The Everyday Experiment

Training Logs
1

Mere Mortals May Apply.

I am new to posting on T-Nation, but I wanted to start having a forum to post training stuff that wasn’t just in my little training notebook.

One of the other reasons, and probably the main reason, I am starting this is because I have decided to basically start following my intuition instead of designed programs. I have a bit of an addiction and it is to the barbell and trying to constantly better myself. For years I have been getting it beaten in my head that I can’t train everyday. Well, alright…let’s see if I can’t. I think I can. I think we all can. I am mainly interested in seeing how my body responds to daily training(muscle and strength gains). I will be rotating full body days with the barbell and full body days with body weight/gymnastic movements.

I’m going to be sharing how things go and I hope (and would love) for anyone else who is training similarly to share their training, progress, stories of world domination, etc. Time to friggin’ crush it…daily! Here we go…

2

What is your goal? Strength? Size? Endurance? Jack of all trades?

3

All of these new training threads are great and interesting, and looks like everybody has someone training someone etc etc.
However there is a “Training Logs” section of T-Nation. Its there for a purpose.

Use it.

tweet

4

[quote]sjhutc wrote:
I am new to posting on T-Nation, but I wanted to start having a forum to post training stuff that wasn’t just in my little training notebook.

One of the other reasons, and probably the main reason, I am starting this is because I have decided to basically start following my intuition instead of designed programs. I have a bit of an addiction and it is to the barbell and trying to constantly better myself. For years I have been getting it beaten in my head that I can’t train everyday. Well, alright…let’s see if I can’t. I think I can. I think we all can. I am mainly interested in seeing how my body responds to daily training(muscle and strength gains). I will be rotating full body days with the barbell and full body days with body weight/gymnastic movements.

I’m going to be sharing how things go and I hope (and would love) for anyone else who is training similarly to share their training, progress, stories of world domination, etc. Time to friggin’ crush it…daily! Here we go…[/quote]
Plenty people train everyday I suppose it depends on your goals as to whether its optimum

5

You can absolutely train everyday.

6

@Brickhead- I am basically just after getting stronger in the big lifts and improving in other skills at the same time (ex.- gymnastic holds, ring variations and various sports that I like to jump into from time to time). It is sort of a jack of all trades type pursuit, but it is also a pursuit of passion because I think life is too short to not be doing all the things you love. I am going to lift, play and love as much as I can.

@theBird- Absolutely, agree. A lot of cool stuff going on right now here. And also totally understand about the training logs. I wanted this to be more of an open forum type of thing though where those who train in this similar fashion, can talk about their training/nutrition and hopefully help each other out along the way. I don’t think this is something that is really focused on too much. Hope you jump into the talk some more, man.

@stevenalex @csulli- Agreed.

7

A little background on me…

I played a lot of sports in High School and then right around 20 I got very heavy into racing Triathlons at a competitive level. Mostly long distance events. 6 Half Ironmans and a couple multi day stage races. Got burned out/sick of barely having the strength to carry my bike around from being so sickly thin. When I hung up the Tri suit about 2 and a half years ago I was weighing about 125-130lbs on a 5’ 7’’ frame.

Needless to say this was not an ideal body to pick up heavy things. I started lifting and reading trying to learn everything I could. I definitely have taken that train everyday, type A triathlon training personality to the weights. I have made relatively good gains in the past 2 years. I am now at about 165 lbs. and am right around 2x my bodyweight on the squat and dead and sneaking up to 1.5 in the bench.

In my first 2 years of serious lifting, I have been attending meetings for Training Program Attention Deficit Disorder Annonymous because I have a serious problem with jumping from different program to different program or just stopping them completely because i like to try different things, but mostly because I will be doing a program and it will say to be doing something on that day, lets say deads, and all i can think about doing is putting something heavy over my head. So i would quench that thirst and not do deads but kill myself on clean and presses.

Also, I like to run. I like to jump. I like the feeling of a perfect jump shot, so i do those things too.

Let’s make this an open discussion for anyone who just wants to lift the hell out of heavy things…often. I am sure there will be plenty of people coming on, screaming about over training or talking about how not following structure is just a fools road. Well, whatever. That is what they want to do, what they think and I totally respect that.

This is more of a pursuit of happiness than a pursuit of making the olympics, but i also believe wholeheartedly that you and I will be a hell of a lot stronger/better people if everyday we wake decide what our body is telling us we feel like picking up today and then do it. But ultimately, those of us who are doing this type of thing, we are doing it because we want to.

Yesterday’s workouts (4/28/2013)

Warm up- Bodyweight stuff
Deadlifts- 10x3 last 5 sets at 293lbs.
DB Bench 5x8 88lb DB’s for all sets, 8, 8, 8, 8, 7
Yates Row 5x8 Had to use the short bb for this and never know how to much that weighs so just went by feel.

Superset of Curls, Rope extensions, and lat raises.

Today’s workout (4/29/2013)
30minute fartlek run
50 pullups
35 handstand pushups
15 jump squats
20 minutes of practicing Front Levers and planches

8

very interesting! i will follow the thread!!

9

I do some sort of training every day. Any normal person can. Frequency is just 1 variable. If you moderate intensity and volume, there is no reason not to train every day for those of us that love training.

10

@DoubleDuce- I definitely agree with that. Do you currently get in there every day?

What is everyone’s experience with the relationship between squat strength and running. So far, for me, it has been simple…If i am running more than 2 days (fast 3-5mile runs) the squat goes to crap. I’ve just had a brief bout with running induced squat murdering, so I am locking my shoes away somewhere fore the time being.

Had a good session yesterday. Woke up and felt like some push presses and High Rows. Felt killer. I also got in the squat rack which was humbling and forced my decision with the running shoes. Good day considering. So far i have been feeling good with the frequency. Today is going to be a bodyweight/gymnastic day.

See you all in the locker room.

11

Had a good past couple of days. Did full body with weights on Thursday 2nd. Really hit the Clean and Presses hard. That wiped me out, but i felt strong during.

Yesterday (Friday, 3rd) was one of those days where i gave into temptation and went for a run in the morning. Crushed 5 miles in right around 35minutes. I constantly amazes me that I am as fast if not faster now for any distance under 10k than I was when i was seriously competing in Tri’s. I think this is as much a testament as any to what impact weight training has on faster twitch muscle fibers and what slow/long distance can do to your leg turnover. ANYWAYS, i finished the day with working on plance and front lever holds for about 40 minutes.

More gymnastic/bodyweight stuff today and then back under the barbell tomorrow. See you folks there.

12

Been in that upper/lower mood of late. Crushed some upper body yesterday…
8/5/2013
Clean and presses to get warm. 3x4 15kg

A1. Bench 5x6

6reps 70kg
6reps 72.5kg
6reps 75kg
6reps 77.5kg
5reps 80kg (got half way up on 6th rep and started going back down. luckily got a spotter for it. SHIT)

A2. Chest Supported DB Row 5x8
30kg DB 8,8,8,8,9

B1. DB Bench 4x8
34kg DBs 8
36kg 8
38kg 8
40kg 7

B2. Wide pull up 4x max
8,7,7,6

C1. Arnys 4x 10-15 12kg Dbs (12reps), 14(11),14(10), 10(14)
C2. Curls 4x8 10 (8), 12(8), 14(8), 16 (8)
C3. Pushdown 4x8 (just kind of went by feel on these to exhaust the muscle.)

Felt really good today. Bench is going up!!

13

[quote]sjhutc wrote:
@DoubleDuce- I definitely agree with that. Do you currently get in there every day?

What is everyone’s experience with the relationship between squat strength and running. So far, for me, it has been simple…If i am running more than 2 days (fast 3-5mile runs) the squat goes to crap. I’ve just had a brief bout with running induced squat murdering, so I am locking my shoes away somewhere fore the time being.

Had a good session yesterday. Woke up and felt like some push presses and High Rows. Felt killer. I also got in the squat rack which was humbling and forced my decision with the running shoes. Good day considering. So far i have been feeling good with the frequency. Today is going to be a bodyweight/gymnastic day.

See you all in the locker room.[/quote]

I do some training everyday, yes. weights 5 to 6 days a week plus cardio/conditioning 4 to 5 days.

Yes, long running (30 min+) makes my squat tank.

good luck.

14

@DoubleDuce- Appreciate it, man! And yep that is strangely kind of the magic minute marker for me, as well. Over 30 minutes running is basically the death sentence for any improvement on my squat. And explosivenes?? Holy crap, forget about any explosiveness if you are putting in those kind of runs.

15

Past couple of days training…

5/8/2013- Lower Body Junk (squat is just embarrassing after an extended time of running a lot! but it’s coming back, slowly but surely)

WU- Gymnastic holds - planche and front lever

A1) Power Cleans form/speed work- 50kg x3, 51.25x3, 52.5x 3, 53.75x3, 55x 3

B1. Squat- 60kgx5, 75x5, 70x5, 75x5, 80x5, 85x5, 60x10
B2. Leg Raises

C1. Deadlift 70kg x5, 110kgx5,115x5, 120x5, 125x5, 130x5
C2. Old school situps

D1. DB bulgarian squat 3x8 14kg DB’s on all sets
D2. Leg Curl Machine 3x8 40kg, 47kg, 47kg

Finished with a blast of squat jumps

5/9/2013-

Forced myself to not run, so VICTORY that i was able to stay away from it. Instead did some non impact stuff. Mostly 40 minutes of 3minutes on elliptical then 30 seconds each of planche and front lever hold, then repeat.

Been feeling really good (knock on wood). Still feeling the upper/lower mindset i have been rolling with. Hitting the barbell today. See you fellas there!

16

Past couple of days’ workouts:

5/10/13 upper body madness:
WU- Body weight stuff and then 4x speed Clean and press 50kgx 3, 50x 3, 52.5x 3, 52.5x3

A1) Bench 70kg x8, 80x5, 85x3, 90x3, 92.5x3, 95x3
A2) Chinup BWx 5, 5kgx5, 10x5, 10x5, 10x5, 10x5

B1)DB Bench 32kg DBs x 10, 34x10, 36x10, 38x9
B2)DB Upright Row 12kg DBs x10, 14x10, 16x10, 18x10

C1)DB Row 22kg DBs x 12, 24x 12, 26x12, 28x12
C2)DB Curl 12kg dbsx 12, 14x12, 16x7, 10x12
C3)Overhead ext. 22x12, 24 x12, 26x10, 20x14

AB stuff

I felt a little tired on the bench today, but still ended up hitting an un-spotted PR, niiiccce. blows my mind how that happens occasionally.

5/11/2013

Couldn’t take the craving. Had to get in a little tempo run today. Progressive 4 mile tempo run (each mile faster than the previous). Ended up finishing it in 28min 29sec. Then i just worked on some gymnastic holds (planche, front lever).

Heading off to the gym right now for some alone time with the barbell. I dedicate this one today to all those mothers out there! See you all by the chalk.

17

I’ve been rolling along the past week and a half. I am getting my MA in film right now and getting absolutely demolished by deadlines right now. Just today I am submitting my recent 20minute film and 3000words accompanying it theoretically.

Training has still been consistent though. I ALWAYS make time for it. Food is always the biggest issue for me though. Mainly in terms of ‘am i getting enough’.

I started this log to keep track of things kind of maybe help me be inspired to shoot for goals, which i have felt lacking in since giving up Triathlon. I have been thinking about it a lot and i am just in love with moving heavy things (for me), so i think a sport like strong man would be ideal. I am a small dude, 5’ 7’’ and about 165ish pounds. But I would love to compete in events with the lightweight divisions. Just need to keep getting my strength up. Anyone with any insight for lightweight strongmen or strong man training in general. Going to keep my training intuitive but mainly keep things to a push/pull type of split. And NOWHERE near as much running. If i need to sweat i will do it in a less “pounding” style and if i do want to fun fast i will make it short and sweet. Hit it and quit it, as they say.

Pull Day today. Let’s go.