Press+ Tuesday: Stepping Up

IT'S FAR from a precise amount, but generally speaking my routines have between twelve and eighteen sets in them. That has been the ballpark for years now. Tonight's program called for thirty. I managed twenty seven, and only dropped the last few sets as they were bicep curls and my tendon felt strained after the first one. It would be a profoundly stupid thing to detach that tendon for a second time.


The only real negative was the bench press for max reps; I programmed 12, touch and go, but only managed 10 (thanks to Perry and Jarek for the spot). Rather than spaz out and do a bunch of doubles, like last week, I left it there and focussed on the axle press. I was actually pretty happy to *almost* complete all 20 reps programmed... after the first set it honestly didn't feel like I'd get that far. As it has in the past, inevitably one press will be given greater priority than the other in the future. It all depends on when I return to competing, and in what discipline. But right now I'm chuffed to be hitting new numbers on axle press.


The tendon issue is why I am going to stick with the cambered bar for my squats for a little while longer. And, obviously, I'm not entertaining things like Farmers walk, Atlas stones, or heavy cleans or deadlifts... well, there's a whole bunch of fun things I'm not entertaining right now. But there's an ever-increasing selection of things that I can do.


I've decided to take a broader and more serious approach to my training. Not having the use of all my limbs for those months has lit a fire under me, so to speak. My passion has been reinvigorated with the recent conclusion that - yes - I am still able to train effectively and even hit new numbers in this, still incapacitated, state. But the more capable I get, the more I want to do.


Some of the accessory work tonight I had to scale down a little thanks to the arms blitz I did Sunday. I really enjoyed the Meadows rows, amongst other things; another tip of the hat to Tim for giving me the idea. This row variation I've done only once or twice before; it doesn't tax the bicep tendon, as the arm is never fully extended, and it's a good stand-in for bent-over dumbbell or Kroc rows.


I have a lot still to do. I may have to train again tomorrow night.




PRESS+ TUESDAY May 16th
Warmup/stretch


Bench press:
Bar x 10
60 kgs x 5
90 kgs x 3
110 kgs x 10 FAIL


Axle OHP:
35 kgs x 5
65 kgs x 3
85 kgs x 3 x 5
85 kgs x 4 So close! Program FAIL, still a PR


Seated French press:
30 kgs x 10 - too heavy
20 kgs x 3 x 10


super-set w/Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 2 x 20
full stack x 2 x 15


DB front raises:
9 kgs p/h x 4 x 10


super-set w/HS chest press:
35 kgs p/h 8 - too heavy
30 kgs p/h x 3 x 8


HS bicep curls:
10 kgs p/h x 10


Cardio: assault bike 5 minutes @ 50 rpm