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

Today is a bad day diet wise. Stupid fishing trip. We fished for an hour tops we spent more time driving than doing stuff.

Lunch/Snack
Leftover kielbasa rice a Roni bean and pea mix
1 fried chicken breast
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup protein granola
----Total: 1164 Kcal, 42g fat, 127g carbs, 61g protein

I have 996 Kcal and 115g protein left. Luckily were having ground beef and gravy as the main of our dinner. So Il have a lot of that. I don’t expect to get all my protein for the day, and I probably won’t try super hard to. As long as I get 165g I will be fine. So I really just need 70g protein. I can manage that.

Tomorrow’s workout: Bench Squat + Weighted Pullups, Tricep Extension, and Kettlebell swing.

5 easy minutes on elliptical for warmup

Bench:
Warmup sets
4-5 sets of 140lb x 8 reps

Squat
Warmup sets
4-5 sets of 180lb x 8 reps

Pullups: Calculated weight is below bodyweight
4 sets of 12 pullups (BW)

Tricep extension
warmup set
4 sets of 50lb x 12 reps

Kettlebell Swing
warmup sets
70lb x 20

End with a 10 easy minutes on the elliptical.

That’s the plan for tomorrow. I enjoy the elliptical, and its a pretty easy exercise that gets blood flowing, so I will use that to speed up recovery. This will be the same workout for Friday.

Wednesday’s Workout

Elliptical x 5 mins

OHP
Warmup set
4-5 sets 70lb x 8 reps

Deadlift
Warmup sets
4-5 sets 200lbs x 8 reps (that’s a nice round number beautiful)

Dips: Either its bodyweight (using bw+weight as calculation), or an added 60lbs. We will see… I doubt I’m doing 60lbs but who knows.
Warmup (if doing +60lbs)
4 sets of [weight] x 12 reps

Barbell curl
4 sets of 55lbs x 12 reps

Lunge:
4 sets of 70lb (2 35 DBs) x 12 reps each leg

10 minute on elliptical

These workouts look fun.

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Do you know your max reps for dips? You could always stick with bodyweight instead if in doubt.

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Dinner:
5 oz ground beef w/ gravy
2 oz french fries (from frozen store bought)
1 roll
1/2 tsp butter
1 ensure
1 cup milk
1 pack beef jerky
----Total: 919 Kcal, 40g fat, 67g carbs, 69g protein

Days total: 2789 Kcal, 114g fat, 261g carbs, 164g protein

Good enough for today

Tomorrow is the first day of mass… im excited.


No, I don’t know what my max for reps is with dips. What will happen is I will try it out with the 60lbs, and if somehow I can do that, I will do that. If not, I will do bodyweight. It is a full 60 lbs though, so I don’t know. What I could do is if 60lbs is too heavy, I will go and do my max number of reps, take a percentage of that, and then use that thereon for all my sets.

K. Black recommends the percentage you’re using for the supplemental cluster.

So for the first week, 55% of your max reps.

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Thats what I meant, Il get my max, and then take the percentage I need to do from that.

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November 24 2025: W1D1 of Mass Protocol (Grey Man)

Woohoo! Today is the day, I finally start mass.
I will have to be very diligent with the diet, since I don’t want to make it a habit of going too far over my caloric requirement (so i can’t eat a bunch of junk and then eat my protein). Protein is the #1 priority for the next 12 weeks. I mean really it always is, but now it is the MOST important, followed closely by calories. I’ve been avoiding canned chicken these last few weeks to show myself I do not need them, they are just very useful. We have two. They are emergency protein sources. If I’m in desperate need of protein, Il grab it. Tuna has to go first, since its less universal in a way. I have a limit with it due to the mercury build-up. I have fish in the freezer I can cook, too. Fish is very good, lots of protein and there’s some good healthy fats in them. Good texture too, its easier to eat compared to beef/chicken/Greek yogurt. These are either fibrous meat or make me want to gag if there’s nothing with it.

Cottage cheese will be a good part of my diet. High protein, low fat.

We have ground beef in the fridge from last night. Yes!! Today’s breakfast will be great.

Although beef is very good, Im going to limit myself somewhat in order to have a more diverse food profile. Or in other words, lets see how many animals I get eat today (I have to make up for the animals the vegans don’t eat.)

I plan on practicing my clarinet today. I want to learn how to play the one part to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy train”. I used to be opposed to ALL music other than Classical/Jazz, but I’ve realized I actually like some music, like rock. Ozzy’s music seems pretty good.

Who the girl sings in that one rock band that starts with like an S or a Sh or something? You know, the one who sounds kinda like Reba McEntire?

Time for my breakfast.

Breakfast:
3 eggs
3 oz beef
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup protein granola
6 raspberries
6 blackberries
a bit of honey
----Total: 838 Kcal, 42g fat, 43g carbs, 64g protein

Need 2062 Kcal and 149g protein.

Lunch:
3 oz ground beef. with gravy
1/8 cup butterbeans
1 string cheese
a bit of asparagus
----Total: 327 Kcal, 19g fat, 4g carbs, 30g protein

Need 1735 Kcal and 119g protein

Going to the gym soon.

I watched a James bond movie. Was okay.

For kettlebell swings, Im doing 4 sets, right? That isn’t any different? Just want to double check. I assume it is, but not sure since I’m doing it as a rep goal, starting with 20 reps.

Im sure this is by far one of the dumbest questions I’ve ever asked

Wow

I can’t remember the last time i had a workout of that type. Body was NOT used to it.

Il update the details later, but I:

Forgot to go on the elliptical
Only got one full set of pullups (the rest I got decreasingly less reps, minimum was like 5 or 6 out of 12)
Tricep extensions I got 2 full sets and then 1 set of almost all, and then the last set was almost like a drop set, I moved down by small increments. (Although, the only machine I could do tricep extensions on that had actual weight numbers (not whatever the f*** the numbers 1-16 on the other thing is) the closest option to 50 was 52.5 or 47.5, so I did 52.5.

I had to wait awhile for the tricep extension, so that got me irritated. I was patient for awhile, then after trying to use other stuff I started to get pissed off. Luckily he stopped using it so I got to it finally.

Kettlebell swings: I think I overestimated my goals. I don’t think I’m getting to 75 reps of 75lbs b week 12, no f*ing way. Il up it by 5 reps every 3 weeks, which will give me a final rep count of 35 reps. I can do that.

I definitely will start eating more carbs.

Eating dinner now. Beef rice spinach and mixed veg. Amazing.

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Preworkout snack
1/2 cup protein granola
----Total: 220 Kcal, 7g fat, 31g carbs, 10g protein

Dinner:
3 oz beef
3 oz ground beef
1/2 cup steamed spinach
1/2 cup steamed vegetable mix (broccoli, carrot, and water chestnut)
1 cup rice
1 can tuna
1/2 cup protein granola
4 tbsp peanut butter
2 cups milk
----Total: 1624 Kcal, 71g fat, 111g carbs, 127g protein

Days total: 3009 Kcal, 139g fat, 190g carbs, 231g protein.

Oh yeah. I got some good eating in today. Stomach is taut like a drum but hey gotta get the food in.

Workout:
Bench
95 x 7
115 x 5
140 x 8
140 x 8
140 x 8
140 x 8
140 x 8

These felt really good. Not easy, but not horribly hard. Felt very nice joint/muscle wise

Squat
115 x 6
135 x 5
155 x 4
180 x 8
180 x 8
180 x 8
180 x 8
180 x 8

A little more difficult than I expected, but at the same time, about as hard as I should have expected. These were good

Pullups
12
10
7
5

I guess I should have rested a little longer, but oh well. I did the pause rest technique, but i could only squeeze a few more reps out.

Tricep extension
52.5 x 12
52.5 x 12
52.5 x 10 + 1 + 0.5
52.5 x 5
47.5 x 3
42.5 x 3

These were more difficult than I thought. I think it is because I used the rope attachment, while normally I use the straight bar attachment.

Kettle bell swing

35 x 10 (using DB)
70 x 20 (using DB)
70 x 20 (now using kettlebell)
70 x 20
70 x 20

These were good. I think I made my form a bit better. Before, I was using my legs in more of a squatting motion as part of the movement, but now I lessened it and used my hips to hinge like I am supposed to. I enjoy kettlebells. They are tough.

Got a great pump from this workout, haven’t felt that in awhile. Wednesday’s Workout should be interesting. OHP and Deadlift, with dips, barbell curl, and lunges. Dips should be interesting.

Being at the gym sucked today. Too many people. I’ve noticed something: I generally dislike being around a lot of people when Im doing stuff, especially working out. It bugs me. I hope we can get a home gym set up before summer… I don’t want to have to go when there’s a bunch of people. Too many mirrors, and there’s like a dozen tv’s everywhere. Its too distracting. Maybe one or two, in the cardio area, but not everywhere you look you see atleast 2 tvs it seems like.

I don’t like how many mirrors there are generally. Its useful sometimes, but it puts too much emphasis on praising/idolizing your own body, or at minimum making it very easy too. Its useful for the squat rack though, you can make sure your going the right depth, not leaning, knees aren’t buckling or whatnot, etc.

Workout took like 2 hours almost… not sure where the time went? I think it might be from when I was waiting to do tricep extensions, but I don’t think it would have taken up that much time. Then again, I am doing more than 3 main lifts now. Its 2 and then 3. 22 main sets in all, versus the at max 15 main sets from before. Okay, I guess that explains it then.

Mom has been saying some stupid stuff about my training (its not her fault she just literally doesn’t know). “You should set yourself a time limit on my training” “You eat too much protein” “Why do you need a plan can’t you just go and workout [doing whatever]”. Uh… No, No, and DEFINITELY NOT!.

Well Im gonna be sore tomorrow for sure.

Time to go shower and then go collapse in my bed. I want to go to bed, lay there for a few seconds max, fade to black for a little while, and then wake up refreshed.

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Which one? I’ll always be partial to Goldeneye, but I love the scenery in Casino Royale.

You could do that, or just pick a rep goal and go for it.

What you can do next to is ask to “work in”. This means taking turns on the equipment. Very standard protocol in the weight room.

Sounds like you got the appropriate baptism by fire with Grey Man! Specificity Bravo has a similar effect as well.

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I watched “For Your eyes only”, since it was the only one I found on youtube that someone had all 13 ten minute clips of it in a playlist (minus minute mark 20:00 to 30:00, which was missing, I assume because of this being my school chromebook)

I think I will keep doing the 4 sets as I did, seems good to do so

Yeah, I guess I could have done that. But he had a very unapproachable feel to him, probably because he was very big, but not sure if thats the only reason

Yeah, and I’m definitely feeling it today. Haven’t been sore like this in a LONG time.

November 25: Restish day

I took a walk with mom to the store up the road, we got breakfast sandwiches. Then I helped clean up leaves in the yard. So this counts as part of my recovery cardio i suppose. Will do some later too probably.

Il update some more in a bit, im going to do something I haven’t done in years. Play a video game. I think this game im playing (007 agent under fire, on Gamecube) will help me increase my reaction time, critical thinking, and help with some other stuff.

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But he had a very unapproachable feel to him, probably because he was very big, but not sure if thats the only reason

It’s a great way to break down barriers and improve social skills. Especially in a controlled environment with many witnesses.

That soreness is real! I remember it hitting me hard 5 weeks ago when I started back up again.

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I gotta find stuff to do.
I have too much energy on days I don’t do my workouts and when I don’t have school. It leads me to bad habits. I need to do stuff that is draining to my energy in a good way.
Ideas?

Walking is awesome. Schopenhauer and Kant were big fans of it.

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I really want to get a plague doctor outfit. It would be so cool. I know it is kind of a waste of money. At the same time, It would be fitting. I want to work with herbal medicine stuff so it would be in the same realm of reason (if that phrase is anything other than a jumble of words)

I am getting a calligraphy set, and probably a big leather notebook to write stuff down. I want to make (eventually) a compendium of herbal medicine, complete with approximate dosages based on the extraction method used in the creation of the medicine.

I say I’m getting all of this, when in reality its just going to be on my Christmas list. I hope I get it.

I have 500 Kcal minimum and 55g protein left… ugh… I don’t want to have to eat but I know I have to. Oh well

Todays food
Breakfast:
1 bacon egg and cheese sandwich
2/3 cup protein granola
3/4 cup milk
1 donut
----Total: 722 Kcal, 31g fat, 80g carbs, 30g protein

Lunch
4 oz ground beef
3/4 cup rice
----Total: 442 Kcal, 19g fat, 33g carbs, 32g protein

Snack:
1 hard boiled egg
1 can tuna
2 pieces spreadable cheese
a bit of mustard
1 packet protein oatmeal
----Total: 489 Kcal, 16g fat, 31g carbs, 51g protein

Dinner:
1.25 cup spaghetti
6 oz shaved steak
a bit of sauce
1 cup grape juice
1 can chicken breast
a bit of ketchup
a bit of mustard
2 cups milk
1 string cheese
----Total: 1296 Kcal, 39g fat, 117g carbs, 115g protein

Days total: 2948 Kcal, 104g fat, 261g carbs, 228g protein

Good eating today for the most part. I ate the donut because I was weak and fell for it. I have no excuse. There is no excuse.

Time to go to bed.

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