God yes.
On the subject of Dan John, I’m POWERING through “Making Mass Simple”. Honestly its just good. So much in there is broad spectrum advice. The workouts are about getting big. But the rest is just simple how to go about being a bad ass.
Turn up, eat the frog then the elephant and avoid the dog food!
Its simple stuff and he even says that. But for some reason until someone articulates it, it doesn’t seem to sink in.
@carlbm I typically say Dan John is a national treasure, but given he’s crossed the pond with you, I’d say he’s a world treasure. I would read his writing on how to fold laundry and I’m sure I’d learn a life lesson from it. Glad you’re enjoying the read! I always come back to it to get recalibrated.
Got in the Tabata KB front squats. Very slight left hamstring tweak during round 4, and I had a small trap tweak during my pressing today as well. I’m definitely pushing into the red as I approach the end.
Yeah metal isn’t for everyone. I am a full on metal head, and like most sub generas. On a daily basis I listen to everything from pirate metal to black metal. I love Metallica, maiden, black sabbath and megadeath too…those (especially Metallica) were the bands that got me into metal in the first place
DEEP WATER Week 4, Workout 3
AM WORKOUT (0320 natural wake up)
Double kettlebell clean
12x55s
11x57.5
7x11x62.5
23x62.5
Sets of 10 band pull aparts between first 5 sets
All of the following without rest (shrug-shrug-core)
Axle shrug against short strong bands
1x60
KB Kelso shrugs
15x62.5
Reverse hyper/standing ab wheel
2x30x360/20
50 dips
25 pushdowns
Kroc rows 115
1x18
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING: MEAT EATER CHINESE BUFFET
10 rounds of 10 KB swings (40kg) and 10 burpee chins
Time: 17:45
Notes: 2:45 between sets of cleans. Forgot about this idea I had and then re-remembered it. Think I’m going to ride out KB cleans for the rest of the program. Along with helping me with the ABCs, they’re just more natural to me compared to the barbell, and I feel like it’s value added. Also a solid conditioning hit. Those first 2 sets were finding the right weight, and then I went for broke and got the 100 in 8 sets. New goals now. Even considering just combining meat eater and the workout and doing 10 cleans/10 chins. Lots of options.
Pleased with this back day. Hands are a bit chewed up, but that’s a price worth paying.
Dabbling in these, I find my clean technique also needing work. It’s the easiest move of the three within the ABC in terms of effort required, but somehow the hardest to get consistently right. Don’t know why that is.
@antiquity It seems so simple until I see someone with GOOD technique do it and then I realize there’s a LOT going on under the hood. Surefire way to get in some more reps.
Got in the Tabata KB front squats, as though there was a doubt. I’m running into the red as hard as I can on those first sets and it’s coming out on the other end. It all pays off.
Finally broke out that new Ninja grill I got and it’s just plain awesome.
DEEP WATER INTERMEDIATE Week 4, Workout 4
AM WORKOUT (0333 natural wake up)
Axle bench press
10x256
2x7x256
Close grip axle bench
3x10x226
(3) Incline DB bench
10x95s
2x8x95s
Immediately after final set of DB bench, a set of dips. Then, a set of dips with immediate set of push ups. Then, dips, push ups, push ups w/reactive slingshot, push ups w/slingshot, push ups w/metal catapult, and 25 band pushdowns
Reverse hyper/standing ab wheel
2x30x360/20
Neck work
30 GHRs
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING: CLUSTER BOMB, 47.5lb KBs, 50 burpee chins done in 11:56
Notes: 90 seconds rest between everything. Box checking kind of workout. Hands are still a bit chewed up from all the KB work. Got my front squats and Tang Soo Do later.
Tomorrow is the active recovery day. Plan is ABCs and weighted vest work. Next day is squats, and then it’s the final sprint through Deep Water.
My training is really timing out pretty well as far as life goes. My deload from training is going to fall right on a trip for work, so I can just blow my brains out with some conditioning and pump work. After that, next few months are travel/vacation heavy as we try to get back what COVID took from us, so it’s a great time for a diet break and chasing PRs. Somewhere in the middle of all that is my strongman comp, so it’ll be good to lose some weight and come in where I need for my weight class. Just nice how things come together.
My sleep is the best it’s been in quite a while. Despite these early natural wakeups, I am sleeping deeply through the night, and actually wish I could get a little more sleep in often. Before, I was waking up about every half hour and excited once 0300 rolled around because it meant I could finally just quit and get to work. Just more positive health indicators.
Tabata KB front squats and Tang Soo Do knocked out tonight. Those front squats aren’t getting any easier, which is probably a good sign.
DEEP WATER INTERMEDIATE Week 4, Workout 5
AM WORKOUT (0333 natural wake up) FASTED
23 Armor Building Complexes in 4:53 w/24kg bells
Immediately after, strap on 80lb vest and go for 2+ mile walk
Come home, post workout shake then
50 chins
50 dips
50 pull aparts
20 standing ab wheels
40 reverse hypers w/90lbs
25 push downs
Notes: I have some sort of minor annoying cold that is making breathing sucky. I also came into this with my traditional 5ish hours of sleep, fasted. My warm-up was the first round of 3. My app died in the second round. I absolutely crushed this. I got in 1 more round than last time WITH 7 seconds to spare. I had to just rely on instinct and go when I wasn’t ready until it was over.
I’ve been listening to Tool’s “46 and 2” on repeat for about a solid week now
We are evolving. It cannot be stopped. Not with illness, inadequate sleep, poor nutrition, or fatigue.
Tomorrow is the final Deep Water squat workout and succss is so inevitable it’s almost annoying to have to even endure the experience at this point.
On a lighter note: from Tang Soo Do, we were training some one-step standing grappling. Mrs is paired with me, gets a grab on my arm, then slides it down to my wrist. The instructor stops and pours on the compliments. “That was a great maneuver you did! It shows fantastic special awareness. You don’t even need to look: you can just feel your way down the arm and secure a grab at a different spot. Great work!”
My wife replies “I can’t get my hand around his bicep: I had to go lower”
The weight gain is going successfully.
I love the drums in 46&2, especially towards the end of the song. I saw Tool about a month ago, and was a bit sad they did not play this song.
Nice! It’s one of my favorites.
You’re getting closer!
@mnben87 It’s solid work for sure. I think of it as the balance to NIN’s “The Becoming”
@SvenG It’s definitely hooked me.
@antiquity Dude: I’m already there, haha.
Nice work! And, forty six and two is on my list of songs to learn. Great song!
Humble brag …LOL
Love this and wish my wife said that my arms were to big instead of my ar$e. LOL
Not humble at all: full on brag. Humility is slave morality! Haha
Wives are good for balance.
Wives and kids too. On one hand my son will say something about me being really strong and I feel like $100 and then my daughter will counter with yer that’s why he has all that fat.
My son used to brag to his friends that I was an English Teacher. Now we have to drive an extra two miles to the other Taco Bell because he doesn’t want his friends to see him with his dad.
@simo74 @The_Myth I am definitely riding out my kid thinking I’m cool for as long as possible, haha.
Got those front squats done. Tomorrow is some REAL squatting…and some front squats. Because we don’t stop.
Dont worry mate, I think you are cool too dude.