Training Log: Entry 3850

AM WORKOUT (0420 Wake up via Valkyrie's alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 4, Week 3, Workout 4

18 chins
18 dips

"INDOOR POWER INTERVALS" w/rower

• 5 rounds, 2 minutes of max effort rower w/5 mins rest

18 min walk

18 chins
18 dips

Notes:

• Oh my goodness I had absolutely zero desire to do anything this morning. Only thing that got me up was that the Valkyrie was already going to get in an early morning session, and even then I legit contemplated getting up with her and then going right back to bed once she got on the treadmill. But indoor power intervals is honestly pretty easy to talk myself into: it's only 10 minutes of "work". I went with this over the prowler because I have my fitness test today and decided this would give my knee a fighting chance.

• Once I slow rolled to the rower and got started I found my drive and sent it. This was a good workout and hit the intent. I was breathing hard when it was done. The walk at the end was shorter than last week, because I took longer to get started, but I got in some steps as well. The knee actually feels better after rowing: I imagine it helps get blood flow and alleviate the swelling. I no longer experience clicking or instability, but it's still swollen as hell with limited mobility and pain when I try to push it beyond it's resistance point.

• I made it to the finals in sparring last night, squared off against the Valkyrie, then beat our senior Black Belt in the redemption bracket to face off against the Valkyrie in the final match of the night. She commented on how ruthless I've been against the other students these past few nights, and I informed her how, with the state of my knee, I want the matches to end as quickly as possible to prevent me from doing something stupid with it. I'd feel bad for the other students...were it not for the fact that I'm 40 with a bum knee while they're teenagers approaching their prime and I can still take them to school.

• Weighed in at 80.8kg.

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Fitness Test

Height: 5'8.5 (I've shrunk half an inch. I blame squats and the yoke)
Weight: 176 (What have I become, my sweetest friend?)
Waist: 32.5" (down 1.5" from getting it measured last month), 20 points
Push ups: 52 in 1 min (max point value), 15 points
Sit ups: 50 in 1 min (max point value), 15 points
2 mile run: 16:54, 43 points (1 second away from 44 points)

Total score: 93.0 points

Considering I ran those 2 miles in a knee brace, I'm over the moon. I haven't run since my last 5k on Disney's Castaway Cay, and I was able to nasal breathe the entire time. I also watched some young bucks fail the test, which is just a sad state of affairs. That waist measurement is pretty nuts: I'm still taping the same as I did in college.

I've got an icebag on my knee (technically a bag of frozen mixed veggies) and popped 2 motrin (a rarity with how I respond to anti-inflammatories): this is how we celebrate at 40. Still planning on hitting Tang Soo Do.

Oh yeah: all of this was coffee fasted, so that's pretty cool.

Training Log: Entry 3849

AM WORKOUT (0400 Wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 4, Week 3, Workout 3

18 chins
18 dips

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x5x175

SSB front squats
3x5x250

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Deadlift
9x425+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x5x113

3 giant sets of 15x90 reverse hyper, 10 hanging leg raise, 25 band pull aparts

Notes:

• Again, knee swells up at night from lack of movement, but is feeling good through the training. I'll take it. That's a W for me. I was motivated for this workout because it's so short and I was going to get to pull from the floor.

• I'll talk to that part first: I'm very pleased with how this went. Primarily because I walked away without pain. Knee is fine and SI joint/IT band aren't barking at me. I played it slow and controlled and know I COULD have gotten a 10th rep if that was my goal, but with my fitness test tomorrow and my competition at the end of the month, I wanted to get NOT hurt from deadlifts.

• Log felt a little weaker than I'd care for. SSB squats were pretty smooth. Curls were better than I expected.

• I was the dojang sparring champion last night. 3 matches to get me there. Funny enough, because I was babying my left knee, I was more planted than usual, and got in a lot of strong "jolt punch" jabs straight down the pipe on many competitors. The Valkyrie commented on it when she came up from the redemption bracket to face me (and, of course, win). We have another night of sparring tonight. I feel like it's been good for my recovery.

• Weighed in at 79.9kg again, so these were sub 80kg pulls, and 2.43x bodyweight. I struggle mentally with being this light, but the QoL is fantastic. I also snapped a photo with a pump in some more anabolic lighting to capture lean "enough"

Training Log: Entry 3848

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

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 4, Week 3, Workout 2

18 chins
18 dips

"ROW ROW ROW YOUR BLOAT"

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• Since it's the "hard" week of Operator, it's the easy week of conditioning. Recovery row, and based on distance, I came up 150m short compared to my typical pace, so this is what I needed.

• My knee was achy last night, but after the row it felt pretty solid. I think I injured it "differently" than I did 2 weeks ago, as it's not clicking or losing stability, but just feels swollen, and movement seems to help get fluid out of it. My theory is still that I've re-torn the meniscus, but after my competition I'll see about getting some imaging on it. But, as it stands (puns!) I can still perform with it: I just have pain and swelling.

• Valkyrie and I got in a 2.75 mile walk post dinner last night. She's been wearing her weight vest on these as well. Meanwhile, I'm shirtless trying to get in Vitamin D, so it means she's the hardcore one on our walks.

• Tang Soo Do tonight, and it's sparring week. Be curious to see how the knee wants to play.

• Weighed in at 81.0kg. Matches my lightest Tuesday weigh in on the training cycle. I'm at that point of leanness where I can see changes on the daily.

• Forgot to log it yesterday, but last week was successful with 7 days of 2x18/2x17 chins and dips, so this week is 3x18/1x17. Looking ahead with my cruise happening from 4-15 Sep, I'll most likely just try to hit chin/dip rep goals if applicable.

Training Log: Entry 3847

AM WORKOUT (0400 Wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 4, Week 3, Workout 1

18 chins
18 dips

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

SSB front squat
2xBar
1x135
1x185
1x225
1x275
1x330

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x5x175
2x4x175

Loading to platform (1 min on/2 min rest)

• Rounds 1 and 3: 7x135lb stone of steel

• Rounds 2 and 4: 2/3x250lb keg

• Round 3: 3x200lb sandbag

ASSISTANCE

2 Giant sets of 30 seconds SSB front rack hold w/358, 10 hanging leg raises, 25 pull aparts

Notes:

• Absolutely zero motivation to train this morning. This is the final week of Operator Pro and I am totally ready for it. The biggest variable at play is nutrition for sure: I've exhausted whatever excitement there is to be had in getting leaner, and now I just want to build. My weight is freefalling as well, which tends to happen once I get to this level of lean, which most likely means I'm feeling a little more fatigue than usual. ...plus I got in 23k steps yesterday between walking the dog, mowing the lawn, and then the Valkyrie wanting to go on a post dinner walk. Which, in that regard, my hips were a little stiff coming into this.

• Which makes a 330 front squat pretty cool. I'm not calling it a PR because it's a single, and it was hard fought, but it was good to put a little chipshot extra weight on the bar.

• The log was rough on the first set, but after that moved really well on the cleans. No wasted energy. I COULD have fought for those 5th reps, but this close to the comp, there's no benefit.

• I almost had to get some stitches this morning on the load. For the first round of the keg, it slipped on the third rep, and I very slightly conked my eyebrow ridge on the loading platform. I thankfully had the awareness to pull back at the last second vs lean into it. Very grateful it's not worse: just some light bruising.

• Left knee was doing well until the sandbag. Feels like I stretched out whatever is bugging it. But it's not clicking and catching like it has been, so I'm hoping some ice will be enough.

• Weighed in at 79.9kg: lowest Monday/post carb weigh in for the entire cycle. Last night was spaghetti with meat sauce, some homemade sourdough rolls and then 4 of the Valkyrie's pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip butterscotch cookies (she makes them just for me) and a sourdough oatmeal cream pie, all with raw local honey. I've legit got no reason to get any leaner at this point, outside of our cruise coming up. I see myself upping food leading up to the comp.

Training Log: Entry 3846

AM WORKOUT (0400 Wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 4, Week 2, Workout 5

18 chins
18 dips

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and press
2xLog
1x150
1x170
1x200
1x220 (failed attempt at double)

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

SSB front squat
5x5x235

1 min rounds of loading w/2min rest

• Rounds 1 and 3: 6x135lb stone of steel

• Rounds 2 and 4: 3x250lb keg

• Round 5: 3x200lb sandbag

ASSISTANCE

3 giant sets of 30 second SSB front rack hold w/345, 10 hanging leg raises and 25 band pull aparts

Notes:

• Zero desire to do this today, but I knew it was the ticket I needed to punch to have my weekend. My knee feels shot at the end of the day but "normal" at the start, which is progress. I could still find ways to piss it off during the training (specifically trying to pick up the keg standing up vs laying down), so I didn't push totally into the redline, but in general this was a very solid and "normal" training day, and continues to bode well for my healing.

• Though I continue to only push out singles on the log, they are feeling better AND I'm doing this at lighter and lighter bodyweights (more to follow). The clean is getting less wasteful.

• Front squats sunk to the bottom without resistance. The faster I move on them, the less they suck.

• Happy with how loading went. I really like rotating the movement WITHIN the workout. I think that has some real legs to it.

• Tang Soo Do last night was pretty low energy, but we got some major kudos from our head instructor over a synchronized hyung we pulled off. The dynamic movements in class definitely test my connective tissue. My knee is good moving in a straight line, but all the lateral stuff is stressing it.

• Weighed in at 79.6kg this morning. Well bleep. Goal wasn't to see a 7 as the first number, but I'm certainly not starving myself and my strength is still holding on well. I'm going to be in an excellent position for gaining after my cruise. This is something Jamie Lewis talked about: as you get leaner, you can get away with MORE nutritional debauchery, and the body just seems to perpetuate more and more leanness.

Training Log: Entry 3845

AM WORKOUT (0420 Wake up via Valkyrie's alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 4, Week 2, Workout 4

18 chins
18 dips

"INDOOR POWER INTERVALS"

• 2 min "max effort" on rower

• 5 min rest

• Repeat for 5 rounds total

30 min walk

18 chins
18 dips

Notes:

• This is typically my prowler day, but woke up to the storm of the century. Raining sheets and arc lighting in the sky. Thankfully this workout is a total barn burner and does exactly what I need it to do, to the point that, outside of competition, I can definitely see this being a regular feature.

• Called it at 5 rounds because that's when quality was significantly dropping off. Got an outstanding conditioning effect, and then used some of the downtime to get in some steps. Walked up and down my basement stairs during part of that as well, to help build/test my knee. It's feeling more and more normal with each day. Gives me hope for my fitness test and comp at the end of the month.

• The "via Valkyrie's alarm" is because she's been getting up early to get in training these days as well. Been nice to not be the only one up and about at stupid early hours.

• Weighed in at 81.0kg. Looking leaner by the day.

• I kinda REALLY want this weight vest, but I'm curious if I want it for $190

• 

Training Log: Entry 3844

AM WORKOUT (0400 Wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 4, Week 2, Workout 3

18 Chins
18 Dips

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x5x165

SSB front squat
3x5x135

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(2) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
10x425+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x5x106

3 round giant set of 10 hanging leg raises and 25 band pull aparts

Lateral raise dropset

AM WORKOUT II (0830)

3.5 mile trail walk

Notes:

• It's been 1 week since I borked my knee, and I actually woke up feeling really good this morning. There's still some swelling and minor bits of pain, but definitely not "holy crap I tore my meniscus/ACL" dysfunction. I took my war up slow and steady and came in with a policy of "do what you can, don't do what you can't". Log and squat both felt strong.

• The mat pulls was the most controlled set of pulls I've had in months and, consequently, the strongest I've felt. I had more reps in me, but shut it down at 10 because it was the right and safe call, and as a result my knee AND my SI joint/IT band all feel awesome. First time in months I can say that. Lotta lessons to learn there.

• Curls were solid as well. Just a strong day in general.

• Got the day off work for the kiddo's first day of school, so after we dropped them off the Valkyrie and I got in a walk. Still coffee fasted at that point.

• Tang Soo Do was semi-active last night. "Cardio hyungs". Biggest thing is I'm doing exactly what my instructor says and taking them gently: no power in them. Tai Chi style. He came up to me in class and told me he noticed my efforts, and the big thing he gave me was "With your stature, even when you DON'T put power into the technique, it's powerful enough to have the desired effect". That was the feedback I needed. Ok: game on. He also gave me a compliment, demonstrating an elbow strike technique to the abdomen and saying "The intent here is to soften up the target with the strike", he then struck my abdomen and commented "Probably isn't going to work on you, but on OTHER people..."

• Weighed 80.3kg this morning. Roulette diet keeps working magic.