Swiss bar bench
235 x 5
265 x 3
300 x 1
225 x 3 x 8, 9, 9
Wielding this is getting easier. Thought I might have had another 300 in me.

Kroc rows
160 x 21 

Dumbbell rows (super-set with bench sets)
115 x 8, 9, 9

Swiss bar tricep extensions
45 x 10, 10
Extreme stretch on these, actually made it pretty challenging.
-
Swiss bar curls
45 x 15
Against bands 45 x 10
Liked the banded set, gonna do that more.

Feeling a bit better today, don't feel like I desperately need a nap.

 Felt really run-down yesterday. Despite getting enough sleep I woke-up in a fog and had to take a nap after work. Set-out to do a deadlift max of 615 and didn't budge it, then tried to do 500x8 and could only get a single rep. Knocked out 405x15 after, which is a light-enough weight to not need my brain firing on all cylinders. Happy to have gotten that done, then did some ATG SSB squats with 240x2x10.

Press
145 x 5
170 x 5
185 x 5
-
Last set super-set with NG chin-ups
10
Ugh, hate seeing my top-set be so low, but I was struggling before this reset. Press is always the roughest when losing weight. Read a recent T-Nation article reminding me that a lot of it comes from losing cushioning as fat and fluid retention dissipates, and it's not necessarily the muscles being so drastically weakened. This felt like a stronger showing than the rough 190x3 I gutted out last week, as well. But fuck that reasoning, this is weak and I need to get stronger.

Axle press
140 x 2 x 8 (clean every rep)
150 x 9 (clean once and press away)
- 
Super-set with NG chin-ups
12
45 x 10
90 x 9

Did this while juggling work-from-home meetings and office tasks on my phone, managed to get through it in 2 hours which isn't as horrible as it could have been. Going to do some pump-bro accessory work in the evening after my in-person job when I can be free from distractions.

Now that I'm fully vaccinated I'm also in the market for a boxing or Muay Thai gym again, have a few in mind to hit-up. 

 Yukon squats
335 x 3
380 x 3
435 x 2, 3
Drop-down sets of 365 x 5, 315 x 6, 225 x 8, 135 x 8, 45 x 8

Iron Woody leg curls

Getting the hang of this bar. More of a feeling like it's going to slide down my back than the straight bar.

Going this low in bar weight has also allowed me to deepen my squats. I noticed before they were getting high to the point where I wasn't confident a judge would pass them. I'm probably overdoing it now by going below parallel, but that's OK.

Diet has been pretty strict, although I had a cheat day on Sunday. Brother was visiting on Saturday night so I had a pizza feast with family then, too.

Yesterday:

Deadlift
Up to 550x5

Belt squats
6 plates, 8 plates, 9 plates x 10

SSB lunges
150x20

Split-squats for knee rehab

Knees have been feeling muuuch better since squatting deeper and doing some rehab exercises (extremely deep bodyweight split-squats).

Been pretty strict with my diet this week, going low carb except peri-workout for the most part.

Been having gnarly stomach issues the last few days. Eating has been rough but I've been forcing it down. Have also not been feeling like I'd get enough rest when I wake up even though it's 6-7 hours.

Yesterday took the Yukon bar for a spin working up to 405x5 of deep squats.

Press

Up to 190x3

-

Last set super-set with neutral grip chin-ups

10

Axle press

140x8 (clean every rep)

140x8 (clean first 5 reps)

140x8 (clean first rep)

-

All super-set with neutral grip chin-ups

12

Got my second COVID shot on Saturday. Yesterday was the sickest I've probably ever been in my life. At one point I felt myself about to pass out while taking a leak so I had to rush to my bed and then gradually work my way up to being able to leave the room. Gnarly. Feeling a lot better today although a still little tired after 9 hours of sleep. 

Before I got hit I managed to get in a session with a Swiss bar, working up to a 265x5 bench.

Worked up to squatting 375 and then felt a sharp pain in my left knee. Shut the session down after this.

Warm up wasn't great and I was resting long between sets because work was so insanely busy. Planning on doing a full body workout with SSB box squats tomorrow and sets of five with the Swiss bar before getting my second COVID vaccine. Frustrating when I was looking for a satisfying squat workout to be the payoff for making it through an annoying work day, oh well. 

Worked up to a 355 bench press last night. Glad to be at that level after I failed 365 not too long ago. Wanted to get a heavy bench single in before I start training with the Swiss bar more. 

Trained 3 times yesterday, starting with a fasted session first thing in the morning consisting of 5 min on the bike, 45 burpees, 100 jumping-jacks, 3 min shadow kickboxing, and a quick burn-out on the bike again. Don't remember the total time.

Did bag work and jogging the rest of the day. 

Fallen behind on this, just going to start up again instead of trying to be perfect and wait for an opportune moment to have time and recollect everything. 

Mat pulls (2)

550 x 5

* Fuck yeah, felt sluggish this whole session and every rep of this was a slow one, but I remembered to use my legs and just keep grinding the bar up. The last rep took a long time to complete so I didn't bother trying to rest-pause and get another. Really glad at how consistent my performance has been on this mat pull cycle, no days where I've been unable to break the bar off the ground. Had a headache and watery eyes after, the tears were a new thing.

SSB ATG squats

240 x 8, 10, 10

Tibialis raises x random number

* Got this exercise from kneesovertoesguy for knee health. Still working on th set-up.

In other news, I put in an order for a Swiss bar and a buffalo (Yukon) bar, both from Titan. Looking forward to benching with the Swiss bar, for some reason that thing makes going back to a regular barbell feel amazing.