Training Log: Entry 2396

AM WORKOUT

JM Walks w/10lbs
50 minutes

Notes: This was AWFUL.  Amazing how much a little weight really adds up over time.  Couldn't wait to be done.  Still not really winded from it, just fatigued.

Woke up at 197.8 this morning.  Planning on hitting a 2 a day today, with some sort of 10 minute EMOM tonight.

PM WORKOUT

EMOM stone of steel over bar
Triples for 8 minutes

Notes: Set up in the power rack today using an old Rogue axle, and it worked much better.  Set the bar at 20, which is lower than my yoke was.  Really focused on coming over the top of the stone vs the bottom.  Much smoother technique, but this is still a ball buster, especially with my back still a little tweaked from Tuesday.  I think once I get to 10 minutes I'll start loading the stone, but right now an empty SOS is more than enough.

Training Log: Entry 2395

BUILDING THE MONOLITH WORKOUT 8

AM WORKOUT

Deadlifts (texas deadlift bar)
5x135
5x225
1x315
5x405 (straps)
5x460
3x5x515

Axle Bench Press
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
5x186
5x226
5x251
3x281
5x316
9x251

DB rows 105
3x12
2x11

Axle curls
1x100

Notes: Ran about 70 minutes.  Part of that was I re-pulled my glute on the right side on rep 3 of the first workset of deads, so I was resting a little longer between sets to recover.  Was in a good bit of pain earlier today, but seems to be fading.  I crammed in 2 workouts back to back because I'm sleeping on the jobsite tonight and woudln't have a chance to train in the morning on wed; just going to move training around as needed.  Bench took a hit since I couldn't get decent leg drive with the tweaked glute.  Kinda liked bringing the Poundstone curls back as something a little more time efficient.

General notes: Woke up at 197.2 this morning.  Nutrition still going strong.

Training Log: Entry 2394


BUILDING THE MONOLITH WORKOUT 7
AM WORKOUT

Buffalo Bar Squats
5xBar
5x100
5x140
3x190
1x230
1x280
5x300
5x340
5x5x380

Axle strict press
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
5x161
5x186
5x206
8x161

Chins (various grips)
17x6

Band pull aparts
5x20

Dips
120

Notes: Giantsets as before, dips at the end.  Squats didn't feel as awful as week 1; I might be adapting to the workload.  I belted up for the topset of press, which was most likely the deciding variable.  I may need to start bringing that back into the rotation.  Dropped the TM on press by 5lbs to make this managable.  Workout took right around an hour.  Upping chin reps each week, which has the added benefit of being done earlier.

General notes: Woke up at 199.2 this morning.  Still think a lot of that is weekend bloat, but it's at least moving in the right direction.

Training Log: Entry 2393

Prowler w/200lbs loaded
8x50'

Notes: Better than last week, but still sucks.  Don't want to push much harder since tomorrow should be a challenging squat workout.

Woke up at 197.4.  Cheat meal is working.

Training Log: Entry 2392

BUILDING THE MONOLITH WORKOUT 6

AM WORKOUT

Buffalo bar squat
5xBar
5x100
5x140
3x190
1x230
5x260
5x300
5x340

Log clean once and press away
5xLog
10x5x110

NG chins w/95lbs
5x5

Band pull aparts
5x20

Farmer's walk shrugs 115
5x20

Standing ab wheel
3x8

Buffalo bar squat 230
1x20

Notes: Very light and fast day here; prepping me for Monday.  In my next life, I might clean/viper reach rep of the log to make it more challenging.  Ran it like before, with giantsets all over the place.  The 20 rep squats were semi-challenging, but nothing terrible.  Threw in the ab wheel work because I had room for it and wan't to keep some manner of ab work in.

General notes: Woke up at 194.8 this morning.  Work is vetoing my constant eating of eggs, and I can live with that.  I'll have to eat more at home.  Going to try to go big on a cheat meal today.

Training Log: Entry 2391

Stone of Steel over bar EMOM for 7 minutes

https://youtu.be/rzBrXoKdMDk

Notes: I have no idea what the height was, but this was an asskicker.  Couldn't last the full 10.  Time for me to start learning how to do triple extension.

Woke up at 194.4 this morning.  I've been holding strong on the diet trying not to overcorrect, but I am clearly losing weight.  Made a concentrated effort to eat more.

Training Log: Entry 2390

BUILDING THE MONOLITH WORKOUT 5

AM WORKOUT

Deadlifts (texas deadlift bar)
5x135
5x225
1x315
5x355
5x405 (straps here on)
2x5x460 (touch and go)
1x5x460 (deadstop)

Axle bench press
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
5x186
3x231
3x266
9x301
17x231

Curls 45
5x10

Hammer curls 45
5x10

DB rows 105
2x12
2x11
1x10

Notes: Definitely easier than the first time.  I planned to do deadstops the whole time, but I forgot to vector in that my wife sleeps in on Wednesdays, and I don't want to be slamming weights to wake her up.  I timed the last set to right around when her alarm woulda been going off, but I'll see what my plan is moving forward.  Got the whole thing done in about an hour again.  Hamstrings aren't sore like they were last week; think I'm adapting.  Right ankle got torqued on one of the sets of deadlift warm-ups, but otherwise everything held up.

General notes: Woke up at 195.4.  Helped my neighbor move a washer and dryer into their moving truck and got rewarded with 4 5lb and 4 2.5lb tubs of whey protein.  Only 1 has expired, and trying it yesterday it was just fine. Think I'm going to throw a shake onto daily protein intake for the routine, as this seemed like some sort of omen.

Training Log: Entry 2389

AM WORKOUT

JM walks, chains+5lbs

50 minutes

Notes: Clipped 2 2.5lb plates to the chain rig.  Easy way to add some weight.  I like this conditioning for how uniquely miserable it is.  I'm not huffing wind, but I am beat down when it is done.  Seems a little easier on my knees too.
Woke up at 196.2. 

Training Log: Entry 2388


BUILDING THE MONOLITH WORKOUT 4

AM WORKOUT

Buffalo bar Squats

5xBar
5x100
5x140
3x190
1x230
5x260
5x300
5x5x340

Axle strict press
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
5x146
5x166
5x191
12x146

Chins (various grips)
20x5

Band pull aparts
5x20

Dips
150 reps

Notes: Same approach as last week, except I cut the dips out of the circuit and just did them rest pause at the end for reps.  Much more viable approach; far better recovery on the squats.  Wasn't huffing nearly as bad, but this was slightly lighter as well.  Press was smooth, but defintely heavier than it needs to be.  Workout took about an hour.
General notes: Woke up at 196.0.  Elbows are pretty beat up; I imagine that's the weighted chins.

Training Log: Entry 2387


High handle Prowler w/200lbs
8x60'

Notes: 30 seconds rest between sets.  Right quad was cramping something fierce.  Still a solid ass kicker.

Woke up at 195.8 this morning.  Had a father's day breakfast buffet and ate my weight in bacon.  Should put me in a good way weight wise.

Training Log: Entry 2386

BUILDING THE MONOLITH WORKOUT 3

AM WORKOUT

Buffalo Bar Squats
5xBar
5x100
5x140
3x190
1x230
5x280
5x320
5x360
20x180

Axle Continental and Press Away
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
10x5x156

Weighted NG chins 85lbs
5x5

Band pull aparts
5x20

Farmers handle shrugs 115
25,20,15,15,10,15

Notes: Rather than do notes after everything, let me just explain how this all worked out.

Did a giant set to start of Squat-chin-press.  No warm-ups for chins, so did the worksets in between the warm-ups for squats and presses.  Once I ran out of chins, I transitioned to band pull aparts, so it went Squat-pull apart-press.  Once I hit 5x360 on squats, I saved 20x180 for the end of the workout so transitioned to shrug-pull-apart-press.  When I ran out of pull aparts, it just went shrug-press as a supersert.  Once I was done with everything else, I did the 20x180.

The widowmaker definitely wasn't the hardest thing I've ever done, but I made it as challenging as I could by ensuring I was lockout out every rep.  Original gameplan was to only continental around 5 sets of the presses, but I had enough in me to do the whole thing.  I think this was the right weight for 1s week rather than 3s, so I may repeat during week 3 or only go up 5lbs and adjust TM from there.

Got the whole thing done in just about 50 minutes.  I'll upload video later.

General notes: Woke up at 195.4.  Fascinating how much food I can add and still not move up much. Think it's a sign to how much I'm burning.  Gonna keep slowly ramping up the intake.


EDIT: Here is video of day 2 and 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB9psIZdMFQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_x-NRslPpY&t=307s

Training Log: Entry 2385

AM WORKOUT

10 Minute EMOM circus dumbbell (95lbs) and stone trainer extensions (165lbs)

Notes: Started off 1 per arm on the DB and laddering up reps on the stone trainer.  Once I got to minute 5, switched to 1 rep CDB alternating arms each minute and singles on the stone trainer.  This really sucked even more than I expected; good to keep on the books.

Woke up at 195.4. this morning.  Glad to see weight has been gradual, rather than big jumps.

Training Log: Entry 2384

BUILDING THE MONOLITH WORKOUT 2

AM WORKOUT

Texas Power Bar touch and go Deadlift
5x135
5x225
1x315
5x380 (straps from here out)
5x435
3x5x490

Notes: Pulled my left hamstring on the second warm-up set, so everything after that was hell and my starting position was all jacked up.  Still sore from Monday, so something I had to work around.  Might be more dilligent with recover, or see if I adapt.

Axle bench
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
5x186
5x211
5x251
10x281
16x211

Notes: This is a planned program deviation.  Rather than doing the 5x5, I'm sticking with traditional 5/3/1 with a FSL AMRAP.  This has been working incredibly well for my bench, and for the first time in about a decade it's finally moving upward, so I'm not messing with success.  I might compensate for the lacking volume with my conditioning work.

DB curls 40
5x10

Hammer curls 40
5x10

DB rows 105
1x12
1x11
3x10

Notes: The rows are really what got me in the end. Kept feeling like I was going to puke.
General notes: Woke up at 194.8.  Got the workout done in just under 60 minutes.  I took video again and will upload tomorrow, but the strategy was Deadlift-curl-bench repeat.  It timed out that the deadlifts and bench both finished at the same time, so after that I knocked out 2 remaining sets of curls and the 5 sets of rows while cleaning up the bench and deadlift bars.  Wasn't moving qutie as fast today as I was on Monday, but with this being a day of much heavier weight moved on all lifts it was a necessary precaution.

Diet is remaining on point for now.
  
Worth noting that I realized I calculated my deadlift training max for this program using a PM PR and I'm training in the AM.  Not a smart move, but we'll see what happens.  I am supposed to challenge myself here, and I think I'm doing that.

Training Log: Entry 2383

AM WORKOUT

Jacob Marley Walks 45 minutes

Notes: Cute name is due to how I rigged up my ghetto weight vest.  Since I don't own a weight vest, I just used some chains, like this

Seemed to have the net effect.  Traps are still pretty achy from it.  Was going to walk around the neighborhood, but we had a lightning advisory, and as much as I'd love to make a new training log all about how I overcame being struck by lightning it just didn't seem like the most effective way to get through Buildnig the Monolith.  It meant I ended up just walking back and forth in my garage for 45 minutes.

Woke up at 193.4.  Peculiar to say the least.  I'll keep an eye on things and see if more calories need to be introduced.

Training Log: Entry 2382

BUILDING THE MONOLITH DAY 1

AM WORKOUT

Buffalo bar Squat
5xBar
5x100
5x140
3x190
1x230
5x280
5x320
5x5x360

Axle Press
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
5x156
5x181
3x201
10x156

Notes: Too high a training max for press for how I'm training this.  I took video and I'll upload it later, but basically I set it up so that I went Squat-chin-press-chin-squat repeat.  This made it so that I could get through the workout faster, but meant very short recovery periods.  I've hit 5x201 on many occasions prior, but that was when press was the primary focus.  On a full body day like this, think it's time to lower it.

Chins (various grips)
25x4

Dips
2x30
3x20

Pull aparts
5x20

Notes: Everything performed between sets of squats.  This was a helluva workout.  Next time, I think I'll save dips for last, because even with the Buffalo Bar, trying to do squats after dips was murder on the arms.

General notes: Woke up at 194.8.  Got the whole workout done in about 50 minutes, which is 10 minutes less than usual, but I needed those extra 10 minutes to lay down and die.  Wanted to prove that this workotu CAN be done in  an hour or less, because I've seen so many people bitch about training time for it.  Still figuring it out, but this has been a great eye opener and really relit some training fires.  Haven't pushed myself this hard in a while.

So, to illustrate the approach, like I said, through the presses it was squat-chin-press-chin-squat repeat.  Once the presses were all done, it went squat-chin-pull apart-dip-chin-squat,repeat. 

For diet overhaul, I'm trying to eat more food and less junk.  Pre-trainig was 2 cups of wild blueberries with 2 tablespoons of raw honey.  Post training was 2 scoops whey, 1 cup frosted flakes, 1 cup skim milk, and that's going to be the most junk food of the day.  I've added a meal on top of my normal nutrition, which is 1lb of beef ribs and 3 hardboiled eggs mixed into a romaine lettuce salad with cucumbers and cherry tomoatos.


EDIT: Here is video of the whole workout

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIQv33_psxE

Training Log: Entry 2381

AM WORKOUT

DELOAD

20 Minute EMOM Circus Dumbbell (95lbs) pull up ladder

https://youtu.be/8bxhmj625lw?t=24

Notes: So they way this worked was this: first 10 minutes, 1 rep per arm on the dumbbell followed by pull up ladders up to 10 reps.  Next 10 minutes, alternate an arm per minute and redo the ladder.  Some garbage reps and kipping at the end there.  THis was plenty intense.  Sneaks up on you good.

Dips
1x50

Pull aparts
1x50

Axle curls
1x50

General Notes: Woke up at 195.2.  We'll see what I end up doing for the rest of the week. 

Training Log: Entry 2380

PM WORKOUT

Prowler w/200lbs loaded
8x50'

Notes: 30 seconds rest between runs.  These always suck.

General notes: Woke up at 195.0 this morning.  Cheat meal was Panda Express 3 item with veggies (orange chicken bejing beef and teriyaki chicken).  Deload and onto Building the Monolith.

Training Log: Entry 2379

PM WORKOUT

GHR sit ups w/25lb plate behind head
2x8
1x7

Buffalo Bar Squats
5xBar
5x100
5x140
3x190
1x230
1x280
1x320
1x370
1x410
1x460

REST PAUSE (15 deep breaths between sets)
10x370
8x370
6x370
3x370
2x370
1x370
5x320

Notes: Been a long time since I had anything heavy on my back for higher reps.  All that time with the lower weight stuff paid off though, as I was recovering pretty quick between sets.  Think I got my TMs figured out for Building the Monolith.

General notes: Woke up at 194.8 this morning.  Back was still a little taxed from deads yesterday.

Training Log: Entry 2378

PM WORKOUT

Deadlifts (texas deadlift bar)
5x135
5x185
5x275
1x365
1x455 (straps from here out)
1x545
1x635 (post surgical PR)
2x0x660
10x455

https://youtu.be/MVw3KCZX9bg


Notes: Had a break in the schedule and deload next week, so decided to see what I could do.  I definitely have the grind back in me, but holy crap I'm pulling slow.  Might be time to swap the axle out for the deadlift bar.  This actually solves an issue I was having, as I wanted to run Building the Monolith this next cycle but didn't know how to axle bench and deadlift easily.

That 10x455 was more of a gut check than I expected.

Also, tried to hit 660 again and missed it again.  Getting close though.  Really need that 300kg pull.

Training Log: Entry 2377

AM WORKOUT

Axle Bench Press
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
5x186
5x226
5x246
3x281
7x311
14x246

Notes: Still feeling a little beat down.  Not my worst performance, but I've had more in me before.

DB hammer curls 45
5x10

DB lateral/power cleans 20
3x12/8
2x10/6

Notes: Performed between sets of bench.  Forgot all about DBPCs until someone mentioned it somewhere else.  Great movement.  Glad to bring it back.

GIANT SETS

Log clean once and press away 135
4x10

NG chins w/30
5x10

DB rows 105
4x5
1x12

General notes: Woke up at 194.8.  I'm planning on attempting a max deadlift this evening to break up my training a bit this week.