Training Log: Entry 3726

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 1, Workout 5

Buffalo Bar Squat
4x8x322

Axle strict press from rack
2x8x156
2x5x156

(3) Incline DB bench
3x12x65s
11+1x65

DB rows
4x12x125

GHRs
4x12x35

GHR sit up
10

Notes:

• Yeah, I definitely have the flu. I was exhausted and sore coming into this (you can see how often I put my head on the bar), those presses were too damn heavy, and once I got to work I just immediately turn around and came home. My resting heart rate is also pretty jacked up. I’m going to rest like it’s my job and recover.

• I weighed in at 82.2kg and was the leanest I’ve been in months. Completely not the goal, but that’s usually what happens in the first 2 weeks of reversing course on the diet.

• Got to spar against the senior student and one of our black belts last night. Should have won the final match, but a point was missed by all 3 judges. Kicked the guy in the throat. We both acknowledged that it happened, as we stopped sparring and looked at each other waiting for the point to be called. Then we just shrugged and went back at it.

• I remember having more I wanted to log, but can’t remember what it was. Most likely a sign of fatigue.

 Training Log: Entry 3725

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

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 1, Workout 4

“ROW ROW ROW YOUR BLOAT”

15 minute recovery row

Notes:

• I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. Perhaps it’s the jumping back into mass protocol immediately following a strongman competition while also engaging in sparring week, to include yesterday’s 90 minute class, but the Valkyrie has also been dealing with the flu, which the kiddo brought home, so maybe I have a touch of that as well. In either case, this was exactly what I needed: more sleep and a VERY easy workout to just get the blood flowing. I considered the option of NO workout, but figured it would actually be good to get some movement in this morning. And I still have one more night of sparring tonight.

• Yesterday’s class is worth discussing, because I’m going to count it toward conditioning. We did our physical testing requirements after our warm ups, which at my rank is 45 push ups (elbows tucked), 45 sit ups and 45 jumping jacks. I endeavor to actually do them with quality, rather than blitz through them. Prior to that, we did 30 reps of those via 2 sets of 15. At the end of class, we did another 30 reps, to make up for reps missed in the previous week. We also ran 5 laps around the Dojang, and then did sparring drills, sparring rounds, and rounds on the Wavemasters for the duration of the 90 minutes. As for sparring itself, I went up against the kiddo again, so not much opportunity for reps, but it gave them an opportunity to get to the finals again and square off against our senior black belt.

• Weighed 82.5kg this morning. I need to start mentally shifting gears to eat to grow, but it’s a balancing act to keep from jumping into the deep end. No shortage of awesome food though.

• I don’t want to necessarily bring back daily work, but I’m endeavoring to get in 2 sets of 15 chins daily, and have so far succeeded in that.

 Training Log: Entry 3724

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 1, Workout 3

MAIN CLUSTER

Axle bench press
3x8x226
7+1x226 (hit the j-hooks)

(6) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
15x440

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

Lever belt squat
12x180 (misload)
3x12x205

Dips
3x12x55
10+2x55

Axle curls
4x12x71

ASSISTANCE

Reverse hyper/ab wheel superset
2x15x360/2x10

Notes:

• I am wonderfully fantastically sore. This happens every first week of Grey Man, and I still just can’t fully anticipate it. It also makes me thankful I don’t have to squat on this day.

• 2 minutes rest on the main cluster, 1 minute rest for the supplemental, none on the assistance.

• First time benching since I injured my pec several months back, and it seems to be holding strong, but I did my best to “bodybuilder” the movement and really FEEL the muscle contract vs just move the bar through space.

• Wore my flat shoes on the belt squats, but realized that I wore my weightlifters yesterday for the squats without any issues. Seems my knee has really come a long way. Trick is to not get lazy about that and keep an eye on it.

• In that regard, the deadlifts felt SO much better at this weight than before. I remember how every single workout with 440 felt like some sort of strength miracle, SOMEHOW managing to get the weight off the mats and then crank out the reps. Today, I got that much better “squeeze off the mats” feeling vs “yank off the mats”, and it moved really smooth. That said, my right hip offered up a playful little warning shot at rep 15, so I shut it down there. I know I could have fought for at least a 16th and, quite possibly, more, but I also know I don’t need to push my limits every time to grow.

• I had to get to work a little early today, so I cut the assistance short.

• Weighed 83.2kg this morning.

• Sparring last night was a decent workout. We did a lot of practice rounds before the tournament, and I felt like I was moving well and scoring some good shots. I made it to the second round, where I squared off against the kiddo. I showed them to stop circling in one direction by leading them right into a roundhouse to the skull, and left a few openings for them to capitalize on and advance to the final round. Prior to that, they earned their spot by taking on one of our problem students who decides to sling leather in a “no-contact sparring” sport. My kid respected the rules enough, but eventually gave the dude back as good as they were getting…and he did NOT care for that. Instructor pulled them aside and talked about control, my kid was very respectful and receptive to the information, but as soon as we got to the truck I told them I was proud of them for standing up for themselves and not letting someone bully them. My kid was great: “My one goal tonight was to beat that guy: I’m so glad I did!”

 Training Log: Entry 3723

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

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 1, Workout 2

“VIKING RAID”

• Row 100m

• Carry 150lb sandbag

• Add 100m to the row each round

• 15 minute time cap

Notes:

• I was about 3/4 done with the 700m row when the timer ran out.

• This is outside the TB framework, and just a refinement of a workout I came up with a few years ago, but it’s very similar to Fobbit intervals. It’s distance based, rather than time, and the row distance increases, rather than being at a fixed interval.

• This had a wonderful training effect. I was certainly getting a conditioning impact from it.

• I was struggling with the bag carry, which I imagine is partly recovering from the competition and the training from yesterday.

• In that regard, I woke up wonderfully sore, which is what always happens the first week of Grey Man, but this was actually quite tonic in that regard. Hit pretty much all the achy muscles and gave them a chance to get in some bloodflow. In general: this is a keeper.

• Weighed in at 83.2kg. Scale FIRST said 82.3, so it’s got dyslexia. Probably need to replace the batteries.

• Tang Soo Do sparring tonight. My favorite week.

• Meant to log this yesterday, but I was in such a deep state of ketosis that the ammonia on my breath was actually giving me a smelling salt reaction during my DB rows. I’ve never noticed it being so strong before.

 Training Log: Entry 3722

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 1, Workout 1

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo bar squat
4x8x322

ALTERNATE w/

Axle Strict Press
3x8x156
7+1x156

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) DB incline bench
12x70s
2x9x70
8+3x70

DB row
4x12x125

GHRs
4x12x35

Notes:

• 

• That’s exactly how I felt getting under the squat this morning. I started Tactical Barbell in Sep of 2024, and on the very first squat workout I was in so much pain that I thought I was going to have to quit the program after day 1, I immediately lowered my training max by 10lbs, and one of my co-workers who say me walking that day asked if I had herniated a disk. That was using 285lbs. This is 40lbs heavier, and I felt incredibly strong and stable under the load, my knee gave me no issues, hips are good, and the weight moved clean. And this is without having done a back squat in 7-8 weeks. The system really works: Operator into Mass into Specificity.

• The other variable at play, which I’m kicking myself for taking so long to figure out, is wearing my grip shirt so that the bar doesn’t move on the squat. Now, I COULD also just use a bar with decent knurling on it, but this is a far more comprehensive approach, because my entire BACK grabs the bar now, vs just a small portion with the knurling. This means my elbows don’t take on the load, and makes this whole process far more sustainable. Also means I can focus more on the squat itself.

• All that said, still an adaptation period coming into these higher reps, and they absolutely sucked. But that’s the point: change things up and get uncomfortable.

• I most likely could have gotten all the press reps with adequate rest/not unloading plates, but I was in a bit of a time crunch. On that note, rested 2 minutes on the main cluster, 1 minute on the DB rows, 60 sec or less on the GHRs, and 1-2-2 minute on the DB incline.

• Need to re-adjust DB incline maxes. It makes sense. I haven’t done any sort of horizontal pressing in a LONG time. My right pec was still being a little weird during the frame pulls in my competition, but I think it’s going to be alright.

• Which, oh yeah, I guess I DID do a strongman competition on Saturday, so coming into hard training on Monday will probably make things a little dicey too.

• Yeeted the ab work due to time. I can get more done later. Same with chins. I’m thinking about bringing back daily chins to get in volume. Now that I’m using the grip shirt, my elbows should be able to handle that. Also, “yeet” is apparently actually a word based on autocorrect.

• Weighed in at 76.6kg…so I said “that can’t be right”, stepped back on the scale and got 82.9 a few times in a row. That’s pretty nuts for a post carb up weigh in after a comp. Which, on that note, yesterday’s family meal was the most delicious tuna casserole I’ve ever had, because along with all the other quality ingredients we topped it with some raw grassfed cheddar I found. That and 4 of the Valkyrie’s cookies with some raw honey. I’m clearly ready to grow again, but I’m going to ensure I don’t eat like an a-hole to get there. I’m enjoying all these frequent trips into Mass Protocol for opportunities to refine the approach.

• Family made it through ABCs yesterday, and I joined them for a tonic workout, but I think we’re going to raincheck tonight’s training. Valkyrie and kiddo are both not feeling awesome.

 COMPETITION WRITE UP

2026 TRIALS OF HERACLES MEN’S MASTERS OPEN WRITE UP

Summary: Came in 2nd place, which was also last place. But it came down to 5 seconds in the final event, as up until then we were tied with 2 first plans wins. The dude I was against also weighed twice as much as me, so that’s something.

Biggest wins were not getting injured, not blacking out, and having the best showing in my press in a LONG time, going the full minute and not missing a single rep to get 9 in the round. I didn’t zero a single event, which is the first in quite a few recent competitions. In general, feeling like my old self again.

Events were:

Event 1: Frame deadlift

Went 455, 505, 555. Winner won with 605.

• I took 1 warm up with the empty frame, then one with 315 and felt dizzy on the second one. Every single one of these pulls felt heavy, but not insurmountable. I’d dig deep, break it off the floor, and feel it come to lockout. Everyone said they were impressed, probably because I made it look so hard. Felt strong, and I may have had a 600lb pull in me today. We both took 505 for a second, and I took my third at 555, not knowing what his intent was, but judging by the size of him, I wasn’t shocked.

Event 2: 185lb axle clean once and press away

I got 9 reps to beat the other guy’s 4.

• I went first, having no idea what the number would be to beat, so I just sent it. The continental was the strongest I’ve had in a long time, with no real wasted energy. I got myself set and felt pretty solid with each rep. In an ideal world, I would have cycled the bar each rep, but instead I settled in and got myself strong. On the latter reps, I had some good back bend, but I never missed a rep. I didn’t get near as much leg drive as I could have, but my knees felt happy with this.

Event 3: Carry medley (225lb sandbag, an engine block and 150lb iron cross)

Got it done in 55 seconds, to the winner’s 33.

• When I signed up for the comp, the sandbag was 150lbs. At some point, it got changed to 225lbs. I still trained with a 150lb bag the entire training cycle, and since this is a speed event rather than a conditioning one, I made peace that I wasn’t going to win it, and just wanted to get a completion. I have NOT been able to load ANYTHING for my previous few competitions, and getting the sandbag to the platform and having it miss the first time, I felt pretty pissed. I lapped it and got a REAL solid triple extension on it, found a spot on it and approached the engine block. I didn’t bother to practice on it during the warm-ups to figure out the handholds on it, so it was just raw when I got to it. It was less heavy and more awkward, but I got it carried, lapped and loaded. The Iron Cross was the end, and it wobbled my knees a little, but was otherwise just solid.

• Bit of comedy: they said we could request the implements to be set up any way we liked. I said “Yeah, can you turn the handles on the iron cross, get the engine block sideways, and then can you move the sandbag closer to the start?” They were like “Well no, we can’t move the sandbag because…hey waitaminute, you’ve done this before haven’t you!” Always one with a joke

Event 4: 35lb hammer hold

Held for 1:07, to the other guy’s 38 seconds.

• I’ve never lost this event in a competition, and that continued today. It’s just pain tolerance. I was shaking like a leaf, short breaths, tense guts. Pleased to have some thoroughly dominated it.

Event 5: Heracles hold (155lb per hand)

Held on for 1:44, to the other guy’s 1:49

• This was the sold reason I signed up for this event. I’ve ALWAYS wanted to do this. We had 2” thick revolving handles on this, but all my timed holds on Fat Gripz paid off, because I felt REALLY solid on this. Biggest issue was simply not knowing what time I had to beat, as I went first. I do wonder if I could have held on even longer if I had a time to beat. But I felt strong and solid.

First competition in a LONG time where I walked away without regrets. I’m feeling my old self again.

 Training Log: Entry 3721

BRIDGE WEEK

PM WORKOUT (1400)

15 rounds of Armor Building Complexes, EMOM, with 10kg bells

4 mile easy run

Notes:

• It’s the start of the bridge week, and also a holiday, so I slept in, had another weekend style breakfast, and joined in with the family on the ABF. Used the Valkyrie’s bells during her downtime on the EMOMs. It actually felt tonic on my hurt shin/knee, which was nice. Immediately afterwards, joined the better half for a run. Kept it leisurely: definitely passed the talk test. Was a good test of my new shoes and how my knees would hold up. Things seem promising.

• Family meal tonight was spaghetti with piedmontese meat sauce, some buttered sourdough toasted in ghee, and then 2 of the Valkyrie’s cookies and a homemade banana bread muffin, all with some local raw honey.

• I am in a real good mental state, because I’m just one day into the bridge and already excited to get back to training. I REALLY want to get to building again, but I’m thinking that 3 more weeks of Operator pro makes the most sense. It means gaining all the way up to my cruise in May, which I can then continue feasting there and then kick into the summer on another bout of Operator to lean out. I’m thinking, with that one, if I don’t have a competition on the horizon, I’m going to do something I’ve been promising myself for a while and make it a Crossfit/WOD based run of Operator.

• Getting in the daily holds still. Curious how it will pay off for the Heracles hold.