Had my second to last session on the weight releaser squats today- finally. As good as they are for confidence, in the moment they are terrifying. The weight feels so heavy and….. BAM there they go and you’re just left at the bottom of the squat. Today’s session was loading 142.5kg on the eccentric with the releases, and then out the hole with 102.5kg. They swing, they challenge every part of the squat and worst of all if you don’t load them properly, it throws you off at the worst possible point: right out the hole. I’ll attach the video of the best of the bunch (second set). Happy that this week I was able to remember how to open my hips properly and not squat too narrow which was something I struggled with last week.
I squatted and benched in the same session today- which really was a mixed bag. Disappointed myself for missing a lift today, which is something I pride myself on not doing and haven’t done this entire euros prep. For some reason on my first slingshot working set, 102.5kg just escaped me mid way. This is a PB anyway, and the heaviest I’ve ever felt in my hands but I came back a few minutes later and did get the rep (I’ll attach the video of that, it’s not pretty but it did go). To be completely transparent; this was very disappointing for me, I could make all the excuses in the world but today that rep simply wasn’t there for me today. Still managed to get it later on, but ideally I wouldn’t of missed it in the first place.
Swiftly moving on, I’m now into the final sessions for this prep. Everything has gone so well so far. I’ve given everything I have to this. I will say the balance of doing that and my full time masters course is pretty intense and some sacrifices have been made. At the same time this is the biggest and most competitive thing I’ve ever done in my life, and it fills me with pride every time I put one of my “CRISP” shirts on. I know that when I put those on, a challenge is coming. 8 sessions left now, 4 heavy and 4 light now. I’ll give it everything, and I may not be the strongest man on the planet but I tell you what, I’m the strongest I can be. That’s enough for me. 2 weeks left to give it anything I have left, and then flick the last switch on the platform, both excited and anxious but more than ready for the challenge that awaits.