Training Log: Entry 3666

AM WORKOUT (1030)

10 minute EMOM sprawl and pummel drill

Notes:

• 4 sprawls, then just pummel until the minute is over.

• Got snowed in, so got creative. Not as exhausting as the sandbag workout, but still some decent stimulus, especially prepping for grappling. Got me used to that feeling again. Also, apparently my pec has healed, because I didn’t notice it on the sprawls.

• Sprawls were more burpees at the start, but by the 5th round I remembered how to do it.

• Got up at 0600 this morning: pretty decent sleeping in.

 Training Log: Entry 3665

AM WORKOUT (0530 wake up via dog)

TACTICAL BARBELL GREY MAN Cycle 2, Week 2, Workout 4

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo bar squat
4x6x337

Axle strict press from rack
4x6x161

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

Band pushdowns
4x20

DB rows
4x10x135

GHR
4x10x40

ASSISTANCE

GHR
3x10

DB lateral dropset
35x10, 35x5, 35x2.5, 35xEmpty Hands

Band pull aparts
50

Chins during warm ups

Notes:

• Day off work, slept until the kid woke us up because the puppy wasn’t going back to sleep

• Pec is less “injured” and more “annoying”, but I’m fighting all my instincts to absolutely bury it with stupid training. But I’m also delighted that I haven’t skipped a beat as far as training goes. Pretty much only thing I’m limited on is horizontal pressing, and I noticed that the chins were bugging it a little as well, so I cut them out of the main cluster.

• The pushdowns were decently challenging. Honestly, triceps are a neglected muscle for me, so this might be something moving forward as is.

• Huge milestone: I had completely pain free sets of squats for at least the final 2 sets, and possibly earlier. I NOTICED it on the final 2 sets, which is to say, I noticed I WASN’T in pain, which is a hard thing to notice, as we tend to more note when we ARE in pain. But this was awesome. Between the PT and switching to flats, things are in a good way, and using the tacky shirt has helped cure the elbow pain as well. We’re really making barbell squatting viable again.

• Didn’t film the GHRs. The space I normally use to film in was hot to the touch and would have melted my phone.

• Got my keg carry in early: 235lbs. Yesterday was 233.5. Also a 1:05 hang yesterday.

• Weighed in at 83.0kg this morning. Thanksgiving was yesterday: did one meal, with both drumsticks, all the skin off the bird, the “Pope’s Nose” (which I learned the term for that from “Binging with Babish”), and a few odds and ends pieces that had fat/skin/something chewy attached, alongside a substantial amount of deviled eggs I made with sour cream, primal kitchen’s avocado mayo, greek seasoning and MSG, a spoonful of stuffing, corn casserole, and half a biscuit with some Amish butter. 5 hours later, desert of 2 wonderful slices of the Valkyrie’s pumpkin cheesecake. No better way to take in carbs, and dropping a kilo after eating like that is pretty clutch.

 Training Log: Entry 3664

AM WORKOUT (0357 natural wake up)

TACTICAL BARBELL GREY MAN Cycle 2, Week 2, Workout 3

MAIN CLUSTER

Axle bench press
6x236
5x236 (sprained/pulled my pec)

(2) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
1x405

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

Lever belt squats
5x10x205

Behind the neck barbell press
4x10x95

Axle curls
4x10x76

ASSISTANCE

Reverse hyper/ab wheel superset
3x15x360/3x10

Band pull aparts
100

Handful of chins

Notes:

• On the 5th rep of the second set of benching, I felt that familiar cramp/crunch feeling of a pulled/torn muscle in my right pec. Racked the bar, still managed some chins, and decided to shut down the benching and live to fight another day. For my regular readers, I know your instincts will be to show me sympathy: please don’t. Nietzsche wrote in “Thus Spake Zarathustra” that one of man’s greatest sins is pity, and I fully believe that. I’m not a race horse: no one is going to shoot me. This is just a bump in the road that I’ll deal with. The fact I was able to finish out the rest of the session is proof positive of that, and I’ve already got a bunch of work arounds figured out based on how long recovery will take. I don’t really care about flat benching as it is, and I can still press overhead, which is the lift I actually DO care about. I’ve got plenty of toys in the gym, and a bunch of slingshots as well, so I’m in a good way. Specificity may be super bodybuilder friendly this time around, and that’s just fine with me. Chaos, as always, is the plan.

• That said, the workout continued off the rails on the mat pulls. 405 didn’t feel as heavy as 470, but it still felt much heavier than it should have, and I saw some stars. I’m thinking the CNS may just need a legit rest, and I may wave off next week and start the cycle over again when Grey Man ends and Specificity begins. I am somewhat tempted to shift to trap bar, since I have a max frame pull coming up in competition, but I also know that I specifically went back to ROM progression with a Texas Deadlift Bar because it always works for me. “And in a dream I’m a different me/
  With a perfect you, we fit perfectly/And for once in my life I feel complete/And I still want to ruin it/…Do you know how far this has gone?/Just how damaged have I become?/When I think I can overcome/It runs even deeper”

• Was pleased with the audible on the behind the neck press. Very juicy shoulder pump from that. That was originally the plan before I settled on weighted dips, so I may have just forced my hand on this.

• Lever belt squats continue to feel awesome having switched to flat shoes and bringing myself closer to the lever arm. Far more leg than hip.

• Ab wheel put a little pressure on the pec, but nothing terrible. Reverse hyper was actually more stressful. I’m a few hours post training now and more inclined to believe it to be a sprain/pull vs a tear.

• On the body POSITIVE news, I had my follow up physical therapy appointment yesterday. Knee pain is improving, but still present. Doc was pleased with my progress. Gave me some more stretches. I asked him, from an expectation management perspective, if pain free was a possibility for me, and he seemed pretty positive that, due to my muscle tone, I should be able to resolve the issue. He believes it’s primarily structural rather than musculature, and I just need to loosen up my hips and keep rolling out the IT band. Roger that.

• Carried a 231lb keg, fat gripz hold for 1:05 yesterday.

• Weighed 84.0 this morning. Can’t wait to feast tomorrow.

• Oh yes, I suppose I’ll have to see if I feel grappling ready in a week. Pecs are dumb, I’m just going to channel the spirit of Tra Telligman

• My editor has informed me that Tra Telligman is, in fact, not dead, and attempting to channel his spirit is, at the least, disrespectful.

 Training Log: Entry 3663

AM WORKOUT (0520 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL GREY MAN Cycle 2, Week 2, Workout 2

“ROW ROW ROW YOUR BLOAT”

20 minute recovery row

Notes:

• I actually considered doing some martial arts this morning instead, as I don’t find it terribly comfortable to go straight from sleeping to sitting in a rower. Tends to bug my hips. But it actually was ok this morning. I wonder if all the stretching is helping in that regard. I avoided stretching for years, primarily because, every time I did it, I’d get injured, but I’m thinking a more controlled/monitored approach will do well.

• Carried a 230lb keg, hung from fat gripz for a minute last night.

• Weighed 84.5kg this morning. I’m very much considering competing up a weight class come 7 Dec just to avoid having to worry about bodyweight. No one is currently in my age and weight class, and there’s some folks up a class, so that’d work well.

• Valkyrie completed another round of the ABF last night. That’s the 4th workout, and I think I’m going to cut week 2 there and get her started on week 3 next workout to compensate for our abbreviated schedule. She’s doing awesome with the progression. I actually think she’ll outgrow her kettlebells before the program is done, but I thankfully have no shortage of equipment.

• Tang Soo Do tonight. Basics/forms week, can be a good workout.

 Training Log: Entry 3662

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL GREY MAN Cycle 2, Week 2, Workout 1

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo bar squat
4x6x337

Axle strict press from rack
4x6x161

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) Incline DB bench
4x10x75s

DB rows
4x10x135

GHR
4x10x40s

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit ups
3x10

Chins throughout workout

Notes:

• All the protective measures I’m employing have been adding up. Using the tacky shirt is keeping my forearms happy, and the flat shoes are allowing my knee to recover more and more. I was also wearing compression shorts under my strongman shorts, since my hips were hurting yesterday, which made my belt magnificently tight. In general, I’m feeling my old self, as I’m training like my old self.

• I am excited for Specificity Bravo. I think something really clutch about Tactical Barbell is it’s interesting combination of doing the same thing all the time but switching things up frequently enough that it staves off ADD. I’m not bored of Grey Man so much as I’m tired of it: it’s hard training. It pairs well with big eating, but I can only do both for so long.

• With the flat shoes, I notice my warm up sets have me on my toes. I’ll need to work more on sitting back.

• Carried a 228.5lb keg last night and did a fat gripz hang for about 1:10.

• Weighed in at 84.3kg this morning. Didn’t carb up yesterday, and only had 1 meal, but it was a big one. Saving myself for this holiday weekend.

 Training Log: Entry 3661

PM WORKOUT (1215)

TACTICAL BARBELL GREY MAN Cycle 2, Week 1, Workout 6

10 minute EMOM sandbag sprawl and carry

Notes:

• 200+lb sandbag, sprawl 4 different directions, pick and carry

• This was a repeat of last week, but exhausted me more while also not beating the hell out of my elbows. I think using the grip shirt was the right move.

• Carried a 226lb keg yesterday and a 227.5lb keg tonight. Did a timed hold of slightly over a minute with Fat Gripz on my chinning bar. This should have even better carryover to my competition.

• Got up at 0615 this morning: kiddo brought me the puppy, because it wasn’t going back to sleep. That was still pretty much sleeping in.

 Training Log: Entry 3660

AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)

TACTICAL BARBELL GREY MAN Cycle 2, Week 1, Workout 5

MAIN CLUSTER

Buffalo bar squat (flat shoes)
4x8x315

Axle strict press from rack
2x8x148
1x6x148
1x7+3x148

SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER

(3) Incline DB bench
2x12x70s
11x70s
10+3x70s

DB row
4x12x125

GHR
4x12x30

ASSISTANCE

GHR sit up
2x10

Chins throughout workout

Notes:

• Came into this just completely exhausted. I think a back to back sparring night was more than I anticipated recovery-wise, when stacked with that stupidly heavy mat pull on Wed. Training motivation was shot: one of those where the only thing that got me through was the thought of being able to spend Friday night with my family vs in the gym, so I got it done this morning. However, I also forgot that on Monday I trained in the afternoon, so I was comparing myself against that baseline, and in doing so I actually progressed really well today compared to Monday.

• I learned a lesson that was a long time coming from the belt squat: I have less knee pain when I squat with flat soled shoes. Honestly, I’m pretty angry with myself. I learned about squatting with flat soled shoes back in 2005, when I read “Beyond Bodybuliding” and Pavel Tsastouline wrote to “ditch your sneakers on steroids” and squat in Chuck Taylors, and I started doing exactly that and it transformed my squat. The most weight I’ve ever squatted in my life was in a pair of Chucks, where I squatted 502 in a meet and then 525 for 5 with wraps in the gym. And then I got a pair of lifters in 2014 because I thought it would have good carryover into strongman, and though I think Pendlay Dowins are a quality product and I love how my feet feel screwed in to the floor with how grippy they are, it just never had the same comfort that a pair of flats did. When I switched to that mutant high bar style I used for a few years, they really suited it…but that style itself didn’t suit me. I’m flat out not built to squat, with a short torso and long limbs, which means I use the style of squat we see with Steve Goggins, Layne Norton and Mark Felix: lots of forward lean, not a bolt upright torso. Flat shoes suit me. Thankfully, I have lots of them, and today I wore my NoBull high tops.

• Exhaustion was hitting hard through the workout, so the presses fell off a little, but I made some great progress on the incline bench, mainly because I forgot what I did last time so I beat an imaginary standard. Cut out a set of abs just for the sake of time.

• Double sparring class last night, got in a lot of great rounds. Really trying to work on moving off angle and sending strikes from there. Caught the Valkyrie with an awesome off angle sacrifice spin hook kick. Just happy I can move like that. The stretching is most likely helping out.

• Carried a 225lb keg yesterday, and then a 1min 50sec hang.

• Weighed 84.1kg this morning.