I didn’t post last weekend as we were away in Edinburgh so this post is a bumper catch up on a fortnight of training.
Monday 22nd February – Rest day
I still wasn’t feeling 100% and after a heavy training weekend I decided to rest.
Tuesday 23rd February – Deadlifts
Tonight I mostly deadlifted my way to another new deadlift PB. It now stands at 115kg and just 5kg off my target. The 120kg came off the floor but got stuck mid shin. Soon, very soon.
Wednesday 24th February – Rest day
Early start at work and I was feeling pretty wiped out after the max efforts the night before so this was another day of rest.
Thursday 25th February – Julia Buckley workout
Coregasm – this one is an old favourite that doesn’t get any easier. Julia’s shared this on You Tube so you can try it out for yourself if you want.
Friday 26th February – strength session at the gym
I did some deadlift assistance work in the gym. Heavy Romanian Deadlifts with wrist straps, hip raises, rack pulls and back extensions.
Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th February – weekend break in Edinburgh
We spent the weekend walking, eating and drinking our way around Edinburgh. The sun shone, the sky was blue and it was a wonderful relaxing weekend. Just what I needed. Here’s a picture of Arthur’s seat from our walk to Sunday lunch. How blue is that sky?
Monday 29th February – strength session at the gym
We arrived home in the early afternoon so I headed to the gym. I was definitely below par as I’d not slept well the night before and was a bit hungover. I did some deadlifts, push presses, single arm dumbbell presses, kettlebell raises and lat pull downs.
Tuesday 1st March – rest day
I must have done something good at the gym on Monday despite not feeling great as my back was quite sore today. Another super early start at work meant a rest day today.
Wednesday 2nd March – strength session at the gym
Early morning deadlift session. 3 x 70kg lifts every minute on the minute until failure. Quite the way to start the day. I followed it up with a carry session making use of the various heavy implements available – sandbags, kettlebells, dumbbells and fixed barbells.
Thursday 3rd March – Julia Buckley workout
A new one today – Six Pack Shred #4 which was lower ab focused. Short and sweet – it was challenging and I could really feel it working my core.
Friday 4th March – Julia Buckley workout
Today I tried a workout from Ignite that I’ve not been able to do since I injured my knee back in December. Today I managed it all – even the burpees and jump switch lunges. So relieved that my knees are better – now I just need to keep them that way!
Saturday 5th March – Strongwoman session
So good to be back – I’ve missed it.
Log – I worked up from the empty frame and got through to 47.5kg quite easily. Got stuck at 50kg and tried 4 or 5 times before finally managing it. It’s technique rather than strength and quite a bit of mind over matter that got me there in the end. 5kg more to go – as James the coach said – just 1kg a week – I can do it.
Farmers walk – I got 130kg last time I tried and was determined to
get 140kg and reach my competition weight today. And I did. It took all of my strength to get the bars off the floor but I did it and then managed to carry them for most of the distance I need to.
Sled drag – I can do my comp weight of 80kg quite easily – it’s about technique and getting quicker. Today I kept adding weight and got another new PB of 100kg. I could have gone heavier but it was so so cold and my hands were screaming at me so I decided to call it a day.
Sunday 6th March
Today quite a lot of me ached from yesterday. I decided on some cardio as I haven’t hit a good cardio session in a while. 20 minutes steady on the cross trainer, followed by 1000m on the rower as fast as possible followed by tabata protocol ball slams left my lungs burning and my legs aching. I followed up with some foam rolling and mobility work.
The competition is now just 6 weeks away today. I keep alternating between being hugely nervous and quietly confident. I’ve still got to put 5kg onto my deadlift and then lift multiple reps and also add 5kg to my log press. Other than that though I’ve already conquered all the big weights 6 weeks out – the 140kg farmers walk yesterday was quite a big deal mentally as well as physically. I’ve not tried atlas stones or sandbags but I know I can lift the weights that I need to – it’s just a matter of adjusting for the different implement.
The next few weeks are about nailing that deadlift and log press and putting the moves together into the medleys that I’ll be doing on the day. I also need to look after myself and make sure I don’t get injured. That means lots of foam rolling and mobility work and I think it’s probably time for a sports massage or two.
From Strength to Strength 