Hmmm. Tough one. I like the exclusivity of having big legs and also being quite lean
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I wonder what Tom Platz would’ve looked like had he never used PEDs.
How can you tell Tom Platz was on gear? Coulda just been running Starting Strength and GOMAD.
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It doesn’t look terribly hard, but I am not sure I understand what the rest period between sets is supposed to be.
True, I can’t definitively state he was using gear. However, I can make a reasonable deduction. Either way, I’ll bet he wasn’t worried about too much relative muscle mass on his legs 
1 Like
8.28.20 C1 W2 D1 - Squat
SQUAT
45 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3
235 x 3 x 5 sets
POWER CLEAN
185 x 3 x 2 sets
215 x 3 x 5 sets
DEADLIFT
275 x 3
345 x 5 x 3 sets
Time: 33 minutes. My low back is sore and everything but deads felt heavy.
3 Likes
8.29.20 Conditioning
DT - 5 RFT
Weight: 135
- 12 deadlift
- 9 hang power clean
- 6 push jerk
Time: 11:28
A little love from power cleans. I achieved this yesterday and opened it up today.
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Puke-inducing or tiring-yet-invigorating?
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At about round four, it started to test my mental fortitude. I hit that zone where it was increasingly difficult to catch my breath. I even had to take a knee because standing was proving to be too difficult and a waste of crucial energy. No nausea today, but if you goof up your nutrition in any way then you’ll know real quick.
I looked through some other WODs and I’ve decided that I like rounds/reps for time over AMRAPS. I know I have a task to perform and I just chip away at it. With AMRAPs, you have to suffer for a set amount of time. Working harder doesn’t get you closer to the finish. Having a set amount of work fits my mindset better. If I just suck it up and go then I can be done. But on that note, I was careful with this workout. Rushing the jerks could lead to injury or I could drop the bar. That would result in more work. I decided that it’s better to take some extra breaths and make sure I was ready. I shaved off 2.5 minutes by just having a better approach. You don’t really need to breathe for deadlifts with 135 so there’s no reason to rest after push jerks.
I guess to actually answer your question, this:
3 Likes
That’s a good summary of how those two methods affect me, too. Accomplishing the task is more satisfying and endurable than chasing reps with no more definition than ‘more.’
I noticed your time really improved 
Did you ever put the bar down, or did you hold it throughout?
Relatedly, I like the idea of another challenge thread, based on this workout.
I put the bar down twice per round - after deads and after cleans. At my conditioning level, here’s the best approach.
At the start:
- do all 12 deads
- do all 9 cleans, rest without setting the bar down
- do all 6 push jerks unbroken
- do 11 deads
- rest as needed (drop the bar)
- do the 12th deadlift as you pick up the bar for cleans
- do 8 cleans
- rest as needed (drop the bar)
- do the 9th clean as you set up for jerks
- do all 6 jerks
- do 11 deads
- rest as needed and continue the cycle until finished
3 Likes
Looks like a, dare I say it, optimal progression. I’ll see how the cleans feel on my hip. If I can do them, I’ll consider starting the challenge thread, probably in a couple weeks. I wouldn’t want to start a challenge I can’t even do 
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It’s a power clean so there’s no need to go into deep hip flexion.
1 Like
8.30.20
I’m sore. My lower back continues to be angry but I’ll be fixing that soon. I have four weeks of appointments with my chiropractor scheduled.
My traps are sore from cleans and more cleans and I’m still considering trying Isabel or Grace today. The former is 30 snatches and the latter is 30 clean and jerks with 135. I’m concerned that Isabel might be more of a strength test for me instead of conditioning.
@dagill2 has me thinking about chasing OHP for the rest of the year. I guess that’s not much different than what I’ve been doing all year, but I’ll have to stick with barbell OHP and push the weight. I don’t think there’s any reason to change my program. Advanced 5/3/1 should still work. I’m also going to try this giant set finisher on both upper body days:
- DB lat raise
- alternating DB front raise
- DB reverse fly
- DB upright row
- seated DB press
I’m supposed to do 2-3 sets of that. If you can raise your arms after the giant set then the weight was too light. If you can’t hit the reps (8-12) then the weight was too heavy. It’s going to be tricky figuring the right loads at first. I’m hoping to be able to use the same weights for the raises and then more weight on the final three. It won’t work if I’m spending a minute changing my DBs after every set.
2 Likes
Big supporter on chasing the press. I’d include the element of chasing a press that starts from the floor. You’re already an explosive dude, so it shouldn’t be a real challenge for you, but in making the goal to be able to press the heaviest weight possible off the floor I find the results transfer to the front AND back of the physique incredibly well.
4 Likes
C1 W2 D2 - Incline
OUTDOOR WARM UP
6:45
Super Set
INCLINE
45 x 10
135 x 5
155 x 3
170 x 3 x 5 sets
DB REV FLY
25 x 10 x 5 sets
Super Set
SEATED OHP
115 x 5 x 5
PULL UPS
10, 7, 7, 6, 6
Gigantor Set
DIPS
BW x 12 x 2
DB LAT RAISE
23 x 12 x 2
ALT DB FRONT RAISE
23 x 12 ea x 2
DB REAR DELT FLY
45 x 12 x 2
DB UPRIGHT ROW
23 x 12 x 2
SEATED DB PRESS
45 x 6 + 23 x 12
45 x 4 + 23 x 8
Time: about 45 minutes.
Notes
- My right shoulder is still weak. Alternating front raises made that obvious. My shoulder also doesn’t like dips and/or upright rows. Upright rows are definitely out. I’ll try dips again.
- That giant set can be done with one pair of dumbbells. The rear delt flys were the heavy partials that only hit the rear delts. Also, the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder are shot by the time you reach OHP. I had no control with the 45s.
- Lastly, I’m still considering doing Grace today, but I’m going to rest awhile.
3 Likes
No, no I’m not. My shoulder doesn’t need to be abused any further. It’s a tiny bit achy and I’d like to keep it at that.
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Full disclosure: this is straight up @T3hPwnisher idea, I’m just trying to live up to the promise.
I think that, if you can manage it, it will 100% deliver what you want from your training. However, as soon as I read this though, my mind went straight to this:
You know your body better than I do, but i think you’ll have to be far smarter about the training than I’m being.
I’ve been feeling good but today had two exercises I haven’t done in ages. Luckily, neither is necessary for boulder shoulders.
1 Like
8.31.20 C1 W2 D3 - Deadlift
I took off work because our daycare is closed due to Covid. I was planning to take today off but I had all this extra time. My day was terrible. I was tired and grouchy and I even took a nap. The talk of the ACFT made me wonder if I could run an 18 minute two mile. The answer is no.
SQUAT
Bar x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3
205 x 5 x 3 sets
HANG POWER CLEAN
135 x 5
185 x 5 x 3 sets
DEADLIFT
275 x 3
365 x 1
385 x 3 x 5 sets
CLEAN PULL
285 x 3 x 5 sets
CONDITIONING
Run 1 mile out and back. 9:26 uphill and into a nice breeze. 9:24 coming back for a total of 18:50. I really felt like my pace was faster coming back, but I was wrong. My time would get me 65 points for the ACFT. I think my other scores would bring me up and I’d still get a 70 overall.
Thanks for the misery, @TrainForPain.
3 Likes