Template 2, Week 12: Focus on Form

THIS week has been evidence that my new program is beginning to pay off. The axle squat and clean-press, which have historically been two of my weakest events as a strength athlete, are both steadily improving.

My clean-press technique employs a more rigid curvature of the lower spine, which is placing more strain on my lower back. And I've been training at least one, if not two, variations of overhead press every week for the last two months. As a consequence, I really wasn't coping with the fast-twitch requirements of power cleans come Saturday, so I cut them short and moved on to squats.

The squat - especially with a straight bar - has never been a comfortable lift for me. I have come to view heavy squat sessions much like army pilots view landings: any one you can walk away from is good enough. Well, whatever was causing the quad issue I'd had last fortnight (while measuring box heights) didn't make a reappearance this weekend, which I was very happy about. I was equally happy about the squats themselves. They were some of the best I've done, and a personal record for total reps at that weight. Not with a cambered bar (which has typically been my preferred squat bar) but with my dinky, bent old axle.

It makes sense why it's taking me this long to recover from Tuesday's largely upper-body press session: a combination of (probably getting older and) pushing myself to get back to peak strength levels as soon as possible by increasing training intensity, along with the new technique already mentioned. The conclusion to draw is that I've overworked press and now may be the time to de-load - or even take a break from - that movement for a week.

I'm already excited to deadlift next week.

EVENTS Week 12 Template 2 - Saturday July 13th
Axle clean-press:
45 kg x 8
65 kg x 5
85 kg x 2
Axle squats:
50 kg x 10
90 kg x 5
130 kg x 5
160 kg x 3
180 kg x 4 x 5 PR
Zercher carry w/yoke:
95 kg x 4 x 2 x 10 meters
Hamstring curls (p/l):
20 kg x 2 x 10

PRESS Week 12 Template 2 - Tuesday July 9th
Axle OHP (strict):
20 kg x 10
50 kg x 5
70 kg x 3
80 kg x 1
90 kg x 1
100 kg x 3 x 4 TPR
70 kg x 10 TPR
Incline barbell press:
50 kg x 3
80 kg x 3 x 6, 5
Skull-crushers w/mini swiss bar:
29 kg x 3 x 8
Preacher curls w/EZ bar:
19 kg x 2 x 15
Cardio:
assault bike 5 mins @ +50 rpm