Training Log: Entry 3490

AM WORKOUT (0350 natural wake up, snooze until 0400)

**12 LABORS: STEALING THE CATTLE OF GERYON**

*Tactical Barbell Operator* Cycle 2, Week 4, Workout 5

MAIN WORK

SSB front squat

5x5x220

ALTERNATE w/

Log clean and strict press away

5x5x150+1 push press rep per set

NG weighted chins

5x5x37.5

ASSISTANCE

5 round circuit, 30 seconds per movement of

24kg KB swing

365lb SSB front rack hold

Dips

Standing ab wheel

Push up

BPA

4x25

BREAKFAST (details below)

Short walk w/dogs

Notes:

* This was one of those workouts were I came into it feeling like Hell and ended up performing really well.  I’m accumulating a fair amount of fatigue through the week and I’m not eating in a manner that has me in an energy surplus, so I imagine that’s ultimately what’s responsible there.  I actually think this was my best workout of the week, feeling very capable in the front squat and powerful on the log clean.

* I dorked up something in my left shoulder sparring last night, almost feels like what I did to the right one before my bridge week.  Hopefully just a niggle that goes away over the weekend.  Didn’t impact training today, but it sucked raising my arm to get it in place for the weighted chins.

* On the topic of sparring: much better night last night.  Was the Dojang champion for the night after 3 matches.  First round was against our resident bully, who, despite this being “no contact” sparring, relies on punching and kicking through guards to score points, and given this guy is taller than me and outweighs me by about 40lbs and employs this tactic on 80lb children in our class, it was good to school him a little.  I ended up scoring a lot of body kicks on him, and typically those don’t work, and I realized why: he normally has his belt MUCH higher during sparring week, since we’re not allowed to kick below the belt, and on this day he forgot to do that and suddenly was exposed.  Take the W how you get it.  Second match was against a kicking technician that I noticed tends to get flat footed when they throw combos, and that they only circle to one side, so I threw a lot of left leg kicks to draw them in one direction and then catch them with a  right leg roundhouse.  That and some body punches secured the round.  Final match was against our “wild child”, who tends to just charge in with a flurry of crap to draw guards/shelling up and them sink in a legit punch.  This person had used these same BS tactics to beat my kid in a previous round, so I was wanting to get some redemption.  I crouched on the first round and sunk a straight punch down the middle while they were attempting to flurry.  On the second round, they actually raced out before our judge gave us the go, trying his charging/intimidation tactic, and I speared him square in the chest with a front push kick/teep that put a huge look of disbelief on him.  Final point was like the first one: straight punch up the middle.  We also got in some free sparring, where I got to play around a bit.  It was ultimately a good active class/day.

* Along with all that activity, I got in another walk in the evening, along with another round of sandbag carries and sandbag throws.  The bag is feeling more and more natural with the frequent touches: Easy Strength principles continue to work.  I ended up with about 24k steps on my watch, and given I can’t wear it at work or at TSD, that’s a solid step count.

* Took a photo of breakfast, but it didn’t upload: will have to do it later.  But this morning was a 10oz piedmontese grassfed New York strip that I sprayed with some duck fat, alongside 4 scrambled whole eggs and 2 whites with 1 tablespoon of beef tallow and some beef liver.  I air fried the steak, and that actually turned out pretty awesome and was convenient because it cooked post workout while I was taking a shower and was ready when I came down.  I also was initially against the idea of using the duck fat spray, thinking I should use ghee on the steak instead, but realized that fat from AN animal is still animal fat, and fits within the parameters of “meat (any kind)”, so I went with it.  But a funny story on the food choice: I was originally just going to do some canned salmon and sardines to make things easy, until I realized it was Lent and it was Friday.  I went to a Catholic high school and a Catholic University…as a non-Catholic.  I’ve had enough “no meat Fridays” put upon me in my life that I’m not going to voluntarily sign up for it!  So I cooked a steak out of spite, which made it even tastier.  …that said, we’re gonna hit up our hibachi buffet for dinner tonight, which is going to be seafood and eggs for me, but at least I got meat on one meal.

* On the Maximum Definition diet experiment front: zero hunger issues eating 2 meals with breakfast and dinner.  I’m liking the big breakfast post training.  I also didn’t have any gum this morning, and I didn’t have any yesterday aside from the piece while I was walking.  I’m focusing on drinking more water when I feel a desire for gum.  It’s funny how naturally inclined I am to face “challenges”.  Being told “ONLY meat and eggs” gives me something to strive for.