* This is clutch. Gotta remember it. Original plan was just Devil Presses and clusters, but I realized with my schedule today traveling home I might not be able to fit in the ABCs, so opened with them. Otherwise, to get the 40, after the 3 minute round you can go back to 5s of Devil Presses and 5s of Clusters and try to beat your previous mark.
* I've gotten the hang of the DB front squat after so much exposure, which went a long way on those clusters.
* Really just hammers everything. Solid hotel workout.
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2462
AM WORKOUT (0445 wake up via alarm) FASTED
40 minutes of BLACKJACK
20 double DB hang power snatches
1 lateral burpee over DBs
19 snatches
2 burpees
...
6 snatches
15 burpees
Time: 39:45
Finished out 15 snatches to get the ones I missed for a total time of 41:00.
Notes:
* This is really something. More of an hour workout than 40 minutes, but I did what I could in the time and definitely rocked myself. Need something to keep me a little more honest on time between reps as I go. Always potential to turn this into a Kalsu like workout too. Great possibilities. I appreciate how time moves fast on something like this.
* Even "hang power snatch" doesn't quite capture the ugliness of what I was doing with these dumbbells, but they were going from between by legs to over my head for every rep. For the life of me, there's nothing better for getting stronger and better conditioned than putting something over your head.
* ABCs on the agenda today, and contemplating paying up on those 90 burpees I owe.
PM WORKOUT (1645)
5 minutes of ABCs w/50lb DBs (22 total)
100 burpees in 6:43
1 hour walk
Notes:
* Getting a little better with the DBs, but the front squat on them is still a new animal. Decided to get those burpees in afterall, and hitting them after ABCs was a fantastic challenge. Went walking to ride out the high heart rate, although the truth is my conditioning is so bonkers these days that, by the time I got out of the hotel, I felt recovered.
Monday, June 27, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2461
AM WORKOUT (0445 wake up via alarm)
FASTED
5 minutes of ABCs w/50lb dumbbells (20 total...I think)
straight into
100 Devil Presses w/50lb DBs, EMOM do 5 prisoner squats (finished in 29 minutes on the dot)
straight into
5 minutes of ABCs w/50lb DBs (15 total)
straight into
1 minute of burpees (6 total)
for a 40 minute workout
Notes:
* Give me a hotel fitness center with 50lb dumbbells and I will give you something that crushes your soul. There's bound to be a cute name for this, but if nothing else it reminds me of this Juggernaut scene
You start off with Armor, to Devil strips it all away while you're his prisoner, only for it to all come back again.
* The ABCs are absolutely do-able with the dumbbells, but they're different. The weight is further forward on the front squat, so it's like a front/zercher combo. Less speedy/fluid and more taxing. End result is the same; I'm gassed.
* Every time I do Devil Presses I'm reminded what a great movement they are and that I need to do them more often. I'm glad my elbows are holding up as well.
* Had to throw in that little cherry at the end of burpees to get my full 40. They were total trash burpees too, but I earned them.
* Hotel has a free breakfast. If I wasn't so picky, it would actually be a very decent spread. But I DID manage to score a bunch of hard boiled eggs that I peeled the whites off of to eat, along with some salsa. Came back to the room and threw together some canned chicken breasts, powdered peanut butter, greens supplement, combination of macadamia nuts and hazel nuts, a little greek yogurt and some salsa. For the meat and nut breakfast, I'm trying to channel the idea from Charles Poliquin
---
PM WORKOUT (1700)
100 unbroken burpees in 5:38
Half hour+ walk immediately afterwards
Notes:
* Wanted to get in a little extra activity without changing for the gym, so knocked this out in the hotel room. Not my fastest time ever, but a super even pace for 100 unbroken. No lies told to myself, no bargaining, no drama, just knocked them out and headed out the door to ride out the high heart rate.
* I should also celebrate the fact I'm doing this 2 days post strongman comp. I am REALLY digging being "more trouble than I'm worth".
* Been getting in a solid amount of walking in general. Something I like to do in a new spot, especially with nothing else to do.
* Hotel room living is still going well as far as nutrition goes.
Sunday, June 26, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2460
Gonna capture some lost training due to comp/travel madness.
Yesterday, morning of my competition, I got in 23 ABCs in 5 minutes, then did a 30 minute walk.
This morning (Sunday):
Got up at 0610 and did (fasted)
5 minutes of ABCs w/24kbg bells (25 total)
Straight into
5 minutes of burpee chins (27 total)
Notes:
* I feel amazing post strongman competition. I'm sure daily training is a big part of that. This was phase II of my goals: I wanted to treat a competition just like a normal workout and get back on with my life, vs having to build elaborate rituals around it.
* Those 25 ABCs were awesome because of how it broke down. Got 2 rounds of 5, 2 rounds of 4, then finished with 7 unbroken ABCs for the 5th round. Knowing I have that in me coming into it so fatigued is a good sign. I'm going to be away from my specific bells for a bit, but my hotel may have some dumbbells I can wing this with, and then I have those 20kg bells I ordered at my folks. I can still get a solid amount of hurt in with those.
* Packed my traditional canned chicken, tuna packs, and other travel goodies. As much as I disliked traveling so much, I appreciate how good I've gotten at not breaking stride during it. No living off of airport food or anything like that, which is cool as I hear them announce to a long line of hangry folks that they're out of a lot of food.
PM WORKOUT (1730)
Did this
Total time was 25:32. Took about 4:30 to get through the Devil Presses, then 11 minutes for the thrusters, and finished total time at 25:32. Immediately after, I did 5 EMOM rounds of sets of 3 of DB Armor Building Complexes w/50lb DBs to help learn the movement and finish off the workout. I'm in a hotel right now with limited fitness equipment, but 50lb dumbbells are awesome, and this means I can keep up my streak of ABCs.
I've always wanted to do the full Gut Check workout, and always chickened out because of the thrusters. Could never figure them out with the dumbbells. It took some doing, but shouldering them like a circus dumbbell seemed to do the trick.
The whole week, I had been consistently weighing in at about 187lbs first thing in the morning, before any bathroom functions, training, etc. By the time I’d use the bathroom, eat a light breakfast, train and shower, I would clock in at 181-183. For some reason, 2 days before the comp I gained 3lbs and it wasn’t going away. I woke up the morning of the comp post bathroom at 185.5, so I wasn’t in a bad spot. I put on my winter gear (thermal base layers, sweats and a beanie), did 23 of Dan John’s “Armor Building Complexes” with 24kg kettlebells in 5 minutes and then paced in the garage for 30 minutes to get down to 184.5. I pre-made breakfast, drove to the comp site and weighed in at exactly 185.0 with clothes on. I have legit made weight at the exact ounce for the majority of my competitions: It’s become a talent.
On the subject of pre-making breakfast, this competition marked a while departure from my previous nutritional approaches and, ultimately, a sign I’ve grown up. I cooked up 2 whole eggs, 1 egg white, 2oz of lean meat (combination of chicken and pork), some sauteed peppers and onions and 50g of avocado on a low carb tortilla wrap with some fat free cheese and sour cream into a baller breakfast burrito that I eat pretty much every morning, sticking with the whole “don’t eat differently on comp day compared to normal days” approach. I also had a slice of keto bread with some sunflower butter on it…and, of course, an energy drink, because you can’t take that out of me. Back in the day, this would have been pop-tarts or mini-donuts or some other sugary junk. Through out the competition, I was eating celery with Nuts n More or sunflower butter on it, occasional bites of just plain Sunflower butter, and I made my way through 1 Biotest Finibar, eaten bits and pieces at a time. I HAD junk food packed: a whole box of girlscout peanut butter patties and a 2-pack of cherry pop-tarts, but just never felt the need to eat them. I used to eat an entire box of Pop-tarts at a competition: 2 in between each event. I though I “needed” it. The things we tell ourselves. I DID drink like a gallon of sugar free Gatorade, so there’s that.
**WARM UP**
To warm-up for the competition, I did 3 reps of an unloaded axle for clean and press, then 1 rep with 95lbs before the first event, and then, before the deadlift event at the end, I did 1 rep of 225lbs.
**EVENT 1: Axle clean and press away (205lbs for Lightweight men)**
This was one of several events I was cautious about. At the start of my 7 week intensification block that led into this comp, I brought up my 250+lb Ironmind sandbag to practice some loading. I hadn’t touched this thing in about a year, and of course I just gripped and ripped it and borked something in my elbow tendon. I kept doing that weekly and the elbow kept not getting better, until one day when I’m fairly certain I tore something inside of it. That was about a month before the competition. At that point, I dealt with pain outside of the sandbag, and continentaling and pressing the axle really drove it crazy. The last few training days saw the elbow getting better and better each time, but I also knew that a bad day was possible.
Whistle blew and I gingerly got the axle into place. Wasted a fair bit of energy in doing so, but my elbow felt good, and that’s what mattered. Went double overhand because I still refuse to use mixed grip on a continental. After that, I pressed out 6 of the ugliest reps I’d ever done in my life. Watching the video, these weren’t even close to push presses. It’s not too shocking: Push pressing was making my elbow hurt, because I was effectively “catching” the weight on my tricep, so a slower/smoother press suited me better. The dude I beat in the other lane (who would eventually be the dude to chase the whole comp) was hitting some beautiful split-snatches, which made for an entertaining “style vs style” head to head: the brute vs the technician. He managed 4. I thought he got 5, so I got the 6th to seal it, then dumped the 7th.
Walked away feeling good and healthy, so that boded well. Next was the one I was most concerned about: loading.
All events were a mystery leading up to this, and I was training primarily for heavy loading at first and then light loading afterwards to let the elbow heal. However, what I wasn’t training was transitions, and that came to bite me, as watching the video I was clumsy and slow between implements. I also bobbled the second stone and wasted a bunch of energy recovering it. In general, I was sleep-walking through the event, just trying to play nice with the elbow.
I was a little miffed by an admin error: I should have gone last, since I won the first event. Instead, I went second. In turn, I had no appreciation for just how technical and fast the dude that followed me was. He blew away my time by 4 seconds. Part of me thinks I woulda tried harder knowing the thread he was, but it is what it is.
At this point, of the 3 of us, me and one dude are tied for first, with 1 win each.
**EVENT 3: 50lb Bag over Bar**
The only prep I did for this was kettlebell swings and snatches. I hate throwing events, and part of my deal for this comp was to not train things I didn’t like. It was rising bar, last man standing, take whatever attempts you want, starting at 8’. I took every attempt, because I knew it was going to just be luck at this point.
8’ barely cleared, as did 9 and 10. I did a throwing event in 2018 where I launched stuff, but I trained for it. Amazing x-factor. The other dude missed 11’ the first time but barely cleared it on his second go, so he took this event.
**EVENT 4: 100’ Pick-up Truck Harness Pull**
I never cared for truck pulls, but this event was at least moving quick. I had my “secret weapon” of rock climbing shoes, which I think only 1 other athlete had. They helped: I had a good grip on the floor for this, but I struggled to break the inertia of the truck at the start. I tried a technique I had been using in training of pulling on the harness to start and get low, but, in retrospect, a better approach would be have a 4 point stance/bear crawl. I threw my arms forward, which, again, was something I was using in my training to get my bodyweight moving froward and hips down. I finished around 25 seconds and some change. Guy I needed to beat was 1.5 seconds faster. Heart break that one. But I at least enjoyed this more than any other truck pull. Not having the pull rope helps, and training for it showed me how awesome pulling a prowler with a harness is. My conditioning also shined through: I was winded at the end and recovered by the time I walked back to my family. Great to be in such awesome shape.
**EVENT 5: 515lb tire deadlift for 1, 395lb (combined) farmer’s handles deadlift for 2, AMRAP axle deadlift of 335lbs (no straps for any lift)**
More admin frustration in times never being announced for any competitors that, at this point, I had no idea if I had won the truck pull or not, but I also didn’t care about winning: I was there to be more trouble than I was worth. This was absolutely my event for that, because I was going to pull deadlifts until the other dude caught rhabado. I used an old trick of wrist wraps. When you can’t use straps, wraps can help, because they’ll force your hands to naturally close. Every little trick you can use.
Pulling without straps always sucks, but I managed to get 515 moving with a little effort. Once that was done, I used a trick I had employed before and jumped into the farmers handles to save some time, which put me slightly ahead of the other dude. From there, got to the axle and use a thumbless grip. It seems counter-intuitive, but taking the thumb out REMOVES a weakpoint. Now you only have your 4 fingers to fail vs 1 thumb. We were told touch and go was good AND I saw the judges were allowing bouncing, so I went full tilt and just banged out rep after rep.
I got called on “soft knees” on a few reps. Ever since my ACL reconstruction, I can’t fully extend my left knee. I may need to let judges know about that in the future.
The way they scored reps on this was by total, so we got 1 rep for the tire, 2 for the farmer’s, and however many after that. I was credited with 16 reps total, the other dude got 14. I still pulled the 17th rep, despite being told many times the event was over, because f**k you: I’m getting that rep.
This event went great, and was really the one that re-lit the fire in me. Being able to just go out and give it my all like that was a blast, and the challenge was exactly where it needed to be. My conditioning held up real well, and despite no real grip training, I had zero issues on the axle.
**RESULTS AND WAY FORWARD**
As you’ve been following along, this was a second place showing. Could I have done things differently and gotten first? Yeah. Do I regret that? Not at all: I met my goal of training the way I wanted to train and just treating this like another workout. I trained the morning of, and I trained the next day (5 minutes of ABCs for 23 total, straight into 5 minutes of burpee chins, and then the “Gut Check” WOD later). I ate the way I wanted to eat, made weight the way I wanted to make it, and, through all that, found out I do still enjoy this sport and can still have fun with it. Trying to “be a strongman” just wasn’t fun: “doing strongman” is much more enjoyable. I don’t care about winning or nationals or anything; I want fun shows that push me hard and are a blast, and I’m gonna keep training and eating “my way” for them.
And in that regard: I’ve never felt better the day after a competition. Still able to train hard and move well.
Reference my previous manifesto: I got to live being more trouble than I was worth that day. I showed up, I set the pace for the first event, I kept on the heels the whole time, I made the last event suck for the guy ahead, and I was absolutely positively yoked out of my absolute mind, having achieved that physique with no counting of calories or macros or martyrdom to speak of. If I can walk into a strongman competition without training for it, having trained twice+ a day up until the morning of the competition, put up a good showing, and do it all again the next morning, I am absolutely more trouble than I’m worth.
And that’s the plan moving forward. This timed out perfectly with a deload week after my intensification block. I’m traveling right now, doing a few nights in a hotel before coming home for a day and then heading to San Diego to visit family. I’m going to make due with dumbbells and kettlebells, keep up my daily ABCs, and then come back and get back to gaining with 5/3/1 BBB Beefcake. I plan to do another long gaining block with diet breaks: Beefcake into 5/3/1 for Hardgainers into a 7 week diet break/intensification block, then Beefcake into Monolith into 7 week intensification, then Deep Water Beginner and Deep Water intermediate. Should be pretty nuts.
Going to break up the write-up into 2 parts: the pre-write up and the write-up itself.
**PART 1**
**INTRO**
It’s been about 3 years since my last strongman competition. I competed in Oct 2019 after moving to my new location in Nebraska, found myself developing a bit of ennui with the sport, signed up for a comp in Apr of 2020 that originally featured a 275lb keg press that got me REALLY excited, only to have it bumped down to a 250lb press that got me really pissed off and upset with the sport again, only to end up canceled anyway as the world shut down for 2 weeks to flatten the curve for 3 years.
During THAT time, I had a blood lipid test come back that had my blood type listed as “Ragu”, so I had to turn the ship around healthwise. In chasing that 275lb keg press, I had made the right decisions nutritionally for that goal, but now that health became the priority, I had to do a total 180. And speak of 180: that’s how much I weighed when it was over (177 technically), dropping over 30lbs of bodyweight in the process. I’m fairly certain I crashed my hormones too, but I was stupid lean and jacked, and now needed to find a way to eat that allowed me to perform AND be healthy. It was a fun time of discovery and exploration.
Training emphasis shifted away from max weights and more into my own version of Crosssfit. Lots of focus on longer duration consistent workouts, like Kalsu, Murph, and other evil stuff I wrote up in my E-book, with some occasional burst first stuff like Fran and Grace. Got super into kettlebells too. My conditioning is the best it’s ever been, and my strength stayed ok.
Eventually, the world seemed to have figured itself out and I found myself wanting to compete again. I found a competition that was stupidly closeby AND all the events were a mystery until the week of the competition, which meant I could just keep training the way I wanted to. This was going to be a good test to see if I still even liked strongman anymore. On that note, here is now I trained.
**THE TRAINING**
Prior to my current training phase, I had finished my second run of my 26 week gaining block (BBB Beefcake into 5/3/1 Building the Monolith into Deep Water Beginner into Deep Water Intermediate). I experimented with a 7 week diet break/intensification phase in between Beefcake and Monolith and found it so effective that I decided to do it again before moving back into gaining, and it timed out perfectly that I’d finish the final week the week of the competition, be able to compete, then deload and get back to it.
As an overview, I'm doing Zeno Squats on my squat day (from my book: take a weight you can squat for 6 reps comfortably, squat it, rack it, 12 deep breaths, half as many reps, round up, repeat until you get to 1, strip either a 25lb or 45lb plate per side, repeat process again, get to 1, strip plates, go for a widowmaker, add 1 rep to the topset next week and repeat), ROM progression deads on my deadlift day, and then one press day where I work up to a topset of 5, 3 or 1 on the log clean and strict press away, then another press day where I take the weight I hit for the log and use it for axle continental and push press. Lift weights 4x a week.
Day 1 is squat day
Day 2 is log press day
Day 3 is axle press day
Day 4 is ROM progression deadlift.
* On each of the press days, after I hit the topset, I take 70% of the weight used and do a set of strict presses. On the log day, I clean once and strict press away, with 2 rest pauses (so something like 15+4+4). On the axle push press day, I clean each rep and get as many total reps as I did on the clean once day. I'll set a timer and try to beat the previous week's time.
* From there, on those press days, my supplemental work is that shoulder superset I've written about that goes some sort of press or weighted dip into bodyweight dips into lateral raises into band pull aparts. For pressing exercises, I rotate between BtN presses, trap bar presses, incline DB bench and axle flat bench. One of the press days will also include Poundstone curls (current record is 207 reps, I add 1 each workout).
* On the squat day, for this training cycle, I've taken to following the squat workout with a 10 minute EMOM workout where I do pick up and extensions with my 250+lb sandbag. It's helping me prep for a loading medley by getting good at lapping and moving a bag in short order. After THAT workout, I'll do a set of 40 reverse hypers and 30 standing ab wheels and 30 GHRs, then follow it up with some more small assistance work until I run into my time to do a 10-20 minute conditioning workout.
* After the mat pulls, I have an EVIL EMOM workout I do where I spend 12 minutes alternating between deficit deadlfts and SSB squats. I started it by going for 8 reps each movement, then 7, 6, 5, etc. Then, each week, I add a rep to the back end. I finished my last workout doing 3x8 and 3x7. It was BRUTAL.
* After THAT is done, I'll do an unbroken circuit of one set of: Axle shrugs against bands, KB kelso shrugs, 50 band pull aparts, neck work, 40 reverse hypers, 30 standing ab wheels, and 50 dips. I'll get in 30 GHRs somewhere in there, and then finish off the day with a 10-20 minute conditioning workout.
* The workout in the video is done the day after the mat pull workout, as something to get in some fresh blood. In between the two press workouts is my prowler workout. Every day I do 5 minutes of KB armor building complexes with 24kbg bells, and then there is just little stuff along the way.
* Between my 2 press days, I’d pull a prowler with a harness as part of a circuit that included KB walking lunges. I also was still doing Tang Soo Do twice a week and other conditioning.
* On Saturdays, the day after my deadlift workout, I’d do “Monument to Non-Existence II”. It was a whole bunch of things for a while, but I settled on: Max front squats of 225, take that rep number and match it for squats of 225, SSB squats of 225 and deadlifts of 225. Keep time between movements as short as possible
* Oh yeah, and every day I would do 5 minutes of Dan John’s “Armor Building Complex” with 24kg kettlebells, once again because Dan thought that was a terrible idea. I went for max pain, no other real goal in them. My best over the training cycle was 26 in 5 minutes.
**NUTRITION**
My diet is all kinds of screwy, so I’m just gonna hit the wavetops and say that I kept it low carb, focused on quality fats, and actually went beyond a diet break and focused on fat loss. I was competing in the 185lb class for the first time ever, and I didn’t want to do a water cut to get there, so I leaned out a ton and got myself to the point that I was 181.0 the week of the competition. I could have been stronger if I was heavier, but whatever. It was nice to NOT have my life revolve around food for a while: I was eating less, which meant less cooking and cleaning too.
Friday, June 24, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2459
AM WORKOUT (0320 natural wake up)
12 rounds EMOM:
Odd sets: (3) Deficit Deadlift 315lbs
Even Sets: SSB squats 205
3x8
3x7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6x5b_2FzdM
Upon completion, immediately change shoes, thrown on vest and
2 mile 80lb weighted vest walk
Upon return, immediately change shoes, remove vest and
5 minutes of ABCs w/24kg bells (22 total)
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING:
Do 10 KB swings w/40kg bell in between sets of cleaning up the weight room
7+ minutes of activity total
Notes:
* I flat out enjoy training like this. And yes, I’m aware that I hate training, but it’s one of those “if you HAD to pick” sorta things. This appeals to my ADD. Lets get in some heavy lifting that blows out the lungs, keep that heart rate up with some tough but manageable LISS, then come home and blow it all out. Murph is like this to an extent as well.
* Went with this protocol because it’s the day before the comp. Still want to move, still want to get in work, but also know I’m not going to get stronger between now and then.
* I am proud of being able to hit 22 ABCs under that much fatigue. 22 used to be a reach number.
* Glad I got that EMOM on video finally. It was quite a bit easier to hit it first thing in the workout vs as a follow on from heavy pulls, but again, easy was the goal.
* Bodyweight spiked upward. Imagine it’s a hydration/sodium issue. I can still make weight at the rate I’m at, but I think I’ll have to spend the early morning sweating tomorrow. Got a hot garage just for that.
* Tang Soo Do is on the radar for tonight.
Thursday, June 23, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2458
AM WORKOUT (0317 natural wake up)
25 band pushdowns
Axle continental and push press away
5xAxle
5x136
1 minute on/1 minute off for 6 total rounds
6-3-3x186
Axle continental and strict press away
12+5+5x136
GIANT SETS (dips/press-dip-raise-pull) odd sets dips, even sets BtN press, 75 second between sets
Weighted dip
10x95
9x95
8x95
BtN Barbell press
10x120
8x120
7x120
Dips
6xF
DB lateral raise
6x13x20lbs
Band pull aparts
6x15
Reverse hyper
40x90
20 standing ab wheels
Neck work
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING:
As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of
* 2 Axle clean and push press away 156
* 7 Burpee chins
Notes:
* Last press workout before the competition, so went “off menu” and got in a little more practice. Kept weights on the lighter side and didn’t take any of the supplemental work to the point of stupid failure. Got in work, remembered what it was like to strain, but didn’t put myself at any risk. I can’t get stronger in one session, but I can definitely get hurt.
* I like what I came up with for the press workout, and that might actually feature in the future. I set the EMOM timer, and went for max reps in a minute. Once I hit that, I let the timer go through the next minute, then started again. So minute 1, I got in 6 reps, I rested through minute 2, minute 3 I got 3 reps, rest through minute 4, 3 reps in minute 5. I tried for more in minute 7 and managed the continental but was out of reps. There’s room for me to do something like clean once in the first minute, clean each rep in the third, etc. Those follow on minutes are really special, because it’s hitting reps under fatigue.
* My push press is still absolute garbage first thing in the morning, but with the reps I’m getting in under those circumstances, I’m feeling pretty solid.
* My right trap is healed, but neck is still tender. Makes putting my head through the window a little tough. Should be healed up by day of, but worse comes to worse, there’s always icy hot.
* The conditioning workout seems to work better using a double vs a triple, but that’s because I’ve shifted focus away from getting in reps on the push press and toward minimizing the time between the last burpee and the first clean and press. I try to come straight out of the burpee to grabbing the axle and going. I feel there’s a lot of value added there.
* ABCs on the agenda for the evening.
* Woke up at 185.6, then was 181.6 post workout shower. Weight is really in a good spot.
* On that note, I found veins in my traps yesterday. Leanness has reached absolute stupid levels. Putting time caps on fat loss is the smartest thing I’ve done, because left to my own devices I’d keep chasing this dragon and end up in a bad place again. I am excited to start really eating again.
PM WORKOUT (1700)
**26** ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
Notes:
* This was the easiest one yet. I think the next evolution is a suck sandwich of 6-5-5-5-6. I was really feeling loose in the front squat, which seemed to help.
* I ordered this awesome t-shirt that just totally suits me
Just got the e-mail with the events for the day. For my weight class it’s
* Deadlift medley: 1 rep with tire deadlift at 515, 2 reps of farmers handle deadlift 335lb, AMRAP axle 335
* Truck pull
I’m pretty prepared for all of that. Saturday should be a solid show.
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2457
AM WORKOUT (0340 natural wake up) FASTED
10 rounds of
Harnessed prowler pull w/90lbs loaded
Run back to start
10 KB front rack walking lunges w/24kbg bells
Farmers carry remainder of distance to prowler
Time: 42:30
Drive home, speed unload the truck, then transition immediately to
5 minutes of ABCs w/24kg bells (23 total accomplished)
Notes:
•Weather played better this time, so easier drag on the sled meant more rounds accomplished. This is still a tough workout, and definitely making me better through out. When a truck pull isn’t on the line, I might play around a bit more with what’s done in between prowler pulls. I’m actually dragging right next to a hill, so the potential to include hill sprints is there.
•Those ABCs right afterwards are magic. Just the cherry on top. Was actually feeling pretty loose. My right hips is pretty pissed off, but I can cope with that.
•Upper right trap is mending well. Not in near as much agony as before. Elbow is in a decent enough spot. Should be healed up in time to compete.
•Tang Soo Do on the agenda for tonight. Already got the ABCs done.
•Plan from here is hit some pressing tomorrow. On Friday, I think I’ll still do the EMOM deficit dead/SSB workout, then go for a weighted vest walk and come home to some ABCs. Plan to his ABCs first thing in the morning the day of the comp to get a decent sweat going.
•On the topic of sweat, once again, woke up at 187.6, did the workout, took my shower and weighed in at 182.6. This weight delta is nuts.
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2456
AM WORKOUT (0310 natural wake up)
25 pushdowns
Axle continental and push press away
5xAxle
5x136
5x186
Axle continental each rep and push press
3x186 in 1 minute
Axle clean each rep and strict press
9x136 in 1 minute
GIANT SETS (press-dip-raise-pull) 75 seconds between sets: sets 1 and 4-trap bar, sets 2 and 5-bench, sets 3 and 6-incline
Trap bar press
10x135
9x135
Axle bench press
10x236
9x236
(3) Incline DB bench
10x85s
8x85s
Dips
6xFailure
Plate lateral raise
6x16x10lbs
Band pull aparts
6x15
Poundstone curls
208xAxle
Straight into…
Reverse hyper: 40x90lbs
30 standing ab wheels
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING:
11 minutes as many rounds as possible of
2-3 Axle clean and push press away
7 Burpee chins
Notes:
• My right trap is still all kinds of jacked up. Actually asked for a massage from the Mrs last night, which is a rarity for me. Helped a bit. Made pressing interesting. I’ve cut the weight down being this close to the comp and just focused on getting in some reps, and playing around with approaches. I’m feeling strong enough. Right elbow is getting better and better. It still does NOT like this, but it bounces back quick, and I think coming in warm and fed will make a big difference.
• While I’m coming up with excuses, heat continues to be a fun variable. I am soaked by the end of these workouts.
• I still love the magic of this conditioning workout I’ve cooked up. I’ve made my focus to reduce the time between the last burpee and the first clean as much as possible, which results in some sets where I only manage 2 push presses vs 3, but I’m willing to make that sacrifice. I am absolutely floored within 10 minutes.
• An interesting datapoint: I went to bed weighing 187.6. I woke up at 187lbs. That was legit “woke up” weight. Afterwards, I performed all the bathroom activities, had a pre-training breakfast of a slice of keto toast with some sunflower butter, trained, had my post workout shake along with some green tea with Metamucil, took my shower, and weighed myself at 181.0. So a 6lb delta in the span of about 2 hours. My level of leanness is right about where I was at 177/all time leanest, so once again, the scale tells A story, but it’s not even a particularly good one.
• ABCs on the horizon and that should close out the day.
PM WORKOUT (1800)
**26** ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
Notes:
* Did it again, and really I think there's room for 27 in there. My hips are feeling a touch bit up, and my neck and traps are a total mess, but my ability to perform remains. Rock on.
* Prowler is loaded up in the truck for tomorrow.
Monday, June 20, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2455
AM WORKOUT (0355 natural wake up)
Squat warm-up (jump-squat)
Box squats
4x3
Buffalo bar squats
5xBar
2x195
1x275
1x375
ZENO SQUATS (12 deep breaths between sets)
8x425
4x425
2x425
1x415
8x375
4x375
2x375
1x375
14x335
10 minute EMOM: 2 stone of steel to shoulder, 24kb KB front squats: 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-8
45x360 Reverse hyper
30 standing ab wheels
50 dips
25 pushdowns
50 pull aparts
30 GHRs
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING:
Start with 1 40kg KB swing and 1 burpee chin. Keep adding swings and chins. When you get to 5 chins, start over 1 at, but keep the swing count going up. Finished with 15 swings and matching burpee chins at 11 minutes flat.
LATER
2 mile walk with dog
Notes:
* I jacked up something in my right trap yesterday which made getting a good position on the squat tough. Between that, the night shift, being up all day, being dehydrated, and smashing a PR on ABCs, I came into this just hurting. Garage is still a jillion degrees as well. 8 reps was enough for Zenos, and with the competition at the end of this week, I didn't feel a need to push any harder.
* Very happy with how the EMOM turned out. Getting that final set of 8 on the front squats on the 9th round and sealing things with the 10th round of Stone of Steel was outstanding, and I was floored when it was done.
* I like that conditioning. Often, the burpee chins can run long and let my heart rate slow down. Keeping those on the short side while letting the swings climb blew me away. But the time this was all done, I had to wring out my shirt and knee sleeves.
* I'm really focusing on a strong glute/hamstring contraction on the GHRs these days. Seems to help.
* Have the day off today. Spending time with the Mrs, lunch at Red Lobster, and maybe some lawn mowing.
* I ordered 2 45lb kettlebells and had them shipped to my parents, so I'll have something to train when I go visit them. Yup: I've become that guy.
PM WORKOUT (1430)
Got in 25 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells immediately before mowing the lawn for 50 minutes. I'm digging getting my heart rate into the red zone and then just riding it out. Still hot as hell out. The fact I can just bang out 25s now is pretty nuts.
Sunday, June 19, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2454
Got home from my night shift and hit the following before I even walked inside the house
5 minutes of ABCs w/24kg bells (24 total)
10 minutes of as many rounds as possible of
3 barbell clean and push press away w/135lbs
7 burpee chins
I got like 7+ total rounds. Absolutely brutal
PM WORKOUT (1900)
**26** ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells (new PR)
Notes:
* Oh hell yeah! I hit that with 1 hour of sleep over the past 2 days, having gotten in my 5 minutes earlier in the day as well. I appear to operate in reverse of humanity, which makes sense, as I am farm machinery given sentience. I need to get video of these sometime to make it official.
* Squats on deck for tomorrow.
Food porn: double shrimp burger on a keto bun
Saturday, June 18, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2453
Slept off and on until 0630 and hit the following workout fasted
5 minutes of ABCs w/24kg bells (23 complexes done)
5 minutes of burpee chins (32 reps)
3 minutes of ABCs w/24kg bells (9 complexes)
Burpee chins until 50 reps complete
Total time: 15:30
PM WORKOUT (1330)
"Monument to Non-Existence II"
18x225 front squat
18x225 squat
18x225 SSB squat
18x225 deadlift
Immediately mow the lawn for 50 minutes
Notes:
* This one was THE gut check. You can see me pause on the third rep of front squats, and that's because I came VERY close to blacking out and dumping the bar. The bar slipped on the 18th rep, which you can see in the video as I zercher-rack dump it. And then those SSB squats...it's been a LONG time since I felt like quitting THAT hard in the middle of a workout. Took a LOT of lies and Jedi-mind tricks to get through that. The deads were surprisingly gentle: probably because I had yesterday's workout to compare it to. THIS is the workout: I NEED this.
* I am VERY proud of how quick I transitioned between movements on this one. No playing with the belt, no feeling sorry for myself: just charge ahead.
* Night shift on the radar. Will probably hit a short workout right before I head out, just to get my body primed for activity.
Unbroken circuit: Shrug-shrug-pull-neck-hyper-abs (no rest between movements)
Axle shrug against short strong bands
1x42
KB kelso shrugs
15x24kg
50 Band pull aparts
Neck work
Reverse hyper
45x360
30 Standing ab wheel
50 dips
25 pushdowns
30 GHRs
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING:
15 rounds EMOM
First 10 rounds:
* 2 Stone of Steel to shoulder
* 5 burpee chins
Last 5 rounds
* 2 SoS to shoulder
* 4-3-2-1-5 burpee chins
Notes:
•Going for max reps 405 was absolutely the correct call. My elbow was ever so slightly achy this morning, but feels great post workout, whereas last week I about tore it in half going for a heavy max effort pull. 15 for a topset is a bit hard to swallow knowing my previous PRs, but I keep remembering that this is a first thing in the morning pull, practically no warm-up, practically fasted. In that frame, it’s f**king phenomenal, and I’m proud to say I can do that.
•The pride continues with that first EMOM workout, getting 3x8 and 3x7. I cannot express how challenging that pairing is, and highly recommend folks give it a go if possible. The heart does flip-flops.
•Still using that new shrug technique and still digging it.
•Conditioning was similar to what I did earlier in the week with the KB front squats swapped with burpee chins. Got me some more back work in. I was finishing each round with a little less than 10 seconds left, and after 10 minutes could no longer “beat the clock”, so transitioned to the countdown. Absolutely mauled me, and the elbow still felt strong, so I got in some loading practice.
•Stepped on the scale after my shower and was 183.6. Given I had my hot dogs last night, that’s an awesome weigh in, and I saw separation in my abs that looked like an anatomy chart, so I know that the scale doesn’t tell the full story.
•ABCs and Tang Soo Do tonight. I’m working a late shift on Saturday, which will throw things off ever so slightly schedule-wise, but not terribly so. Contemplating making burgers for Father’s day.
PM WORKOUT (1725)
25 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
Notes:
* So now this is apparently just something I do. That's pretty awesome. In fact, in "getting after it" history, I came home at 1715, where my wife had a Jimmy John's turkey unwich waiting for me, I wolfed it down, shucked off my work clothes, hit the ABCs, stumbled into the house, threw on my dobak and left for Tang Soo Do by 1732. Hell yeah.
Thursday, June 16, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2451
AM WORKOUT (0330 natural wake up)
Log clean and strict press away
5xLog
5x120
5x150
5x170
2x200
4x200
Axle clean and strict press away
14+6+6x141 (12 deep breaths between sets)
GIANT SETS (press/dip-dip-raise-pull) Odd sets BtN press, Even sets dips, 75 seconds between sets
Behind the Neck Press
2x10x120
9x120
Weighted dips
2x10x92.5
9x92.5
Dips
6xFailure
DB lateral raise
4x13x20
2x12x20
Band pull aparts
6x15
20 standing ab wheels
40x90 Reverse hyper
25 pushdowns
Neck work
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING:
7 rounds of
•3 Axle clean and push press away 156lbs
•7 burpee chins
In 10:30
Notes:
•Head spins were an issue for log this morning. Came near passing out on both the topsets. Heat is most likely screwing around with my electrolytes. I’m also eating less food, which means fewer opportunities for salt intake. Something to watch for. Managed to get redemption in the follow-up axle sets and the supplemental work.
•I am hit and miss logging the fact that I’ve reduced my rest times on the giant sets from 90 seconds to 75. It’s only 15 seconds, but it definitely makes a difference.
•Still a fan of that conditioning workout. I made it a point to go straight from the burpees to the clean, and straight from the clean to the push press. My “Monument to Non-Existence” is teaching me the value of killing transition times. The difference between a clean right after a burpee vs a clean 15 seconds after a burpee is a BIG difference.
•I torqued my elbow minorly in Tang Soo Do last night but it seems to have bounced back quicker. I’m healing, but slowly.
•In that regard, planning on an audible tomorrow for deadlift day. Last week, the max effort pull ripped my elbow in half. I’m not going to get stronger between now and the comp, and this has already been a great cycle for my pull, so instead of trying to take 475+chains for a ride, I’m thinking of settling in with 405 and going for max reps.
•ABCs on the agenda for later
PM WORKOUT (1800)
25 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kb bells
Notes:
* Hitting 25 so consistently is bonkers. I was fatigued and hurting AND, in the 4th round, I got 4 instead of 5 before setting down the bells to breathe...which meant I had to get SIX in the final round. I did in the very last second, which tells me that 26 is absolutely viable with this approach.
* Bar is loaded for deads for tomorrow. Champing at the bit.
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2450
AM WORKOUT (0345 wake up via alarm) FASTED
8 rounds of
•Prowler harness pull w/90lbs loaded
•Run back to start
•10 walking lunes w/24kg KBs, farmers walk remainder of distance to prowler
1 round of
•Prowler harness pull w/90lbs loaded there and back
Done in 41:55
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
Drive home, speed unload truck and do 21 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kbg bells
Notes:
•Last night, the tornado sirens went off and we got weather alerts of 80mph winds. I was curious if prowling was even going to happen this morning based on weather, but the real significance of that is that I had a rough night of sleep. We got pelted with wind and hail, the aforementioned sirens, lightning, thunder, and my dog was shivering in the bed like a giant cellphone set to vibrate. A bit of comedy in that my alarm went off (I gave myself an extra 10 minutes to sleep in), my wife says “I’m just going to get some more sleep and train later”, I reply “Yeah, that’s the smart move” and then promptly get up and head out the door. At least I own it.
•The weather DID mess with the workout some. Traction was tough to get, and I was working hard on all those harnessed pulls. Definitely good for my truck pulling ability. Honestly, I needed to include the harness more in my prowler work, it’s just different, which is awesome. Jim Wendler talked about the value of pulling with a harness on.
•Lunges were a total circus act on the slippery parking lot.
•Cut out the lunges/carries on the final part of the workout for the sake of time. It was a good finish to just pull for all I was worth.
•Ending with the ABCs is still clutch. Getting in 21 in the state of fatigue I was in was a solid win.
•Tang Soo Do is on the radar tonight. It’s one-steps, so I’m telling the Mrs to watch me tap early and often. My elbow is feeling better. Not 100%, but moving in the right direction, and getting cranked on is NOT what it needs right now.
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2449
AM WORKOUT (0320 natural wake up)
Axle continental and push press away
5xAxle
5x156
2x206 (1 rep PR from last week)
1x206
Axle clean each rep and strict press
19x156 in 6:20
GIANT SETS (press-dip-raise-pull): Sets 1 and 4: trap bar, 2 and 5: incline, 3 and 6: flat bench
Trap bar press
10x135
9x135
(3) Incline DB bench
10x85
8x85
Axle flat bench
10x235
7x235
Dips
6xFailure
Plate lateral raise
3x16x10lbs
3x15x10
Band pull aparts
6xFailure
25 pushdowns
Poundstone Curls
207xAxle
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING:
10 minutes, AMRAP of
3 Axle clean and push press away w/156lbs
7 burpee chins
6 full rounds, timed out in the 7th
30 GHRs
Notes:
• My elbow legit felt like it split in half on the second rep of 206. Was the only thing preventing me from going for more, because other than that it was a good set. My continental has gotten faster. It’s legit just an issue of coming in to this “cold”. I can feel the issue mending over time, it’s just taking a while, primarily because I’m abusing it so frequently. Deadlift workout this week will most likely push it hard again, but we’ll see. The conditioning I’ve been including has been giving me a chance to groove in a few more reps.
• The strict presses afterwards were much more productive than last week. Smooth pop on the cleans and the pressing was strong. Actually went 5lbs heavier than I was supposed to, primarily because I didn’t want to use different plates.
• Giant sets felt pretty strong. Remembering all my tricks for benching.
• Garage is still an oven, and the heat is definitely making fatigue shine through. Really felt it on the conditioning. I was dying early in the second round. Made a point to minimize time between the last burpee and the first clean. Sometimes it robbed the presses, but met the goal of gassing me.
• ABCs later, prowler tomorrow, weather is supposed to cool down slightly.
• I am getting excited to gain again, which shows just how beneficial these breaks are, because I know I was sick of gaining when I was done. I feel my body just itching to grow, and it’s hard to shut it down so often. I’m the master of self-denial, but I recognize when the system is fired up. I went through and figured out the squat TM I wanna use for Beefcake. If I want to end my second cycle squatting 405 for 5x10 (and I really REALLY do), I’ll need a TM of 540lbs. That may mean using bare minimum reps, or 3s pro for the main work. Great time to learn some lessons.
PM WORKOUT
24 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
Notes:
* I am really firing on all cylinders here. 24 in a tired/fatigued state is awesome. I definitely have some room to grow.
* I meant to mention that, this morning, I found a lat vein. This is when I've reached "this is getting stupid" levels of lean. Saw my second ab vein a few days prior as well. It's all been nickel and dime changes getting me here.
Monday, June 13, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2448
AM WORKOUT (0334 natural wake up, ONE minute before alarm: score!)
Squat warm up (jump-squat)
Box Jumps
4x3
Buffalo Bar Squat
4xBar
2x195
1x285
1x375
ZENO SQUATS (12 deep breaths between sets)
9x425
5x425
3x425
2x425
1x425
9x375
5x375
3x375
2x375
1x375
14x335
10 minute EMOM
Every minute, so 2 Stone of Steel to shoulder (alternate sides), then KB front squats w/24kg bells. Start with 8 front squats, then 7, 6, etc. On round 9, it boils down to 2 SoS to shoulder, rest the remainder of the minute, finish out w/2 SoS to shoulder
20 standing ab wheels
50 band pull aparts
25 pushdowns
Reverse hyper
25+15x360
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING: 20 Tabata rounds of the following
Odd rounds: 2 bear complexes w/95lbs
Even rounds: 3 burpee chins
30 GHRs
Notes:
• Before I write anything else, I should note it’s going to be 102 degrees today WITHOTU adjusting for heat index. My garage was like a sauna. I appreciate how it makes me stronger, but it always takes away from me quite a bit. My back is absolutely shredded from the bar ripping into it because of all the sweat.
• I am really pleased with those Zenos, because warm-ups weren’t awesome. My right elbow doesn’t care for low bar squats, and was being a little pissy. I legit struck it with my fist a few times before the topset, and that seemed to help. Effectively, I made it hurt BEFORE it started hurting, so the pain was already an element to contend with, and not something that introduced itself midset. 9th rep was grindy, but that’s expected. No windmilling this time. Most likely cut it high, but I just care about moving heavy weight at this point: I use the shorter sets for depth.
• 14 reps was what I had for that last set. Effort was there.
• I REALLY dig what I came up with for that stone training. Legit one of those ideas that hit me in bed last night. The sandbag is tearing up my connective tissue, so I wanted to take a lighter load but make it feel heavy, and I wanted to still blow away my lower body on this day. This worked perfectly. Original idea was to front squat until the time expired, but using the countdown approach had it so that, with fatigue, I was finishing the front squats with a little less than 10 seconds left in the round. Timed out perfect, I was absolutely exhausted when it was done. The final round works out such that it’s 2 SoS to shoulder and then rest until remainder of round, which is absolutely perfect for how gassing the workout is. I’m definitely keeping this. The only x-factor is the wife has to be awake when I do it, because it’s much louder than the sandbag, but she’s taken to running in the AM again, so I’m going to take that for what it’s worth.
• I was dying through conditioning, and it was “easier” than straight up TABEARTA, but between the heat and that stone workout it was simply a matter of holding on.
• Weighed in at 182.0 after my shower. So again, not a fasted weigh in, although there’s something to be said about how much I’ve sweated out at that point. Not concerned about making weight, but I still have to be diligent. My body is PRIMED to grow right now, which is one of the benefits of these diet breaks, but I have to exercise discipline and NOT give in to feeding it quite yet. It’s the reason I’ve held off on the Surge workout fuel. Once I compete and come back from my San Diego vacation, I’m excited to blow up.
• ABCs are about all I have on the horizon.
PM WORKOUT (1630)
23 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
Notes: Great showing after the monster squat workout this morning. That bump in technique is really carrying me far. The garage is like an oven: tomorrow morning is going to be intense.
Training Log: Entry 2447
SUNDAY
Slept until 0630. Quality sleep. Did 10 minutes of the following
EMOM
3 barbell thrusters w/135lbs
AMRAP burpee chins
Kinda like a reverse Kalsu. The barbell was still loaded from yesterday, so I figured why not. Realized it’s basically “Cluster Bomb” with only 1 cluster, but was still a decent way to open a Saturday. Elbow still hurts with lockout, but I’ve finally found the damn nerve cluster causing the issue, so I’m going to mash the hell out of it over the next few days to make it heal.
PM WORKOUT
I got 25 ABCs in 5 minutes again with thr 24kg bells.
I found out I was shorting myself on the clean. Started including a jump into it and it makes it fast and thr transition to press smooth. Had 9 or 10 seconds left in the round when I got 25. Tried to seal out 30, but every single time I reached for the bells my body shut down in self defense. It was wild.
Saturday, June 11, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2446
Slept until about 0620 with some good quality sleep, got up and did
5 minutes of ABCs w/24kg bells (22 total)
5 minutes of burpee chins (29)
3 minutes ABCs (9)
2 minutes of burpee chins (11)
Fasted
Helluva way to start Saturday
Another Saturday of getting after it. Got to mow the front lawn, take the kid to the zoo/walk around there, come home and then hit this
17x225 front squats
17x225 squats
17x225 SSB squats
17x225 deadlifts
Then immediately went and mowed the back lawn and did edging
Got some groceries somewhere in there and ate at an awesome mogolian grill.
For that workout, I REALLY wanna include trap bar pulls after the deads, but it's tough to figure out spacing in the garage for it. If I really wanna do it, I'm gonna need to pull out my truck. But this was still awesome. The SSB squat absolutely fits in perfect. You can see the progression from hardest to "easiest" movement there, and the difficulty stays consistent as you go. Dropping the bar is still pretty crucial for having workspace for that SSB squat, but I like how there is less time between the squat and the SSB squat compared to the squat and the deadlift previously.
Friday, June 10, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2445
AM WORKOUT (0335 wake up via alarm)
(2) Texas Deadlift Bar touch and go Mat Pulls
5x155+chains
2x225+chains
1x315+chains
1x405+chains
7+3+3x475+chains (12 deep breaths between sets)
25 pushdowns
12 rounds EMOM: odd sets deficit deads, even sets SSB
(3) Deficit deadlifts
2x8x315
4x7x315
SSB Squats
2x8x205
4x7x205
All of the following with no rest between movements: shrug-shrug-pull-neck-hyper-abs
Axle shrug against short strong bands
1x42
KB kelso shrugs
15x24kg
50 band pull aparts
Neck work
Reverse hyper
45x360
20 standing ab wheels
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING:
Ladders of 40kg KB swings and burpee chins: Do 1 swing, then 1 chin, then 2 and 2, up to 5 and 5, then start over at 1
I got through 3 full ladders and then up to 2 and 2 w/in 10 minutes
30 GHRs
Notes:
•A drop in numbers but a rise in effort on those mat pulls. Left some of my soul in the garage this morning. Contributing factor is the right elbow is just in agony. Having the bar pull against it is a bit rough, and I’m a tough apprehensive on fully committing myself. Everything moved well, and hips are feeling solid, so overcoming that will put me in a good way. I’m most likely going to ease off the sandbag, as that seems to be the biggest contributor. Saw natural stones on the menu for the competition, so that bodes well for me.
•That EMOM workout went awesome. I’m really pleased with the results I’m getting there. Lower back isn’t nearly as bound up, and my heart and lungs are ready to explode when it’s done.
•Still digging the technique change on the shrugs. See it having a lot of carryover.
•I was real short on time with the conditioning workout, so what I got there was nice. Dan John talks about level changes a lot, and I think there’s a ton of value there. If I were to do it again, I’d throw in some sort of “catfish” movement at the top of each minute to spike the heart rate. Snatches or thrusters or something wicked like that.
•Tang Soo Do later tonight, with my ABCs to be had.
PM WORKOUT
23 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
Got a stripe on my belt in Tang Soo Do tonight. Mrs did too. We're still advancing along just fine. My elbow is still really sore, but it'll find a way.
Thursday, June 9, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2444
AM WORKOUT (0320 natural wake up)
Log clean and strict press away
5x100
5x120
5x150
5x170
2x200
3x210
1x215
Axle clean and strict press away
12+3+4(+5 push press)x151
GIANT SETS (press/dip-dip-raise-pull) BtN press odd sets, dips even sets
Behind the neck barbell press
2x10x120
8x120
Dips
3x10x90
Dips
6xFailure
DB lateral raise
2x13x20s
4x12x20s
Band pull aparts
6x15
Poundstone curls
206xAxle
20 ab wheel rollouts
25 pushdowns
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING:
AMRAP in 10 min of
3 axle clean and push press away 156
7 burpee chins
Made it through 6 full rounds, and all the push presses of the 7th before time expired
Notes:
•Good pressing day for the log. Felt strong, and didn’t deal with much for head spins. Decided to move away from the weighted chins superset, just to spare my elbows. Had it get cranked hard during Tang Soo Do last night, which didn’t help.
•Added on a push press set at the end of the my strict press axle work just to get in some more practice.
•That conditioning workout continues to be pretty gnarly. Working on minimizing the time between the last burpee and the first clean and push press. Shoulders absolutely nuked.
PM WORKOUT
2**5** ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells (PR)
Notes:
* HELL...YEAH! I absolutely smashed this. I had 6 seconds left on the clock when it was done. There's still room for growth.
Gym is set for deadlifts tomorrow. Firing on all cylinders.
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2443
AM WORKOUT (0347 wake up via dog) FASTED
10 rounds of
Prowler harness pull w/90lbs loaded
Run back to start
10 paces KB front rack walking lunges w/24kg bells
Farmer carry bells rest of distance to prowler
In 42:30
Drive everything back home, unload truck, 22 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
Notes:
* Really glad to have finally gotten in some prowler work. This is my first time using this harness, and it was definitely a different experience for me. Good to be able to give it a go: should have decent carryover to truck pull.
* I'm using a different location for this work than before. It's closer, and more private. I have no idea how long of a distance I was going, but it was consistent: I'm basically going the full length of the parking lot.
* Intent here was to really fatigue my single leg ability, so I'm hitting those lunges to blow out the legs and then gassing hard with the harness. It worked: this was a killer workout.
* Hitting the ABCs at the end was the perfect cherry on top. I like how this all shaped out.
* Tang Soo Do tonight, and maybe some daily work.
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2442
AM WORKOUT (0335 wake up via alarm)
Axle continental and push press away
5xAxle
5x136
1x206
2x206 out of rack
Axle clean each rep and strict press
24 reps of 146lbs in 7min30sec
GIANT SETS (press-dip-raise-pull) Sets 1 and 4: trap bar, sets 2 and 5: bench, sets 3 and 6: DBs, 75 seconds between sets
Trap bar press
10x135
8x135
Axle bench press
10x236
7x236
(3) Incline DB bench
10x85s
8x85s
Dips
6xFailure
Plate lateral raise
6x15x10lbs
Band pull aparts
6x15
25 pushdowns
25 standing ab wheels
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING
6 rounds of
-3 axle clean and push press away w/156lbs
-7 burpee chins
In 10 minutes
Notes:
* Had zero pop this morning. Right elbow was limiter: it didn’t want to experience any loading. It actually warmed up pretty well through the workout, but trying to hit a solid push press out the gate was a no-sale. Got in reps from the rack just to get in a little more volume. It’s also what drove the decision on the conditioning workout to get in a touch more work.
* Could see the issues on the supplemental pressing as well.
* I’m catching myself “chasing leanness”, and I need to stop. It’s addicting at this point, because I can actually observe day to day changes in my physique based on how much I’m NOT eating, but I’ve made the weight I need to make, and anything beyond this point is “vanity, all is vanity”
* What I DID come up with for conditioning was pretty damn effective though. I typically shy away from push press in conditioning because it’s an opportunity cost compared to a thruster or a cluster, but for what I wanted, it answered the mail.
* Tomorrow will ideally be prowler work, but we have some intense storms on the horizon. I’d really like to get in a few prowler workouts, just because there may be a truck pull in the competition, but otherwise, I can just be strong and conditioned and take it from there.
PM WORKOUT
24 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
EMOMs are the way for sure. I finished the 24th with 9 seconds remaining. Were I fresh, I woulda had that. I SHOULD have gone for it in retrospect, just to groove getting in that 25th rep. Next time. I was feeling beat to hell coming into this, so it’s a great sign.
Got the prowler in the truck for tomorrow. X-factor will be the weather. But if it’s no good, I got some other evil plans.
Monday, June 6, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2441
AM WORKOUT (0330 natural wake up)
Squat warm-up (jump-squat)
4x3 box squats
Buffalo bar squats
5xBar
2x195
1x285
1x375
ZENO SQUATS (12 deep breaths between sets)
8x425
4x425
2x425
1x425
8x375
4x375
2x375
1x375
16x335
10 rounds EMOM 250+lb sandbag pick-ups
Going for doubles each round
Straight into reverse hypers
25+11+9x360 (12 deep breaths between sets)
25 band push downs
30 standing ab wheels
50 dips
50 chins
50 pull aparts
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING: TABEARTA
22 rounds of Tabata intervals with 95lb Bear Complexes
Got in 2 per round for the first 10 rounds, then alternated between 1 and 2 per round
Notes:
* Was pleased with how the squats went, considering this is coming back from a week away and significant weight loss. The 8th rep was a battle, and I ended up “windmilling” and tilting a little on the way up, but got the rep done with a grind, and from there the rest fell into place. That set of 16 really blew my legs away.
* My right elbow is screaming, and made the sandbag picks tough. I was having a rough go, with a few rounds of singles only, having the bag roll out of place. Its worthwhile training “behind the 8-ball”. I imagine the stone to shoulder yesterday didn’t help much with the healing, nor did the KB snatches.
* I was surprisingly gassed during the conditioning. Definitely gave more into this training than I thought.
* Dips and chins were accomplished while I was cleaning up the weight room. Put some plates away, do some dips and chins, repeat.
* Weighed in post workout at 181.4. Good to see weight holding consistent after being home for a few days and rehydrating. Definitely seeing the markers of leanness. Vascularity in shoulders, traps, lats, etc. Just gotta be smart about nutrition sources.
PM WORKOUT
24 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
Notes: Went with EMOMs again. They are the future for this. I was SO close to getting my 25 in. Got 5 in the first 4 rounds, but after that the wheels fell off, and I got 2 done before I had to set the bells down. Still, I can see the light on this one. I finish most rounds with 18-20 seconds left. I've thought about even breaking this down to 75 second rounds for 4 rounds total. Fewer total rounds seem to gel with me psychologically.
Sunday, June 5, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2440
Slept off and on until 0615. Got up and got in a fasted workout of 23 ABCs in 5 minutes using 24kg bells followed immediately by burpee chins. I’m really digging a focus on moving onto a new exercise while still absolutely gassed from a previous one. That’s going to have some solid carryover. Switched to EMOMs with the ABCs vs my previous protocol of 40 seconds work/10 seconds rest, meaning I have 5 rounds to work in vs 6, and that might be the new way forward. It’s more palatable to me.
PM WORKOUT
30 stone to shoulders w/135lb stone in 5:45
Immediately throw on 80lb weight vest and walk dog 1 mile in the heat...then carry dog back home because it's too hot for them, making it a 95lb walk back.
Consequently, my bicep are pretty sore, and I noticed today they're looking probably the most prime they ever had. Dan John talks about the KB clean building guns, and I don't think he's wrong...especially the way I do them.
Idea behind this was to jack up the heart rate at the start with that stone to shoulder and then ride it out as long as I could with the weighted vest walk. In an ideal world, I woulda come back from the walk and hit another workout to sandwich it, but I went into triage mode with my dog to get their body temp down.
...which, that little punk, REFUSED to drink water until I gave her her "meat treat" that she gets after every walk. She takes after me: will die out of spite vs compromise on meat.
Zeno squats on deck tomorrow.
Saturday, June 4, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2439
Alright, I wanna narrate this, because today was another one of those "getting after it" kinda days where we all crushed it as a family.
Woke up at 0630 and got in a fasted workout of the following
22 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
50 chins
50 KB swings w/40kg bell
Waited for my kid to get up, watched cartoons together (Super Mario Brother Super Show, as per our Saturday tradition of "Super Mario Saturday", dating back years now, we even wear our Mario pajamas together on Friday night so that we wake up on Saturday ready to go) while we waited for the Mrs to get up. She does, makes me an awesome breakfast (2 fried eggs with some chicken sausage that I turn into a breakfast burrito with some avocado and other stuff), she then heads out to get the grocery shopping done while I
Mow/edge lawn for 90 minutes...in the rain.
With an electric mower, because I'm not smart, but it was time to mow the lawn, and I wasn't going to let a thing like nature or conductivity stop me
After that was done, took a shower to get all the wet grass off me just in time for the Mrs to pick me up and take us out to Q'doba for lunch (double pulled pork salad, extra fajita veggies, no shell, no dressing)
Came home, quickly unloaded the car with the groceries, turned right around, dropped the kid off at a birthday party at a gymnastics studio, got back home and had just enough time for
**MONUMENT TO NON-EXISTENCE II**
20x225 front squats
20x225 squats
20x225 deadlifts
20x24kg double KB snatches
I am most pleased with how short the time was between the front squats and the squats. I legit felt like losing chow for most of the back squat and KB snatches, which is most likely a byproduct of slamming that lunch and quickly hammering the workout. Also repping the brand there.
Had just enough time to change back into street clothes and get the kid. Somehow slowed my breathing down enough and stopped sweating so I could look normal.
Dropped the kid off at home (where the Mrs was running 6 miles on the treadmill) so I could do the rest of the grocery shopping (Mrs was doing the bulkstore run, I am getting the fresh foods).
Get it done, come home and make dinner for the family (Hawaiian BBQ chicken, some on the grill, some on the air fryer, and veggies/riced cauliflower). I overproduce dinner so that my wife can meal prep for the week, and I, in turn, run the air fryer while I'm doing dishes so that I now have piedmontese steak tips for omelets and chicken breasts/asparagus/riced cauliflower for work lunches.
After that's all done, I go run out a bag of lawn waste, only to come back inside the house and find my wife...baking. Because, like me, she cannot be stopped.
And because of all this work on the front end, we have a full Sunday to ourselves. I'm celebrating with some piedmontese steaks for the Mrs and I, and a bison chopped steak for the kiddo.
Friday, June 3, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2438
AM WORKOUT (0320 Natural Wake up)
(3) Texas Deadlift bar touch and go mat pulls
5x155+chains
3x225+chains
1x315+chains
1x405+chains
9+4+4x475+chains (12 deep breaths between sets)
EMOM for 14 rounds: deficit deadlifts odd sets/SSB squats even sets
(3) Deficit Deadlifts
2x8x315
2x7x315
3x6x315
SSB squats
2x8x205
2x7x205
3x6x205
Shrug-shrug-pull-neck-hyper-abs-dips (no rest between any movements, one big circuit)
45 Axle shrugs against short strong bands
Kettlebell kelso shrugs
15x24kg
50 band pull aparts
Reverse hyper
50x360
20 standing ab wheels
50 dips
21 GHRs
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING: Death by swings/burpee chins, then repentance
Will explain. Using a 40kg bell, I started with 5 swings and 5 burpee chins EMOM. Next minute was 6 swing and chins. I made it to 9, where I failed attempting to get 9 burpee chins within the minute. For the next 5 rounds, I tried to recover with 5 swings/chins to the point that I could get it done within the minute again, but at that point I was smoked and kept busting time. Finished 10 rounds in 10:20. Surprisingly effective.
Notes:
* The altitude training this past week paid off immensely. I came into this incredibly strong and conditioned. Part of that too was that this was like a deload week leading into it. This is nutty considering I stepped on the scale after training and saw 181.7. I went to bed at 187.0, so that’s a big drop in and of itself, but I also left on vacation weighing in at 187 and some change in the morning. My lifting belt was fitting real well too, and I’m at the level of leanness I saw when I was around 177. Once again, it’s too easy to get lean: just don’t eat. I think there’s a takeaway from this whole process. I’ve now got a pretty solid approach for diet breaks AND fat loss.
* Pushed the EMOM a little harder to take advantage of how good I was feeling, but also pulled it back in so that I didn’t absolutely destroy myself on my way back.
* Really pleased with my technique on the mat pulls. Typically the 3 mat level is a real struggle for me, but this felt solid.
* Have to be cautious about bodweight rebound as I’m back home. In a very comfortable spot for making weight right now.
* I normally don’t care for “death by” conditioning workouts, but this one really was solid.
PM WORKOUT
Got in 24 ABCs in 5 minutes with the 24kg bells. That was pretty awesome, given I deadlifted this morning. I feel like a train hit me, but I can perform well.
Tang Soo Do night was focused on basics. Decent workout. Lost my voice during it: probably fell out of practice with the kiais.
Thursday, June 2, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2437
Travel Day
Got up at 0430, did the following while my dog ate breakfast (fasted)
8 rounds, tabata intervals. During the 20 seconds on, I did prisoner squats, during the 10 seconds off, I did push ups. I was breathing hard when it was over, so that was pretty slick.
After that, I did 85 push ups non-stop.
Drove for 8 hours, got home and crushed 5 minutes of ABCs w/24kg bells, getting in 23. I am exhausted, and will hit the mat pulls tomorrow and be back on schedule. There is no stopping.
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Training Log: Entry 2436
AM WORKOUT (0615 natural wake up) FASTED
"Get Punched In The Mouth: Know Your ABCs"
20 minute EMOM
First 5 minutes: 4 ABCs per round Rest of the 15: 2 ABCs for 2 rounds, 3 for 2 rounds, repeat until done
Using 24kg bells
Cute name was based on the fact the original plan was 4 per round for 20 rounds, and that went right out the window. Alternating 2s and 3s after the gut check of the first 5 minutes made it survivable but still awful. Had to lay down when it was over: "Kalsu level" difficult. A winner.
PM WORKOUT
Leisurely 5k with the Mrs and 50 chins. We head out tomorrow. Probably get some tabata burpees or something in the morning before we head out.
