Training Log: Entry 3874

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

OPERATION TACTICAL SLEIGHBELL

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL Grey Man, Week 3, Workout 4

"ROW ROW ROW YOUR BLOAT"

14 chins

20 minute recover row for 4025m

15 chins
14 chins

Notes:

• This was supposed to be a ruck day with the Valkyrie, but we got flash flood warnings at 2300 and through out the night it sounded like our house was going through a car wash as we got pelted with rain, so we decided to just sleep in. Settled on the row to start my day. Still a leisurely/recovery pace. Chins as part of the daily total.

• Body is feeling pretty good. Got in some knee PT yesterday and that already seemed to reset me back to a good baseline.

• Tang Soo Do on the books for tonight. Should just be more hyung walkthroughs.

• Hoping things dry out enough to get in some more throws work.

• Weighed 82.6kg last night. That's what we wanna see. I actually made a point to wear my "Lift Weighs/Eat Steaks" shirt while making dinner last night to continue to lean into this gaining phase. As silly as it seems, I do find there's value in "living" the phase of training that you're in. When it's time to gain, I become "that guy", and it's all I care to read and think about (thanks for the inspo Bruce Randall!) When it's time to become more athletic/lean out, that's who I become.

Training Log: Entry 3873

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION TACTICAL SLEIGHBELL

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL Grey Man, Week 3, Workout 3

MAIN CLUSTER

Axle bench press
4x3x268

(4) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
9x440+chains

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

Lever belt squats
4x8x295

Dips
3x8x85
7+1x85

Axle curls
2x8x98
6+2x98

ASSISTANCE

Reverse hyper
2x15x140

Ab triad
2 rounds

Notes:

• First Wed of the cycle where I could get in the mat pulls vs having to put it off until Thurs. The warm up with 335 was shaky, so I finally just sent it with 385 and that moved much better. I think I need be less ginger, as it creates a negative feedback loop wherein my body won't produce the necessary strength because I'm not committing fully. In turn, got in a 1rep PR with a longer ROM than last week and STILL didn't blow up my hip. I'm being a bit more intentional on the lockout.

• Bench is perfectly dialed in weight wise. Curls are heavy: going to repeat them next cycle. Right knee is telling me it's time to do PT again, and right forearm is letting me know it thinks low bar squatting is stupid.

• At Tang Soo Do last night, we identified I was turning over the wrong shoulder in the weapons hyung. Big game changer, especially right before the tournament. Otherwise, got some major props from my head instructor regarding my efforts to relax and flow in the open hands hyung. In general, I don't care about either one, but I want to represent the Dojang well. Which, on that note, Valkyrie and I both passed our written test, so we're all set to test for our next belts in Mid Nov, which will be the final belt before black. Wild to think. Class itself was pretty low energy: just walking through hyungs for the tournament.

• Weighed 81.7kg. Surprised given how much food I put away last night, but still trending in a good way.

Training Log: Entry 3872

AM WORKOUT (0450 wake up via Valkyrie's alarm)

OPERATION TACTICAL SLEIGHBELL

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL Grey Man, Week 3, Workout 2

"ROW ROW ROW YOUR BLOAT"

14 chins

6000m row in 30:42

15 chins
14 chins

Notes:

• My kiddo has another XC meet today, so we got up a little earlier so the Valkyrie could get to work early and leave early, giving me a little extra time on the rower. Still kept the intensity low and in recovery mode. In full disclosure, my time was a little worse compared to last week because I stopped rowing a few times to skip an add on the youtube video I was watching.

• My forearms are presenting the pain typically associated with low bar squatting. I imagine the heaviest week put the greatest tax on them. I'll continue to monitor. This is exactly why I have 2 COAs for this Operation.

• Weighed in at 82.0kg this morning. That's more what we wanna see.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. Focus is most likely going to be on tournament prep for this weekend.

Training Log: Entry 3871

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION TACTICAL SLEIGHBELL

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL Grey Man, Week 3, Workout 1

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo bar Squat
4x3x375

Axle strict press from rack
4x3x173

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) DB Incline Bench
4x8x70s

DB row
4x8x155

GHR
4x8x30

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
25, 10

Notes:

• This week is always the "easiest" week, despite being the heaviest. My right knee is being a little pissy, and given I haven't done my PT for about a month, I should probably start doing some again. I was remarking earlier this week how my elbows have been feeling great with the low bar, but today gave me some reminders, so I'll continue to monitor and see how they hold up.

• Very pleased with how strong the press felt. I walked my TM back 5lbs and that seemed to help.

• Trying to focus on specific muscle contractions on the supplemental work.

• Weighed in at 81.1kg, which is the lowest I've been in a while and definitely not what I anticipated after the weekend of feasting. There's a chance my metabolism is ramping up to meet the increased intake, and I do notice that my step count is subconsciously increasing as well. Little further evidence is that I was absoultely drenched in sweat when I woke up this morning, so body cranked up the thermostat. Not going to look the gift horse in the mouth: means I get to eat even more. But it also means that the squats this morning were substantially more than "double bodyweight", and that last weeks numbers were actually closer to that. I'm still mentally adjusting to being as light as I currently am.

• Valkyrie has expressed interest in bringing back ABF into our lives, so we'll see if that shapes up this week. We have our TSD tournament on Sat, so that willimpact things.

Training Log: Entry 3870

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION TACTICAL SLEIGHBELL

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL Grey Man, Week 2, Workout 5

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo bar Squat
4x6x352

Axle strict press from rack
4x6x161

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) DB incline bench
4x10x65s

DB row
4x10x145

GHR
4x10x25

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
2x15

Notes:

• Motivation continues to be on the low side. I semi-dread these sessions the night before, but honestly the only thing that really sucks is the squats, and even those aren't all that bad. I just need to lean even more into the gaining phase of this. Jamie Lewis talks about that: when you've got a bunch of food in your system, you're more motivated to train because you want to turn it into something.

• This week in general is a nice one in the programs. 6s are better than 8s, while the 3s feel a little too easy.

• Took the press down 5lbs and that was Goldilocks territory.

• I lost the first round of sparring last night against one of the black belts, then went on to win the redemption bracket and beat our senior blackbelt in the final match of the night, so a good night of sparring in general. I'm feeling a little fatigued from it. Outside of sparring, my instructor wants me to address how my shoulders and hands don't seem to move independently of each other. Years of trying to protect my shoulder coming through. More stuff to work on.

• Got in some throws last night before the rain came (it's pouring, with no signs of stopping). Getting slightly better. I need to get something to actually throw OVER so I have some metrics to train against.

• Weighed in at 81.3kg this morning.

Training Log: Entry 3869

AM WORKOUT (0410 wake up via Valkyrie's alarm)

OPERATIONAL TACTICAL SLEIGHBELL

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL Grey Man, Week 2, Workout 4

"GO RUCK YOURSELF"

14 chins

3 mile weighted vest walk w/20.4lb tac carrier in 49:54

(5) Texas Deadlift Bar mat pullls
8x440+chains

14 chins

Notes:

• The ruck was the focus for today, but I was able to get in that other stuff as well. Wore my running shoes instead of my bearfeet and was really able to motor. We shaved 3 minutes off our previous time.

• Just like last week: substantial improvement in ability on the mat pulls between yesterday and today. This may just be where I land as far as programming goes. I actually managed 3 reps more than last week, with a longer ROM. I paid attention to have the bar a bit further out ahead of me at the start, so I could get into a better position to initiate the first pull. Zero pain on the set, which is a huge plus.

• We actually got in a 3 mile ruck last night after dinner as well. Nice to get in so much activity while the weather is good.

• Weighed 82.1kg this morning. I finally understood the assignment last night with that mound of eggs and cottage cheese.

Training Log: Entry 3868

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION TACTICAL SLEIGHBELL

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL Grey Man, Week 2, Workout 3

MAIN CLUSTER

Axle bench press
3x6x251
5+1x251

Mat pulls
Nope

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

Lever belt squat
4x10x270

Dips
4x10x62.5

Axle curls
2x10x88
2x7+3x88

ASSISTANCE

Reverse hyper
3x15

Ab triad
2 rounds

Notes:

• Jumping straight to the mat pulls: I felt a small twinge in my right side this morning, and my warm-ups were just heavier than they should have been. Went for 385+chains and though I COULD have broken it off the mats, doing so would take more effort than I should need. I'm going to do a repeat of last week and give this a go tomorrow, which, if that works, this may become a feature instead of a bug. Valkyrie and I are going to go on a ruck in the morning tomorrow, and after that I can give the pulls a go.

• On the topic of a ruck: Valkyrie has talked about doing the 50 mile ruck here in Sep next year. Game on.

• The bench moved decently. It's heavy, but a good challenge to compel me to eat more to overcome. Dips and lever belt were strong.

• The reverse hypers seem to help my back. May need to bring them back into the warm-ups. I imagine the low bar squatting is beating it up.

• Tang Soo Do sparring has changed to now have male and female brackets, so I walked away the champion of the male bracket last night. 4 matches total. We have a new student with a boxing background, and we got paired together during drills. It brought me back.

• Weighed 81.1kg this morning. I am VERY surprised to observe a drop after eating that Costco pulled pork, because that is a total sodium bomb. More food is needed, which, on that note, I employed my experiment of a very high protein/low fat post workout meal this morning. 10 egg whites, 1 whole egg, and a can of salmon, broke down to 90g of protein and 9g of fat, and roughly 440 calories. At 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight, that's half my needs in one meal: I'm still blown away that people struggle in that regard. We're going out for a "Chef's Night Out" at an Italian place that boasts a huge salad bar, so my plan is to go full Gaston mode on the hardboiled eggs, cheese, and other toppings.