Well worth the time for sure
OPERATION PLANET MONGO
AM WORKOUT (0530 wake up via Valkyrieās alarm)
Tactical Barbell Operator Cycle 1, Week 6, Workout 1
āFOBBIT INTERVALSā (light)
- Set timer for 15 minutes, row for 2 minutes, 20 KB swings (24kg bell), row for 2 minutes, 10 snatches per arm, repeat until 15 minutes is up
Notes:
-
Itās the heavy week of training, so the light week of conditioning. I continue to really appreciate Fobbit Intervals for allowing me an opportunity to do swings, snatches and rowing all in one workout, and it even has a solid conditioning hit, but it lacks the sprint/high intensity of some of the other work. I have to do my best to not always fall back on this one, but regular rotation of it has been awesome.
-
Sticking with doing the snatches all with 1 arm and then moving to the other. I need to stop death gripping the bell.
-
My elbows/forearms have been feeling awesome. KB work tends to beat them up, but so far I think Iāve found a really good balance with all the demands Iāve placed on them. Being able to low bar squat, get in lots of chins, train the sandbag and get in the KB work while preserving my arms really is the golden ticket here. Iāve never been able to do that before.
-
I forgot to weigh myself in yesterday, since it was a holiday weekend, and I came in at 82.2kg this morning, which is a jump from last week, but the circumstances for the weigh in are so different itās really a non-data point.
-
Iāve got Tang Soo Do tonight, then a double class tomorrow.
8 Likes
Maximum Definition Diet recap
Breakfast is the usual. Dinner was the same configuration of eggs/tallow, and then a leftover turkey thigh and turkey wing.
4 Likes
OPERATION PLANET MONGO
AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)
Tactical Barbell Operator Cycle 1, Week 6, Workout 2
MAIN WORK
Buffalo bar squat
3x2x375
ALTERNATE w/
Axle strict press from rack
3x2x183+1 push press rep per set
6 chins between sets (total of 70 before moving on to assistance)
ASSISTANCE
20 round EMOM of
- 10 dips
- 4 chins
- 2 HLR
- 10 Band pull aparts
Lateral raise dropset (35x10, 35x5, 35x2.5, 35xEmpty Hands)
CONDITIONING
Rowing
- 4 rounds of 30 seconds max intensity/60 seconds rest
- 6 minutes of low intensity
Notes:
-
Back on schedule. The holiday weekend got me a little out of the groove. The extra rest was beneficial though, as I came in feeling ready.
-
Squats and presses were challenging but not insurmountable. Itās what I continue to appreciate about the TB programs: Iām always set up for success. Just a matter of getting through the workout. The press weight is comp weight as well, so the fact I can strict press it at 0400 after some heavy squats bodes well. I do think Iām going to keep the weight the same on the press next cycle, since Iāll be upping the sets.
-
I did sets of 8 chins between my warm-ups, which got me to 40 total before moving on to the actual work sets. Between that and the assistance, I finished the day with 200 dips and 150 chins: great spot to be in.
-
In keeping with the ālight conditioningā aspect of this week, I cut the high intensity stuff at the end in half. In truth, I was fading at that point any way, so it timed out well.
-
Iāve got back to back Tang Soo Do classes tonight. We got our 4th stripe last night after passing our weapons evaluation, so the whole family is set to test for new belts in August. The Valkyrie was also crowned Dojang sparring champion for the month, with the kiddo coming in second place, so it was a good night for us all.
-
Daily sandbag continues to get better by the day. Really getting a good feel for the bearhug carry.
-
On the nutrition front, I think I may be done drinking green tea. Just havenāt been feeling it. Once I stopped mixing in the stevia enhanced electrolytes, it lost the appeal, which leads me to believe I was just using it as a vehicle to drink stevia. This will mean Iāve cut caffeine completely out of my life, which is pretty nutty when I consider I was consuming over a gram of it a day about a year ago between 2-3 energy drinks a day and 10 cups of coffee.
-
Weighed 81.1 this morning. Seems to be where Iāve settled. Between this and 80.8.
11 Likes
Nice squats. Cutting caffeine completely out is impressive.
1 Like
Much appreciated dude! Getting myself out of a state of perpetual fight or flight really went a long way. I never really seemed to be much of a caffeine responder in the first place, but I also dug the delivery mechanisms of diet sodas and energy drinks. Moving away from them, the artificial sweeteners and carbonation seems to have done me some good.
1 Like
These looked really nice, good controlled descent and strong coming back up.
2 Likes
@simo74 much appreciated dude! Still a work in progress.
Maximum Definition Diet recap
A 100% repeat of yesterday
6 Likes
This is exactly how I feel, even when I am feeling great, I always think there is more work to do. Salute brother
1 Like
OPERATION PLANET MONGO
AM WORKOUT (0355 wake up via alarm)
Tactical Barbell Operator Cycle 1, Week 6, Workout 3
āGO RUCK YOURSELFā
90 minute treadmill walk w/20.4lb tac vest
Speed: 3.5mph
Incline: 4.0
Distance: 5.25 miles
8 wide grip overhand chins
Notes:
-
Itās the easy week, but rather than go completely vestless, I went with a lighter one and a slightly lower incline. Felt like a totally weightless walk just didnāt have as much value. This still felt light and restorative.
-
Tang Soo Do last night was brutal. Back to back classes, and with it being basics week, it was a lot of drilling and bodyweight exercises. Which most likely explains why I got my weigh in this morning at 79.2kg. Iām right at the same bodyweight I was when I started the Mass Protocol last year, and significantly stronger and more muscular in appearance, so ultimately my time with Tactical Barbell has proven to be a huge success. Also some props to Gironda there as well.
-
Weāre celebrating my kidās birthday today, so Iāve got Texas Roadhouse coming up for dinner, and then actually getting in my 2 carb meals this week by having a slice of some Coldstone ice cream cake later tonight.
12 Likes
OPERATION PLANET MONGO
AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)
Tactical Barbell Operator Cycle 1, Week 6, Workout 4
MAIN WORK
Buffalo Bar Squat (low bar)
3x2x375
ALTERNATE w/
Axle strict press from rack
3x2x183+1 push press rep per set
ASSISTANCE/CONDITIONING
Crossfit Cindy WOD w/20.4lb tac carrier
20 rounds of
- 5 chins
- 10 push ups
- 15 squats
Time: 21:18 (34 second AND 5lb PR from previous)
4x25 band pull aparts
CONDITIONING/COOLDOWN
10 minutes LISS on rower
Notes:
-
Took the squats as low as I possibly could, because whenever I review them on the video, they seem like theyāre high, but I gotta accept the reality that, as long as my knees travel forward, my hips are going to appear high. Since Iām not powerlifting, depth doesnāt matter, just ROM, and Iām getting that intended effect here.
-
That PR on Cindy was unexpected. I know I accomplished Murph last week using the same vest, so this wasnāt uncharted territory, but I didnāt have a time to compare against. I enjoyed a slice of my kidās birthday ice cream cake last night, so maybe some of that extra energy came to show for the workout.
-
As is usual, once Cindy was done, so was I, so just slapped on the pull aparts and rowing to get in a little more back volume. Planet Mongo is almost done, and my goals have been achieved with it: my back is feeling much stronger now, and my chins are back in a good place. I donāt want to lose this moving forward, but maintaining will be easier than growing. Next phase will focus on getting ready for my comp, but I would like to spend some time bringing my arms up as well.
-
My in-laws come into town today to help house sit while we leave on our trip on Tuesday. Schedule will be slightly disrupted, but thatās not a bad thing.
13 Likes
Maximum Definition Diet recap
Breakfast was the usual. Dinner was the hibachi buffet. 3 eggs, lots of shrimp, some beef, sidecar of shrimp and oysters, and then another plate with a small piece of salmon, some octopus, more shrimp and oysters. Trying to get in that iodine.
I like to reiterate that I am getting LEANER eating like this
9 Likes
Why egg whites instead of all whole eggs? It doesnāt look like the amount of fat is much of an issue??My bad if youāve said it before and I missed it.
1 Like
No worries dude: happy to repeat.
I donāt eat egg whites instead of whole eggs but in ADDITION to whole eggs. Rather than eating only 3 whole eggs, I am adding more protein to the meal with the 5 whites. And then I add beef tallow as well, so I get another fat source on top of that which is higher in stearic acid.
Whites are also less expensive than whole eggs, especially since I buy pastured eggs. When eating the yolks, quality really matters, but for whites costs can be cut.
2 Likes
As always thanks for the reply!!
1 Like
OPERATION PLANET MONGO
AM WORKOUT (1000)
Tactical Barbell Operator Cycle 1, Week 6, Workout 5
EMOM Sandbag over bar
200+lb sandbag, 50" bar, 10 minute EMOM
Notes:
- Got through 7 rounds of doubles, then 2 singles, then a round of 4. Best performance yet. Setting up a little further away from the bar gave me more room to get the bag over: good to know. Body was feeling solid and strong as well.
MAXIMUM DEFINITION DIET recap
Breakfast was a standard weekend fair of 2 omelets with 3 pastured eggs, grassfed tallow, some turkey and a slice of sargento thin sliced colbyjack (deviation), alongside some leftover burger patties, beef bacon and turkey.
Dinner was 93% lean piedmontese grassfed beef meatloaf (unpictured) alongside 4 pastured eggs topped with the drippings from the meat loaf. I actually put some grassfed butter on top of my meatloaf, to add a little more fat.
9 Likes
Maximum Definition Diet recap
Breakfast was similar to yesterday: just no beef bacon and more turkey. Dinner, we made kalua pig. That was NOT my portion, but I had my fair share, alongside 4 pastured eggs.
6 Likes
OPERATION PLANET MONGO
AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)
Tactical Barbell Operator Cycle 1, Week 6, Workout 5 [Final lifting workout]
MAIN WORK
Buffalo Bar squat
3x2x375
Alternate w/
Axle Strict Press from rack
3x2x183+1 push press rep per set
Sets of 6 chins between sets (86 total)
Buffalo bar squat
32+8+10x225 (12 deep breath rest pause)
ASSISTANCE
Standing ab wheel/BPA supetset circuit
3x10/33
Alternating arm KB curls
35x22.5
CONDITIONING
5 minutes LISS rower
Notes:
-
Got in sets of 10 chins during the warm ups, getting 50 before the main work.
-
Last lifting workout of the cycle, so I played around, as Iāve already achieved all my goals. That said, I REALLY wanted 50 in one shot on that set of 225, but equipment issues plagued me. Bar was sliding down my back a bunch on the main sets alone, and the longer the workout went, the more I sweat, so the more slippery the bar got.
-
I actually almost fell forward on the very first rep, as I tried putting the bar a little higher to prevent the slippage, but then it just slid right down. It made the first 20 reps REAL easy, having the bar so low on my back, but then I wasted a lot of energy trying to hise shrug the bar back into place between breaks. It did create a pretty interesting training effect, as it was effectively one squat set with a variety of different squats, ranging from high to low bar. And it was certainly exhausting.
-
This is making me think that, for the next training cycle, I should implement SSB squats. They have a good carryover into strongman, the bar will stay in place, and my elbows will really be spared, meaning I can invest more energy into my pressing and sandbag work.
-
My right knee was feeling kinda crummy leading into this, so the really low bar squatting was actually pretty nice on that. Everything else selected was just light work but also stuff I wonāt have access to for the next few weeks.
-
I leave for my cruise tomorrow. Iām going to get in a conditioning workout in the morning, and Iām actually intending on getting in some training time over this vacation, just because itās 2 weeks away vs 1 and I have a competition coming up.
-
Weighed in at 81.1 kg, which will be the final weigh in for this cycle.
14 Likes
as opposed to just racking up 35k + steps per day!? 
was that Nine Inch Nails in the background tunes wise today sir?
enjoy the family time and hols!
That was one day, rather than per day, but yes: exactly. Rather than just having general activity, I will have a few days where I go to the fitness center and lift weights with an intention of maintaining strength for the next training cycle.
Pretty much every training day, haha. Them and Clutch.
Thanks man!
Maximum Definition Diet recap (final for training cycle)
Breakfast was similar to usual, but 9oz of lamb and 3oz of leftover burger patties. Dinner I hit up our favorite local burrito shop to get a steak and egg breakfast burrito (cheese: deviation) alongside a beefcheek burrito. I threw all the meat on a plate, and then I paired it alongside 3 eggs from my co-workerās farm. He gifted me a dozen today, in exchange for my wife always making cookies for the office on Mondays.
10 Likes