@GymAndTonic Thanks man! And there’s a reason I train in my garage, haha.
@taylortooswift Make your way over here sometime and I’ll share.
@FlatsFarmer Hey thanks man! I’m starting to feel bigger again. And my very first powerlifting meet happened during one of the worst blizzards North Dakota had ever seen. Snow seems to be my theme, haha. Venue was great though! It was an event center: no idea how they managed to score it.
@raven78 Much appreciated dude! I definitely had some fun.
@Frank_C The biggest variable would be having to join the military, haha. I also fell in love at 19 and got married at 21, so a life constantly away from home and in danger wasn’t in the cards. Nothing but respect for those that do that for us though.
Awesome work at the comp! Looks like the winner was a beast with those times and weights.
As for ABF - my family is also running it. The wife and kids. We have amassed quite the KB collection to accommodate all the different strength levels. At least they will never become obsolete, and I use them all as well for various warm ups and mobility work.
A couple of other things. I just rant the second program in DJ’s ABF book (The Barbell ABF), but used double KBs. It’s a great program that I enjoyed at least as much as the original. I tried it with both a barbell for the continuous clean and press, and then with KBs. To me, the KB variation was superior. I just did a write up. Lastly, just picked up and read Pavel’s AXE book, his latest on high speed, low drag training. I know you consider aspects like this, and I recommend it. His folksy-Russian writings aren’t for everyone, but I do enjoy his stuff. I’m coming off three KB programs (ABF, Right of Passage, and Barbell ABF w/ KBs) and still looking to continue with KB-focused training for now and will give his AXE methods a go. I do like the addition of Easy Strength to round things out, though.
Believe it or not, my career path into law enforcement and now teaching is also a result of putting a family ahead of a career. Some careers just don’t mix well with being a good husband and dad. And now that I’ve been through it, I would say law enforcement has a high probability of harming your mental health at some point.
I remember my wife’s response when I was leaving the army and getting recruited to another “gone” kind of government role. She left no ambiguity on her opinion!
Joke’s on her: I’m still gone all the time and just in worse shape. That will show them.
@antiquity That’s outstanding to hear on the homefront with ABF. It really is family friendly, and a great excuse to buy more bells. Very interesting to hear about the experiment of ABF Barbell using KBs. I REALLY like the look of that barbell program, and one day, when I’m ready to take a break from TB, I’m sure it will enter my training space. Or if I’m simply in a time crunch. I’ll be on the lookout for that Pavel book. “Beyond Bodybuilding” quite literally changed my life, and though I needed to stop drinking from the Pavel Koolaid firehose at one point, I always enjoy a trip back to it.
@Frank_C I can absolutely believe that. Every once in a while I have a brief thought of getting into law enforcement. It was actually my original plan in college: get a poli-sci degree and pursue federal law enforcement. But just as an outside observer, those folks put themselves in the way of SO much harm and don’t get nearly the appreciation they deserve for it. You’re a good dude for what you do.
@TrainForPain Hah! It’s funny: I’ve been threatening my Mrs with the opposite. My big go to is becoming a Mall Cop. “Look: I like hanging out at malls, I like going for walks, I look good in a uniform: it’s perfect!” My pitch for her to be my sugarmama while I’m her trophy husband has also gone over poorly. I DID inform her that my video of me eating the huge cheeseburger is the most viewed youtube video I have, so maybe I have a future eating food on camera: so far that’s not gaining much traction.
AM WORKOUT (0400 wake up via alarm)
TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 1, Workout 1
MAIN CLUSTER
Buffalo bar squat
4x8x322
ALTERNATE w/
Axle Strict Press
3x8x156
7+1x156
SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER
(3) DB incline bench
12x70s
2x9x70
8+3x70
DB row
4x12x125
GHRs
4x12x35
Notes:
That’s exactly how I felt getting under the squat this morning. I started Tactical Barbell in Sep of 2024, and on the very first squat workout I was in so much pain that I thought I was going to have to quit the program after day 1, I immediately lowered my training max by 10lbs, and one of my co-workers who say me walking that day asked if I had herniated a disk. That was using 285lbs. This is 40lbs heavier, and I felt incredibly strong and stable under the load, my knee gave me no issues, hips are good, and the weight moved clean. And this is without having done a back squat in 7-8 weeks. The system really works: Operator into Mass into Specificity.
The other variable at play, which I’m kicking myself for taking so long to figure out, is wearing my grip shirt so that the bar doesn’t move on the squat. Now, I COULD also just use a bar with decent knurling on it, but this is a far more comprehensive approach, because my entire BACK grabs the bar now, vs just a small portion with the knurling. This means my elbows don’t take on the load, and makes this whole process far more sustainable. Also means I can focus more on the squat itself.
All that said, still an adaptation period coming into these higher reps, and they absolutely sucked. But that’s the point: change things up and get uncomfortable.
I most likely could have gotten all the press reps with adequate rest/not unloading plates, but I was in a bit of a time crunch. On that note, rested 2 minutes on the main cluster, 1 minute on the DB rows, 60 sec or less on the GHRs, and 1-2-2 minute on the DB incline.
Need to re-adjust DB incline maxes. It makes sense. I haven’t done any sort of horizontal pressing in a LONG time. My right pec was still being a little weird during the frame pulls in my competition, but I think it’s going to be alright.
Which, oh yeah, I guess I DID do a strongman competition on Saturday, so coming into hard training on Monday will probably make things a little dicey too.
Yeeted the ab work due to time. I can get more done later. Same with chins. I’m thinking about bringing back daily chins to get in volume. Now that I’m using the grip shirt, my elbows should be able to handle that. Also, “yeet” is apparently actually a word based on autocorrect.
Weighed in at 76.6kg…so I said “that can’t be right”, stepped back on the scale and got 82.9 a few times in a row. That’s pretty nuts for a post carb up weigh in after a comp. Which, on that note, yesterday’s family meal was the most delicious tuna casserole I’ve ever had, because along with all the other quality ingredients we topped it with some raw grassfed cheddar I found. That and 4 of the Valkyrie’s cookies with some raw honey. I’m clearly ready to grow again, but I’m going to ensure I don’t eat like an a-hole to get there. I’m enjoying all these frequent trips into Mass Protocol for opportunities to refine the approach.
Family made it through ABCs yesterday, and I joined them for a tonic workout, but I think we’re going to raincheck tonight’s training. Valkyrie and kiddo are both not feeling awesome.
Just catching up so sorry for the delay. I really do think it was better, not because we knew more but actually because we knew nothing. I just did some basic exercises that I saw other people in the gym or in the magazines do and just did them really hard and really lots. Funny thing about the old protein powders and bars, my misses used to work for a supplement company back in the 90’s. The owner and I trained at the same gym and knew each other enough to do the bro nod and occasional spot. He used to give her samples of new bars, pre workouts and new powders for me to try and give him some feedback. OMG I ate and drank some horrible things. Nothing like a prototype pre workout with pseudoephedrine in to kick start your workout
Just caching up on the video and the write up. Awesome job throughout mate. The press was very impressive, I definitely need to learn your ways. LOL
This is the joy of old man class. For my comp I was in masters U105KG (231lbs), the only masters category is over 40. I was 51 and 90KG (198lbs) dead for my comp. That’s a lot of years and a lot of weight to give away to some people. But I figure I’ll just do my best and hopefully finish the day with No regrets and No (more) injuries.
This part made me smile the most. Welcome back Pwn.
@simo74 Appreciate you swinging by. And yeah: the limited knowledge really worked in our favor. Far less to get distracted by, and we didn’t have anything to “disprove” our folklore. If someone said you could gain 30lbs of muscle in 6 weeks, by god you could! And thanks for the feedback on the competition. You definitely don’t want pointers from me on how to press, haha. I’m like the bizarro version of @Koestrizer . And that welcome back is much appreciated. I should say, I feel BETTER than my old self. The strength without the baggage. “I am stronger than I have ever been in my decline”
@EmilyQ Thank you! They are the biggest reward for the competition.
PM WORKOUT (1800)
2x15 chins
3x10 GHR sit ups
Notes:
Bringing back a bit of daily training there. Just getting in chins as I pass the bar and making up the sit ups I skipped from this morning.
Breakfast was on the lighter side. 3 whole eggs and 5 whites with a splash of heavy cream (wanted to see if it made a difference: it didn’t. So a good sneaky trick for getting in some calories if that’s ever my goal), some beef liver and then a 10oz piedmontese grassfed petite tender steak (was just hanging out in the freezer) that I air fried. It was honestly a tragic thing to do to a steak, but I made up for it in the evening.
3lbs of American Wagyu boneless beef short ribs cooked at 155 in the sous vide for 48 HOURS, then pan seared with wagyu beef tallow (American Wagyu, meet your cousin!) in a cast iron pan before finishing off with a butter baste and garlic. Of the two, I had about 1 and a third, while my kiddo had the rest. The Valkyrie was, unfortunately, feeling under the weather, and when that happens she has no appetite for red meat. Which is unfortunate, because these were one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten, and so tender you could eat them with a spoon.
And, of course, next to 3 whole eggs and 5 whites.
Hey dude! How have you been? Apparently I haven’t checked in on your log since November of 24 - several thousand posts later and that seems accurate haha. A quick look at the last few posts suggests you’re still eating like a boss, good to see it! Hope all is well brother.
Nice! No rush, but mind throwing a wave tops review of your TB experience at me so far? My training has been all over the place for the better part of a year or so now.
Not sure specifically what you’d be looking for. It’s been positive. I’ve stuck with it since Sep 2024 with no plans to stop. It’s an easy to follow system that is modular enough to accommodate just about anything.
The Operator-Mass-Specificity layout is excellent for perpetual growth.
TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 1, Workout 2
“VIKING RAID”
Row 100m
Carry 150lb sandbag
Add 100m to the row each round
15 minute time cap
Notes:
I was about 3/4 done with the 700m row when the timer ran out.
This is outside the TB framework, and just a refinement of a workout I came up with a few years ago, but it’s very similar to Fobbit intervals. It’s distance based, rather than time, and the row distance increases, rather than being at a fixed interval.
This had a wonderful training effect. I was certainly getting a conditioning impact from it.
I was struggling with the bag carry, which I imagine is partly recovering from the competition and the training from yesterday.
In that regard, I woke up wonderfully sore, which is what always happens the first week of Grey Man, but this was actually quite tonic in that regard. Hit pretty much all the achy muscles and gave them a chance to get in some bloodflow. In general: this is a keeper.
Weighed in at 83.2kg. Scale FIRST said 82.3, so it’s got dyslexia. Probably need to replace the batteries.
Tang Soo Do sparring tonight. My favorite week.
Meant to log this yesterday, but I was in such a deep state of ketosis that the ammonia on my breath was actually giving me a smelling salt reaction during my DB rows. I’ve never noticed it being so strong before.
I spent 9 years running a company and traveling 4-10 days at a time. I was always gone M-TR, sometimes just stayed over weekend. My wife was so happy when we moved and I went to a large financial firm. Little did she know, while I’d never travel, I would be working until 8pm at the office. So, same difference. She was finally relieved when I returned to owning my own company round 2. I still travel and work terrible hours, but I make more money and I structured life to take kids to school and be home when they get done. I just work after everyone goes to sleep, and travel is only once a month.
