Alex_uk: 40 years in the making

[alex_uk]

02/08/25

Christian festival had a gym:

Messing around with friends.

10 mins Burpees pull up bar - 55 total (all pretty strict, nice high chin up bar, split the jump on the burpee and the pull up

Some walking lunges, with 60kg sandbags (2 X 30kg one in each hand)

Squats, front squat: 40, 60, 70kg x 5 back squat 90kg x 8

Bench: 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100kg x 5

Good bit of fun. Diet wise I’m camping and there’s a communal meal every evening, outside of that I’ve eaten greek yogurt and protein and precooked chicken breast, eggs and bacon, it’s been pretty close to keto/carnivore (ignoring the evening meal ).

Loving the camping, the church family fun, and Jesus as always!

[Frank_C]

@alex_uk

Loving the camping, the church family fun, and Jesus as always!

That sounds awesome! I’m jealous of the communal dinner thing. It might be worse at the moment because I’m at work and hungry.

[dagill2]

@T3hPwnisher

times spent doing as little as possible and seeing how HARD it is to lose the results of all that hard work allow us to be a little less full of anxiety when we have to take a few weeks off due to life.

This absolutely struck a chord with me, it was a pretty big lightbulb moment recently. Having just returned to climbing after 5(?) Weeks away, close to no specific training, and a reasonable calorie deficit, i’ve returned to find that my top end strength seem to be more or less unaffected and my technique has returned within the first session. The only impact from taking well over a month off has been that my ability to recover has nose dived. It’s been eye opening for me to realise that maybe forcing sessions so i don’t “lose all the hard work”, is not always the right move.

[alex_uk]

05/08/25 - 196.25

Doing whatever the heck I want.

A1) OHP: 20, 40, 50, 60kg x 5, 50kg x 10,
A2) weird grip chin ups: 6 x 5 sets, 14 reps

B1) dips: 8 x 5 sets
B2) modified* pendlay row: 60kg x 6, 80kg x 6 x 4 sets

Was going to do a sandbag thing but a neighbour called by wanting a hand lifting some windows around his property and this is a pre-work session so on the clock.

Fasted morning training whilst in a deficit, not a recipe for feeling strong that’s for sure.

*Done from a deficit (2 bumper plates) and with an intentional lowering rather than uncontrolled descent.

[alex_uk]

@alex_uk

we came back from the cruise feeling knackered and needing a proper relaxing holiday and then had a few months of madness and emotional turmoil. This hasn’t yet stopped, but looks to all be finished with by the week before we go away, so seeing an opportunity, I went for it.

I should know better than to say silly things like this. It got more stressful and busier and now won’t subside post holiday. I’ve been busy and not really able to fully engage here, loved the conversations in the log, just don’t have capacity to reply in earnest - but thank you all, this is such a great forum.

Alongside the festival we also temporarily took on a very young baby (emergency placement for a few days), which went well, sweet little thing. Then they went back to a parent, which didn’t go so well, can’t say too much since I don’t hide my identity well here, but let’s just say some people are truly awful, long story short, an emotional time and now we have another child in our care! Two little ones m under 1, as well as our two, school holidays and working from home. I really need that holiday!

I’ve also not done any cardio, not sure I can really blame busyness and stress for that, or just the fact I always de-prioritise cardio at every possible opportunity/excuse, I might need to bring forward my running goal to force my hand.

[Frank_C]

@alex_uk

I’ve also not done any cardio, not sure I can really blame busyness and stress for that, or just the fact I always de-prioritise cardio at every possible opportunity/excuse,

You do supersets frequently. That counts. It may not improve your 5k time, but the ability to recover quickly from high intensity stuff is still conditioning. Don’t sell yourself short.

[alex_uk]

06/08/25 - 196

Experiments in expediency

A1) HH TBDL: 68, 108, 148kg x 8, 188kg x 5 128kg x 17
A2) Inc swiss bench: 50, 70, 80kg x 8, 90kg x 5 (3, 2), 60kg x 11
A3) standing cable crunch: 40kg x 8 x 5 sets

Chatting with the wife and talked about the need of maintaining some schedule despite the increased joy and burden of the new arrival. I said I’ll keep my training truncated but maybe increase the frequency, where possible.

That means maximum efficiency, giant sets, full body work. This was done in under 30 mins of hustle, sweat and very heavy breathing.

@Frank_C

That counts

It definitely did today.

Giant set - 8's

Giant set amrap

I screwed the filming in the top set, deads were good bench I nearly failed on 3 did the crunches and then did 2 more very nearly failing on the second, absolutely smoked me for the amrap, was shockingly weak by that point.

[T3hPwnisher]

Chatting with the wife and talked about the need of maintaining some schedule despite the increased joy and burden of the new arrival. I said I’ll keep my training truncated but maybe increase the frequency, where possible.

That means maximum efficiency, giant sets, full body work. This was done in under 30 mins of hustle, sweat and very heavy breathing.

An alternative to consider sometime could be the Dan John Easy Strength/Easy Strength for Fat Loss approach. You’ve got the home gym, which is perfect for this. Lifting workouts take 15 or so minutes, can use the remainder of the time to walk/row.

[alex_uk]

@T3hPwnisher

An alternative to consider sometime could be the Dan John Easy Strength/Easy Strength for Fat Loss approach

Thanks, I haven’t got any of his books and this fat loss phase is only a couple more weeks, but were you thinking more generally during the busyness? If so I’d happily pick up his book - does easy strength Omnibook cover all of the programs?

Morning weight - 195

Sleep was about midnight to 0030 when the pager went off, back to sleep at 0200, baby wake up and feed at 0430 and alarm at 0545.

Ran just over a mile mostly up hill to church for the Thursday prayer meeting, under 10 mins, started off feeling really great but was blowing hard at the end (massive long hill near the end and finished the last 50m ish with a sprint). Prayed, drank about a litre of black coffee, walked back.

[T3hPwnisher]

Thanks, I haven’t got any of his books and this fat loss phase is only a couple more weeks, but were you thinking more generally during the busyness? If so I’d happily pick up his book - does easy strength Omnibook cover all of the programs?

The Omnibook is an outstanding read, I feel like it’s his best work and I highly recommend it, but it’s 300+ pages, and given you have time constraints, this is an excellent summary of the whole thing

Easy Strength for Fat Loss | Dan John Workshop

In much the same way “Westside Barbell For Skinny Bastards” isn’t just for skinny bastards, and “Super Squats” isn’t just a program for squats, the name “For Fat Loss” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s only for fat loss. The reason why I bring up this variant is because it includes the post lifting cardio, which is something I’ve noticed you mentioning wanting to include while also cutting off when time gets short.

Dan fell into Easy Strength when he was in a similar situation as your own: life was busy and training time had to be reduced. This was a workout he could do in his home gym WHILE accomplishing life as well. Do a set of presses, go throw some laundry in the machine, another set of presses, boil some water for pasta, set of deadlifts, go check on the kids, etc. You get in the strength work to get in the strength work, get in the cardio to get in the cardio, and take care of life.

Frequency seems to be the secret, and Dan likes a 5 day a week program, but allows for 2, 3 and 5 days approaches.

[alex_uk]

@T3hPwnisher

The Omnibook is an outstanding read, I feel like it’s his best work and I highly recommend it

It’ll be added to the reading list, I’m hoping to make a dent in that thing when in Rhodes, but it’s a sizeable list, that just keeps growing.

@T3hPwnisher

this is an excellent summary of the whole thing

Will have a good listen.

@T3hPwnisher

You get in the strength work to get in the strength work, get in the cardio to get in the cardio, and take care of life.

Sounds good, I like efficient training.

But on that note, the Mrs needed to pick up the eldest who was an hour away, so had 2 hours to myself - called up a firefighter who left to go to the navy and just passed out, so has plenty of free time and hit this up (it was not efficient, lots of catching up and chewing the cud).

Box squats (BS) and squats to box (S2B)

BS: 60, 100, 120, 140kg x 5 160kg x 2 + 3 S2B, 120kg x 12 BS, 120kg x 20 S2B

Log: 50kg x 5 x 2, 60kg x 5, 70kg 1.5 - all cleaning first rep

Log floor to OHP: 50kg x 8

Sandbag carry: 90kg x 45 seconds, 60 secs rest x 3, 90kg x 30 sec carry, 75kg x 30 sec carry (was virtually running with this one, mate had been using it the whole time while I’d been using 90kg, we switched and I took the opportunity to lap him, need 90kg to be this easy).

Sandbag over bar - 50 inch (ish) 110kg x f (hit the bar), 110kg x 1.

The guy I trained with is 24, fit and strong (got all the top recruit, fastest times etc) so it was good to hang with him, I’d be stronger overall whilst he’d be fitter, but glad to see there wasn’t too much in it either way. Always good to train with people who love to push themselves.

[alex_uk]

It’s nearly 3am and I’ve had about an hour of sleep, which was broken as well, two babies and an on call job are challenging.

But I’m writing to give everyone a laugh, and share an aspect of firefighting you don’t see on TV. Having been called out to a fire that was in someone’s garden, as the incident commander I’m first out and checking things out before committing to any action. Anyway this evening. I have to go through someone’s hedge to reach the fire on the otherside to find someone else burning stuff in their back garden, it’s starting to impact the tree canopy above and so I asked him to douse it a bit just to knock it back, he’s hesitant (clearly doesn’t want to) and I’m not in the mood, so just grab his watering can and have at it, as I’m going round this bonfire I fail to see this small decorative pond… yup right foot, straight in, fortunately not all of me. I wasn’t laughing at the time, but made me smile afterwards.

Still got baby number 1 awake who was woken up by baby number 2, who’s now asleep, tomorrow is going to suck, good job I’d just bought a new coffee bean grinder and have an absurd quantity of coffee!

[alex_uk]

11/08/25 - 196

Gs1:

A1) seated OHP: 20, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80kg x 5, 60kg x 10, 8, 8, 11

Seat OHP 80kg x 5

A2) NG chin ups: 5 x 9 sets, 10 x 1 set

A3) kneeling cable crunch: 40kg x 8 x 9 sets, 20 x 1 set

Gs2:

B1) BtN press: 40kg x 8 x 4 sets

B2) lat pulldown 80kg x 12 x 4 sets

B3) leg raises off dip bars: 5 x 4 sets

By the end of the day my food will look like

Less than two weeks, getting serious on the diet! Using Shelby Starnes 2 weeks to shredded, slightly cut short, because a) it’s close enough time frame wise b) I’m not a million miles off where I want to be c) I’ve not counted calories until today, this pushes me to do so d) it’s hard and I hate not having carbs - worth trying something that’s the polar opposite of my usual approach. Doing hard things, just because.

Went a bit less adventurous on the exercises selection today, baby 1 got back off to sleep at 4am, baby 2 woke at 6, I basically had 2.5 hours split up through the night, so conscious that I’m probably more susceptible to injury, particularly given the diet, and I can still train hard (and I did) just on a smarter selection of movements.

I also avoided lower body because I have a slight groin strain… if you’re going to fall in a pond, do it bilaterally…

[alex_uk]

12/08/25 - 194.75

Another terrible night, this time two calls outs only 1 baby waking. Fortunately I’ve got what it takes to make it through the day…

This low carb & low fat dieting is interesting.

Right now it’s basically living like some supermodel with bigger portions:

Everything is just lean meat and salad!

[alex_uk]

12/08/25 - evening, it’s freaking hot.

Box squats above parallel: 60, 100, 120, 140, 160kg x 3

Box squat 140kg x 3

Box squat 160kg x 3

Parallel: 120kg x 3

Box squat 120kg x 3

The intention was to hit some sets with this weight and depth but my elbow really got angry at this point.

Low handle TB Deadlift: 68, 108, 148kg X5, 188kg x 1, 128kg x 18

Low handle TBDL 188kg x 1

Had intended to do 5 on the top set, but clearing the floor felt like I popped both pecs (I didn’t, just had a super weird sensation) and it was an ugly lift, probably could have grinded a few more out but not worth it. Went for it on the reps afterwards and beat the high handle score I set the other day, there was more in the tank, but just getting 1 more rep was enough for today.

[alex_uk]

Macros for the day are slightly over:

I could trim back the Greek yogurt for my final snack, but since I’ve even been recording salad and almost all of my additional calories and macros have been in protein, I think I’ll be fine. That and I like to consistency of the last meal/pudding I don’t particularly want to mess with it, less Greek yogurt will probably make it sweeter.

[shaneinga]

Nice squatting Alex. I have heard it recommended to do high rep band press downs to help build up your elbows. Using something like an elite FTS monster mini. Lots of reps, couple hundred at a time, done throughout the week. This is supposed to build up your tendons and help bullet proof your elbows. Have you ever tried anything like that? I have tried them and they “seem” to help.

[alex_uk]

Thanks for the suggestion, I haven’t but could be an easy thing to implement, just throw it in at the beginning of each session!

I haven’t really done anything to be honest, it’s only my left and I suspect it’s because I hold babies on that side, just repetitive strain type thing. I did poundstones a while back probably similar thing to the band pulldowns. Might be worth throwing both at it and see if there’s any improvement.

[alex_uk]

Still slightly high on the carbs, even having dropped 250g of greek yogurt (my worst culprit), turns out onions are doing my dirty as well.

That was breakfast.

[simo74]

@alex_uk

squats above parallel

@Cyrrex just calls those squats mate