And then, there was rest...

Today was my last heavy day for a week. I've been looking forward to this day both for the intensity of the day and for the week of "light" that comes after.

Friday I did shoulders, and supersets for bis/tris, and some ab work. I snuck in about 25 minutes of cardio too.

Saturday was REST. I SLEPT. Holy crap I slept and it was *major*fabulousness* I completely conked out around 9:30 Friday night and slept SOLID through the night until 7:30am. I NEEDED this! I fought the urge to hit some cardio later in the day, I knew I just needed to rest. That's a tough battle when my head is in the place that it's in, but I won out yesterday, and I'm glad I did :)

Last night I slept really well again, I think with these two nights combined I slept more than I did all week. A real win for me, just incredible :)

I hit the gym this morning for my last heavy day - deads. I was really bummed to find that I had left my camera at work, so I have no training vids from today, but it was another check in the major WIN category.

Today's deadlift training went down like this...

230 x 5
260 x 3
290 x 1+

So min reps for 290 was just to get the one, anything else = icing on the cake. I've never gone this heavy for reps ever, totally new territory for me. I had to work hard not to let just the NUMBER psyche me out, nevermind what it looked like all loaded on the bar!

230 x 5 went up, harder than I expected. I just took it as a warmup. Which worked well, because 260 x 3 went up easier than I expected (based on the 230). Then it was time...

290...hah! I had looked at the numbers last night and thought "if I could get 5...that'd be really golden. Six and I'd be on cloud 9!"

I got 5! It's certainly not a PR in terms of calculated 1RM, but a huge mental PR for me. I put it down after 5. I probably could have squeezed a 6th out but it wouldn't have done anything for me but to completely and utterly destroy my CNS ;) Soooo I decided against it relatively quickly. *FIVE* x 290 pounds. I felt totally exhilarrated (i have no idea how to spell that) and totally wasted at the same time! Interesting :)

One of the things in addition to maintaining a solid arch in the back (which is tough after 1 or 2 reps, something I definitely need to work on...helloooo rack pulls!) that Myles looks for is a "vertical bar" throughout the lift. Keeping the bar in close, not letting it get out in front of you adding somewhat of a horizontal component to the lift. Today, while I don't have video, I do have photographic "proof" of vertical bar through the lift!




Scratch marks from my nails up my thighs, and some nice bruises to boot, hah :) Sexaaaaay ;)

I took a time-out, about 5 minutes, and then hit the rest of my workout as planned.

Good Mornings
2 x 12 @ bar

Front Squats
8 @ 85
10 @ 75

Leg Press
3 x 8 @ 270

Machine Hip Adduction
2 x 12 @ 170

DB Walking Lunges
2 x 24 steps @ 20

Standing Calf Raises
3 x 12 @ 150

Seated Curls
2 x 8 @ 95

Seated Extensions
2 x 10 @ 95

20 mins cardio - slow walk on TM w/incline

I ate when I came home, and then got in the bed ;)
I didn't really sleep but definitely just laid there in total lethargy, and it was goood, hahah.

I look forward to my deload this week. Nothing heavier than 60%, really very much needed, and I don't think I've ever appreciated it as much as I think I'm going to this week!

One full training cycle left, then my next meet! Bring it on, June 19!