TCam's Log - The Road to Elite

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - TRANSITION BLOCK - MESO 1/1
MICRO B - MONDAY AFTERNOON - CONDITIONING // LIGHT

Lawn Mow x Aerobic // Cardiac Output
1 x 1 hr 15 min
Metrics
136 avg HR, 157 max HR, 842 cal

Hamstring Rehab
Standing Leg Curl Yielding Isometric - Hanging Weight
3 x (5x0:10) x 22
Cable Paw Back
2x15x25 - Common runners exercise, apparently controversial in its usefulness for it, but it directly hits the hamstrings, so I used it

Anterior Knee Rehab
Heel Elevated Split Squat
2 x 1:00/1:00 eccentrics x BW

Bringing back the lawn mowing as light conditioning :sign_of_the_horns: Hamstring is feeling a little tight and some pain with the rehab exercises, but manageable. Anterior knees I’m just continuing to put in these slow-ass eccentrics and seeing what happens.

MONDAY EVENING - UPPER // CONTROL

PREP FLOW
P1 | Shoulder CARs
2x5/5xMicro Mini
P2 | Slow Eccentric Deficit Push-Up
2x5xBW - 8 ct ecc
P3 | Plyo Push Up to Boxes
2x5xBW - Some impulse drops, leading to a few depth drops from 16" boxes and back up

A1 | 3 Ct Eccentric / 3 Ct Pause Bench Press
5x4x275 - All solid

A2 | Vertical Rows
3x8/8x85 Single-Arm Lat Pulldown
5+3+2xBW Pull up - Wide grip
7+3xBW Pull up - Wide grip

Paused Close Grip Incline Spoto Press - 45 Deg
10x185
2x8x185
All at RPE 9.5-10

OUTPUT ACCESSORIES: PECS + SHOULDERS
B1 | Single-Arm Cable Fly
2x15/15x25 - Bent over, high angle
20/20x25 - Standard angle
B2 | Cable Lateral Y Raise
3x12/12x25

OUTPUT ACCESSORIES: TRICEPS + BICEPS
C1 | SCSE Triceps Pushdown
4, 3, 3 x 2 Light Bands - 10 ct concentric and eccentric
C2 | DB Incline Curl
2x8x25s - Off bench, elbows supported, slow eccentrics

Good session here. No issues with the shoulder on the depth drop push-ups this time, good control on the tempo bench, and beat the Spoto total reps from last time by a couple.

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - TRANSITION BLOCK - MESO 1/1
MICRO B - WEDNESDAY EVENING - SQUAT // HEAVY

PREP FLOW
P1 | Low Lunge Walk
16/16xBW
16/16xBW+15 - Med Ball
P2 | Plyometrics - Deep Tier Yielding
2x10/10xBW
P3 | Seated Vertical Jump
2x5x15 lbs - 3 jumps with med ball, 2 without

SSB Squat w/ Chains - Belt/Flats
5x3x330+75 - Strict bar position/form made this hard enough to be high effort and low velocity

Paused RDL - Beltless/Straps
4x3x315 - No hamstring pain but being conservative regardless

OUTPUT ACCESSORIES: HIPS + CORE
A1 | Knees-Bent Hyperextension
3x6xBW+135 - With barbell Zercher
A2 | Decline Sit-Up
2x10/10xBW+25 - Straight single-arm to overhead with DB and twist to opposite side

QUALITY ACCESSORIES: QUADS + CALVES
Ultra Slow Squat - Knees Rehab
1x1:00+0:30x45 - Added a slow concentric component, from bottom to above parallel. Absolutely bonkers
1x1:00+0:20x45
Leaning Calf Raise
20/20xBW - Eversion
20/20xBW - Inversion

Hamstring Bridge Walkout - Hamstring Rehab
3x5/5xBW

The day before I did a knee and hamstring rehab session with the ultra slow eccentric squats up to a barbell and 75-90 sec eccentrics, cable paw backs, and hanging weight standing leg curls up to 20x22 lbs.

The quad/patellar tendons did fine with squats today following the prep flow and using chains again. Moderate pain afterwards and nothing extra the day after. Going to just keep with the rehab stuff and loading this way. Adding that slow concentric out of the bottom of the ultra slow eccentric squats was one of the most difficult quad things I’ve ever done. I’m assuming it’s more useful than the eccentric-only, so I’ll be doing more of it, unfortunately.

Hamstring definitely doesn’t want to be loaded at length still, but otherwise it’s tolerating everything well.

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - TRANSITION BLOCK - MESO 1/1
MICRO B - THURSDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // MODERATE

Outdoor Running x Aerobic // Cruise Intervals
Warm-Up: 0.53 in 5:08
Workout: 5 Rounds x [5:00 run + 1:00 jog]
1: 0.57 + 0.09 8:52/mi run + 10:52/mi jog
2: 0.57 + 0.09 8:46/mi run + 11:14/mi jog
3: 0.61 + 0.10 8:16/mi run + 10:43/mi jog
4: 0.56 + 0.09 8:53/mi run + 10:46/mi jog
5: 0.57 + 0.10 8:52/mi run + 10:48/mi jog
Cool Down: 0.50 in 5:07
Metrics
4.38 mi total
3.35 mi in 30 min working, 9:48/mi avg working pace
2.87 mi in 25 min running, 8:44/mi avg running pace
168 avg HR, 178 max HR, 742 cal

See info below on the workout intent/structure. This was a continuous run with no true rests, just the slower paced jogs which led directly back into the faster pace for 5 rounds.

I thought this was going to suck ass, but it was probably the best I’ve ever felt in a continuous run. Never thought non-walking ā€œrestsā€ would be real at this point, but I felt ready to go by the end of each 1:00 jog. I was wary of my hamstring for all of this, but it felt fine at these paces.

The goal for the running reps was sub 9:00/mi and getting below 8:30/mi at some point, which we did. I hit something very close to my 5K PR within this and then another quarter mile at like RPE 7 overall. I’m also not even sore the next day. This is definitely a workout to keep doing.

Cruise Intervals (aka Broken Tempos) Info:
For building fatigue resistance at race-relevant intensities without grinding through long continuous-pace runs. The intent is to accumulate threshold volume in broken segments to allow slightly higher pace and better quality per rep, while still delivering sustained aerobic load.
Typically 800m–1600m runs or 3–8 min efforts with short, consistent rests (e.g., 30–90s jogs or walks depending on capacity). Rests aren’t for full recovery, they simply delay fatigue accumulation so you can sustain higher output over time. This all allows for better biomechanics, pacing practice, and aerobic tension.

CHIMERA + BLOG

CYCLE 2 - TRANSITION BLOCK - MESO 1/1
MICRO B - FRIDAY EVENING - UPPER // ARMOR

A1 | Ring Push-Up
7, 6, 5 x BW - 10-count eccentrics to super-depth

A2 | KB Drop-Catch Row
3x12/12x62

B1 | Pendulum-Catch Fly
3x12-15x25

B2 | Pendulum-Catch Shoulder ER
3x10-15x25

C1 | Single-Arm Triceps Pushdown
2x10/10x35
8/8x35

C2 | Back-Supported DB Curl
20+8+8+6+6 x 25s - Myo-rep set, 15-sec rests

Explanation of things below.

MICRO B - SATURDAY AFTERNOON - LOWER // ARMOR + CONDITIONING // LIGHT

Combo Plyometrics - Deep Tier Yielding to Overcoming
3 x (3x5+1)
5 yielding bilateral squat jumps to 1 overcoming vertical jump, landing in split squat

A1 | Barbell Split Squat Yielding Isometric
0:30/0:30 x 135
0:45/0:45 x 135

A2 | Cable Hamstring Heel Dig
2x15/15x35

A3 | Oscillations - Standing Reciprocal Knee Flexion/Extension
2x0:10x2 Light Bands

90/90 Hip Deadlift
3x5/5x44 - These are rough, GIF below

Pendulum-Catch Core Rotation
2x8/8x45 - Band attached to strap

Air Bike x Aerobic // Tempo Intervals
3 min warm-up at 50 RPM
20 rounds x (0:50 spins at 50-55 RPM + 0:10 pick-ups at 70-75 RPM)
3 min cool down at 50→40 RPM
Metrics
13.5 mi, 137 avg HR, 149 max HR, 250 cal (bike)

Blog below. First, here’s the 90/90 Hip Deadlift. Kills the front hip for ER capacity.
9090 hip deadlift

PENDULUM-CATCHES

Disclaimers: This is about the 5-10% sort of stuff in training. It’s not about a complete overhaul of training principles or the bulk of my training. Like with trying to make cardio out of lifting, you should just do actual cardio and leave lifting for what it’s good for. These things below are experimental ways to fill gaps that no other training accomplishes. Also, try at your own risk, this is not training or medical advice.

There are a few IG accounts I’ve been into lately that have this pendulum / hanging weight set up and exercises where they are jerking the weight forward and then catching it as it falls, shown in a variety of forms in this post, this post, and this post. All have some good info in the captions. The first (Rob Bozada) has a lot more variety and clear discussion around these things than the last (DAC / Brady Volmering), but both are worth a follow for expanding your training breadth. Grant Fowler, in the second link, has some very out there thinking around training/health and he leans a lot more towards some fringe and/or impractical health and supplementation side. But these accounts all have some really good outside-the-box stuff, as well as some stuff that’s pretty goofy and might not be the best thing to do, or could be covered via other more efficient means. I’m only talking about the pendulum stuff here.

There’s really not a name for these exercises beyond a couple of categorizations I’m gathering: First, ā€œimpulse repsā€, which seem to be more aligned with a high-velocity collision against either an immovable object at a normal rep cadence, or a slightly movable object, at a higher rep cadence, for more of a hard-stop impact and a lot of direct joint/tendon/ligament loading. I’m not sold on those tbh, but they may be valuable for some rehab things.

Second, ā€œreactive catchesā€ or something to do with ā€œjerkā€, like the first 3 links I provided, which are more aligned with actually launching a load and catching it, high-velocity eccentric or isometric loading, braking, reciprocal inhibition, reactive contraction/co-contraction/joint stabilization, anticipatory strategies, reflexive global stability, and neuromuscular/motor control / RFD. Intuitively, these seem more useful to me. It seems like there are a couple of different ways to perform these, either catching the weight at mid-ROM or at the end. The former being more full loading of the muscle/tendon and stopping/braking/reversing the load as the central point. The latter being a hybrid of that and the impulses where a hard collision happens (the second link showing that in the first 2 slides). The former certainly being the safest of all of these options and what I did in the workouts above.

Tons of theory that could be discussed around these, but there are no scientific studies that have been conducted around them, as far as I know. I’m most likely only doing the reactive catches and I’m calling them ā€œPendulum-Catch [Exercise]ā€ or ā€œPendulum-Impulse [Exercise]ā€ (for the hybrid one) from here on, unless standardized name comes about. I’m thinking they will become a hotter topic of discussion over the next couple of years for athletic development, injury-resilience, and rehab. That or I’m just being algorithmically served these things based on what I’m consuming.

I’ll be using for them for Prep Flows sometimes, but mostly for my Armor days, along with hard isometrics, plyos, oscillations, and general control things under a lot of tension. Targeted hypertrophy exercises to meet frequency demands will also be included. I’ll need to ensure I’m not just fucking around, but these days will sometimes be exploration-oriented. These days are meant to fill the gaps and develop the unexplored aspects of speed, impact, tension, reactivity, and mobility that I otherwise don’t get from the other days and keeps robustness/durability as the central point of the Armor days. Hopefully, injuries will be decreased as a result. But who knows lol. I’m very interested in the Pendulum Paw Back exercise shown in that second link from Fowler, once my hamstring is healed fully. I clearly need durability in the hamstrings for speed-oriented running and it won’t come from traditional loading.

If you only care about traditional lifting performance, like I did for 15+ years, these things may not be useful to you. Unless something happens in life that requires sprinting, jumping, or controlling/fighting someone/something, they may never matter. But I also avoided all of that and still got a ton of small injuries that these exercises may have helped prevent, if I knew about them. So, if you want to be super well-rounded, durable, and athletic for a long time, these sort of things may be useful, along with all of the other Armor concepts. I’ll be seeing if that’s true. Either way, seems like fun.

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - TRANSITION BLOCK - MESO 1/1
MICRO B - SUNDAY AFTERNOON - DEADLIFT // REPS

PREP FLOW
P1 | Thoracic Spine Exploration + Hip CARs
2x2:00
P2 | Conventional Deadlift Overcoming Isometric
2x5x5 sec
P3 | Vertical Jump
2x3

Conventional Deadlift w/ Belt/Straps
5x455
5x475 @ RPE 8
8, 6, 5, 5, 4 x 425 - 10 min density block with 2:00 rests, final 4 rep set was effectively around 4RM speed/feeling

High Bar Paused Squat - Beltless/Oly Shoes
6x3x315 - 90 sec rests, power focused

OUTPUT ACCESSORIES: QUADS + CORE
A1 | Cyclist Squat - SSB+DBs
3x15x60+50 - Myo-Rep match sets, bottom 3/4 reps only, knees perpetually held forward
A2 | Cyclist Squat Yielding Isometric
3x0:30x60 - Just dropped the DBs
A3 | Kneeling Cable Ab Pulldown
20x70
15x85
12x85

QUALITY ACCESSORIES: HIPS + CALVES
A4 | KB Adductor Shift
3x10/10x62
Plyometrics - Light Tier - Single-Leg Lateral/Medial Line Hops
2x25/25

All of the first reps of each deadlift set felt super slow off the floor. Maybe something to do with the hamstring and not being totally confident with it (it felt fine though), just a training quality that’s decayed (lots of RDLs, not as much from a dead stop), or a mix. Regardless, each rep after was fine. The density block was very hard, but all solid work done.

No quad/patellar tendon pain at all on the high bar squats. Still hurting during other things and daily living sometimes, but definitely getting signs of improvement.

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - TRANSITION BLOCK - MESO 1/1
MICRO B - TUESDAY EVENING - UPPER // SECONDARY

PREP FLOW
P1 | Shoulder CARs
2x5/5xMicro Mini
P2 | Cable Facepull
2x15x45
P3 | Impulse Drop Push Up
2x10xBW

A1 | Bench Press w/ Bands
6x4x185+Monster Minis (+85 lbs at top)

A2 | Seated Cable Mid Row
2x10x160 - Bilateral, moderate pronated grip
2x12/12x70 - Unilateral

Standing Overhead Press
12x135 @ RPE 8
11x135 @ RPE 10
10x135 @ RPE 10 - Beat last week’s total reps by 1 rep, barely

OUTPUT ACCESSORIES: SHOULDERS + BICEPS
DB Lateral Raise
3x20x25s - Myo-rep match sets
Barbell Biceps Curl
2x10x95 - Some cheating to hit the reps
DB Incline Curl
2x15x25s - Myo-rep match

QUALITY ACCESSORIES: TRICEPS + PECS
Overhead Triceps Extension - Arm Supported
2x15/15x22
Lying Pec Opener
2:00x10s
Slow Eccentric Deficit Push-Up
2 x [30 sec ecc + 30 iso] x BW - Super depth, trying to pull myself down, just shred my anterior shoulder girdle, fam

I’ve done 8x2, 6x3, 6x4 with nearly the same weight on the banded bench the last 3 micros. Will likely do 5x5 next micro and then I have a decision to make on how I want to handle this day. I’m thinking I’ll alternate the order of the 2 presses each micro, since it spreads the progressions out and let’s me work on each pattern fresh. Would still likely keep the intents the same with power first, then volume, so both bench and OHP get the same effects.

MICRO B - WEDNESDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // HARD

Outdoor Running x Glycolytic // Lactate Saturation Clusters
Warm-Up: 0.75 mi jog in 7:28
Workout: 4 Rounds x [3 x 0:45 Run + 0:45 Walk] + 3:00 walk between rounds
1: 0.12 + 0.13 + 0.14
2: 0.15 + 0.12 + 0.12
3: 0.14 + 0.14 + 0.12
4: 0.14 + 0.12 + 0.11
Cool Down: 0.75 mi in 3:00 jog, 1:00 walk, 3:00 jog
Metrics:
3.00 mi total running/jogging
1.55 mi total in working sets in 9:17 (6:01/mi avg)
5:36/mi avg pace for each best effort per round
164 avg HR, 180 max HR, 798 cal

This was spicy. I wasn’t sure what my hamstring would be able to handle on speed, so I chose a duration that straddled the line between Lactate Saturation intervals and Glycolytic Power Endurance to hit a velocity that made sense. Definitely over-shot the speed on some reps anyway. Hamstring held up well through around the 2nd rep of the 3rd round and then it started feeling tighter. But it feels mostly fine the next day now.

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - TRANSITION BLOCK - MESO 1/1
MICRO C - THURSDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // LIGHT

Air Bike x Aerobic // Cardiac Output
Warm-Up: 5 min at 50 RPM
Work: 6 rounds x [3 min at 60 RPM + 2 min at 50 RPM w/ legs only]
Cool Down: 5 min at 50 → 40 RPM
Metrics
122 avg HR, 149 max HR, 366 kcal (bike)

Additional Work
Ultra Slow Squat
1 x 2:30 ecc + 0:30 con x BW - Much better pain tolerance and control on the eccentric than any other time so far. 30 sec concentric from full depth up to just under parallel is still brutal
Hamstring Razor Curl Yielding Isometric
2 x 3 x 0:10 - Assisted with Light band

Normal light conditioning day. Wanted to test out the hamstring for any issues following the running on Wednesday. Never done a Razor Curl, but it was a ton of tension at the distal hamstrings and there was no issue with the strain site. Going to be doing more of these, as well as full Razor and Nordic curls. Gotta get these hammies more durable.

MICRO C - FRIDAY EVENING - SQUAT // CONTROL

PREP FLOW
P1 | General Mobility
5 min spine, hip, knee, ankle exploration
P2 | Plyometrics - Deep Tier Yielding
2x20xBW
P3 | Depth Drop Vertical Jump
2x3xBW

SSB Paused Squat - Belt/Oly Shoes
4x380
3x4x350
Hatfield Squat
10+5x350 - Cluster set with 30 sec rest

Conventional Deadlift w/ Bands - Beltless/Straps
6x2x315+Quad Monster Minis (+200 at top)
Stiff-Legged RDL
10+5x315 - Cluster set with 30 sec rest. To floor, light touch and go.

OUTPUT ACCESSORIES: HAMSTRINGS + CALVES
A1 | Seated Band Leg Curl
2x15x2 Light Bands
12x2 Light Bands
A2 | Single Leg Weighted Calf Raise
3x12/12xBW+62

QUALITY ACCESSORIES: CORE + HIPS
Half-Kneeling Windmill
2x12/12x44
Copenhagen Adductor Raise
30 sec long-lever isometric + 8/8xBW short-lever reps

I was still fatigued from the previous couple of days, even if the last one was light conditioning. Just didn’t have much pop to anything. But that’s okay, still hit the Control work goal of hard sets in with moderate weight and reps through a hard variation.

I set up the bands for deadlifts differently this time. Instead of quadding them and sticking the bar through so it was just double strands, I set the quadded band like 4-5 inches above the bar. Didn’t realize how heavy I had made it until measuring afterwards lol. Explained the bar speed slowing after a few sets.

Decided to try the single cluster set of Hatfields and RDLs as a way to touch a bit more hypertrophy stimulus without any extra time spent on setting up another exercise. Part of what I’m trying to accomplish is getting rid of excess efforts (not necessarily volume) beyond what is useful. Like, I had thought of doing 5-6x4 on the SSB Paused Squats, but I replaced the final 1-2 sets with a different but related stimulus in the Hatfields. Theory being that I had likely gotten everything I needed out of the 4x4 already done and any extra sets would’ve either just been diminishing returns at best and too much repeat volume at worst. All the Hatfields needed to do was be different enough in positioning and hard enough to send a signal in just one set, which a cluster with 2 near-failure points likely provided, without more than 2 minutes of extra work.

This is especially useful when talking about task specific work days like Control and Power, neither of which are about hypertrophy. While the SSB Paused Squats were hard enough to likely still have a hypertrophic response, the Banded Deadlifts likely weren’t, and the squats seemed more limited by my back than my quads anyway. So, simple way to sure up quad work and hamstring/glute work that was otherwise potentially missing.

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - TRANSITION BLOCK - MESO 1/1
MICRO C - SATURDAY EVENING - UPPER // REPS

PREP FLOW
P1 | Shoulder CARs
2x5/5xMicro Mini
P2 | Single-Arm Band Row
2x10/10xLight
P3 | Slow Eccentric Deficit Push-Up
2x5/5xBW

Feet Up Paused Bench Press
6, 6, 6, 5 x 275 - 2 min rests

A1 | Supported Single-Arm Cable Row
3x20/20x67.5 - Myo-Rep match sets

A2 | Deficit Pike Push Up
3x10xBW - Full ROM, like a high incline / OHP all the way to the chest. Started with pausing, then removed to get matched reps

OUTPUT ACCESSORIES: TRICEPS + BICEPS
B1 | Single-Arm Triceps Pushdown
12/12x35
10/10x35
C1 | DB Preacher Curl
15/15x25
13/13x25
13/13x25

QUALITY ACCESSORIES: SHOULDERS + PECS
B2 | Prone Shoulder Swimmer
3x8/8x13
C2 | Band Pec Fly
2x1:00/1:00xMonster Mini - Moving in and out of lengthened half ROM slowly for time

The right elbow/triceps got hit with some pain when I was choosing an exercise for the triceps isolation. Still a little iffy a couple of days later, so keeping an eye on that. Otherwise this was a solid workout.

MICRO C - SUNDAY AFTERNOON - CONDITIONING // LIGHT

Lawn Mow x Aerobic // Cardiac Output
1 hr 21 min
Metrics
145 avg HR, 159 max HR, 1009 cal

Warm.

CHIMERA

CYCLE 2 - TRANSITION BLOCK - MESO 1/1
MICRO C - MONDAY EVENING - LOWER // ARMOR

A1 | Nordic Curl - Cable-Assisted
4x5xBW-35

A2 | Quad Isometrics
2 x 0:30 / 0:30 x 150 - SSB Split Squat
3 x 0:30 x 150 - SSB Squat

A3 | Plyometrics - Medium Tier - Bilateral Pogo
2x30

B1 | Decline Sit-Up w/ Med Ball
2x15xBW+25

B2 | Plyometrics - Light Tier - Lateral/Medial Band-Resisted Single-Leg Pogo
2x30/30xLight Band

Bent Over Cable Core Rotation
2x15/15x35

It’s weird doing cable-assisted Nordics, but they still seem useful. I’ve only ever done them with band assistance, which obviously matches the resistance profile, but the way my cables are set up, it makes the bottom of the movement the hardest part. Obviously this makes the top too easy, but it’s hard to argue that having to overcome that bottom portion is bad news. I’ll probably alternate cable/band use. I’d like to get to full ROM unassisted reps for sure though.

TUESDAY EVENING - CONDITIONING // MODERATE

Air Bike x Glycolytic // Glycolytic Endurance
Warm-Up: 8 min at 50-55 RPM
Work: 4 Rounds x [2.5 min hard (70 RPM) + 1.5 min spin (55 RPM)]
Cool Down: 6 min at 55 → 45 RPM
Metrics:
30 min total, 16.9 mi, 135 avg HR, 170 max HR, 356 cal (bike)

Ultra Slow Squat
2 x 1:30 Eccentric x BW

Foam Roller Hamstring Bridge w/ Marching
10/10 - Right hamstring cramped up pretty hard after this, so I called it there

Main work was pretty hard, but mostly just a mental game of how long 2.5 minutes could feel.

Knees have been ramping back up a bit on pain the past few days unfortunately. I got too confident with the improvements and should have just kept up with the high-frequency rehab. Getting back on it.