Training Log: Entry 3498

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

**12 LABORS: CAPTURE AND BRING BACK CERBERUS (FINAL WEEK)**

*Tactical Barbell Operator* Cycle 2, Week 6, Workout 1

MAIN WORK

SSB front squat

4x2x275

ALTERNATE w/

Log clean and strict press away

4x2x190+1 push press rep per set (missed second set)

NG weighted chins

4x2x55

ASSISTANCE

5 round circuit, 30 seconds per movement of

24kg KB swings

365lb SSB front rack hold

Dips

Standing ab wheel

Push ups

BPA

1x50, 2x25

4 minutes on rower

Notes:

* Hard to believe it’s the final week of the 12 labors, but it’s really been an outstanding development.  This is the best contest prep phase I’ve had in quite some time, primarily because my mind and body lined up on this one and I actually wanted to do the training that best suited the goal.  Funny that.  Today, in particular, felt very strong, with only some small issues. I felt myself leaning to the left on the third set of the squats, and I lost the weight going forward on the second set of the presses, using energy to correct it and running out of gas for a push press.  But the fact I had the strength to catch and correct that errant press really bodes well for my getting, as Jon Andersen puts it “cock strong”.  I was also feeling MUCH better for the assistance circuit today than I was on Friday.  

* Since the volume is reduced this week, I have a little more training time afforded to me, so I hopped onto the rower just to continue grooving some reps.  I set the resistance to 5, whereas before it was at 1, and tried to focus on technique.  It’s a nice way to get in some full body moving without an eccentric load.

* Tried a little trick on the BPAs of pointing my wrists outward, and it seemed to get me a little more stimulus.  Cute little tricks picked up along the way.

* Should be getting in about an hour of walking tonight, with the Valkyrie and the puppy.

* Weighed in at 82.1kg this morning, post workout.  That’s exactly the weight limit, and technically a .4kg gain from last week, but given that there was a 2.9kg drop between that week and the week before it, my body is still stabilizing.  I intentionally ate like an a-hole while within the confines of the Maximum Definition diet this weekend because I have a tendency to let my bodyweight drop down too far right before competitions due to fear of missing weight (Thanks for the PTSD high school wrestling!), and I’m trying my best to hold on to this higher weight as best as I can to allow me to perform at my best.  I’m at a level of weight/leanness where I can feel that difference a few pounds makes, with today feeling so strong being a great example.  Getting on top of my electrolytes has been helpful as well: I’m really needing to go hard on them now that I’ve effectively carb free.  Before, between the gum and the trace amounts in the Metabolic Drive, I was still probably getting in about 20g of carbs a day, but now it’s nothing.

* I’ve officially completed 1 full calendar week of the Maximum Definition diet, and about 10 days total (I started in the middle of last week, leading into it with 2 days of the Velocity Diet).  It’s living up to it’s name: I’m seeing granularity in my midsection again, and my waist is shrunk in based on how my lifting belt is fitting, along with the rest of my clothes.  I hit 80.0kg in the middle of the week last week, and I imagine seeing something similar after I come down from the bloat of our family meal tonight (details to follow there).  I’m still sticking with only 2 meals a day, vs Vince’s recommendation of 3, and I’m not hitting the same supplement layout he recommends, instead relying on the good folks at BioTest along with my daily beef liver in place of the beef liver tablets.  However, there’s room to argue that my middle of the night protein shake can count as a third meal, if I want to get precise.  I also push the carb meal to once every 7 days vs every 3-5.  In general: BIG fan of this approach.  I love the food, I’m never hungry, I FEEL very well and strong, digestion is awesome, and, upon getting electrolytes sorted, my performance is going very well in training.  I can see this being a regular thing now.  While I am absent of Metabolic Drive, it’s definitely going to be my way forward for the foreseeable future, but upon it’s return, I may revert back to Feast, Famine Ferocity and have 2 week stretches of Velocity Diet and then 4 week stretches of Maximum Definition Diet.  About the only thing I “miss” is sour cream.  It’s one of my favorite condiments, but isn’t permitted by Vince.  But I’m not hurting for delicious food or satiety.