1/30/2026
ABF2, Week 5, Workout 3
Warm up:
10:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
Easy Strength: Close grip Bench press:
2 x 5 x 185 lbs
S/S with DB bat wings (2 x 10 x 25 lb DBs)
ABF2 Work:
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 12 kg KBs + 5 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 18 kg KBs + 5 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 3 x 8 x 22 kg KBs + 5 double KB fronts squats
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x empty bar
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x 60 lbs
Barbell curls: 3 x 8 x 75 lbs
S/S with 5 x 15 push ups
Notes: I’m back! Felt off all day yesterday, though the nausea was nothing like the day before. Just a bit tired, worn down, and my stomach felt quesy. Last night I expected today would be another rest day, but I woke up and felt pretty good. Actually craved coffee and a spoonful of honey. The workout felt good and, well, “normal” in terms of my strength levels and motivation. It’s funny because I do tend to catastraphize at times, and when I feel awful I just cannot fathom feeling the energy return to levels that would allow me train again. Though I know that’s dumb, I can’t help it.
6 Likes
1/31/2026
off day
Daily mobility work
15K+ steps
3 Likes
2/01/2026
ABF Week 6, Workout 1
Warm up:
10:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
Easy Strength: Close grip Bench press:
2 x 5 x 185 lbs
S/S with DB bat wings (2 x 10 x 25 lb DBs)
ABF2 Work:
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 12 kg KBs + 6 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 18 kg KBs + 6 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 3 x 8 x 22 kg KBs + 6 double KB fronts squats
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x empty bar
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x 60 lbs
Barbell curls: 3 x 8 x 75 lbs
S/S with 5 x 15 push ups
10:00 walk
Notes: Slept about 10 hours last night - still feeling the lingering effects of the food poisoning. I feel okay, but kinda quesy at times. I think this long slumber should help. Woke up a bit groggy, but after moving around and a cup of coffee, I knew I could get this in.
I have to say, this workout template is pretty cool. The addition of the front squats really takes it to the next level.
6 Likes
2/02/26
ABF, Week 6 “off day”
AM
30:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
30 Push ups
75 KB swings; 28 kg KB
Suitcase carry R/L
PM
1 hour yoga class
Notes: I’m really taking advantage of these “off days”. I’m in a good habit of just doing my daily ritual of movements, and that, with a walk, is mostly what I’ve been doing on those days. Still sticking with yoga, which of course I have to since I paid for two months.
6 Likes
2/03/2026
Morning:
Original Strength mobility work
30:00 walk
Notes: I had a workout planned, but I’m battling a cold. I’ll pivot it to tomorrow, and take today as a rest day. I don’t feel bad and could power through it, but I think I’m better off just resting and trying to shake this thing.
5 Likes
2/04/2026
ABF, Week 6, Workout 2 “Buns and Guns” day
Warm up/ramp up:
10:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
100 KB swings
30 pull pull ups
(done between sets of mobility work)
Buns-n-guns circuit; 3x through:
20 DB hip thrusts, 25 lb DB (new to this move; probably way too light)
20 DB curls; 2 x 25 lb DBs
20 sit ups
20 push ups; deficit with hands on Bear blocks
20 KB sumo DL high pulls, 28 kg KB
Farmer’s carry, 2 x 28 kg KBs
Notes: This is really my first attempt to do a true “buns and guns” workout, as Dan John recommends as the middle workout for this phase of ABF2. I usually just revert to the types of workouts I’m used to. He recommends: hip thrusts, swings, curls, carries, etc… done at higher reps (15+). So that’s what I did. I don’t think I’ve ever done hip thrusts before, and I’m probably doing them wrong and/or making them too easy. Don’t really have a baseline for it, but could feel the burn by the end of the sets.
On the tail end of a cold. This workout was nice and doable when not feeling 100%.
5 Likes
2/05/2026
ABF Week 6, Workout 3
Warm up:
10:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
0:30 hang; 0:30 deep squat hold
Easy Strength: Close grip Bench press:
2 x 5 x 195 lbs
S/S with DB bat wings (2 x 10 x 25 lb DBs)
ABF2 Work:
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 12 kg KBs + 6 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 18 kg KBs + 6 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 3 x 8 x 22 kg KBs + 6 double KB fronts squats
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x empty bar
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x 60 lbs
Barbell curls: 3 x 8 x 75 lbs
S/S with 5 x 15 push ups
Suitcase carry R/L
Notes: I’ll say it again - this is a great program! It takes about 30 minutes to do the walk, the mobility work, and ramp up to the working set weights. Then it takes about 30 minutes to do the Easy Strength sets and the ABF work.
Leaving for Cabo tomorrow, so it’ll be my last “real” workout until next Tuesday. I’ll get some work in over the weekend, but no real structured workout.
6 Likes
2/09/2026
Just spend a few days in Cabo. No real training.
Each day:
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements, done with a band
Lots of walking up and down the hillside (we stayed on a steep hill).
Awesome time, which also included plenty of tacos and beer. We stayed in a villa with 5 other couples. Did whale watching (you could also see them from our pool area), tequila tasting, and had a local chef prepare us a carnitas taco spread for the Super bowl.
8 Likes
2/10/2026
ABF Week 7, Workout 1
Warm up:
10:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
0:30 hang; 0:30 deep squat hold
Easy Strength: Close grip Bench press:
1 x 8 x 115 lbs
1 x 8 x 145 lbs
3 x 8 x 175 lbs
S/S with DB bat wings (5 x 8 ; ramping weights)
ABF2 Work:
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 12 kg KBs + 7 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 18 kg KBs + 7 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 3 x 8 x 22 kg KBs + 7 double KB fronts squats
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x empty bar
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x 60 lbs
Barbell curls: 3 x 8 x 75 lbs
S/S with 5 x 15 push ups
Notes: Back at it. I’d be lying if I said the weights didn’t feel a bit heavier after getting back in from vacation last night. Still, felt great to get a solid workout in.
5 Likes
2/11/2025
ABF2, Week 7.
Just some daily work:
10:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
100 KB swings
30 pull pull ups
(done between sets of mobility work)
3 x 12 Ab wheel
3 x Farmer carries, 28 kg KBs. From garage to fence, around trampoline and back.
20:00 walk
Notes: Was up in the air about doing a true workout, but this felt right. Sometimes, after vacation or a break, my inclination is to cram workouts together to “catch up”. No need to do that; I know I’ll get them all in. Slept great the last two nights: 9 hours and then 10 hours last night. I guess the traveling and excursions took more out of me than I realized.
6 Likes
2/12/2026
ABF, Week 7 “Variety Day”
10:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
Ramp up for strength work.
Part 1: Strength-focused
OHP: 4 x 3 x 105 lbs; 3 sec hold at top
S/S with 4 x 15 band pull aparts
Part 2: WOD
EMOM x 14
Even: 15 calories Airdyne
Odd: 10 Bench press; 155/145 lbs (did the first two rounds at 155 lbs)
15:00 walk
Notes: I thought too much about what to do for the midweek workout on ABF2. As I said earlier, Dan John suggests a “buns and guns” workout which is high rep work like curls, goblet squats, hip thrusts, etc… I just don’t love that type of workout, and it just doesn’t feel like a “real” workout to me. Perhaps that’s just a framing problem on my part.
But, when it came down to it, I just did the prescribed CF workout for today. As I’ve said, I really don’t go hardly ever anymore, but some of the workouts seem to align with what I need that day, and also the benefit of having someone else write on is that I don’t second guess volume or effort. Overall it felt good. The bench press, while light at 155 lbs, got too heavy as the rounds built up. Doing it while breathing hard from an airdyne sprint, as well as being fatigued from the earlier reps, just hit different. I could have got through at that weight, but didn’t want to turn it into a grinder.
7 Likes
12/13/2026
ABF2, “off” day
10:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
Ab wheel 3 x 10
Farmer’s carry; 3x; pair if 28 kg KBs
25:00 walk
1 hour yoga class in the evening
13K+ steps throughout the day
Notes: I love me a nice off day. I was thinking how even my off day, I get more work and movement in than probably 95% of the population. However, the US population as a whole is a pretty low bar for comparison.
6 Likes
2/14/2026
ABF2, Week 7, workout 3
Warm up:
10:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
0:30 hang; 0:30 deep squat hold
Easy Strength: Rack pulls:
2 x 5 x 305 lbs
2 x 15 ab wheel
2 x Farmer’s carries
ABF2 Work:
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 12 kg KBs + 7 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 18 kg KBs + 7 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 3 x 8 x 22 kg KBs + 7 double KB fronts squats
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x empty bar
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x 60 lbs
Barbell curls: 3 x 8 x 75 lbs
S/S with 5 x 15 push ups
15:00 walk
Notes: Those last three sets of the cleans/presses/squats sure get my heart rate up! Something just feels cool about double KB cleans and double KB presses. It just feels right. I’m probably stacking a bit too much in front of the ABF work, but I just like to know when that part’s done, so is the workout.
One more week of this. Still tossing around ideas in my head of what’s next. I feel like I “should” move on from KB work for a while, but I also am really enjoying it and seeing good results.
Some options:
Dry Fighting Weight Remix - another KB program with a different set up and approuch.
531 Building a bigger yoke - I’d substitute some of the lifts for alternatives. I’m not looking to go heavy on barbell deads or back squats right now.
531 Titanium Knick Knack - I’ve always wanted to do this one, but just never have committed. I like that it has a lot of weight vest work, dips, trap bar deads, etc…
6 Likes
12/15/2026
10:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
0:30 hang; 0:30 deep squat hold
Workout:
4.2 mile run, slow LISS pace
Notes: First run in a while. Nice and easy.
8 Likes
2/16/2026
ABF Week 8, Workout 1 (last week)
Warm up:
5:00 airdyne bike
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
0:30 hang; 0:30 deep squat hold
Easy Strength: Close grip Bench press:
2 x 5 x 195 lbs
S/S with DB bat wings (5 x 10 ; 25 lb DBs)
ABF2 Work:
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 12 kg KBs + 8 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 18 kg KBs + 8 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 3 x 8 x 22 kg KBs + 8 double KB fronts squats
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x empty bar
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x 60 lbs
Barbell curls: 3 x 8 x 75 lbs
S/S with 5 x 15 push ups
5 rounds:
10 ab wheel roll outs
1:00 trampoline bounce
Notes: Rainy day here, so no walking. Replaced it with Airdyne and the trampoline, but I do miss the walking aspect. This is the second to last workout, not counting “variety day”. It’s certainly challenging at this point to hold the rack and pump out the 8 squats at the end of the clean and presses. Loving this program, but can’t wait to complete it as well.
7 Likes
2/17/2026
ABF2, Week 8, “off day”. Simple and Sinister workout
Original Strength mobility
10:00 walk
S&S warm up/mobility. 3 rounds:
5 prying KB goblet squats, ascending weight each round
10 bridges
5/5 KB haloes, ascending weight each round
S&S part 1. 100 one-handed KB swings
10 swings right, 28 kg KB
5 push ups
10 swings left, 28 kg KB
5 push ups
(repeat for 10 alternating rounds; 50L/50R swings + 50 push ups)
S&S Part 2. 10 Turkish KB get ups
Get up left side, Get up right side; 18 kg KB
5 pull ups
(repeat for 5 rounds; 5L/5R get ups + 25 strict ring pull ups)
15:00 walk
Notes: Last night I reached under my bed and found my copy of Pavel’s Simple & Sinister. His writing is a bit over-the-top, but I love it. It also occurred to me that this is the perfect “workout” for days that I don’t have a workout scheduled. It has some prescribed mobility work that’s a change of pace, and is really just enough. I would say this is the type of workout that keeps you moving forward while promoting recovery. A great “tonic” workout as Dan John would say.
That said, if I really pushed the weight on the 1-arm swings and get ups, it would be a different story. Personally, I don’t like to do real heavy get-ups. I think anything more than 24 kg (for me at least) is too much. I like the slow, controlled movement.
6 Likes
2/08/2026
ABF2, Week 8, Workout 2 “Variety Day”
10:00 walk
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
0:30 hang; 0:30 deep squat hold
ABF2 Variety workout:
A.
Dead KB clean to goblet into squats: 1 x (5 + 5) x 22 kg KB
Dead KB clean to goblet into squats: 1 x (5 + 5) x 28 kg KB
Dead KB clean to goblet into squats: 1 x (5 + 5) x 36 kg KB
Dead KB clean to goblet into squats: 3 x (5 + 5) x 44 kg KB
S/S with 6 x 10 push ups
B.
DB SLDL’s + shrug: 3 x 10 x pair of 60 lb DBs
S/S with 3 x 20 banded face pulls
C. 2 rounds of:
20 KB swings x 28 kg KB
20 sit ups
20 neck harness x 18 kg
15:00 walk
Notes: I was dragging a bit today despite sleeping well and eating plenty yesterday. I think adding the extra 4+ miles of running the extra Simple & Sinister session just caught up to me. I’ll take tomorrow off except for walking and daily mobility work.
Just one more workout left in the program. My plan is to get it knocked out Friday. Still contemplating my next program.
5 Likes
2/19/2026
ABF 2, “off day”
Original Strength for 10:00
Walking (will aim for 10K+ steps, but it’s raining until about noon)
Yoga class, 1 h
Notes: I’ve been sleeping a lot lately, averaging 8.5+ hours. I’ve also been very hungry, having greek yogurt w/honey and a few spoonfuls of peanut butter after an already big dinner each night. Not sure why. Some of it could be the residual tiredness from traveling a couple times over the last month, and also the added run and some extra workouts I’ve put in.
4 Likes
2/20/2026
ABF Week 8, Workout 3 (last workout!!)
Warm up:
10:00
Built from Broken (BFB) Daily movements
BFB Weighted Daily Movements
0:30 hang; 0:30 deep squat hold
Easy Strength: Close grip Bench press:
2 x 5 x 195 lbs
S/S with DB bat wings (5 x 10 ; 25 lb DBs)
ABF2 Work:
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 12 kg KBs + 8 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 1 x 8 x 18 kg KBs + 8 double KB fronts squats
Double KB Clean and Press: 3 x 8 x 22 kg KBs + 8 double KB fronts squats
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x empty bar
Barbell curls: 1 x 8 x 60 lbs
Barbell curls: 3 x 8 x 75 lbs
S/S with 5 x 15 push ups
1 x 15 Ab wheel
Farmer’s Carry
20:00 walk
Notes: So glad to be done with this program, even though I loved it. That’s the sign of a good program - you can’t wait to finish it but you’ll miss it when it’s over. This one was hard but doable, and marks my third KB program in a row.
I’ll post a write up on this one over the weekend. Still deciding what I’ll do next.
7 Likes
2/22/2026
6 mile run
Mobility work
Notes: I picked up Pavel’s newest book, AXE, and I’m planning my next block. I think I have nailed down, and I’ll start it tomorrow.
2 days of AXE training with Easy Strength barbell work
2 days of Simple and Sinister with push ups/pull ups
1 day of running or Hyrox or similar
The AXE book is pretty cool. It discusses training in a way that targets type IIX, fast twitch muscle fibers and your aerobic system. It’s an “anti-glycolotic” approach, that focuses on repeating efforts throughout the training session. You go hard for a short time and stop before your performance degrades, and then rest the amount of time needed to repeat the effort. It can be summed up by doing each set “As fresh as possible and as soon as possible”.
The extremes of this would be a powerlifter or high class sprinter, who weight a long, long time between efforts in order to be fully restored when each pound or second matters. The other end would be a MetCon, where you keep plowing through in an exhausted state, putting up with lesser performance to keep getting in more reps as fast as possible.
The problem, says Pavel, is that the latter relies on the glycolitic engine, creating large amounts of lactic acid and leaving you utterly drained. According to him, this is a poor choice for regular training and should be used sparingly - like 1-2x a month. As someone who has trained this way, I have to say I agree.
We’ll how this goes. Excited to try it.
6 Likes
