Perfect Insanity

Today, I had a great day in the gym. I fucked shit up. This is really fuckin awesome, because I wasn't sure if the running yesterday was going to hurt my performance today. However, even with the running AND a less than ideal night's sleep last night, I fucked the workout up, which shows me that I should be able to keep in the 400's without hurting my strength gains.

How I felt today

Started today with 5/3/1 squats. Warmups felt nice - I focused on making all the reps very controlled, without making them too slow, and they felt awesome. Worked up to my work sets - 205 x 3, then 235 x 3. Focused up, and got under 265, and ended up hitting it for 10 solid reps. They were hard, but I was really happy with the set, especially the last rep because I had to grind it out. Often when I squat heavy, I hit a sticking point and if I slow down, I can't grind through the rep, I just fail. However, I worked really hard to get that 10th rep, pushed through a near dead stop, and that makes me happy. Last time I did this weight I only got 9 reps, and that was with a belt. 

Next I did speed deads at 230 off a high deficit. I'm definitely more comfortable off the higher deficit, they moved nicely. 245 will probably be tough, but that's the idea - then, next cycle the weights go up, but I get rid of the deficit and pull from the floor. 

5 x 10 was where I really had a great day. Despite some trouble finding a comfortable spot for the bar, i ripped through the sets with 90 seconds rest, and managed to get 16 reps on the final set. It was hard but very solid, and I'm really glad I'm fucking owning 175 this week. 

Ended with 50 situps on the ghd with a hold every ten reps, just to finish fatiguing my core. Overall, it was an awesome day and workout. Can't WAIT for tomorrow, and the return of JEROME to our gym. Gonna FUCK SHIT UP!

400's

Today is sunday, and as such is normally a rest day. However, lately I've been playing around with adding some light, "weightlifter cardio" on this day. Today, however, I did something a little more extreme - I ran a few 400 meter intervals. 

This random dude has a random video about 400's... Don't know if what he's saying is worth listening to haha but he does look pretty jacked and ripped up. 

My best 400 time ever is 1:06. That's when I was in good running shape - my mile time was sub- 6 mins, and i weighed about 170 instead of the 195 that I weigh now. Today, as I went to the track to do my light cardio, I started wondering how my time for a 400 would be - I haven't legitimately run one in over a year and a half (I have barely run at all in that time), so I figured I might give it a shot. I started with an easier 400 to start, running with moderate intensity. My form is much better now, and running feels very smooth, but even at moderate intensity that 400 was tough. I would say my pace was about 1:30-1:40, and I was feeling it by the end. I rested, warmed up, then ran a second 400, this time for time. I think I may have paced myself a little too much in the beginning, but overall it was a pretty all-out effort, and I came in at 1:14 - 8 seconds behind my best time ever. Considering I haven't really run in well over a year, I was PRETTY happy with that time. It goes to show how important strength training is. 

What I was NOT happy with was how I felt after the 400. Now, granted, 400 meters is one of the most horrible distances to run - but I wasn't recovered for at LEAST 20 minutes after that run. My heart rate was up, all my things hurt, and I was exhausted. Only sitting, completely motionless, helped. 

SO, I think that for these next 12 weeks, I'm going to dedicate sundays to getting my 400 time down to where it used to be (I want to hit 1:05 before summers up, if I can). I don't want to dedicate to much time or effort to it, because I don't want to hurt my strength training at all - in fact, if at any point I feel like this is hurting my performance on monday, I will cease and desist immediately. However, this is the tentative plan: run 2 400 meter sprints every sunday - one on a set pace (I'll probably start at 1:30, then once that feels solid move it down by 3-5 seconds a time), and then the second as a max effort, all-out run. I think limiting my workout to 2 400's only should be easy to recover from and won't hinder my strength gains at all, but should still go a LONG way towards improving both my 400 time AND my work capacity/ability to recover. Without ANY running, I still had a solid time, so just adding a few intervals in once a week should do wonders. Plus, I'll treat these workouts as I treat arm day and strongman day - absolutely worth doing when I have time/feel okay, but my more serious workouts will ALWAYS take precedence.  That way, I can work towards this goal without negatively impacting any of my strength goals. Which are most important. 

Running. Yeah. 

Saturday Stronglifts

Today is saturday, and as such is a heavy/strongman day. I wanted to play around with log pressing today, but I actually couldn't find the log. So instead, I just squatted heavy and called it a day. And what a day it was.

Decided to make sure my form was perfect today, so I took every single squat rep slow and controlled. Hit 275 for 2 singles, then a third with the belt. Then I hit 295, then 315. A friend commented that maybe I was descending a little fast, but that he thought I could get more. So I went to 325, controlled it, and got that rep - hard but smooth. I should have called it then, but I decided to try for 335. It wasn't a bad miss, but I probably should have just been happy wiht 325. 335 will go up very soon though.

Overall, it was an awesome workout. I am psyched about getting 315 thurs then 325 today. definitely stronger.

Slowest. Rep. Ever.

Today was a good day, although it included the slowest rep I have ever done. And it was a bench rep, which is just hilarious.

Today opened with Chaos and Pain benching: 175 for 9 sets of 3, on the minute. Problem is, I'm still not fully adjusted to the different equipment, And doing the sets that fast made for some sloppy setups. Point it, on the second set I set up weird and was a little sloppy during the reps, which both tired out my muscles and put me behind the clock. I spent the next 4 sets or so trying to A) make up the time that I was behind, and B), trying to figure out my setup a little better. By about set 7 I did both of these things: I was back in synch with the clock and my setup was better. Problem was, I was just about wiped and I had two sets left. Set 8, I hit reps one and two okay, but rep three was literally the SLOWEST rep I have ever done. I thought I was going to fail about 3 seconds in, but didn't give up and kept pushing, and got it probably around second 7. I was really proud - normally, I find it really hard to push through really hard bench reps, and I'm psyched I didn't let myself fail that. HOWEVER, I knew that set nine was going to be a debacle if I tried to go on the minute. So, I rested probably an extra 60-90 seconds, and hit it for my final set of three, which was significantly easier than set 8. It's too bad I couldn't do all9 on the minute, but overall I'm really happy with not failing a single rep, and I think now that I've figured out the setup/equipment a little better, next week will be easier.

Next up was 5 week for overhead press... I forgot to check what my actual weights were haha so I guessed, and did 105, 120, and 135 for 5. The 135 was tough for 5 after the Chaos and Pain, but I got it, and that's what's important. After that, I dropped back to 120 and did a bunch of reps from a dead stop off my shoulders, and then did the same with 105.

Next up were pendelay rows with 165. These were no problem - normally I've been getting about 12 reps in the first set, but I got 16 today without much strain. Think i'm gonna take the weight up to 185 on these for next week.

Next was dumbell benching. Hit the 60's for 12 or so, then again for 5, then hit the 50's for about 6 or 7. That first set was great, but the other two my triceps were giving out. Tried to hit the 30's to get a chest pump, but it didn't really work hahaha.

Finally, Kroc rows with the 110. Hit 18 reps each arm, then did another set of 10. I didn't like goign quite that heavy today, when I've already rowed. I think I might save the 110 for tuesdays only, and try using the 90 dumbbell on friday and see if the higher reps feel a little better.

Overall, it was a solid day. Looking SO forward to my cheat tonight and tomorrow, which will be starting within the next few hours. And pumped to squat heavy and play with strongman stuff tomorrow.

Heavy Heavy Squats

Today was a very heavy squat day. I felt kind of shitty for whatever reason today. My form was a little off, and I had a few sloppy reps that made me really mad. And, I just felt achey and tired all around, especially toward the halfway point of the workout. But overall it was actually a pretty solid training session, a lot better than I'm giving myself credit for.

This is how I feel right now

Started with a heavy single squat. Worked up through 225 for 3, felt pretty good but not very explosive. Did a double at 275 - first rep was good, but then the second rep I dropped like a fucking log into the bottom, with absolutely no tension whatsoever, and had to really fight to get the weight back up. I've been having success with sinking a little deeper into my squats lately, and using my stretch reflex to my advantage, but that only works if you don't fucking lose all tension when dropping into the hole. It was only one or two reps that I did this on, but it makes me angry that every single rep isn't perfect. I need to really focus on squatting quickly and deep, while still completely controlling the motion and never losing tension. ANYWAYS, hit 295 and then 315 for a solid single, and even though part of me wanted more I figured it would be better to call it there than to push myself on a day when I was feeling off and get really angry about missing a rep.

Next, I dropped back down to 225 to work up in triples, and this is where I started feeling really bad. The weight felt heavy, my form felt sloppy, and everything was moving really slow. I hit 225, 245, and then 265 for triples. I really wanted to get to 285 again, or at least do 275, but that 265 was so shitty and slow that I knew it wasn't worth going for any more weight. Its just a shame I didn't feel better, I really had fun two thursdays ago doing this workout, and I was hoping today would be like that.

The saving grace at the end of my workout was front squatting. Don't know why, but I felt like going heavy was the thing to do, so I did. I put on the belt, and hit 185 for a single, then 205 and 225, both pretty easy. 235 is my max, so I jumped to 245. I missed the rep, but it wasn't a bad miss, and honestly I would have gotten it without the mental and physical exhaustion. I hate to say it, but I told myself I would probably miss that rep even as I was stepping under it. But 235 would have definitely gone up, and considering how tough of a day it was, the miss didn't really bother me any. I was just happy with how smooth 205 and 225 were.

So, in the end I feel pretty shitty about todays workout, without any good reason: I squatted to a max back AND max front squat, on a day where I didn't feel great, and managed to get within 10 lbs of my pr on both. and even that heavy three wasn't too bad. So not a bad day. I just need to focus on making all my reps perfect next time I squat to try and dissipate the hate coursing through my veins right now.

Arms

Today, I am making a late night snack of wings as I write this. Yum. Been starving the last few days, I can't wait for my cheat. 

Today was arms day. Went into the gym, warmed up, and then did some close grip benching. Without much rest, hit 135 for 12, then 10, then 7 (it was supposed to be 8 but I couldn't quite hit that final rep. After that, I did a few sets of triceps pushdowns with a band, And then a few sets of bicep curls with the band (standing on it with my feet relatively wide). I really liked the band stuff for hitting my arms, It felt awesome and I got a really solid pump. Ended with some lighter preacher curls, to help rehab my elbows. 

Very excited for tomorrow. Can't wait to squat heavy again. 

Bench DAY

Today was a good benchy bench day. Felt really good due to good sleep and great breakfast and delicious caffeine, and went in ready to fuck shit up.

The equipment took a little getting used to - I have to widen my feet a little, because the bench is wider than I'm used to - but after a short while, not only was I used to it but I LOVE it way more than the equipment at school. Warmed up, then hit 135 and 155 for sets of 5 - not crazy easy but felt solid. Then, put 175 on the bar, and messed it up, got 7 reps. Obvious progress - a few months ago, I could only get 4 reps. Then 6, last time I did this weight, and 7 this cycle. Considering I haven't really benched in over a week, I was really happy with this. 

Funnily enough, my 5 x 10 didn't actually go that well. It wasn't too bad the first two sets, but the third and fourth were tough and on the fifth set, I almost failed on the 8th rep - had to rack it, rest 20 seconds then hit the final two. Not sure exactly why this was hard, I was only doing them at 125 which wasn't much trouble the last few weeks I did it. My guess is either I was a little tired out from the 175 x 7, OR, I haven't benched or even pushed with that kind of volume in two weeks, and so even though my strength wasn't hurt much my endurance strength went first. Either way, I'm not too worried about it, hopefully next week it will feel a little better. 

Kroc rows were awesome. Out of NOWHERE, there magically appeared a 110 dumbell, and I rowed it for 20 reps each arm. It was TOUGH, but felt really great. I'm just happy I can do them that heavy. Hopefully by the end of the summer I will be owning that dumbell. 

One day... I'll row with THAT dumbell

Next up was overhead pressing. I put 95 lbs on the bar and hit it for 3 max sets - 13, 8 and 6 reps, with 90 seconds rest. Got a nice shoulder and tricep pump. 

Finally, did 3 sets of 10 kipped pullups. These feel good when I do them at the end of the workout, because my lats are already tired, so I REALLY feel it in my back, rather than my grip first. Problem is, had a little bit of elbow pain later in the day. Not terrible, but it's a bad sign, and I REALLY don't want to set them off again. So, I think I'm going to restrict pullups to one day a week, and on Fridays I'm going to end my workout with Kroc rows instead. Hopefully, this will allow me to continue doing vertical pulls without hurting my elbows. I also might play around with doing the pullups on rings or with straps, to see if that lessens the torque and pain in my bows. 

Overall, it was a pretty great workout. Feeling fresh, feeling strong, and finally starting to lean out even more. Tomorrow is arms day, which should be fun (I think all the crossfitters will judge me though), and then thursday is MAX SQUAT! Can't wait.