My favorite version of “I’ll show you mine”
Bacon AND eggs
5 Likes
Well now I have to make some. (No bacon on mine).
2 Likes
We are absolutely not rehashing this debate hahaha (the Mrs definitely brought it up today)
I will confess to using store bought bacon bits today, but only because we had them as leftovers from dinner last night
2 Likes
Went back a read the last 50-60 posts and the workouts look good dude. Keep it up!
1 Like
Work for today
30 min easy walk on a treadmill
Hip abductor: 3x15x50lbs
Hip adductor: 3x15x40lbs
Hip flexor: 2x15x30lbs
Notes:
- got a new tattoo yesterday, so keeping it easy today to let it heal, back to actual training tomorrow
6 Likes
New tattoos are fun! I got one this past year. My son asked if I was having a midlife crisis. 
1 Like
10Feb26:
AM:
Conditioned: 2.5 mile run
Started at 6.0mph, added 0.1 mph every 1/4 mile. Total time 23: 27, nice little run, and I dig the forced positive splits (negative splits? Idk the runner term. I ran faster)
Bulletproofing:
15 min mobility work, ankle focused
PM:
Agile: 10 min mobility
Superset w/Pullup progression:
Banded Pull-ups: Gx3x4, Gx3x3
Strength:
Bench: 45x10, 135x5, 135x5, 185x5, 195x5, 205x5, 185x5, 185x5
Built:
Chest Support DB row: 55x10, 55x10, 55x10, 55x14
Seated DB press: 55x10, 55x10, 55x12 (+weight next week)
Lat Pulldown: 110x10, 140x5, 180x10, 180x7
Superset:
Fat Bar Curl: 55x11, 55x11, 55x13
Straight Bar Pushdown: 65x12, 65x12, 65x16
Incline DB fly: 25x15, 30x15
Notes.
- moved my grip in a pinch on bench, since elbow was cranky last week. Not a ton of notable difference with the closer grip. Goal is just reps between 185-210 range, trying to keep bar speed good. My bench hates it when I strain, realizing I really do better with submax and smashing accessories.
- For the db rows, my first 3 sets are super controlled. Counted tempo, brief pause at peak contraction, just focus on squeezing the back. Last set? Just yank that shit. I’m convinced there’s value to both.
- Press moved well, gonna add weight
- Did some flys at the end, mainly because the Mrs was doing leg day and I finished a little earlier, and I do feel this day is just a tad low on the chest volume. Also, Inc flys feel 10x better than flat
@BethB lol, it’s my smallest to date. The Mrs and I got matching Kilimanjaro ridgelines, just a small tat. Plan is to get another tat for all the (major) summits we do.
9 Likes
Dude that’s super dope!
2 Likes
lol thanks! Right now prolly just limiting it to Continental summits, but I may make an exception if we do Ranier or Mont Blanc
2 Likes
11Feb26
Agile: 10 min mobility
Powerful:
Hang power clean: 135x2, 135x2, 145x2, 145x2, 155x2, 155x2, 165x2, 175x2
Strong:
Hi bar squat: 45x10, 135x6, 185x3, 225x3, 255x3, 285x4, 255x5, 255x5
Built:
Stiletto squat: 135x6, 135x6, 135x6
RDL: 135x6, 225x3, 255x6, 255x6, 255x6, 255x6
BSS: 45x6, 45x6
Cable crunch: 75x12, 75x12
Notes:
- not happy with hi bar form. Felt bad last week. Going to reset to a lower weight and build back up. I don’t think any strength is gone, more just that as I fix mobility and get better at actually hi barring hi bar, I gotta reset now and then to get the quads to catch up to the newer form. Going to start cutting sets the movement I start shifting the weight to my hips (which has traditionally been every squat lol)
- On that note, it is VERY noticeable how much more quad activation im getting from 255 than 285. It’s like my body just reverts to hips over a certain percentage of weight, so the goal is just hammer right under that limiter until the quads get up to speed.
- Wow stiletto squats make it painfully clear how much my squat is hips. The weight feels like a joke on my back, but the my quads are fighting like hell to keep the weight.
- Did cable crunch instead of weighted sit-ups just do the the fresh back tattoo, didn’t want it rubbing this fresh.
10 Likes
Work for today;
Conditioned:
60 min bike. 134avg heart rate
Notes:
This was stupid easy. I think I have a bad habit of pushing too hard when I’m trying to do zone 2 (which I bet is common in athletes). Dig the bike, makes it easy to regulate heart rate
8 Likes
13Feb26
Agile: 10 min mobility
Superset w/
Pullup practice: Gx3x4, Gx3x3
Strong:
30 Incline bench: 45x15, 95x8, 135x6, 165x8, 165x8, 165x8, 165x8
20inc db bench: 65x8, 65x8, 65x10
Wide grip Lat Pulldown: 150x11, 150x11, 150x10, 150x10
EZ bar reverse Curl: 55x15, 55x15, 55x15
Superset:
Lat raise: 25x12, 25x12
Rear delt raise: 10x12, 10x12
Conditioned:
1.5 mile run: 12:27
- incline moved pretty well, bumping weight next week.
- Lat pulls just spamming volume, think it’s going well enough so far.
- Reverse curls burn like hell.
- Some work meetings had me pushing cardio to PM. Have a PT test coming up, so wanted to do 1.5 miles, not at a race pace or anything but enough effort to give me an idea of what to target. Started out WAY to slow, was over a 9 min pace for the first 1/2 mile, did the whole last 1/2 mile at around a 7:20. Next time, starting a bit faster. I know I dig getting faster over the run, but for the sake of my score I should try to keep it more even lol. Think I’m gonna shoot for about 11 min on the test
Also, my wife’s early valentine to me
10 Likes
17Feb26:
Agile: 10 min mobility
Superset w/
Pullup progression: (G) 5x4, 3x3
Strong:
Bench: 135x5, 135x5, 185x3, 210x3, 210x3, 210x3, 210x3,
Built:
Superset:
CGBP: 170x7, 170x7, 170x7, 170x7
Chest Support DB Row: 55x12, 55x12, 55x12, 55x16
Superset:
Seated DB press: 45x8, 60x12, 60x10
Lat Pulldown: 110x8, 190x9, 190x7
Superset:
Fat Bar Curl: 57.5x10, 57.5x10, 57.5x12
Straight Bar Pushdown: 70x12, 70x12, 70x13
Notes:
- Okay. I hate bench. Bench hates me. I have added like 10lbs to my bench in the last year. But I had an idea. I don’t do well pushing bench, do better pushing accessories. My bench likes submax. But, when I go higher percentage; I struggle to handle the weight, partially due to a fucked shoulder, but also just because I can gain a lot on 75%, but I’m not used to handling the higher load. So, plan is to keep my bench to 85%+ of 1RM, but still stopping with a bit in the tank every set, then just smashing some accessories. Will it work? No idea, but if it doesn’t I’m selling my damn bench and overhead pressing for the rest of my life.
- Might be going to the doc tomorrow. No idea what I did, but sometime in between CGBP and rows, I did something to my knee. (The multiple surgeries one.) it doesn’t hurt. It just feels very unstable. It’s buckled on me a few times. I have no idea what I did, and am REALLY hoping it feels better in the AM, but if not it’s looking like a trip to see the damage.
10 Likes
I hope it’s nothing major. Good luck. 
1 Like
That sounds like the Josh Bryant playbook for bench press. It should work great.
Good luck with the knee.
1 Like
@BethB @FlatsFarmer thanks for the well wishes.
Well, my knees pissed. It’s odd. It doesn’t hurt, but it just feels unstable. Keeps failing on me if I apply any weight to it in some way other than completely straight on. Didn’t go to urgent care, but did reach out to my doc, scheduling an appointment to get this checked out.
Anyway. Time to go all in on deadlifts.
Work for today:
45 Min LISS bike, heart rate 135
4 Likes
20Feb26
Agile: 10 min
Superset w/
Pullup skill: G 6x4. 2x3
Strong:
Incline bench: 45x10, 95x10, 135x10, 165x8, 185x6, 195x4, 195x3, 165x10
Built:
Chin grip pulldown: 110x10, 130x10, 150x10, 160x10, 140x11
Db Inc bench: 60x15, 65x12, 70x6
Skullcrusher: 65x12, 65x12
Lat raise: 22.5x16, 22.5x15
Hammer curl: 30x16, 30x15
Conditioned:
2k meter row: 8:10 (moderate effort, not all out but worked up a sweat)
Notes:
- Alright, we’re making some changes.
- First, something’s wrong with this knee. I don’t know what, but it’s been 4 days and it’s still buckling under me randomly. Some things it feels absolutely fine on, others it just collapses.
- I’ve been over analyzing the fuck out of what this could be for the last couple days. And honestly? I’m done thinking about. Going to the hospital Monday, docs gonna check me out. Maybe I’m injured, maybe it’s just a flare up. Either way, it’s gonna have to play ball.
- I think I’ve fallen into a bit of a bad pattern this last year of trying to train “optimally”. Which annoys me; because I don’t even believe in such a thing. But between trying to do more S&C kind of work, and doing some diet trickery, and worrying about my torn labrum while trying to bulletproof every other joint to prep for kili, I’ve just gotten too focused on doing everything “right.”
- Look, I was a decent athlete. But I was never a great athlete. No coach ever watched me in the gym and said “Jesus this kids a specimen.” I was captain of my football team not because I was the best linebacker we had, but because when I went in for a tackle my mentality was always “he’s going to the ground or I’m going to the ER. Either way, I’m putting on a show.” I was never great at much of anything, but I could commit more than anyone and wasn’t afraid to grind. That’s always been my strength, and it’s coming back into the training.
- So, training plan is changing a bit. Diets changing a bit. Everything is changing a bit.
BIG PICTURE TRAINING OVERHAUL:
- bench: keeping up with what I was thinking about this week, heavy bench work followed by moderate accessory may be my ticket. Maybe it grows, maybe it doesn’t, but I’m pushing it.
- I’ve been focusing on squats for the past year. And went from being basically unable to actually hi bar to hitting a 4 plate with fairly decent form. I’ll rest with that for now. Squats are going on the back burner. I’ll still squat, but it’s submax, and then hammering the fuck out of single joint/goblet/slant board work.
- I liked today’s workout. I’m keeping it. For my second upper body day, I’m not following a strict rep pattern. I know my lifts, I’ll go in and work up to some weights that feel good for some reps that feel heavy, maybe do some backoff, then move on. Letting this be more intuitive, more competitive, and frankly just have some fun.
- If squats are on the back burner, then it’s time to deadlift. Deadlifts always been my best lift, so much so that I’ve essentially ignored it completely for the last 18 months to try to work on some other lifts. It’s time to play to my strengths. Starting @T3hPwnisher’s rom progression tomorrow. I think it’s exactly the kick in the ass I need to get back into my old mentality of training.
- Conditioning, I’m just gonna wing. That sounds dumb, but I think training “smart” eventually becomes training “soft” with conditioning. At some point, you gotta just be gasping for air and wanting to die. I don’t care if I should get my 180 minutes of zone 2 a week. I’ll hit something longer, hit some mid pace, then blow out my lungs 1-2 times a week, and I think that’s good. I’ve put off doing some conditioning because “it’s hard on the joints for heavier guys.” Well, my knees bitching out on me anyway, and I’ve always crushed smaller guys on conditioning despite my size anyway, so why the hell am I using it as an excuse now? Fuck that. I’ll continue dropping weight as planned, but if in the meantime I’m still 220+ running sub 7 miles, it’s not like that’s new to me
- Ditching keto. It’s been a month. I tried it. It’s… fine? I don’t dislike it at all. It does make things simple. And I can see the appeal for some. But I’m hurt somehow, and In my gut just believe that I recover better with carbs, so I gotta heal better too. (I will also note that I really experienced only very minimal changes with keto. On the pros: hunger was almost nonexistent even in a deficit, complete lack of bloating, cravings subsided pretty quickly, and energy was very stable. On the cons: I was perpetually thirsty. Drank a ton of water, used a lot of electrolytes, but it was really eye opening how much I had to focus on hydration. Also noticed I was just slightly less cognitively sharp on keto. Again, very minor, but on timed cognitive tests I was a little slower, and had just a bit harder time maintaining focus for long periods of time. Again, super minor). Going to add some carbs back into the mix, but I am going to play around with carb cycling and carb timing around workouts to get a bit more targeted effect.
- As for my knee, and also my shoulder, I’m over it. Spent a year trying to baby the shoulder, I’m not about to do the same for my knee. I’m either injured, or I’m not. I’m going to push like hell. My joints can adapt, or they can fail. If I push too hard, I’ll get a damn surgery and make my comeback. But I’m not going to waste any more time trying to baby a joint that’s not doing what I’m asking it too. I’d rather be broken than fragile
All in all, I’m actually excited. That may sound dumb, because this is my response to perhaps my 3rd knee injury, but it’s true. Maybe I just needed some adversity to get my head straight, but I’m feeling ready to rip.
Let’s get to work.
14 Likes
I always find you inspiring. I’m so glad you are here. I have some reevaluating to do myself and I appreciate your post as it gives me food for thought. I can’t wait to see what you pull out of your hat. 
1 Like
Hope that protocol works well for you dude! Big thing is to control the eccentric and tap on the touch. Really make the most of the time under tension.
1 Like
21Feb26
Agile: 10 min mobility
Strong:
Deadlift rom progression (7pavers): 135x10, 225x5, 315x1, 315x1, 365x3
415x3 (realized this was too heavy, wasn’t going to get the training affect. Honestly, surprised how the higher rom feels tougher than from the floor)
365x11-3-0
Wow, that sucks. The rest pause was brutal, I legit just could not get one more rep on the last one. Was like my body was refusing to push. Can’t remember the last time I had this kind of a low back pump.
Built:
Slant board hi bar: 45x10, 95x8, 95x8, 95x8, 95x10
30 deg asst Nordic curl: 12, 10, 8
Side bend: 60x12, 60x12, 60x12
Plank: 90 seconds
Conditioned:
Rower intervals:
500m, 90 sec rest 5 rounds
Notes:
- rom progression confuses me. I paused to just think after that first at 315. I can RDL 315 easier than that lol. I think the setup gets it started right where I am weakest at my deadlift, and it just threw me off a bit, think I may actually get a little stronger at the starting position drops.
- Overall, kind of dissapointed with my performance, only because I think I could match this from the ground. (Hell, I HAVE beat this from the ground), but also think this may be great for my deadlift overall, since lockout has always been my weak point anyway.
- Still, gives me a good starting point. I think my goal is to try and hit over 20 total reps by the final session.
- After this set though? Yeah, not a ton else happening. Lighter isolation style work is about all that left in me.
- Slant boards done sans squat shoes or knee sleeves. Putting tension on the knee through as much ROM as possible.
- Nordic’s for no other reason than getting bored with GHD and wanted some variation. Using hands as assistance on the Nordic’s is kind of nice, I can’t control exactly how much tension I want on the hamstrings to still get the rep but make myself work for it.
- Plank was easy, but it’s on my fitness test and I have a bad habit of literally only ever doing planks on test day. Trying to do it at least a few times this month so the feelings fresh lol.
- I’m so glad we have the rower. I admittedly haven’t used it a ton, got it more for the Mrs than for me, but it feels perfect with my knee, and lets me push without worry. I did each interval today at a different setting, which I’ve never really played around with before. 10 felt heavy, enough that muscle fatigue crept in later on during the set, but also probably the easiest cardiovascular wise. Setting 3 was just stupid. Resistance is nothing, but no way in hell I’m east enough to do any decent times that low lol. I think 6-7 felt good. May be a little faster higher up, but training wise I think the best blend is in the middle there.
10 Likes