UB: Reps Week 1. Back

Defranco warm-ups - Rollovers to V-Sits and lat stretches

Deadlift -
135X5X2
225X5X2
265X3

T-Bar Rows (unsupported) -
BarX30
30X10
50X6
60X3
60X10, 8, 6, 8 (32 total reps)

Prowler High-Lows - 90lbs., 8 trips

Since Paul Carter wrote the Ultimate Beastdom articles, his attitude towards high-rep Deadlift work has clearly changed.  After some consultation with him, I decided to replace the high-rep Deadlift work with high-rep Rows.  The idea I came up with is to start with some easy deadlift sets, and wave the top set through the 6-weeks to get heavy enough at the end to get some rep PRs, but not so heavy that I'm trying to increase my projected max.  Then I will use Carter's over warm-up method to work on my rowing rep strength with unsupported T-Bar Rows.  The only difference there is that instead of waving the top single on rows, I will wave a top triple.  I just think this makes more sense for rows.  This way I still get to have some fun with Deadlifts, including a shot at some low rep PRs, but most of the work is on Rows, which I need to do some work on anyway.

This session came with only a one day break since the first high-rep squat workout, and my hamstrings were quite tight, and made it a little bit difficult to get into position for the deadlifts, but ultimately these pulls were fine.

The Row work was easier than the work on Squat day.  After I worked up to the set of 3, I pulled on lifting straps so that I didn't have to worry about my grip distracting from the quality of my rows.   I would say this went fine, but afterwards the mid-back strain that I developed during the strength cycle reared it's head.  I've been looking forward to getting some quality rowing done on this cycle, and I'm going to be righteously pissed if this strain gets in the way.  I'm gonna be foam rolling like a mother this week, and we'll see what happens next time.

I decided I wanted to start using the Prowler we have at they gym, so I'm gonna make that the heavy conditioning work for this cycle.  When I've used the Prowler before, I've always found the turn to be the worst part, so today what I decided to do is something I'm gonna call High-Lows.  This just means I push the prowler in one direction with my hands high up on the uprights, then I move to the other side and push it back with my hands on the cross-bar that's low on the other side of the sled.  The low push is significantly harder than the high, but I got 8 trips in about 8 minutes with 30 second rests, and I think it's something I can build on.