Training Log: Entry 3836

AM WORKOUT (0620 natural wake up, 0930 workout)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 3, Workout 5

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and press
2xLog
1x150
1x170
1x200
1x220

SECONDARY MOVEMENT

SSB front squat
5x5x250

ASSISTANCE

2 Giant sets of 30 seconds 355 SSB front rack, 10 hanging leg raises and 25 band pull aparts

LUNCHTIME WORKOUT

1 hour Tang Soo Do Class

PM WORKOUT

5 rounds of 1 minute loads to platform

• Rounds 1 and 3: 7x135lb Stone of Steel

• Rounds 2 and 4: 3x245lb keg

• Round 5: 3x200lb sandbag

Notes:

• Full day today. I pushed my workout to Sat due to this week's schedule and decided to make it "progressive" by doing some of it in the AM and some in the PM. In between we had a make up TSD class which was a fairly solid workout.

• I'm not progressing on that log clean and press, but I AM maintaining on it, and with my bodyweight continuing to drop, that's a positive. The SSB front squats are feeling strong still.

• I REALLY like what I came up with for the loading, and think that can be a more permanent fixture. I get less beat up by varying the implement. OF course, it's also dependent on the garage not being too hot so that I CAN use the stone and not worry about it slipping, but at least I know the sandbag is viable as well. And I have a 150lber in my basement I can bring up sometime to really get in some variety.

• Being a masters athlete is waking up on Wed and thinking you may have to retire from the sport because your back hurts so much and then feeling awesome on Saturday. Can't explain it, but I'll take it. Pain is gone.

• No weigh in, since it's the weekend.

Training Log: Entry 3835

AM WORKOUT (0450 wake up via Valkyrie's alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 3, Workout 4

17 chins
17 dips
30x90 reverse hyper

"ROW ROW ROW YOUR BLOAT"

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• Leaning into the "easy conditioning week" finally, in no small part to that back tweak. Was able to sleep in WITHOUT crippling myself, so that's a big win. Still making sure to slowly exit the bed and just take my time when I get up. On that note, I felt a little electric jolt in my back once during the row and a few times just walking around the house, so I'm still not fully Humpty Dumptied together again, but in better shape than before.

• Got 4150m done in the 20 minutes, which is a good showing on this day.

• I'm still getting those daily chins and dips. The chins aren't really getting easier as I'd hoped, but I'm still able to do them, and the accumulation of volume is paying off. If I were to stop now at 4x17 daily, that is 68 per day, 476 per week, and 24,752 per year. But, since I'm increasing by 1 weekly, that number changes in a way that I'm sure there IS a method to calculate it, but I took stats rather than calculus in my undergrad, and I'm glad I did.

• Weighed 81.9kg this morning, which is stupid light for a Friday weigh in without a big workout. And given that all the coffee I am drinking this morning is rushing out of me, it looks like any weight I DID "gain" yesterday is water looking to exit. My kiddo is in their last week of summer next week and I took of Wed to take them out to Toy Story 5 followed by lunch at our favorite Brazilian steakhouse, so I've got some big eating in my future. And the next day I take a physical fitness test...so I'll have some good fuel for that too.

• Valkyrie and I were commenting on how physically exhausted we felt at Tang Soo Do last night. 3 nights in a row of slamming hyungs and physical testing requirements is starting to manifest. However, we also got our second stripe on our belt for our weapons form, we we're delighted for that.

Training Log: Entry 3834

AM WORKOUT (0300 Wake Up Via dog, then 0400 wake up via Alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 3, Workout 2

17 chins
17 dips
30x90 reverse hyper

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x5x175

SSB front squat
3x5x250

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(4) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
9x425+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x5x116

Reverse hyper
15x90

Hanging leg raise
1x10

Band pull apart
1x25

Notes:

• Kiddo knocked on the door at 0300 because the puppy was having a bad night. I got up EXTREMELY slowly and purposefully to answer the door, and then did the same thing when my alarm went off this morning. Moved slowly through the morning, spent some extra time rolling out my glutes/lower back, and a slow war up (this is still my favorite thing to write. I think I'm going to make a blog post about it). At the start of the morning, I still wasn't excited about bending at the trunk, but by the end of the workout I was moving and feeling pain free again. It's like I knocked the disk back into place and compressed it to where it needed to be. Sometimes rest is the answer, and sometimes it's Steve Pulcinella's "Paleo rehab".

• Very first set of presses felt like Bambi on ice, but after that I was feeling secure and able to give it some output. Front squats are heavy enough to suck, but I can get through them.

• The mat pulls were the real W for today. Last week, I was so thrashed I had to pscyhe myself up for the war up with 335, and I ended up scrapping the topset. Today, I came in with no expectations: didn't even know if I COULD pull. All my sets leading up to the topset felt great, and when I got to the topset, it was my LEFT hip that was upset vs my right side, which in itself is a victory. I also got 1 rep more than I did at the start of the cycle, and absolutely COULD have done more: it just would have been really stupid given how I almost couldn't walk yesterday Took the reps, took the W, shut it down and moved on.

• The curls are high school levels of cheating. It's good to do that every once in a while.

• Tang Soo Do last night was a good workout. We got there early and drilled hyungs for about 20 solid minutes, did the physical testing requirements of 50 push ups, sit ups and jumping jacks, then drilled hyungs for the 90 minutes of class. Lots of movement.

• Which is probably why I weighed 80.3kg this morning. Won't lie: the scale flashed "79" before it settled at 80kg and I had a slight panic moment. In turn, the original plan was to fast again today, but decided I'm light and lean enough that I should have some breakfast after deadlifts.

Training Log: Entry 3833

AM WORKOUT (0510 Wake Up Via Valkyrie's Alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 3, Workout 2

17 chins
17 dips

Various reverse hypers, and work, twists and turns

17 chins
17 dips

Notes:

• This was SUPPOSED to be a 20 minute recovery row. I woke up, got out of bed, went to go pick up my socks off the floor, felt a slight twinge in my back, and then it was like someone shot me with a tranq dart, because I fell back on the bed in agony and couldn't figure up how to get back up. Once again: getting out of bed is a hazard. I'm actually noticing it's the days I sleep in that this keeps happening.

• Thankfully, one of the "nice" things about recurring injuries is you get good at figuring out how to treat them. This is a nerve issue: something is slipping out of place and pressing on it. So I hung from a chinning bar a lot and did a lot of twists and turns to knock whatever it is back into place, and once I was able to load the reverse hyper with some weight, that traction helped get things back into alignment as well. I went from thinking I needed to go to a hospital this morning to now just getting a little wincing pain if I bend over wrong: I'll take it. Sucks I missed out on rowing, but I decided this was going to be a light conditioning week AND that I was going to slide my schedule to the right, so I think Friday will be a rower workout.

• Another contributing factor: weighed in at 81.1kg this morning. Down a kilo from yesterday, second lightest Wed weigh in of the training block, and that's WITHOUT an hour workout ahead of time to generate more sweat. All of my worse injuries have happened when I was my leannest (ruptured ACL, torn bicep, and whatever the hell this is). It makes sense: less fluff to keep the body safe. I need to have some awareness here.

• Tang Soo Do was a decent workout last night. Got in some good hyung practice, and my back was able to move fine then. We have the 90 minute class tonight: I'll see how things go.

Training Log: Entry 3832

AM WORKOUT (0400 natural wake up)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 3, Workout 1

17 chins
17 dips
25x90 reverse hyper

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

SSB Front Squat
2x325

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
2x5x175
3x4x175

Keg load to platform
1x210
1x215
1x225
1x235
1x240 (attempted a second rep, did not finish)

ASSISTANCE (giant sets)

SSB front rack hold
2x30 seconds x 325

Hanging leg raise
2x10

Band pull apart
2x25

Notes:

• By the end of day yesterday, I was moving painfree and easy. I woke up this morning feeling better but still stiff, and had a few nerve twinges (which, yesterday, the toes in my left foot kept going numb, so something is definitely pinching a nerve). Had a few COAs in mind, with one being just to do a SE circuit and call it good if I couldn't load any weight on my body. Took a long and slow "war up", to ape from simo74 and honestly felt solid on the front squats and "good enough" on the press, so I went for it.

• The front squat matches the past few weeks as far as reps go, but I'm really appreciating the notion of EASE of reps as far as progression goes. Each week this double is getting easier, and if I wasn't in a spot where grinding would put me in a bad way, I may have gone for the triple. It's in my future, and this is what sustainable and slow progression looks like.

• In a similar way, I cut the reps short on the log because I wasn't willing to commit my body in a manner that would secure those 5 reps. Get in the work I can with what I got.

• Switched to singles for the keg load, and just kept adding weight. I think there IS a time for higher rep loading work, but I could tell it was beating the hell out of me, and this close to comp I'll get more out of heavier singles. The rep work will be magic when it's time to gain.

• I'm now about 4 hours removed from the training and I don't feel awesome, but I also don't feel the pain I was in yesterday. I'm sliding my training schedule to the right 1 day this week, to account for yesterday, and it's "easy conditioning week", so I should have even more time to recover.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. Basics and hyungs. Can be a decent workout. I'm going to stay within my abilities.

• Weighed in at 82.1kg. I'm honestly pretty surprised: that's the second lowest Tuesday weigh in I've had this whole cycle, with the lightest being last week. This is after the family meal on Sunday and birthday cake/eating out yesterday. In turn, I'm actually expecting a weight spike tomorrow, despite this being a single meal day, but if nothing else things will be chaotic.

 Training Log: Entry 3831

AM WORKOUT (0700 natural wake up)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 2, Workout 6

1 hour of martial arts training (self-directed, hyungs)

Notes:

• Accomplished from 1000-1100, as we are trying to win the hyung challenge and had an opportunity to accomplish some extra ones. Really trying to focus on technique, deep stances and power generation. Felt awesome: like back in the old days training martial arts.

• I don't typically train on Saturdays or consider them training days, but this was intense enough that I'm willing to count it. Otherwise, still got in my 10k steps, chins and dips

 Training Log: Entry 3830

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 2, Workout 5

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and press
2xLog
1x150
1x170
1x200
1x220

SECONDARY MOVEMENT

SSB front squat
5x5x235

Stone of steel load to platform
5x1 minute max reps w/135 (3x7, 1x6, 1x7)

ASSISTANCE Giant Set (rack, abs, BPA)

SSB front rack hold
2x30 seconds x 345

Hanging leg raise
2x10

Band pull aparts
2x25

Notes:

• My back/hips continue to recover, but are still not 100%, and that came into effect on the log. I struggled to get into a strong position to press from, which made the rep of 220 even more significant to me, but I definitely would have preferred a stronger showing. That said, my bodyweight is rock bottom (more to follow), and it dawned on me I'm pressing at least 40lbs more than that over my head...so that's pretty cool.

• Front squats took some doing before they felt good, but after that the depth was bottomed out.

• Went with speed/technique work on the stone, and it was the right call. It's thankfully been cool enough that I could use the stone and not worry about slippage. Supposed to get back over 100 tomorrow though.

• Great night of sparring last night. I shut out one blackbelt twice: 3-0 both times. By the time class rolled around, my hips and back felt ok. First thing in the morning is rough: still quite stiff.

• Weighed 80.9kg this morning. Dropped a full kilo off of yesterday and this is the lightest I've been on a Friday the entire training cycle. I'm at the point where goal is achieved as far as leanness and lightness goes and I've proven whatever I need to prove to myself. This weekend is a celebratory weekend, so I'll enjoy the food, dry out a little afterwards, self-assess, and then start considering maintenance until the comp/cruise before I start building again.

Training Log: Entry 3829

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 2, Workout 4

17 chins
17 dips

4 Prowler sprints, high handle, 90lb load

17 chins
17 dips

Notes:

• Times were 45, 45, 52 and 72 seconds. Caught prowler flu on the 4th sprint, so shut it down at that point. This is slower than last week, but I expected that with how overtaxed and underweight I am. I was more just delighted to be able to sprint at all, and to get the conditioning effect I was after.

• I am certainly doing BETTER as time goes on, but it's amazing just how much I beat myself to hell to get to this point. 7 hours of driving, then a martial arts tournament with lots of sitting on the floor, then 7 hours of driving, then straight into heavy keg loading: bonehead play. I'm planning on doing speed/technique work for my loading tomorrow to help out there. But I'm pleased that things are recovering and my IT band is no longer forcing me to consider elective surgery to have it removed.

• Sparring went well last night. Got to spar against 3 black belts, defeating 2 (going 3 and 0 against one) and going 2:3 against our most senior one. Lotta matches in general, big bracket, and was still able to move well despite myself. The martial arts are actually helpful in opening the movement patterns back up: gets me limbered up and fluid. Got another class tonight, and we're looking toward Saturday as well.

• Weighed 81.9kg this morning. Big jump, but with 2 meals and a heavy focus on getting my hydration sorted, that's expected. This is the longest I've gone without seeing 82kg on the scale, making this week my lowest weigh in week. I am excited at the prospect of reversing course soon enough and getting back on the gain train. Gotta lot of meat in the freezer to get through. All that said, I find I enjoy my fasting days more than my multiple meal days at this point. I feel like I'm "doing" more when I fast, and it's just been nice on my digestion. The large/unrestricted meal at the end of the day feels rewarding as well. But breakfast is also a nice incentive to get through a training session, so pros all around

Training Log: Entry 3828

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 2, Workout 3

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x5x165

SSB front squat
3x5x235

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(5) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
Nope

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x5x106

Notes:

• Lower back is overtaxed. Done this before. I imagine I was trying to work around my IT band and shifted weight onto the lower back to make it happen on the keg loading, and I'm feeling the effects. I'm not injured, but DEEPLY sore: the kind that lives in your soul rather than just your body. I DID attempt to use my Spud Gateway Gear briefs, and they helped me get through the final warm-up, but when I set up for the workset I could tell that, though I COULD get in some reps if my life depended on it, it would also shorten my life to do so.

• Made this an ad hoc light workout in turn, got in some good reps, and stretched out the back best I could.

• Last night's Tang Soo Do sparring went well enough. Got through 2 rounds in the opening bracket, faced off against the Valkyrie, took an L, won the redemption bracket, came back to face her again. Was moving around pretty well: we'll see if tonight can be the same.

• Weighed 80.3kg this morning, which is a significant drop from yesterday and the lightest I've weighed on a Wed all cycle, especially given how not significant this morning's workout was as far as sweat accumulation goes. We're celebrating a birthday this weekend, so I'll still employ some strategic fasting to account for nutrition debauchery, but after this I think I can transition more toward a maintenance mode leading up to my comp/cruise.

Training Log: Entry 3827

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

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 2, Workout 2

17 chins
17 dips

FOBBITS on rower w/Niahanchi Cho Don

• 2 minutes rowing

• 1 Niahanchi Cho Don

• Repeat for total of 20 minutes

Notes:

• Getting out of bed this morning, my back seized up momentarily. I'm thinking that those keg loads are taking more than they are giving, and I may be reaching the point of leanness where performance is getting impacted. But this can also be some post-travel/competition silliness manifesting. My IT band was far more serviceable, and I was able to move in and out of a sitting position without employing blasphemy, so I got that going for me, which is nice.

• I was moving slower today than usual as far as time on the rower was concerned. I normally get about 14:10 row time, but today finished up sub 13:00, which meant I was spending more time on transitions and on the hyung itself. The latter part checks: I got some feedback to slow down on it and make each move intentional, so it manifested here. Still, when I pushed the rower for that 3100m distance, I got that done in a shorter time than usual, which speaks to me that the intensity on the rower was where I wanted it to be.

• Finally getting a break from our heat wave for the next few days. Will pick back up on the weekend, but it means that walking and Tang Soo Do will be far less miserable. On that note, it's sparring week, with our first class tonight, and the Valkyrie expressed interest on attending Sat as well, so we may get 4 days of sparring this week.

• Weighed 81.1kg this morning, which is the biggest jump I've seen between a Mon and a Tues, but with Mon having a very light carb load and being a post travel day, all sorts of variables are in play here. Still lightest and leannest I've been in a while, and my daily chins/dips are reflecting that, as they're far easier than usual.

 Training Log: Entry 3826

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 2, Workout 1

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

SSB front squat
2xBar
1x135
1x185
1x225
1x275
2x325

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
5x5x165

Power keg load to platform
5x5x210

ASSISTANCE giant set

SSB front rack hold
3x30 seconds x 325

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• I was genuinely considering not doing this workout at all yesterday, simply because my IT band was in agony from driving for 8 hours on Friday, sitting on a floor all day during a martial arts tournament on Saturday, then driving all day Sunday, but I rolled the holy hell out of it with a LAX ball and found myself able to walk painfree this morning so I got after it. I was able to hold together long enough to get it done, but sitting here at work it aches again. Will have to keep at it.

• Pleased with performance overall. The front squat double stalled on the concentric at about the midpoint, but we made it. Matched last week's effort at lower bodyweight (to follow), and focused on the log clean.

• Played the keg safe by keeping the weight the same as Friday and loading direct from the mats vs the floor, just focusing on the triple extensions. My IT band appreciated that.

• Weighed 80kg on the dot this morning. Explains why I'm looking so lean. That's post travel weight, so nothing is fully set yet, but I did a lot of fasting on this trip and I think it had an impact. Will write up a full AAR at some point.

• It is "kill you dead" hot today: heat index 112. I was sweating as soon as I walked into the garage, so today's session was a big endurance test.

Training Log: Entry 3825

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 1, Workout 5

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and press away

1.5x220 (failed second rep)

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

SSB Front Squats

5x5x220

Power keg load to platform

5x5x210

ASSISTANCE

SSB Front rack hold

2x30 seconds x 325

Hanging leg raise

2x10

Band pull aparts

2x25

Notes:

• Got this knocked out in the morning on a travel day. Logging on phone, so sparse details.

• Wasted too much energy on the clean. Strength is there for the press.
• 
  
• Keg was a good effort. Mixing up where the reps start.
• 
  
• Weighed 82.5kg. High for a Friday, but leanness persists.

Training Log: Entry 3824

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 1, Workout 4

17 chins17 dips

Prowler sprints

5 rounds total w/high handles, 90lbs loaded on prowler

16 chins16 dips

Notes:

Times broke down to 40, 40, 45, 40 and 50 seconds. Substantial improvement from last week, and as far as averages goes I think that beats my best effort. Really focused on maximal output despite fatigue, which seems to be the most valuable attribute here. Acknowledge that it sucks but keep going.

Decent sleep last night. Woke in the middle of a dream. Honestly, a "hack" I use for this workout is I load up the prowler and weights in my truck the night before. When the alarm goes off, I think to myself that the truck is already loaded, and no matter what I'm going to have to UNLOAD that damn thing, so I may as well get in the sprint workout too. Absent that, the temptation to roll over and go back to sleep would be pretty high.

I really SHOULD start doing harness drags to prep for my competition. Maybe next week. This still has some solid carryover, and I honestly want to keep it in the rotation in general. As I've noted, it's basically a hill sprint where I can dial a yield.

Tang Soo Do, despite being 90 minutes long, wasn't intensive yesterday. More tournament prep. But we got our physical testing requirements done (for our rank, 50 push ups, 50 sit ups, and 50 jumping jacks) and about 15 minutes of hyung practice done, during which time I accomplished 23 Naihanchi Cho Dons, which was pretty good for the hips and shoulders.

Weighed 82.5kg this morning, which despite my all time low yesterday, this is a pretty high weigh in on a Thurs. All that said, I spent time looking at myself in the mirror last night and I've achieved the desired amount of leanness I am pursuing. I can see the vein on my sternum, which is the telltale indicator of leanness, and I know that if I were to drop 10 more pounds I'd be at "anatomy chart" levels of lean, which, with it, tends to bring kitten levels of strength. I'm going to keep on through the remainder of this week and see how I'm feeling after our tournament.

On the above, yet again I found a way to achieve my goals while "playing the game how I want to play it". No counting or tracking, no being hungry, no being a martyr at the dinner table, still going out to eat with my family, still eating ribs. Biggest interventions were introducing extra intermittent fasting days and transitioning away from whole eggs and leaning more toward egg whites, which, in turn, means that when it's time to reverse course, I can bring back the whole eggs and add a breakfast back into the week. Also pretty awesome to be able to continue getting stronger during this training cycle while only eating 1 meal a day 4 days a week and only 1 meal a week with carbs, despite the internet saying all of that is impossible.

 Training Log: Entry 3823

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 1, Workout 3

SECONDARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and strict press away
3x5x155

SSB front squat
3x5x220

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(6) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
8x425+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x5x98

Giant set of bodyweight reverse hypers-hanging leg raise-band pull apart
3x15/10/25

Lateral raise dropset

Notes:

• Alarm woke me out of a sound sleep. Slept well last night.

• Everything moved really well EXCEPT that mat pull. I came into it feeling that best I have in a long time, but it felt like it was welded to the mats when I went to break it off. ROM progression with chains is unique, because the highest starting point is actually the heaviest of the cycle, and then it gets lighter from there as the ROM increases, but in general I imagine I'm in need of a bridge week and some increased food and neither is on the horizon for the immediate future.

• My hip was aching a little early in the set of mat pulls, so I played it conservative. Between that and not pushing the reverse hypers too hard, I think I'll be in a good way.

• Tang Soo Do last night was pretty low intensity as far as a class goes, as we were working primarily on hyung presentation/perfection, but we arrived early and absolutely smashed 20 minutes of hyungs before that, which was a good workout. Valkyrie and I both got a stripe on our belts as well. We're getting closer and closer. 1 more class tonight and then our tournament on Saturday.

• Weighed 81.4kg this morning, which is the lightest of the entire training cycle. Wednesdays seem to be my lightest weigh in days: 3 days after the carb up/family meal and 2 days of intermittent fasting leading into it. Good data point to have. And being this light also explains some deadlifting performances. I noticed my belt fitting looser.

 Training Log: Entry 3822

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

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 1, Workout 2

17 Chins
17 Dips

"FOBBITS" on rower

• 2 minutes on rower

• 1 Naihanchi Chodon

Repeat until 20 minutes total

Notes:

• Only real motivation struggle with the workout today is that I honestly feel more compelled to just do 20 minutes of pure Hyungs than hop on the rower, but the rower is great for my whole body recovery and general cardio, so I compromise. Tuesdays are my favorite days of the week, just because I get to sleep in and wake up when the Valkyrie does, and this little 20 minute workout gets me in a good way, especially paired with the fasting.

• Continuing to really focus on deep stances and hip work. I've also established a precedent of getting 3100m rowed during the total rowing time, so I try to meet that each week.

• Hips/SI joint are feeling absolutely incredible. Being painfree is such a novelty at this point, so I'm definitely celebrating it. Going to continue to do the things that keep me this way, so I can continue to perform my best.

• Tang Soo Do on the agenda tonight. Only 2 classes this week, with a focus on tournament prep.

• Weighed in at 83.1kg this morning, which is an uptick from yesterday but still lower than I was this time last week. Yesterday was apparently a test of my gallbladder which I failed, but that's the kind of "to failure" that I can get behind.

 Training Log: Entry 3821

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR Phase 2

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 3, Week 1, Workout 1

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

SSB Front Squat
2x325

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
5x5x155

Power keg load to platform
5x5x200

ASSISTANCE (giant set)

SSB front rack hold
3x30 seconds x 325

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull apart
3x25

Notes:

• Wasn't particularly jazzed to get this done this morning. Woke up at 0340 and was able to go completely back to sleep and have some dreams in the 20 minutes before my alarm went off. This being the next phase AND having eaten so well the night before helped convince me to get up and get after it.

• That 2x325 on the front squat is new territory, so PR by default. It was a helluva grinder on the second rep, but it's great that I'm pushing myself into uncomfortable territory.

• Really tried to focus on pressing fast and strong with the low/light reps of this program. Now is the time to really get GOOD at pressing, rather than just strong.

• I'm still pushing the weight on the keg as I continue to progress. It's a great loading implement: really allows me to just dig in.

• My hips/SI joint are feeling awesome. Seems I've gotten a real handle on them. Biggest thing is coming to terms with the reality that Tang Soo Do DOES impose recovery demands on me, and adjusting. I was sleepwalking through it for a long time, but it adds up.

• Weighed in at 82.5 kg. a .8kg drop from where I was last week, and .6kg from 2 weeks ago, making this my lightest Monday weigh in of the training cycle. The system is working. Increase the fasting DAYS while keeping meals the same size, playing around a little with composition (emphasizing protein) and I am seeing small gradual drops in weight/fat while my strength is ticking up.

• On the headspace side of things, I've really come around on rest days. I used to get anxiety over the thought of them, and also find a way to shoehorn in SOME sort of stupid intense workout. Now, it's the opposite: the weekend rolls around and I think "I need to make sure I don't do anything stupid so that I'm in shape enough to get through my training next week" I do feel like age is a part of that equation. When you're younger and can recover from just about anything, you feel like any available recovery is a wasted opportunity. You get older, and you feel like any SPENT recovery wastes FUTURE opportunities.

• Chaos is the plan. We leave for our Tang So Doo tournament on Friday, so I'm going to get my workout done in the morning of travel, then ride in a vehicle for several hours before attempting to do martial arts. I'm not smart.

 Training Log: Entry 3820

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 3, Workout 5

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and press
2xLog
1x150
1x170
1x190
3x215 (+1 rep PR)

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

SSB front squat
5x6x245

Power keg load to platfom
5x5x185

ASSISTANCE

Giant set of SSB front rack hold/hanging leg raise/band pull apart

2x30 seconds x335, 2x10, 2x25

Notes:

• Felt like absolute hell for this. Thinking the heat is really beating the helll out of me. In turn, incredibly delighted to finally hit that triple on the log, and the front squats were moving smooth despite myself.

• Cut the assistance short, as I was moving like the last round in a Rocky movie and figured it wasn't doing me any good any more. Punched my ticket to earn my weekend: good enough.

• Pretty light intensity at Tang Soo Do last night, but that was what we needed.

• Weighed 82.0kg this morning, .5 up from where I was last week on Friday. I have been mainlining electrolytes to try to get ahead of all this cramping I've been experiencing, so there may be a slight bloat factor. I'm looking leaner, so there's that.

Training Log: Entry 3819

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 3, Workout 4

17 chins
17 dips

4 prowler sprints w/90lbs on high handles

16 chins
16 dips

Notes:

• I felt absolutely exhausted coming into this, and my results confirmed that. First trip was 52 seconds, second matched that, then 66 and 68 seconds, at which point I called it. Last cycle, on week 3, I forgot that I was supposed to do light conditioning. This cycle, I remembered and ignored it. Today confirmed that it needs to happen for the next cycle. I imagine that hard deadlift workout accumulated some solid systemic fatigue. I made today "lighter" by only doing the 4 sprints vs the 5 I have been doing, but these were total slogs at the end.

• My resting heart rate has been elevated as well, which I attribute to the heat wave we've been dealing with.

• All that said, my SI joint feels incredible, and I'm having one of those rare "pain free days" today, where nothing in particular hurts. It's the damndest thing: wearing my strongman shorts to Tang Soo Do was actually causing the problem I thought it was solving. I'll continue to save that for just lifting.

• On that topic, TSD wasn't too physically taxing, but we ARE back on physical testing requirements prep for this month, which for our rank is 50 jumping jacks, 50 sit ups and 50 push ups, so I get to add that on top of my training. Sit ups are honestly slept on WHEN performed correctly. If you're actually moving your body through space via ab contraction, you're getting in a good workout. And on the subject of muscle contractions: been dealing with a lot of cramping during this heat. Chasing electrolytes as hard as I can.

• Weighed 82.2kg this morning. Continuing my trend of being .2-.3kg heavier compared to last week across the board.

Training Log: Entry 3818

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 3, Workout 3

17 chins
17 dips

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x6x175

SSB front squat
3x6x245

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Deadlift

12x405+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x6x108

Circuit
Bodyweight Reverse hyper-Hanging Leg Raise-Band pull apart
3x12/10/25

Lateral raise dropset

Notes:

• The big goal for today was to not blow up my hip/SI joint, and I succeeded. Cutting out reverse hypers at the end may have helped, and I discovered that wearing my strongman shorts to Tang Soo Do may have actually been making things worse, as they were restricting my movement and forcing me to move in planes that were causing hip pain. Yesterday I went without and my hips felt awesome.

• Missed the very first log clean: caught the lever of the belt. After that, felt strong, and front squats were good.

• Too much low back in the start of the pull today, which I imagine was me trying to protect the hip. I don't have a baseline to compare against with this pull against chains, but the effort was solid, and bodyweight keeps dropping as I do that.

• Was totally gassed at the end of this: seriously debated how much I wanted to do lateral raises.

• TSD was pretty low energy last night as far as class itself went, but we got a decent workout prior to start drilling Hyungs. Tonight is the 90 minute class, so may have some more intensity.

• Weighed in at 81.8kg this morning. Continuing my trend of being up .2 from last week.

Training Log: Entry 3817

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

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 3, Workout 2

17 chins
17 dips

FOBBITS on rower w/Naihanchi Chodon

• 2 minutes on rower

• 1 Niahanchi Chodon

• 20 minutes total

Notes:

• Each week I don't want to do this, and each week I'm glad I did. Feet are a little tender from walking so much yesterday in my broken down Bearfeet shoes. My skin is DARK too from all time out in the sun.

• Really focused on deep stances and getting my hips into the Hyung.

• Ended up at over 21k steps yesterday.

• Weighed in at 83.2kg. A .1kg drop from yesterday, and about .2kg over where I was last week (for both days). With the wonderful holiday weekend I had: I'm good with that.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. It's one-step week, which tends to be low energy, but if we get there on time we'll have 15 minutes to drill some hyungs.

Training Log: Entry 3816

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 3, Workout 1

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

SSB Front squat
3xBar
1x135
1x185
1x225
1x275
3x320 (+1 rep PR)

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
5x6x175

Power Keg to platform
5x6x175

ASSISTANCE (circuit)

SSB front rack hold
3x30 seconds x 320

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull apart
3x25

LUNCHTIME WORKOUT

12k step walk outside in the sun/nature

Notes:

• Day off work, but still got up early so I could see of the Valkyrie and get the kiddo ready for summer camp. Plus, I genuinely just hate training and want to get it done and over with. That having been said, I came into this feeling strong, and minus my left SI joint still being pissy, had a solid training session.

• Fought for that front squat. Happy I did. Press felt strong and I had some good cleans on it.

• Transitioning to the keg is the right move with the environment I'm working in, and given I'll be using more natural style stones for the competition, it might have better carryover anyway. Might even bring the sandbag in for a few reps, but the keg is easy to load up. Focused on getting the hips to pop.

• SI joint felt better on the hanging leg raises than usual. Good sign.

• Got in that walk around noontime. I have "lunchtime" there, but I'm fasting till my end of day meal today. Yesterday was the family meal: classic spaghetti with meat sauce with some sourdough rolls, and the Valkyrie experimented with some sourdough oatmeal cream pies for the 4th that were absolutely divine so much so that I had another one yesterday along with a slice of homemade cheesecake and some raw local honey.

• Which, despite a weekend of celebrating and that fantastic meal, I woke up at 83.3kg and am looking leaner than I have for a while. Things are moving in the right direction and the plan keeps working.

• Got in all 4 sets of 16 chins and dips last week. Started off this morning with 17 for chins and dips, and will finish out 3x16 for the rest of the day.

 

Training Log: Entry 3815

AM WORKOUT (0630 natural wake up)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 2, Workout 5

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and press away
2xLog
1x150
1x170
1x190
2x215

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

SSB front squat
5x8x225

Stone of Steel to platform
3x170

Power keg to platform
4x5x150

Notes:

• Day off work, so slept in and got this done first thing. Wasn't feeling as strong as I expected, but I've discovered my bodyweight is really trending down, and with the heat of this week beating me to hell (my RHR is staying in a consistently elevated state), I believe I'm seeing the effects of accumulated fatigue.

• In that regard, despite log feeling very explosive this week for rep work, it biffed on today's max, but I matched last week's effort. Strength not regressing while bodyweight drops is an interesting form of progress.

• Front squats were beating the hell out of me, but I'm hitting depth very smoothly, which I'm happy with.

• Thought the stones had a chance today, but by rep 2 it was getting slippery, and rep 3 failed due to that. Called in my audible with the keg, which is much easier to manage, and honestly should have some decent carryover to natural stones. I believe I will be using it on the way forward. Only real issue is that the powder coating on it tears the hell out of my skin. I may bring back the sweat pants. I ran into similar issues last summer with my Milo of Croton experiment.

• Tang Soo Do was a decent workout last night. Doing some tournament prep for worlds.

• Weighed in at 81.5kg. Absolutely lightest I've been on a Friday this whole training cycle. A half kilo difference from last week, and 1.7 kilo difference from the start of the cycle. I do have some intention of making up for this over this long holiday weekend, but in general I'm seeing positive indications of leaning out and feel like I'm putting myself in an excellent position to gain during the fall.

 Training Log: Entry 3814

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 2, Workout 4

16 chins
16 dips

"Prowler Sprints"

5 sprints with 90lbs loaded on high handles

16 chins
16 dips

Notes:

• Wasn't quite as on fire as last week. Went 38, 42, 40, 52, 60 seconds for respective sprints, with about 5 minutes rest between. Last 2 were far more endurance events than sprint efforts, but I never stopped moving, which was the primary goal.

• It's funny I did better last week, because my SI joint was in agony at this point, whereas presently it's just minorly annoying. Think I got ahead of it yesterday.

• Tang Soo Do last night was moderately active. We have a young student in the class that takes up a disproportionate amount of attention from our instructor, so we weren't able to really drill down, but we moved quite a bit for the 90 minutes.

• Weighed in at 81.9kg, which is the lightest I've weighed on a Thursday for the entire cycle, and by a significant margin. It's also the smallest increase I've seen on a 2 meal day after 2 1 meal days, also by a significant margin. Also noticed signs of leaning out yesterday. I feel like my body has "activated fat loss mode". But this could also be why the prowler was a struggle: less bodyweight to put behind it. But from the photos, it's clear I didn't restrict yesterday.

• 2 Jul is always a significant date for me. 26 years ago, at the age of 14, on this day, I made the decision to "turn the ship around" and change myself physically. I was 5'9, 176lbs, and wore a size 36 pants, with no appreciable strength or muscular development. Having very little to guide me, I just started eating 1/3 of what I was eating at the time and just full sending it with whatever exercises I knew. Since that time, I got as heavy as 217lbs and as light as 146lbs, and this morning I'm practically right back to where I started at 180lbs, yet completely differently physically transformed. At 14, I had been studying Tae Kwon Do for 5 years, working toward a black belt and funny enough I'm about 5 years deep into Tang Soo Do right now, doing the exact same thing. I've been "stronger" compared to where I am now, but I also made sacrifices to get there that I no longer feel the need to make. And these days I eat the way that 14 year old me always wanted to and never knew that I could. As I was walking between sets of prowler sprints today, I reflected on how 14 year old me would think that 40 year old me is pretty awesome, and that's really all I could have asked for at that age.

Training Log: Entry 3813

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 2, Workout 3

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press
3x8x160

SSB front squat
3x8x225

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(2) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pull
14x405+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
2x8x101
6+2x101

Circuit (RH-HLR-BPA)

Reverse hyper
3x12x180

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• I'm always able to talk myself into this day because it's just 3 sets of the secondary work, and just 1 big set of the main work. The little things.

• Log clean felt very powerful today. Really focusing on deadlifting the log, rather than rowing it, and then getting it high on the chest.

• Squats felt smooth after a few reps.

• I didn't push the deadlifts too hard. My SI joint on my LEFT side (atypical) was acting up all week after this workout last week, and was FINALLY feeling better for today. I felt find after the pulls, but then the reverse hypers seems to aggravate it. I cut out the ab wheel for similar reasons: I may need to rest the hypers for now. I don't think they're a bad movement, but I'm at an age where I'm noticing the impact of sticking with 1 movement for too long, and I'm wondering if I'm running into that here.

• The heat is absolutely slaughtering me. You can hear my heavy breathing through the workout, and I was checking my watch and my heart rate was consistently above 100 bpm, sometimes at 110, which doesn't seem too significant until you factor in my RHR is 42. We're supposed to get some relief. I'll see how stones are looking on Friday. We have the day off, so I may break up my training a bit that day.

• Tang Soo Do was moderately active last night, and I got some great one on one instruction on our new hyung. We arrived "late", which is to say, on time, so we didn't have as much extra time to drill hyungs like normal. With the heat, we still broke a big sweat.

• Weighed in at 81.6kg this morning: the lightest of the cycle so far. By .1kg compared to last week, but take all Ws: the system is working, and it's painless.

Training Log: Entry 3812

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

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 2, Workout 2

16 chins
16 dips

"FOBBITS" on rower

• 2 minutes on rower

• 1 Naihanchi Cho Don

• Repeat for 20 minutes total

Notes:

• Slept incredibly well, didn't want to wake up, didn't care to do this workout, and walked away glad I did, which is how every Tuesday goes. Was really feeling gassed during the training, which I imagine is the heat coming into play.

• Focused on getting my stances deep and my hips turned during the hyung.

• Weighed in at 83.0kg. Only a .1kg drop from yesterday, but considering yesterday was post training where I could wring out my shirt and today there was minimal sweat because I was training in the AC, I'd say that bodes well. That's still a .8kg drop from last week's weigh in.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. With the heat wave, I imagine we're going to keep it a little light.

Training Log: Entry 3811

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 2, Workout 1

16 chins
16 dips

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

SSB Front Squat
2xBar
1x135
1x185
1x225
1x275
2x320

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
5x8x160

Stone of Steel to Platform
2x4x160
3x160

ASSISTANCE

Giant Set (SSB front rack hold, hanging leg raise, band pull apart)

SSB front rack hold
3x30 seconds x 320

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull apart
3x25

Lateral raise dropset
30x10, 30x5, 30x2.5, 30xEmpty Hands

Notes:

• Slept really well last night, and, in turn, didn't want to get up. Funny enough, when it's hot out, I sleep better, because I have a small fan next to my bed on my nightstand that generates a wonderful white noise and cooling effect.

• On the topic of heat, it was the biggest variable to overcome today. Aside from the impact of accumulating fatigue, my Stone of Steel appeared to be sweating irrespective of it having even come in contact with me. Very first rep was slippery, and it went downhill from there. All plans of getting in sets of 8 went out the window, and it was soon becoming a safety risk. Made it for it with a bit more assistance work on the back end.

• Got a little chipshot PR on the front squat. Biggest variable is not blacking out.

• Log felt strong. Focused on not wasting energy on the clean.

• Got in all my sets of chins/dips last week at 3x16, 1x15. This is the start of the 4x16 week.

• Weighed 83.1kg this morning. I'm leaving my sweat in the weightroom, so there's a variable at play, but in general I seem to be trending down. With all the holidays and feasting opportunities, I've gone to 4 fasting days per week vs the originally intended 3, but it's painless fasting, so I'm ok with it.

Training Log: Entry 3810

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 1, Workout 5

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and press away
2xLog
1x150
1x170
1x190
2x215 (hard fought failure on 3rd rep)

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

SSB front squat
5x10x210

Stone of steel to platform
5x5x160

Notes:

• Cut out the assistance work for the sake of time. Needed to get some errands done this morning.

• Wasted energy on the log clean. I was taking it slow due to my SI joint. A little more pop may have put me in a better place for that third rep, but progress has been VERY fast on the log, so I'm happy to take an extra week to really own 3 reps at 215.

• SSB front squats felt better than I deserved. Really appreciating finding depth on these.

• I was curious how the stone was going to go, but no significant issues there. These technique days are helpful. Still getting some slips with sweat, so I'm being diligent there.

• Weighed in at 82.0kg dead on. The extra fasting days are working their magic: I'm leaning out, seeing bodyweight drop, and not really feeling any significant fatigue or decline in performance. Biggest thing is staying on top of electrolytes.

Training Log: Entry 3809

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 1, Workout 4

"Prowler Sprints"

16 chins
16 dips

5 high handle prowler sprints w/90lbs loaded

16 chins
16 dips

Notes:

• Fantastic showing today. 2 38 second runs, 2 45 second runs and finished out at 54 seconds with some prowler flu: seems to be the benchmark of when to end the workout. I am seeing significant improvements on this session to session, and I'm also observing my conditioning improving in general. I'm back to being "tireless" in sparring at Tang Soo Do, whereas recently I was starting to feel myself fatigue in later rounds.

• I was incredibly pleased with this because I went to bed with my SI joint in a bad way. Just getting up from a seated position was agonizing. Sleep was restorative, and I could perform well. I'm still feeling some pain, but it's manageable. The stone work is what is aggravating it, so if need be I'll eliminate that tomorrow.

• Sparring was solid last night. Once again squared off against the Valkyrie in the final and then again after winning the redemption bracket. Really focusing on getting in movement.

• Weighed in at 82.4kg this morning. Past 2 days have been trending my lowest weigh ins so far: the extra fasting days seems to be having their intended impact. Nutrition is going to be a little "celebratory" these next few days/weeks with family and Independence day on the horizon.

 Training Log: Entry 3808

AM WORKOUT (0357 natural wake up)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 1, Workout 3

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x10x150

SSB front squat
3x10x210

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(3) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
14x405+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
2x10x93
8+2x93

GIANT SET (hyper-ab-band)

Reverse hypers
3x12x270

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull apart
3x25

Lateral raise dropset
25x10, 25x5, 25x2.5, 25xEmpty hands

Notes:

• There's always something to look forward to with each day of training, with the way I have this set up, which helps motivate me to get up and do it. For this workout, it's the fact I only have to do 3 sets of the secondary lifts, and breakfast afterwards is pretty clutch.

• Log felt strong, and the front squats were "buttery smooth" after the first few reps. Really able to just fall into the hole. For the log clean, I'm getting it set higher on the chest, which is saving me energy.

• On the mat pulls, I realized after the first rep I wasn't wearing my traditional friction reducing sweatpants, but the bar wasn't catching on anything, so that was good. I had more reps in my, but my left side SI joint was bothering me all day yesterday and I knew that pushing too hard would blow it up. As it stands, it's still pretty pissed off at me, but most likely it will recover.

• Moved quicker today, so had a bit more time for assistance lifts.

• Tang Soo Do sparring was very active last night. I moved around more than usual, tried to be lighter on my feet and more mobile. I had about 6 matches total, to include 2 against the Valkyrie (her I and went at it in the first round elimination finals, and then I came up against her again after winning the "redemption bracket") and 2 against one of our resident teenage Dojang bullies, that I ended up using some boxing tricks against. Tonight is the 90 minute class, but this class actually ran 90 minutes as well: our instructor is letting classes run longer in the summer.

• Weighed in at 81.7kg the morning. Lightest of the training cycle so far: proof that the "Brisket and cheesecake" diet is a success. It's also the biggest drop in weight within a week, having started at 84.2kg, looking at a 2.5kg reduction in 2 days.

 Training Log: Entry 3807

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

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 2, Workout 1

16 chins
16 dips

"FOBBITS" on rower

• 2 minutes rower

• 1 Naihanchi Cho Don

• Repeat for 20 minutes total

Notes:

• I was pretty sore this morning. The workout yesterday, plus the yardwork (realized it was more like 90 minutes because I did some detail work as well), plus taking all the donations out of my basement to load into my truck (steps and loading after loading...) plus walking the dog plus chores and errands...yeah, it adds up. Great day for activity, and this workout was excellent for recovery. I'm moving better than when I started, which is always a plus, and being able to sleep in a little just lights me up.

• Really trying to work on the details of the Hyung while keeping the intensity. I keep getting the same feedback to "relax", and it's tricky when I compete in a sport where tension wins

• Tonight is sparring for Tang Soo Do. Sadly, with my parents coming into town, I'll be missing one night, and this is my favorite week, but that is, of course, a worthwhile sacrifice.

• Weighed 83.8kg this morning. Doing another day of fasting, as it's still quite effortless with how well I've been eating.

Training Log: Entry 3806

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Cycle 2, Week 1, Workout 1

MAIN MOVEMENT

SSB front squat
2xBar
1x135
1x185
1x225
1x275
3x315 (1 rep PR)

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x10x150
8x150
8+4x150

Stone of steel to platform
5x10x135

ASSISTANCE (circuit)

SSB front rack hold
2x30 seconds x315

Hanging leg raise
2x10

Band pull apart
2x25

Notes:

• I have the day off work, but still got up early so I could get this knocked out and take care of some other chores.

• I set up stupidly for the first rep of the front squat, so I'm really delighted I managed another rep on it for the PR. It was hard fought.

• Ran out of gas on the log at the end. Felt strong, but it's a LOT of pressing.

• Really got some solid technique work with the stone. Integrated the lapping with the dip for the hips to get a solid slick rep.

• Cut the assistance by 1 round for the sake of time. This was a long workout, but a good one.

• Weighed in at 84.2kg. Was honestly expecting 85. Brisket and cheesecake: a great Father's day. And makes today an easy fasting day.

Training Log: Entry 3805

AM WORKOUT (0700 natural wake up, 0930 training)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 3, Workout 5

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and press away
2xLog
1x150
1x170
1x190
3x210 (5lb PR from last week)

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

SSB front squat
5x6x235

Stone of Steel to platform
5x5x170

Notes:

• Day off for all of us because of Juneteenth, so slept in and got this done. Still fasted.

• The log keeps feeling awesome, which means I'm going to change NOTHING and let it keep feeling that way. If I can nudge my way up to a PR, that's awesome.

• Front squats felt better than they've been.

• Still had to deal with some sweat/slip issues with the stone. Missed the 4th rep on one of the sets, but it was close enough.

• Cut out the assistance work for the sake of time, to get back to the family. I was pretty wiped out from this effort. It dawns on me that this is the "hard week", so I'm supposed to keep the effort on the conditioning easier. Oops.

 Training Log: Entry 3804

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 3, Workout 4

"PROWLER SPRINTS"

16 chins
16 dips

5 rounds of prowler sprints w/5 minute rest between rounds

15 chins
15 dips

Notes:

• 90lbs loaded on the prowler, high handles, the "long course".

• First 2 sprints were about 45 seconds, then 50, 52, 49

• Really found another gear today. The first sprint moved so easily I thought I had misloaded the prowler, and my recovery between rounds was much better, to the point that I added another sprint today and actually improved my time compared to the penultimate sprint. Really focused on driving through vs just getting to the end.

• My back felt like it was going to snap in half yesterday, and I quit bowing during Tang Soo Do because it was just agonizing. This morning felt much better once I got the first sprint in. Very tonic.

• The extra half hour I get to sleep in on this day is amazing beneficial for my psychology.

• Tang Soo Do last night was a moderate amount of intensity. Lot of time spent doing hyungs, but class was so big we had to split our time on the training floor. One more class tonight.

• Weighed 83.5kg this morning: up .9kg from my weigh ins though the week. 2 meals yesterday, and I haven't been getting in my lunchtime walks.

• I have the next 4 days off, so schedule is going to be off. Chaos, as always, is the plan.

 Training Log: Entry 3803

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 3, Workout 3

16 Chins
16 Dips

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x6x170

SSB front squats
3x6x235

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(4) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
16x405+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x6x106

Reverse hyper/hanging leg raise/band pull apart circuit
3x12x270/3x10/3x25

Notes:

• Not unmotivated to train this morning, but woke up still sleepy. Since today is the 90 minute TSD day, it means I have no possible way to get this workout in any other time, and I had breakfast waiting for me when it was done, so enough motivators to get it done.

• Log felt incredibly strong today. Front squat took until the final rep of the second set to really find my groove, and then the third set was better than the first 2. I have to just sink even DEEPER than I think I can. If I stop too soon, my knees hurt, but if I go until rock bottom, there is no pressure on them.

• Figured out that the starting pull on the deads is heavily influenced by the strength of my bracing, which shouldn't be a shock, but explains why I have some good days and some not. In turn, today was a good day, and though 16 reps is fewer than last workout by 1, I didn't kill myself to get there, which is the real goal. These need to be submaximal efforts so I can replicate them.

• Curls were quite heavy, but there's value in that.

• Weighed in at 82.6: third day in a row. Very unique experience. Good data point there. In terms of physique, Valkyrie caught me in the middle of changing and blurted out "holy cow you're hot", and our Tang Soo Do instructor last night was demonstrating a spear hand strike and emphasizing "hard on soft" saying "you want to strike a soft target, like the throat or the stomach...well, maybe the stomach isn't a soft target on you..." So things are in a good way.

• I am seeing how infrequently I can get away with my physical therapy at this point, going with an every other day approach. So far so good.

 Training Log: Entry 3802

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

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 3, Workout 2

16 chins
16 dips

Rower Fobbits for 20 minutes

• 2 minutes on rower

• One Naihanchi Chodan

• Repeat until done

Notes:

• I continue to really like this, and I may include it even in mass gaining phases. I push harder during the 2 minutes on the rower, because I have the intervals to break it up, and I perform the Hyung under further and further states of fatigue. However, getting up off the rower every 2 minutes also keeps my hips from binding up, which is really the one thing I don't care for about the rower, so it obviates that. It's great getting in the reps on the hyung as well.

• My body feels really good all things considered. Muscles are sore but joints and connective tissues are happy, which is exactly where you want to land.

• It's a given that before every workout, I do the chins and dips, but when I DO remember to log it, I will.

• Weighed in at 82.6kg this morning: first time I've had a repeat weight, whereas typically I gain slightly on Tuesdays when I eat 2 meals, so another good data point. Also noted indications of increased leanness this morning: abdominals are tightening up and I'm getting more of that "shrink wrapped" effect. The big thing is for me to make sure I'm still pushing the weights hard. During previous leaning out phases, my training wasn't prioritizing maximal strength, and I'd end up stringy by the end of it. I'm also at peace with the notion that just because I HAVE 13 weeks to lean out doesn't mean I need to use them: if I meet the goal, I can transition to a maintenance approach and just focus on competition prep. Thankfully, "Red Meat and Black Coffee" makes this incredibly simple: go from 2 breakfasts in a work week to 3.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. It's "Wildcard/Cardio" week, so should be decent activity.

 Training Log: Entry 3801

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 3, Workout 1

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

SSB Front squat
2xBar
2x135
1x185
1x225
1x275
2x315 (matches last week)

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
5x6x170

Stone of Steel to platform
5x6x160

ASSISTANCE (circuit)

SSB front rack hold
3x30 seconds x 315

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull apart
3x25

Notes:

• Another solid training motivation day. I feel it's worth observing that my motivation to TRAIN is high while my motivation to learn about training/nutrition is exhausted. I typically listen to podcasts when I drive, and for the past 2 weeks I've listened to music when I drive, with the only exception being on Thursdays when Dan John's podcast is released. This may actually be something to look into: I wonder if I become oversaturated with stimulus.

• I was feeling quite stiff today, and honestly most of the weekend as well. The front squat was a struggle, with the second rep being a fight, bar falling forward, having to carry the weight in my arms. Harder than last week. Part of that is being lower weight (to be discussed), but I feel the stiffness is attributable to sitting in some awful wooden chairs for an hour on Friday at a Verizon store getting a new phone for the kiddo, and then we spent 2 hours sitting in some awful folding chairs on Saturday to get some judging certifications for Tang Soo Do. "Sitting is the new smoking", and it's like a hotboxed a carton ala Bobby Hill this weekend.

• Log keeps feeling stronger. Biffed the clean on the third set: snagged it on the belt vs the shirt.

• The stone keeps improving. More touches mean more learning opportunities. Understood the value of really getting under it and hugging it into my lap vs trying to row it today. The hot spot on my chest is continuing to harden up, and in a few weeks I imagine I'll stop bleeding when I do this.

• Got trough 1x16 and 3x15 chins last week. This week starts 2x16/2x15

• Yesterday was a high activity day, but no training. Walked the dogs for 3 miles and did a little over an hour of yard work. Also had our family meal: 6 slices of homemade sourdough pizza and 4 of the Valkyrie's peanutbutter butterscotch cookies with raw local honey. We carpet bombed these pizzas with meat toppings: it was wonderful. Weekends keep highlighting to me how well the healing continues: I have no anxiety regarding "having" to train, and, instead, think to myself "I trained enough this week: I need to rest and recover so I can do it again next week".

• Weighed in at 82.6kg this morning: down a full kilo from last week. The plan is working incredibly well and absolutely painlessly, as demonstrated above, and with proof of concept being that I'm fasting today because I didn't feel hungry post training. Works out well with it being Father's day/Juneteenth weekend, as we'll be going out on Friday and I'll be making a brisket on Sunday.

 Training Log: Entry 3800

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 5

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and press away
3xLog
2x150
1x170
1x190
3x205 (5lb PR from last week)

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

SSB front squat
5x8x220

Stone of Steel to platform
5x5x160

ASSISTANCE (circuit)

SSB front rack hold
3x30 seconds x315

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• Training motivation remains in a good spot. This was my ticket to punch to get to Friday.

• That triple on the log felt so good I contemplated going up in weight for another set, but decided to go by Westside rules and shut it down when I hit the PR and end on a good note. Strength is coming in a good way and I'm remembering how to move a log again.

• Front squats don't suck as much as they could. Temps were cooler, which helped.

• I wore a strongman belt on the stones to help keep my shirt in place, which cut down a little on the rub, but I'm still leaving bloodstains on my undershirt. I'll have to build up some calluses. But in general the stone technique is really coming along strong and I'm feeling good with it.

• In general, I'm liking the direction this training phase is moving in. It's just what I need.

• Tang Soo Do last night was great for some experimenting. Our instructor really liked a twist I put on one of our onesteps, ending it with a hell hook from a standing position. Said it was "next level".

• Weighed in at 82.2kg. Got nutrition locked in as well.

 Training Log: Entry 3799

AM WORKOUT (0430 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 4

16 chins
16 dips

"600m resets" on rower

• 600m row max effort

• 5 min rest

• Repeat for a total of 6 rounds

Notes:

• Chaos is the plan. Had the prowler loaded up in my truck last night with the intent to get out this morning and do some prowler sprints. Woke up to thunder storms. Was still willing to risk pushing a hunk of metal outside while lightning was striking, because "struck by lighting while pushing a prowler" gets you a direct ticket to Valhalla, but then, as I was lacing up my shoes, I heard the beginning of what the local weather station referred to as "tennis ball sized hail"

• "The clouds will part and the sky cracks open/
  And God himself will reach his fucking arm through/
  Just to push you down, just to hold you down" yeah, it happens. And in full FULL disclosure, I was STILL willing to go push a prowler in all that nonsense...until I realized that I'd have to DRIVE to my prowler spot, and that was going to subject my TRUCK to the hail. THAT proved to be the bridge too far, so onto the rower I went.

• I cracked open my kindle copy of TBII as I was heading down the basement steps and found 600m resets, and realized I'd always wanted to do this workout but never allocated the proper amount of time to do so, so this was a happy accident. The 5 minutes of rest and 6 rounds of training adds up, but I had a sufficient time budget allocated for the prowler.

• First round was done in 2:22, added a second for the next 2 rounds, then the 4th round was a 2-3 second delta at about 2:27, 5th round I was hurting at 2:33, and I redeemed it slightly in the final round at 2:30. I just googled masters 40+ track athlete 600m times, and for men a competitive time is 1:18-1:35, which means that, in the future, 600m of rowing doesn't map 1 for 1 onto this protocol, but for today it did the job, because I was hurting when those rounds were over. I went full "deep water", leaving nothing behind for the swim back, and just attacked the hell out of the rower from the start and hung on for dear life at the end.

• This honestly made me appreciate TB's own conditioning, compared to what I've chosen to do in prep for strongman. It'll be good to get more TB centric when this competition is done. Although I DID see one in Iowa on 10 Oct that grabbed my attention slightly...

• Tang Soo Do wasn't too intense last night, but for the best, as the Valkyrie and I have received some pointed feedback on techniques and we got to drill those. Still got to use 15 minutes before class to drill some Hyungs, so the extra activity is adding up.

• Weighed in at 83.3kg this morning: .8kg gain from yesterday.

 Training Log: Entry 3798

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 3

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
3x8x155

SSB front squat
3x8x220

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

(5) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
17x405+chains

ASSISTANCE

Axle curls
3x8x98

Reverse hyper/hanging leg raise/band pull apart circuit
3x10x270/3x10/3x25

Lateral raise
35x10, 15x5

Notes:

• Training motivation is in a better place. Past 2 lifting workouts I was ready to go. Not excited, but also not negotiating with myself to get through. Despite not being in a building phase, I think the set up of this program has enough novelty in it that I have something to look forward to each day. In general, I really appreciate the little gem that Operator Pro is, and I'm thankful I cracked open the Green Protocol to find it.

• Heat index and humidity in full effect: I was drenched. The headband and grip shirt do a good job of keeping it all under wraps, but it's just miserable in that environment. Grip shirt is ALSO helpful in that regard: it's nice not having the equipment slip all over me. Another product I should have bought earlier.

• Log clean is really feeling strong. Discovering just how valuable it is to clean off the stomach.

• Sinking the front squats as deep as they'll go. Feeling the VMO each rep.

• I actually had higher hopes for the mat pulls. My warm-up with 315 felt like an empty bar, but 405 was slow off the blocks. I'm thinking I braced better on the warm-up, so that's something I'll look to. Still, 17 is 1 rep above last week, with greater ROM. Seeing how my hips feel.

• Walked the reps back on the reverse hypers. Ultimately, I want them to be therapeutic. Curls were challenging. Rest of assistance work was effectively filler.

• With it being the summer Hyung challenge, I actually got a solid workout in at Tang Soo Do despite it being one-steps week. I spent 20 minutes before class just blitzing through weapon and open hand hyungs. With the heat, I was pouring sweat at the end. This will be a nice little 3x a week extra activity. Tonight is the 90 minute class.

• Weighed in at 82.5kg this morning. A 1.5kg drop from yesterday, which checks between a fasting day and 2 days post carb up.

 Training Log: Entry 3797

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

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 2

“FOBBITS: Illegal Barbarian/Monk Multi-class”

16 chins
16 dips

• 2 minutes on rower, then Naihanchi Cho Dan

• Repeat for 20 minutes total

Notes:

• Came up with this last night, and I’m happy with how it shook out. Chance to combine conditioning and martial arts training, and they feed into each other. As the rounds go on, fatigue accumulates, and I have to focus harder to keep my technique sharp on the hyung, and the hyung has enough power and intensity in it that it disrupts the rower.

• Moved faster/harder on the rower than would be typical “recovery” speed, so this was more a legit conditioning workout. However, I feel the rower itself will still have the desired tonic effect by being a concentric only exercise (which, come to think of it, so is the prowler, so I am so much smarter than I realize sometimes). On that note, my body is feeling excellent despite having done 5x8 atlas stones yesterday, so things are boding well.

• Weighed in at 84.0kg this morning. .4 gain from yesterday, which I was seeing in the previous training cycle. This still reflects a 1kg drop from last week Tuesday.

• Tang Soo Do may be happening tonight. Chaos is the plan. It’s one step week, so tends to be low intensity in general.

 Training Log: Entry 3796

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 2, Workout 1

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

SSB Front squat
3xBar
2x135
1x185
1x225
1x275
2x315

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

Log clean and strict press away
5x8x155

Stone of Steel to Platform
5x8x135

ASSISTANCE (circuit)

SSB front rack hold
3x30 seconds x 315

Hanging leg raise
3x10

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• Training motivation was more solid for this than usual. Novelty of a new day, and I think this is probably the least “miserable” day of the training block. Moving big (ish) weights on the front squat is always a delight, especially when it means not having to do lots of reps.

• Shoulders fell a little forward on the second rep of 315. I’ll see if I can “own” that weight some other time.

• Pressing is feeling better. I’m re-learning how to lean off my stomach instead of my chest. Also have to remember to squeeze my glutes and create a stable base.

• Was able to conquer the stone today. Sprung for some receiver gloves, and they’re an absolute game changer. I’d prefer to use less equipment, but given the circumstances with sweat and humidity, it’d better for me to groove frequent good reps than just grind slop over and over again. The gloves get a good, consistent grab on the stone, especially combined with the shirt. The consequence is that the stone is rubbing parts of my chest completely raw/bleeding from so many reps, so I’m going to develop some very interesting calluses soon.

• Finished off with abs and rear delts. In doing so, it dawned on me the difference between what I do and what I see young trainees do. When given an opportunity to do assistance work, it’s always vanity stuff and, in turn, WAAAY too much of it. For me, it’s “insurance work”: let me do those things that allow me to KEEP training another day. It’s like an oil change for the body, instead of trying to put on a new spoiler.

• Got in all 4 sets of 15 on chins and dips for all 7 days last week. Today started off with 16, and the rest of the sets will be 15s.

• Weighed in at 83.6kg this morning. That’s post family meal, wherein my Valkyrie made the most amazing sourdough rolls that tasted just like the breadsticks from my favorite neighborhood resturant growing up, alongside some sphagetti with meatsauce and 4 peanut butter/recees’ pieces cookies with some raw honey. Note it was 4 instead of 5: I’m dieting after all. This is also a 1.4kg lower weight than last week’s starting weight (which was technically on a Tuesday), but that was also post travel, so baselines are still a bit tough to establish.

 Training Log: Entry 3795

AM WORKOUT (0358 natural wake up)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 1, Workout 4 (off cycle due to travel)

PRIMARY MOVEMENT

Log clean and push press away
3xLog
2x150
1x170
1x190
3x200

SECONDARY MOVEMENTS

SSB front squat
5x10x205

Stone of Steel to platform
10x135
4x5x135

ASSISTANCE

SSB front rack hold
3x30 secondsx315lb

Band pull aparts
3x25

Notes:

• All I wanted to do was sleep more. A good sign compared to my sleep avoiding days, but I had no latitude in the schedule to pull that off, so I got up and did this. First morning where I found myself wanting breakfast, so my appetite has returned.

• The log is feel really strong. The shirt helps. 200 is a good place to work from. If I add 5lbs each week, that’s 60lbs by the time the competition rolls around, which shows that this ISN’T going to happen, so I can blunt my expectations there. The exact wrong thing to do is plan out progression on a daily max, but I know where I can build from here. That 3rd rep was a grinder, so I can try to get 200 smoother next week or go for a heavier double.

• 5x10 front squats weren’t quite as awful as I would have expected. Battling the humidity is the hardest part. I was dying in that grip shirt, and it came to show harder on the stones.

• Original plan was 5x10 on the stones. That MAY have been possible if there wasn’t a sweat factor to contend with. The tacky towel was failing, and I started slipping on the stone, which is exactly what led to my left bicep tear. Capped it at 5, which, due to the circumstances, was still a very solid workout.

• I really like how the weeks shake out with this protocol. The front squat builds through the week, starting with a 2-3rm, then 3x10, then 5x10. The press does the opposite: starting out with 5x10, then 3x10, and then peaking with the 2-3rm. I’m thinking the stone of steel can go 3xHypertrophy reps on Monday and 5x5 on Friday, with the deadlift in the middle.

• Tang Soo Do was challenging last night. We spent a good majority of class in the horse riding stance. My right knee is a little tender as a result.

• Weighed 83.2kg this morning, another .2kg drop from yesterday, resulting in a total of 1.8kg (very close to 4lbs) lost since Tuesday. Good data points all around there. I was able to painlessly fast 3 days in a row, which isn’t what I would prefer to do for the following weeks, but it’s good info to have.

 Training Log: Entry 3794

AM WORKOUT (0359 natural wake up, snoozed until 0425, also natural wake up)

OPERATION CORNHISTERKUR

TACTICAL BARBELL OPERATOR PRO Week 1, Workout 3 (off cycle due to travel)

“Prowler Sprints”

• 4 rounds w/90lbs loaded on high handles

Notes:

• Since this was an AM workout, this was on the longer course, so each sprint took between 48-55 seconds.

• Opened with 15 chins and dips as well. Took 5 minutes between rounds, walking the course. Focused on transitioning to nose breathing as soon as I was able to, really trying to master recovery between rounds.

• Prioritized never stopping during the sprint: just keep on pushing. And I keep writing “sprint”, but it’s most just “all out effort”, as after the first 12 seconds I know I’m slowing down.

• 4 rounds remains the right time to shut it down. Really making a point to emphasize “perfect practice” on this workout and not grooving garbage. By the time it was done, by quads were jelly and I was hands on knees after the final round. And I do believe it was this work that resulted in my improved conditioning for the 5k I did, and my continued improved general conditioning on display in my rower workouts.

• I opted for this workout today instead of the weekend because we’re getting a projection for thunderstorms this weekend, alongside the fact I need to mow my lawn sometime BEFORE that happens, which will also eat into weekend time. In turn, I’m glad to see the flexibility that exists in my schedule. On the micro level, I slept in an extra 30 minutes, which means I can also NOT do that sometimes and use that time for walking, rucking or hyungs. Opportunities abound.

• Weighed 83.4kg this morning. .2kg drop from yesterday. Fasting again today: still don’t have that morning appetite, but I can feel it coming close. I imagine I can resume a more normal schedule next week, but I’m also considering shortening the eating window and bringing lunch to work instead, eating a meal there and an evening meal. It’s fun to continue playing around with this.

• Tang Soo Do was a solid workout last night. 90 minute class with a lot of time spent doing hyung: open hand and weapon. Tonight is the final class for the week.