Thursday 30th October 2025

Walk

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 160x1, 167.5x3, 177.5x1, 152.5x5x2

Wide pulldowns: 50x12x3

Pushdowns: 30x12, 40x8x3

Notes

SI pain substantially less in general, but still has sharp patches when standing from seated position.  Good improvement.  A little hurt in the arched position, and cannot drive the legs quite as strongly as I would like.  Bench went ok considering that.  Building block finished, peaking to begin next week.  

Tuesday 28th October 2025

Walk
Warmups

Deadlifts: warmups, 150x1, 190x1, 230x1, 255x1, 270x1 ouch

Notes

Bollocks.  Shouldnt have done this day.  But last years open Nationals I did exactly the same thing, just the initiation of the injury was slightly different.  But it was the doubles day that it peaked.  And today was the doubles day.  In fact its exactly the same distance from competition as it was from nationals.  

Idiot. 

But, I have the experience, and I have a plan.  Taking it even lighter than the nationals plans.  
Just have to work intellegently to avoid the bench taking the same idiot journey it did for the nationals too.  

Now the good points.  My last warmup was close to the same load as the weight that got me last year.  And the top set bit me near the top half.  The weight moved easily.  Could have least waited until my second rep, but with the way the first moved, then I should have been good for 275 double, maybe 277.5.

Happy with the speed, not with the pain.  The first day afterwards was highly painful and sharp.

Monday 27th October 2025

Walk

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 162.5x1x3

Notes

Lower back was a bit eh.  This was fine.  

Sunday 26th October 2025

Walk

Warmups
Bench: warmups, 155x4x2

Banded flyes

Pulldowns: 10x20, 30x12, 50x12, 70x12, 90x12x2

Pushdowns: 10x20, 30x12, 35x12, 40x12, 45x12

Notes

Lower back still felt a bit eh, but this work was fine.  

Saturday 25th October 2025

Walk

Warmups

Squats: warmups, 240x2, 205x4x2

Paused DL: warmups, 215x3x2

Notes

Weeee big squat.  10kg up, but not quite as much as I hoped.  Close.  Moved ok, possibly could have done a little more but at least it was strong and steady compared to the previous heavy week.  Shouldn't have prescribed Paused DL after this, but did it.  Moved well for the first set, then decided only to do two, and it left me with a little pain.  Not excessive, but didn't need it.  Oh well, onwards.  

Thursday 23rd October 2025

Walk

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 163x3, 173x1, 150x5x2

Lying extensions: 60x6, 80x6, 100x6x2

Banded flyes: Ox20x3

Pendlay row: warmups, 120x5x3

Notes

Ok session.  Warmups felt ok, shoulder felt fine.  I didn't push as much on the top set as I was thinking, btu thats ok.  Single was ok, and the work sets.  The shoulder felt a bit off after the top set of 3, but fine elsewhere.  Left shoulder is a little eh too.  Did pendlays, but didn't load it up as my lower back is toasted from Tuesday.  

Tuesday 21st October 2025

Walk
Warmups

Deadlifts: warmups, 242.5x1, 258x4, 225x6

Paused squats: warmups, 192.5x3, 195x3x2

Notes

Really nervious going into this.  Had 260 as my target and chickened out.  258 is a PR but only by 0.5kg.  Likely could have done 260.  But...that is still a higher lift than ever before.  Paused squats felt great.  Tired lower back, and upper back, but moved nicely, and actually paused.  

Onwards.  

Monday 20th October 2025

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 157.5x1x3

RC work

Notes

Forgot about this.  Did it after kids showcase at school.  Will try and do it in the AM for the next few weeks.

Sunday 19th October 2025

Walk
Warmups

Bench: warmups, 152.5x4x2

Pushup plus: bwx20x3

Pushdowns: 10x20, 30x12, 40x12x3

Chins: -greenx12x2

RC work

Notes

Shoulder felt a little eh, but I didn't take painkillers early enough either.  So don't know if its that or just random.  Moved ok.  

Saturday 18th October 2025

Walk

Warmups

Squat: warmups, 200x5x2

Standing leg curls: 10x20, 20x12, 25x12, 30x8

Nordic curls: -greenx8x3

Notes

Tired today.  Bodyweight has finally dropped a dash, will be keeping at that.   Always hard but moved ok.  Was fatigued at the end of it.  

Thursday 16th October 2025

Walk

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 157.5x3, 167.5x1, 145x5x2

Lying extensions: 60x5, 80x5, 90x5, 100x5

Banded flyes: orange x20x3

Pendlay rows: warmups, 120x5, 130x5x2

Notes

Not the greatest in the world, but not the worst.  A little behind last block, but both shoulders being dickheads.  So, about 2.5/5kg down, and slightly slower but I think that is more protective than strength per se.  Sets the tone for next weeks earlier loads.  Took painkillers and heat rub again, but this is the first time I haven't come out with a sore shoulder.  

Tuesday 14th October 2025

Walk

Warmups
Deadlift: warmups, 230x4x2

Leg extensions: 25x30, 45x20x5

Sissy squat: -greenx8x3

Grip: 25x8, 50x8, 75x8, 85x4, 90x1, 75x8

Notes

Sore and tired before this, and it was not that much fun.  Moved, not fast or strong, but moved.  Ever so slight tear on my right hand ring finger callous.  

Monday 13th October 2025

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 150x1x3

Notes

Evening session for additional work.  Light weight but certainly felt fatigued from lifting yesterday.  

Sunday 12th October 2025

Walk
Warmups

Bench: warmups, 140x6, 145x6, 150x6

Pushup Plus: BWx12x2, x20

Chins: -greenx12, x10, x10

Overhead press: 20x12, 40x12, 60x8x2

Db preacher: 5x20x3

Overhead tricep: 25x12, 35x8x3

Notes

I think thats it.  Shoulder was ok, fatigued but ok.  Sets were harder than they needed to be.  Overhead set up is nearly maximum, likely could go to 80kg before I run out of room, with two eleiko and two rubber, no clip.

Saturday 11th October 2025

Walk

Warmups

Squats: warmups, 220x1, 237.5x2.5 bump rack at bottom of third and drop it, then did 1 after I reset, 197.5x3 wtf wobbly awful, realised it was heavier than i wanted, 192.5x7 

Paused DL: warmups, 210x3x3

Nordic curls: -G+Bx8, -Gx8x2

Pulldown abs: 30x12, 50x12, 60x10x2

Notes

Absolute horse shit.  I was almost at a new 2rep PB and 3rep PB, insatead the inside plate tapped the rack at the bottom of the third rep, which I dont think has really happened that often at home, so the set ended there.  Reset the plates, loaded it all back to the top and then took it for a single.   Fook.  The top set was wobbly, and not as robust as last week, but still its fooking heavy.  Lower back was toasted after that so the backoffs started really being wobbly, and I stopped.  Noticed I was 5kg too heavy and took the right weight for one set rather than two.  

Didn't pack up, but continued to my paused deadlifts, heavier than I have done on a secondary workout, followed by some accessory.  Tired.  Stupid fk set messed up the flow of a great workout.  But got there.  One more down week, then into peak.  Dont know if this experiment was successful yet, but realisitcally, I would have beeen doing 225-227 for my top set of my normal rep scheme, and thats about a 10kg stepup.  So, all up, its fine.  Rinse, repeat.   

Thursday 9th October 2025

Walk

Warmups

Pin press: warmups, 165x2(barely)  doh

Bench: 147.5x5x3, 140x5

Pendlay rows: warmups, 110x6, 120x6, 125x6

Pushdowns: 30x12, 35x12, 40x12, 45x12, 50x8

Notes

Absolute shithouse day.  Forgot to do heat/painkiler rub.  Didn't sleep well, for a few days.  And just felt garbage.  Well, last warmup felt ok, but then going to the top set it just hurt the shoulder, and all power died.  The rep sets were barely better, substantially worse than the Sunday workout...  and everything felt slow.  Worked through the other stuff and did pushdowns as I couldn't be assed doing my lying extension/JM press thingies.  

That was the last week of pin presses, and I don't think they helped my shoulder.  The unloading at the bottom takes tension away and lets the shoulder move when it needs to be locked tighter.  
I am only benching 2x weekly, which I don't think is adequate, so I will add in a lighter evening session, likely on Monday night.  Lower RPE and singles.  

I will also drop some volume from the primary bench day, and do a single after my top set.  

Tuesday 7th October 2025

Walk

Warmups
Deadlifts: warmups, 230x1, 247.5x4, 215x6

Paused squats: warmups, 187.5x3x3

Sissy squats: -greenx12x3

Grip: 25x10, 50x10, 75x10, 85x3, 85x4, 50x17

Notes

Weeee.  Weights good, but still too nervious without a real psyche up.  Also noted a lifting heel on the right.  Have not done that for years.  Will focus on not doing that.  

Sunday 5th October 2025

Walk

Warmups

Bench: warmups, 132.5x6, 140x6, 147.5x6

Pushup+: BWx12x3

Chins: -green x10x3

Overhead press (new setup): 20x20, 40x20x2 

Db preacher: 12.5x12x3

Pushdowns: 30x12x3

Notes

Weeee.  Short walk.  today because of rain. But session was good. Did a ton of RC type shoulder stuff alongside this.  Bench felt ok.  Shoulder hurt after the last set, but otherwise good.  Held position a bit tighter. The comp will be on Eleiko V2 with Skai pad, so have included the adjuster.  Its not perfect, but its ok.  Will see if that works out for me.  

Saturday 4th October 2025

Walk

Warmups

Squats: warmups, 191x5x2

Standing leg curl: 10x20, 20x12x4

Nordic curl: -greenx8, -green+blackx8, -greenx8

Notes

Late session, took some time.  Tight after driving to Wellington and back.  Done.

Thursday 2nd October 2025

Walk

Warmups

Pin press: warmups, 161x3

Bench: 146x5x2, 137.5x5x2

Pendlay row: 60x6, 100x6, 110x6, 120x6

Tricep pin push: 60x8. 80x8x2, 60x15

Notes

Garbage in, garbage out.  The shoulder is weird at the moment, but not the bottom but the lockout.  The 161 as closer to a 10, but will see how things progress next week.  Also a real fatigued week really.  Maybe not push the Sunday workout not quite as hard?