Training Log: Entry 3033

AM WORKOUT (0405 wake up via alarm) FASTED (I genuinely think I’m going to stop logging “fasted” at this point, as it’s the default).

**MESS** Workout 29: Mass Made Simple Workout 14 (Final Mass Made Simple Workout)

*EASY STRENGTH WORK*

Axle continental and press away/weighted chin superset
1x166 (blackout issues)
2x3x166
3x3x45

(3)Axle double overhand deficit deadlift
3x3x235+chains

Standing ab wheel
1x10

Reverse hyper
75x250

*MASS MADE SIMPLE WORK*

Complex A (row-clean-front squat-press-squat-good morning)
3x2x145 (1 min rests)

Buffalo Bar Squat
10x102
5x142
3x192
**40+5+5x212** 17 rep PR

9 minutes of assistance work (curls, raises, shrugs, pull aparts, pushdowns, push ups)

Notes:

* With that, the Mass Made Simple portion of this block is done.  Though I did not run the “whole program”, I did the parts that by Dan’s own admission actually BUILD the mass, and I will flat out say it rocks, Dan clearly knows what he is doing, I am transformed and I am a big fan of this protocol.  I grew in a LOT of ways, and clearly gave that squat my all this morning.  

* Regarding the squat: my previous best was 23 reps…so this was absolutely insane.   I came in with 30 as the goal, but every time I dug for another it was there.  I very well may have had another rep after 40, but I could see the writing on the wall.  Something I did with this approach that may have held me back was hitting 75 reps of reverse hyper prior to a big squat set, as I was feeling the load in my lower back moreso than anywhere else, but honestly: who f**king cares.  I am so over the moon with this performance.  I weighed 171lbs last I checked, so this was 40lbs over bodyweight for 40 reps at the END of a workout, using a high bar, with no belt, etc etc etc.  

* The start of the workout was rough.  About blacked out on the press.  For future Easy Strength runs, it’s going to make more sense to start out with the deadlift and press later in the workout.  But once I got a handle on things it moved a little better.  I listened to a recent Dan John podcast and he recanted a little on his 3x3 recommendation, talking about how an “advanced trainee” would stall a little earlier on that approach, and I’m seeing how that can be the case.  I’m still planning on riding this out, because I have nothing to lose from the experiment, but I’ve got some great lessons learned for moving forward.  

* Had a great carb-up meal yesterday.  Mrs made lobster ravioli and cheese tortellini in a Bolognese sauce, alongside some classic Pillsbury crescent rolls, and dessert was 4 chocolate chip and M&Ms cookies with a mug of skim milk.  I brought out some local creamed pumpkin honey to put on the cookies as well, and that was just absolutely amazing.  I woke up this morning looking grainy.  It’s crazy what happens when I trust the process on this one.

* In that regard, I’ve got 2 more days of the Famine before I roll back into the feast.  This was an interesting experiment in “flexible famine”.  I’ve had to ration my Metabolic Drive, so in the interim I leaned more heavily on egg whites and VERY lean cuts of meat (piedmontese grassfed sirloin, chicken breasts/tenderloins, tuna, etc) and have still managed to achieve a similar outcome as before.  Which, of course, makes sense: it’s simply supposed to be a protein sparing modified fast for 2 weeks to reset/prime the system, but it’s always good to get a confirmation through experience.  If I ever needed to rock this approach fully carnivore, I can make it happen.

Got in a 3.5 mile walk in the PM with the wife and kiddo