All I want for Christmas is to increase my Press. 🙂

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 16, week 1

• Work Set – Press (working max: 145#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 1x5x60
  • 1x5x75
  • 1x3x90
  • 1x5x95 (work)
  • 1x5x110
  • 1x8x125
• Asst. #1 – Press
  • 1 x 6 x 125
  • 1 x 6 x 110
  • 1 x 8 x 95
  • 1 x 10 x 75
  • 1 x 10 x 65
• Asst. #2 – Pull-ups (band assisted)
  • 5 x 5 x BW
• Asst. #3 – Stuff
  • Upright rows
  • Flared-arm DB Extensions
  • Cheat Curls
  • 3 sets, 8-15 reps, enough weight to make it hard; on 3rd set immediately drop weight and keep going to failure
• Sled drag
  • 8 trips, 75 yards each trip
  • 75# on the sled
  • 30 seconds rest, after every second trip
  • sled straps around the waist, walking forward

I do hate that my Press is feeling so weak. I drop down the weight, the compare it against past performance I feel like I’ve stepped back too much. *sigh* But I know I’m working to improve technique. Case in point, today I was fiddling with wrist position, which caused me to take a different bar path. My arms and such moved through the same range, but with “straighter wrists” that put the bar further from me and so leverages were different. I probably don’t need THAT straight a wrist during the Press, but I’m playing with wrist positions to correct that aspect, so it was useful to experiment. As well, I notice my lock-outs are maybe 98%. I’m at full extension, but I’m not locked out and squeezing everything at the top of the movement. So, add that in, make it certain, and work things harder. On paper it looks worse, but in reality it’s pushing me to my limits so….

I am happy to have cranked out 5 reps across with the band-assisted pull-ups. I’ll now go 6 across and just keep working my way up.

On the last stuff, I thought to try flared-arm DB extensions instead of the pushdowns. Pushdowns were causing me some elbow discomfort so let’s try this instead. Well…. it felt worse. *sigh* But in a way, it also felt like if I did these they may actually be better for me. I dropped the weight down, more reps, and it was a lot better, so well… I’ll keep trying them and see how it goes. One session is not enough.

And yes, I dragged the sled. I do think it’ll be good for me to drag it moderately after every workout. I went up to 75# today (from 50# last session). Finally I felt like I was dragging something! I felt some resistence. 8 trips was enough, especially with only 30 seconds of rest every other trip. It didn’t tax me much, but my heart rate was in the “target zone” and it was some effort. I reckon doing this exact same routine after deadlifting or squatting would be a LOT more taxing, so I’ll stay here and see how it goes on Wednesday (squat #2). I’ll just keep working my way up until I have enough “reps” and weight that I’m getting a good work. I don’t want to overdo the conditioning work, but I do need to do some. The sled makes me happy.