Training Log: Entry 3375

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CONAN: Initial Shocktrooper Assault

*Tactical Barbell Mass Protocol*: Grey Man-Cycle 2, Week 1, Day 2

Low handle trap bar lift 

5x8x395 

SUPERSET 

Axle bench press 

5x8x196 

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER 

Belt squat (Fringe Sport Mammoth belt squat) 

4x12x180 

loaded Dips 

4x12x20lb 

Axle curls 4x12x48

ASSISTANCE

Standing ab wheel

3x10

33x10lb lateral raise

Total training time: 54 minutes

BREAKFAST

Moderate walk w/dogs

Notes:

* Each and every workout is the best one I’ve had. Perhaps that’s the silver lining when you start the program really beat up.  The first time I ran this week, I basically self-destructed each time I put the weight down with the trap bar, and I’d have the world’s slowest initial rep to mitigate pain and prevent re-triggering the issue.  Today, I felt very confident in breaking the weight off the floor, to the point that I was able to regrip on the 4th set when the weight tipped too far forward and get in another rep off the floor.  No twinges or feedback from my back on this, and, in turn, I tore through this workout and felt strong. 

* Bench weight was perfect.  I miscalculated the first time I did this.  Got some room to grow.  With the dips, I was going too light, and this was still fairly easy, but more challenging than bodyweight.

* Still playing it fast and loose on the belt squat.  I’m really happy I can include this movement though.  Great to get in more squatting.

* I’ve been a very good boy as far as program compliance goes.  Those lateral raises are the only deviation.  It’s honestly nice to have something so structured that I can shut off my brain and just get done.

* Tang Soo Do wasn’t too terribly active last night, but enjoyable.  We got to make up our own one-step self defense protocols.  At one point, the Valkyrie stopped defending and just wanted to try to stump me when it came to escaping from grabs, which was a blast.  Broke out a lot of Bas Rutten self-defense style stuff.

* Schedule is still a little screwy with travel: this is the final lifting workout of the week, despite only being 2 workouts.  I’ll get in a mat pull on Saturday, and get in walking on Friday.  I have the day off on Monday as well, but I’m going to see if I can finagle getting in a lifting workout in the afternoon on that day.

* On the Operation Conan homefront for meals, last night we went Bavarian…esque.  

For the Valkyrie and the Kiddo, we had some soft pretzels to go along with some sausages (which I’m going to offend my Bavarian/German/Austrian audience when I admit that, for the kiddo, it was a Hebrew national hotdog).  Valkyrie is using “Factor” meal prep, and with that got some bison, pork, cheddar jalapeno sausages as a protein add on, so I grilled those up, and also threw in some Teton Waters grassfed beef polish sausages and some of those organic grassfed hot dogs I like, all 3 of which are on my plate, alongside some pastured sunny side up eggs, grassfed cottage cheese and pork cracklin’.  I ended up having 1 more hot dog after this.  I REALLY think that the cottage cheese is a fantastic lever for mass gain.  It’s cheese, yes, which makes it hyperpalatable to me, but it’s so jacked up in protein compared to conventional cheeses that I feel it alters ratios in a beneficial way.  I’m still trying not to overconsume it, but adding it to every meal seems to be working well.  

* Which, on the topic of working well, caught myself post-pump and I’m filling back out again.  Spending the summer getting lean was a positive move for sure, and definitely set me up to gain, but I was very stringy at the end.  It’s good to look more like how I feel.