ActivitiesGuy Log III: StrongFirst Kettlebells & Deadlifts

Thursday 1/26

Box Squats

2x135+90-lb chains
2x135+90-lb chains
2x135+90-lb chains
2x135+90-lb chains
2x135+90-lb chains
2x135+90-lb chains
2x135+90-lb chains
2x135+90-lb chains
2x135+90-lb chains
2x135+90-lb chains
2x135+90-lb chains
2x135+90-lb chains

Mat Pulls (4")

5x135
5x225
1x315
1x315
1x315
1x315
1x315
1x315
1x315
1x315
1x315
1x315
1x315

Light mat pulls just to give myself something to do as my partner ripped through his box squats; figured I might as well work on these to get used to them, as they’re a useful deadlift accessory and I’d like to incorporate them more, perhaps at some point using ROM progression.

Friday 1/27

2-Mile Run (20 Minutes)

Saturday 1/28

7-Mile Run (68 Minutes)

Sunday 1/29

7:30 AM: 2 Mile Run

1:30 PM: Lifting…

Deadlift

1x135
1x225
1x315
1x315+40-lbs chain
1x315+90-lbs chain
1x315+130-lbs chain
1x335+130-lbs chain
1x355+130-lbs chain
1x405+130-lbs chain
1x415+130-lbs chain

Belt Squats w/bands

Reverse Leg Curls

Highlights for me are twofold. One, deadlifting 415 barbell weight plus 130 pounds of chain is a “PR” for the movement, and the first time I have locked out that heavy of a weight, which seems a positive sign as I continue the march from 500 to 600. Two, my wife tagged along for today’s workout; after years of kettlebell and running and yoga, she has indicated more serious interest in moving some heavy weight (with no prodding from me; she just asked me about it a few days ago and said that she really wanted to see if she could build herself a good deadlift). Today she worked up to a couple easy singles at 175; I’ve made up a basic progression scheme for her as a guide, which we’ll adapt if needed. I’m pretty sure she’s got the strength to pull 225 this spring and maybe 250 by the summer, but we’ll make those decisions as she goes.

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Monday 1/30

3-Mile Run (30 Minutes)

Tuesday 1/31

2-Mile Run (17 Minutes)

Wednesday 2/1

Mat Pulls (4" elevation)

1x135
1x225
1x315
1x335
1x355
1x375
1x405
1x405
1x405
1x405
1x405
1x405
1x405
1x405
1x405
1x405
1x405
1x405

Box Squat

2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain

Thursday 2/2

2-Mile Run (16 Minutes)

Friday 2/3

2-Mile Run (17 Minutes)

Saturday 2/4

3.6 Mile Run (32 Minutes)

Lots of running! Following suit!

Honestly, a bit of a fluke this week…on days where I have to be in the office early, sometimes I run to work with a backpack on, shower & dress there - killing two birds (morning workout & commute) at once. I’d really prefer a more even split between lifting and running, but this week necessitated several run-to-work days. My ideal week is probably two short (2-3 milers), one long (6-10 miler), three lifting days (including one really heavy deadlift day), and a yoga class.

I was wondering… where’d you get your name from :smile:

I’m doing 6 all out sprints now per session. Mark is great as always need to catch up.

And I’ll follow you on the once a week long run. For now, it’ll be a mile.

I played college football; I was a 240-pound offensive lineman…not exactly fat, but certainly not a lean machine, either. After my senior season, I decided it was time to lose some weight and get leaner, so during my last semester of college, the coaches would always see me around the gym playing pickup basketball, or running on a treadmill, or riding a bike, etc. One of them said that I was turning into an “activities guy” and I decided that summed me up pretty well. Over the years I’ve been a multi-sport athlete, with some background in powerlifting and Oly lifting, then a competitive-ish distance runner, and I’ve tested the waters with other things like rock climbing, yoga, etc. So I have indeed participated in lots of activities. I like lifting and running both about equally, and I think a yoga class every week or two does me good, so this is where I’ve landed: the guy who wants to be strong enough to deadlift 600 pounds and still have the cardio engine to run long.

That doesn’t do you justice anymore.

You can open your own gym, with all that high volume and high intensity I see in your log. I bet you didn’t want to lose the fat yet because that’s what running is for, right?!

Why would you start running if you have nothing to lose already. Oh yeah, conditioning.

You’re the go-to guy for interesting novel training quests. I would probably call it quits at 10KM now. That’s pathetic! I want to do a 42.195 someday too, luckily I’ve never done one before so it’s a nagging reminder every fucking morning.

Sorry to bore you.

Sunday 2/5

Deadlift

1x135
1x135
1x225
1x225
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345
1x345

Ring Pull-ups

5
5
5

Military Press

3x135
3x135
3x135
3x135
3x135

Back Squat (!)

3x135
3x155
3x175
3x195
1x225
1x245
1x265
1x295
1x295
1x295

Belt Squats

3 sets of 10

Reverse Hypers

3 sets of 10

Couple notes on today’s workout.

  1. I had planned on the deadlifts just being a dozen singles EMOM at about 65% of 1RM; my wife working at 135, me at 345. After 12 she gave me this look like “that was way too easy” so she added some weight (to 155) and we each did four more singles.

  2. the back squats: “this is what happens when the gym owner says he has to go but tells you can stay as long as you like, and your wife has to go teach an aftenoon yoga class so you have plenty of time to kill.” I have been working box squats of late but have not done a free back squat in years. Figured, what the hell, I could use a little extra work, let’s see how this goes. Really expected that I would call it after 225 but things felt so good I kept it rolling & ended with three easy singles at 295.

I’m still keeping the 600 deadlift my primary goal; but nevertheless it was/is cool to see that I can back squat and feel OK about it, and perhaps now I will actually start doing them regularly. Even merely working up to some good singles at 315 would be nice.

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Monday 2/6

2-Mile Run (16 Minutes)

Tuesday 2/7

2-Mile Run (16 Minutes)

Yes you are.

Wednesday 2/8

Box Squat

2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain
2x135+90-lbs chain

Back Squat

2x225
2x225
2x225
2x225
2x225
2x225
2x225
2x225
2x225
2x225
2x225
2x225

Reverse Hypers

3 sets of 10

The back squats were just a nice way to get some more volume in and feel my way back into doing the movement. I think I’ll take an Easy-Strength-like approach to this - the box squats & deadlifts will remain the focal point of my Wednesday and Sunday workouts, respectively, but I will finish each with a pile of low-rep back squats (1-3 reps per set) where I feel my way up to whatever weight feels good that day. For now, that will probably be 225-275 pounds, but I do expect that will become 315-405 by the summer time.

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