Oh boy Day 2 was damn near cardio with those high rep deadlifts followed up with hanging leg raises! After the rows yesterday and the deads and leg raises today, my back is thoroughly destroyed! I’m sure my legs will be feeling it tomorrow too lol
Still contemplating on whether I do tomorrow’s conditioning indoors or in the snow haha
BBB Challenge Day 2
Squat 195x5, 225x5, 255x5
Deadlift 215 5x10
Hanging Leg Raises 5x10
Hanging leg raises we’re done how Jim recommends, feet to the ceiling. That really is a Full body workout and maybe my new favorite ab exercise. I’ll be feeling these tomorrow for sure. Post workout, I’m grabbing a vanilla milk shake then I’ll have some Mag 10 in about an hour.
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Good to hear you’ve opened another door in your journey to Gainsville! Can you politely explain how a hanging leg raise is properly done? How high can them feet go?
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With hanging leg raises, you bring your feet to the ceiling from a dead stop, so it’s almost like being upside down touching your toes. Here is the excerpt along with a picture demonstrating them from Jim’s book. I love these but they’re VERY challenging, especially if you keep the rest periods short, but that’s probably why I like them!
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Well the power is out at my apartment due to this big snow storm. Work was canceled and my apartment is freaking cold. Thankfully today was a rest day. Decided on doing my conditioning indoors because I really don’t have the proper footwear for trekking in the giant snow drifts. Just my tennis shoes and some slippers.
Inspired by @pettersson i decided to do 2 rounds of 30-30-30 on Chin ups and dips. I couldn’t believe how fast my heart was racing by the end. I might’ve “overdone” it with the second round, but I was capable and I overcame it, so that notion is meaningless to me. Sometimes I think it’s better to have to resort to mental Fortitude and sheer willpower than to let your brain over-analyze and think what’s “optimal”, because there’s a good chance you’ll take the easy way out. Besides, now I’m really warm and I’m laying around with a crazy pump, having earned my cereal rather than a slob who’s earned nothing, freezing in his powerless apartment.
Side note: I wish I would’ve been smart enough to buy fire wood yesterday
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Snow drift up to my knees just to leave my place today. Got soaked but really wanted to get back into the gym. Sun is out and things are starting to melt but it was still pretty dangerous getting to the gym, but I could not stomach one more day without lifting. Super setted all assistance work abs got done in about 25 minutes. Loving how much work I can fit into short periods with this training system!
BBB Challenge Day 5
Overhead Press 105x5, 120x5, 135x5
Bench Press 145 5x10
Chin Ups 5x10
Preacher Curl 3x10
Tricep Pushdowns 3x10
Face Pulls 3x10
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@pettersson have you bought any of Brian Johnston’s books? If so, where, how, and what was the price? I’m currently reading a PDF of High Density Training I found online and I’m listening to his interviews on YouTube. I really am enjoying the book but it’s hard to get a lot of info on him. He looks pretty jacked from the few pictures of him that are on the internet.
Thanks for asking, Dave!
I have all of his “Jrep/Zone Training” books (four of them), which are (were) available on Amazon. I highly recommend the first, fairly short, book on Zone Training. I think it cost around $25. That explains the idea behind it well. The other ZT books are expansions on the concept, and could/should be bought when you have decided whether it works for you. I like ZT but have yet to decide whether I am a responder or not. Tried it during a severely stressful period in my life. Will make sure to do it again.
Brian’s encyclopedia is a great mastodont read, with training ideas for a lifetime. HDT is part of it. Only available through Brian himself. I contacted him through email, an address I found on the net. He also provides DVDs (three I think) along with it incl. demonstrations. I’m still digesting/returning to all this. The backside is the cost. If I remember correctly I think I gave $120 for this package. Not too much considering the extent of material, but nevertheless lots of money for a training book. Brian is a very helpful trainer/coach, and I emailed questions sporadically with him during a couple of months (for free). His way of thinking/explaining reminds me a lot of Mike Mentzer.
If you deep dive the vaults of the net you will find a HIT-book he also wrote in the early 2000’s.
Feel free to ask further questions on this.
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Very interesting! Thanks for the detailed response btw. I like that he’s probably the most open minded writer in the HIT community and enjoys variety and periodization like I do. Fundamentally, it seems like he and I think alike quite a bit. Although I’ll say he may be a bit more abrasive in the way he gets his message across than I am, which is very much like Mentzer.They both seem to follow the objectivist philosophy, which is one I like on paper, but do not necessarily live my life by. He also seems to be somewhat divisive amongst some HIT followers like Drew Baye because he breaks from some commonly held beliefs, such as frequency and volume.
Was the book directly from Brian a physical copy or a PDF? And Am I correct in saying that his theory on programming seems somewhat similar to Scott Stevenson with his Fortitude Training? I feel like I have a million questions because Johnston is very unique, like I’ve opened a whole Pandora’s box here. This is all while I’m also delving deeper into the mind and work of Jim Wendler. I feel like I’m just constantly trying to absorb information!
The encyclopedia was a pdf which Brian sent in the mail. The DVDs came through “regular” post.
Yes, he shares the scientific approach with Scott Stevenson, but I would say Brian has more of his own ideas and a tendency to experiment more, to take things a bit further. Brian theorizes a lot.
Scott had more of a plan to follow with freedom in excercise selection and tiers. Brian is all over the place with ideas for YOU to construct into a program (even though he give examples). They share clusters, high reps and a bit concerning volume. Intensity is higher with Brian for sure.
Why don’t you give HDT a spin for a while? It represents Brian’s newer ideas. The most challenging is the many choices on how to plan your workout. I mixed them and ended up with a very varied full body workout. Some of the rep schemes are VERY demanding though, as you will see. I think you will enjoy HDT! LOL
Jreps/Zone Training is somewhat more conventional, but still an interesting concept. The first book is definitely an easy read and no hassle to implement in the gym.
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I would definitely like to give HDT a try! Once I’ve got some days off from work, I’ll try to finish the book. His “freestyle” approach is definitely intriguing to me. Obviously, I’m also someone who likes to experiment and add variation a lot, as I’ve used many different protocols and programs throughout the past 2 years. This is also something I’ve really enjoyed about 5/3/1, is the freedom and flexibility it gives you to handle your volume, Intensity, and exercise selection as you see fit for all assistance.
Brian is a very obscure figure. I would’ve likely never heard of him if not for this site, but he’s a talented writer and had an entertaining style like Dr. Darden. I think putting an application to a theory and seeing how it works is a great approach for weight lifting, because nothing about it is set in stone.
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Forgot to log yesterday’s workout so I’ll go ahead and get to that now. Didn’t get to the gym until pretty late, so I knew I’d be super setting the hell out of the Assistance work to get this puppy done. Plus breathing heavy and sweating are good for you.
BBB Challenge Day 6
Deadlift 275x5, 320x5, 365x5
Squat 150 5x10
Sit Ups 5x20
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Todays workout was fun and efficient. I supersetted the Overhead Press and rows this time, and I really like the time saving aspect of that as well as the extra difficulty. It’s a pretty awesome feeling to be able to easily handle 255 pounds on Bench for a super easy 3. My strength really feels like it’s going up Big with the Boring But Big assistance!
BBB Challenge Day 8
Bench 200x3, 230x3, 255x3
Press 80 5x10
Dumbbell Row 85 5x10
Db Curl 3x10
Overhead Tricep Extension 3x10
Face Pulls 3x10
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Forgot to update my log Tuesday so we’ve got a double today. Tuesday I really pushed the supersets of the Deadlift and hanging leg raises to make things really miserable. Today was a monster. I kept the rest pretty short on the Press and by the time I got to the end of my bench assistance(which was done with a pause at the bottom) my shoulders were fried, pumped to the point of looking like planets on the top of my arms. I wish I would’ve taken a picture, it was nuts. Things got even nuttier when I finished off the arms and rear delts. Heart Rate got up to 165 bpm during both sessions. Today was just one of those workouts were everything went right and the pump was immaculate and hitting the numbers felt perfect.
BBB Challenge Day 9
Squat 210x3, 240x3, 275x3
Deadlift 215 5x10
Hanging leg raises 5x10
BBB Challenge Day 11
Press 115x3, 130x3, 145x3
Bench 145 5x10
Pull Ups 5x10
Preacher Curls 3x10
Tricep Pushdowns 3x10
Face Pulls 3x10
I also just picked up “5/3/1 Forever”, so hopefully I get that in the next couple of days. I can’t wait to read it and learn!
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Dude - haven’t checked in in a while but that is some of the best progress I’ve ever seen. Not that there aren’t more drastic looking transformations, but 99% of the time that’s someone losing a bunch of fat. You put on a seriously appreciable amount of muscle.
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Thanks so much man, I really really appreciate you saying that. It’s really, in my opinion, been a matter of learning how to better program as well as just not being afraid to put away a lot of food. I used to be so worried about losing abs that I wouldn’t eat enough, but upping the calories helped me put on muscle everywhere, including my abs, so now my abs look better in spite of being 30 pounds heavier. The fact that I’ve made this kind of progress in my 14th year of lifting tells me a lot of people especially in the “Genetics forum” are selling themselves short.
PS: I genuinely appreciate all of the support I get from you and everyone else who follows my log!
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I can’t necessarily speak for others, but feel as if at least a few people on here would agree when I say watching somebody learn, contribute, and get results is enough of a reward that no thanks is necessary - it’s just enjoyable to watch, in the same way that it’s unbearable to watch other people sabotage themselves out of progress.
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Well I appreciate that. I sincerely hope to use what I’ve learned to be able to pass on to others, both on here and in my life. Joining this site and learning about the value of conditioning, learning about Wendler and 5/3/1, learning about Jon Andersen and Deep Water, learning the value of getting stronger to get bigger and Vice versa, and learning about how a good program will force you to eat like an animal have all been so valuable in me making the best progress of my life. Otherwise, I may have stayed in the HIT echo chamber, stayed plateaued, and blamed my lack of continued gains on genetics.
Side note: Jon is a really good dude, and he messages back every question I’ve ever had for him on Instagram. Same with Scott Stevenson. People who go the extra mile to help others will always have my support 100%
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Had a great session last night that I ended up pushing way harder than I thought it would be. I must have the brain of a monkey because I turned this season into one that had me breathing so hard and so exhausted I thought I was going to pee my pants because I felt like I was losing bladder control. Thankfully I can’ hadn’t left the gym yet hahaha! I threw in power shrugs, because I felt like they made sense on this day. My mistake was doing them before squats in my assistance super set, so what would’ve been a pretty easy straightforward 5 sets of 10 paused squats, was a Deep Water-esque nightmare. It’s such a light weight, and yet I’m breathing like the last girl in a slasher movie. I went, power shrugs, paused squats, and sit ups all with no rest in between and went right back to it. My lower back, traps, and legs were fried after this session. I went no belt this time because something inside me was telling me it would make me weaker.
I forgot to mention, I pretty easily hit my prescribed numbers on deadlift today. Although, I think 385 is about as much weight as I can do with a double overhand grip with no chalk or straps. Next week I may need to switch to mixed grip, but I only have to hit one rep next week, so maybe not. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
BBB Challenge Day 10
Deadlift 300x3, 340x3, 385x3
Power Shrug 225 5x20
Paused Squat 150 5x10
Sit Ups 5x20
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This is a little off topic from my usual log but I forgot to mention last night, I was alone in the gym with the exception of one teenager who was talking on the phone with somebody telling them how to do a SARM cycle and that they should take a test booster for 4 weeks afterwards. This is an alarming trend I’ve noticed a lot lately. Every time I’m at the gym, there’s a bunch of teenagers there talking about SARMs, turkesterone, test, and tren. It’s insane to me. I hope none of these kids are doing that stuff. But it’s every damn time I go at night. I don’t understand the adolescent hype around PEDs.
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I try to pay as little attention to the youths as possible but first time I was at my gym a 147 lb 5’11 child (maybe 21) was talking about going on a test/orals cycle. He apparently did because he’s probably 160 now and covered in acne. Baffling to start so young and undeveloped.
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