Atlas13 Is back. Let’s Get To Work

Training Logs
141

Work for Wednesday:

20 min Peleton class, forget my mileage.
4x25 push-ups
4x25 squats
4x10 53lb kettlebell swing
4x10 53lb kettlebell row

Busy week at work for me. Spent the last two days at the range from 0500-2200 both days, long hours of gunshoots trying to catch up on some qualifications. Was a fun time (minus the rain), and the ride up into the mountains near Mexico was absolutely beautiful, but I am very tired. Had watch from 0130-0630 this morning after finishing the shoot yesterday, so I’m dragging ass pretty hard, hoping to make it in to the gym sometime today.

142

Remember how I said a few posts back that I would be land bound for a few months? Yeah, good prank. Got back the middle of last week from another month at sea.

Wasn’t the worst month, wasn’t the best. Morale is depressingly low on my ship, we had two more suicide attempts and 4 more people flown off for suicidal ideation the past few weeks. No successful attempts thank god, and it wasn’t any of my people this time. Another officer was one of the attempts, 3rd Officer down this year from an attempt. I’m not sure if it’s how much we’ve been underway, this upcoming deployment, the stress of Covid, some combo of all 3, but Jesus we are losing a lot of people. Good news is most of my guys seem pretty resilient, everyone’s grown pretty close through all of this so our little shipboard crew watches one another’s backs pretty well.

Massive plus: Navy announced Friday we are all going to HPCON-B, which means even us on the ship will have the ship gym open and be allowed to go to the base gym. Happy days.

Work for today:

Squat:
45x10
135x5
165x3
185x5
185x5
185x5

Bench:
45x10
135x3
165x5
165x5
165x5
165x5
165x5

Cybex row machine:
5x10x120

Cybex Pulldown
4x15x90

Low back raise:
3x12

V bar pushdown:
3x12x110

Notes:

  • plan of action: pretty short time before deployment, with some underway time thrown in, so I’m not hoping onto any real program rn. Going to do an A-B routine where I hit full body both days, done 3x a week. Mainly getting my body back to hitting some weights, getting a feel for training again, and hopefully being in a slightly better spot than I am now so I can better utilize the limited gym accommodations onboard.

  • Squats. Sucked. First time placing a barbell on my back in I don’t know how long, and it felt like I just forgot how to use my body. Warming up with the bar, i was rising up on my toes as I went down, rounding at the bottom, just general shit form. Felt much better tightening up with a little weight, 185 moved smooth. Thought about bumping higher, but really wanted to focus on smooth, crisp reps with good form, trying to relearn the movement pattern. Reps all felt easy, but my legs cramped almost instantly. Odd that the weight moved easy, and the sets felt good, but my legs just seized the moment I’d rack the bar. Suppose that’s what happens when you don’t squat for a year.

  • bench was a joke, reps moved quick, movement felt good, probably should of gone higher but trying to force myself into being conservative (which historically has never been my strong suit)

-threw some volume in to really pump up my back. Always just “feel” better all around when I do a lot of back work, getting back to that.
-on that note, that cybex row machine is awesome. Was able to squeeze my lats tight with every rep, I was impressed with the isolation I could feel.

  • diet is pretty on point. Meal prepped like a madman my first few days back, fridge is pretty much top to bottom Tupperware of chicken+rice or veggies.

-Cutting out booze for the foreseeable future. I love a nice whiskey at the end of the day, but it’s becoming just a little too regular for comfort, especially seeing how many of my peers are using it to cope. Not saying I have a problem, but given my environment, family history, and health goals, I’m gonna steer clear for a good while.

-honestly, I’m pissed. I feel fat, weak, stressed, and I’m tired of it. Which is a good place to be. I’ve always trained best and been most disciplined when I had a fire under my ass, and I’m feeling that now. It’s time to go.

1 Like
143

Been hitting the weights and cardio pretty consistently last week, but didnt log any of it. Whoops.

Some Life Updates:
-Found out that I am not deploying in 2 months, and instead will be moving to my next duty station in 6 weeks.
-Pros
-Will be on a shore tour, so will actually have a consistent schedule to plan training cycles
- Will be buying a house with a garage, so the garage gym is coming!
Getting a damn gym the Navy cant close on me haha. Super Excited for
that, budget is right around $3,000, been saving up. Any and all
recomendations for equipment are welcomed. Currently looking at a bar,
plates, and adjustable bench from REP, and then a Titan rack. Love Rogue,
but damn its expensive.
- Going to be a pretty intense shore tour, 60+ hour weeks at work, but at
least I will be home, not standing duty, not leaving country. Should be a nice
break.
-Cons
- HOLY. HELL. This housing market is insane. We have put in 4 offers for
homes, all above asking price. Lost on all of them. Every house has gone
for at least $20k above asking price with 2 of them going to all cash offers.
The market is only going up in Charleston, and the area is pretty decent for
rental properties, so im not too worried about buying a home during a boom,
but at this rate its a damn battle to buy one in the first place. Been glued to
my phone all week working with the realtor trying to do house touring via
Zoom call. Fun times.

Work for today:

Deadlift: 135x5, 185x3, 235x5, 235x5, 235x5
Overhead press: 95x3, 135x5, 135x5, 135x5, 95x9
Cybex row: 130x10, 130x10, 130x10, 130x10, 130x20
Lat raise: 20x12, 20x12, 20x12
BB curl: 60x10, 60x10, 60x4
Y raise: 7.5x12, 7.5x12, 7.5x12

Notes:
-Deads are all done raw, no belt, no chalk, double overhand grip. Flew up easy, really more of a grip test than anything else right now. Deadlift form feels pretty solid, think I will be in a good spot once I throw on some chalk and mix up my grip again.
-Overhead Press went okay. I have always had a pretty ridiculous overhead compared to my other lifts, probably because I trained it like crazy when I was young. Feels good to still do working sets with 135, though I distinctly remember doing BBB 5x10 with 135 a few years back… got a lot of catching up to do.
-Not sure if y-raises is the right name for the exercise im talking about. Lie flat on an incline bench, face down, and raise up your arms so your shoulders form a Y with your body. Shoulders always feel good after I do this, think I am going to keep it in the rotation.

144

Charleston is nice. Two of my brothers were stationed down there for a while. I visited once. Lots of cool stuff to do and generally good atmosphere. :+1:

1 Like
145

I grew up in South Carolina, visited Charleston a decent amount. Pretty pumped to be moving really, seems like a nice spot, FAR cheaper than San Diego, great seafood, not bad hunting. I think its going to be a good deal.

1 Like
146

Work For Today:

Squat: 45x5, 135x5, 195x5, 195x5, 195x5
Cybex Row: 135x10, 135x10, 135x10, 135x10, 135x10
Bench: 45x5, 135x5, 175x5, 175x5, 175x5, 175x5, 175x5
KB Swing: 50x15, 50x15, 50x15, 50x15

Cardio:
20 min on the peleton, 296 cal burn

Notes:
-Squats feeling far, far better. Form is coming back to me, which resulting means that these sets felt so easy that I almost questioned the benefit of doing them. Continuing to add 5lbs to my working sets each time I do a lift. Definitely starting slow, but thats 30lbs a month increase in weight, so will definitely be working into a suitable weight for me soon, with some good repitition movement patterns drilled in along the way.
-Diet is going better. Dropped 3lbs last week, weigh in again tomorrow, hoping for another 2-3 down.
-Benched in this odd half rack with the absolute most fucked up j clips I have ever seen. They were curved down in the middle so the bar rested there, but it extended so far vertically that it was near impossible not to hit them while benching. One two sets, I legitimately hit the j-clips on all 5 reps. Trash

1 Like
147

Work For Today:

Deadlift: Double overhand, no chalk, no belt
135x3
225x1
240x5
240x5
240x5

Overhead Press:
45x5
95x3
135x5
135x5
135x5
95x10

Cybex Lat Pulldown:
140x10
140x10
140x10
140x10
140x10

DB Lat Raise:
17.5x15
17.5x15
17.5x15

Y Raise:
7.5x12
7.5x12
7.5x12

Superset:
Cable Curl:
80x10, 80x10, 80x10
Ab Wheel:
5, 5, 5

Notes:
-Need to bring in chalk for the deads, grip was fading quickly. Pretty upsetting how trash my grip is at the moment, but hopefully it pops back quick.

148

some nice solid hard work there. Quality

1 Like
149

Thanks boss, definitely got a long way to go, but im starting to feel a bit more like myself in the gym.

150

Enjoy the feeling and take your time, little improvements each week and you’ll be stringer than your old self before you know it.

151

Work For Today:

Squat: 45x6, 135x3, 185x1, 205x5, 205x5, 205x5
Bench: 45x10, 135x3, 180x5, 180x5, 180x5, 180x5, 180x5, 135x10
Cybex Row: 135x10, 135x10, 135x10, 135x10, 135x10
Cybex Lat Pulldown: 140x12, 140x12, 140x12
Back Raise: 10, 10, 10

Notes:
-Squats moved well, but i need to make sure im not letting form slip as I increase weight. I am a heavily hip dominant squatter, and all too often I turn squats into good mornings. Not seeing much breakdown at this weight, but I notice myself wanting to shoot my hips up faster than my chest. I definitely have the strength to bang out heavier weights for more reps, but trying to train in good squat mechanics vice just move weight on the bar.
-Took a lot of effort to not bench 185 for my working sets. Im hungry for improvement, but I want to keep up my plan. Nothing good happens from going off program… at least thats what im telling myself.
-Starting to feel like im actually pushing some weight in the gym, and i am liking it.

Quick note, to outline my diet for today:

Meal 1: Grilled chicken breast, rice, shredded carrots. 400ish cal, 45ish protein.
Meal 2: Celery with Chunky Peanut Butter, glass of silk Milk Ultra protein. 350ish cal, 30ish protein.
Meal 3: Shredded Buffalo Chicken on tortillas. 400ish cal, 45ish Protein.
Meal 4: 4 scrambled eggs, ground pork. 600ish cal, 55ish protein.

All said, that puts me at around 1750 calories a day, with 175 grams of protein. This diet doesnt tend to very much, eating the same thing daily, allowing myself 2 cheat meals a week. 1 cheat meal of eating out with friends, then once a week I cook up a steak for my wife an I. Keeping calories just a tad lower to account for the refeeds from the cheat meal. May cut out the cheat meals after my upcoming move, but for right now, they are a good balance with still enjoying life while cutting weight.

On the note of weight, down 4.5lbs in the last two weeks, weigh in again monday, hoping to keep a trend of about 2lbs a week.

1 Like
152

Work For Yesterday:
20 Min bike, 5 min static stretching

Work For Today:
Deadlift:
135x5
225x1
245x5 Double overhand
245x5 mixed grip
245x7 mixed grip

Press:
45x10
95x3
135x5
135x5
135x4 (Dammit)
95x10

Cybex Row:
140x10
140x10
140x10
140x10
140x10

Lat Raise:
17.5x15
17.5x15
17.5x15
17.5x15

Notes:
-Brought some chalk and used a mixed grip for deads, which was more of a game changer than I realized. 245 is insanely light for me, I feel a set of 20 would of been feasible if i just went for it. Still sticking with adding 5lbs a week, but I feel its going to be a while until I feel I am pushing it on deads.
-Press is pissing me off, probably because I started with a pretty heavy weight for me. I care about my press more than any other lift, which is probably why I was too impatient to start lighter. Not able to consistently hit 3x5x135, which is really coming down to form more than anything else. If I misgroove the bar forward, that set is done. Need to clean that up.
-Down 2.4lbs this week, happy with this progress

3 Likes
153

Now we just need to get you some straps and your whole work can change, haha.

Congrats on the weight loss dude!

154

@T3hPwnisher Thanks boss, down about 9lbs total this last month, will be in a good spot if I can just keep this up for a bit. Trying to ease into things, slowly cut cals and increase workload rather than just jump back in full swing. Not my normal style, and definitely frustrating to feel like im holding back, but i think its more sustainable, and right now the results are backing that up! On a different note, I do have some straps in my old gym bag, saving those until the weight gets a bit heavier. Never really got into them before, but im willing to give it the good ole college try haha.

Work For Today:
Squat:
45x8
135x5
185x1
185x1
185x1 (Just screwing around a bit with form before my work sets)
210x5
210x5
210x6 (hit rep 6 and realized I was supposed to stop at 5)

Bench:
45x10
135x3
185x5
185x5
185x5
185x5
185x5
135x10

Cybex Row:
140x10
140x10
140x10
140x10
140x10

Tricep Pushdown:
100x10
120x10
130x10
140x10

Weird Row: (No idea name of machine, but it scorches my rear delts/upper back)
50x15
70x15
90x15
90x15

Notes:
-Decided to play around with my squat form a bit after I saw a video from squat University on widening your stance to combat hip wink. I have a pretty Narrow squat stance, so I thought this might help. Welp, I tried it, freaking hated it, and ended up bringing my stance in a little bit more haha. Feels good to me, gives me a lot of tension in the bottom that makes me feel like a compressed spring.
-Bench is feeling good. Benching with a bit narrower grip than I used to. Not a true close grip, but about shoulder width. Feels great on my shoulders, think I will stick with it.
-Still just pounding the volume for rows. Feels good.

2 Likes
155

Work From Today:

12 Minutes Elliptical

Deadlift: 135x5, 225x1, 255x5, 255x5, 255x7
Overhead Press: 45x10, 95x3, 125x5, 125x5, 125x5, 125x5, 125x5
Cybex Row: 140x10, 140x10, 140x10, 140x10, 140x10
Cable Curls: 10, 10, 10, 10

3 Likes
156

Work For Yesterday:
20 Min Bike Ride

Work For Today:
Squat:
45x10
135x5
185x1
215x5
215x5
215x6

Incline Bench (regular was occupied)
45x10
135x5
175x5
175x5
175x5
175x3
135x8

Cybex Row:
145x10
145x10
145x10
145x10
145x10

Weird Row:
70x15
70x15
70x15
70x15

Cable Curl:
60x10
70x10
70x10
70x10

1 Like
157

Life Updates:

Last workout was done the day before a 10 day underway, after which point I came back, had a few pretty intensive quals back to back to knock out, then packed up the car and drove with my Wife and our two German Shepard mixes to Charleston SC. Shore tour is here, and I am seriously excited to get a normal schedule down and establish a routine.

While I havent been good about posting, I have been good with working out. Weights were inaccessible, so most days were a combo of burpees, pushups, squats, and band work. Not great, but still enough to get a sweat going and feel myself working.

Currently in our new house, which has a two car garage, which I have promptly turned into the home gym. Will post photo updates in a few weeks once the movers come and deliver the rest of my equipment (currently, our only furniture is an air mattress.) For now, I have a barbell, axle, bumpers, trap bar, 15lb dumbbell. I will be getting a squat rack hopefully tomorrow, but FEDEX is already one day late so… fingers crossed. So more goodies and the Peleton are coming with the movers, and then the gym will be complete. For now anyway.

Now that I can actually have some consistent training time without month+ long interupptions, I am Going to run Brian Alsruhe’s Linear Conditioning Program for the next 3 months, then probably hop onto 5-3-1 after that. Ran this before in college, had great results.

Work For Today:

Giant Set 1:
Bench Box Jumps: 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Trap Bar Deadlift: 150x3, 240x3, 290x8, 300x8, 310x8, 320x8
Russian Twists: 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

Giant Set 2:
Bench Box Jump: 3, 3, 3
Front Squat: 135x6, 135x6, 135x6
Lying Leg Raise: 8, 8, 8

Accessory Superset:
Banded Good Mornings: 15, 15
Walking lunges: Driveway length, Driveway length

Conditioning: 40 minutes mowing the lawn

Notes:
-God Damn it feels good to really lift again. Belted up, using chalk, not worried about dropping weight, I loved it
-Knurling one the titan trap bar is a little slick, but not bad. had a decent grip with the chalk.
-Doing this outside in the South Carolina Humidity, I was sweating like a dog. Went through about a liter of water during the workout, just chugging between every set. Ive been spoiled by San Diego weather, need to get my body acclimated.

Side note, but now that I am on shore tour, I decided to pick up something ive always wanted to do, and pick up bow hunting. Did a lot of rifle and shotgun hunting growing up, but never any archery. Picked up a compound bow with a 70lb draw weight yesterday, and aim to shoot 60 arrows a day to get my skills up to par before deer season. a 70lb draw isnt bad, but it does get a little tiring after 60 reps. Good, will make me stronger.

18 months of no deployments, no underways, no duty days, just my 9-5 (well, 6-5, but whatever), and my home gym. This is gonna be epic.

7 Likes
158

Work For Today:

Giant Set:

Axle Rows: 65x8, 75x8, 75x15, 75x18
Overhead Press: 95x8, 95x9, 105x8, 115x8
Band Pull Apart: 10, 10, 10, 10

DB Raise: 15x15, 15x15, 15x15

Poundstone Curls: 40

Notes:

-Pressed for time today, so just hit the main giant set, 5 min accessory work, and dipped
-Went a little light on axle rows, first time doing the movement and kind of underestimate how light an axle is. Also, dont really have bumpers that would let me put 25s on both the barbell and axle… need to fix that, or stop doing two movements in the same giant set that require the weight.
-Wrists were killing me on the curls, which shows that I definitely need to work on opening up my shoulders a bit.
-60 arrows again, actually felt like it loosened up my back a bit from the tightness the deadlifts caused. Good.

3 Likes
159

Work for today:

Giant Set 1:
High Jump: 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Squat: 135x5, 185x8, 205x8, 215x8, 195x8
Russian Twist: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

Giant Set 2:
High Jump: 3, 3, 3
RDL: 135x8, 135x8, 135x8
Lying Leg Raise: 10, 10, 10

Notes:

-squats felt okay. Really have my tightness in my hips that I need to figure out, causing me to lean forward on squats more than I’m comfortable with. My hips and lower back are sufficiently stronger than my quads that I can do a bastardized good morning with just about anything I’m squatting, but that’s not really the goal for these squats. Had a few uglier reps with 215, wanted to hit a set of 225 but decided to drop back down to a lighter weight and make the reps clean.
-RDLs were done slow and controlled, really feeling the stretch in my hamstrings. Always noticed better results from light weight with a form emphasis on RDLs rather than just trying to move weight.
-did this at the base gym. My squat rack has still not arrived, and fedex currently says they don’t know where it is. If they don’t find it by Saturday, they consider it a loss, and then I think I get a refund. I don’t want a refund, I want my freaking rack! With a refund, I just have to buy it again, and wait 2 more weeks for the damn thing. Pissed.

160

Titan officially called it, and gave me a refund for my rack. I just put in another purchase. Lets start this waiting process again.