Sunnyday's Training Journal

**Sunnyday** · 07-07-2016, 03:05 PM

Thursday 7/7 upper body

Kiddos had a late night swim meet and no early morning practice today.

Slept in and did this at the gym:
20 cat-and-camels at fast pace
20 McKenzie pushups at fast pace
full BW squat with 30 sec hold at bottom
40 seated arm circles in each direction
25 elbow curls
3x20 kneeling ankle squeeze
30 supine foot rotation in each direction per foot
30 supine point/flex per foot
plus...
10 frog stretches with a few reps internal rotation to each side
10 prying pushups
3 different arm crossover variations(5/side per variation, see reference below)*
20 over & back banded stretch
20 band pull-aparts

Bench press: (each rep paused 2 sec, press to lockout, reset shoulders at top, repeat)
bar x 5
65 x 5
85 x 5
105 x 5
a dear friend I hadn't seen in weeks talked to me for quite a while. Worth it but lost my momentum, had to take a slower ramp up to my working weight
115 x 5 with shorter 1-sec pauses to try to get my mind back on business
5 x 121 x 5 - PR for 5x5! Bar moved REALLY well!

Chins:
1 x BW+25# x 5
yeah, just ONE set. Ugh
woman approached me to pick my brain, cost me ALL the rest of my childcare time, childcare police came looking for me.

did the rest at home

Pinwheel curls:
3 x 25s x 8

Concentration curls:
3 x 25 x 8/side

1-arm DB rows (neutral grip ss overhand/wide):
3 x 50 x 8 each direction per side

Another Saturday morning swim meet this weekend so Saturday's training is going to be late if at all. Sigh.

**Sunnyday** · 07-08-2016, 12:39 PM

Friday 7/8 lower body

Had me AN AMAZING DAY OF TRAINING!!!

Poolside during the kiddos' swim practice:
40 seated arm circles in each direction
25 elbow curls
3x20 kneeling ankle squeezes
20 supine foot circles each direction per foot
20 supine foot point/flex per foot
20 cat-and-camels at fast pace
20 McKenzie press-ups at fast pace
full BW squat with 30 sec hold at bottom

At gym warmup:
10 frog stretches with a few reps internal rotation to each side
3 diff arm crossover variations (10/side per variation)
20 hip side-to-side (10/side)
20 hip airplanes (10/side)

Squats:
bar x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 3
146 x 3
5 x 156 x 3
something is REALLY working with this program: I cut my rest periods IN HALF on these squats and still felt like I had a solid 2 reps left in the tank on all sets! Bumping this up to 160 next week (my meet PR).

So I'm pulling on my knee socks and changing my shoes, getting ready for deads and the childcare lady comes over to inform me that one of my kiddos just had a potty accident. Yougottabekiddingme!

The childcare rules say they can't be in wet/soiled clothes and naturally I didn't have a change of clothes for a SEVEN YEAR OLD (grrrrr). I pleaded with this lady if it would be ok if she wore her clean but damp swimsuit and put a shirt over and she was cool with that. Thanked her up and down the walls and then proceeded to change the kiddo. By the time I got done with the clothes change I had just 15 min left. Gulp Let me tell you how I HAULED ARSE to get my deads in and retrieve my kids on time! Told the childcare lady I owe her big time for this favor.

Sumo deads: (only time I took between the ramp up was to load weight, that's all, and even that was in a rush with a fire under my butt LOL)
135 x 1
155 x 1
175 x 1
195 x 1
210 x 1
5 x 220 x 1 with just 60 seconds between singles, A PR for pulls at this time interval and just 6 lbs under my all-time heaviest that I pulled on the platform in March!

Previously leading up to the March meet I had pulled 220 for 5 singles but with a huge 5-min rest between pulls so I am SUPER PROUD OF MYSELF FOR TODAY! And by the by, that 220 just so happens to be the state record for the Masters 45-49 age group and 52 kg weight class for a single lift. So even cooler that I know I can easily beat that record in the next push-pull when it comes around this fall!

Got to childcare 5 min late but got in my training and the childcare lady didn't even bat an eye that I was late. THANK YOU, CHILDCARE LADY!

**Sunnyday** · 07-08-2016, 07:21 PM

The pic does not do this enough justice but the bruises on my shins and right knee are wicked awesome! The bruise on the right shin was especially cool but the swelling is starting to go down now LOL. Love me deadlift battle wounds! Heh heh.
image.jpg

**Sunnyday** · 07-09-2016, 05:04 PM

Saturday 7/9 upper body

Swim meet this morning. Got home around noon, fed everyone their lunch and then headed gymward.

40 seated arm circles in each direction
25 elbow curls
3x20 kneeling ankle squeeze
30 supine foot rotation in each direction per foot
30 supine point/flex per foot
20 cat-and-camels at fast pace
20 McKenzie pushups at fast pace
full BW squat with 30 sec hold at bottom
10 frog stretches with a few reps internal rotation to each side
3 diff arm crossovers (10/side per variation)
20 over & back banded stretch
20 band pull-aparts

Bench press: (each rep paused 2 sec, press to lockout, reset shoulders at top, repeat)
bar x 5
65 x 5
85 x 5
105 x 5
120 x 3
130 x 3
4 x 138 x 3 - added an extra set from last week. This was a little tougher, probably due to standing 5 hours in the hot sun prior to hitting the gym :-/

Neutral grip pullups:
3 x BW+25 x 5

Dips:
3 x BW x 12

V-bar pressdown:
3 x 50 x 10

DB pullovers:
3 x 45 x 10

**Sunnyday** · 07-11-2016, 01:24 PM

Monday 7/11 lower body

Poolside during the kids' swim practice:
40 seated arm circles in each direction
25 seated elbow curls
3x20 kneeling ankle squeezes
3x20 kneeling ankle presses w resistance (belt)
20 supine foot circles each direction per foot
20 supine foot point/flex per foot
20 cat-and-camels at fast pace
20 McKenzie press-ups at fast pace
full BW squat with 30 sec hold at bottom

Warmup at gym:
10 frog stretches with a few reps internal rotation to each side
20 hip side-to-side (10/side)
20 hip airplanes (10/side)
arm crossover variations (10/side per variation)

Squats:
bar x 5
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 4
4 x 146 x 4

Sumo deads:
135 x 1
155 x 1
175 x 1
195 x 1
8 x 206 x 1 with 60 sec between singles, up 3 lbs from last week

Ab wheel:
3 x 15

Horizontal calf machine:
3 x 170 x 10

Seated leg curl:
3 x 70 x 8

Time up at childcare, did this at home...

Stability ball hip thrust superset:
BW x 10 legs straight ss BW x 10 legs bent (3 sets)

Glute circuit (no rest between sides/exercises):
30 reps side lying clam ss 30 reps side lying abduction
30 reps single leg glute bridge ss 30 reps hip extension on elbows
30 reps single leg swing ss 30 reps fire hydrant

Step-ups:
1 x BW x 100/leg
^trying this finisher in lieu of cardio, fingers crossed it works

Finally had the time to stretch and foam roll, in spite of hungry kids and a conscientious contractor trying to undermine my efforts.

**Sunnyday** · 07-12-2016, 01:28 PM

Tuesday 7/12 upper body

Poolside during the kids' morning swim practice:
40 seated arm circles in each direction
25 elbow curls
3x20 kneeling ankle squeeze
30 supine foot rotation in each direction per foot
30 supine point/flex per foot
20 cat-and-camels at fast pace
20 McKenzie pushups at fast pace
full BW squat with 30 sec hold at bottom

Warmup at gym:
10 frog stretches with a few reps internal rotation to each side
3 diff arm crossovers (10/side per variation)
20 band pull-aparts

Bench press: (each rep paused 2 sec, press to lockout, reset shoulders at top, repeat)
bar x 5
65 x 5
85 x 5
105 x 5
120 x 4
4 x 129 x 4

Wide grip pullups:
3 x BW+25 x 5

Overhead press:
bar x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
3 x 85 x 5

Reverse DB fly, leaning on incline bench:
3 x 15s x 12

Leaning DB lateral raise:
3 x 25 x 10/side

Incline bb:
bar x 10
65 x 10
85 x 8
95 x 8

Step-ups:
1 x BW x 100/leg

Stretch and a little foam rolling

**Sunnyday** · 07-13-2016, 01:58 PM

Wednesday 7/13 lower body

Poolside with the kids in swim practice:
40 seated arm circles in each direction
25 elbow curls
3x20 kneeling ankle squeezes
3x20 kneeling abductor presses
20 supine foot circles each direction per foot
20 supine foot point/flex per foot
20 cat-and-camels at fast pace
20 McKenzie press-ups at fast pace
full BW squat with 30 sec hold at bottom

At gym warmup:
10 frog stretches with a few reps internal rotation to each side
20 hip side-to-side (10/side)
20 hip airplanes (10/side)
3 arm crossover variations (10/side per variation)

Squats:
bar x 5
95 x 5
116 x 5
3 x 137 x 5

Sumo deads:
135 x 1
155 x 1
175 x 1
10 x 193 x 1 with 45 seconds between singles.

Had to wait a good bit for a squat rack, then the uncool dude in the rack walked away and left the bar at the top of the rack.

Only people around me at that point were fat, out of shape housewives so I had to wait for an available trainer to climb up the rack and lower the bar for me.

My childcare time ran out due to all the waiting around so I had to finish the rest at home

Unilateral standing calves:
3 x 5 with 5-sec hold at top, no rest between sides/sets

Nordics:
3 x BW x 10

Glute bridge superset on stability ball:
10 legs straight ss 10 legs bent (3 sets)

Glute circuit (no rest between sides/exercises):
30 reps side lying clam ss 30 reps side lying abduction
30 reps single leg glute bridge ss 30 reps hip extension on elbows
30 reps single leg swing ss 30 reps fire hydrant

Step-ups:
1 x BW x 100/leg

Finished with some stretching and foam rolling

**Mac** · 07-13-2016, 08:40 PM

You're like a machine. Great job Sunny. You got me wanting to start doing deadlifts again too. Not for competition though.

**Sunnyday** · 07-13-2016, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by Mac

You're like a machine. Great job Sunny. You got me wanting to start doing deadlifts again too. Not for competition though.

Thanks for the kind words, Mac! I really look forward to my deadlift time since I started training this way...

https://marylandpowerlifting.com/201...-the-deadlift/

Basically you just pull singles, no more reps. Highly recommend this program if you're just getting back into training the lift regularly. Matt Gary is a genius! BTW, link inside that article for how to program rest periods between those singles based on training percentages (which I also use). Be prepared to get VERY good and automatic with your setup, extremely efficient in your pull, AND strength goes WAAAAAAY up very quickly. BONUS: recovery is NOT an issue if you stick to bunches of singles (for us old timers) as it would be if repping out deads.

**Mac** · 07-13-2016, 09:24 PM

Looks like a great program Sunny. I need all the recovery time I can get starting back and just don't want ordinary things feeling heavy. It's been two years since I have had any good leg and back training.

**Sunnyday** · 07-13-2016, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by Mac

Looks like a great program Sunny. I need all the recovery time I can get starting back and just don't want ordinary things feeling heavy. It's been two years since I have had any good leg and back training.

Those sumo deads have done WONDERS for my leg development! Takes the old-fart-achy-low-back out of the equation so it's more like an explosive leg press off the floor (if you've done vertical leg press in the Smith but with feet placed wide that is as close as it gets). And the ham and glute development you get from regular sumo deads is second to none!

I attribute my back development to pullups. Try this and you will NOT be disappointed!
https://marylandpowerlifting.com/201...ll-up-program/