1/13/21
Cardio
~1 mile run outdoor
Decided to run outside today since it the weather is pretty fair today, sitting right around 36* (2.2* or so for the C folks). My house to the end of my road is about half a mile, so there and back is a convenient run. There’s a handful of elevation changes on the loop so it stays interesting.
@kdjohn Thanks man! Gotta give a shoutout to Pwn for that, protocol seems to be working for me too.
1/15/21
Pull workout
Hang cleans:
45x5
95x2
115x2
135x2
155x2
GIANT SETS (jumps - pulls - core)
Box jumps: (3 steps)
x3
Mat pulls: (6)
135x5
225x3
275x2
315x1
375x3x5
Hollow hold:
x20s
GIANT SETS (row - chin - core - core)
BB row:
170x3x10
Overhand pullups:
1x8
2x7
Hanging leg raise: (arm loops)
+25x3x13
Band good morning:
3x12
HANGBOARD
10s on/20s off just going through some different holds
Cleans felt like garbage, its been a few weeks since I’ve done them and the first time back is always a stinker. Pulls were decent though.
Think I’m hitting the end of the road as far as linear progression goes for the assistance stuff. Rows are still feeling solid, but they’ve definitely become a full back movement rather than something I can target the lats with. I’m just barely eeking out an additional rep on the chins each week too, probably because my upper back is doing more during the rows now. Just going to keep riding it until I really stall out though.
I’m getting the year correct at about a 50% success rate in the log right now. I’m glad I don’t have to track dates very often any more, it usually takes me a good two months to start getting the year right.
Nice
1/16/21
Bench workout
GIANT SETS (row - bench - core)
DB row:
65x6x8
Axle bench:
50x10
80x5
120x5
150x5
185x2x5
185x7
Band twists:
x10/side
SUPER SETS (press - raise)
Close grip football bar floor press: (middle grips)
125x10
125x9
125x7
Overhead plate raise:
25x2x10
25x9
SUPER SETS (dips - rows)
Ring dips:
x1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
Inverted ring rows: (15)
x10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Band pushdowns:
x100
Pretty solid workout, considering I didn’t do myself any favors staying up until 3am and then having a fairly early morning and barely eating today.
Went with a ladder for dips and rows instead of the timed sets because I’m watching my friends dog and the loud beeper on my timer would’ve made him lose his mind haha. Poor guy.
1/19/21
Squat workout
GIANT SETS (jump - squat - core)
Box jumps:
x3
SSB pause squats:
95x3
135x2
155x1
185x1
205x1
235x1
255x1
205x5
Ring plank:
x20s
GIANT SETS (lunge - squat - core)
DB reverse lunge:
80x3x5
DB goblet squat:
40x3x10
Band upper back GM:
3x15
CONDITIONING
Half burpees:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Step ups:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
Main work was a bummer tonight. Top rep felt like a good stopping point, but had a little twinge in the knee on the way up. Barely made it to 5 reps on the first set of volume work and decided I was done there. Just did some easy assistance and then a solid conditioning workout.
Feeling pretty wiped out today. Having some digestion issues and feel emotionally drained, thinking it’s a chicken/egg type scenario.
1/20/21
Press workout
GIANT SETS (chins - press - core)
NG chins: (middle close grip)
x10
+15x5
+25x5
+35x5
+45x5
+60x5
Axle press:
50x10
80x5
100x5
110x3
120x5
120x3
Side plank bends:
x10/side
GIANT SETS (press - dips - raise - band)
BTN press:
80x10
80x8
Football bar press:
85x10
85x7
Axle press:
85x10
85x8
Dips:
6x fail
Lateral raise:
10x3x12
10x3x11
Band pull aparts:
6x20
Poundstone curls:
x101
This workout continues to deliver. I was surprised given my low yesterday, but feeling much better today and had a great workout.
Got my target reps on the top set again. Really learning how to grind reps again, showed up in the supplemental work too because I really didn’t think I’d see improvement there.
The curls were an experience, just friggin painful and I hate that I’m going to be pushing reps further now haha.
But think of the gunzzz!
I compensate by purchasing metal ones 
Some day I’ll put more effort into arm training. But it actually dawned on me last night, my elbows feel pretty fantastic these days. Those absurd rep counts may have something to do with it.
High-rep curls and extensions for elbows and knees do wonders for your joints. Loads the area with so much blood for your tendons.
Also, don’t underestimate eccentrics or isometrics. Even as pain relievers.
1/22/21
Pull workout
Hang cleans:
45x5
95x2
115x2
135x2
155x2
GIANT SETS (jumps - pull - core)
Box jumps: (3 steps)
x3
Mat pulls: (5)
135x5
225x3
275x2
315x1
375x3x5
Hollow holds:
x20s
GIANT SETS (row - chin - core - core)
BB row:
175x3x10
Overhand pullups:
2x8
1x7
Hanging leg raise: (arm loops)
+25x3x14
Band good morning:
3x12
HANGBOARD
10s on/20s off
Jugs x3
Sloper x3
Wide crimp x3
Narrow crimp x3
Flexed arm hang on jugs until I didn’t want to be there anymore x1
This workout is getting pretty silly. After the first work set of pulls I set the bar done and had a nice smile at how easy it felt. The next two sets did not have that result but they moved quickly.
Assistance work is getting pretty cheat-y at this point. After this cycle I’ll need to re-evaluate and make some changes so I’m focusing more on the muscles rather than the movement again.
1/23/21
Bench workout
GIANT SETS (row - bench - core)
DB row:
70x6x8
Axle bench:
50x10
80x5
120x5
150x5
190x3x5
Band twist:
x10/side
SUPER SETS (press - raise)
Close grip football bar floor press:
125x2x10
125x7
Overhead plate raise:
25x3x10
SUPER SETS (dips - rows)
Dips:
21-15-9-5
Inverted rows: (15 - dip bars)
21-15-9-5
Band pushdowns:
x100
Happy with this workout even though I’m pretty sure I’m at the end of the road with the linear progression. Last rep of the last set was quite a grind.
Undecided how I want to approach the next three weeks. Figured I’d need a programming change after this cycle, so I’m between just trying to keep pushing what I’m doing, or just try some random stuff the next three weeks and let something 5/3/1-esque take over with the next cycle.
What arm loops do you have?
After my deload I have another leader of SVR coming up. Since I don’t have a bench day at the moment and am doing a dip-less pwns shoulder routine on bench day my SVR days look like this,
Week 1:
Press
Press RPMain squat
Back squat WMDeadlift
RDL WM
Week 2:
Press
DB Press BBBSquat
Zercher BBBDeadlift
“trap-bar” BBB
Week 3
Press
Log press SSLSquat
Front Squat SSLDeadlift
“trap bar” SSL
Maybe that appeals to you, I don’t know.
Hey man, these are the arm loops I have:
I’m not even sure how I came into possession of these haha.
I was actually considering SVR for my new bench programming once I’m through this cycle. Easiest would be switching to Rhodes 5x5/3/1 as I wouldn’t really have to change anything about the workout, basically the same thing but with a more long term focus. Lastly I’ve always got Five and Dime in the back of my mind.
1/25/21
Squat workout
GIANT SETS (jump - squat - core)
Box jump: (3 steps)
x3
SSB box squat: (bench)
45x10
95x5
135x3
185x1
225x1
275x1
295x1
235x8
235x2x5
Plank:
x20s
SUPER SETS (lunge - squat)
Reverse lunge:
x1-10/eg
Air squat:
x1-10
Band upper back good morning:
x50
Quick hitter of a workout. The bench is a bit of a high squat, but it takes nothing to set up and I can really hammer the legs with some weight on it. Decided to just make my assistance and conditioning work into one thing so I could get out of there. All this took like 35 minutes.
1/26/21
Press workout
GIANT SETS (chin - press - core)
NG chins: (middle wide grips)
x10
+15x5
+25x5
+35x5
+45x2x5
Axle press:
50x10
80x5
95x5
105x5
115x7
115x5
Band Tate side bend:
x10/side
GIANT SETS (press - dip - raise - band)
BTN press:
80x10
80x9
Football bar press:
85x10
85x8
Axle press:
85x10
85x8
Dips:
6x failure
Lateral raise:
10x4x12
10x2x11
Band pull aparts:
6x10
Poundstone curls:
x102
Solid enough workout, was hoping to get one more rep on either the top set or the following one but wound up just matching my last effort at this weight. All good, doing a different chin and core variation so I’m fine with it all. Improved a touch on the supplemental so still trending positively.
Curls continue to be an experience.
1/28/21
Pull workout
Hang cleans:
45x5
95x2
115x2
135x2
155x2
GIANT SETS (jump - pull - core)
Box jump:
x3
Mat pulls: (4)
135x5
225x3
275x2
315x1
375x3x5
Hollow hold:
x20s
GIANT SETS (row - chin - core - core)
BB row:
180x3x10
Overhand pullups:
3x8
Hanging leg raise: (arm loops)
+25x3x15
Band good morning:
3x12
HANGBOARD
10s on/20s off
Jugs x3
Sloper x3
Wide crimps x3
Narrow crimps x3
Flex arm hang on jugs x1
Cleans and mat pulls were ridiculous today. Almost threw my first clean at 135 over my head. The last two reps of the last set of mat pulls were challenging, but every other one was smooth sailing.
Assistance work gets looser with each passing week. Rows are getting pretty cheaty towards the end and the pullups are involving a fair bit of body english to complete the reps. Back is feeling lit up afterwards still. When I switch to something more contraction based I bet some good things will happen.
1/29/21
Bench workout
GIANT SETS (row - bench - core)
DB row:
75x6x8
Axle bench:
50x10
80x5
120x5
150x5
195x5
195x4
175x7
Band twist:
x10/side
SUPER SETS (press - raise)
Close grip football bar floor press:
115x10
135x6
125x7
Overhead plate raise:
25x3x10
SUPER SETS (dips - rows)
Dips:
4x15
Inverted rows: (dip handles)
4x10
Band pushdowns:
x100
Decided to give it one more week and see if I could get 3x5 again. I could not, first set was a legit 5RM. Happy to get 4 on the next and decided to drop the weight for the third set. I have two weeks left in this programming cycle so I think my next two bench workout I’m just going to freestyle and do what feels like it should be done those days.
1/31/21
Extra work
Circuit, 5 rounds:
Hang board pullups: x6
Ring pushups: x8
Reverse crunch: x10
Band glute bridge: x10
Jump rope: x50
Easy workout today. Been slacking on doing cardio and just cannot bring myself to use the treadmill. Think this type of work is going to be the solution until it warms up enough to run outside.
2/1/21
Squat workout
GIANT SETS (jump - squat - core)
Box jumps: (3 steps)
x3
SSB box squats: (to bench)
95x5
135x3
185x1
225x1
275x1
305x1
325x0
245x3x5
Plank:
x20s
SUPER SETS (lunge - squat)
Reverse lunges:
x1-10/leg
Air squats:
x10-1
Band upper back good morning:
x50
Jump rope:
~3 minutes
Another quick workout tonight. I’m pretty sure I have enough strength to squat 325 from my bench, but I need my brain to allow my body to do it. I seem to have a kill switch when it comes to max effort stuff, especially squats, where I’m consciously ready to grind something out but subconsciously my brain is like “nope”.
Did a ladder for the lunge/squat super set this week. Nice burn in the quads.
Had a song I really like come on right as I started those good mornings so decided to skip rope until it was over. Calves were starting to cramp up something fierce.