Woof.

I spent the weekend with Cecil Burch of Immediate Action Combatives. I’ll have a full write-up later, but the simple way to put it is 2 days (16 hours) of modified Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I’m in good spirits, but I’m pretty beat-up. Sore, VERY bruised up, and my energy reserves are spent. I decided today — first, I was thankful it’s the start of a new cycle thus things are “light” — that I would just going to take it as it comes. Do what I can, get what work in I can, but just listen to myself. Main thing is that I’m in need of recovery, a little more than usual, so no point in digging the hole deeper.

That said, a few new things on this cycle.

I work up to the top set, but I still do NOT do PR reps — just prescribed. Then I will pyramid back down going to “failure”. That’s the big change for things. Bench and press, yes. Squats stick with 20-reps. Deadlift, I’m not sure if I want to keep that as a straight workup or maybe pyramid back down.

Then on assistance work, I want to add a little more intensity techniques. Like in today’s session, on the last set of curls and raises I’d go to failure, then just do as many partial burns as I could.

However, while that was the plan, that’s not what happened.

I did my pressing (and lat pulldowns). That went well, all things considered. My arms are pretty beat up from the weekend, and I even had some mild flaring up of my biceps pain — which I’m growing more convinced is only manifesting itself in the arms, but is actually shoulder and more likely something in my pecs (tight, collapsed, from sitting over a computer all day). But I still managed to get some work in, and was generally pleased all things considered.

But then when I went for the DB presses? Forget it. I couldn’t even rack the DB’s. I took that as my body’s signal to myself that I did enough — basically it was a “jack shit” day where I got the main work in, and there we go. But I did a few light sets of curls and raises just to get a little more blood into the area, since that should help with my recovery and healing from the weekend.

By the end of things I was kinda spent, but I was feeling good. I just feel a little beat up, but overall in good spirits and such. Again, I am glad it’s a light week, and I’ll adjust as needed to ensure I get work but don’t dig too deep. Recovery, in fact “extra” recovery work, has to be a priority this week.

Based upon 5/3/1 for Powerlifting, off-season for mass

• Press (superset with pulldowns)
  • bar x whatever
  • 70 x 5
  • 85 x 5
  • 105 x 3
  • 115 x 5
  • 130 x 5
  • 150 x 5
  • 130 x 8
  • 115 x 10
• Behind-the-neck lat pulldowns
  • 90 x 15
  • 100 x 15
  • 110 x 15
  • 120 x 15
  • 120 x 15
  • 120 x 15
  • 120 x 15
  • 120 x 12
• BB Curls
  • 60 x 10
  • 40 x 12
  • 40 x 12
• DB Rear Raises (superset with lat raises)
  • 12e x 12
  • 12e x 12
• DB Lateral Raises
  • 15e x 12
  • 15e x 12