that rep. Fuck. Then back off at 430x3. Which was easy.
I’m trying to look at the bright side - 505x1 was my previous best, and I pulled it for 2, and almost 3, today. But I keep coming back to the fact that I failed my 3rd rep, even though last week’s 3 @ 500 seemed to be so smooth, despite my imperfect set-up. Sigh…
Dynamic Effort Squats
Last week’s 185 were too light, so moved up to 205 today. Took a few sets to get my speed up, but I felt this was a better weight. 205x2x10 (10 sets of 2) with 1 min rest between sets , moving the bar as fast as possible out of the bottom.
Lat Pulldown
165x10x2, neutral grip
C2 Erg Intervals: 200m/1:20 rest, paces per 500m: 1:46, 1:45, 1:43, 1:40, 1:36
Monday, 5/7: Heavy Bench, Lighter Press, Chins
Met some fun guys at the gym tonight - nice guys, kind of crossfit, but really random and directionless, but break dancers with some awesome natural talent. Gonna get them jacked, if they listen to me. But was able to get good spots for my heavy bench, which was CRUCIAL.
Foam roll etc...
Bench Press
Warmups, then heavy singles: 345x1, 355x1x4.
Then paused singles: 295x1, 310x1, 325x1, 335x1 - all surprisingly easy, especially after the heavy un-paused work. Makes me think 355 or maybe even 365 is a strong possibility for 3rd attempt at the meet.
Then 255x5x2 for volume.
Press
Warmups, then 155x5x3 - pretty easy, even after the bench. Last rep of last set slowed a bit. Maybe.
Chins
10,10,10,8 - didn't rest much between 3rd and 4th set, prob only 2 mins.
Took 2 hrs or a bit more, but I was in no hurry.
Tuesday, 5/8 - PR SQUATS!!!
Hit some nice PRs today. I’m further along than I hoped for in my squats, with DL and Bench just about on track for the meet. Feeling good about things, overall.
Squats
45x5x2, 135x5, 185x4, 225x3, 275x2, 325x1, 375x1, 430x1 - PR #1. And easier than I expected, so went up… 435x1 - PR #2! Hard. But did another. 435x1 - easier than the previous rep at 435. Rested 5-6mins between these heavy singles.
Back-offs: 365x2, 315x3x2, 275x5 - rested about 3 mins between back-off sets.
Power Cleans - took my time on these
Empty bar work, 135x3,160x3,185x3,205x3,215x2,225x2,235x clean pull + power clean, 265x1x2 clean pulls.
Then did a few short runs to test my foot. Still not quite ready for regular sprints again, but oh so close. Maybe by after the meet. It’s been 8 weeks, I thought it’d be healed in 2!
Overall feel good. I feel I can go for 440 or 450 at the meet and hit it.
PR DEADLIFT! (But not 1RM) Saturday, 5/12/12
DEADLIFT PR! And DE Squats: Today's Lift
PR’d my Deadlift today, but it wasn’t a 1RM, so that was awesome. Feel good going in to next week’s meet.
Foam Roll/SMR/Movement Prep etc…did a whole suite. Was early (for me, on a Saturday), so did full roll and prep.
Deadlift - decided to do 5 heavy singles instead of a work set of 3 and a back off of 3. The first wasn't really heavy, at 435, but I counted it anyway.
135x5, 225x3, 295x2, 355x1, 435x1, 485x1, 525x1, 495x1, 495x1
525 was hard but not limit. If I have a good day at the meet, I could see 540 or 550 happening.
DE Squats
Warmups, then 205x2x10 (10 sets of 2) as fast as possible, on the minute.
After this workout, felt good and fresh. Beautiful day here in NYC, gonna try to enjoy it some.