Training Log: Entry 3295

AM WORKOUT (0410 Wake up via alarm)

**PHYREXIAN DREADNOUGHT** Phase 3, Week 1, Workout 1

Axle continental and press away (max in 1 minute), 1 min rest between rounds

5x171

6x156

6x156

5x156

5x156

2x156

SSB Squats

5xBar

5xBar+doubled light bands

5x115+doubled light bands

6x165+doubled light bands

20x115+doubled light bands

ASSISTANCE

3x10 standing ab wheel

12x115 kroc rows

50 band pull aparts

20x115 SSB good mornings

100 Axle curls

26 axle shrugs against average bands

6x6 chins (various grips)

5x5 chins (various grips)

20,10 dips

BREAKFAST

Moderate walk w/dog

Notes:

* Starting a new phase, as the old competition is dead and I have 2 new ones on the horizon that will slightly alter my approach.  Current way forward is to keep the middle day the same (zerchers and then alternate between incline axle and dips, then include chins done in an EMOM format, finish with a max rep trap bar pull), have the first day use a DoggCrapp style squat workout, final day with use Xenos, and then alternate between axle push presses, axle strict presses, and log vipers.  Keep that 1 minute style approach to condition myself to perform under those conditions.  I dig the thought process here: Monday is a size focus, Wed is a conditioning focus, Friday is a strength focus.  Thursdays will do throws and carries, Tuesdays will ideally be walking, Saturdays will include ROM progression pulls and quite possibly axle Grace to get in more axle floor to overhead work, and can use Wed and Sunday to drill the farmer’s hold.  Might also do more carries on Sunday.  

* Walked the weight down a bit today to build up some momentum, since the competition is in 2 months.  I’ve got a lot of time: no need to rush.  Grappling comp will be in 6 weeks, and this should get in me in decent enough shape for that.

* Push press is coming back decent enough.  When I focus on being snappy, it’s solid.  Ran out of gas hard on the final set there: not sure what specifically happened.

* Those SSB squats continue to be awesomely murderous.  Pleased I got in those 20 reps.

* Finished a little earlier than usual, so got in a lot of assistance work.  Really trying to bring back my chins with more submax work, making it a point not to struggle on any set.

* I took an unscheduled deload since Wed’s workout.  What SHOULD have been a 2 days home project turned into 5+ days of working 12-13 hours a day outside in the sun rebuilding our back deck, which is actually STILL not done yet, but very close to finished.  The Mrs has the day off work and is finishing it up with my in-laws today.  The previous folks that built this deck did a total DIY job on it, and they adopted “chaos is the plan” before I ever thought of it, because no two pieces were alike.  Screws of all types, bolts, nails, etc.  My talents were employed by means of destruction, and I took to that well, armed with some prybars and hammers, I pulled boards off both levels (it’s a double deck) over the course of 2 days, then took off stairs, posts, pretty much everything that WAS nailed down.  The biggest meathead highlight was when I ripped some stairs out using a pseudo deadlift technique, only to discover they were NAILED into the concrete…which explained why I struggled so much to move them.  My father-in-law also marveled at how I lifted the entire deck 2 inches with my prybar when trying to take out a particularly stubborn board.  I’ve been working with my shirt off the entire time, trying to maximize my Vitamin D intake, and I have achieved a VERY healthy tan with no burn, which has been awesome.

* This deload coincided with a diet break, which has been great for many reasons, the biggest being that I am all too willing to get back to lean rations after a week of eating well.  The other thing was that I didn’t go off the rails with the break: simply brought my portion sizes up and brought back in some pork rinds, primarily for the saltiness to help with all the sweating.  I DIDN’T fall back on dairy like I typically do to get in extra calories, and I really think that’s been a great decision.  I noticed that, with dairy removed, my aggression is back and my general mood/disposition is more positive and lively.  It’s not “jerkish” aggression: more just a zest to get after it.  I do wonder if the casomorphines in dairy have anything to do with this.  If nothing else, it’s a good thing to know about myself.  I also know that I enjoy cheese way too much: it’s absolutely a pleasure food, and it’s too easy for me to justify its consumption.

* I weighed in at 81.7kg this morning, which was pretty solid given the very high sodium meals I had yesterday (Panda Express for lunch and wings from a local pizza place for dinner)