FRIDAY
BW: 153.0
waist: 33"
BF est (Navy calc): 18%
Macros: 1773 => P160 C59 F65
Biceps Conjugate / Upper Chest Heavy
Barbell Curl
80 x 8 x 3
80 x 6
Reverse Preacher Curl / Hammer Curl Compound Superset
bar+15 x 12 / 35 x 12
bar+15 x 12 / 35 x 10
bar+15 x 12 / 35 x 10
Machine Curl (Two-arm concentric / One-arm eccentric)
40 x 6 x 4
Preacher Curl 100 Reps
bar x 50
bar x 25 x 2
High Incline DB Press
60 x 5 x 5
SATURDAY
BW: 151.4
waist: 32 3/4"
BF est (Navy calc): 17%
Macros: 2014 => P137 C117 F84
Dinner out with Mrs Burien Top Team and a girlfriend of hers knocked the macros around a bit today. Grateful for the hard BJJ training and resistance work to soak those calories up.
Weekly net calories: 10,638 (1520/day)
Jiu-Jitsu Training
Tutored in first class / Three 7-minute rounds in second class
Back / Triceps
[warmup sets not shown]
Barbell Row / Fat Man Pull Up Compound Superset
125 x 8 / BW x 20
125 x 8 / BW x 18
120 x 6 / BW x 13
Weighted Chin / Lat Pulldown Compound Superset
BW x 10 / 110 x 12
BW x 5 / 110 x 10
BW x 5 / 110 x 10
Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension / Rope Triceps Pulldown Compound Superset
40 x 8 / 100 x 12
40 x 8 / 100 x 10
40 x 6 x 3 / 100 x 10 x 3
SUNDAY
BW: 151.8
waist: 32 3/4"
BF est (Navy calc): 17%
Macros: 1886 => P156 C57 F79
Cardio Day
Incline Treadmill Walk
2 miles / 33.75 minutes / 250 calories / 7.4 intensity
20 Pounds of Superhero Muscle - Thibaudeau Template (Mostly)
Phase 2 of 3 / Week 8 of 12
MONDAY
BW: 154.4
waist: 33 1/4"
BF est (Navy calc): 18%
Macros: 1598 => P165 C59 F57
Upper Chest Conjugate / Biceps Heavy
[warmup sets not shown]
Incline Bench Press
140 x 8
140 x 6
140 x 5 x 2
Low Incline DB Press / Incline Cable Flyes Compound Superset
50 x 12 / 60 x 12
50 x 10 / 70 x 12
50 x 10 / 80 x 12
Low-to-High Cable Flyes
35 x 10
35 x 9
35 x 9
Bench Press 100 Reps
bar x 50
bar x 30
bar x 20
Barbell Curl
85 x 5 x 5
Kneeling Cable Crunch
140 x 15 x 2
140 x 12
Hanging Knee Raise
BW x 15 x 3
TUESDAY
BW: 153.6
waist: 33"
BF est (Navy calc): 18%
Macros: 1759 => P188 C41 F86
Cardio and Jiu-JItsu Day
Incline Treadmill Walking (afternoon)
2 miles / 34.25 minutes / 205 calories / 5.95 intensity
Jiu-Jitsu Training (evening)
Tutored first class + two eight-minute specific training rounds / One eight minute round of Live Training in second class
Good training tonight. Nothing too strenuous. But just the right amount of challenge to enable me to continue to develop this new Kron Gracie-esque guard game I’ve been working on.
WEDNESDAY
BW: 153.4
waist: 33 1/2"
BF est (Nav calc): 18%
Macros: 1737 => P163 C97 F63
Quads / Hams
[warmup sets not shown]
Changed the order to see if doing Leg Curls first would fortify my squat a la John Meadows. Not sure if there was any difference; I do know this was the most brutal squat session since I started doing this protocol.
Leg Curls 100 reps
60 x 25 x 4
Back Squat / RDL Compound Superset
150 x 15 / 130 x 12
150 x 12 / 130 x 10
150 x 8 / 130 x 8
150 x 20 / 130 x 15
Really hard time on that final set of 20 squats. Halfway expected a “Scanners” moment in which my brain would explode from my head. Needed to take an extra 30 seconds before the final set of 15 RDLs.
Leg Press / Standing Leg Curl Compound Superset
180 x 12 x 3 / 50 x 15 x 3
A tough one today. A little bitter about the persistence of my weight, and am really seeing the wisdom in CT’s emphasis on getting lean first. I’m only about five pounds away from my ideal weight and a sub 12%BF, and I’m slowly/agonizingly realizing just how low I’m going to have to take my net calories (average <1300/day) in order to get to my goal by June 1st.
I think I’m just going to try and stick around here - maybe a little lower, near 152.5 (IBJJF featherweight limit in the gi) and then just do a week of fight camp cutting the final week of May to finish off the Transformation. I’ll be out of town for a week next week and the absence of 300-400 calories a day in protein shakes will likely “do wonders” for my waistline and scale number (FBOW).
Looking into something like this for later over the summer. The chins + dips + squats thread and the big three for non-powerlifters article got me thinking. I like the simple four exercise version in the below.
This has you doing three sets of four max effort work with 60 second rests. Rather than do max effort, I’m thinking of starting with 50% of my training max in the squat and deadlift and moving up from there. If the National Judo Team allegedly couldn’t do more than one circuit with the max effort version, then …
With the chins, BW x 12 x 3 will be challenge enough. For the dips, I’ve done a 20/10/6 rest-pause set, so BW to start, but adding weight after the first week.
THURSDAY
BW: 151.4
waist: 32 3/4"
BF est (Navy calc): 16%
Macros: 1555 => P159 C62 F54
Cardio Day
Incline Treadmill Walking
I tend to take off the jiu-jitsu training session before I leave town just to get a little extra rest (and avoid having a last minute tweak, injury, or bug before the trip)
2.5 miles / 41:49 minutes / 312 calories / 7.47 intensity
FRIDAY
BW: 152.6
waist: 32 3/4"
BF est (Navy calc): 16%
Macros: 1690 => P161 C102 F49
About 2/3 of carbs (69g) consumed during or shortly after training.
Pre-training Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
0.79 miles / 13:08 minutes / 100 calories / 7.69 intensity
Biceps Conjugate / Upper Chest Heavy
[warmup sets not shown]
Barbell Curls
80 x 8 x 4
Reverse Preacher Curl / Hammer Curl Compound Superset
bar +15 x 12 / 35 x 10
bar +15 x 12 / 30 x 10
bar +15 x 12 / 30 x 10
Backed off the weight on the hammer curls since the reps were a little too grindy last time around. Really trying to get out of that habit - especially with this kind of training.
Machine Curl - 2 arm concentric / 1 arm eccentric
40 x 6 x 3
Preacher Curl 100 Rep
bar x 50
bar x 30
bar x 20
High Incline DB Press
60 x 5 x 5
Post-Training Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
2 miles / 32:30 minutes / 300 calories / 9.23 intensity
SATURDAY
BW: 152.2
waist: 32 1/2"
BF est (Navy calc): 16%
Macros: TBA
Pre-training Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
0.79 miles / 13:08 minutes / 100 calories / 7.69 intensity
Back / Triceps
[warmup sets not shown]
Barbell Row / Fat Man Pullup Compound Superset
125 x 8 / BW x 20
125 x 8 / BW x 17
125 x 6 / BW x 14
Weighted Chin / Lat Pulldown Compound Superset
BW x 8 / 110 x 12
BW x 6 / 110 x 10
BW x 5 / 110 x 10
Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension / Rope Triceps Pulldown Compound Superset
40 x 8 / 90 x 14
40 x 8 / 90 x 10
40 x 8 / 80 x 10
40 x 7 / 70 x 14
40 x 8 / 70 x 12
A little surprised at the weakness in the rope pulldown. But the muscle work felt good, so …
Kneeling Cable Crunch
140 x 15 x 3
Hanging Knee Raise
BW x 15 x 3
Phase 2 of the 20 Pounds of Hollywood Muscle/Thibaudeau Template (Mostly) is in the books! Four more weeks to go with Phase 3. Out of town next week, then two weeks in the gym, then back out of town for a week, then another two weeks back home to finish. That will give me one week to put on the finishing touches (nothing but protein and lateral raises) heading into the Transformation 2019 Finale!
Post-training Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
2.5 miles / 40:12 minutes / 370 calories / 9.19 intensity
Is this just a kipping, xfit style pull-up?
It’s the same as an inverted row, I think. CT called them “Fat Man Pull ups” in the 20 Pounds of Hollywood Muscle article. Here’s a look at them.
Oh, okay! Inverted rows are AWESOME, especially as part of a superset. Safe, great back pump, and good for strength and grip.
Superhero Program
by Christian Thibaudeau
WEEKS 1-4
Monday (Shoulders conjugate/Traps heavy)
A. Seated dumbbell press 4x6-8
B1. Upright rowing 3x10-12
B2. Seated incline lateral raise 3x10-12
C. Arnold press 3x8-10
D. Lateral raise 1x100 (take pauses if needed)
E. Barbell power shrugs 5x5
Tuesday (Quads/Hams/Biceps/Triceps)
A1. Back squat 1x15, 1x12, 1x8, 1x20
A2. Romanian deadlift 1x12, 1x10, 1x8, 1x15
B1. Barbell curl 3x6-8
B2. Close-grip decline press 3x6-8
C1. Preacher curl 3x10-12
C2. Decline dumbbell triceps extension 3x10-12
D1. Hammer curl 3x12-15
D2. Cable triceps extension 3x12-15
Thursday (Traps conjugate/Shoulders heavy)
A. Barbell shrugs 4x6-8
B1. Haney shrugs (behind the back shrugs in the Smith machine) 3x10-12
B2. Upright rowing 3x10-12
C. Standing calf machine shrugs 3x8-10
D. Rear delt machine 1x100
E. Military press 5x5
Saturday (Chest/Back)
A1. Incline bench press 3x6-8
A2. Bent over barbell rowing 3x6-8
B1. Flat dumbbell bench press 3x10-12
B2. Lat pulldown 3x10-12
C1. Decline bench press 3x12-15
C2. Seated rowing 3x12-15
ABS WORKOUT 1
A1. Kneeling cable crunch 3x12-15
A2. Machine crunch (use a 505 tempo) 3x6-8
A3. Swiss ball crunch 3xmax
ABS WORKOUT 2
A1. Eagle sit-up 3xmax
A2. Roman chair Russian twist 3x12-15
A3. High pulley woodchop 3x12-15 per side
WEEKS 5-8
Monday (Upper chest conjugate/Biceps heavy)
A. Incline bench press 4x6-8
B1. Low-incline dumbbell press (stop short of lockout) 3x10-12
B2. Incline cable flies 3x10-12
C. Low-pulley crossover 3x8-10
D. Bench press 1x100 (take pauses if needed)
E. Barbell curl 5x5
Tuesday (Quads/Hams)
A1. Back squat 1x15, 1x12, 1x8, 1x20
A2. Romanian deadlift 1x12, 1x10, 1x8, 1x15
B1. Leg press 3x10-12
B2. Gironda leg curl (leg curl with an elevated torso, as in a push-up position) 3x10-12
C. Leg curl 1x100
Thursday (Biceps conjugate/Upper chest heavy)
A. Barbell curl 4x6-8
B1. Reverse preacher curl 3x10-12
B2. Hammer curl 3x10-12
C. Machine curl 2/1 technique (lift with 2 arms, lower in 5 seconds with 1 arm) 3x5-6 per side
D. Preacher curl 1x100
E. High incline dumbbell press 5x5
Saturday (Back/Triceps)
A1. Barbell rowing 3x6-8
A2. Fat-man pull-ups 3xmax
B1. Weighted chins 3x6-8
B2. Lat pulldown 3x10-12
C1. Decline EZ-bar triceps extension 5x6-8
C2. Rope triceps extension 5x12-15
WEEKS 9-12
Monday (quadriceps/hamstrings)
A. Back squat 1x10, 1x8, 1x6, 1x8, 1x10
B1. Leg press 3x10-12
B2. Leg extension 3x10-12
C. Romanian deadlift 1x10, 1x8, 1x6, 1x8, 1x10
Tuesday (Shoulders/Back)
A1. Upright rowing 1x10, 1x8, 1x6, 1x8, 1x10
A2. Seated incline dumbbell lateral raise 4x12-15
B. Cable lateral raise (one arm at a time) 3x15-20 per arm
C1. Barbell rowing 1x10, 1x8, 1x6, 1x8, 1x10
C2. Lat pulldown 1x10, 1x8, 1x6, 1x8, 1x10
E. Haney shrugs 3x12-15
Thursday (Biceps/Triceps)
A1. Preacher curl 4x8-10
A2. Alternate dumbbell curl 4x10-12 per arm
A3. Reverse barbell curl 4x12-15
B1. Close-grip bench press 4x8-10
B2. Lying barbell triceps extension 4x10-12
B3. Rope triceps extension 4x12-15
Saturday (Chest/Shoulders)
A1. Decline dumbbell press 3x8-10
A2. Dips 3xmax
A3. Cable crossover 3x12-15
B1. Seated dumbbell press 4x8-10
B2. Standing lateral raise 4x10-12
B3. Front dumbbell raise 4x12-15
Hey Brother you’re doing good on the fat loss and the waistline is shrinking every other day almost, or at least once a week. Freaking awesome.
I tried that navy calculator and I’m just a fat ass.
How do you measure it: all relaxed or flexed? for me that’s a good inch and a bit in difference.
And some great consistency in the workouts in here. How to you like the first couple of phases of the program?
Thanks! We’ll see how things look after a week visiting the parents back on the east coast. I’ve hardly done anything even resembling the athletic!
That navy calc was pretty sobering for me. But it definitely focuses in on what I really want right now: better shoulder-to-waist and chest-to-waist ratios. I measure fully relaxed, after any am cardio and before any breakfast.
I have to admit that I’ve really enjoyed this style of training. I have a bad habit of going too heavy too soon, and am hoping to fix that in this final phase starting this week.
That said, I think it will probably just end up being something I do for a few months each year around this time to boost my physique going into short sleeve weather season. Resistance training twice a week (i.e., Jim’s 2x2x2) fits my longer term overall goals better.
Back at it after a week off visiting my parents on the other coast. Aside from a healthy amount of strolling around city streets and a little furniture moving, not a ton of activity last week.
MONDAY
BW: 150.6
waist: 32 1/2"
BF est (Navy calc): 16%
Macros: 1669 => P157 C91 F55
Note: 65g of carbs consumed periworkout
20 Pounds of Superhero Muscle - Thibaudeau Template (Mostly)
Phase 3 of 3 / Week 9 of 12
AM Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
2.0 miles / 35:07 minutes / 250 calories / 7.14 intensity
several hours later
Quads / Hams
[warmup sets not shown]
Back Squat
150 x 10
150 x 8
150 x 6
150 x 8
150 x 10
Leg Press / Leg Extension Compound Superset
160 x 12 / 50 x 12
160 x 12 / 60 x 12
160 x 12 / 70 x 12
RDLs
115 x 10
115 x 8
115 x 6
115 x 8
115 x 10
Kneeling Cable Crunch / Hanging Knee Raise Compound Superset
140 x 15 / BW x 15
150 x 15 / BW x 15
150 x 15 / BW x 15
TUESDAY
BW: 150.2
waist: 32 1/2"
BF est (Navy calc): 16%
Macros: 1892 => P176 C85 F61
Took the day off from jiu-jitsu training as I fight off these post-travel cold symptoms
Noon Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
2.25 miles / 37.05 minutes / 320 calories / 8.64 intensity
WEDNESDAY
BW: 151.2
waist: 32 1/2"
BF est (Navy calc): 16%
Macros: 1712 => P195 C84 F52
70g carbs consumed periworkout
Pre-training Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
0.79 miles / 13:08 minutes / 110 calories /
Shoulders / Back
[warmup sets not shown]
Upright DB Rows / Seated Incline DB Laterals Compound Superset
25s x 10 / 5s x 15
25s x 8 / 5s x 15
25s x 6 / 5s x 15
25s x 8 / 5s x 15
25s x 10 / 5s x 15
One-Arm Cable Laterals
10 x 20 x 3
Some odd pain in my right shoulder limited the ROM on the one side. Strange since I didn’t do any shoulder work for a week and a half before today.
BB Rows / Lat Pulldown Compound Superset
90 x 10 / 80 x 10
90 x 8 / 80 x 8
90 x 6 / 80 x 6
90 x 8 / 80 x 8
90 x 10 / 80 x 10
Haney Shrugs (Smith Machine)
50 x 12 x 3
FRIDAY
BW: 151.6
waist: 32 3/4
BF est (Navy calc): 17%
Macros: 1945 =>P161 C108 F56
Enjoyed a few empty calories with an old friend this evening … Cardio, Jiu-JItsu, and a Chest/Shoulders workout tomorrow.
AM Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
2.0 miles / 34:27 minutes / 275 calories / 7.97 intensity
several hours later
Pre-training Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
0.76 miles / 12:45 minutes / 100 calories / 7.84 intensity
Biceps / Triceps
[warmup sets not shown]
Preacher curl / Alternate DB curl / Reverse curl compound triset
30 x 10 / 30 x 8 / 10 x 15
30 x 10 / 25 x 10 / 10 x 15
30 x 10 / 20 x 12 / 10 x 15
30 x 8 / 15 x 12 / 10 x 15
Close-grip Bench Press / Lying BB triceps extension / Rope triceps extension compound triset
115 x 10 / 40 x 12 / 80 x 15
115 x 10 / 30 x 12 / 70 x 15
115 x 10 / 25 x 12 / 70 x 15
115 x 8 / 20 x 12 / 70 x 15
Had to lower the weight during the set in a number of instances to get the required reps. I underestimated the power of the triset!
Kneeling Cable Crunch / Hanging Knee Raise Compound Superset
150 x 15 / BW x 15
150 x 15 / BW x 15
150 x 10 / BW x 15
SATURDAY
BW: 150.2
waist: 32 1/2"
BF est (Navy calc): 16%
Macros: 2111 => P136 C149 F79
Nice evening out with Mrs Burien Top Team after a long week of overtime work for her. She got the bone-in ribeye. I got the BBQ baby back ribs. Calories!
Jiu-JItsu Training
30 minutes drilling
two 6-7 minute Live Training rounds
Great training after more than a week off the mats! The extra cardio I’ve been doing is really paying off with more endurance during Live Training and less weight to have to move around.
Chest / Shoulders
[warmup sets not included]
Decline DB Press / Dips / Cable Crossover Compound Triset
20 x 10 / BW x 10 / 15 x 15
20 x 10 / BW x 9 / 20 x 15
25 x 10 / BW x 12 / 20 x 15
Seated DB Press / Standing Lateral Raise / Front DB Raise Compound Triset
15 x 10 / 5 x 12 / 10 x 10
15 x 10 / 5 x 12 / 10 x 10
15 x 10 / 5 x 12 / 10 x 10
15 x 10 / 5 x 12 / 10 x 10
A little fatigued post jiu-jitsu, and I could feel that I was not going to move the weight I might have otherwise. Focused on rep quality, including leaving at least one or two in the tank.
Post-Training Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
2.1 miles / 32:49 minutes / 300 calories / 9.23 intensity