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.