Sometimes you’re thankful for deload week.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 16 (mark 2), week 4

• Work Set – Squat (working max: 285#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 2x5x115
  • 2x5x145
  • 2x5x175

• Work Set – Press (working max: 145#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 2x5x60
  • 2x5x75
  • 2x5x90
• Assistance – Pull-ups (band assisted)
  • 3 x 7 x BW

Normally I don’t like deload week. I appreciate it, but it’s not fun. 🙂 But today, I was happy for a deload workout.

I woke up with no motivation. I didn’t want to get out of bed, didn’t want to go to the gym, didn’t want to go to work, didn’t want to get on with the day. Not sure why. Could be carb backloading is wearing on me. Could be the lazy Sunday wants to continue into lazy Monday. Could be I’m just worn out. I really don’t know. But you get up anyways and go.

As well, a couple weeks ago a callus started to split. It’s in the inside crease of my right middle finger, middle joint. I did all I could to manage it, to keep it from becoming a problem, but over the weekend it truly split. Ouch. It’s tough to extend my fingers, to curl them, to clench and grip things. My finger is swelling a bit, I’m sure from the body trying to heal. It hurts, it’s difficult to work with, and I can’t stress it to death because I type for a living so it’s more important for my fingers to type than to deadlift (deadlifting doesn’t pay the bills). So I did what I could, but I couldn’t do much. You can see I didn’t get many pullups in… I’m just hanging directly upon that callus, and while I tried to not put pressure on it, you can’t help it.

So I did what I could…. and it wasn’t much. A “jack shit” sort of approach.

I did work to focus on every single rep. I figure if I can’t lift much weight, I can ensure the weight I lift is done very solid and paying attention to every detail: make that 5th rep better than the 1st rep. Whatever I can do, especially with pressing.

Anyways, it was what it was. I will bench on Wednesday and deadlift on Friday, and hopefully my finger will be better by then.