UB: Conditioning Week 5. Timed Mile

Timed Mile - 9:16

Right where I wanted to be.  The first week I was closer to 10:00, then the 2nd week I went way to hard and about killed myself getting about 8:40, but the truth is I slowed down when I realized how far over pace I was, and was actually approaching an 8:15.  The last two weeks I ran with my wife just aiming to help her beat her time, so doing it by myself this week, I just wanted to come in between the first two week's times.  Next week is the last one of this cycle, so I will go all out again, and shoot for 8:30 or better.

UB: Conditioning Week 5. Bench, Hammer & Tire

Defranco shoulder mobility

Bench (always CG from now on)-
BarX15
95X5
135X1
155X1
175X1X5

Standing EZ Triceps - 55X18, 15

V-Grip Chins - Gym BW 205X12

BB Curls - 65X10, 8, 45X12

Tabata (30:10) Hammer & Tire - 12 minutes, 30 seconds; 15-21 swings per round

Felt pretty good going into the gym today, but the 175 sets on bench were pretty damn heavy.  I got 4 reps with this weight at the end of the strength phase, so the drop-off is apparent here.  Not to worried about it.

Man, these tabata sledge hammer sessions are a beast mentally.  Last session, I had to give myself a longer break 1/2 way through before continuing.  This session, I got about 1/3 of the way through and my mind was all "God, this is hard.  Maybe I didn't eat enough carbs or something today.  I'm really tired.  Yeah, I probably didn't eat enough.  I should probably just stop and call it a day, and remember to eat a PBnJ before I leave work next time."  Instead, I just kept swinging, never took an extended break, and added 30 seconds, or 1 round of swings to last time.  "We're playing these miiind gaaaames..."

UB: Conditioning Week 4. Squat, Deads and Sprints

Walk to Gym - 20 minutes

Defranco stuff: Rollovers, fire-hydrants, hip-flexor stretches

Squats -
BarX10
135X5
185X5
205X5

Deads -
135X5
225X2
275X1
295X1X5

BB Curls - BarX6, 65X12, 12, 12, 12, 6, 7

Incline Sprints - 14 sprints X 13 minutes

Walk home - 20 minutes

+10% day.  Squats still feeling a challenge.  A little nervous to see how the 265X1's go next week.  I should be strong enough for those, but I've never actually squatted 265.

Deads continue to feel strong as hell.  The 295 didn't fly up or anything, but there was certainly no doubt I was going to get all of them.  This was my max last time I tested it back in 2011.

I made my target number of sprints with almost a minute to spare.  I was just smarter early than last time.  While I was still fresh, I jogged back to start between each sprint.  As I got more fatigued, I'd call an audible whether to jog, walk, or 1/2 and /12.  Progressing, y'all.

UB: Conditioning Week 4. Press, Hammer & Tire

Defranco Shoulder Mobility + band pull-aparts

Press -
BarX10
95X2
115X1
125X1X5

45 deg. Inverted Rows to bottom of sternum - BWX10X2

Hammer Curls - 15sX15-20X4

Hammer & Tire - 30 sec. on / 10 sec. off; 12 minutes

Everything felt solid today, but for some reason I wasn't feeling push-ups and skipped them.  I think my arms just felt done after all those curlz.  I added some pull-aparts at the end of the mobility work.  I think if I settle on the right grip width it will be a good warm-up for my shoulders on pressing days.

Press was slow and heavy, but never had any doubt the weight was going up.

I took a longer break at the 6 minute mark of the Hammer swings.  My grip was feeling a little fried after all those damn curlz.

UB: Conditioning Week 3.Sprints

Incline Sprints (30 yds.) - 12 sprints, 12 minutes

I programmed to do 13 sprints in 12 mintues here, and I didn't make it.  I probably needed to jog back after each sprint, but I didn't realize that until too late, when I'd lost too much speed on the sprints.  So by the end I just couldn't get up and back fast enough to get the 13th sprint in. 

I've revised my programming accordingly (I hope).  I was originally aiming to get 20 sprints in 15 minutes on the last week.  I've dialed back each of the remaining weeks to end up hitting 18 in 15 for the last week.  Next week I'm programmed for 14 sprints / 13 minutes.  If I fail again to get more sprints than minutes, then I will assume that is my pace, and just add more time each week.  So it would end up being something like 14, 16, 18+ minutes for the last three weeks.

Also, my calf strain didn't give me any problems sprinting even though it's still sore.  I bought some more bananas, and I'm just not fucking with it, i.e. not constantly stretching it and massaging it through the day.  It seems like when I do that with things like this it becomes compulsive, and just ends up aggravating the strain.  After the initial onset, if I just leave it alone, while trying to be cognizant of not re-straining it, it gets better sooner.  That was my experience with the mid-back strain I developed on my last cycle, and it seems to be working out with this calf strain as well.

UB: Conditioning Week 3. Squat, Deads and Steady State

Defranco mobility

Squats -
BarX12
135X5
185X2
225X2
255X2X3

Deadlift -
135X10
225X5

Rope Hammer Curls - 4 sets of 20-25

45-minute walk

Stayed out a little too late and had a little too much to drink again on a Saturday night.  Squats were okay though.  The 255 moved kind of slow, but not straining if that makes sense.

Deads were fast and easy.  This is definitely my lift.

I've had bad cramping in my calf that started during the 1-mile run the day before this.  I decided to push sprints back a day, eat some bananas, and see if it eases up enough for me to run sprints on Monday.

UB: Conditioning Week 3. Timed Mile

Timed Mile (against wife's time) - 2:00, 6:50, 9:45, 12:51

Beat all the markers including the total time we set last time my wife ran with me.