Mattjp's Training Log

sounds good man. if you need any technique tips on any event, post a video and I’ll be more than happy to make suggestions.

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Yup. All of this stuff is reasonably affordable. Pardon me for asking, but where are you located? If you’re anywhere in eastern US, you could order most of this stuff from Rogue & it’ll be at your house in a few days.

I have a Rogue axle, IronMind sandbag, and Rogue farmer’s handles. Very happy with all of the above.

You are pardoned. Unfortunately I live on the Isle of Man at the moment which is possibly the nut worst place in western Europe for getting obscure stuff delivered but I’ve had a look around and it all does seem pretty cheap as training equipment goes.

Friday, 12 October

Friday, more like tri-day, am I right fellas? Anyway yeah today was benching and triceps and other fun stuff. Down to 213.2 today for whatever weird fluctuation reasons.

Workout

Warmup
Flexible Five
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Lat activation

Main Giant Set
8x Yates row @ 52.5kg
8x bench press @ 52.5kg
10x leg raises
8x plate halos

4x Yates row @ 60kg
4x bench press @ 60kg
10x leg raises
8x plate halos

2x Yates row @ 67.5kg
8x bench press @ 67.5kg
10x leg raises
8x plate halos
Not quite an all-time PR, but close - definitely a giant set PR and a relief after how badly bench moved last week.

Assistance Giant Set
Four rounds:
15x DB bench press
15x bench dips
20x triceps extensions

Metcon
EMOM bag carries. Marvel at my maverick ingenuity in creating a heavier bag for these:

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Monday, 15 October

Forgot to update this over the weekend but I did a (very) short run and a little bit of grip/bicep stuff on Saturday, another short run on Sunday.

Weighed in heavy at 216.5 today, but I went out for dinner on Saturday evening so I’m holding some water/bloat from that. Weight was pretty consistent last week at a daily average intake of 3,700ish so will be keeping around that figure as I’m feeling stronger.

Workout

Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Flexible Five
Glute drills

Main Giant Set
8x deadlifts @ 100kg
10x V sit-ups w/10kg
30s KB swings

6x deadlifts @ 115kg
10x V sit-ups w/10kg
30s KB swings

9x deadlifts @ 130kg (PR)
10x V sit-ups w/10kg
30s KB swings
Rep PR, projected 1RM PR and ‘giant set PR’ all in one. I also technically PR’d the KB swings with 23 reps but who cares. First two giant sets made me realise how awful my grip strength is.

Assistance Giant Set
This was meant to be as many rounds as possible in 10m, but I had to give up one of the racks I was hogging and there was general kerfuffling about that interuppted it so I just decided to do five rounds for 50 reps of each.
10x 2-3" deficit deadlift @ 80kg
10x hyperextensions w/5kg plate
10x Pendlay row @ 60kg

Conditioning
This was meant to be a 1 mile loaded carry but I was pressed for time with a driving lesson at 9, so I just ran back to my house. Not quite the same thing but I did some conditioning at least!

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Tuesday, 16 October

Back down to 213.9 today. We got a sunrise alarm clock now so wakeups are less painful; it’s much nicer than being jolted out of REM sleep by a blaring phone alarm.

Workout

Warmup
Flexible Five
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates

Main Giant Set
6x chinups
6x kneeling press @ 30kg
8x weighted decline bench halo thingies
5x Turkish getups each side

4x chinups w/5kg
4x kneeling press @ 35kg
8x weighted decline bench halo thingies
5x Turkish getups each side

2x chinups w/10kg
10x kneeling press @ 40kg (rep PR)
8x weighted decline bench halo thingies
5x Turkish getups each side

Assistance Giant Set
Four rounds:
Waiter Walk (left)
10 pressups
Waiter Walk (right)
10 chest presses
Basically failed all the pressup/chest presses at the end. I’ve been adding in extra pressup/pullup volume in the evenings and I really pushed it on the chest press/waiter walk, so I was done for by the last round.

Conditioning
EMOM: 50ft (ish) bag carry w/45kg bag
Not that tough in terms of either load or conditioning, so if I’m to repeat this I need to add something between. Picking it up quickly was a bit awkward but practice makes perfect.

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Wednesday, 17 October

Dropped to 212.4 today for whatever reason.

I am absolutely dreading tomorrow. W2D2 is the worst day of the program by far thanks to the combination of pre-squat burpees (or rather, post-burpee squats) and a brutal AGS. In addition tomorrow will be a 95% topset and a 15+ rep widowmaker.

By comparison a run seems lovely.

Workout

Warmup
None

10K training
Flat 5K in 32:42
A little pathetic that this, at >30m still, is my fastest-ever 5K. Trail run uphill planned this weekend which will be even more pathetic.

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Thursday, 18 October

Back up to 215.2 today, but intentionally carbed up a little last night as I knew today would be the toughest workout yet.*

Had an awful night of sleep to the point that even after 600mg caffeine I was still so tired that I was considering rescheduling my training. Didn’t though 'cos I ain’t no bitch.

Workout

Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Flexible Five
Glute drills

Main Giant Set
6x burpees
5x squats @ 90kg
30s hollow rocks

6x burpees
3x squats @ 100kg
30s hollow rocks

6x burpees
3x squats @ 110kg (PR)
30s hollow rocks

15x squats @ 75kg
This was no fun.

Assistance Giant Set
Four rounds:
8x Bulgarian split squats each leg
8x DB lunges each leg
8x DB Romanian deadlifts

Conditioning
1 chinup, 2 pressups, 3 air squats, 4 mountain climbers
Then 2/4/6/8, 3/6/9/12, 4/8/12/16, 5/10/15/20 with no breaks. Unenjoyable.

*As it turns out, this could have been a lot worse and actually this - even despite the 15-rep squat set - was a lot easier than the first time I did this day, in which I died midway through the assistance giant set even with lighter weights. Testament to the conditioning this builds that I did more work at heavier weights in less time than I did six weeks ago, and felt less dead afterwards.

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That’s impressive man. Huge gains in condition

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That’s definitely where progress has been most readily apparent, but the strength PRs are coming through now as the volume drops off and intensity dials up. Did you find it similar in the third wave of Dark Horse?

These rep PRs are being set under fatigue mid-giant-set too, so I’m excited to see what I can muster up after a deload and coming in fresh. The extra conditioning will also carry over nicely if I move back to 5/3/1 afterwards, though I’ll definitely run at least one more of Brian’s templates next year.

The Darkhorse was a constant grind. We set prs for the first 6 weeks and then hit a wall. There was never and dial back in volume or intensity with that program. It milked us dry and then begged for more.

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Friday, 19 October

Woke up at 215.2 after a cheaty pizza last night.

#IIFYM or whatever. Penultimate week of the program before deload and testing. I’m pretty used to giant sets now; it’ll feel weird going back to plain ol’ supersets and regular sets on Spinal Tap for the five weeks after this.

Workout

Warmup
Flexible Five
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates

Main Giant Set
8x single-arm landmine rows w/25kg
8x bench press @ 50kg
10x Russian twists
30s BW manmakers

6x single-arm landmine rows w/27.5kg
6x bench press @ 57.5kg
10x Russian twists
30s BW manmakers

8x single-arm landmine rows w/30kg
8x bench press @ 65kg
10x Russian twists
30s BW manmakers
Not quite a PR, but 65x6 was the topset last time I did this weight on this program.

Assistance Giant Set
Four rounds:
12x DB rows @ 40kg
8x CGBP @ 50kg
8x DB floor press @ 17.5kg
These are all weight PRs, just to make up for it.

Metcon
A whole mess of pressups.

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You could look at some DIY ideas for an axle and farmer’s walk handles, that’s what I did over 2 years ago and haven’t had any issues to date. I’ve loaded up the axle with over 500lbs, but I’ve only used the farmer’s walks for about 225lbs per hand (which is plenty for me).

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Thanks for the help. It will actually be fine to get them here it just takes a few more days and might cost a little extra.

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Saturday, 20 October

Weighed in at 215.2 for the third day in a row.

10k Training

Warmup
Walking to the trail

Conditioning
Trail run up a “mountain”. Around 3k distance over 110m ascent in a little under 25m. Got horribly lost and spent a lot of time walking back as well. Legs are destroyed.

Sunday, 21 October

Fears of my scale being stuck on 215.2lbs were assuaged today when I weighed in at 215.8. Had a total rest day today as a combination of heavy squats and a mountain run had me feeling pretty beaten up.

However I did take advantage of my house’s anabolic natty lighting to snap a pic and see if it looks like I lift yet. Maybe just now almost getting to the stage where I may appear to have once or twice glanced at a dumbbell.

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Monday, 22 October

Today is the last full deadlift day to kick off the last week of this program, deload and testing day excluded. A moment of silence, please.

Anyway what better way to celebrate than a rep PR on deadlifts?

Workout

Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Flexible Five
Glute drills

Main Giant Set
8x good mornings @ 50kg
5x deadlifts @ 120kg
15x V-sit-ups

8x good mornings @ 55kg
3x deadlifts @ 132.5kg
15x V-sit-ups

8x good mornings @ 60kg
5x deadlifts @ 145kg (PR)
15x V-sit-ups

Strongman Conditioning
50ft bag carry w/50kg

Assistance Giant Set
Three rounds:
8x Romanian deadlifts @ 100kg
30s weighted back extension hold
8x good mornings to pins @ 60kg

Tuesday, 23 October

Down to 217.2 today from 218.6 yesterday. Hopefully just retaining a bit of water because I don’t really want to be gaining this fast. Waistline is still the same though, and it’s less than half my height so that makes me skinny… right?

Workout

Warmup
Flexible Five
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates

Main Giant Set
8x inverted rows
8x kneeling press @ 32.5kg
30s plank w/25kg
10x med ball throws

6x inverted rows
6x kneeling press @ 37.5kg
30s plank w/25kg
10x med ball throws

4x inverted rows
8x kneeling press @ 42.5kg
30s plank w/25kg
10x med ball throws
No PRs today; needed 1-2 more for that. Sad.

Assistance Giant Set
Four rounds:
60s crucifix hold
8x bottom-up KB presses
15x rotator cuff thingies

Metcon
Tabata: burpees/jumps/situps/other stuff

Wednesday, 24 October

Back down to 215.4 today so panic over. We bought a pressure cooker last night so that will be fun for meal prepping.

I’m swapping out one of my daily beef servings with chicken to reduce my fat intake and leave me more room for extra carbs, which seems to be better for me, performance-wise.

Hamstrings were still very tender today after Monday’s deadlifting so today’s run was a bit of a flop. Really looking forward to deload week now.

Workout

Warmup
Flexible Five
Walking

10K training
1K interval fast runs w/significant rest between. Several rounds, no idea how many.

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Thursday, 25 October

A surprising 215.4 weigh-in today given I had egg-fried rice and sweet & sour chicken from a greasy Chinese last night.

Last squat day of this program. It’s been a journey.

Workout

Warmup
Flexible Five
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Glute drills

Main Giant Set
6x squats @ 75kg
10x med ball squat jumps
30s side plank each side

4x squats @ 90kg
10x med ball squat jumps
30s side plank each side

7x squats @ 100kg (joint PR)
10x med ball squat jumps
30s side plank each side
Needed 8 for an all-time PR but I wanted to give up at 5, which was what I got at this weight a couple of weeks ago. Despite not getting a PR I’m pretty happy with managing the last two reps, though still regretful that I didn’t nut up for one more.

Assistance Giant Set
Four rounds:
5x front squats
8x step-ups
10x leg raises
Worked up to a plate on the front squats but my grip/wrist started giving out so backed off for the final set. I’ve had 5x70 on front squats before but that was with crossed arms rather than the clean grip I’m using now.

Skipped conditioning today. Last time my knee was aggravated for a few days after this workout and I’m hoping it was the Bring Sally Up squats rather than the front squats. If it feels OK tomorrow I’ll be pretty pleased as I want to do more front squats.

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