Barley1 - 915 at 47

Training Training Logs
244

Physical Labor
Five Rounds w/28lb weighted vest

Chins x 6
KB Swing 70lbs x 10
Dips x 10
Lunges x 10/leg
Renegade row 40lbs x 10
Trap Bar Farmer’s Carry 225lbs x 80 feet

This was awful, but surprisingly less awful than last time. I won’t even hazard a guess as to why.

My goal is to get down to 165-170 by increasing physical activity and not manipulating calories. Honestly, the weight is irrelevant, so long as I look better than when I started.

I set a floor for daily steps at 6000. Every couple of weeks or so, I’ll add 1,000 daily steps.

I can also slowly include:
-walks with a weighted vest
-stationary bike cardio
-a brief morning routine
(pushups, air squats, bands,
etc.)
-replace Tuesday’s Power
Session with an additional
Physical Labor Session

If I use all these tricks and fail to shed some fat, then and only then, will I consider cutting cals below maintenance, approx 22-2400/day. The plan is to eat less on rest days, more on lifting days.

Cals: 2200ish
Weight: 176.2lbs
Steps: 6800

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245

Week 4, Day 3

*Anderson squats 155x8, 135x6, 165x6, 185x6
Floor press 135x8, 155x6, 165x6, 175x5 +1 extra sus final rep
Block Pull 255x8, 275x6, 295x6, 320x6
Goblet squats 90lb DB x 10, 9 supersetted with
Leg curls, Red Band x 12, 11

Didn’t feel amped up for this one, but stronger all the same. Had to cut the workout short, so cut rest periods on accessory work to 45sec between supersets and took the second round to failure.

Weight: 178.2
Calories: 2500
Steps:

246

Power

Complex A
-Squat @65% (ish), two second pause at bottom, explode up 185lbs x 5, 5, 5
-Jump squat 30lb DBs x 5, 5, 5
-Power clean 120lbs x 3, 3, 3

Complex B
-Bench @65% (ish), two second pause at bottom, explode up 165lbs x 5, 5, 5
-Push up with clap x 5, 5, 5
-Speed DB Press 50lb DBs x 6, 6, 6

Much better than last time. I can scale this by adding weight or reps, or another contrasting unweighted exercise–box jumps or throws, for example.

The effective life of a complex seems to be four or five workouts; I’ll give it that long, then change a few exercises or methods.

Weight: 176.8
Calories: 2200ish
Steps: 7500

247

Week 6, Day 1

Zercher Squats 4x6 @175lbs, 1x5
Incline Bench Press 5x6 @165lbs
RDL, toes elevated 5x6 @ 200lbs
Incline DB Row 50lb DBs x 10, 9, 6
Dip BW + 30 x 10, 9, 8
Shrugs 70lb DBs x skipped for time

I failed the final rep of the final set of Zerchers. Something about the Zercher Squats aggravated my collar bone today. Luckily, I think I’m done with them for this program.

Otherwise, the movements felt good, near my limit on the last set.

I plan to eat a little more today than usual due to the INSANE volume (at least for me). Goodness, was that a long workout–90 minutes or so.

Weight: 176lbs even
Calories: 2600ish
Steps: 8000

248

Physical Labor
Five Rounds w/28lb weighted vest

Chins x 6
KB Swing 70lbs x 10
Subbed pushups for dips x 10
Lunges x 10/leg
Renegade row 40lbs x 10
Trap Bar Farmer’s Carry 225lbs x 80 feet

I’m still amazed at how quickly I adapt to workouts. This sucked, not as bad as last time, and certainly less than the time before. Fatigue kinda crept up on me, but I didn’t need to take the vest off–like the first time–or take breaks before the carries–as I did last session.

Probably time to up the difficulty of this, somehow, before changing things up again.

Tweaked the AC joint doing a million near-failure Zercher Squats last workout, hence the swap of dips for pushups today.

I was wrong.

I’ve got another three weeks of Zercher squats; however, they’ll be cluster sets, which I think are less likely to aggravate things further. I think it was the sheer volume that was the problem. I guess I’ll find out.

Gonna keep calories around 22-2400/day, but eat more carbs. This will, hopefully, give me some idea what maintenance calories look like. Once I find my maintenance, I’ll add 200 cals/day and around 2,000 steps to put G-Flux to the test.

249

Week 6, Day 2

Back squat 175lbs x 6, 6, 6
Bench Press 160lbs x 6, 6, 5+2RP
Deadlift 205lbs x 6, 6, 6
DB Shoulder Press 40s x 10, 10, 6 (supersetted with)
Reverse fly 10, 10, 8
Lateral raises x 11, 7+3 RP

More extended, multiple position holds on each rep. The weights felt just about perfect, at or near my limits with good form.

I’m really interested to see how this will carry over to my 1RM strength: the light weights are soooo challenging performed in this manner.

Weight: 178
Calories: 2500
Steps: not enough, stuck inside during polar vortex

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250

Week 6, Day 3

*Anderson squats 135x8, 155x6, 175x6, 205x4
Floor press 135x8, 150x6, 165x6, 185x4
Block Pull 260x8, 280x6, 310x6, 340x0 (DOH!!!)
Goblet squats 90lb DB x 10, 10, 10 supersetted with
Leg curls, Double Red Band x 10, 10, 8

Just like last time, I didn’t feel amped during this workout. I was very happy with the squats and floor press; again, the final rep was at/near my limits.

Then there were the block pulls. Hinges don’t always agree with me; at times, my low back gets cranky, weights that should fly stay stuck to the floor or pins. Today was one of those days. I planned to work up to 340 for four, but couldn’t even get it moving.

This might be because I changed the order of things to squeeze in some ice fishing. I realized I deadlifted a couple of days ago, using static holds, and maybe my low back hasn’t recovered. Oh well.

Weight: 179
Calories: 2500
Steps: 7000

251

Power

Complex A
-Squat, two second pause at bottom, explode up 205lbs x 5, 5, 5
-Jump squat 30lb DBs x 5, 5, 5
-Power clean 120lbs x 3, 3, 3

Complex B
-Bench, one second pause at bottom, explode up 185lbs x 3, 3, 3
-Push up with clap x 5, 5, 5
-Speed DB Press 50lb DBs x 8, 8, 8

Meh. I think it’s time to drop the Power workouts for a while. This way, I can roll through the two programs I planned in the 18 weeks before summer vacation.

Also, I’m not sure how to program this type of training or how to tell if I’m progressing.

Anyhow, starting next Sunday, it’ll be three weeks of Cluster city.

Conditioning tomorrow.

Weight: 178.2
Cals: 2500
Steps: 7500

252

Physical Labor
Five Rounds w/28lb weighted vest

Chins x 6
KB Swing 70lbs x 10
Pushups x 10
Lunges x 10/leg
Renegade row 40lbs x 10
Trap Bar Farmer’s Carry 225lbs x 80 feet

For this workout, I didn’t scale the difficulty week to week by adding weight or rounds. This has been sufficiently miserable nonetheless.

I’m going to spend the next three weeks easing along, relatively speaking. I’ll keep steps around 6-7000 and wrap up the bulk of my current program
From there, I’ll start adding physical activity and clean up the nutrition a bit. I’m hopeful that, by adding 4-5000 steps/day, I can avoid needing to cut calories by much. If not, I’ll try extra conditioning, mobility drills, Zone 2 Cardio, and the like to drop a few pounds.

On an unrelated note, I’ve been eating at what I guess is maintenance, but having oatmeal or similar carbs at night. This last week, I’ve slept better than I can remember.

Calories: 2600
Weight: 178
Steps: not many

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253

This is a thing, for real! Carbs at night = sleep magic!!

254

Week 7, Day 1

Clusters, 20 sec between reps:
Zercher Squats 3x5 @185lbs, 195lbs, 195lbs
Incline Bench Press 3x5 @175lbs, 180lbs, 185lbs
RDL, toes elevated 3x5 @ 215lbs, 215lbs, 215lbs

Superset
Close grip chins, 2-sec pause x 8, 6, 4
Neutral grip DB Press, elbows tucked 60s x 8, 8, 9

Slow eccentrics on each rep. This felt like a solid workout, right weights, right level of effort. My inner bro was pleased incline benching 185 for five singles.

From here on, I’m going to skip Power workouts and use the fourth weekly workout–the Gap–for conditioning. At this rate, I’ll wrap up this program near the end of February. The final three weeks are all strength-based, so a good time to add extra conditioning and physical activity.

Weight: ???
Calories: 2500ish
Steps: 3000

Shrugs 70lb DBs x skipped for time

255

Thanks for stopping in. Reading this from a bonafide expert in the field such as yourself makes me feel better about those evening oats.

I’ve had issues with sleep most of my life. Over the years, I’ve tried most everything, including carbs at night. Lately, I’ve combined carbs and 900mg myo inositol… it HAS been magic.

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256

Week 7, Day 2

Clusters, 20 sec between reps:
Back Squats 3x5 @195lbs, 205lbs, 215lbs
Incline Bench Press 3x5 @165lbs (6), 175lbs, 175lbs
RDL 3x5 @ 185lbs, 195lbs, 195lbs

Long pauses during the eccentric.

Superset
High incline DB Press 50s 8, 9, 10
Band face pulls 10, 12, 14

Weight: 180.2
Calories: 2500
Steps: 7000

257

Week 7, Day 3

Clusters, 20 sec between reps:
Back Squats 3x5 @225lbs, 235lbs, 235lbs (x6)
Bench Press 3x5 @205lbs, 205lbs, 210lbs (x6)
DL 3x5 @ 225lbs, 255lbs *

Bulgarian Split Squats 40s x 8, 8, 6
Supersetted with
Leg Curls Double Red Band x 8, 10, 7

Without any special methods–no holds, slow eccentrics – this felt almost anticlimactic. Near maximum weights aren’t easy under any circumstances, but they’re easier than near max weights with five second pauses.

Overall, squats and bench moved pretty well; I can add some weight next week.

Deadlifts are, and always have been a puzzle. For me, personally, they’re just not suited to cluster sets. I ended up kneeling on the floor with the bar between reps; resetting was awkward. The weights moved easy enough, I’m good for more, but almost every time I chase heavier weights, I aggravate my low back. Compounded with the potential for heavier weights, I cut deadlifts one set and 20-30lbs short.

Anyhow, I think I’ll take it easy with the DLs this block, and in their stead, try to kill myself with Bulgarian Split Squats. In two weeks, I’ll move to a percentage-based block. Performing multiple reps just seems more apt for deadlifting.

Bulgarian Split Squats are pretty painful.

Calories: 2600
Weight: 179.2
Steps: 6000

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258

Week 8, Day 1

Clusters, 40 sec between reps:
Zercher Squats 3x5 @205lbs, 205bs, 205lbs
Incline Bench Press 1x6 @190lbs, 1x5 @ 195lbs, 1x3 @ 195**
RDL, toes elevated 3x5 @ 225lbs

Superset
Close grip chins, 2-sec pause x 8, 8, 6
Neutral grip DB Press, elbows tucked 66s x 8, 8, 8

Slow eccentrics today.

I tweaked my AC joint doing Zerchers a few weeks ago. It started to act up during today’s Zerchers, then started to hurt during Incline Bench. I finished two sets of bench, felt strong, but didn’t like the way my shoulder felt. I stopped after three reps during the third set, not due to strength failure, but older and wiser Barley1 saying, “You’ve put in some good work. Don’t be an idiot and get injured.” He’s wise beyond his years.

After some band pull parts and hanging from a chinup bar, my shoulder feels about eighty percent better. Not sure how to roll with the final Zercher workout next week. I’ll need to have a talk with old Barley1.

Also replaced my brutal conditioning with a gap workout on Friday. It was all arms, bro!

I’m going to keep scaling down overall demands these next two weeks, before increasing them slowly, with the express intent of losing fat.

Maintenance seems to be working out to be around 2500 cals or so. I can work with that

259

Week 8, Day 2

Clusters, 40ish sec between reps:
Back Squats 3x5 @215lbs, 225lbs, 230lbs
Incline Bench Press 2x5 @175lbs, 180lbs–OUCH, stopped
RDL 3x5 @ 195lbs, 205lbs, 205lbs

Long pauses during the eccentric.

Superset
High incline DB Press-- SKIPPED, uhhh because it hurt
Band face pulls x Some

Back squats and RDLs felt terrific.

My shoulder/AC Joint/Pec Minor started to act up during bench press. I didn’t feel stable on the left side and felt intense pressure across my pec minor when lowering the bar. So, I cut things short for the second time in two workouts.

I don’t do this lightly.

This shoulder stuff is a recurring problem, especially with incline, when I do too much pressing. Oddly, the aggravating exercise this time was Zercher squats a couple weeks ago. The cure is Kelly Starrett/Trevor Bachmayer shoulder stuff spread over a couple weeks and maybe some reduced pressing volume.

The kicker here is that my pressing strength seems to be improving dramatically. I hope to keep doing SOME benching. I may move the GAP workout to tomorrow to get a sweet arm pump and buy myself an extra day or two of rest before the next pressing session on Friday.

Guess I have to play it by ear. Which is dumb. I’d rather just follow the plan.

Weight: 179.8
Calories: 2600
Steps: 7000

260

Yeah, this still hurts.

I squatted today, working up to Clusters with 250. Great.

Tried to bench after tons of shoulder rehab stuff. Smashed 95lbs for a single :joy:. It hurt, so I did more rehab stuff, then called it a day. Also did some loaded stretches with dips.

Tried deadlifts, also irritated the shoulder.

If the shoulder keeps acting this way, I guess I’ll be squatting, rowing, and working on my arms until I figure out a solution.

261

Week 9, Day 1

Back squat clusters: 225x3, 235x4, 240x3
Incline Bench-- NOPE
RDLs: 225x3, 235x3, 235x3
DB Rows 80sx6, 60sx6
Loaded stretch dip x 60 sec, 60 sec
DB Press Loaded Stretch 20sx90sec
Curls x Lots

This AC/Pec Minor/shoulder issue persists, but is feeling better. Doing lots of p/rehab on it. I was able to hit a single of 135 on the incline, but stopped there. This is disappointing as I was approaching, maybe exceeding, my earlier personal bests on the incline bench.

Eh…just working toward getting better.

But… it’s an opportunity to work my arms and back. So I will.

Calories: 2400 (per Thib’s diet advice, more carbs, less fat)
Steps: 8000 (my new minimum)
Weight: 179

262

Week 9, Day 2

Back squat clusters: 230x3, 235x3, 240x4
Incline Bench: 95x1, 135x2, 155x2, 175x1, 135x partials, easing into stretch and moving a few inches at a time
RDLs: 235x3, 240x3
Loaded stretch chin upx 70 sec
DB Press 20s x a lot, plus flies w/ increasing range of motion

Pauses on the big lifts.

Really been hammering the p/rehab for the left shoulder. Today, I felt like I made some progress using a million different drills and doing lots of singles. I predicted I would’ve used 205ish for incline bench clusters, so at least I made it into the ball park today.

Hope to get back near those numbers soon.

Squats felt good. I have a tendency to want to pause at the bottom, not sure why. By dropping into the hole, after the pause of course, and rebounding up, I felt way stronger.

I’m in uncharted territory with this program; I’ve never handled these weights for this many reps. It’s a shame that I banged up my shoulder because I was making solid progress benching, too.

I guess we’ll see what the next few weeks brings.

Cals: 2400ish (less fat, higher carbs)
Steps: 6000
Weight: 178lbs

263

Week 9, Day 3

Back squat clusters: 240x3, 250x3, 260x3
Flat Bench: 215x3, 220x3*
Deadlifts: Skipped
Bulgarian Split Squats: 40sx8, 8, 6
superset with
Banded Leg curls w/pause: 10, 10, 7

I’ve been continuing with the shoulder p/rehab. Every time I go through this, I find one corrective exercise that seems to unlock everything and get me back on track.

This time, I guess it was two: wall walks with a band and benching with a band around my wrists. I’m happy with 220 for a cluster sets of three, especially considering I unknowingly used a 35lb bar last year, so this is like retroactively benching 230. I played it safe and stopped after two sets and a slowish final rep.

I’m certain I’ve never squatted 260 before and felt I may have been good for 270. One thing about older Barley1 is that he enjoys leaving a little in the tank, knowing he can dip into those reserves next time.

I simply can’t make deadlifts work as a cluster set. I’ll get back to them next week. Three weeks to go AND tomorrow is arm day! :scream:

Calories: 2600
Steps: 8000
Weight: 178.2

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