TCam's Log - The Road to Elite

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - MESO 1 - BLOCK A

MICRO B - SATURDAY EVENING - UPPER // SECONDARY

Low Incline DB Bench Press
8x90s
12x105s
10x105s - Right pec discomfort on both sets, didn’t push for a 3rd set here

Lat Pulldown - Semi-pronated MAG Grip
8x180
8x210
6+2 x 210 - Myo-Rep match
10x180

Band Assisted Push Up for Time
2 x 60 sec x BW-Light Band - Hand release push-ups as long as possible, then normal for remainder of time. This was tough, wanted 90 sec.

A1 | DB Lateral Raise - Heavy Cheat Reps + Light Strict Reps
10+12 x 45s+20s
8+10 x 45s+20s
6+8 x 45s+20s

A2 | Cable Triceps Pushdown - Back-Supported, Straight Bar
15x75
2x10x75
60 Sec Rests Back to Laterals

Incline Cable Curl - Myo-Rep Matches
20 x 40
12+5+3 x 40
10+5+3+2 x 40

First time attempting a Capacity Set for upper body with the push-ups for time. Again, this isn’t about reps, so I didn’t even count them. It’s just about local strength endurance / capacity and trying to continue moving. I wasn’t able to hit 60 sec straight on the second set. The first was 3/4 partials by the end, even with the reverse band. The pump was great too and 2 days later now my pecs are wrecked (in a good way).

The laterals + pushdowns are hypertrophy clusters a la Jake Tuura. I see this as a mix of structure + metabolism, considering the incomplete rests and density approach. Hence their inclusion in this block.

I never expect much with DB press now, since I haven’t been in the commercial gym enough to use them more than like 3 times in the last 9 months. So no worries there on a lack of performance.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON - DEADLIFT // HEAVY

Paused Sumo Deadlift - Belt/Straps
3x495 - Surprisingly solid
3x545 - Wayyy harder lol

Touch and Go Sumo Deadlift - Belt/Straps
2x6x495 - Haven’t done this in a while. These are controlled eccentric TnG, not bouncing

Wide Stance Squat - Flats/Belt
3x10x315

A1 | Cable Leg Extension
2x10/10+3/3x70 - 10-ct mid-range isometrics after each set

A2 | Suspension Leg Curl
2x12xBW

Anterior Plank Dip
10xBW - Immediate cramping after this, gotta do direct rec ab work more frequently

Standing Band Twist
2x50/50xMini Band - Rapid repeated alternating twist. Band anchored directly in front of me, straight arms and rotating fast and hard from side to side

Haven’t done heavy sumo in a bit and it showed, considering 545 shouldn’t be heavy for me. 495 is totally controllable, but the absolute load above that was winning the battle over my entire axial skeleton lol. It’s not like I performed horribly, my paused PR is 565x5, but it was not comfortable to say the least.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - MESO 1 - BLOCK A

MICRO B - MONDAY AFTERNOON - CONDITIONING // MODERATE

Outdoor Running
1.84 mi in 18:24 - 10:06 avg pace
Then intervals: 6 Rounds of 90 sec on / 90 sec off
Run 1 - 0.20 mi
Run 2 - 0.20 mi
Run 3 - 0.20 mi
Run 4 - 0.23 mi, best one at 6:45 pace
Run 5 - 0.22 mi
Run 6 - 0.21 mi
Metrics
Interval average pace at 7:19/mi, 3.10 mi in 27:34 total running, 162 avg HR, 189 max HR, 710 cal

This was much better than the last run, since my quads weren’t sore as shit going into it. We hadn’t decided on a particular workout, so the initial run was just out to the 2 mile marker on our path (our entrance is a bit into it, hence the weird length). I hadn’t done that long of a warm-up before, but it actually did make the intervals a lot easier when it comes to breathing and recovery between rounds. The next day, I also feel totally fine without the usual leg soreness from running.

I think I’ve also figured out how my microcycles will alternate for upper/lower fatigue. I’ll basically have an upper-led micro and a lower-led micro going back and forth. Otherwise, I was running into an issue with lower body fatigue at the end of the micro while trying to fit everything in. So it’s like this now:

This doesn’t affect anything I wrote in the last discussion of this, I’m just providing an additional 20-day flow to manage fatigue for context, I won’t be logging anything about it.

Lots of lower body fatigue potential here regardless obviously, but some of the fatigue types are different across various forms and I will adjust the “armor” days and slide things up/down as needed. Armor days are my support days that will be for a mix of tissue resilience and health through isometrics, reflexive plyos, just a couple hypertrophy exercises, possible capacity work, etc.

I’ll also miss a slot or 2 sometimes, like dropping a conditioning slot or missing an armor day, depending on how the week is going. Not horribly concerned with that, provided things are improving.

Like today (Tuesday, Day 10), I’m taking off and missing the 2 armor days from this micro because I just hadn’t set up what I was doing until the last few days and I’m not going to shoehorn them in and not be prepared to start the next micro with my primary pressing tomorrow.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 1

MICRO C - WEDNESDAY EVENING - UPPER // HEAVY

Bench Press w/ Chains
3x275+75
3x305+75 - Video below
5x285+75
4x285+75

Bench Press w/ 3 Ct Eccentric / 3 Ct Pause
2x5x285

A1 | Lat Pulldown
4x10-12x135

A2 | Band Pushdown
13, 10, 9 x 2 Light Bands

Hammer Zottman Curl
18x25s
16x25s

B1 | Facepull
2x15x42.5

B2 | Cable Rear Delt Fly
2x8x42.5

Turns out the top set of bench was only 10 lbs off my PR. Had no idea. I did 3x315+75 in April 2021 and noted on that entry that I specifically didn’t mark it as paused bench because it was more of a sink-and-go sort of set. I’d say what I did here was more of a set of actual paused reps.

I’m just gonna go on record and say that powerlifting specific programming is totally unnecessary for getting stronger . Just dealt with a couple of years worth of on and off shoulder pain that kept me working below 315 for 90% of the time… just to finally get back into benching pain-free for like 2 months and be back near PR levels on a significant variation and rep range. And not really trying anything in particular to get back to it but letting the day decide what to do. Same thing happened a few years ago when I deadlifted 675 on more of a powerbuilding style without peaking anything.

Not saying people don’t do well with a peaking program to try to maximize things for a specific moment, but I think a lot of powerlifters (my past self included) would do better not even thinking about powerlifting programming other than in the 12 weeks leading up to a meet. But that would create some unknowns that people don’t like.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 1

MICRO C - THURSDAY EVENING - SQUAT // POWER

Paused Squat - Belt/Oly Shoes
3x405
3x455 - Overshot this

Paused Squat w/ Bands - Belt/Oly Shoes
6x3x315+90 (Light Bands) - 75 sec rests

A1 | Paused Stiff-Legged RDL - Belt/Straps
2x8x315

A2 | Supported Skater Squat Off Box - Quad Focus
2x12/12xBW - Myo-rep matched

Seated Cable Leg Curl
2x12/12x42.5

Lying Windshield Wiper
15/15
12/12

Made the squats harder than they should have been with the top set. Probably should have gone with 435 for more like RPE 8, rather than RPE 10. Low back got wrecked from there. I’ll likely skip a heavy pull this micro since the back has been feeling fatigued and questionable for a few weeks.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 1

MICRO C - SATURDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // MODERATE

Outdoor Running
2.00 mi in 19:11 - 9:35/mi avg pace
+ 7:13 Rest/Walk
1.00 mi in 9:17 - 9:17/mi avg pace (obviously)
+ 3:03 Rest/Walk
0.50 mi in 4:06 - 8:12/mi avg pace
Metrics
3.51 mi total in 32:34 running at 9:00/mi avg pace with 10:16 total rest
156 avg HR, 179 max HR, 762 cal

Quicker pace for the 2-miler without much effort involved. Quads were getting a little crampy at an initial slower pace, so picking up the pace slightly got the pressure off of them.

Going to be a powerlifter here and say “PR for this lift with no belt on a Thursday without my intra-workout candy and only half of a white Monster”, but the initial 2 miles was done while having a pretty consistent conversation, which I definitely haven’t been able to do before this day. Wasn’t easy though.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON - MIXED UPPER + LOWER // ARMOR

A1 | Calf Raise Isometric
3x5/5x240+Max Iso - SSB into pins, split stance, mid-range

A2 | Split Stance Calf Raise
3x12/12x240 - SSB with hand support

A3 | Cable Low Row - Moderate w/ Angles90 Grip - Density Sets
2 x 2:00 x 115 (55 and 48 reps) - 100+ reps achieved

B1 | KB Adductor Shift
2x12/12x62

B2 | Plyometrics - Deep Tier Yielding - Squat Hops
2x50xBW

B3 | Cable Lateral Raise
18/18x20
18/18x20 - Myo-rep matched

C1 | Depth Drops
2x10x24”

C2 | Cable Pec Fly - Single Arm - Paused
15/15x20
12/12x20

C3 | Cable Overhead Triceps Extension - Paused
20x40
15x40

D1 | Incline DB Curl
2x12/12x25 - Alternating 3s with mid-range isometric hold in opposite hand

D2 | Anterior Plank Dips
2x10xBW

Mixed the two slots due to skipping a day and it was a lot. Not a ton of specific notes. Density rows got over the 100 rep mark, so the next thing to do would be to add some weight and try again.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 1

MICRO C - TUESDAY EVENING - DEADLIFT // REPS

Conventional Deadlift w/ Belt/Straps
4x6x455

SSB Step Up - 20"
10/10x150
10/10x200
Unstable hand support on safety straps

Suspension Leg Curl
3x12xBW
10xBW

Cable Reverse Sled Drag
2 x 2:00 x 165

Deadlifts were meant to be submax work and they were, but they just felt disjointed. I’m out of practice on the skill itself. One of those things I have to figure out with mixed training and more time between repeated variations.

Step ups were fun. I’m not sure I’ve ever done anything like that. I don’t feel safe stepping onto this box without some balance support, but it wasn’t like Hatfield support at all. 200 was a solid stimulus. Was conservative with volume on the new variation, will add sets next time.

WEDNESDAY EVENING - UPPER // SECONDARY

A1 | Unsupported Seated Overhead Press + High Incline Press (70 deg)
2x4+4x165
3+3x165

A2 | Supported Quadruped Lat Pulldown
3x10/10x85

B1 | Deficit Push Up
3x12xBW - Controlled eccentric, paused

B2 | Cable Triceps Pushdown
12x85
10x85
8x85

B3 | KB Biceps Curl
3x10/10x35

B4 | DB Lateral Raise
15x25s
15x25s
12x25s

B5 | DB Rear Delt Fly
20x25s
15x25s
15x25s

That first combo exercise was not easy lol. Unsupported seated OHP is already hard as shit, so each first half of the set was already tough. Then I just leaned back to the incline I had set and matched the reps. All sets were RPE 8-9 twice in each set.

The lat pulldowns are done set up like a single-arm DB row, but with a cable in front of me and the non-working shoulder against a support. Better way to do it than sitting on the floor and trying to stay in position.

Giant set was tough and got a great pump Physique update below.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON - CONDITIONING // HARD

Outdoor Running
Warm-Up: 0.75 mi in 7:23 (9:49 avg pace)
Then Intervals: 8 Rounds of 2 min on / 2 min off
Run 1 - 0.28 mi
Run 2 - 0.28 mi - Best adjusted pace (hills) at 6:55 effort pace
Run 3 - 0.28 mi - Best absolute one at 7:13 pace
Run 4 - 0.27 mi
Run 5 - 0.26 mi
Run 6 - 0.27 mi
Run 7 - 0.27 mi
Run 8 - 0.26 mi
Metrics
Intervals: 2.16 mi in 16:08 work (7:29/mi avg pace)
Total: 2.91 mi in 23:31 work
Bio: 162 avg HR, 189 max HR, 700 cal

Happy with being able to keep nearly the same performance across the board despite feeling gassed by the 4th interval. Good effort endurance gains, I suppose.

Average Runner’s Physique

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - END OF MESO 1

MICRO C - FRIDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // LIGHT

Air Bike
45 min LISS
Metrics
21.8 miles, 50 RPM avg, 113 avg HR, 129 max HR, 335 cal (bike)

Hardest part about this was sitting on the bike seat for 45 minutes.

Taking Stock at the End of Meso 1

Again, 3 Microcycles (training weeks) of A+B+C, or about 1 month, is 1 Mesocycle. This was a solid Meso overall. I squatted 455 on three occasions with 2 paused sets and 1 high bar set. I hit 545 paused sumo for a triple and some very hard power work with 365+175 banded conventional pulls. And for bench I got back over 10 reps for 275 finally, with a set of 12, along with getting back toward 90% of a chain bench PR with a triple at 305+75.

And a lot of good hypertrophy and conditioning work in there too, with some long duration runs and solid intervals. All-in-all, it’s been a very productive and cohesive month.

Currently keeping an eye on my knees, right pec, and lower back, in that order. The right knee in particular has been bothering me intermittently since I flew off a fuckin chair, but both haven’t been feeling amazing the last week patellofemoral-ly. So squatting may be a little more conservative on the weekly heavy lift. Pec has just been a little iffy the whole Meso and the lower back has been intermittently uncomfortable.

If I remember to do it, I’m going to take stock on each Meso at the end of it. Since I’m not on a “program”, this should help me keep a decent bird’s-eye view of what’s happening and how to adjust.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO A - SUNDAY AFTERNOON - SQUAT // HEAVY

SSB Block Squat - Belt/Flats
3x3x380 - Solid pauses, all very hard sets

Deficit RDL w/ Belt/Straps
2x6x405

Single-Leg Hyper - Bent-Knee
2x8/8x62

Half-Kneeling KB Windmill
2x8/8x35

Not absolutely “heavy”, but I needed to pick a squat variation that limited the knee loading and decided on putting my plyo boxes under the plates to do Block Squats for the first time ever. They got me right to depth, so coming out of the hole was rough. Might be a good variation to try as a main lift for a while and see what happens.

Rest of the workout was pretty lame, as the knees (quad tendons) were too sensitive to do anymore squatting or leg extensions even, which I tried. Overall I wasn’t feeling totally ready for a full session and I wasn’t expecting much today. So I didn’t force anything.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO A - MONDAY MORNING - CONDITIONING // LIGHT

Air Bike
15:00 with arms and legs with moderate steady pace
Metrics
8.3 mi, 58 RPM avg, 122 avg HR, 139 max HR, 165 cal (bike)

10 minutes later

Outdoor Running
1.23 mi + 60 sec rest + 0.77 mi = 2.00 mi total in 18:20 working / 19:21 total
Metrics
9:12/mi avg pace, 161 avg HR, 176 max HR, 405 cal

Decided against another long bike ride and pushed this toward moderate instead of purely “light”, but those words are ill-defined. It’s just vaguely distance, effort, need for breaks, etc. A pure “light” session would be something I can do without any stoppages. This was done in my hilly neighborhood, which I walk all the time with my dog, but this was the first time running it. Lemme tell you, a variable topography is much harder than relatively flat running.

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO A - MONDAY EVENING - UPPER // REPS

Hypertrophy Clusters
A1 | Feet-Up Close Grip Bench Press - Paused
6x275 - Realized I probably shouldn’t do this for 8 sets
3x5x275
4x275 - Hard slow down
3x5x255

A2 | Cable Low Row - Wide Grip
8x8x160
60 sec rests to next bench set

Barbell Skullover
10x75
8x75

Band Triceps Extension
2x6/6xLight Band
20x2 Mini Bands

B1 | DB Incline Curl
2x12x25s

B2 | Hammer Curl
2x8x25s

B3 | KB Rear Delt Fly
12/12x44
10/10x44

B4 | Band Lateral Raise
20/20xMini Band
15/15xMini Band

Pec was still feeling questionable, so I opted for a lighter bench variation and the non-traditional set scheme via Hypertrophy Clusters. The goal is to maintain bar speed, but that didn’t happen. I got to very hard reps like 4 out of 8 sets. Pec didn’t feel amazing during any of it, but no injuries. Going to work on it over the next several days, probably do overhead work for my secondary pressing day, and give it space to get better.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO A - TUESDAY EVENING - LOWER // ARMOR

A1 | Seated Cable Leg Curl
15/15x37.5
12/12x42.5
2x10/10x55

A2 | Weighted Hip Airplane
3x10/10x44

B1 | Banded TKE
3x25xDbl Light Band

B2 | Split Squat Isometric - Mid-Range Knee and Ankle
3 x 5/5 x 5 sec x Max Overcoming Iso

B3 | Hanging Leg Raise
3x15xBW

Not much to note here. Missing some of the Armor ideas like light plyos, but otherwise this is more the vibe than last week’s mixed day that was too hard for it’s own good.

WEDNESDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // HARD

Outdoor Running
1 Mile in 9:36
+
4 Rounds of 800m + Near Equal Rest
Run 1 - 0.50 mi in 3:42 - Best at 7:24/mi pace
Run 2 - 0.50 mi in 3:49
Run 3 - 0.50 mi in 3:49
Run 4 - 0.50 mi in 4:02
Rests were ~4:00 each
Metrics
Intervals: 2.00 mi in 15:18 work (7:39/mi avg pace)
Total: 3.00 mi in 24:57 work (8:03/mi avg pace)
Bio: 157 avg HR, 188 max HR, 674 cal

Able to push to maintain pace much better on the final intervals here recently. Still feels horrible, but being able to nearly maintain the 8:00/mi pace for the last one was a positive for sure. Hammies were feeling it during all of the intervals after the leg curls the day before, but I was also able to keep going regardless. So it seems my endurance might actually be improving.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO A - FRIDAY EVENING - UPPER // SECONDARY

A1 | Overhead Press w/ Open Trap Bar
3x8x150 - All to about RPE 9

A2 | Supported Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
2x8/8x70 - Sagittal plane
2x10/10x55 - Side-lying frontal plane

B1 | Cable JM Press
3x10-12x55

B2 | Cable Facepull
2x20x55

Cable Preacher Curl
12/12x17.5 - Positioned for emphasis on lengthened range
10/10x17.5

Band Pec Isometric
3 x 5 x 10 sec holds x Light band - This was done like a single-arm band press, not a fly. Not quite maximal overcoming isometrics (I could have pressed it a few more inches), but still high effort and held at mid-range

Not a super on-target workout with regards to my blocks design, but I didn’t have a lot of energy to put toward more than just straight sets. I did like the trap bar overhead press though, maybe because it’s a fat bar. Not sure how heavy I can get with it before the instability hits too hard to control, but I think it’s probably a good variation to keep in the rotation.

I liked these pec isometrics too. Going to keep those in to see if they help with overall pec resilience.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON - DEADLIFT // POWER

Conventional Deadlift w/ Bands
3x3x365+175 (Dbl Lights) - Not fast enough today to repeat the 6x3 from last time
3x3x315+175 - Better

Supported SSB Step Up
10/10x150
2x10/10x200

A1 | Hamstring Gliders
3x12xBW

A2 | Goblet Squat
3x20x62 - Piston style, bottom 3/4 ROM non-stop

Split Squat Yielding Isometric - For Quad Tendons
90 sec x BW - This was tough

KB Side Bend
2x20/20x62

Wanted to get the same weight and set/rep scheme as the last deadlift power day. I could have done it, but it wouldn’t have been high enough velocity to warrant calling it a power slot. But this is why the system I’m following is cool: It doesn’t matter and I don’t get annoyed by it. Sometimes it’ll be better, sometimes it’ll be worse, sometimes it’ll be the same. Progressive overload is not really a programming model, it’s a goal.

Anyway, step ups felt much stronger than last time, which makes sense just from a skill acquisition standpoint. Doubled the volume at 200 lbs, could have done 12s easily. Just going to take my time with them. Still got a huge stimulus on the glutes according to my a s s soreness.

Hamstring gliders are new for me, saw them from Jack Tyler here. Didn’t use this setup, I used some support beams to help more with balance and horizontal force. The way it’s shown in that video seems like too much assistance with the vertical line and would be a regression to more of a rehab scenario. Regardless, definitely keeping them in.

SUNDAY MORNING - MIXED // MODERATE CONDITIONING + UPPER ARMOR

Metcon - 3 Rounds
Air Bike: 30 cal - 2:35, 2:20, 1:58
Cable Rotational Row to Press: 15/15x42.5
Plyometrics (Mixed Medium + Light Tier Pogos): About 130-150 ground contacts per round
KB Swing: 50x62 - Mix of single-arm and normal
Metrics
29:52 total, 136 avg HR, 165 max HR, 336 cal

A1 | DB Incline Curl
2x12x25s

A2 | Alternating Lu Raise
2x15/15x10

B1 | DB Reverse Grip Curl
2x10x25s

B2 | Hammer Curl
7x25s
5x25s

Lying Pec Opener
~5 minutes of pec mobility and yielding isometrics with 5 lbs overhead lying on foam roller

Was supposed to be a light conditioning slot, but it quickly became a moderate one. Didn’t think each round would take 10 minutes lol.

After yesterday’s workout + this, my entire posterior chain is wrecked.

END OF MICRO A - MONDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // LIGHT

Air Bike - LISS
30 mins at 55 rpm avg.
Metrics
16.1 mi, 120 avg HR, 139 max HR, 300 cal (bike)

Split Squat Yielding Isometric
2 x 60 sec / side

Calf Raise Overcoming Isometric
2 x 7 x 7 sec

Simple. Added the isometrics to get a little more therapeutic stimulus for the quad tendons and general robustness of calves/Achilles.

That’s the end of Micro A. It was a solid one overall, despite some nagging pains. Micro B starts with a power slot for bench today.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO B - TUESDAY EVENING - UPPER // POWER

Low Incline Pin Press
6x4x225 - To plyo boxes, full unloading at the bottom, at t-shirt level

A1 | Vertical Inverted Row
3x12xBW

A2 | Band Assisted Push Up
20+30xBW
15+15xBW
Full power hand-release + normal reps to failure/partials

B1 | Floor DB Skullcrusher
30x25s
20x25s

B2 | Band Incline Curl
2x8/8xLight Band

Cable Cross-Body Rear Delt Row
15/15x35
14/14x35

Right pec still feeling iffy, as expected. Limited my bench output for sure, but that’s okay. No real issues on expressing power on the push-ups, but it was deloaded, of course.

It’s been interesting playing with very high band tension for the triceps pushdowns, so I tried it with a curl too. Worked well, it was super hard from 15-20 deg elbow flexion all the way up.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO B - THURSDAY EVENING - SQUAT // REPS

Beltless Reverse Band Squat - Oly Shoes:
4x6x365-15 - Mini bands set up horizontally in the rack, hitting them at about 90 deg knee flexion

Paused Deficit RDL - Belt/Straps/Oly Shoes:
3x6x405

A1 | Seated Cable Leg Curl:
2x12/12x25 - Hard kick to pauses, catching the weight isometrically as it falls

A2 | Single-Leg Squat Off Box w/ Arm Support:
2x12/12xBW

Single-Leg Hip Thrust - Off Boxes:
2x8/8xBW

Very light reverse bands just to give my knees a bit of a break at the bottom. Beltless to make it hard enough otherwise. Based on how the knees have been feeling, this was better than expected.

RDLs were tough. Kind of a ridiculous variation with the deficit, pause, and shoes.

FRIDAY EVENING - UPPER // ARMOR

A1 | Chest-Supported Cable Row - Wide Pronated Grip
28x140
25x140
21x150
60-sec capacity sets

A2 | Chaos Push-Ups
3x12xBW - Also 60 sec sets, not trying to max reps, just spending 60 sec on the bands for general shoulder stability-endurance training
+30 sec back to next set of rows

B1 | Cable Overhead Triceps Extension - High Angle
14x50
13x50

B2 | Band Pec Isometric
2 x 3 x 10 sec holds x Light Band

C1 | Concentration Zottman Curl
2x15/15x25

C2 | Cable Cross-Body Y Raise
2x15/15x10

Instead of doing 2-min capacity sets on the rows, I decide to do 1-min sets paired with the 1-min on the chaos push-ups. So I ended up at 74 reps over 3 min of work in a tight overall timeframe. It’s interesting doing those types of sets, because it’s at a weight that I might only do 15 reps with and think it’s enough (it might be), but then knocking out another 13 reps within the same minute with 2-4 rep chunks means I’m hitting the near-failure threshold like 4-6 times in a set depending on which set we’re talking about. The fatigue-fear bros would hate me. Rowing is pretty uniquely recoverable though.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO B - SATURDAY AFTERNOON - MIXED // LOWER ARMOR + MODERATE CONDITIONING

Leg Extension
15x165
2x15x210

Leg Extension Mid-Range Yielding Isometric
5 x 30 sec on / 30 sec off x 165

Lying Leg Curl
2x15x75

Machine Standing Calf Raise
8x160
2x8x220 - Right Achilles feeling crunchy in full ROM, need to work on that directly

Stationary Bike
8 Rounds:
30 sec at 80% effort at Lvl 15 resistance (85-90 RPM)
+2 min at recovery effort at Lvl 10 resistance (60-70 RPM)
Metrics
5.28 mi, 136 avg HR, 150 max HR, 233 cal (bike)

Went to the commercial gym mainly to take advantage of the leg extension and see how the quad tendons respond to it. Got some hard sets in that weren’t limited by pain. Isometrics were very hard. The knees are definitely sore the next day, but not any more than other things have been recently. I’ll need to back off on the loading a bit if I don’t get some progression there soon, but I’ll start implementing some IASTM to see if I get anything out of that too.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON - CONDITIONING // LIGHT

Air Bike - LISS
35 min at 54 RPM avg
Metrics
18.4 mi, 320 cal, 123 avg HR, 146 max HR

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO B - MONDAY AFTERNOON - DEADLIFT // HEAVY

A1 | Conventional Deficit Deadlift
3x525 - 30 lb PR technically, video below. I’ve done 3x515 beltless though
2x3x495
5x455

A2 | Kneeling Cable Ab Pulldown
4x10x100 - Done during deadlift warm-ups up to top set

Supported SSB Step Up
12/12x150
8/8x230 - PR on this
10/10x230 - PR some more, video below to show how this is set up

B1 | Hamstring Gliders
2x12/12xBW

B2 | Side Plank Dips
2x10/10xBW

This was the best deadlifts, conventional or sumo, have felt in a while. Just no pains and the weight moved well all the way to the top set. 525 was definitely hard, felt like I was about to puke on the last rep, as you can tell in the video after the set is finished.

Another step up on the step ups today. Seems like the appropriate weight to stop at and try to improve control with. I want to have a solid controlled eccentric to the bottom before I increase the weight again.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO B - TUESDAY EVENING - UPPER // SECONDARY

A1 | Overhead Press w/ Open Trap Bar
5x170 - This was a lot harder than expected
2x8x150

A2 | Supported Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
2x10/10x70
9/9x70
8/8x70

B1 | Cable JM Press
3x10x62.5 - All just shifted positionally to make them RPE 8-9

B2 | Cable Facepull
2x15x62.5

Cable Preacher Curl
12+6+6+6/side alternating x 17.5

Cable Incline Curl
12+6/side alternating x 17.5

Quick, solid workout here. I did 3x8x150 last micro on the trap bar OHP, so I thought I could do about 170 for 6s at a similar RPE. Immediately way harder to control though. We’ll see if it’s worth progressing. Not all hard things are worth it, like if external instability is an absolute limiting factor regardless of my improvements in being able to control it generally.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON - CONDITIONING // HARD

Outdoor Running
1 mile in 9:26 + Rest 4:30
0.75 mi in 5:54 (7:50 pace) + Rest 4:00
0.75 mi in 6:12 (8:15 pace) + Rest 4:00
0.25 mi in 2:10 (8:37 pace) + Rest 2:00
0.25 mi in 2:10 (8:37 pace) + Rest 2:00
0.25 mi in 2:04 (8:12 pace)
Metrics
Work: 3.25 mi total in 27:55 (8:29/mi avg pace) with 16:30 total rest
Bio: 162 avg HR, 180 max HR, 775 cal

FYI I’m not doing math on the pace, just taking it from my watch data. Obviously a 2:10 quarter mile is a 8:40 mile pace, so idk what the 3 sec difference is accounting for.

This was pretty difficult. Not unexpected, as the first warm weather run of the year. Steep drop off in performance after the second 0.75 mi run. I wanted to do a couple of half miles after that, but it was not happening without really pushing for it.

THURSDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // LIGHT

Air Bike - LISS
30 min at 55 RPM avg
Metrics
16.0 mi, 293 cal, 118 avg HR, 140 max HR

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO C - SATURDAY AFTERNOON - SQUAT // POWER

A1 | SSB Squat w/ Bands - Flats/Belt
6x3x290+50 (minis) - Wide stance
30 sec to ab pulldowns

A2 | Kneeling Cable Ab Pulldown
6x8x105
60 sec to next squat set

Paused RDL - Beltless/Straps
2x12x315
10x315

Split Squat Isometric
2 x 60 sec/side - Oscillations in mid-range

Foam Roller Hamstring Bridge
2x8/8xBW - Alternating march, like this

I don’t have structured deloads in this system because days like this are allowed to happen when I’m not feeling it. Whether it’s pain, performance, mood, fatigue, etc. Naturally there will be dips that signal a time to drop back slightly. Today was one of those days. So I just got a little bit of main work in, not pushing squats hard due to the quad tendons, and then a couple of rehabby things.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON - CONDITIONING // LIGHT

Air Bike - Long Intervals
5 min warm-up (not included)
4 rounds:
3 min @ 60 RPM
1 min @ 65 RPM
1 min @ Slow Recovery
Metrics
11.0 mi, 131 avg HR, 148 max HR, 218 cal (bike)

Didn’t want to sit on the bike forever, so I did these with the intention of hitting Zone 2 quicker and having relatively short recovery time per round to stay in it.

MONDAY EVENING - UPPER // ARMOR

This was originally meant to be my heavy bench day

Paused Bench
3x275 - Pecs were feeling tight and iffy from the bar up to this. It just wasn’t the day for it, so I made the switch to just doing some accessories and filling my Armor slot here

Cable Chest Press
2x20x50-70 - Don’t remember exactly

Triceps Overhead Extension - High Angle
2x12-15x50

KB Curl with Bandle + Supination
2x15/15x22

KB Pronation with Bandle
2x15/15x22

Single-Arm Cable Shoulder Complex
2x15/15x25 - This was an assortment of movements done randomly. Cable anchored low, high pulling into a facepull, Y-raise, just getting it overhead and slow eccentric Y-raise, whatever happened

TUESDAY EVENING - LOWER // ARMOR

Prone Cable Leg Extension
20/20x25
2x12/12x45 - This was new, good stuff

A1 | Band Adductor Pulldown
2x15/15xMonster Mini

A2 | Supine Band Straight-Leg Hip Extension
2x15/15xMonster Mini

A3 | Single Leg Calf Raise
2x10/10xBW - Controlled, deep ROM

A few new things here. I wanted another way to do more deep position leg extension and I didn’t want the standing version I had done previously. It’s an awkward setup, getting into prone on a bench while the cable is attached to an ankle cuff, but it ended up being a really good variation. Another thing to record.

The adductor pulldown was the same position and movement as a Copenhagen plank, but open chain. Lots of band tension with the hip in abduction to start and pulling it down to the floor. Then I just rolled to my back and pulled it down straight legged from hip flexion to the floor for the hip extension exercise.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON - CONDITIONING // HARD

Outdoor Running - Intervals
0.5 mi warm-up in 4:09
Intervals:
3:00 run at 7:42 avg pace to 0.39 mi + 2:00 rest
3:00 run at 7:10 avg pace to 0.42 mi + 2:00 rest
3:00 run at 7:45 avg pace to 0.39 mi + 3:00 rest
2:00 run at 6:50 avg pace to 0.29 mi + 3:00 rest
2:00 run at 6:47 avg pace to 0.30 mi + 3:00 rest
2:00 run at 6:51 avg pace to 0.30 mi + 3:00 rest
0.5 mi cool down in 5:00
Metrics
Intervals: 2.10 mi in 15:10 work (7:11/mi avg pace) + 16:09 in rests
Total: 3.09 mi in 24:19 work (7:41/mi avg pace)
Bio: 156 avg HR, 174 max HR, 674 cal

First higher effort running in a while. Definitely still more fun than anything above 3/4 mi intervals or long duration running lol. This wasn’t max effort, but it was definitely hard. The new leg extension exercise caught up to me on the “cool down”, which got both of my quads nearly cramping from the slow running and fatigue.

A few hours later one of my new pairs of shoes was delivered, the Nike Rival Fly 4s. They’re are my shorter distance / faster effort shoe. Track work, shorter intervals, probably jumps and such. Would have been good for this workout, but we’ll see next time. The other pair is undecided but I’m between a couple of options for my slower, distance (for me) shoe to help lessen the impact on my legs/recovery and match my foot strike style.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO C - THURSDAY EVENING - UPPER // HEAVY

Feet Up Bench w/ 3 Ct Pause
2x5x275 - Pecs still not happy with me

Chest-Supported Barbell Row - Wide Grip
20x145
2x15x145

A1 | Deficit Push Up - Bottom 3/4
2x20xBW

A2 | Band Pushdown
2x8x2 Lights

A3 | Cable Lateral Raise
2x15/15x25’

Pecs had felt fine since replacing the heavy day, but literally started warming up with the bar here and then afterwards my right pec had a band of fibers that started to twitch repeatedly. So I chose a variation that demanded a lower weight to be safe and got to a couple of hard sets and just moved on. Frustrating, but it happens.

FRIDAY MORNING - DEADLIFT // REPS

Conventional Deficit Deadlift w/ Stiff Bar - Belt/Straps
3x6x455 - Real tough with the stiff boi

Snatch Grip RDL - Beltless/Straps
2x10x315

Paused Leg Press
15x360
2x12x450

A1 | Leg Extension
15x115
2x15x160

A2 | Incline Board Weighted Calf Raise
2x15xBW+140

Kneeling Ab Pulldown
15x125
2x12x150

Good workout here. Got exposed by the double hitter of a deficit with a stiff bar, but that’s the point. Probably going to keep working with the deficit for a few cycles and see what happens with it.

No heavy step ups this week. Went to the commercial gym to be able to just load the quad tendons more simply with leg press / leg extension.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO C - SATURDAY AFTERNOON - UPPER // SECONDARY

A1 | Seated OHP from Boxes w/ Open Trap Bar
8x150
4x4x170
8x150

A2 | Assisted Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
3x12/12x85 - Using the non-working hand to provide some assistance

B1 | Cable Cross-Body Triceps Extension
3x12x25s

B2 | Hanging Weight Biceps Curl
3x10x35 - Attached a D-handle to a KB

B3 | DB Rear Delt Fly
2x20x25s

This was preceded pretty immediately by 4 hours of yardwork, so I didn’t have a ton of energy for it. But still got some good work in. All of the 4x4x170 was very hard.

I liked the assisted pulldowns. It’s just reaching my non-working arm across to put my hand on top of the working hand and helping with some of the weight. Gives it some stability and I can adjust my assistance as needed to get the intended intensity. Felt much better at hitting the whole lat than unassisted where it’s easy to bias just the upper lat and/or teres major.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON - CONDITIONING // LIGHT

Air Bike - LISS
30 min at 58 RPM avg
Metrics
17.0 mi, 337 cal, 119 avg HR, 146 max HR

Added a mile to the previous 30 minute session, but the HR was basically the same. So that’s good. But it also took me 14 minutes at this pace to even cross 120 bpm, another 6 minutes to cross 130 bpm, and another 4 minutes to cross 140 bpm. While I’d like to be in Zone 2 for longer, I’m rarely going to go for 20 minutes to finally cross the 135-ish bpm mark, just to sit on the bike for another 30 minutes. I was mostly at 60 RPM after the first few minutes and going up to 62-64 RPM just to get to a higher HR would have made the muscular effort harder than intended.

I’ll have to figure out the effort balance. Right now it feels like my “light” days are too hard to be for “recovery” (which would be more like a long walk or a long-duration, low-intention air bike ride, not paying attention to heart rate), but also too easy to reach aerobic training adaptations. So it’s sitting in no-man’s-land.

[TylerPK4L]

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - BLOCK A - MESO 2

MICRO C - MONDAY AFTERNOON - CONDITIONING // MODERATE

Outdoor Running - 2-Mile Test
1 mi warm-up in 9:09 + 9:11 walk rest
2 mi in 7:58 + 7:58 = 15:56 (-1:07 PR ) + 8:29 walk rest
0.5 mi cool down in 4:47
Metrics
3.5 mi total running in 29:51 with 17:40 rest, 160 avg HR, 182 max HR, 749 cal

Really happy with this. About 5.5 months ago I hit a 1:17 PR on my 2-miler with 17:03 and I just knocked out another 1:07 off that. I just wanted under 17:00, so it was cool breaking 16:00 and being able to repeat the 7:58 pace exactly.

This was definitely the upper end of “moderate” though lol. Around 1.25 mi it started getting difficult. Around 1.70 I felt like throwing up for a bit. But I’ve clearly improved my endurance in just being able to keep going. Hammies were the only muscular thing I was feeling, so I guess that’s good too.

End of Meso Review

Solid month of training overall, though this meso wasn’t as consistently good on the strength side. Squats and bench were limited by quad tendinopathy and pec pain. But hit a deficit deadlift PR with 525x3, so that’s cool. And still having fun overall. Running has obviously gotten better too.

My block focus wasn’t exactly on point every session, so I could do better with thinking of some general guidelines with that.

I don’t necessarily have to change anything so far. But I was wondering what I’d be feeling at the end of the block for starting the next block focus. Now that I’m here, I’m thinking that the blocks should be 90 days rather than 60 with the final 30 being a meso to transition into the next block where I’m mixing in the new stimuli that is about to be the focus. Eventually it won’t matter whether the transitions are at the beginning or end of the blocks, since it’ll just meld into the whole thing like 60-30-60-30 or 30-60-30-60 and it will be indistinguishable.

So next, I’ll be starting a 3rd Meso for Block A instead of going directly into Block B.