Warm-Up
Running
Same as before, run about 70-80m, walk 50-60m x 6 runs
Deadlift
275 x 5 x 3 sets
Hang Power Clean
185 x 3 x 3 sets
Felt way heavier than it should.
Wide Grip Cable Row
160 x 10 x 2
180 x 10
Bench Press
135 x 10
175 x 8
205 x 6
240 x 2
270 x 1, 1
Dropped back to the 300 lb max step and still failed to hit the reps.
Sled
M4 Sled, L2
Push 25m/Pull 25m x 8 (4 each)
Iām on his website looking at it now. I love that it says it āis a complete guide to bodybuilding for everyday people who want to be strong and capable while looking good.ā
Iām lacking in the mental fortitude category these days. Fortunately, I feel like I did a good job of working hard when I was younger and had more time and energy and less family demands. Iām not looking to get any bigger these days. Today is my 41st birthday and I think it will be important for my health and longevity to cut a few pounds with each passing decade. Iāll be happy to improve my conditioning, drop a little body fat, and maintain 85-90% of my PR strength as I move through this decade. I think those are reasonable and achievable goals.
I know I still can get stronger, and Iāll take that if it happens, but Iām not going to eat and train with the intensity that typically fuels that. Heck, maybe Iāll surprise myself and learn that Iām viewing that in the wrong way and itās easier than I think. Perhaps Iāve inadvertently created an all-or-nothing mindset about growth and Iāll stumble my way into the middle of the spectrum.
Happy Birthday dude! That growth you speak of is part of the journey for sure. At our age, simply maintaining is progressing, because all of our peers are rapidly decaying. I look myself and lament that I never got to be the 230lb behemoth that my 19 year old self wanted to be, but then I celebrate the fact that Iām still wearing the same clothes that my same 19 year old self could wear. It seems like I didnāt progress at allā¦until I realize that most of my peers outgrew their size 30 jeans a LONG time ago and are sporting 42s.
Happy birthday mate
Happy birthday!
I may have adopted this philosophy a bit early, but itās been part of me for awhile now - probably back to my bulk and cut of 2018 and 2019. Maybe I was making excuses or maybe I was just frustrated with my body always hurting and letting me down (hip surgery at the the end of 2017, shoulder surgery mid-2019, and plenty of back pain throughout).
I bought the book today and Iām on page 90. As I was reading about the ABCs I remembered my CrossFit workouts from the beginning of the year. Double KB front rack carries felt tough but awesome. Front squats in the same position were also tough but I felt absolutely no back pain or discomfort. I think they help with my mobility, too, because I can really sink the depth while keeping my torso upright. I feel like that commercial where they smack themselves in the forehead and say āI couldāve had a V8!ā
@T3hPwnisher Iām hoping you can help me clarify the bookās programs - specifically the long-term planning.
Is Program 1 the 8 week KB ABCs plan? And then I think Program 2 is the barbell ABC plan?
Programs 3 and 4 are clearly marked so I think Iām good there.
Thanks!
Program 1, 2, 3 and 4 are ALL barbell programs. The KB ABF is a completely different program from programs 1-4.
It starts on page 96. Very bottom of the page. āProgram one: the break-in programā, and then page 98 lays it out completely. Itās a 2 week program for 6 workouts.
Program 2 starts on page 99, in the middle.
In total, Programs 1 and 2 last a total of 3 weeks. He explains that on page 100.
I read through all that once. I donāt know about anyone else, but when I read through multiple stages of a training plan I tend to forget the first part by the time I finish. I know I should stop when I get to the part that applies to my current training position, but I just want to keep reading!
Thanks!
No problem dude!
For me, I do the same thing, but while Iām in one phase, Iāll spend my time reading about the next phase so that, when it rolls around, Iām ready for it.
I really have no idea what else to do with this program. The two movements are solid but not a full body challenge yet. I figured Iād play it by feel. I tried to look up Danās advice and I saw the response āTry it and find outā enough times to know that thereās no perfect answer.
Exercise 1
45 x 8
65 x 8
85 x 5
65 x 8 x 5 sets
Confused myself with the 8s and thought I was supposed to do 8 sets, but it was actually 5.
Exercise 2
65 x 8 x 3 sets
Running
6 runs like usual. Felt pretty good doing these after the lifts instead of before. My knees were warmed up.
Double KB Front Squat
16 kgs x 10 x 2 sets
Sled
Tank M4 L2
Pull 25 m x 4
Left the gym feeling great. Pumps in the right places. No pain. Well, a little knee pain but I think the sled pulls will correct that.
Took my 9 year old with me. Heās skinny so itās time to start training!
Continuous Clean & Press
Had son practice with DBs
Curls
Double KB Front Squat
50s x 10 x 2 sets
These sucked.
Machine Row
2 sets
Bench Press
205 x 12, 7
Son did push-ups.
Sled
Tank M4 L2 alternate push/pull 25m x 6 total trips
Son used L1. Took longer with him and I miscounted sets. Oh, well.
Thatās awesome, did he instigate, and is he keen to keep it up?
He has mentioned it in the past couple months but school and work schedules have made it tough. I asked him if he wanted to go and he said yes without hesitation. He seems to enjoy it so Iāll try to keep taking him when I can. I think Iāll have plenty of time tomorrow so I can pick him up after school and take him again.
Did this during one of my classes and then walked a mile at my sonās flag football practice.
Continuous Clean & Press
45 x 8
65 x 8
75 x 8, 8, 8
Curls
75 x 8 x 5 sets
I re-read the book regarding the workouts/programs and it really is bare bones these first few weeks. I think itās geared more towards people who havenāt been training much. I might skip ahead to the next phase starting tomorrow.
I also keep seeing Easy Strength for Weight Loss references. I know itās another DJ book, but donāt want to buy it. I searched the wide web and found a post by DJ himself on his own website and itās called āEven Easier Strengthā. He laid out a training plan that looks kind of fun and might be something I can do in the future when I have all my free time back.
Tonight (10/8) is our last scheduled flag football games. The post-season tourney is 10/18 and we have to finish in the top 16 in the state to qualify. There are 29 teams. I think we can do it if we win at least one game tonight. Weāll definitely be in if we win both games. Unfortunately, we looked absolutely awful last week so Iām not sure what to expect. We beat the team we play first two weeks ago by scoring in the 4th quarter with just over a minute to go. Iām sure they want revenge so theyāll be bringing the intensity.
I think itās geared more towards people who havenāt been training much.
Negative. The opposite: itās geared toward people that have other things to do in life. Dan is very big on ālet the strength work be the strength work, let the hypertrophy work be the hypertrophy workā. In order to get hypertrophy, it doesnāt take more than this. As you read in the book, in order to get to that ānext levelā of hypertrophy (competitive bodybuilder), itās not going to take twice as many sessions, or sessions that are twice as long: itās going to take training 6 days a week for 2 hours a session, ala the Frank Zane protocol. But for someone who simply wants to build muscle, look good and feel good, this is āenoughā.
And along with that, once youāve done the hypertrophy stuff, you can do whatever else it is you need. Easy Strength works in a same way: Dan employs it with their athletes, so that they can get all the strength work they need before they move on to skills training.
For Easy Strength for Fat Loss, if you donāt want to buy the book, you can just watch the video
I kept reading after my post and saw how he implements ES4FL with Programs 1 and 2. And then I re-read his āEasier Strengthā article. I think Iāll follow his advice and throw in a horizontal press and deadlift variation to go along with Program 1/2.
Iāve been doing extra work after the main work, but was worried I was getting ahead of myself. I have a feeling the front squats of Program 3 are going to be unpleasant, but also might be just what I need.
Jumped to the next phase where I superset the two exercises instead of doing all sets of one followed by all sets of the other.
Also took my son again. Itās been a few days so Iāll just summarize what we did - clean and press, curls, machine row, leg press, bench press (push-ups for him) and three laps on the sled (3 pushes, 3 pulls). The M4 sled is awesome for this because it has different settings for each direction so I can set my resistance and his and not have to make any adjustments during the workout.
Just remembered I did some deadlifts during class. The kids are maxing out so I joined in a bit. Hit 455 for a single. Itās a long ways from my PR of 555 but not too shabby considering my training this year.
Kids stayed with my parents so I was on my own today. However, my son worked out with my dad at their place.
Leg Extension and Seated Leg Curl Warm-Up
Deadlift
225 x 5 x 2 sets
275 x 5 x 2 (10 total reps)
Clean & Press + Curls
45 x 8
65 x 8
65 x 8
75 x 8
75 x 8
Bench
135 x 5
185 x 5
205 x 5 x 2 (10 total reps per ES4FL)
Sled
Alternate push/pull x 25m for 10 total trips
Ab Wheel
3 x 10 with first three rounds of sled
Decline Crunch
1 x 15
Almost the same as 10.12 but subtract the ab work and add my son. I made him deadlift 55 lbs for 3 x 3. Heās long and lanky but had great form. Itās hard to judge a 9 year oldās lifting in terms of effort. He made it look like max effort, but I think it was just new and difficult for him.
Havenāt trained since this but Iāll hit it tomorrow after work. Flag football came to an end Saturday at the state tournament. Iām proud we made the final 16 but we fizzled fast. My team has/had 25 players and I only took about 15 thanks for competing with band, and other stuff. Some girls are just flaky. They come from a background of zero grit and seizing opportunities to quit life. For example, one girl missed the entire week and no-showed the tourney due to a funeral. She didnāt even leave town.
The tourney was Saturday and a little over 2.5 hours away. We left at 6am and got back a little after 5pm. I missed three softball games for my daughter while I was gone. I got to fill my Sunday with day two of her tournament and caught two games.
No more early mornings or after-school practices. I get my afternoons back and will definitely be taking advantage of itā¦assuming I can. My back still hurts and actually got worse after my last workout. Iām quite baffled at this point and starting to consider an MRI.
Warm-Up
Continuous Clean & Press + Front Squats
45 x 8 + 3
65 x 8 + 3
75 x 8 + 3
75 x 8 + 3
85 x 8 + 3
Curls
85 x 8 x 5 sets
Bench Press
135 x 5
205 x 5
225 x 3
235 x 2
Decline Crunch
2 x 10
Batwings
45s x 10 second hold x 3 reps x 2 sets
Sled
Tank M4 L2 alternate push/pull 25m x 10 total
I go, you go style with my son.
Typing this on 10.23. Today is our free day of lifting where we get to focus on whatever want. DJ does āBuns & Gunsā. I wonāt be doing that but Iāll stick to his recommendation that the reps are high.