* This wacky week concludes, and another one next week since my Monday is going to be a holiday. I actually have the day off work today too and almost slept in, but I wanted to just get this done.
* Press moved strong and the squats were actually pretty decent on the heavy work. Chins went better than expected with the pain in my lat.
* Came in with 50 reps as the goal for the widowmaker and I made it. That's another Dan John milestone. Yeah, technically it's supposed to be 205 for that, but whatever.
* From the video I can see I'm still holding quite lean despite 4 weeks of feasting. My squat stance is also stupidly narrow.
* Tang Soo Do later tonight potentially.
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Training Log: Entry 3183
AM WORKOUT (0420 Wake up via alarm)
**5/3/1 BUILDING THE MONOLITH** Week 4, Workout 3 (Conditioning)
75 KB swings w/24kg bell
2.1 mile walk w/80lb vest
30 rounds of 10 prisoner squats and 10 push ups within 21 minutes
BREAKFAST
Short walk w/dog
Notes:
* Once again, schedule is out of order this week, and I was deciding between Ninja Turtle or the walk, and the walk won out. It’s absolutely the right prescription for post deadlift/pre-widowmaker workouts. Very tonic, especially with the swings and bodyweight work thrown in. I dig how it’s around an hour of solid training but doesn’t beat the hell out of me, and being able to get outside and get some fresh air first thing in the morning is a great way to calibrate my morning, even if I don’t see a lick of sunshine.
* Went a little heavier on the swings, and moved a little faster on the bodyweight work.
* Tang Soo Do last night was enjoyable. More 1-step self-defense stuff. I get to work with the Valkyrie, and seeing her improve is awesome.
* My left lat/tricep has been aching since Monday. Wonder if I aggravated the previous tear with some of those chins. I’ll see how it respond to weighted pulls tomorrow.
* Still eating like a champ this week.
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Training Log: Entry 3182
AM WORKOUT (0420 wake up via alarm)
**5/3/1 BUILDING THE MONOLITH** Week 4, Workout 2 (out of order)
SUPERSET (pull-bench)
Low handle trap bar pulls
5x175
5x265
5x320
5x365
3x5x410
Axle bench press
5xAxle
5x136
5x176
5x206
5x5x226
KB rows
4x15x40kg
12x40kg
Poundstone curls
100xAxle (87 unbroken)
END OF REQUIRED WORK
1x20 Standing ab wheel
Notes:
* Apparently I was moving slow through this. Took a while to get done.
* I’ve got a long weekend coming up, with the Mrs and I having Friday off, so I’m compressing my training schedule to finish lifting on Thursday. This meant training Mon and Tues back to back. It was a bit rough coming into this, which may be why I moved slower. My left lat was a little touchy as well.
* The pulls felt pretty strong. I’m pleased with where I am on those these days.
* Rows continue to feel better each week. Definitely bitter medicine. I don’t care to do them, but I’m better for doing them.
* No walk: had to get to work early. Tang Soo Do tonight though, so some extra activity ahead.
* Physique is looking thicker these days. Feels like I’m returning to my previous form, which is nice, especially that I’ve gotten here with a much better approach.
Monday, February 12, 2024
Training Log: Entry 3181
AM WORKOUT (0425 wake up via alarm, slept through the first 3 minutes, stayed up late watching Super Bowl)
**5/3/1 BUILDING THE MONOLITH** Week 4, Workout 1
SUPETSET (press-squat)
Axle clean and strict press away
5x123
5x138
5x158 (continental)
15x123
Buffalo Bar Squat
5xBar
5x135
5x225
5x265
SUPERSET (squat-BPA)
Buffalo Bar Squat
5x5x300
Band Pull Apart
5x20
20 minute EMOM chins and dips
* 5 chins
* 10 dips
END OF REQUIRED WORK
1x10 standing ab wheel w/10 second plank at end
BREAKFAST
Shorter walk w/dog (no vest)
Notes:
* I didn’t sleep terribly well over the weekend, and then crashed last night as a result of staying up later, having feasted earlier, and the poor sleep previously. My alarm had been going off for 3 minutes before I realized it. I have my phone set to vibrate and have it on my body, so that it doesn’t wake up the Mrs. Was running just slightly behind as a result, so not much extra work after the required work.
* The press is really coming along. Nice to feel strong again.
* Really focused on trying to speed up the squats. One of the issues of training so early in the morning with minimal warm up is how stiff I am, and the first rep of each set it just painfully slow, primarily because it is PAINFUL. My right hip/glute in particular feels some issues. But I find I am making things worse by slowing down the squat: this high bar and close stance approach fairs better when I allow the muscles to relax and explode. When I made an effort to do that through later reps and sets, I felt better and stronger. Just need to trust my body. Operating without a belt is still weird/foreign to me too, but all these limitations and restrictions have been good for keeping me honest and giving me new challenges.
* As much as I’ve been trying to make the assistance work more “pumpy” to get the bodybuilding effect of it, this 20 minute EMOM approach kept me to my schedule. It had a conditioning hit to it as well.
* On the topic of bodybuilding, I keep having this idea in my head that I want to try out some sort of HIT/DoggCrapp-esque approach in the near future. I like single set work and really pushing myself. But then I realize that I don’t really care for the goal of bodybuilding in terms of PHYSIQUE development. I like getting bigger: I don’t care about developing specific PARTS of muscles. But there’s also a strongman competition happening in my hometown on 20 Apr that I apparently have no interest in doing, because I haven’t signed up for it. I may just be done with that sport. And then I have a 10 mile run earlier in April and a Tang Soo Do tournament in the last week of the month. Lotta irons in the fire.
* Left bicep is being pissy again, and considering it’s the one I partially tore, I should keep an eye on it.
Sunday, February 11, 2024
Training Log: Entry 3180
Got in 300 push ups through the day, about 80 squats, then did this workout of 10 KB swings and 10 burpees countdown to 1 with a 24kg bell
Big win was Superbowl food: my Valkyrie made me Turkey
I am blessed
Saturday, February 10, 2024
Training Log: Entry 3179
Woke up at 0600, hung out with the Mrs for an hour before we made it downstairs, got in 50 push ups and 40 squats and the mrs made me an absolutely fantastic and anabolic breakfast, and then I got in this mat pull workout before taking the dog for a short walk and getting in some chores
(3) 13+5+4x405
A 1 rep PR at a longer ROM than last week. Yes: still in my pajamas. My warmup was 2 reps at 155 and 1 rep at 315. I love that I can do that. My left bicep DID feel like it was going to pop on the first 4 reps, which was weird, but clearly I lived to fight another day.
After chores, got home and managed a 2 mile walk w/80lb vest and 150 push ups
No matter what else happens, it's a great day, and this is a fantastic comic panel. Go Colossus!
Friday, February 9, 2024
Training Log: Entry 3178
AM WORKOUT (0422 wake up via alarm)
**5/3/1 BUILDING THE MONOLITH** Week 3, Workout 5
GIANT SETS (Press-squat-chin)
Axle clean and strict press away
5x5x133
Buffalo Bar Squat
5xBar
5x175
5x245
5x275
5x305
Weighted NG chins
5x5x40lb
GIANT SETS (press-shrug-BPA)
Axle clean and strict press away
5x5x133
Axle shrug against strong short bands
5x20
Band pull aparts
5x20
Buffalo Bar Squat widowmaker
66x180
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy4lyJbp8YA
END OF REQUIRED WORK
3x10 standing ab wheel
BREAKFAST
Short walk w/dog
Notes:
* Typically, I’m pretty excited about this day, but this morning it was more “let’s just get through it” when I woke up. I don’t think it’s so much the training beating me up, but more life/work stuff. This week has been a long year. Still something to keep an eye on. I am quite excited for the weekend, especially since my Valkyrie is making me a turkey for the superbowl. Our local pizza spot is ALSO offering 100 wings for $110, and she has pitched to me the idea of taking them up on that offer. It’s supposed to be food for a party…but I can be a party of one! I don’t see this actually happening, but I love that she thinks it’s a valid idea.
* I really tried to focus on the pop of the clean with the axle today. Weight was heavy enough that I couldn’t just manhandle it, and trying to do so would waste energy. Moved decently fast. I’m getting a little more athletic.
* Squats are always so heavy on this day. A weighted I did for 5x5 on Monday becomes so heavy on Friday.
* Moved up resistance on the shrugs and really felt it. Bands are just such a clutch move here.
* Gave that widowmaker a real solid effort. I was delighted to make it to 50 reps: being able to maintain that Dan John “Mass Made Simple” standard under these circumstances is just awesome. Getting in those extra reps was a great grind. Once again, gun to the head, I could have gotten more: just a question of what is the value added.
* Prioritizing ab work has been a great call through this. My abs are still popping through, and part of that is nutrition keeping me lean and part of it is just having some gigantic abs.
* Penultimate week of the feast. Will ride this through next week, the famine but with rampage meals/carb ups. I was listening to a podcast this morning that kind of reinforced why I keep doing the Feast-Famine cycle vs going back to pure Apex Predator: in the instances that consumption of saturated fat IS a concern for cardiovascular health, it’s most likely beneficial that I engage in these regular 2 weeks of “drying out” from 4 weeks of gorging on high fat foods. I keep having to remind myself that the famine is about priming the body for the feast, and it also aids in recovering from it.
