Training Log: Entry 3755

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

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 7, Workout 2

“VIKING RAID”

15 minutes

• 100m row

• 150lb sandbag carry

• Add 100m to row each round

Notes:

• Opened the day with 18 chins.

• This was like “Viking raid” and more “Viking retreat”, as I was hobbling. The race re-aggravated an old injury in my right hip/lower back that I’ve been rolling out for the past few days. But Chaos is the plan, because I woke up this morning and thought to myself “no way am I picking up a sandbag”, but once I took the dog out (in the sleet, because the weather here is bonkers) and came back inside I felt “good enough”. I moved slow, but I could still feel the conditioning hit from this.

• My forearm/bicep also continues to operate at “good enough” levels, which is a boon this far into low bar squatting. The grip shirt really solved a lot of issues. And I take comfort in the fact that my right knee has completely resolved. Victories where I can.

• Weighed in at 84.2kg. Highest of the cycle so far. I’m sure there’s still a lot of inflammation at play, but I’m also probably finally fully glycogen loaded, as I’ve noticed the past 2 days how much deeper my abs have looked. Which is also the funny thing, as I looked at myself in the mirror before the weigh in and thought “this is a good level of ‘walk around leanness’.”, and then stepped on the scale and saw the highest weigh in for the cycle. A sign of how the scale really only tells a small part of the story.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. It’s one-step week, which is typically low activity, but break falls will be interesting. Our instructor knows that we ran the race, and he’s a recent spinal-fusion recipient, so he may show us a little mercy.

 Training Log: Entry 3754

AM WORKOUT (0340 natural wake up, snoozed until 0400 alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 7, Workout 1

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo Bar Squat
4x8x335

Axle strict press from rack
3x6x158
5x158

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) DB incline bench
2x12x75s
9x75
8+3x75

DB rows
4x12x130

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit ups
20,15

Notes:

• As you can see, I decided to do another cycle of Grey Man.

• Had to cut out the GHRs due to time constraints. I’ll knock them out later today.

• I felt much better than I should have felt after that 10 mile race on Saturday and decided to see what I could do this morning. I was absolutely delighted with how the squats went, and not surprised with how the pressing went. I didn’t push myself stupidly hard there, and just went with what I was capable of today. I actually kept the training max the same this cycle on the axle, rather than increase it, and will just get better quality reps. I’ll see how Friday’s workout goes.

• Rest paused on the DB incline bench to make up some reps, but not all the ones I missed

• Got some new knee sleeves from Elitefts, and they are total game changers. I noticed that my Mark Bell sleeves had split on the left sleeve and were no longer providing any actual support: just warmth. These sleeves are double ply, yet stretchy enough to not cut off my circulation so that I can wear them all session. And what I discovered is that, when my knees have compression, my joints feel stable (shocker) and my body has more confidence in movement, so the squat eccentric moves MUCH smoother than before. Previously, the first rep especially, it was like I was lowering a rope in a well trying to find the bottom: just gingerly and slowly lowering myself until I could find depth and then get back up. Now, I feel more confident just sinking to the bottom. I’m excited to see how this benefits my training. It was a BIG “to do” to get these damn things, because Elitefts Customer service SUCKS and their sizing chart is absolutely bonkers. It had me as a 3XL, which was also an 11” knee diameter (which is the kind of diameter you expect to see on a child). I wrote an e-mail asking about it, which went unanswered, and I called their service number and they basically just read the chart to me. I had to literally DM Dave Tate directly on facebook to finally figure out I should be a medium. It’s amazing how it’s STILL like this when it comes to lifting equipment. Nothing has changed since Inzer in the 80s.

• Got in a full 7 days of 3x17 chins. Today, I opened up with 18.

• Weighed in at 83.7kg. Heaviest so far. I absolutely earned it. I’d be hesitant to call yesterday a “cheat day”, because it wasn’t cheating, it wasn’t binging, it was just enjoying Easter and being with the family, but it’s the first time in maybe a decade where I spent the whole day running on carbs rather than just 1 meal. The Valkyrie has been exploring more sourdough options and made sourdough cinnamon rolls with icing from scratch, of which I had 2. She made sourdough biscuits to go with our 1 big meal of the day, which was bone-in ham along with a corn casserole, baked beans, deviled eggs, and olives. I had 2 of those biscuits with some local honey and butter, and then the absolute fattiest pieces of ham I could find. And then she made sourdough brownies completely from scratch, which I did 2 of those as well, and topped 1 with some raw honey. It felt great to eat these, physically and otherwise. Everything being made in the home from scratch with quality ingredients just hits right. I’m satiated when it’s done, rather than craving even more, and it’s incredibly enjoyable. I don’t feel sluggish afterwards. And I honestly couldn’t do it any better than to completely deplete any glycogen I ever had with that run and then replenish it all the next day. And then I trained and ate a meal of eggs and kalua pork, which is such an awesome “back on the diet” meal.

 Training Log: Entry 3753

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via alarm, 0730 start time)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 6, Workout 5

10 mile race

Notes:

• For anyone that has been following along, I did absolutely zero prep for this. I did 1 4 mile run about 7 weeks ago, and have otherwise been doing the rower for my cardio, and even then, it’s been 20 minute workouts. I’ve cut out my rucking and have leaned full into the Mass Protocol.

• That’s not a smart way to train for a 10 mile race.

• I also ran this completely fasted, on 8oz of water and some electrolytes. And I drank no water during the race.

• Bad decisions make good stories.

• I managed to run it all without stopping, which is always my goal. My fascia in my foot held up, and my right knee feels ok. My right hip is pissed off at me, but it’s been that way for a few weeks, and setting a deadlift PR on Wed didn’t help (another bad decision). I certainly wasn’t having a fun time for a lot of it, but it was something I could endure. It was really the first half mile that sucked the most, because I was basically re-teaching myself how to run WHILE dealing with all those little niggling injuries.

• Also, there was freezing rain and snow at the start, which made things less than awesome. But at the end there was bacon, which is THE best post running food I’ve ever had. Bananas are for chumps: bacon has more potassium. This race is put on by a local Brunch spot, so they bring out the A-game, and the Valkyrie even let me have her bacon. Getting the bacon into my mouth was also the fastest I moved that whole race.

• 

• Ninja mode at the start

• 

• This photo taken with a slow motion camera similar to what was used on the set of “The Green Hornet” since Bruce Lee kicked too fast.

• No rest for the wicked: I had to immediately drive the Valkyrie back to our home so I could drop her off to take the dog to doggie day care while I took the kiddo to music theater, which meant riding in a truck for 40 minutes after having JUST run 10 miles without training. Once I dropped the kid off, I peeled myself out of my truck and then walked to the nearest rest room like I was in a Wild West movie.

• I am not aging gracefully. I’m 40 years old and kicking sand in the reapers face like a Charles Atlas ad.

 Training Log: Entry 3752

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 6, Workout 5

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo Bar Squat
4x3x377

Axle strict press from rack
4x3x181

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) Incline DB bench
4x8x80s

DB rows
4x8x145

GHR
4x8x65

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
20, 15

Notes:

• Though I had the day off work, I still got up early to get this knocked out so I could have full time with my family. And, truthfully, I just plain hate working out so much that I don’t want to put it off any longer than I have to. Sleeping in is cool, but sleeping in and THEN having to work out kinda sucks.

• Yet another “I feel undeservedly strong” workout, which is such a contrast to last cycle’s “strength miracles” workouts. My right forearm/bicep was extremely pissy yesterday and I thought I’d reached the end of my limit on low bar squatting, but today there were zero issues. Lower back was a little sore, primarily from Tang Soo Do. This new form is really challenging the core.

• My right hip still flares up a little on the overhead press. This is what was bothering me 18 months ago when I first started Tactical Barbell, and it’s not as severe, but I may need to take more proactive measures soon to resolve it.

• Tang Soo Do last night wasn’t extremely exhausting, but moderate activity. Highlight was doing a partner self-defense drill where both individuals tried to grab the other while defending against the grab. Was paired off against the Valkyrie, and like a venus flytrap I waited for her to grab me, and then spun around and picked her up from behind in a psuedo-suplex. Of course, didn’t slam her, but lifting her a bunch of times was fun.

• Weighed in at 82.5kg. Repeat of yesterday’s weight. I honestly haven’t been looking at myself in the mirror much through this process, but today I noticed a degree of leanness I haven’t seen in quite a while. This recomp approach has really been successful. Going easier on the conditioning has put me in a lower cortisol state and seems to be allowing for more fat burning/loss. With how I’ve been able to eat through this process, I’m pretty jazzed about that.

• 10 mile race tomorrow. Bad decisions make good stories.

 Training Log: Entry 3751

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm, best night of sleep in a long time)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 6, Workout 4

“ROW ROW ROW YOUR BLOAT”

20m recovery row

Notes:

• Every week, this is what I need when I need it. Alarm went off, I went to stretch, and every single muscle cramped. Got out of bed like the Tin Man, stumbled onto the rower, and went for no records whatsoever: just moved my body through space for 20 minutes and got some blood flowing. It’s one of those workouts where you consider skipping it because “what’s the point”, but it’s so much better to do it than to not.

• Opened up the workout with 17 chins.

• Weighed 82.5kg. Big contributor was last night’s Tang Soo Do class, which, as a 90 minute class, was an excellent workout. We spent the first half drilling techniques in increasing complex combinations that had us pouring sweat, and finished up with forms. Consequently, the “water weight shenanigans” I spoke of earlier are most likely still at play, explaining the weight drop despite the big meals yesterday, due to just how much we sweat. One more class tonight.

• I took the day off work tomorrow so the kiddo and I can catch the Mario movie. I’ve already got lunch in the sous vide (beef rib and beef shank), as we have our 10 mile race on Saturday and I’ll need to properly fuel. Still semi-undecided on the most immediate follow-on training phase, but part of that will be seeing how I feel after that race.

 Training Log: Entry 3750

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm, good night of sleep)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 6, Workout 3

MAIN CLUSTER

Axle Bench Press
4x3x266

Texas Deadlift Bar Deadlifts
12x440

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

Lever belt squat
4x8x275

Dips
3x8x85
7+1x85

Axle curls
4x8x91

ASSISTANCE CIRCUIT

Reverse hyper/Hanging leg raise
3x15x360/3x10

Notes:

• Sleep was good, so I didn’t wanna get up when the alarm went off, but I’ve been excited about this training day enough that I told myself, if I really wanted to, I could just walk away after the deadlift.

• On that note: I’m quite pleased with the deadlift. I noticed I was low backing it today, which seems to be me trying to save my hips, but even with that, the weight felt SO much lighter than my previous attempt at this weight. I’ve grown significantly stronger, and this was a 2 rep PR. I also saw places where I can chill out on the hips a little during the concentric. 12 reps was my goal and I met it. Grinded out a bit more than I should have, but so far no worse for wear. And the moonwalk afterwards was legit, as was seeing all the blown out blood vessels in my shoulders after my shower. I’m coming back to what I was.

• Benching was ok. Little bit of elbow pain to deal with. Felt it on the dips as well, and really showed itself on the hanging leg raise when I’d get off the bar. Felt more specifically in the bicep, similar to how my left felt before I tore it. Something to keep an eye on.

• Happy with how the belt squat is feeling these days. Far more viable movement when I don’t have knee pain.

• Tang Soo Do last night was a good traditional class of basics and forms. I’m really trying to get my stances deeper, now that my knees play nicer. Tonight is the 90 minute class.

• Weighed in at 82.8kg this morning: a full kilo drop from yesterday, despite eating like an absolute champ. Definitely some water weight shenanigans going on.

• On the topic of weight, this training phase has made me think I’ve got a decent year-round protocol going so far. Gain Oct-Dec, lean out first 6 weeks of new year, Recomp/reverse diet to June, lean out/be active outside for the summer, repeat. I’ve naturally fallen into the pattern and it’s really working well for me.

Training Log: Entry 3749

AM WORKOUT (0500 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 6, Workout 2

“VIKING RAID”

15 minutes

• 100m row

• 150lb sandbag carry

• Add 100m each round

Notes:

• Got all the way through the 6th round before the timer hit. Second best performance of the training cycle. Really tried to make it up in the rowing portion, as I was being a bit ginger on the carries.

• Opened up the workout with 17 chins.

• My hip has turned a corner thankfully in time for a deadlift PR attempt tomorrow. I was on the fence with doing this workout in order to spare the hip for said attempt, but this didn’t seem to bother it too much. Tang Soo Do may be another story. Right elbow/forearm is still a little pissy with this workout in general, but far better than it usually is this deep into Grey Man.

• Yes: I specifically wear my shirt that says “Viking” for this workout.

• Weighed 83.8kg this morning. Highest so far in the training block. With it being a gaining block, that’s not a bad thing, but I’ve also been living off the most sodium laden foods for the past several days, between kalua pig, corned beef and that Hawaiian BBQ spread last night. Consequently, thirst levels have been elevated as well.