Burien Top Team | Training Log

Cycle 9: Boring But Big: Friday 8 of 12

BW: 154.4
TMs: 120 / 180 / 265 / 285

PRE-FUNK
Leg curls 30 x 10; 50 x 10 x 5

DEADLIFT
ss w/DB curls 25 x 10 x 5 + DB rows 40 x 10 x 5
bar x 10
120 x 5
140 x 5
160 x 3
180 x 3
200 x 3
225 x 3
255 x 7

DEADLIFT Jokers
285 x 3
300 x 3

The triple at 285 was double overhand. At 300, the first rep was double overhand, the second two were mixed grip. This was a gain over last week, when all three reps at 300 were mixed grip.

My approach right now, during 5s and 3s weeks, is to use mixed grip only to finish sets started with double overhand. That’s why I didn’t go after the final Joker set at 325 after getting the triple at 300.

SQUAT Volume
ss w/ab wheel rollouts BW x 10 x 6
bar x 10
95 x 10
125 x 10 x 5

Ohh it wasn’t the DH, (that took a toll as well though and I expected it) I was running 531 exactly or almost like you. with a PR set + Joker + backoff stuff. It was really tough on me.

The double overhand approach with the jokers on DL day sounds like a really good idea. I think that way you put just a little less stress on the CNS. Keeping you in this for longer.

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Reading the Virtual Powerlifting Meet thread got me looking into Wilks scores.

As of my most recent 1RMs at BW of about 155 lbs.

bench 71.14
squat 103.33
deadlift 111.18

Total 286.27

One of the calculators I used included a “McCulloch Age Adjustment” which gave me a Wilks score of 327. So one of my near term goals is to get my non-adjusted number up above 327 by the end of the T-ransformation Challenge for 2019.

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Cycle 9: Boring But Big: Monday 9 of 12

BW: 155.8
TMs: 120 / 180 / 265 / 285

PRE-FUNK (superset)
Rope pressdowns 40 x 10 x 5
Dips BW x 5 x 5

PRESS 5/3/1
(superset with DB lateral raises 10 x 10 x 5 + DB upright rows 10 x 10 x 5)
bar x 10
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 3
90 x 5
105 x 3
115 x 5

Not the prettiest triple-double. But I’ve been looking forward to avenging my 115 x 3 PR set effort from two weeks ago, so I won’t complain too much. That said, I’m probably going to keep my PRESS TM at 120 for my final cycle of the year (Cycle 10).

PRESS Jokers
125 x 1
135 x 1

Matched 1RM with 135 x 1, but again, these reps are more of a grind than I’d like. Will run Cycle 10 with a PRESS TM of 120 again.

Incline BENCH Volume
bar x 10
75 x 10 x 5

ss w/

Vertical PULL
50 x 10
80 x 10
110 x 10 x 5

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Cycle 9: Boring But Big: Tuesday 10 of 12

BW: approx 155
TMs: 120 / 180 / 265 / 285

PRE-FUNK
Leg extensions 30 x 10, 50 x 10 x 5

Unable to get access to a squat rack for the first 15-20 minutes of my workout. So I did the accessory work as a tri set until a rack was free.

ACCESSORY (tri set)
DB Curls 25 x 10 x 5
Hanging Leg Raises BW x 10 x 5
DB Rows 40 x 10 x 5

SQUAT 5/3/1
bar x 10
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
185 x 3
200 x 5
225 x 3
250 x 5

SQUAT Jokers
270 x 1*

The twinge in my left hip came back during my single at 270, which I finished almost balancing on one leg. Happy to have topped last week’s effort with the PR set- when the hip issue flared up. But fell short of my week one double at 270.

Will keep the SQUAT TM at 265 for my final cycle of the year next month - and may forgo Joker sets since things get painful above 250 (which is 95% of my TM). I’ll have a week off of heavy training next week, so hopefully that helps with the healing.

DEADLIFT Volume
bar x 10
95 x 10
115 x 10
135 x 10 x 5

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Feeling a bit bummed out that my hip issues are likely going to interfere with my ability to get a three plate squat by year’s end, so I spent some time re-reading one of my favorite T-Nation forum threads for inspiration.

Helped me refocus on priorities - and the realities of being a 50+ lifter when it comes to adding lean muscle mass, keeping the fat at bay, etc.

Instead of the “seasonal” approach to training I’d been planning, I think I’m going to simplify things a bit. After spending a (very successful) year with 5/3/1 Max Effort-based training, I want to try committing a similar amount of time to strength-skill work, specifically Thibaudeau’s Strength-Skill Circuits.

One wrinkle will be to use DBs for the bench and press to make it easier to transition from station to station. I’ll also do clean and snatch grip high pulls rather than the power clean and power snatch since I don’t have any experience in the Olympic lifts and CT doesn’t seem to think it’s too big of a deal to make the swap.

Accessory work will be all shoulders and upper chest. After all, the Minotaur is still under construction …

This, plus fewer carbs and more sleep, will be my sword and shield for the T-ransformation next year.

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Cycle 9: Boring But Big: Wednesday 11 of 12

BW: approx 153.2
TMs: 120 / 180 / 265 / 285

PRE-FUNK
-superset-
Low2High Cable Flyes 25 x 10 x 5
Face Pulls 40 x 10 x 5

BENCH 5/3/1
bar x 10
70 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 3
135 x 5
155 x 3
175 x 5

BENCH Jokers
195 x 1
210 x 1

Matched my BENCH 1RM during this Joker set. But it was a grinder, so I decided against attempting the final Joker set single at 220. I’ve got one more cycle to go this year, and I will be bumping up the BENCH TM to 195. So I’ve got a shot at 220, or better yet, 225, coming up soon enough.

-Tri-set-
Smith Machine Behind the Neck PRESS
bar x 10
50 x 10
55 x 10 x 5

DB lateral raises
10 x 5 x 5

DB upright rows
10 x 5 x 5

These were intense. Really felt my shoulders working during this tri-set. I’ll have to keep this in mind going forward when working on these areas of special emphasis (i.e. shoulders, upper chest).

Horizontal PULL
50 x 10
80 x 10
110 x 10 x 5

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Cycle 9: Boring But Big: Thursday 12 of 12

BW: btw 152-156
TMs: 120 / 180 / 265 / 285

Apparently a lot of folks had the same idea as I did to get in some resistance training immediately before Thanksgiving dinner. Second session in a row where I had to do all my warm-up and accessory lifting first while waiting for a rack to open up. Hard to describe how unusual that is at this little neighborhood gym.

That said, of course, the gym was a ghost town by the time I was about halfway through my routine. Just me and another guy doing deadlifts.

PRE-FUNK
Seated Leg Curls 50 x 10 x 5

ACCESSORY
-superset-
DB curls 25 x 10 x 5
DB rows 40 x 10 x 5

DEADLIFT 5/3/1
bar x 10
120 x 5
140 x 5
160 x 3
185 x 3
210 x 5
240 x 3
270 x 5

DEADLIFT Jokers
300 x 1
325 x 1

The single at 300 was double overhand - matching last week’s performance. Could barely move 325 off the ground with the DO grip, so switched to mixed grip to “finish the set.” No shot at the single at 340 since I couldn’t get the DO rep at 325.

SQUAT Volume
-superset with Ab Wheel rollouts BW x 10 x 6-
bar x 10
95 x 10
125 x 10 x 5

Heading out of town for another business trip tomorrow (Cape Town, South Africa!). Gone for about a week, so I’ll take the next seven-odd days as a hotel gym lifting deload before starting my final 5/3/1 cycle of the year on December 3rd.

Really going well in here.
I’m still amazed that you can handle PR sets + jokers + BBB sets every damn workout. Awesome man.

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Looking forward to starting my final 5/3/1 cycle (#10) of the year on Monday. Three weeks. BBB. 4x/week.

Thinking about 2019, I’m going to have to be careful. I’m in a two-person department at work and my partner will be out on maternity leave for at least the first three months of the year. That means that both 4x and 3x weekly training might be a bit challenging - and all the more so as I try to get my jiu-jitsu training back on track (business travel has been killing my mat time).

I’ll probably hold off on the 4x/week Strength-Skills circuits until the summer when my partner is back at her desk. I’m also going to pass on the 5/3/1 Beach Body Challenge, a 3x/week program I was also considering - and may still do ahead of the transition to strength skill this summer. Instead, I think the first half of 2019 will be a great time to embody Wendler’s 2x2x2 approach.

So which 2x/week program? This one. I especially like the fact that it will extend my hypertrophy a few more weeks after this fall’s BBB work. I’m hoping to get a few votes in the 2019 Transformation Challenge this time around and I think this program will get me off to a great - sustainable - start.

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Thanks! I think it helps that I do the opposite exercise for the BBB (5x10 bench on 5/3/1 press day, etc.)

That said, I’m looking to back off some of the max effort 95%+ work next year. 5/3/1 rest pause until summer then strength-skill until the fall.

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I love Jim’s work, I love rest pause training, I love Kroc Rows and I love PR sets.
What’s not to like.
With your work ethics this is going to be epic.
I can even see as the year goes by you’ll stick to Jims 2x2x2 approach.
Finish the year strong on BBB, then this year will be complete.

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Seven Years a Black Belt

I earned my second degree in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu today. There were about five of us who were promoted to our second degree this morning at a ceremony at the academy. It was really cool to see guys I’ve known since I started training in 2005, and who got their black belts with me back in late 2011, get this recognition - and this responsibility - today.

As our professor said when awarding new black belts to a handful of happy/shocked brown belts: “Now is the time to learn jiu-jitsu.” It’s true. I am so different from the guy who first wrapped a black belt around his waist seven years ago that sometimes it is hard to believe I’m the same person.

To say this will help drive and inspire my weight training is a major understatement. For me, weight training and jiu-jitsu are a perfect combination, and I’m really excited about what both hold for me in 2019.

Oss!

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Thanks! Very happy to find the right 2x program for the moment and really looking forward to both the rest pause and the Kroc rows.

I think you are right about the 2x2x2. Actually, I KNOW you’re right.

Quick question on the Kroc rows. I’ll be doing 45 pound DB rows as part of my 5/3/1 BBB assistance this month (five sets of ten reps supersetted with squats/deadlifts, so lots of rest between sets), And it’s been great for my upper back.

Would 85 pounds be a good idea for Kroc rows to start? 5/3/1 RP calls for 1 or 2 warm up sets and 1 all-out. Based on Matt’s article (Kroc Rows 101), bodyweight rows for widowmaker style (20+) reps is what I want. But I’m thinking a little Wendler “start too light” thinking might be a good idea for my first go-round with Kroc rows.

Kroc rows are as Jim says 1 - 2 warm up sets just to grease the groove.
Then a heavy DB 85 would be fine for a start. Strap up and row away in an ugly body english manner and when you can’t do anymore crank out a couple more.

Over the next month, on the final set of DB rows, use a bit of body english and crank out 15 next time 18 then 20+ and you’re ready to rock the Kroc’s

Go to Brian Alsruhes channel he just put up a video of “the best row variation”.
He talks about the kroc row.
I think I worked up to something like 30 reps before switching to a heavier DB. I did it without straps, it was before i really understood how and when to use straps.

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Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Monday 1 of 12

BW: 152-156
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295

PRE-FUNK
Triceps Pressdowns 50 x 10 x 5 + Dips BW x 5 x 5

PRESS (superset w/ DB laterals and DB uprights 15 x 10 x 5)
bar x 10
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 3
80 x 5
90 x 5
105 x 6

PRESS Jokers
115 x 3

Volume / Incline BENCH
bar x 10
65 x 10
80 x 10 x 5

-superset with-

Antagonist / Vertical PULL
60 x 10
90 x 10
120 x 10 x 5

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Oh Dang man

I had no idea you were a black belt and for seven years. If you don’t mind me asking who did you get your black belt under?

Very inspiring. Being in my late 20s and in grad school it is super tough to find the time that truly needs to be devoted to cultivate the skills to progress to that level of BJJ. My goal is to be a black belt by 40s at some point. Although I am no too hung up on belts I just want to be at that level.

Keep Killing it man!

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Sure. I’m a black belt under Rodrigo Lopes (Carlos Gracie Sr → Carlos Gracie Jr./Marcio Feitosa → Rodrigo Lopes). He founded Gracie Barra Seattle in April of 2005 (I joined in August). He now heads schools in Bellevue, Kirkland, Issaquah, Federal Way, Bothell, Renton, Tacoma, and a few other locations in the NW.

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I’ve been to a few Marcelo Alonso seminars and trained under one of his black belts for my first year and a half. They’re all great guys and Marcelo has a big presence in your neck of the woods. They are very proud to be part of the Carlson Sr. lineage!

The guy I’ve been studying under this year is a four-stripe brown belt under Jay Jack, Amal Easton’s first black belt. Amal was one of Renzo Gracie’s first American black belts. We’ve become very good friends and I’m lucky enough to get dozens and dozens of private lessons from the guy for free. We just love to train and he’s got mats at home, so we make time whenever we can, like tomorrow morning before work.

It’s crazy how far and wide this stuff is spreading. Jiu Jitsu has even made it’s way to my little corner of Maine. It’s very cool to see how the torch gets carried so guys like me can learn the secret of fire.

Congratulations on your promotion!

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Thanks! A large part of joining T-Nation was hoping to make sure there are at least a few more promotions (i.e. years of training) to come!

Marcelo Alonso is our number one rival! They’ve got a brown belt, heavy or super heavy I can’t remember which but pretty good sized guy, who’s got one of the best X-passes I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen him in action at a couple of Fight2Win events here in Seattle. He makes it look so easy that I’ve forced myself to start attacking with it more.

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