Alpha's Work 3

Training Training Logs
1081

Hey Alpha

Still checking in on the log most days, been enjoying/using all the tips from your latest form posts/articles recently so thanks for sharing. Always have a quick look at your latest posts when i need some ideas for conditioning as well.

Just want to ask for a little advice if that’s cool. As i’ve said before i’m a massive fan of your previous style of training (giant sets, ramping up and down, adding weight each session) and recently after a 6 week or so strength phase i broke a load of PR’s using it, 1rm bench turned into my 3rm bench, 1rm front squat to 5rm front squat etc. I seem to have stalled now, have you got any thoughts on what i should do next?
My main strength movements are deadlift, front squat, bench and military press, so something based around these and still incorporating the full body giant set style which i love. i use things like weighted pull ups, dips, SLDL for accessory. Maybe something based on what youve been doing recently, with low medium and high intensity days.

Thanks for any help/advice you can give me man.

1082

Regev: That is awesome man, thanks for sharing that!

BJack: Yea man, that 3 minute set really sucks! We miss you at the gym brother!

Joe_89: Well man, it really depends on what rep range you were using. If you were doing 10x3, I’d switch to 4x8’s arming up for 5 weeks or so, then switch it to 5x5’s for another 5 weeks, then going back to 10x3.

If you wanted to base it more off percentages, I would recommend running something similar to the Cube method. That will give you all of your high, medium, low intensity day set ups. Your weeks may look something like this:

Week 1
Day 1: High Intensity Deads
Day 2: medium intensity Bench
Day 3: Low intensity Front Squats
Day 4: High intensity OHP

Week 2
Day 1: medium Intensity deads
Day 2: Low Intensity Bench
Day 3: High Intensity Front Squats
Day 4: Medium intensity OHP

Week 3
D1: L/I deads
D2: H/I Bench
D3: M/I Front Squats
D4: L/I OHP

Week 4 would go back up to the same pattern as week 1 but @ 5% or so higher weights

You can continue to cycle the program like this for around 10 weeks, then i would reload and try to set new PR’s to base your percentages off of.

I hope that answers your question and helps you would brother!

================================================
“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” --Harriet Beecher Stowe

“Don’t quit. Never give up trying to build the world you can see, even if others can’t see it. Listen to your drum and your drum only. It’s the one that makes the sweetest sound.” --Simon Sinek

WEDNESDAY, 21JANUARY2015 - Work For Today
Wave 3/Day 9

CONDITIONING
“Bring Sally Up” Front Squats. Bar stays in front rack position the entire time. Every time the song tells you to “Bring Sally down” drop into the hole and stay there until you are told to bring her back up. - Performed this with 145lbs

STRENGTH - 7 Rounds
3 Weighted Pull-Ups: 90, 115, 135, 145, 160, 170, 180lbs
2 Axle Strict Presses @ 245lbs
1 Minute Weighted Plank

EVENTS
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Reps of
2" Axle Continental Clean @ 245lbs
Double Unders x3 (10 = 30 Double Unders, 9 = 27 DU?s, 8 = 24DU?s, etc.)

NOTES:

  • Strict Presses felt good tonight. Everything smooth
  • Weighted pull-ups seem to be coming back around.
  • The event portion was tough. Higher rep Continental Cleans kill me. It is a lot of breath holding for every rep.
1083

It’s amazing you’re making progress with a heavy travel schedule.

Are you still traveling with lots of Metabolic Drive in water bottles? Any tips for getting through airport security with lots of white powder in your carry on?

1084

[quote]LiftingStrumpet wrote:
It’s amazing you’re making progress with a heavy travel schedule.

Are you still traveling with lots of Metabolic Drive in water bottles? Any tips for getting through airport security with lots of white powder in your carry on?[/quote]

I had forgotten about the massive amounts of Metabolic Drive I used to read about haha. My go to snack/meal-on-the-go has been Metabolic Drive mixed nuts and raisins for the last two years and now I remember where I picked that up from

1085

Liftingstrumpet: Yes I am. I am never without empty water bottles with a few scoops of Metabolic Drive and BCAA powder. Add that to some raw vegetables and some fish oil caps and you have a meal anywhere. In my experience, TSA doesn’t care too much about traveling around with dry powder in ziploc bags or empty water bottles. If they stop you for it, I’d just explain what it is and you should be fine. I personally, have never been flagged for it. I hope that helps.

Roran: Hahahaha yea man, I have been eating mixed nuts like it is going out of style as well!

=====================================================
“There’s a storm inside of us. I’ve heard many team guys speak of this. A burning. A river. A drive. An unrelenting desire to push yourself harder and further than anyone could think possible. Pushing ourselves into those cold, dark corners, where the bad things live. Where the bad things fight. We wanted that fight at the highest volume. A loud fight. The loudest, coldest, darkest, most unpleasant of the unpleasant fights.” --Marcus Luttrell

THURSDAY, 22JANUARY2015 - Work For Today
Wave 3/Day 10

CONDITIONING - 12 Rounds
100 Foot Prowler Push
50 Foot Yoke Walk: 360, 450, 540, 630, 720, 810, 810, 720, 630, 720, 630, 630
Rest 2 Minutes rest between rounds

STRENGTH
Double Paused Deadlifts: 315, 405, 455, 495, 515, 545, 565, 575

1086

[quote]Alpha wrote:
Liftingstrumpet: Yes I am. I am never without empty water bottles with a few scoops of Metabolic Drive and BCAA powder. Add that to some raw vegetables and some fish oil caps and you have a meal anywhere. In my experience, TSA doesn’t care too much about traveling around with dry powder in ziploc bags or empty water bottles. If they stop you for it, I’d just explain what it is and you should be fine. I personally, have never been flagged for it. I hope that helps.
[/quote]

I got flagged by TSA in August when I was flying from PHX to STL. I had a 600g bottle of the ON Micronized Creatine Powder, among a few other supplements, in my carry on bag. I explained its purpose (the broad had zero clue what Creatine even was), and then I waited while she read the label, consulted with a superordinate, and then opened the lid and did some sort of a smell test. It probably slowed me down about 5 minutes or so, but they let it pass.

1087

[quote]JR249 wrote:

[quote]Alpha wrote:
Liftingstrumpet: Yes I am. I am never without empty water bottles with a few scoops of Metabolic Drive and BCAA powder. Add that to some raw vegetables and some fish oil caps and you have a meal anywhere. In my experience, TSA doesn’t care too much about traveling around with dry powder in ziploc bags or empty water bottles. If they stop you for it, I’d just explain what it is and you should be fine. I personally, have never been flagged for it. I hope that helps.
[/quote]

I got flagged by TSA in August when I was flying from PHX to STL. I had a 600g bottle of the ON Micronized Creatine Powder, among a few other supplements, in my carry on bag. I explained its purpose (the broad had zero clue what Creatine even was), and then I waited while she read the label, consulted with a superordinate, and then opened the lid and did some sort of a smell test. It probably slowed me down about 5 minutes or so, but they let it pass.[/quote]

Thank you both. I haven’t seen too many jacked TSA agents in my travels, so their ignorance doesn’t surprise me. I’m a little OCD about packing and HATE seeing my luggage get searched! I might just grab some cheap whey after I land. It would be worth it to me to avoid the hassle.

1088

So I decided to step up my finishers and threw in one of your ideas… The 400m chaser with a 30 lb medicine ball. That’s no joke! Haha definitely had some people look at me weird. Anyways I know there’s no perfect way to hold it but I was wondering how it is you did it? Shoulder carrying it was easiest but I know your not one for doing things the easy way. Haha but thanks again for the great idea! Keep up the grind man!

1089

JR249: Yea man, I have had to explain what it was a few times and always offer to put some in my mouth. But usually after I say that, they just drop the issue and let me go.

LiftingStrumpet: I can understand that, you could always check the bag with your supplements in it, but I hate checking any bags when I travel.

gvaldes: No joke, right!?! They are very hard. A lot harder than people assume. If I am on a track treadmill I will run 100m with it in chest pass position, 100m right shoulder, 100m left shoulder and then finish the last 100m in chest pass position again. Doing this takes me right to the point where i completely hate my life before I get to switch positions. That is what works for me. If you really want to hate your life bear hug a small atlas stone the entire time for a 400m run. You will learn to love the medicine ball quickly!

===================================================
“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Be a voice not an echo.” --Albert Einstein

FRIDAY, 23JANUARY2015 - Work For Today
Wave 4/Day 1

CONDITIONING - Go through 7 rounds in 15 Minutes
3 Barbell Bent Over Rows @ 380lbs
3 Bench Presses @ 380lbs
8 Box Jumps
8 Medicine Ball Slams

STRENGTH
1 Squat @ 550lbs
1 Squat @ 575lbs
1 Squat @ 585lbs
1 Squat @ 610lbs
1 Squat @ 610lbs
1 Squat @ 610lbs

EVENTS - 5 Rounds
8 Tire Flips As Fast As Possible
2 Minutes Rest Between Rounds

NOTES:

  • Bench felt smooth but have a lot of pain in my right elbow and left bicep from the yoke walks yesterday.
  • Left bicep was aching pretty good by the time I finished up my squats. 610 was heavy but doable. I should be moving up on weight with these in the next few weeks, hopefully beating my 640lb PR
1090

Alpha Dude! Question for ya, is there anything in specific you do or would recommend for tendon health, specifically in the hands and forearms?

1091

FarmerOwen: Hmmmmm tendon health…Honestly man, I thinking keeping your good dietary fat intake high is what will keep the inflammation down which (in my head at least) equals healthier tendons…I would say MOST of my macros come from things that either had a mom or a face and good fats like avocados, almonds, fish oil, grass fed butter, raw milk, Omega 3 Eggs, EVOO, Coconut oil, walnuts, etc…Then i just load up with as many vegetables as I can handle each meal AFTER I the other stuff. I noticed in your log when you listed your meals for the day that you could use a lot more fat in there.

I still feel beat up every day and the “floating pain” always falls somewhere each morning, but it is not bad enough that I cannot train through it. I chalk that up 100% to my diet. I hope that helps brother!

====================================================
Finished up books 7 & 8 out of 100 today

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Dave Eggers

Unbeatable Mind, Mark Divine

1092

[quote]FarmerOwen wrote:
Alpha Dude! Question for ya, is there anything in specific you do or would recommend for tendon health, specifically in the hands and forearms? [/quote]
I am not Alpha, but what kind of tendon issues are you having? As a rock climber of 13 yrs, I have had to deal with tons of issues from the elbows up.

1093

Alpha dude! Thank so much I’ll definitely throw more butter into my diet but on the coconut oil, do you feel its superior grape seed oil?
I only ask 'cause grape seed is what we have i the pantry, also I take 2000 mg of fish oil every day should I increase that? Again dude thank you for your time and advice!

1094

FarmerOwen: Ecchastang has a good point, as a climber he may have a lot more insight than I do. What kind of problems are you having?

also grape seed oil is pretty good, but I prefer coconut oil. You may as well use what you have then give the coconut oil a chance next time you get to the grocery store. Also I am assuming the 2,000mg of fish oil is 1 Capsule? No lie, I take 10-12 of those a day or 6 flameouts a day. Everyone is different, but I’d definitely consider upping that. You won’t believe how much better your joints will feel.

===================================================
“Don’t count the days, make the days count.” --Muhammad Ali

“There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.” --Christopher Morley

“Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.” --Charles Kettering

SUNDAY, 25JANUARY2015 - Work For Today
Wave 4/Day 3

CONDITIONING - 3:00 Minutes Work / 1:00 Minute Rest for 3 Rounds
10 Pull-Ups
5 Suitcase Deadlifts Left Side 155lbs
5 Burpee Lateral Jumps Over the Bar
5 Suitcase Deadlifts Right Side 155lbs
5 Clean & Press (Clean each Rep) 155lbs

STRENGTH - Power Cleans
225x5
245x5
275x5
300x3
315x3
335x3
355x1
365x1
375x1

EVENTS - 6 Rounds
3 Front Squats @ 380lbs
Max Effort Plate Farmer’s Walk (Pinch 2-3 Metal pates together, smooth sides facing out and walk as far as you can) - Used 2 -25lb steel plate for this

1095

Hi man,
I just got back from the gym after two months off focusing more on running and BW workouts but I want to step up my strength. Any tips or recommendation regarding to a routine outline or something? Many tnx as always.

1096

I was going to ask if you trained while sick, but I saw some posts from last year where you did some stuff while sick.

I caught the flu a few days ago, and between full-body aches and my head about to explode and feeling like complete shit, I haven’t felt like doing anything whatsoever. Disregarding any liabilities about giving medical-related advice, do you generally encourage people to continue training through illness? Has it ever stopped you from training?

1097

Regev: I would be happy to help you out man, but what are your goals looking like for this? Are you still dealing with that stress fracture? Any exercises you are staying away from? But really, the most important question is what are you trying to accomplish? I knew your previous goal, but am unsure if that is still the direction you are headed or not. Let me know brother and I’ll try to help you out.

elliottcorum: Well man, it would depend on how sick I am. If I am puking my brains out already, training is probably not in the stars for that day. But if I have flu like symptoms such as aches and nausea then I will usually drive on. If it is just some sort of cold or sore throat I am definitely training.

I would tell someone to listen to their body to an extent. If you are really bad off then training is probably only going to make you worse. But in most cases, I think sweating some of the hate out works wonders. I hope that answers your question brother, and welcome to the log!

1098

[quote]Alpha wrote:
FarmerOwen: Ecchastang has a good point, as a climber he may have a lot more insight than I do. What kind of problems are you having?

also grape seed oil is pretty good, but I prefer coconut oil. You may as well use what you have then give the coconut oil a chance next time you get to the grocery store. Also I am assuming the 2,000mg of fish oil is 1 Capsule? No lie, I take 10-12 of those a day or 6 flameouts a day. Everyone is different, but I’d definitely consider upping that. You won’t believe how much better your joints will feel.

[/quote] Alpha Dude! Thanks a ton for the dietary advice man definitely gonna up my fats and Ecchastangs was a huge help! This is what I posted in his log regarding my problem: The more I think about it I thinks its both tendon and nerve…the other day I was yanking on the pull start on our ATV when I felt a pop in my left hand but it felt fine afterward so I thought nothing of it then when I was giving my mom a therapeutic massage it popped again.

And the next day on and off my hand and forearm “tingle” like they are asleep but function normal with the exception of grip power being about 50% ish when not feeling like that I’d say grip is between 75-90%. Also, now my right hand is starting to do the same thing, without the popping incident and when I squeeze the bar for Dl’s, row, presses ect. I feel a sharp pain momentarily the tendons in my forearms with it being sharpest at the wrist. Sorry for the long answer and thank you again for your time and any advice!

1099

[quote]Alpha wrote:
Regev: I would be happy to help you out man, but what are your goals looking like for this? Are you still dealing with that stress fracture? Any exercises you are staying away from? But really, the most important question is what are you trying to accomplish? I knew your previous goal, but am unsure if that is still the direction you are headed or not. Let me know brother and I’ll try to help you out.[/quote]
Ye man, I’m still dealing with the stress fracture but it’s getting a lot better. I started today supplementing with calcium, magnesium and fish oil which is always good to accelerate the healing process. I’m still getting ready for military, I’m heading exactly where I want to. And as you said in the past, we soldiers need everything! strength,muscle endurance etc.

Actually I have a plan which I think is pretty good. Every morning I’ll do some kind of different intensities aerobic (running or swimming, rotating between intervals, LSD and 15-20 min of volume work).
As for training in the gym I’ll train 3 days a week, starting every workout with a giant set of a big leg compound, upper body push and upper body pull (Squat+Military+Row, Deadlift+Bench+Chinup) or maybe I’ll do before clean or snatch. After that I’ll do BW circuit of leg movement (such as GHR or BW squat for high reps), upper push (such as dips or any kinde of pushup), upper pull (any kine of pullup or inverted row) and some abs movement, perhaps I should add some batteling ropes or some KB swings or something like that. 3-5 rounds of lots of reps, progressing slowly probably will be the best.
After that if I’ll have the strength I’ll do some accessory and ‘beach muscles’ work.
Also I training 3 times a week with a group of people who are also getting ready for military (we have someone to guide us). More military specific training-stretcher, sandbag and other things.
So basically it’s a lot of work and I’ll have to eat a ton to recover properly and making progress.

I wonder what you think about all the fuss I’m making but here we have to get recruited so you can make these few years the best years of your life if you know what you want and if you’ll be prepared or you’ll be miserable and depressed for 3-4 years for doing something you don’t want.

I’m sorry for the long letter haha.

1100

FarmerOwen: Yea man, I follow his log as well and saw that you had posted in there. I think he gave you some really sound advice and Ecchastang definitely knows his stuff so i would give it a try and see if it helps. Like he said, my advice is more long term health rather than immediate healing.

Regev: I am really glad to hear that the stress fracture is getting better brother! I think your plan looks pretty solid and I like it a lot. I would just make sure to try to get strong without gaining much size because I am sure a lot of what you are going to have to do in the military will be endurance based and if you have already had problems with stress fractures, you would no want to increase your chances of re-injury.

I am really excited for you and what you are about to partake in man, I think you will do awesome!

===============================================
“Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.” --John F. Kennedy

“There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.” --John F. Kennedy

MONDAY, 26JANUARY2015 - Work For Today
Wave 4/Day 4

CONDITIONING - Completed With 385lbs
Minute 1: 2 Squats
Minute 2: 4 Squats
Minute 3: 6 Squats
Minute 4: 8 Squats
Minute 5: 10 Squats
Minute 6: 12 Squats

STRENGTH - All Bench Press reps had 3 second pauses
1 Bench Press @ 405lbs
1 Deadlift @ 565lbs
1 Bench Press @ 425lbs
1 Deadlift @ 575lbs
1 Bench Press @ 440lbs
1 Deadlift @ 585lbs
1 Bench Press @ 450lbs
1 Deadlift @ 585lbs
1 Bench Press @ 460lbs
1 Deadlift @ 585lbs
1 Bench Press @ 450lbs
1 Deadlift @ 560lbs

Reverse Hypers
90x10
180x10
230x10
280x10

Reverse Hyper Drop Set
280x10, 230x10, 180x10, 90x10

EVENTS
Did a bunch of Atlas stone loads to a 54" Platform

NOTES:

  • Bench felt pretty good today, just slowly working my way back up to some heavy stuff. 460 wasn’t too bad and the pause was extremely long.
  • Nothing too heavy on deadlifts today, they were just secondary
  • i walked funny for quite a while after the reverse hyper drop set. My back was all swoled ups…