Training Log: Entry 2425

AM WORKOUT (0330 Wake up, beat the alarm by 15 mins)

Squats

5xBar

5x135

3x225

1x275

REST PAUSE (12 Deep breaths between sets)

18x315

10x3x315

8x275

4x275

2x275

1x275

21x225

Chins (various grips)

Rest pause to 50

Machine Leg press dropsets (no rest between sets), no lockout

50x205

15x150

35x110

70 until boredom

5x250

5x300

1x390 (entire stack)

SUPERSET (ghr-swing)

GHRS

1x10

1x12

1x14

1x16

KB swing 70

4x10

CONDITIONING

Tabata Assault Bike

Notes: Really liked how this turned out today.  Hip was a little achy from the run yesterday, so I kept the weight light on squats and went for stupid rep volume. Beat last session by 2 reps on the topset and then just dug in and did something awful.  Leg prss worked better by just not allowing any lockouts. By allowing myself to lockout and recover, it was just taking forever.  Quads were really lit up this way.  I've noticed the difference in appetite when I end the session with conditioning vs not, so I made sure to include it so that I'd spend the rest of the day just eating.  I just finished my third breakfast and I'm still hungry, so that's good.

 Training Log: Entry 2425

AM WORKOUT (0445 wake up)

1hr 40 min outdoor run

Notes: 6 days out from race, this felt solid.  Could tell when I was slowing down and had enough in me to speed up when I noticed.  Breathed through my nose the entire time, kept a leisurely pace.  Body felt well.  Left calf a little crampy and hip a little achy, but nothing screaming.

I come up with my best food ideas on long runs.  Came back and made my usual greek yogurt-protein powder-breakfast cereal parfait, but this time I broke up a quest bar (cinnamon roll) into a bunch of small pieces and threw it in, and it was a total gamechanger.  Adds a chewy texture to the yogurt: very candy bar-esque.  This may become a permanent thing for me. I already allot myself 1 quest bar a day as my treat: could just have it first thing in the morning with my yogurt, beef up the protein content even moreso.  Either way, got in some necessary calories.

 Training Log: Entry 2424

0500 WORKOUT (post 12 hour shift)

Close grip incline bench press 205

1x10

2x8

Bench press 235

2x10

1x9

DB bench press

7x110s

DROPSET (no rest between sets)

7x110

6x80

12x55

15x30

30x10

6 push ups

25x50lbs

Dips

Rest pause to 200

Cable curls (no rest between sets)

50x20 on the stack (whatever that number means)

50x10

50x5

CONDITIONING

Tabata battle ropes

Notes: 2:00 between sets.  Last 12 hour shift. I'm going to be staying awake until night time to get my clock reset, so this is my morning workout, with more to come.  Took a while to hit my stride in the workout, but felt pretty solid when it was all done.  Really like the craziness I'm coming up with on the dumbbell benching.

PM WORKOUT (1500)

Attempt at DT w/135lbs

3 rounds of

12 deadlifts

9 hang power cleans

6 push jerks/presses

GHR

30

GHR sit up

20

Tabata assault bike intervals

50 pull aparts

25 pushdowns

Notes: 5 rounds is RX, but felt my hip getting buggy on me and terminated workout at that point.  It's healed up enough that I don't need to bork it again.  Still a solid enough workout, and really I'm just training to stay awake at this point: I'm currently at 28 hours of unbroken consciousness and feeling well.  Went for a walk a little earlier, hit the fit trail and did 50 chins, which was also why I didn't go with Fran: already did a ton of chins today.

 Training Log: Entry 2423

0500 WORKOUT

Touch and Go Deadlifts

5x135

5x225

3x315

JUAREZ VALLEY 10 ala Josh Bryant (12 Deep Breaths between sets)

10x405

1x405

9x405

2x405

8x405

3x405

7x405

4x405

6x405

5x405

Cable rows

3x10 1 minute rest between sets

Chins (various grips)

Rest pause to 50

DB row run the rack (no rest between sets)

10x125

10x105

10x85

10x65

10x45

21x30

Shrug machine w/1 plate per side

1x50

10 chin ups

6.5 hours sleep

Immediately upon waking

Tabata 6 count burpees

50 band pull aparts

40 pushdowns

60 push ups (no lockout, focus on pec/pump)

40 straight arm band pulldowns (lats)

30 band good mornings

6 minute plank

Notes: I REALLY dug that Juarez valley protocol.  I've done similar stuff with the Blackjack workout, but doing it with just 1 movement was pretty unique.  Gets 55 reps in vs when I use the Xeno approach.  My deadlifts at this location tend to be a struggle in general, so this was a good change of pace.  Also, my hips actually felt pretty awesome during this, which is a first in a few weeks.  Toward the very end I felt a slight twinge, and it correlated with the bar drifting away from my body.  Reps were otherwise very controlled/slow, focused on pulling into the body.

I had a bunch of toys to play with for back work, but I stuck with what I knew worked for today, since time was short.  Shrug machine was already loaded while I was walking out of the gym, so I hopped on it, since those things are cool.

First thing in the morning fasted protocol is still pretty nifty.   6 minute plank was a challenge.  Not sure how much further I intend to push it.  This is my last 12 hour shift on this trip, so I can let things get a bit more normal from here.

 Training Log: Entry 2422

0500 WORKOUT

SUPERSETS (press-chin)

Barbell strict press

5xBar

5x115

5x125

5x145 (begin 90 second rests)

9+3+3x165 (rest pause)

13x145

Chins (alternate between over and underhand grip each set)

6x11

GIANT SETS (press-raise-pull apart)

Let me describe the rest protocol here, because I thought it was cool.  Between sets 1 and 2, there was no rest.  Between 2 and 3, 30 seconds.  45 seconds between 3 and 4.  1 minute between 4 and 5.  1:15 between 5 and 6.  I really liked that: might use it again in the future.

Behind the neck press 95lbs

6x10

Kettle bell lateral raise 18s

6x10

Band pull aparts

6x15

Kroc rows 130 w/rest pause

18+5+5

7 hours sleep

Immediately upon waking

Tabata Burpees

50 pull aparts

30 band pushdowns

60 push ups (no lockout, focus on pecs/pump)

30 band good mornings w/2 light bands

40 straight arm pulldowns with light bands (lit up my lats)

5.5 minute plank

Notes: Schedule is still crazy, but making it work.  My lifting sessions are on the shorter side, so I'm making up where I can on the morning workouts.  Did that completely fasted.  Nice way to start the morning and get blood flowing.  I actually tried doing some dips on the press workout, and my pecs were sore enough to stop me, which is a sign I found something pretty magical on that bench workout.  I dug what I came up with for supplemental work.  Didn't bring my elbow sleeves to the workout, so that sucked.  My press is free falling pretty badly, but the supplemental work is improving, so I'm getting bigger and stronger, just not on the thing that matters as far as strongman goes.  Going to keep riding it out for now.  I know exactly how to fix it when I need to: more specificity.

 Training Log: Entry 2421

AM WORKOUT (0515) BUT after 12 hour work shift, so really like a late workout

LITVINOV (front squat followed immediately by Rogue Butcher push loaded w/45lb plate, distance unknown but consistent)

8xBar/sprint

8x95/sprint

8x135/sprint

8x185/sprint (begin 90 second rests between sets)

8x225/sprint

2x8x245/sprint

7x245/sprint

8x225/sprint

8x185/sprint

22x135 followed immediately with 9x135 back squat/sprint

GHRs

1x30

7 HOURS SLEEP

Tabata 6 count burpees

50 band pull aparts

25 pushdowns

Breakfast

50 light band good mornings

5 minute plank

Notes: Alright, things are getting crazy schedule-wise.  My work moved our show time up to 1630, which made things just non-viable as far as afternoon training goes, so now I’ve moved to training immediately after work before I sleep.  I still need to keep things on the shorter side, so that I can get in some sleep while still having time upon waking to take care of some things (primarily making all the food I need for a 12 hour shift armed with only a microwave and a minifridge) and spending phone time with the family.  The Litvinov squat continues to be awesome for just that.  245 was a solid weight, and my front squatting seems to be improving rapidly, which makes sense given how rarely I train it.  The “salt the earth set” got awesome with that additional set of squats at the end.  Always liked that approach.

Tabata burpees are always a classic, and I was happy to get in a little fasted conditioning.  I miss my morning walks, but I’ll get back to those soon enough.  I’m finding stuff to wrap the band around in the hotel room to get some extra daily stuff in.  It’s been a great time for creativity as far as training and nutrition goes.  The 5 minute plank was a solid challenge: I’ll keep adding time to it while I’m here.  I’m wanting to find things I can do in the hotel room that don’t require getting to the gym.  I’ve got Josh Bryant’s “Jailhouse Strong”, which has been a good resource.  I think I’m going to steal the Juarez Valley protocol for my deadlift workout coming up.

I’m upset my finibar is no longer going to be breakfast but instead a workmeal.  I honestly really appreciated my morning ritual of just sitting down, eating my bar and drinking my energy drink before heading into the gym.  I’m big on that little 5 minute of meditation.  But I’m making due.  

For those nutritional deviants out there: I’m eating peanut butter quesadillas on this trip.  I use low carb tortillas and spread that Nuts n More PB on it so that it’s easy to transport.  They’re honestly pretty solid, but I do prefer sandwiches.

Training Log: Entry 2420

PM WORKOUT (1500)

Notes: Forgot that the location I'm at cleans the gym from 1300-1500 every day.  This changes this significantly, as I need to be done training by 1600 to fit in my work day.  I may transition to training after my 12 hour shifts at this point to be able to fit the training in, or do conditioning leading up to the 1500 open time, but either way, I had to call an audible today and get in as much training as I could in about a 55 minute window.  90 seconds rest between all sets

Close grip incline bench 205

2x10

1x6

Barbell bench press 230

2x10

1x6

DB Bench Press Dropset (no rest between sets)

7x105

6x75

8x45

30x20

Push ups x 8

90 second rest

20x50

Dips

Rest pause to 200

Chins (underhand) between sets of benching

A ton of sets of 11

Post workout meal

Light band curls

1x50

Band pull aparts

1x50

Notes: Things went well enough.  Shoulder isn't bothering me anymore, got in solid work, the dropset was gnarly.  Woulda liked to get in some conditioning, but the short rest periods helped at least.  My schedule is only going to be weird for the next few days, so it's not going to be too bad.

Nutritionally, on the way to the gym, I came across a Hawaiian BBQ food truck.  I asked how long they were going to be open, and they said they closed in the next 10 minutes...so I had teriyaki chicken and Hawaiian style beef ribs as my pre-workout meal, which came after my finibar.  Needless to say, I had some good energy for the workout.

Oh yeah, I got 8.5 hours of sleep: from 0400 to 1300.  Part of me wonders if my internal clock is just messed up.  I seem to sleep better during the day.