Thanks for watching brother
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Forever BBB - c7w2d7
Saturday - 01 January 2022
Workout: Extra conditioning, 1400-1430 (30 minutes)
21-15-9, for time
a) Devil’s press - 2x30 lbs
b) Chin-up/pull-up (strict, various grips)
Time: 11:44
15 devil’s presses - 2x30 lbs
7 chin-ups/pull-ups (strict, various grips)
Jump rope tabata - 8x40/10 - 1 round
Pretty sure that beats my previous 21-15-9 time for these movements by a good 15+ seconds, which is awesome because the chin-ups/pull-ups were torturous: I could feel my biceps cringing on every single one. Knocked out the rest of my make-up Christmas work immediately after, and then did the JR tabata as buy-out—it’s still pouring down, and somehow going outside in the rain already soaked in sweat is better than the other way around.
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Forever BBB - c7w2 - summary
Decent week. Hit most of my goals, including Christmas Day make-up work with interest. Top sets felt heavy (except bench, thank goodness), but everything moved pretty well considering. Really liking these supplemental sets Malcom X style: got 50 squat and bench reps straight up, and was able to get press and deadlift with a single rest-pause. Weights were light, but I think I’ll continue that approach in Week 3 as well, just to see what I can do. Also got 100 BB curls in a single set this week, which is something I’ve been working towards for a while now, so that was cool.
I still like daily chin-ups and pull-ups, I still hate daily devil’s presses, and I will again continue both this week. Thinking of changing it up in Cycle 8, however, so we’ll see what I can cook up…
Eating was much better overall, but not quite back to normal (hence, “most” of my goals). Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks were spot on; it’s the post-dinner treats that were still offtrack this week. But none of that was stress eating—I choose to participate because the entire family has been on break from school and work, and we did some things we don’t normally do. I wanted to enjoy all of that. And I did. Anyway, Tuesday brings a full return to our normal patterns, and that will include normal eating patterns as well.
My goals for the week are:
- 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 48 chin-ups/pull-ups and 50 devil’s presses every day
- Eat properly
Already mentioned continuing Malcom X for the supplemental, so not much else to say about the upcoming week. I just need to put my head down and do the work.
That said, I’ve begun thinking a bit about Cycle 8 and beyond, so without committing to too much just yet, I’m thinking several more BBB leaders, likely with 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL anchors, and I anticipate keeping my TMs the same but moving toward FSL weights for the supplemental work. I’d really like to master these top sets (no more, “But they felt heavy!”) and push the weights on the volume work higher and higher—you know, “progress slowly.” Not putting a strict timeline on that yet, but it’ll probably take at least a few more cycles to creep toward 5x10 FSL supplemental, and then I can start pushing the TMs again. I’m also anticipating a period of 5s PRO, 5x5 FSL leaders (anchors TBD) with lots of conditioning (and maybe less food) to shed any fluff that I put on during BBB.
That’s all still pretty murky, but there’s plenty of time to figure out details. In the mean time, I’m just going to focus on crushing BBB and putting on slabs of muscle. And that’s a good enough plan for now!
Edit: You’ll notice there’s no mention of Super Squats in the short run. I’m about halfway through it, and already I’m scared stiff. If I take my recent 10-rep squat PR (235 lbs) and do only the twice-a-week variation, that’ll have me doing 290x20 at the end of six weeks! You’ve got to be kidding me…
I’m obviously not ready for that just yet. I know I can’t avoid it, and I don’t really want to. I also know there’ll never be a perfect time, so I’m not just sitting around waiting for the stars to align. But I am going to have to prepare for it, plain and simple.
It’ll happen, just not sure exactly when.
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Forever BBB - c7w3d1
Sunday - 02 January 2022
Workout: Easy conditioning + calves, 0635-0735 (60 minutes)
Seated CR - 210 lbs - 20, 20, 20
Weighted vest walk - 28 kg - 35 minutes
Fasted. Not much to say, really. Jump rope and daily work will follow later.
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Forever BBB - c7w3d1
Sunday - 02 January 2022
Workout: Extra conditioning, 1205-1235 (30 minutes)
Jump rope tabata - 4x40/10 - 1 round
10 rounds of:
a) 5 devil’s presses - 2x30 lbs
b) 5 chin-ups/pull-ups (strict, various grips)
Time: 13:08
Jump rope tabata - 4x40/10 - 1 round
Punched the clock.
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It’s absolutely terrifying. The sad part is that we can’t even say “that’s impossible” or “there is no way I will 20-rep my 1RM in a month and a half” because there are documented cases of people doing it. It’s possible, but it scares the hell out of me as well haha.
Observing your work ethic, I’m sure you’ll destroy it when you get to it.
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The super squats protocol is insane. On most days I cannot fathom doing my 10rep max for 10 reps 
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Also the fact that the squats are supposed to be done without a belt. It’s not even a set you can just crank out. Then again the results from training like that and following the diet, it’ll be worth it.
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You’ve got the right outlook there, my man! Guess I just I need to get my head right… But I’ll get there.
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Reading stuff like this makes me think “I’m too old for this shit”.
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Wait—aren’t you younger than me?
If that’s true, what should I be thinking!?!
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I am yeah. I just did the maths on what my 6 week progress could look like and it’s frankly scary. I don’t think I have enough in me to do that.
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I’m just gonna say: ya’ll are getting psyched out by a program that has been run by nearly illiterate malnourished 98lb weaklings with zero access to modern supplementation or the blatant abundance of nutrition we have available today…
Don’t continue to disappoint the greatest generation.
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This is along the lines of, “How bad is it?”, right? Yeah, a stupid question. Thanks for the virtual face-slap back to reality, man.
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Had it not been for this Super Squats convo, I would not have thought of the simple idea of practicing breathing squats on my current program right now. Thanks @SvenG
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I’m here for that man! It’s why I’m so big on drinking the gallon of milk while running the program: I feel like it legit helps you connect with those who came before. Same reason I do Murph in the most miserable way I can: unpartitioned. Same reason I’m against grip shirts and wide receiver gloves in strongman. We were SO much more when we were so much less…
Jamie Lewis talked about how we know how far and how fast the Vikings rowed because the monks kept great records of when and where they sacked monasteries. Apparently, they tasked Olympic rowers with the same feat…and they pretty much died. NeverMIND the fact that, once the vikings got to shore, they’d pick up swords and axes and engage in the highly anaerobic task of murdering everyone they saw, grabbing treasure and setting fires before rowing BACK home.
I don’t know if that’s a true story, but damn it’s a good one. We DO know it took 1000 years for a 6’9 400+lb giant to break the record held by Orm Storolfsson, who absolutely did NOT have access to the amazing pharmaceutical enhancements we have today…or reliable clean drinking water.
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I love the wisdom you impart at times
I am using this one
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Forever BBB - c7w3d2
Monday - 03 January 2022
Workout: Squat, 1000-1105 (65 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 1019; End: 1101; Duration: 42 minutes
Squat - 130x5, 160x5, 190x5 | 215x5, 245x5, 275x5 | 175x31, 175x19
Dip - 60 - 15, 15
Pull-up - BW - 12, 12, 6
HLR - 20, 20, 20
Push-up - 30
BPA - red - 10 high + 10 mid + 10 low
Assistance totals:
Push - 60 reps
Pull - 60 reps
Single-leg/core - 60 reps
Good day. 245 moved well (compare that with 245 last week, where it felt kinda heavy as the top set), but there were some definite squat-mornings with 275. Keeping current TM (285 lbs) next cycle is the right call, at least for squats. That’ll give the supplemental work time to do its job and strengthen everything. Speaking of which…
I was really happy with today’s supplemental sets. Took two to get all 50 reps, but I wanted 30 on the first set and I got 31. Wasn’t too long ago 180x20 was tough, so 175x31 is some kind of improvement. Might have even had a few more reps in me, but my lower back was really barking so I racked it—no reason to let ego dictate these sets. (There’ll be a time when I will absolutely require ego to carry me through a high rep set, but that time is not now.)
Going to take a page out of @tlgains’ book and start practicing breathing squats during the high rep Malcom X style supplemental work over the next several cycles. I was definitely breathing today, but I wasn’t focusing on the Super Squats technique—mostly I was still just trying to survive. But if I get deliberate about it, I’ll improve.
Rest of the work went well, pull-ups were hard. But pull-ups are always hard… Anyway, daily work and a weighted vest walk planned for later today.
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Killer job on those squats. 31 reps will definitely put hair on your chest. Impressive man.
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