Barley1 - Jacked Athlete 31 at 46

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365

Jacked Athlete 31

-Close stance, high bar squat: (w/u), 195 x 3, 205 x 2, 215 x 1, 205 x 3, 215 x 2, 225 x 1
-Bench Press: (w/u), 185 x 3, 195 x 2, 205 x 1, 195 x 3, 205 x 2, 215 x 1
-RDL: (w/u), 200 x 3, 210 x 2, 220 x 1, 210 x 3, 220 x 2, 230 x 1
-NG chins: BW+10 x 3, +20 x 2, +30 x 1, +20 x 3, +30 x 2, +40 x 1

Over the past couple weeks, I’ve transitioned into weights that I’m less ashamed of…maybe 70-80% of previous PRs.

What I’ve noticed, too, is that I feel really good physically. I went for a walk after dinner and noticed how my knees felt spritely and my arms swung freely at my side without alarm bells occasionally sounding off in my shoulder.

Lifting has been easy, relatively speaking, with eight weeks of peaking to come. There are a few weeks of cluster sets in the plan; these have always been like strength pixie dust for me.

Before getting to those, I’ve got a week of bodybuilding AND ARMS TOMORROW!

What else can a middle-aged man ask for?

Weight: 171
Cals: around 2400

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366

Jacked Athlete 31

A1. Incline DB Press 40s x12, 50s x 9, 6
A2. BB Curl 45 x 12, 12, 8

B1. Dips BW x 9, 9, 8
B2. Hammer Curl 20s x 10, 8, 7

C1. Scoop fly 10s (lol) x 10, 10, 8
C2. Rev curl 10s x 11, 9, 8

I don’t think I’ve tried any of these exercises for a looooong time, except dips, which I last did pre Covid.

The weights were humbling, but also kinda rejuvenating.

This plan makes more sense the longer I stick with it: the week of bodybuilding is also a break from the heavy loads of the strength weeks, and I may even get a teensy bit more jacked to boot.

Scoop flyes also feel like they’re a shoulder rehab exercise–my shoulders feel much better, more mobile/less grindy, AFTER doing them.

Yesterdy’s weight: 171

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367

I’m just catching up, but I remember reading the jacked athlete 31 article and thinking it was cool. How are you liking it?

368

I like it. I’ve been using slightly less than the suggested volume, taking my time to bounce back after a rough round of covid.

Jacked 31 doesn’t bring the eyeball-bleeding intensity of Thib’s other programs, but it’s fun. Some of the programming, like decreasing the length of pauses, dropping reps, and adding weight week to week is brilliant. If for no other reason, moving heavier poundages is motivating; it FEELS like progress.

The program alternates between three-week performance-based blocks and one bodybuilding week. So far, I find I feel better after the bodybuilding workouts—they almost serve as active recovery. ​

What direction is your training going these days?

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369

Jacked Athlete 31

A1. Squats 185 x 6, 9, 6
A2. Banded leg curl x 10, 11, 6
B1. RDL 165 x 8, 8, 6
B2. Gob Squat 80s x 8, 8, 7

Phew!

I used short rest times and light weights to keep things moving. Fatigue accumulated quickly and I ran out of steam…fast.

Sadly, I’m not the well-oiled cardio machine of a few months ago; fortunately, conditioning becomes a part of future Jacked 31 blocks. I almost look forward to it.

Weight: 172

370

I thought that was pretty appealing, if only to switch my brain a bit.

South, to be honest. I’m a little overcommitted with work travel and it’s very hard for me to stay in a groove. I still do some lifting and some cardio, but it’s tough to keep training. Oh well.

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371

Jacked Athlete 31

A1. Close-grip chins BW x 9, 10, 11
A2. Close-grip bench 135 x 12, 12, 8
B1. Incl DB Rows 60s x 10, 10, 11
B2. OH DB Raise 40 x 10, 10, 10
C1. DB Pullover* 60 x 8, 8, 5
C2. Band pressdowns x 12, 10, 9

*In one of the Pendulum programs, Thibs suggested doing pullovers on a decline bench. It changes the resistance curve and makes the movement significantly harder.

Kinda surprised I could do as many chinups as I did, surprised at how wimpy my performance was on some of the other lifts. Many of these, again, are lifts I haven’t done for months and months, even years. It’s weird how I feel too uncoordinated to push real hard; I’m so unstable, failure comes quickly and unexpectedly.

I wonder how long it takes to reacclimate to once familiar lifts. A month? I bet a month.

Weight: 171.2

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372

How frequently are you doing them? I’d probably estimate in terms of touches rather than timeframe, if that makes sense

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373

How often?

With this plan, I’ll do each of these lifts twice over 12 weeks. I doubt my strength will change much.

I think at, say, three times a week, I’d be in striking distance of personal bests within a month. These may be worth adding in as accessories in the future.

It is shocking how quickly you can lose and gain strength on lifts that fall out of the rotation.

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374

Jacked Athlete 31

Poliquin Clusters (singles w/20 sec rest)
-CSHB Squat 205 x 6, 215 x 6
-Bench Press 195 x 6, 195 x 6
-RDL 215 x 6, 215 x 5
-DB Row 96 x 6, 96 x 6

Happy with my weight selections, but hope to make some more strength inprovements in the coming eight weeks… I think I’m lifting around 85-percent of my personal bests from February. In the past, clusters have been magical for strength. Fingers crossed.

On another note, I think I’m experiencing some long Covid symptoms. I read that common long covid symptoms include anhedonia (jup), and lack of appetite (also, jup). This has something to do with covid destroying dopamine receptors in the brain.

Like, I feel fine, but life has no ups, even after drinking a Monster and going fishing in beautiful almost fall-like weather. And I always feel stuffed, but am not eating all that much.

Maybe this is the result of old age, I dunno, but it’s definitely weird.

Weight: no idea

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375

Jacked Athlete 31

Speed
-Plyo pushups (from floor) 4 x 5
-Speed DL 4 x 5 @ 135
-Speed Incl Db Rows 4 x 5 @ 40s
-Bike Sprint 4 x 5 @ 12 seconds

I dont honestly known whether I benefit from speed work. If nothing else, it’s kinda fun.

Lifts are supposed to be around 40-percent 1RM. I used very, very rough
estimates.

I’m still feeling stuffed all the time. I’ve been eating a but above maintenance cals, but sometimes need to force food down. I should probably pay more attention to my weight, but I’ve been avoiding the scale. My hope is to end this program around 175lbs.

I am making an effort to walk a bit more.

Weight: ???

376

Jacked Athlete 31

CAT
CSHB Squat 4 x 5 @ 155
-Bench Press 4 x 5, @ 135
-RDL 4 x 5 @ 155
-DB Row 4 x 5 @ 66lbs

The final workout of the week is the traditional lifts at 60-percent of 1RM with maximal concentric acceleration. I’ve never been clear on what to do during other half of the lift; I tend to lower the weight slowly, pause for a second, then explode upward. It’s fatiguing.

Invariably, the last couple of reps are slower than the first three. Is this the goal?

Or are you better off skipping the pause, and lifting fast up and down? This is way less fatiguing, but it probably looks way cooler.

Anyhow, per Dr. Mike, I’ve stayed conservative on my 1RM estimates. I’m still getting stronger, this time without sinking into the never ending cloud of fatigue I find myself in when using workouts to grind myself to dust. Maybe this whole staying away from failure strength training has some merit.

I finally got back on the scale: 171.6 – roughly where I was a couple of weeks ago. I’m making a half-hearted effort to eat a bit more, but find that I’m always stuffed if my diet is whole food. Even when eating crap like Clif Bars, I’m having trouble getting enough extra calories to move the scale. I think this is a lingering effect of covid.

Weight: 171.6

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377

Jacked Athlete 31

Intensive Clusters (singles w/45 sec rest)
-CSHB Squat 215 x 5, 225 x 5, 5
-Bench Press 195 x 5, 200 x 5, 205 x 3
-RDL 215 x 5, 225 x 4, 4
-DB Row 100s x 5, 5

I like Clusters, but good lord do they take time. I skipped the last reps on the RDLs and last set of the rows because there is, sadly, life outside of lifting. The kid needed to go to Scouts, and he needed to eat dinner…we all know the drill.

Anyhow, the weights felt right today. I should be within shooting distance of PRs in six weeks or so–PRs I set while 10lbs heavier. And, I’m still not experiencing the severe fatigue I did while running “Strong as You Look” last May.

On Saturday, I did a Gap workout–all arms and delts, bro. Oddly, it seems like my arms are benefitting the most with the least training. What irony.

Weight on Friday: 171.6

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378

Jacked Athlete 31

Speed
-Plyo pushups (from floor) 5 x 5
-Speed DL 5 x 5 @ 135
-Speed Incl Db Rows 5 x 5 @ 40s
-Bike Sprint 5 x 5 @ 12 seconds

I’m still slightky sore from Monday’s cluster sets, especially in my lats.

I was noticeably faster today, almost coming off the floor during deadlifts. It always surprises me how quickly I adapt to a new stimulus. Now I just need to discover the perfect “grow giant arms” stimulus and I’m a made man.

I’ve been terrible about getting on the scale lately.

Weight: ??? (probably 172ish)

379

Jacked Athlete 31

CAT
CSHB Squat 5 x 4 @ 170
-Bench Press 5 x 4 @ 147.5
-RDL 5 x 4 @ 170
-DB Row 5 x 4 @ 72lbs

The plan today was more compensatory acceleration training at 65-percent of max. Again, I eased into the stretch, paused, and exploded. My heels came off the ground the first reps of each set of squats, but noticeably slowed for the final rep. This happens every time, with every exercise, when I do this CAT stuff Huh.

Doing pretty well overall, enjoying the plan, and still not overly fatigued.

Finally had some alone time with the scale this morning: I’m up to 173. :astonished:

380

That’s awesome!

That’s terrible. I truly hope that resolves quickly.

I feel the same way. I’ve decided it’s kind of a recovery effort.

I think that makes the most sense; otherwise you’ll fall out of the groove.

That’s all fantastic!

382

Thanks, man–always good to have you stopping in. Were you able to improvise productive hotel gym workouts?

The anhedonia has been getting better. It seems to be a fairly common effect of covid. It’s kinda like the loss of smell, but for the happiness centers of your brain.

In some ways, covid may have been a good thing–it was a forced break from training and gave me the chance to build back up with waay less volume and effort, two levers to pull as I approach PR territory. So, we’ll see…

As always, the journey is at least half the fun.

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383

Yup - I’ve actually had some pretty good equipment/ sessions. I’m a little bored and looking for a change in direction, but just happy to be able to get after it for now.

Good to hear things are improving!

384

In the end, bored or not, this ends up being what matters the most.

For now, keep showing those out-of-staters what us Ohio boys are made of.

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Jacked Athlete 31

Intensive Clusters (singles w/60 sec rest)
-CSHB Squat 225 x 3, 235 x 3, 240 x 3, 245 x 2
-Bench Press 205 x 3, 210 x 2, 210 x 2, 215 x 2
-RDL 225 x 2, 230 x 2, 230 x 2, 235 x2
-DB Row 106s x 2, 2, 2, 2

I didn’t quite get into the groove today; weights definitely felt and moved like they were heavy. As I’m approaching 90-percent or so of previous bests, I guess they are heavy for me and I guess this was to be expected.

But…there are, occasionally, those magical workouts where all the weights fly; all future workouts look bright. This wasnt one of those.

I do like this template more and more, and wonder how make it better suit my needs, primarily more conditioning and more bodybuilding. I’m going to mull it over for a while.

I weighed 173 over the weekend.