What a kick-off to start the week with a bang.
As always, Monday is upper body day. Today, I mixed things up by adding some explosive power exercises for my upper body and core.
I kicked things off with the bench press, then moved on to the landmine shoulder press and landmine row, finishing up with the dumbbell bench press.
The landmine shoulder press is new to me. I had never done it before, so I practiced it a few times and watched some instructional videos on YouTube. There’s a guy at the gym who’s an athlete trainer, mostly working with basketball players. He came over and corrected my form. This wasn’t the first time he helped me, and I’m really grateful for it. It’s great how people in the gym look out for each other and share their knowledge. Even though I felt a bit embarrassed knowing my form was off, I know it’s all part of the learning process—you get better by learning from your mistakes.
Another highlight today: I finally reached my goal of jumping high enough to touch the fourth light at Rodwell. I had managed to do it a few times in the past, but lately, no matter how hard I tried, it seemed impossible.
Today was different. I jumped without expecting to reach the fourth light, but somehow, I touched it. I was so surprised that I shouted out loud. I thought it might have been a fluke, but guess what? I did it again. And again. The rest is history.
I can officially say I’ve reached one of my goals, and this is just the beginning.
Sure, this might seem like a small accomplishment to others, but for me, it’s huge. It’s a confidence boost and proof that I can achieve my goals if I keep at it.
Yes, other players and colleagues have already reached the fourth light and are aiming for the fifth. But so what? I might be a little late to the game, but that doesn’t mean I won’t get there too. At the end of the day, it’s me against myself. And today, I won. Jasper won.
| Drills | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bench Press – 40 kg | 4 | 5 |
| Dumbbell Press – 7.5 kg each side | 3 | 8 |
| Landmine Row – 30 kg | 3 | 8 |
| Landmine Shoulder Press – 20 kg | 3 | 8 |
