Sounds like a solid plan.
I’ve just finished CT’s SGSS program that’s a solid program, if you are looking for something else.
Built for bad is awesome but a lot of work and you’d have do use at least two bars and a rack at one time, tried the strength skill as well, didn’t really like it.
Rest pause with Jims work is awesome, as always I would say be careful if you decide to throw in jokers 
But you’re doing great with them, so I’ll rest my case.
Good luck with the rest pause challenge. Before summer, many shiny objects might appear that would be tempting.
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Thanks for those notes. Really excited about the RP. I’ll do the PR sets, but definitely not any Joker sets. I’m figuring that the widowmaker sets for squats and deadlifts and the RP sets for bench and press will take the place of the Joker work.
Anything in particular that you didn’t like about the strength skill circuits?
It’s been years since I did them, so can’t really recall them.
I didn’t track other than in an app.
I think I thought the weights were too light or something like that.
It was when I really started to lift and really didn’t know how to do it. Might revisit the program.
Widow makers are truly hard work.
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Here we go. One fasted cardio session into Transformation 2019!
age: 51
height: 66"
weight: 157.4 lbs
waist: 34"
neck: 15.5"
estimated BF (Navy calc): 18%-20%
wrist: 6.5"
bicep (flexed): 14"
thigh: 22.5"
chest circumference: 37"
shoulder circumference: 46"
Golden Ratio Goals
waist: 32"
bicep (flexed): 16.25"
thigh: 23.75"
chest circumference: 42.25
shoulder circumference: 51.75"
5/3/1 Rest Pause Challenge I [31 Dec - 7 Feb]
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
MONDAY (1 of 12)
BW: 160 lbs
waist: 35"
BF est. (Navy calc): 20%
I didn’t plan on a “bulk and cut” for the Transformation. But here I am, at the heaviest I’ve been in over a year.
SQUAT
warm up sets and reps
170 x 5
200 x 5
PR Set: 225 x 8
Max Reps: 170 x 20
BENCH
warm up sets and reps
125 x 5
140 x 5
PR Set: 160 x 8
Rest Pause: 125 x 12 / 5 / 4
LAT WORK Chins
warm up BW x 3 / 3
rest pause: BW x 8 / 4 / 3
ARMS Dips
warm up BW x 5 / 5
rest pause BW x 15 / 11 / 7
ABS
Hanging Knee Raises BW x 10 x 8
I have two must-achieve goals for this Transformation: a 32" waist (or less) and 15" arms (or more). One session into this program and I’m pretty confident the second goal, at least, won’t be an issue!
Happy New Year Mate
You have come a long way over the past year, well done.
The rest pause is going to take care of your goals
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Happy New Year to you and yours! Looking forward to seeing what you’ve got planned for 2019!
First jiu-jitsu training session of 2019. Helped tutor the first class and managed to get in quite a bit of Live Training and specific training in the second, maybe 32+ minutes.
I could barely move a muscle when I was done. But my heart rate/cardio really wasn’t all that bad. I’ve been doing LISS/LSD cardio for the past week - four 35-45 minute sessions since I got back to town last Thursday evening, and I think it’s helped. I did very little conditioning during the last three months of 2018 when I was running Big But Boring (“this isn’t the time to be pushing any conditioning” Jim Wendler).
Also nice to see that my game, while a little imprecise, is still intact. I keep a four-week moving average of my training and I haven’t notched a 2.0 week (meaning average training frequency of twice a week over the past four weeks) since mid-September. For reference, training 3x/week is considered the minimum for technical improvement. Yes, after more than 13 years, I can get away with somewhat less frequency. But this past quarter has been much leaner on that score than I’d like.
One of my minor Transformation 2019 goals is to be “competition-ready” by June 1. I don’t expect to compete. But there’s a local event in early July and the Seattle Open (probably) in August. The current champ in my age and weight division is literally a legend in jiu-jitsu history. So I figure I ought to be in shape just in case I change my mind …
DEADLIFT and PRESS tomorrow. Day 2 of the 5/3/1 Rest Pause Challenge.
5/3/1 Rest Pause Challenge I [31 Dec - 7 Feb]
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
FRIDAY (2 of 12)
BW: 158 lbs
waist: 35"
BF est. (Navy calc): 20%
DEADLIFT
warmup sets and reps
190 x 5
220 x 5
PR Set: 250 x 8
Max Reps: 190 x 20
PRESS
warm up sets and reps
80 x 5
90 x 5
PR Set: 105 x 7
Rest Pause: 80 x 12 / 7 / 4
LAT WORK Kroc Rows
45 x 10
55 x 5
Max Reps: 65 x 10 / 10 (L/R)
ARMS Fat Grip Barbell Curls
Rest Pause: bar x 15 / 10 / 6
Skipped ab work today. Abs still a little sore from jiu-jitsu training Thursday evening. Will try to get that work in over the weekend. Humbling effort on the barbell curls. Arms are definitely my weakest body part. Also went lighter on the Kroc rows than I’d planned. But after getting ten, I figure this is a good enough place to start.
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5/3/1 Rest Pause Challenge I [31 Dec - 7 Feb]
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
MONDAY (3 of 12)
BW: 160.2
waist: 35"
BF est (Navy calc): 20%
SQUAT
warmup sets and reps
185 x 3
210 x 3
240 x 8
185 x 20
BENCH
warmup sets and reps
130 x 3
145 x 3
165 x 9
130 x 13 / 5 / 5
LATS Chins
BW x 3 / 3
BW x 8 / 4 / 4
ARMS Dips
BW x 5 / 5
BW x 15 / 8 / 4
ABS Hanging Knee Raises
BW x 10 x 8
Logged 157.5 minutes of cardio last week: 32 minutes worth of Live Training (equivalent to HIIT training), the rest LSD/LISS on the treadmill. That’s a nice mark for me to reach on a regular basis.
I give my nutrition from last week a C+. Getting the protein up into the triple digits for the first time. But still too much crap (late night carbs). Working on that this week (less crap, fewer carbs, closing the kitchen sooner).
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Cardio-Skills Day
TUESDAY
BW: 160 lbs.
waist: 35"
BF est. (Navy calc): 20%
Noon Cardio: treadmill walk: two miles / 3.3 - 3.4 mph / 1.5% grade
Evening Jiu-jitsu: live training / two eight-minute rounds
Trying a carb and calorie cycling approach to the first six weeks of the Transformation, taking a page or three from @eyedentist’s epic thread “How Do You Train?”
To this end, I"ll have maintenance calories - or even a slight surplus - from Friday through Monday. I do resistance training on Monday and Friday, Saturday is always a “big” family dinner, and Sunday is a “not so big” family dinner.
On Tuesday and Thursdays I do cardio and jiu-jitsu, and Wednesday is my rest day - I’ll do some lateral raises - more eyedentistry ;). On these days, I’ll cut my calories by 35% or so. Maintenance calories for a 160 pounder are about 2,400 (bodyweight x 15), so Tuesday through Thursday, I’ll try and keep the protein at 1g/lb, but the calories under 1,500). That works out to an average daily deficit of about 15%.
Rest-Growth Day
WEDNESDAY
BW: 161.0
waist: 35"
BF est. (Navy calc): 20%
MEMO TO FILE: Unintended Low Carb Diet Consequences
One of the things I’m realizing for the first time was how little protein I’ve eaten during past “low carb” dieting phases. I think a lot of what I’ve attributed to weight loss from reduced carb diets over the years was really much more about reduced calories overall.
SHOULDERS Lateral raises (5 lb)
3 sets of 10 full range / 10 partial / 10 full range
1 set of 10
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Cardio-Skills Day
THURSDAY
BW: 160 lbs.
waist: 35"
BF est. (Navy calc): 20%
Noon Cardio: treadmill walk: two miles / 3.3 - 3.4 mph / 1.5% grade
Evening Jiu-jitsu: drills in the first class approx 30 minutes / live training in the second with two eight-minute rounds
Really looking forward to some movement on the waistline over the next few days. I’ve tightened up the diet - both in terms of closing the kitchen sooner and cutting down on empty carbs. We’ll see where I am at the end of the week. My goal is to knock an inch off the initial waist number by the beginning of February.
Just learned that there is a competition in late February - the Portland Open. Much too soon for me to be ready. But nice to know that the IBJJF is adding Pacific Northwest events to its calendar.
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5/3/1 Rest Pause Challenge I [31 Dec - 7 Feb]
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
FRIDAY (4 of 12)
BW: 158.2 lbs
waist: 35"
BF est. (Navy calc): 20%
DEADLIFT
warmup sets and reps
205 x 3
235 x 3
265 x 7
205 x 20
PRESS
warm up sets and reps
85 x 3
95 x 3
110 x 7
85 x 12 / 7 / 4
LAT WORK Kroc Rows
45 x 10
45 x 10
65 x 10
ARMS Fat Grip Barbell Curls
bar x 15 / 10 / 8
Really not feeling the energy during today’s workout. Glad to at least stay on par with my numbers, even eeking out a few extra reps here and there. Looking forward to the weekend, getting some R&R, and getting back after it with a little more gusto next week.
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Weekend Update
SATURDAY
BW: 159.0
Noon Jiu-jitsu training: drills in the first class approx 30 minutes
SUNDAY
BW: 158.6
AM Cardio: treadmill walk: two miles / 3.3 - 3.4 mph / 1.5% grade
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5/3/1 Rest Pause Challenge I [31 Dec - 7 Feb]
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
MONDAY (5 of 12)
BW: 161.8 lbs
waist: 35"
BF est. (Navy calc): 20%
Going to try a more severe caloric restriction on Cardio - Skills Days (Tuesdays and Thursdays) to jump start the fat loss. Feeling a little discouraged that the BW and waist numbers have remained stubbornly consistent. Trying not to be distracted by the scale number, but the waistline …
SQUAT
warmup sets and reps
200 x 5
225 x 3
250 x 7
200 x 20
BENCH
warmup sets and reps
140 x 5
160 x 5
175 x 7
140 x 13 / 5 / 5
LAT WORK Chins
BW x 3 x 2
BW x 9 / 4 / 4
ARMS Dips
BW x 5 x 2
BW x 20 / 8 / 5
ABS Hanging Knee Raises
BW x 10 x 8
Grinding along. Itty bitty, one-rep gains on SQUAT and BENCH PR sets. Similarly modest gains on first sets of chins and dips in the rest pause work.
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MEMO TO FILE:
Listening to a nice CT interview elsewhere making the case for fasted cardio for neurotype 3s. Neurotype preference for steady state activity > potential cortisol release from activity in fasted state.
Also appreciate his underscoring the case for pre- and intra-workout carbs for type 3s. I’ve started incorporating that more consistently this year.
Well that’s the way gains are made, you’ve done good the last year.
On top of that you’ve dialed the diet back a bit. Gains don’t come as easy.
Keep grinding… maybe on this rest pause and widowmaker program at least be on caloric maintenance. It’s hard work man.
When you’re finished this program do a regular 5’s pro with some FSL work, no jokers no intensifiers, and lose weight/waistline here.
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Yes, definitely maintenance calories on lifting days (Monday and Friday). Pretty much maintenance on Saturday and Sunday, also. 2000-2400 calories. Protein > 150g.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are lower calorie/lower carb days. 1,000 - 1,500 calories. Protein around 100g.
Between diet and exercise, I’m shooting for a weekly caloric deficit in the neighborhood of 3,000 calories a week.
Will do the 5/3/1 Rest Pause program until February 7th (two cycles). I’m looking into 5s PRO FSL in the Forever Book on your recommendation. Right now, “Spinal Tap, The High School Years” is looking appealing: squat/bench Monday, deadlift/press Friday, with the Spinal Tap 5s Pro protocol, then two days a week for assistance/conditioning that I could do on jiu-jitsu days (Tuesday and Thursday).
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Midweek Update: First 2/3 of my low cal/low carb stretch. Thursday will resemble Tuesday
TUESDAY
Cardio-Skills Day
BW: 161.3
waist: 35"
BF est. (Navy calc): 20%
Noon Cardio: treadmill walk: two miles / 3.3 - 3.4 mph / 1.5% grade
Evening Jiu-Jitsu: tutor/assist in the first class as usual / live training in the second with three eight-minute rounds
WEDNESDAY
Rest-Growth Day
BW: 158.6
waist: 35"
BF est. (Navy calc): 20%