I’m shifting into a performance focused phase. Maintenance on most things while improving my conditioning and physique. The only thing I’d like to improve is deads and cleans and I think I can do that in addition to the other things.
Don’t feel bad about just now getting back to where you were. I spend the whole year going back and forth like that.
Yeah - guess that is part of getting old. And if I stay pretty steady year over year for the next 10 - will be a pretty solid 50 year old!
That’s my thinking too. I’m nothing special now but someday I’ll make all the crippled has-beens look bad! 
11/20 - supposed be high volume day: 4x15 across 4 exercises including OH Squat and Snatch Grip Deadlifts.
Warmed everything up and then did:
Started on OH Squats, and just not feeling right at all. Didn’t even do Dead lifts - just did some leg extensions and RFESS
Bottom line, I’m just feeling run-down. Next few days, will do track and throwing tomorrow, longish walk/jog on Thursday morning. Chill out on Friday, then try and do one more heavy-ish session with squats and deadlifts on Saturday, if I’m feeling solid. Then traveling to S. Africa all next week, and will be a much needed de-load week. Will still try to get some work in every day, but very ad-lib. Shoulders feeling sticky, knees a little out of whack, and lower back very tight.
So low volume through rest of this week, and then a decompression week next week.
Then week of 12/3 - one more solid week before going back to work (finally!).
11/21
Cold here in NYC area. Track day today.
Shot put was going great until my fingers strarted getting stretched too hard. But still some best of the year standing throws.
Discus - by far best standing throws. And full throws, had one around 130’ but mostly not great timing.
Was too cold to run hard, but still got work in.
Gonna be like 10 degrees here tomorrow.
11/22 - ate all the food and slept a bunch. Always love that about thanksgiving.
11/23 - 4 mile walk/jog just to move around a little bit.
Will try to get some lifting in today, before flying out tomorrow.
11/24
Lower back just still super tight and have 20 hrs of travel tomorrow - so today just got blood moving - nothing heavy - but want to be a little sore for the flight. Probably 300-400 total reps of assistance work, plus mobility.
11/25-26 mostly spent on plane to S Africa so did not workout. Today did a circuit of
10 rep goblet squat
50m carries
10 reps DB snatch
50m carry
10 reps DB row
50m carry
10 reps incline press
50m carry
3 rounds. Pretty good little metcon.
Did nothing but walking around during rest of time in S. Africa. And not a lot of it. The travel and sleep schedule were both hectic. Back yesterday after another 24 hour journey. Today was 3x5 day, but I didn’t take anything till failure, besides maybe bench press.
12/3 - 3x5 day. All exercises with at least 5 warm-up sets at lower weights.
Good to be back, and nice to have a solid session my first day back.
Welcome back. Did you land a new job yet? You haven’t talked about that in a while but you sure seem busy with things that sound like work.
@JMaier31 - thanks for asking! Yes - starting a new full time thing next week. Been doing a lot of stuff on companies I’m invested in - so keeping busy. Excited to start up full time again soon! Gonna switch to all AM workouts too I think.
12/4 - Supposed to be 5/3/1 day of 200’s at the track today, but was just too cold.
Instead - went home and did 3x35" with the 55# KB and 1x30" with the 100. Good alternative. Still got hamstrings, but didn’t freeze my ass off or pull anything. Going to need to figure out an indoor option (super short track near my house - that I’ll need to measure - very tight turns as well - we’ll see) - or else do this workout when down in FL or traveling somewhere else warm.
12/5
So, I’m trying to get back on a normal schedule now that I start work next week. Part of that means getting up and moving earlier again. I like the general set-up I have right now:
Issue is, with travel, earlier starts to the day, more after work functions, etc - I need to build some flexibility.
So… I think I’m going to start incorporating something every morning. Whether just bodyweight movements: Push-ups, lunges, burps, etc - weight circuits, a jog. Just something.
Then, on mornings where I can, or evenings when I can - keep on the same general 6 day cycle - with priority going to 5/3/1 day, Intervals, and Speed/throwing/ballistic work. Frankly, if I simplified my weekly set-up to just have those 3 be the must do’s and the AM work be whatever I felt like, that builds in quite a bit of flexibility. I can for sure get 5/3/1 in once a week in the evenings, intervals once a week anytime (AM or PM) and speed/throwing on weekends.
This AM - just about 45 minutes of General work - Probably 500 reps total of: Lunges, 1 legged squats, leg extensions, RDLs, Flyes, Curls, Triceps, lateral raises, loaded carries, hanging from bar and doing partial levers (very partial!). Been noticing my mid-section is not as tight as I’d like so doing a little more stuff with ab-rollouts, and toes to bar etc as well.
12/6 AM
General Strength Circuit
For a couple rounds.
Then some biceps, triceps, shoulders.
Sprint and throw later.
12/6 PM
Kind of cold for doing anything significant - as had gloves on for throws, and fully covered for runs (sweats, tights, two layers and hat on top, etc). But don’t know how many days I can even do it at all outside.
Shot and Discus were both very mediocre, with the exception of 1-2 throws on each that were at or better than my best throws of the year.
Bruised my heel doing some plyos, so not sure what I’ll do today, if anything. Traveling to FL this afternoon.
12/7 - Volume Day
Pretty pleased with today. The 335 Snatch Grip for 2 felt pretty good. Think I need to go back to lower rep deadlift work. My body does better with that. Probably on most exercises, but definitely DL. 335 with Snatch grip DL is not the most I’ve ever done, but it’s not way off. That’s a long pull for a guy my height.
12/10
Chill weekend with the wife and kids.
3x3 day today and first day back at work. Trying to dial it back a little so I can make progress at minimum dosing and avoid injury despite more stressors.
Really like this. Helps w movement quality and no injury and still getting good amount of work in on AMRAP
12/11
Should note - did this same thing yesterday AM. About 10’ of corrective work and just getting blood flowing and body moving.
Mobility, push-ups, swings, burpees, goblet squats, curls, triceps.
Am planning on running tonight.
12/12
Did not run last night as I had a work function - so glad I did some work yesterday AM.
Today - body weight and swings warmup then 4x12
Did warmup sets on pull downs and OHP.
The machine OHP hurt so don’t think I will do again. Zercher squats are a nice way to work on depth and mobility. First time trying those.