Atlas13 Burning the Boats

Training Training Logs
966

Okay.

I’m gonna be frank. Life’s been a punch in the face lately. Some family problems that weigh heavily, and then work going into overdrive. I just got home, first time home since monday. Work has been pretty insane. Worked overnight Sunday, got to come come Monday, then stayed at work everyday since then, including all nighters Tuesday and Thursday.

I. Am. Dead.

Stress is pretty high. Workloads pretty high. I need a change.

Abandoning JuggernautAI, while leaving it glowing recommendations. I think the program is amazing, and I think it works. That being said, I don’t think it works for me. It’s lifting focused, less total athlete/strongman, which is more my goal. I feel big and strong, but also far and slow, which is NOT the goal. The workouts take 2ish hours, which is a bit of an ask with my schedule, and the program doesn’t flex too well if your days get pushed around. That’s not a critique of the program, more a reality that my current job situation doesn’t really allow me to follow that strict of refining. It’s a great program which I would highly recommend for any power lifter/bodybuilder, but maybe not a strongman or just general athlete.

So, going to shift back to something with some more athlete focus. Jumps, Carries, etc etc. thinking maybe neversate linear program, I’ve had fantastic results with that before. Run it dry, then move to another neversate program.

I’m also going to (temporarily) ditch the home gym. Going tomorrow to check out a strongman gym in the area. Will be nice to have some strongman toys, will be nice to workout with other competitive people, will be nice to just have some more regular equipment selection. But to be completely honest, I’m going for the social aspect. I have never had issues making friends when moving to a new area, but this workload has me kind of reclusing in the house whenever I do get off work. I need to hang out with some people outside of a damn uniform lol. So joining a gym 1) to workout and make gains but also 2) make some damn friends who I don’t work with.

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967

Oh. Forgot to mention.

Slight injury on Wednesday. Lifting something heavy at work, sharp pain in my abs. Went to the doc, turns out I tore my abs. Well, ab. He said a long muscle name but I don’t remember it. It hurts, but I’m fine now. Fineish. Still going to lift, maybe just with some extra belt assistance

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968

Sucks. Recover quick.

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969

Thanks boss. Hurt pretty bad day off, actually almost passed out when it happened. Felt a lot better yesterday, and miles better today, so I think I can gently test some waters tomorrow.

Also fun note. I went to the doc about it Thursday, and they asked if I took any medication. I said “well I took 400mg ibuprofen and slammed 3 shots of whiskey, pain felt better after that.”

They prescribed me opioids, and spent a VERY long time explaining I could not mix them with alcohol lol. Jokes on them, I won’t take opioids. Not because I don’t think they work, but it just seems a dangerous route, and I can handle pain my way.

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970

First off, I see you seeing me on other threads and I appreciate the nod.

Second off, I liked this

Because of this

I appreciate your crazy.

And this

We are also aligned. Hate 'em.

I’m excited to see where your new direction takes you. You can pretty much write your own future with the drive you possess.

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971

I can think of no higher praise than what I just got from you. Truly appreciate it

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972

Good call. Just don’t. Doctors need to stop prescribing these except in the most severe circumstances.

Good luck. Maybe you’re a friendly kind of guy. I have exactly one friend (besides my wife) who isn’t a current or former work contact. And we met in 3rd grade.

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973

I like to think I am. In San Diego, I had tons of friends at my apartment complex, we would plan themed parties every month to get together (when I was home). Tons of friends in SC, albeit more in uniform, but still a few outside. I’ve got a lot of contacts I made from travel and college trips when I was younger that I still keep in touch with. I just need to find some people HERE so that when I need to hang out with someone and just blow off some steam, I’ve got a non work friend to call.

Never been a challenge for me before, I don’t see any reason it should be now. May be partially due to a complete lack of fear of social rejection lol. Blind optimism and undeserved confidence with a little self deprecating humor has served me well in life

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974

Sucks to hear about the injury but meh it happens.

Excited to hear about the new gym. Can’t wait to see what you come up with in terms of training and looking forward to hearing about the social aspect too.

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975

Work for today: Atlas playing in the new gym

Press: 45x10, 95x5, 135x2, 145x8, 115x8, 115x8, 115x8

MAG grip pulldown: 70x10, 110x10, 130x10, 150x10, 150x9

CGBP: 45x10, 135x5, 185x8, 185x8, 185x8

Plate loaded row: 90x10, 90x10, 90x10, 90x10

V bar pushdown: 35x12, 35x12, 35x12

Z curl: 20x12, 20x12, 20x12

Conditioning: Tabata Assault bike

Notes:

  • tried out a new gym today, and I really liked it. A lot of really nice equipment, mainly with a powerlifting/bodybuilding focus, but with a back room full of CrossFit and strongman toys, to include logs, yokes, circus dumbbell, farmers, sleds and some stones. Going to put those to some good use.
  • no real training plan for this first week, just going in and hitting what I feel like. Press felt pretty solid, 145x8 wasn’t RPE 10 by a long shot, not bad for not doing this lift in a couple months. Also using a power bar for a change, I dig the extra Knurling. Much better for grip.
  • MAG grip felt good on pulldowns elbow wise, which is a welcome surprise.
  • didn’t bring chalk, that was a mistake. It’s allowed, just not supplied. Very friendly little power lifter girl kindly let me borrow some. (I say little because she legit was under 5ft, but had like 185 on for squats, so I was pretty impressed)
  • signed up for the gym. It’s 24 hours, which will be good when work inevitably goes back to shift work and I’m lifting at 2 am again lol.
  • this gym has 3 locations apparently. Closest one is 6 minutes from my house, and I don’t see myself going to other, except for competitions, which apparently they host every couple of months.
  • Tabata assault bike= death. I started this WAAYYYY to aggressive, just murdered those first 20 seconds and then spent the rest of my time trying not to have a heart attack. Hell of a 4 minutes.
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977

Work for today; Atlas playing around day 2

Deadlift: 135x5, 225x5, 315x1, 365x1, 385x8, 345x8, 345x8

Belt squat: 0x10, 90x10, 120x10, 140x10, 140x10, 140x10

Reverse hyper: 50x10, 100x10, 100x10, 100x10

Leg extension: 50x12, 90x12, 110x12, 130x12, 150x12

Farmers walk: (weight per hand): 90x100ft, 140x100ft, 170x90ft, 170x100ft

Ab wheel: 10, 10, 10
Notes:

  • deadlifts felt very strong. Ditched the straps because I don’t feel like I get as tight in my setup when I use them. Also wore my squat shoes for these. Not my preference, but I didn’t think I should go barefoot in a public gym. Definitely made these slightly deficit, but still felt strong.
  • I need more belt squats in my life. I’m terrible at them. Makes me realize how much my squat is hips and back, when I’m really loading the quads I just struggle. Chad Wesley Smith recommends belt squats for people who have a large gap between their squat and dead, and I get it now. Definitely keeping these in very heavy rotation.
  • I have no idea how I’m supposed to load/program/use the reverse hyper. Gives me kettlebell swing vibes. Think I can bump the weight, was able to really get this swinging.
  • farmers felt awesome. Grip is slippery on the handles, wasn’t expecting that. Have 100f turf strip to go up and down. Was basically jogging with both 90 and 140, but 170 was much harder lol. Dropped it the first attempt, got angry, went for it again and got the full stretch. No idea what the handles weight, just counting the weight I add.

Non-workout notes:

  • this gym is awesome, and I like my place in it. I’m not the weakest guy. I’d say I’m probably top 15%, definitely bigger and stronger than most. Enough that I’ve gotten some compliments already, particularly on the farmers lol.
  • that being said, I’m not the strongest, by a long shot. Which is good, because I’m a competitive asshole and seeing someone stronger than me makes me work harder. Today alone I saw a dude who couldn’t weigh 170 repping 455 on deadlift, a little stocky fella hit a 315 bench, and then some dude who legit looks like Superman rep 150s for sets of 10 on incline DB press. He is my new hero/nemesis lol.
  • joined to be social, and I think it’s working…. Kind of. chatted a bit with a few guys, seem nice enough, actually met a few old alumni from school and we all bitched about the game from yesterday lol. Had 3 gals in the last two days invite me to either get coffee or meet up with them at the gym. 1000% not the type of social that I (or my wife) was hoping for. Also not the type of social I ever had as a single man HOPING for that kind of attention lol. Then again, I was last single at 15, so I guess times have changed. Say what you want about dad bods, but my chubby self in a tshirt making zero effort to chat up women somehow ended up talking to more than the 6pack guys who spent half their workout strategically posing shirtless near girls lol.
  • this actually makes me consider the whole wedding ring tattoo thing. But I don’t feel I’m really the hand tattoo kinda guy lol. More of a sweaters at Xmas kinda guy.
  • I just found out this gym is right next to my wife’s favorite coffee shop. Which means I’m typing this all as I stand in line to grab her coffee. She is delighted by this seeming coincidence. I think she somehow secretly planned it.
  • will take photos of the gym soonish. Maybe next weekend. I feel all sorts of uncomfortable taking photos with other people in them, so I will wait until I go at some weird time then the gyms kinda dead so I’m not accidently taking pictures of strangers.
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978

This always happens when we are in no way looking for it or interested. It is like we give off some sort of safety vibe that is very attractive. LOL

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979

I’m mostly jealous your gym even has 150’s. Heavy DB’s are fun, lol

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980

Work for today: Atlas playing around day 3

Bench; 45x12, 135x5, 185x3, 205x1, 225x7, 195x8, 195x8, 195x7

Plate loaded row: 90x12, 140x10, 140x10, 140x10

Db incline bench: 45x5, 65x12, 65x12, 65x9

Mag chin grip Pulldown: 70x10, 110x15, 130x12, 130x12, 130x13

Machine Preacher curl: 30x15, 50x15, 70x12, 90x10, 90x8

Crossover symmetry y raise: Yx15, Yx15, Yx15, Yx15

Notes:

  • feel okay about bench. 225x7 isn’t a PR or anything, but not a bad lift for me, especially since I haven’t touched over 200 on bench in 4 months.
  • I get a crazy squeeze on those MAG pulldowns. Love it. Definitely making light weight feel heavy, which always works better for me on back.
  • the y raises felt amazing on my shoulders, will be doing those a lot more. End of every bench day for sure.
  • done post 36 hour shift, kinda dead going into it lol
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981

don’t be modest :laughing:

I’ll get that chart that shows this is excellent.

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982

Your profile says best Bench is 370. I gotta lot of work to do :joy::joy::joy:

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983

I was also thinking this.

but then i read this

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984

Work for today; Atlas screwing around day 4

Low bar Squat: 45x10, 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 255x1, 280x8, 255x8, 255x8, 255x8

Leg press: 1 platex10, 3px10, 5px10, 5px10, 5px10, 5px10

DB RDL: 55x12, 55x12, 55x12

Nautilus hip thrust: 45x10, 70x10, 80x10

Sandbag front carry: 100x100ft, 150x100ft, 150x100ft, 150x100fy

Notes.

  • squats felt freaking strong. Going for 8, definitely had 10 in me, maybe 11, form was solid.
  • some solid gains will come from this leg press
  • doing hip thrusts for the first time. Never really done direct glute, hoping it will help me out of the bottom on squats.
  • my lane is 50 feet in the gym, so for carry’s I am walking down, stopping, turning around, then going again. The turn with these sandbags is just death. I feel fine until then, but after that it’s pretty awful. The heavier the bag feels, the harder I squeeze to my chest, the less I can breath lol. Next sandbag the gym has is 285, really feel like I could use a nice in between. 150 seems just a little light, could use a little more. Gonna just keep upping distance until I can hit the 285
8 Likes
985

150 to 285 is an insane jump. You could use the 150 and do longer faster carrys or even sandbag to shoulder reps and when this becomes easy then progress to just picking the 285 up and standing up with it. I just went 176 to 220 and its like beginning again.

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986

Work for today. Atlas’s bastard linear: week 2 day 1

Press: 45x10, 95x5, 135x1, 150x8, 120x8, 120x8, 120x8

MAG grip Pulldown: 70x10, 140x10, 140x10, 140x10, 140x11

CGBP: 135x5, 185x8, 185x8, 185x8

Chest support machine row: 70x10, 130x10, 150x12, 160x12, 160x12

Db lat raise: 25x12, 25x12, 25x12, 25x10

Rear delt fly: 30x10, 70x12, 70x12, 70x12

V-bar pushdown: 25x10, 42x12, 50x12, 57x12, 65x12

Cable Curls: 35x15, 42x10, 42x8

Conditioning: 15min air bike

Notes:

  • press FLEW. I was content with 145x8 last week, not bad for first time doing the exercise in a few months, but today it was like my body remembered what it was doing, and 150x8 was like RPE 7. Definitely had more in me, which puts me press in a pretty solid place.
  • using machines for pulling is new, but the elbow protests much less, so that’s a win for now. Would like to do some more free weights and pull-ups, but I think I may give it about 6ish weeks just to let the elbow rest.
  • I get now why people lift in front of mirrors. Always thought it was just vanity. Actually does help me with form, somehow it’s easier to stay tight when I can see it,
  • holy hell do my biceps explode on cable curls.
  • going to just start tacking on some air bike after every lift: easy conditioning ala Jim wendler.
  • gym lighting is amazing. Fairly confident I could win the transformation challenge in one day by simply taking a pumped up pic in the gym first thing AM, then proceeding to hit up a buffet and take the after photo in my home lighting lol
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