ZM Strong like Bull training log (Tactical Barbell training log)

Training Training Logs
885

Breakfast:
3 eggs
3 oz ground beef
1 cup whole milk
----Total: 559 Kcal, 32g fat, 13g carbs, 51g protein

Workout
OHP
45 x 5
55 x 3
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5

Squat
95 x 6
115 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
170 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5
cut this one set short, after the fourth set I twisted my leg wrong

Pullups
5
5
5
5
5

Assistance: Grip
10 archer pushups
10 side squats
deadhang 32 seconds
25 88lb kettlebell squeezes
10 count 88lb kettlebell one arm hold each side
Forearm curl high bar x1
rev forearm curl low bar x3

After workout snack
1 ensure
----Total: 220 Kcal, 6g fat, 32g carbs, 9g protein

Lunch:
1 roll with turkey and cheese
1 juice box
most of a tbsp oregano
1 shred of lettuce
1 crouton
----Total: 492 Kcal, 14g fat, 61g carbs, 29g protein

Need 1429 Kcal and 71-111g protein left (for 160g total and 200g total respectively)

I did the cardio bike challenge as practice. Only got 2:59, which is still beating my set goal of less than 3 minutes, but I need to start practicing again.
A kid a know was doing trap bar deadlift, and he was doing something like 250 (I found out the trap bar is 50), so I asked if I could try it. Easy. Even after doing the challenge (I did rest some). So we moved up a bit. 270. 300ish. 320. and finally 340. Uh
 I can trap bar deadlift (albeit it was a LONG grinder) 340lbs??? That’s surprising. The kid (110lbs, he’s strong and trains with that exercise) topped at like 290 or something, with a belt. I didn’t use a belt because I don’t believe in belts. Its cheating. If you can’t lift it without a belt, you can’t lift it. Never used one, never will.
I know its supposed to be easier than conventional deadlift though, right? So what might be an approximate of my normal deadlift (if you can even calculate it with that)? Im curious now.

Time to eat

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886

Dinner+Snack
1 blueberry bagel
1 tbsp honey
1 cheese stick
3/4 cup granola pecan cereal
1 cup pasta
1/8 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
5 small mushrooms
----Total: 1254 Kcal, 46g fat, 151g carbs, 66g protein

Need 5 or 45g protein, and have 175 Kcal left. Will probably have a glass of milk.

Milk
1 cup milk
----Total: 149 Kcal, 8g fat, 12g carbs, 8g protein

Days total: 2674 Kcal, 107g fat, 269g carbs, 163g protein
This is decent.

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887

October 30th 2025 W10D4 Nothing (did cardio yesterday)

Glad I did my cardio workout yesterday, it is raining this morning.

Tomorrow when I have strength, we have a half day so Il have to try to squeeze in everything in the roughly 45 minutes we have for that class.

We’re not allowed to wear a costume to school on halloween
Well, today isn’t Halloween! Im going to try. Il ask my parents. I should have planned this out more
Nah nevermind I don’t wanna dress up.

Breakfast in about 10 minutes.

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888

Never used one, never will.

You’re a bit young to start ruling things out forever. These are all just tools in a toolbox. You may not ever need a jigsaw, but it’s still nice to have one in case the need arises.

Congrats on the 340lb pull. That’s a great feeling. That’s over twice bodyweight.

In truth, trap bar and conventional lifts vary based on lifter. I actually pull LESS weight on a trap bar (assuming low handle rather than high handle) than I do on a barbell, because I’m built to hinge and terrible at squatting, and the trap bar is less hinge and more squat. The bar itself has a wonderful and fascinating history though. Paul Kelso talks about it in his Shrug Book.

1 Like
889

Yeah your probably right. Still, I don’t think I will use one, at least anytime soon.

I probably pull more weight on the trap bar, just given that last time I checked I could only deadlift 245. I think when I do more rest and retest week I will try it.
Traps are feeling the pulls, so that’s good.

Breakfast:
2 eggs
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1 string cheese
1 cup milk
1 pack protein oatmeal
1/2 cup granola cereal
1 cup orange juice
----Total: 889 Kcal, 35g fat, 98g carbs, 50g protein

Lunch
Turkey and cheese salad (I pull out the cucumber, broccoli, and tomato. I don’t like cucumber how they cut it, and broccoli and tomato do NOT belong in a leafy salad. I pulled out the bell pepper too because I didn’t feel like biting off pieces (C’mon school, I don’t want full rings of the pepper in my salad, I wants pieces. ) )
----Total: 221 Kcal, 12g fat, 10g carbs, 19g protein

Snack:
1 cheese stick
1 spreadable cheese wedge
1 hot pocket
----Total: 425 Kcal, 21g fat, 41g carbs, 17g protein

Dinner:
1/2 cup tuna noodle casserole
10.5 oz tilapia fish
----Total: 639 Kcal, 19g fat, 24g carbs, 92g protein

Days total: 2173 Kcal, 87g fat, 173g carbs, 178g protein
I have 527 Kcal, and whatever left. I will have some carbs.

Martial arts was fun. Last session until March. We learned the whole 1-2-3-4 punching thing. Jab Cross Hook Uppercut. I remember learning it last year.

Science program was good today. I started writing down the charactaristics of the moss we have, and we prepared the agar solution. Tuesday we should be able to pour it into the dish, autoclave it, and put on some moss pieces. It should work.

Is there a spot I can add in kettlebell work during mass protocol? For awhile I’ve just thought it was like one of those “gimmick” exercise things that you don’t need, but after looking into it, I think it would be really beneficial. I want to experience the so-called “what the hell” effect. In the school gym we have an 88lb one and something around 72lbs. The gym I go to with my brother has everything from 7.5lb to +100lbs. I would only realistically be able to go there on Saturdays and on holiday breaks. I have an 8lb one here at home I can use to get a hang of the movements.

Tomorrow I will have a rush session of lifting. Super duper setting is what I’ll have to do. Luckily the squat racks are open normally, so I should have no problem switching between two for OHP and Squat. Pullups I can do on the rack itself (Its one of those power racks or whatever. Il have to miss the core stuff but I can do that at home no problem. If I do it at home. I should still be able to fit in face pulls.

After pulling 340 on the trap bar yesterday, I really like the idea of getting stronger. That’s my real priority now. It was more of just “This is better, you just have to do it”, but now I love getting stronger.

I need to start reading more. Any books that you would really suggest reading (weight lifting or not)? I need to start reading the book I have. I wonder when its due back to the library.

Better do my physics question for my homework. Then I can eat.

Snack:
1 granola bar
1 ice cream cup
2 small pieces of beef jerky
----Total: 236 Kcal, 10g fat, 35g carbs, 5g protein

Days total: 2410 Kcal, 97g fat, 208g carbs, 183g protein

Fine enough for me

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890

As far as kettlebells with Mass Protocol go, they can fit in during the supplemental work of Grey Man or during specificity, and they can be used during fobbits for conditioning on specificity. Otherwise, they slot in nicely with Operator, both during the lifting and during the conditioning.

Getting stronger is awesome! I’m glad you’re enjoying it.

For books on lifting, I think you’d really enjoy John McCallum’s “Complete Keys to Progress” and Paul Kelso’s “Powerlifting Basics Texas Style”. As a fan of the bible, you’ll appreciate how these books teach lessons through parables. Religious scholar Dan John is also a fantastic author to read on the subject of training, and his book “Never Let Go” is wonderful, along with pretty much everything else he writes.

For non-lifting reading, I’ve already pointed you in the direction of “The Richest Man in Babylon”. I read that like 14 times in high school. A book I WISH I had read in high school is Arthur Schopenhauer’s Counsel’s and Maxims. I saw you were working your way through Meditations, and it’s a similar read in that regard, in that it’s less one comprehensive work and more a collection of powerful thoughts. Nietzsche wrote in a similar way, and I encourage him as well, but he may prove disagreeable to you.

1 Like
891

Maybe next time with operator, I will try it out. As for Mass protocol, I was thinking of doing gladiator, but grey man could work. I would just have to do it the same way I do it now, schedule wise, with it flipping from Mon/Wed/Fri to Tue/Thu/Sat. Specificity I forsee me using them for sure.

Il check those out, Yeah I did start reading The Richest Man in Babylon, but it seems I’ve forgotten about reading it. Il have to revisit it.
I’ve heard of Nietzsche’s works, and how he said “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him”. Which, I see his point of view. I will have to test reading his books, of course, to see how I fair with it.

Breakfast:
1 Jimmy Dean sandwich
1/2 cup milk
1 packet protein oatmeal
----Total: 674 Kcal, 34g fat, 65g carbs, 29g protein

Workout: Strength that might count as a form of cardio. Supersetted everything. Done in about 24 minutes.

OHP
45 x 5
55 x 3
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5

Squat
115 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
170 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5

Pullups
5
5
5
5
5

60lb face pull x 12

Lunch (in progress)
1 cheese stick
1/2 cup granola cereal
1/8 cup beef bbq (bbq and that cereal (pecans, corn flakes, and granola bits) is really good together)
----Total: 283 Kcal, 14g fat, 32g carbs, 12g protein

Need 1743 Kcal and atleast 117g protein.

Time to do my homework. Then I can eat some more

2 Likes
892

Kinda sorta but not really. That’s an oversimplification that should not keep you from reading his work

I do appreciate you copying over more than just “God is dead” though. That’s the real killer oversimplification

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893

Snack:
1 can chicken
1/4 cup cheese
1/8 cup rolled oats
1 mini kitkat
1 bit of a brownie
2 rice crispy treats (homemade)
----Total: 664 Kcal, 23g fat, 59g carbs, 54g protein

Need 1079 Kcal and atleast 64g protein.

Today I’m going to be a little lax on the diet, its a holiday after all. Protein is a requirement, though.

I’ve been thinking about the different types of exercises.
There are major compound movements which build much, and are the majority. You can’t go all the way with just them, though. At a point you would need to target more specifically. Take Bench press. That involves chest, triceps, and shoulders. Eventually, it may be good to consider adding isolation movements, to strengthen each part. so Pec-dec for chest, tricep pushdowns for triceps, and something like OHP for shoulders (though that might be considered more of a compound movement, the point withstands). Of course, you can’t neglect the pulling muscles, because those help stabilize when coming out of the movement. So of course there’s the compound pulling (for this it would be rows or weighted pullups. And those would eventually want isolation movements (curls for biceps, something to isolate lats, something for shoulders).
Of course this is just simplified, but I think I’m getting my view across. Compound for the 80%, isolation for the 20% you can’t reach using only compound.
Now, is this true at all? Or am I just making stuff up? It sounds plausible to my ears.

You can’t build much strength or muscle with only isolation movements, I know. I assume this is due to the fact that the body doesn’t see a need to improve since its not that taxing of a lift. But something like deadlift, for example, uses a lot of muscles, and your body would be compelled to adapt more, getting stronger.

You need both, each has its purpose. There are no “bad” exercises (when done right), just bad use.

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894

November 1st 2025 W10D6 Cardio day

Will do bike challenge, and then maybe test some stuff out with kettlebells.

Its November. Im saying it for a reason. Day 1/30

Im going to start doing more work on the garden I’m making across the creek. Going to be saving all my food scraps in order to fertilize the ground.

I need to fix my bridge. The slats are starting to fall apart. Might need to consider making a new one.

I woke up at 6:00, slept in to 7:30ish. Saturday is always a struggle for me to get out of bed. No real incentive.

Its beautiful seeing the light from the sunrise. My window faces NW so I never see it directly, plus it would be blocked by the trees and houses, but its still beautiful to see the light come forth.

I want to do more to help the environment. I could pick up some trash maybe? There’s plenty of that around here. Planting trees is another thing. Eliminating some of our waste would be good to.

Life is a wonderful beauty.

It really is fall now. Soon enough it will be winter.

Soon I will have a healthy breakfast. Last night (I never tracked some stuff), I REALLY pigged. Brownies, pumpkin bread, etc. So Im going to weigh myself today.

Planned breakfast:
3 eggs
1/4 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup of oats
1 cup milk
some fruit

I get to work today with my brother to make some money. So that’s nice.

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895

Breakfast: I think the milk wasn’t good so I only drank half the cup (Thats when I think I felt a flake of something)
3 eggs
1/4 cup cheese
1/4 cup oats
1/8 cup pecans
a few bits of beef jerky
1/2 cup milk
1 fruit strip
----Total: 633 Kcal, 38g fat, 37g carbs, 36g protein

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896

Busy day today.

Lunch:
3/4 cup beef bbq
3/4 cup grain cereal
1 string cheese
----Total: 658 Kcal, 28g fat, 67g carbs, 39g protein

Snack (pre and post workout)
1 packet protein oatmeal
1 homemade rice crispy treat
1 granola bar
----Total: 421 Kcal, 10g fat, 69g carbs, 15g protein

Dinner:
2 tortillas
5 oz shaved chicken
1/3 cup shredded cheddar
1 cup orange juice
1 rice crispy treat
----Total: 867 Kcal, 33g fat, 99g carbs, 47g protein

Days total: Mediocre;
Days total: 2579 Kcal, 109g fat, 271g carbs, 136g protein

For my cardio workout, I didn’t end up doing a full 50 kcal. I did 33 Kcal, then got psyched out because it looked like it was going to be more than 3 minutes, then went back did 17 Kcal to make up. Did some rowing, the lowest number I got for like the time per distance was 1:52, I don’t know if that’s good or not. I like the rower, I might use it more often. I like the feeling of starting out slower and working my way up faster and faster. I feel like a train or something lol. Had to stop a bit after I fell off the seat. Was too jumpy I guess.
I also did some kettlebell swings. did 3 sets of 35lb x 12. I kind of like these. I do want to do them more.
Also did a few other things like hanging on the bar a bit, ab roller with knees, and punching the bag a little, but not much.

1/30 days of November done. 29 to go.

I never was able to work on my bridge today, but I did pull it back to land so it could dry. Tomorrow I might be able to work on it, but not sure. I’ll be working with my brother again.
Today we took out some concrete to replace a sidewalk. It was all cracked and lifted because its near a tree. So what we’re doing is making the tree box a little bigger, and we will have to make the sidewalk a little slanted to accomidate the tree and it’s requirement to be wide enough (I believe it’s 3’ 6")

Today was a good day. Legs are tired. Glutes are sore from using them, which is a relatively new sensation. Tired over all, spent a good amount of time outside doing stuff.

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897

November 2nd 2025 W10D7 Rest day
Day 2/30 november.

Didn’t sleep great. Kept waking up alot. Might be due to the nap I had.

Will eat healthier today.

Daylight savings time is over today. Today is the only day of the year with 25 hours.

Will have breakfast soon.

1 Like
898

Breakfast:
3/4 cup beef bbq
3/4 cup corn chex
1 packet protein oatmeal
----Total: 770 Kcal, 27g fat, 90g carbs, 45g protein
Uh
 not very healthy. Its something though, it contains meat.

1 Like
899

Did some work today. Did a lot of mixing concrete, so good workout. Not counting this as a rest day
 Can I count tomorrow as one? Its planned as a cardio day, so missing it wouldn’t mean much given the workout I got to do today.

Lunch: more crap
1 Mexican sprite (had this after doing all the work and stuff. Was good)
1 hot-pocket ham and cheese
1 fried chicken breast
1 fried chicken wing
1 cup orange juice
1 ensure nutrition shake
----Total: 1274 Kcal, 47g fat, 152g carbs, 64g protein

Need at least 51g protein, and only 656 Kcal. Im going to count the work I did as burning calories on my tracker. 894 Kcal left.

1 Like
900

Since SNAP is out
 diet is likely going to be less than it is. I hope not much. But
 I don’t know.

Dinner:
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup protein granola
1.5 cup pasta
1/8 cup sauce
3.5 oz sausage
3 slices bread
1 tbsp butter
----Total: 1133 Kcal, 51g fat, 122g carbs, 47g protein

Days total: 3177 Kcal, 123g fat, 364g carbs, 157g protein

Fine enough.

While Trump gets to be in luxury and have a multi-million dollar ballroom constructed, many Americans (including us) get to lose food! HOORAY!

Y’know the book Animal Farm?
The US hierarchy is sorta like Animal farm in the later chapters. Trump is “Napolean” from that book.

901

I tend to go the opposite way: I consider high activity days to be simply “living life” and it counts as a rest day. Basically I have “training days” and “non-training days”, and days I do cardio/conditioning are training days.

On Mass Protocol, I MAY consider an extra rest day if there was a high activity day, but for Operator, full steam ahead.

3 Likes
902

November 3rd 2025 W11D1 GC day
Day 3/30 going strong

Going to do something indoors today. 3 sets of max pushups, 5 sets of max pullups, a max plank, and something from there. Maybe horse stance. 1 minute rest between sets of pushups and pullups. Will likely superset.

Pushup set 1: 42
Pullups set 1: 9 and a half roughly
Pushups set 2: 14
Pullups set 2: 3 maybe?
Pushups set 3: 10
Pullups set 3: Barely 2ish
Will rest for 2 minutes this time
Pullups set 4: 3 and a half ish
Horse Stance: 1 minute 4 seconds, could have gone longer but timer was running out at this point
Pullups set 5: 4 and a half ish
2 minute plank

Good workout, was difficult

1 Like
903

Same here. For a period of time, when I was still going to a public gym, there was a guy there who was working as a bricklayer and still making it to the gym almost everyday. The guy was lean and strong as hell. This guy would have never trained if he had thought mixing concrete was a workout. Plenty of guys in physical job still train.

In the last year or two, I built a deck, a garden, finished one floor of the house (framing walls, electricity, drywall, plaster, flooring, installing doors and hardware, moulding, ceilings, painting), installed all of the siding outside the house, etc. since I had a new house with still a lot of work to do. All while having a newborn. When I felt like not training (and had some time to train which is more of a challenge now), I would think of those guys and at least do a short training session even if it was just a few sets of push ups, chin ups or a 30 min LSS run.

2 Likes
904

Thanks for all the advice guys. Il remember that.

Im done with the junk im actually getting fat. im 163 now I know most of the weight ive gained is NOT muscle.

I need to clean up my diet. No more juices. I need to eat some fruit or vegetable (why is this so difficult. Just eat it. We always have some. Eat it first before anything) with every meal. No more rice crispy treats or other desserts. No more cereals. The only grains I can have are plain oats (minimal) and stuff in protein granola or protein oatmeal. That’s it.

I know this is very clichéd or whatever, but how do I burn more fat easily and quickly? Are there any foods that promote fat loss?

Breakfast:
2 eggs
2 slices toast
1 cup Greek yogurt
2/3 cup protein granola
1/4 tbsp honey
1 cup milk
----Total: 894 Kcal, 36g fat, 86g carbs, 58g protein

Lunch:
1 wrap turkey cheese lettuce tomato
1 juice box
----Total: 423 Kcal, 15g fat, 50g carbs, 22g protein

need 1383 Kcal and atleast 80g protein.

1 Like