Did 300 pushups yesterday at the office and man my back is pumped. Lower traps and rhomboids are tight and full of blood. Supposed to do inverted rows today at the office before I hit the session this week. We will see how this goes.
On another note, I’ve tried about all I can to try and fix my sleep. Should have taken some Z12 last night but didn’t for whatever reason. Just seems I have a hard time getting into zone 3 and 4 so I sleep light constantly. I’m pretty positive I’ve been that way my whole life, but within these last couple years it definitely is catching up. I take 2grams of Mag Threonate every night and 2 grams of Cod Liver Oil (for D3 and Vit A) and 3 grams of Fish Oil before bed. I stop drinking much of anything after 7 and I try and take fairly hot showers at night as well and don’t use much light if any after the sun goes down. Going to try some Tart Cherry extract I suppose there is something there with uric acid levels that have an effect on sleep that they aren’t really sure about…I don’t know but the studies look promising. I hit z12 on nights that I know I’m not going to be bothered when I’m off call, but I don’t take it too often just to save it for as long as I can. I don’t have apnea at least the study came back that I didn’t…I don’t snore unless congested and use mouth tape from time to time.
BtM W2D2
Supersets
Deads 7 total sets up to 3x5 at 315
DB Bench 10 total sets first being a 2 minute stretch hold then up to 70lbs 5x5
The last 3 sets of DB Bench I did rows with the 70s 3x20
Back was toast after that and the inverted rows from earlier that day.
Poundstone Curls with Fat Grips got to 60 with out stopping and this time told my self just do 4 sets of 10 to finish it off. Just don’t put the bar down. That seemed to work. They still sucked especially after all the rows.
Made an interesting food choice last night. We have a ton of soup bones from the side of beef we purchased so we roasted it up and pulled out the marrow along with as much meat from them as we could. I ate it, however I’m pretty sure that was mostly cartilage…nobody else in the house would touch it. Luckily my wife also cooked up some carnitas so they had a backup option. It tasted fine, but my jaw was sore from chewing. Soup bones…may be just that…for soup I mean it says so right on the bag.
BtM W2D3
Squat up to 245 for 5 then WM set at 190
Swapped the OHP for Standing Arnold Presses 40lb DBs 5x10
Weighted Chins 10lbs 5x5
Upper Back Shrugs (forward lean shrug) 4x25
Band pull aparts
Got it done after 4 hours of yard work…I felt it. I went inside and laid down and fell asleep for 10 minutes. I was light headed as hell. I’m sure I was dehydrated. Should have hit some surge before getting after it.
BtM W3D1
Weight is up to 223 in the evening by morning 216.
Chins I did at the office and these were tougher today by 80 I was feeling it.
Squats (10 total sets) up to 275 5x5 superset with Facepulls 50lbs 5x20 then superset with Presses up to 115 x 5 then 95 x 18 PR set.
100 Dips I did the last couple of sets of 10 I did some pec minor dips to finish the pecs off.
I felt it as soon as I was done and I am feeling it this morning. Back is wore out. I remember how bad the third week sucks. Also, Z-12 is the shit. Sucks they can’t source that stuff from anywhere else. I haven’t been sleeping well and 1 capsule of that stuff keeps me asleep which is unusual. I am an extremely light sleeper and that stuff keeps me in lala land. I never have dreams otherwise. The only time I have dreams is when I take Z-12. It is a big time help.
BtM W3D2
Deads superset with DB Bench
Deads 275x5, 315x5, 350 3x5
DB Bench 30lb db stretch 2 minutes 60x5, 70x5, 80 3x5… 2x4
DB Rows 80 2x15,RP1x15
Poundstone fat grip curls rested at 63
The day before this I did 100 ab roll outs and my walk and before this last session did 100 inverted rows and walks.
Piriformis is screaming at me but still did the deads…yeah that really pissed it off. I was able to stretch, roll and theragun it out finally before bed. My back feels absolutely fried. 80lb DB Bench is the heaviest I’ve benched with DBs before. I thought it felt easy enough the first couple of sets but was gassed the last two and missed the 5. I may not move that lift up next go round…or I might still debating. I really am liking DB bench more so than bench press. My shoulders have been less angry and I feel like I am getting more out of the movement. I am definitely getting bigger and the pants still fit. I am creeping up on 220. So that’s good.
BtM W3D3
Squats 225x5, 245x5, 275x5 then 195x20
Arnold Presses 45lbs 10, 10, 10, 7, 9, 6
Weighted Chins 10lbs 5x5
Rear Delt Raises dropset Swings 20lbs 3x40
Shrugs 80lb DBs 3x20 2x25 forward lean the first 3 sets last 2 regular. Super set squats and presses and chins and rear delt Raises.
Piriformis is screaming. Keep stretching it. Did 300 pushups yesterday along with 3 miles walking. I like the BtM method for Widow Makers. The heavy squats before make that last 20 not as bad as they would be other wise but me doing the super squats method by adding weight each wake should make this interesting next wave.
BtM W4D1
Squats up to 275 5x5
Presses up to 110 then 95 for 18
100 Chins
100 Dips
100 Face Pulls with 50lbs
Walked 3 miles
I think I was only supposed to squat up to 270 but…my presses suck so I need all my stupid change plates for that. So the punishment for a crappy press is heavier squats. I still need to tweak the TM on the presses. My shoulders are really feeling pretty solid since I’ve stopped barbell benching.
Food has been great. The wife and I are just going to run the vertical diet during this time. She likes doing the FODMAP diet stuff because it seems to help with her Hashimotos. Vertical fits both our goals just in different quantities. But lunch is basically white rice and ground beef with bone broth spinach and carrots. Breakfast has been my eggs and at lunch sometimes I’ll grab a couple of boiled eggs off the salad bar at the cafe for fairly cheap. I’ve been eating my way around the DOMS but they are starting to catch up with me. 1 scoop of Surge intraworkout has been helping too.
Good video on Dietary Protein from Don Layman, Ph.D. and Dr. Peter Attia.
Timing, quality, portion sizes…everything protein. Really good. Nothing most of us don’t already know but more into the weeds on the reasoning behind why we do what we do.
BtM W4D2
Deads up to 345 3x5
DB Bench up to 75lbs 5x5
Poundstone Fat Bar Curls 100 rested at 68…getting better slowly.
Trap Bar Rows 185 4x10
Inverted Rows at the Office 100
Still doing the walks after meals.
Man my blood pressure is starting to creep up me on over the last few weeks. The other night it was around 145/65 which isn’t terrible but I can feel it in my head when the systolic number gets anywhere near 140. I think its primarily stress related, but not much to do about that. Went ahead and setup a Cardiologist visit because my family cardiac history is less than stellar to say the least. My father had his first infarction when he was in his late 30s. I always thought to myself it’s more of the way we ate growing up versus the way me and my family eat now. But I believe stress does more to us than we fully grasp yet. I am sure the statins are sure to be coming my way but from what I read on that…doesn’t sound like a bad idea for a guy like me anyway.
Anyway, I feel really good with the progress with the program thus far. Weight hasn’t moved much which is good. It went up initially but has stalled at around 217-220. The deadlifts in BtM don’t seem to progress which I get, but I really do think they are helping push the squat. BtM’s Friday widow maker squats are setup very well. It is kind of like you are doing some potentiation sets in before that ball buster set, and it helps and takes the edge off of it.
Me and my boy pushed & pulled around the new M1 tank this evening. 50 yards push 50 yards pull back up the hill. I have it loaded with 90lbs on top of whatever the 3rd level magnetic resistance is. My boy did one round with the same weight but in Neutral. 100 yard DB carries 60lbs and he did 10lbs (he weighs 55lbs pretty strong kiddo). Then SA OH DB Carries 50yards per side 60lbs DB. The boy wanted no part of those. We did 4 rounds. I took breaks to help him turn the sled but that was it. Heart was pounding pretty good.
He can very nearly do a full chin on his own. He’s crazy close.
2 miles so far on walks. Will do one more after dinner.
I’m really interested to see what you think of this. I don’t know too much about vertical, but it is designed to be easy on digestion if I’m remembering correctly?
Also, you’re absolutely demolishing this program dude!
@FlatsFarmer Man this past year it’s been more about “greasing the groove” on the simple movements. Bought a chin bar for work and I got the office to challenge each other to chins or dead hangs. Then it got to push ups, wall sits, chins, ab wheel, and inverse rows. Now those Tyson Pushups are something we are going to throw in. Get really good at the basics and everything else should fall in line.
@boilerman We have ran the vertical diet a couple times with the meadows 90/10 rule applied. I have a young family so all the time doesn’t work. It’s simple that’s why I like it. I’m very much the kind of person that can eat the same thing over and over and never get tired. We always have eggs and beef. Rice is cheap at Sam’s Club. I like it because it takes thinking out of it. Spinach, carrot, OJ, low fat yogurt and some pure cranberry juice. My wife has thyroid issues big time and the FODMAP easy digestible stuff helps her quite a bit when she has flare ups.
Speaking of 90/10 pizza today after we took part in a local festival. A couple miles walking. I am also having a yeasty beverage but…football? Will still hit my session this afternoon.
The beer was unwise…but I knew it would be. Just tired after but got after it regardless.
Squats up to 275 x 5 then 205 x 20 actually felt easy but should have warmed up slower and hydrated more after being outside all morning and the beer. My left knee started having some sharp pain on the left side.
Arnold Presses 45lbs 5x10 SS w/ Weighted chins 10lbs 5x5
I’m the same way, I can eat the same things over and over again for all meals, whether morning or night. Sounds like it’d be fairly easy to stick to. It’s great that your wife has found benefit from it, too
I guess I should do some more reading up on it. I used to adhere pretty strictly to deepwater eating but have found myself leaning more towards balancing carbs and fats to try and bring my weight up a bit more this past gaining cycle. I just can’t seem to put on any appreciable amount of weight while restricting carbs. The gaining block was quite successful so this has sparked some interest, thanks for the explanation dude!
I bought the original paperback copy off Amazon for 20 bucks and read through it. However, if you go to his site stanefferding.com he is selling a 3rd revision of it for like a 100 bucks. Can’t speak to anything beyond what’s in that first copy. Really most of the reading is stuff you already know and the rest is a breakdown of the diet. He does mention upping carbs and lowering fat and protein if your having issues gaining. Anyway, it’s a good read through. Would recommend. If anything, just some more ideas and tools to use.
Bunch of yard work and then the wife and I hit the sled again. Pushed and Pulled 100 yards 3 times superset with carries. Then she wanted to do some back work and goblet squats…I did 2 rounds to her 4. Good work this weekend.
If the FODMAP diet helps her manage the Hashimotos and if she hasn’t already, she should give the Autoimmune Protocol diet a shot (AIP). I’ve used this approach with many of my clients that have autoimmune diseases with GREAT success. It may be worth a try!
There is quite a bit of crossover in the two. We have thought about it. It’s one of those things she will do if she’s got to but don’t think she’s gotten there yet.
BtM W5D1
SSB Squats up to 255 5x5
Press up to 105 for 5 then 95 for 12
Chins 100 (at the office)
Dips 100
Seated Good Mornings DBs 40s 80
Presses sucked got a flu shot today. I’ll blame that because woof that was garbage. Threw good mornings in there because I am finding some weakness in the low back and its something I don’t get any work in besides deads. May do some warmups with some KB swings for this very reason as well. Squats felt good. SSB bar always screws with me and it seemed fast and in control.
Watching Wenning talk with Mark Bell on Mark’s podcast. Wenning is a sharp sharp dude. Lots of good information in there.
