Training Log: Entry 3533

**OPERATION PLANET MONGO**

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

*Tactical Barbell Operator* Cycle 1, Week 4, Workout 3

MAIN WORK

Buffalo bar squat (low bar)

3x5x295

Axle strict press from rack

3x5x153+1 push press rep per set

5 chins between sets (60 total before mat pulls)

(3) Texas Deadlift Bar mat pulls

15+6+5x405 (rest pause: 12 breaths between pulls)

ASSISTANCE

5 round circuit of

* 10x80lb DB rows

* 10x270 reverse hyper

* 6 standing ab wheels

* 20 axle curls

Notes:

* Put the bar low today.  Thought process was, with mat pulls in this workout, I wanted to stay fresh, and the low bar is more mechanically advantageous for me.  It feels so much better to squat that way, just a matter of taking care of my forearms.  Had the x-factor of sweat making the bar slide down today, so even when I tried to make it NOT stupidly low bar, it ended up there.  The spot on my traps from Monday where I had the bar is pretty tender, which is a sign that area isn’t conditioned for the load yet.  Lots of room to play around, but I kinda like the idea of making Mon and Fri higher bar and Wed lower bar, similar to how I made Wed the lower volume workout on the previous cycle.  As always, when you introduce limitations, you introduce creativity.

* The mat pulls felt amazing today.  I’m really focusing on breaking off the floor by getting my hips underneath me and leg pressing the weight off, and from there transitioning to a hip hinge, whereas before I was just hip hinging the weight right off the floor and ending the set in agony.  The initial break is, of course, slow, but once that’s done it’s a smooth transition between the two and I feel a lot of power.  I feel very in control of the weight, which is great for 405lbs.  I lost a rep here compared to last week on the final rest pause set, but it’s one of those where I know it was there if I wanted to fight for it, but the cost of that fight wouldn’t’ be worth the reward.

* First workout where I got through all 5 rounds of the assistance work.  Debating on if I want to up the weight and go back to 3 rounds or keep trying for 5s.

* I had the time to get in a quick conditioning workout at the end, but decided against it.  We’re doubling up on Tang Soo Do tonight, so I should get plenty of additional activity.  Last night was a solid workout: 60 minutes of non-stop moving, with a LOT of push ups.

* Kept meaning to log this, but I hit a new PR on the weekend: I sat through the full performance of “Hamilton” at our local theater WITHOUT my right knee being in agony the entire time.  This time moving back to low bar with a wider stance has been good for me.  It’s good to know that the damage I did to myself wasn’t irreversible.  

* Got in the sandbag yesterday.  With how the schedule is shaping up today, not too sure if it will happen, but I’m doing it often enough that I can miss a day here and there.