BRIDGE WEEK

This week happened to occur on a week where I am experiencing some slight illness and I will be on a cruise, so that worked out well.  Will resume logging upon return to normal training.

 Training Log: Entry 3791

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 4, Workout 5 (Final lifting workout)

20 chins

DB rows
4x12x130

Axle curls
4x12x78

GHRs
4x12x60

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
2x17

EVENTS

Stone of Steel to platform (5 rounds, 1 min on/2 min off)
3x190
4x4x190

Notes:

• Short night: got to bed late. It’s also a day off work, so not much incentive to get up early and get this done, but it meant I’d get more time with family, and this workout really feels like the “dessert” for eating my workout vegetables all week. It dawns on me how that analogy totally doesn’t work when I only eat meat, with no dessert or vegetables.

• All the weights felt reasonable. Good pump on the curls.

• Technique breakthrough on the stone. Light weight allowed me to figure out that if I lap the stone with my torso a little high and then squat down right before I go for the load, I can get it much higher on the extension. Much smoother load as a result. Nice to sort that out so early in the training cycle.

• Tang Soo Do sparring was pretty good. I was able to beat our resident Dojang bully by letting him foul on me a bunch until he got frustrated and then I speared him with some punches. However, my right shin eventually shut me down. It got smashed to hell on Tues and just hasn’t had a chance to recover, and I finally tapped out when the Valkyrie connected with a good blow. She read my eyes and mercifully ended the match when I left my guard open. Still, this was probably my best week as far as making stuff works goes.

• Weighed in at 82.6kg this morning: a practically 2kg drop from the start of the week. The swings got bigger toward the end of the mass building cycle, but I stayed around the same weight as far as trends go. This completes 13 weeks of Mass Protocol as a recomp rather than a dedicated mass phase, and I really dug it. I’m remembering this for the future. But now, I’m fasting until lunch, where I’m going to very much enjoy a Brazilian steakhouse, make that my one meal for today, and then continue feasting and recovering through the week.  

 Training Log: Entry 3790

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 4, Workout 4

SSB Squat
4x12x265

Look for hope: max in 1 minute.

• None found.

Lever belt squat
4x12x250

Axle strict press from rack
2x12x123
11x123
7+4+2x123

(3) Incline DB bench
4x12x65

Dips
2x12x47.5
11+1x47.5
10+2x47.5

ASSISTANCE

Hanging leg raise
2x10

Notes:

• There are no words in the English language that can properly convey how much I did not want to do this workout today. I am so burnt out and ready for my bridge week. I told myself so many lies to get myself out of bed and under that bar, and amazingly that first set felt absolutely incredible. Stupidly strong under the weight. The 1 minute rests took the wind totally out of my sails, but that was expected.

• Rested 1 minute between all squats and the dips. Presses went 60-120-120. DBs were 60-120-120.

• On axle strict press, really felt my triceps giving up at the end. I’ll be re-including my push press finisher at the end of the set for my competition prep training cycles, which should help a touch there.

• Sparring last night wasn’t terribly active, but I had an excellent match against our senior blackbelt. We finished the round tied at 1-1, but he had me dead to rights on my spin side kick and came in with a lunge punch during overtime. I gotta throw something different against him.

• Weighed in at 83.8kg this morning. Coffee fast today, and then a lot of glorious feasting coming up. Kiddo’s last day of school is tomorrow, it’s a half day, and they requested Terra Gaucha (Brazilian steakhouse) for lunch…so needless to say I’m coffee fasting until then tomorrow as well. We then celebrate a birthday on Saturday, with a request for homemade sourdough and a special birthday cake. I’m attempting a “fire and water” sous vide and smoke brisket on Memorial Day (Monday) and, when I presented all this to the Valkyrie and said “we’ll have to figure out Sunday”, she immediately suggested our favorite BBQ spot, to which I won’t turn down brisket 3 times in 4 days. And then, on Wed, I fly out for a cruise, which is just 4 days on a mobile buffet. It’s an excellent time for gaining.

 Training Log: Entry 3789

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm, rough night of sleep)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 4, Workout 3

(7) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
5x470

DB rows
4x12x120

Axle curls
4x12x73

GHR
4x12x55

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
31

Reverse hyper/band pull apart circuit
3x15x270/3x25

Notes:

• Sleep was short and rough. Got to bed a little later than usual, and my mind started racing about work stuff around 0330.

• That mat pull was in the realm of “strength miracles”, which tells me that I need to cycle the weight back when I return from my cruise. I’m sure part of that is I’m in my 13th straight week of training without a bridge week, to include having set a PR last week, and I’m most likely extremely fatigued, but there’s also no rush, and lighter weights mean longer distance to stalls. No point in racing to a redlight.

• Left hip was a little upset with this. I noticed it was achy yesterday while I sat through a performance at my kid’s school. Just kinda short and tight.

• Everything else felt pretty solid. Reducing the weight on reverse hypers has been good. Movement is more tonic.

• I was the Dojang sparring champ last night, having beaten 2 black belts and 1 senior student on my way there. One of said black belts seems threatened by me, and expressed that my spin kicking me about 1 inch away from my parts full force, followed by calf kicking me, whereas the senior student punched me in the mouth hard enough to draw blood…in non-contact sparring…with no punches to the head. I’ve got a small limp from the calf kick, which impacted the pulls this morning. We’re doing some more sparring tonight: I’ll see how I hold up after that.

• Weighed in at 83.1kg this morning, which is a 1.2kg drop from yesterday and 1.4kg drop from Monday. Big spikes and big drops: think my body is really responding to the carbs these days. Perhaps a sign of improved insulin sensitivity.

 Training Log: Entry 3788

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 4, Workout 2

“ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BLOAT”

20 chins

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• Got 4175m done, 25m more than last time, once again without a specific effort to do more in the time. General fitness is up. I’m legit watching youtube videos of the “200 best gameboy games in chronological order” to pass the time while I row, which is an excellent distractor and totally not motivating to really push the pace.

• My body feels incredible. The return to low weight and high reps has been quite tonic. I’ll have to remember this in the future.

• Tang Soo Do is sparring tonight. Hopeful for some good activity.

• Weighed in at 84.3kg. Still quite high, but typically my Tuesday weigh in is higher than my Monday, whereas this week was a .2kg reduction. Curious to see how this unfolds.

 Training Log: Entry 3787

AM WORKOUT (0359 natural wake up)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 4, Workout 1

SSB Squat
4x12x240

Lever belt squat
4x12x225

Axle strict press from rack
3x12x113
11+1x113

(3) Incline DB Bench
4x12x60s

Dips
4x12x27.5

ASSISTANCE CIRCUIT

Hanging leg raise/lateral raise
3x10/20, 15, 10x10lb

Notes:

• I strategically picked Clutch’s “Book of Bad Decisions” for today’s workout, because I enjoy irony.

• It’s good to get back to the light weights at the re-start of this cycle. For the most part, I’m keeping the maxes the same and just focusing on “owning the weight”, especially since I’m only going to get in 6 lifting workouts before my cruise. Still mulling around the plan for when I return, but I’m ultimately drowning in a sea of good choices, so if need be I’ll just break out the 20-sided die and be good.

• My right knee is a little angry these days, which I’ve observed is a product of heavy SSB squats, and I could most likely resolve it by switching to flat soled shoes, but the light weight of this week will most likely be tonic enough. Otherwise, all other connective tissue is feeling good.

• Presses were strong today. Rest times were 1 minute for all squats and the dips, then 60-90-120 for the axle and DB.

• Weighed in at 84.5kg this morning. Highest of the cycle, which I’ve said 3 weeks in a row now, yet last week also had my lowest weigh in at the end of the week. Been feasting on a lot of high sodium fare, so we’ll see how much sticks, but given this is the mass protocol, some gaining SHOULD be happening.

• Got through all 7 days of 3x19 chins last week. Opened up this workout with 20. I’m curious if I’ll be able to maintain this on my cruise.

 Training Log: Entry 3786

AM WORKOUT (0930)

TACTICAL BARBELL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 6

“Prowler Sprints”

4 rounds, high handles, 90lbs loaded

Notes:

• 100 pace distance, 4 minutes rest between rounds. Fastest was 35 seconds and slowest was 41.

• Training effect is still being achieved. I am gassed and my legs are pumped at the end. After my bridgeweek, this will move toward harness pulls.

• Chaos remains the plan: I’ve decided to reverse my previous decision and just run another week of Bravo. I got a handle on my schedule: I depart on Wed 27 Mar, so it seems pointless to try a whole new program for such a short duration. I’ll get in 6 more lifting workouts this way. I’m keeping most of the weights the same for this cycle and just focusing on owning it.

• On the nutrition recap front, breakfast was similar to yesterday, and then did the family meal tonight with 6 slices of homemade sourdough pizza and 5 of the Valkyrie’s cookies (2 sourdough chocolate ship, 3 oatmeal butterscotch chocolate chip) with raw local honey. Also picked these up at the Asian Market.

• 

• I’ve been wanting to try anchovies for quite a while, but they’re always packed in Olive oil. This was an excellent solution. And after eating them, I don’t see what the big deal is: they taste pretty benign. Could use some salt. I can see adding these to my breakfast to get in a few more Omega 3s.

 Training Log: Entry 3785

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 5

DB rows
4x8x180

Axle curls
3x8x103
6+2x103

GHRs
4x8x80

GHR sit ups
30

Stone of Steel load to platform
215lb stone, 4 rounds, Fail, 1, 1, Fail

Notes:

• Final workout of the cycle, and it was stupidly heavy and cheaty: good way to send it out. I also want to celebrate that I look jacked in the thumbnail for the video, which is a real win.

• I know those DB rows were lacking in form, but they felt awesome on my back. Fantastic stretch.

• Curls were super cheaty. Good forearm pump.

• I think the stone was primarily a product of fatigue. Same weight I set a deadlift PR, I’m feeling fried. On the very last rep, I felt my left lower back/hip fire of a warning shot, so I shut down the rep. Might’ve had it if I fought for it. Re-learning lessons: the deeper I lap the stone, the higher it goes.

• Got in a lot of general physical activity after this. Mowed the lawn and did some fence repair.

• Weighed in at 81.8kg. This is the biggest week of fluctuations I’ve experience on the program. I’m looking leaner than usual: seeing telltale veins that are usually the signs of bodyfat dropping.

• Tang Soo Do had some solid physical elements to it yesterday. Decent enough workout. I’m intending to spend the rest of the day laying low, because I feel beat. The Valkyrie was noting that my body was radiating heat last night, so perhaps I’m ill, or my NEAT is just turned up.

 Training Log: Entry 3784

AM WORKOUT (0500 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 4

SSB Squat
4x8x325

Lever belt squat
4x8x330

Axle strict press from rack
3x8x146
5+3x146

(3) Incline DB bench
3x8x85s
6+2x85

Dip/HLR superset
17,15,13,11/3x10

Notes:

• Had the day off work, so slept in. Came up with a million plans on how to skip the squats, and then just knuckled up and did them. The 3rd set went better than the first 2 and gave me hope. The faster I did the squats, the sooner the set was over, and I kept it at 1 minute rest.

• Was surprisingly strong throughout. Rested 60-120-120 on the axle, then 90s on the DB. At that point, I was just thrashed and with this being the final workout of Specificity for this cycle, didn’t see a need to use weight on the dips.

• Weighed 82.0kg this morning. That’s a 2.2kg drop in 2 days, and a 1.3kg drop from yesterday. Apparently I was holding a lot of fluids. Things are fitting better, but it also makes feeling stronger today even more remarkable. I also don’t hurt as much as I expected after the deadlift yesterday.

• Tang Soo Do last night was a decent workout/amount of activity for the 90 minute class. At one point, we played a ring toss game, where, if you made the toss, you didn’t have to do they physical exercise on your deck of doom. I intentionally threw all my rings on the floor. I told my instructor “I’m not going to ‘win’ an opportunity to not do exercise”. They respected that.

• My competition has been moved from 8 Aug to 29 Aug. Gives me an extra 3 weeks to train for it, but I also don’t know if I want to spend 12 solid weeks in competition prep mode, so we’ll see. Chaos is always the plan. They also changed the weight classes, so now there’s only 4 groups to choose from, apparently something highland games does. I may go in the heaviest group, based off deadlift weight.

 Training Log: Entry 3783

AM WORKOUT (0358 natural wake up)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 3

Texas Deadlift Bar Deadlift
9x455 (+3 rep PR)

DB row
4x8x165

Axle curls
4x8x93

GHR
4x8x75

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
20, 15

Reverse hypers
3x15x270

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• I genuinely have no idea where those deadlifts came from, but I’m thankful for them. Anything above 6 was a PR with this weight. I wanted 10, would be satisfied with 8, wound up at 9. Actually had some difficulty finding the floor on the set: I’d hit one side and then the other. My strap set up had some issues, so I think that was part of it. May have actually had that 10th rep if I wasn’t fighting the bar the entire time. I’m definitely shot to hell from the training and due for that bridge week coming up, but that just makes this even more awesome. And the moonwalk afterwards is always a joy. I also came VERY close to blacking out at rep 7, after managing to hold my breath for that long.

• DB rows felt better than I deserved. Seem to really be responding well to the heavy weight. GHRs were awesome too.

• Dropped the weight on the reverse hypers. Noticed last week that they lit my hips up, and started to wonder if they were yet another contributor to my hip pain. My back is getting enough stimulus between the SSB, deadlifts and stones: this can be more of a rehab effort.

• Tang Soo Do last night was more about precision than anything else. Not too terribly active.

• Weighed in at 83.3kg this morning, 3rd week in a row that I dropped .9kg on Wed. Fun to see the consistency.

• I have the next 2 days off work, and my in-laws are coming into town. Schedule is going to be a little nutty, and I’m already dreading tomorrow’s squat workout, but it’s the last one of the program.

• I realized that we’ve taken a monthlong hiatus from ABF due to various obligations and competitions. Valkyrie has expressed interest in starting it back up again. I’m thinking the reduced pressing volume could actually be a contributor to my axle press not progressing as rapidly as it was previously.

 Training Log: Entry 3782

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 2

“ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BLOAT”

19 chins

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• Woke up feeling a million years old and couldn’t be more excited for a recovery row. Told myself distance didn’t matter: we were just there to feel good. Despite that, still got 4150 in the 20 minutes, matching last week. General fitness seems to be trending upward.

• “Row your bloat” true to form, because I weighed in at 84.2kg this morning: heaviest I’ve been in the entire 12 week Mass Protocol block. Specificity is absolutely wrecking me, in a way that I HOPE is hormetic. It’s definitely a “body by Nietzsche” thing. That said, I did feel much better after getting that row in.

• The daily chins are actually more a struggle than usual, which most likely the small amounts of weight gain are at play there.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. This week is Wildcard/Cardio, so we’ll see what kind of workout we get.

Training Log: Entry 3781

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm, rough night of sleep)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 3, Workout 1

SSB Squats
4x8x315

Lever belt squats
4x8x305

Axle strict press from rack
2x8x148
5x148
6+3x148

(3) DB incline bench
4x8x80s

Dips
7x105
2x4x105
15xBW

ASSISTANCE

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Notes:

• My training motivation is in a weird place, as yesterday afternoon I was thinking about this training day and feeling quite excited to get it done, but once it came time to actually pay my dues I had zero desire to do it. But part of that could be the puppy joining us in the middle of the night and then hacking in my face at 0200, waking me out of a sound sleep. But also, I am absolutely fried from this training. Steely eye observers will note I repeated the weight from last workout, which was sets of 10, and used it for sets of 8. I gave 335 and honest attempt and managed 2 reps with it, and knew that, yes, I COULD grind out a set of 8 with it, and quite possibly even 4 sets of 8, but in doing so I’d leave so much of my soul in the garage that I’d have nothing left to train on. Instead, I achieved a victory by keeping the rest times strictly at 1 minute, whereas last week I couldn’t get through that. I also kept the press weight at last weeks, so I’m operating off split percentages for the final week of Specificity.

• This tends to happen in the final weeks of the program, and one of the contributors is I don’t use a different TM between my buffalo bar squat and my SSB squat. I can get away with that in the first 2 weeks, but I always end up having to pay the piper in the final week. I’m also learning that 9 weeks is probably my cut off before I need to take a bridge week. I’ve been playing on borrowed time. But also, while I’m talking about how I could have done this better, I’m thinking the recomp strategy was the right call for Grey Man, and once I entered the realm of Specificity I needed to stop eating like a prom queen and just open up the floodgates. But honestly, it’s pretty cool I’m still learning lessons at 40 after 26 years of lifting. It’d be boring if I already knew everything.

• Too little too late, but these next few weeks are gonna be some great feasting weeks, which I suppose will give me a little caloric runway leading up to my comp in Aug…which I’m hoping is still on, because as it stands I’m still literally the only competitor signed up.

• Weighed in at 83.8kg this morning. Yesterday was a wonderful classic family meal of spaghetti with 93% lean ground beef, some homemade sourdough rolls with grassfed butter and 3 peanut butter, reece’s pieces butterscotch cookies and a homemade sourdough banana muffin with raw local honey. We also went out to eat at the Valkyrie’s favorite Hawaiian BBQ place for mother’s day, so my sodium is in a good place.

• Just a little bit of reflection: gaining programs and endurance events always make me wonder how life would have gone if I never cared about certain health markers or having to maintain a certain bodyweight. I am so talented at eating large quantities and enduring significant sustained periods of misery. Somewhere out there, on an alternate timeline, I am a 308lb powerlifter, and on another one a 150lb ultramarathoner…and on another one, a youtube competitive eater.

 Training Log: Entry 3780

AM WORKOUT (0900)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 6

Prowler Sprints

4 sprints, high handle prowler, 90lbs loaded

Notes:

• 100 paces for the distance, sprints ranged from 37-41 seconds, and then rested 4 minutes. This is still just the perfect prescription for now. Once I get back from the cruise, I’ll ramp this up a little. Got this done on Sunday rather than Saturday, but given the nature of the prowler I don’t think it will impact my recovery that much.

• Got the full 19-19-18 on chins this week.  

 Training Log: Entry 3779

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm: rough night of sleep)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 5

DB row
4x10x155

Axle curls
4x10x91

GHR
4x10x70

GHR sit up
20, 15

Stone of Steel to platform
4 1 minute rounds w/205lb stone
-Triples for rounds 1, 2 and 4, a single and missed double on round 3.

Notes:

• I love that this workout is on Friday, because I actually appreciate this one. It’s so much easier psychologically, and my reward at the end is I get to play with an event. I put the final touches on the platform and now it’s solid: I’m using bands/band pegs to keep the swiss bar in place, which locks the whole thing down. Zero sliding, and, in turn, I got some crazy loads on it. It’s a little louder, being a little heavier, but the workout still times to when the Valkyrie wakes up, so this is continuing to prove sustainable.

• What ISN’T sustainable is getting woken up at 0200 to the news that the dog pooped on the carpet. Got back to sleep around 0300. It’s been a hectic week, and the whole family is due for a relaxing evening.

• DB rows continue to feel awesome when placed first in the workout. I genuinely hate how DB rows are my most effective row, as they’re unilateral and take twice as long as a bilateral row, but it just always works. I might actually need to buy some more 10lb plates soon, since I’m exhausting my supply.

• Got a great pump on those GHRs. Cheated quite a bit on the curls.

• Weighed in at 83.0kg this morning. .4 kilo drop from yesterday. Decided to have breakfast this morning, because I wanted it, which seemed like a good sign. Body has re-stabilized from the insanity I threw at it on Wednesday. It’s a good time to be gaining.

• The first week of Specificity, I remark how great my body feels with the light weight and the high reps. Then reality hits like a truck on the final 2 weeks. My body is demolished. I’m approaching 12 weeks of training to gain without a break, and it shows. This system works so well: I transition to Operator from here and suddenly the volume drops and I get a chance to recover.

 Training Log: Entry 3778

AM WORKOUT (0350 wake up via dog, snoozed until 0400)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 4

SSB Squat
2x10x315
8x315
9+3x315

Lever belt squat
4x10x285

Axle strict press from rack
5, 10, 6 x146
6+3x146

(3) DB incline bench
2x10x75s
9x75
10+1x75

Dip/hanging leg raise circuit
15/10, 10/8, 5/6

Notes:

• Predictably, this was a rough workout, and my primary goal was to not vomit (success). There’s a point where we adequately fuel for training and there’s a point where we cross a threshold of “energy toxicity” and I was definitely operating in the latter after last night’s nutritional debauchery (of which my only regret was turning over my red card right before another round of picanha came out). Honestly, what held me up the most was how short I was keeping my rest times, which was primarily a result of being behind the 8-ball schedulewise, due to a little extra time dedicated to gastric emptying prior to training as a result of attempting to test my gallbladder’s max capacity.

• On that note, I kept the rest times to 1 minute on the first 3 sets of squats. Part of that was to be consistent with the previous workout, but the primary driver was just wanting to be DONE with squats as soon as possible. If I had allowed myself 2 minutes, I have no doubt I would have succeeded.

• The axle strict press caught me quite off guard with how awful it felt, with proof of concept being that I got 10 reps on that second set: doubling what I did on the first set. I’m going to stick with this weight for next week’s sets of 8 and see where that takes me. The incline went well, so the press strength was there, but I just seemed to be exhausted.

• It was very easy to decide to fast through breakfast today: still feeling satiated. Didn’t even want coffee either: just LOTS of water. I’m sure all the protein running through my system is needing it.

• Surprisingly, only up half a kilo, weighing in at 83.4 this morning. I thought for sure I’d be at 84+.

• Today’s workout gave me some food for thought about progressing after Specificity. I may come BACK to this workout/week and re-conquer it. This is definitely the hardest week of the program: the reps are high while the weights are heavy. My hips don’t care for the SSB squat as well, but my elbows like it, so it’s a mixed bag.

• Also, last night’s adventure was a classic “missing the point”, as I listened to Lyle McDonald discuss his “Rapid Fat Loss” diet on a podcast for 2 hours while I was walking after having consumed about 300g of protein and fat in a single sitting. That said, the parallels between it and my own nutritional approach gave me a lot to steal.

 Training Log: Entry 3777

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 3

(2) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
10x455

DB rows
4x10x145

Axle curls
4x10x83

GHRs
4x10x65

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
20, 11

Reverse hyper
3x15x270

Band pull apart
3x25

Notes:

• Felt good coming into this. No body aches of note. Wasn’t very strong in the warm-ups though. Think those SSB squats takes quite abit away from me. The set of 10 for the pulls was well fought, and I could have gotten an 11th with a gun to my head, but since next week is the pull from the floor, no real point in blowing myself out here and now. My SI joint continues to feel better each week, and stringing together good decisions helps there. And, funny enough, this resulted in a set of 10, which coincided with what I was supposed to do for the day.

• DB rows felt better than I expected. Back was really well connected. GHRs got a good pump too

• Ran into a weird issue on the sit ups where my ankles were burning on the second set from suspending myself in the GHR. Shut it down early, because it was a weird pain to deal with.

• Tang Soo Do last night was pretty low energy. But managed over 10k steps yesterday.

• Weighed 82.8kg this morning. My weight is following last week almost exactly. .9kg drop from yesterday. That said, I’m going to throw a wrench into that. My kid had a 3 hour rehearsal tonight that starts really early, and there is a Texas de Brazil (Brazilian steakhouse) a mile away, so I’m going to walk there for my dinner and then spend the rest of the evening walking some of that off. I’m going to enjoy myself, rather than gorge, but depending on how much I take in, I may introduce an additional coffee fast tomorrow. As always: Chaos is the plan.

 Training Log: Entry 3776

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s Alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 2

“ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BLOAT”

19 chins

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• 4150m done: 50 meters improved from last time. I am stupidly trying to match/set PRs on a recovery workout, but I’m still meeting the objective, because my body is feeling really awesome right now. One of those rare “painfree days”. Having 2 nights off Tang Soo Do this week should help quite a bit there.

• This is honestly one of my favorite days of the training plan now, which is such a reversal of my previous self. Enjoy being able to sleep in, get up when my wife does, and get my body loose, along with a simple morning of just coffee for breakfast.

• Last night, got in about 2 miles of walking in the evening. Walked to a Mexican supermercado and picked up an avocado and cotija cheese to make our Cinco de Mayo a little more authentic tonight.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. One step defense: tends to be lighter activity.

• Weighed in at 83.7kg. I called 83.9: so close. Body awareness is solid, and leanness is really coming out, despite the bodyweight creeping up. I think that means I’m winning this whole “recomp” thing.

Training Log: Entry 3775

AM WORKOUT (0358 natural wake up)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 2, Workout 1

SSB Squat

4x10x290

Consider praying to Crom, then realize he won’t listen anyway

Lever belt squat

4x10x270

Axle strict press from rack

2x10x136

7x136

8+4+2x136

(3) DB incline bench

4x10x70s

Dips

10,8,6x67.5

15xBW

ASSISTANCE

Hanging leg raise/band pull apart circuit

3x10/25

Notes:

I came into this feeling better than I thought I would. I was wiped out yesterday from all the activity, and though I wasn’t super excited at the prospect of sets of 10 with 1 min rest on squats, I was ready, willing and able.

Which yes: 1 minute rests for all squats, and it still absolutely sucks and I have no idea how I’ll somehow manage to do it again with even heavier weights next time, but we find a way. I went 60-90-120 for the axle press, 60-60-90 for incline bench, and 60s on dips. Really didn’t care about the dips by the time I got there.

Though the press sets fell off at the end, the first set, in particular, felt stupidly light, and it was awesome to toss around 135 like an empty bar again. I’m rebuilding to where I used to be.

Got all 7 days with 19-18-18 chins. This week starts 19-19-18.

Weighed 83.6kg this morning. Not at all surprised at that number: we ate out a lot and I took in TON of sodium. The sodium isn’t going to change: doing kalua pork tonight. But I’m also going to not eat like a prom queen as specificity finishes up, because it’s such a nut kick.

Only 1 Tang Soo Do class this week: tomorrow. This week’s schedule is pretty nuts. In turn, I may get in a walk tonight while my kid is rehearsing at a function.

 Training Log: Entry 3774

AM WORKOUT (0359 natural wake up)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 1, Workout 5

DB rows
4x12x130

Axle curls
4x12x76

GHRs
4x12x60

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit ups
20,15

EVENTS

Stone of Steel to platform

• 5 rounds of 1 min on, 2 min off

• 185lb stone

• Triples for all rounds except 4: got 4 there

Notes:

• I am so proud of myself for figuring out this day. It is so much more valuable than my previous rounds of Bravo, where I swapped in chins in place of deads (which, on that note, still opened up with 19 chins) and it takes around the same amount of time. I could actually squeeze in a little bit more assistance work, especially if I did some pull aparts during the 2 minutes rest on the stone.

• Pretty much got that platform figured out. I know what the final step will be to get it to really rock and roll.

• My hamstrings and glutes were magnificently sore from the previous workout of GHRs. It’s so fascinating how the smallest change in stimulus can achieve that novel training effect still. It’s what I dig about the rotation of OMS.

• Also appreciate how this workout functions where I up the weights from the previous Bravo workout but accomplish them in a less fatigued state compared to post deadlift, so they move easier.

• That platform feels pretty high to load on and I’m happy with my ability to get the stone there. On the 4th round I tapped into my inner Conan and just sent it, whereas I was exercising caution in the previous rounds. Still building up my skillset again, but I’m upping the weight as I go and feeling comfortable with it.

• This opens up an opportunity to do some prowler sprints this weekend. I’m really liking how this protocol is shaking out, even if I’m building the airplane as I fly it.

• Weighed 82.7kg. I’ve been eating big these past 2 days. Today is a coffee fast day leading into the weekend.

 Training Log: Entry 3773

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 1, Workout 4

SSB Squat
4x12x265

Look for lungs on the floor. 404 Error: Lungs not found.

Lever belt squat
12x200 (misload, called it a warm up)
4x12x245

Axle strict press from rack
2x12x123
10x123
8+4+2x123

(3) DB Incline Bench
3x12x65s
10+2x65

Dips
12,11,10x45
9+4+2x45

ASSISTANCE

Hanging leg raise
2x10

Notes:

• I dig that “superhero” pose that the thumbnail caught.

• This is EXACTLY why I only ever run Specificity for 3 weeks: it is absolutely brutal. Elements of Deep Water/Building the Monolith, wherein you complete the first workout of the week and think “How the f–k am I going to get the NEXT workout done?”, and then somehow you do it.

• It was fitting that “Terrible Lie” was playing during the SSB squat, because I kept lying to myself saying I was going to rest longer than a minute between sets. It was the lie that allowed me to get the set done, and then 45 seconds would roll around (I rest that long to allow me 15 seconds to get up and unrack to make it a full 1 minute of rest) and I’d get back under the bar again, telling myself “you knew this was the only way this was ever going to go”. And each set I kept falling for it.

• Kept 1 minute rest on the lever belt, then went 75-90-120 seconds on the axle, 60-90-90 on the incline, and 1 minute on the dips. Recalculated the dips to get a more reasonable number to work with for the load.

• Had to employ some rest pausing to get all the reps today, but in general very pleased with my performance. I think this is my most successful block of training to date. Body is feeling pretty decent day post deadlifts. My right knee hurts, but that’s primarily due to smashing it with a wooden staff in Tang Soo Do last night. Which, on that note: solid workout for 90 minutes. Lots of basics and hyungs/kata.

• Weighed in at 82.2kg. Yesterday was NOT a fasting day, nor did I restrict (as evidenced by the photos of dinner), so this is an interesting data point. Must have been holding onto a fair bit of fluids. And I’m using a slightly different rhythm for nutrition, having breakfast today as well and moving the coffee fast to tomorrow.

• Had a really awesome realization about this training block and future ones: now that I have a simple set-up for stone loading, I can actually include that in a regular training day vs an events day. Noise was the primary limiting factor before, BUT if I do the stones at the END of the workout, that’s the time that my wife is up and getting ready, so I won’t wake her, and my kid can sleep through a nuclear bomb going off, so that’s not a concern. PLUS, training stones at the END of a workout is actually closer to the conditions I’ll have to do stones in a competition, so there’s a bit of realism there as well. And then I can free up my Saturday workout to train other skills. I’m going to test this out tomorrow, making the “B” workout of Specificity a mat pull on the first day and stone load on the second, and then, when I transition to Operator, I can either do stone loads on Mon and Fri with deads on Wed, or just do stones on Fri, deads on Wed and keep Monday light to allow for recovery. Lots of options/potential.

Training Log: Entry 3772

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 1, Workout 3

(3) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
11x455

DB rows
4x12x120

Axle curls
4x12x71

GHRs
4x12x55

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
30

Reverse hypers
3x15x360

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• Sleep wasn’t great last night. Got woken up a few times. Alarm went off and I was slow to get up. This was a faster workout in general, just due to the fewer movements involved. I think I can bump it up to 5 worksets on some movements.

• Unexpectedly weak performance on the mat pulls today. My belt was feeling a little on the loose side, and my weigh in confirmed I dropped 1.1kg from yesterday, so may have been under nourished. But also thinking those SSB squats on Monday had an interesting fatigue effect. My quads are still incredibly sore, and it made the GHRs like foam rolling from hell.

• DB rows felt great, SI joint wasn’t acting up. My forearm/elbow was completely pain free on the curls, which speaks to the value of rotating the buffalo bar OUT on occasion, as much as I prefer to stick with it.

• Walked away without too much battle damage. My left hip is a little pissed at me, but I’m feeling pretty good for a deadlift day.

• Last night’s Tang Soo Do was moderate amount of activity. Working hard on my next weapons form. We have the 90 minute class tonight, and are planning on skipping Thurs to make it to my kid’s drama performance.

• Weighed in at 82.7kg this morning: 1.1kg drop from yesterday. Going to have a 2 meal day tomorrow as well, then coffee fast on Friday. Actually thinking of making Friday a for real keto day, as we’re going to the movies in the evening, and I’m thinking of just sneaking a keto brick in there for my dinner.

 Training Log: Entry 3771

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 1, Workout 2

“ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BLOAT”

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• Opened up the workout with 19 chins and met 4100m in the 20 minute time. I had to do some mental gymnastics to fit this workout in, as it’s technically not in compliance with the Black protocol of Specificity Bravo, but I realize that protocol only requires 1-2 workouts per week, so basically this is a “free” workout vs one of the Black workouts. I’ll use stone loading to count toward my 1-2 workouts instead.

• I specifically opted for this workout because I knew my legs were going to be sore from day 1 of Specificity, and I wasn’t wrong. What’s worth appreciating is it’s both my quads. This is fantastic considering I’m such a hingey squatter, as it shows I can still get a quad training effect and it’s also great that it’s BOTH of my quads as it’s indicative of resolving the knee pain in the right knee. When I was in pain, I couldn’t activate the quad, and I was observing some atrophy there. And ideally this workout will help get some of that DOMS resolved.

• Weighed 83.7kg this morning. Coffee fast today, and then I realize I’ll have some wiggle room on where to put the next day of it. Since I’m lifting 4x a week now, it can be Thurs or Fri. Fri would be more ideal, as that lifting workout will be less intense than Thurs, AND I tend to eat a bigger end of day meal on that day. It would disrupt my “every other day” rhythm, but often disruption is a positive thing.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. It’s basics/forms week, which can often be a good workout.

 Training Log: Entry 3770

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL SPECIFICITY BRAVO Week 1, Workout 1

SSB Squat
4x12x240

Lever belt squat
4x12x225

Say “f–k me”: max reps in a minute

Axle strict press from rack
3x12x113
8+4x113

(3) DB incline bench
4x12x60s

Dips
4x15xBW

ASSISTANCE

Hanging leg raise/band pull apart circuit
3x10/25

Lateral raise w/5lb
25 reps in 40 seconds

Notes:

• Sleep sounded like a much better idea than training this morning, but I was motivated by the fact that I had some excellent training fuel in my from last night and I’d be a shame to waste it (5 slices of homemade sourdough pizza and 5 peanut butter cookies with raw local honey). There was a little bit of the novelty effect of a new program as well, which rapidly went away as I was in the middle of sets of 12 with 1 minute rest.

• On that note: went 1 minute rest on all squats, then 60-90-120 for the axle, then 1 minute for everything else. The squats allow a little bit of cheating, since I can “rest” at the top compared to pressing, but the consequence is I’m sitting there with weight on my body. But in either case, it’s what makes Specificity a real nut-kick: high reps and short rest times. Complete opposite of Operator.

• VERY pleased with how the axle went. I was tossing it around. Also shocked with how well the incline went. Made a miscalculation with the dips (went with loaded weight, rather than factoring in bodyweight), but I may just keep them bodyweight as it is. They’re good for me. First time wearing my squat shoes on the lever belt in a long time: knee is in a good way

• Tried out the ab wheel and it’s still just not worth the squeeze. Right now, my body is feeling the best it has in a LONG time, and I think perpetuating that will do me some good. I’m still getting in some solid ab work.

• Got the full 3x18 on chins last week. Opened up this workout with 19, and should go 19-18-18 for the week.

• Weighed 83.5kg this morning. I ate well this weekend. Final 3 weeks of gaining and it’s been trending real well. Specificity is going to be a challenge, so it’s really time to knuckle down and fuel like a champ.

 Training Log: Entry 3769

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 9, Workout 5 (final lifting workout of cycle)

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo Bar Squat
4x3x385

Axle strict press from rack
4x3x183

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) DB Incline Bench
4x8x85s

DB row
4x8x150

GHRs
4x8x65

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
30

Notes:

• Zero motivation to get this done today. Lotta self-talk. I got pretty beat up in sparring last night: lotta contact for “no contact”, and my elbows, knees and shins weren’t pleased. It’s also incredibly hard to care about the final workout of the program, because it really doesn’t matter if I do it, but I knew it was my ticket to a good breakfast and the start of my weekend.

• The above having been said, I was SO much stronger for this workout compared to Monday, despite it being the same weights. Warm-ups felt light and I felt strong. And after 9 weeks of low bar, my elbows don’t feel like they’re going to explode at a moments notice, so big victory there and good proof of concept. It’s also starting to warm up again, so be a good time to get out of the grip shirt.

• Third set of strict press was the strongest. Had a very good brace coming out. Need to remember to focus on that.

• I was pleased with my performance in sparring last night, even if I didn’t win the championship. Got to spar against 2 senior blackbelts and held my own, employing some solid angles and trickery, and the head instructor commented that my speed is really coming along, which is feedback I never receive. Being painfree goes a long way.

• Weighed in at 82.2kg this morning. Great way to start a weekend, and after 9 weeks of “gaining”, I’m the same weight I was when I started, much stronger, looking leaner and bigger. Successful recomp/reverse diet. I’ve got 3 weeks of Specificity Bravo and then my cruise/bridge week before 9 weeks of Operator/competition prep, so I’m in a good place to keep up the eating.

 Training Log: Entry 3768

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 9, Workout 4

Prowler “sprints”

• 4 sprints w/90lbs loaded

Notes:

• A repeat of last week’s effort with better outcomes. I was able to fully “sprint” the first round, and I never needed to stop for any round, whereas last week I would have to walk the last bit of the sprint for each round and had to just flat out stop on the 3rd round.

• Went with 4 minutes of rest for the first 3 rounds and 5 for the final. I was walking the length of the course between rounds, and discovered that walking it twice takes almost exactly 5 minutes, so I’m just going to do that from now on.

• Still meeting intent on this, which is huge for me. The sprint efforts are definitely having the desired effect, and I’m catching prowler flu at the end, while the adequate rest and recovery is allowing me to actually put in a hard effort each time. When I start Operator I’ll actually harness up to get some practice for the truck pull, but for now I’m just trying to get back into strongman shape.

• Opened up with 18 chins. In general, my body is feeling the best it’s felt in a while, and it’s from a string of good decisions vs my usual insanity. I’ve been increasing the daily chins by 1 per WEEK, and I’ve kept daily reverse hypers at bodyweight, with a result being that my elbows and SI joint are playing nicely, and my knee has resolved. I WAS quite stiff going INTO this workout this morning, but a combination of deadlifts and sparring will do that. Movement is medicine, and I felt better once the sprints were done…minus my jello legs.

• Sparring last night was solid activity. Had some long rounds with the Valkyrie, and ended up the dojang champion last night. Also had a moment to do 2 minutes on the bag all out, so got in some decent cardio there.

• Weighed in at 82.8 this morning. Noted that my abs were looking fairly deep. Was thinking about how, without a weight class concern for August, I really don’t need to change how I’m eating as Operator rolls around. Since I’m more active in summer, I think leaning out will happen a bit more organically.

 Training Log: Entry 3767

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 9, Workout 3

MAIN CLUSTER

Axle bench press
4x3x268

(4) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
14x455

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

Lever belt squat
4x8x285

Dips
4x8x90

Axle curls
4x8x88

ASSISTANCE circuit

Reverse hyper
3x15x360

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Notes:

• Strongest I’ve felt on the flat bench in a long time, which is kinda bittersweet when I think about how this is my last flat bench workout for a while. At least 14 weeks by my math. But I’m such a non-technical bencher that I get stronger just by getting stronger, so I got that going for me, which is nice.

• Was actually smart on the mat pulls and shut it down at 14 reps, despite having a 15th in me, because I could feel my hips/back giving me some warning shots. Wasn’t feeling as strong on the warm-ups today.

• "And in a dream I’m a different me/With a perfect you, we fit perfectly/And for once in my life I feel complete/And I still want to ruin it" Those lyrics may as well be my training autobiography because, of course, since my SI joint felt good today, I wanted to get back on the ab wheel. I didn’t, because I understand my SI joint feels good BECAUSE I’ve been laying off the ab wheel, but literally every workout is a battle to NOT do something stupid because I can.

• Sparring was a bit of a mixed bag last night. Got in some good rounds, but the whole family got blatantly fouled with no one calling it. I got kicked in the back so hard at one point it caused me to stumble forward, which was followed up with a punch to my kidneys. I don’t mind contact…but in “no contact sparring” it’s a bit lame. Still a decent workout though. 90 minute class tonight.

• Weighed in at 82.3kg this morning. Always dig those coffee fasting days for the reset and the opportunity to really just eat ab libitum without consequence.

 Training Log: Entry 3766

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 9, Workout 2

“ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BLOAT”

18 chins

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• Barely cleared 4100m. I’m, of course, being stupid, and now getting competitive with my recovery row. But still meeting intent: this isn’t laborious, and I feel better after I’ve done it than before. Because each time I have to convince myself to do this vs just skipping the workout.

• In general, body is feeling good. SI joint and knee are playing nicely. Sun is out more, and we got in an evening walk last night. I’m able to get some more sun exposure, and in general it’s getting to be about that time where I’m more active in general. The year long plan seems to be shaping itself out well.

• Weighed 83.2kg this morning. It’s the coffee fasting day, which I find myself really looking forward to these 2 days per week. It gets me re-calibrated, and the mornings without breakfast are faster and lower stress.

• Sparring week for Tang Soo Do this week. Despite it being “non-contact”, I tend to get beat up on this week, so we’ll see how that plays out with the heaviest week of the program.

 Training Log: Entry 3765

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm, benadryl coma)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 9, Workout 1

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo bar squat
4x3x385

Axle strict press from rack
4x3x183

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) Incline DB bench
4x8x85s

DB row
4x8x150

GHR
4x8x65

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
30

Notes:

• Did yardwork yesterday for 1.5 hours, and went for a walk in the evening while everyone ELSE was doing yardwork, and was feeling some allergies. Took 2 benadryl before bed and slept all the way through the night. Normally it doesn’t affect me like that, but I’m thinking the stuff we had was expired, as this was a new batch and VERY potent. You sleep long but not necessarily well on meds, and I woke up in a bit of a hangover, but was excited about triples week after eating the family meal last night and got after it.

• This is always my favorite week of the program, predictably because it has the fewest reps. That said, the warm-up of 335 on the squats felt much heavier than I expected, but then the working sets felt light. Funny that.

• First workout where all the presses went without an issue.

• Body is continuing to feel better. Really aggressively trying to get the SI joint to play nice, and it seems to be paying off.

• Opened up with 18 chins this morning. Got 18-18-17 all 7 days last week, now it’s 3x18.

• Weighed 82.2kg this morning. Stupidly light. Had similar GI issues as last weekend, just to a lesser degree, so some of the weight loss is there, but I also think the goal of reverse dieting has paid off and my metabolism is humming along. I ate very well last night: 5 slices of homemade sourdough pizza (larger slices than usual) with lots of meaty toppings and then 4 homemade peanut butter cookies and 1 mini sourdough muffin, all with some raw honey.

 Training Log: Entry 3764

PM WORKOUT (1500)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTCOL GREY MAN Week 8, Workout 6

3 rounds of 1 minute stone of steel loading

• 160lb stone

• 2 minutes rest between rounds

 Training Log: Entry 3763

AM WORKOUT (0359 natural wake up)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 8, Workout 5

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo Bar Squat
4x6x360

Axle strict press from rack
4x6x168 (1 rep PR from previous workout)

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) DB incline bench
2x10x80s
9x80
9+2x80

DB row
4x10x140

GHR
4x10x60

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
30

Notes:

• Another Friday workout, another Friday where I need the carrot dangled in front of me to get moving. I actually do imagine part of this training ennui is a result of my recomp vs gaining strategy. When the food is high, the compulsion to get out there and make it work is greater, whereas, even though I’m seeing results in the weight room and through my physique, I don’t “feel” like I’m building Psychology is weird. But I got up a minute before my alarm, so that was good.

• The first set of squats I really felt like I was sitting back into the rep vs down, specifically on my way up from the hole. Just better balance in general.

• Was good to get all the sets of strict presses. I imagine there was a downstream effect on the incline bench as a result, but I still matched total reps from the previous week there.

• Tang Soo Do last night was a mixed bag of drills. Not a challenging workout, but with the humidity here it was still plenty sweaty, which may explain my weigh in…

• 81.9kg on the scale. Lightest I’ve been in a while, and I had a giant meal last night. Granted, it was my only meal, which has really just made this whole process sustainable. I enjoy being able to feast like that. But I also imagine I’m seeing the effects of humidity and sweat, because I was also plenty exhausted training in the garage this morning. Once I rotate the buffalo bar out, it will be back to shirtless training, which will save on some laundry.

 Training Log: Entry 3762

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 8, Workout 4

Prowler “sprints”

• 4 rounds of high handle sprints w/90lbs loaded on prowler

Notes:

• Stuck with the plan of actually doing this today. I train in a parking lot closeby my house away from residentials, so that I’m not waking up the world with the sound of metal on asphalt (btw: when it’s dark out, you can actually see the sparks fly off the prowler). I walked the distance I’m pushing, and it’s 110 steps for me (my normal stride, not toe to toe). A fresh “sprint” took about 48 seconds, where I was able to move quick for the first 5/8s of the length or so and then have to resort more to slogging it out at the end. That’s not QUITE the same training effect as an actual traditional sprint, but I feel like it will have some value in prepping for a strongman tractor pull event.

• Rested 4 minutes for the first 3 rounds and 5 minutes for the final. 6 minutes per round would have been more appropriate, employing a 6:1 rest to work ratio, but first time out and wanted to keep honest on time.

• In the future, I intend to use the harness to actually develop the skillset necessary for the event, but for now I’m just trying to rebuild my prowler conditioning in general, because I was definitely feeling the effects of the prowler between rounds, and after the final round I contracted some prowler flu, and when I got back home to put stuff away my legs were like jello.

• The biggest win of this all was meeting intent. I struggled with sprint work in the past because of “opportunity costs”. I couldn’t cope with the idea of spending 30+ minutes of training time to get in 4 minutes of actual training, and I’d always turn these into endurance workouts instead and just miss the point entirely. I kept the weight light enough that I could sprint, despite the blow to my ego only seeing a 45 per side. I kept the rest times long enough that I could recover, instead of trying to force myself to perform while I was gassed. Once again, appreciation to Tactical Barbell here, because every workout has a purpose, instead of every workout trying to be all things at once.

• I will also note that getting to sleep an extra half hour was glorious.

• Tang Soo Do last night was the 90 minute class and a decent enough workout. Since it’s the wildcard week, we went through a wide range of material. Tonight’s class is 60 minutes.

• Weighed 82.6kg this morning. Was looking over my past 8 weeks of weigh ins and this week is trending very similarly to week 1. Been a fascinating experiment.

• This showed up in my facebook feed this morning

• 

• I’ll be attending that brief. I’m trying to not get too excited, but a boxing match has been on my bucket list since I was in high school. If my schedule can support this, that would be awesome, and Tactical Barbell would be easy to make it all work.

 Training Log: Entry 3761

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm, good night of sleep)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 8, Workout 3

MAIN CLUSTER

Axle bench press
4x6x251

(5) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
15x455

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

Lever belt squat
4x10x255

Dips
3x10x80
7+3x80

Axle curls
10x86
2x10x81
8+2x81

ASSISTANCE circuit

Reverse hyper
3x15x360

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Notes:

• SI joint really seems to have resolved itself, and I managed not to aggravate it during the workout, so huge wins all around. Still doing the things that keep it happy, which includes swapping the ab wheel for the hanging leg raises.

• Mat pulls weren’t as successful as last week as far as wardrobe goes: bar kept snagging on my thigh. Need to pull up the knee sleeves a little more. But that makes the 15 reps all the sweeter. Feeling very strong on these compared to last time I handled this weight, and managed 9 reps in the first breath.

• Curl weight is just too heavy. Walked it back to last week’s weight, which was appropriate. Will adjust my max.

• Weighed 82.2kg this morning: a 1.3kg drop from yesterday. Also saw some veins on my abs. This has been a pretty awesome training block as far as outcomes go.

• Tang Soo Do last night was lower activity than usual. There is a tournament this weekend that only a few students are going to, so we focused on prepping them. Got in a little weapons work. Tonight is the 90 minute class, so most likely a little more focus.

 Training Log: Entry 3760

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 8, Workout 2

“ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BLOAT”

18 chins

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• Changing things up. In theory, I’m going to hit the sled/prowler on Thurs and do some stone loading on Sat, so my recovery workout slots into today instead. It seems to be a good call as well, as I’m feeling the best I’ve felt since the race. SI joint is not 100%, but it’s in a very good way, and I’m moving fairly painfree. Saw this manifested in the fact that I got over 4000m in the 20 minutes on the rower, whereas last week was slightly over 3700.

• Tang Soo Do “wildcard cardio” is the theme for this week. Should get in some decent workouts.

• Weighed 83.5kg this morning. Called it before I stepped on the scale. Getting familiar with how weights “feel” and my fluctuations.

 Training Log: Entry 3759

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm, very good sleep)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 8, Workout 1

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo bar squat
4x6x360

Axle strict press from rack
3x6x168
5+1x168

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) Incline DB bench
3x10x80s
8+2x80

DB row
4x10x140

GHR
4x10x60

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
30

Notes:

• Had really good sleep last night, which made it harder to get up and train because I was enjoying it. I like to take the moments to celebrate this, because at the height of my illness, I was sleep avoidant, absolutely hated sleeping, and would get up to train at 0300 because I just couldn’t stand being in bed any more. Big contributor to today is that it’s become grossly humid, so I had a fan pointed directly at me all night, which the combination of cool breeze and white noise put me right out.

• I was a little naughty on the squats and caught myself putting the bar a bit low on the first set. My superpower is that, since I’ve dislocated my right shoulder 6 times, tore the labrum in it and experienced a few dozen subluxations, I can contort by upper body into bizarre positions to achieve a low bar that’s actually illegal in some federations. Cool for moving max loads, but tends to shift the emphasis away from where I need. It being grossly humid has also made it that I’m pretty excited about moving away from low bar and no longer wearing my grip shirt.

• Pressing strength was pretty solid for today. It’s been a struggle with my bodyweight not climbing up rapidly to meet demands.

• That GHR weight keeps changing not because I keep changing it, but because I keep forgetting how much is actually loaded in the vest. I confirmed that it is for real 60lbs, so we’re going with that.

• Went the full week doing 18-17-17 chins. Now it’s 18-18-17. Opened up the workout with 18. Also been including 10-15 unweighted reverse hypers with each session, to help with my SI joint.

• Weighed 83.0kg this morning. Hard to know if I’m looking at “real weight” at this point. The humidity is making me sweat more, I’m coming down from a high sodium week, and this weekend’s gastrointestinal atrocities are a contributor as well, but I had a wonderful meal last night of 6 slices of homemade sourdough pizza topped with all the pork (bacon, pancetta, and lean ham) along with olives and pineapple, and then 3 sourdough cookies and a sourdough brownie alongside some raw local honey. That meal ALSO helps motivate me to train on Mondays.

• ABF may be in a holding pattern. My kiddo is prepping for a track and field day at school, prioritizing running events and the Valkyrie has her next half marathon coming up in May (she’ll be completing 40 half marathons before turning 40 with this one: huge milestone).

 Training Log: Entry 3758

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 7, Workout 5

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo Bar Squat
4x8x335

Axle strict press from rack
2x8x158
2x5x158

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) DB incline bench
12,11,10,9+3x75s

DB rows
4x12x130

GHRs
4x12x60s

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
30

Notes:

• Motivation was low for this one, but knowing this workout punched my ticket for the weekend was enough to get me moving. I actually felt much better physically than I expected to. SI joint is ameliorating (there is your SAT word) at an appreciable rate, and including some bodyweight reverse hypers seems to be helping.

• My pressing DID improve from Monday, but it was still rough. This is the hardest day of the program in that regard, so I’m going to hold onto the max and see how next week goes. I’m not putting on bodyweight at the rate I typically do when running Grey Man (I’m usually at about 86kg after 6 weeks), so being able to hold onto that rate of progression, especially into uncharted territory of an extra cycle, is not what I’d expect. This is still experimental.

• GHRs felt better than Monday, same with the sit ups, primarily as a result of the SI joint feeling better.

• Weighed in at 83.6. Heavier this week, which, again, some of it is most likely legit, but I’m also dealing with inflammation and a high sodium diet with all the ham I’ve been eating (and finished off this morning). Be curious to see how weight shakes out next week with a little “detox”

• Took the truck in for maintenance this morning. Had the opportunity to walk, but chose to sit, enjoy the free coffee and read more of “Eat like a Human” by Dr. Bill Schindler. I’ve been feeling a little sorry for myself (physically) for a bit here. I’m wanting to get things a little more “in gear” starting next week, but this was a good week to just ease into the next training cycle and recover from the previous weekend’s stupidity.

• Ideally, we’re going to get back on the ABF train tonight as family, assuming we all feel healthy.

• As much as it was a total war to get them, I am a HUGE fan of these knee sleeves from Elitefts. I genuinely did not appreciate how significant compression impacts performance until I was able to wear double ply knee sleeves through a whole training session. My knees feel like I’m 20 again, and I’m able to move squats smoothly and deeply. I’m actually holding the bar higher on my back now as a result. 

 Training Log: Entry 3757

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 7, Workout 4

“ROW ROW ROW YOUR BLOAT”

20m recover row

18 chins

Notes:

• I woke up feeling better than I have over the past few days, but hips are still super stiff, and sitting on a rower for 20 minutes didn’t do much to help that. But it was good to move in general.

• Tang Soo Do last night had a LOT of breakfalls. They’ve actually been somewhat therapeutic to my SI joint: like a cheap chiropractor. We got to work with one of the senior black belts for one-steps as well, and he’s 20, so he can take the falls a lot better and allow us to ragdoll him.

• Weighed in at 83.8kg. I’m sure eating ham for all my meals yesterday was an excellent approach to sodium loading. And it’s on the menu for the next 2 days as well, because leftovers rock.

 Training Log: Entry 3756

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 7, Workout 3

Open with 18 chins

MAIN CLUSTER

Axle bench press
4x8x236

(6) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
15x455

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

Lever belt squat
4x12x240

Dips
3x12x62.5
9+3x62.5

Axle curls
2x12x81
2x8x81

ASSISTANCE CIRCUIT

Reverse hyper
3x15x360

Hanging leg raise
2x10

Notes:

• Didn’t struggle to wake up for this one like I have in the previous weeks.

• My new knee sleeves make it that I don’t need to wear the sweats to prevent the bar from catching on my strongman shorts, and it also means I can have knee sleeves on for the deadlift. That may prove valuable. In general, these pulls feel a million times better than they did last time I attempted this weight, point of fact being that I had to abandon that cycle last time because it eventually became too challenging. I’m in a much stronger place this time around. 15 reps wasn’t my max today, but with my hip/back (I think it’s truthfully my SI joint) being the way it is, this was the right call to shut it down when I did.

• Bench press weight is perfectly challenging. Everything else COULD have been accomplished with a little more rest, but I was rushing. With this being mass protocol, the goal of getting in a solid pump and challenging myself was accomplished.

• Tang Soo Do last night included break/roll falls, which actually helped my back a little. I wake up pretty stiff/achy, but after I move around I’m in a good way. Better than I should feel, if nothing else.

• Weighed in at 83.3. A .9kg drop from yesterday, which is exactly what happened last week. I seem to be trending up half a kilo this week in general, with this recomp/reverse diet phase very slowly trickling the weight up.

• I need to make a habit of bringing back daily reverse hypers. That’s how I resolved this issue the last time. I also intend to sleep in tomorrow as well, but next week would like to bring back sled/prowler training to get a little more athletic and prep for the tractor pull.

 Training Log: Entry 3755

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 7, Workout 2

“VIKING RAID”

15 minutes

• 100m row

• 150lb sandbag carry

• Add 100m to row each round

Notes:

• Opened the day with 18 chins.

• This was like “Viking raid” and more “Viking retreat”, as I was hobbling. The race re-aggravated an old injury in my right hip/lower back that I’ve been rolling out for the past few days. But Chaos is the plan, because I woke up this morning and thought to myself “no way am I picking up a sandbag”, but once I took the dog out (in the sleet, because the weather here is bonkers) and came back inside I felt “good enough”. I moved slow, but I could still feel the conditioning hit from this.

• My forearm/bicep also continues to operate at “good enough” levels, which is a boon this far into low bar squatting. The grip shirt really solved a lot of issues. And I take comfort in the fact that my right knee has completely resolved. Victories where I can.

• Weighed in at 84.2kg. Highest of the cycle so far. I’m sure there’s still a lot of inflammation at play, but I’m also probably finally fully glycogen loaded, as I’ve noticed the past 2 days how much deeper my abs have looked. Which is also the funny thing, as I looked at myself in the mirror before the weigh in and thought “this is a good level of ‘walk around leanness’.”, and then stepped on the scale and saw the highest weigh in for the cycle. A sign of how the scale really only tells a small part of the story.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. It’s one-step week, which is typically low activity, but break falls will be interesting. Our instructor knows that we ran the race, and he’s a recent spinal-fusion recipient, so he may show us a little mercy.

 Training Log: Entry 3754

AM WORKOUT (0340 natural wake up, snoozed until 0400 alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 7, Workout 1

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo Bar Squat
4x8x335

Axle strict press from rack
3x6x158
5x158

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) DB incline bench
2x12x75s
9x75
8+3x75

DB rows
4x12x130

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit ups
20,15

Notes:

• As you can see, I decided to do another cycle of Grey Man.

• Had to cut out the GHRs due to time constraints. I’ll knock them out later today.

• I felt much better than I should have felt after that 10 mile race on Saturday and decided to see what I could do this morning. I was absolutely delighted with how the squats went, and not surprised with how the pressing went. I didn’t push myself stupidly hard there, and just went with what I was capable of today. I actually kept the training max the same this cycle on the axle, rather than increase it, and will just get better quality reps. I’ll see how Friday’s workout goes.

• Rest paused on the DB incline bench to make up some reps, but not all the ones I missed

• Got some new knee sleeves from Elitefts, and they are total game changers. I noticed that my Mark Bell sleeves had split on the left sleeve and were no longer providing any actual support: just warmth. These sleeves are double ply, yet stretchy enough to not cut off my circulation so that I can wear them all session. And what I discovered is that, when my knees have compression, my joints feel stable (shocker) and my body has more confidence in movement, so the squat eccentric moves MUCH smoother than before. Previously, the first rep especially, it was like I was lowering a rope in a well trying to find the bottom: just gingerly and slowly lowering myself until I could find depth and then get back up. Now, I feel more confident just sinking to the bottom. I’m excited to see how this benefits my training. It was a BIG “to do” to get these damn things, because Elitefts Customer service SUCKS and their sizing chart is absolutely bonkers. It had me as a 3XL, which was also an 11” knee diameter (which is the kind of diameter you expect to see on a child). I wrote an e-mail asking about it, which went unanswered, and I called their service number and they basically just read the chart to me. I had to literally DM Dave Tate directly on facebook to finally figure out I should be a medium. It’s amazing how it’s STILL like this when it comes to lifting equipment. Nothing has changed since Inzer in the 80s.

• Got in a full 7 days of 3x17 chins. Today, I opened up with 18.

• Weighed in at 83.7kg. Heaviest so far. I absolutely earned it. I’d be hesitant to call yesterday a “cheat day”, because it wasn’t cheating, it wasn’t binging, it was just enjoying Easter and being with the family, but it’s the first time in maybe a decade where I spent the whole day running on carbs rather than just 1 meal. The Valkyrie has been exploring more sourdough options and made sourdough cinnamon rolls with icing from scratch, of which I had 2. She made sourdough biscuits to go with our 1 big meal of the day, which was bone-in ham along with a corn casserole, baked beans, deviled eggs, and olives. I had 2 of those biscuits with some local honey and butter, and then the absolute fattiest pieces of ham I could find. And then she made sourdough brownies completely from scratch, which I did 2 of those as well, and topped 1 with some raw honey. It felt great to eat these, physically and otherwise. Everything being made in the home from scratch with quality ingredients just hits right. I’m satiated when it’s done, rather than craving even more, and it’s incredibly enjoyable. I don’t feel sluggish afterwards. And I honestly couldn’t do it any better than to completely deplete any glycogen I ever had with that run and then replenish it all the next day. And then I trained and ate a meal of eggs and kalua pork, which is such an awesome “back on the diet” meal.

 Training Log: Entry 3753

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via alarm, 0730 start time)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 6, Workout 5

10 mile race

Notes:

• For anyone that has been following along, I did absolutely zero prep for this. I did 1 4 mile run about 7 weeks ago, and have otherwise been doing the rower for my cardio, and even then, it’s been 20 minute workouts. I’ve cut out my rucking and have leaned full into the Mass Protocol.

• That’s not a smart way to train for a 10 mile race.

• I also ran this completely fasted, on 8oz of water and some electrolytes. And I drank no water during the race.

• Bad decisions make good stories.

• I managed to run it all without stopping, which is always my goal. My fascia in my foot held up, and my right knee feels ok. My right hip is pissed off at me, but it’s been that way for a few weeks, and setting a deadlift PR on Wed didn’t help (another bad decision). I certainly wasn’t having a fun time for a lot of it, but it was something I could endure. It was really the first half mile that sucked the most, because I was basically re-teaching myself how to run WHILE dealing with all those little niggling injuries.

• Also, there was freezing rain and snow at the start, which made things less than awesome. But at the end there was bacon, which is THE best post running food I’ve ever had. Bananas are for chumps: bacon has more potassium. This race is put on by a local Brunch spot, so they bring out the A-game, and the Valkyrie even let me have her bacon. Getting the bacon into my mouth was also the fastest I moved that whole race.

• 

• Ninja mode at the start

• 

• This photo taken with a slow motion camera similar to what was used on the set of “The Green Hornet” since Bruce Lee kicked too fast.

• No rest for the wicked: I had to immediately drive the Valkyrie back to our home so I could drop her off to take the dog to doggie day care while I took the kiddo to music theater, which meant riding in a truck for 40 minutes after having JUST run 10 miles without training. Once I dropped the kid off, I peeled myself out of my truck and then walked to the nearest rest room like I was in a Wild West movie.

• I am not aging gracefully. I’m 40 years old and kicking sand in the reapers face like a Charles Atlas ad.

 Training Log: Entry 3752

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 6, Workout 5

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo Bar Squat
4x3x377

Axle strict press from rack
4x3x181

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) Incline DB bench
4x8x80s

DB rows
4x8x145

GHR
4x8x65

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
20, 15

Notes:

• Though I had the day off work, I still got up early to get this knocked out so I could have full time with my family. And, truthfully, I just plain hate working out so much that I don’t want to put it off any longer than I have to. Sleeping in is cool, but sleeping in and THEN having to work out kinda sucks.

• Yet another “I feel undeservedly strong” workout, which is such a contrast to last cycle’s “strength miracles” workouts. My right forearm/bicep was extremely pissy yesterday and I thought I’d reached the end of my limit on low bar squatting, but today there were zero issues. Lower back was a little sore, primarily from Tang Soo Do. This new form is really challenging the core.

• My right hip still flares up a little on the overhead press. This is what was bothering me 18 months ago when I first started Tactical Barbell, and it’s not as severe, but I may need to take more proactive measures soon to resolve it.

• Tang Soo Do last night wasn’t extremely exhausting, but moderate activity. Highlight was doing a partner self-defense drill where both individuals tried to grab the other while defending against the grab. Was paired off against the Valkyrie, and like a venus flytrap I waited for her to grab me, and then spun around and picked her up from behind in a psuedo-suplex. Of course, didn’t slam her, but lifting her a bunch of times was fun.

• Weighed in at 82.5kg. Repeat of yesterday’s weight. I honestly haven’t been looking at myself in the mirror much through this process, but today I noticed a degree of leanness I haven’t seen in quite a while. This recomp approach has really been successful. Going easier on the conditioning has put me in a lower cortisol state and seems to be allowing for more fat burning/loss. With how I’ve been able to eat through this process, I’m pretty jazzed about that.

• 10 mile race tomorrow. Bad decisions make good stories.

 Training Log: Entry 3751

AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm, best night of sleep in a long time)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 6, Workout 4

“ROW ROW ROW YOUR BLOAT”

20m recovery row

Notes:

• Every week, this is what I need when I need it. Alarm went off, I went to stretch, and every single muscle cramped. Got out of bed like the Tin Man, stumbled onto the rower, and went for no records whatsoever: just moved my body through space for 20 minutes and got some blood flowing. It’s one of those workouts where you consider skipping it because “what’s the point”, but it’s so much better to do it than to not.

• Opened up the workout with 17 chins.

• Weighed 82.5kg. Big contributor was last night’s Tang Soo Do class, which, as a 90 minute class, was an excellent workout. We spent the first half drilling techniques in increasing complex combinations that had us pouring sweat, and finished up with forms. Consequently, the “water weight shenanigans” I spoke of earlier are most likely still at play, explaining the weight drop despite the big meals yesterday, due to just how much we sweat. One more class tonight.

• I took the day off work tomorrow so the kiddo and I can catch the Mario movie. I’ve already got lunch in the sous vide (beef rib and beef shank), as we have our 10 mile race on Saturday and I’ll need to properly fuel. Still semi-undecided on the most immediate follow-on training phase, but part of that will be seeing how I feel after that race.

 Training Log: Entry 3750

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm, good night of sleep)

TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 6, Workout 3

MAIN CLUSTER

Axle Bench Press
4x3x266

Texas Deadlift Bar Deadlifts
12x440

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

Lever belt squat
4x8x275

Dips
3x8x85
7+1x85

Axle curls
4x8x91

ASSISTANCE CIRCUIT

Reverse hyper/Hanging leg raise
3x15x360/3x10

Notes:

• Sleep was good, so I didn’t wanna get up when the alarm went off, but I’ve been excited about this training day enough that I told myself, if I really wanted to, I could just walk away after the deadlift.

• On that note: I’m quite pleased with the deadlift. I noticed I was low backing it today, which seems to be me trying to save my hips, but even with that, the weight felt SO much lighter than my previous attempt at this weight. I’ve grown significantly stronger, and this was a 2 rep PR. I also saw places where I can chill out on the hips a little during the concentric. 12 reps was my goal and I met it. Grinded out a bit more than I should have, but so far no worse for wear. And the moonwalk afterwards was legit, as was seeing all the blown out blood vessels in my shoulders after my shower. I’m coming back to what I was.

• Benching was ok. Little bit of elbow pain to deal with. Felt it on the dips as well, and really showed itself on the hanging leg raise when I’d get off the bar. Felt more specifically in the bicep, similar to how my left felt before I tore it. Something to keep an eye on.

• Happy with how the belt squat is feeling these days. Far more viable movement when I don’t have knee pain.

• Tang Soo Do last night was a good traditional class of basics and forms. I’m really trying to get my stances deeper, now that my knees play nicer. Tonight is the 90 minute class.

• Weighed in at 82.8kg this morning: a full kilo drop from yesterday, despite eating like an absolute champ. Definitely some water weight shenanigans going on.

• On the topic of weight, this training phase has made me think I’ve got a decent year-round protocol going so far. Gain Oct-Dec, lean out first 6 weeks of new year, Recomp/reverse diet to June, lean out/be active outside for the summer, repeat. I’ve naturally fallen into the pattern and it’s really working well for me.