From my experience with breathing trap bar lifts, I find that the legs aren’t the limiter here but the arms. It felt like my biceps were going to tear off. This can work for low rep lifts, but attempting to widowmaker it goes poorly for me.
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Do some steak night bragging
Since my kiddo couldn’t come to Texas de Brazil, I brought it to them. There is a piedmontese filet mignon in there for the Mrs, and between the kiddo and I we split 2 grassfed sirloins, 1 grassfed ribeye, and one grassfed piedmontese flat iron. The kid debated between the ribeye and the flat iron for topbilling but ultimately picked the latter. They can taste quality: what can I say?
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My prediction: pain
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Henceforth Pwn will be known as Jacked Nietzsche.
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@The_Myth I could ask for no higher honor! Means a lot from you dude.
AM WORKOUT (0420 wake up via alarm)
5/3/1 BUILDING THE MONOLITH Week 6, Workout 4 (Conditioning)
75 KB swings w/24kg bell
2+ mile walk w/80lb vest
26 rounds in 18 minutes of 10 prisoner squats and 10 push ups
BREAKFAST
No morning walk (had to get to work early)
Notes:
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I say it every week: this is EXACTLY the workout I need at this point in the week. Between deadlifts and widowmaker squats, I need this light tonic workout. It’s all I’m in the mood for when that alarm goes off, and by the time it’s done I feel BETTER rather than beat down.
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I’ve been meaning to log it each time and I forget to, so I’m doing it now: one of the most significant signs of improving leanness is that my weight belt is fitting better whenever I wear it. It’s so infrequent now (twice a week, vs every single workout) that it’s easier to feel the differences. It was getting a little snug 2 weeks ago, and now it’s perfect. I’m seeing improved abdominal definition as well and general stomach flatness. I talked about getting back to what works, and that included going back to the roots of the Velocity Diet, but I should also document that I’ve taken my hydration more serious as well. I was experimenting with consuming less water, and I feel I can conclude it was the wrong move. I drink even when not thirsty at this point, trying to keep thirst at bay, and I see just overall improvements in general with that strategy.
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I’ve got Tang Soo Do later tonight, so a little more activity on the horizon. Friday will be the final lifting day of the program, weekend will be typical insanity, and then my work schedule may get a little nutty next week until I am on vacation, but that’s a small sacrifice.
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Quality. Love it
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Lot’s can happen in 19 days in this log haha. Glad to have caught up just in time to see you starting down the DC road again.
Curious, do you have any ideas on where you’ll plug in the conditioning work?
Caught up on your blog too. I was particularly fond of the Fred Dukes post.
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Always good to have you along dude! And glad you appreciated that post. That one was fun to write.
AM WORKOUT (0420 wake up via alarm)
5/3/1 BUILDING THE MONOLITH Week 6, Workout 5 (final lifting workout)
GIANT SETS (Press-squat-chin)
Axle clean and strict press away
5x5x133
Buffalo Bar Squat
5xBar
5x135
5x250
5x280
5x315
Weighted NG Chins
5x5x55
SUPERS SETS (press-shrug/BPA)
Axle clean and strict press away
7x5x133
Axle shrug against short average bands
2x50
Band pull aparts
2x50
Buffalo Bar Widowmaker
32x235
END OF REQUIRED WORK
3x10 Standing ab wheel
80x180lb Reverse Hyper
Lateral raise dropset
BREAKFAST
No walk w/dog (early work commitment)
Notes
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Was excited to get this knocked out. Final workout, and spirits were high. Felt strong enough coming in, but those squats were much harder than they should have been. My right hip pain is no longer present, but did flare up momentarily on the set of 250. Had to get myself squared away for the remainder. Took things a little slower.
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All the pressing was smooth and strong. Doubled up a few of the mid sets just to finish in time
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Went with very high reps on the shrugs and pull aparts for a solid pump and a new challenge.
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Chins have progressed very well through this all. Had to get my ego out of the way and go for real ROM on it.
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Definitely gave it my all on the widowmaker. The reps aren’t as high as I’d like, but context is key. This workout was exhausting leading up to this, and then I went all out with the least advantageous technique possible. I wanted to rack at 30, and you can even see me lean forward in anticipation of doing so, only to go back and get in those last 2 reps, which really WERE the game changing reps. And again: I’m sure I could have stood there and gone for some more, but it’s always a question of value added from there.
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Finished early enough to finally get in some decent after work with the assistance exercises. Made the most of it.
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Noticed in the mirror this morning that my teardrops on my quads are really starting to develop. This squatting style is certainly emphasizing them.
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I’ve really been sleeping well these past few days. Sleep used to be the hardest part of my day. I used to genuinely hate going to sleep, because I was so bad at it. This has been a positive change, and I’m sure responsible for some of the growth I’ve experienced.
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Huge win! Nice!
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Haha I purposely omitted the word ‘plan’ from that post, but you saw right through that thinly veiled attempt at deceit.
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Latest blog really spoke to me, thanks for keeping up on the writing, appreciate it!
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@TrainForPain Thanks dude! I know you definitely get where I am coming from there. Coming off 2 years of being stuck in “fight or flight”, its been a journey coming down. Crazy how little caffeine I take in as a result.
@mr.v3lv3t Truly my intellect is dizzying! Haha. Biggest draw of DC is 3 days a week of lifting. Gives me 4 days to get in walking, which is my priority in the warm season.
@alex_uk It means a lot that you read it. Glad you dug it!
Another awesome weekend. 75 squats and push ups upon waking, awesome breakfast, pajama workout
9+4+5x406+ chain 7 mat axle mat pull, then a 25 minute 80lb walk.
Had some trouble with the straps and kept snagging the sweat pants. I got more in me.
Had some awesome gryo meat for lunch in downtown Lincoln NE and watching Shrek The Musical with family. Great times. Leaving on a cruise in a week. Work is going to be crazy leading up to it, working 1400-2200 shift, but allows me more time to Velocity Diet since family dinners will be skipped.
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Did you have a target number of reps or did you try to do 3 mini sets or just go until you were done?
I’ve done a 10+ set the last couple weeks and it’s been good. But I see you did this differently and was curious.
I always do as many as I can
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55 burpee chins in 5 minutes followed by a 20+ minute 80lb weighted vest walk
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Phenomenal work on those Burpee chins, I need to get those back in my day somewhere, takes me 10 mins to knock off 55 of them I should make chasing you a priority, give my conditioning some purpose!
Great freeze frame as well, looking huge, btm has Indeed built the monolith.
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@alex_uk Very much appreciated! It was good to be able to hit this after time away. I felt like I was moving slow, but the outcome reflected otherwise. And I’m definitely feeling “fuller” these days. Getting my old frame back.
Got in a bunch more push ups and a 3 mile walk with the family today, alongside a good carb up of some classic tuna casserole and 3 very amazing homemade cookies and a thick slice of homemade sourdough. Definitely ready to take on this week.
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Y’all a meaty boy. Forget monolith you’ve been building the juggernaut
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We are what we eat! Haha. And thanks so much for that man! Super high praise from you.
AM WORKOUT (0420 wake up via alarm)
DOGGCRAPP Week 1, Workout A1
Dips
20xBW
10x30
8x55
3x80
8+4+4x105lbs
90 second stretch w/105lbs at bottom of dip
KB Clean and strict press away
15x22.5lbs
10x32.5lbs
11+6+5(failed on 6th attempt)x24kg
90 second shoulder stretch w/axle in the rack
Ultra close grip swiss bar bench
Some wobbles against bands
10xBar
10x115
3x165
6+3+3(failed on 4th attempt)x175
90 second tricep stretch w/axle in the rack
Weighted chins (underhand)
1xBW
8+4+3(failed on 4th attempt)x10lb
90 second hanging stretch w/30lbs (up weight next time)
Low Handle Trap bar lift
10x175
5x225
5x315
12x405
45 second per hand 115lb dumbbell stretch
BREAKFAST
Short walk w/dog
2x15 standing ab wheel
Notes:
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It begins. Per tradition, played “The Downward Spiral”, and it carried me through the whole workout, which meant this ran a little longer than I’d like, but part of that was fumbling around on the close grip bench set up. I can tighten it up a little. In general though, this was a refreshing change of pace, and I got in a pretty decent pump. The stretches were really the game changer, which was the thing I was the least enthused about, but hitting them after those top sets got me a ridiculous pump and they were honestly the most difficult part of the workout.
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Dips are always money. Any time I can include them in a workout, I’m pleased. The dip stretch worked great too. KBs hit right on the presses. Shoulder stretch was adequate. Close grip swiss bar is a little bit of a circus act, but I think it will be good for me. I’ll stick with chains or reverse bands for accommodating resistance in the future, or the slingshot. Bands might be viable on a press where I have a stronger starting position. I was caught off guard with how fatigued I was when chins rolled around: the stretching seemed to really have me blown away. I need to up the weight on the hanging stretch: straps really change that up for the better.
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I changed the original plan and went with trap bar lifts for the back thickness, and I honestly might just keep that sort of approach through the program vs employing rows. I appreciate how it sneakily turns this into a full body workout, and I can get a little strongmanny with it and include a variety of different pulls/implements. But rows are still an option if needed, and I could even double up and do a set of some sort of pull AND a set of a row. In retrospect, I should have done 2 sets of trap bar lifts, but time was running short on me, which is always why I cut the weighted stretch in half. Come to think of it, this sets itself up well for a set of trap bar pulls and then strip weight off and do trap bar rows.
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Got in some ab wheel after the workout. Direct ab work is good for me. Ideally I’ll get in some isolation finishers like pull aparts and lateral raises too. Might be worth waking up 5 minutes earlier to get it all done.
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Responding well to the carb up yesterday. I forgot that I skipped it last week, and it was starting to show: definition was washing away and I was looking flat. It’s so funny how backwards it is: the instinct is to famine HARDER when that stuff happens, but instead it’s a sign that I need to have that family feast. Extending the famine for the remainder of this workweek, with my cruise kicking off on Saturday.
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Start of crazy work schedule today: 1400-2200 shifts. The plus side is that I’ll be able to get in some more walking with my downtime.
Gonna tag @alex_uk , @TrainForPain and @davemccright just to show I came through on the Chaos side of the plan. This is gonna be a 1 week primer, with a vacation interruption in the middle, then back on the program upon return. Still an absence of carbs, outside of the 1 family meal each week, and primarily carnivore, so it’s going to be an interesting experiment in that regard.
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Very excited to see this, will help me think through my run and always good to run things alongside others. Were the chin ups unweighted?
You’ll have no problems hitting the protein requirements for this!
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