More Trouble Than I Am Worth: Chaos Is The Plan (T3hPwnisher Log)

Training Training Logs
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Remember when I said I was gonna count those push ups and squats from this morning toward my total?

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Ended up doing 300 UNBROKEN bodyweight squats and 300 push ups while I waited on THIS beautify to air fry for my weekly meal prep

I actually used that to make dinner tonight too: took 1 of the drummies and 3 of the wings. They’re amazing. Had it with some egg whites. I am on my way to becoming a chicken with how much of them I’m putting away.

Broke out my Westside Barbell Unruly sled and threw it in the back of my truck alongside a 40kg kettlebell, 20kg bell, harness and pull strap. Mrs is running a half marathon tomorrow, and I’m planning on doing some sort of parking lot workout while I wait.

@tlgains This thing is a BEAST. You’re gonna dig it. Make sure to get a decent fitting carabineer to clip it, as it doesn’t come with one. I thankfully had no shortage of spares.

I’m just such a fan of how I’m eating these days. For the first time in a LOOOOONG time, I’m not hungry. I’m satiated. I’m not denying myself: I’m thriving.

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Packing for long trips out has gotten unique

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It arrived at my parents house on Friday. I can’t wait to go back home and pick up, just gotta get past these few weeks of school. I like your Punisher lunchbox btw.

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Thanks Tim! It was a birthday present from the Mrs a few years back. Love it tons.

Showing off the sled here. I got a workout of it I will upload later, but look how easy it transports and sets up

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I legit just brought it to a parking garage that we were parked at while my wife ran her half marathon and busted out a 20 min workout. SO convenient. Rugged too

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Workout

Part 1 of Rampage meal

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What an awesome day

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Incredible when those match up - this is awesome to see

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@TrainForPain Thanks man! It’s really wild. This is something I’ve known instinctively about myself that I’ve been denying, but leaning into it really seems to be paying off. The body just knows.


Alright, I’ve been teasing this day out today, but lemme just lay it all out.

Got up at 0530 because the wife had a half marathon to run.

Got up, turned around, made the bed, then immediately got in my 300 push ups and 300 bodyweight squats. Just one less thing.

Had done some pre-planning and my truck was already all loaded up

In there is a Westside Barbell “Unruly Sled” I got on Friday

To which I will say that I absolutely LOVE my prowler, if I had to only pick one tool to train everything forever, I’d absolutely pick that…but I’m having an affair with this sled right now. It’s my dirty mistress. This is “high speed/low drag” personified…it actually DOES drag pretty smooth come to think about it. But it’s pretty awesome I can just throw it in my truck’s trunk compartment and roll, and since it’s so rugged and bare I don’t care if it gets beat to hell.

I also have a 20kg and 40kg kettlebell, Ironmind sled strap and a harness. Ended up not needing the harness.

After I dropped the wife off at the starting line, got back to the truck, busted everything out

and did this workout

WORKOUT

  • Backwards drag sled w/120kg loaded

  • Humane burpee w/20kg bell (15 swings, 5 goblet squats, 5 push ups)

  • Forward drag sled w/120kg loaded

  • Humane burpee w/20kg bell

Got 8 rounds in 19:30, then finished out the 20 minutes w/as many swings as possible w/40kg bell

Very solid, short, simple workout…which was great, because it helped drive my appetite for this wonderous Rampage Meal I had at a local pizza buffet/arcade

This was the FIRST round. There is a bowl of chili, a cinnamon roll (I dipped the roll in the chili, because Canadian Lumberacks know what’s up), then a breakfast plate w/ 2 french toast sticks, bacon, a sausage link scrambled eggs with sausage, onions and peppers, biscuit and sausage gravy (would you believe that’s the first time I’ve ever had that in my life?), then that plate has some gourmet mac n cheese and some sort of cheesy pasta.

The pizza plate had a slice of “mexican cream cheese breakfast pizza”, cream cheese breakfast pizza, pepperoni and sliced sausage pizza, hamburger pizza, combo pizza, and cajun chicken pizza. Then there is a plate of nachos.

My next round was dessert. I didn’t take a photo because the Rampage was on and I was tearing through it. I had 3 slices of dessert pizza (apple streusel, cinnamon and blueberry) and a brownie with powdered sugar.

Amazingly, I walked away from this satiated, happy, but not stuffed to the brim. My body is just soaking up everything. I am so goddamn primed right now. In that regard, the Mrs has been absolutely devouring me with her eyes. She’s back after a week away and I am yoked beyond all recognition, especially with all these carbs running through me. And this trip to the arcade/buffet was to celebrate some big wins in our household and treat my kid for being just awesome, so being able to cut loose and enjoy myself like this was fantastic.

Played arcade games for 2 hours. Won my kid a million prizes. Dropped the family off, nailed some grocery shopping, bought myself a pack of Magic Cards because I miss doing that, got a 30oz Tumbler so I can start drinking a LOT more coffee at work, and then came home and mowed the lawn for 1 hour and 20 min, finding out that I walk 2.7 miles when I do that by using my Strava app. I wore my 45lb vest while doing that, and in doing so, I exceeded the 2 mile walk requirement for the day.

I’ve been fasting since that meal, because I don’t need any more food after that.

My garage is set up for some INSANE squatting tomorrow. I am going to put all these carbs to use.

My life is f**king fantastic.

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This is just so great to see. I’m glad the trainings going well, glad the diets going well, but honestly that pales in comparison to this. What an awesome place to be in. Happy for you boss.

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If I’ve taken one thing away from my year at Bama, it’s that these are incredible and I need to figure out a way of either making or buying them over the summer lol. Glad you had such a nice day : )

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Beautiful all around man. Great to see, especially because your recent writings have been contrasting a previous you that was stressed about which pop tart to eat. This is awesome

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@TrainForPain Thanks for that man! You’re my battle buddy with this “family man” thing, and it’s been great having you along. That was NO way to live. It was barely surviving. THIS is thriving.

AM WORKOUT (0355 natural wake up. Rough night of sleep, trying to digest that huge meal, and honestly just excited about eating and training) Fed: 1 scoop of metabolic drive w/raw egg at 0030, egg whites upon waking.

PLAGUE OF STRENGTH’S “FEAST” ROUTINE Week 2, Workout 1 (Heavy Squat Partials)

Chains suspended Buffalo Bar Anderson Squats against light bands w/10 second hold at top of each rep
2x205
2x215
2x225
9x2x235
5xAMRAP Hanging leg raises between first 5 sets
4x50 calf raises between next 4 (55lbs, 25lbs, BW, BW)

Wide Stance Buffalo Bar Good Mornings superset w/Chins
3x6x155
5xAMRAP

OFF CAMERA

10 rounds of

  • 15 GHRs
  • 30 bodyweight squats
  • 30 push ups

That took about 25 minutes, going at a leisurely pace

BREAKFAST/DRIVE TO WORK

Brisk 2 mile walk

Notes:

  • Unlike some other authors, Jamie is BIG on experimenting, so I’m playing around. My big thing is remembering intent the whole time: lift heavy and big, because this is festival time. I ALWAYS dig dead weight against bands, because overcoming those bands from a dead pause is SO intense. I also like bands because I stop thinking about how much weight is on the bar. It’s a great way to really “keep the goal the goal”. Slowly edged my way up on the squats until I found what felt “right”. Looking at the video, I like this depth a lot more, and I did my best to try to keep my real squat stance vs trying to turn Anderson squats into its own movement. The set-up for this isn’t too complex, which is really the big thing. Also, I wore my SUPER heavy duty knee sleeves (vs typical Heavy Duty) and that was the absolute right call. Right knee still being buggy (and actually buckled during GHRs this morning), but this went a long way. Right hip had a vote too.

  • Made a point to fully extend during the eccentric of the hanging leg raise, and it makes a big difference: gotta remember that for the future.

  • Doing calf raises with those knee sleeves on is like a form of occlusion training. Major cramping.

  • Swallowed my pride for the good mornings and it was 100% the right call. Forcing myself to keep the knees as straight as possible radically transformed this.

  • Chins were mailed in: can’t go hard on everything.

  • Fully committing to the GHRs vs hamstring curls at this point. Doing them in a circuit like that with the push ups and squats was just to get those things knocked out, but it was a decent little circuit none the less. I was uploading the training video in the middle of it, so wasn’t pushing to the extreme, but I got in 150 GHRs, 300 squats and 300 push ups: that’s awesome.

  • I’ve still got the sled packed in my truck, and my kid has a sports practice I’ll drop them off at this evening. I’m thinking about doing anything quick parking lot workout there. My walk this morning was the fastest it’s been: I’m really focusing on making it intentional.

  • I was absolutely blown away with how ridiculously vascular I was at the end of the workout. The post Rampage workouts are always crazy this way. I am seeing such awesome physical results.

  • @FlatsFarmer I figure you’d have to dig the start of this workout. Bands AND chains. I HAD to wear my Westside shirt for it!

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I truly appreciate that! Iron sharpens iron. I learn a lot from you and I genuinely enjoy seeing the positivity. Your writings stimulate some introspection for me, which keeps me moving forward as well.

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Oh geez, totally forgot to respond to some of you dudes.

@atlas13 I really appreciate that dude! Been so awesome having you in my corner. You’re totally someone who “gets it”.

@creative_name Thanks so much dude! The south knows how to move calories, that’s for sure! If you’ve never read “Powerlifting Basics Texas Style”
1: I’ll buy you a copy
2: His “Texas Nutrition Round-table” is one of the best chapters, and goes into a great discussion on some East Texas/West Louisiana/Southern/Creole/Ranch/Cajun cooking.

Had some free time so wrote up a “Cheat Meal Survival Guide” using the resources we have here on the site.

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Being from south Louisiana, I feel like there’s a stick of butter in my body at all times. Who knew we had weight gain figured out. Plus some real estate agents give you seasonings when you close.

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I imagine corpulence is valuable in a location prone to flooding due to increased buoyancy! Haha.

In that regard…

Steak and eggs is ALWAYS the answer…unless it can be DOUBLE steak and eggs.

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Dinner tonight. A piedmontese flat iron on the left, grassfed filet mignon on the right, egg whites on the left, pasture raised whole eggs on the right

That’s a grain fed steak on the left. It was delicious. This is Nebraska and the corn is amazing. I can eat this because its a lean steak. Things are making sense.

Got in a 15 minute sled workout while kiddo was at sports practice. Similar to last time, but did 15 swings and 5 burpees vs full on humane burpee. I have done enough squats today. Really just nice to get outside and break a sweat.

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Damn dude. Your food posts are always awesome but the last few have been particularly tickling my fancy. Super happy to hear you’re having such an amazing string of good things roll through.

“…You make your own luck” and all. You’re just unstoppable, man.

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Hey thanks so much man! That means a lot. I’m feeling “healed” for the first time in a LONG time. This is just making so much more sense to me.

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AM WORKOUT (0345 natural wake up, slightly better night of sleep) FED: 1 scoop of Metabolic Drive w/raw egg at 2330, egg whites upon waking

PLAGUE OF STRENGTH’S “FAMINE” ROUTINE Week 2, Day 2

Axle dead bench against short light bands
10x2x155+bands
2xAMRAPx175 w/wide grip

Supersets w/20 band pull aparts for those 10 sets

Weighted dips
1x6x135
3x6x135+2 DoggCrapp style rest pause sets w/bodyweight

Supersets w/5xAMRAP hanging leg raises

5 round circuit of
12x95lb short military press
15xLight band “rope” pushdowns
15xLight band overhead tricep extensions

END OF PROGRAM REQS: 1hr 13 mins

15 rounds of 20 bodyweight squats and 20 push ups, but EMOM do 5 chins
Total time: 21 mins

BREAKFAST/DRIVE TO WORK

2.28 mile walk at 3.7 mph pace (brisk)

Notes:

  • Part of my rough sleep was, in the middle of the night, I was thinking about how much I absolutely did NOT want to wake up and do dead benching, so I settled on throwing on the bands as a gimmick to compel me to give it a go. I’m like a kid sometimes: I need something shiny and new to keep my attention.

  • The above having been said, I’m kinda digging the direction I’m taking this program. Sticking with intent: move heavy stuff. But varying the approach to keep from getting too beat to hell. Conjugate? Periodization? Funny how it all works. In that regard, band work beats the holy hell out of my connective tissues, so I’m foreseeing a swapping in and out of these. But maybe next time I break out the slingshot and go for stupid heavy overloads, or go back to straight weight dead benching and see what improvements there are.

  • But I experiment because I learn, and I learned “why” bands on benching here: IMMEDIATE form feedback. Holy cow, if I let ANYTHING deviate the bands let me know. I had to be LOCKED IN if I wanted to move, and I had to be FAST if I wanted to make it to the top. This was an outstanding pivot.

  • Pleased with how wide of a grip I managed while not feeling my shoulders want to explode. Wonder if the Klokov presses are to thank there.

  • Can’t get mad about 3x6x140 weighted dips. The DC rest pause sets were for the sake of saving time, which this program STILL runs long even with all those tricks. Those hanging leg raises in the middle felt really sharp. Extending myself on the eccentric has been big.

  • Military press circuit moved well enough. Mind was wondering through out it.

  • I like what I came up with for the post workout workout. Cheeky little way to get in 100 chins alongside my push ups and squats. And I was MOVING on my walk today. Walked with intent and it paid off. Got in over 2 miles that way: how awesome.

  • No real plans for further activity, but might end up walking the dog. Good to have things squared away. More thoughts later.

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SHOTGUN O’ THOUGHTS

  • Big fan of my instincts these days. Yesterday, the dinner plan was chicken meatballs, but the Mrs fell ill and wanted some some comfort food. She settled on the pasta from pizza hut. I picked up a stuffed crust for the kiddo. And I made myself the double steak and eggs. I’m REAL good at quickly thawing out steak these days. It’s such a good quick emergency meal.

  • Mrs is traveling again next week and I’m coming up with a meal plan. I like what I’m coming up with so far. Gonna go fatty meats for dinner and lean lunches. Wanna get another rack of lamb from Costco and then some fatty cuts of chicken for dinner, batch make it and eat it through the week. For lunches, I’m stealing an idea for “carnivore stew”. Beef broth as the base, I’m going to raid my freezer for my lean cuts of meat. So far, it’s looking like grass fed stew and stir fry meat, some loin cut pork chops, chicken tenderloins and some ground venison. I may look to see if I have any lean fish in there as well. I’ll have to remember to pre-cook the chicken, pork and ground meats before throwing them into the stew pot. I plan to use my instant pot to create this, so I can use the sautee function to do that, then make the stew. “High speed/low drag”. Be really cool to just make a big pot of that and eat it through the week. Just have to fight my instincts to keep adding fat to it. Whole point is to make the lunch lean and the dinner fat.

  • I have a bunch of grassfed beef liver in the house that I’m planning on cooking up and using for snacks and sides. Should help me get in my vitamins, and beef liver will be the ultimate “are you REALLY hungry” test, haha.

  • I’m talking a bunch about food here, but here’s the thing: for the first time in a LONG time, I’m talking about it because I’m EXCITED about it. Ever since my hyperlipidemia diagnosis, I’ve been in a spiral where food was the enemy and I was fighting it. I was coming up with tricks and strategies to defeat and manipulate food to “beat it”. I finally feel like all my systems are actually working together WITH me.

  • In that regard, I was thinking on my drive home yesterday how, for the first time in a LONG time: I feel “good”. Just…good. I feel healed. And a big part of that, too, is I’m no longer “training seeking”. I had my daily 3-5 minute conditioning blitz that I had done for well over a year which I prided myself on, and I’ll still take pride in how physically ridiculous I was to accomplish it…but I obsessed over getting it in. And I HATED doing it. It would hang over my head, I had condemned myself to it. And now, after my workout for the morning and my walk before work, I feel like I’ve trained “enough”. If I CAN get in another workout, sure, I’ll do it, but it’ll be on MY terms, like the sled pull I got in yesterday. And this training “enough” is showing proof of concept: I have achieved a level of leanness AND muscularity AND strength AND conditioning I’ve never experienced before. And minus my right knee right now, my body feels incredible.

  • A big part of this is I’ve given myself the freedom to be exactly who I am. I’m eating as much meat as I want. I’m eating until I’m done eating. I’m consuming as much caffeine as I want. I’m training how I want. I’ve read before about the anxiety and dissonance man experiences when he denies himself. Hell, Nietzsche was so big on being against “life-denying philosophy”. I was so big on “body by denial”, but, as per duality, it seems now is the season of “body by embrace”. I am who I am.

  • Holy cow…full circle with that one

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  • Popeye was one of the first big influences on me as a kid for wanting to be big and strong…I’ve come back to him, now, at 37. How wild is that?

I could honestly keep going, but I just feel so amazing these days. It’s awesome to feel good again.

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This is where I feel I am at right now. Trying to catalog which foods mess up my blood sugar too much. It’s hard to just eat without thinking too much about it. Slowly building up a mental database of what is best too eat. Hopefully once I know how to structure my meals the best I can get to the place you are.

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