A million thumbs-up for this book.
2 Likes
Brawn.
A book that holds a special place in my heart
2 Likes
You are correct about this time. Maybe I should have been a little clearer and said āit was the sameā. I grew up in a different time when there was no internet and as such I donāt use the internet for sources of information and fact on training ( other than considering advice from a few specific people on this forum). I do use the time internet for entertainment and to kill time ( which is a bad habit). Back then you could skim a magazine and miss the adds but now I am a little older and hopefully wiser, I recognise that most of the actual articles were also complete nonsense and mostly unhelpful. Seems whenever you grow up there is an element of just try things and work it out for yourself that must be done. Like a rite of passage.
Loving the Texas book by the way thanks again for the recommendation 
2 Likes
@MaazerSmiit No problem dude! Minus the elevated height Iāve really enjoyed them. Should make for solid event shoes.
@mr.v3lv3t Thanks man! Brian is absolutely a treasure. Solid signal-to-noise ratio. Dan John as well. I appreciate a podcast over most videos because I can listen to them while Iām doing my weighted vest walks, but at the same time a good host makes a HUGE difference. I canāt stand the Mark Bell powercast because Mark is such an awful host with such amazing guests that its worse than if he had terrible guests: now weāre dealing with wasted potential! Haha. Iāve been digging the bits of Jon Andersenās powercast. And, of course, a shoutout to @ChongLordUno 's collab of āMove Sweat and Sufferā, which is a lot of solid info in a tight package.
Those little kindle purchases are evil! Enjoy those reads!
@simo74 I remember that era for sure. Still have a few glossy mags tucked away, haha. And That Paul Kelso book talks to them as well, so itās absolutely pervasive. So many ghost-written bunk pieces just to fill the pages in between supplement ads. Fun to go back and see what was touted as the ānext big thingā which ended up never hanging around.
PM WORKOUT (1400)
No rest between anything
20x320 buffalo bar squats
20x316 axle deadlifts
āComrade Franā w/45lb bells and strict chins
āKeg Graceā with 150lb keg
20 standing ab wheels
50 pull aparts
40 reverse hypers w/50lbs
50 dips
25 pushdowns
2 mile walk with the dog
Notes: I continue my natural gradual descent into madness on this one. Getting 15 reps before the first set down on the deads is awesome. That transition into Fran is ROUGH, and I forgot the knee sleeves at the start. Grace always makes me feel like Iām going to lose chow around the halfway point. Iām really pleased with how quick the squats and deads went: done within the space of one song. Considering what else could be added at this point.
8 Likes
This would be fun. I got rid of my collection of 90ās Flex and muscle and fitness about 10 years ago. I did spend a few hours reminiscing before They new owner picked them up. Good memories
1 Like
Damn dude, Bud would be proud of that effort!
I do listen to my fair share of podcasts, especially with how often Iām putting in miles on the road. I definitely chalk them up as āedutainmentā generally though. Enjoy them, but I find it hard to grasp things from listening. Never was a great auditory learner haha.
1 Like
@simo74 Iāve got every issue of Mark Bellās Power magazine. It had a bunch of great articles, but the supplement ads are still delightful, haha. Good posing models at least!
@mr.v3lv3t Really appreciate that sentiment man. And Iām with you: I zone out when I hear things. Itās another reason I donāt care for videos: I have to keep rewinding them! Haha.
Slept off and on until 0620 and then hit a fasted workout of 40kg swings and burpee chins
21-15-9-5
Then 50 swings
Total time was 10:12.
This is another one of those combos that just āworksā. Hits the everything, but saves my quads since I seem to be squatting every goddamn day these days.
Doing burgers tonight, so Iām excited about that. Got bison as the base, and then deciding on chicken or shrimp for the follow on. Turf and turf or surf and turf: important choices.
4 Likes
Did a little progressive workout today. Knocked this out in the AM while taking the trash out
Axle clean and push press away
5x136
Axle continental and push press away
9x196 (5lb PR from previous cycle)
Several hours later
PM WORKOUT (1430)
Axle clean and strict press each rep
27x141 in 4:10
GIANT SETS (press-dip-raise-pull) Sets 1 and 4: DBs, Sets 2 and 5: BtN, Sets 3 and 6: Bench
(4) High incline DB bench 85s
2x10
BtN Press 130
1x10
1x8
Axle flat bench 241
2x10
Dips
6xFailure
Lateral raise
3x16x10lbs
3x15x10
Band pull aparts
6x15
25 pushdowns
20 standing ab wheels
Poundstone Curls
127xAxle+5lbs
40 reverse hypers 50lbs
Neck work
PM WORKOUT II (1800)
Tabata KB front squats w/45lb bells (hold bells at side during 10 second rest)
Notes: Didnāt want to spend all day training so broke it apart and knocked out bits at a time. Got that Tabata work while taking out the recycling and the push pressing done while taking out the trash. A testament to my goal of being able to perform without warm-up. Itās self-perpetuating. My push press is getting a little better, and the continental was smoother. My pressing strength in general is increasing. Re-discovering this giant set approach has been good. Even without the surplus, it still does the job, but I imagine itās effectiveness will be shorter lived.
Dan John was still right about tabata front squats. Something about them are magical.
Zenoās tomorrow. Excited about that. And for those wondering: shrimp and bison burger won. Surf and turf. Canāt take the California out of me.
8 Likes
AM WORKOUT (0330 wake up via alarm)
GIANT SETS (jump-squat-row)
Box squats (4 45lb plates, 2 25s and a bunch of pavers, highest yet)
5x3
Buffalo Bar Squat
5xBar
5x140
3x230
1x320
1x370
T-bar rows
15x100
12x125
3x10x150
ZENO SQUATS (12 deep breaths between sets)
10x410
5x410
3x410
2x410
1x410
10x370
5x370
3x370
2x370
1x370
16x320
SUPERSET CIRCUIT (hyper-abs, just back and forth, no rest until all 4 sets complete)
Reverse hyper 360
4x15
Standing ab wheel
4x5
50 band pull aparts
Belt squat stripset (no rest between sets)
40x200 (PR of some variety)
Reps with 175,150,125,100,75,50,25,Axle
Neck work
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING (burpee chins to dips)
21-15-9-5: done in 8:58, then burpee chins until 10 minutes total
Notes: Wore the wrong shirt for today: things were a little slick and made it tough to get stable. Extra challenge, which makes victory sweeter. On the very first box jump, I clipped my elbow on the dip bars on the way up and skinned my shin pretty good. I thankfully have no feeling in them, but it got me a little gunshy. Focused on committing myself to the jump for later rounds and it paid off. Itās been awesome to see how strong this has become, and I immediately see the benefits in the follow up squat sets.
Last week taught me that I really only need 1 big set for the belt squats, so I cut them out of the supplemental superset. Right call: itās a helluva stripset when I can put my all into it.
The conditioning work answered the mail. The dips are sneaky: theyāre not terribly difficult, but doing the next round of burpees afterwards is gnarly because the pushing muscles get no rest.
Wife is getting a new treadmill today and has offered to let me use it. Running/walking may feature more regularly. I was avoiding it before because her current one makes a LOT of noise. Same reason I got rid of my airdyne: early AM training doesnāt lend well to it.
7 Likes
Dude:
Wondering about a few things, triggered by the Warrior Diet post and your wake up times. Iām three weeks back in the gym, wanting to ārecompā for lack of a better term. I typically wake up at 4 AM, gym at 5. Have been doing 16/8 IF but want to try the Warrior diet. My concern is optimizing gains by timing my meal and my workouts. Iām thinking dinner at 6 and continue my 5AM workout (doing SS right now, will switch to 531 in a few weeks). Any advice?
Really means a lot that you reached out to me on this one dude, as Iām still finding my way myself. Warrior diet is definitely something I would want to try as well, but have no personal experience in. I DO make a habit of eating a large nightly meal before resting, and, in turn, spend about half of my workouts training fasted and donāt seem to notice much impact. Even when I DO eat before training, itās so close in proximity that the food is more there to nourish me AFTER the workout vs provide energy before it.
My focus on my nightly meal is fats and slow digesting protein sources. Cottage cheese, meat, whole eggs, avocado, and a healthy serving of various nut butters. My idea is that it will give my body nutrition through the evening and should still be present for the morning.
Iām a low-carber, so I donāt tend to concern myself with glycogen top off or anything, but I never seem to be hurting for energy. Fats tend to give a long slow burn, whereas carbs (simple ones in particular) give a spike and crash. I use the simple ones in competition when I need to hit a big lift NOW, but for a training session, I prefer fats.
Not too sure how detailed youād want me to go here, but more than happy to expand and discuss as needed.
2 Likes
Mutual admiration society my friend. Who better to ask.
I think you hit my concerns - Iām a long way from needing to get dialed in as Iām still early in this return to training, but am going to test run the Warrior diet now while my intensity and volume are low to see what happens.
The recomp is always a bit of an abortion IMO, trying to cycle carbs, IF, train fasted, all while squatting 145, seems like majoring in the minors.
1 Like
Have you ever looked into Jamie Lewisā Apex Predator diet? Itās exactly what youāre describing: carb cycling and fasting. He employs a protein sparing modified fast, so youād be drinking protein shakes through the day. One of those things Iāve always wanted to try, but just not viable at the moment. Might be worth looking into just because someone already did all the leg work for you. His blog is VERY NSFW, so be prepared for that, but still a goldmine of info.
1 Like
I will check it out.
I think trying 20/4 IF might be Warrior diet on training wheels until I can read up more.
1 Like
Been laughing at your interactions with another beginner who doesnāt want to run super squats. I honestly donāt know how you find the energy to continue to interact with people who unfortunately will never get it. It was clear from the start that he only wanted a full body routine mate ā¦LMAO!!
3 Likes
Now I have seen the one who wants to eat optimally before training. This is Gold. Better than a comedy show
2 Likes
I read two of his posts. It seems a lot like what I have been trying to do on my own. Kind of disappointed that according to him, I should follow his FF template - FF meaning Fat Fucks. Thought I was doing okay at 19% BF, lol. Now I aspire to be a Not Too Fat Fuck.
3 Likes
@simo74 I honestly just get so excited at the idea of the start of the journey that I can bypass a lot of the silliness. Itās like a 90% failure rate, but the 10% is worth it. And heck, as youāve noted, there are some laughs along the way, haha.
@The_Myth Always a good aspiration! His āpredator diet for athletes/Italiansā allows a bit more play with carbs as well, but Jamie has never been one to mince words. I always say heās my ID, haha.
PM WORKOUT (1800)
Tabata KB front squats w/45lb bells
Notes: Another āget it done while taking out the trashā workout. This is just magic. My right knee was bothering me during the burpees this morning and has been a bit unstable all day, but can still perform as evidenced here. Iām using Dan Johnās rule of āat least 8 reps in 20 secondsā, and itās a solid standard to abide by.
Got the prowler loaded up for tomorrow. Supposed to be single digits, but thankfully no wind or snow/rain.
7 Likes
So here I go, off to the Beginners forum to figure out wtf you are all talking about.
@Cyrrex Looks like you found it, haha.
AM WORKOUT (0318 natural wake up) FASTED
āDEATH AND TAXESā
45lb KBs
Prowler loaded w/90lbs
1 round= 5 KB thrusters-run to prowler-low handle push 60 paces-3 KB front squats-low handle push 60 paces-run to KBs-3 KB front squat-run to prowler-high handle push 60 paces-3 KB front squats-backwards drag prowler
9 rounds inside 51 minutes
Front rack KB walking lunges back to the truck
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
50 chins
50 dips
50 pull aparts
40 reverse hypers w/50lbs
20 standing ab wheels
25 band pull aparts
Notes: It was 7 degrees according to my truck, and between the cold and my knee being a little janky I was hurting on this. Thankfully, most of the snow had melted and there was no ice this time, so low handle pushes were viable. The No Bulls were champs: very satisfied with the product. Caught prowler flu pretty early into this. Went berserker mode at the 40 minute mark: was managing to sweat through my beanie and thermal shirt.
Walking lunges in the front rack actually had the KBs āburningā my skin. Pretty interesting feeling. I really feel like thereās a lot of potential there with that movement, but Iām making the prowler the star of the show until weather causes otherwise. Once that happens, good to know how many other options I have.
Maybe some more conditioning later today. Got a 12 tomorrow.
5 Likes