Rebirth of the Juggernaut: Brute Force and Ignorance (Part 1)

I honestly don’t sweat much when I train typically, which is what made it noteworthy. The humidity today was pretty high, which helped. I’m fairly heat conditioned from all the misery based training I do, haha.

I too am not a big sweater in the gym, but add some humidity and start running and my shins have been known to sweat. :joy:

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@simo74 Definitely had a case of the shin sweats before. Since deads and stones have stripped all the hair off the front of them, there’s nothing to stop it, haha.


Something I keep meaning to log and keep forgetting is that I STILL don’t seem to be reaching that point in training where I “need” carbs. And it’s a bit confusing, because that’s the big thing I keep reading about with carbs: they’re “needed” to fuel hard/heavy training. I’m not seeing it. Hell, even running my race was off of 40g of carbs from a Finibar, and I’m fairly certain I could have just run it off my usual eggs, avocado and beef and been ok.

Which isn’t to say that carbs don’t “work”: of course they do. They’re energy. But I feel like their value gets overstated. And I keep thinking I’m missing something, but…the empirical evidence is saying otherwise.

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Maybe your work capacity has increased to the point that the amount of work required for you to “need” carbs is much higher than that of most ppl and your past self?

Just a thought??

I don’t see how much more I could do though. I’m not comparing myself to my past self but to my present.

Like, yeah, I could move more weight if I were carbed up, because I’d have a lot of quick energy, but that’s the complete OPPOSITE of training: that’s testing. And it tends to only be good for a few lifts before that energy fades. It’s why I’ll eat pop-tarts before events at a competition. I can’t imagine that’s what these authors are meaning, as that would be nuts.

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2 handed swings as a rest?

What weight KB are you using?

45lb. It’s the only bell I have. I’ve done a similar approach where I did 1 armed snatches during the “on” time and 1 armed swings during the off time, but by this point in the workout that seemed non-viable, so I scaled it down a touch.

Thanks! I’ve been doing much more swinging, halfway through the 10k swings as that’s my only equipment for rest of month while I move.

I might use that approach to make things harder.

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Absolutely dude: hope it works out! I stole the idea from Tactical Barbell. You could always make a swing handle too, if you have plates to load onto it.

I actually made one of those myself, and SHOULD use it…but I’m too lazy to load it, haha.

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More driveby updates, because I’m halfway through my shift.

I weighed myself in last night before bed and was up 3lbs from the last time I did that, so that’s cool. Things seem to be trending upward. Sleep quality improves as bodyweight goes up. I’m feeling quite a bit of mental fatigue from all the goddamn eating, cooking, cleaning and emptying of food from my body, but it seems to be the right direction. I’m on track for about 15 more weeks of training with this current protocol, at which point some down time will be much appreciated.

I’ve been recruiting my kid into my work meal prep process, which has been a blast. We get to talk about nutrition, why I’m packing what I’m packing, how I’m cooking it, etc etc. Also gives me kid a connection to me at work as I eat all the meals.

On that note, those fajitas were REALLY good. I have such simple tastes.


Let’s get some more “To do” Crossfit WODs here

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Ok, that should be enough for now. I like how portable so many of those are.

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I think this may be overstated a little. If you are eating properly and your muscle glycogen reserves are full you can work for a considerable amount of time without needed any carbs added. Most people run a half marathon off nothing but water and plenty do a whole marathon off a small amount of water. Given you have been low carb for some time now I am guessing that your body has got used to breaking down fats and protein to create the energy it needs and has actually gotten very efficient at doing this.
Only thing a little carbs might do for you know is make those veins pop!

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@simo74 Definitely seeing the cheat meal effect, haha. Maybe I just want an excuse to eat some cereal…


BUILDING THE MONOLITH Week 5, Workout 1

AM WORKOUT (0420 wake up via dog, 0700 workout)

Buffalo Bar Squats
5xBar
5x140
5x230
5x300
5x345
5x5x385

Axle strict press (clean first rep)
5x131
5x151
5x171

Chins (various grips)
2x20
4x15

Band pull aparts
1x34
2x33

Dips
200 total (25 band pushdowns after final set)

Axle strict press from rack 131 w/rest pause
15(I think)+5+3

Plate lateral raise stripset
20x10lbs
20x5
20x2.5
20xEmpty Hands

Notes: Started with giant sets of squat-chin-press, then squat-chin-dip, then squat-pull apart-dip, then squat-dip, then took the final set of press, rest paused the rest of dips and finished with the lateral raises. Took 90 seconds between topsets of squats, plate change rests otherwise. Left hamstring continues to feel beat up: had that distinct feeling of the connective tissue breaking apart that held my femur to my groin, kinda like when you pull the drumstick off a chicken. That same thing happened just about this time last year when I was setting records with 410, so I’m probably due. Thankfully I can squat slow enough to work around that, and got through the set without issue. I’m going to rest from thruster based WODs for this week and shift more toward burpees, swings and clean to see how that helps. Grace still on the docket for later.

Belt was fitting too well today: need to up the calories. Time for bigger lunches.

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You’re an absolute animal

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Oh god. That sounds pretty horrible dude haha

@ChongLordUno Thanks as always dude!

@boilerman it’s definitely disconcerting, haha. Not terribly painful, but makes things loose in the socket.


AM WORKOUT II (1030)

Axle Grace
2:55

Notes: Totally out of my head coming into it and felt sick midway through, so this went much better than I expected. Being able to hit sub 3s on bad days is a sign I am getting scary.

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@T3hPwnisher Unless I’m missing it, it seems right now you’re only running once in a while. Do you find the causes any issues with your legs/knees? I’m finding I need to run at least twice/week or I’m almost getting deconditioned for running. After a week or two of once/week, my knees/shins/ankles hate me for a couple days after a run.

@Tougher No issues with the legs/knees. I definitely get deconditioned from running if I don’t run regularly, but I’ll also say that connective tissue being in pain is just a regular state of being for me, haha. I don’t get into any worse pain in it’s absence.


Got my log-in issues resolved, so I need to do some backdating.

Did this yesterday before my night shift

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A bit underwhelming. Got my sweaty, but didn’t really have to dig too deep on it. Went with 1 armed swings, since my bell is light.

Going to make today’s training a separate post and update some life stuff with it

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BUILDING THE MONOLITH Week 5, Workout 2

AM WORKOUT (0700) Coming off night shift

Incline Treadmill Walk w/80lb vest
Speed: 3.0
Distance: 2 miles
Incline: 9.0 for first half mile, up .5 every half mile, 15 for final minute

Notes: This was a solid challenge coming off my night shift: was glad I got it in before I got my sleep. That last minute is a solid gut check.

PM WORKOUT (1720)

3 mile run with the Mrs

Notes: Easy pace, lots of hills

PM WORKOUT II (2100)

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Time: 9:51

Notes: This was much more solid as far as training effect goes. I’ve done something similar to this, if not this EXACT workout before having not known about it, but I always like that Juarez Valley style approach. And I know I said I was going to stay away from Thurster style stuff, but the truth is that it really helps chase away the soreness from those 5x5 squats. Hamstring is still achy, but such is life. I ended up doing a lot of walking lunges during my shift to just keep hammering the healing.

For life stuff: my schedule is about to get nuts, and I’m pissed because I’m traveling during the final week of BtM. And this trip is going to suck compared to previous ones: restricted gym access, if anything. I don’t foresee being able to do BtM while I’m there. I’m leaving on a Monday, so I’m planning on hitting the heavy 5x5 workout that morning, and then will have to get in the deadlift on Sunday and finish the program possibly on the next Monday. In the interim, I’ll most likely blow my brains out with hotel room WODs or whatever I can dork around with at the fitness center.

I’ll be having company over and traveling through the rest of May as well, and some of June. Deep Water will be interesting.

Biggest issue will be nutrition: I tend to lose weight during these periods as it’s simply challenging to get in quality nutrition in the quantities I take it in while operating on a compressed schedule. I can work some work arounds and come prepared as best I can, but realism has to come into play as well.

Working another night shift for now, then I get a few days off, then 2 12s in a row before I travel.

EDIT: One other thing: my feet ACHE from those over the bar burpees. I do so little jumping and this made it obvious where some weakness is in my body. A big part of it was I was trying to land as softly as possible so as to not wake the Mrs. Funny the things we discover.

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Yes but surely this is wondering pain, as in you wonder what part of you will hurt most today :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::joy:

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… and here I was thinking you actually took time off :joy: