Alpha V

Training Training Logs
41

“It wasn’t until my late twenties that I learned that by working out I had given myself a great gift. I learned that nothing good comes without work and a certain amount of pain. When I finish a set that leaves me shaking, I know more about myself. When something gets bad, I know it can’t be as bad as that workout.” --Henry Rollins

Aside from being the strongest guy in this forum, your life ideas are really good.

42

[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
Looking forward to seeing your performance at the Platinum level dude. You’ve definitely got the stuff to go pro.[/quote]

Gotta second this. Cannot wait to see more dominating from you.

43

FarmerOwen: Hahahaha noted brother! Right now I’m going to be honest. It is some serious competition! I actually think every single guy in my weight class is a Nationals veteran. There are quite a few guys on the list that have caught my attention, but then again, I am sure there are a few who are worried about me as well. Time will tell. Oh and thanks for asking about the interview! It went really, really well. In fact the reporter and I sat in my gym and talked for almost 2 hours. Then they sent out a guy to do a photo shoot with me the next day. The story is going to run on Christmas day. I am not sure if that is a good thing or bad thing, but at least it will be on a date i will remember for a while! Thanks for checking in brother!

biker: Man, that is a huge compliment! I really, really appreciate it man!

Vinny: Thank you so much for that man! Having the nod from both you and pwnisher means a lot brother! When are you throwing your hat back in the ring?

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“It’s not hard to decide what you want your life to be about. What’s hard, is figuring out what you’re willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about.” --Shauna Niequist

WEDNESDAY, 23DECEMBER2015 - Work For Today
Wave 3/Week 8/Day 3

MORNING WORKOUT
CONDITIONING - 6 Rounds
:30 Seconds Max Reps Viper Press
:30 Seconds Max Reps Bodyweight Man Makers
:30 Seconds Max Reps Jumping Lunges
:30 Seconds Rest

Then did a bunch of sandbag carries. Not sure how many, but it was plenty…

Rolling Thunder Deadlift - Worked up to a max of 150 with my left hand and 160 with my right.

AFTERNOON WORKOUT - STRENGTH ASSISTANCE
Double Overhand Axle Power Cleans
135x3
185x3
205x3
225x3
245x3
275x3
300xNope
300xStill nope
275x3

Pinch grip work
Rolling thunder handle rows
90x6 Each Side
115x5 each side
135x3 each side
115x5 each side

Dumbbell pinch holds (Holding onto the head of metal Hex dumbbells)
25’s, 30’s 35’s

NOTES:

  • Today was just basically messing around in the gym. My legs are still pretty crippled and not ready for work yet so i was just kind of going from thing to thing.
  • The rolling Thunder is the most humbling piece of equipment ever. But I can only imagine how it is going to help my grip strength. And it always seems like if my grip strength goes up, my overall strength increases as well.
  • I bought 3 iron mind sandbags, so I filled them and played with them today. They are a massive step upward compared to using old military issued duffle bags.
  • Oh and for those of you who wanted are interested in my 100 book New Year’s resolution from 2015, it is all finished up. You can get the full list and my ranking of each on my site. Just click on the link on my Twitter page: https://twitter.com/NEVERsate it is a couple of tweets down. Or you can go directly to my site in the articles section. But I know the mods won’t let me post it here, so you will have to find your own way there. I really appreciate all of the support from you guys!
44

I checked out your list of books. Quite impressive, since a great deal of them aren’t really light to digest.
Ever thought about dropping in some different languages in their (do you speak more than 1?)? Or maybe some informative ones, on a particular subject?

45

Always good to come get some work in man! I definitely picked the best time of year to drop some weight…here is a link to the info on that tournament I’m doing. http://missionsubmission.tv/latest-tournament Gonna try to make it down again in the next couple weeks!

46

[quote]Alpha wrote:

Vinny: Thank you so much for that man! Having the nod from both you and pwnisher means a lot brother! When are you throwing your hat back in the ring?

[/quote]

I have my sights on 2016. Not even to qualify for nats or anything insane. I’ll definitely have a lot of acclimating to do, so just a local chilled out comp would be more than enough for me to get the fire going again.

47

Pano: Unfortunately, I am a stupid American. Most of us only speak one language. i know a little spanish, but not nearly enough to read any books in it. As far as informative ones, what type of things would you suggest?

BJack: I love having you there man! I am definitely going to try and make it out to your tournament! I think it is going to be a great thing for you to do!

Vinny: I think you will do great man! And who knows, you may just end up at Nationals and we can meet up in person! I look forward to seeing how you do man! I think you have a great base to do really well!

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“However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not so bad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. The fault-finder will find faults even in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poorhouse. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the almshouse as brightly as from the rich man’s abode; the snow melts before its door as early in the spring. I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there, and have as cheering thoughts, as in a palace.” – Henry David Thoreau

SATURDAY, 26DECEMBER2015 - Work For Today
Wave 3/Week 8/Day 6

DYNAMIC EFFORT - LOWER
At the top of every minute for 10 Minutes
2 Banded SSB Box Squats @ 270lbs + 300lbs of Band Tension at the top

STRONGMAN
Circus Dumbbell: My Buddy Gregg came to the gym today and helped me on my technique with these. His tips really helped me improve a lot. I was only doing 125lbs but got a decent number of reps in.

DEADLIFTS - Worked up to 585 from the floor, then did a bunch of singles against average grey bands in weights ranging from 135-405lbs

KEG CARRY - 250b keg
1 Run x 100 Feet
1 Run x 150 Feet
1 Run x 200 Feet
1 Run x 250 Feet

NOTES:

  • It was a bad lifting day for me, but I walked away feeling ok about it simply from the Circus Dumbbell and Keg Work. The deadlift was just not there today. Maybe my CNS is still fried from last week’s Squat PRs But it just wasn’t there today. I know i have 700 in the tank, I just need to hit it on the right day.
48

You 'Muricans, hahaha.

About informative books: most Uni’s have a catalog online with their courses. If you don’t have the time/money/intention to follow all these courses (like most people), you still can borrow the books used most of the time. That way you can study a subject for yourself without a Uni that’s a pain in the ass. And since most students don’t read the books, you will be more knowledgeable than 60% of the graduates.

49

alpha,

Back when you were programming 4x8, 5x5, 10x3 did you ever rotate exercises or just cycle the reps. Would you do an entire phase with one exercise and then go to another exercise for the next phase?

Btw, have you ever considered writing an ebook based on your training methods?

50

Pano: You know man, i have actually done that very thing in the past. I also bough a complete version of the Harvard classics from 1919 that I have never read through. I may have to dust some of those off and see what interests me. Great idea brother!

Animal Mother: Thanks for the questions and good to hear from you man. Well, Most of the time i kept the exercises mostly the same. Some variations here or there, maybe with the grip or angle, but I have found that basic exercises build basic strength and mass. After that, you are just hitting weak points. Especially with a linear program.

And it is funny you should mention the ebook thing, I am actually meeting with someone tomorrow evening to talk about that exact thing. I’ll see what I can find out, but it is definitely something I would like to pursue.

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“If you’re going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind. It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. It could mean mockery–isolation. Isolation is the gift. All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it. And, you’ll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine. If you’re going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that. You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire. You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It’s the only good fight there is.” --Charles Bukowski

MONDAY, 28DECEMBER2015 - Work For Today
Wave 4/Week 9/Day 1

STRENGTH - Maximum Effort Lower
3" Deficit Deadlifts
135
225
315
405
500
550
585
610
635 (PR)

BACK OFF SETS - @ 80% (505lbs) - 3 Rounds
3" Deficit Deadlifts @ 505lbs
10 Axle Ab Roll-Outs

ASSISTANCE - 4 Rounds
:45 seconds Reverse Hypers @ 180lbs

NOTES:

  • I was actually really happy with how the deadlifts went considering how badly they were going yesterday. I know f I cam in fresh, I probably had 655 in me.
  • the 4 rounds of :45 seconds of Reverse Hypers had my hamstrings and lower back completely fried and gorged with blood. They have to be helping…
  • The Newspaper story about me came out on Christmas day. If you haven’t seen it through my other social media outlets, I just posted it on the Articles section of my site. Give it a read if you are interested. Thanks for the support everyone!
51

Great minds alike, eh?

I just googled the Harvard Classics…damn, that is a fortune to purchase, and two fortunes of knowledge embodied. Some works I am certainly planning on reading one day. Digesting that would be an lofty goal.

Did you get some good book tips from uni’s? And what are some of your studyfields of intrest?

The interview is great! No kidding, nobody is sucking your dick, nobody is being a dick, it is just a honest review as you as a man. Objective, without really pushing the opinion one way. I can really appreciate that. Weird to see you depicted like that haha. You looked jacked.

Keep up the great work

52

Awesome article, I really enjoyed it! I hope it gives you some more well deserved publicity. I also enjoyed the book list. I’m going to start reading more and there are some good ideas on there I’ll add to my list. Congratulations on getting to 100 books.

53

Pano: Actually, that set only cost me around $100. I bought it a few years ago after Chris Shugart mentioned it in one of his post on here. I haven’t had much time to consider what topics just yet, but philosophy is always something I love to read. Once I figure it out, I will let you know.

And thanks for the kind words man, I’m glad you like the article.

Roran: Thanks brother! They made me sound pretty nice in the article, which i really appreciated! If you need suggestions, just let me know! I hope things are going well for you brother!

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“I’m saying to be a hero is means you step across the line and are willing to make a sacrifice, so heroes always are making a sacrifice. Heroes always take a risk. A Hero is always deviant. Heroes always doing something that most people don’t…Heroes are those who can somehow resist the power of the situation and act out of noble motives, or behave in ways that do not demean others when they easily can.” --Philip Zimbardo

TUESDAY, 29DECEMBER2015 - Work For Today
Wave 4/Week 9/Day 2

STRENGTH
Vacillated between Log Incline Bench and Farmer’s Walks to work up to heavy singles…

Log incline Bench Press Weights:
155x3
245x3
300x2
335x1
385xNope
355x1

Farmer’s Weights (All runs were 50 Feet)
135 per hand
225 per hand
275 per hand
315 per hand
340 per hand …Only made it about 30 feet before I dropped it. Would have been a PR. I was unhappy.

NOTES:

  • I cut the workout there. I was running on fumes and was hoping beyond hope that I would turn out something respectable today but it wasn’t in the cards.
  • Pretty disappointed in the Log Incline Bench. I have hit 385 before, it went about 1/2 way up and just stalled. No bueno. Not really sure what is going on here.
  • Farmer’s went a little bit better, but i was really hoping to walk away with a PR. My grip felt decent, but as I was walking, my left thumb kept catching on my shorts which slowly worked my hand right off the handle. Made it about 30 feet before I couldn’t hold it any longer.
  • Bad workout. Sometimes these things just happen. it is ok though.

—On a really awesome note, Steven Pressfield’s (the author of War of Art, Gates of Fire, etc…) people somehow got a hold of the article written about me and saw that I had mentioned “the war of art” in my interview. They contacted me to thank me for the shout out. Since he is one of my favorite authors, i was stunned and humbled that they would do that. Really, really cool. He even went so far as to link my article to his Facebook page and Twitter feed. Really stoked about that.

54

Great to hear about Pressfield! And keep us posted about your mental development too haha.

I won’t feel bad about the workout. Easy to say as a outsider, but you still did a lot of quite heavy work. For a guy running on his fumes, I don’t see any harm in not killing yourself.

55

Word of the day: Vacillated

Love it.

Loving the new log Alpha

56

Pano: Thanks man, i appreciate that!

dagill: Hahaha thanks for reading man!

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“Somewhere along the line we seem to have confused comfort with happiness.” – Dean Karnazes

WEDNESDAY, 30DECEMBER2015 - Work For Today
Wave 4/Week 9/Day 3

CONDITONING - 175lb Atlas Stone
Minute 1: 1 Stone to Shoulder / 1 Burpee Jumping over the stone
Minute 2: 2 Stone to Shoulder / 2 Burpees Jumping over the stone
Minute 3: 3 Stone to Shoulder / 3 Burpees Jumping over the stone
Minute 4: 4 Stone to Shoulder / 4 Burpees Jumping over the stone
Minute 5: 5 Stone to Shoulder / 5 Burpees Jumping over the stone
Minute 6: 6 Stone to Shoulder / 6 Burpees Jumping over the stone
Minute 7: 5 Stone to Shoulder / 5 Burpees Jumping over the stone
Minute 8: 4 Stone to Shoulder / 4 Burpees Jumping over the stone
Minute 9: 3 Stone to Shoulder / 3 Burpees Jumping over the stone
Minute 10: 3 Stone to Shoulder / 3 Burpees Jumping over the stone

This sucked.

Then this afternoon i was just playing around with the rolling thunder handle working up weights on single arm deadlifts (got to around 155 or so) and then a few rounds of max effort holds/swings @ 135lbs.

57

“My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to make them better.” --Steve Jobs

FRIDAY, 01JANUARY2015 - Work For Today
Wave 4/Week 9/ Day 5

CONDITIONING
10 Muscle-Ups
55 Unbroken Dips
3:30 Plank

10 Muscle-Ups
35 Unbroken Dips
3:30 Plank

10 Muscle-Ups
25 Unbroken Dips
3:30 Plank

STRENGTH - Dynamic Effort Lower
At the top of Every Minute for 10 Minutes
2 Banded SSB Box Squats @ 210 + 300lbs of Band Tension

ASSISTANCE - 3 Rounds
12 Sumo Stance Stiff Leg Deadlifts
12 Banded Good Mornings
1:00 Plank

NOTES:

  • I have been playing around with Pwnisher’s idea of high rep dips and was able to hit an unbroken set of 55 today. I am not sure, but that might be a PR for me. You can see the set in the video below.
  • I also added a video of one of my muscle-up sets.
  • Today was all about speed. I have heavy SSB box squats on monday, so I stayed a little bit lighter today.

In this video I’ve included the Muscle-ups, 55 Dips, 605lb & 635lb 3" Deficit Deadlifts, a 680 (340 each hand) Farmer’s Walk and a tire flip/Zercher Yoke Carry Medley. I hope you guys like it! as always, thanks for the support!

58

Hope you enjoy those dips man. They’ve been pretty nice to me. Looked like another awesome workout for sure.

59

Things are going great thanks! I hope the same can be said for you; at least it looks like training os going pretty well from the log lately. I’m always amazed at the muscleups. Two years ago I would have said it was impossible for someone your size. My definition of impossible gets smaller and smaller the longer these logs go on haha.

60

Pwnisher: Thanks man, much like you, i am definitely hoping it carries over to my overhead and bench press. It is really inspiring to see how you are still finding ways to push yourself working around your knee. If your attitude and aggression was applied by more people, this world would be a better place. Keep up the awesome work man!

Roran: That is a huge compliment man, i really appreciate that! And yea, honestly, the main reason why i post things like muscle-ups and handstand walks is to try to broaden people’s thinking of what is and isn’t possible (At least in the lifting world). You would not believe how often a larger human being tells me that things like muscle-ups are impossible for guys my size. When i show them a video of me performing such “impossible” things, then the excuse quickly changes to something along the lines of, “yea, but you’re different!” If i had a quarter for every time people had said that I am a genetic freak or that “it is easy for me” I’d be a rich man. But you have met me in real life… I’m not any more special than the next guy, I just refuse to believe that reality. Belief changes my world. I see such good things coming up for you brother, i really appreciate you taking the time to stop in a leave a comment like that. Made my day.

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“Never say that you can’t do something, or that something seems impossible, or that something can’t be done, no matter how discouraging or harrowing it may be; human beings are limited only by what we allow ourselves to be limited by: our own minds. We are each masters of our own reality; when we become self-aware to this: absolutely anything in the world is possible.
Master yourself, and become king of the world around you. Let no odds, chastisement, exile, doubt, fear, or any mental virus prevent you from accomplishing your dreams. Never be a victim of life; be it?s conqueror.” --Mike Norton

SUNDAY, 03JANUARY2016 - Work For Today
Wave 4/Week 9/Day 7

STRENGTH - Dynamic Effort Upper
At the Top of Every Minute for 10 Minutes, completed
3 Banded Bench Presses @ 225lbs + Doubled Blue Bands

ASSISTANCE - 4 Rounds
15 Barbell Rows @ 275lbs
10 Plyometric Push-Ups onto 18" Blocks
6 Kettlebell Windmills (Each Side)

STRONGMAN - 5 Rounds
Sandbag Suicides @ 200lb Sandbag
Picked the monstrosity up,
“ran” 30 feet forward, turned, carried 30 feet back to start.
Turned, went 40 feet, turned, came back.
Turned, went 50 feet, turned, came back.
Fell over and used said monstrosity as a pillow for 2 Minutes rest between Rounds…

Hated my life? Check.
Wanted to throw up by round 4? Check.
Happy I decided to do it instead of laying on my couch? Still deciding. Standby, will advise.