Training Log: Entry 3424

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

**OPERATION CONAN** Spec Ops Insertion Phase

*Tactical Barbell Mass Protocol* Specificity Bravo, Cycle 2, Week 2, Workout 4

WARM UP

Roll out on LAX ball

50xBW reverse hyper

Bodyweight jump squats

Squats w/bar, 85, 175

MAIN WORK

Buffalo Bar Squat

5x10x270

Lever belt squat

5x10x227.5

Axle strict press

4x10x121 (rest pause final rep of final set)

Axle bench press

4x10x178

(3) DB Incline bench

5x10x60s

Dips

5x10x30 (rest pause final rep of final set)

ASSISTANCE

14 HLR

40 band pull aparts

TOTAL TRAINING TIME: 65 minutes

BREAKFAST

Short walk w/dogs

Notes:

* Kept the rests strict for the first 4 sets of the squat, and only slightly deviated from 1 minute on the final set.  Lever belt squats were close enough.  Kept it strict on the press until the final set, which drifted more toward 90 seconds.  Then strict again for the rest of the workout.

* Training motivation was absolutely shot.  I’m definitely reaching my end.  We got to bed late, and my kiddo was sick last night.  I actually thought I’d be staying home with them today, but they ended up waking up feeling better, so that’s a positive, but it meant I got even less sleep than usual.  And I’m not gonna lie: starting off each workout with 5x10 squats or deadlifts with a 1 minute is a real nut kick.  I realize that’s totally on me: I could absolutely move those to the end of the workout instead and just blow my brains out that way, but for some reason I didn’t do that.

* All that said, crushing those squats was awesome.  I’ve eclipsed my initial run of Deep Water.  Yeah: it’s only half the sets, but it’s also half the rests, which confirms enough to me that I could do it with 2 minute rests if the demand was there, and given this is with my NEW mutant squat form vs my OLD mutant squat form, that’s just bonkers.  Belting up on the squat is honestly like a little reward for making it to the end of the week.  And at first I was a bit miffed that wearing the belt didn’t magically add hundreds of pounds to my squat, but I realize that’s indicative of just how strong my core has become.  The belt is no longer covering up a weakness: it’s just enhancing what’s already there.

* Wore the belt for the presses as well, just to be able to dig a little deeper.  

* Been meaning to log, but the jump squats I do are actually more like "Hatfield Jump Squats".  While the buffalo bar is in the rack, I grab onto it to assist me on the jump squat.  It allows me to sink to the bottom quickly while taking some load off, and then to really explode out of the top.  I'm sure this actually exists somewhere outside of my garage and that I didn't invent it, but it's really been a game changer in getting me ready to squat.  I feel like it helps prime my system and remind my knees how to move quickly.

* Tang Soo Do was a solid night of exercise.  One of the black belts was turning 18, so 18 was the theme of the day.  We ran 18 laps around the Dojang, did 18 hyungs (kata/form), and performed 18 exercise cards for 18 seconds per card.  Because it was so ab heavy, I didn’t sweat the fact I only got in 1 set of abs this morning.  Time was running short, but I’m also happy I didn’t just skip it entirely.  Got 1 more night of it tonight as well, and then we take a 2 week break.  Will have to make sure we practice during the downtime.

* I realized I should have named last night’s meal “family reunion”, because chicken and eggs is always just delightfully evil.