Tuesday 27th November - MicroCycle 2 - Week 4 - Day 1
Last gym workout of this 2nd training block. Then 1 week off to deload, but I may do some jumps later in the week like I did in the last block, just have to see how my legs feel. If I get that light loose feeling in them then I'll jump. That usually happens 3 days after a workout so far, but sometimes earlier or later.
Didn't do my jumps in the morning due to some one's incompetence, and rain...
So I did em in the gym at the start of the workout like before my layoff, but I didn't rotate them with the squats like I would have done then.
Pretty good workout. Lower back felt tight, but after the reverse hypers and stretches they felt ok.
Been eating clean all last week and this week, but Warrior diet type style, and good to see the bodyweight finally going down at the gym. The Tanita scale at home is showing bodyfat% drop as well, but it is pretty erratic.
Body weight at gym - 205.5lbs
Workout time - 1 hour
Workout rating - 8/10
General warm up -
1 set each of my usual dynamic mobility exercises
Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 8 + band dislocates x 8.
with green jumpstretch band held 3/4 x 1 set, then 1/2 length x 1 set
continuous jump in place from deepish squat 3x3 - going higher and harder each time
45lb oly bar complex - slow clean pull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 3 reps each
Jumps
12 total jumps - 20 to 30secs rest between each - mostly one step and a few standing vertical jumps
I've regained all my hops I had before the layoff and then some, especially considering I'm heavier, fatter and way weaker!
I was able to touch the fire exit ceiling so much easier off a 1 step jump, and only 1cm away from touching it on a standing jump. Not only that, I reached my peak jump very quickly, and I was jumping really explosively and without the same level effort compared to back then.
And probably due to the cluster set approach of my mornings jumps, I can maintain my jump height without that much rest. The body becomes it's function as they say
The 3x3 continuous jumps in place I did in the warmup are all fairly relaxed, and not that much effort or with any arm swing, yet I can sense my head near the ceiling in the last set and bouncing off the ground really easy. When I start to do these with more effort, I think I might be able to bang my head into the ceiling on every jump

Should help my reactivity too, they are more or less like a depth jump.
Did all jumps in the Nike Free 5.0 trainers and that's on concrete, felt good. Might switch from the softer 7.0 trainers in my morning jumps and do them in these. I think my feet and lower legs are strong enough now. And they are harder and thinner so I can put more force into the ground.
Narrow stance Full Squats - Nike Free 5.0 Trainer shoes - no Belt
warm ups - bodyweight x 8, bar x8, 95lbs x 5, 135lbs x 3, 165x2, 195x2, 225x1
controlled down, paused, explode up - 4 mins rest
1) 255lbs x 3
2) 255lbs x 3
Pretty good, and felt faster due to the jumps earlier in the workout, but probably not much faster than my 235lb squat effort 2 workouts back. And the fact I didn't do a morning jump workout has to help.
Hip flexors or something were aching though from the tension when lowering down into the bottom position, and my right hip as well. A definite sign I need a deload.
Good to finally not have anything over 195lbs feel so scary heavy on my back. It still feels heavy but in a good way, like you respect the load.
Will drop the load 20%, when I restart, around 205lbs, and work back up in 10lb jumps. So I'll hit 275lbs at the end of the next block and hope it feels like 255lbs did today and moves at the same speed or faster.
I'll keep doing this until I stall. Hopefully I'll be at 335lbs and leaner/lighter to boot in time
Cool down, upper body and stretches
paused GM onto toes Bar x 3 + split leg Good morning - Bar x 3 each side
Sumo Deadlift - doubled overhand hooked grip - semi explosive up, semi dropped down - 133lbs x 3 --> kinda hard
Then one power clean off the floor - easy!
Lat machine situp - progressively getting lower each rep - BW x 12,
with a pause at the middle and bottom - 10lbs on chest x 5
reverse hypers - BW x 15
bench dip shrug x 8
scapular dip shrug - 10sec hold + 3 reps, x12 reps
8 scapular pushups + push up plus x 8
inverted rows - over hand shoulder width grip - 2nd lowest latch on smith machine - BW x 8
dumbbell curls with a pause at parallel - 4kg x 8, 6kg x 5, 8kg x 8