Training Log: Entry 2517

LATE AM WORKOUT

Axle bench press 311
1x10
1x8
1x5

Close grip axle bench press 261
1x10
2x8

Swiss bar incline bench 215
1x10
1x9
1x8

Dips
1x40
1x29
1x25

Notes: 2:25 between sets. Still feeling impact of schedule/nutrition shift.  Just running out of gas midworkout. Real thing is that I'll have to re-establish baselines and expectations, but I don't foresee it meaning any sort of strength drop off.  I might start throwing some variety into this, as my elbows are really starting to feel pissed off.  In truth, that's a product of the stone of steel and sandbag every week, but I'm sure using the same movement pattern for so long isn't helping.  Might even make it stupid simply by doing the incline bench BEFORE the close grip, but I've also considered doing a close grip incline bench and then something else instead of close grip benching (maybe floor press or log press).  Just some things to consider.

Going to try to get in another long run tomorrow so that I can take Friday off from training before heavy pulls on Saturday.  Still trying to get in as much food as possible.

Training Log: Entry 2516

PM WORKOUT

GIANT SETS (Squat-stone-hyper)

SSB front squat
6xBar
6x135
6x225
6x275
6x315
6x275

Stone of steel lap and extensions (stone loaded w/60lbs and spacers)
6 sets of singles and doubles

Reverse hyper 440
6x12

Notes: 3:45 between sets.  Finally hit my breaking point on the stone.  Part of it was trying to use a technique that put less strain on the biceps, but for the most part it's gotten to the point where it's heavy and slippery enough to be a challenge.  Goal was doubles each round, but did not meet it.  Will keep the weight the same until I can.  Realized as of today I had been loading the SSB pretty stupidly, and that if I start with a 35 per side I get a more conventional "135-225-315" vs "155-245-325".  Think it made for a better loading pattern.  Went with last week's approach of keeping the soft belt on for as long as I could, to include the 4th and 6th set.  Still went with just the basic Inzer belt for the 5th set.  It's a little harder to hit depth with the soft belt on, but it does make my core feel stronger, so trade offs.

Dealing with an interesting issue of nipple chafe from the run yesterday.  Felt it during the stones.  Life's fun that way.

Training Log: Entry 2515

AM WORKOUT PART I

SUPERSETS (press-pulldown)

Axle strict press
5xAxle
5x66
5x151
5x176
12x196
10x196 (push press)
1 continental of 196

Grenade ball pulldowns 110
6x10

GIANT SETS (press-dip-raise-pull apart.  Odd sets axle strict press, even sets barbell behind the neck press)

Axle strict press 161
1x10
2x7

Barbell behind the neck press 120
1x10
2x7

Dips
6xFailure

DB lateral raise 30
2x11
4x10

Band pull aparts
6x12

Axle curls
1x50

30 mintues of rest, and then...

AM WORKOUT PART II

Treadmill run

Incline: 1
Speed: 6.3
Distance: 6.55 miles
Time: 1hr 3 minutes

Notes: Ok, big training day here.  For the presses, went 3:45 between heavy presses and 2:00 between giant sets.  Hit this workout after waking up and walking my kid to school.  Working nights this week, so learning how to use my downtime.  Found myself running out of gas through the workout, so I'm gonna need to focus on getting in some decent calories quickly.  Left bicep is still really achy, despite taking a break from events yesterday, so I'm cutting the direct bicep work down for now.  Balance.  Was an otherwise productive session.

Took off 30 minutes and ran half a half marathon, so I suppose that's a quarter marathon.  Picked a speed that set a 9:30 mile pace.  Not fast by any means, but sustainable for now, especially with the incline set.  I definitely wanted to stop at mile 2, but pushing through that got me in a better place.  I'd have parts within later miles where I felt good, and then it would suck again.  Still, wanted to see if I had halfway in me before I gave this some serious thought.

I know there are probably better and smarter ways to balance this training, but I'm just gonna experiment and see what works for me and my schedule.

Developed a small hotspot on my foot.  Will need to watch for that.  Gotta get the calories in too.  Treadmill said I burned 1000 of them.  Not sure if that's real.

Training Log: Entry 2514

PM WORKOUT

MAX EFFORT LOWER: High Handle Trap bar lift
5x155
5x245
3x325
1x425
1x515
1x605
1x655
1x705 (5lb PR)
6x605 (1 rep PR)

GIANT SETS (dead-hyper-squat)

(3) Deficit axle deadlifts 346
3x10

Reverse hyper 340
3x10

SSB front squats 165
3x10

Notes: 3:45 between heavy pulls, 2:00 between giant sets.  Went without straps up to and including the 515 set.  I was NOT feeling like I had any heavy pulls in me today.  Perhaps it was the run yesterday, or that I had been averaging 5 hours of broken sleep all week this week, but either way every set from 515 on felt HEAVY.  Somehow, I just kept finding more in me when I dipped in for it, but after that 705 set I was fairly confident I had used it all up, so I went back for 605 to see what I could do.  I could feel myself not getting my hips down on a few, but it's good to know I have that strength from different angles.

Still focusing on keeping my foot placement on the trap bar similar to the foot placement I would use on a conventional deadlift.  I had to focus on bringing the feet back together on the 605 set, because they kept wanting to come out.

Giant sets were rough.  Front squats are finally at just about the right weight. 

Training Log: Entry 2513

PM WORKOUT

4.5 mile run, .5 mile walk

Notes: Did this with the Mrs, so she could get in some mileage and I could assess what sorta running shape I'm in.  The answer: not great.  Fun fact about this workout: I got home from work at 0330, slept until 0615 so I could walk my kid to school, got back to sleep at 0745 and woke up at 0930, then lived off a zero carb Rockstar in the morning and a zero carb Monster before the run.  So...not awesome.  The only advantage I had over the Mrs is that I was FAR better heat adapted than she was due to my training in the garage, so though she was beating me on speed and endurance, I was able to keep up just because the heat wasn't beating me up as bad.

I may still try to tinker with the half-marathon, but I need to get some better shoes.  Feet were definitely feeling this one.

Cheat meal'd it at a pizza buffet tonight.  Wanna hit something big on the trap bar tomorrow. 

Training Log: Entry 2512

PM WORKOUT

Axle bench press 311
1x10
1x9
1x6

Close grip axle bench press 261
1x10
1x9
1x8

Swiss bar incline bench 215
1x10
2x7

Dips
1x36
1x30
1x26

Standing ab wheel between sets 8x6

Notes: 2:45 between sets of benching, 2:00 between dips.  My right elbow is PISSED at me.  Hardest part of the workout was pulling my left elbow sleeve on before each set.  Imagine it's all the stone and sandbag work.  Was very stupidly set-up before the first set of the day, totally unfocused, thinking about what I was gonna make for dinner before I realized midway through I was doing a workset and not a warm-up.  So I suppose it's cool that I got that done.  Kept hitting the j-hook on the second and third set of the incline swiss bar bench.  I've started my job's new shiftwork schedule, which has resulted in me getting about 3-4 hours of sleep when I get home before I get up, get my kid to school, and then grab another 1.5 hour nap.  Fatigue may be a contributing factor.

Training Log: Entry 2511

PM WORKOUT

SUPERSETS (squat-stone-hyper)

Buffalo Bar Squats
8xBar
8x140
8x230
8x320
8x400
8x320

Stone of steel lap and extension (55lbs + spacers)
6x3

Reverse hyper 440
6x10

Notes: 3:45 between sets, 4:45 between penultimate and final set.  Yesterday, I wore my Rehband soft belt through the whole workout and it really went a long way in mitigating lower back fatigue, so I tried it as much as I could with this workout, basically wearing it between sets and then under one of my Inzer belts on the sets of 320.  Definitely helpful for those purposes, but makes depth a bit tougher to get to, so I went without it for the set of 400.  That was pretty awesome to hit under these conditions.  Whenever I can manage 405 for 8, I know I'm good for 500 for a single, and being able to get it under this significant amount of fatigue just means there's even more there if I need it.

The stone is getting to the point where I'm gonna need to switch to doubles.  The weight isn't so much the issue as is the sweat.  Hard to get a grip, which is putting a lot of stress on my biceps.  Compounding that with the sandbag and the curls, they're feeling beat up.  Gotta watch for that.  That said, being able to lap the stone each time on this gives me some confidence.

Lower back pump was intense on this one.  Had to lay down before the last 2 sets. 

Was able to wring out my shirt post workout.  This one REALLY sucked.