Current Training: Winter Swoler (1.25 - present)
Previous Training
- Arms of Autumn: Arm hypertrophy emphasis in anterior/posterior split (9.21 - 1.23)
- Mad Midsummer Metcon: Crossfit style workouts (8.3 - 9.19)
- Physique Unleashed 1.0: High rep Gironda style daily giant sets (6.1 - 7.24)
- DC by DB 1.0: DC training with dumbbells, bands, and Power Tower (3.23 - 5.22)
- HUBL:Heavy Upper/Bodybuild Lower 1.0: CT’s HP Mass + Compound Strength Circuits + Pull Day (1.6 - 3.13)
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Update 3.18.20
The global pandemic has closed both my jiu-jitsu academy and my neighborhood gym. S&C goals for now - under these circumstances - are to focus on keeping weight <155 lbs, improving conditioning, and, if I’m lucky, a little shoulder/arm hypertrophy.
Update 3.7.20
Jiu-jitsu season is getting going, so shifting emphasis toward strength over size from now through September. Split adjustment is below. Periodizing based on rest periods (90, 60, 30 seconds, volume deload, increase weight)
Monday
Press / Row circuit
Delts assistance
Wednesday
Deadlift / Chin circuit
Biceps assistance
Friday
Squat / Dips circuit
Triceps assistance
Update 1.20.20
Beginning my planned post-Berlin (mid-Feb) program early. Focus is upper body pressing strength. Secondary is upper body hypertrophy. Running a combination of CT’s HP Mass for the press component, Gironda compound supersets for the pull component, and a pair of strength circuits (deadlifts/weighted chins and squats/weighted dips) to maintain lower body strength and hit upper body pressing/pulling muscles 2x/week. Split is:
Mon: Push
Wed: Deadlift + Chins
Fri: Squats + Dips / Pull
BJJ Tue and Thu
Cardio Sun/Tue/Thu/Sat
Update 12.18.19
December 2019-January 2020 Programming
Training 2x/week. Based on Waterbury’s 10x3 for Fat Loss program.
“Duck Season”
Ten Triples of:
Deadlifts
Weighted Chins
Weighted Dips
Leg Press
Ab Cable Crunch (3 sets of 12-15)
“Rabbit Season”
Ten Triples of:
Back Squats
Chest Supported Row
RDL
Standing Overhead Press
Hanging Leg Raise (3 sets of 12-15)
Starting with about 67%-68% of my old TMs and looking to work up to 75% by early February. If I reach my weight loss goals, I’ll switch to a hybrid program HUBL DOGG (heavy upper bodybuild lower w/Dogg Crap protocols)
Update 11.25.19
Shiny Thing(s) Alert!
Update: 11.22.19
My return to strength training has arrived! Starting on Monday I’ll be doing a hybrid Beyond 5/3/1 + 5/3/1 Rest Pause Challenge program, with a Thibaudeau-inspired adjustment that reduces the weight percentages by eight or so in the Big Four, and increases the reps by three. For my accessory work, I’ll use the Rest Pause Challenge approach, with a target on the higher end of the rep ranges.
In my first year of serious weight training I focused on strength and rep ranges of five and under. I came within shouting distance of 2-3-4 plates (I did reach a 1 plate OHP). In my second year, I switched to a more bodybuilding focus, increasing frequency and rep ranges, which I think helped me maintain some muscle during a dieting phase.
Ahead of my third year, I want to try and take the best from both experiences, do shorter more intense workouts, and set myself up to smash some strength benchmarks by this time in 2020.
1RM Maxes as of 12/2018 at BW 145
OHP: 140
Bench: 220
Squat: 305
Deadlift: 355
PL Total: 880
Wilks: 314
Update: 11.3.19
Beginning High Volume Low Frequency Training this week. Will be training full body twice a week, and doing jiu-jitsu twice a week, and conditioning twice a week (2x2x2).
The full body work will use the set, rep, and progression scheme from CT’s Best Damn High Volume Workout for Natties program that I finished in September and had great success with. The only difference is I’ll be training 2x/week instead of three times, and distribute the workouts as:
Week 1: Heavy/Light
Week 2: Medium/Heavy
Week 3: Light/Medium
And so on. “Heavy” “Light” and “Medium” refer to CNS stress, not weight or RPE. I’ll run two cycles (12 sessions with sets of 4, increase weight, 12 sessions with sets of 5) now through the end of January (to account for a week off for holiday travel in December).
The goal with this program is to maintain lean muscle mass while losing about 10 pounds (6-7% weight loss) to get to 140 by year’s end. My transformation goals for 2020 are all about gaining muscle mass, so I’d like to start the year as lean as possible.
I’m also going to be focusing much more on diet and recovery over the next two months. Cutting back on alcohol (to reduce calories and improve insulin resistance) and a mandatory miniumum of eight hours of sleep are at the top of each respective to do list.
I’ll be following the basic principles behind CT’s Best Damn Diet for Natties/Primer 52, as well, with high calorie/high protein/low fat/high carb bodybuilding days (Mon/Wed), low calorie/high protein conditioning days (Tue/Thu), and a slight deficit the rest of the week. Looking for a daily average of about 1250 net calores a day to get where I want by year’s end.
Update 6.10.19
Began CT’s Best Damn High Volume Training for Natties program this afternoon. Missed am cardio, but everything else (workout and Best Damn Diet) on point. Running this for the 12 weeks between the end of the 2019 Transformation and the August Check in.
Update 6.3.19
With the 2019 Transformation in the books, now is the time to gear up for the second half of hypertrophy season (June-Aug), including the early August Transformation 2019 Check-in.
Gained size on arms, chest, and shoulders after Transformation 2019. Lost size around waist (good) and thighs (bad).
Goal is to reach the Golden Ratio in terms of body comp/proportion. Mostly that means adding a lot of size to my arms, as well as a bit more mass overall. All while keeping the waistline below 32". I’ll be using a 3x/week full body routine for the next 12-odd weeks, and may add in extra arm work since they are still my most lagging body part.
Update: 2.27.19
Two months into the T-ransformation Challenge for 2019. Last year I trained 5/3/1 and its variants exclusively and came within shouting distance of my 1-2-3-4 plate strength goals in the Big Four. Great strength gains on those programs.
This year, after starting with six weeks of the 5/3/1 Rest Pause Challenge, I’m going for hypertrophy. Started Thibaudeau’s Semi-Official “20 Pounds of Hollywood Muscle” Program in mid-February and will continue with that until early May.
I really want to spend the year getting the body I want composition-wise (bigger upper body and arms, smaller waist) and then return to making that body stronger in 2020.
(Original intro - Dec 2017)
Midway through my plan to make #50thenew30, I’m looking to accelerate the process by joining the T-Nation Transformation 2018 Challenge.
My goal is to have a body that can keep up with the 20-something and 30-something guys I train with in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. So both strength and conditioning are important. In 2018, I’ll be doing a version of 5/3/1 twice a week, BJJ training 2-3x a week, and a supplemental conditioning/recovery session (LSD-based) once a week (especially if I don’t get a third BJJ session in).
Here’s the hunk of marble I’ll be hammering away at over the next six months. Stats-wise, I’m 50 1/2 years old. 153.8 lbs in this picture. 5’ 6". I’ll add specific training, diet, and supplement protocols in another post.
