Training Log: Entry 2353

AM WORKOUT (0445 wake up via dog)

FASTED

100 six count burpees
6:31

50 min 80lb weighted vest hill walks

Notes: Not a PR for time on burpees, but a PR for unbroken set of 70. Given 2 previous conditioning PRs this week and doing this fasted first thing in the morning the day after BBB squats, it's insane.  Got in the walk since it was so damn early.  Forgot that this was usually the day I did my front squat burpees, but my schedule is all jacked up anyway.  Thinking I'll bench Monday, deadlift Tuesday, then front squat/burpee Wed. I start early shifts on Monday, so that might work well.

Abs were crisper this morning than they've been for a while.  Still getting that "cheat meal refeed" effect, which I'd say is a good sign that nutrition is in the right place.  Also a sign that I most likely COULD get away with a little bit of carb manipulation, but as I try to find this "performance/health/lifestyle" balance I honestly prefer just keeping carbs stupidly low for the majority of my time so that, when the time comes to have a night out with the Mrs I can just enjoy myself.  Last night was probably the most "human" I've felt since the summer.

 Training Log: Entry 2352

AM WORKOUT (0500 wake up via dog)

CIRCUITS (squat-row) plate change rest between sets

Buffalo bar squat
5xBar
5x140
5x235
5x310
5x355
5x400

T-bar row 150
5x10

SUPERSETS (squat-hyper) 2 minutes rest between sets

Buffalo bar squat 310
5x10

Reverse hyper 410
5x10

50 dips
25 pushdowns
50 pull aparts

Belt squat stripset (no rest between sets)
29x150
5x125
5x100
6x75
6x50
6x25
6xAxle

20 standing ab wheel

Notes: Crushed it.  With this being a first thing in the morning workout, I'm amped.  400 felt heavy as hell, but it moved.  I'm in an interesting place with this program, as my short range conditioning is the best it's been in probably ever, so the BBB sets really aren't terribly challenging, but the 5s pro looms over me.  I'm all reps and no singles these days.   That said, I can't get too cocky, as this is just the 3s week and I still have the 1s week ahead of me.  And I like to remind myself as I rack the bar on the 5th set that, were this Deep Water, I'd only be halfway done.

Plan to run Fran later today to get in my 50 chins and get some restoration going to my legs.  

Employing some flexibility with the diet again today.  Since I plan to eat a VERY high fat dinner (with lots of saturated fats from not great sources), I cut out my "thou shalts" just for today.  Went egg whites instead of whole eggs, turkey bacon instead of beef, no butter, no avocado.  Plan to cut out the chocolate and nuts as well, stick with just lean protein sources until dinner, then gorge and call it a day.  Kinda Jamie Lewis "Apex Predator" but not really.

LUNCHTIME WORKOUT

Fran+ (95lb thrusters, strict chins)

21

15

9 (4:29, 15 second PR)

5 (5:14, 25 second PR)

Notes: Absolutely motored through this. Firing on all cylinders.  Especially funny given the light nutrition today in anticipation of tonight's gorge.

 Training Log: Entry 2351

AM WORKOUT (0700, 0515 wake up via dog)

CIRCUITS (chin-press) rest long enough to change plates

Weighted chins 55lbs
50 reps total

Axle press
5xAxle
5x66
5x136
5x156
5x176

SUPERSETS (press-row) 90 seconds rest between sets

Axle clean and press away 136
5x10

Axle rows 136
5x10

75lb DB incline bench stripset (no rest between sets)
(3) 1x15
(3) 1x4 w/reactive slingshot
(3) 1x3 w/Metal Catapult
(Flat) 1x5
Dips 1x8+4+3 w/rest pause
25 band pushdowns

35 more dips

CIRCUIT (raise-pull apart) no rest between sets

Plate lateral raise
3x10x10lbs
2x10x5lbs

Band pull aparts
5x10

CONDITIONING

Tabata boxing rounds on BAS

Notes: Another day without blacking out on the press.  Biggest victory.  I liked how this day rolled out.  Cleaning the first rep of the press added a slight element of challenge, and then once the press was done I'd just drop the axle to the floor and immediately start rowing it.  Good way to make light weight feel heavy.  

Forgot to log yesterday, but I've continued my tradition of listening to "The Downward Spiral" while starting a new program.  Today ran all the way to the end of the CD, to give perspective on training time.

Plan to hit Grace later today, since my axle is already loaded to 136.  Date night tomorrow: plan on a huge burger and a lot of walking.

LUNCHTIME WORKOUT

Axle Grace

3:30 (5 second PR)

Notes: One of those workouts where I didn't want to do it, spent a few minutes looking at my shoes, and then ended up smashing it.  I imagine I was primed from pressing earlier in the day.  Cool to be seeing progress.  Also realized my schedule is borked and I haven't done my 100 burpees, so I think those will feature on Sunday.

 Training Log: Entry 2350

BBB Beefcake Workout 1

AM WORKOUT (0700, 0515 wake up via dog)

GIANT SETS (chin-dead-neck): resting long enough to change plates

Chins (various grips)
5x20

Texas Power Bar Deadlifts (touch and go)
5x135
5x205
5x275
5x365
5x420
5x470

Neck harness 55
5 sets

SUPERSETS (dead-dip) 2 minutes rest between sets

TPB Deads TnG 365
5x10

Weighted dips 55
5x10

Axle rows against bands: rest long enough to strip plates off deadlift bar
4x10

Axle shrugs against bands
1x50

Band face pulls
1x100

Notes: First day of BBB Beefcake, and, of course, I'm gonna add WAY too much assistance work to it.  So long as I do the main and supplemental work and the minimum RX assistance, I'm good with that, and can scale down as needed.  Going with Power bar on the 3s week.  Last time I've deadlifted with one was most likely at a strongman comp.  Stiff, but not as terrible as an axle.

It took a while for me to "come alive" during this workout, but on the second set of the BBB sets something woke up and I started ripping the weight off the floor.  Was pretty cool.  I think all this consistent work is gonna bring back the deadlifter in me.

Plan to hit some tabata trap bar sets later for conditioning.

Breakfast this morning was 3 cage free organic eggs mixed with 1/4 of an avocado and some grassfed butter, a "keto waffle" stick, and a 6oz grass fed piedmontese sirloin steak.  And, of course, an energy drink.

Got a photo of my starting condition.  No idea on bodyweight (thanks dogs), but at least I can document physique.

 Training Log: Entry 2349

AM WORKOUT (0500 wake up via dog)

FASTED

5 round circuit of
10 chins (various grips)
4 standing ab wheel
10 dips
8 BW reverse hyper

25 pushdowns
50 pull aparts

BREAKFAST

Juarez Valley front squats 225 (100kg) superset w/5 six count burpees
8
1
7
2
6
3
5
4

Time: 13:25

SSB squats stripset
42x185
13x135

Notes: Think this is gonna be the last deload workout: just champing at the bit to get to the program.  Hip still a little buggy from falling on it, so I upped the weight on the Juarez valley to remove any expectations and make the workout shorter.  Meant I had some more gas in me for the SSB squats, so I went all out.  

PM WORKOUT (1400)

45 min 80lb weighted vest hill walk

Notes: Had a bit of free time, so did some light conditioning and got some sun.  Got the garage set up for tomorrow's deadlift workout.  Really excited to get started.

 Training Log: Entry 2348

AM WORKOUT (0700) Post Night Shift

5 round circuit (no rest)

Incline DB bench 75 for 10 (start at upright, drop incline 1 notch each round)

10 chins

10 dips

4 standing ab wheel

10 chins (no typo: double the chins on this)

8 reverse hypers

Time: 21:30

(2) Incline DB bench stripset

14x75

7x75 w/reactive slingshot

6x75 w/Metal Catapult

9 push ups

25 pushdowns

50 pull aparts

Poundstone curls

151xAxle

CONDITIONING

Tabata boxing rounds on the BAS

Notes: Bench press deload, so got cute with the assistance and daily work.  Decent enough circuit: got in the volume I wanted.  Going to get in a run today, as the weather is decent and I'm due for one.  Should also help me stay awake all day.

LUNCHTIME WORKOUT 

5 mile run

Notes: Felt like I was running in sand.  Lungs are strong, running muscles are weak.  They'll come back.  I slipped and fell in the parking lot at work coming home, so my hip was a little buggy on the run.  Lotta ice out today too, so I had to carefully navigate things.

Got some 92% dark chocolate that I want to start including in my diet.  Originally I was packing Snickers minis and dark Reese's thin cups for work snacks, and though yummy, I figured I could do better.

 Training Log: Entry 2347

SATURDAY

PM WORKOUT (1600)

100 six count burpees

6:08 (11 second PR)

Notes: Got to 65 without stopping. The secret is: it sucks and I hate it. Like running. That said, I do think there’s a proficiency element to it, as I’m doing a TON of burpees these days. As I get faster, they’re definitely sloppier, and I’m basically slamming my stomach into the floor and rebounding as my “push up”, but also I don’t give a f**k about form on burpees: just so long as they suck.

Caught a full body glimpse of myself in the mirror getting ready for work, and I’m happy to report my posterior chain has returned. No joke: at the end of my fat loss, my glutes has effectively vanished and hamstrings were pretty sad. 30 GHRs a day have paid off for sure, along with more food, and I imagine the squat protocol I was following up until recently got me big quick in a hurry.

In that regard, feeling strong again. Despite the dogs, I’m sleeping well WHEN I sleep, appetite is coming back, and I’m excited about things again. Of course, the inevitable question is “does this mean my LDL has creeped up again”, but I’m confident enough in the lifestyle changes I’ve made to imagine I’ve found the middle ground on this. Case in point: I brought a seafood medley salad to work today, whereas back in the day it woulda been beef or gyro meat mixed with cauliflower tater tots (more of those “good bad decisions” I was making).

SUNDAY

PM WORKOUT (1500)

Axle Grace

3:36

Notes: Last thing I wanted to do, but it went really well. Only 1 second above my previous PR, and given the circumstances, that’s awesome. I had to shovel some heavy wet snow for about 30-45 minutes before this, and I’m all sleep borked from my 12 hour night shift. Got the daily work in too.

Nutritionally, I’m happy with what happened today. I had a pot roast for a big midday meal, which is a semi-tradition we’re starting to implement (the big meal, not necessarily a pot roast) on a weekend day. It was piedmontese beef, not grassfed, but still high quality. It had more saturated fats than what I usually eat, so I cut out my eggs, grassfed beef and butter today to compensate. With that, my psyche was at peace, and I made sure to still get in my monounsaturated fats from my macadamia nuts and avocado. It’s still that weird blend of eating for health and eating for performance, which is what is appealing to me about Mountain Dog. The dieter in me would think “you got enough fats: you don’t need to eat the avocado and nuts”, but I remember that I’m eating them for the specific fats: not just for calories from fat. And then I also have to keep my eyes on the fact that putting on weight is the goal. I’m pleased with the decisions I’m making.

The pot roast itself turned out AMAZING. Piedmonstese is weird because it’s so lean yet ALSO so tender. Breaks all the rules. Even my wife, who isn’t a big pot roast fan, liked it, and my kid, who is VERY much a meat snob, enjoyed it when we mixed it in some mac n cheese, which I think is just awesome. Lotta places around here do “brisket mac n cheese”, which is a great invention.

Training wise, I’m excited about BBB Beefcake, and being excited about something is something I haven’t had in a while, so that’s awesome. Still liking the idea of axle on 5s week, power bar on 3s and deadlift bar on 1s for the deadlift, buffalo bar for 5s and 3s with SSB for 1s on the squat, and axle and log playing around on the press. Also considering cleaning each set during the press, and possibly even cleaning each rep depending on how easy the weeks are. Still going to aim for the 20 minute cap though.

MONDAY

PM WORKOUT (1400)

Fran+ (95lb thrusters, strict chins)

21

15

9 (5:11)

5 (6:12)

5 round circuit of

10 dips

8 BW hypers

5 95lb thrusters

4 standing ab wheel

25 pushdowns

50 pull aparts

30 GHRs

Notes: Didn’t want to spent too much time away from the Mrs during my 12 hours downtime, so went quick on this one. Threw the thrusters into the circuit as a way to keep the heart rate up, as I went straight from Fran into the circuit. This is shaping up well enough as a deload week. Going to do some DB pressing tomorrow, the front squat burpee thing the next day, and then most likely jump into BBB Beefcake after that.

Piedmontese hot dogs for dinner tonight. Had mine on keto friendly buns, with sugar free ketchup and some mustard, just to make it as “traditional” as possible. They’re a great product. Cooked them up on my smokeless indoor grill. I’m honestly just having fun playing around with food and cooking at this point: it’s like a whole new element to the equation for me to dive into. Got the thumbs up from the Mrs and the Kiddo on the hot dogs, so we’ll feature them more in the future.

Also got my stainless steel shaker bottle and “berserker” t-shirt from a viking based supplement company. Will take photos at some point.

Finished Comprehensive Performance Nutrition 1 and 2 by Justin Harris over the past 2 days. Great reads. The second one was a little too sciency and talked a lot about drugs, which wasn’t too valuable for me, but it ALSO had some of the best bits of just basic wisdom in it too. Highly recommend kindle reads.