Didn’t log earlier this week because I was just messing around for a couple days figuring out how I want to structure my sessions for the time being. Think I have it figured out.
I really enjoy sprinting. But man, do I ever have DOMS in my tibialis anterior today. Guess I haven’t run in a while.
Side note: I’m finally around 200lbs! I weighed myself last week and was surprised to see 198 on the scale. Getting to the 200 club has been a goal for a while. This also means that I’m impressed with my push-up numbers, because I haven’t done them since I was about 15 or 20 lbs lighter.
Biiiiiiig drop in my Kroc row numbers. Unhappy. Need to figure out why.
I’ve spent this week “deloading”. Work has been exhausting, and I’ve been absolutely dreading training, so I’ve done a little bit of stretching and running this week. Haven’t touched weights at all. Feeling mentally better, so I’ll get at it next week.
I’m experiencing some wicked hip/glute pain lately. I think this is due to a few reasons:
I’ve been standing all day at work over the last few weeks. No real walking or movement, aside from a bit of pacing or shifting back and forth.
Since December-ish, I quickly added almost 20 lbs of weight. This is VERY fast for me, so I think my body just isn’t used to the added bulk. Combined with the weight of my vest and duty belt, my hips have been taking the brunt of my weight.
My training session up until my gym closed were really posterior chain intensive; heavy front carries, heavy deadlifts for high reps, lots or rows and back extensions. I think my hips are smoked.
This photo shows where I experience the most pain. The yellow lines are roughly where it’s localized, all on the left side. I’ve had prior back injuries on my left, which may have contributed to weakness there. It’s especially bad when I first start my work shifts, or if I make sudden quick movements after being stationary for a while.
I need to drop weight. I’ve never been close to 200 before, and for the longest time hovered between 180 and 185. My body likes being there. I definitely could have my body be happy at 190ish, but the weight I am now is making me stiff, slow and sore. No bueno.
I need to focus on the anterior chain for a bit. Obviously the posterior chain is so important for my goal of carrying the Húsafell Stone, but I need to take care of my body too. More attention needs to be paid to my quads, abs and shoulders.
I’m thinking I’m going to run either a bastardized version of 5/3/1 Strength and Conditioning or Prep and Fat Loss. Something that keeps the conditioning high, because I sorely need that right now. I feel slow and out of shape, which I hate.
Presenting my heavily bastardized 5/3/1 Strength and Conditioning. Running it as a superset of floor press and goblet squats on one day, with probably double KB swings and DB press on the other. Keg carries will replace the sled work, and will shift places with the assistance work. Assistance work won’t change from the original.
For the leader phase, I’ll do high set volume with lower reps, followed by AMRAP sets (maybe rest-pause) for the anchor.
Running will stay the same as the original program.
I officially love the bent press. Stuck to a light weight today just to get a feel for the technique, but it’s such a full body movement. Double swing felt good too. REALLY had to be explosive to get both bells moving. Hoping it’ll preserve some of my deadlift strength.
Keg drag needed more weight, but if I load it up too much the carry says will be too difficult. Oh well.
Really wanted 100 pull-ups in 10 minutes, but it wasn’t there. Something to aim for.
Only having access to loadable dumbbells and kettlebells has me looking at all those old timey lifts. Might try some more crazy dumbbell lifts next week.
Hi guys. I remember starting that Bent Press thread. I talked a lot of shit!
I’m still Bent Pressing. I haven’t become anything amazing physically nor do I have any particular insights useful to others beyond familiarity with a pet lift.
1500m, 10 minutes + about 10 minutes of playing tag with one of my dogs after.
24/04/2020
Double dumbbell “clean” and press/1-arm dumbbell snatch superset
8x5 @ 50 per hand/50
Keg carry
4x40 yrd @ 150ish
KB 21s/BW leg extension superset
2x21/25 @ 53/BW
10 minutes AMRAP push-ups
175 reps
Notes:
Feeling like an old timey strongman lately with all these odd dumbbell lifts. I put “clean” because I purposely was using less leg and more biceps. So it was more of a power curl and press.
The dumbbell snatch was, again, done in the old style with no arm bend. Just powering it up with the legs through a big arc, like a KB.
My keg carries have been feeling like death after the 20 yard turn, and I realized today it’s because with the slight slope of my driveway, the 20 yard return is all uphill. The carries are feeling easier, however, so I’ll probably add a few more pounds of sand on the next cycle.
It occurred to me that I’ve never seen your log so I stalked your activity to find it. I’ll be following along.
I like the strongman conditioning stuff because it’s more like real life. I can’t say that about something like box jumps for time or something similar…unless you’re Super Mario.
Small semantic point. If the dumbell is lifted through a big arc with a straight arm then it is a Dumbell Swing not a Dumbell Snatch. The Kettlebell Snatch is poorly named. A snatch is done with the weight dead and an explosive movement. A reasonable article on how the swing was done a hundred years ago (world record = 220lb) can be found at:- https://physicalculturestudy.com/2018/02/26/forgotten-exercises-the-dumbbell-swing/
A Dumbell Snatch is done the same as a One Hand Barbell Snatch. This is a good way to do it (the man in the video holds the world record for one hand snatch at 253lb):- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twOrN3J4cW0
No training today. Lately, I’ve been training first thing in the morning, which I used to always do, and it’s felt great. Today, however, I accidentally turned my alarm off instead of hitting snooze, slept and extra 90 minutes, and this meant it was straight into dad duty helping my wife with our son. He was strangely fussy and needy today too, which meant there was never a period where I could break away from my wife and him.
We also had stormy weather today, which always makes my knuckles and low back ache immensely. This combined with taking care of the family today meant working out just wasn’t in the cards. Oh well. Some days you just have to chill.
I’m also struggling a little with some diet changes and training desires at the moment. The goal of fullsterkur remains unchanged, but I want bigger arms and shoulders too. Adding some arm volume shouldn’t be hard, because I can easily justify needing strong arms to help hold a front carry.
Diet-wise, I’ve dropped all carbs during the day and have only been eating them with dinner, in an effort to lose some of the chub I put on. It seems to be starting to work, and has had the pleasant side effect of making me feel better, too. I feel less… heavy? I don’t know how else to say it. But I also feel suuuuuper deflated. Probably the result of less water retention. I also know I need to be upping my protein, preferably through more meat, but that’s financially not feasible right now. Maybe I’ll add in beans, or something.
I barely had any carbs today and I felt like crap. Came home from work and ate a full plate of Trader Joe’s ravioli, a half lb cheeseburger, and three handfuls of pretzel bites filled with peanut butter.
