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

Training Training Logs
1646

Donuts are a vegetable… right? Lol

Mom got donuts (among other things), and I haven’t had one of my favorites in awhile so I decided to have one. No problem. But I notice this; Once I have a donut, I REALLY want more sugary stuff. Its a feedback loop. Im observing it, but not acting on it, and its odd. Im going to eat something healthier now.

Breakfast was highly animalized. 2 eggs, ground beef, cheese, and a glass of milk.

Lunch was a sandwich with turkey, cheese, with added lettuce and banana peppers. Had some croutons and a juice box as well.

1647

and I haven’t had one of my favorites in awhile

At 15, “in awhile” is such a short time. One day, it’ll have been 15 years since you’ve had one of your favorite treats.

Once I have a donut, I REALLY want more sugary stuff. Its a feedback loop. Im observing it, but not acting on it, and its odd.

Not odd at all. Your body is built to survive. In nature, sugar and fats together (like a donut) are INCREDIBLY rare. Basically, mother’s milk and acorns are they only way to get that. If you somehow stumbled across that, your body would go into a fugue state so that you just keep consuming it until it runs out, because your body is recognizing you discovered something magical as far as putting on bodyfat goes, which is crucial for surviving harsh environments and famine.

Which is why we push so hard to eat unprocessed foods instead. Your body will reach satiety on those when it’s had enough.

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1648

fugue? I’ve never heard that word before.

That makes sense though. Its why obesity is such a problem, there is so much fat+sugar, which is both tasty and able to be quickly put on fat.

Lifting was very good today. I feel my strength coming back. I’m not going to go to intense yet though, I’m gonna let my body rest a bit for next week.

Workout:
Bench
95 x 6
135 x 6
155 x 5
155 x 4

Squat
135 x 6
155 x 5
185 x 5
185 x 5

Pullups
8 + 2
1 1/2 (shorter rest)

Lat pulldown
160 x 5
160 x 5

Knee tendon leg extension
20lb x 30 sec each leg
20lb x 30 sec each leg

Cable Bicep curls (curls are fun haha)
50 x 10
50 x 8 1/2
50 x 5 1/2

Tricep push down
50 x 10
50 x 10

Preacher curl
bar+10 x 5

Rope forearm curl
15lb x 1 ascent

DB Bench
40s x 12
40s x 12

Good workout, great pump.

I want to get lean again, again. But this time I think my mind is coming at it from another way, its seeing it as a “You should lose a bit of weight man…”

But I know I don’t need to actively try to lose weight and cut down. I just need to eat healthy and lift and do my conditioning. What happens exactly I don’t know, but I know my body will adapt to what it needs to be.

Next week Il be still working my way through getting back closer to where I was, and then the week after that will be our testing week (its a shame that I haven’t been able to actually lift much progression-wise!). But I will test, and I can go into Operator.

NOTE TO SELF. NO ONE REP MAXES! Only three reps or so. Its better.

Im having a good day today.

I need about 30g protein, and have 680 Kcal. I think after I get that in, Il have enough for a fruit smoothie. I think I should have one. I like them, not too much, just enough to consume them. Need to find the right way to blend it so its not so frothy and bland.

Oh, riddle; Why does a potato, a head of cabbage, and a carrot make it possible to spell church as “grg”?

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1649

Its why obesity is such a problem, there is so much fat+sugar, which is both tasty and able to be quickly put on fat.

Yup. Junkfood manufacturers cracked the code with food scientists on how to combine cheap fats and sugars with salt alongside degrees of texture to create culinary sensations that are absolutely dopamine bombs that completely override our senses and compel us to eat WELL beyond reason. It’s that whole thing I told you about earlier with the 5 whole potatoes to make a bag of chips.

Good to see you back to training.

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1650

Dinner was eh. Too processed, so didn’t really enjoy it

6 breakfast sausage links
2 pieces french toast
2 eggs
some syrup (I could have done without but I wanted something to balance out the crappy sausage flavor)

Todays total: 2939 Kcal, 176g protein, 149g fat.

Yëgh.

Atleast I got my protein in. I think I would have rather made some salmon. Mmmm… I might have some tomorrow. I like salmon, its a good fish.

Okay, stupid question. Is there a way to flatten my stomach without losing weight/losing fat? Or is that simply not possible

1651

April 10th 2026

I had a dream where scientists started discovering the next row of elements. Something about edithium being in a [??] state, being hotter than normally possible, at 305C. We started naming the new elements, one of them being called umbrium (one of the g-block elements, between the lanthanide block and the alkaline metal), but I forget the other names.

Anyways, I think this morning I will do some stretches/mobility work, I think I need to do more.

Breakfast in 16 minutes.

1652

Good day today.

Element 126: Umbrium

That’s what it is. Possibly Element 120, but it wouldn’t make sense since its a g-block element, not an alkaline earth.

Edithium, not sure. 305C is 581F, but also 305K is 32C, or about 90F. Its crucial for something

Anyways, Il spend some time outside. Its very nice out.

1653

Heres the plan (If I will be able to follow it)

Next week I will keep easing back in to my strength, and the week after I will test. Though since Il only have 2 lifting sessions that week, I might start this coming week on a few of them (pushups, pullups, front squat, etc) just to get them out of the way.
Starting the week of April 26th (16 days from now) I will start Operator+Black for 6 weeks. Then Il take a rest week before I start Base Building on the week of June 14th. Perfect timing for training my friend (if I get to) That will place me done with that… August 9th. Good. I will probably take a rest week that week too, just so I can prepare really for school.
When we come back to school my strength class better be first semester (I want two study halls for the end of the year so I can better prepare for my exams).
Il probably try to get in my maxes the week before school, so I can just get right into lifting. Coach will allow it, he knows I’m serious with lifting.

Assuming all goes to plan, Il be starting operator August 24th. I will probably do 2 cycles of that, but maybe more. I might do Mass for a bit though.

When I do operator, I will test after every cycle (unless I shouldn’t?), so this will essentially be 7 week blocks. And I can go to the gym near me by myself during breaks, so I don’t have to rely on my brother taking me.
Start Block 1: August 24
Start Block 2: October 11
Start Block 3?: November 29
Start Block 4?: January 17 2027 (man…)
Il Probably say its time for Mass after I finish the third block of Operator+Black. It will be about the start of the second semester, and with 2 study halls, I have one each day. This means that I will be able to pop in (although this assumes its during the first, second, or last block of the day) and get some work done. But, it might also be better if I simply do it at the end of the day. Can I split mass’s workout into two parts?

Any thoughts/comments/suggestions on this plan? I think it sounds pretty good, but then again Im the one making it so of course it would sound good to me. If I do this I would have to factor in if I have Tuesdays/Thursdays taken up by the college thing, in which I DEFINITELY would have to use study hall for part of it.

Looks like a lot. I probably need it to be honest. d’Give myself the kick in the rear I need.

Anyways,

Breakfast:
2 eggs cooked with butter
1/2 cup ground beef
2 slices french toast with a little butter
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup protein granola
----Total: 933 Kcal, 74g protein

Lunch
1 wrap turkey cheese and lettuce, with a juice box
----Total: 338 Kcal, 31g protein

Snack
3 slices french toast
2 chicken patties
----Total: 694 Kcal, 40g protein

Well looks like dinner is arby’s. Could be worse! Atleast the roast beef Is meat, without that much grease. I am having the hash brown and some mozzarella sticks. And a milkshake. Its what mom got so Im eating it. Oh well. I only need 20g protein left so I got protein atleast.

1654

NO WONDER AMERICA IS SO FAT! PEOPLE EAT SO MUCH CRAP!

My arbys meal was 1451 Kcal. !!! That was not difficult to eat! Im over by 600 Kcal!

Im not eating any more of this garbage.

1655

I don’t see it being necessary. You can use forced progression, or just evaluate how the previous cycle went to see if you’re ready to advance.

I am a fan of this approach. I got the strongest and biggest I’d ever been with split workouts.

Tomorrow could be the start of a 2 day streak

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1656

Ok. I know in the book, though, it says about progressing every 6 weeks, then after awhile every 12 weeks, and then eventually forced progression for 6 and then 12 weeks (over years). But I guess it makes sense, it says that if I feel ready to move up, then I can retest, and if not I can run with the same weight to get a stronger baseline.

Well looks like I will try to run with it then!

We will see. I think so. At least, anyway.

April 11 2026

I remember I wanted to be Superman for Halloween '27. Having mass at the start of 2027 will prime me for the final push for size, and then sometime during that year I can cut down.

It feels like I’ve lost SO much time. I could have done one or even two blocks of operator+black and gotten so much stronger (300+ squat for sure). But Ive missed so much time… it stinks. But, I have time ahead of me. But I think part of this is from the thinking “I need to get super strong by the end of high school”, or I suppose more for wanting to be Superman Halloween senior year. But the truth is I have my whole life for this. I will get very strong, and probably pretty big. Strength is more important to me than size though.

Today’s agenda;
Probably study a little!
My friend showed me a technique I already knew but never done, and I realised how good of a method it is. “Brain dumping”, where you write down as much as you know on a piece of paper/whatever, and then just keep doing that until you can’t. Then I presume at that point you just read about what you didn’t get, and do that some more. Practice testing is probably good too. This is moreso for non-mathematics based classes (so, not physics or math, obviously), but I think I could probably fudge it a bit to make it work.
I know I will need this for next year, and I will have the study halls to do it in! Senior year as well, because, Im planning on doing AP Chem, AP Research, AP Calc BC, and maybe AP Micro/Macro economics, whatever is available that year. I get that we have to take one economics/government social studies class, but ughh. Oh well. Im sure Il like it more than I realize.

Time for breakfast.

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1657

If you feel ready to move up, you can move up. You don’t need to test. I never do.

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1658

Well, for the class’s sake I will eventually have to retest, so I probably will. But of course I will keep that in mind.

Breakfast:
2 eggs
1 tsp butter
1/2 cup ground beef
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup chickpeas
----Total: 603 Kcal, 59g protein

Interesting meal. I mixed the Greek yogurt with some of the ground beef and chickpeas. That was pretty good. I then heated it up in the microwave. Almost like a soup. But, when I did that, it sort made the Greek yogurt separate and I could see little grains of the yogurt and the tan liquid. I mixed it up, and it was good, but near the end when it was just the Greek yogurt I then noticed the texture of it.

So I might have to experiment with Greek yogurt as a sort of “broth” in a soup. It tastes really good, being almost the same flavor as sour cream, and its high protein, so if it can be used in a soup I know what’s going to become a common meal for me!

Il start studying in a bit.

1659

Great day today.

Diet was very good today. I didn’t even have that many grains, not counting chickpeas.

Lunch
1 can soup
2 slices buttered bread
----Total: 404 Kcal, 16g protein

Snack
2 chicken patties
1/4 cup chickpeas
----Total: 373 Kcal, 27g protein

Dinner
5 oz shaved steak
1 slice cheese
3 small tortillas
a few fries (I like the extra crunchy bits)
1 cup frozen fruit
1 cup milk
1 salmon filet
1/2 cup chickpeas
1 can mushrooms
1 cup grape juice
----Total: 1262 Kcal, 82g protein

Days total: 2642 Kcal, 184g protein

I ran a mile earlier for a workout. A bit harder than I thought, but, I think I expected that.
Im getting back into it! My body is really getting back into the swing of things, I am overjoyed. I can’t wait to get back to Operator. I will make sure not to slack on the conditioning, and do more than just cardio-emphasised work. Need to make sure to get in stuff like Strength Endurance for my tendons and whatnot.
Im in a metaphorical “Spring” in my life. For awhile I was in a bit of a winter, but I’m finally getting into my spring again.

I also played a little ~lacrosse. I say ~ because its not actually lacrosse, just throwing the ball back and forth using mini lacrosse sticks I have with my friend. So that let me get a bit of activity. Also, aren’t lacrosse balls good in the sense of being used for a similar purpose as a foam roller?

I spent a little time laying in my hammock with my shirt off, absorbing sunlight. I know its very good for you, and also I want to get a bit tanner. Winter has made me quite pale, not that I had much of a tan anyways.

Life is great. It really is.

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1660

I’m using on daily these days for my SI joint.

Glad to hear you’re finding that drive again.

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1661

April 12 2026

Today is going to be a good rest day.

This coming week is supposed to be REALLY warm. Summer-like. So that’s exciting, I get to absorb some nice sunlight.

Sunlight is so beneficial. I think that’s one of the reasons why I’ve felt great recently, all the sunlight I’ve had.

6 minutes until breakfast.

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1662

Weight: 176 lbs

Its occured to me that ive gained 45 lbs since the start of 9th grade. Il probably get to 181 this year, making it 50lbs. That’s crazy to me. Im so much heavier than I once was. 176lbs vs 131lbs.

This week will be easing back in a bit/testing some of my maxes to get them out of the way. Will probably focus on the high rep testing, as well as the “unusual” exercises (front squat, Olympic lifts, etc).

This way, next week I can focus on Bench, Squat, Weighted pullups, and If I still have to do it, OHP. I don’t expect the maxes to be any higher, given the lack of training i’ve been doing. Oh, il have to do 50 Kcal bike this week too. Yikes. Oh well. The mile also, but I can probably get a faster time than I had before. I think we are actually doing the mile in class, so that’s good.

Breakfast- crap
2 waffles
2 sausage patties
----Total: 405 Kcal, 11g protein

There were a lot of dishes dirty so I didn’t want to make more.

Today’s going to be a great day.

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1663

Great today (but didn’t eat much)

For lunch I had a can of soup. Or, more accurately, chicken flavored noodles. It was “double noodle”. Yeah, DOUBLE noodle, not ALL noodle. No broth, no vegetable, only noodle. Stupid Campbell. Call it “All noods”. That would get your sales up!

I did a good amount of activity today. I helped my uncle get rid of the last bit of a tree stump (though I didn’t really do too much). But, I started finding bottles, and I even found an old 1926 License plate. Il be washing them tomorrow, or whenever I have the time.

I NEED TO EAT! I have 1500 Kcal and 115g protein left. Gotta get to it. Looks like fish is on the menu, plus whatever. Hm. I will make some rice, with leftover to add to the left over ground beef from dinner. That sounds good!

1664

April 13 2026

Yesterday I ate a huge meal. 3 cups of white rice, mixed with 1 can of beans, with 12 oz of fish. Needed 10g more protein though…

Actually it wasn’t all of it, I saved some rice and beans to have with my lunch today. Not much though.

Today I get to lift. Excited for that. Will test out max pushups, situps in one minute, and probably squat endurance. I have to beat… I think it was 135 x 30. Maybe 40, I don’t know. I will check. If I have time then maybe something else.

Breakfast in 13 minutes

Checked: 135 x 25. I got this.

1665

Woohoo! Got in four tests.

Pushups: 52 in a row (old test; 50 in a row)
Sit-ups: 36 in a minute (old test; 31 in a minute)
Squat endurance: 135 x 30
Front squat max: 115 x 3 (more just a test of my wrists more than anything. Im getting there! Just not quite there.)

Will update later, Im going to spend some time outside.

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