Training Log: Entry 2638

Yesterday, I matched my PR on ABCs hitting 26 in 5 minutes w/24kg bells, getting 18 unbroken at the start...under SIGNIFICANT fatigue.  Things are pretty awesome.

Tang Soo Do was ok.  Nothing terribly noteworthy, but my flexibility and mobility are in a good place.  Getting a lot of head kicks these days.

Woke up at 0730 and got in a fasted 35 burpees over bar in 2:20.

@ChongLordUno Thanks so much man!  "Epic" is what I was going for.  I really just wanted to lay it out all there while still being digestible.  We'll see who can manage it.  And man: EVERY year is my year!  


---

PM WORKOUT

30 minutes, AMRAP of

* 1 ABC w/24kb bells

* 1 DKB devil press

* 1 stone to shoulder per side w/135lb stone

No idea how many rounds I managed.  I started counting at first, stopped when I couldn't focus on anything beyond how much this sucked.  Great way to hit everything.  Ideally, I'd hit a burpee or sprawl before grabbing the stone: maybe next time.

This was the perfect workout to generate the hunger necessary for this amazing NYE Dinner

Piedmontese grassfed sirloin and lobster tails for a primo surf and turf, alongside some mashed cauliflower, local tomatoes and broccoli.

It's going to be a fantastic year for growing.

 Training Log: Entry 2637

AM WORKOUT (0420 natural wake up)

**CHAOS IS THE PLAN** Week 1, Workout 4

**MAIN WORK**

11 rounds in 30 minutes of:

* 8x316lb axle deadlifts
* 8x175 swiss bar incline bench

**ASSISTANCE**

10 rounds in 8 minutes of

* 2 standing ab wheels
* 5 chins
* 5 dips

Notes:

* Needed something reppy and lighter to set me up for the heavy stuff.  This was fantastically awful, as keeping rest periods down to 50 seconds made it effectively a circuit workout.  I'm still an awful incline bencher and don't have a great set-up for it, AND swiss bar always sucks, so I made a combination of all the worst things there to force the weight to be light, and then the axle has it's own limitations.   

* Kept the workout itself on the shorter side.  Got the day off work, slept in, and will be spending time with the kiddo.  

* Tang Soo Do sparring night tonight, should be a good workout. Probably get in some conditioning somewhere too.

 Training Log: Entry 2636

AM WORKOUT (0340 natural wake up)

**CHAOS IS THE PLAN** Week 1, Workout 3

12 rounds in 30 minutes of:

* 5x225 front squat
* 5x136 axle clean each rep and strict press

**ASSISTANCE**

Poundstone Curls
138xAxle

5 rounds of:

* Dips
* 20lb laterals
* Band pull aparts

20 standing ab wheels
25 pushdowns
30 GHRs

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**
**CONDITIONING**

AMRAP in 6 minutes of burpee chin into 24kg DKB devil press

Notes:

* Shaping up to go 3-5-2 as far as “the plan” goes with this approach.  Originally had 8s on my mind, but getting under the bar proved that 5 was the right call.  Definitely feeling the lower cals paired with the intense training, and this lighter day should help with recovery.  Pleased with how front squats went after so long away.  The bar was resting a bit painfully on my right deltoid: seems to be inflamed from something.

* Kept this at two movements since I was cleaning each rep: considering those cleans to be the back work.  Definitely a full body experience.

* It’s amazing the drop off I’m having on Poundstones.  I’m just nuked by the time I get to them.  Training effect is still there.  

* That conditioning was pretty solid.  I liked keeping those devil presses to a single: was really able to focus on the explosive hinge.

* No real plans beyond this for today.  Some sort of conditioning, and a bison pot roast at home: hard to top that.  I have the day off work tomorrow, so get to spend some time with the kiddo and eat off menu.

 Training Lot: Entry 2635

AM WORKOUT (0340 natural wake up)

**CHAOS IS THE PLAN** Week 1, Workout 2

**MAIN WORK**

10 rounds of:

* 3x405 low handle trap bar pull
* 3x125lb weighted dip

**ASSISTANCE**

19x115 Kroc rows

60x180 Reverse hypers
20 standing ab wheels
50 band pull aparts
25 pushdowns
33 Axle shrugs against strong short bands
30 GHRs

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**
**CONDITIONING**

Fran w/strict chins
6:38 time

Notes:

* This didn’t pack quite the punch of yesterday, but I am an awful puller with the low handle trap bar.  I could have gone a little heavier on the dips to compensate, and a third move of chins would have fit, but since I’m running all 4 days back to back I wanted to have a break there.  Taking it for 13 rounds vs 10 helped, and kept me within the 30 minute constraint.  Still re-blew out the blood vessels in my face, so effort was there.

* Assistance was more linear compared to yesterday, but still got in some greatest hits, and settled on Fran for conditioning to get in my chins and have the bar loaded and ready for TABEARTA later if I get an opportunity.  Front squats tomorrow as well, so I’m ahead of the game.

* Definitely feeling this change in direction.  Very unique soreness.

* Tang Soo Do later tonight.  It’s sparring week, so hopefully a good workout.

PM WORKOUT

Got in TABEARTA at home and Tang Soo Do in the evening.  Sparring, with a focus on the 4 new kicks we've learned for the new belt rank.  I was a lot lighter on my feet than usual: willing to let myself relax a little and be bouncy.

 Training Log: Entry 2634

AM WORKOUT (0345 natural wake up.  In truth, 0200 natural wake up, lots of tossing and turning, then eventually just giving up and getting after it)

**CHAOS IS THE PLAN** Week 1, Workout 1

**MAIN WORK**

10 rounds of:

* 3x405 SSB squats

* 3x180 log clean and press away

* 3x55lb weighted NG chin

Up to 1 min rest between giant sets

**ASSISTANCE CIRCUIT**

5 rounds, no rest, of:

* Dips

* 20lb laterals

* Band pull aparts

Go until near failure

25 pushdowns

20 standing ab wheels

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**

**CONDITIONING/ASSISTANCE**

5 minutes of as many KB swings as possible w/40kg bell, EMOM do 5 burpees

26 band curls

30 GHRs

Notes:

* Schedule is still pretty screwy between holidays and family visits and other things, so I’ve settled on just coming up with my own training plan while I throttle back on the food.  These days, if I’m not gaining, I allow myself to train pretty much any way I see fit, because all I’m doing is holding onto muscle.  I haven’t trained really heavy in a while, so I’m leaning into that.  This definitely answered the mail there, because I blew out pretty much all the blood vessels in my face when this was done.  Absolutely brutal, and the 1 min rests kept me honest.  Felt myself “fishing rod” on those squats, but it just means I’m making myself strong in all sorts of crazy angles.

* Fleshing this out a little further, my intent is to so squat and press twice a week and bench and deadlift twice a week.  10x3 for one workout, and then I’m thinking doubles for another and 5s or 8s for the final.  I’d put the higher rep workout in between the triples and doubles, in a M-L-H approach.  Also planning on using a “harder” movement on the lighter days to really force me to take the weight away and ease up recover.  For squats, it would go SSB for triples, Front squats on the 5-8, and Buffalo bar for the doubles.  For deads, I’m thinking trap bar for the triples, axle for the 5 to 8s and deadlift bar for doubles.  Pressing would go triples log, light weight axle, doubles keg.  Bench I’m leaning toward triples on bench, doubles on dips, and incline for the light work.  

* The assistance work circuit is more goodies that I’m most likely stealing from Brian Alsruhe.  Got me an awesome pump and stopped me from wasting time.  

* I was floored by that conditioning at the end.  This should get me back in top form for sure.  Basically undoing Super Squats, before I redo it again.

* Some sort of conditioning on the horizon for sure.

* Sleep was rough last night, but I’ve been sleeping so well for so long that I imagine I’m just “sleep full” at this point.  Need to actually get tired again.

 Training Log: Entry 2633

Slept late, got in a fasted 35 burpees over bar, had a full day, and got in 25 ABCs in 5 mins w/24kg bells in the evening.  Chaos is still the plan coming out of the holidays, but I got some nasty plans in turn.

 Training Log: Entry 2632

Started the day off with a quick fasted 100 push ups and some prisoner squats, then hit a mid-afternoon workout while taking out the Christmas trash

AMRAP in 10 min of

* Burpee chin into a burpee straight into a double KB clean and press into a DKB front squat with 24kg

Got 30 rounds, then some daily work.  That was a nasty little workout that hit pretty much everything.

Got an early Christmas gift of Dan John's Easy Strength Omnibook.  It's an amazing read, you already owe it to yourself to read it for that reason. Additionally, Dan's wife passed away quite recently, and I can think of no better way to show some support than to purchase the book.

 Training Log: Entry 2631

Cruise was effectively a deload week.  Some highlights

* I was eating SO much food on this trip.  Every dinner I'd have at least 2 full entrees, alongside typically double appetizers and 2 salad courses.  I still stayed on the lower side of carbs, primarily because there were so many amazing protein options to pick from I never felt like I was going "without".  I am certain I have consumed every aquatic animal that has ever existed, with salmon featuring everyday, but also shrimp, prawns, scallops, muscles, crab legs, lobster, ahi tuna, herring, grouper, seabass, cod, to say nothing of the land animals of beef/veal, lamb, duck, chicken, and most likely some more I'm forgetting.  And this is to say nothing of the breakfast and lunch buffets I partook in, or the 9 course brunch the Mrs and I had on board (it was 4 courses, but when you double up on everything, it has an effect).

* One day the Mrs and kiddo got in some bonding time and I had an hour to myself to hit the gym, so I came up with a Kalsu mutation.  For 60 minutes, I went for as many reps as possible of double dumbbell clean and press each rep w/50lb bells, but EMOM I did 5 5 count burpees (no jump).  I totaled around 167 reps in 60 minutes, getting my first 100 right on minute 30.  It was brutal.  Later, I got in a 15 minute workout that was 5 minutes of as many Devil Presses as possible in 5 minutes w/50lb bells (got 30), then Tabata double dumbbell front squats w/50s, then 5 minutes of alternating dumbbell snatches, doing 5 reps EMOM.  Also got in 40 burpee chins in 5 minutes as well.  Otherwise, I still trained everyday in some fashion.

Got back this morning at 0130, got up at 0700 today and got in a fasted Fran with strict chins in 5:38.  Hamstring and shoulder are healed.

Got in a proof of concept workout at lunchtime.

10 rounds of EMOM 2x405 SSB squats
10 rounds of EMOM 3x225 SSB front squats
20x225 SSB squat 

Opposite of super squats: lots of sets of low reps with higher weight.  Really pleased at how strong I am in the squat again, and that my weight belt fits without issue despite all the eating.  Weight is going to the right places: I'm looking jacked.  My Mario sweats are also on point.

Finished up with 24 ABCs in 5 mins w/24kg bells. Good return to form today.

 Training Log: Entry 2630

Got in 21 ABCs in 5 minutes first thing this morning.  Travel day: gonna try to get in a light walk this evening if I can, but otherwise just living.

 Training Log: Entry 2629

AM WORKOUT (0332 natural wake up) 

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 18/FINAL WORKOUT

(3) DB Incline Bench/band pull aparts superset (1 min rest)

12x105s

11x105

10x105

50 total pull aparts

BtN Press/band pull apart superset (1 min rest)

3x10x135/50 total reps

Breathing Squats/Pull overs

**30**x315/20x20lbs

Fairly certain I was having a John Coffey “Green Mile” moment there where I was just trying to expel all the evil in me out of my lungs…but if I can be as jacked as Michael Clark Duncan I’ll take it

Kroc Rows

23x115lb

Axle shrugs against bands

1x33

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**

**ASSISTANCE**

30 GHRs

60x180 reverse hyper (oh my god this is awful)

20 standing ab wheels

Notes:

* It is done!  I had no doubts that 30x315 would happen once I set my sights on it.  What I could not account for was losing all ability to express any sensation other than pain, to include my basic ability to undo my knee wraps around my hamstring, hence me shuffling to the camera at the end.

* For anyone that wants to take this on, counting gets REALLY weird.  It was a race to rep 20, after which point the REAL work began, and when I hit 25 I thought “only 5 left”, which is just such a bizarre thought while running Super Squats.  I didn’t have too bad of hand numbness for this set, but I could feel my support leaving on that 30th rep.

* Had to scrap the chins.  My left shoulder just does not like it.  I got in a few reps with some added weight and some with bodyweight but I could tell it was doing me some harm.  It’s a product of squatting 3x a week for such long sets with such a low bar placement.  Some time away from that should fix me.  

* Otherwise, 3x10x135 on BtN press is clutch, and those DB incline presses are awesome as well.   I am so pleased with how this all unfolded.

* Short on time, so conditioning was scrapped, but 60 reps on the reverse hyper does a good enough job.  That seems like a keeper.

PM WORKOUT

23 ABCs in 5 mins w/24kg bells

 Training Log: Entry 2628

AM WORKOUT (0440 wake up) FASTED

21-15-9-5 of

* Burpee over bells, then double kettlebell clean and strict press w/24kb bells
* 95lb thrusters

Time: 21:56

Notes:

* Was moving a little slow this morning and didn’t have a full 30 min to dedicate, so came up with this based off something I did earlier this week.  That burpee over bell is actually a bit backwards: I jump over the bells, land, hit the burpee and then immediately come up off the floor, grab the bells and put them overhead.  There’s something just VERY special about going from a prone position to putting something over the head.  It’s a combination of level change AND moving weight overhead.  Almost like a deconstructed devil press, but I find it a bit more valuable to have to scramble to the bells vs having them in my hand to start.

* This didn’t hit QUITE as hard as Armor Bearer, but I was still sucking wind and hating life all the same.  I’ve found this to be the natural gravitation of things during this Super Squats run.  First conditioning day is more aggressive than the second, basically tapering into the final squat workout of the week.  I feel like these workouts might answer the mail for the restorative workouts in “Mass Made Simple” if I ever cross that bridge.

* I’m excited for the final Super Squats workout tomorrow.  After that, I have a 5 day cruise with a LOT of good food on my radar.  Prime time to grow.

PM WORKOUT (1800)

24 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells.

 Training Log: Entry 2627

AM WORKOUT (0340 wake up via alarm)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 17 (Penultimate) 

Axle clean and strict press away/pull apart superset (1 min rest)

2x10x171, 1x9x171/50 total reps

Weighted dip/axle row superset (1 min rest)

3x12x100lbs/2x15x228

Breathing squats/pull overs

29x315/20x20lbs

Try to remember existence prior to squatting, but all is squats, squats have been for always

Axle SLDL

15x283

Poundstone Curls
162xAxle

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**
**ASSISTANCE/CONDITIONING**

30 GHRs
20 standing ab wheels
25 pushdowns

100 kb swings w/40kg in 3 minutes

Notes: 

* The squats continue to improve, and it’s too the point that I need to exercise caution, as I can feel myself loosening up on those earlier reps in an attempt to speed through them, which is just the thing that will tear up some connective tissue.  I’m still wrapping the hamstring, but more for the sake of “we’re so close to the finish-line, let’s not screw it up” vs any real need.  I have minimal pain in the squats, and post squats there’s some swelling and tightness but all very manageable.  I have determined that my left shoulder is beat up BECAUSE I’m holding this squat position for so long, so after this phase of SS it’d probably be a good idea to rotate some time between SSB and front squats alongside squats, but I’ve absolutely got 1 more in me.

* I’m at the point where I get to rep 20 and THEN the “real work” begins.  That is absolutely f--king insane.  I’m also finally getting to the point where muscles are what are limiting me vs connective tissue.  I had to take 4 breaths on the last few reps.  

* Really happy with how I closed out press.  That’s 35lbs higher than where I started the program.  Also happy that this was my final bent over row workout, because I absolutely despise that exercise.  Also, 3x10x100lb on dips is clutch.  The fact all my bodyweight based work kept improving was a good sign to me that weight gain was fairly distributed.

* Conditioning had to be on the shorter side due to time.   I’m getting more sleep than before, and that’s the tradeoff, which is worthwhile.  I have Tang Soo Do later tonight, should find out the results of my belt test and hopefully get in an ok workout.  May not get more conditioning beyond that, but I’m at peace with that.

* 1 more workout to go.  This has been an awesome run.

 Training Log: Entry 2626

AM WORKOUT (0438 natural wake up) FASTED

3 rounds of Armor Bearer

• 21 ABCs in the first round, 18 in the second (3-4-3-3-5), 14 in the final (2-3-2-2-5)
• Bears were all over the place

Notes: 

* Man, maybe I REALLY need to call this workout “taking my medicine” because every time I do it I don’t want to, and every time it’s done I’m glad I did it.  But, in truth, that’s EVERY workout between the Super Squats ones, which is most likely why you were never supposed to train between those workouts in the first place.

* Hamstring continues to mend well.  I can trigger pain in it if I seek to, but otherwise normal movement doesn’t cause issues.

* Hitting this workout first thing in the morning while fasted remains a significant gut check.  But it honestly is a fast moving 30 minutes.  Constantly changing up the workout and having short goals really goes a long way.  Psychologically, this is so much easier compared to a straight 30 minute EMOM or 60 tabata rounds.

* No real additional training plan from here.  Going out to eat for dinner.  Good season.

 Training Log: Entry 2625

AM WORKOUT (0340 wake up via alarm)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 16

(3) Incline DB press/weighted chins (1 min rests)
3x12x100s/2x15x20 (11 unbroken in first set)

BtN Press/pull apart (1 min rests)
3x10x130/50 total reps

Breathing Squats/pull overs
28x315/20x20lbs

We just had a near life experience!

Kroc rows
22x115

Axle shrugs against strong short bands
1x33

Reverse hypers
56x180

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**
**ASSISTANCE/CONDITIONING**

20 standing ab wheels
25 pushdowns
20 band curls

Tabata rounds: burpee over bells, double KB clean and strict press w/24kb bells, get 2 of those down each round, then die

Notes:

* Hamstring is close to 100%.  I could do more warm-up work without wrapping the hamstring, and the wraps are much looser.  At this point, more of a security blanket, so that I don’t blow the damn thing out so close to the end.  Same reason I’m sticking with the sweats.  I’m moving FASTER through the squats, as a result, and by the time I got to 28 I wasn’t dealing with nearly as much hand numbness.  I honestly may have had 30 today.  I was too scope-locked on 28 to consider it, but now it’s in the calculus.  I’m not nearly as nuked post squat, as a result.  That said, I got to rep 14, thought to myself “halfway there” and then thought “there’s no way that makes any sense, we’ve been squatting since before time began!”  I may, in fact, be transcending reality.

* Still love seeing all the work outside of the squats go up as well.  I’ll have a plate per side for BtN presses next workout, which is also the last workout.  Crazy to think.  1 more of each variant to go.

* Left shoulder still a little buggy.  Downtime on my upcoming cruise will be good for it.

* Will do some sorta short burst conditioning later today.  That session I came up with this morning was really solid.  There’s something VERY effective about coming right off the floor and putting weight overhead.

* On the nutrition front, I’ve cut blackberries out of the diet.  It seems that avocados are the only berry I can handle.  I’m also including homemade sourdough bread as my pre-workout meal, because it’s awesome.

PM WORKOUT

23 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells

Happy with that performance the afternoon after Super Squats

 Training Log: Entry 2624

Slept until 0700, got in tabata Devil presses w/24kg KBs going 3 per round, had another crazy day and did 1 round of 5 minutes of ABCs (23 total) and a Bear complex of 3-2-3-2-3-2-3-2

I know I said "Teddy Grahams" before, but I'm switching it to "Armor Bearer".  We still get puns and it makes a little more sense

Thanks Merriam-Webster!

Got some photos of the board breaks from yesterday

Would preferred to have my hands up on that kick, but I'll take it for a spin hook kick.

 Training Log: Entry 2623

Slept until about 0630, got up and did a fasted 30 burpees over bar.

Life happened.  Got chores done.  Part of that included a Costco run, which meant, for lunch, I had 2 drumsticks, 2 wings and a thigh off of a $5 rotisserie chicken.  My kid wanted a Happy Meal from McDonalds before belt testing, and I didn't want to test off McDonalds, so that was the call I made, only to giggle to myself over the idea that MY Happy Meal IS a rotisserie chicken.  

**BELT TESTING WRITE UP**

We spent 5 hours at the Dojang today.  My kid's test was 2 hours long, but we got there 30 minutes early so they could take their written test, and once their test was done the Mrs and I took OUR written test and then our physical test.

Belt testing day is the most intense day in the curriculum.  We open up with physical testing requirements, which for our belt was a whopping 25 push ups, 25 sit ups and 25 jumping jacks. It's easy to mock that as a meathead, but I love that our school holds students to a standard, and the numbers increase as the rank goes up.  That said: there needs to be a little self-pride about it and an attempt to actually DO a real push up...but I digress.

After that was about 40+ minutes of basics.  This is where the intensity lives in the day, especially since, the higher up in rank you go, the more you know.  We are basically evaluated in every single technique we've learned, starting with blocks and hand techniques, transitioning to kicks, and then combinations.  We march across the floor doing these, and all commands are in Korean, which is a solid test of how well we're picking up the material.  One of our peers legit did not know ANY of the Korean terms, and had to have everything explained to them.  That was frustrating.

After thoroughly soaking my dobak with sweat, we transitioned to Hyung, or kata if you're Japanese, or "forms" if you don't care about any of that.  Once again, the higher in rank you are, the more you do, so we started with the white belt hyung and worked all the way up to our current one.  The Mrs and I were the lowest ranking in our testing group, yet we were the higher performers, as we were eventually called off the floor while the senior students were forced to repeat a few hyungs before they demonstrated them to a satisfactory level.  That's a win.

After hyungs, we transitioned to one-step defense techniques, starting with hand techniques, then kicks, then grappling.  My wife and I got paired together, primarily because we're the only two legal-aged adults in the class.  We work well together. Biggest issue was my buggy hamstring and shoulder made it hard for me to land softly during the grappling.   

From here, we put on the sparring gear for a whopping 2 minutes of sparring.  Again, easy to laugh at...and amazing how many folks want to do martial arts and aren't in shape enough to do 2 minutes of sparring.  No joke, if you're at home and on the fence about taking a martial art, sign up, and show up IN SHAPE.  You will be SO far ahead of your peers.  You'll spend more time grooving better reps because you aren't always fatigued, which allows you to progress so much faster.  To say nothing of being able to tool someone in a sparring match because they're gassed and you're fresh.  However, once again, the Mrs and I were paired up, and she's a psychopath that has run 37 half marathons and a few fulls, so I had to actually work for this one.  

And after that was board breaks.  I'm proud of the whole family here, because most of the students picked "safe" breaks and we all went for some challenging stuff.  My kid went with a palm heel strike and step up side kick, the Mrs did a knife hand and jump roundhouse, and I went with an upset knifehand strike and a spinning hook kick.  The latter took me 3 attempts.  Power was there on all 3, but distancing was off.  Once I was in the right spot, it was magic.

In sum, whole tribe absolutely crushed it, and we celebrated with some local BBQ and peppermint milk shakes...and I'm STILL putting away food, because I'm in the middle of Super Squats and hungry as well.

---

Also, when we got back, I did 1 round of Teddy Grahams, and ended up getting 25 ABCs and a TEBEARTA of 3-3-3-1-3-3-1-3.  That's pretty clutch.

 Training Log: Entry 2622

AM WORKOUT (0338 natural wake up)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 15

Axle clean and strict press away/pull apart superset (1 min rest)
3x10x166/50 reps

Weighted dip/axle row superset (1 min rest)
3x12x95/2x15x223

Breathing Squats/pull overs
27x315/20x20lbs

Take a peek at what they're serving for appetizers in Valhalla

Axle SLDLs
15x273

Poundstone curls
161xAxle

25 pushdowns

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**
**ASSISTANCE/CONDITIONING**

30 GHRs
20 standing ab wheels
50 KB swings

PM WORKOUT 

1:30 of ABCs before getting interrupted, then switched to 30 DKB clean and strict press each rep in time 2:49

Notes:

* Hamstring is almost 100%.  I forget that it's hurt at this point, but getting to depth with the heavier squats still triggers some pain.  I'm letting the wrap get looser and looser.  I can feel my technique getting a little looser as well, which is a balancing act.  It allows me to squat faster and to greater depth, but I have to still keep the hamstring tight.

* First workout in the series where I actually NEEDED more than 3 breaths to get through a squat.  Took about 5 or 6 on the final squat.  Leg muscles are finally starting to show some fatigue.  Good sign to eat big in the final week.

* I'm really impressed with how strong my press is moving along.  I keep going to the well and there's still more.  Same with those dips.  Upper body really seems to be responding.

* PM Workout was rough.  My legs are thoroughly trashed.

* We all test for our new belts in Tang Soo Do tomorrow.  That'll be exciting.

 Training Log: Entry 2621

AM WORKOUT (0438 natural wake up) FASTED

21-15-9-5 of

* 40kg KB swings
* 95lb thrusters
* 24kg devil presses

Followed by 5 minutes of ABCs, going EMOM rounds of 3-4-3-5-3

Notes:

* Came up with the workout this morning as I was getting ready.  Something slightly less intense than Teddy Grahams but still getting in full body and decent volume.

* Good to feel my elbows holding up to the devil presses.  They’re typically in a bad way.  In fact, despite squatting 3x a week my elbows are really feeling solid.  

* Kept getting all sort of little tweaks in Tang Soo Do last night.  Shoulders and knees mostly.  

* Appetite remains voracious.  Great time to be growing.  Will get in another short conditioning workout later, and all set up for Super Squats tomorrow.

PM WORKOUT

TABEARTA.  Hamstring is really feeling strong again.

 Training Log: Entry 2620

AM WORKOUT (0340 wake up via alarm)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 14

(3) Incline DB bench/weighted chin superset (1 min rest)

2x12x100s/2x15x22.5 (12 unbroken in first set)

1x11x100s

BtN Press/band pull apart superset

3x10x125/50 total

Breathing squats/pullovers

26x315/20x20lbs

Attempt to reinvent numbering system, as I forgot all human forms of it around rep 22

Kroc rows

21x115

Axle shrugs against strong short bands

1x30

Reverse hypers

54x180

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**

**ASSISTANCE/CONDITIONING**

Ran a small circuit where I’d do 20 KB swings w/40kg bell and then some daily work.   Spent 8 minutes doing it, got something like 6 sets of swings done in that time.  

30 GHRs

Notes:

* Squats were MUCH smoother than they’ve been.  Hamstring is really feeling solid, and I could move much faster without feeling any buckling or warning signs.  Still some slight pain, so I’m keeping it smart with the knee wraps, but even then I’m wearing them looser than before.  I have to not get stupid and let these good signs result in me pushing WAY too hard too soon, but I’m enjoying the benefits it’s bringing.

* Hey Super Squatters: imagine getting to rep 13 and thinking “ok: halfway there”.  That happened today.  What a terrible thing to think.  That said, it was really a race against my hands going numb for the most part, but that does add an element of excitement.  Once again: in between the second to last rep and the final rep a whole lifetime passes.  It’s crazy how hard the fatigue hits there.

* Always cool to be moving triple digits on DB benching.  Just seeing all sorts of growth.

* My left shoulder is still buggy.  It’s good for pressing but not chinning.  I got it done today, but it’s tough to move now.  I imagine holding the bar in the squat position for so long doesn’t help.

* My abs are finally starting to vanish after a very dedicated campaign to kill them.  It took a while, and growth is still pretty evenly spread.   

 Training Log: Entry 2619

AM WORKOUT (0438 natural wake up) FASTED

* 5 minutes of ABCs w/24 kg bells (19 total)
* TABEARTA (think it went 3-2-2-1-3-2-3)
* 5 minutes of EMOM ABCs (3 per round)
* TABEARTA (think it went 2-2-1-3-1-2-1-3)
* 5 minutes of EMOM ABCs (3 per round)
* 10 bears in 2 minutes

Notes:

* Ok, I’m thinking of calling this “Teddy Grahams” 

* Seriously: ABCs and Bears: what else could it be?  And Teddy Grahams probably go great with PBJs and a glass of milk.  

* In general, this has been a solid “go to” workout when I’m not feeling creative.  I’m finding where I can push to really get the most out of it.  That first run of ABCs was rough coming in fasted first thing upon waking, but it got me where I needed to go.  My hamstring is right at about 95%.  Still annoying pain here and there, but I’m very functional.

* I have a late night scheduled for work, so this might have to count toward my daily ABCs and bears as well.  I’m at peace with that.

 Training Log: Entry 2618

AM WORKOUT (0333 natural wake up)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 13

Axle clean and press press away/band pull apart superset  (1 min rest)
3x10x161/50 total reps

Weighted dips/axle rows superset (1 min rest)
3x12x90/2x15x218

Breathing Squats/Pull overs
25x315/20x20lbs

For those watching at home, yes, I literally headbutted the bar after the 25th rep.  No, it was NOT on purpose.

Axle SLDLs
15x273

Poundstone curls
160xAxle

25 pushdowns

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**
**ASSISTANCE/CONDITIONING**

30 GHRs
20 standing ab wheels
40x90 reverse hyper

30 DKB clean each rep and strict press w/24kg bells
Time: 3:19

Notes:

* Hamstring is at the point where it’s only in pain while I’m moving, and even then it’s typically at the bottom range of a squat.  Definitely moving in a great direction, but I still have to be careful.  I was getting speedy on some of those squat reps, and I could feel it starting to twinge and loosen up a little.  The temptation to move fast is, of course, there, because I want to be DONE with those goddamn squats.  Still double wrapping, but getting looser and looser with it.

* I still am not prepared for the wild “exponential fatigue” effect of these squats.  Between rep 24 and 25 I aged 100 years.  I felt fine on rep 24, went for 25 and it was like getting hit with a bomb.  I actually good morning’d the squat out of nowhere.  We’re really finding the bottom here.  

* The squat set itself is interesting.  Unlike the first time I ran the program, there’s no fear or anxiety.  There’s not really anger either.  I honestly feel like it’s more like resignation, but that term has a bit too much negativity to it.  I feel like someone who is accepting their fate of execution with dignity: denying the blindfold, no last words: this is the fate I earned.  I feel like a part of that is how much my lungs aren’t what hold me back here: it’s my body.  And not even my muscles but just my connective tissue.  It’s just a game to make sure it all stays in place for the set.

* Still a big fan of how all the other movements continue to get stronger through out.

PM WORKOUT

22 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells

I notice, after a Super Squats workout…I am absolutely nuked and these suck.

 Training Log: Entry 2617

Slept off and on until about 0540, hit a fasted workout of tabata burpee chins w/bear complex between rounds.  

Crazy day, got home, before dinner did

5 minutes of ABCs (24 total)

TABEARTA (3 per round for all but round 6, which was 1)

When you go full send on that workout, 1 round will do you in.

 Training Log: Entry 2616

Slept until 0700, got up and got in 30 GHRs and 25 burpees over bar fasted.  

Had a busy day and did this again

3 rounds of:

* 5 minutes of ABCs (24 in first round, 3 EMOM in second, 2-3-2-4-2 in final)
* TABEARTA (3-2-3-1-3-2-3 first 2 rounds, 8x2 final round)

Notes:

* My hamstring is really doing well now.  Still some pain, still some tightness, but I was moving fluid through this.  Meant I could push harder.  Looking at 52 ABCs and 50 Bears, so 102 complexes in under 30 minutes.  That's pretty damn awesome.  And now I'm wondering if that means I can do 100 ABCs in around that time...

* The difference between having the gallon of milk a day vs not when running Super Squats is, with the latter, I constantly feel like I've been hit by a bomb.  It's survivable, sure, but the milk definitely makes things more viable. 

 Training Log: Entry 2615

AM WORKOUT (0340 wake up via alarm)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 12

(3)Incline Bench press/weighted chin superset (1 min rest)
3x12x95s/2x15x22.5 (10 unbroken in first set)

BtN Press/Band pull apart superset
3x10x120/50 total reps

Breathing Squats/DB pull overs
24x315/20x20lbs

Pause to allow brain to attempt to reinvent language: all that comes out is agony

Kroc rows
20x115

Axle shrugs against strong short bands
1x30

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**
**ASSISTANCE/CONDITIONING**

30 GHRs
52x180 Reverse hypers (holy cow that was AWFUL, I need to do it more)
20 standing ab wheels
25 pushdowns
20 band curls

100 KB swings w/40kg, 5 push ups every time I set the bell down
Total time: 3:05

Notes:

* I started this morning feeling really strong and solid, and I’ve learned enough from this program that those are my most DANGEROUS days.  I caught myself in the middle of that squat set getting cute, and the hamstring was sending me little warning signs.  I didn’t wrap things as tight as I’ve been doing, which is part of my healing process, but it also means I need to be VERY intentional with every rep I do.  I approached today with a plan for 25, but 24 is progression, and it is abundantly clear from how exhausted I am at the end that this was max effort.  I DO imagine I could have gotten a 25th rep, but not with the kind of technique I needed to keep my hamstring safe.  

* I am such a fan of how this run of Super Squats has turned out, because I have learned SO much.  Dipping past the 20 reps, I’ve learned that fatigue within a set of breathing squats is EXPONENTIAL rather than linear.  I was honestly feeling pretty good until about rep 18, and then each rep after that was like having to do the previous 18+ reps all over again.  Between rep 23 and 24 I aged about 100 years.  Along with this, it’s an interesting balancing act at the start, because you want to get set up well so you’re strong for all 20+ reps, but you don’t want to waste a second more than necessary ON the set-up because you want that goddamn bar off your back.

* All the other lifts continue to improve.  The Mrs has commented on how much my chest has grown, as she uses it as a pillow.  And given I haven’t flat benched in a few months now, that’s pretty dandy.

* Mobility is up and pain is down in the hamstring.  Still not 100%, but very workable.  Guts are a mess from RSV, but seem to be trending in the right way.  

* Tang Soo Do tonight, with some stupid conditioning to follow I’m sure.  My left shoulder is jacked up from a drill we did the other night, such that getting it into position to shampoo my hair is tricky, to say nothing of squatting and pressing.

PM WORKOUT

23 ABCs in 5 minute w/24 kg bells

Notes:

* Got that 23rd one in right at the very end.  Hamstring is still slowing me down a touch but I was feeling strong and able through this.  Got 16 unbroken before setting the bells down.  Tang Soo Do was a pretty light workout, but got me moving.  Left shoulder still bugs me moving at certain angles.

 Training Log: Entry 2614

AM WORKOUT (0437 natural wake up) FASTED

7 rounds in 20 minutes of

* 25 KB swings w/40kg bell
* 3 ABCs w/24kg bells
* 3 burpee chins

50 pull aparts
20 standing ab wheel
25 pushdowns
20 band curls
20 chins

Notes: 

* I may just start calling these Ennui workouts, because it’s really how it goes.  Something I’ve noticed about Super Squats: I get so keyed in on the lifting that nothing else really matters.  “Blast and Dust” ala Dave Tate.  But I feel like that’s been what has made this so successful.  I accumulated a TON of volume and, with it, fatigue, leading up to this.  Now I’m “softening up” ala John McCallum, and it’s been letting me grow almost unrestricted, and that’s WITH all these stupid injuries and illnesses.

* Swings just sounded right.  I most likely need more hip hinging with this program.  I apparently jacked up something in my left shoulder at Tang Soo Do last night, as I went for that first burpee chin and snagged something.  Just a weird sensation.

* This did the trick of getting the metabolism firing in the morning and getting me on point.  Still wanna grab something like TABEARTA later.  Glad to get in some of that daily work as well.  

PM WORKOUT

Got in TABEARTA when I got home, alongside 30 GHRs.  Hamstring still hurts, but I'm gaining degrees of movement each day.

It dawned on me that I tore my hamstring on the 20th rep of my Super Squat set and still completed the rep and racked the bar, and I realize that's probably a pretty good example of the necessary degree of intensity that needs to be brought into the program.  People constantly wonder "what should I do if I fail" and I keep saying "Don't fail" and THAT Is what I mean.

 Training Log: Entry 2613

AM WORKOUT (0340 wake up via alarm)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 11

Axle clean and strict press away/band pull apart superset (1 min rest)
2x10x161, 1x9x161/50 reps total (continentaled the first set)

Weighted dip/axle row superset
3x12x85/2x15x218

Breathing Squats/pull overs
23x315/20x20lbs

Try to stop the spin from rooming.

Axle SLDL
15x268

Poundstone curls
159xAxle

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**
**ASSISTANCE**

20 standing ab wheels
40x90 reverse hypers
25 pushdowns
30 GHRs

Notes:

* I really dig where I’m taking this.  I am going far into the red on these squats despite the weight not moving up.  When you have to get to 20 reps just to START the hard work, you’re in a good way.  And having my leg wrapped up like that is almost like bloodflow restriction training.  Didn’t have too much issue with hands going numb: bar placement seems good.  Hamstring is feeling a lot more stable and pain is very tolerable.  I feel like, by the end of the program, I should be able to squat without wrapping it, which might actually allow me to go even further along.  But there’s no question I’m hitting the intensity intent on these squats.  Rep 23 was a stretch, and I barely had enough in me to rack the bar when it was over.

* Was moving a little slow on the cleans this morning.  My shoulders are feeling nuked from yesterday’s 30 minute insanity.  Decided to live to fight another day so I could come back and crush 161 next workout.  My rows have been super rest-pause up until this point anyway, so it’s good to spend more time with the weight.

* Doing ANYTHING after those squats is really becoming interesting.  Those SLDLs about took a year off my life, the Poundstone curls were another form of Hell, and when my assistance work was all done I went to do some conditioning and literally just had nothing left in me.  Incredible to just leave it all out there like that.

* RSV and sinus infection are about 99% healed.  I get an occasional phlegmy cough and that’s about it.

* I cut out the start of my videos, but I saw my back while I was getting set up for squats and I look like a goddamn shaved gorilla.  This program is working amazingly.

PM WORKOUT

Got in TABEARTA when I got home, and then Tang Soo Do.  Lotta work on the basics.  I'm really trying to focus on not dropping my hands when I kick.  Started noticing that bad habit picking up.

 Training Log: Entry 2612

AM WORKOUT (0440 natural wake up) FASTED

3 rounds of:

* 5 minutes of ABCs w/24kg bells
* TABEARTA w/95lbs

Notes:

* Breakdown shook out to 20 ABCs in the first round, then 3-2-1-3-2-1-3-2 for bears, then 3 EMOM for 5 minutes on ABCS, then 2-2-2-1-2-2-2-1 for bears, then 2-3-2-4-2 for ABCs and 1-2-2-2-2-1-3-2 for bears.  So a total of 48 ABCs and 46 bear complexes in 30 minutes.

* Had an alarm set for earlier and rolled it back about 20 minutes.  Once again, the workouts between Super Squats don’t really grab me, so I’m just winging it and going for high heart rate and max suck.  But I have to appreciate that this is my “lazy workout”, and it’s being done on a torn hamstring.

* In that regard, I’m moving a little slow because of that issue, but still near top performance.  I’m at a high 85% recovered at this point.  The last little bit tends to take FOREVER to heal, but I’m incredibly functional.  The bruise has spread all over my leg and is tiger striped, so that’s cool.

* If I find myself with some more time today, I’ll get in some daily work.

PM WORKOUT

Finished the day off with one more TABEARTA, this time with 3 complexes per round.  Garage is set up for Super Squats workout 11 tomorrow, and my new shirts came in that are awesome for squatting, so game on.

 Training Log: Entry 2611

AM WORKOUT (0339 natural wake up)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 10

(3) Incline DB bench/weighted chins SUPERSET
2x12x95s, 1x10x95s/2x15x20 (13 on first set before re-setting)

BtN Press/Band pull apart superset
3x10x115/50 reps total

Breathing Squats/Pull-overs
21x315/20x20lbs

Contemplate donating body to science fiction

Kroc rows
18x115

Reverse hypers
50x180

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**
**ASSISTANCE/CONDITIONING**

30 GHRs
20 standing ab wheels
50 dips
25 pushdowns
20 band curls

30 double kettle bell clean each rep and strict press w/24kg
Time: 3:49

Notes:

* Hamstring was feeling pretty solid waking up this morning.  Pain is reduced, mobility is improved.  Given it’s been a week since the tear, that checks.  Still playing it smart-ish and went with double wrapping it and keeping the weight at 315.  I could actually feel the moments when I was letting my technique deviate due to fatigue and could focus on course correcting it this time.  Benefits of a few decades under the bar: some decent body awareness.  In turn, 21 reps, though short of where I wanted to be, was the right stopping point, as I could tell I was in the “danger zone” there, and that’s a 5 rep improvement from last time.  AND, based on the stagger at the end there, I still hit the intended goal of pushing as hard as I could.

* Once again, it’s outstanding seeing all my other lifts progressing on this program.  Testament to eating big and shaving down the volume.  DB and BtN press are moving along well, and those chins are moving well.  I JUST realized I forgot to do shrugs, so I’ll have to knock those out later.

* That conditioning workout at the end was very solid.  Like a mini-Grace.  I wanted to get in a little more hinging, but traditional swings still have me running into my own hamstring, so this was the choice and it went well.  

PM WORKOUT

22 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells

Hamstring is getting better at playing nice.  Thinking tomorrow morning is just going to be alternating ABCs and TABEARTAs, because I'm not caring to be creative at this point.

 Training Log: Entry 2610

Got up around 0630 and got in 25 burpees over bar fasted.  Ran around like a lunatic all day, got in 2 hours of yard work taking care of leaves and then hit the following while my air fryer worked on some green beans

5 minutes of ABCs w/24kg bells (20 total)

straight into

TABEARTA (went 3-3-2-2-3-1-3 for complexes per round)

Getting 20 ABCs with a torn hamstring in 5 minutes is pretty damn awesome.  

Tomorrow is Super Squats.  Either taking 315 for a ride on squats or we're doing Good Mornings.  We're in the second half of the program now and I'm learning a TON.  

I have an idea for the future based on my experience here.  

* The book talks about doing Super Squats for 6 weeks and then something different for 6 weeks before coming back.  

* 5/3/1 programs tend to run for 6 weeks (among others, sure, but still)

* I have 5/3/1 Forever, which has about 50 different 5/3/1 programs in it.

* I'm considering doing a cycle of Super Squats, then a different 5/3/1 program each time to test them all out and see what I like/what I can learn.

* On top of that, each cycle of Super Squats itself can ALSO be a unique run of it.  Some can be traditional 20 reps/increase weight each time.  Some can be fixed weight increase reps.  Some can meet in the middle.  Some can be Super Good Mornings.  Some can be Super Trap Bar lifts.  There is SO much room for variation while ALSO keeping things the same.  The ultimate "Chaos is the Plan".  And I have SO much room to pivot.

* Getting back into Super Squats really re-lit something, and at this point "playing the game how I want to play it" is what keeps me going.  There's still room for some Deep Water runs in there too.  This has a lot of room to be something.

 Training Log: Entry 2609

Woke up at 0700, got in a fasted workout of Tabata 5 count burpees with lateral jumps over bar between rounds.  Definitely blew up my heart.

For the PM workout

Axle Grace w/135lbs (took around 3:26) straight into Fran (took around 9:30) straight into EMOM ABCs w/24kg at 3 per round for 5 rounds straight into 95lb TABEARTA going 3-2-1-3-2-1-3-2

It was after that I went to take a shower and saw how bruised my hamstring was

so I'm dealing with a tear vs a pull, but it's clear I'm healing based on how I'm moving.  I am primed to keep training, eating and growing.

 Training Log: Entry 2608

Slept until 0700, woke up and hit a fasted workout of Tabata burpee chins w/bear complexes between rounds.

Then

PM WORKOUT

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 9

Axle clean and strict press/band pull aparts superset (1 min rests)
3x10x156/50 reps total

Weighted Dips/axle rows superset (a min rests)
3x12x80/2x15x213

Breathing Squats/pull over
16+1x315/20

Very brief interlude to have this entire exchange with my hamstring

20x245/20

Because I'm f--king stupid.  I don't give a f--k about jail.  That's my business.  That's what I do.

Axle SLDL
12x263

Poundstone Curls
158xAxle

25 pushdowns
20 standing ab wheels

Notes:

* Hamstring is coming along, and was well enough for 16 reps of 315 while wrapped up before it started giving me some warnings.  Against all my instincts, I racked the bar, went for 17 and still felt it being stupid, so racked it again, got in the pull overs, realize I still had more in me, so stripped off an appropriate amount of weight and got in a legit 20 breathing squat workout.  One of the biggest lessons I've learned from this process is something Randall Strossen wrote 30+ years ago: you can still get the benefits of this workout without a lot of weight on the bar.  That was a legit Super Squats set at the end there.

* People constantly ask me "what do I do if I fail to get the 20 reps?"  Let this be an answer; YOU F--KING GET AFTER IT!  That's the answer!

* Realized I've been 10lbs off logging all my SLDL workouts.  I'm simply logging it more accurately now.

* I may actually make the second half of this run of Super Squats one where I go back to 315 and get in 25-30 reps, as a means of meeting intent while keeping loading on the leg lighter.  Gives me room to also give this ANOTHER run when I get back from my cruise with a more traditional approach.  Chaos is the plan and I am LOVING it.  I am learning a ton and just living this experience. 

 Training Log: Entry 2607

Slept until 0700, upon waking did fasted TABEARTA, got 3s for the majority of the rounds.

A few hours later, though Chaos is the Plan, traditions continue

High handle trap bar pulls: 135lbs for 401 reps (36 rep PR)

Last year, I took 3 prep workouts to nail 365.  This year, with a broken hamstring, the day after Super Good Mornings, with no prep, I smashed 401.  I told myself so many lies to get through it, you can literally see me dancing around the pain between reps as it surged through my body, but there was no question that this was the inevitable conclusion for today.

I remain, more trouble than I am worth.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone: I'm going to eat all the limbs off my bird and celebrate with an appropriate feast.

Training Log: Entry 2606

 AM WORKOUT (0345 wake up via alarm)

**SUPER…GOOD MORNINGS?** Workout 8

(3) Incline DB Bench/weighted chins superset
3x12x90s/2x15x20 (Got 12 in the first set of chins before having to stop and reset, will keep the weight the same until I can do 15 reps clean)

BtN Press/Band pull apart superset
3x10x110/50 total reps

Attempt squat warm-up, work up to 275, feel hamstring want to buckle

Re-warm up with good mornings, load up 350, feel hamstring want to buckle

2 minute existential tantrum

Breathing Good mornings/pull over superset
26x275/20x20lbs

Try to stop soul from escaping body

Realize soul has long been dead and the sensation I’m feeling is the demon that possessed me trying to vacate its host form because it’s clearly self-destructing

Shove demon back inside: don’t have time to find a new one

Kroc rows
17x115

Axle shrugs against strong short bands
1x30

Notes:

* There’s humor in the commentary but truth as well.  The hamstring is mending, I have capability, but not full capability.  I can squat SOME weight but not the full amount.  Pain I can deal with, but when I felt the muscle wall bulging under the weight I knew I was playing with fire.  My original plan was to do good mornings with the weight I was supposed to squat with, but even that was just too much.  I had a slight tantrum before deciding that, if 275 is what I can handle, 275 is what I’ll handle, and I just went for max reps.  My goal was 25, so getting that 26th one was fantastic.  The noises that come out of me when I do good mornings are something else, and that drunken stagger at the end was quite the experience.  I racked the bar, stood there, and basically had a conversation with myself on if I wanted to die right there on my feet or if I felt like I might be able to keep on living for a few more minutes.  Got a way forward now too.  If I can’t squat on Friday, it’s good mornings again.  If I can’t use the right weight, I’ll go for more reps.  Chaos is the Plan, and we’re getting to yes.  And for one more mantra, I’m living these next few weeks under the mantra “What Would Bruce Randall Do”, because that’s how we got here in the first place.

* I realized I’ve been slacking on the pull overs as far as going for max stretch goes.  Really focused on that today.

* Very pleased with how the DB bench went. It’s been great seeing the progress coming through on all the other work.  Also wild how just 2 sets of weighted chins has my back feeling blown up.

* This workout ran longer than usual due to all the warming up and plan changes, so no conditioning to speak of, but I was clearly done after those good mornings.

* You can see I’ve got the hamstring wrapped up in the video with a knee wrap.  It’s worth appreciating that I’m wrapping muscles and not joints there.

PM WORKOUT

Got in 15 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24 kg bells and chased it immediately with TABEARTA. I still can’t fully bend over, so these are a lot of stiff leg/muscle variants at play. Fewer reps and more fatigue: what a win!

Tang Soo Do sparring class later tonight. May tap into my boxing roots at this point

 Training Log: Entry 2605

AM WORKOUT (0445 natural wake up) FASTED

As Many Rounds As Possible in 20 minutes of

* 20 KB swings w/40kg bell
* 5 burpee chins
* 1 double KB snatch w/24kg bells

8 full rounds completed, partway through 9 when time ran out

* 50 dips
* 50 pull aparts
* 25 pushdowns
* 20 standing ab wheels

Notes:

* Hamstring hurts to the touch and it’s tough to bend over, so did what I could.  The only x-factor on the swings was my forearm running into my hamstring caused pain, but the swing itself was pain free.  

* Once again, little bit of between workout ennui here, and sleep is just feeling REALLY good these days. I think that’s an excellent sign, and I’m riding it out as much as I can, but as a result I just came up with this short workout to get the blood flowing this morning and the metabolism humming.

* Gave the leg a few test squats and good mornings, and I’m gonna get to yes somehow someway tomorrow.  All I’m dealing with right now is pain, and pain I can deal with.

* Last night I made my workout carrying all our Christmas ornaments, decorations and trees out of the basement, setting it all up, and carrying the empty boxes back down.  Going way to get the hamstring moving too.  I’ll see what I come up with for tonight.

PM WORKOUT (1600)

Got in TABEARTA when I got home.  It was a "muscle" version of the clean there, and ROM was touch and go for most the squatting, but heart rate got up and I eventually worked a decent groove into things.  Gives me some hope for tomorrow.  My body should be thankful too, because if it's not squatting, it's doing good mornings: we are going to put that turkey to work on Thursday.

 Training Log: Entry 2604

AM WORKOUT (0335 natural wake up)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 7

Axle clean and strict press/band pull apart superset
3x10x151/50 reps

Weighted dips/axle rows superset
3x12x70/2x15x198

Breathing Squats/Pull overs
20x345/20x20lbs

Pulled my hamstring on rep 20, immediately thought about how Super Good Mornings may be on the horizon

Axle SLDLs
15x248

Poundstone Curls
157xAxle

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**

**ASSISTANCE/CONDITIONING**

30 GHRs
20 standing ab wheels
25 pushdowns

Tabata burpee chins w/24kg cluster between rounds

Notes:

* Once again, the days I’m feeling my best tend to be the days I hurt myself.  I’m thinking I may need natural governors to keep me from pushing too hard.  Hydration is a big player as well: I did a poor job managing it this morning, and it was the same the last time I pulled a muscle.  I’ve tweaked a DIFFERENT part of my hamstring this time, which is some manner of progress.  And I was able to get all the way through the squats.  No hand numbness this time, and my sinus infection is almost completely gone.  I have 2 days to heal, and if I’m good to squat I’ll squat, if I’m not, I’ll do good mornings.  On the fence about m annual trap bar pull at this point.  Right now, I’m trying to just act like nothing is wrong and force the hamstring to adapt, hence the GHRs and SLDLs after the torque.

* It’s been cool seeing all the other movements just increasing right along with this program.  I’m growing like a weed.  I’ve been burying myself with training so hard for so long that this more abbreviated approach is giving me an opportunity to really cash in on it.  Feeling strong.

* Absolutely destroyed post squats, as usual, so all those curls and conditioning was quite fantastically awful.

* Will see what’s on the docket for later tonight training-wise.

 Training Log: Entry 2603

Slept really well until 0700, got up and did a fasted workout of 50 burpees over bar in 4:58.  Lotta errands and eventually got in a TABEARTA workout followed by a 2 mile 80lb weighted vest walk with the dog.  Feeling almost 100%.  Very infrequent coughing fits.  Garage is set up for Super Squats.

I grabbed a 10 minute nap today.  I've been wanting more sleep recently, which I think is actually a good sign.  

 Training Log: Entry 2602

Slept very well until 0700, got up and got in a fasted tabata workout of burpee chins with a 24kg cluster between rounds.

Did a TON of grocery shopping today in prep for the holiday and to take care of the domestics while the Mrs was working on a masters paper.

Got this done in the afternoon

3 rounds of:

* 5 minutes of ABCs w/24kg bells (24, 15 and 13 respectively)
* TABEARTA (Going 3-2-1-3-2-1-3-2 each time) w/95lbs

So I guess you can say I'm feeling better again.  Lungs held out pretty decent, no coughing fits, only real damage was a semi-bad headache when it was over.  That workout itself was absolute Hell.  Take 2 workouts that suck, put them together and run them back to back 3 times: that's absolutely the kind of thing I would do.

Super Squats isn't going to know what hit it at this rate: I'm definitely coming back into top form.  

I'm curious if an EMOM approach to the ABCs would actually be the better choice for "keeping me honest".  Perhaps in the later rounds, if nothing else.  I appreciate the opening salvo of just as many unbroken as possible.

 Training Log: Entry 2601

AM WORKOUT (0345 wake up via alarm)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 6

(3) Incline DB Bench/weighted chin superset

3x12x85s/2x15x15

Behind the neck press/band pull apart superset

3x10x125/50 reps total

Squats/DB pull overs

20x340/20x20lb

Ran out of profanity and switched to blasphemy, followed by max rep Hail Marys to repent.

Kroc rows

17x115

Reverse hypers

40x360

Axle shrugs against strong short bands

1x24

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**

**CONDITIONING**

5 rounds of

* 20 KB swings w/40kg bell

* 10 dips

* 4 standing ab wheels

Time: 7:58

25 band pushdowns

18 band curls

Notes:

* I am almost over my sinus infection/RSV.  Last night was my first night without Mucinex Night Shift.  I had a few coughing fits, but I woke up significantly less groggy, which was a win.  I had to stifle some coughs early in the squat set, and I ended up having a small fit at the end of the pull-overs, but hopefully, by Monday, I’ll be 100% and able to really dig into the breathing portion of these breathing squats.

* I tried a slightly higher bar position and it actually ended up worse than last time.  My left hand started going numb around rep 12, and by rep 17 I could feel both hands opening up.  Had to rush a little toward the end to make sure I’d make it through in time.  You can actually see me struggling to take the belt off when it’s done because I can’t manipulate my fingers enough to work the Velcro.

* The squats themselves are just plain going fantastic.  I’m pleased with the depth I’m hitting, despite having to squat around my hamstring.  My right lower abdominal is still burning a bit on these, which is partly a result of not having a real power belt, but in that regard I’m also honestly just tickled with how well I’m squatting without a belt.  Coming into Super Squats this time around, with a bigger background in higher rep work, has served me well.  20 reps of squats is honestly not too big an undertaking when you’ve done a single set of 800 KB swings. Once I hit rep 10, there was no doubt I’d get through it.  

* Keep forgetting to log it, but I’m only resting 1 minute between sets of the non-squat work.  Before the squat, I rest for 2 minutes.  I’m also not logging my squat warm-ups, but they’re really minimal.  Typically, 3-5 reps with the bar, 2 reps with 195, 1 rep with 285 and 1 rep with the workset weight, just to make sure my hamstring is up to task.  I’m not even warming up for anything else: jumped straight into the DBs this morning, and I start with the workweight for press on the other days.

* The conditioning at the end was a decent decision.  Got in more hip hinging and cleaned up most of my daily work.  Still would like to get in some GHRs and some sort of 3-5 minute conditioning blast.  Also have Tang Soo Do tonight.  Supposed to be “Wild card cardio”, which at least will get the heart rate up.

PM WORKOUT

15 ABCs in 2:20

Notes:

* Short on time so blasted out max unbroken before Tang Soo Do, which was itself a decent workout.

 Training Log: Entry 2600

AM WORKOUT (0422 wake up via dog) FASTED

**REMEDIAL KINDERGARTEN**

5 min ABCs+PBJ+5 Min ABCs+.5PBJ

50 pull aparts

25 pushdowns

20 standing ab wheel

20 band curls

30 GHRs

Notes:

*  I continue to prioritize sleep as I heal, and decided against a weighted vest walk this morning as a result.  Wanted to make the most of the reduced training time and settled on kicking off Kindergarten with 5 minutes of ABCs.  Still not 100% cardiowise, and you can see me coughing and spitting through the workout, but effort remains 100%.  I was definitely dogging those burpee chins.  Hamstring continues to mend well enough.  Hitting this workout fasted first thing in the morning with no warm-up is eye opening as usual.

* To refresh, PBJs are TABEARTA+burpee chins+KB swings.  For today, I didn’t have a solid 3 per round TABEARTA in me, so I went 3-2-1 respectively, which allowed me a bit of recovery but still had me redlined pretty hard come time for the swings.  

* My bicep is 100% of whatever it’s going to be.  Caught myself doing some sloppy cleans and didn’t get the normal twinge that came with it.  Good sign.

* Tang Soo Do last night was a good refresher after missing 2 weeks of it.  Lots of basics and combinations.  Whole family has been invited to test for the next belt rank in early Dec, so that’s an exciting development.

* I’ve trained “enough” today at this point, but might get in some bodyweight stuff if I find the time.  Super Squats has me focused on the primary goal, which is nice to have that sort of prioritization, but it’s also made these “in between” days a bit difficult to care about.

 Training Log: Entry 2599

AM WORKOUT (0335 Natural Wake up)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 5

Axle clean and strict press away/band pull apart superset

3x10x146/50 reps total

Weighted dips/axle row superset

3x12x65/2x15x203

Squats/pull overs

20x335/20x20lbs

Wonder why I am so stupid for 1 minute

Axle SLDLs

15x253

Poundstone Curls

156xAxle

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**

**ASSISTANCE/CONDITIONING**

20 standing ab wheels

40x90 Reverse hyper

25 pushdowns

Neck work

Tabata burpee chins w/24kg DKB clean and press between rounds

Notes:

* The meds I’m taking to help me sleep through the next with this illness make it very difficult to get up to train in the morning.  This was the last thing I wanted to do, but with Tang Soo Do tonight I knew I had zero wiggleroom for my schedule.  I’m glad I did it, and it went better than expected.  My hamstring hurts more during the day to day stuff, but was actually doing better through the squat.  No bulging around the injured area this time.  My right abdominal corner flared up a touch, almost hernia-esque, but I imagine I’m just compensating in all sorts of weird ways.

* Talking more about the squats, my breathing is shallower than I’d like, but with RSV that’s about as good as it will get.  I’m enjoying my time training beltless (let’s not be stupid about my floppy strongman belt here), as it’s been a good reminder of fundamentals.  I had room for a little more depth, and once my hamstring is less touchy I’ll shoot for it, but it’s obvious by the state I’m in at the end of the squats that it’s having the desired training effect.  I need to get a little smarter about where on my back I’m holding the bar, as this is the second workout where my hands started going numb at the end and it became a question on if I would lose the bar before I ran out of squats.  

* There’s a total absence of fear compared to the first time I ran this program.  There’s a slight degree of dread, but more in the “I have to wait in line at the post office” style vs “oh my god this might kill me” style.  I know I have to suffer through the squats, but the suffering is subtle.  But I’m still young in the program.

* With the absence of the gallon of milk a day, I’m just letting the calories flow free from other high quality sources.  It’s been liberating.

* Weight on the dips may need to accelerate even faster.  The press is exactly dialed in.  Rows are basically Malcolm X to get the reps, and the SLDLs and Curls are in a post destroyed state, so I’m just holding on to survive.   My conditioning is still pretty rough with the sinus infection, but I’m doing what I can.

PM WORKOUT

Got in 22 ABCs in 5 minutes. Earned every single one of them. Legit felt like I was going to die. Cardio is getting back, but its not a pretty process.

 Training Log: Entry 2598

**AM WORKOUT** (0415 wake up via spouse’s alarm) FASTED

TABEARTA

into

2 mile 80lb weighted vest walk

Into

Tabata burpee chins w/bear complex between rounds

Notes:

* I had some more ambitions for this training session, but with no real agenda and recovering from illness, getting more sleep seemed like the right call.  Mrs ended up having an alarm set so she could get a run in for the morning, so that worked out well.  Once again, big fan of fasted hard workout-walk-hard workout-big breakfast approach.   Really just primal. I feel “connected”.  I’m sure there’ something to be said about nutrient partitioning and all that too, but ultimately it’s about the only way I can do fasted training without feeling “empty”.

* Didn’t have it in me to do a full TABEARTA.  Only got in 2 per round on the final 2 rounds.  Similar outcome with that final workout.  But the effort is still 100%.

* Hamstring is pissed from yesterday, but I imagine it’s gonna be a lot of 2 steps forward/1 step back with it. If need be, there’s always more good mornings.

* Cough still lingers, but the fresh air was good.   It was 25 degree before windchill this morning, which was honestly pretty refreshing.

PM WORKOUT (1600)

21 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells 

Notes: 

* Weaker showing for me, but I'm still hurting from illness and injury, so I'm moving slow and sucking wind and just leaning into effort.  Had a meatlovers keto pizza tonight and it was fantastic.  Mrs hit me with the "you're looking huge" comment, so really, everything is in a good spot.

 Training Log: Entry 2597

AM WORKOUT (0344 natural wake up)

**SUPER SQUATS** Workout 4

(3)Incline bench/weighted chin superset
2x12x85s/2x15x12.5
1x11x85s

Behind the neck press/band pull aparts superset
3x10x100/50 reps total

Squats/DB pull overs
20x330lbs/20x20lbs

Max reps existential nihilism for 1 minute

Kroc rows
16x115

Axle shrugs against strong short bands
1x31

**POST WORKOUT SHAKE**

**CONDITIONING/ASSISTANCE**

Reverse hypers
40x360

Tabata burpee chins with double clean+press 24kg KBs between rounds

Notes:

* Slept until 1 minutes before the alarm going off, which was an awesome sign.  I am not 100%, but I’m at 100% of 80%, and that’s pretty good.  Coughing fits are far less dramatic.  The hamstring is still iffy, which is why I’m squatting very slowly.  One of the benefits of having trained so long is the amount of body awareness/control I have such that I can feel the muscle buckling under load wanting to strain again and can slow down enough to shift the load in order to get through the rep.  That, in turn, made this an extremely challenging set of 20 reps, but still not as brutal as the Good Mornings.  I may honestly consider an approach here where, after so many squat workouts, I swap one out with a good morning as a means to give the legs a break while still keeping the sheer brutality of the program in tact.  It seems to fit.

* BtN press might be a little on the light side, but everything else is exactly dialed in as needed.

* Kept the sweats on to keep the hamstring warm throughout the workout. Always a good trick.

* I was absolutely wasted after those squats, and hurting on that conditioning.   I’ll probably work something else in later.

PM WORKOUT

Got TABEARTA done when I got home.  First time in a while I could complete the workout.  My cardio is returning.  Hamstring is mad at what I did to it this morning but it's still cooperating, and my right oblique is a little achy: most likely was leaning into it to compensate during the squats.

Thinking a Dan John-esque hard workout-weighted vest walk-hard workout tomorrow morning.  First time I've actually been able to get this program on track since I started by having it be Lift-no lift-lift.  I'll have to actually figure out a plan.  Part of me thinks I need to start including heavier deadlifts into the conditioning circuits so I can keep the movement grooved.

 Training Log: Entry 2596

Slept off and on until 0730, got up and hit 25 burpees over bar fasted.  Just something quick and awful.

After lunch I did a repeat of yesterday

5 minutes of ABCs (22 total)

TABEARTA

Tabata burpee chins w/bear between rounds

Still hurting as far as illness goes, but improving.  Hamstring is feeling just about good enough.  We'll see how it wants to play tomorrow.

Took the dog for a 1.5 mile walk.  It was 36 before the windchill kicked in, and she's a 12.5 year old pug, so she gets to get spoiled with a shorter walk.

 Training Log: Entry 2595

Slept off and on until 0730 and got in a fasted workout of tabata burpees over bar with prisoner squats during the 10 second breaks. Something light as I recover from illness and the pulled hamstring. Mrs is legit making me a practice thanksgiving turkey to help me heal. I married UP, no question.

PM WORKOUT

5 minutes of 24kbg ABCs (23 total) 

Into

TABEARTA

Into

Tabata burpee chins w/bear complex between rounds

Notes:

* This was inevitable, and I can't wait to see what I can do with it when I'm healthy, but borked hamstring and death's door on Wed has me putting up this insanity.  The power of fake thanksgiving at work.  I did have to move a little slower on the ABCs to take the hamstring gentle, but in turn the cleans felt REALLY slick.  I think those good mornings yesterday were the right call to get me healing.

 Training Log: Entry 2594

FRIDAY

AM WORKOUT (0405 natural wake up)

SUPER SQUATS Workout 3

Axle clean and strict press away
3x10x141

Band pull aparts
1x10
2x20

Weight dips/axle row superset
3x12x60/2x15x188

Breathing Squats
15x325 (pulled my right hamstring on the 15th rep and shut it down)

Notes:

I slept decently given how sick I am, and woke up feeling groggy and fluish, but it was Super Squats day. I took the workout slow, and strength was there whenever I went for it, recovery was just compromised. However, I’m now pretty certain I am dehydrated, which is a byproduct of being sick and the drugs I’m taking to clear the mucus from my system. I was absolutely SMASHING those squats when the time came, and 20 was well within reach, which is why pulling my hamstring on the 15th rep really pissed me off. Zero warning or indications, just a freak crunch on the eccentric and a re-crunch on the way up. It took all my power NOT to keep going, but it was the smart call.

PM WORKOUT (1800)

**SUPER...GOOD MORNINGS?**

Breathing Good Mornings/pull overs
20x325/20x20lbs

Poundstone curls
155xAxle

Notes:

* At times we must ask "What would Bruce Randall do?" I could ask for no greater role model. I kept the weight the same as the squats and ended up doing one of the hardest physical feats of my life. You wanna talk being more trouble than you are worth? Life says "you pulled your hamstring" and I say "f**k you I'll just do good mornings"

 Training Log: Entry 2593

Travel day. Got up at 0430 and did a fasted workout of 5 minutes of 50lb DB ABCs followed immediately by Tabata burpee chins with alternating DB snatch on the 10 seconds. My cardio is shot, but a big part of being more trouble than I am worth is that, even when I am sick, I can put out more effort than those who are healthy.

Been mainlining food. Best time possible for a gaining phase. Everything I own has a thin veneer of nuts n more on it at this point since its constantly on my fingers.

Against my better judgement, I decided to forego more training for the day in order to put me in a better position to nail Super Squats tomorrow.  Still got a fever that comes and goes and a nasty cough, but I should be solid enough for one hard workout tomorrow.

 Training Log: Entry 2592

I went to bed around 2000 but just felt miserable for hours. Real bad phlegmy raking cough. Around midnight, my fever broke and I could sleep off and on until about 0700.

Woke up and meandered for a bit before I did a fasted workout from Brian Alrsuhe.

AM WORKOUT II

Do 1 push up, stand up, then do 2, stand up, 3 all the way to 10 and back down to 1. Got it done in 4:48. Was breathing hard at the end. Going to just ease through the day and see what I can manage. Super Squats resumes on Friday: gotta be ready.

I’ve gotten in 27 burpee chins in 5 minutes and 50 burpees in 4:48 currently. Just doing little chunks throughout the day. The cough is the big limiter: once a fit hits me I’m out for a bit.

PM WORKOUT

Ok, most likely the final bit of training for today.  Did a Tabata burpee chin with a 50lb devil press between rounds followed by a 30 minute walk.  Good to get some fresh air.  Also some light band work.

Having a nasty cough has been great ab work, and eating a bunch of carbs from Halloween candy yesterday just to get in SOME calories has my whole body all swollen up, so I am rocking this "sick physique".

 Training Log: Entry 2591

AM WORKOUT (0620 natural wake up) FASTED

5 minutes of 50lb DB devil presses straight into tabata alternating 50lb DB snatches

30-ish minute walk

Tabata burpee chins w/prisoner squats between rounds

Notes:

* Cough is getting worse while I'm feeling better. When a fit hits me, it tears me up.  Dealing with a few of those during these workouts, so couldn't push the pace as hard but still hit the overall objective.   Heart rate up, go for walk, bring heart rate back up on return.  The fitness center here is pretty darn adequate, especially for a short trip.  Nutrition is solid.

Breakfast of Champions: get f**ked Wheaties

PM 

Notes:

Got hit HARD with some flu symptoms after being out all day.  Came back to my room and just kept eating for an hour get on top of it.  Feeling better.  Going to try to sleep for 11 hours and see if that helps.