Training Log: Entry 3804

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 3, Workout 4

"PROWLER SPRINTS"

16 chins
16 dips

5 rounds of prowler sprints w/5 minute rest between rounds

15 chins
15 dips

Notes:

• 90lbs loaded on the prowler, high handles, the "long course".

• First 2 sprints were about 45 seconds, then 50, 52, 49

• Really found another gear today. The first sprint moved so easily I thought I had misloaded the prowler, and my recovery between rounds was much better, to the point that I added another sprint today and actually improved my time compared to the penultimate sprint. Really focused on driving through vs just getting to the end.

• My back felt like it was going to snap in half yesterday, and I quit bowing during Tang Soo Do because it was just agonizing. This morning felt much better once I got the first sprint in. Very tonic.

• The extra half hour I get to sleep in on this day is amazing beneficial for my psychology.

• Tang Soo Do last night was a moderate amount of intensity. Lot of time spent doing hyungs, but class was so big we had to split our time on the training floor. One more class tonight.

• Weighed 83.5kg this morning: up .9kg from my weigh ins though the week. 2 meals yesterday, and I haven't been getting in my lunchtime walks.

• I have the next 4 days off, so schedule is going to be off. Chaos, as always, is the plan.

 Training Log: Entry 3803

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 3, Workout 3

16 Chins
16 Dips

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x6x170

SSB front squats
3x6x235

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(4) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
16x405+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x6x106

Reverse hyper/hanging leg raise/band pull apart circuit
3x12x270/3x10/3x25

Notes:

• Not unmotivated to train this morning, but woke up still sleepy. Since today is the 90 minute TSD day, it means I have no possible way to get this workout in any other time, and I had breakfast waiting for me when it was done, so enough motivators to get it done.

• Log felt incredibly strong today. Front squat took until the final rep of the second set to really find my groove, and then the third set was better than the first 2. I have to just sink even DEEPER than I think I can. If I stop too soon, my knees hurt, but if I go until rock bottom, there is no pressure on them.

• Figured out that the starting pull on the deads is heavily influenced by the strength of my bracing, which shouldn't be a shock, but explains why I have some good days and some not. In turn, today was a good day, and though 16 reps is fewer than last workout by 1, I didn't kill myself to get there, which is the real goal. These need to be submaximal efforts so I can replicate them.

• Curls were quite heavy, but there's value in that.

• Weighed in at 82.6: third day in a row. Very unique experience. Good data point there. In terms of physique, Valkyrie caught me in the middle of changing and blurted out "holy cow you're hot", and our Tang Soo Do instructor last night was demonstrating a spear hand strike and emphasizing "hard on soft" saying "you want to strike a soft target, like the throat or the stomach...well, maybe the stomach isn't a soft target on you..." So things are in a good way.

• I am seeing how infrequently I can get away with my physical therapy at this point, going with an every other day approach. So far so good.

 Training Log: Entry 3802

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie's alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 3, Workout 2

16 chins
16 dips

Rower Fobbits for 20 minutes

• 2 minutes on rower

• One Naihanchi Chodan

• Repeat until done

Notes:

• I continue to really like this, and I may include it even in mass gaining phases. I push harder during the 2 minutes on the rower, because I have the intervals to break it up, and I perform the Hyung under further and further states of fatigue. However, getting up off the rower every 2 minutes also keeps my hips from binding up, which is really the one thing I don't care for about the rower, so it obviates that. It's great getting in the reps on the hyung as well.

• My body feels really good all things considered. Muscles are sore but joints and connective tissues are happy, which is exactly where you want to land.

• It's a given that before every workout, I do the chins and dips, but when I DO remember to log it, I will.

• Weighed in at 82.6kg this morning: first time I've had a repeat weight, whereas typically I gain slightly on Tuesdays when I eat 2 meals, so another good data point. Also noted indications of increased leanness this morning: abdominals are tightening up and I'm getting more of that "shrink wrapped" effect. The big thing is for me to make sure I'm still pushing the weights hard. During previous leaning out phases, my training wasn't prioritizing maximal strength, and I'd end up stringy by the end of it. I'm also at peace with the notion that just because I HAVE 13 weeks to lean out doesn't mean I need to use them: if I meet the goal, I can transition to a maintenance approach and just focus on competition prep. Thankfully, "Red Meat and Black Coffee" makes this incredibly simple: go from 2 breakfasts in a work week to 3.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. It's "Wildcard/Cardio" week, so should be decent activity.

 Training Log: Entry 3801

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 3, Workout 1

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

SSB Front squat
2xBar
2x135
1x185
1x225
1x275
2x315 (matches last week)

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
5x6x170

Stone of Steel to platform
5x6x160

ASSISTANCE (circuit)

SSB front rack hold
3x30 seconds x 315

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull apart
3x25

Notes:

• Another solid training motivation day. I feel it's worth observing that my motivation to TRAIN is high while my motivation to learn about training/nutrition is exhausted. I typically listen to podcasts when I drive, and for the past 2 weeks I've listened to music when I drive, with the only exception being on Thursdays when Dan John's podcast is released. This may actually be something to look into: I wonder if I become oversaturated with stimulus.

• I was feeling quite stiff today, and honestly most of the weekend as well. The front squat was a struggle, with the second rep being a fight, bar falling forward, having to carry the weight in my arms. Harder than last week. Part of that is being lower weight (to be discussed), but I feel the stiffness is attributable to sitting in some awful wooden chairs for an hour on Friday at a Verizon store getting a new phone for the kiddo, and then we spent 2 hours sitting in some awful folding chairs on Saturday to get some judging certifications for Tang Soo Do. "Sitting is the new smoking", and it's like a hotboxed a carton ala Bobby Hill this weekend.

• Log keeps feeling stronger. Biffed the clean on the third set: snagged it on the belt vs the shirt.

• The stone keeps improving. More touches mean more learning opportunities. Understood the value of really getting under it and hugging it into my lap vs trying to row it today. The hot spot on my chest is continuing to harden up, and in a few weeks I imagine I'll stop bleeding when I do this.

• Got trough 1x16 and 3x15 chins last week. This week starts 2x16/2x15

• Yesterday was a high activity day, but no training. Walked the dogs for 3 miles and did a little over an hour of yard work. Also had our family meal: 6 slices of homemade sourdough pizza and 4 of the Valkyrie's peanutbutter butterscotch cookies with raw local honey. We carpet bombed these pizzas with meat toppings: it was wonderful. Weekends keep highlighting to me how well the healing continues: I have no anxiety regarding "having" to train, and, instead, think to myself "I trained enough this week: I need to rest and recover so I can do it again next week".

• Weighed in at 82.6kg this morning: down a full kilo from last week. The plan is working incredibly well and absolutely painlessly, as demonstrated above, and with proof of concept being that I'm fasting today because I didn't feel hungry post training. Works out well with it being Father's day/Juneteenth weekend, as we'll be going out on Friday and I'll be making a brisket on Sunday.

 Training Log: Entry 3800

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 5

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and press away
3xLog
2x150
1x170
1x190
3x205 (5lb PR from last week)

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

SSB front squat
5x8x220

Stone of Steel to platform
5x5x160

ASSISTANCE (circuit)

SSB front rack hold
3x30 seconds x315

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• Training motivation remains in a good spot. This was my ticket to punch to get to Friday.

• That triple on the log felt so good I contemplated going up in weight for another set, but decided to go by Westside rules and shut it down when I hit the PR and end on a good note. Strength is coming in a good way and I'm remembering how to move a log again.

• Front squats don't suck as much as they could. Temps were cooler, which helped.

• I wore a strongman belt on the stones to help keep my shirt in place, which cut down a little on the rub, but I'm still leaving bloodstains on my undershirt. I'll have to build up some calluses. But in general the stone technique is really coming along strong and I'm feeling good with it.

• In general, I'm liking the direction this training phase is moving in. It's just what I need.

• Tang Soo Do last night was great for some experimenting. Our instructor really liked a twist I put on one of our onesteps, ending it with a hell hook from a standing position. Said it was "next level".

• Weighed in at 82.2kg. Got nutrition locked in as well.

 Training Log: Entry 3799

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 4

16 chins
16 dips

"600m resets" on rower

• 600m row max effort

• 5 min rest

• Repeat for a total of 6 rounds

Notes:

• Chaos is the plan. Had the prowler loaded up in my truck last night with the intent to get out this morning and do some prowler sprints. Woke up to thunder storms. Was still willing to risk pushing a hunk of metal outside while lightning was striking, because "struck by lighting while pushing a prowler" gets you a direct ticket to Valhalla, but then, as I was lacing up my shoes, I heard the beginning of what the local weather station referred to as "tennis ball sized hail"

• "The clouds will part and the sky cracks open/
  And God himself will reach his fucking arm through/
  Just to push you down, just to hold you down" yeah, it happens. And in full FULL disclosure, I was STILL willing to go push a prowler in all that nonsense...until I realized that I'd have to DRIVE to my prowler spot, and that was going to subject my TRUCK to the hail. THAT proved to be the bridge too far, so onto the rower I went.

• I cracked open my kindle copy of TBII as I was heading down the basement steps and found 600m resets, and realized I'd always wanted to do this workout but never allocated the proper amount of time to do so, so this was a happy accident. The 5 minutes of rest and 6 rounds of training adds up, but I had a sufficient time budget allocated for the prowler.

• First round was done in 2:22, added a second for the next 2 rounds, then the 4th round was a 2-3 second delta at about 2:27, 5th round I was hurting at 2:33, and I redeemed it slightly in the final round at 2:30. I just googled masters 40+ track athlete 600m times, and for men a competitive time is 1:18-1:35, which means that, in the future, 600m of rowing doesn't map 1 for 1 onto this protocol, but for today it did the job, because I was hurting when those rounds were over. I went full "deep water", leaving nothing behind for the swim back, and just attacked the hell out of the rower from the start and hung on for dear life at the end.

• This honestly made me appreciate TB's own conditioning, compared to what I've chosen to do in prep for strongman. It'll be good to get more TB centric when this competition is done. Although I DID see one in Iowa on 10 Oct that grabbed my attention slightly...

• Tang Soo Do wasn't too intense last night, but for the best, as the Valkyrie and I have received some pointed feedback on techniques and we got to drill those. Still got to use 15 minutes before class to drill some Hyungs, so the extra activity is adding up.

• Weighed in at 83.3kg this morning: .8kg gain from yesterday.

 Training Log: Entry 3798

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 3

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x8x155

SSB front squat
3x8x220

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(5) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
17x405+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x8x98

Reverse hyper/hanging leg raise/band pull apart circuit
3x10x270/3x10/3x25

Lateral raise
35x10, 15x5

Notes:

• Training motivation is in a better place. Past 2 lifting workouts I was ready to go. Not excited, but also not negotiating with myself to get through. Despite not being in a building phase, I think the set up of this program has enough novelty in it that I have something to look forward to each day. In general, I really appreciate the little gem that Operator Pro is, and I'm thankful I cracked open the Green Protocol to find it.

• Heat index and humidity in full effect: I was drenched. The headband and grip shirt do a good job of keeping it all under wraps, but it's just miserable in that environment. Grip shirt is ALSO helpful in that regard: it's nice not having the equipment slip all over me. Another product I should have bought earlier.

• Log clean is really feeling strong. Discovering just how valuable it is to clean off the stomach.

• Sinking the front squats as deep as they'll go. Feeling the VMO each rep.

• I actually had higher hopes for the mat pulls. My warm-up with 315 felt like an empty bar, but 405 was slow off the blocks. I'm thinking I braced better on the warm-up, so that's something I'll look to. Still, 17 is 1 rep above last week, with greater ROM. Seeing how my hips feel.

• Walked the reps back on the reverse hypers. Ultimately, I want them to be therapeutic. Curls were challenging. Rest of assistance work was effectively filler.

• With it being the summer Hyung challenge, I actually got a solid workout in at Tang Soo Do despite it being one-steps week. I spent 20 minutes before class just blitzing through weapon and open hand hyungs. With the heat, I was pouring sweat at the end. This will be a nice little 3x a week extra activity. Tonight is the 90 minute class.

• Weighed in at 82.5kg this morning. A 1.5kg drop from yesterday, which checks between a fasting day and 2 days post carb up.

 Training Log: Entry 3797

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 2

“FOBBITS: Illegal Barbarian/Monk Multi-class”

16 chins
16 dips

• 2 minutes on rower, then Naihanchi Cho Dan

• Repeat for 20 minutes total

Notes:

• Came up with this last night, and I’m happy with how it shook out. Chance to combine conditioning and martial arts training, and they feed into each other. As the rounds go on, fatigue accumulates, and I have to focus harder to keep my technique sharp on the hyung, and the hyung has enough power and intensity in it that it disrupts the rower.

• Moved faster/harder on the rower than would be typical “recovery” speed, so this was more a legit conditioning workout. However, I feel the rower itself will still have the desired tonic effect by being a concentric only exercise (which, come to think of it, so is the prowler, so I am so much smarter than I realize sometimes). On that note, my body is feeling excellent despite having done 5x8 atlas stones yesterday, so things are boding well.

• Weighed in at 84.0kg this morning. .4 gain from yesterday, which I was seeing in the previous training cycle. This still reflects a 1kg drop from last week Tuesday.

• Tang Soo Do may be happening tonight. Chaos is the plan. It’s one step week, so tends to be low intensity in general.

 Training Log: Entry 3796

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 1

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

SSB Front squat
3xBar
2x135
1x185
1x225
1x275
2x315

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
5x8x155

Stone of Steel to Platform
5x8x135

ASSISTANCE (circuit)

SSB front rack hold
3x30 seconds x 315

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• Training motivation was more solid for this than usual. Novelty of a new day, and I think this is probably the least “miserable” day of the training block. Moving big (ish) weights on the front squat is always a delight, especially when it means not having to do lots of reps.

• Shoulders fell a little forward on the second rep of 315. I’ll see if I can “own” that weight some other time.

• Pressing is feeling better. I’m re-learning how to lean off my stomach instead of my chest. Also have to remember to squeeze my glutes and create a stable base.

• Was able to conquer the stone today. Sprung for some receiver gloves, and they’re an absolute game changer. I’d prefer to use less equipment, but given the circumstances with sweat and humidity, it’d better for me to groove frequent good reps than just grind slop over and over again. The gloves get a good, consistent grab on the stone, especially combined with the shirt. The consequence is that the stone is rubbing parts of my chest completely raw/bleeding from so many reps, so I’m going to develop some very interesting calluses soon.

• Finished off with abs and rear delts. In doing so, it dawned on me the difference between what I do and what I see young trainees do. When given an opportunity to do assistance work, it’s always vanity stuff and, in turn, WAAAY too much of it. For me, it’s “insurance work”: let me do those things that allow me to KEEP training another day. It’s like an oil change for the body, instead of trying to put on a new spoiler.

• Got in all 4 sets of 15 on chins and dips for all 7 days last week. Today started off with 16, and the rest of the sets will be 15s.

• Weighed in at 83.6kg this morning. That’s post family meal, wherein my Valkyrie made the most amazing sourdough rolls that tasted just like the breadsticks from my favorite neighborhood resturant growing up, alongside some sphagetti with meatsauce and 4 peanut butter/recees’ pieces cookies with some raw honey. Note it was 4 instead of 5: I’m dieting after all. This is also a 1.4kg lower weight than last week’s starting weight (which was technically on a Tuesday), but that was also post travel, so baselines are still a bit tough to establish.

 Training Log: Entry 3795

AM WORKOUT (0358 natural wake up)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 1, Workout 4 (off cycle due to travel)

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and push press away
3xLog
2x150
1x170
1x190
3x200

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

SSB front squat
5x10x205

Stone of Steel to platform
10x135
4x5x135

ASSISTANCE

SSB front rack hold
3x30 secondsx315lb

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• All I wanted to do was sleep more. A good sign compared to my sleep avoiding days, but I had no latitude in the schedule to pull that off, so I got up and did this. First morning where I found myself wanting breakfast, so my appetite has returned.

• The log is feel really strong. The shirt helps. 200 is a good place to work from. If I add 5lbs each week, that’s 60lbs by the time the competition rolls around, which shows that this ISN’T going to happen, so I can blunt my expectations there. The exact wrong thing to do is plan out progression on a daily max, but I know where I can build from here. That 3rd rep was a grinder, so I can try to get 200 smoother next week or go for a heavier double.

• 5x10 front squats weren’t quite as awful as I would have expected. Battling the humidity is the hardest part. I was dying in that grip shirt, and it came to show harder on the stones.

• Original plan was 5x10 on the stones. That MAY have been possible if there wasn’t a sweat factor to contend with. The tacky towel was failing, and I started slipping on the stone, which is exactly what led to my left bicep tear. Capped it at 5, which, due to the circumstances, was still a very solid workout.

• I really like how the weeks shake out with this protocol. The front squat builds through the week, starting with a 2-3rm, then 3x10, then 5x10. The press does the opposite: starting out with 5x10, then 3x10, and then peaking with the 2-3rm. I’m thinking the stone of steel can go 3xHypertrophy reps on Monday and 5x5 on Friday, with the deadlift in the middle.

• Tang Soo Do was challenging last night. We spent a good majority of class in the horse riding stance. My right knee is a little tender as a result.

• Weighed 83.2kg this morning, another .2kg drop from yesterday, resulting in a total of 1.8kg (very close to 4lbs) lost since Tuesday. Good data points all around there. I was able to painlessly fast 3 days in a row, which isn’t what I would prefer to do for the following weeks, but it’s good info to have.

 Training Log: Entry 3794

AM WORKOUT (0359 natural wake up, snoozed until 0425, also natural wake up)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 1, Workout 3 (off cycle due to travel)

“Prowler Sprints”

• 4 rounds w/90lbs loaded on high handles

Notes:

• Since this was an AM workout, this was on the longer course, so each sprint took between 48-55 seconds.

• Opened with 15 chins and dips as well. Took 5 minutes between rounds, walking the course. Focused on transitioning to nose breathing as soon as I was able to, really trying to master recovery between rounds.

• Prioritized never stopping during the sprint: just keep on pushing. And I keep writing “sprint”, but it’s most just “all out effort”, as after the first 12 seconds I know I’m slowing down.

• 4 rounds remains the right time to shut it down. Really making a point to emphasize “perfect practice” on this workout and not grooving garbage. By the time it was done, by quads were jelly and I was hands on knees after the final round. And I do believe it was this work that resulted in my improved conditioning for the 5k I did, and my continued improved general conditioning on display in my rower workouts.

• I opted for this workout today instead of the weekend because we’re getting a projection for thunderstorms this weekend, alongside the fact I need to mow my lawn sometime BEFORE that happens, which will also eat into weekend time. In turn, I’m glad to see the flexibility that exists in my schedule. On the micro level, I slept in an extra 30 minutes, which means I can also NOT do that sometimes and use that time for walking, rucking or hyungs. Opportunities abound.

• Weighed 83.4kg this morning. .2kg drop from yesterday. Fasting again today: still don’t have that morning appetite, but I can feel it coming close. I imagine I can resume a more normal schedule next week, but I’m also considering shortening the eating window and bringing lunch to work instead, eating a meal there and an evening meal. It’s fun to continue playing around with this.

• Tang Soo Do was a solid workout last night. 90 minute class with a lot of time spent doing hyung: open hand and weapon. Tonight is the final class for the week.

 Training Log: Entry 3793

AM WORKOUT (0345 natural wake up, snooze until 0400)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 1, Workout 2 (off cycle due to travel)

15 chins
15 dips

SECONDARY CLUSTER

Log clean and strict press away
3x10x145

SSB front squats
3x10x205

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(6) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
16x405+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x10x91

Hanging leg raise/band pull apart superset
3x10/25

Notes:

• First day back to lifting, and I’m very happy with how I decided to approach it. 3 sets was just right to jump back in, and I may consider doing something like that for this first 3 week wave in general, but if I’m feeling good I’ll stick with 5…or upset Dan John and settle on 4.

• The grip shirt on the log is such a game changer. Just makes the whole thing move so much better. And also props to @PowPowPunishment for pointing out what an asset this is for front squats as well. When combined with the SSB, that bar will NEVER move.

• The order of exercises on this seems bizarre, but it’s primarily logistically driven. But doing the log first, I can clean up the training area and set up for the mat pulls while I rest from the front squats. Which is to say, if I had more training space, I WOULDN’T do it this way, but this is still making me stronger.

• I’m hitting depths in the front squat I don’t traditionally hit with other variants, and can feel my VMO responding.

• The front squat IS an excellent warm up for the mat pulls, as I felt quite strong approaching them. And I figured out how to shorten up the straps that hook the chains to the bar so I get more weight on the pull. 16 reps wasn’t my absolute limit, but was a good enough stopping point for today. No need to thrash myself and have to pay for it so far out from competition.

• I’m happy to keep those curls in. They’re good for me. And based on today, I still have time for a little more movement, so I’ll most likely bring reverse hypers back into this.

• Weighed in at 83.6kg, so a 1.4kg drop from yesterday. Weight is normalizing, as is appetite, as I still had no desire to eat post training today, so I’m making it another fasting day. Basically operating off the “easy fasting” protocol. If I’m not hungry: I’m not eating.

• Tang Soo Do was a moderate amount of activity yesterday. Tonight is the 90 minute class.

 Training Log: Entry 3792

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s Alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 1, Workout 1 (off cycle due to travel)

15 chins
15 dips

20 minute row (4160m covered)

Notes:

• Back on the program. This week is going to be a break-in week for the rest of this 12 week training block, due to my travel schedule. I’ll do my first day of lifting tomorrow, lift twice this week, and then get back onto 3x week lifting. This row helped get me back into the rhythm of training again, and the chins and dips are part of a daily 4 sets to accumulate (at present) 60 reps total.

• Slight PR on the row, which I’m not chasing, indicative of my general fitness still in a good place. After this bridge week (more like 8-9 days), my body feels completely pain-free. That’s a novelty for me, but also indicative that my body isn’t broken: it’s just always recovering. When I actually LET it recover, it’s fine. That’s good to know.

• I broke my streak of unbroken days of physical therapy during my cruise. I was still as diligent as I could be, but had a few days where it just didn’t happen, or didn’t happen all the way. Knee still feels good though.

• Weighed 85.0kg this morning. Travel weight is sorting itself out. I had a solid breakfast of eggs, salmon and some bacon yesterday, fasted all through the travel, and had a can of salmon, a can of tuna and some anchovies as a meal when I got home, just keeping up the fish theme from the cruise. Appetite is pretty low (understandably so), and I may end up fasting until dinner for the rest of the week to get my body back on track.

BRIDGE WEEK

This week happened to occur on a week where I am experiencing some slight illness and I will be on a cruise, so that worked out well.  Will resume logging upon return to normal training.

 Training Log: Entry 3791

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 4, Workout 5 (Final lifting workout)

20 chins

DB rows
4x12x130

Axle curls
4x12x78

GHRs
4x12x60

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
2x17

EVENTS

Stone of Steel to platform (5 rounds, 1 min on/2 min off)
3x190
4x4x190

Notes:

• Short night: got to bed late. It’s also a day off work, so not much incentive to get up early and get this done, but it meant I’d get more time with family, and this workout really feels like the “dessert” for eating my workout vegetables all week. It dawns on me how that analogy totally doesn’t work when I only eat meat, with no dessert or vegetables.

• All the weights felt reasonable. Good pump on the curls.

• Technique breakthrough on the stone. Light weight allowed me to figure out that if I lap the stone with my torso a little high and then squat down right before I go for the load, I can get it much higher on the extension. Much smoother load as a result. Nice to sort that out so early in the training cycle.

• Tang Soo Do sparring was pretty good. I was able to beat our resident Dojang bully by letting him foul on me a bunch until he got frustrated and then I speared him with some punches. However, my right shin eventually shut me down. It got smashed to hell on Tues and just hasn’t had a chance to recover, and I finally tapped out when the Valkyrie connected with a good blow. She read my eyes and mercifully ended the match when I left my guard open. Still, this was probably my best week as far as making stuff works goes.

• Weighed in at 82.6kg this morning: a practically 2kg drop from the start of the week. The swings got bigger toward the end of the mass building cycle, but I stayed around the same weight as far as trends go. This completes 13 weeks of Mass Protocol as a recomp rather than a dedicated mass phase, and I really dug it. I’m remembering this for the future. But now, I’m fasting until lunch, where I’m going to very much enjoy a Brazilian steakhouse, make that my one meal for today, and then continue feasting and recovering through the week.  

 Training Log: Entry 3790

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 4, Workout 4

SSB Squat
4x12x265

Look for hope: max in 1 minute.

• None found.

Lever belt squat
4x12x250

Axle strict press from rack
2x12x123
11x123
7+4+2x123

(3) Incline DB bench
4x12x65

Dips
2x12x47.5
11+1x47.5
10+2x47.5

ASSISTANCE

Hanging leg raise
2x10

Notes:

• There are no words in the English language that can properly convey how much I did not want to do this workout today. I am so burnt out and ready for my bridge week. I told myself so many lies to get myself out of bed and under that bar, and amazingly that first set felt absolutely incredible. Stupidly strong under the weight. The 1 minute rests took the wind totally out of my sails, but that was expected.

• Rested 1 minute between all squats and the dips. Presses went 60-120-120. DBs were 60-120-120.

• On axle strict press, really felt my triceps giving up at the end. I’ll be re-including my push press finisher at the end of the set for my competition prep training cycles, which should help a touch there.

• Sparring last night wasn’t terribly active, but I had an excellent match against our senior blackbelt. We finished the round tied at 1-1, but he had me dead to rights on my spin side kick and came in with a lunge punch during overtime. I gotta throw something different against him.

• Weighed in at 83.8kg this morning. Coffee fast today, and then a lot of glorious feasting coming up. Kiddo’s last day of school is tomorrow, it’s a half day, and they requested Terra Gaucha (Brazilian steakhouse) for lunch…so needless to say I’m coffee fasting until then tomorrow as well. We then celebrate a birthday on Saturday, with a request for homemade sourdough and a special birthday cake. I’m attempting a “fire and water” sous vide and smoke brisket on Memorial Day (Monday) and, when I presented all this to the Valkyrie and said “we’ll have to figure out Sunday”, she immediately suggested our favorite BBQ spot, to which I won’t turn down brisket 3 times in 4 days. And then, on Wed, I fly out for a cruise, which is just 4 days on a mobile buffet. It’s an excellent time for gaining.

 Training Log: Entry 3789

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm, rough night of sleep)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 4, Workout 3

(7) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
5x470

DB rows
4x12x120

Axle curls
4x12x73

GHR
4x12x55

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
31

Reverse hyper/band pull apart circuit
3x15x270/3x25

Notes:

• Sleep was short and rough. Got to bed a little later than usual, and my mind started racing about work stuff around 0330.

• That mat pull was in the realm of “strength miracles”, which tells me that I need to cycle the weight back when I return from my cruise. I’m sure part of that is I’m in my 13th straight week of training without a bridge week, to include having set a PR last week, and I’m most likely extremely fatigued, but there’s also no rush, and lighter weights mean longer distance to stalls. No point in racing to a redlight.

• Left hip was a little upset with this. I noticed it was achy yesterday while I sat through a performance at my kid’s school. Just kinda short and tight.

• Everything else felt pretty solid. Reducing the weight on reverse hypers has been good. Movement is more tonic.

• I was the Dojang sparring champ last night, having beaten 2 black belts and 1 senior student on my way there. One of said black belts seems threatened by me, and expressed that my spin kicking me about 1 inch away from my parts full force, followed by calf kicking me, whereas the senior student punched me in the mouth hard enough to draw blood…in non-contact sparring…with no punches to the head. I’ve got a small limp from the calf kick, which impacted the pulls this morning. We’re doing some more sparring tonight: I’ll see how I hold up after that.

• Weighed in at 83.1kg this morning, which is a 1.2kg drop from yesterday and 1.4kg drop from Monday. Big spikes and big drops: think my body is really responding to the carbs these days. Perhaps a sign of improved insulin sensitivity.

 Training Log: Entry 3788

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 4, Workout 2

“ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BLOAT”

20 chins

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• Got 4175m done, 25m more than last time, once again without a specific effort to do more in the time. General fitness is up. I’m legit watching youtube videos of the “200 best gameboy games in chronological order” to pass the time while I row, which is an excellent distractor and totally not motivating to really push the pace.

• My body feels incredible. The return to low weight and high reps has been quite tonic. I’ll have to remember this in the future.

• Tang Soo Do is sparring tonight. Hopeful for some good activity.

• Weighed in at 84.3kg. Still quite high, but typically my Tuesday weigh in is higher than my Monday, whereas this week was a .2kg reduction. Curious to see how this unfolds.

 Training Log: Entry 3787

AM WORKOUT (0359 natural wake up)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 4, Workout 1

SSB Squat
4x12x240

Lever belt squat
4x12x225

Axle strict press from rack
3x12x113
11+1x113

(3) Incline DB Bench
4x12x60s

Dips
4x12x27.5

ASSISTANCE CIRCUIT

Hanging leg raise/lateral raise
3x10/20, 15, 10x10lb

Notes:

• I strategically picked Clutch’s “Book of Bad Decisions” for today’s workout, because I enjoy irony.

• It’s good to get back to the light weights at the re-start of this cycle. For the most part, I’m keeping the maxes the same and just focusing on “owning the weight”, especially since I’m only going to get in 6 lifting workouts before my cruise. Still mulling around the plan for when I return, but I’m ultimately drowning in a sea of good choices, so if need be I’ll just break out the 20-sided die and be good.

• My right knee is a little angry these days, which I’ve observed is a product of heavy SSB squats, and I could most likely resolve it by switching to flat soled shoes, but the light weight of this week will most likely be tonic enough. Otherwise, all other connective tissue is feeling good.

• Presses were strong today. Rest times were 1 minute for all squats and the dips, then 60-90-120 for the axle and DB.

• Weighed in at 84.5kg this morning. Highest of the cycle, which I’ve said 3 weeks in a row now, yet last week also had my lowest weigh in at the end of the week. Been feasting on a lot of high sodium fare, so we’ll see how much sticks, but given this is the mass protocol, some gaining SHOULD be happening.

• Got through all 7 days of 3x19 chins last week. Opened up this workout with 20. I’m curious if I’ll be able to maintain this on my cruise.

 Training Log: Entry 3786

AM WORKOUT (0930)

TACTICAL BARBELL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 6

“Prowler Sprints”

4 rounds, high handles, 90lbs loaded

Notes:

• 100 pace distance, 4 minutes rest between rounds. Fastest was 35 seconds and slowest was 41.

• Training effect is still being achieved. I am gassed and my legs are pumped at the end. After my bridgeweek, this will move toward harness pulls.

• Chaos remains the plan: I’ve decided to reverse my previous decision and just run another week of Bravo. I got a handle on my schedule: I depart on Wed 27 Mar, so it seems pointless to try a whole new program for such a short duration. I’ll get in 6 more lifting workouts this way. I’m keeping most of the weights the same for this cycle and just focusing on owning it.

• On the nutrition recap front, breakfast was similar to yesterday, and then did the family meal tonight with 6 slices of homemade sourdough pizza and 5 of the Valkyrie’s cookies (2 sourdough chocolate ship, 3 oatmeal butterscotch chocolate chip) with raw local honey. Also picked these up at the Asian Market.

• 

• I’ve been wanting to try anchovies for quite a while, but they’re always packed in Olive oil. This was an excellent solution. And after eating them, I don’t see what the big deal is: they taste pretty benign. Could use some salt. I can see adding these to my breakfast to get in a few more Omega 3s.

 Training Log: Entry 3785

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 5

DB rows
4x8x180

Axle curls
3x8x103
6+2x103

GHRs
4x8x80

GHR sit ups
30

Stone of Steel load to platform
215lb stone, 4 rounds, Fail, 1, 1, Fail

Notes:

• Final workout of the cycle, and it was stupidly heavy and cheaty: good way to send it out. I also want to celebrate that I look jacked in the thumbnail for the video, which is a real win.

• I know those DB rows were lacking in form, but they felt awesome on my back. Fantastic stretch.

• Curls were super cheaty. Good forearm pump.

• I think the stone was primarily a product of fatigue. Same weight I set a deadlift PR, I’m feeling fried. On the very last rep, I felt my left lower back/hip fire of a warning shot, so I shut down the rep. Might’ve had it if I fought for it. Re-learning lessons: the deeper I lap the stone, the higher it goes.

• Got in a lot of general physical activity after this. Mowed the lawn and did some fence repair.

• Weighed in at 81.8kg. This is the biggest week of fluctuations I’ve experience on the program. I’m looking leaner than usual: seeing telltale veins that are usually the signs of bodyfat dropping.

• Tang Soo Do had some solid physical elements to it yesterday. Decent enough workout. I’m intending to spend the rest of the day laying low, because I feel beat. The Valkyrie was noting that my body was radiating heat last night, so perhaps I’m ill, or my NEAT is just turned up.

 Training Log: Entry 3784

AM WORKOUT (0500 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 4

SSB Squat
4x8x325

Lever belt squat
4x8x330

Axle strict press from rack
3x8x146
5+3x146

(3) Incline DB bench
3x8x85s
6+2x85

Dip/HLR superset
17,15,13,11/3x10

Notes:

• Had the day off work, so slept in. Came up with a million plans on how to skip the squats, and then just knuckled up and did them. The 3rd set went better than the first 2 and gave me hope. The faster I did the squats, the sooner the set was over, and I kept it at 1 minute rest.

• Was surprisingly strong throughout. Rested 60-120-120 on the axle, then 90s on the DB. At that point, I was just thrashed and with this being the final workout of Specificity for this cycle, didn’t see a need to use weight on the dips.

• Weighed 82.0kg this morning. That’s a 2.2kg drop in 2 days, and a 1.3kg drop from yesterday. Apparently I was holding a lot of fluids. Things are fitting better, but it also makes feeling stronger today even more remarkable. I also don’t hurt as much as I expected after the deadlift yesterday.

• Tang Soo Do last night was a decent workout/amount of activity for the 90 minute class. At one point, we played a ring toss game, where, if you made the toss, you didn’t have to do they physical exercise on your deck of doom. I intentionally threw all my rings on the floor. I told my instructor “I’m not going to ‘win’ an opportunity to not do exercise”. They respected that.

• My competition has been moved from 8 Aug to 29 Aug. Gives me an extra 3 weeks to train for it, but I also don’t know if I want to spend 12 solid weeks in competition prep mode, so we’ll see. Chaos is always the plan. They also changed the weight classes, so now there’s only 4 groups to choose from, apparently something highland games does. I may go in the heaviest group, based off deadlift weight.

 Training Log: Entry 3783

AM WORKOUT (0358 natural wake up)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 3

Texas Deadlift Bar Deadlift
9x455 (+3 rep PR)

DB row
4x8x165

Axle curls
4x8x93

GHR
4x8x75

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
20, 15

Reverse hypers
3x15x270

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• I genuinely have no idea where those deadlifts came from, but I’m thankful for them. Anything above 6 was a PR with this weight. I wanted 10, would be satisfied with 8, wound up at 9. Actually had some difficulty finding the floor on the set: I’d hit one side and then the other. My strap set up had some issues, so I think that was part of it. May have actually had that 10th rep if I wasn’t fighting the bar the entire time. I’m definitely shot to hell from the training and due for that bridge week coming up, but that just makes this even more awesome. And the moonwalk afterwards is always a joy. I also came VERY close to blacking out at rep 7, after managing to hold my breath for that long.

• DB rows felt better than I deserved. Seem to really be responding well to the heavy weight. GHRs were awesome too.

• Dropped the weight on the reverse hypers. Noticed last week that they lit my hips up, and started to wonder if they were yet another contributor to my hip pain. My back is getting enough stimulus between the SSB, deadlifts and stones: this can be more of a rehab effort.

• Tang Soo Do last night was more about precision than anything else. Not too terribly active.

• Weighed in at 83.3kg this morning, 3rd week in a row that I dropped .9kg on Wed. Fun to see the consistency.

• I have the next 2 days off work, and my in-laws are coming into town. Schedule is going to be a little nutty, and I’m already dreading tomorrow’s squat workout, but it’s the last one of the program.

• I realized that we’ve taken a monthlong hiatus from ABF due to various obligations and competitions. Valkyrie has expressed interest in starting it back up again. I’m thinking the reduced pressing volume could actually be a contributor to my axle press not progressing as rapidly as it was previously.

 Training Log: Entry 3782

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 2

“ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BLOAT”

19 chins

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• Woke up feeling a million years old and couldn’t be more excited for a recovery row. Told myself distance didn’t matter: we were just there to feel good. Despite that, still got 4150 in the 20 minutes, matching last week. General fitness seems to be trending upward.

• “Row your bloat” true to form, because I weighed in at 84.2kg this morning: heaviest I’ve been in the entire 12 week Mass Protocol block. Specificity is absolutely wrecking me, in a way that I HOPE is hormetic. It’s definitely a “body by Nietzsche” thing. That said, I did feel much better after getting that row in.

• The daily chins are actually more a struggle than usual, which most likely the small amounts of weight gain are at play there.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. This week is Wildcard/Cardio, so we’ll see what kind of workout we get.

Training Log: Entry 3781

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm, rough night of sleep)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 1

SSB Squats
4x8x315

Lever belt squats
4x8x305

Axle strict press from rack
2x8x148
5x148
6+3x148

(3) DB incline bench
4x8x80s

Dips
7x105
2x4x105
15xBW

ASSISTANCE

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Notes:

• My training motivation is in a weird place, as yesterday afternoon I was thinking about this training day and feeling quite excited to get it done, but once it came time to actually pay my dues I had zero desire to do it. But part of that could be the puppy joining us in the middle of the night and then hacking in my face at 0200, waking me out of a sound sleep. But also, I am absolutely fried from this training. Steely eye observers will note I repeated the weight from last workout, which was sets of 10, and used it for sets of 8. I gave 335 and honest attempt and managed 2 reps with it, and knew that, yes, I COULD grind out a set of 8 with it, and quite possibly even 4 sets of 8, but in doing so I’d leave so much of my soul in the garage that I’d have nothing left to train on. Instead, I achieved a victory by keeping the rest times strictly at 1 minute, whereas last week I couldn’t get through that. I also kept the press weight at last weeks, so I’m operating off split percentages for the final week of Specificity.

• This tends to happen in the final weeks of the program, and one of the contributors is I don’t use a different TM between my buffalo bar squat and my SSB squat. I can get away with that in the first 2 weeks, but I always end up having to pay the piper in the final week. I’m also learning that 9 weeks is probably my cut off before I need to take a bridge week. I’ve been playing on borrowed time. But also, while I’m talking about how I could have done this better, I’m thinking the recomp strategy was the right call for Grey Man, and once I entered the realm of Specificity I needed to stop eating like a prom queen and just open up the floodgates. But honestly, it’s pretty cool I’m still learning lessons at 40 after 26 years of lifting. It’d be boring if I already knew everything.

• Too little too late, but these next few weeks are gonna be some great feasting weeks, which I suppose will give me a little caloric runway leading up to my comp in Aug…which I’m hoping is still on, because as it stands I’m still literally the only competitor signed up.

• Weighed in at 83.8kg this morning. Yesterday was a wonderful classic family meal of spaghetti with 93% lean ground beef, some homemade sourdough rolls with grassfed butter and 3 peanut butter, reece’s pieces butterscotch cookies and a homemade sourdough banana muffin with raw local honey. We also went out to eat at the Valkyrie’s favorite Hawaiian BBQ place for mother’s day, so my sodium is in a good place.

• Just a little bit of reflection: gaining programs and endurance events always make me wonder how life would have gone if I never cared about certain health markers or having to maintain a certain bodyweight. I am so talented at eating large quantities and enduring significant sustained periods of misery. Somewhere out there, on an alternate timeline, I am a 308lb powerlifter, and on another one a 150lb ultramarathoner…and on another one, a youtube competitive eater.

 Training Log: Entry 3780

AM WORKOUT (0900)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 6

Prowler Sprints

4 sprints, high handle prowler, 90lbs loaded

Notes:

• 100 paces for the distance, sprints ranged from 37-41 seconds, and then rested 4 minutes. This is still just the perfect prescription for now. Once I get back from the cruise, I’ll ramp this up a little. Got this done on Sunday rather than Saturday, but given the nature of the prowler I don’t think it will impact my recovery that much.

• Got the full 19-19-18 on chins this week.  

 Training Log: Entry 3779

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm: rough night of sleep)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 5

DB row
4x10x155

Axle curls
4x10x91

GHR
4x10x70

GHR sit up
20, 15

Stone of Steel to platform
4 1 minute rounds w/205lb stone
-Triples for rounds 1, 2 and 4, a single and missed double on round 3.

Notes:

• I love that this workout is on Friday, because I actually appreciate this one. It’s so much easier psychologically, and my reward at the end is I get to play with an event. I put the final touches on the platform and now it’s solid: I’m using bands/band pegs to keep the swiss bar in place, which locks the whole thing down. Zero sliding, and, in turn, I got some crazy loads on it. It’s a little louder, being a little heavier, but the workout still times to when the Valkyrie wakes up, so this is continuing to prove sustainable.

• What ISN’T sustainable is getting woken up at 0200 to the news that the dog pooped on the carpet. Got back to sleep around 0300. It’s been a hectic week, and the whole family is due for a relaxing evening.

• DB rows continue to feel awesome when placed first in the workout. I genuinely hate how DB rows are my most effective row, as they’re unilateral and take twice as long as a bilateral row, but it just always works. I might actually need to buy some more 10lb plates soon, since I’m exhausting my supply.

• Got a great pump on those GHRs. Cheated quite a bit on the curls.

• Weighed in at 83.0kg this morning. .4 kilo drop from yesterday. Decided to have breakfast this morning, because I wanted it, which seemed like a good sign. Body has re-stabilized from the insanity I threw at it on Wednesday. It’s a good time to be gaining.

• The first week of Specificity, I remark how great my body feels with the light weight and the high reps. Then reality hits like a truck on the final 2 weeks. My body is demolished. I’m approaching 12 weeks of training to gain without a break, and it shows. This system works so well: I transition to Operator from here and suddenly the volume drops and I get a chance to recover.

 Training Log: Entry 3778

AM WORKOUT (0350 wake up via dog, snoozed until 0400)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 4

SSB Squat
2x10x315
8x315
9+3x315

Lever belt squat
4x10x285

Axle strict press from rack
5, 10, 6 x146
6+3x146

(3) DB incline bench
2x10x75s
9x75
10+1x75

Dip/hanging leg raise circuit
15/10, 10/8, 5/6

Notes:

• Predictably, this was a rough workout, and my primary goal was to not vomit (success). There’s a point where we adequately fuel for training and there’s a point where we cross a threshold of “energy toxicity” and I was definitely operating in the latter after last night’s nutritional debauchery (of which my only regret was turning over my red card right before another round of picanha came out). Honestly, what held me up the most was how short I was keeping my rest times, which was primarily a result of being behind the 8-ball schedulewise, due to a little extra time dedicated to gastric emptying prior to training as a result of attempting to test my gallbladder’s max capacity.

• On that note, I kept the rest times to 1 minute on the first 3 sets of squats. Part of that was to be consistent with the previous workout, but the primary driver was just wanting to be DONE with squats as soon as possible. If I had allowed myself 2 minutes, I have no doubt I would have succeeded.

• The axle strict press caught me quite off guard with how awful it felt, with proof of concept being that I got 10 reps on that second set: doubling what I did on the first set. I’m going to stick with this weight for next week’s sets of 8 and see where that takes me. The incline went well, so the press strength was there, but I just seemed to be exhausted.

• It was very easy to decide to fast through breakfast today: still feeling satiated. Didn’t even want coffee either: just LOTS of water. I’m sure all the protein running through my system is needing it.

• Surprisingly, only up half a kilo, weighing in at 83.4 this morning. I thought for sure I’d be at 84+.

• Today’s workout gave me some food for thought about progressing after Specificity. I may come BACK to this workout/week and re-conquer it. This is definitely the hardest week of the program: the reps are high while the weights are heavy. My hips don’t care for the SSB squat as well, but my elbows like it, so it’s a mixed bag.

• Also, last night’s adventure was a classic “missing the point”, as I listened to Lyle McDonald discuss his “Rapid Fat Loss” diet on a podcast for 2 hours while I was walking after having consumed about 300g of protein and fat in a single sitting. That said, the parallels between it and my own nutritional approach gave me a lot to steal.

 Training Log: Entry 3777

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 3

(2) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
10x455

DB rows
4x10x145

Axle curls
4x10x83

GHRs
4x10x65

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
20, 11

Reverse hyper
3x15x270

Band pull apart
3x25

Notes:

• Felt good coming into this. No body aches of note. Wasn’t very strong in the warm-ups though. Think those SSB squats takes quite abit away from me. The set of 10 for the pulls was well fought, and I could have gotten an 11th with a gun to my head, but since next week is the pull from the floor, no real point in blowing myself out here and now. My SI joint continues to feel better each week, and stringing together good decisions helps there. And, funny enough, this resulted in a set of 10, which coincided with what I was supposed to do for the day.

• DB rows felt better than I expected. Back was really well connected. GHRs got a good pump too

• Ran into a weird issue on the sit ups where my ankles were burning on the second set from suspending myself in the GHR. Shut it down early, because it was a weird pain to deal with.

• Tang Soo Do last night was pretty low energy. But managed over 10k steps yesterday.

• Weighed 82.8kg this morning. My weight is following last week almost exactly. .9kg drop from yesterday. That said, I’m going to throw a wrench into that. My kid had a 3 hour rehearsal tonight that starts really early, and there is a Texas de Brazil (Brazilian steakhouse) a mile away, so I’m going to walk there for my dinner and then spend the rest of the evening walking some of that off. I’m going to enjoy myself, rather than gorge, but depending on how much I take in, I may introduce an additional coffee fast tomorrow. As always: Chaos is the plan.

 Training Log: Entry 3776

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s Alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 2

“ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BLOAT”

19 chins

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• 4150m done: 50 meters improved from last time. I am stupidly trying to match/set PRs on a recovery workout, but I’m still meeting the objective, because my body is feeling really awesome right now. One of those rare “painfree days”. Having 2 nights off Tang Soo Do this week should help quite a bit there.

• This is honestly one of my favorite days of the training plan now, which is such a reversal of my previous self. Enjoy being able to sleep in, get up when my wife does, and get my body loose, along with a simple morning of just coffee for breakfast.

• Last night, got in about 2 miles of walking in the evening. Walked to a Mexican supermercado and picked up an avocado and cotija cheese to make our Cinco de Mayo a little more authentic tonight.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. One step defense: tends to be lighter activity.

• Weighed in at 83.7kg. I called 83.9: so close. Body awareness is solid, and leanness is really coming out, despite the bodyweight creeping up. I think that means I’m winning this whole “recomp” thing.

Training Log: Entry 3775

AM WORKOUT (0358 natural wake up)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 1

SSB Squat

4x10x290

Consider praying to Crom, then realize he won’t listen anyway

Lever belt squat

4x10x270

Axle strict press from rack

2x10x136

7x136

8+4+2x136

(3) DB incline bench

4x10x70s

Dips

10,8,6x67.5

15xBW

ASSISTANCE

Hanging leg raise/band pull apart circuit

3x10/25

Notes:

I came into this feeling better than I thought I would. I was wiped out yesterday from all the activity, and though I wasn’t super excited at the prospect of sets of 10 with 1 min rest on squats, I was ready, willing and able.

Which yes: 1 minute rests for all squats, and it still absolutely sucks and I have no idea how I’ll somehow manage to do it again with even heavier weights next time, but we find a way. I went 60-90-120 for the axle press, 60-60-90 for incline bench, and 60s on dips. Really didn’t care about the dips by the time I got there.

Though the press sets fell off at the end, the first set, in particular, felt stupidly light, and it was awesome to toss around 135 like an empty bar again. I’m rebuilding to where I used to be.

Got all 7 days with 19-18-18 chins. This week starts 19-19-18.

Weighed 83.6kg this morning. Not at all surprised at that number: we ate out a lot and I took in TON of sodium. The sodium isn’t going to change: doing kalua pork tonight. But I’m also going to not eat like a prom queen as specificity finishes up, because it’s such a nut kick.

Only 1 Tang Soo Do class this week: tomorrow. This week’s schedule is pretty nuts. In turn, I may get in a walk tonight while my kid is rehearsing at a function.

 Training Log: Entry 3774

AM WORKOUT (0359 natural wake up)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 1, Workout 5

DB rows
4x12x130

Axle curls
4x12x76

GHRs
4x12x60

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit ups
20,15

EVENTS

Stone of Steel to platform

• 5 rounds of 1 min on, 2 min off

• 185lb stone

• Triples for all rounds except 4: got 4 there

Notes:

• I am so proud of myself for figuring out this day. It is so much more valuable than my previous rounds of Bravo, where I swapped in chins in place of deads (which, on that note, still opened up with 19 chins) and it takes around the same amount of time. I could actually squeeze in a little bit more assistance work, especially if I did some pull aparts during the 2 minutes rest on the stone.

• Pretty much got that platform figured out. I know what the final step will be to get it to really rock and roll.

• My hamstrings and glutes were magnificently sore from the previous workout of GHRs. It’s so fascinating how the smallest change in stimulus can achieve that novel training effect still. It’s what I dig about the rotation of OMS.

• Also appreciate how this workout functions where I up the weights from the previous Bravo workout but accomplish them in a less fatigued state compared to post deadlift, so they move easier.

• That platform feels pretty high to load on and I’m happy with my ability to get the stone there. On the 4th round I tapped into my inner Conan and just sent it, whereas I was exercising caution in the previous rounds. Still building up my skillset again, but I’m upping the weight as I go and feeling comfortable with it.

• This opens up an opportunity to do some prowler sprints this weekend. I’m really liking how this protocol is shaking out, even if I’m building the airplane as I fly it.

• Weighed 82.7kg. I’ve been eating big these past 2 days. Today is a coffee fast day leading into the weekend.

 Training Log: Entry 3773

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 1, Workout 4

SSB Squat
4x12x265

Look for lungs on the floor. 404 Error: Lungs not found.

Lever belt squat
12x200 (misload, called it a warm up)
4x12x245

Axle strict press from rack
2x12x123
10x123
8+4+2x123

(3) DB Incline Bench
3x12x65s
10+2x65

Dips
12,11,10x45
9+4+2x45

ASSISTANCE

Hanging leg raise
2x10

Notes:

• I dig that “superhero” pose that the thumbnail caught.

• This is EXACTLY why I only ever run Specificity for 3 weeks: it is absolutely brutal. Elements of Deep Water/Building the Monolith, wherein you complete the first workout of the week and think “How the f–k am I going to get the NEXT workout done?”, and then somehow you do it.

• It was fitting that “Terrible Lie” was playing during the SSB squat, because I kept lying to myself saying I was going to rest longer than a minute between sets. It was the lie that allowed me to get the set done, and then 45 seconds would roll around (I rest that long to allow me 15 seconds to get up and unrack to make it a full 1 minute of rest) and I’d get back under the bar again, telling myself “you knew this was the only way this was ever going to go”. And each set I kept falling for it.

• Kept 1 minute rest on the lever belt, then went 75-90-120 seconds on the axle, 60-90-90 on the incline, and 1 minute on the dips. Recalculated the dips to get a more reasonable number to work with for the load.

• Had to employ some rest pausing to get all the reps today, but in general very pleased with my performance. I think this is my most successful block of training to date. Body is feeling pretty decent day post deadlifts. My right knee hurts, but that’s primarily due to smashing it with a wooden staff in Tang Soo Do last night. Which, on that note: solid workout for 90 minutes. Lots of basics and hyungs/kata.

• Weighed in at 82.2kg. Yesterday was NOT a fasting day, nor did I restrict (as evidenced by the photos of dinner), so this is an interesting data point. Must have been holding onto a fair bit of fluids. And I’m using a slightly different rhythm for nutrition, having breakfast today as well and moving the coffee fast to tomorrow.

• Had a really awesome realization about this training block and future ones: now that I have a simple set-up for stone loading, I can actually include that in a regular training day vs an events day. Noise was the primary limiting factor before, BUT if I do the stones at the END of the workout, that’s the time that my wife is up and getting ready, so I won’t wake her, and my kid can sleep through a nuclear bomb going off, so that’s not a concern. PLUS, training stones at the END of a workout is actually closer to the conditions I’ll have to do stones in a competition, so there’s a bit of realism there as well. And then I can free up my Saturday workout to train other skills. I’m going to test this out tomorrow, making the “B” workout of Specificity a mat pull on the first day and stone load on the second, and then, when I transition to Operator, I can either do stone loads on Mon and Fri with deads on Wed, or just do stones on Fri, deads on Wed and keep Monday light to allow for recovery. Lots of options/potential.

Training Log: Entry 3772

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 1, Workout 3

(3) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
11x455

DB rows
4x12x120

Axle curls
4x12x71

GHRs
4x12x55

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
30

Reverse hypers
3x15x360

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• Sleep wasn’t great last night. Got woken up a few times. Alarm went off and I was slow to get up. This was a faster workout in general, just due to the fewer movements involved. I think I can bump it up to 5 worksets on some movements.

• Unexpectedly weak performance on the mat pulls today. My belt was feeling a little on the loose side, and my weigh in confirmed I dropped 1.1kg from yesterday, so may have been under nourished. But also thinking those SSB squats on Monday had an interesting fatigue effect. My quads are still incredibly sore, and it made the GHRs like foam rolling from hell.

• DB rows felt great, SI joint wasn’t acting up. My forearm/elbow was completely pain free on the curls, which speaks to the value of rotating the buffalo bar OUT on occasion, as much as I prefer to stick with it.

• Walked away without too much battle damage. My left hip is a little pissed at me, but I’m feeling pretty good for a deadlift day.

• Last night’s Tang Soo Do was moderate amount of activity. Working hard on my next weapons form. We have the 90 minute class tonight, and are planning on skipping Thurs to make it to my kid’s drama performance.

• Weighed in at 82.7kg this morning: 1.1kg drop from yesterday. Going to have a 2 meal day tomorrow as well, then coffee fast on Friday. Actually thinking of making Friday a for real keto day, as we’re going to the movies in the evening, and I’m thinking of just sneaking a keto brick in there for my dinner.

 Training Log: Entry 3771

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 1, Workout 2

“ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BLOAT”

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• Opened up the workout with 19 chins and met 4100m in the 20 minute time. I had to do some mental gymnastics to fit this workout in, as it’s technically not in compliance with the Black protocol of Specificity Bravo, but I realize that protocol only requires 1-2 workouts per week, so basically this is a “free” workout vs one of the Black workouts. I’ll use stone loading to count toward my 1-2 workouts instead.

• I specifically opted for this workout because I knew my legs were going to be sore from day 1 of Specificity, and I wasn’t wrong. What’s worth appreciating is it’s both my quads. This is fantastic considering I’m such a hingey squatter, as it shows I can still get a quad training effect and it’s also great that it’s BOTH of my quads as it’s indicative of resolving the knee pain in the right knee. When I was in pain, I couldn’t activate the quad, and I was observing some atrophy there. And ideally this workout will help get some of that DOMS resolved.

• Weighed 83.7kg this morning. Coffee fast today, and then I realize I’ll have some wiggle room on where to put the next day of it. Since I’m lifting 4x a week now, it can be Thurs or Fri. Fri would be more ideal, as that lifting workout will be less intense than Thurs, AND I tend to eat a bigger end of day meal on that day. It would disrupt my “every other day” rhythm, but often disruption is a positive thing.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. It’s basics/forms week, which can often be a good workout.

 Training Log: Entry 3770

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 1, Workout 1

SSB Squat
4x12x240

Lever belt squat
4x12x225

Say “f–k me”: max reps in a minute

Axle strict press from rack
3x12x113
8+4x113

(3) DB incline bench
4x12x60s

Dips
4x15xBW

ASSISTANCE

Hanging leg raise/band pull apart circuit
3x10/25

Lateral raise w/5lb
25 reps in 40 seconds

Notes:

• Sleep sounded like a much better idea than training this morning, but I was motivated by the fact that I had some excellent training fuel in my from last night and I’d be a shame to waste it (5 slices of homemade sourdough pizza and 5 peanut butter cookies with raw local honey). There was a little bit of the novelty effect of a new program as well, which rapidly went away as I was in the middle of sets of 12 with 1 minute rest.

• On that note: went 1 minute rest on all squats, then 60-90-120 for the axle, then 1 minute for everything else. The squats allow a little bit of cheating, since I can “rest” at the top compared to pressing, but the consequence is I’m sitting there with weight on my body. But in either case, it’s what makes Specificity a real nut-kick: high reps and short rest times. Complete opposite of Operator.

• VERY pleased with how the axle went. I was tossing it around. Also shocked with how well the incline went. Made a miscalculation with the dips (went with loaded weight, rather than factoring in bodyweight), but I may just keep them bodyweight as it is. They’re good for me. First time wearing my squat shoes on the lever belt in a long time: knee is in a good way

• Tried out the ab wheel and it’s still just not worth the squeeze. Right now, my body is feeling the best it has in a LONG time, and I think perpetuating that will do me some good. I’m still getting in some solid ab work.

• Got the full 3x18 on chins last week. Opened up this workout with 19, and should go 19-18-18 for the week.

• Weighed 83.5kg this morning. I ate well this weekend. Final 3 weeks of gaining and it’s been trending real well. Specificity is going to be a challenge, so it’s really time to knuckle down and fuel like a champ.

 Training Log: Entry 3769

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 9, Workout 5 (final lifting workout of cycle)

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo Bar Squat
4x3x385

Axle strict press from rack
4x3x183

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) DB Incline Bench
4x8x85s

DB row
4x8x150

GHRs
4x8x65

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
30

Notes:

• Zero motivation to get this done today. Lotta self-talk. I got pretty beat up in sparring last night: lotta contact for “no contact”, and my elbows, knees and shins weren’t pleased. It’s also incredibly hard to care about the final workout of the program, because it really doesn’t matter if I do it, but I knew it was my ticket to a good breakfast and the start of my weekend.

• The above having been said, I was SO much stronger for this workout compared to Monday, despite it being the same weights. Warm-ups felt light and I felt strong. And after 9 weeks of low bar, my elbows don’t feel like they’re going to explode at a moments notice, so big victory there and good proof of concept. It’s also starting to warm up again, so be a good time to get out of the grip shirt.

• Third set of strict press was the strongest. Had a very good brace coming out. Need to remember to focus on that.

• I was pleased with my performance in sparring last night, even if I didn’t win the championship. Got to spar against 2 senior blackbelts and held my own, employing some solid angles and trickery, and the head instructor commented that my speed is really coming along, which is feedback I never receive. Being painfree goes a long way.

• Weighed in at 82.2kg this morning. Great way to start a weekend, and after 9 weeks of “gaining”, I’m the same weight I was when I started, much stronger, looking leaner and bigger. Successful recomp/reverse diet. I’ve got 3 weeks of Specificity Bravo and then my cruise/bridge week before 9 weeks of Operator/competition prep, so I’m in a good place to keep up the eating.

 Training Log: Entry 3768

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 9, Workout 4

Prowler “sprints”

• 4 sprints w/90lbs loaded

Notes:

• A repeat of last week’s effort with better outcomes. I was able to fully “sprint” the first round, and I never needed to stop for any round, whereas last week I would have to walk the last bit of the sprint for each round and had to just flat out stop on the 3rd round.

• Went with 4 minutes of rest for the first 3 rounds and 5 for the final. I was walking the length of the course between rounds, and discovered that walking it twice takes almost exactly 5 minutes, so I’m just going to do that from now on.

• Still meeting intent on this, which is huge for me. The sprint efforts are definitely having the desired effect, and I’m catching prowler flu at the end, while the adequate rest and recovery is allowing me to actually put in a hard effort each time. When I start Operator I’ll actually harness up to get some practice for the truck pull, but for now I’m just trying to get back into strongman shape.

• Opened up with 18 chins. In general, my body is feeling the best it’s felt in a while, and it’s from a string of good decisions vs my usual insanity. I’ve been increasing the daily chins by 1 per WEEK, and I’ve kept daily reverse hypers at bodyweight, with a result being that my elbows and SI joint are playing nicely, and my knee has resolved. I WAS quite stiff going INTO this workout this morning, but a combination of deadlifts and sparring will do that. Movement is medicine, and I felt better once the sprints were done…minus my jello legs.

• Sparring last night was solid activity. Had some long rounds with the Valkyrie, and ended up the dojang champion last night. Also had a moment to do 2 minutes on the bag all out, so got in some decent cardio there.

• Weighed in at 82.8 this morning. Noted that my abs were looking fairly deep. Was thinking about how, without a weight class concern for August, I really don’t need to change how I’m eating as Operator rolls around. Since I’m more active in summer, I think leaning out will happen a bit more organically.

 Training Log: Entry 3767

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 9, Workout 3

MAIN CLUSTER

Axle bench press
4x3x268

(4) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
14x455

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

Lever belt squat
4x8x285

Dips
4x8x90

Axle curls
4x8x88

ASSISTANCE circuit

Reverse hyper
3x15x360

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Notes:

• Strongest I’ve felt on the flat bench in a long time, which is kinda bittersweet when I think about how this is my last flat bench workout for a while. At least 14 weeks by my math. But I’m such a non-technical bencher that I get stronger just by getting stronger, so I got that going for me, which is nice.

• Was actually smart on the mat pulls and shut it down at 14 reps, despite having a 15th in me, because I could feel my hips/back giving me some warning shots. Wasn’t feeling as strong on the warm-ups today.

• "And in a dream I’m a different me/With a perfect you, we fit perfectly/And for once in my life I feel complete/And I still want to ruin it" Those lyrics may as well be my training autobiography because, of course, since my SI joint felt good today, I wanted to get back on the ab wheel. I didn’t, because I understand my SI joint feels good BECAUSE I’ve been laying off the ab wheel, but literally every workout is a battle to NOT do something stupid because I can.

• Sparring was a bit of a mixed bag last night. Got in some good rounds, but the whole family got blatantly fouled with no one calling it. I got kicked in the back so hard at one point it caused me to stumble forward, which was followed up with a punch to my kidneys. I don’t mind contact…but in “no contact sparring” it’s a bit lame. Still a decent workout though. 90 minute class tonight.

• Weighed in at 82.3kg this morning. Always dig those coffee fasting days for the reset and the opportunity to really just eat ab libitum without consequence.

 Training Log: Entry 3766

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 9, Workout 2

“ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BLOAT”

18 chins

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• Barely cleared 4100m. I’m, of course, being stupid, and now getting competitive with my recovery row. But still meeting intent: this isn’t laborious, and I feel better after I’ve done it than before. Because each time I have to convince myself to do this vs just skipping the workout.

• In general, body is feeling good. SI joint and knee are playing nicely. Sun is out more, and we got in an evening walk last night. I’m able to get some more sun exposure, and in general it’s getting to be about that time where I’m more active in general. The year long plan seems to be shaping itself out well.

• Weighed 83.2kg this morning. It’s the coffee fasting day, which I find myself really looking forward to these 2 days per week. It gets me re-calibrated, and the mornings without breakfast are faster and lower stress.

• Sparring week for Tang Soo Do this week. Despite it being “non-contact”, I tend to get beat up on this week, so we’ll see how that plays out with the heaviest week of the program.

 Training Log: Entry 3765

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm, benadryl coma)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 9, Workout 1

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo bar squat
4x3x385

Axle strict press from rack
4x3x183

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) Incline DB bench
4x8x85s

DB row
4x8x150

GHR
4x8x65

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
30

Notes:

• Did yardwork yesterday for 1.5 hours, and went for a walk in the evening while everyone ELSE was doing yardwork, and was feeling some allergies. Took 2 benadryl before bed and slept all the way through the night. Normally it doesn’t affect me like that, but I’m thinking the stuff we had was expired, as this was a new batch and VERY potent. You sleep long but not necessarily well on meds, and I woke up in a bit of a hangover, but was excited about triples week after eating the family meal last night and got after it.

• This is always my favorite week of the program, predictably because it has the fewest reps. That said, the warm-up of 335 on the squats felt much heavier than I expected, but then the working sets felt light. Funny that.

• First workout where all the presses went without an issue.

• Body is continuing to feel better. Really aggressively trying to get the SI joint to play nice, and it seems to be paying off.

• Opened up with 18 chins this morning. Got 18-18-17 all 7 days last week, now it’s 3x18.

• Weighed 82.2kg this morning. Stupidly light. Had similar GI issues as last weekend, just to a lesser degree, so some of the weight loss is there, but I also think the goal of reverse dieting has paid off and my metabolism is humming along. I ate very well last night: 5 slices of homemade sourdough pizza (larger slices than usual) with lots of meaty toppings and then 4 homemade peanut butter cookies and 1 mini sourdough muffin, all with some raw honey.

 Training Log: Entry 3764

PM WORKOUT (1500)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTCOL GREY MAN Week 8, Workout 6

3 rounds of 1 minute stone of steel loading

• 160lb stone

• 2 minutes rest between rounds

 Training Log: Entry 3763

AM WORKOUT (0359 natural wake up)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 8, Workout 5

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo Bar Squat
4x6x360

Axle strict press from rack
4x6x168 (1 rep PR from previous workout)

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) DB incline bench
2x10x80s
9x80
9+2x80

DB row
4x10x140

GHR
4x10x60

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
30

Notes:

• Another Friday workout, another Friday where I need the carrot dangled in front of me to get moving. I actually do imagine part of this training ennui is a result of my recomp vs gaining strategy. When the food is high, the compulsion to get out there and make it work is greater, whereas, even though I’m seeing results in the weight room and through my physique, I don’t “feel” like I’m building Psychology is weird. But I got up a minute before my alarm, so that was good.

• The first set of squats I really felt like I was sitting back into the rep vs down, specifically on my way up from the hole. Just better balance in general.

• Was good to get all the sets of strict presses. I imagine there was a downstream effect on the incline bench as a result, but I still matched total reps from the previous week there.

• Tang Soo Do last night was a mixed bag of drills. Not a challenging workout, but with the humidity here it was still plenty sweaty, which may explain my weigh in…

• 81.9kg on the scale. Lightest I’ve been in a while, and I had a giant meal last night. Granted, it was my only meal, which has really just made this whole process sustainable. I enjoy being able to feast like that. But I also imagine I’m seeing the effects of humidity and sweat, because I was also plenty exhausted training in the garage this morning. Once I rotate the buffalo bar out, it will be back to shirtless training, which will save on some laundry.