Becoming Canis dirus - SvenG's Training Log

@jdm135, @throwawayfitness, @Spock81 - Thanks, everyone. I was pretty happy with that set. There might’ve been one more good rep in there, but I hit the PR and called it—there was still a lot of work left to do!

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5/3/1 & Bodybuilding - c18w2d5 (w2 redux)

Thursday - 24 November 2022
Workout: Easy conditioning, 1445-1540 (55 minutes)

1-pump burpees + 28-kg KB swings - 2x(25 + 25), 25-second rest between
Weighted vest walk - 30 kg - 30 minutes

I was hoping to do this as a bit of “between meals” activity, but that plan was foiled (see here), so I used it as a way to kill time instead.

But somehow there’s STILL two hours left until we eat—ugh!

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More props on the pic, sven. You looked jacked as F dude.

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Nice work on the bench PR. Happy turkey day.

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@boilerman, @simo74 - Cheers, guys! Here’s hoping your yesterday was awesome!

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5/3/1 & Bodybuilding - c18w2d6 (w2 redux)

Friday - 25 November 2022
Workout: Legs & abs, 0820-0950 (90 minutes)

Indigo-3G - 0800
Surge - 0830-0922

Warm-up
Throws + jumps

Begin: 0840; End: 0948; Duration: 68 minutes
Squat - 115x5, 150x5, 180x5 | 215x3, 245x3, 280x7
BB hack squat - 135 lbs - 15, 15, 15, 15, 15
Leg curl - 75 lbs - 15, 15; 100 lbs - 10 + 5; 75 lbs - 15, 15
Leg extension - 100 lbs - 12, 12, 12, 12
Ab wheel - ramp (19) - 12, 10 + 2, 10 + 2, 6 + 4 + 2
Upright row - 55 lbs - 15, 15, 15, 15, 15

Semi-fasted: black coffee upon waking, then Indigo-3G and Surge as above.

Bear with me here, 'cause I don’t have much time pressure today…

A few lingering thoughts about yesterday:

  • Much like the chins on Tuesday, I was short of breath during those dips. The struggle there was as much about that as it was about chest/triceps fatigue, particularly in the earlier sets.
  • The push-up part of the burpees yesterday afternoon were HARD. That tells me my to-failure sets earlier in the day did their job.
  • There was a sharp “pain” in my mid-back, ever so slightly to the right, during the walk yesterday. I say “pain” because there’s isn’t a better word for it. It was basically that feeling like your back needs cracked, you know?

Now, on to today…

So, Sven, my dude—you gotta remember: It’s about effort. Not about weight. Or reps. But effort. And total effort at that—not just on one set, or one movement. Total effort, day after day, week after week, month after month. So don’t sweat that top set. Just keep your head down, and do the work.

Decided last night I was going to let myself sleep in today, so I disabled my alarm and crashed hard. Didn’t get up until almost 0700. And I felt like I had been hit by a Mack truck when I did. (That’s right, @simo74: Yours truly was actually sore! And not just from yesterday’s chest & triceps work: I’m pretty sure I was feeling Tuesday’s deadlifts and back work too!) I took my time getting going this morning, and finally got this started about 0820, or about 3 hours behind “schedule.”

Was feeling decent by the time I hit the weight room, but the 14+ reps I would need for a rep PR were making me anxious. I had be waffling about whether or not I was even going to try, but when I got under the bar at 280, I figured, “Why not?”

I took the full weight of the bar on my back and—squish—that spot that was bothering me during yesterday’s walk fired right up. Again, “pain” isn’t quite the right term, but I was very aware of that spot (and I still am, just sitting here typing this out over an hour later). I had to start fighting to get reps 4-7, pausing to breathe deeply between reps—not quite true breathings squats, but one or two pretty deep breaths before continuing. That might have made it even more miserable, because of course my spine was barking the whole time.

So I gave it a run, but I had to hang it up after 7 and 14+ just didn’t happen. Looking back, I have no idea how I got 285x13 during Hardgainers—go me! (Haha.)

And just for the record, I did everything beltless today, and that was the right call: I’m pretty happy with my bracing during squats and I’ve been finding the belt distracting lately, but it absolutely helps my deadlifting (particularly during the eccentric).

Warm-up sets in 5 minutes, work sets in 10 minutes, and supplemental BB hack squats in 14 minutes. I once again had the thought, “I could do more on these hack squats,” but by the third set, I was hurting—135 lbs does the job. Regardless, these might be my new favorite love-to-hate movement.

From there, it was onto the remaining assistance and today’s daily upper-back work over 4 rounds (and then finishing out the remaining leg curl and upright row sets). I got to the 3rd set of leg curls and I just died—I absolutely hit a wall, struggling to get the first 10 reps and then doing what basically amounted to singles to get to 15 total. It was awful. I was really hoping I had misloaded the plates or something, but everything looked right as I transitioned to leg extensions. Okay, just a bad set, shake it off, load up for leg extensions, move on.

It wasn’t until I hit the first rep of the leg extensions that I realized I had, in fact, misloaded: that 3rd set of leg curls was 100 lbs, not 75! But I was so toasted that, even when I checked to see if I had misloaded, I didn’t realize I had. My head was totally in the clouds…

I had a really good laugh at myself over that, switched out the plates (again!), got the correct loading for leg extensions, and finished out the round feeling much better about my hamstrings (even if I was just plain stupid in the moment).

Anyway, fatigue was building up quickly so I was moving slowly, but I finally finished everything up in an agonizing 68 minutes total. In that respect, I really appreciate days when I have to get the kids off to school and get online for work: there’s not much slack in my morning schedule, so I can’t dawdle (even if my body says it wants to).

Right, so that’s that. Easy conditioning to follow, but first, I get to rehang all the cabinets I took off the basement walls early last week—the painting is done and the new carpet goes in on Tuesday, so we’re starting to see the light at the end of that tunnel, at least!

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The anxiety I always felt right before my “most important” 5/3/1 set was the reason I had to stop the program haha. It can feel daunting sometimes, but this looks like an incredible workout regardless!

Hopefully, your back loosens up soon.

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Absolutely. Trouble is, it’s all in my head. Or most of it is—I mean, who really cares if I get the PR or not?

:slight_smile:

Realistically, though, I’ve been following 5/3/1 templates for long enough that the week-over-week (or even cycle-over-cycle PRs) are a thing of the past—my 5/3/1 newbie gainz are over, haha!

I just need to let go and do the work.

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5/3/1 & Bodybuilding - c18w2d6 (w2 redux)

Friday - 25 November 2022
Workout: Easy conditioning, 1440-1535 (55 minutes)

1-pump burpees + 28-kg KB swings - 2x(25 + 25), 25-second rest between
Weighted vest walk - 30 kg - 30 minutes

Still (semi-)fasted—not planned, not “make-up” or penance for eating big yesterday, I just got lost in the basement work and forgot to eat—sheesh!

Push-ups were hard again today, moreso in my pecs than my tris this time. Got the walk in and though my spine is still off, it didn’t hurt so much this afternoon.

My out-of-town in-laws are still in town, so an early dinner of leftovers soon, then we’re taking all of the kids to the local botanical gardens to see the Christmas lights!

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5/3/1 & Bodybuilding - c18w2d7 (w2 redux)

Saturday - 26 November 2022
Workout: Easy conditioning, 0620-0715 (55 minutes)

1-pump burpees + 28-kg KB swings - 2x(25 + 25), 25-second rest between
Weighted vest walk - 30 kg - 30 minutes

Fasted. More basement cabinets today, then brunch, and eventually more Christmas lights this evening—my in-laws really like light displays, it seems. Anyway, I’ll squeeze in the rest of today’s work at some point.

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5/3/1 & Bodybuilding - c18w2d7 (w2 redux)

Saturday - 26 November 2022
Workout: Calves, daily work, & extra conditioning, 1240-1325 (45 minutes)

Towel hop tabata - 4x40/10

3 rounds of:
a) Single-leg calf raises - L/R - 35 lbs - 10, 8, 6
b) DB gorilla rows - 2x30 lbs - L/R - 15, 15, 15
c) KB swings - 28 kg - 50, 50, 50

Towel hop tabata - 4x40/10

(Half) Cindy WOD - AMRAP, 10 minutes
a) 5 pull-ups
b) 10 push-ups
c) 15 air squats
Rounds: 7 + 27 reps (finished 8 full rounds in less than 10 more seconds)

Went as far as I could with the basement, rest depends on carpet install. Had “brunch” at 0900 with the in-laws, then did some work outside because it’s a gorgeous day. Finished up out there and then straight into this—it went well today, and I very nearly had 8 full rounds in 10 minutes flat: Missed it by just 3 reps! Maybe next week?

That just leaves BB curls, which I’ll edit in once they’re done.

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5/3/1 & Bodybuilding - c18w2 (w2 redux) - summary

Pretty happy with the week: The deadlift “PR” was decent, the bench PR was super-decent, and I got all of my work in (yesterday’s BB curls notwithstanding). My conditioning is still suffering a bit, but it’ll come back eventually. Just gotta keep plugging away…

Only other noteworthy thing: I was sore this week—particularly following that chest & triceps workout on Thursday. I’m thinking that was just holdover inflammation from the flu working itself out, but who knows? Could be I was just finally working hard enough for my body to talk back…

So, on to Week 3. My goals are:

  • Complete all 4 lifting workouts
  • Do a 30-minute weighted vest walk every day
  • Hit my upper back with a high-rep movement every day
  • Complete 3 days of hard conditioning & direct calf work
  • Eat well

It’s a 1s week, so the weights are the biggest they’ve been during the front half of this 5/3/1 & Bodybuilding template. I’m hoping to pick-off some new rep PRs on the 1+ top sets, but I’m going to balance that with the pep talk I gave myself after last week’s squats: That really is the right perspective at this point.

Alright, folks, that’s that. Let’s get after it!

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5/3/1 & Bodybuilding - c18w3d1

Sunday - 27 November 2022
Workout: Easy conditioning, 0755-0850 (55 minutes)

1-pump burpees + 28-kg KB swings - 2x(25 + 25), 25-second rest between
Weighted vest walk - 30 kg - 30 minutes

Fasted.

Never did get to those BB curls yesterday: Turns out, the Christmas lights we went to see were at our local amusement park, and they were actually running quite a few of the rides, so we left the house earlier and stayed at the park later than I anticipated—I was tired, cold, and hungry when we got home, so I’ll hit those up at some point today.

Slept until about 0545 or so and woke up to rain, so I delayed this a bit longer that I would’ve like but managed to miss most of the downpour.

Daily work, calves, conditioning, and BB curls to follow throughout the day.

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5/3/1 & Bodybuilding - c18w3d1

Sunday - 27 November 2022
Workout: Daily work, calves, & extra conditioning + BB curls, 1400-1445 + 1545-1600 (45 + 15 minutes)

Towel hop tabata - 4x40/10

3 rounds of:
a) 1-pump burpees + 30-inch box jumps - 10 + 10, 10 + 10, 10 + 10
b) Single-leg calf raises - L/R - 35 lbs - 10, 8, 6
c) Wendler rows - 90 lbs - 20, 20, 35

Towel hop tabata - 4x40/10

Pwn’s Tabearta - 8x20/10 - 65 lbs - 5x3, 3x2

BB curls - 147 (rep PR)

Did it again: Got one more round of 3 reps in Tabearta this week! Not sure if I’ve been holding back or if my body’s just responding when it needs to—and I will say, I’m DOA once the last 3-rep round is over, so it’s not like it’s coming easily—but I did it!

Turns out I’ve got more to do in the basement, so I need to get going on that next, but I’ll hit up those BB curls before dinner and then edit them in.

Edit: 147 in 8:37. Didn’t feel like it, but I guess I was flying today! I talked about accumulated fatigue as I caught up to 146 unbroken last Sunday, but in reality I think I’m just to the point where the rep counts I need just make it hard, Hard, HARD—plain and simple. Got 'em done, though, and that’s that.

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Good to see that you’re all back in the saddle! How’s the ole back bone treating you?

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Much better, thanks for asking!

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5/3/1 & Bodybuilding - c18w3d2

Monday - 28 November 2022
Workout: Shoulders & biceps, 0520-0630 (70 minutes)

Indigo-3G - 0500
Surge - 0530-0613

Warm-up
Throws + jumps

Begin: 0540; End: 0628; Duration: 48 minutes
Press - 70x5, 90x5 105x5 | 120x5, 135x3, 150x4
DB press - 2x45 lbs - 12, 12, 10 + 2, 9 + 3
Lateral raise - 2x15 lbs - 12, 12, 12, 12
BB curl - 65 lbs - 12, 12, 12, 12
Preacher curl - 45 lbs - 10, 10, 10, 10
Shrug - 2x65 lbs - 20, 20, 20, 20

Semi-fasted: black coffee upon waking, then Indigo-3G and Surge as above.

‘A’ for effort, right? I definitely left it all in the weight room this morning, and not just on the press sets. Needed 6+ reps for a PR on that top set, had to fight for rep 4, failed rep 5.

Warm-up sets in 5 minutes, work sets in 8 minutes, supplemental in 8 minutes. Press felt strong until I got to 135—the 15-lbs jump from 120 might as well have been 150 lbs. Got my 3 reps, regathered myself for the top set and went after it. First 3 reps were super solid, but then I hit a wall. Only just got the 4th, missed the 5th, and that was that. Came back strong on the supplemental work, though. Definitely the best those have felt since starting this template, even if I still had to rest-pause by the end.

Felt like I moved through the rest of it quickly, even if the total duration was the same as last week—I definitely wanted to dawdle around between assistance moves, but I didn’t: Just kept forcing myself to start each new set before I wanted to. (Ha! That’s always true, though, because I never WANT to start a set. But you know what I mean…)

Easy conditioning this afternoon, and lots of food 'cause—yep, you guessed it: Deadlifts tomorrow!

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You should just use this saying before any training day and replace deadlift with the movement of your choice.

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Having done this, results may include looking like the pillsbury doughboy

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Yer but strong AF

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