Thurs, 5 Nov 15
Last training day before competition in the books. Despite training on a day I usually do not train and training later than I like, the weights all felt like I could lift the world. I hope this feeling sticks with me for 2 more days. In the meantime, I'm furiously studying cardiac and respiratory physiology.
Log Clean & Jerk (clean once)
complex x 85
complex x 135
complex x 175
3x225
5x1x265
Bench
10x45
10x95
5x135
3x185
1x225
5x1x285
Wtd Hypers/Paused Band External Rotation
2x{15x50/12ea x micro}
Using the elitefts pro micro bands is really more helpful for me than minis, monster minis, lights, etc for strengthening external rotators of the shoulder. I can use the heavier bands, but the increased resistance shifts the emphasis away from infraspinatus and teres minor into the stronger muscles like deltoids. There is also a similar correlation with the weighted hypers for me recently, that being that holding the weights further from the axis of rotation (lumbopelvic junction) may be "harder" due to physics (i.e. weight held behind head versus on chest), but I get less low back recruitment on the harder version and more from the stronger muscles like glutes and hamstrings. Also, moving the weight from the front of the body, inferior to the lever arm, to the back of the body and superior to the lever arm literally changes what the lever arm is doing (pulling versus pushing, respectively). This is similar to the difference between a Romainian deadlift and a good morning. Both utilize the same muscles and movement pattern (generally speaking), but the difference in position of the resistance significantly changes how the exercise feels and the order in which or degree to which the muscles are recruited. Bottom line, just because you are doing a harder or more advanced iteration of an exercise does not mean it is better or more effective in achieving your desired outcome.