Training Log: Entry 2672

AM WORKOUT (0315 wake up via alarm) FASTED

SNAKEHANDLER MASS

17 rounds in 41:45 of

3 front squats w/225

4 log vipers w/135

5 burpee chins

POST WORKOUT SHAKE

20 standing ab wheels

Notes: I got 16 rounds done before the 40 minute mark, which is some manner of PR on this.

I legit got angry with myself for having ever come up with this workout. I’m trying to figure out a way to describe it’s misery. There used to be an expression that Eskimos had 40 words for snow, and I feel like it’s that way when it comes to training misery as well. Tower of Babel is like a riptide: it lures you in and suddenly you’re swimming as hard as you can to escape and not drown. Juarez Valley is like a bucking bronco: you get slammed right from the start and spend the whole time trying to hold on. This is honestly like baking inside an oven. It’s a consistent level of misery applied, but as you continue to endure it, it just keeps accumulating and becoming worse. The intensity never changes, but YOU do.

All this to say that, despite the PRs, I was HURTING through this one today. Related info: I saw in the mirror this morning that I am as lean as I was at my “peak” leanness back whenever it was I took that photo. A few points there

* Cool.

* It took me around 4 weeks to get here after 12 weeks of gaining.

* I am NOT trying to lose weight. All I’ve been doing is taking a break from gaining so that my guts have a chance to rest.

* What THAT means is that it appears I’ve reset my body’s “bodyfat set point” to “stupidly lean”. If I’m NOT eating to gain, this is where it tries to get back to. 

* I am starting to experience the consequences of such leanness. Careful readers of my log will note I’ve been documenting little niggling tweaks here and there. My back keeps locking up, getting some connective tissue things, etc. The difficulty I’m experiencing in conditioning shows there as well.

* I still intend to keep the diet break going for the duration of this training cycle, which is 3 more weeks, but this means I can most likely stop dropping/pulling food out of the rotation.

In that regard, working my 12 now, packed enough food for an army, and it’s sparring week for Tang Soo Do tonight, so lots of activity ahead. Daily work may slide, and that’s more than fine. This workout hits EVERYTHING.