Martin roy training log

[Martin Roy]

Monday and Tuesday were light days to recover from the weekend lifting, although on Monday I went a little nuts on hammer curls. Sets of 5 with 35dbs, many many sets; I just kept doing them.

Last night I had a volume bench session, 10 sets of 5 with 135. Time to move up because that was too easy, but it really felt good. Then seated bench row, four or five sets of 10. A quick cool down and out because I had an appointment.

Tonight is squat night and, weather permitting, tomorrow will be the season's first evening throwing session.

[Martin Roy]

I love squat day; it seems to put things back in the right place in mind and body.

A rack opened almost immediately and I warmed up with the bar and many reps with 135. A set of 5 with 185, another couple sets at 225; a set at 255. Then three sets with 275 - 2 reps, 3 reps, and 2 reps. Very solid. Finished with a set of 10 at 225. Elliptical and shoulder mobility to cool down and done.

Next squat session should go back over 300 for the work sets. The idea is to peak just before Woodland. I'm also very aware that this is my danger period. Nearly every year I've tweaked something a month or so before Woodland that required a couple of weeks down time. This year I really would like to go into Woodland at full strength. However, it may be the weather that's the nemesis this year. With my plan to throw this afternoon, it now looks like we may be rained out. And rain is forecast for this weekend once again.

[Alan H]

Nothing wrong with pushing a bit less weight and moving it FAST, especially at this point in the rapidly-coming-to-an-end "off season".

[Martin Roy]

Friday afternoon Gman and I had a good hammer session. There's a ways to go before all the kinks are smoothed out but my starting distances for practice throws are significantly longer that past years. Bodes well.

Saturday was a rest day - hung out with my daughter in the morning and then went to see Deadpool with Gman in the afternoon. I think it was a good movie but I slept through the middle part; exhaustion kicked in just as things were heating up on screen with Morena Baccarin...story of my life-bad timing.

Sunday was scheduled for a good long throw session but we got rained out. Went to the gym instead and did some good upper body work but nothing spectacular. Bench, overhead db press, seated bench row, pec deck, pullover machine for something different. A lot of bike and elliptical, plus abs. All things considered it was a go in and get it done session. A good step forward instead of sitting on the couch going nowhere.

I want to do wfd this evening but more rain is forecast for this afternoon. We'll see.

[Martin Roy]

Monday, Tuesday, and last night were light days out of an abundance of caution. My left shoulder is slightly strained and I want it well before I do anything heavy. And on Monday morning, as I was getting dressed for work, I reached for a shirt and my left lower back started to seize. It's a very distinct sensation that I know all too well. I instantly stopped the movement and did some careful counter movements. All the while mumbling to myself: "no, no, no, no..." Fortunately, I caught it in time and I had only slight discomfort for a couple of days. By yesterday it was fine. In fact, I considered squats but there wasn't a rack available. The shirt incident brought back a very bad memory of getting a pinched nerve in my back while putting on a pair of pants; that knocked me out for a couple of weeks. I'm telling you, based on the past several years, March and April have been the stupid injury months for me. This year I intend to break the curse.

[Martin Roy]

Well, there's lifting shape and there's throwing shape. I have work to do on the latter. A lot of work.

Last Thursday, anticipating a Friday throw session with my son, I took a spontaneous rest and recovery day. Friday I felt really good and we had a lengthy wfd session with the 28. Footwork was all over the place; felt like I was in slow motion; no boing in my legs, etc., etc., etc. Bottom line is that I need many reps before Woodland about a month from now. After about two dozen throws I was really feeling it.

Saturday I had planned on a squat session but after warming up it was clear that my legs were having none of it. Pivoted to moderate weight, high rep stuff to loosen everything up. Finished off with some deads for the first time in a long while. Light weight, just doing a form check basically. Did a few from the floor but I'm not comfortable pulling from the floor. Thus, I raised the bar by putting a plate on the floor under each wheel. That extra height was just what I needed and it's got me thinking that deads are going to return to the rotation.

[Martin Roy]

I was surprised when I noticed that I hadn't entered anything for over a week. The fact is, though, it's been fairly routine stuff. Mostly light to moderate work in the gym and several throwing sessions leading up to Ardenwood this past Saturday. Going into the Ardenwood games I felt good with a slight stiffness in my right glute which impeded any real power, especially on stones, wob, and caber. By the end of the day it was rather painful. Wob was the last event of the day and I cleared 10, passing on any further attempts. Overall I viewed it as a practice run and mainly a form check heading to Woodland at the end of the month. The main takeaway is that I need a lot more reps. Normally I would be throwing after work today, but I want to give my hip a little more rest. My guess is that I twisted my upper right leg slightly in a lengthy wfd session last Tuesday. Nothing serious, but annoying nonetheless.

[Alan H]

I was surprised when I noticed that I hadn't entered anything for over a week. The fact is, though, it's been fairly routine stuff. Mostly light to moderate work in the gym and several throwing sessions leading up to Ardenwood this past Saturday. Going into the Ardenwood games I felt good with a slight stiffness in my right glute which impeded any real power, especially on stones, wob, and caber. By the end of the day it was rather painful. Wob was the last event of the day and I cleared 10, passing on any further attempts. Overall I viewed it as a practice run and mainly a form check heading to Woodland at the end of the month. The main takeaway is that I need a lot more reps. Normally I would be throwing after work today, but I want to give my hip a little more rest. My guess is that I twisted my upper right leg slightly in a lengthy wfd session last Tuesday. Nothing serious, but annoying nonetheless.

And now it's raining! Sheesh.

[Martin Roy]

Okay, enough already. My right hip is still bugging me. It's not a sharp pain or a throbbing sensation; I don't have tingling down my leg which would indicate disc and nerve issues. However, when I start to go into a stone power position my right glute is uncomfortable and feels momentarily weak. It's been just over a week now and I've had enough. Already. Okay?

Normally I would throw today but I'm giving my effing butt (more) rest. Thursday I'm going to throw, period. End of discussion. I need the reps and I need the therapy.

In the meantime, back at the gym I've had some good upper body sessions, front and back. Last night was bench, seated bench row, front pec deck, hammer curls supersetted with overhead press 5x5. Plus the usual start and finish on the elliptical and bike. I also did med ball shoulder mobility work and foam rolled the bejeezus out of the left shoulder and my right glute. My left shoulder is nearly pain free at this point and I attribute that to the rolling, confirming my suspicion that there was some old scar tissue in there that needed breaking up.

I need to relax and chill. It ain't that bad. However, I am looking at going into Woodland with the least amount of advance preparation and practice ever. A lot of that was weather related interruption but still...