Thursday I was feeling generally tired so I did a lot of mobility and lighter movements. Bike and elliptical to warm up; then some abs, med ball twists. Med ball shoulder swings-this really helps get the feel for getting hips into winding. Shoulder raises - lateral, front, back - 15 reps each with no rest between, two or three rounds. Overhead press work with the bar only, focusing on form and grip placement, stict and push press; many, many reps. Finished off with db snatches up to 55.

Friday was squat day. After trying out the new streamlined starting progression earlier in the week, I went in looking to go heavier. Thus, 205x5, 245x5, 275x3-at this point everything felt really good. Continued with 295x2 and singles at 305 and 315. Finished off with a set of 10 at 225, focused on exploding out of the hole.

This session marks the first time I've hit 315 since last year and the difference is significant. Last year it was a stretch, didn't feel as stable, core wasn't as strong, and I didn't feel safe with the attempt without a spot. Afterwards I felt it for several days. This time it was almost an afterthought in that I had no doubt that I could hit the lift, didn't even consider getting a spotter, and it felt smooth and stable from start to finish.

This morning I can tell I had a good session yesterday but I'm not feeling overly sore or fatigued. In addition, although I'm quite satisfied with 315 I'm most pleased with the final set of 10 with 225. It was without doubt the most explosive I've felt with that weight for that many reps and it's that sensation that should carry over to wob, sheaf, and caber in particular. The underlying lesson here is that foundation work pays off.