Great video. Love Firas
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FRIDAY
BW: 146.4 lbs
waist: 32"
Took the day off. Busier than expected work schedule and a hamstring that I tweaked last night while resisting a sweep had me sidelined.
++ +
SATURDAY
BW: 149.2 lbs
waist: 33"
Attended end of year promotion celebration at Gracie Barra Bellevue. Wasn’t able to attend the one at my home academy two weeks ago, so I want to make sure I paid my respects to a bunch of new black belts, as well as the many others who earned promotions.
Bellevue is about 2x as far away as my home academy. So I don’t get to stop by very often. That’s something I want to change going forward, attending as many GB area end of year promotions as I can. Maybe even get in some open mat time, now that my game is gaining some coherence.
++ +
SUNDAY
BW: 148.6 lbs
waist: 32 1/2"
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
3.6 miles / 482 calories / 60 minutes
Doing a lot of thinking about what I want to do weight training-wise in 2023. I think the best advice I’ve gotten was RampantBader’s idea of mixing in “short sharp blasts” of “bro-split type stuff” in between longer bouts of the conditioning-heavy RPM Full Body I was doing at the time.
I feel like the Zone 2 cardio I’ve been doing on the treadmill has served me well to build up my basic aerobic capacity. Starting in 2023, I think replacing those pre-BJJ sessions with Day 2 and 3 of RPM Full Body will be the next step.
I’m adding a second Live Training session, giving me a weekly target of 24 minutes of Live Training. I’ll stop doing the Zone 2 cardio after jiu-jitsu and move those sessions to Saturday and Sunday. After jiu-jitsu I’ll just do 30-minute Zone 1 sessions (instead of the current once a week 60 minute Zone 1 session).
Not sure what my “bro blasts” will be. I’m going to be hitting a new gym once or twice over the holidays so that will give me the chance to play around with different things
One thing that I am pretty sure about is that I’m not going to be chasing absolute strength in any real way next year. I’ll still be doing plenty of the basic movements, but it will always be submaximal and on-the-clock. There’s something about the CNS stress of maximal strength training combined with the stress of jiu-jitsu training that I think is wearing me out. I know there are likely multiple things going on: diet, recovery, end of year work rush, etc. But there’s been a charge that’s been missing when doing my strength training work, and I’m thinking that maybe a change to submaximal work might supply a spark.
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MONDAY
BW: 148.6 lbs
waist: 33"
Jiu-Jitsu
Live Training
Six rounds. Six minutes each. No rest.
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
1.81 miles / 242 calories / 30:13 minutes
The fact that I chose to slip into the academy for jiu-jitsu training on my day off instead of doing the scheduled final 3s Pro Deadlift ‘n’ 5/3/1 Incline Bench session tells you everything you need to know about my priorities at present.
I’d planned on the noon class being a fairly standard technique + drill session with a little specific training at the end. I was set to leave before the Live Training second session began. As it turned out, the professor decided that - since it was the holiday season - we’d just do Live Training for the whole class!
We ended up doing six six-minute rounds. My first and last were with Professor Carlos who is, to put it bluntly, one of the top jiu-jitsu competitors in the state. It was great to get to train with him again - the first time in maybe 5-6 years or more. I spent of lot of time in his classes during a stretch between 2008 and 2011 or so before moving back to evening-only training. At the time, I was training 3-4x/week instead of 2x, and it probably represented one of my big growth periods.
Going into recovery mode for the next ten-odd days while I’m traveling. Zone 1 cardio and some very specific bodybuilding the time or two I get in the gym between now and next Thursday. My shoulder has been acting up a bit, so it’s probably a good time to take my foot off the gas pedal.
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Notes for the next week or so … as well as for my “bro split blasts” between RPM Full Body mesocycles.
Shoulders
Arms
Upper back
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TUESDAY
BW: 148.6 lbs
waist: 32 1/2"
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
2.52 miles / 390 calories / 42:13 minutes
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FRIDAY
BW: ?
waist: 32 1/2"
Visiting family in Arizona - which is as warm and wonderful right now as Seattle is cold, icy, and miserable.
Managed to slip into the local YMCA with my 92 year old father-in-law for a little work. Tried out a variation of Jeff Nippard’s new Minimalist program insofar as I’m still ruminating on how I want to train in 2023.
DB flat bench
15 lbs x 10
20 lbs x 10
25 lbs x 10
35 lbs x 6
25 lbs x 10
Trying to see how much stress my left shoulder can take so I went carefully on this. Far from what I’ve before. In March 2021, during my “Winter Swoler” program, I was doing 2 sets of 12 with 35 lbs and 15 reps with 45 lbs.
DB RDL
35 lbs x 10
40 lbs x 10
45 lbs x 10, x 10
Pronated grip lat pulldown
50 lbs x 10
70 lbs x 10
90 lbs x 10
110 lbs x 12
Supinated grip lat pulldown
110 lbs x 12
Bicep curl machine
30 lbs x 10
40 lbs x 10
50 lbs x 10
60 lbs x 10 (!)
40 lbs x 10
Overhead triceps extension
20 lbs x 10
30 lbs x 12
20 lbs x 10
Had a hard time standing properly to counter-balance the weight on this exercise. Will look up a few pointers. Felt a little awkward.
DB shoulder laterals
(L) 3 lbs x 15
5 lbs x 10
7 1/2 lbs x 5
3 lbs x 15
(R) 10 lbs x 15
12 1/2 lbs x 10
15 lbs x 5
10 lbs x 15
Tried to start with 10 lbs on each side, but my left shoulder wasn’t having it.
Leg extensions
50 lbs x 10
60 lbs x 10
90 lbs x 15
50 lbs x 10
Ran short on time so I didn’t do the calf raises. Also did leg extensions instead of box step ups due to equipment availability.
Very much a something-better-than-nothing workout and I’ll confess that it felt nice to be working in a bodybuilding/hypertrophy mode for a change. May get another chance at the gym on Monday morning. If so, I’ll probably trot out Day 2 of Nippard’s Minimalist program.
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MONDAY
BW: ?
waist: 33"
Not bad for the morning after an epic Christmas dinner …
Jeff Nippard Minimalist Day 2
Hack squat (base resistance = 105 lbs)
+20 lbs / 125 lbs x 6
+50 lbs / 155 lbs x 6
+70 lbs / 175 lbs x 6
+20 lbs / 125 lbs x 10
High incline seated press (base resistance = 25 lbs)
bar / 25 lbs x 10
+20 lbs / 45 lbs x 10
+30 lbs / 55 lbs x 10
+50 lbs / 75 lbs x 10
+50 lbs / 75 lbs x 10
superset with
Chest supported DB rows
15 lbs x 10
20 lbs x 10
25 lbs x 10
30 lbs x 12
30 lbs x 10
Seated leg curl
20 lbs x 10
40 lbs x 10
50 lbs x 12
30 lbs x 20 (Widowmaker)
EZ bar curl
bar x 10
+20 lbs x 15
+30 lbs x 15 (plus myo reps: +2, +2, +1, +1)
Was scheduled to do a set of cable ab crunches (12-15 reps) with a double drop set, but I ran out of time (training with my father-in-law).
Enjoyed this session. Still feeling out this approach to training, both machines I’ve never used like the hack squat as well as this return to hypertrophy, which is pretty much how I trained for 2 1/2 years during COVID. This gym - the YMCA in downtown Tucson - is really pretty good in most respects. Only one squat rack. But it does have machines like the hack squat that my gym back in Seattle doesn’t have. It would be impossible to do the kind of workouts I’ve done this year at this gym – where I set up shop in the squat rack for an hour. But I’m not sure I see myself doing those workouts this year.
My bet in 2023 is that hypertrophy training might be a better compliment to jiu-jitsu training than strength training. I don’t think there are too many people who agree with me - and if 2023 proves me wrong then so be it. But the CNS stress I’m feeling from doing BJJ and strength training started to feel prohibitive. And the opportunity to work on specific areas of weakness (posterior chain) and aesthetic preference (biceps, upper chest) was increasingly hard to come by if I wanted to get everything else in (strength work, cardio, BJJ).
So now that I feel as if I’ve managed to get my body fat under control (at or below 148 lbs & at or below 33" waist - all at 5’5" and 55+ years old), I think making a shift - at least for one year - toward maintenance calories and a more hypertrophy/muscle endurance weight training approach might be worth doing. CT once suggested that if you fell into the “strong for your size” category, then hypertrophy training might be a good move - at least until that’s no longer the case.
Current thinking for a weekly schedule is: two hypertrophy-based weight lifting sessions (M/F)
two WALRUS sessions, two BJJ sessions, two Zone 2 cardio sessions (T/R), plus one Zone 1 session on Sunday. Wednesday and Saturday off. Santa brought me a 16 lbs weight vest for Christmas, so I’ll be trying that for my WALRUS and cardio work.
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WEDNESDAY
BW: 146.2 lbs
waist: 32 1/2"
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
3.6 miles / 482 calories / 60 minutes
Calories: TBA
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THURSDAY
BW: 146.4 lbs
waist: 32 1/2"
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:13 minutes
(-)
FRIDAY
BW: 148.0 lbs
waist: 32 3/4"
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:14 minutes
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SATURDAY
BW: 150.2 lbs
waist: 33 1/2"
New Year’s Eve Eve Dessert Eatin’ last night: chocolate truffles, Mochi doughnuts, dulce de leche ice cream …
Walrus
Incline treadmill walk
1.01 miles / 136 calories / 17:01 minutes
Row sprints
2:06 minutes / 28 calories / 482m
2:06 minutes / 29 calories / 486m
2:06 minutes / 31 calories / 508m
Ten rounds
BW dips x 5
BW neutral grip chins x 5
20lbs DB goblet squats x 10
90s rest btw rounds.
Goal is to get rest periods down to one minute (used two minute rests between row sprints). Will also start wearing my weight vest (16 lbs) and accessory exercises.
As always subject to change, but thinking about DC training for my Monday and Friday weight lifting sessions. I’ve always liked the split, enjoy rest pause work, and the idea of beating the book with a focus more on effort than the weight is appealing.
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SUNDAY
BW: 152.2 lbs
waist: 34"
Didn’t plan to bulk up for the start of the 2023 Transformation, but I did let go a little over the holidays. I haven’t been this heavy in awhile, so we’ll see how much of this is water by week’s end.
Transformation 2023: Week 1, Day 1
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk w/ 16 lb weight vest
3.6 miles / 483 calories / 60 minutes
HR: 120-125 bpm
Calories: TBA
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MONDAY
BW: 152.2 lbs
waist: 33 3/4"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 1, Day 2
Warmup
Incline treadmill walk
1.01 miles / 136 calories / 17:01 minutes
Hypertrophy
Dogg Crapp - Torso
Machine chest press - RP 15-20
50 lbs x 10
70 lbs x 10
90 lbs x 10
110 lbs (RP) 15 + 5 + 5 = 25
Machine shoulder press - RP 15-20
30 lbs x 10
50 lbs x 10
70 lbs x 10
80 lbs (RP) 7 + 2 + 1 = 10
Machine tricep pressdown - RP 15-30
50 lbs x 10
70 lbs x 10
90 lbs x 10
110 lbs (AMRAP) 30
Machine lat pulldown - AMRAP
70 lbs x 10
90 lbs x 10
110 lbs x 10
130 lbs (RP) 15 + 7 + 5 = 27
Machine horizontal row - AMRAP
70 lbs x 10
90 lbs x 10
110 lbs x 9
115 lbs (RP) 7 + 5 + 3 = 15
Total training time: 90 minutes. Gym was as crowded as you’d expect on the first Monday of the New Year. Free weight area was virtually impassable. A good time to reacquaint myself with the magic of machines as I dove into Dogg Crapp just after noon today.
Will be doing the Torso routine on Mondays and the Limbs routine on Fridays, which hopefully will enable me to get most of the benefits of DC while maximizing recovery for 2x/weekly jiu-jitsu training. One note: I’ll start doing the top set of the pulls as a single AMRAP session and make triceps RP. I didn’t rest-pause triceps today since I was able to get the total number of reps (30) in one set.
Calories: 2,254 = P160 F64 C115
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TUESDAY
BW: 150.2 lbs
waist: 33"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 1, Day 3
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/ 16 lb weight vest)
2.5 miles / 391 calories / 42:16 minutes
HR max 158 / Average 139
hours later
Jiu-Jitsu
Drills and specific training 30+ minutes
Live training 6 minutes
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (no vest)
2.5 miles / 387 calories / 42:14 minutes
HR max 134 / Average 127
Calories 1998 = P135 F88 C154
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WEDNESDAY
BW: 148.0 lbs
waist: 33"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 1, Day 4
OFF
(-)
THURSDAY
BW: 149.4 lbs
waist: 33"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 1, Day 5
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (16 lb vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:15 minutes
HR max 154 / Average 126
Jiu-Jitsu
Drills: 30+ minutes
Live Training: 18 minutes
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (no vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:15 minutes
HR max 134 / Average 125
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FRIDAY
BW: 148.0 lbs
waist: 33"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 1, Day 6
Warmup
Incline treadmill walk
1.01 miles / 136 calories / 17:01 minutes
Hypertrophy
Dogg Crapp - Limbs
BB curl - RP 20-30
20 lbs x 20
30 lbs x 20
40 lbs x 20
50 lbs (RP) 20 + 9 + 7 = 36
Hammer curls - SS 11-20
DBs 20s x 10
25s x 10
30s x 11
some issues with my left delt made these a little challenging
Glute Ham Raise
BW x 15
+10 lbs x 10
+25 lbs x 15
did these as a straight set rather than RP
Leg press - SS 4-8 +WM
70 lbs x 10
90 lbs x 10
110 lbs x 10
130 lbs x 10
150 lbs x 10
170 lbs x 10
190 lbs x 10
110 lbs x 20
Abs machine
50 lbs x 12
70 lbs x 12
90 lbs x 12
A long session - mostly because I spent a lot of time feeling around for the right weights. Still, at 90 minutes or so, not too terrible. Also did abs instead of calves, and will probably stick with that switch.
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SATURDAY
BW: 148.4 lbs
waist: 33"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 1, Day 7
Warmup
Incline treadmill walk
1.01 miles / 136 calories / 17:01 minutes
Conditioning
WALRUS
Row sprints
2:07 minutes / 30 calories / 500m
2:06 minutes / 30 calories / 494m
2:06 minutes / 29 calories / 492m
Circuit
10 rounds | 16-lb weight vest | 90 seconds rest btw rounds
5 dips
5 chins
10 +25 lb DB goblet squats
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SUNDAY
BW: 150.4 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 2, Day 1
OFF - 30 minute walk to the beach and back
(-)
MONDAY
BW: 152.8 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 2, Day 2
Warmup
Incline treadmill walk
1.0 miles / 136 calories / 17 minutes
Hypertrophy
Dogg Crapp - Torso
Low-incline bench press (RP 15-20)
bar x 10
75 lbs x 10
95 lbs x 10
115 lbs (RP) 12 + 5 + 4 = 21
First time using a straight bar (instead of a Swiss bar) in years. Slow and steady.
Hammer Strength Iso-Shoulder Press (RP 15-20)
bar (base 10 lbs) x 10
+30 lbs x 10
+50 lbs x 10
+70 lbs x 10
+80 lbs (RP) 14 + 4 + 3 = 21
Triceps Pressdown Machine (RP 15-30)
70 lbs x 10
90 lbs x 10
110 lbs x 10
130 lbs x 10
150 lbs (RP) 20 + 6 + 5 = 31
Checked the setting on this before I started but because I’m blind in one eye and can’t see out the other, I didn’t notice that the +10 lbs setting was on. So each of these is a little more than it appears.
Lat Pulldown Machine (15 - 20 SS)
90 lbs x 10
110 lbs x 10
130 lbs x 10
150 lbs (AMRAP) 13
Horizontal Row/Rear Delt Machine (15-20 SS)
70 lbs x 10
90 lbs x 10
110 lbs (AMRAP) x 15
Total workout time 105 minutes. That’s longer than I’d like. I’ll probably trim the warmup on the treadmill, if not eliminate it completely.
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TUESDAY
BW: 151.0 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 2, Day 3
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/ 16 lb vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:16 minutes
HR max 154 / HR average 135
– hours later –
Jiu-Jitu training
Drills/Specifc: 30+ minutes
Live Training: 15 minutes
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (no vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:15 minutes
HR max 149 / HR average 131
A very good day of work. My off-mat cardio is really paying off in terms of my ability to keep my jiu-jitsu training pace higher than it’s been before. Felt strong through the drills and managed 2 1/2 rolls in Live Training, which hasn’t happened in a long time.
Also happy to finally be able to start implementing a new guard game based on Leandro Lo’s hybrid spider/DLR attack. Definitely different from the way I’ve played guard over the past several years, but I’ve wanted to have a really elaborate open guard game for training and body awareness purposes and this is my go-to for now. It’s also a little tribute to Lo himself, who was tragically killed back in August. In the months before COVID I used to put myself in a virtual trance watching his highlight videos during post-BJJ treadmill walking.
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WEDNESDAY
BW: 146.6 lbs
waist: 32 1/2"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 2, Day 4
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
1.8 miles / 242 calories / 30:12 minutes
HR max 115 / Average 111
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THURSDAY
BW: 149.4 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 2, Day 5
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/ 16 lb vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:13 minutes
Max HR 154 / Average HR 132
– hours later –
BJJ Training
Drills and Specific Training: 30+ minutes
Live Training: 12 minutes
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:12 minutes
Max HR 149 / Average HR 127
Tonight’s training was another tribute to conditioning. Paired up with a white belt wrestler who was having a hard time finding a partner. Young, big, and strong - with cardio for days - he put me through my paces during a 15-minute, specific-start, sparring round. I would have struggled mightily to keep him at bay pre-COVID simply due to exhaustion. Tonight, I was able to train with him for the whole evening and then get in two Live Training rounds (including one with our Head Professor - twice in one week!).
Joel Jamieson recently made some great points training cardio requiring more diligence than strength or hypertrophy training. As someone whose never had “good” grappling cardio and often found himself stalling more frequently than he’d care to admit late in a sparring session, I think I’ve benefitted a lot from prioritizing cardio over the past four or five months, getting in almost three hours of Zone 2 cardio a week and another hour of Zone 1.
I’m pretty thrilled about where I am in January and looking forward to where I’ll be in June.
1759 calories = P158 F56 C93
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