Training Log: Entry 3701

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR Week 3, Workout 5

MAIN WORK

SSB Front Squats
4x2x280

ALTERNATE w/

Axle strict press from rack
4x2x193+1 push press rep per set

Chins between sets

CONDITIONING

3 rounds of 150lb sandbag medley

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit ups
3x10

Lateral raise dropset
35x10, 35x5, 35x2.5, 35xEmpty Hands

Band pull aparts
35

Band pushdowns
30

Notes:

• Back was stiff coming into this, and I’ve lost enough abdominal circumference that my belt isn’t as tight as it was at the peak of my gaining, so I don’t have as strong of a brace. Unique problems to have. 2 days in a row of coffee fasting most likely also gave me a little less gas in the tank, but by around set 3 I was feeling pretty solid.

• Push presses felt better, and this was another “good knee day” for me, as I didn’t feel any discomfort on the squats and just a minor amount on the push presses. My left hip feels healed as well.

• Was struggling on the pick for the sandbag. I actually had my best ones on the final round, when I was most fatigued.

• I don’t log it, but from Dan John’s “The warmup is the workout” approach, I also get in a fair amount of chins during the warm up. Opened up with a set of 18, and then did 3 sets of 5 throughout my warm-up sets of squats and press (5 before the squat, 5 after the squat, 5 after the press, load plates and go again). Been a way to sneak in more work. As my bodyweight drops, the chins get easier.

• On the topic of bodyweight, was 84.3 this morning, and confirmed I was 84.4 yesterday. Good to see a little consistency there. I’m seeing a bit more abdominal definition.

• Got in a 1:18 hold yesterday.

• Sparring class was really awesome last night. Wednesday has become a 90 minute class, whereas Tues and Thurs are 60, so we got to spend more time drilling techniques, combos, and free-sparring before actually getting into the school tournament. I’m trying out new tricks, and in particular finding ways to make my sidekick more viable. Squared off against the Valkyrie in the first round of the tournament and took us 2-2 before losing to her in a long overtime round. She went on to win the tournament. After the tournament was over, I pitched an idea to have one person in the center spar a 30 second round against a fresh opponent with the remainder of the class (5 opponents total, so 2:30 sparring for the center person). My kiddo went first and displayed some really impressive cardio. Our resident dojo bully went in the center. I call him the bully because he’s about 6’6 and built like Dhalsim from Street Fighter and knows how to take advantage of that in a “no-contact” event. So I bullied the bully by dashing in first thing and throwing nothing but body punches while chasing him into the corner of the arena, never letting him have an opportunity to employ his long limbs. It was satisfying.