Another fortnight to catch up on and in four weeks today I’ll have taken part in my first strongwoman competition!
Let’s go back to Monday 7th March and recap from there
Monday 7th March – Julia Buckley workout
I dipped back into Challenge XXX for some upper body tempo work this morning. Working on shoulders mainly as assistance for the log press. Muscles on fire, did the job nicely
Tuesday 8th March– rest day
Wednesday 9th March– deadlifts
All about the DLs this evening. I’d had two busy and stressful days at work where I’d been stuck in workshops and having to eat from the catered buffet (aka sandwiches). I arrived at my PT session feeling a bit crap from all the wheat and quite tired – first thing Jess said was ‘are you OK, you look frazzled?’
I deadlifted and the deadlifted some more. I got up to 112.5kg and then the 115kg just wouldn’t move more than 6 inches off the floor. I know I have the strength, I’ve done it before, it just wasn’t happening today.
After letting me grump for a bit Jess put things into perspective reminding me how many women would be delighted to be lifting what I am.
I’ll get the 120kg, just not today
Thursday 9th March – rest day
Friday 10th March – Julia Buckley workout
This time I dipped back into Extreme Inferno with an upper body focussed HIIT session – Tank Top Training. Been a while since I did this one – the first circuit was killer but by the end the endorphins were flowing and I was loving it.
Saturday 11th March – strongwoman training
Rack pulls – got to the session early so I could practice rack pulls. I worked up from 60kg and got the 120kg off the rack once. It was good to feel what the weight felt like and mentally encouraging to know I can lift it through more then three quarters of the move.
Single arm dumbbell press – worked from 20kg through to 30kg and then from 25kg with the fat grip. The 30kg fat grip didn’t quite go up but it was sooo close
Yoke – started at 100kg and then made my way to 170kg my comp target – it felt very heavy but I did it twice. Here’s a video of my second attempt.
Posted by Skorpion Fitness on Saturday, 19 March 2016
Prowler push – not something I need to do for my comp but good to try it. Lung busting cardio starting at 30kg to push and then adding 40kg at a time. I got to 150k – it was a fun way to end the session.
Sunday 13th March – cardio
Intervals on the cross trainer and bike before a lovely Sunday lunch out with Mr J.
Monday 14th March – rest day
Rest day and travel to course in Oxford. I was away with work for the week – the third part of an intense course with lots of hours in the classroom supplemented by great food and wine – I have to moderate myself or it’s very easy to over indulge.
Tuesday 15th March – cable session
There’s a gym at the business school with a pretty random assortment of equipment. I’d told Jess what I’d have access to and she wrote me a schedule – cable strength workout then some tabata leg presses and plate holds
Wednesday 16th March – crosstrainer HIIT
Early start in the classroom but I got chance for a quick cross trainer HIIT session in the late afternoon -was feeling some DOMS from Tuesday’s session.
Thursday 17th March – cable session
Back to the cable, leg press, plate hold session. In the evening we had a party for the last day of our course. I danced for about 3 hours and clocked up thousands of steps and went to bed several hours later than usual.
Friday 18th March – needless to say today was a rest day!!
Saturday 19th March- strongwoman session
Went along early to practice rack pulls – got to 120kg again
Zercher yoke carries – a new one for me and worked up from the yoke on it’s own at 40kg to 110kg. It’s hard as it hurts the arms and it’s difficult to breathe while doing it so a real cardio lung burner as well as strength
Viking press – worked from the bar (~10kg) up to 25kg each side and managed a couple of reps there which I think is a new PB
Then spent the last 30mins of the session helping James the coach make sandbags of 50kg and 70kg. They are so incredibly awkward and I couldn’t even get the 50kg off the floor. Apparently it’s technique I can learn so the next couple of Saturdays are bound to feature these monsters!
Sunday 20th March – gym session
Mix of everything at the gym today. Steady state cross trainer, back squats to 70kg, practice sandbag lifts @25kg and cross trainer sprints.
Just four weeks to go!
From Strength to Strength 