Tried scrolling back through to get a sense of this but failing so I’ll just ask. When you do use a treadmill to do daily walking, are you shooting for any heart rate or pace or incline or time? Or what are you setting it for/aiming for? I’ve always done really high incline brisk walking to build up a sweat and get “cardio” in but I’m falling down a rabbit hole from reading your stuff and branching out to Dan John and K. Black and re-evaluating my perspective on easy cardio. Mainly that it doesn’t have to be hard to give a useful benefit, and that it shouldn’t wear you down to impact other training.
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That’s it. I’m having steak and eggs for dinner.
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@staystrong Appreciate you swinging by dude! I actually DON’T use a treadmill to do daily walking. If I get in a walk, it’s always outside. I feel like it’s important to get outdoors. I do it during my lunch break at work, and I’ll do it on weekends and occasional weeknight evenings. This is less cardio and more “activity”. I’m trying to remain active, rather than in a state of rest.
On the lunch break walks, if I’m on my own, I keep a brisk pace, but if I’m walking my dog, he sets the pace, and given he’s a 7 month old pug, we don’t move too fast, haha. I’ll throw on a 20.4lb tac carrier on occasion for an easy weighted walk.
Once a week, I WILL do a focused ruck for 90 minutes (or, at least, I was up until incredibly recently), in which case this IS more about getting in a workout. I use the treadmill for this. I keep the pace at 3.5mph, primarily because, when I go faster than that, I tend to develop plantar fasciitis. What I’ll modulate is the incline and the weight of the vest. My bare minimum incline is 4.0, and I’ll go as high as 5.5. I’ll work between the 20.4lb tac carrier and a 45lb vest. It ultimately depends on what phase of training I’m in.
But yeah, you’ve got it: the majority of conditioning training doesn’t need to be hard and, in fact, doing that too often just takes away from recovery. Eliud Kipchoge spends 83% of his training in zone ONE, as an example. We DO need to have those periods of hard/intense training, but they need to be implemented intelligently. If we’re always mashing the intensity button, we limit our ability to actually dig deep enough.
Hope that is helpful!
AM WORKOUT (0352 natural wake up, snooze until 0400 alarm)
TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 3, Workout 3
MAIN CLUSTER
Axle bench press
4x3x256
(4) Texas Deadlift Bar Mat Pulls
15x440
SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER
Lever belt squat
4x8x250
Dips
3x8x80
7+1x80
Axle curl
4x8x88
ASSISTANCE
Reverse hyper
3x15x360
Ab wheel
2x10
Band pull aparts
75
Notes:
- Been having some wild/vivid dreams these past few nights. Jon Heck and I were trying to get out of an escape room. Can’t make that stuff up.
- Was excited to train. This is definitely my favorite lifting day of the program. My right hip was a little buggy in Tang Soo Do last night, but it showed up to play today. Funny enough, it was the ab wheel at the end that gave it a little trouble.
- Pleased to get through the benches without my pec acting up, and I actually had some more reps in me on the mat pulls, but I’ve been appreciating being able to progress week to week WITHOUT being in agony by pushing too far. “Enough”, per Dan John. The break off the mats is getting harder, but it’s not “strength miracle” levels yet like it was last training cycle.
- Belt squats are feeling better each week. Getting my knee in a good way has gone far.
- Weighed in at 82.3kg this morning. Down half a kilo after eating an entire chuck roast. I think I could sell this diet.
- We got our new belts last night. They took a photo of us, and I was delighted to see just how happy I looked with my arms around my family (cropped out to protect the innocent. This is the best kind of PR.
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Congrats!!
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I’ve always interpreted conditioning as high level. For example, what a football player or track athlete might do. That perspective has always made it hard for me to understand bodybuilders who do their conditioning at 5am by walking on the stair climber for an hour. They’re not bent over sucking wind, so how is that conditioning? I think somewhere along the way I picked up a misconstrued idea of conditioning.
I also had to read this four times to understand how they weren’t the same. My brain instantly saw the side of a plate and read “20.4 kg / 45 lb”. 
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I’ve always interpreted conditioning as high level. For example, what a football player or track athlete might do. That perspective has always made it hard for me to understand bodybuilders who do their conditioning at 5am by walking on the stair climber for an hour. They’re not bent over sucking wind, so how is that conditioning? I think somewhere along the way I picked up a misconstrued idea of conditioning.
A big part of this is same word: different meaning. “Conditioning” in bodybuliding refers to your level of leanness, whereas in athletics, it’s your ability to withstand/endure.
But the other thing to consider is that a football player or a track athlete is just that: a football player and a track athlete. That’s what they are. WE are NOT that. We have to have conditioning that is appropriate to the demands and needs of our own lifestyle. Because the body only knows “stress”. It doesn’t know training stress vs life stress. So if we impose a HEAVY training stress on the body, we need to not ALSO impose a heavy life stress on it if we want it to recover. If we’re an athlete, we cultivate a lifestyle to make that happen. If we’re a regular person with a 9 to 5, we cultivate an EXERCISE lifestyle to make that happen.
And yeah, I have no idea WHAT led that company to make the vest 20.4lbs specifically, haha. But I count it all!
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Probably a short dream where the 2 of you just broke the damn door haha!
So true. I have rediscovered that in past years from life experience and thanks to Tactical Barbell II where KB do a really great job at simplifying the concept for a dumb guy like me.
Weirdly, when I started training 20+ years ago at 16 years old, I did longer easy runs 3 to 5 times a week by default with occasional higher intensity to “test” myself. I also had no car and did hundreds of kilometers on my bike. A long slow jog with a short sprint at the end was good enough for Rocky so it was good enough for me.
Then, the 300 movie came out and with it I learned about the 300 workout which led me to Crossfit and all things high intensity. I got stuck with that mentality for conditioning for way too long not realizing that it was impacting me negatively until I started to do a bunch of walking, hiking and resume running for longer period and realized it was making me better and impacting my lifting way less.
I will obviously do some other dumb things like that in the future but sometimes, you have to experience it yourself to really understand.
It’s really interesting to see you run TB for so long!
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@Hugo_Fillion Funny enough, we were more chisel than hammer for this one, haha. Got hung up on a math problem. And we definitely all need to learn by touching the hot stove on occasion. That time with the intensity is a great teacher. Appreciate the support as well! There’s a bit of melancholy with me finding such a good fit as far as programming goes, similar to how Alexander wept when he had no more worlds to conquer. But I also realize that I’ve still put my spin on it by keeping the ROM progression deads, and one of these days I’ll treat myself to an Operator run where I do those crazy conditioning workouts I used to do, haha. Still gotta make sure the stove it hot sometimes…
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Are you doing these with the dog, or is it a more purposeful walk ?
Loved the photo, you made me smile with you mate.
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@simo74 Thanks so much man!
Nutrition Recap
Breakfast was 14oz of airfried beef rib fingers, some pork sausage, a strip of bacon, beef liver, 3 whole eggs and 5 whites. Put some cheese and sour cream on the eggs as well.
Dinner was my sous vide corned beef experiment. I think it could have stood to be in the bath a little longer, but it was still very flavorful. Helped myself to a very generous portion, after searing it in the Instant Pot with some beef tallow and Amish butter. Had it alongside 3 whole eggs and 5 whites. Went with duck fat spray for the eggs today compared to tallow.
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AM WORKOUT (0510 wake up via Valkyrie’s alarm)
TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 3, Workout 4
“ROW ROW ROW YOUR BLOAT”
20 minute recovery row
Notes:
- 3rd week in a row I’ve picked this over getting in a ruck, and I think this is just going to be a way forward during Mass Protocol. This makes a lot of sense. Train the muscles hard, do work to help recover from workouts, get in some daily activity, save the rucking for Operator. Before, the ruck was something of a means to control nutrient partitioning and keep control over the intake, but given that I fast on these mornings now, that seems more effective. My physique and gym performance is reflecting as such as well. I think the extra sleep is also giving me more benefits than the ruck would. If I had something more significant to train for, things may be different. I DO have a 10 mile race in a month that is most likely going to hit like a freight train, but I can deal with that.
- My hips are a little achy from deadlifts, but not cripplingly so. The row was definitely just going through the motions and getting some flood flowing.
- Weighed in at 83.0. Housing a bunch of corned beef is probably a great way to up sodium.
- Tang Soo Do was active for 90 minutes but not terribly intense. Breakfalls/rollfalls for the first 45 minutes and 1 step self defense for the rest. New belts are nice, because we get new material. I was also recruited to help test a choke defense the black belts were working on. It was the typical “psycho strangle” choke, where you straddle the person and wrap your hands around their neck. They were effectively supposed to chop my elbows at the joint to break the grab, but noted that my arms were so large that all it did was make the choke tighter around their neck. So, basically, the defense only works if you’re being attacked by someone smaller and weaker than you. Back to the drawing board.
- We’re skipping TSD tonight, as my puppy is getting neutered and we’re going to hang out with him and make sure he’s doing ok.
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Nutrition Recap
Coffee fast until dinner, and then an incredible leftovers night. Some pork ribs and pulled pork from our favorite local BBQ place and 4 scrambled eggs with some leftover shredded cheese. Also half a slice of tri tip and half a slice of corned beef, from the Valkyrie and kiddo’s plate. When we have such good weeks of food, leftover night is my favorite. It’s like having my own personal buffet.
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AM WORKOUT (0320 wake up via windstorm, snooze until 0400 alarm)
TACTICAL BARBELL MASS PROTOCOL GREY MAN Week 3, Workout 5
MAIN CLUSTER
Buffalo bar squats
4x3x367
Axle strict press from rack
4x3x176
SUPPLEMENTAL CLUSTER
(3) DB incline bench
4x8x75s
DB rows
4x8x145
GHRs
4x8x55
ASSISTANCE
GHR sit up
2x15
Lateral raise dropset
35x10, 35x5, 35x2.5, 35xEmpty Hands
Band pull aparts
20
Notes:
- I felt really strong coming into today. Knee came ready to play, weights felt right, no significant sources of pain to contend with. I also skipped TSD last night: do wonder if there is a correlation there. But I’ve also been skipping that Thursday ruck to get in more sleep. I think I’ve just been making a lot of good choices.
- Elbow pain has resolved. I’m using a little more variety in my chin grip selection, which I think is helping. I’ve kept up 3x16 this week without interruption. I’m enjoying it, rather than feeling obligated to do so.
- Changed up the ab work to get the same rep total in fewer sets. Also had enough extra time at the end for a little more assistance work.
- Weighed in at 82.4kg this morning. I believe I have discovered maintenance. This FEELS really sustainable as well.
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Those are good squats, low and slow.
I am impressed regarding how you stick to your eating plan/lifestyle. That should be part A in anyone’s training plan. Working through your elbow pain using a variety of chin grips is good thinking as well. When I “popped” my shoulder a few years back I quit using the Super Slow approach and kept my workouts to pulling exercises. It took some time to return to pressing exercises, but the shoulder resolved itself. I am tired of paying PTs and doctors for medical approaches that cost way too much.
Your continued perseverance is motivating! Keep it up!
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Those are good squats, low and slow.
The funny part is I’m moving as fast as possible! Haha. Since my left knee has the surgery, my right knee is finally recovering, I’m missing part of a hamstring on the left side, I’ve torn both hamstrings before, etc, “divebomb” squats just aren’t in my future. The first squat is ALWAYS the slowest too, as I’m basically just trying to “find” the groove on it each time. But I’m also just a notoriously “low gear” lifter. I’m a tow truck rather than a Ferrari.
I am impressed regarding how you stick to your eating plan/lifestyle. That should be part A in anyone’s training plan.
I appreciate that dude! The eating plan is too easy: I’m basically eating the way I’ve always wanted to eat, ever since I was a kid. I just kept getting told it was “wrong” to eat only meat, so I kept trying to eat “right”, and spent a lot of my life dealing with the disharmony that came with existing outside of my nature. It’s hard for me to deviate from this, as the juice just isn’t worth the squeeze. Unless my wife or kid makes it, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather eat.
And thanks for the perspective on the troubleshooting! I very much appreciate doctors, the training they go through, their education, etc. However, when it comes to the discussion, I do feel there is a bit of equal footing and that it’s a team dialog, rather than a default to the “expert”. Because this was my rebuttal when discussing my knee injury to my doctor that just give me drugs and send me on my way. “You may have gone to medical school for 7 years and practiced medicine for 20, but I’ve lived in THIS body for 40 years and this is your first day seeing it”
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Nutrition Recap
Breakfast was 13.75 ounces of air fried rib fingers, alongside 2 strips of bacon, some beef liver, 3 whole eggs and 5 whites, topped with some shredded cheese and sour cream.
Dinner was a fantastic experiment with the sous vide. 1 beef plate/short rib (it had both on the label) alongside 3 whole eggs and 5 whites, and then I had 2 slices of corned beef afterwards, as I was still a little hungry.
For the ribs, seasoned with salt and pepper, then sous vide at 155 for 30 hours. Took it out and put it immediately on the smoker at 400 degrees for 15 minutes to give it some color and a little crisp. These were a little TOO tender: completely fall off the bone. But incredibly flavorful, and definitely the easiest I’ve ever done beef ribs.
Yeah: there are two ribs there. Kiddo and I shared.
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I have a quick question for you pwn. How on earth do you manage to consume several cows, chickens and sometimes sheep on the same day? I am heavier and younger (albeit slightly), and I can at most only consume a pitiful singular cow per day. What is your secret?
@GymAndTonic Happy to discuss dude!
The thing to keep in mind is this: what you are seeing is ALL the food I am eating that day. Aside from an undocumented nightly 170g of greek yogurt mixed with 1 scoop of metabolic drive, it’s open kimono. That means, there’s no snacking, no bites, nibbles, no workplace treats, no donuts in the breakroom, etc. It also means that, 2 days a week, I only have 1 meal a day, and the rest of the week I have 2 meals a day. I eat infrequently, and when I DO eat: I feast. Doing this has gone a LONG way toward regulating hunger and satiety signals for me. And then, when you factor in that all I’m eating IS animal, it means there’s nothing else to get in the way.
It’s such a simple system and it works. Eat only animal, eat infrequently, eat big.
Which, on that note…
Nutrition Recap
Breakfast was 2 omelets with 3 whole eggs, stuffed with leftover pork tenderloin, ghee, and jarlsburg swiss, topped with some sour cream, alongside 3 strips of beef bacon, some beef liver and 3 chicken breakfast sausages.
In-laws are here for the week, so we did a kalua pig. This was the best one yet: used a braising liquid in the pressure cooker that I’ve been developing from various stocks. I had my fair share, but what’s posted is the entirety of it. It’s so hard to not eat the entire 9lb shoulder, so had 3 whole eggs and 5 whites scrambled to serve alongside it.
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With this amount of meat, is it primarily Sous vide for cooking it? Are you vacuuming sealing it before hand? I’m curious how much time it’s taking to make all this and ways to make it efficient.
Chaos is always the plan.
ways to make it efficient.
If the goal was efficiency with a sous vide, you’d have to season it (assuming you want seasonings) prior to sealing it and then freeze it. You wouldn’t want to refrigerate it, because a salt based seasoning would slowly dissolve your meats. You could then just factor in a little extra cook time to sous vide from frozen, or thaw it out before the sous vide.
For my breakfasts, I take a big cut of meat and cube it, then measure out the amount I want from there and divide it into containers for the week. After my workout, I take out a container, throw it in the air fryer, and when I come down from my shower the meat is cooked.
Slow cookers and pressure cookers are also great efficiency tools
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