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.