Awesome job, dude.
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28/01/2020
- Stationary bike: 20 minutes, varied intensities
Ramblings:
I have to admit, I’m very lost in my training right now. It’s probably a result of life stress at the moment, but I can’t figure out what my goals are and how I want to structure my training.
Before the new year, I ran a 6-week Leader cycle of 5/3/1 5’s pro with boring but big at FSL weights, followed by a single cycle of 3/5/1 with PR sets and 5x5 at FSL weights. It absolutely skyrocketed my strength, added a little bit of size (would’ve been more but my eating fluctuated), and overall worked super well. But, there were so many other things I wanted to do, and it didn’t afford me the ability to work on some of the lifts I enjoy.
My current set up has me hitting all the big barbell lifts I enjoy (following 5/3/1 principles), along with the prowler and farmer’s walk, but it’s just not… clicking. I dunno, I can’t explain it. I’m also struggling with not feeling “athletic” enough, which could in theory be solved by adding jumps and throws before my main work, but I know that would get sluffed off immediately.
Something as simple as training shouldn’t be causing me this much stress, but I’m extremely OCD when it comes to training, and while I know there’s no such thing as the perfect program, I can’t help fussing over my programming more than I should. Very frustrating.
30/01/2020
I’m trying to get some programming stuff figured out. The 531 block I did before the new year was so much fun that I’d do it again, I just need to figure out how to get my power snatches and power clean & push presses into it logically. I also have a handful of accessories that I want to commit to.
All that to say, I went into the gym with a plan and immediately threw it out the window the second I touched the bar. I realized I’d never trained like a “gym bro” before, so I just fucked around with arm work and got a good pump, before doing some hyperextensions (always helps my back after work) and jumping on the assault bike for 10 minutes.
I think I’m just going to treat the rest of this week like a deload and mess around with shit. Tonight was very mentally refreshing.
01/02/2020
- Yoga: 20 minutes
Hips have been trashed from work, so I picked a routine that would target that. Felt great after, but I need to stop neglecting mobility work.
03/02/2020
- Power snatch: bar x2x5, 95x5, 105x5, 3x5 @ 120
- Squat: 135x5, 195x5, 225x5, 255x5, 5x10 @ 195 (SS w/ 5x5 pull-ups)
- GHD hypers: 5x10 w/ bar (SS w/ 5x5 pull-ups)
Notes:
- Too many power snatches. Need to dial those back in the future. Thought I’d be fine doing extra sets buuuuut my speed dropped real fast and the last set was less pop and more grind. No bueno.
- I just… hate squats. So much. I got a few sets in and almost left the gym because I dislike them so much. But I want to get better at all “core” lifts, so I’ll continue to gut it out.
05/02/2020
- Bench: 5x bar, 95x5, 135x5, 145x3, 165x3, 185x16
- Barbell row: 150x3, 170x3, 195x18
- Dips: 50 total reps (think it was 18, 5, 5, 5, then a bunch of sets of 3)
- Fat bar curl: 50 total reps @ 65 (split 25, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5)
Notes:
- Soooooo big change in training plan. All my “core” movements are staying the same (power O-lifts, plus the Big 3), but I’ve been struggling hard over the last couple weeks on how to lay out my training. I wasn’t able to find a way to reconcile the movements I loved with my goal of getting overall bigger and stronger. I kind of had an “aha!” moment today though, when I realized my goal was not to just get generally strong, but to get strong on my personal “big 5” lifts (which hits my strength goals), and that the accessory lifts could easily be suited to fit my size goals. Problem solved!
- I’ll be running 531 SVR for the foreseeable future, because it has everything I like all wrapped into one.
- Possibly (probably) going to swap the barbell row for weighted chins, because going for rep maxes and max weight on bent rows is messy.
10/02/2020
- Press: 2x5 @ bar, 95x3, 110x3, 120x12 (AMRAP)
- 1-arm DB row: 1x10 @ 75, 1x10 @ 85, 3x10 @ 95
- Dips: 50 reps (30/5/5/5/5)
- Fat bar curl: 100 reps @ 45 (50/10/10/10/10/10)
- Log zercher carry: 4x40 yards @ log + 50
Notes:
- I went into this really not motivated, but it ended up being a great session.
- I think log zercher carries are my new favourite loaded carry. Every part of me felt it.
11/02/2020
Update:
I’ve always been impressed by feats of strength more than being generally strong or fast or powerful. There’s something about reading the legends of old and being inspired by them.
Being of Scandinavian descent, my Viking heritage has always been important to me. Many will know of the Húsafell Stone, and many other such stones, which were apparently tests of manhood in ancient times. To lift and/or carry these stones were seen as exemplary achievements.
Legend and legacy were also important to Norse heroes. If I can achieve a legacy with my family and friends of being a man who committed himself to a task and saw it through, then I will be content. Sure, there are many ways to do this, but I choose this test. I choose to pursue the quest for the status of “Fullsterkur”.
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11/02/2020
- Deadlift: 135x3, 225x3, 285x3, 325x3, 365x12, 285x20
- Good morning: 135x5, 145x5, 3x5 @ 155
- Weighted sit ups: 3x10 @ 25
- Fat bar curls: 50 total reps @ 45 (30/10/10)
Notes:
- As @flipcollar said in my Húsafell thread, I need to focus on getting stronger over all for, probably, a few years. AMRAP sets (like 5/3/1) have always worked well for me. I’ll ride it out until it doesn’t work, then change things up if need be.
- I didn’t think I had that many reps in me on the deadlift sets, but I just kept going and didn’t slow down. Happily surprised.
- Haven’t fine good mornings in quite a few months and they felt suuuuuper weird. The bar has to be so high up on my neck and it was really uncomfortable.
13/02/2020
- Bench: bar x5, 135x5, 145x3, 165x3, 185x10, 145x20/5/3 (RP set)
- Chins: 5x5 (supersetted with bench sets)
- EZ lying tricep extensions: 50 reps @ 45
- Fat bar zercher carry: 1x80 yrd @ 105, 1x80 yrd @ 135, 2x80 yrd @ 155
Notes:
- Nothing special about bench today. Happy with the reps I got.
- Need to add weight to the chins, as well as the tricep extensions. Might swap it out to rolling tricep extensions instead of the EZ bar.
- Those zercher carries were awesome. Felt them everywhere.
15/02/2020
- Front squat: bar x3, 135x3, 155x3, 185x3, 205x3, 230x8
- Back squat: 230x12 (immediate drop set after the front squat AMRAP)
- Prowler push/pull: push/pull 20/20 yrd @ 45, push/pull 20/20 yrd @ 90, push/pull/push 20/20/20 yrd @ 135, pull/push/pull 20/20/20 yrd @ 135
- Back extensions: 2x12 @ 45
- Facepulls: 50 reps
Notes:
- Definitely enjoy front squats more than back squats. And they’ll help the Husafell pick more than back squats.
- Those sled push and pulls were the most wonderfully PAINFUL thing my quads have ever experienced. I think it’ll become a staple exercise.
17/02/2020
- Press: bar x5, 95x5, 110x5, 125x10, 95x15/5/4 (RP set)
- 1-arm DB rows: 1x5 @ 85, 1x5 @ 95, 3x5 @ 105
- Dips: 1x20/5 (RP)
- Fat bar zercher carry: 1x40 yrd @ 105, 1x40 yrd @ 135, 3x100 yrd @ 155
Notes:
- Presses were interesting; by rep 5 on the top set, the bar felt super heavy and I thought I’d lose it in a couple reps. But somehow, I managed to push it to 10.
- Those zercher carries were awful (100 yards = 300’ = 90m). The weight felt light for the first 40 or so yards, but VERY quickly afterwards started to feel really heavy, especially as the zercher position puts pressure on your upper stomach/diaphragm. By the end of set 3 breathing was rough.
18/02/2020
- Deadlift: 135x5, 225x5, 265x5, 305x5, 345x15, 265x25
- Suitcase farmers carry: 5x20 yrd @ 90 (each side)
- Back raises: 2x12 @ 45
- Fat bar curls: 50 reps @ 45
Notes:
- That last AMRAP of deadlifts gave me the most insane headache I’ve ever had in my life. Everything was good until about rep 20 or so, then all of the sudden my head started throbbing. Persisted until the end of the workout, and I’m still feeling it today slightly.
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Those are some pretty disgusting deadlift workouts my man. Nice work.
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Thanks! Nothing like some quality deadlift pain to toughen you up.
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20/02/2020
- Bench: bar x5, 135x5, 155x5, 175x13, 135x20/6/4 (RP AMRAP)
- Chins: 5 controlled reps between all bench sets
- Barbell row: 135x25
- EZ bar lying tricep extensions: 5x10 @ 75
- Sandbag carry: 4x40 yrd (35m) @ no idea; but the sandbag felt really freaking heavy.
Notes:
- So I thought my headache was behind me, but right around rep 10 on the top set of bench — BOOM — same splitting headache I had from deadlifting came back. Tried to push through to 15, but by rep 13 it was too distracting and I cut it before I was grinding too hard. Made sure I was steadily breathing during the RP dropset which helped, but it was still there.
- Triceps got insanely pumped from the extensions. Felt awesome.
- So, I have no idea how much the sandbag weighs at my gym. It kinda just appeared one night, and I casually tried moving it around only to realize it’s pretty heavy (for me, at least). Was able to pick it up and carry for 40 yard stretches, which was perfect for what I wanted to accomplish.
- This was overall, headache aside, one of the best feeling sessions I’d had in a while. Most of my upper body got worked hard, and the rest of me got a solid workout from the sandbag carries.
I went through a period where deadlifts would do this to me too. Currently, AMRAP squats are causing it. Chiro said it just happens sometimes because squats and deadlifts hit the whole body so hard. Sucks ass, though.
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I was initially really freaked out that I’d done something horrible to myself, but when I researched into it apparently exertion headaches are pretty common in lifting, especially when you’re using the valsalva maneuver. Not looking forward to AMRAP squats tomorrow.
Could be a tweak in a deep trap/neck muscle too, sucks either way. Hopefully it lets loose for ya soon.
That was also what I was thinking. As I started grinding on the last few reps, I definitely knew that my neck was getting out of position.