6/28/2020
4.5 mile run. Second long run after the injury. The leg/foot feels fine, but it is taking some mental adjusting to run that long. Still, it feels great to be out there again moving.
6/29/2020
Off day.
6/30/2020
Well, I decided to start Building the Monolith. Iām progressing well, and went to keep pushing it. I tell you, though, it was a killer. I am running it with a TM of 85%, and weāll see how it goes. Iāve never completed the whole 6 weeks, but have given individual days a try.
First week is the 3ās week of a 531 cycle:
Zercher squat (TM = 85% based off a RM of 245 lbs). Warm ups, then progress through 531 numbers until I did 5x531 (5x5 at 185 lbs)
Then did OHP (TM = 85% based off 1RM of 155 lbs). Warm ups, 5ās PRO up to 5 reps at 125 lbs, then did a widowmaker at 70% (got 17 reps at 95 lbs).
Supersetting the whole way through with ring dips (ended up doing 108 reps) and chin ups (ended up doing 110 reps). I did these in sets of 12, 10, 8 or 6 for some combination of variety, tiredness, and conservation of energy.
Also got in 100 band pull aparts, and did 15 med ball throws.
All in all, it was good/sucked. Note that I am going to do Zercher squats on the 5x531 squat day (will do back squats for the widowmaker day), and I will do TB DLās rather than barbell DLās.
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7/01/2020
2.2 miles weight vest walk with 45 lbs. This kicked my ass. First time doing it in about 4 months. I also wore my leg brace (made of hard plastic), which takes on a new level of discomfort after walking with a weight on your back. Still, got it done and was able to enjoy the nice day.
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7/02/2020
Trap bar Deadlifts:
5x135; 5x 185; 5x 205; 5 x 230 ; 5 x 265ā¦ then 3x5 at 295
Bench Press
5 x 115; 5 x 115; 5 x 135; 5 x 165; 5 x 185; ā¦ then 5x5 at 215 lbs
Supersetted through with 10x10 curls and 5 x 10 inverted ring rows, so I finished assistance at the same time I finished my main work.
Notes: to warm up, I did throws but also did a ab wheel roll out from standing position. I have recently found out I can do these from my feet. I tried a few years ago and couldnāt, so itās interesting that I can now despite not doing dedicate ab work and getting older.
7/03/2020
Conditioning day:
5 miles on Airdyne
8 rounds of boxing
Some calisthenics work.
7/04/2020
Day three of Building the Monolith
Squats:
5ās PRO up to 235 x 5. Then 20 reps at 40% of my TM (which turned out to 115 lbs). Supersetted with 100 band pull aparts.
10x5 FSL weight for OHP (95 lbs). Supersetted with 5x5 weighted pull ups (ring chins + 35 lbs) and 100 Trap Bar Shrugs (with 185 lbs, done in 5x20 sets).
Good stuff! Hard, but fun. Took about 45 minutes in all. I work at a pretty good clip, though.
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7/05/2020
Weight vest walk 2.1 miles (45 lbs).
7/07/2020
531 Building the Monolith, week 2 workout 1 (light week, with 65, 75, 85 %)
Zercher squats
5x85 lbs
5x105
5x125
5x135
5x155
5 sets of 5 at 175 lbs
(supersetted with 5x12 ring dips and 5x10 pull ups)
OHP
5x55 lbs
5x65
5x80
5x85
5x100
5x115
Then for a widowmaker: 20x85 lbs
Supersetted with 5x10 pull ups, 5x10 ring dips
Also mixed in 100 band pull aparts.
Notes: This is the hardest of the three workouts. Itās really like two workouts in one. For example, doing the squat progression with 5x10 dips and 5x10 pull ups would be a reasonable workout. But doing 100 of each dips/pull ups plus 5x531 and a widowmaker on different lifts is tough! Glad to get this one out of the way first, and after a day off.
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TB Deadlift:
5x135, 5x185, 5x205, 5x215, 5x245, 3 sets of 5x275. Superstate with 5x10 curls.
BP
5x115, 5x115, 5x155, 5x155, 5x175, 5 sets of 5x205. Superset with 5x10 curls and 5x12 inverted ring rows.
Also did 3x5 med ball throws, 5 min on Airdyne, and mobility.
7/10/2020
10 miles on Airdyne. What fun!
7/11/2020
Back squats:
115 x 5, 135 x 5, 155 x5, 185 x 5, 205 x 5, 225 x 5. Then 135 x 20. Supersetted with 100 band pull aparts and jumps.
OPH:
10 x 5 @ 85 lbs (65 %). supersetted with 5x5 weighed pull ups (+35 lbs) and 5x20 TB shrugs with 185 lbs.
Two weeks down on BLM!!
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7/16/2020
Ended up taking 4 days off due to a combination of things, but was back at it today.
Week 3 of Building the Monolith
Zercher Squats: 5x85, 5x105, 5x135, 5x155, 5x175, 5 sets of 5 @ 195 lbs
Supersetted with 5x10 pull ups, 5x12 ring dips
Break: 2x10 pull ups, 2x10 ring dips, 2x25 pull aparts
OHP: 5x55, 5x65, 5x85, 5x100, 5x115, 5x125, then widowmaker of 18 reps at 100 lbs.
Supersetted with 3x10 pull ups, 3x10 ring dips, 3x25 pull aparts.
Wow, this was tough! Combination if it being tough on its own, and the mindset after taking 4 days off. Felt good to finish, though.
7/18/2020
TB DLs: 5x135, 5x175, 5x205, 5x245, 5x275, 3 sets of 5 at 310 lbs.
Supersetted with throws (3x5) and DB curls (5x10 with 35 lbers)
BP: 5x95, 5x125, 5x145, 5x185, 5x205, 5 sets of 5 at 225 lbs.
Supersetted with 5x10 inverted rows, and 5x10 DB curls.
Notes: the easiest of the 3 weekly workouts, but still challenging. Donāt know if Iād done 5x5 BP with 225 before, but got it without too much trouble.
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7/20/2020
Back Squats: 5x95, 5x135, 5x155, 5x195, 5x225, 5x250 lbs, 20x145 lbs
Superset with 5x10 throws, 4x25 pull aparts
OHP: 5x10 at 100 lbs.
Superset with 5x5 weighted pull ups (+30 lbs), 5x20 TB DL shrugs (185 lbs).
Half way done with the program! Now Iāll up the weights and go for 3 more weeks.
7/21/2020
Boxing 8 rounds and 5 miles on Airdyne
7/22/2020
10 miles on Airdyne
7/23/2020
Day1 of Week 4 of Building the Monolith
Zercher squats: 5 x 95, 5x115, 5x125, 5x155, 5x175, 5 sets of 5 at 195 lbs
Superset with 6x10 pull ups, 6x12 dips
OPH: 5x55, 5x65, 6x75, 5x95, 5x105, 5x125, 20 reps at 95 lbs
Superset with 4x10 pull ups, 3x10 ring dips
Also, 100 band pull aparts
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I skipped my planned weekend workout due to a combination of: coming back from a short vacation, making other plans, and just kinda needing the time off. Back at it today:
7/27/2020
BLM 531, Week 4, workout 2.
TBDL: 5x135, 5x165, 5x205, 5x 275, 3 sets of 5 at 295.
Superset with 5x10 DB curls with 35 lbers.
BP: 5x115, 5x115, 5x145, 5x180, 5x195, 5 sets of 5 at 215 lbs.
Superset with 5x10 DB curls with 35 lbers, 5x12 rows (inverted from rings).
Also did throws during warmups.
Note: this day is the āeasiestā of the program, and I was glad for it.
Note that I am no longer including conditioning for each unique day. I am getting in 3 days a week of 30 minutes or so of:
Airdyne, boxing, weight vest walking, or jogging. Plus trying to get 3 miles of walking in each day. Boooorrrrringg, but on the extreme off-chance someone was looking at this and wondering āwhere the heck is the conditioning?ā I thought Iād address it.
Now, on to the workout (week 4, workout 3)
7/29/2020
Back squats: 5x115, 5x135, 5x165, 5x190, 5x205, 5x245, 20x135 lbs.
OHP: 12 sets of 5x85 lbs.
Supersetted with: 5x5 weighted ring pull ups (+35 lbs) and 5x20 TB shrus (185 lbs).
I actually worked relatively quickly. Did a warmup, 3 sets of throws, and the above in 55 minutes.
7/31/2020
Week 5, Day 1 of 531 Building the Monolith
Zercher squats: 5x65, 5x85, 5x115, 5x135, 5x160, 5 sets of 5 at 180 lbs
Supersetted with 70 pull ups and 50 dips
OHP: 5x65, 5x65, 5x85, 5x85, 5x105, 5x115, 23 reps at 85 lbs
Supersetted with 30 pull ups and 50 dips and 100 band pull aparts
Total time = 55 minutes for the workout, plus 10 minutes of warming up/throws
8/02/2020
Week 5, Day 2 of BTM:
TB DL: 5x135, 5x165, 5x205, 5x225, 5x255, 3 sets of 5 at 285 lbs
BP: 5x95, 5x135, 5x135, 5x155, 5x185 5 sets of 5 at 205 lbs
Superset with 5x12 inverted ring rows, 5x10 DB curls with 35 lb DBs
8/04/2020
Week 5, Day 3 of BTM
Back squat: 5x95, 5x135, 5x165, 5x175, 5x205, 5x230, 20 reps at 175 lbs.
Superset with throws (3x5) and vertical jumps 3x3
OHP: 15 sets of 5 at 87.5 lbs.
Superset with 100 shrugs with TB (185 lbs, 5x20), 5x5 weighted pull ups (+35 lbs) and 100 pull aparts (5x20)