JANUARY 5, 2026

DAY 5 — STRENGTH UNDER LOAD

Kia ora whānau — Jamie here.

Today, we built force under fatigue.

Day 5 of the 100-day project brought the first full weighted strength session. No machines. No gym. Just a weighted vest, heavy dumbbells, a plyo box, and gravity.

This isn’t body sculpting. This is combat prep.
Today I trained the core movement patterns that will decide whether I can drag a wounded mate, scale a ledge, or fight through fatigue when retreat isn’t an option.

The vest stayed on. Breath stayed nasal. Movements stayed clean.
This was about strength — but more importantly, control underweight.

Each rep had a purpose.
Each set had a cost.

Here’s the breakdown:

TRAINING LOG – DAY 5: STRENGTH + LOAD

Date: January 5, 2026
Weather: 37 degrees, hot, dry
Load:

• Weighted Vest: 10% BW

• Dumbbells: Heavy but strict - 25kg

SESSION OVERVIEW

Warm-up (10 min):

• 2 rounds:

  • 10 air squats

  • 5 push-ups

  • 10 step-ups (bodyweight)

  • Shoulder rolls, hip openers, deep squat hold x 1 min

MAIN WORKOUT — 4 ROUNDS

🔹 1. Goblet Squat (with DB) – 10 reps
🔹 2. Box Step-Up (vest on, alternate legs) – 8 reps per leg
🔹 3. Dumbbell Row (single-arm or double) – 10 reps each side
🔹 4. Push-up (vest on) – max reps to clean form failure
🔹 5. Farmer Carry (DBs) – 30–50 meters
🔹 6. Plank Hold – 60 seconds

Rest 60–90 sec between rounds.

COOLDOWN (5–10 min)

• Shoulder mobility

• Ankle rolls + calf stretch

• Forward fold hold

• 5 min nasal box breathing (focus on full exhales)

NOTES / REFLECTION

• Legs felt the box work — unstable terrain made it more real

• Plank with vest exposed core fatigue (good checkpoint)

• Grip better than expected after Day 4 carries

• This is the kind of strength that lasts beyond the gym

• Feel grounded, heavy, but stable — like I could carry someone if I had to