PM WORKOUT
24 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
Notes: Went with EMOMs again. They are the future for this. I was SO close to getting my 25 in. Got 5 in the first 4 rounds, but after that the wheels fell off, and I got 2 done before I had to set the bells down. Still, I can see the light on this one. I finish most rounds with 18-20 seconds left. I’ve thought about even breaking this down to 75 second rounds for 4 rounds total. Fewer total rounds seem to gel with me psychologically.
22 rounds of the bear complex - damn - at the end of that workout that’s impressive. Just 1 rep of each exercise per round right, what was the rest between rounds?
What are the ABCs?
@stidge20 Thanks man! The reason I title it “Tabearta” is because I’m using the Tabata timing protocol. It’s 20 seconds on/10 seconds off. So when I do 22 rounds of it, it’s 22 rounds of 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off. I aim to get in 2 complexes per round, and typically can, so it would be 44 bear complexes done in 22 rounds, and I rest until the start of the next round.
ABC are Dan John’s “Armor Building Complex”
2 cleans
1 press
3 front squats
It’s a great DB complex.
AM WORKOUT (0335 wake up via alarm)
Axle continental and push press away
5xAxle
5x136
1x206
2x206 out of rack
Axle clean each rep and strict press
24 reps of 146lbs in 7min30sec
GIANT SETS (press-dip-raise-pull) Sets 1 and 4: trap bar, sets 2 and 5: bench, sets 3 and 6: DBs, 75 seconds between sets
Trap bar press
10x135
8x135
Axle bench press
10x236
7x236
(3) Incline DB bench
10x85s
8x85s
Dips
6xFailure
Plate lateral raise
6x15x10lbs
Band pull aparts
6x15
25 pushdowns
25 standing ab wheels
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING
6 rounds of
-3 axle clean and push press away w/156lbs
-7 burpee chins
In 10 minutes
Notes:
Had zero pop this morning. Right elbow was limiter: it didn’t want to experience any loading. It actually warmed up pretty well through the workout, but trying to hit a solid push press out the gate was a no-sale. Got in reps from the rack just to get in a little more volume. It’s also what drove the decision on the conditioning workout to get in a touch more work.
Could see the issues on the supplemental pressing as well.
I’m catching myself “chasing leanness”, and I need to stop. It’s addicting at this point, because I can actually observe day to day changes in my physique based on how much I’m NOT eating, but I’ve made the weight I need to make, and anything beyond this point is “vanity, all is vanity”
What I DID come up with for conditioning was pretty damn effective though. I typically shy away from push press in conditioning because it’s an opportunity cost compared to a thruster or a cluster, but for what I wanted, it answered the mail.
Tomorrow will ideally be prowler work, but we have some intense storms on the horizon. I’d really like to get in a few prowler workouts, just because there may be a truck pull in the competition, but otherwise, I can just be strong and conditioned and take it from there.
24 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
EMOMs are the way for sure. I finished the 24th with 9 seconds remaining. Were I fresh, I woulda had that. I SHOULD have gone for it in retrospect, just to groove getting in that 25th rep. Next time. I was feeling beat to hell coming into this, so it’s a great sign.
Got the prowler in the truck for tomorrow. X-factor will be the weather. But if it’s no good, I got some other evil plans.
AM WORKOUT (0347 wake up via dog) FASTED
10 rounds of
Prowler harness pull w/90lbs loaded
Run back to start
10 paces KB front rack walking lunges w/24kg bells
Farmer carry bells rest of distance to prowler
In 42:30
Drive everything back home, unload truck, 22 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells
Notes:
Really glad to have finally gotten in some prowler work. This is my first time using this harness, and it was definitely a different experience for me. Good to be able to give it a go: should have decent carryover to truck pull.
I’m using a different location for this work than before. It’s closer, and more private. I have no idea how long of a distance I was going, but it was consistent: I’m basically going the full length of the parking lot.
Intent here was to really fatigue my single leg ability, so I’m hitting those lunges to blow out the legs and then gassing hard with the harness. It worked: this was a killer workout.
Hitting the ABCs at the end was the perfect cherry on top. I like how this all shaped out.
Tang Soo Do tonight, and maybe some daily work.
Which prowler harness do you use?
Beast mode. I’m wanting to get some bear complexes in, am I correct in understanding it is clean, front squat, push press, back squat, push press? How many rounds/reps/time would a mortal wanna shoot for?
@Andrewgen_Receptors It’s one from strength shop. I legit got it for Christmas like 5 years ago and have NEVER used it until today, haha. It’s a bit on the big side, but got the job done.
@jwlake06 You got it on the complex. I do them “crossfit style”, which means a cluster (clean into thruster) into a backsquat thruster. If you’re REALLY slick you’ll hit the cluster and then, as you catch the bar on your back, squat straight into the recover, almost like a behind the neck clean. But breaking it into parts absolutely works, especially for heavier weight.
I can’t speak to how others should go about it. I like Tabearta as a guide. 2 per round is hard work. 3 per round is like a 5 minute challenge: not sustainable after that. 1 per round can go on for quite a while.
Ahh ok I hadn’t thought about conjoining the movements like that I’ll give it a shot!!
For sure dude! You can see me using that approach here
Definitely helps get through it quicker.
AM WORKOUT (0320 natural wake up)
Log clean and strict press away
5x100
5x120
5x150
5x170
2x200
3x210
1x215
Axle clean and strict press away
12+3+4(+5 push press)x151
GIANT SETS (press/dip-dip-raise-pull) BtN press odd sets, dips even sets
Behind the neck barbell press
2x10x120
8x120
Dips
3x10x90
Dips
6xFailure
DB lateral raise
2x13x20s
4x12x20s
Band pull aparts
6x15
Poundstone curls
206xAxle
20 ab wheel rollouts
25 pushdowns
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING:
AMRAP in 10 min of
3 axle clean and push press away 156
7 burpee chins
Made it through 6 full rounds, and all the push presses of the 7th before time expired
Notes:
• Good pressing day for the log. Felt strong, and didn’t deal with much for head spins. Decided to move away from the weighted chins superset, just to spare my elbows. Had it get cranked hard during Tang Soo Do last night, which didn’t help.
• Added on a push press set at the end of the my strict press axle work just to get in some more practice.
• That conditioning workout continues to be pretty gnarly. Working on minimizing the time between the last burpee and the first clean and push press. Shoulders absolutely nuked.
• Ideally, will get some lawn mowing in today, along with my ABCs.
Now we are talking. Nice work Pwn
@simo74 Thanks man!
PM WORKOUT
25 ABCs in 5 minutes w/24kg bells (PR)
Notes:
Gym is set for deadlifts tomorrow. Firing on all cylinders.
Awesome dude, you got it!
Absolutely demolished!
@boilerman and @tlgains Thanks Gents! This has been an awesome journey. SO many positives with those ABCs.
AM WORKOUT (0335 wake up via alarm)
(2) Texas Deadlift Bar touch and go Mat Pulls
5x155+chains
2x225+chains
1x315+chains
1x405+chains
7+3+3x475+chains (12 deep breaths between sets)
25 pushdowns
12 rounds EMOM: odd sets deficit deads, even sets SSB
(3) Deficit deadlifts
2x8x315
4x7x315
SSB Squats
2x8x205
4x7x205
All of the following with no rest between movements: shrug-shrug-pull-neck-hyper-abs
Axle shrug against short strong bands
1x42
KB kelso shrugs
15x24kg
50 band pull aparts
Neck work
Reverse hyper
45x360
20 standing ab wheels
POST WORKOUT SHAKE
CONDITIONING:
Ladders of 40kg KB swings and burpee chins: Do 1 swing, then 1 chin, then 2 and 2, up to 5 and 5, then start over at 1
I got through 3 full ladders and then up to 2 and 2 w/in 10 minutes
30 GHRs
Notes:
• A drop in numbers but a rise in effort on those mat pulls. Left some of my soul in the garage this morning. Contributing factor is the right elbow is just in agony. Having the bar pull against it is a bit rough, and I’m a tough apprehensive on fully committing myself. Everything moved well, and hips are feeling solid, so overcoming that will put me in a good way. I’m most likely going to ease off the sandbag, as that seems to be the biggest contributor. Saw natural stones on the menu for the competition, so that bodes well for me.
• That EMOM workout went awesome. I’m really pleased with the results I’m getting there. Lower back isn’t nearly as bound up, and my heart and lungs are ready to explode when it’s done.
• Still digging the technique change on the shrugs. See it having a lot of carryover.
• I was real short on time with the conditioning workout, so what I got there was nice. Dan John talks about level changes a lot, and I think there’s a ton of value there. If I were to do it again, I’d throw in some sort of “catfish” movement at the top of each minute to spike the heart rate. Snatches or thrusters or something wicked like that.
• Tang Soo Do later tonight, with my ABCs to be had.
As is typically what happens when I’m deep into a diet break or fat loss, I have been dreaming about gaining. He novelty will quickly wear off, but let me get down some notes.
• 12 on/7 “off” has been a fantastic decision on my point as far as eating and training goes. Having a defined end state gives me the barriers I need psychologically. I can pace myself and know when to push for the finish-line.
• On the above, I’ve also learned that any “damage” I do in 12 weeks I can undo in 3-5. I add a touch of fluff by the end of the 12th week of gaining, but it’s honestly mostly just bloat. After a few weeks of “drying out”, I get back to stupid levels of lean, with veins everywhere. That sort of “insurance” makes it much easier to commit TO the gaining.
• I have to watch myself for “chasing leanness”. Getting lean is too easy compared to gaining muscle, and I’m too good at letting myself go hungry. I’m such a student of misery that I instinctively lean into it when I experience it, so it’ll be like “Oh, hunger? Cool: let’s see how long I can be hungry!” Doing that has gotten me some pretty messed up biological markers. I’m doing my best to keep my nutritional “thou shalts” to curb that, but it’s still something I need to be on myself about.
• One of the other benefits of 12/7 vs my 26 week blast I did before is that I can keep my nutrition sources clean the whole time. Toward the end of the 26 weeks, g-flux had come to play so hard that I was eating junk just to get in some easy calories. And though it wasn’t a LOT of junk (some mini-candy bars, a girlscout cookie, things like that), there’s always an opportunity cost. I am much happier when I can rely on avocados and chicken thighs to get to where I want.
• Straight sets build into something big for me. 1 big set, as much as I’m GOOD at it, doesn’t seem to answer the size gaining mail. BUT, those big sets ARE good for several other qualities.
So in regard to that final bullet, I’m thinking of my next approach. BBB Beefcake is really just an absolute solid baseline approach. Each time I’ve run it, I’ve gotten something REALLY awesome from it. The only “issue” I run into is I’m so much better at reps than heavy work that my TM doesn’t quite work for main and supplemental work. I “solved” this last time by using 3s pro instead of 5s pro for the main work, and that might be what I do again, or I may have two different TMs.
5/3/1 for Hardgainers has caught my eye.
It took me 3 years but I finally found a decent spot to use my prowler, and it’s close enough to the house that I could easily get in the lifting for Hardgainer in my garage, head out and knock out the prowler work, and be done.
• I’m also planning on stealing from Dan John and making the assistance work in Hardgainer into a complex, to be run in between the main and supplemental work of the program. This would be similar to how “Mass Made Simple” works
That idea just excites me, and I think it has some wings.
I still can’t deny the benefit of Building the Monolith either. I’d say it’s my least “favorite” program of my approaches, but like taking your medicine: it’s good for me. And every time I run it, it makes more and more sense.
Deep Water ALWAYS transforms me. Surviving it also ALWAYS taxes me. Even as it gets “easier” as I get in better shape, it takes away from me. It took my shins about a month to heal from my last deadlift workout.
So with all of the above understood, I’m thinking my next approach will be
• BBB Beefcake for 6 weeks
• Deload
• 5/3/1 for hardgainers for 6 weeks
• 7 week diet break
• Beefcake for 6 weeks
• Deload
• Building the Monolith for 6 weeks
• 7 week diet break
• Deep Water Beginner
• Deep Water Intermediate
• 7 week diet break/evaluation
During those 7 week diet breaks, I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing training-wise: twice a week pressing (log and axle) with lots of supplemental work, Zeno Squats, ROM progression deadlifts. It’s been a time proven intensification cycle. I MAY get a wild hair and try one of Brian Alsurhe’s programs, as it seems like my schedule might be able to support, but that’s a bridge I’ll cross when I get there.
Going back to Beefcake frequently should “keep me honest” as far as growing and working goes, AND it sets me up well for Deep Water. Hardgainers and BtM both feature widowmakers and “easier” supplemental work, which should give me a chance to realize some of the strength built with Beefcake. Deep Water is the cherry on top after all that time. I had another COA which would have been something like BC-HG-DWB-BC-BtM-DWI, but I feel like intermediate HAS to follow DIRECTLY after beginners to really get the benefit of it.
All of this, of course, subject to change based off exploding schedules and life.
Love these posts—I learn so much every time I get to read about what’s in your head!
That reminds me: your blog post on this was awesome. I’ve been trying to use that thought process every time I come to some kind of a training/nutrition decision point—it’s been pretty effective!
Much appreciated @SvenG . I am always curious how well they’re received. Something I meant to mention is that this upcoming competition is driving me nuts because it’s forcing me to weigh myself again, and I never realized how much that number would get into my head until I started again. I had stopped back in Oct of 2019 and it was a great decision.
The opportunity cost thing is huge: glad it’s been helpful. SOO much better than “good or bad” or “healthy or unhealthy”. It simply IS: what is it NOT?
EDIT: Oh yeah, and, of course, the most exciting part of this all is that I’ll use my new Surge workout fuel for this gaining cycle. Starting off with Beefcake will be good in that regard: it’s a program I have experience with in the past, so I’ll be able to better perceive performance improvements vs venturing into the unknown.
this. How did you get to this point?