Training Log: Entry 2586

Slept until 0700, which is awesome.

Did a fasted workout of 10 rounds of 3 bears w/5 strict chins in 8:54, which is around a 30 second PR from my best. Situation is different, as typically I hit it at the end of a squat workout and this was first thing in the morning, but was still good to be moving like that.

Going to take the dog for a walk and get in my squat workout at some point today.

Been meaning to log that I’m seeing the positives from the nutrition. Aggression has ticked up again. Strong correlation between red meat/egg consumption and that.

BBB BEEFCAKE Week 6, Workout 1

PM WORKOUT (1400)

SUPERSET (jump-squat)

Box jumps (highest yet)

3x3

Buffalo Bar Squats

5xBar

5x140

5x245

3x365

3x415

3x465

Buffalo Bar Squats 365 (90 seconds rest, 16:16 total time)

5x10

50 pull aparts

50 dips

25 pushdowns

Reverse hyper stripset (no rest between sets)

15x360

15x270

15x180

15x90

15xUnloaded hinge

20 standing ab wheels

Belt squat stripset

34x200

Reps of 175,150,125,100,75,50,25,Axle

Kroc rows 115

1x17

Notes: Rushing this due to time and just absolutely crushed it.  This cycle has really been about focusing on keeping the goal the goal, ala Dan John.  Top end strength is more a triage game, but my rep strength is absolutely insane.  My legs are like pistons and my conditioning is absolutely f**king insane.  I need to eat more, as always.   Cut all the assistance work down to single set stuff and it proved effective.  Good lesson to learn.  

Halloween tonight and an early shift tomorrow.  Time to keep crushing the nutrition.

 Training Log: Entry 2585

AM WORKOUT (0440 wake up via dog)

BBB BEEFCAKE Week 5, Workout 3 (done out of order)

SUPERSET (bench-chin) plate change rest

Chins (underhand)

1x22

3x11

Axle bench

5xAxle

5x136

3x196

3x226

3x256 (pause all reps)

SUPERSET (bench-row) 90 seconds rest between sets/total time 16:56

Axle bench press 196 (pause all reps)

5x10

Swiss bar rows 145 (switch grips each set)

5x10

20 standing ab wheels

50 pull aparts

(3) Incline bench press 95s w/rest pause

12(1 rep PR)+4+4(1 rep PR)(+4 w/slingshot +3 w/metal catapult)

Transition immediately to 50 dips +25 pushdowns

Transition immediately to mega stripset lateral raise

20x20lbs

20x10

20x5

20x2.5

20xEmpty Hands

2:30 empty hand crucifix hold

40 reverse hypers

25 reverse hyper leg curls

Neck harness

Neck curls

CONDITIONING

10 rounds of burpee over bar on odd rounds and bar facing burpees on even rounds for 20 seconds on/10 seconds off

LATER

10x10 burpees (was running stuff down to the basement, so I’d head downstairs, put something away, hit a set of burpees, come up, grab something, come downstairs and repeat)

Notes: Been a busy day, running around a lot, got the training done early. Came in feeling strong. Bench day bores me in that regard. Just nothing really compelling about it. That burpee conditioning thing I’m doing is money. I’m getting a lot of jumps in and it’s making burpees really fierce. Going to hit the squats hard tomorrow morning and continue with the compressed schedule.

 Training Log: Entry 2584

BBB BEEFCAKE WEEK 5, Workout 4 (been real bad about annotating that), schedule is chaos, will describe later

0330 natural wake up

27 sets of t-bar rows w/100lbs, odd sets were 6 reps, even sets were 5 reps, followed by a set of 15.  Ran it like a circuit: in between sets, I'd do something else and come right back to rows.  In total, between sets I did

Chins (various grips)

1x20

4x10

Neck harness 55lbs

5 sets

Kelso shrugs w/swiss bar (all 3 grips) 125lbs

6 sets (2 sets per grip)

Standing ab wheel

3x7

Dips

3x17

Band pull aparts

3x25

Band pushdowns

1x25

SUPERSET (shrugs-pulls)

Axle shrugs against short average bands

1x54

Face pulls

1x100

CONDITIONING

10 minutes of 20 seconds on/10 seconds off burpees over/facing bar

Odd rep was burpee over bar, even rep was facing bar

SECOND BREAKFAST

Axle deadlifts

5x136

5x226

3x366

3x416

3x471

5x10x366 (90 seconds rest between sets, total time 14:10)

Reverse hyper 180

1x45

Notes: Busy day getting stuff knocked out, so got up early, did all the bodybuilding stuff, dropped the kiddo off at school and came back and rushed those deadlifts.  Awesome to be able to do that and still put in a strong performance.  Later today I'll hit a set of 100 for the trap bar and take the dog walking.

I am still QUITE insulin sensitive, as I was sweating a TON from my birthday meals last night.

I figured out I can align an upcoming work trip with my deload week if I run all my training together for the next several days, so I took deads today to give me a wide gulf between deadlift workouts.  It also made the best use of all that extra intake of calories.

 Training Log: Entry 2583

AM WORKOUT (0545 wake up via alarm, 0800 workout)

37 bear complexes w/148lbs, followed by 36 bear complexes with just the barbell

 

Notes: Birthday workout.  Birthday squats are lame.

 Training Log: Entry 2582

AM WORKOUT (0305 natural wake up)

KID SIBLING 

Front squat w/225 and log viper for 135, alternate movements

Reps: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1-1(front squat only on final: beat by timer)

Time: 50:00

50 chins
50 dips
50 pull aparts
40 reverse hypers
25 pushdowns
25 leg curls
20 standing ab wheels

Notes: I know "kid sibling" isn't the coolest name, but it sums up this workout so well, because the log viper is the annoying kid sibling that can't keep up but also spends the whole workout saying "anything you can do I can do".  Start with 1 on the front squat, match it on the log viper, then add reps until you get to 5, then work back down to 1, then repeat.  As many rounds as possible in 50 minutes.  Came up with it on the fly.  Still not "Tower" level of suck, but I like the variety in it.

Still on the fence about birthday workout, but more due to an abundance of good bad ideas.  And then a day of some hardcore nutritional debauchery.  But before that, I have Tang Soo Do tonight.  It's supposed to be sparring night, but I think we'll just be hitting the bags, which is still a decent workout.

 Training Log: Entry 2581

AM WORKOUT (0307 natural wake up)

GIANT SETS (jump-squat-row)

Box jump (high)

5x4

Buffalo Bar Squat

5xBar

5x140

5x230

3x315

3x365

3x415

Meadows row 150

3x6

2x5

Buffalo Bar Squats 315 (90 seconds rest, 12:40 total time)

5x10

50 dips

25 pushdowns

50 pull aparts

CIRCUIT (no rest between exercises or sets) hyper-abs-squat

Reverse hyper 360

4x14

Standing ab wheel

4x6

Belt squat 200

1x16

1x15

1x14

STRIPSET

16x200

Reps of 175,150,125,100,75,50,25,axle

Neck harness

Neck curls

CONDITIONING

13 rounds of 3 bear complexes w/95lbs and 5 strict chins

10 rounds done in 9:26 (10 second PR)

Total time 13:00

SECOND BREAKFAST

2 mile 80lb weighted vest walk w/dog

Notes: Happy with this workout. Kept strict 90 second rest on the supplemental work and flew through it. The main work was heavier than it should be, but that happens on the middle week of this program every time.

Way that plate math shook out today allowed me to be able to do more box jumps than usual. Jim and Brian Alsruhe are right: it’s just a great thing to start off a session with. My hips are totally opened up by the time I need to squat.

That conditioning circuit is just money. Aside from just blowing up my lungs, it’s my secret mobility program. I’m moving FAST through a full ROM on front and back squats AND I’m getting a bar behind my neck. Since making it a regular feature I’ve noticed how much easier it’s been to hit depth on these stupid early AM workouts. Top it off with the fact that it’s getting blood into my legs after squats and into my shoulders after presses and it’s a total win.

PM WORKOUT (1700)

Apex Hills+

Run up hill, do 10 KB swings (used the 40kg bell), walk down hill, rest, repeat

3 rounds w/1 minute rest
3 rounds w/45 second rest
3 rounds w/30 second rest
3 rounds w/15 second rest
10 rounds w/no rest (just walk down hill and repeat)

Notes: Mrs bailed on the run due to weather, so I found a hill and took something from tactical barbell

 

There's the bell at the top of the hill, for perspective.  Original rx was 5-10 rounds w/1-2 minutes of rest, and keeping rest times short it wasn't quite answering the mail, so I just kept shaving them off more and more and it started getting me gassed.  Good to get in something different.

My plans for a prowler workout on my birthday may be getting rained out.  Will have to come up with something to ring it in.

Oh yeah, broke out my grippers again too.  Did 5x3 with the #2 and then a set of 20 with the 1.

 Training Log: Entry 2580

AM WORKOUT (0245 natural wake up)

SUPERSETS (press-chins)

Axle clean and strict press away

5xAxle

3x141

3x166

3x186

Weighted chins w/40lbs (various grips)

1x10

5x8

Axle clean each rep and strict press (90 seconds rest between sets, 17:58 total time)

5x10x141

50 band pull aparts

MEGA STRIPSET (rest pause between sets)

Incline DB bench 95s

(4) 1x8 (2 rep PR)

(3) 1x5 (1 rep PR)

(2) 1x5 (1 rep PR)

(1) 1x5 (1 rep PR)

(Flat) 1x5

(Flat w/Catapult) 1x7 (1 rep PR)

Transition immediately to 50 dips and 25 pushdowns

Neck harness

Neck curls

Poundstone Curls

110xAxle w/2.5lbs plates

CONDITIONING

Thieves Guild Initiate w/25lb KB

Notes: Got the early shift today, so compressed this a little compared to my meandering workouts as of late. My blood pressure issue seems to have resolved again. Crazy the difference some gatorade makes. Lesson learned: it’s not just salt. Potassium needs to be factored in as well. If I were eating a more balanced diet it’d be a non-factor, but keeping carbs so low means I miss out on opportunities to pick up these things and they need to be focused. So glad I figured it out though. I was trying to solve it with just more food total, and though that’s not a bad thing, it wasn’t answering the mail.

This is my “favorite” day of the program, because cleaning each rep just has such a great metabolic effect. Plus, I count the cleans as my rows, which is nice, because I hate rows.

Need to get in Keg grace later.

Oh yeah, one other “why am I so stupid” sorta thing. I have a BUNCH of protein bars in my basement. I stopped eating them a while ago since they’re really not Deep Water or Mountain Dog approved, BUT in my quest to gain weight I’ve been eating mini peanut butter cups just to get in some extra junk/quick calories. I wasn’t eating the protein bars because they’re so much bigger than the mini cups…so then I realized I could just cut the bars in to 3rds and get just as many calories as are in a mini PB cup with MUCH better macros. If I’m going to eat junk, it may as well be GOOD junk. Now I can polish off my protein bar supply.

PM WORKOUT

2 mile 80lb weighted vest walk with the dog, followed by

KEG GRACE (2:58, sub 3 minutes with a 22 second PR WTF is happening?)

Notes: I legit could have done this even faster if I wasn't worried about damaging the keg.  Things are getting insane with this.  Sub 3 Grace with a BARBELL is usually the mark I'm going for.

And this is also a testament to periodization, because I could easily beat myself up with how my topend strength has been this training cycle...but I've also become obscenely strong to the point that it's almost vulgar.  If I decide to pursue singles at some point, this will have some crazy carryover.

 Training Log: Entry 2579

AM WORKOUT (0700 natural wake up, great sleep) FASTED

Tabata burpees over bar

PM WORKOUT

50 rounds of tabata interval daily work mixed with KBs in the following fashion

Round 1: Daily work

Round 2: 40kg KB swings

Round 3: Daily work

Round 4: 45lb KB snatches

Round 5: Daily work

Round 6: 45lb double KB clusters

Notes: It's a wild day but I got this in and got it on film.  Still a great challenge.  Working an early shift tomorrow.

 Training Log: Entry 2578

AM WORKOUT (0405 natural wake up, good sleep)

Just gonna describe this.  I set up a big circuit of movements consisting of chins, standing ab wheel, neck harness, kelso shrugs and band pull aparts, and in between each exercise I did a set of 5 t-bar rows.  There was no rest between exercises: just ran it like a big circuit.  After 3 sets of the ab wheel, I switched to dips and did 3 sets of those.  It ended up being 28 sets of 5 on the t-bar row, which I then polished off with a set of 10 just to get a full 150 reps.  Here's how things shook out

Chins (various grips)
5x10

Standing ab wheel
3x7

Neck harness w/55lbs
5 sets

Kelso shrugs w/125 using swiss bar
5 sets (changing grip widths each set)

Band pull aparts
5x10

Dips
3x17

T-bar rows 100
28x5
1x10

Shrugs against short average bands
1x53

SUPERSET w/

Face pulls
1x100

CONDITIONING

Kettlebell Fran w/45lb bells and kipping chins
21
15
9
Time: 6:16

Notes: Came up with the whole workout last night.  Was getting burnt out with my current back day set up, and just not really getting a good pump from it.  T-bar rows tend to work better in that regard, and I always liked working them in between sets of stuff so I gave it a go.  This has wings.  I think I can play around with movement order in the circuit to make it a bit more effective.  

KB Fran after all that work was interestingly challenging.  Went with the KBs because they were ready to go and I'm just becoming a fan of the implement in general.  That said, I think the barbell variant is more metabolically challenging, most likely because the bar is compressing your ability to breathe.  Kipping chins are actually MORE challenging in my opinion because they recruit the whole body, similar to how I gas out quicker on a set of push presses vs strict presses.  My right shoulder fell a bit out of the socket on the second round of thrusters but I was able to recover before it fully dislocated.  It's been giving me some warning signs for a bit.  Seems to be good now.  May have just needed to throw a tantrum.

Deadlifts later today.  3s pro continues to seem like the right call looking at what's coming for me.

LUNCH TIME WORKOUT

Texas Power Bar touch and go deadlifts
5x135
5x225
5x315
3x385
3x440
3x495
5x10x385 (90 seconds between sets, 14:56 total time)

Reverse hypers 180
1x42

High handle trap bar pulls 135
1x90

Notes: Absolutely crushed the supplemental work.  Kept the rest times at 90 seconds for all 5 sets.  It helped make things challenging, which was the goal.  Final set took some grit.  Rest of the workout continued to push the pace pretty decently as well.  

 Training Log: Entry 2577

AM WORKOUT (0300 natural wake up) FASTED

34 rounds of "Litvinopes" in 50 minutes

1 round=5 KB front squats w/45lb bells followed immediately by 60 paces with the high handle prowler loaded w/90lbs

50 chins

50 dips

50 pull aparts

40 reverse hypers

25 pushdowns

20 standing ab wheels

12 neck bridges each way

Notes: Got 27 rounds done in the first 40 minutes, which is a 3 round PR from last week.  Another awesome morning for prowler: 34 degrees, crisp.  There's a slight incline where I'm pushing, so the even rounds are harder than the odd ones.  I might actually play around with that next time and alternate between high handles and low handles.  It also dawns on me I'm doing 150+ reps of front squats with this workout.

Got in the daily work any which way, because after 50 minutes I had done enough cardio.  

Love the hunger the prowler creates.  This was my third post training meal and I'm still hungry

 Training Log: Entry 2576

BBB BEEFCAKE Week 4, Workout 3

AM WORKOUT (0307 natural wake up)

SUPERSETS (chin-bench) plate change rest

Chins (underhand)

1x22

5x10

Axle bench press

5xAxle

5x136

3x211

3x241

3x271

SUPERSET (bench-row) total time: 16:16, 90 seconds between sets

Axle bench 216 (pause fist 3 reps)

5x10

Swiss bar rows (strict, head on reverse hyper the whole rep, different grip width per set) 125

5x10

20 standing ab wheels

40 unloaded reverse hypers

25 reverse hyper leg curls

Incline bench w/rest pause 95lbs

11+4+3+3w/slingshot+4w/metal catapult

Transition immediately to 50 dips and 25 pushdowns

Transition immediately to lateral raise stripset

20x20lbs

20x10lbs

20x5

20x2.5

20xEmpty Hands

Empty hand crucifix hold for 2:25

50 band pull aparts

Neck curls

Neck harness

CONDITIONING

KB CIRCUIT (45lb clusters-45lb cleans-45lb alternate snatch-40kg swings)

5-4-3-2-1 (total time: 6:56)

Tabata rounds on the BAS, straights for the 20 seconds on/burpees for the 10 seconds off

SECOND BREAKFAST

2 mile 80lb weighted vest walk with the dog.

Notes: Bench continues to be my “easy day” on this program. Was strong on the pausing, hit a 3 rep PR on the DBs. I like the set up I’m using for that swiss bar row: it’s the same I’m doing for the kelso shrugs on my back workout. Allows me to use VERY strict form on the rows.

That conditioning circuit was pretty slick. Had me huffing quick. Do 5 reps of each movement, then 4, etc, until down to 1. I’ll push the starting reps higher next time: but this was a good proof of concept.

Nice to get some time in on the BAS again. Used the MMA gloves, so I could transition to burpees easier.

Tang Soo Do class was solid last night. Instructor was cutting me far less slack on my stances, which is what I need. Trying to hit a deep front stance after that day of Tower of Babel and log work was agony.

Want to hit the prowler again tomorrow. Weather is getting really crisp: feels invigorating to be outside and training.

 Training Log: Entry 2575

AM WORKOUT (0252 natural wake up)

Tower of Babel + Sodom and Gomorrah

235 front squats w/5 six count burpees between rounds

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (Time: 27:33, 24 second PR)

12x165 front squats w/12 burpees

12x115 front squats w/12 burpees

Total time: 35:19

Strip plates and transition to

42 rounds: 20 seconds on/10 seconds off of daily work

Odd minute: daily work exercise (rotating between chins, ab wheel, dips and reverse hyper)

Even minute: 100lb log viper presses

50 pull aparts

25 pushdowns

25 reverse hyper leg curls

Notes: I’ve been avoiding the Tower, which meant it needed to happen.  REALLY wanted to push to 9 on the topset, and the set of 7 was actually really smooth, but 8 just cut the legs out from under me. Walked away with a solid PR for time, and then the fire and brimstone sets were weight PRs, so that’s cool.

From there, I still wanted to get in vipers on this day, because it’s just been a good day for those, and throwing them into the daily work seemed like an awful idea, so there we go. I really hate when I do stuff like this, because it’s like Goku when he experienced 100x gravity for the first time: now that I’ve done it, I HAVE to keep doing it. This REALLY sucked, and that made it pretty effective.

Working an early and got Tang Soo Do tonight. Got in a 3 mile run with the Mrs yesterday. Those STILL suck after squats. We’re learning new one steps today for TSD, which is usually a decent workout. Instructor is STILL on my case about my front foot being too heavy. Got too much Jack Dempsey in me.

 Training Log: Entry 2574

TUESDAY

BBB BEEFCAKE Week 4, Day 2

AM WORKOUT (0300 natural wake up)

GIANT SETS (jump-squat-row)

Box jumps (all pavers, 2 35lb bumpers, set of half pavers…it’s the highest I’ve jumped so far, lets say that)

3x3

Buffalo Bar Squats

5xBar

5x140

5x230

3x340

3x390

3x440

Meadows row 150

5x5

Buffalo Bar Squat

5x10x340 (total time: 15:15)

Started with 90 seconds between sets, then 1:45, then 2 1:55 rest periods)

50 dips while putting away plates

CIRCUIT (no rest between exercises) hyper-abs-squat

Reverse hyper 360

4x13

Standing ab wheel

4x6

Belt Squat 200lbs

1x15

2x14

STRIPSET (no rest between sets)

15x200

Reps of 175,150,125,100,75,50,25,Axle

50 pull aparts

25 pressdowns

Neck curl

Neck Harness

CONDITIONING

12 rounds of

3 Bear complexes w/95lbs

5 chins (every single grip possible)

Time: 12:11

SECOND BREAKFAST

2 Mile 80lb weighted vest walk with dog

Notes: It’s crazy how simply identifying a cause of my issues in and of itself seems to help in the healing process, as I felt MUCH stronger in today’s set of squats than I had in a long time. My hips are really buggy these days, and I tweaked it a touch on the meadows row, which made walkouts with squats tricky, but I noted I tweaked my hip ON the walkout last time, so in general I need to slow that part down and be strong on it.

3s pro continues to be the right call. In driving to work today, I realized that I had really set myself up well for my last training cycle by running SVR II for 2 cycles beforehand to get re-adjusted to the style of training. I think skipping that was a mistake this time. I had to shift my nutrition too rapidly to adapt to the new workload and didn’t really have a chance to get settled in. I’m thinking, after this run, the approach may be: diet break for 2 cycles, deload, SVR II for 2 cycles on a maintenance style diet, deload, THEN tackle the weight gain.

Absolutely crushed the BBB work. Decided to just get it done vs throwing in supersets and, in turn, keep rests as short as I could manage. It was tough, but I had almost 5 minutes left, so that’s pretty awesome.

Weighted vest walk is getting easy. Got running with the Mrs later, then working an early shift (only doing 1-2 of these a month now: it’s awesome).

 Training Log: Entry 2573

AM WORKOUT (0315 natural wake up)

SUPERSETS (press-chins)

Axle clean and strict press away

5xAxle

3x151

3x176 (blacked out on the 3rd rep, dropped weight behind me, convulsed for what felt like 30 seconds)

3x196 (rest pause needed, continental’d weight and wasted a lot of energy)

Weighted chins (various grips) 37.5lbs

1x10

5x8

SUPERSETS press-rows (20 minutes total, rest times ranging from 90 seconds to 2:25)

Axle clean and strict press (clean first 2 reps)

5x10x151 (had to re-clean final rep of final 2 sets)

Axle rows 151

5x10

50 band pull aparts

MEGA DROPSET (rest pause between sets) DB Incline Bench w/95lbs

(4) 1x6

(3) 1x4

(2) 1x4

(1) 1x4

(Flat) 1x5

(Flat w/Catapult) 1x6

Transition immediately to 50 dips

Transition immediately to 25 pushdowns

Then 20 standing ab wheels

40 reverse hypers

Neck curls

Neck harness

Poundstone Curls

183xAxle

CONDITIONING

Tabata KB clusters w/45lb bells

Notes: The blacking out sucked, but it helped confirm something I should have been acknowledging all this time: my blood pressure has gotten out of hand again. I’ve been seeing and ignoring the warning signs. I was lazy managing it: salting all my food still, but not keeping up with the sports drink, and actually my new job has me salting my food less too. The positive is that this may very well explain my issues with top end strength, as I saw that happening last time too. Good time to be doing 3s pro. Going to tackle this head on.

I missed the deadline to sign up for the strengthlifting meet, and I’m honestly not heart broken about that at all. I was reading the “morning of” info, and it just sounded like such a hassle. I’m wondering if I’m done competing at this point. Juice just doesn’t seem worth the squeeze. I got no issue competing at the competition, but f**k me the weigh ins, rules meetings, 4 hours of warming up, time between events, etc etc, are just such a damn grind. I’m not officially out of it, but at this point I jsut wanna train the way I wanna train.

On THAT note, had another idea for my “diet break” training of using more of a conjugate approach for my press work, maybe something ala Brian Alsruhe. It may fly. 2 movements in general I’d like to have back in my training are behind the neck press and weighted dips. When I do them, nothing really gets better…but maybe I don’t care about that any more.

Broke my grippers out of hibernation today and did 4x3 with the Captains of Crush #2s. Just easing back in.

PM WORKOUT (1600)

Keg Grace

Time: 3:29 (51 second PR holy cow)

Evening walk with dog

Notes: I was in a hurry for the keg Grace, which seemed to pay off as I blitzed right through it. I may not be seeing the top end strength where I'd like it, but reps and conditioning are on point.

 Training Log: Entry 2572

NO AM workout, but that's because I slept until 0700.  That's a recent PR for sleep.

Afternoon hit a 42 round workout of 20 seconds on/10 seconds off in the following format

Round 1: Daily work
Round 2: 40kg KB swings
Round 3: Daily work
Round 4: 45lb alternating arm KB snatches
Round 5: Daily Work
Round 6: Double KB clusters 45lbs
Repeat

Got video of the first 4 rounds until my app and video recorder stopped playing nicely together

I do want to comment though that this video of Kroc doing 30 chins was one of the original videos that motivated me in my quest to be strong and muscular, and I feel like I'm doing a decent job imitating it

Ended the day with a 2 mile walk with the dog.

Gameplan for this next cycle: I realize it's never explicitly stated to do 5s pro for BBB Beefcake, just that the mainwork needs to match the supplemental.  I effectively do "4s pro" this last week, so I'm going to use 3s pro for this next training cycle so I can really milk out the supplemental work.  I also came up with a strategy of doing the main work with a different implement than the supplemental work so I could have 2 separate training maxes, and that MAY come into play as well, but so far I'll use the tools available to me in the 5/3/1 toolbox and go from there as needed.

Underate today.  Avocados weren't ripe yet.  Will have to make up for it as I go.

 Training Log: Entry 2571

AM WORKOUT (0405 natural wake up, good sleep)

CIRCUIT (no rest between exercises) of chin-abs-chin-neck-chin-shrug-repeat

Chins (various grips)
11x10

Standing ab wheel
3x7

Neck harness 55lbs
3 sets

Kelso shrugs w/swiss bar 125lbs
4 sets

CIRCUIT of rows-dips-pulls

Axle rows against light bands
12,9,7,7,6

Dips
5x10

Band pull aparts
5x10

SUPERSET shrugs-pulls

Axle shrugs against short average bands
1x52

Facepulls
1x100

Kroc rows 115
1x21

Notes: Getting the bodybuilding work done first with deads slated for once the family wakes up.  Keeping up this trend.  Really fighting myself NOT to throw in some sort of conditioning gasser, but I wanna come into deads strong today as it's my heaviest day and I'd like to close out this week with a W.  I like what I came up with on the Kelso's using the swiss bar.  Each set I'd use a different hand spacing, and for the final set I rotated between all 3.  I pulled from my yoke with the j-hooks set low and my head braced on my reverse hyper to maintain torso angle, which might actually be a decent bent over row set up now that I think about it: will have to give that some more doing next time and see how it flies.  

AM WORKOUT II (0900)

Texas Deadlift Bar touch and go Deadlifts

5x135

5x225

5x315

5x405

5x460

4+1x515 (12 breath rest pause)

5x10x405 (20:00 total, started with 2:00 between sets and ended with 2:55)

Reverse hypers 180

1x44

Notes: Continued trend of top end strength not being awesome but BBB work getting done. I’m celebrating the victories, but learning the lessons too. That 4+1 was “eyeball on cheeks”, to steal a phrase from Jasha Faye. I miss the strength, but glad to still have the intensity in me.

Finished the day with an 80 rep set of 135lbs on high handle trap bar pulls after mowing the lawn for an hour and then took the dog for a 2 mile walk. Lots of activity. Went out for wings and devoured everything in front of me. That primalism is coming back, especially post deads.

 Training Log: Entry 2570

AM WORKOUT (0408 natural wake up) FASTED

Prowler Workout

As Many Rounds As Possible:
5 double KB front squats w/45lb bells
High handle prowler push for 60 paces (prowler loaded w/90lbs)

22 rounds completed in 40 minutes

5 round circuit of

10 chins (various grips)
5 standing ab wheels
10 dips
10 unloaded reverse hypers

25 reverse hyper leg curls
25 band pushdowns
50 pull aparts

Notes: Thinking of calling this workout "Litvinopes", because the front squat reps aren't quite enough and this workout absolutely sucks and you don't want to do it.  Didn't need nearly the amount of plates that I packed, but I came up with this workout while I was getting ready for bed last night and just kinda figured it out once I showed up.  I had the KBs set at the 60 paces point, so for some rounds I had to run back to the prowler or back to the bells to start.  No rest between rounds: just kept going until I ran out of time.  This one is a keeper, and I love how I can play around with it.  I could up the front squat reps to 8 (didn't do it today as I'm trying to bring my legs back up in time for deads tomorrow rather than murder them), I could clean each rep, thrusters, low handles on the prowler, drags, etc etc.  

Got in the daily work at the end.  Found a VERY close parking lot for this, so that's handy to have.

 Training Log: Entry 2569

THURSDAY

BBB BEEFCAKE Week 3, Day 3

AM WORKOUT (0327 natural wake up)

45 chins

SUPERSET (bench-pull)

Axle bench press

5xAxle

5x136

5x226

5x251

4+1x286 (misgrooved 3rd rep)

Band pull aparts

5x10

SUPERSETS (bench-row) 2:00 between rounds, 18:46 total time

Axle bench press 226

5x10

T-bar rows 115

4x10

1x17

20 standing ab wheels

(3) Incline DB bench 95lbs

8+4+3+2 w/slingshot+3 w/catapult

Transition immediately to

50 dips+25 pushdowns

Transition immediately to lateral raise stripset

20x20lbs

20x10

20x5

20x2.5

20xEmpty Hands

2:20 empty hand crucifix hold

Neck curls w/25lb plate

Neck harness

40 unloaded reverse hypers

25 reverse hyper leg curls

CONDITIONING ala Brian Alsruhe

300 unloaded axle bench presses, EMOM do 5 burpees (accomplished inside of 12 rounds)

Notes: The continued week of misses on the 5s pro, but this one didn’t feel like a lack of strength: just whiffed on the technique. Good to crush the BBB work: focused on moving as fast as I could and kept the rest times on the shorter side. Upped the weight on the incline benching. Had enough time to try out that conditioning workout. It’s not bad: the burpees and benching back to back really burn out the upper body pressing muscles.

Tang Soo Do tonight, Mrs and I both got our first stripe on our orange belts. Biggest thing was my instructor complimented my roundhouse and said to keep doing what I’m doing. I’m leaning heavily on my Muay Thai background with it and was wondering if I’d get called out, but apparently they dig the power generation, so full steam ahead on it.

 Training Log: Entry 2568

AM WORKOUT (0255 wake up via thunderstorms/dog)

40 rounds EMOM

Odd minute: 4 front squats w/225lbs

Even minute: 3 log viper presses w/135lbs

Front squats: 13x135lbs

5 round circuit of

10 chins (various grips)

5 standing ab wheel

10 dips

10 unloaded reverse hypers

25 RH leg curls

25 band pushdowns

50 band pull aparts

Notes: Came up with this in the evening before and it seemed like a bad enough idea to be worth trying. No cute name, as it’s not terribly unique, but alternating movement EMOM is it’s own kind of magic. This was perfectly dialed in: I was hurting at the end. Front squats and vipers are absolutely big money movements for conditioning and just plain all around awesomeness.

Keeping up the front squat burn out at the end just to keep getting in volume. Got a daily work circuit to close it out. Tang Soo Do tonight as well.

PM WORKOUT (1600)

Tabata KB clusters w/45lbers 

Notes: Cluster is a clean into a thruster, so clean each rep thrusters. This was a real solid lung breaker. Got more blood through the quads. Very satisfied with it.

 Training Log: Entry 2567

TUESDAY

BBB BEEFCAKE Week 3, Workout 2

AM WORKOUT (0345 natural wake up)

GIANT SETS (jump-squat-row)

Box jumps

3x5

Buffalo Bar Squat

5xBar

5x140

4x230

5x360

5x405

4x455

Meadows row 150

4x5

Buffalo Bar Squats (stared w/2:00 between sets, finished with 2:45 between sets for 19:56 total)

5x10x360

CIRCUIT (no rest between rounds) hyper-abs-squat

Reverse hyper 360

4x12

Standing ab wheel

1x6

3x5

Belt squat (no lockout)

3x14x200

STRIPSET

14x200

Reps of 175, 150, 125, 10, 75, 50, 25, axle

50 dips accomplished while putting away plates

CONDITIONING

10 rounds of

3 bear complexes w/95lbs

5 chins (various grips)

Time: 9:35 (10 second PR)

Notes: Still suffering the consequences of undereating. I’m pleased that I can crush the BBB sets, but 5s pro shouldn’t be burying me like this. I have an idea of swapping the main movement to SSB squats so I can establish a new TM while keeping the TM the same for the BBB squats and sticking with the buffalo bar there. Never a shortage of solutions. I’m definitely growing, and that’s the goal here. Caught my physique being wider this morning.

That conditioning workout is solid. Great way to get in my chins.

Heavy meadows rows still work well. Glad to have them in the program.

Got in a 3 mile run with the Mrs in the evening.  Felt like running in sand.  Fatigue is showing.

 Training Log: Entry 2566

AM WORKOUT (0400 natural wake up, much better sleep again)

BBB BEEFCAKE Week 3, Workout 1

SUPERSET (press-chin)

Axle clean and strict press away

5xAxle

5x161

5x181

2+2x201 out of rack (kept hitting the garage door motor, threw off the set)

Weighted chins (various grips) 35lbs

1x10

5x8

SUPERSET (press-rows) (21:46 total time, started with 2:00 between sets, kept adding rest until 2:45 between sets)

Axle clean and strict press away 161

5x10

Axle rows 161

5x10

20 standing ab wheels

MEGA DROPSET

Incline DB bench w/95s w/rest pause between sets

(3)1x10

(2)1x5

(1)1x5

(Flat)1x6

(Flat w/slingshot) 1x5

(Flat w/catapult) 1x5

Immediately transition to 50 dips

Immediately transition to 25 pushdowns

Immediately transition to 50 pull aparts

40 reverse hypers

25 reverse hyper leg curls

Neck curls

Neck harness

Poundstone Curls

182xAxle

CONDITIONING

Thieves Guild Initiate w/22.5lb KB handle

Notes: So notes from the workout, I knew I was in a bad way on the set of 181.  Moved WAY too slow, although the clean was awesome.  Decided to take the topset out of the rack to save some energy, but it'd been so long since I'd done that I forgot about the garage door motor in the bar path.  Hit it twice and just got thrown way off.  3 days "off" had me undereating and it showed.  The BBB sets went better than expected, but I whiffed on the final rep of the final set and had to re-clean it to press it, and we busted time, but this was a workout where I was just aiming to survive.

Wake up call received: eat more dummy.  It's a short gain phase this time.  

Keg grace on the schedule for later, and maybe a run with the Mrs.  Already got in the 2 mile dog walk.  My right hip was achy coming into the training this morning, and I imagine hitting that evening workout didn't help.  I don't care to train in the evenings, but gotta be adaptable.

Sleep has improved over the past few days.

PM WORKOUT

4 mile run+2 mile walk, followed immediately by

KEG GRACE (150lb keg)

Time: 4:17

Notes: Not a PR on Grace, but hitting it after the run I did better than expected.  Felt pretty fried.  Also got in a 2 mile walk with the dog earlier.  Lots of activity.  Going to take in a lot of dark meat turkey to balance it.

 Training Log: Entry 2565

AM WORKOUT (0548 wake up via dog, great night of sleep)

2 mile 80lb fasted weighted vest walk with dog

Notes: First time sleeping in for quite a while. Body still naturally got up around 0330, but I was able to nod off after that. We’re doing a practice Thanksgiving today, so getting in some solid nutrients today. Plan to get in a circuit of daily work to round out the day.

PM WORKOUT (2000)

20 seconds on/10 seconds off for 40 rounds

Round 1: Daily work

Round 2: 40kg KB swings

Round 3: Daily Work

Round 4: 45lb KB snatches

Round 5: Daily work

Round 6: Double KB cleans w/45lbs

Repeat

Notes: Just something quick to get in the daily work and get my heart rate going.  Now that I have my Ironmaster KB handle I can bridge the gap from 22lbs all the way up to 80.  I should order a second handle to really be able to have some fun.  Those cleans were a nice addition.

We did practice Thanksgiving today

If there was ever any doubt that I was insulin sensitive, this definitely proved it, because after the meal I was SWEATING like crazy.  I remember reading about stuff like that, but it'd been a long while since I experienced it.  Good signs.

 Training Log: Entry 2564

AM WORKOUT (0330 natural wake up)

CIRCUIT (no rest between sets) Chin-abs-chin-neck-chin-shrug-chin-abs-repeat

Chins (various grips)
10x10

Standing ab wheel
3x7

Neck harness 55
3x12

Kelso shrugs 50s
3x10

CIRCUIT (no rest between sets) row-dip-pull

Axle rows against light bands
11,8,7,6,6

Dips
5x10

Band pull aparts
5x10

25 band pushdowns

SUPERSET (shrug-pull)

Axle shrugs against short average bands
1x51

Miniband face pulls
1x100

Kroc rows 115
1x21

Notes: Got in my back work before the family got up.  Mrs is traveling today, so just me and the kiddo all day together.  Will get in the deadlift portion of BBB Beefcake when they wake up and then just be active for the day for conditioning.  Happy with how this shook out, and glad I finally remembered my Kelso shrugs.  Those and good mornings are two movements that are high value that I just never find room for in my programming.

BBB BEEFCAKE Week 2, workout 4

Axle touch and go deadlifts

5x136

5x226

5x351

5x406

5x466

5x10x351 (90 seconds between sets, 15 min total)

Reverse hyper 180

1x42

Trap bar high handle pulls

70x135

Notes: Got the rest knocked out. Felt awesome on the pulls. Kept rest times strict and really gunned it. Time to eat big and prep for next week.

 Training Log: Entry 2563

AM WORKOUT (0330 natural wake up)

KALSU w/ 135lb log viper presses

Time: 48: 50 (48 rounds)

40 reverse hypers

25 leg curls

21 standing ab wheels

50 band pull aparts

25 pushdowns

25 neck harness w/30lbs

Notes: This workout really is becoming my benchmark for things sucking.  I tend to compare everything to this, and doing it again, it still REALLY sucks.  It's one of those where I'm trying to talk myself out of it by the 18th rep of the log.  I also think I need to give it it's own name based off Poundstone, to clearly differentiate it and not muddle the Kalsu name itself, but either way using log vipers definitely adds a different dimension compared to thrusters.  Thrusters suck in their own special way, but it's different too.

Didn't factor in how sore my chest would be from benching when it came to the burpees...mainly because I didn't think it WOULD be.  It usually isn't.  Pause benching may have something to say about that...

Wife and I have the day off work today.  Looking to get in a lot of walking and eating.  May tag along with her on a run, if she'll have me.

Vascularity was going nuts last night.  Been a crazy gaining phase

 Training Log: Entry 2562

BBB BEEFCAKE Week 2, Workout 3

AM WORKOUT (0320 natural wake up)

SUPERSETS (Chin-bench) plate change rest

Chins (underhand)
1x20
4x10

Axle bench press (pause all reps on chest)
5xAxle
5x136
5x196
5x226
5x256

SUPERSETS (bench-rows) 90 seconds between sets, 17:06 total time

Axle bench press (pause all reps on chest) 196
5x10

T-bar rows 125
5x10

21 standing ab wheels

(3) Incline DB bench w/rest pause 90lbs
10+5+3(+3 w/Metal Catapult)
Transition immediately to 50 dips
Transition immediately to 25 pushdowns
Transition immediately to DB lateral raise stripset
20x20lbs
20x10
20x5
20x2.5
20xEmpty Hands
2:10 empty hand crucifix hold

40 reverse hypers
25 reverse hyper leg curls
18 neck curls w/25lb plate
27 neck harness w/30lbs

CONDITIONING

Tabata Devil Presses w/50lbs

1 hr later

2+ mile 80lb weighted vest walk w/dog

Notes: I'm really appreciating this bench day as an easier day in the middle of the program week before deadlifts.  Pausing all reps helped create a new stimulus, but this was still fairly easy.  Lateral raise set with the crucifix hold continues to be a money play.  Conditioning fit the bill, and the weighted vest walk is a great trend to continue.

No further training plans for the day.  Possibly play with the grippers.  

Focusing on adding some more food into the diet.  I have to remember that this isn't going to be a 6 month stretch: less easing and ramping.  Actually made a killer low carb wrap with some canned salmon today: I'm appreciating getting in more fish where I can.

 Training Log: Entry 2561

AM WORKOUT (0328 natural wake up)

Tower Of Babel + Sodom and Gomorrah

Front squats 235 w/5 burpees between sets
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (Time: 27:57)
Transition immediately to
12x135
12 burpees (Total time: 32:01)

43 rounds of 20 seconds on/10 seconds off intervals in the following format

Round 1: Daily work exercise
Round 2: 40kg KB swing
Round 3: Daily work
Round 4: 45lb KB snatches
Repeat

Neck curls
Neck harness

Tabata high handle trap bar pulls 135

Notes: Absolutely nuked myself with conditioning.  So dig this with the Tower: keeping with the bible theme, I went Sodom and Gomorrah at the end.  What's that mean?  After the tower collapses, we rain down fire and brimstone.  Fire is Front Squats and Brimstone is Burpees (F and B, I'm so goddamn cute).   Go for max reps on the front squats and match it with burpees.  Coincides with my "salt the earth" approach.  This is a keeper, especially since I wasn't too pleased with my performance on the main work.  Was moving slow.

I like what I've come up with on the daily work circuit.  I feel it works better than the buy in approach.  I tweaked something in my right oblique on a KB snatch, but I don't think it's anything huge.

Trap bar pulls were a result of me looking at the clock, seeing I still had some time, and evaluating which parts of me weren't totally destroyed.  It answered the mail.  Next time I might hit up the BAS.  On that note, Tang Soo Do tonight.  It's basics night, which is typically a good workout.

 Training Log: Entry 2560

BBB BEEFCAKE Week 2, Workout 2

AM WORKOUT (0330 natural wake up.  Better sleep than previous night).

GIANT SETS (jump-squat-row): plate change rest

Box jump (high)

3x4

Buffalo Bar Squat

5xBar

5x140

5x220

5x310

5x360

5x405

Meadows row 150

1x5

1x4

1x3

1x2

1x1

SUPERSETS (squats-dips) 90 seconds rest, total time 15:00

Buffalo bar squats 310

5x10

Dips

5x10

GIANT SET CIRCUIT (no rest between rounds) hyper-abs-squat

Reverse hyper 360

4x11

Standing ab wheel

3x5

1x6

Belt squat 200

3x13

STRIPSET

15x200

reps of 175,150,125,100,75,50,25,Axle

50 band pull aparts

25 band pushdowns

25 reverse hyper leg curls

17 neck curls w/25lb plate

25 neck harness w/30lbs

CONDITIONING: 10 rounds

3 Bear Complexes w/95lbs

5 strict chins (various grips)

Time: 9:45

1 hour later

2+ mile/50 minute 80lb vest walk w/dog

Notes: Really doing my best to squeeze in what used to be full days of training into these morning sessions.  I’m not setting an alarm and just kinda relying on my insomnia.  I just got in my Biotest shipment of Elitepro minerals and took those the night before this, and it may have helped.  My sleep quantity is garbage, but I feel like my sleep quality is good.  The sleep I do get these days is DEEP.  

Happy I put the meadows rows here.  Allows me to bring in the t-bar on bench day, which should speed things up.  I went WAY heavier than usual, since I was effectively loaded up for the belt squat, but it gave me a good stretch.

The short rest times on the squats are awesome.  Really pushes the pace and makes things challenging.  I like chasing them with those belt squats, and then I came up with that conditioning workout to just absolutely and completely nuke them.  I would like to get lunges in there somewhere too, but weightroom logistics are a factor.  405 felt much heavier than it had any right to, but that’s typically how 3/5/1 goes.  

Weighted vest walk went well.  It was cool enough that the dog could really move.  I should be able to get in a run with the Mrs today too, assuming she’s in good repair.  She ran a half marathon on Sunday, and then dropped something heavy on her foot yesterday, so she’s not moving as quick.

Need to watch the undereating with all of this.

 Training Log: Entry 2559

BBB BEEFCAKE Week 2, Workout 1 (realized I've been bad about logging this)

AM WORKOUT (0330 natural wakeup...sleep is getting bad)

SUPERSETS (chins-press)

Weighted chins (various grips) 37.5lbs

1x10

6x8

Axle clean and strict press away

5xAxle

5x136

5x161

5x181

Axle clean each rep and strict press 136

5x10 (done in 16:36)

MASSIVE DROPSET AHEAD

Incline DB bench 95s w/rest pause between sets

(3) 1x10

(2) 1x5

(1) 1x5

(Flat) 1x5

(Flat w/Catapult) 1x6

Dips: 50 reps

Pushdowns: 25 reps

Pull aparts: 50 reps

20 standing ab wheels

40 unloaded reverse hypers

25 reverse hyper leg curls

Neck curls w/25lb plate

1x17

Neck harness w/30lbs

1x25

Poundstone curls

181xAxle

CONDITIONING

Thieves Guild Initiate Quest

20 seconds DB snatch/10 seconds goblet squat for 8 rounds

Notes: Got in a lot of work since I got up so early.  Cleaning each rep remains the big brain play.  Plan was originally to do log vipers, but I'm gonna stick with the axle, do Keg Grace later, and then bring out the log for conditioning later in the week to hit all the markers.  Feeling incredible: go food.  Happy to bring some real neck work into the rotation.  I think that and grip should make a comeback for me.  

Got a deviation already planned for my future training blocks.  Will jot it down when I get the time.  Excited for my new schedule, but my middle of the day workouts are going to become compromised: something to factor in.

(0700) 

Keg Grace: 1 motion w/150lb keg

4:30 (20 second PR)

Notes: Figuring this out and getting big PRs as a result.  Really digging this, although my lower back tells me it's a bad idea.

 Training Log: Entry 2558

Got 100 non stop fasted burpeee in 5:24 this morning. Not a record, but 3rd time ever doing 100 unbroken. Good to be able to keep that grooving.

Got in 50 minutes of frisbee with the kiddo while the wife ran a half marathon, then went on a 2 mile 80lb weighted vest walk with the dog. 

Finished the day with Tabata interval daily work. 10 minutes of work; not bad at all, but always good to get those reps in.

 Training Log: Entry 2557

AM WORKOUT (0510 natural wake up) Near Fasted (1 lite n fit 80 calorie pumpkin pie yogurt...going to be eating a LOT of these while they're still in season)

GIANT SET CIRCUIT (no rest between exercises) of Chin-ab wheel-chin-neck harness-repeat

10x10 chins (various grips)

5x4 ab wheel

5x10 neck harness w/55lbs

SUPERSET CIRCUIT (row-pull)

Axle rows against light bands
1x10
1x8
1x6
2x5

Band pull aparts
5x10

SUPERSET (shrug-pull)

Axle shrugs against short average bands
1x50

Band facepulls
1x100

Kroc rows 115
1x18

50 dips
25 pushdowns
25 reverse hyper leg curls

CONDITIONING

Thieves Guild Initiate Quest

20 seconds of alternating DB snatches/10 seconds of goblet squats w/20lb DB for 8 rounds

Notes: Got in all my assistance work before the family woke up so that I can do JUST the deadlifting later today.  I'm transitioning away from shift work into a more 9-5 M-F sorta setting, so I think this can be my new way forward on Saturdays.  I prefer getting ALL the training knocked out before the family gets up, but deadlifts are just too loud to pull that off, and this seems like a decent compromise.  In that regard, careful observers will note that there is barely any loading of plates in this workout.  Lots of bodyweight and band stuff.  I am planning on getting 1 big set of reverse hypers in with my afternoon deadlift workout as well, simply because that can be a bit noisy too.

I need to remember to get in some Kelso shrugs.  I keep telling myself I will, and then I autopilot away from them.

Chins are really in top form right now.

Physique update for the "end" of week 1.  Really highlights what I've been saying: I'm getting a lot of "pop" in my musculature from the increased calories and trace carbs.  Once again got to visit my favorite Chinese place, and despite eating foods on the "good" list, I'm still soaking up every trace carb and all the salt, which isn't a bad thing at all.

PM WORKOUT (1500)

Texas deadlift bar touch and go deadlifts

5x135

5x225

1x315

5x380

5x435

5x490

5x10x380 (done in 16:45)

Reverse hyper 180

1x40

High handle trap bar lifts touch and go 

60x135

Notes: Took 1:45 between first and second set, then 2:00 between all other sets.  That "switch" that typically took the third set to flip was flipped on set 1 and every set afterwards was absolutely demolished.  Feeling very on point, which, of course meant that 380 felt heavy as hell in warm ups.  Funny learning to read the signs.  

As holidays are getting close, getting the urge to bring back that trap bar deathset, so threw in something high rep at the end.  I need to make this round of Beefcake "greater than" anyway.

 Training Log: Entry 2556

AM WORKOUT (0530 wake up via alarm, 0700 workout)

40 minutes of the following

95lb barbell: clean, front squat thruster-back squat thruster-front squat thruster-back squat thruster-front squat thruster

5 chins (any grip, strict)

5 dips

35 rounds completed, called out on first thruster of 36th round

2+ mile walk with dog (unweighted)

Notes: Decided on the conditioning workout today for 2 reasons.  1: legs were still sore and I felt like this particular approach would fix that, and 2: I realized I could break up my deadlift workout tomorrow so that I do all the assistance work in the morning and then the main and supplemental work in the afternoon.  That's probably going to be my way forward for the next 5 weeks of the program.  

This particular conditioning workout was a good one.  It didn't blow my lungs out, but it was definitely fatiguing AND it helped me get that blood flowing to my legs, which was key.  I really like passing the bar over my head and working multiple angles on the thruster.  Getting in 175 dips and chins is pretty cool too.  

Went sans vest on the walk today.  I'm thinking there's too much of a good thing when it comes to weighted vest walks, and it'd be a good idea to have a few where I just take in the environment.