For the first time in over a month, I finally made it out of work on time. Thursdays are usually an early out day, so I can train before Strongman class. That hasn't been happening. Usually I squeak into the gym just before class, and one week I didn't make it at all. But today....work cooperated.
I walked into the gym without a plan. No idea what I was going to do, no numbers, no program. Decided to just do whatever felt right. So I ended up with the "strongman buffet", or: a little of everything.
First up, axle continental cleans and overheads. Worked up to nearly my one rep max. Having so much down time seems to have made the cleans easier, more tolerable. I could feel the limits of my press, especially in my left arm. But pushing that final weight overhead and locking it out? Now we're off and running. After grinding out the last rep, I decided to stop there and not push to failure. Plus my stomach was beautifully bruised up from my belt already. So I moved on to some log clean and presses, just to finish off those pressing muscles.
Then I got the group going on 18" deads. Decided to jump into the rotation for fun and worked my way up until it felt tough. Let it lie after it felt like maybe my arse was going to fall off. Felt so good to just focus. That brief moment, after snapping my belt shut and before putting hands to the bar.....that moment of calm, taking in a breath, clearing my mind, narrowing my whole world down to that single action....that's the kind of Zen I've been seeking.
Ran the yoke, taking time to coach each woman in class through her run. My runs topped out at a still light weight, while taking the time to work on speed and technique. Once everyone had a feel for yoke, we were running short on time and moved to stones to at least walk through technique and work on lapping them. Since my 95# stone is currently not at the gym, and the 120 has been taken home, the lightest available was 150. A few of the girls were able to get it lapped, while a couple others worked with the smaller, broke 85 just to see how it felt. I chucked 150 over a couple of times. That bite, the hint of stone rash, the familiar pop up my spine as I extended back and shoved the stone over the bar.....ahhhh yes. That's the stuff.
So, at the end of night, here's the "damage": exhausted posterior chain, vague tightness when standing up, stone rash on the forearms, bruises on knees from deads, scrapes and bruises on both quads from the stone, a line of gorgeous bruising across the midsection from the axle.....and one happy, very contented soul.
No counting reps, no tracking weights, no worrying about what I "should" do or what I "used to be able to" do. Just lifting and moving and enjoying every bit of it. The time will come when I'll be ready for structure again, for concentrated building. But for now....this is the need. This is home.
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