@Cyrrex posted this in another thread:
I knew he had a way with words, but this is poetry!
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Mate, it is because I suspect I might be getting around 20% these days, and I want to be the latter.
Appreciate the callout!
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Forever(-ish) BBB - c8w1d3
Tuesday - 11 January 2022
Workout: Hard conditioning, 1155-1250 (55 minutes)
10 rounds of:
a) 6 alternating reverse lunge - L/R - 2x20 lbs
b) 6 chin-ups/pull-ups (strict, various grips)
Time: 11:41
In a 28-kg weighted vest, 8 rounds of:
a) Sled push - 25 yds - 135 + sled = 222 lbs
b) Run to start - 25 yds
c) 7 air squats
d) Run to sled - 25 yds
e) Sled push - 25 yds - 135 + sled = 222 lbs
f) 7 air squats
Time: 21:51
No ice, so opted for regularly scheduled hard conditioning. Knocked out daily work first with 60 reverse lunges (per leg) and 60 chin-ups/pull-ups. First 5 rounds were about EMOM, but started sucking wind in the latter half. Good way to get in some single leg work, which I’ve basically cut from the lifting workouts per JW’s BBB recommendations. Chins went well today, felt strong.
Sled work and air squats were terrible, horrible, no good, very bad. Didn’t really want to do it, but it was just what I needed. Slow as molasses compared to last week, but I pushed through all 8 rounds…
Yes, Pwn, you were in my head:
It wasn’t pretty, but I was moving as quickly as I could.
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I really admire your conditioning, I have got to work up to that level.
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Thanks, mi amigo! I appreciate that. I am totally convinced the extra work capacity has helped my lifting, so it’s definitely worth the effort!
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Conditioning just plain makes everything better. So worth it.
And man: I don’t even like being in my own head. My apologies for being in yours, haha.
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Last time @T3hPwnisher was in my head I ended up doing Juarez Valley with the sandbag. Can I suggest you get him out of your head as quickly as possible for your own good:joy:
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Interesting! I’ve never tried a narrow or wide neutral grip, only because my pull-up bar has only the shoulder-width neutral grip on it. But I’m going to look around and see what I can do to try this out too — perhaps the children’s playground next door to me if the rain ever stops long enough for me to give it a go.
I have such a love – hate relationship with pronated grip. I like it because (for me, at least) it’s hard and gives a good pump in the triceps (admittedly not really the point if you’re wanting to work the lats). But finding a way to do it that doesn’t aggravate my elbows is proving to be a challenge.
Thanks so much for the info!
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Was he covered in baby oil?
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I said head not bed
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Forever(-ish) BBB - c8w1d4
Wednesday - 12 January 2022
Workout: Easy conditioning + calves, 0745-0855 (70 minutes)
Seated CR - 220 lbs - 25, 20, 15
Weighted vest walk - 28 kg - 15 minutes (to park)
Easy run - 9 laps, about 1750m - 10:35
Weighted vest walk - 28 kg - 16 minutes (from park)
Fasted.
Maybe it’s the cold weather. Maybe I’m working harder in the weight room than I realize. Maybe I’m just lazy. But these runs! They’re getting worse.
I don’t really care about running; I do it because:
But apparently I care enough to notice they’re getting worse, not better… Anyway, did the work, so that much is good.
Jump rope and daily work via a modified version of Pwn’s Countdown later today.
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Is your goal to get better at running, or is running a tool you are using to pursue a goal?
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Definitely the latter.
My experience says that easy conditioning—a weighted vest walk and running a mile at a moderate pace, in this case—provides a low-impact form of movement and aids in (or at least does not interfere with) recovery.
And that’s the goal on Wednesdays: move a bit more than I otherwise would but still be ready to attack the barbell Thursday morning.
I am definitely not running to get better at running, so why do I feel I should be improving week over week?
Perhaps I also assume that working hard necessarily means improving… Or rather that if I didn’t improve, I haven’t worked hard.
But we’ve both talked about that before—and I know it’s not true.
So thanks for the question. Sometimes I get frustrated, vent a little, and move on—without taking the time to consider, “Why am I really doing this?”
I appreciate the gut check.
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No problem dude! It’s something I do in my own training. It gets frustrating too, because others key in on those variables as well. People are more concerned with the results than the effort, and so they see a decline in time and go “oh man, better luck next time”
But if you actually pushed yourself HARDER than last time to get that worse time: that’s awesome! You’re getting the training effect you want.
What we CAN do with that data point is assign meaning to it. Are we doing worse because we’re accumulating greater fatigue in our other training? And does that fatigue need to get managed? Or is it our goal to fatigue ourselves?
And sometimes, it can simply be the impact of differing circumstances. Proximity to meals, time of day, etc.
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Jesus freaking H Christ. Thought I’d catch up on your log, and saw 175x40… Nuff said.
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@T3hPwnisher - still trying to calibrate my internal effort-ometer, but at least I’m now aware that’s the metric of choice!
@jdm135 - Thanks, my man. Here I’m trying to make the thought of hi-rep squats less intimidating by just hammering away at these BBB sets. The heavier weights will come—but like so much else, I’m not in a rush to get to Super Squats just yet, haha.
Forever(-ish) BBB - c8w1d4
Wednesday - 12 January 2022
Workout: Extra conditioning, 1235-1310 (35 minutes)
Jump rope tabata - 4x40/10 - 1 round
Pwn’s Countdown with 6 chin-ups/pull-ups (strict, various grips) between moves
Time: 12:38
Jump rope tabata - 4x40/10 - 1 round
Tried Pwn’s Countdown again today, this time 10 → 1 with daily chins in between each move. That made it killer—had a hard time catching my breath and my HR was in the upper 150s/low 160s, start to finish. I used 95 lbs for the thrusters and cleans, a 35-lbs DB for snatches, and a 24-kg KB for swings.
It almost fit within a half-hour, so that’s cool too—if I can push a little harder, I can be in and out within 30 minutes flat.
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Forever(-ish) BBB - c8w1d5
Thursday - 13 January 2022
Workout: Deadlift, 0745-0900 (75 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 0809; End: 0858; Duration: 49 minutes
Deadlift - 130x5, 165x5, 195x5 | 230x5, 260x5, 295x5 | 195x36 (rep PR), 195x14
OA row - L/R - 50 - 20, 10
Ab wheel - ramp (14) - 25, 20, 15
Dip - 60 - 15, 15
BPA - red - 10 high + 10 mid + 10 low
DB lateral raise - 2x10 lbs - 30
Assistance totals:
Push - 60 reps
Pull - 60 reps
Single-leg/core - 60 reps
Like the squat, my top set was heavier last week, but I still beat the rep count in that first supplemental set by 11 reps, so I’m going to call that a win. Oh, and I used my new straps today, so that’s different too. But I anticipate all my deadlift PRs from here on out will be strapped, so really I’m just setting new baselines.
Thanks to all those who recommended using deadlift straps, BTW—@T3hPwnisher and @dagill2 come to mind, in particular. I’m still fumbling around a bit on the setup, but once I’m locked in they definitely make a difference. My lungs, hamstrings, and glutes gave out on the 36-rep set today, not my grip (and mostly my lungs). That’s just what I was hoping for.
Burpees + swings and chin-ups/pull-ups via Pwn’s Grace Echo later today, followed by a weighted vest walk. Rumor has it my mother-in-law is making Thanksgiving dinner tonight, just for kicks, and so this Thursday I’m thankful that it is, in fact, a deadlift day!
Edit: It’s worth noting that I moved the ramp down a notch for the ab wheel again today. I could definitely feel it in the first two sets, which is different than it has been in the past. Not exactly sure how high the end of the ramp is at this point, but I’m progressing toward a true standing ab wheel nonetheless!
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Holy Shit that must have been painful
Recovery via food seems a sure thing!
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Absolutely wasn’t me, I’m not a straps advocate.
I’ll take any praise I can get though. Good work.
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