18 Mar Ashman – conservative openers week

I am taking my openers this week for Relentless next weekend.

I have a very concrete idea when it comes to openers in that they NEED to be your final warmup attempt.

If you go out and grind an opener, or miss it, you set the tone for the rest of the meet.

If you take that opener and move it like it’s a heavy warmup, i.e. your final one, you build confidence and you are in the meet.

With that being said, this week has that in mind.

** Deadlift **
– 135.0 lbs x 2 reps
– 135.0 lbs x 2 reps
– 185.0 lbs x 2 reps
– 225.0 lbs x 2 reps
– 275.0 lbs x 1 rep
– 315.0 lbs x 1 rep
– 405.0 lbs x 1 rep
– 455.0 lbs x 1 rep
– 500.0 lbs x 1 rep
– 550.0 lbs x 1 rep

This is my planned opener because it is a final warmup for me.

Fast, clean, easy and efficient.

I plan to be around 630 for this meet, which would be nice to hit again after all the injuries over the past several years. The ultimate goal is to get back to 700. I will keep pushing for that.

** Single Leg Press **
– 200.0 lbs x 15 reps
– 200.0 lbs x 15 reps
– 200.0 lbs x 15 reps

** Medium Band Leg Curls **
– 10 reps
– 10 reps
– 10 reps

Accessory work is minimal and light this week for opener week.

** Flat Barbell Bench Press **
– 135.0 lbs x 5 reps
– 185.0 lbs x 3 reps
– 225.0 lbs x 2 reps
– 275.0 lbs x 1 rep
– 315.0 lbs x 1 rep
– 335.0 lbs x 1 rep
– 365.0 lbs x 1 rep
– 385.0 lbs x 1 rep

This cycle ends the normal grip bench. After this meet I am teaching myself reverse grip and working on that. The left shoulder is the limiting factor in me pushing the weight I could rep 6-7 months ago and it is a lesson in frustration and patience.

I am opening with 365 when I could do that for 8 reps in October.

Humbling as hell but it is what it is until I work on the reverse grip.

** Reverse Band Bench **
– 425.0 lbs x 1 rep
– 425.0 lbs x 1 rep

** Medium Band Fly **
– 50 reps
– 50 reps

** Medium Band Pressdown **
– 25 reps
– 25 reps
– 25 reps

 The meet is next weekend. Relentless MN or bust.

After that it will be the USPA OK state meet in August.

The two girls in the header image are Serenity and Kaylee Trevis. They are the HopeKids Taryn and myself are representing.

What Relentless does is help children with life-threatening illness like these two girls.

What better way to use our talents than helping others?