Begin...The Rest is Easy

[heretolog]

Alright, so made it back from the trip. Driving 3.5 hours to an airport to take a 6 hour flight, have a layover then another 3.5 hour flight is not ideal but it was worth it.

Spent 3 nights in Denali, did a little hiking and went on a guided bus tour through the park. The weather was clear so we got to see the mountain, which was astonishing. Saw some moose, ptarmigans, wild squirrel variants, caribou, a porcupine, and dalls sheep all roaming in a wild habitat (or about as close as you can get). I haven’t been to a ton of National Parks but this one was pretty different to all I’ve been to. Just massive expanses of land surrounded by giant mountain ranges, absolutely beautiful. Also had surprisingly good food for being a tourist destination, including quite good Serbian food at a restaurant named Moose Aka’s lol

Then drove to Seward and did a boat tour of Kenai Fjords National Park. The drive from anchorage to Seward was incredible, just stunning at every turn. Stayed in a little cabin for the night and went to get some popcorn out of the car only to find 2 moose like 50 feet away, super cool. Saw a bunch of humpback whales, dalls porpoises, orcas (so cool), some black bears, sea lions, otters, seals, puffins and a massive glacier.

Absolutely incredible beauty everywhere we went, way too cold and dark for me but I’ll definitely be back to explore more. Fully understand the draw.

Spent the last few nights in anchorage which was pretty fun, went to a friend’s wedding that was situated on a mountain looking over the bay.

I definitely ate too much, drank too much, sat too much and spent a ton of money but it was a spectacular trip. Working on about 90 min of plane sleep today so the plan is to just get some solid protein and staples in the house so we can undo some of the damage and drop some of this bloat over the course of this week. Tentative plan is to start block 2 of SBS RTF on Wednesday

I took like 150 pictures all terrible

[heretolog]

Alrighty back to it.

SBS w8d1

Skipping the deload week (7) since I’ve effectively not lifted for two weeks. Volume decreases, intensity increases for this block. Start weight for this block is 260.0, looking to keep within 5 or so pounds of that weight for the next 6 weeks. Other than that, no goals except hitting target reps. Need more conditioning and abs but I get stressed when I put hard constraints, so I’ll just make an active effort to include them. Keeping slingshot bench and OHP on the sideline in an effort to save the shoulder.

Targets are 8 for main, 12 for auxiliary this week.

BS: 135 2 x 5, 225 x 5, 275 x 3, 315 x 2, 365 x 1, 385 x 1, 325 4 x 4, 1 x 8
Pull-ups: 1 x 7
RDL: 135 x 5, 225 x 5, 300 4 x 6, 1 x 14

I’ve slept over 10 hours a night on average over the last 3 nights and my stomach has been a mess, don’t think I’m fighting anything off except bad decisions and travel but not feeling great going into this.

Squats felt good to start, except for the sore shoulder, piece of shit didn’t seem to get better for the last two weeks, when I did nothing. Looks like a different approach is needed. As soon as I hit 315 everything felt heavvvvy. Almost lost my 1st rep on my second work set, just off balance and not locked in mentally or physically, yikes. Improved from there, 0 part of me wanted this AMRAP though. Groin, or whatever muscles go from the pelvis to the knee through the interior of the leg were oddly sore after the 3rd set. Anyway, the first 2 reps were fine on the AMRAP, the rest were awful. Need to return to form quickly here.

Stomach started feeling iffy (fasted + rockstar recovery) toward the end of squats. Not great for RDLs but hey, we’re doing what we can. Calluses got shredded here, not too surprised. Almost went home before the top set, Christ this workout sucked.

Didn’t get to the gym until too late so finishing here with the aspiration to do more work at the house. Time to get some food in me, starving.

[heretolog]

@Bagsy

By the way, have you listened to The Japanese House’s new tracks? I’m obsessed.

Finally got around to these, listened a few times yesterday and a few times today. Immediately liked Sad to Breathe, Boyhood grew on me quickly too. At the phase of really liking those two already, don’t like Sunshine Baby quite as much but still enjoy it. Haven’t listened to their other work, going to have to check that out now.

Edit: I feel like these are great summer bops

[Bagsy]

Word on the street is that the album is awesome. I’m surprised you’ve never listened to them before! Amber is so talented. Sunshine Baby is my favorite though… maybe because I’m unapologetically a huge 1975 fan, hahaha. Glad you liked! And yeah, these songs are definitely going on the summer playlist I have not created yet

[heretolog]

@Bagsy

Sunshine Baby is my favorite though… maybe because I’m unapologetically a huge 1975 fan,

Your taste in music is almost so good

@Bagsy

these songs are definitely going on the summer playlist I have not created yet

Do you have Spotify and, if so, do you share your playlists anywhere? I’m way too lazy to make my own

---

Ate quite a bit today but almost all good stuff, will be interesting to see what my weight does over the next week as my muscles demand more.

Did 3 rounds of the following:
Pull-ups x 5
Band pull throughs x 10
Face pulls x 10 (super slow)
Kb swings x 20 (explosive)

Did a bit of shoulder work that I saw from some rando on YouTube, felt decent.

Think I’ll get back into kb swings as conditioning now that I’m officially not cutting.

[heretolog]

Had friends over last night, had a few drinks and some junk food but nothing took crazy. My legs are absolutely dead going into this, they’re way more sore than I could’ve imagine with only a 2 week layoff (not even that long technically). Almost took today off but figured I’ll push through and give my hamstrings an off day before deadlifts instead.

SBS RTF w8d2
Pull-ups: 4 x 5
Bench: 135 2 x 5, 185 x 5, 225 x 5, 275 x 2, 315 x 1, 335 x 1, 295 4 x 4, 1 x 8
FS: bar x bunch, 135 2 x 5, 225 x 3, 240 4 x 6, 1 x 8 (yikes)

Tri kickbacks: 25 2 x 20

Shoulder still a bit iffy, I think the work I’m doing on it is helping though, definitely feeling better than the end of last block but we’ll see how it holds up. It’s only getting heavier from here, main work is above 300 for the rest of the program, assuming I don’t regress too hard. Speaking of, I was hoping for 10 on the last set but was not close to performing at that level, took everything I had to get 8. RPE 10. Hit 305 x 8 3+ weeks ago so a little regression but I think that’s just getting back into the swing of things, or at least I hope that.

Fuck my legs are sore, warmup was excruciating, will see how far I make it into these, trying to be smart but also push it. My groin and hamstrings are particularly sore, lifting my knee up to stretch hurts lol. Did okay during main work but I just couldn’t keep my posture on the AMRAP, lost position and weight was moving forward with each rep. Didn’t want to do my wrists in, so called it there. Will put in a better show next week.

The drinks, the spliff and the lone cigarette all were felt during this, plan on living clean until my birthday/concert series im going to in about 3 weeks. Need to get my work capacity back, this took way too long and was way too hard.

Time to eat the rest of that flank stank from last night.

[heretolog]

Whole body is incredibly sore, throat is a bit sore too, hoping it’s just the wind kicking allergens and dust around. Got in a bunch of walking and did a bit of work to try to get some blood flowing.

Kb swings: 24kg 5 x 30
Facepulls: 3 x 10
Pull-ups: 2 x 8

Plan is to deadlift tomorrow morning, not setting that in stone though.

Dinner (also had some scallops)

[heretolog]

We’ll still not sure if I’m sick or if @Spock81 burned down the entire country of Canada and poisoned my air making me feel awful. In any case we got close to an AQI of 300 today and my lungs and throat feel like shit and I have a headache, doing nothing outside.

Did a short back workout with some pulldowns and rows + curls but my hacking stopped that short.

Going to terminate my SBS run, I have at least one trip a month for the next 6 months and having a rigid program isn’t going to work. Not sure what I’ll do next, maybe something hypertrophy oriented when the air clears. I liked SBS though and think I’ll run that same format next winter when my schedule calms down and I have some time to grow.

[heretolog]

Been knocking out some kettlebell swings and small movements while I’m recovering, definitely had/have a cold but it’s on it’s way out along with the smoke. Should be good to get a session in tomorrow. Weight is up a tiny bit but mostly steady, hoping to get some momentum again over the next few weeks.

[heretolog]

Had a few drinks last night feeling it a bit but mostly still fighting the remains of the congestion.

Reverse hyper: 50, 70, 70, 80 x 10
SSB: 145 2 x 5, 235 x 5, 285 x 3 (belt rest of way), 325 x 3, 375 x 1, 415 x 1 (pr)
Squat press: 200 x 10, 380 x 10, 560 x 10, 650 x 10
Low row: 80 x 10, 120 x 12, 140 x 10, 160 x 8

Not a ton of work here but enough for my current state. SSB felt solid 415 was about a 9.5RPE but felt good all things considered. Haven’t really pushed weight with this movement, might be able to pick up a few pounds quickly.

Leg press still feels like the best leg builder for me, will keep it in until I find my next program. Plan is to do some KB swings and setup my landmine to make rows easily available so I do more throughout the week.

Good to be back.

SSB 415 x 1

[cdep89]

Nice PR man.

[throwawayfitness]

@heretolog

415 x 1 (pr)

congrats

[heretolog]

@cdep89 @throwawayfitness thanks guys, really liking the ssb, one of the few lifts where I can grind and not feel too beat up

[heretolog]

Did a bit of extra work.

Meadows does: 45 x 10, 70 x 10, 80 x 10
KB swings: 3 x 30

My conditioning is atrocious, cold is undoubtedly partly to blame but the largest portion lies with me just not doing it, need to up the consistency here.

[heretolog]

Had some more drinks last night and watched the knights win, only one more until the cup! Feeling it a bit today but not bad until the gym.

Tri pulldowns ss with face pulls: 40 x 12, 50 x 10, 60 x 8
Low incline DB bench: 60 x 8, 75 x 8, 90 x 8
Tri overhead: 80 x 12, 100 x 9, 110 x 7
NG chins: 3 x 8
Split squats: 30 x 8, 55 x 6, 70 x 6, 85 x 6

Used different pulley systems for the tri work, which is why the weight difference is there.

Shoulder still sucking 90 x 8 was a bit challenging but with a healthy shoulder that’s cake, did a bunch of band work throughout the session, it might be getting marginally better, hard to say. Frustrated with it though, think I’ll do landmine shoulder work this week and see if that feels okay.

Plan is to hit deadlifts or some variation of them tomorrow morning and some conditioning tonight.

Edit: hit 3 x 35 kb swings, not much but something

[heretolog]

Slept pretty poorly last night but managed to make it in.

Dead hangs: 3 x 30s
Shoulder stuff
Semi-sumo DL: 135 2 x 5, 225 x 5, 275 x 3, 315 x 3, 365 x 2, 405 x 1, 2, 2
Hammer curls: 30 x 12, 35 x 8, 40 x 5
Lateral raises: 15 x 20, 20 x 12, 25 x 10
Curls: 20 x 10, 25 x 10, 35 x 8
Back raises: bw x 15, +25 2 x 10

Been seeing hanging as a shoulder fix, so have it a shot, 30 seconds is a pretty long time to hold 260 pounds haha.

Messing around with sumo, my feet aren’t all that wide but my hands are inside them so I figure it’s close enough. Position feels much better off the ground a lot of technique work to do here though. Still after a few reps 405 felt reasonably decent. Will probably work up to somewhere around this weight then do low volume technique work next DL session.

Rest of the work was kind of pumpy but I figured I could do light lateral raises without pain! Hooooray

Peloton and core this afternoon

[heretolog]

Got a peloton and a tiny amount of core.

Peloton low impact 20 min @ 134 watts

Crunches 3 x 20

Took the peloton easy for the first 2/3 then pushed a bit towards the end, legs have plenty to give and conditioning wasn’t failing but I couldn’t keep up that last 1/3 pace for as long as I would like to. Still, a good return to the bike.

Did the peloton, did a walk, got the dog, did the abs (cramped doing dead bugs after crunches), did another walk. It’s super humid so I’ve been sweating for an hour straight

[simo74]

@heretolog

415 x 1 (pr)

Nice squat sir. What SSB bar is that, them handles and loooong.

[heretolog]

It’s technically not an SSB bar, you can adjust it to have it set at all sorts of different angles and depths but I just use it as an SSB, although I might be setting it up slightly incorrectly.

I don’t know if this link will get disappeared but it is the Kabuki Strength Transformer Bar, it’s pretty sweet but I wouldn’t pay for it with the price tag it has.

The Transformer Bar

[simo74]

Ah yes. We have one of those in my gym.