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

[doddfrank]

I guess your heart, lungs and circulation dont care what is elevating them. Does`nt have to be running all the time.

You need to put in more specific running miles to get from 2 hours 1/2M to say 90 mins, but covering 30+ miles per week degrades most other sports you want to do. I got down to 85 mins 1/2M and 63 mins 10M but had to dump all my weights and circuit training to find the time and energy to put in the miles (guess that crossfit is sort of the new circuit training).

As I said once before, would love to see some of the conditioning and body weight training guys run a 5K. That level of cardio in their training, + leg strength + good coordination are interesting ingredients for shorter distances.

[simo74]

Hey Pwn hope you are feeling good today, Have a question about training and hope you don’t mind me putting it here.

You have been enticing me for a long time now with talk of a superior squat based program (you know the one I mean) and I am getting close to the point if pulling the pin on it. We have family staying now but they leave at the end of this current training block so timing would be right to start in 4 weeks from now.

I have the book and have read it many times but just wanted to ask your opinion on a couple of things.

1. Would you run it exactly as is written, by this I mean the full program, exercises, sets, reps, order of exercises. By as written I am referring to the basic routine in chapter 3 page 65 of the book (assuming you have same copy as me).
2. Any thoughts on how long a session will take, I know that is a “length of string” question, but on paper it looks like a bit more that my normal training and i’m already at the gym a decent amount of time. Maybe my current powerlifting stuff just takes longer because of all the sitting down between sets.
3. Any issues with still doing the burpee conditioning through the week on non gym days and the sandbag conditioning at the weekend ? I would plan to do the SS sessions 3 days a week (M, W, F)
4. How strict would you be with the diet approach as written, or is just lots of good food and a high protein approach good enough?
5. Any other thoughts or tips that would set one up for success when running this for 6 weeks ?

[mr.v3lv3t]

@T3hPwnisher

There are SO many opportunities to hate things during a 10 mile run

Especially on the treadmill, since you never really get to hate anything new during the run.

[T3hPwnisher]

@simo74 Happy to field these. That program is on my brain as well. The book draws you in, haha. This is going to be a lot of speculating, since I ran the program one time in 2006.

1. If I were to do it today, I’d do it mostly as written. I’d probably make the stiff legged deadlift a conventional, considering my pulls are already pretty stiff legged. I’d scrap the toe raises and sit ups and just do ab wheel for abs. Probably keep my daily work too. Fair chance I’d move the squats to the very end, despite the book suggesting to put it in the middle.

2. After the squats, factor in about 5 minutes of recovery time, but otherwise I’d want to keep the rests on the shorter. 60-75 minutes is the Kentucky windage.

3. The book would say not to. When I ran it, I was a college kid running the campus MMA club and had to do some basic conditioning stuff, but I still kept it on the light side. The general rule would be: if it compromises recovery, don’t do it.

4. When I ran the program, I did the gallon of milk and ate a LOT of food. I was trying for the 30lbs in 6 weeks. I managed 12. If I were to run it today, I’m honestly torn on how I would eat. I feel like the gallon of milk a day is just a part of the program, and I’d feel wrong NOT doing that. But I’d opt for ultra filtered skim milk from Fairlife if I went that route.

5. Pretty standard stuff. Make sure you have a steady supply of nutrition. If you have a training partner, they can be helpful, because it’s quite easy to lose count with the 3 deep breaths between reps. My wife counted reps for me when I ran the program.

Good luck!

@mr.v3lv3t Oh so true. I’ve had 10 miles fly by outside. On the treadmill: not so much, haha.

---

Got in my Tabata KB front squats. Last session with the 55s. Even after running 10 miles this morning, I managed 8s across and 9 on the final.

Bison tacos were a success tonight. My kid told me “This is the best taco I ever had in my life”. Dad win.

Taking a page from @boilerman , wanted to share a photo of my nightly pre-bed meal while gaining

Careful observers will note I’ve already taken a bite out of part of it.

In the bowl is an omelet of 2 organic pasture raised eggs and 1(ish) egg white mixed with 2oz of dark meat turkey (typically I do grassfed beef, but I’m still working through turkey leftovers), jalapenos, mushrooms, spinach, horseradish, and tomato, topped with half an avocado, 1/4 cup of grassfed cottage cheese and siracha sauce (I vary the sauce about nightly)

On the plate is 5 celery stalks with Nuts n More spread on it (some almond, some peanut), a slice of low carb sourdough from “The Great Low Carb Bread Company” folded into a PBJ using natural peanut butter, almond butter, and Walden farms blueberry fruit spread. Beside that is a piece of low-carb pumpkin bread and one of these guys

I wash it down with a mug of cashew milk…and later raid the fridge for some sort of meat and a combination of pecans, macadamia nuts and pistachios right before I head to bed.

[simo74]

@T3hPwnisher

If I were to do it today, I’d do it mostly as written. I’d probably make the stiff legged deadlift a conventional, considering my pulls are already pretty stiff legged. I’d scrap the toe raises and sit ups and just do ab wheel for abs. Probably keep my daily work too. Fair chance I’d move the squats to the very end, despite the book suggesting to put it in the middle.

This makes sense, looking at it There isn’t a lot of work after the squats so I would probably run as written

@T3hPwnisher

60-75 minutes is the Kentucky windage.

Funny but 75 was my best guess moving quite quickly between the sets

@T3hPwnisher

The book would say not to. When I ran it, I was a college kid running the campus MMA club and had to do some basic conditioning stuff, but I still kept it on the light side. The general rule would be: if it compromises recovery, don’t do it.

I though you would say this, but really want to keep the burpee going. I will have t try and find a way tk make them work.

@T3hPwnisher

When I ran the program, I did the gallon of milk and ate a LOT of food. I was trying for the 30lbs in 6 weeks. I managed 12. If I were to run it today, I’m honestly torn on how I would eat. I feel like the gallon of milk a day is just a part of the program, and I’d feel wrong NOT doing that. But I’d opt for ultra filtered skim milk from Fairlife if I went that route.

Hmm I need think about this. At my age not sure whether that much milk is a good thing. Might have to compromise this and do lots of food and half the milk

Steady supply of nutrients won’t be a problem.
I don’t have a training partner so will just have to work out the counts.

I’ve got 4 weeks to think this through and get the plan solid.

Thanks for taking the time mate.

[boilerman]

@T3hPwnisher

Bison tacos were a success tonight. My kid told me “This is the best taco I ever had in my life”.

Hell yeah!

That is quite the pre bed feast!

[dagill2]

@kdjohn

kid showed up and was kind of a little twerp, then just shut up, listened, put his head down and got to work. Perfect example

I know i’m slightly behind, because its been 3 days so naturally pwns done 25 sessions in the meantime, butbi wanted to double down on this comment: @tlgains has been an astonishing example of what can be achieved. Massive credit to you mate.

[T3hPwnisher]

@simo74 More than happy to chat dude! Feel free to keep in touch about it.

@boilerman High praise from you my dude! And as a San Diego native I had to take pride in my superior Tacomanship, haha. Kings Hawaiian actually makes street taco tortillas, so my kid had a Hawaiian bison street taco…there’s my SoCal yuppie scum shinning through!

---

DEEP WATER BEGINNER Week 5, Workout 1 (sequence out of order)

AM WORKOUT (0335 wake up via alarm)

Warm-up (3x3 box jumps superset w/Buffalo Bar Squats)

Buffalo Bar Squat
10x10x345lbs w/2:00 between sets

KB front rack lunges
3x10x57.5lbs w/90 seconds between sets

50 pull aparts

CORE SUPERSET CIRCUIT (hyper-abs)

Reverse hyper
3x20x340

Standing ab wheel
3x12

POST WORKOUT SHAKE

CONDITIONING

Deadlifts w/328lbs-chins-dips

15-5-10

Time: 6:43

25 pushdowns
30 GHRs

Notes: I absolutely destroyed these squats. I did it after running 10 miles the day before. I have never been in better shape in my life. This is absolutely nuts.

There was no drama on the final rep of the final set: I hit it just like it was the first set. The very first time I ran this program, I had to lay down on the floor between sets once I hit the 4th set, and I spent about 5 minutes between sets 9 and 10 despite the need for 2 minutes rest…and I was using like 70lbs less. This has been a crazy evolution to watch.

Still digging those front rack lunges. They were the answer I was seeking. And now the weight is moved up for the week of Tabata front squats.

That conditioning workout was ROUGH. I am sure I am breaking down somewhere. Actually inspired what very well may be the quote for this blog. I was about to tape up the tops of my thighs again to keep from bleeding all over the place, but I looked down and saw that my leg was mostly scabbed over and leathery and said “Sometimes the only solution is repeated trauma” and went and pulled. It worked.

Welcomed 2 new members to the family

55lb bumpers. I can match them up with a pair of 35s to create 2 45s. And then I have my 7.5kg plates too. Because My gym is as weird as me.

Also took a photo of my breakfast, since I said way back I was going to do that

Bottom right is a breakfast burrito (you can BARELY make out the wrap underneath the innards) using an egg white wrap. The contents are 2 pasture raised organic eggs, 1-ish egg white, some grassfed butter, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, spinach, and 2oz of darkmeat turkey (typically grassfed beef). I spread some tzatziki sauce on the wrap, and then topped the omlete with half an avocado, some fat free feta cheese and some primal kitchen unsweetened ketchup.

Bottom left is 5 celery stalks with a combination of almond and peanut based nuts n more spread and half a low carb bagel with sunflower butter on it. I ate the other half first thing this morning before training.

Top right is 170-ish grams of fat free greek yogurt, 4 frozen organic blackberries, a serving of Naked PB peanut butter flour, some whey protein, cinnamon, salt and dark chocolate chips

Upper left is a mug of cashew milk

I am STILL hungry after eating all of that these days. I also walk away from the table bloated like a tick, haha.

[boilerman]

@T3hPwnisher

This is absolutely nuts.

Yeah that pretty much sums it up, dude. You’ve definitely figured out the secret formula and you’re making me excited to run this again.

And yet again another enviable meal!

[tlgains]

@T3hPwnisher

Notes: I absolutely destroyed these squats. I did it after running 10 miles the day before. I have never been in better shape in my life. This is absolutely nuts.

Now that right there is a flex. Dude you’re doing some peak human shit right there, big squattin and all that running.

This is going to sound silly but the mug of cashew milk really completes the breakfast.

[T3hPwnisher]

@boilerman Thanks man! You’re going to have an awesome re-run of it.

@tlgains Much appreciated dude! And you’re absolutely right: it’s the perfect end. And a testament to the value of experimenting. I “discovered” cashew milk when I was attempting to make some sort of keto oatmeal. That turned out the be a bust, but the milk was fantastic, and just another way to get in some variety of fats in my diet.

---

Got in my tabata KB front squats with the new weight of 57.5lbs. Got 8s across. I was huffing pretty good. Tang Soo Do was pretty chill all things considered. We’re going over physical testing requirements, which aren’t terribly strenuous at this point, but still a nice light workout.

[simo74]

@T3hPwnisher

Feel free to keep in touch about it.

Defiantly will Pwn. Going to get through this block and built the training and food plan for this. I’ll be bouncing some thing off you and once I get started I will deff be hitting you up for survival tips

[T3hPwnisher]

Slept until 0645 (best sleep I’ve had in a LONG time) and got in 56 burpee chins in 6 minutes, fasted. Was proud that I did that. I had slept so late I thought to myself that maybe I just won’t train first thing this morning, but there’s always a way to “get to yes”. This workout took no set-up, and in 6 minutes my soul was crushed.

Going out for Mexican for lunch at the Mrs favorite place, and then just a great weekend ahead. Might be a bit too cold to walk the dog, but if I have quiet time I’ll come up with something.

[T3hPwnisher]

Rest of day training

PM workout (1400)

Tabata KB front squats w/57.5s. 8s across, 9 on final round
50 dips
40 reverse hypers w/90lbs
20 standing ab wheels
50 pull aparts
25 push downs
Neck work

Followed immediately w/ 2 mile 80lb weighted vest walk w/dog. Listened to 40ish minutes of this podcast. HIGHLY recommend

Legends of Iron Derek Poundstone

PM WORKOUT 2 (1900)

Tabata KB front squats w/57.5s. 8s across, 10 on final round

Notes: My legs are definitely feeling the 10 miles with the Deep Water, so all the Tabata front squats are doing a good job bringing them back to life. Always enjoy how these days shake out: quick little intensity bursts and the long slow walks.

Oh yeah, I signed up for a strongman competition on 25 Jun. It’s like 20 minutes away. The events haven’t been released yet. In truth, this will really be a sign on if I’ve retired or not, because this is as simple as logistics will get for a comp. If I bail on this, I’m done competing, but if I ride it out and see it through maybe I’m still a strongman.

[simo74]

@T3hPwnisher

signed up for a strongman competition

This has strangely made me very excited

[T3hPwnisher]

@simo74 Opposite effect for me, haha. Mrs already pointed out that’s most likely going to be when the next Tang Soo Do belt test will occur, but at this point, if I don’t compete now, I’m pretty much done. The pandemic really hit at a weird time in my “career”.

Be interesting though. BIG weight class gulf on this one. Up to 185lbs, then 185-231. I’ll have to actually step on a scale and see where I’m at sometime, because I’m fairly certain 185 wouldn’t be tough for me, but it’s a small competition and I’d rather be competing against SOMEONE, haha.

---

Slept until 0630 (although daylight savings made that really like 0530) and did 101 burpee chins in 12:00, fasted. Got bit by the burpee chin bug yesterday. Definitely seems like the next evolution here, and unlike doing 100 burpees straight, I DID have to rest a bit after the first 60, so it gives me room to shoot for unbroken sometime.

I’m in my 5th week of gaining. Physique shot shows things are on point

Also shows that 100 burpee chins can give you a solid pump

[T3hPwnisher]

Got in a 2 mile 80lb weighted vest walk with the dog, came inside, started up the air fryer, threw on some egg plant and basically ran into the garage, knocked out the Tabata KB front squats w/57.5lbs (8s across, 10 on the final) and came back in time to take off the eggplant and cook the rest of dinner (burger night. Made myself a surf and turf burger with shrimp and bison, topped with chicken bacon on low carb sourdough bread, because I’m just that way). Once again: always ready.

Finished out the day with the daily work. Have the day off work tomorrow and spending with the family, so training will be a bit piecemeal.

[simo74]

Looking damn sexy as always Pwn (some homo ). Mate with the grading, does your gym not do make up gradings on another date? My daughters gym normally has another date a week later for people who can’t make the date ?

[Panopticum]

Insane work, man. Do you have any info on the strongman comp?
I can just imagine what rolls out of an intensification block after all this accumulating.

[T3hPwnisher]

@simo74 Very much appreciated my dude. The grading is a bridge I’ll cross when I get there. I don’t really care what color cloth is around my waist. I’d feel a little bummed missing my wife and kid test, but I think, this time, I’d be willing to make that sacrifice. It’s been 3 years since I got to compete: the opportunities are reducing.

@Panopticum Thanks dude! All I know right now is time, place and weight classes. I’m definitely excited to see where the Zenos end up on this.

---

Slept until 0651 (go daylight savings) and did 10 rounds of “True Tabearta”. Instead of focusing on 2 per round, I went until the whistle blew each round, which had me knocking out 3 for the first 6 rounds and 2.5 (barbell resting on back) for the last 4. THIS was VERY different. Something I gotta keep in mind for short windows like this. 2 per round is good for the long haul: 3 per round for when I’m not playing around.

Got the day off work. It’s the Deep Water back day, which is why I led with Tabearta. Probably chunk out the rest of the training over the course of the day.