Martin roy training log

[Alan H]

All good. My front squats last week aggravated the muscle and tendon that was inflamed this past season. Fortunately, that's easing up, but I won't be front squatting more than once every two weeks. I think I'll be alternating the hand cleans with dumbell snatches.

However, I've had basically a week off, which in fact might be a good thing.

[Martin Roy]

Wednesday afternoon I skipped the gym to go see Star Wars with my son. Worth it.

Thursday was bench day. Usual sets on the flat bench leading up to 185. I felt strong up to that point and wanted to hit two or three reps. However, after a single I knew I wouldn't get the second. Frustrated with this but I know that sometime in the next several workouts I'll break through this plateau.

Incline with the barbell was uncomfortable so I switched to dbs and it felt fine. Mover over to seated overhead with dbs for several more sets. Finished with lateral raises and front raises using 10, 15, 17.5, 22.5. Fifteen reps each set.

Today was squat day and it was on. Worked up to a set of three with 275 feeling very solid. 285 single, 295 single, 300 two singles.

I haven't been at this level with squat for about a year and last time I wasn't as confident. Both of these reps were smooth, deep, and firm. I am definitely stoked.

[Martin Roy]

Spent a nice reasonably relaxing Christmas with my brothers and their families, no gym obviously...

Saturday I woke up tired and kinda sore. After recent intense sessions I decided that it was time for a high volume, low weight interlude. Warmed up for a long time on the bike, elliptical, some abs, med ball twists. Leg press with about 200 lbs for many, many reps. Then used dbs for flat bench, 10 reps for each set; started at 30 moving up 5lbs for each set and finishing at 60. Felt good and easier on my left shoulder; I may stick with db flat bench for a couple of weeks. Went to the pec deck for about 4 sets of 10 with moderate weight. Then more bike to finish things up.

Today was another high volume, low weight session. Usual warm ups, then squats; several sets with 135, then 5x5 with 225. It just felt good to do the reps with this weight. Sets of 10 on bar curls. Db lateral and front raises. Foam roll the shoulders and mobility work with a 10 handled med ball. And done.

Monday and Tuesday will be guarding a door at the California Coast Classic Wrestling Tournament at Aptos High. Based the last couple years, I expect to be really sore by the end of each day.

[Martin Roy]

Well, I was right. After standing guard on my door, allowing only coaches and wrestlers through while blocking parents and girlfriends, I'm still feeling the aftershock. No gym today; I'll be shot clocking instead for a basketball tourney all afternoon and evening. Fun way to spend the day.

[Alan H]

Well, I was right. After standing guard on my door, allowing only coaches and wrestlers through while blocking parents and girlfriends, I'm still feeling the aftershock. No gym today; I'll be shot clocking instead for a basketball tourney all afternoon and evening. Fun way to spend the day.

That was fun, though it completely destroyed my voice for 24 hours.

I have managed to get to the gym exactly once during this break. It's closed tomorrow...I think I'll take the skerry out for a sail.

[Martin Roy]

I'm back. Did you miss me?

I took Thursday off because I was plain old exhausted after the wrestling tournament and the basketball tournament.

Friday afternoon I got back to the gym for a squat session. I had no idea what to expect. Going in I felt rested but once I started it was apparent that my legs were still dead from the activity, or lack thereof, earlier in the week. Nonetheless, I worked up to a couple of sets of three at 275. This is actually a good thing because it confirms to me that even on a bad day, when everything feels heavy, I can still handle 275 without much difficulty. The foundation has gone up a level.

Saturday I did some upper body work - flat bench, incline, overhead, pec deck; not going too heavy because I planned to throw on Sunday. Bike and elliptical, and a lot of rolling of my shoulders plus mobility work with the handled light med ball.

Sunday Gman and I planned our first throw of the year at Shaffer; I was not optimistic because it was threatening rain all day. Nonetheless, to my happy surprise, it held off long enough to get in a couple hours of throws. As this was an re-introduction session it wasn't about throwing so much as drilling and remembering the feel of the weights.

Gman was coaching his girlfriend who was interested in having a go. I occupied myself with a lot of winds and about a half dozen tosses with the light hammer. Without blades I was over 60 on all the throws which, for me, is a very auspicious starting point. After that I did some weight over bar to remind myself how it felt. I put the bar at 9 just to have something to go over. Half dozen or so tosses, with each one feeling better and going higher than the last. Finally, I did some line drilling with the hwfd and some easy throws with the Braemar. I was very happy to note that the heavy weights didn't feel too heavy and I felt strong handling them. A good sign for things to come.

Next Sunday we've planned a group throw at Shaffer, named by Alan H as the Bust the Rust Off session. However, this week the El Nino is supposed to hit with rain all week long. If this happens the field won't be suitable for throwing next Sunday. We'll just have to wait and see. You can't fight Mother Nature and her son.

[Martin Roy]

Off day on Monday and tonight was squat night, the best night of the week.

Did a more extended warm up than I usually do - bike, elliptical, abs - same old stuff, just more of it.

When I got to the weight room it looked like both squat racks were taken. But as I was getting ready to hit db press, a rack opened up. As soon as I started warming up with the bar I knew it would be a good session. A set of 5+ with 135, 5 at 185, 2 sets of 5 with 225, 5 with 255, set of 3 at 275, 2 at 295, and a solid single at 305 to finish things off. Very, very happy with this. In past years I would feel stress in muscles supporting the core, but that hasn't been an issue at all. My base was stable and smooth.

After that I went back to the bike to loosen my legs, followed with half a dozen sets of bar curls. Then med ball twists and med ball shoulder mobility stuff.

Out the door with a smile.

[Martin Roy]

Wednesday was a shot clock night and after the squat session on Tuesday I needed the break.

Last night I didn't have a lot of time so I did a fairly good session on the flat bench and again stalled after singles at 185; I want sets. After thinking about it over night, the problem, I have decided, is that I need to focus more on my triceps because I'm losing force at the half way point to lockout. Tri work will start today.

After bench everything else was occupied by newbs, and btw the gym is packed as usual after the new year, so I did med ball mobility work and kettlebell swings for something different. I'm feeling the swings today and I'll put them in the regular rotation.

TGIF

[Alan H]

That was good yesterday. It's too bad that the field was as mucky as it was, it would be nice for others to come out, too, but that was still a useful session. Best thing to take home was shotput, upper body.
One, two, feel the stretch three...

Gonna be using that.

[Martin Roy]

Yeah, Sunday was a good session - I think it was the most productive stones session I ever had simply because I knew what I was doing throughout with each drill and the purpose of each. Much to build on there. And I'm happy with the hammer winds; I'm looking forward to putting on the boots and really being able to dig in.

Monday was off for shot clocking but yesterday was a good squat session. Not going for real heavy but I wanted to try out a new sequence representing an upward shift in the foundation lifts. Up to now I've gone 135 for basic warm up, to 185, 225, 255, 275. However, in light of recent sessions, I'm quite confident of going over 300 on a regular basis. Thus, to eliminate one step and preserve energy I changed the sequence to 205,245,275, essentially increasing poundage 40,30,20 in the sequence. From 275 I plan to establish 295 to 315 as the next routine steps. I find myself contemplating 350 down the road.

After squats I was an hour plus on the bike and the elliptical to watch the State of the Union.

Shot clock tonight.