Becoming Canis dirus - SvenG's Training Log

Training Training Logs
2392

Full Body, 5s PRO - c15w3 - summary

Another up-and-down week, mentally at least, if not physically as well. Missed those squat reps on Monday, but looking back, sleeping and feeling the way I did, it seems obvious now that my body was up to something. No idea what it was up to, mind you, but something wasn’t right. Aside from that, it was a pretty decent week—I managed to get the work in, even when I really didn’t feel like it.

Realizing now I never did revisit that squat set at 320, and I’ll admit I’m starting to feel antsy that my lifts aren’t progressing, but I get a chance to test things again this week, so I’m just going to see where I am and keep chipping away.

Speaking of that, this week begins the 7th Week Protocol, TM Test. My goals are:

  • Complete all 4 lifting workouts to establish correct TMs
  • Complete 3 days of easy conditioning
  • Do 50 burpees + swings every day
  • Eat like a champ

Per the TM test protocol, I’ll be attempting to work up to 5 reps on the top set of each lift to see where my TMs should be for Cycle 16.

Not yet sure what template will follow, but 5/3/1 for Hardgainers is still rattling around in my head: on paper, the set and rep schemes look a lot different than most of the 5/3/1 I’ve done to this point, so maybe that’ll bring some progress.

Certainly it’ll bring some size—all I have to do is dig in and work hard!

9 Likes
2393

7WP, TM Test - d1

Sunday - 31 July 2022
Workout: Easy conditioning + daily work, 0730-0820 + 1620-1630 (50 + 10 minutes)

1-pump burpees + 28-kg KB swings - 2x(25 + 25), 25-second rest between
Bike@120-140 bpm - 10 minutes
Weighted vest walk - 30 kg - 15 minutes

1-pump burpees + 28-kg KB swings - 2x(25 + 25), 25-second rest between

Fasted.

I ate like a king at the banquet last night: 2 chicken breasts, 3 hot sausages (1 on an Italian sub roll), 4 meatballs, and a small serving of mac & cheese. There may or may not have been some cake involved, too.

Wait, that’s not right—there MOST CERTAINLY was cake involved!

Apparently the woman who prepared the hot sausage and meatballs saw my plate and commented on it to my wife. She later sent me home with more chicken and meatballs—game over, I win!

Later, another swim team dad that I don’t really know very well asked me what I was training for. It’s cool that he recognized I trained, but when I responded simply, “Life,” he was totally dumbfounded and the conversation was over.

Yes, folks, it’s true: I’m doing things right!

Edit: Daily work done. Last few 7WP weeks, I’ve double-dipped on the burpees + swings that are part of my easy conditioning, counting them as daily work as well. Not going to do that this time, so I just knocked out 50 more.

17 Likes
2394

7WP, TM Test - d2

Monday - 01 August 2022
Workout: Squat & daily work, 1025-1135 (70 minutes)

Warm-up
Throws + jumps

Begin: 1045; End: 1124; Duration: 39 minutes
Squat - 145x5, 175x5, 210x5 | 245x5, 280x5, 315x5
Dip - 75 - 15, 10
HLR - 18, 12
Chin-up - BW - 15, 10
Push-up - 30
Good morning - 135 - 15, 10
BPA - red - 10 high + 10 mid + 10 low

1-pump burpees + 28-kg KB swings - 2x(25 + 25), 25-second rest between

Assistance totals:
Push - 55 reps
Pull - 55 reps
Single-leg/core - 55 reps

Made my peace yesterday with the fact that I was going to do whatever my body told me to do with squats today. Turns out, 315x5 was all I had in me.

The percentage work was based on 345, but I struggled to get the last 2 reps on 315 (90%), so that was that. Everything up to that point was pretty solid, so that’s an improvement over last cycle, where I struggled with some of the middle sets (nevermind the top sets!). I’m still not sure what’s going on, but I’m going to use 315 for my TM—that’ll allow me to work back up over the next several cycles and bust through this plateau.

The rest of it was fine, superset assistance moves with squat sets (as usual). Warm-up sets took 12 minutes, the 3 work sets I completed took another 18, I finished off the remaining assistance, and closed out with today’s burpees + swings.

Edit: Also, I re-introduced HLRs today: no pain, which is great, just weak, which is to be expected. The real test will be ab wheel rollouts tomorrow.

14 Likes
2395

Legit question, folks: Is this me being weak-minded and setting myself up to fail, or is this recognizing where my body is (even if I don’t understand why it’s there)?

I think autoregulation is a thing, but I don’t think I’m experienced enough to really understand it…

1 Like
HustlingHat93's Road to 123lb and Weak to Strong
HustlingHat93's Road to 123lb and Weak to Strong
2396

I double dare someone to come in here and say that.

6 Likes
2397

Lol

I don’t think many on this site fit that categorization and certainly not @SvenG

2 Likes
2398

There are a million variables that can affect your training on a given day. Assessing your capability for that day is a useful skill, in my opinion.

What’s the alternative? Throw a bunch more weight on the bar and risk failing the lift, setting you back physically and mentally? Or getting a bunch of wonky reps that look like ass? Seems like a better idea to get in some useful reps and feel good about how they felt for that day.

Who cares how much “extra” you lifted today? It’s more important to keep progress moving upward over the course of your entire training life. I think…

2 Likes
2399

I think the answer to that comes from how honest you are with yourself when you make the decisions, if that makes sense. Are you making the decisions because it’s the smart one, or are you letting your laziness/ego make the decisions? I know which i’m betting on.

2 Likes
2400

I think carrying on trying to work through a TM that you’re not progressing on would fall into the category of being weak minded and setting up for failure.

Sometimes specific lifts can go to shit for no rhyme or reason that’s obvious to us as lifters. I would reset your TM based on numbers you’ve mentioned and see where it takes you. Not a cop out by any stretch.

1 Like
2401

THe probability of that is less than the probability of me getting into Harvard for econ without having taken linear algebra, which is to say 0

1 Like
2402

@throwawayfitness, @heretolog, @hillbillyk, @dagill2, @aholding88, @anna_5588 - Thanks for commenting. You’re all right, of course: The only weak-mindedness here was letting that self-doubt creep in after the fact.

Cheers, everyone!

5 Likes
2403

By no means would anyone dare call you weak minded. This log is a testament to doing the work regardless of how you feel. You’ve also showed you ability to grind through hard sets even if your body wanted to quit because of your mental fortitude.

You did the smart thing and listened to your body. Would you have got 5 with 340 if you tried it and went in with a mindset of getting it up no matter what? Maybe. Would you have got yourself injured if you tried 340 for 5 with a mindset of getting it up no matter what? Again maybe.

Will using the lower TM mess up your training? Hell no.

That little voice is probably what makes you so mentally strong. Constantly doubting yourself and your efforts is what makes you push those sets where the body is done but the mind isn’t.

3 Likes
2404

7WP, TM Test - d3

Tuesday - 02 August 2022
Workout: Press & daily work, 1110-1225 (75 minutes)

Warm-up
Throws + jumps

Begin: 1130; End: 1213; Duration: 43 minutes
Press - 65x5, 80x5, 95x5 | 110x5, 125x5, 140x5, 155x4
Decline DB press - 2x65 lbs - 18, 7
Ab wheel - ramp (19) - 10, 10, 10
Pull-up - BW - 15, 10
Band pushdown - red - 30
Bulgarian split squat - L/R - 2x30 lbs - 15, 10
BFP - red - 30

1-pump burpees + 28-kg KB swings - 2x(25 + 25), 25-second rest between

Assistance totals:
Push - 55 reps
Pull - 55 reps
Single-leg/core - 55 reps

Using JW’s formula, 155x4 is an 85% TM of 150, which is where I’ve been for several cycles. I didn’t get stronger, but at least I haven’t gotten weaker… The 4th rep there was tough, and I got stuck about 1/3 of the way up on the 5th—not sure how long I fought it, but it definitely hit the Simo scale. Wouldn’t have counted it in the TM formula even if I got it up, so it is what it is.

Warm-up sets and corresponding assistance in 11 minutes, work sets in another 22. Took the ab wheel nice and easy with 3x10, except that none of the 30 reps was easy: no pain in my abs, just weakness. I tried to take them to full extension, and I could feel my lats and hip flexors working, some weird twinges in my quads because of then tension in my hip flexors (I think), and I was definitely tentative for most of the reps. Even so, it was a successful reintroduction after well over a month away from those, but I’m going to continue to work them slowly over the next several weeks.

11 Likes
2405

Press can be a bitch to improve. A couple of thoughts:

Taking a few steps backwards in terms of TM can be really helpful breaking plateaus.

I’ve also always liked smaller increments to press TMs, because it can move so slowly. I’ve used 1kg increases regularly before.

2 Likes
2407

I guess my question to this is do you think the outcome of the workout would have been any different in terms of progression if you entered it with a different mindset ?

I think our mind plays tricks on us all the time and mostly it wants us to sit down on the couch conserve energy and eat something sweet and fat, or at least mine does. This is why I like programs with sets and reps that I can just follow. It doesn’t matter what I feel like or what the weather is or how I slept last night. I just have a plan and I stick to it. Now sometimes the plan goes to shit and I miss reps or even a set but that is rare enough for me to accept on that day it wasn’t there. As long as I come back tomorrow and get back on plan then that one day isn’t going to mean a whole lot.
There is nothing wrong with listening to your body but just make sure it is the body that is doing the talking.

Definitely not weak minded or setting up for failure, you still did your job.

4 Likes
2408

7WP, TM Test - d4

Wednesday - 03 August 2022
Workout: Easy conditioning & daily work, 0810-0905 (55 minutes)

1-pump burpees + 28-kg KB swings - 2x(25 + 25), 25-second rest between
Bike@120-140 bpm - 10 minutes
Weighted vest walk - 30 kg - 15 minutes

1-pump burpees + 28-kg KB swings - 2x(25 + 25), 25-second rest between

Fasted. That’s it for today. Tomorrow we deadlift!

7 Likes
2409

7WP, TM Test - d5

Thursday - 04 August 2022
Workout: Deadlift & daily work, 0920-1055 (95 minutes)

Warm-up
Throws + jumps

Begin: 0947; End: 1042; Duration: 55 minutes
Deadlift - 155x5, 195x5, 235x5 | 270x5, 310x5, 350x5, 385x5 (rep PR)
Dip - 75 - 15, 10
Ab wheel - ramp (19) - 5, 5
HLR - 12, 8
Chin-up - BW - 15, 10
Push-up - 30
Deficit reverse lunge - L/R - 2x30 lbs - 15, 10
BPA - red - 10 high + 10 mid + 10 low

1-pump burpees + 28-kg KB swings - 2x(25 + 25), 25-second rest between

Assistance totals:
Push - 55 reps
Pull - 55 reps
Single-leg/core - 55 reps

Went in feeling crappy, came out feeling crappy, but left it all in the weight room this morning: I found a way to pull 385x5 for a new rep PR!

(Previous best was 385x1 as a joker during the Pervertor Anchor several cycles ago.)

Warm-up sets and assistance in 12 minutes, work sets and assistance in 31 minutes (!). Used straps for all of the work sets. Knew I had 385 for 5 once the first rep broke the floor. Which it almost didn’t, haha. But once I locked out that first one, I found my groove and I got 5 solid reps. Might’ve had 6 in me, but mission accomplished: I’ll be using 385 as my TM for Cycle 16.

The ab wheel wrecked me today: I only got 10 reps overall before the pain overtook me, and the extension on even those 10 wasn’t great. So rather than injure myself again, I switched to HLRs. Those were hard, too, but didn’t cause pain—not real pain like the ab wheel, anyway. Can’t let my body off the hook, so I’ll try those again tomorrow.

Felt kinda like I was sleep walking through the daily work at first, but then I cleaned it up and found some snap. Still not moving quickly, but moving deliberately, at least.

Decent morning overall. Now I get to spend the rest of the day eating… Recovering, I mean—I get to spend the rest of the day recovering!

18 Likes
2410

congrats. nice work.

3 Likes
2411

Well done, sir.

1 Like
2412

Congrats!!!

1 Like