Becoming Canis dirus - SvenG's Training Log

[SvenG]

Forced Deload - d7

Saturday - 03 September 2022
Workout: Extra conditioning + (more) extra conditioning, 0830-0910 + 1220-1305 (40 + 45 minutes)

Pwn’s The Last Castle - AMRAP, 20 minutes
a) Farmer’s walk - 25 yards - 2x87 lbs
b) 6 alternating DB snatches - L/R - 45 lbs
c) Farmer’s walk - 25 yards - 2x87 lbs
d) 10 KB swings - 28 kg
Rounds: 7; Time: 22:13

Cooper’s a B*tch
10 rounds of:
a) 10 1-pump burpees
b) 10 air squats
c) 10 pull-ups (strict, various grips)
d) 10 glute bridges
e) 10 frog pumps
Time: 35:41

Still fasted.

Family is having a lazy morning because the afternoon and evening got busy, so I took the opportunity to knock out tomorrow’s run of The Last Castle. Was moving slowly, on purpose: finished round 6 at 18:26, which is normally about when round 7 is in the books, and the timer went off just as I was switching hands on the snatches in round 7. Finished out that one well after 20 minutes, but decided to do the 8th anyway. That came in at 25:43—ugh! But I did the work and I didn’t aggravate anything, so really it’s a win.

That leaves a WOD and maybe those BB curls. I’ll edit in whatever I do whenever I do it. But now it’s forward into some lawn mowing, breakfast, etc.

Edit: OMG!!! I was absolutely drowning in sweat, and I made my very own Shroud of Turin today:

So, yeah, “Cooper’s a B*tch” is a b*tch!

I like the Cooper WOD, but I wanted elements of the Basic B*tch Booty Blaster WOD today, so I did a mash-up: 100 reps each of those moves over 10 rounds is beautifully awful! I’m gonna have to do that one again.

Pretty sure those pull-ups said to push this week’s Poundstone curls into tomorrow, but I’m not sure if that’s actually what I heard or not… Depends on how the rest of the day plays out. I’ll be back on track with those by next Saturday, one way or the other—I promise.

Edit 2: For the record, those pull-ups went: 10, 10, 10, 10, 8+2, 10, 8+2, 10, 5/5, 5/5. I cycled among the grips across the sets, and I had to rest-pause the second set of pronated grip and the second set of narrow neutral grip. I also cycled among all four grips (5 reps each) within the last two sets, so the mid-set drops were just to switch grips.

[hustlinghat93]

All I see is delts and bicep in that picture. Really showing the fruits of your labour.

[cdep89]

Sweat looking so much like Goro from Mortal Kombat that it’s actually a little bit scary.

[simo74]

Great to see you starting to feel better and getting some hard conditioning in

[aholding88]

Looking good brother

[SvenG]

@hustlinghat93 - Thanks, man! The pump was incredible—I guess that’s what 100 push-ups (via burpees) and 100 pull-ups in fairly rapid succession will get you.

@cdep89 - Thanks for dropping in, my dude! And now that you’ve pointed it out, I can’t unsee it, haha! But you’re absolutely right. Besides, that dude was a real monster, so I’ll take it.

@simo74 - It feels good to feel good! I was kinda missing the hard conditioning while I was laid up, but if you try to tell me that again in a week or so, I’ll probably say you’re crazy.

@aholding88 - Thanks, my friend. It was good to once again bury myself with something that looks easy on paper!

[SvenG]

Forced Deload - summary

Not much to say about this week. My goals were to get healthy and move as much as possible. I think I did alright with both of those—certainly I’m feeling pretty good now, and my activities levels increased as the week wore on. It’s annoying that I wasn’t able to see the third week of Hardgainers through to completion, but as @antiquity said, I’m in this for the long-haul, so time away was the smart play.

And who knows? I may yet find an opportunity to hit up the missed deadlift reps and the missed press workout…

But I’m back at it this week, and my goals are:

• Complete all 4 lifting workouts
• Hit (at least) 80 reps for each assistance category
• Complete 3 days of easy conditioning & direct calf work
• Row something heavy every day
• Get something heavy from floor-to-overhead every day
• Eat well

I’ll be using the TMs from Cycle 16 again. I already mentioned that I was thinking about that BEFORE I got laid up, and now that I’m about to dive back in, I’m going ahead with that.

If I’m being honest, I’m already a little anxious about the 5+ PR sets over the next 3 weeks, even with the same TMs—I’m going to have to find that line between pushing myself to improve and pushing myself too far. I might just have to accept that this cycle’s PR sets won’t necessarily be PRs.

Oh, and I realized at some point during that forced deload I might’ve been better off to start the number of assistance reps high in the 5s week and taper down as I moved through 3s week and into 1s week because the intensity of the main lifts increases week-to-week, but… Misery is misery, so whatever. If I can keep hitting the reps, I’ll be at the top end of the range by the end of this cycle.

I’ve got exactly three weeks before my first business trip since before the pandemic, and I’m headed to the UK. If all goes well, I should be able to close out this cycle before the trip forces another deload. No idea where I’m staying yet, but hopefully I’ll be able to find a hotel with a decent gym. Otherwise, I’ll go Pwn-style and find a way to use the hotel furniture to get in a bajillion reps or something!

Alright, body—you’ve had your rest, now get going!

[SvenG]

5/3/1 for Hardgainers - c17w1d1

Sunday - 04 September 2022
Workout: Easy conditioning, 0530-0620 (50 minutes)

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

Fasted.

Didn’t end up doing those BB curls yesterday—my right elbow and both biceps were screaming at me all through the afternoon and evening activities, so I let well enough alone once we got home. I’ll get them in soon enough, and will definitely get this week’s in on schedule.

Woke up to thunderstorms, but they moved through quickly enough. Quick break now but I’ll be back at it to knock out the remaining work before we hit the road a bit later this morning.

[aholding88]

@SvenG

I’m headed to the UK.

You know whereabouts?

[SvenG]

St. Albans—that’s North London, I guess?

[Koestrizer]

Looking jacked dude!

[SvenG]

Thanks, @Koestrizer! I’m feeling good, too.

[SvenG]

5/3/1 for Hardgainers - c17w1d1

Sunday - 04 September 2022
Workout: Calves & daily work, 0755-0835 (40 minutes)

Towel hop tabata - 4x40/10

3 rounds of:
a) Wendler rows - 90 lbs - 20, 20, 35
b) Plate ground-to-overhead - 45 lbs - 30, 30, 40
c) Seated CR - 210 lbs - 30, 25, 20

Towel hop tabata - 4x40/10

Still fasted. I could really feel my right elbow on those rows, so unless some miracle occurs (and because I moved today’s run of The Last Castle to yesterday), that’ll be it for the day. I can get those BB curls in tomorrow or Tuesday. Anyway, nice burn on everything, and I’m soaked in sweat again—it’s been a solid morning.

[SvenG]

@T3hPwnisher - My wife had to run to the store this morning for the stuff we’re taking to a family picnic today, and she came home with this:

My day was already off to an incredible start, and it just got so much better!

[T3hPwnisher]

Hell yeah dude! I got a bunch of those a while back. They’re fantastic.

I feel bad that I am only commenting about yogurt in this log with you just killing it all over, but we can just consider this yet another victory, haha

[hustlinghat93]

Just outside of London.
Much better than London if you want peace and quite as well as some nice scenery (as a Londoner I confirm London is an overpriced sh*t hole)

[Frank_C]

@SvenG

Hit (at least) 80 reps for each assistance category

I might have missed this because I’m usually 30 posts behind when I visit your log, but is there a cap to this volume? Do you have a number where you’ll add weight and reset back to less reps?

[simo74]

@SvenG

St. Albans—that’s North London, I guess

I used to live here before I moved to Australia, I still have family there. It is not technically North London, It is a small City about 60,000 people that is just outside of North London. Has history dating back to the Roman times, a nice Cathedral which was a shrine to Britans first saint (St. Alban). Lots of old pups there too, although less than when I lived there as pups have been closing down over the last 10 years as less people frequent them.

St Albans is an interesting place to go for a business trip. How long will you be there ?

[simo74]

Not sure how long you are staying there but in terms of gyms when you are in St Albans, there isn’t a great deal of choice. There is fitness first in the center of Town, this is where my dad trains every morning. I am not sure if they do casual passes or how much they cost. This is where I train when I am there (last there 8 years ago…fk you covid). I train there because that is where dad goes and he gets me in for free. It’s not the best but you can get the job done.
There is a more old school type gym called Body Limit which is in a village called Sandridge about 5 miles outside of St Albans town center. No idea if they do casual but maybe worth an email to ask.
I think there is also a 24 hour gym called PureGym that is on the edge of the town center down the bottom of the Holywell Hill (the main street that goes through the town). A bit less than a mile walk, so doable without needing to drive.

Notice I keep saying ‘town’ when technically it is a City, most locals refer to it this way. No idea what hotels there are or even where they are, as I always stay at my parents house when I visit. Depending where you stay will change how close some of these gyms are.

[SvenG]

@T3hPwnisher - I always appreciate when you drop in! And the yogurt is a huge victory—first time I’ve had it, and it’s SO good. The bad news: she didn’t clean them out. The good news: That means I can go back for more!

@hustlinghat93 - I’ve been to London a few times, but haven’t ever stayed for more than a few days, so I’ll take your word for it! Happy to be jumping the puddle again, though—all of my past trips to the UK have been enjoyable.

@Frank_C - Hardgainers calls for 50-100 reps of one move from each assistance category. I was planning 2 3-week cycles, so started at 50 with the goal of adding 10 reps per week to hit 100 in the 6th week. Beyond that, I don’t have a weight progression scheme for my assistance—I creep it up every now and then, but those jumps are kinda haphazard… It’s the one thing I do somewhat intuitively.

@simo74 - I’m landing in your hometown!?! Guess it’s a small world, after all.

I’ll be in town for 4 (non-travel) days, and while I don’t have the schedule yet, I imagine the days will be pretty full: There are 10 folks on the team I just joined with my new employer. Of those, less than half of the guys have been there for more than a year or so, I’m the most recent addition, and 3 more new-hires are set to start before the meet-up at the end of the month. Most of us have never met in person—at least not as teammates in our new roles—and we’re kicking off a pretty big 4-year project. For better or worse, I anticipate lots to team-building stuff that week.

That said, I’m hopeful our team lead schedules in some downtime—there’s a lot I’d like to see. And, at the very least, I’d like to get in a lot of reps with that hotel furniture, haha!