Training Log: Entry 3797

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

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 2

“FOBBITS: Illegal Barbarian/Monk Multi-class”

16 chins
16 dips

• 2 minutes on rower, then Naihanchi Cho Dan

• Repeat for 20 minutes total

Notes:

• Came up with this last night, and I’m happy with how it shook out. Chance to combine conditioning and martial arts training, and they feed into each other. As the rounds go on, fatigue accumulates, and I have to focus harder to keep my technique sharp on the hyung, and the hyung has enough power and intensity in it that it disrupts the rower.

• Moved faster/harder on the rower than would be typical “recovery” speed, so this was more a legit conditioning workout. However, I feel the rower itself will still have the desired tonic effect by being a concentric only exercise (which, come to think of it, so is the prowler, so I am so much smarter than I realize sometimes). On that note, my body is feeling excellent despite having done 5x8 atlas stones yesterday, so things are boding well.

• Weighed in at 84.0kg this morning. .4 gain from yesterday, which I was seeing in the previous training cycle. This still reflects a 1kg drop from last week Tuesday.

• Tang Soo Do may be happening tonight. Chaos is the plan. It’s one step week, so tends to be low intensity in general.

 Training Log: Entry 3796

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 1

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

SSB Front squat
3xBar
2x135
1x185
1x225
1x275
2x315

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
5x8x155

Stone of Steel to Platform
5x8x135

ASSISTANCE (circuit)

SSB front rack hold
3x30 seconds x 315

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• Training motivation was more solid for this than usual. Novelty of a new day, and I think this is probably the least “miserable” day of the training block. Moving big (ish) weights on the front squat is always a delight, especially when it means not having to do lots of reps.

• Shoulders fell a little forward on the second rep of 315. I’ll see if I can “own” that weight some other time.

• Pressing is feeling better. I’m re-learning how to lean off my stomach instead of my chest. Also have to remember to squeeze my glutes and create a stable base.

• Was able to conquer the stone today. Sprung for some receiver gloves, and they’re an absolute game changer. I’d prefer to use less equipment, but given the circumstances with sweat and humidity, it’d better for me to groove frequent good reps than just grind slop over and over again. The gloves get a good, consistent grab on the stone, especially combined with the shirt. The consequence is that the stone is rubbing parts of my chest completely raw/bleeding from so many reps, so I’m going to develop some very interesting calluses soon.

• Finished off with abs and rear delts. In doing so, it dawned on me the difference between what I do and what I see young trainees do. When given an opportunity to do assistance work, it’s always vanity stuff and, in turn, WAAAY too much of it. For me, it’s “insurance work”: let me do those things that allow me to KEEP training another day. It’s like an oil change for the body, instead of trying to put on a new spoiler.

• Got in all 4 sets of 15 on chins and dips for all 7 days last week. Today started off with 16, and the rest of the sets will be 15s.

• Weighed in at 83.6kg this morning. That’s post family meal, wherein my Valkyrie made the most amazing sourdough rolls that tasted just like the breadsticks from my favorite neighborhood resturant growing up, alongside some sphagetti with meatsauce and 4 peanut butter/recees’ pieces cookies with some raw honey. Note it was 4 instead of 5: I’m dieting after all. This is also a 1.4kg lower weight than last week’s starting weight (which was technically on a Tuesday), but that was also post travel, so baselines are still a bit tough to establish.

 Training Log: Entry 3795

AM WORKOUT (0358 natural wake up)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 1, Workout 4 (off cycle due to travel)

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and push press away
3xLog
2x150
1x170
1x190
3x200

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

SSB front squat
5x10x205

Stone of Steel to platform
10x135
4x5x135

ASSISTANCE

SSB front rack hold
3x30 secondsx315lb

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• All I wanted to do was sleep more. A good sign compared to my sleep avoiding days, but I had no latitude in the schedule to pull that off, so I got up and did this. First morning where I found myself wanting breakfast, so my appetite has returned.

• The log is feel really strong. The shirt helps. 200 is a good place to work from. If I add 5lbs each week, that’s 60lbs by the time the competition rolls around, which shows that this ISN’T going to happen, so I can blunt my expectations there. The exact wrong thing to do is plan out progression on a daily max, but I know where I can build from here. That 3rd rep was a grinder, so I can try to get 200 smoother next week or go for a heavier double.

• 5x10 front squats weren’t quite as awful as I would have expected. Battling the humidity is the hardest part. I was dying in that grip shirt, and it came to show harder on the stones.

• Original plan was 5x10 on the stones. That MAY have been possible if there wasn’t a sweat factor to contend with. The tacky towel was failing, and I started slipping on the stone, which is exactly what led to my left bicep tear. Capped it at 5, which, due to the circumstances, was still a very solid workout.

• I really like how the weeks shake out with this protocol. The front squat builds through the week, starting with a 2-3rm, then 3x10, then 5x10. The press does the opposite: starting out with 5x10, then 3x10, and then peaking with the 2-3rm. I’m thinking the stone of steel can go 3xHypertrophy reps on Monday and 5x5 on Friday, with the deadlift in the middle.

• Tang Soo Do was challenging last night. We spent a good majority of class in the horse riding stance. My right knee is a little tender as a result.

• Weighed 83.2kg this morning, another .2kg drop from yesterday, resulting in a total of 1.8kg (very close to 4lbs) lost since Tuesday. Good data points all around there. I was able to painlessly fast 3 days in a row, which isn’t what I would prefer to do for the following weeks, but it’s good info to have.

 Training Log: Entry 3794

AM WORKOUT (0359 natural wake up, snoozed until 0425, also natural wake up)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 1, Workout 3 (off cycle due to travel)

“Prowler Sprints”

• 4 rounds w/90lbs loaded on high handles

Notes:

• Since this was an AM workout, this was on the longer course, so each sprint took between 48-55 seconds.

• Opened with 15 chins and dips as well. Took 5 minutes between rounds, walking the course. Focused on transitioning to nose breathing as soon as I was able to, really trying to master recovery between rounds.

• Prioritized never stopping during the sprint: just keep on pushing. And I keep writing “sprint”, but it’s most just “all out effort”, as after the first 12 seconds I know I’m slowing down.

• 4 rounds remains the right time to shut it down. Really making a point to emphasize “perfect practice” on this workout and not grooving garbage. By the time it was done, by quads were jelly and I was hands on knees after the final round. And I do believe it was this work that resulted in my improved conditioning for the 5k I did, and my continued improved general conditioning on display in my rower workouts.

• I opted for this workout today instead of the weekend because we’re getting a projection for thunderstorms this weekend, alongside the fact I need to mow my lawn sometime BEFORE that happens, which will also eat into weekend time. In turn, I’m glad to see the flexibility that exists in my schedule. On the micro level, I slept in an extra 30 minutes, which means I can also NOT do that sometimes and use that time for walking, rucking or hyungs. Opportunities abound.

• Weighed 83.4kg this morning. .2kg drop from yesterday. Fasting again today: still don’t have that morning appetite, but I can feel it coming close. I imagine I can resume a more normal schedule next week, but I’m also considering shortening the eating window and bringing lunch to work instead, eating a meal there and an evening meal. It’s fun to continue playing around with this.

• Tang Soo Do was a solid workout last night. 90 minute class with a lot of time spent doing hyung: open hand and weapon. Tonight is the final class for the week.

 Training Log: Entry 3793

AM WORKOUT (0345 natural wake up, snooze until 0400)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 1, Workout 2 (off cycle due to travel)

15 chins
15 dips

SECONDARY CLUSTER

Log clean and strict press away
3x10x145

SSB front squats
3x10x205

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(6) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
16x405+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x10x91

Hanging leg raise/band pull apart superset
3x10/25

Notes:

• First day back to lifting, and I’m very happy with how I decided to approach it. 3 sets was just right to jump back in, and I may consider doing something like that for this first 3 week wave in general, but if I’m feeling good I’ll stick with 5…or upset Dan John and settle on 4.

• The grip shirt on the log is such a game changer. Just makes the whole thing move so much better. And also props to @PowPowPunishment for pointing out what an asset this is for front squats as well. When combined with the SSB, that bar will NEVER move.

• The order of exercises on this seems bizarre, but it’s primarily logistically driven. But doing the log first, I can clean up the training area and set up for the mat pulls while I rest from the front squats. Which is to say, if I had more training space, I WOULDN’T do it this way, but this is still making me stronger.

• I’m hitting depths in the front squat I don’t traditionally hit with other variants, and can feel my VMO responding.

• The front squat IS an excellent warm up for the mat pulls, as I felt quite strong approaching them. And I figured out how to shorten up the straps that hook the chains to the bar so I get more weight on the pull. 16 reps wasn’t my absolute limit, but was a good enough stopping point for today. No need to thrash myself and have to pay for it so far out from competition.

• I’m happy to keep those curls in. They’re good for me. And based on today, I still have time for a little more movement, so I’ll most likely bring reverse hypers back into this.

• Weighed in at 83.6kg, so a 1.4kg drop from yesterday. Weight is normalizing, as is appetite, as I still had no desire to eat post training today, so I’m making it another fasting day. Basically operating off the “easy fasting” protocol. If I’m not hungry: I’m not eating.

• Tang Soo Do was a moderate amount of activity yesterday. Tonight is the 90 minute class.

 Training Log: Entry 3792

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

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 1, Workout 1 (off cycle due to travel)

15 chins
15 dips

20 minute row (4160m covered)

Notes:

• Back on the program. This week is going to be a break-in week for the rest of this 12 week training block, due to my travel schedule. I’ll do my first day of lifting tomorrow, lift twice this week, and then get back onto 3x week lifting. This row helped get me back into the rhythm of training again, and the chins and dips are part of a daily 4 sets to accumulate (at present) 60 reps total.

• Slight PR on the row, which I’m not chasing, indicative of my general fitness still in a good place. After this bridge week (more like 8-9 days), my body feels completely pain-free. That’s a novelty for me, but also indicative that my body isn’t broken: it’s just always recovering. When I actually LET it recover, it’s fine. That’s good to know.

• I broke my streak of unbroken days of physical therapy during my cruise. I was still as diligent as I could be, but had a few days where it just didn’t happen, or didn’t happen all the way. Knee still feels good though.

• Weighed 85.0kg this morning. Travel weight is sorting itself out. I had a solid breakfast of eggs, salmon and some bacon yesterday, fasted all through the travel, and had a can of salmon, a can of tuna and some anchovies as a meal when I got home, just keeping up the fish theme from the cruise. Appetite is pretty low (understandably so), and I may end up fasting until dinner for the rest of the week to get my body back on track.

BRIDGE WEEK

This week happened to occur on a week where I am experiencing some slight illness and I will be on a cruise, so that worked out well.  Will resume logging upon return to normal training.