Training Log: Entry 3500

AM WORKOUT (0355 wake up via dog)

**12 LABORS: CAPTURE AND BRING BACK CERBERUS (FINAL WEEK)**

*Tactical Barbell Operator* Cycle 2, Week 6, Workout 3

MAIN WORK

SSB front squat
3x2x275

ALTERNATE w/

Log clean and strict press away
1x190
2x2x190+1 push press rep per set

Log clean
1x200

(4) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
14+5+5x405

ASSISTANCE

Lateral raise dropset (35x10, 35x5, 35x2.5, 35xEmpty Hands)

BPA
4x25

Core circuit (3x20x180 reverse hyper/3x10 HLR)

50 axle curls

35 band pushdowns

BREAKFAST

3 mile walk w/dog

Notes:

* Got the day off work, but my nearly 15 year old pug woke up this morning at 0355 with some disaster poops, and that was 5 minutes before my alarm, so I used it as an opportunity to get up and get moving. However, I got up once in the middle of the night to take care of them before that moment, and I practically fell out of bed.  My balance was way off: felt like I was on a boat.  I was feeling similar at 0355, trying not to fall INTO the poop as I was cleaning it.  Feeling did not go away during warm-ups, and I'm actually still a little dizzy now, but on the front squats I managed alright.  However, log is historically a lift where my blood pressure makes or breaks it, and I was seeing swirls just looking down at the log before the first clean.  I got it in place, but pressing it really put me in a bad way, so I shut it down at one rep (still technically within program compliance) and re-evaluated.  My head got straight after that and I had some good lifts, but for the heavy cleans I shut it down at one.  Best to practice succeeding vs failing.

* Still not going to my absolute limit on the mat pulls, which is for the best, especially this close to the competition.  Happy with what I can put out in those circumstances.  Haven't skipped a beat despite the long period of time without straight bar pulling.

* My left arch is still in pain.  I'm going to employ some manner of compression, given I have to run 10 miles on it on Saturday.  

* Took the dog for a long walk this morning since they won't have day care.  Wanted to tire them out.

* Tang Soo Do turned out to be basics week instead of one-steps, so we got a decent workout last night, along with me getting in a 3 mile walk beforehand.  Should be able to attend tonight as well.  I experimented with the sandbag yesterday and started with it standing up vs on it's side, and I think that's a smarter way forward.  It holds it's shape better when I do that.  I also think I need to start drilling running UP to the sandbag and picking it up for the future, since that's the context I'll be executing under.

* Weighed myself this morning to get a better idea of daily fluctuations leading up to the comp.  82.1kg, same as Monday, and exactly on point for my weight class.  Good place to be.

* Breakfast remains the same through the week, and I look forward to it every time.

 Training Log: Entry 3499

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

**12 LABORS: CAPTURE AND BRING BACK CERBERUS (FINAL WEEK)**

*Tactical Barbell Operator* Cycle 2, Week 6, Workout 2

“OXYGEN DEBT 101” (Basic)

2 rounds of

200m sprint-30 second rest-200m sprint-30 second rest-200m sprint

3 min rest

6 minutes on rower

Notes:

* Heavy week of training, so basic week of conditioning.  Worked out well, because my legs felt like lead today.  Did my best to really focus on pushing off midfoot vs heal and getting the legs up high on the rebound strike, and I had at least 1 solid sprint per round and felt my lungs burning, but output wasn’t what I was used to.  

* Still just playing around on the rower when I get some downtime.  Not pushing hard enough to impact recovery, but trying to figure out what I’m doing with it.  And it’s honestly just enjoyable.  Having good equipment matters, because I never cared to use that cheap rower I bought.

* Got in a good walk after dinner last night, and the sandbags just keep getting more and more natural as I go.  The Milo of Croton meets Easy Strength approach here has really panned out well for me.  I think I want to keep this up after this training cycle.  1 carry a day doesn’t take much time away from me.

* I’ve got Tang Soo Do tonight.  It’s one-steps week, which tends to be pretty low activity.  I also am most likely working a half day today, so I may be able to get in another leisure walk.

* With my travel coming up, I started re-thinking my training strategy leading up to my next cruise, and since I’ll have 7 weeks between my return from my trip and the start of my cruise, I think I’m just going to restart my ROM progression cycle and get in one full one leading up to the cruise vs trying to rush this current cycle to completion and do a partial one leading up.  I’m in no rush at this point: I’ve got nothing but time.

 Training Log: Entry 3498

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

**12 LABORS: CAPTURE AND BRING BACK CERBERUS (FINAL WEEK)**

*Tactical Barbell Operator* Cycle 2, Week 6, Workout 1

MAIN WORK

SSB front squat

4x2x275

ALTERNATE w/

Log clean and strict press away

4x2x190+1 push press rep per set (missed second set)

NG weighted chins

4x2x55

ASSISTANCE

5 round circuit, 30 seconds per movement of

24kg KB swings

365lb SSB front rack hold

Dips

Standing ab wheel

Push ups

BPA

1x50, 2x25

4 minutes on rower

Notes:

* Hard to believe it’s the final week of the 12 labors, but it’s really been an outstanding development.  This is the best contest prep phase I’ve had in quite some time, primarily because my mind and body lined up on this one and I actually wanted to do the training that best suited the goal.  Funny that.  Today, in particular, felt very strong, with only some small issues. I felt myself leaning to the left on the third set of the squats, and I lost the weight going forward on the second set of the presses, using energy to correct it and running out of gas for a push press.  But the fact I had the strength to catch and correct that errant press really bodes well for my getting, as Jon Andersen puts it “cock strong”.  I was also feeling MUCH better for the assistance circuit today than I was on Friday.  

* Since the volume is reduced this week, I have a little more training time afforded to me, so I hopped onto the rower just to continue grooving some reps.  I set the resistance to 5, whereas before it was at 1, and tried to focus on technique.  It’s a nice way to get in some full body moving without an eccentric load.

* Tried a little trick on the BPAs of pointing my wrists outward, and it seemed to get me a little more stimulus.  Cute little tricks picked up along the way.

* Should be getting in about an hour of walking tonight, with the Valkyrie and the puppy.

* Weighed in at 82.1kg this morning, post workout.  That’s exactly the weight limit, and technically a .4kg gain from last week, but given that there was a 2.9kg drop between that week and the week before it, my body is still stabilizing.  I intentionally ate like an a-hole while within the confines of the Maximum Definition diet this weekend because I have a tendency to let my bodyweight drop down too far right before competitions due to fear of missing weight (Thanks for the PTSD high school wrestling!), and I’m trying my best to hold on to this higher weight as best as I can to allow me to perform at my best.  I’m at a level of weight/leanness where I can feel that difference a few pounds makes, with today feeling so strong being a great example.  Getting on top of my electrolytes has been helpful as well: I’m really needing to go hard on them now that I’ve effectively carb free.  Before, between the gum and the trace amounts in the Metabolic Drive, I was still probably getting in about 20g of carbs a day, but now it’s nothing.

* I’ve officially completed 1 full calendar week of the Maximum Definition diet, and about 10 days total (I started in the middle of last week, leading into it with 2 days of the Velocity Diet).  It’s living up to it’s name: I’m seeing granularity in my midsection again, and my waist is shrunk in based on how my lifting belt is fitting, along with the rest of my clothes.  I hit 80.0kg in the middle of the week last week, and I imagine seeing something similar after I come down from the bloat of our family meal tonight (details to follow there).  I’m still sticking with only 2 meals a day, vs Vince’s recommendation of 3, and I’m not hitting the same supplement layout he recommends, instead relying on the good folks at BioTest along with my daily beef liver in place of the beef liver tablets.  However, there’s room to argue that my middle of the night protein shake can count as a third meal, if I want to get precise.  I also push the carb meal to once every 7 days vs every 3-5.  In general: BIG fan of this approach.  I love the food, I’m never hungry, I FEEL very well and strong, digestion is awesome, and, upon getting electrolytes sorted, my performance is going very well in training.  I can see this being a regular thing now.  While I am absent of Metabolic Drive, it’s definitely going to be my way forward for the foreseeable future, but upon it’s return, I may revert back to Feast, Famine Ferocity and have 2 week stretches of Velocity Diet and then 4 week stretches of Maximum Definition Diet.  About the only thing I “miss” is sour cream.  It’s one of my favorite condiments, but isn’t permitted by Vince.  But I’m not hurting for delicious food or satiety.

 Training Log: Entry 3497

AM WORKOUT (1000

**12 LABORS: STEALING THREE OF THE GOLDEN APPLES OF HESPERIDES**

*Tactical Barbell Operator* Cycle 2, Week 5, Workout 6

2 minutes of 185lb+ Stone of Steel over 48" bar

Notes:

* I originally started this workout as an EMOM with 205 loaded, but I had the load uncentered and the stone was WILD.  I got 2 successful reps in 4 minutes (going for singles), and it took away a LOT of energy.  I called my losses, unloaded and reloaded it and went for 2 minutes.  At that point, I was already pretty exhausted, but I'm happy I got in some reps.

* Part of the issue was that this was a rushed workout, because today was a packed day with lots of activity.  I got up and got in my 50 squats and push ups, had breakfast (details to follow), took the puppy for a 3 mile walk and then immediately knocked out this workout before changing and going to Tang Soo Do.  Today was another decent TSD workout: basics and open hand forms, and we moved for the entire class.  After that, we came home, Valkyrie and Kiddo had a very quick lunch and then we headed downtown to take in a musical ("Some like it hot": great comedy) before grabbing dinner on the way home (details to follow), after which point I took the puppy for a 25 minute walk and then immediately knocked out my daily sandbag carry/throw.  And now I'm done, 17.6k steps in, with a few more to go.

* On the sandbag and throws: today was the best day out of the entire cycle.  I actually went out in my jeans: didn't bother changing, and made the pick up super casual.  I'm at the point where I can throw the bag into my lap, versus barely squeaking it by.  From there, I was able to pick it up high on my torso and carry it fast, and then the regrab for the bearhug was quick and feet moved quick as well.  Throws were also explosive.

* I noticed the light headedness on my last workout, and I felt it on the stones as well.  I'm working to keep my electrolytes back up, but given my weight dropping and how lean I looked this morning, I've allowed myself to really push the limits on Vince's "no limit" instructions on eating meat and eggs.  

 Training Log: Entry 3496

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

**12 LABORS: STEALING THREE OF THE GOLDEN APPLES OF HESPERIDES**

*Tactical Barbell Operator* Cycle 2, Week 5, Workout 5

MAIN WORK

SSB front squat

5x3x245

ALTERNATE w/

Log clean and strict press away

5x3x170+1 push press rep per set

NG weighted chins

5x3x42.5

ASSISTANCE

4 round circuit, 30 seconds per movement of

24kg KB swings

375lb SSB front rack hold

Dips

HLR

Push ups

BPA

4x25

BREAKFAST (details below)

Short walk w/puppy

Notes:

* I actually felt really good coming into this, very light, springy, and awake, but I found myself lightheaded on the first set of squats to the point that I worried about blacking out.  Not as much an issue on the log, but I DID run into the issue that it slipped right off my shorts on the first clean.  I’ve been wearing sweats up until this point, and they have more friction and allow me to get in a better spot to clean.  This is something I’ll have to remember come comp day.  I know Cerberus sells “grip shorts”, but I don’t want to go down that route quite yet.  I might buy a cheap pair of sweats and make some cut off shorts.

* The fatigue really came to a head during the conditioning circuit, and specifically on the front rack hold.  I was just hurting, having trouble recovering, and wanting to quit.  I started running the mental diagnostics, and once again attribute this to an issue with electrolytes.  I’ve been drinking more water recently, since I’ve quite chewing gum and my mouth is a little drier, and I haven’t been mixing electrolytes all of my water: some is just plain ol regular water.  In addition, since I’m only eating twice a day vs the 4-5 protein feelings I was doing with my Velocity Diet approach, I’m having fewer opportunities to take in salt.  I was adding salt to all of my Metabolic Drive, and though I’m salting the food I’m eating, it’s not enough to compensate, and if I WERE to add enough salt to compensate, it would be unpalatable.  I actually tried to up it today for just that purpose, and ran into that: wasn’t as enjoyable as it had been prior to this point.  I’d rather just drink more salt water than eat food that is akin to something Bender from Futurama would produce.

* All that said, this marks a full work week of the Maximum Definition Diet for breakfast, and I’m delighted that I am such a simple creature, because I have enjoyed every single morning of this even with it being the exact same thing each time.  Although today I varied it: I re-created that omelet from yesterday, and found it did a much better job of holding all the leftover grease from the lamb.  I did enjoy this omelet more than the hardboiled egg/cooked egg whites approach I’d employed before, but it’s a bit more of a time sink.  I’ll see if it’s something I can carry forward.  I prepped this the night before and it microwaved just fine.  I’ve got 2 more legs of lamb to get through, corresponding perfectly for the 2 weeks leading up to the comp.

* On the topic of competitions, a grappling one opened up on 24 May pretty close to home (Lincoln).  I’m honestly not finding myself as excited about the prospect of doing it as I have been in the past.  There’s already a guy in my weight class for masters white belt, so I know I’d have competition.  I’m on the fence, as it’s close to my kids birthday, but I’ll leave myself open to it.  At the rate my weight is dropping, I might be in a lower weight class anyway.

* Sandbag was the best ever last night.  Really becoming more and more casual.  We ended up skipping TSD last night and will try to make it up on Saturday, which is going to be a packed day and I hope I can still get in some Stone of Steel work.

 Training Log: Entry 3495

AM WORKOUT (0325 natural wake up, tossed and turned until 0355 alarm)

**12 LABORS: STEALING THREE OF THE GOLDEN APPLES OF HESPERIDES**

*Tactical Barbell Operator* Cycle 2, Week 5, Workout 4

“ALL RUCKED UP”

Treadmill walk w/45lb vest

Speed: 3.8

Incline: 5.0

Time: 90 minutes

Distance: 5.7 miles

BREAKFAST (details to follow)

Short walk w/dogs

Notes:

* Decided on this name for the workout because my focus was on the incline vs the footspeed.  3.8 is my comfortably uncomfortable pace: it’s faster than my normal walking pace, but not my “this really sucks” walking pace of 4.2mph.  At incline 5, it satisified my normal criteria of me wanting to quit on the first lap but being able to hold on for the whole workout, and according to my watch this was the first time I held a high intensity heart rate for 100 minutes, which means it’s more challenging than what I did last week at 4.2mph and 1 incline, even though, according to the calorie calculator on the treadmill this was an “easier” workout, burning about 150 fewer calories.  Data is interesting that way.

* Primary driver of this change in approach is that my left foot’s arch is still tender from last week, and Tang Soo Do seems to trigger it as well.  I remember walking fast caused it initially, and I re-triggered it in the last 15 minutes of this walk, but the pain didn’t last like it did for the entire walk last time, so I’d say that’s progress.  Since I couldn’t move fast, I decided to up the challenge with the incline, moving upwards, hence “all rucked UP”.  I’m clever like that.

* On the topic of Tang Soo Do, last night was an even better workout than Tuesday.  Basics week tends to be good for that.  Lots of combination techniques and open hand forms.   We’ve got it again tonight. We also got in a 3 mile family walk last night, and I was able to get in my daily sandbag and throws.  That daily approach is working well, but it doesn’t carry the obsession that my previously “daily work” did.  I’m doing this with an end in goal, rather than the work being the goal itself.  I may try to continue this moving forward, along with my goal of actually implementing some daily work chins to re-build my back, but, of course, Chaos is the plan.

* Breakfast was the same thing it’s been all week: 1lb of grassfed New Zealand leg of lamb, air fried with spray duck fat and salt, 3 hardboiled pastured eggs, 5 whites mixed with 1 tablespoon of grassfed beef tallow and a piece of liver.  I, legit, love this breakfast, and I weighed in at 80.0 kg after my walk.  Yes: part of that is sweating out weight, but I’ve effectively dropped 4.6kg in 2 weeks time, which is absolutely bonkers and speaks VERY highly to the effectiveness of this maximum definition diet.  I honestly feel like the dude from Thinner, when he’s raiding the fridge and says to his wife “Does it LOOK like I’m dieting?”  I am eating SUCH wonderful satiating meals and seeing myself lean out.

* Sleep was weird. I slept very well and felt restored, but at 0325 my brain woke up and decided to solve all the problems in the world.  Made it easier to get out of bed, because I knew I wasn’t going to get any more sleep.

* Today will mark day 7 of gum sobriety: my last piece was last week, when I walked on the treadmill.  I skipped it today, and still breathed through my nose for the workout.  

* My travel is officially locked in from 14-18 Apr.  I already secured myself a hotel with a kitchen and full fridge that’s down the road from a Safeway, so I have no concerns about eating.  I’m also 50 miles away from an In n Out, so I’m definitely going to make that trip.  Plan is to show up, buy some steak, eggs and butter and be set.  I’ll also save quite a bit of cash by not needing to go out to eat all the time (because I can make a better steak than I can get at a restaurant for a fraction of the price), and with it being the week after my comp, I can just focus on getting in some walks and conditioning workouts and maybe spend some time finding my maxes for my next program.

 Training Log: Entry 3494

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm, much better sleep)

**12 LABORS: STEALING THREE OF THE GOLDEN APPLES OF HESPERIDES**

*Tactical Barbell Operator* Cycle 2, Week 5, Workout 3

MAIN WORK

SSB front squat

3x3x245

ALTERNATE w/

Log clean and strict press away

3x3x170+1 push press rep per set

Log clean

3x200

(5) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls

14+5+5x405

ASSISTANCE

Lateral raise dropset

35x10, 35x5, 35x2.5, 35xEmpty Hands

BPA

100 total reps

Ab circuit

3x20x180 reverse hyper/3x10 standing ab wheel

Axle curls

55 reps

Band pushdowns

1x35

Notes:

* I was dragging this morning.  Just felt stiff, and I got a little light headed warming up on the log.  I’m gonna assume I’m just running things hard while the food intake isn’t matching, but it timed out well for this to be the day that I cut the work sets down in order to be able to get in the cleans and mat pulls.  I dig this structure, and I realize it’s similar to the 3/5/1 approach I was wanting to employ on a weekly basis: just contained within the week’s cycle itself.  The Texas Method used something similar, from what I recall.  This might be a trick I carry forward.

* The 3 cleans of 200 is a recent PR, and upon reflection, I actually think I had a press in me on that first rep as well.  It went up so smooth that I still had plenty of energy.  That’s a good place to be, especially once I throw on my grip shirt.

* The mat pulls continue to improve.  I added a rep while increasing the ROM, and I’m still not pushing to my absolute limit on these sets.  Biggest limiter is my internal pressure: I still feel that heartburn like feeling earlier in the set than I’d care to, so I have to release my brace and re-accomplish.  It’s been a while since I’ve had to employ this skillset: just gotta rebuild it.  On the plus side,  my hips are handling the work much better than before.

* Still got in my daily touch on the sandbag and throwing bag yesterday.  The pick continues to become more mundane.  I’m not moving as fast as I’d like, but maybe it’s time to break out the belt to give that a try.

* Tang Soo Do was a decent workout last night.  Our head instructor is back, still recovering from back surgery, but able to observe classes and provide instruction.  Nice to have that vector again.

* Took photos of breakfast and I’ll post the recap at the end of day, but it’s kept up with my Gaston/Heracles hybrid (Gastonacles? Heracleston?  Someone who is handy with AI please create the hybrid image of the two Disney characters for me) with 1lb of air fried grassfed New Zealand lamb, 3 hard boiled pastured eggs, 4 egg whites mixed with 1 tablespoon of grassfed beef tallow and a strip of beef liver.  This time I had the big brained play to take all the leftover fat than ran off the lamb during the cooking process and pour it all over the plate/eggs to add flavor.