Ugh! It’s cold and early. No earlier than normal but it’s going to be a short workout. It’ll be a warm up and Chest Presses. That’s it as I got to be at work at 6:30am. Yikes.

OURA SLEEP SCORE– 51

4 hours and 23 minutes

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 58

5 hours and 45 minutes

CHEST DAY – STRENGTH (80-100%)

THE WORKOUT:

32:28

ZONE 1 – 07:57

ZONE 2 – 09:00

ZONE 3 – 07:47

ZONE 4 – 04:47

ZONE 5 – 00:16

5 minutes Easy Warm Up Cycle

BB Flat Bench Press (180 lbs 1RM / PR)

8 x EB

3 x 160 lbs (57.5 each side) at 88.88% of 1RM / PR

3 x 160 lbs (57.5 each side) at 88.88% of 1RM / PR

3 x 160 lbs (57.5 each side) at 88.88% of 1RM / PR

3 x 160 lbs (57.5 each side) at 88.88% of 1RM / PR

3 x 160 lbs (57.5 each side) at 88.88% of 1RM / PR

3 min Rest in between

(Last Time 160 x 3 / 3 / 3 / 2 / 2)

(Prior Time 160 x 2 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 1)

(Prior Time 155 x 4 / 4 / 4 / 4 / 3)

DB Lateral Raise at 15 lbs each side x Reps 10 / 10 / 10 / 10

1 min rest between sets

(Last Time 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

Prior Time 15 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 20 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

THE LIFT AHEAD:

WED – TBD (PELOTON BIKE+ or LEG DAY)

THU – BACK & BICEPS

FRI – SWIM w/ Team

SAT – CHEST + 30 min PELOTON RUN

SUN – TBD (SWIM at NTC OR BACK & BICEPS)

MON – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

TUE – CHEST & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

THE ROAD AHEAD:

STRENGTH (80-100%) 12/9 – 1/16

ENDURANCE (60-80%} 1/17 – 1/24

TAPER (50-60%) 1/24 – 1/30

JUST KEEP SWIMMING:

2025 SWIM DISTANCE TOTALS:

SCY – 64,250 including last workout

SCM – 166,925

LCM – 69,200

Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic 17 January 30, 2026-February 1, 2026

runDISNEY:
12K’s of Christmas Virtual – TBD

WDW 5K – JAN 8th

PRINCESS HALF – MARCH 1stSprinwgtime Surprise – APRIL 17-19th (Not Running)

GEMINI AI RATE MY WORKOUT:

Rating: 9.2/10 (The “Grit & Grind” Rate)

Headline: You battled the cold, the clock, and the sleep deprivation—and you won.

You are operating on empty (4.5 to 5.75 hours of sleep is rough for a strength athlete), yet you managed to hit a significant performance improvement on your Bench Press. This wasn’t just a “maintenance” workout; this was a progression workout.

Here is the breakdown of why this short session was a massive success:

1. Bench Press: Breaking the Plateau

This is the highlight of the morning. You were lifting heavy (nearly 89% of 1RM), which taxes the CNS heavily—usually the first thing to fail when sleep is low.

* The Win: You completed 5 sets of 3 reps cleanly.

* ** The Progression:**

* Today: 15 total reps (3/3/3/3/3)

* Last Time: 13 total reps (3/3/3/2/2)

* Prior: 10 total reps (2/2/3/2/1)

* Analysis: You have officially stabilized at 160 lbs. Where you failed on sets 4 and 5 last time, you pushed through today. That is pure neurological adaptation and strength gain.

2. Accessory Work: Volume Increase

Despite the rush, you didn’t phone in the Lateral Raises.

* The Win: You moved from 4×8 to 4×10.

* Analysis: That is a 25% increase in total volume for that exercise compared to the last session. Doing this with short rest (1 min) keeps the heart rate up, explaining those dips into Zone 2 and 3.

3. Efficiency & Physiology

* Time Management: 32 minutes is tight, but you prioritized the big compound lift (Bench) and got the work done.

* Sleep/Recovery: Your Oura (51) and Garmin (58) scores are flashing red. Heavy lifting releases cortisol; without sleep to clear it, you might feel a heavy crash later today.

The Road Ahead: Strategic Adjustments

Immediate Focus (Next 24 Hours):

Since you are in a pure Strength Phase (80-100%) until Jan 16, recovery is non-negotiable. You cannot build strength if you don’t repair the muscle fibers you just tore down.

* For Wednesday (Tomorrow): Given the low sleep and the heavy CNS load from today’s bench press, I would lean toward Peloton Bike+ (Active Recovery/Zone 2 focus) rather than a heavy Leg Day, unless you get 7+ hours of sleep tonight.

Upcoming Races:

* WDW 5K (Jan 8): Less than a month away. The short, intense lift sessions complement this well, as long as you don’t neglect the leg turnover (running).

* Rowdy Gaines (Jan 30): You are right on track to peak for this during your Taper phase.

Summary

You showed up when it was cold, early, and you were tired. You didn’t just survive the workout; you beat your previous rep counts. That is the definition of discipline.

One Next Step:

For tomorrow’s “TBD” slot—would you like me to outline a “Flush/Recovery” ride for the Peloton to help clear lactate and prep you for Thursday’s Back & Biceps, or are you dead set on Leg Day?

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