THURSDAY
BW: 146.8 lbs
waist: 33"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 8, Day 5
Conditioning | Jiu-JItsu | Conditioning
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/ 16 lb vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:28 minutes
Max HR 160 / Average 132
++ several hours later ++
Jiu-Jitsu
Drills/Specific Training: 75 minutes
Live Training: 12 minutes
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
2.5 miles / 395 calories / 42:03 minutes
Max HR 143 / Average HR 132
FRIDAY
BW: 146.6 lbs
waist: 33"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 8, Day 6
Conditioning | Recovery
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
2.1 miles / 281 calories / 35:03 minutes
Max HR 111 / Average HR 104
SATURDAY
BW: 147.8 lbs
waist: 33"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 8, Day 7
Hypertrophy
Warmup
Incline treadmill walk
0.50 miles / 67 calories / 8:25 minutes
Biceps
Seated curl machine (RP 20 - 30)
50 lbs x 10
60 lbs x 8
70 lbs x 6
80 lbs (RP) 12 + 6 + 5 = 21 (!)
Forearms/Brachialis
Neutral grip chins (SS 8 - 12)
BW x 8, 8, 8, 11
Quads
Leg extensions (SS 6 - 10 + WM)
90 lbs x 10
110 lbs x 8
130 lbs x 6
150 lbs x 11
90 lbs x 17 + 3 = 20
Hamstrings
DB SLDL (SS 10 - 12)
50 lbs x 8, 10, 12, 12
Glutes
Hip thrust machine (SS 10 - 12)
BW x 10
20 lbs x 8
50 lbs x 6
70 lbs x 4
90 lbs x 10
SUNDAY
BW: 148.2 lbs
waist: 33"
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
3.6 miles / 482 calories / 60 minutes
Max HR 124 / Average HR 118
MONDAY
BW: 149.4 lbs
waist: 33 1/2"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 9, Day 2
Hypertrophy
Warmup
Rower
5:06 minutes / 54 calories / 1,014m
Chest
Standing band cross body press
4 sets of 8
superset with arm circles
Shoulders
Standing one-arm band lateral raise
4 sets of 8
superset with band pull-aparts
Triceps
Seated dip machine (RP 15 - 30)
110 lbs x 10
130 lbs x 8
150 lbs x 6
170 lbs (RP PR 28) 19 + 9 + 6 = 34
Back width
Machine lat pulldown (AMRAP 15 - 20 + WM)
90 lbs x 10
110 lbs x 8
130 lbs x 6
150 lbs (AMRAP PR 20) x 21
110 lbs (WM PR 20) x 20
Back thickness
Machine chest supported row (AMRAP 15 - 20 + WM)
50 lbs x 10
70 lbs x 8
90 lbs x 6
110 lbs (AMRAP PR 19) x 16
70 lbs (WM PR 20) x 20
Note: all sets pronated grip except for neutral grip for WM set
So far so good. Trying to go super light and careful on all chest and shoulder movements to avoid irritating my rotator cuff (though both shoulders could really use some R&R). Looking forward to the day when I’m able to go as hard on my chest as I do on my back.
Starting this week I’m going to limit red meat to once a week (Friday or Saturday) after getting a really high blood pressure reading at my wellness visit last month. Hake for lunch and chicken for dinner tonight. At the same time, I have to admit that stress is definitely playing a role and has for years. Working on a long-term plan for that. Also hoping this Mediterranean-style diet will enable me to get under 145 lbs on a consistent basis. One of CT’s recommendations for getting lean and staying lean is “more white and less red.” Let’s see what happens.
80 minutes start to finish.
TUESDAY
BW: 148.8 lbs
waist: 33"
Conditioning
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:13 minutes
Max HR 134 / Average HR 116
(-)
WEDNESDAY
OFF
(-)
THURSDAY
BW: 149.2 lbs
waist: 33"
Conditioning
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:14 minutes
Max HR 134 / Average HR 120
(-)
FRIDAY
BW: 148.4 lbs
waist: 33"
Conditioning
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:12 minutes
Max HR 134 / Average HR 120
SATURDAY
BW: 147.4 lbs
waist: 33"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 9, Day 7
Hypertrophy
Warmup
Incline treadmill walk
0.50 miles / 67 calories / 8:30 minutes
Biceps
Seated DB alt curl
20 lbs 4 sets of 10
Forearms
Standing cable hammer curl (11-20 SS)
17.5 lbs x 10
22.5 lbs x 8
27.5 lbs x 6
32.5 lbs x 21
Quads
Seated leg press (4-8 SS + WM)
90 lbs x 10
130 lbs x 8
150 lbs x 6
170 lbs x 4
210 lbs x 9
120 lbs x 20
Hams
Glute-Ham raise (15-20 SS)
BW x 10
+10 lbs x 8
+25 lbs x 6
+30 lbs x 15
Abs
Hanging leg raise
BW 4 sets of 10
Happy to see Chewy embrace hypertrophy training as a better compliment to jiu-jitsu than powerlifting or other approaches - for pretty much the same reasons I do.
SUNDAY
BW: 149.4 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
Conditioning
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
3.6 miles / 482 calories / 60 minutes
Max HR 129 / Average HR 118
MONDAY
BW: 150.2 lbs
waist: 33"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 10, Day 2
Hypertrophy
Chest
Standing band cross body press
4 sets of 10
superset with arm circles
Shoulders
Standing one-arm band lateral raise
4 sets of 10
superset with band pull-aparts
Triceps
Seated dip machine (RP 15-30)
130 lbs x 10
150 lbs x 8
170 lbs x 6
190 lbs (RP) 15 + 4 + 3 = 22
Back width
Machine lat pulldown (AMRAP 15-20 + WM)
110 lbs x 10
130 lbs x 8
150 lbs x 6
170 lbs (AMRAP) x 12
130 lbs (WM) x 20 (!)
Back thickness
Machine chest supported row (AMRAP 15-20 + WM)
50 lbs x 10
70 lbs x 8
90 lbs x 6
110 lbs (AMRAP RP 19) x 17
80 lbs (WM) x 20
Feeling as if its time for some isolation work on back thickness. I’ve not been able to advance beyond 15-17 reps at 110 lbs for the AMRAP set after about three weeks of trying. Paul Carter is big on one-arm cable rows. I’m thinking about giving them a shot for a bit.
65 minutes start to finish. Skipped the warmup since I had to walk around the block to the nearby drugstore to buy a cheap timer since I thought I’d lost mine. The store was out of stock but, fortunately, I’m an idiot and my timer was buried in my bag, after all.
Once again, I can’t help but think about how much I’m looking forward to the day when I can get after my chest and shoulders like I’m getting after my back. Not going to rush it; that’s a recipe for failure. But the anticipation builds with every session.
TUESDAY
BW: 148.6 lbs
waist: 33"
Conditioning
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lbs vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:14 minutes
Max HR 138 / Average HR 124
HR a little on the high side. A little “Clark Kent Life” stress creeping in. Taking some time off the mat to deload brain and body.
WEDNESDAY
BW: 148.4 lbs
waist: 33"
Conditioning
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lbs vest)
3.6 miles / 482 calories / 60 minutes
Max HR 129 / Average HR 116
THURSDAY
BW: 149.6 lbs
waist: 33"
T-ransformation 2023, Week 10, Day 5
Hypertrophy
Biceps
Preacher curl (RP 20-30)
bar x 10
+25 lbs x 8
+35 lbs x 6
+45 lbs (RP) 15 + 6 + 5 = 26
Forearms/Brachialis
Standing cable hammer curl (SS 11-20)
22.5 lbs x 10
27.5 lbs x 8
32.5 lbs x 6
37.5 lbs x 16
Hams
Seated leg curl (RP 15-20)
50 lbs x 10
70 lbs x 8
90 lbs x 6
Tried to do RP at 110, but my right hamstring wasn’t having it. Tried to back off to 90 lbs. Not much better. Decided to end things there.
Quads
Back squat (SS 4-8 + WM)
bar x 10
95 lbs x 8
135 lbs x 6
165 lbs x 4
185 lbs x 1
205 (SS PR 4) x 5
145 lbs x 20(!)
Glutes
Leg kickback machine (SS 11-20)
30 lbs x 10
50 lbs x 8
70 lbs x 6
90 lbs x 4
110 lbs x 20
Heading out of town for a few days soon. Will hit the hotel gym at least a few times - mostly for conditioning, but hopefully I can get in some arm work, as well. I’ll also bring my bands for chest and shoulder; I’m still babying them both.
Wasn’t feeling super about my five-rep 205 lb squat. But the last back squat set I did was back in December. 225 lbs for 3. So maybe I’m not so far off, given that I haven’t done any significant strength work in awhile. Was grateful for the widowmaker at 145 lbs.
SATURDAY
BW: 147.8 lbs
waist: 33"
Conditioning
Zone 3
Rower
2039m / 111 cal /10:06 minutes
Zone 1
Incline treadmill
2 miles / 281 calories / 35:02 minutes
Max HR 120 / Average HR 114
Read this cover to cover during my week out of country on business. Very empowering and inspiring given that my conception of jiu-jitsu is pretty old school and closer to Rickson’s than it is to that of many of my contemporaries.
It’s also helped me decide on what to focus on for the next several months of training.
SUNDAY
BW: 150.8 lbs
waist: 33 1/2"
OFF
++
MONDAY
BW: 151.6 lbs
waist: 33 3/4"
Conditioning
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
3.6 miles / 482 calories / 60 minutes
TUESDAY
BW: 151.2 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
Conditioning + Jiu-Jitsu
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:14 minutes
Max HR 153 / Average HR 138
++ several hours later++
Jiu-Jitsu Training
Drills and specific training: 45 minutes
Live training: 12 minutes
HR was way up for the Zone 2 work. I spent much of the final half mile at or above 148 bpm. Getting back into shape after a week away plus a few extra pounds picked up over the weekend are likely to blame.
Started supplementing with a SuperBeets type drink yesterday. I don’t know if it helped tonight, but I felt very fresh during jiu-jitsu training. Blood pressure was at a great level, too (I’ve started measuring it daily after getting a high reading a few weeks ago at my last doctor’s visit).
WEDNESDAY
BW: 149.0 lbs
waist: 33"
Conditioning
Zone 3 Cardio
Rower
2 km./ 81 calories / 10:06 minutes
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
2.1 miles / 281 calories / 35:04 minutes
Max HR 141 / Average HR 125
THURSDAY
BW: 149.6 lbs
waist: 33"
Conditioning | Jiu-Jitsu
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:15 minutes
Max HR 144 / Average HR 128
++ several hours later++
Jiu-Jitsu Training
Drills and specific training: 75 minutes
Live training: 12 minutes
Nice to see my HRs drop by a few points during the Zone 2 work. Started wearing a FitBit; readings are pretty close to what I get from the treadmill itself. Very curious to see how awful my sleep monitoring goes …
Had a good time working with beginners tonight. I could teach white belts all day long - there’s nothing more rewarding. Had a Live Training session with a guy who’d only sparred twice before. He said that the one of those times was with one of our higher belts who choked him out 8 or 9 times. I’m fine with that. It’s good for newbies to “feel the power of the force.” But I’ve always preferred the other route of letting the newbie try a few things. There will be plenty of ass-kickings awaiting them in their jiu-jitsu journey. I enjoy offering something a little different.
FRIDAY
BW: 149.6 lbs
waist: 33"
Conditioning
Zone 1 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
2.1 miles / 282 calories / 35:07 minutes
Max HR 134 / Average HR 115
++
SATURDAY
BW: 148.8 lbs
waist: 33"
Conditioning
Zone 2 Cardio
Incline treadmill walk (w/16 lb vest)
2.5 miles / 390 calories / 42:!6 minutes
Max HR 143 / Average HR 121