Background: I work at OSU as a graduate teaching associate and lift at Ludus Magnus. I am a raw lifter who competes in the 105lb weight classes, and am currently prepping for my next meet (when grad school finally gives me a weekend off) . Currently, I am in the process of trying to accomplish my lofty lifting goals,survive graduate school, and teach undergraduates about what I really love, TRAINING..
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Eccentric Block Wk2: ME UPPER

Warm up
1.Stepper

Neural prep
1. 3 x 3 plyo push-up with 3 count ecc

2. Push press to press to push press
4 x 1+1+1

Training
1. Max effort eccentric bench (4count) with pause on chest (2count)
Up to single

2a. Down sets of main movement
3 x 3

2b. Single arm db row
3 x 5 x 4 count iso

3a. Pulls parts on GHR
3 sets

3b. Shoulder raise variations
3 sets

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Figuring It Out, KINDA, okay not...

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So this week I found out Arnold weekend might be pretty rough for me. The same weekend all my favorite meatheads get into town I've got a massive interview which I was basically told was make or break for me from Thursday through Saturday. No big, okay, big. But, as Dr. Volek mentioned in class last night, in grad school, just figure it out and make it happen. Anyways, I'm digressing from the point of bringing any of this up.

I climbed many mountains to land this interview. With a lot of work and potentially 2 very lucky breaks (it's amazing how stuff works out, and it's important to remember every interaction, even the none work related could be your next interview), I found out I was interviewing. I had literally been at detours and "no" for the better part of a year and never blinked. And, here is where I get to my point: after all that work, I feel like I had one moment of excitement, then compartmentalized my happy thoughts, and got back to work on the next step. Stepping back it was kinda weird. I know my response was robot and very weird. The best way to describe it is like having a mirror but refusing to look into it. Anyways, it got me thinking. I'm always to relentless in my pursuit of things, and when I hit achievement it's as if I become apathetic. It's odd because if I work so hard to achieve things but then wrap those achievements up and hind them under my bed, what the heck is driving me to be so crazy in my mountain climbing hobby? To be honest, I had no idea...

I semi wonder it I feel this way about a PR too. I might chase a squat number for weeks, months, or years. However, when I get it, it's not as if that moment I feel accomplished. Instead, I just reset and start chasing the next five lb PR. So odd. I would love to know what type of motivation that is, but a am as much of a psychologist as I am a cyclist (I'm a terrible road bike rider).

So why do I bring this up? When I teach my undergrads to make training programs I force them to spend an obnoxious two week just figuring out how to write down goals, motivators and roadblocks. Why? Because you can't program and plan for things if you don't know what makes you tick. Similarly you can't plan for athletes and clients if you don't have the same information. So, I guess I can preach to them all day (I hope I don't "preach"); but to be honest, I'd love to be able to figure out what's motivating me too. As for now , I'll just say it's a remote control.