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Merry Christmas Sven
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Merry Christmas, Doomy!
Forever BBB - c7w1 - summary
First week in the books, and pretty much everything went well except for eating—early part of the week was a flub, later part of the week was planned. The Christmas holiday is great, family visits are great, but I’m looking forward to getting back to a more normal schedule this week. (I hope, haha!)
I like daily chin-ups and pull-ups, I hate daily devil’s presses, and I will continue both this week. I feel like I could handle more assistance reps, but the sets fall out nicely and the overall time is working well. Beyond that, my understanding of BBB is that it’s all about the supplemental volume, so I’m not looking to push the assistance too far yet. If anything, adding conditioning beyond my daily work might be more beneficial than another 10-20 reps of each assistance category.
I didn’t get back to the remaining workout yesterday, so I owe myself the daily work, some jump rope work, and BB curls. Not sure exactly how I’ll pay that back, but it will likely involve some extra reps/time as interest.
This week is a 5s week, and the weights are pretty light, so I’m going to find ways to make the sets harder—will probably try to complete the supplemental reps in as few sets as possible, just to see what I can do. Planning to use the weighted vest during hard conditioning again, and maybe add some sprints during the sled push. Will likely drop a few rounds from The Last Castle as well—gotta respect my time constraints, which I didn’t do on Friday.
My weekly goals include:
- Complete Christmas Day make-up work, including interest
- Complete all 4 lifting workouts
- Complete 2 days of hard conditioning
- Complete 5 days of easy conditioning
- Complete 3 days of direct calf work
- Do 44 chin-ups/pull-ups and 50 devil’s presses every day
- Get back to eating properly
Right now, I’m thinking an extra 9 reps for devil’s presses and 8 extra chin-ups/pull-ups each day is a reasonable payment plan for yesterday’s missed daily work + interest:
- Devil’s presses - 59 daily, +63 for the week → Saturday’s work + 13 reps interest
- Chin-ups/pull-ups - 52 daily, +56 for the week → Saturday’s work + 12 reps interest
I’ll also add two 40/10 (on/off) rounds to the jump rope, and maybe a third set of BB curls to just push as far past 100 as I can, when I complete that stuff—hopefully today.
Anyway, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. Just less than a week left in 2021, so let’s push as hard as we can and ring in the New Year with some clanging iron!
9 Likes
Forever BBB - c7w2d1
Sunday - 26 December 2021
Workout: Easy conditioning + calves, 1350-1505 (75 minutes)
BB curls - 86 + 14, 18 + 11
Seated CR - 210 lbs - 20, 20, 20
Weighted vest walk - 28 kg - 35 minutes
Not fasted: Kiddos wanted to spend the morning building their new Lego sets, so we did. (Honestly, there’s no better way to spend the day after Christmas, IMO.) Anyway, got to this once we were burned out on that.
Got all 100 reps in a single rest-pause set, so that’s progress. Since I needed to pay with interest, I did a second rest-pause set for an additional 29 reps before there was too much body english.
Need to get in jump rope and daily work, but there’s still time for that yet this afternoon (and into the evening, if necessary).
7 Likes
Forever BBB - c7w2d1
Sunday - 26 December 2021
Workout: Extra conditioning, 1715-1800 (45 minutes)
Jump rope tabata - 6x40/10 - 1 round
4 rounds of:
a) 8 devil’s presses - 2x30 lbs
b) 7 chin-ups/pull-ups (strict, various grips)
Time: 8:24
Jump rope tabata - 6x40/10 - 1 round
4 rounds of:
a) 8 devil’s presses - 2x30 lbs
b) 7 chin-ups/pull-ups (strict, various grips)
Time: 9:13
Jump rope tabata - 6x40/10 - 1 round
Got it in. Split it up just to keep things interesting, but that didn’t really work so well—it was still pretty boring. Today’s work and yesterday’s missed BB curls and JR work are now done, and I’ve started chipping away at yesterday’s missed devil’s presses and chin-ups/pull-ups. Steady as she goes.
7 Likes
Forever BBB - c7w2d2
Monday - 27 December 2021
Workout: Squat, 0935-1035 (60 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 0955; End: 1030; Duration: 35 minutes
Squat - 100x5, 130x5, 160x5 | 190x5, 215x5, 245x5 | 115x50
HLR - 20, 20, 20
Dip - 60 - 15, 15
Chin-up - BW - 13, 13, 4
Push-up - 30
BPA - red - 10 high + 10 mid + 10 low
Assistance totals:
Push - 60 reps
Pull - 60 reps
Single-leg/core - 60 reps
It’s a 5s week, so lighter weights. Everything moved well, even if 245 felt heavier than it should have. Knocked out the 5x10 supplemental work in a single set of 50 reps, which took about 4 minutes. Could feel it in my calves, of all places, and my lower back. My quads were definitely fatigued, too, but that set was hard mostly because of the breathing—was doing 3-5 breaths between each one for the last 10-12 reps. Not sure I’ll get 50 reps in one set with all of the supplemental work this week, but it’s my unofficial goal and I’m at least going to try.
Pwn’s Tower of Babel this afternoon to knock out my daily work, and I’ll follow that with a weighted vest walk.
Edit: Forgot to mention that I was annoyed with the chin-ups today. Target was 30 reps in 3 sets, but really I was shooting for 30 in 2. Just couldn’t get it done—was definitely feeling yesterday’s BB curls, and probably some of the make-up pulling work, too.
10 Likes
Forever BBB - c7w2d2
Monday - 27 December 2021
Workout: Easy conditioning, 1550-1710 (80 minutes)
Pwn’s Tower of Babel - Devil’s presses (2x30 lbs) + 5 chin-ups/pull-ups (strict, various grips)
1, 2, …, 7, 8, 7, …, 2, 1
Time: 21:18
Weighted vest walk - 28 kg - 35 minutes
The weight wasn’t impressive. Maybe the rep count was. But either way, I know I worked hard during that squat set this morning: I had a pretty sweet case of post-squat flu after lunch this afternoon—so much so, in fact, that I took a COVID test just to be sure it wasn’t something more. (That came back negative, BTW.)
So I wasn’t feeling great coming into Tower of Babel this afternoon, but I hit a top set of 8, which gives me 64 devil’s presses for the day. Also got all 5 chin-up/pull-up reps after every round, which totals 75 in a span of less than 22 minutes. Pretty happy with that. Add that to the 30 I did this morning (lackluster though they were), and that’s 105 for the day. I don’t think I’ve ever done 105 chins in a day before, so that’s cool too.
Now I’ve just gotta make sure to eat enough and try to get some reasonable sleep tonight so I can crush tomorrow’s workouts too!
9 Likes
Forever BBB - c7w2d3
Tuesday - 28 December 2021
Workout: Press, 0930-1025 (55 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 0947; End: 1019; Duration: 32 minutes
Press - 50x5, 65x5, 80x5 | 95x5, 105x5, 120x5 | 60x(31+10+9)
Cable crunch - 50 - 25, 25, 10
Incline DB press - 2x60 lbs - 18 (?), 22
Pull-up - BW - 12, 12, 6
Band pushdown - red - 30
BFP - red - 30
Assistance totals:
Push - 70 reps (?)
Pull - 60 reps
Single-leg/core - 60 reps
Slept until almost 0600; really enjoying this break.
Decent workout this morning: press moved well, and the rest was pretty smooth too. Couldn’t get 50 straight reps on the supplemental work today, but I did get all 50 using two rest-pause sets: 31 reps, rack for 15 seconds, 10, rack for 15, 9. The last couple of reps on each of the mini-sets were tough, maybe a little grindy—didn’t want form to go to trash just for the sake of ego, so that’s why I decided to rest-pause. Still got a really nice burn in my shoulders, so that’s good.
Totally lost count on that first set of incline DB presses; found myself saying 18, but I don’t remember getting there. I know I had at least 10, but I did 22 in the second set just to be sure.
Pull-ups were tough: my biceps are downright sore today, and my back and lats are feeling the extra pulling work. I’m also aware of my lower body when I move (that’d be yesterday’s supplemental squats), but I’m eating and I slept well, so I’ll just continue to push through.
Weighted vest sled push, some air squats, and daily work planned for later today.
10 Likes
Forever BBB - c7w2d3
Tuesday - 28 December 2021
Workout: Hard conditioning, 1405-1500 (55 minutes)
In as few rounds as possible:
52 chin-ups/pull-ups (strict, various grips)
5 air squats, EMOM
Rounds: 7
In a 28-kg weighted vest, 8 rounds of:
a) Sled push - 25 yds - 135 + sled = 222 lbs
b) Run to DBs - 25 yds
c) 3 devil’s presses - 2x30 lbs
d) Run to sled - 25 yds
e) Sled push - 25 yds - 135 + sled = 222 lbs
f) 3 devil’s presses - 2x30 lbs
Time: 31:35
12 devil’s presses - 2x30 lbs
And today it will be sled flu…
'Cause that was hard.
I liked the scheme to knock out my daily chin-ups/pull-ups. I chose air squats because I wanted to get some blood into my lower body and loosen it up before the sled circuit. In that sense, it worked quite well, but I probably should’ve pushed for 10 or more EMOM. Or maybe a harder EMOM move altogether. Came out strong with the pull-ups, but tapered off quickly: 15, 7, 7, 7, 5, 6, 6. (Didn’t like the 5th rep in the last round, so I did an extra one for good measure.)
And then onto the weighted vest sled push. Put the 3rd plate back on, but didn’t notice a marked difference—up the incline or down. Still awkward. But then again, I wasn’t really paying attention because devil’s presses—even just 3 at a time—in a 28-kg weighted vest are… wrong. They’re just plain wrong.
This went pretty much like Pwn’s The Last Castle in the vest last week: wanted 10 rounds, it got REALLY hard about round 5 or 6, I somehow stumbled through 8 rounds, and it took a bit longer than I really had to give. Gonna have to adjust again next week once kids are back in school, etc.
Oh, and I call it a “run” between the sled and DBs, but it was closer to a jog for most rounds, and by the end, it was very nearly a walk. That vest just makes everything so damn awkward!
Alright, that’s that. Just gotta keep moving forward…
10 Likes
Forever BBB - c7w2d4
Wednesday - 29 December 2021
Workout: Easy conditioning + calves, 0830-0945 (75 minutes)
Seated CR - 210 lbs - 20, 20, 20
Weighted vest walk - 28 kg - 15 minutes (to park)
Easy run - 9 laps, about 1750m - 11:20
Weighted vest walk - 28 kg - 16 minutes (from park)
Fasted.
No sled flu, but my body did try to make everything hurt from about 1600 forward. Ate well over a pound of taco meat with some cheddar cheese for dinner, went to bed about an hour to an hour-and-a-half earlier than I have been, and still slept until 0540. Felt better this morning, until…
Weird left glute pain set in early during the run; not the SI joint, but in the muscle all along the joint. Later, the right SI joint started acting up, and eventually my shins were burning. Strides were short and choppy; it was kind of a terrible mess. The time definitely doesn’t reflect how hard I was pushing—or at least, how hard it FELT like I was pushing. I swear I’m not trying to complain, but it was just kind of a rough morning.
JR tabata and daily work via Pwn’s Faust (Lite) later today.
10 Likes
I somehow became an even bigger fan of this training log.
3 Likes
Forever BBB - c7w2d4
Wednesday - 29 December 2021
Workout: Extra conditioning, 1350-1420 (30 minutes)
Jump rope tabata - 4x40/10 - 1 round
Pwn’s Faust (Lite)
In as few rounds as possible:
50 devil’s presses - 2x30 lbs
5 chin-ups/pull-ups (strict, various grips), EMOM
Rounds: 12
10 devil’s presses - 2x30 lbs
Jump rope tabata - 4x40/10 - 1 round
Had a chance to knock this out while Mrs. SvenG and the kids were out, so I took it: won’t cut into time with them later this afternoon.
Had to dig deep to get through this, but I did—and no zero-DP rounds, too. Only twice did I have to drop before getting 5 chins, but each time I finished them out before squeezing in at least two DPs before the top of the next minute. Pretty happy to have finished up in 12 rounds.
Used the JR tabata as buy-in/buy-out, and hit up 10 more DPs after Faust to finish up my daily Christmas make-up work.
8 Likes
I am starting to notice a trend that the punisher seems to always like the food posts. All that training you do you must be subliminally always hungry 
3 Likes
I like the eating BIG posts. It’s how we grow!
2 Likes
Forever BBB - c7w2d5
Thursday - 30 December 2021
Workout: Deadlift, 0950-1055 (65 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 1008; End: 1050; Duration: 42 minutes
Deadlift - 115x5, 150x5, 180x5 | 215x5, 245x5, 280x5 | 130x(36+14)
Ab wheel - ramp (13) - 25, 20, 15
Dip - 60 - 15, 15
OA row - L/R - 50 - 20, 10
DB lateral raise - 2x10 lbs - 30
BPA - red - 10 high + 10 mid + 10 low
Assistance totals:
Push - 60 reps
Pull - 60 reps
Single-leg/core - 60 reps
Went to bed about the usual time but slept until 0630 this morning! If I’m not careful, I’m going to develop a bad habit here, haha.
Decent day. Top set felt heavy. They all seem to be feeling heavy. Not sure why—it’s a 5s week. Maybe the supplemental work from last week and earlier this week is starting to catch up with me? Who knows… Next week will be interesting for sure.
Didn’t get 50 straight reps, but did get 50 with a rest-pause: 36, 15-second rest, remaining 14. Took less than four minutes, including stripping the bar and racking the weights. I’m annoyed because I just let the bar go after that 36th rep. I’m not sure I had another 14 in me—forearms were on fire, hips were fatigued, HR was in upper 160s, and my lungs were screaming—but I’m sure I had a few more in there. Whatever… it’s not a big deal either way: the set was hard, and that’s the point.
That left glute issue made itself very apparent this morning—localized pain… no, not really pain, but… soreness more like, where the glute meets the hamstring, right under the SI joint. Not surprising, given my joint issues, compounded with devil’s presses in a weighted vest the other day, but I’m going to have to watch that. I don’t think I was compensating during the deads, but a few reps in that final set were definitely lopsided. In the end, though, it feels better now than it did going into the workout—getting bloodflow into problem areas always helps!
Planning to knock our my daily work using Pwn’s Tower of Babel again this afternoon, followed by a weighted vest walk.
9 Likes
Forever BBB - c7w2d5
Thursday - 30 December 2021
Workout: Easy conditioning, 1330-1450 (80 minutes)
Pwn’s Tower of Babel - Devil’s presses (2x30 lbs) + 5 chin-ups/pull-ups (strict, various grips)
1, 2, …, 7, 8, 7, …, 2, 1
Time: 19:42
Weighted vest walk - 28 kg - 35 minutes
Not sure how I did it, but crushed my previous ToB time with these moves by well over a minute. Very happy with that!
Paid the price on the weighted vest walk, however: the “35-minute” route took 45 minutes, and every step was pure misery—when did easy conditioning get so hard?
9 Likes
Ow!
Conditioning really paying off allowing you to do things like this. I’m confident my lungs and heart would be my limiting factor on this.
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Challenge accepted
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@jdm135 - For sure. No doubt my HR is up and my lungs still ache, but I’m able to push these sets far longer because of my conditioning and thus expose other weak points, like grip for that deadlift set—I’m 99% sure I let go with the intent to reset my grip, but I just stood up instead! 
@anna_5588 - To be clear, no challenge has been issued here. My goal this week is to do the BBB supplemental work in as few sets as possible, because I’m following JW’s “start too light” principle (along with all the others), and 5x10 at 40% is definitely too light. These sets are simply a way to make the work designated by the Forever BBB template (option 2) harder for me. On top of that, I am absolutely confident in my TMs, because I took the time to test them before starting the template.
And I’m eating: I mentioned a pound of taco meat on Tuesday evening, I ate about 1.5 pounds of chicken tenderloins for dinner Wednesday, and last night I ate half of a 3-pound turkey meatloaf. That’s on top of my standard breakfast (3-4 scrambled eggs, 3-4 slices of turkey bacon, and 1-2 cups of plain Greek yogurt) and lunch (1-2 heads of Romaine lettuce, some veggies, and some kind of meat, usually about a half a pound of ham or turkey pepperoni, or maybe 1-2 cans of tuna), not to mention a casein protein shake and several handfuls of raw almonds, walnuts, or cashews throughout the day (and usually after my second workout).
So, yes, do what you need to do to make sure you’re getting the most out of your lifting work. But make sure you’re also doing what needs to be done to support that work: eat.
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