Training Log: Entry 3369

AM WORKOUT (0410 wake up via alarm, late night last night, slept in)

**OPERATION CONAN** Recon and Scouting

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

WARM UP

Roll out on LAX ball

50x180 reverse hypers

Sets of 135, 225 and 315 on trap bar

MAIN WORK

Low handle trap bar pull

4x3x450

SUPERSET

Axle bench press

4x3x221

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER giant set

Lever belt squat

4x8x205 loaded

Dips

4x8x50lb

Axle curls

4x8x66

ASSISTANCE

Standing ab wheel

3x10

Band pull aparts

1x50

Lateral raise dropset

35x10, 35x5, 35x2.5, 35xEmpty hands

TOTAL TRAINING TIME: 52 minutes

BREAKFAST

Short walk w/dogs

Notes:

* Best training day I’ve had all cycle.  No pain at all in the right side, and no feeling like I was going to self-destruct upon setting the weight down.  I was able to hold my brace for the entire set on all the trap bar lifting.  My left hip is a little buggy, and I honestly think it’s a bit of overuse from all the reverse hypers I’ve been doing to heal the right, but I’m willing to take that.  Felt strong today, and, in turn, could move VERY fast through the training.  If I capped it after the pull aparts (which is to say, without deviation), I’d have finished in 45 minutes.  I honestly did not anticipate the heaviest week being the week I enjoyed the most, but the shorter rep sets really are nice.

* Kept it close to 1 minute rests for all the main work and the supplemental giant set.  

* Breaking the weight off the floor was SLOOOOW, but part of that is confidence and part of that is training first thing in the morning.

* My warm-up isn’t as diligent was it’s been, but still effective.  Trying to find a balance there.

* Looking forward, I have a travel day on Friday, and I’m not sure if I’m going to get up early to get in the final workout of this cycle or not.  I have a few different COAs, and one is to do just that, the other is to wait until I get back from our tournament and hit the workout on Tues/Weds, and the other is to just skip the final workout and start the next cycle upon my return.  If I take THAT COA, I’ll then be in a situation where I could only get in 2 workouts on THAT calendar week, assuming a schedule of lifting every other day.  And I may just do that and then get back to the schedule on the next week.  Joy of the Recon and Scouting phase: I can screw around.

* Also on that topic, my progression plan is to spend the next cycle with the same weights for the main work, but to move from 4 work sets to 5.  For the supplemental work, I’ll up the weights, since there’s no such range to work with.  Then, once THIS cycle is done, I’ll up the weights and go back to 4 sets, then repeat.  I like how that will really allow me to stretch out progression.  Somewhere in there will be bridge weeks, specialization, and maybe even implementation of Tactical Barbell 1 style work to focus on strength.  In general, I am REALLY digging Tactical Barbell for what I want these days: 30-50 minutes of lifting 3x a week with time to focus on other stuff, a logical and sustainable progression style, and the ability to improvise as needed.  I don’t know if anything shiny is going to get in the way of this.

* Got another Tang Soo Do class tonight.  My puppy is finally able to get enrolled in doggie day care, so I may get in fewer steps during the day due to less walking, but we’ll see.

* Still seeing the weekly carb magic: 2 days post meal and I’m looking lean and full.