SB - Weighted Pulls - Sept 29

Buy in

3x10 Ab wheel rollouts

6 mins

5 rounds, HT timer

Pulls w/ 12.5# - 2's and 3's

Press reps @ 135x5/125x10/////

Ez-out curl @ 93# x9

23 mins.

I need to pencil in pulling as a priority next block. I'm also feeling the want for more volume, and the need for more warm-up assistance exercises. I'll have to work in a focused buy in each session next block.

Tabata punching - simple and triples

5 mins.

8 hours - 2130/0600. 35 minutes total. PE: 6. 229/14.

SB - Squat Does the Trick (Knee) - Sept 28

Felt an unnerving ginch in my right knee all day, like my subpatellar tendon was catching, and each time it did, I not only felt the tug, I felt my whole leg buckle.

Ah yeah, it's Squat ME night. Out here, under the magical lights, all will be made well. 

Squat 5x5 (@ 237.5 - instead, I tested for a 5RM)

SB timer, in .45 on 2.45

10xbar/10x135/5x185/x205/x225/x245/x265 - 4 good ones, one ugly one/x255/x245/9x205

28 mins.

... and yes, after a couple of twinges during the first couple of warm up sets, everything was right with the world. The 265 was 10# better than this time last year. So.

4 rounds, HT timer

RDL x8-10 @ 135

12 Single/12 double standing calf w/ 33#DB

10 mins.

7 + 2 hours - 2200/0500. 39 minutes total. PE: 8. 230/13.

Cals recap: 1288 cals over for the week, at 2203/day. Macros just keep inching up, better and better:
Average macros: F 129g 45%, C 161g 25%, P 196g 30%.

SB - Ring Dip, Ring Row - Sept 27

5 rounds, HT timer

Ring Dip x10+

Ring Row x10ish

Ez-in @ 93# x8

8 hours - 2300/0700. 19 minutes total. PE: 6.

SB - Front Squat's Seen Better Days - Sept 25

Hot and tired. Tired of the weather always being hot. Came home and slept, got up as the sun was hitting its golden hour, and thought that it would be cooler. Still sucked. The whole backyard smelled like propane... Who knows why? Tried to muddle through but I didn't feel up to going heavy - traded the Front Squat 5x5 for easy reps. Plugged in a light to illuminate the backyard box and it sparked, broke, and tripped the breaker. Lucky it didn't shock the shit out of me. Just a weerd, crappy workout today.

4 rounds, HT timer

Hip thruster x10+ @ 95#

Ab mat sit ups

12 mins.

5 rounds, no timer, 1 minute RI

RDL @ 135# x10ish

10 mins.

Front squat, for form

5x7-8 @ 135#

15 mins.

Easy calves w/ 1 DB; 1 min RI

4x12 singles and 12 doubles 

8 mins.

8 hours - 2200/0600. 49 minutes total. PE: 8.

SB - Pendlays - Sept 24

3 rounds, HT timer
Ab Wheel rollouts x10
easy GtO @ 95# x10

5 rounds, HT timer
Pendlay 5x5 @ 165 x6-5's
Dynamic Push ups on blocks x10's
Hammer curl x10+ @ 33's

I wasn't really hitting my reps last time I did these at 165#. Recycled and nailed 'em this time.

8 hours - 2130/0600. 27 minutes total. PE: 6.

SB - Perfect Storm of Squat reps & Press 5x5 - Sept 22

These sessions have been long lately. I had yesterday off though. Hot today, but I was up for it. Some real pain in both knees squatting today (real, as in existing in the physical realm, rather than in only the mental). 

Not sure if squatting through it was the best move, but if your only tool is a hammer, every sub-patellar ligament is a nail.

SB timer, in .45 on 2.45

10+@65/10@135/10@185/////

17 mins.

HT timer, 4 rounds

RDLs @ 135 x8's

Easy calf raises

10 mins.

- 2 mins -

HT timer, 5 rounds

Press 5@135#/5's @ 150///

Kips x8's+

Ez-out x8-10 @ 93#

19 mins.

... 3x12 ab wheel rollouts.

8 hours - 2130/0600. 51 minutes total. PE: 8.

Cals recap: 37 cals under for the week, at 2196/day. Didn't really eat enough over the weekend to keep up.
Average macros: F 98g 38%, C 169g 29%, P 195g 33%. Macros are good! Nearly 200g Protein/day without really trying or tracking.

SB - PullPushPalooza - Sept 20

5 rounds, HT timer

Ring Row x10/max reps

Ring Dip x10

Chins x3-4

GtO x3-5 @ 135#

Ez-in x10-8 @ 93#

... took a minute blow in the middle of everything just to keep it together.

33 mins.

- 3 mins -

Tabata bag work

6 mins.

8.5 hours - 2230/0700. 43 minutes total. PE: 9.

SB - Squat 5x5 - Sept 19

Today was supposed to be a perfect storm of Squat heavy and the 5 rounds of 5 exercises Pentapalooza. Too much. I just squatted and left. I'll shuffle everything on the schedule forward to compensate. I'm wiser in my old age, see?

Squat 5x5
10x65/10x135/10x185/5x215/x235/////
23 mins.

4x8+ RDLs @ 135, HT timer
5 mins.

9 hours - 2100/0600. 29 minutes total. PE: 7.

SB - Weighted Pull - Sept 17

5 rounds, HT timer

Weighted pulls, strict @ 10# - 3's-2's-3's

Press @ 115 x10-8

Hammer curl x10+ @ 30's

... one more pull.

8 hours - 2200/0600. 20 minutes total. PE: 6.

SB - Front Squat with Extra Mustard - Sept 16

Front squat 5x5, in .45 on 2.45
10x5/10x145/8x165/200 x5////x6
21 mins.
Everything here feels strong and good. Hitting my numbers every session, and they're feeling easier and easier.
Still some pain in the left knee, comes and goes, but when it's there, it's a distraction.

5 or 6 rounds, loose timer
RDL @ 145 and 95#
Hip Thruster @ 145 and 95#
Worked these for 5 rounds, then did more when Seth was running his rounds. Shouldn't have, but the weather was cool for once, and I'm feeling good.
27 mins.

Bonus stuff, too much, but couldn't say no.
5 rounds, HT timer
DB Step ups, 25#s - 5 or 6 pairs 
FtB - 8's
14 mins.

Went over tonight. Went overboard with the hip thrusters. Funny, but I just noted this to myself:

You want to have a workout partner. I get it. But, you do not have to do their workout. You, to improve, must do your own program. One size fits all fits none.

Feeling wrung out today, overreached. I'll rest up and remember: Coaches can coach without throwing in and throwing down.

8 hours - 2200/0600. 68 minutes total. PE: 8.

SB - HPush/HPull - Sept 15

5 rounds, HT timer
Ring row x13-8
Dynamic push ups x12-8
12 mins.

5 rounds, loose HT timer
Ab wheel rollouts x10-8
Ez-out curl @88 x10 
12 mins.

... one set of 15 press @ 95#.

8 hours - 2200/0600. 28 minutes total. PE: 8.

SB - Perfect Storm Squat Reps n' Pendlay - Sept 13

I feel stronger, but this one nearly did me in. I woke up thinking there was only a push/pull on the schedule. Wasn't mentally ready, and not really physically prepped. Dehydrated from sweating in the sun building a hip thruster sled to use ... which ended up being today. Stood up from the first set of Pendlay rows and almost blacked out.

Squat reps, SB timer
10x95/x135/x185 x11/x12/x (no count)/x10 - tried to pyramid 10-14 but lost focus.
18 mins.

HT timer
4x8ish RDLs @ 155///135
Hip Thrusters x max reps @ same
10 mins.

4 rounds, HT timer
Pendlay row @ 165 x4's (5 rounds)
Ring Push ups x12+
Ez-in curl @ 88ish x10
16 mins.

10 hours - 2200/0800. 53 minutes total. PE: 9. 229/14.

Cals recap: 137 cals under for the week, at 2189/day. I'm happy that Protein is staying at 30%, and above Carbs - without really focusing.
Average macros: F 113g 42%, C 174g 29%, P 181g 30%.  

SB - Press n' Pull - Sept 11

150# seemed daunting on paper. Owned it. Feeling it.

5 rounds, HT timer
Press 5x5 @150#
Max rep Pull ups
Hammer curl @ 30#s
... one more press @ 115 x8. 
21 mins.

3x5 pairs of dynamic push ups, mostly to measure for a couple of platforms to replace the bumpers.
4 mins.

8.5 hours - 2130/0500. 26 minutes total. PE: 7.

SB - Squat 5x5 - Sept 10

Oly Squat
10x95/x145/185/x205/5x5 @ 230#
23 mins.

3 rounds, HT timer
Ab Wheel rollouts x8-10ish
RDL @ 145 x10
12 mins.

Hot today - maybe 102? - I was advised by the lovin' wife to forego it all today. No can do. Felt great. Deep and controlled. Some pain in the left knee, and the back felt tight between sets. But I'll take this. Everything feels like real progress.

8.5 hours - 2130/0500. 35 minutes total. PE: 8.

SB - PullPushPalooza - Sept 9

5 rounds, HT timer
GtO @ 115 x7-8
Ring row x10-9
Ring dip x10-9
Chins x3-2s
Ez-out curl x10-8

5 is a pretty fat circuit. Definitely shows that my pulling is behind my pushing. So, good that the pulling gets some more emphasis on this day.

8.5 hours - 2130/0600. 31 minutes total. PE: 8/9. Probably more of a 9, it's just hot and muggy out.

SB - Strength Block Explained

5 weeks into this block, I'll take a moment to line it out.

I'm going to squat every third day. Upon this rock, I will build this block. Two days off between undulating sessions should be enough recovery. If not, we'll find out. Sessions shift between Oly Squat heavy 5x5, Oly for reps 5x10+, and Front Squat heavy 5x5. All use a .45 on, 2.00 off timer, and 4 warm up sets before the work sets.
RDLs and FtB are assistance work here.
I'm not deadlifting this cycle. Yes, you heard that right. A strength block with no deadlifting. I'm doing RDLs instead.

Every other day, there's a Pull/Push/curl triplet on the HT timer of .30 on, .45 off, for 5 rounds. Pull and Push alternate between H and V, heavy and reps (4 sessions mixed: Vpush heavy 5x5/Vpull reps, Pendlay Row 5x5/Push up reps, HPush 5x5/Ring Row reps, Vpull weighted 5x3/Vpush reps. A 5th session is a 5-round 5-exercise mess: GtO reps/Ring row/Ring dip/Chins/curl.
The curl is included every day, but is just assistance work; half for composition and half in hopes that the work will help with pulling. Each rotates between ez-in bar, ez-out bar, and hammer curls with DBs.

This is a linear progression for me. I'll be adding only 2.5# per session to each heavy lift (and not really worrying about the weight on reps days - just enough to have snappy bar speed and still get 10+ each set) each time the lift comes up, until I stall out, or the end of the 13-week cycle. At the end of the cycle, I'll hold at my new norm weights for 5x5 into some CFBB for 10 weeks to lock it in.

Some days, the Squat and the Pull/Push overlap into a double-day perfect storm. Most of the time, work will only take 25-30 minutes. All weeks have two days completely off, some have three. Although there are open days each week, there's not really grace days. Staying on schedule is more important in practice than it looks on paper here. There are no good ways to catch up if you miss a day on this program.

That's it. There's no conditioning included in this package. Saturdays/Sundays I'll do some tabata bag work.

SB - Easy as 1, 2, 3 - Sept 7

Perfect storm again today. Tried to rise to the occasion, but feeling a little flat. This one was a slog.

Front Squat 5x5
10x bar/10x 95/8x 145/5x 185/5x5 @ 197.5
... last one actually felt light. Didn't move light, but felt that way.
23 mins.

4 rounds, HT timer
RDL @ 145
FtB x8ish
12 mins.

5 rounds, HT timer
Press for reps @ 105
Vpull, weighted 7.5# - strict triples mostly ... hey, it is what it is.
Ez-in x10+
19 mins.

8.5 hours - 2230/0700. 56 minutes total. PE: 8. 

Cals recap: 78 cals under for the week, at 2189/day. Not really focused on anything but eating regularly, eating enough, and generally, eating lifestyle-right.
Average macros: F 110g 42%, C 154g 26%, P 182g 31%. 

SB - HPush/HPull - Sept 6

This is out of sequence - took yesterday off to head up to Fishstock and chill in Kernville with Hope. Plus, I just couldn't get going in the morning yesterday. Gotta admit, squatting for reps on Friday PM burned me down.

HPush for 5RM today just turned into dynamic push ups onto the wide 45's. No bench, no bench press.

5 rounds, HT timer 
Ring row max reps in .30
Dynamic push ups 5-6 doubles
Hammer curl 10+ @ 30#
22 mins.

Tabata bag work
...throwing combinations and straight kicks.
8 mins.

8 hours - 2200/0600. 30 minutes total. PE: 7.

SB - Squat Reps - Sept 4

Squat reps
Shooting for 10's today throughout - some sets I didn't make 10.
SB timer
bar/135/185/190/////
23 mins.

- 1 min -

5 rounds, HT timer
 RDL x5+ @ 135/157.5////
FtB x max reps (10-8s)
... one more RDL @ 135#
16 mins.

7.5 hours - 2230/0600. 40 minutes total. PE: 9.

SB - HPull/Push Pair - Sept 3

HT timer, .30 on 1.15
5x5+ Pendlay row @ 157.5, plus 1x8@135 (6 rounds)
Ring Push Up x13 (5 rounds)
Ez-out curl @ 88 x10ish (4 rounds)
... some things still matter more than others.

9 hours - 2100/0600. 19 minutes total. PE: 7.

SB - Perfect Storm Squat/Press - Sept 1

Oly Squat 5x5

SB timer, in .45 on 2.45

barx10/135x10/185x8/205x5/ 5x5@227.5

20 mins.

Just like slated. Everything felt flexible and deep and square and solid and dynamic. 96 degrees - hot, but not enough to drain all my life from the lifts. These are the squat sessions dreams are made of. I'm going to keep adding weight to the bar during this block, but only if my technique and the quality of the movement stays textbook.

- 1 min -

Couplet with curls, 5 rounds plus one press

HT timer in .30 on 1.15

Press 5x135/5x147.5/////

Strict Pull up, x5ish

Ez-in 10+ @ 88

20 mins.

8.5 hours - 2130/0600. 42 minutes total. PE: 9. 227/15.

Cals recap: 1197 cals over for the week, at 2196/day. First week over all summer - finally eating more.
Average macros: F 129g 48%, C 129g 22%, P 180g 30%.