TCam's Log - The Road to Elite

Training Logs
1781

CHIMERA

CYCLE 1 - MESO 2 - MICRO C
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON - DEADLIFT // REPS

BW Squat / Split Squat
2x15/15xBW - No plyos, just pulsing in bottom of squat/split squat

RDL w/ Chains
4x365+75 - Belt
4x405+75 - Belt, video below
2x8x365+75 - Beltless, 1st set video below

A1 | Cable Leg Extension
2x10/10x70

A2 | 6" Deficit Reverse Lunge
2x15/15xBW - For adductor testing and continuing to hit quads in the superset

B1 | Pendlay Row - Beltless/Straps
8x275
2x6x275

B3 | Hanging Leg Raise
3x15xBW - Back supported

Didnā€™t know what to expect the adductor to do with deadlifts, but I didnā€™t feel it at all today. The top set of RDL wasnā€™t truly a heavy set like I would have worked up to otherwise, but it was still just extra weight to feel. All sets were strong and controlled. Right hamstring was getting a little iffy on a few reps, so with that and the adductor I didnā€™t feel like I needed a 3rd set of 8.

THURSDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // MODERATE

Outdoor Running
0.56 mi warm-up run
1 mi run in 8:27
0.29 mi walk
1 mi run in 7:50
0.47 mi cool down walk/run
Metrics
~3 mi total running, 8:08/mi avg for work sets, 155 avg HR, 177 max HR, 580 cal

Getting to that, ā€œOkay, itā€™s dark and cold, am I still going to run?ā€ phase of this running journey. But I did it because my wife did it. Itā€™s weird running entirely by feel. There are no lights on our running trail, so the usual visual context of distance and speed is pretty muddied. Not sure if it helped or hurt in the moment, but itā€™s probably good for building my actual running skills.

This was primarily limited by muscular endurance today. Hams, quads, and anterior tibs were all feeling it. No adductor issues.

1782

CHIMERA

CYCLE 1 - MESO 3 - MICRO A
SATURDAY EVENING - UPPER // SUPPORT

Chest Supported Cable Row - Wide Grip
2x8x175
2x12x160

Lying Cable Lateral Raise
3x15x15s - Myo-rep match sets

Incline Cable Curl
2x10/10x15

A1 | Cable Reverse Curl
2x12-15x30

A2 | Cable Wrist Flexion
2x20-25x30 - Thick handle

Overhead Cable Pec Fly
3x10-15x10 - Single-arm, just pec mobility

No notes.

SUNDAY MORNING - HIIT + LOWER // SUPPORT

Hang Clean
10x10x95 - 60 sec rests, done in 14:30

Barbell Side Bend
3x10/10x95

Bulgarian Split Squat
2x20/20xBW - Bottom half ROM only, for adductor rehab

Wanted to avoid the bike for HIIT for the sake of the adductor for this week. I saw a cue for hang cleans about keeping the chest forward the other day and figured Iā€™d try it out. Felt good, so I just made that my HIIT lol. Heart rate was definitely up, but didnā€™t track it.

1783

CHIMERA

CYCLE 1 - MESO 3 - MICRO A
MONDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // HARD

Outdoor Running - 0.5 Mile Intervals
0.5 mi warm-up - Not included
5 Rounds x 0.5 mi + 2:30 walk rest
3:43
3:29 - Best (6:58 pace)
3:42
4:03
4:12 - Worst (8:24 pace)
Metrics
2.50 miles in 19:08 work, 7:39/mi avg pace, 162 avg HR, 184 max HR, 546 cal

Took a hard dip after that 3rd one lol. Just got gassed. Still happy with the first 3 and the ability to continue moving for the last 2. First 3 my avg cadence was 172, which is great for running economy gains.

WEDNESDAY EVENING - UPPER // REPS

** Paused Close Grip Bench Press**
3x315
3x345 - Better than last weekā€™s doubles at 335
2x9x275
7x275

A1 | Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
3x8/8x75

A2 | Weighted Push-Up
15+5xBW+45
15+2xBW+45

B1 | DB Preacher Curl
3x15/15x25 - Myo-rep matches

B2 | Band Overhead Triceps Extension
3x12/12xMonster Mini

This was a much better bench day than the others Iā€™ve had recently. Nothing incredible, just not feeling god awful. Felt like my primary limiter was more to do with actual strength than some pain somewhere. Close grip PRs are 375x3 and 350x4 for close weight/rep combos. Not terribly far off.

Wanted the 3rd set of 9 at 275, but couldnā€™t make it happen. Strength-endurance is definitely low right now. No big deal, it was just more effective hypertrophy reps regardless of the total number.

1784

Just got back from a cruise over Christmas. Got into the gym 4 times while onboard for maintenance. Mostly just some DB and cable work. 2 workouts before leaving were these:

CHIMERA

CYCLE 1 - MESO 3 - MICRO A
THURSDAY AFTERNOON - CONDITIONING // MODERATE

Trail Running
3 miles in 32:59 and 35:59 total (3 short stops noted below)
Per mile:
10:14
12:27
10:17
Metrics:
11:00/mi avg pace, 150 avg HR, 171 max HR, 437 cal

Stopped briefly to let my dog poop, then stopped to decide where to go, and then stopped when I twisted my left ankle lol. Basically right at the end of mile 2, I got a nice inversion ankle sprain. Before we went out, I figured something like that might happen, since I havenā€™t run on anything but asphalt or track. Grade 1 sprain, not a huge problem. The trail was primarily flat with rocky surface and a lot of leaves. A chunk of mile 2 included going through a real hiking trail uphill with tree roots to dance around, hence the slower mile.

Overall happy with the endurance and the fact that I just ran the entire last mile with the sprained ankle.

3 days later it felt completely better.

FRIDAY EVENING - SQUAT

Did some light (but felt heavy) SSB high box squats, just to not deal with the ankle. Canā€™t remember what else now.

Likely going to repeat this micro cycle for starting the new year some time this week. Caught a cold 2 days before getting off the ship. Not surprising with the air travel and being in a ship surrounded by people for a week. Cesspool activities lol. I think itā€™s the first time I got sick in 2024 actually. Almost made a full year :pinching_hand:

Oh well, looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.

1785

CHIMERA

CATCHING UP

Took a week or so to get over being sick and get back into the gym. Did 2 full body days last week which included some back work, feet up DB bench, hack squats, and stationary biking. Not worrying about logging those.

CYCLE 1 - MESO 3 - MICRO A
MONDAY EVENING - DEADLIFT // POWER

Conventional Block Pull w/ Belt/Straps
5x5x405

Pistol Squat Off Box w/ Arm Support
2x15/15xBW
1x12/12xBW - These are a great leg extension alternative if grooved like a pendulum squat

Supported Single-Arm Cable Row
3x12/12x70

Standing Ab Pulldown
15x90 - Abs cramping after this, couldnā€™t get in another set

TUESDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // MODERATE

Air Bike
5 min warm-up
11 rounds: 1 min @ ~330-350 watts (60-65 rpm) + 1 min @ ~250-270 watts (50-55 rpm)
4 min cool down
Metrics
16.4 mi total, 319 cal (bike), 135 avg HR, 164 max HR

No notes. Simple.

WEDNESDAY EVENING - UPPER // REPS

A1 | Close Grip Bench Press
6x275
6x305
2x8x275
6x275

A2 | Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
2x10/10x90
2x8/8x90

B1 | DB Preacher Curl
3x15/15x25 - Myo-rep match sets

B2 | Supported Cable Overhead Triceps Extension
20x45
2x10x55

KB Rear Delt Fly
2x12/12x44 - Semi side planked with elbow on bench to get a cross-body position, a little body English to help out for the heavy KB

Used my plyo boxes as my bench today and it felt pretty good as a wide pad alternative. No left shoulder pain for the first time in a long time. Top set wasnā€™t particularly hard, but no reason to push for more weight just coming back into it after a few weeks.

Everything felt good today. Will get back into the hybrid efforts groove shortly. Not super concerned with running until itā€™s not cold as balls outside. Might start going to the gym to use the treadmill. Undecided.

THURSDAY EVENING - LOWER//SUPPORT

Seated Barbell Spine Things
Good mornings, thoracic good mornings, side bends with bar

Bent-Over Cable Rotation
2x10/10x50

KB Lateral Adductor Shifts
2x15/15x44

Light Tier Plyos - Weighted Pogos
2x60-70xBW+44 - Just hopping up and down at a jump rope height/rhythm while holding a KB

Not an important or focused day. Just needed to move around.

1786

CHIMERA

CYCLE 1 - MESO 3 - MICRO A
FRIDAY EVENING - UPPER // SECONDARY

A1 | Block Z Press
6x6x135

A2 | DB Incline Curl
2x15x25s
13x25s
12x25s
11x25s
10x25s

B1 | Banded Push Up
20xBW+Light Band
15xBW+Light Band

B2 | DB Lateral Raise
20x25s
16x25s

C1 | Band Pushdown
2x8x2 Light Bands

C2 | Cross-Body Cable Row
2x15/15x50

SATURDAY EVENING - SQUAT // ā€œHEAVYā€

Plyometrics - Deep Tier Yielding
3x15xBW

Squat w/ Chains
5x3x365+75

Snatch Grip RDL - Beltless
3x8x315

Single-Leg Squat Off Box w/ Arm Support
2x12/12xBW

Not actually a heavy day. Stayed very conservative since I hadnā€™t squatted since the adductor strain. All moved decently well.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON - LOWER // SUPPORT

A1 | Seated Cable Leg Curl
15/15x42.5
14/14x42.5

A2 | Standing Cable Ab Pulldown
3x15x85

B1 | Cable Hip External Rotation
2x10/10x32.5

B2 | Cable Hip Internal Rotation
2x10/10x42.5

TUESDAY EVENING - UPPER // SUPPORT

Standing Single-Arm Cable Row
3x10/10x70

A1 | Single-Arm Cable Fly
2x12/12x25

A2 | Cable Biceps Curl
15x50
13x50

Cable Posterior Shoulder Sequence
25x25
15x25

Last exercise is standing with 2 handles and performing several angles of rear delt / shoulder flies. A cable version of As, Ts, Ws, & Ys.