Memo to File:
Thinking about the road to recovery … and getting my cardio back in time for fall (early Oct) training. One strategy:
And as reported, I’m ditching the HSS-100 Chest/Back Specialization program in favor of the original plan: 5/3/1 Rest Pause Challenge, once I’m done with the BDHVT4N program (and a two-week biz trip back east). Target start: Monday, September 30.
FRIDAY
BW: 145.2
waist: 31 3/4"
Macros: 1500 => P165 C90 F32
Best Damn High Volume Workout Plan for Natties (Wk 11 Day 3)
Still only doing upper body work while letting the knee heal up a bit. A bit bummed not to be finishing up the program proper-like. One more week to go, Then things get a little scrambly with work travel until the end of the month.
Pre-training warmup
Treadmill walk
1.0 miles / 18 minutes / 100 calories
High incline Smith machine press / Horizontal row compound superset
15 x 25 x 2
55 x 7 x 7 / 140 x 7 x 7
Weighted dips / Rope lat pulldown compound superset
BW+15 x 7 x 7 / 120 x 7 x 7
Damn, but you’re still doing good on upper body work. And the weight and waistline is going down. Quality.
I hope your knee will heal up soon
Thanks. I’ve been going at a pretty good clip. So I shouldn’t be surprised if my body needs a break. Fortunately, after the first week, I was able to do my old incline treadmill workout. So my biggest fears - rapid weight gain and a loss of cardio - will not be realized. Still hoping for “GO” date of September 30 to return to both my regular weight training and jiu-jitsu training schedules.
Watching my teammates at Fight2Win Seattle last night was interesting. I saw guys who were winning their matches totally gas out and lose. Guys who are talented (far more than I) but not “core strong” lose by injury mid-match. Guys who are built like bricks lose decisively to guys who are built like sticks. It got me thinking.
It reminded me that my once-upon-a-time plan to focus on Wendlers 2x2x2 approach is probably best long term. I’ll still do hypertrophy work in the spring (probably during the T-ransformation season). But for my original purposes of being a better, more durable jiu-jitsu athlete, a regime of two strength training days, two BJJ/hard cardio days, and two light/moderate cardio days is a diet I can depend on.
In a phrase: the goal is to get smaller (as in lighter) and stronger. I’m pretty close to the first. Time to get cracking on the second.
Between the knee sprain and a cold I’ve been fighting off for weeks finally getting the upper hand on Monday, I’ve had more time - and motivation - than usual to dither about what to do for my next program.
So what’s my current object of attraction? Strength Skill Circuits.
My last post hints at the whys. One thing I’ll do differently from before is use two bars and set up the bench press and OHP for the duration of the circuit so I only have to change the weight between the squat and the CGHP in Workout A and between the deadlift and the SGHP in Workout B with the main bar.
Workout A
Back squat
Bench press
CGHP
+
Weighted dips (RP)
Kneeling cable crunch (3 x 12-15)
Preacher curls (RP)
Workout B
Deadlift
OHP
SGHP
+
Weighted Alt grip pullups (3 sets to failure)
Hanging knee raise (3 x 12-15)
Kroc rows (one all out set)
On the main work, we start with three triples and five doubles. With each session, you add a triple and subtract a double until you’ve done eight triples for both workouts. Add weight (10-20 pounds) and start again with three triples and five doubles.
One thing I’m considering is using DBs for the bench and OHP work. That would allow me to set up all the bars in advance and not have to change anything for the duration of the circuit. It would also make it easier to keep the rest intervals nice and low (<60 sec).
I did those circuits a long time ago, I have completely forgotten about them.
They are quite boring in terms of you don’t really feel like you’ve worked out hard, but I do enjoy CT’s work.
I don’t think DBs is the best option, because it’s low reps with a quite heavy weight.
I was setting it up with squat and OHP because I onle have one rack. But two BB, you’ll quickly find a way to change plates, no big deal. There’s a minute or more to change plates.
But there’s a long way until you can do it, if you’re still committed 
I agree with you about the “feel” issue. I think I’m just a little restless having crashed out of the last week and a half of the BDHVT4N program with a bad knee and a good old fashioned headcold.
The funny thing is that I’m still probably going to end up with my original plan - 5/3/1 Rest Pause Challenges until mid-February or so - after all my flirting with other programs is done. Especially for the “off-season”, the RPC really has everything I want.
Missed two workouts due to some rhinovirus, I suspect. Back in the gym today to try and finish up the last week of the BDHVT4N program. Did the Medium program today to keep on track. Will do Heavy on Sunday and Light on Tuesday.
FRIDAY
BW: 143.6
waist: 31 1/2"
Best Damn High Volume Workout Plan for Natties (Wk 12 Day “3”)
[Upper body only insofar as I’m still nursing the sprained knee. Warmup sets and reps not included.]
Pre-training Warmup
Incline Treadmill Walk
1.5 miles / 25:22 minutes / 201 calories
Weighted dips / Rope lat pulldown compound superset
BW+15 x 7 x 8 / 120 x 7 x 8
High incline Smith machine press / Horizontal row compound superset
55 x 7 x 8 / 140 x 7 x 8
Felt pretty strong after a few days away from the weights. I’m still a bit stuffy and achy, but performance was as good as ever. Was definitely nice to be back in the gym.
Finishing off the BDHVT4N program this week. Ended up doing the LIGHT program today and threw in an overdue abs exercise to help deal with a more-crowded-than-usual gym this afternoon.
MONDAY
BW: 145.6
waist: 31 3/4"
Best Damn High Volume Workout Plan for Natties (Wk 12 Day “2”)
[Upper body only. Warmup sets and reps not included]
Pre-training Warmup
Tempo Intervals on Rower
2.86km / 15:18 minutes / 150 calories
Tricep pressdown machine / Bicep curl machine compound superset
85 x 8 / 70 x 7
85 x 8 x 6 / 60 x 8 x 6
Hanging leg raises / Kroc row compound superset
BW x 8 x 7 / 60 x 8 x 7
Low2high cable flyes
35 x 8 x 7
Will finish things up on Wednesday before heading out of town for the first of several business trips this fall. Next year this time (i.e, post-Transformation 2020) I may try the non-high volume version of CT’s Best Damn training series, especially if I can do a 4x/week version.
WEDNESDAY
BW: 144.4
waist: somewhere between 31 1/2" and 31 3/4"
AM Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
2.5 miles / 43:01 minutes / 306 calories
Best Damn High Volume Workout Plan for Natties (Wk 12 Day “1”)
[upper body only. warmup sets and reps not included]
Guillotine press / Chest-supported row compound superset
110 x 8 x 7 / 110 x 8 x 7
DB overhead press / Alt grip chins compound superset
35s x 8 x 4 / BW+15 x 8
35s x 8 / BW+15 x 6/2 (RP)
35s x 8 / BW+15 x 5/3 (RP)
35s x 8 / BW+15 x 6/2 (RP)
That’s a wrap for the Best Damn High Volume Training for Natties. No lowerbody work for the past two weeks, unfortunately, due to a knee injury from a jiu-jitsu sparring session back on August 30th. And the headcold I’ve been dealing with for a week and a half now has been no ally. But I’m happy to have gotten the work done.
Heading out of town for awhile. The hotel I’ll be in for the next week and a half has a pretty decent gym (i.e., Smith machine), so hopefully I’ll be able to get in there for at least a few sessions between now and then end of the month when I’m back home and ready to start my next program.
One thing I’ll admit is that I’ve done a poor job balancing out high volume training with a strong recovery game. I can’t help but think that getting the flu for the first time in decades around the 4th of July and this current cold are at least products of a compromised immune system from too much work, too few calories, and not enough rest. That’s going to be fixed starting October 1.
Deep Thoughts on Next Steps
"Have you ever had this thought? “I’m doing X program and I’m getting great results. Hmm, maybe I should switch over to Y program and try it out.”
Think about that for a minute. You’re already getting good results, but you want to try something else… to see if you get good results? That makes no sense. How about you just stick to what’s working and just make a minor change when progress comes to a halt?"
TUESDAY
BW: 148.8
waist: 33"
FAT!
Best Damn High Volume Workout Plan for Natties (Deload/Reload)
[upper body only. warmup sets and reps not included]
Warm-up - Tempo Intervals / Rower
60 seconds >3:00/500m pace; 10 seconds <2:00/500m pace
2.81 km (1.74 miles) 15 minutes 148 calories
Guillotine press / Chest-supported row compound superset
110 x 8 x 4 / 110 x 8 x 4
Abs cable crunch / Hanging leg/knee raise compound superset
150 x 12 x 4 / BW x 12 x 4
DB overhead press / Alt grip chins compound superset
35s x 8 x 4 / BW+15 x 8 x 4
PM Jiu-JItsu Training
No training due to injured knee
PM Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
2.5 miles 40:52 minutes 336 calories
Decided to stick with the Best Damn High Volume Training for Natties program for a little while longer - and maybe more than just a little while. Was thinking about Paul Carter’s article on program-hopping. I’m the farthest thing from a program hopper, but his point about sticking with what works until it doesn’t resonated with me. I’ve had my best gains on BDHVT4N - even if I crashed toward the end due to insufficient recovery protocols. So I’m going back to that well and staying there for the foreseeable future.
THURSDAY
BW: 148.0
waist: 32 3/4"
STILL FAT!
Best Damn High Volume Workout Plan for Natties (Deload/Reload)
[upper body only. warmup sets and reps not included]
Warm-up - Tempo Intervals / Rower
60 seconds >3:00/500m pace; 15 seconds <2:00/500m pace
2.81 km (1.74 miles) 15 minutes 148 calories
Decline EZ bar overhead triceps extension / Preacher curl compound superset
40 x 8 x 4 / 40 x 8 x 4
Low2High cable flye / Kroc row compound superset
35 x 8 x 4 / 60 x 8 x 4
PM Jiu-Jitsu Training
No training due to injured knee; tutored, did some basic movement to test lateral strength on right knee
Tempo Intervals / Bike
60 seconds easy pace; 15 seconds moderate pace
15 minutes 168 calories
PM Cardio
Incline Treadmill Walk
2.0 miles 33:02 minutes 320 calories
Don’t be to hard on yourself at the start of the year you where about 7 lbs heavier and more that ½ and inch wider.
You’ve put on a bit of muscles, yes you where down to under 32 inch a couple of days.
You can’t hold on to it, stay focused on the good things.
Right now you’re maintaining things. Keep at it for the rest of the year take a couple of month in the new year trying to loose a bit again, then you’ll drop below 31, when you’ve filled the depots you’ll be like 31 ½ give or take and you’ll feel you’ve gained. But you really haven’t.
A bad stretch of poor eating after returning home from a business trip I spent largely battling one of the longest colds I’ve had in awhile. Hoping to settle back around 145 before heading out of town again next week (i always lose a few pounds on work trips).
I like your timeline suggestion. Maybe I’ll try to march down to 140 for the 2020 Transformation …
I’m really hooked on the High Volume Training for Naturals program CT published awhile back. I feel like I’ve made significant gains on the program and want to continue to see what I can get.
One issue was that I had a hard time dealing with … the volume. A few factors went into this - including insufficient rest and insufficient calories. I plan to work on both but all the same I am going to ease up on the volume by tuning frequency down to twice a week (on my jiu-jitsu training days) instead of three times (the days I don’t train jiu-jitsu).
This will make my Tuesdays and Thursdays significantly more intense, but give me more opportunities to recover with LSD cardio on Sunday, Monday, Friday, and Saturday (when not training jiu-jitsu). I’m sort of following Joel Jamieson’s theory for fighters of only training “hard” twice a week.
From a volume perspective, I’ll still be able to hit all muscle groups for minimal work sets on 2x/week training. If I do a Heavy/Light full body one week, with the same exercises I’ve been doing for the past three months, I get:
Quads 8+ sets/week
Hams 8+
Chest 8+
Back 12+
Shoulders 4+
Biceps 4+
Triceps 4+
Abs 4+
And the alternate Heavy/Medium week would look like:
Quads 8+ sets/week
Hams 4+
Glutes 4+
Chest 12+
Back 16+
Shoulders 4+
Abs 4+
That should be enough for maintenance, if not a steady improvement in body comp/ muscle fat ratio. This will also allow for an additional cardio day - which is another plus for both body comp and jiu-jitsu performance.
I do a lot of band work for shoulders (pull aparts and over and backs). But it wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world to add laterals and rear delts as accessory work, even if on my off day.
I’m also trying to keep rest periods short: 60 seconds for most work except for squats and weighted chins, which are getting more like 90 seconds. Both from a conditioning/athletic and Gironda/body comp perspective, I’m increasingly inclined to check the ego and lower the weight so as to make the time.
WEDNESDAY
BW: 151.4
waist: 32 3/4"
Best Damn High Volume Workout Plan for Natties (Deload/Reload)
[upper body only; warmup sets and reps not included]
Warm-up Tempo Intervals Rower
60 seconds > 3min/500m pace; 15 seconds <2min/500m pace
2.88 km (1.79 miles) 16 minutes 149 calories
High incline Smith machine press / Horizontal row compound superset
55 x 8 x 4 / 140 x 8 x 4
Weighted dip / Rope lat pulldown / Abs cable crunch compound triset
BW+15 x 8 x 4 / 120 x 8 x 4 / 150 x 12 x 4
Heading back out of town tonight for a week in Singapore (all business). The conference hotel has a pretty nice looking gym per the website (they actually have a Google Street View so you can see what it looks like) and my gym, Anytime Fitness, has a branch about 30 minutes away on foot. So I should be able to get some decent strength and conditioning work in.
Hoping to come home weighing a bit less - I typically lose a few pounds on business trips - but not going to obsess over it (any more, at least). One of the big mistakes I made in Q3 of this year was to keep pushing the caloric deficit while doing a high volume hypertrophy program. So I’m learning to love my 67+ kilo self - at least during the fall/winter.
Hey BTT looking forward to see how your tweaking will impact on your body progress.
You have the first cycle done very well. You’ve found a few issues with recovery, then dealt with it in a quite intelligent way.
Well done.
A little catch up. Still in Singapore, but managed to put in some good effort in the hotel gym over the past few days.
FRIDAY
Cardio Day
AM Incline Treadmill Walk
2.6 miles 45:35 minutes 370 calories
SATURDAY
Cardio & Weight Training Day
AM Incline Treadmill Walk
3.5 miles 61:43 minutes 495 calories
PM Pull Workout
Leg curls
140 x 8 x 4
Wide grip lat pulldown
120 x 8 x 4
Kroc rows
60 x 8 x 4
Reverse flyes
10 x 8 x 4 + max set of 24 reps
Chest supported DB rows
16 x 8 x 4 + max set of 16 reps
Sergio Oliva DB curl
27.5 x 8 x 4
BB curl (rest pause)
97* x 16 / 8 / 8
*I have 44 kg in my notes, which is about 97 pounds and sounds … heavy. Then again, if I’m doing 40 lb preacher curls, maybe 97 lbs isn’t crazy for a standing BB curl. I’ll have to check when I go back to the gym to see if I got those plate weights right.
SUNDAY
Cardio & Weight Training Day
AM Incline Treadmill Walk
3.5 miles 60:02 minutes 444 calories
PM Push Workout
Leg press
185 x 8 x 4
Guillotine press
110 x 8 x 4
Low2high cable flye
35 x 8 x 4
Smith machine seated OHP
55 x 8 x 4
DB laterals
12 x 8 x 4
Rope triceps pressdown
80 x 8 x 4
Overhead triceps extension (rest pause)
60 x 20 / 9 / 7
With the conference starting tomorrow morning and continuing through Wednesday, I’m just hoping to get in some AM cardio over the next couple of days. I’ll have some time Thursday before I have to head to the airport, so I’m hoping to get in a session in the weightroom that morning. If not, I’ll get back at it on Friday after I’ve returned home.
One of my goals is to dramatically increase my conditioning to allow me to train jiu-jitsu longer on the few days I’m able to get to the academy (usually 2x/week with an occasional Saturday once a month). That said, I’ve been studying a lot of what John Danaher (Renzo Gracie blackbelt; mentor to ADCC absolute and weight division champion Gordon Ryan among others) has to say about, well, pretty much everything grappling related but especially with regard to “conditioning” and jiu-jitsu.
"The great problem of endurance: when I watch beginners train together the single most common method of defeat is fatigue. Beginners typically lack the skills required to gain a victory through the purity of their technique and thus usually one of them is worn down to a state where they cannot maintain resistance and they succumb. The problem usually gets better with time, but remains to some degree throughout our jiu-jitsu lives. Everyone has to confront and overcome this problem if they wish to remain in the sport. The problem is, most people attack the problem in the wrong way.
The overwhelming majority of students deal with the problem by trying to bring about changes in their bodies - they make efforts to make themselves stronger and fitter. This is good and desirable and yes - it definitely helps to some degree. However, whatever endurance improvements you make from strength and fitness increases are minuscule compared with those that come from increased mechanical efficiency in technique and pace control during a match. It will take a lot of time and training to increase your maximum bench press by just 10% - but that increase will be barely perceptible to your opponent in sparring.
However, small improvements in the placement of lever and fulcrum as you apply technique throughout a match will be immediately felt by an opponent as increased force and by you as energy saving - if this is combined with pace control you will find dramatic improvements in grappling endurance without any significant changes in your physiology … If you want dramatic improvements - don’t look to change your body, rather look to change your technical insight and pace control."
