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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Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Wednesday 2 of 12
BW: 152-156
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
PRE-FUNK
Leg extensions 60 x 10 x 5
SQUAT (superset with DB rows 45 x 10 x 5 + DB curls 25 x 10 x 5)
bar x 10
115 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
170 x 5
200 x 5
225 x 8
SQUAT Jokers
250 x 3
Disappointed in this Joker set. Last cycle, got 5 reps in my 5s week with the same weight. Probably could have ground out a fourth rep, but really wasn’t feeling it at all. Ugh.
Volume / DEADLIFT
bar x 10
115 x 10
145 x 10 x 5
-superset wth-
Hanging Knee Raise / AB WORK
BW x 10 x 7
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Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Thursday 3 of 12
BW: 152-156
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
PRE-FUNK
Face Pulls 40 x 10 x 5
Dude set up shop to do triceps pressdowns in the one area where I can do low2high flyes. Three other possible stations for him to use. Jumped on the station shortly after I got there (actually jumped between my first and second set), was still there when I left over an hour later. Will try and get those low2high flyes in later this week.
BENCH
-superset with DB laterals 15 x 10 x 5 + DB upright rows 15 x 10 x 5-
bar x 10
75 x 5
90 x 5
105 x 3
125 x 5
140 x 5
160 x 9
BENCH Jokers
180 x 3
Volume / Behind the Neck PRESS
bar x 10
50 x 10
55 x 10 x 5
-superset with-
Horizontal PULL
60 x 10
90 x 10
120 x 10 x 5
Made it to the academy tonight but no Live Training. Helped with the first class. Coached/led the Live Training session afterwards.
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Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Saturday 4 of 12
BW: 152-156
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
PRE-FUNK
Leg Curls 60 x 10 x 5
DEADLIFT
superset with DB curls 25 x 10 x 5 + DB rows 45 x 10 x 5
bar x 10
115 x 5
130 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 3
190 x 5
220 x 5
250 x 8
DEADLIFT Jokers
280 x 5
Volume / SQUAT
bar x 10
110 x 10
130 x 10 x 5
-triset with-
ABS wheel rollout
BW x 10 x 7
Low2High Cable Flyes
25 x 10 x 5
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Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Wednesday 5 of 12
BW: 159
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
PRE-FUNK
Rope pressdowns 50 x 10 x 5 & Dips BW x 5 x 5
PRESS
superset with DB lateral raises 15 x 10 x 5 & DB upright rows 15 x 10 x 5
bar x 10
55 x 5
65 x 5
75 x 3
85 x 3
95 x 3
110 x 6
PRESS Jokers
120 x 3
125 x 1
Volume/Incline BENCH
bar x 10
65 x 10
80 x 10 x 5
superset with
Vertical PULL
60 x 10
90 x 10
120 x 10 x 5
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A little chubbier than I’d want to be at 159, but doesn’t feel as bad as 157+ did a few weeks ago. That said, I’m taking my foot off the pedal a bit in terms of calories for the balance of this week and next. The final week of the year spending holidays with the in-laws in the sunny southwest will provide plenty of surplus calories, so I figure a little prudence now will allow for a little excess later.
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Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Thursday 6 of 12
BW: 155-159
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
PRE-FUNK
Leg extensions
50 x 10 x 2
60 x 10 x 2
70 x 10
SQUAT
superset with DB curls 25 x 10 x 5 and DB rows 45 x 10 x 5
bar x 10
95 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
185 x 3
210 x 3
240 x 8
SQUAT Jokers
265 x 3
Volume DEADLIFT
bar x 10
115 x 10
145 x 10 x 5
superset with
Hanging Knee Raise / ABS
BW x 10 x 7
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Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Friday 7 of 12
BW: 155.8
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
PRE-FUNK
Low2High Flyes 25 x 10 x 5 & Face Pulls 40 x 10 x 5
BENCH
superset with DB laterals 15 x 10 x 5 & DB upright rows 15 x 10 x 5
bar x 10
70 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 3
130 x 3
145 x 3
165 x 9
BENCH Jokers
190 x 3
Volume Behind the Neck PRESS
bar x 10
50 x 10
55 x 10 x 5
superset with
Horizontal PULL
60 x 10
90 x 10
120 x 10 x 5
Watched an interesting YT video that emphasized increasing cardio rather than restricting calories as a way of creating a calorie deficit that isn’t as catabolic when trying to lose fat. Will definitely try to implement this in 2019. I’ve been doing virtually no cardio all month - and have the scale to show it!
Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Saturday 8 of 12
BW: 156.4
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
Had to squeeze in a session after Saturday afternoon jiu-jitsu training. Single leg takedowns, Asymmetrical choke variations and side control escape drills. Not ideal work before deadlifting. But happy to have gotten all four weight training sessions in this week after a slow start.
PRE-FUNK
Leg curls 60 x 10 x 5
DEADLIFT
superset with DB rows 45 x 10 x 5 / DB curls 25 x 10 x 5
bar x 10
115 x 5
130 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 3
205 x 3
235 x 3
265 x 7
DEADLIFT Jokers
295 x 3
Volume SQUAT
bar x 10
100 x 10
130 x 10 x 5
superset with
AB Wheel rollouts
BW x 10 x 7
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Memo to File: Strategies for the T-ransformation 2019 Challenge
Current >>> Goal
neck 15 1/2" >>> 16 1/4"
bicep flexed 13 1/2 >>> 16 1/4"
thigh 22" >>> 24"
waist 34" >>> 32"
chest circumference 37" >>> 39"
shoulder circumference 47" >>> 51 3/4"
BF 18% >>> 12%
Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Monday 9 of 12
BW: 157.6
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
PRE-FUNK
Rope pressdowns 50 x 10 x 5 & Dips BW x 5 x 5
PRESS
superset with DB lateral raises 15 x 10 x 5 & DB upright rows 15 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
PRESS Jokers
125 x 1
140 x 1 (NEW 1RM)
Happy to get this, especially after not doing more than five reps at 115. Week’s off to a horrible start outside the gym, so this was a nice fleeting moment of existential joy.
Incline BENCH
bar x 10
65 x 10
80 x 10 x 5
superset with
Vertical PULL
60 x 10
90 x 10
120 x 10 x 5
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Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Tuesday 10 of 12
BW: 156.4
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
PRE-FUNK
Leg extensions 60 x 10 x 5
SQUAT
superset with DB rows 45 x 10 x 5 & DB curls 25 x 10 x 5
bar x 10
115 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
185 x 3
200 x 5
225 x 3
250 x 6
SQUAT Jokers
280 x 1
305 x 1* (matched 1 RM)
Pretty happy with the SQUAT work, all things considered. Beat my PR set rep total by one. and tied my 1RM during the Joker sets. Given that I haven’t been able to squat more than 270 since a minor hip injury during Week 3 of my last cycle, I’m okay with not getting the hoped-for three-plate squat by year’s end.
Volume DEADLIFT
bar x 10
115 x 10
145 x 10 x 5
supersetted with
Hanging Knee Raise ABS
BW x 10 x 7
Trained jiu-jitsu tonight a few hours after weight training. Tutored the first class, got in three eight-minute rounds of Live Training in the second. Nothing too challenging or strenuous. But nice to get back on the mat for some training after what feels like weeks without LT.
This is the last time I’ll do resistance training and jiu-jitsu training on the same day. It’s not an issue physically. But it wreaks havoc on my work schedule late in the day. With 2x/week and even 3x/week training, I can pretty easily avoid two-a-days as a regular thing. For that, among many things, I am looking forward to training in 2019.
Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Wednesday 11 of 12
BW: 155.8
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
PRE-FUNK
Low2High Cable Flyes 25 x 10 x 5 & Face Pulls 40 x 10 x 5
BENCH
superset with DB laterals 15 x 10 x 5 & DB upright rows 15 x 10 x 5
bar x 10
70 x 5
85 x 5
100 x 3
140 x 5
160 x 3
180 x 5
BENCH Jokers
200 x 1
220 x 1*
Happy to set a new 1RM on the bench today. Didn’t like the PR set of 5 very much (an improvement over the previous cycle’s 175 x 5, but still …), so it was nice to notch a new record on the single. Was tempted to go for 225 to officially bench two plates, but decided to stick with the script.
Behind the Neck PRESS
45 x 10
50 x 10
55 x 10 x 5
superset with
Horizontal PULL
60 x 10
90 x 10
120 x 10 x 5
Deadlift tomorrow for my final scheduled training of the year (on vacation in the sunny southwest for a week, and will do some light, deloading-style work with my 80+ year old father-in-law, who is a regular at the local YMCA).
Will try double overhand for each of the scheduled singles (310, 340, and 355). If I miss, I’ll try mixed grip. Going forward, I plan on focusing almost exclusively on double overhand for deadlifts. But I wouldn’t mind going after my 330 deadlift 1RM which I achieved using mixed grip.
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Hey man I’ve had very little time on the forums lately.
That is awesome pr’ing on BBB with jokers and pr sets. Can’t believe it. 
I’ve tried something simular with disaster
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The power of noob gains!
I’ve lifted weights on and off for 4-6 months at a time for years. But I feel like this has been my true freshman year of proper strength training. I’m almost giddy about the 5/3/1 rest pause work I’ll start in January.
Cycle 10: Boring But Big: Thursday 12 of 12
BW: 156.6
TMs: 120 / 190 / 265 / 295
PRE-FUNK
Leg Curls 60 x 10 x 5
DEADLIFT
superset with DB rows 45 x 10 x 5 & DB curls 25 x 10 x 5
bar x 10
115 x 5
130 x 5
150 x 5
170 x 3
195 x 3
220 x 5
250 x 3
280 x 6
DEADLIFT Jokers
310 x 1
340 x 1 (mixed grip)
355 x 1 (mixed grip)*
Strong finish to the cycle and the year with a new 1RM on the deadlift. Both singles at 340 and 355 felt okay with the mixed grip. When I pursue max effort training again (2020), I’m thinking about making a run for that four plate deadlift after all. That said, 2019 will be deadlift double overhand only.
Volume SQUAT
bar x 10
100 x 10
130 x 10 x 5
superset with
ABS Wheel Rollout
BW x 10 x 7
That’s a wrap for 2018. I’ll do a little training next week during my holiday vacation. But my year-long experiment with the 5/3/1, the whole 5/3/1, and nothing but the 5/3/1 has been a great success, IMO.
This year, the focus was on just getting stronger - stronger than I’ve ever been. Next year, my goal is to add lean muscle - not much - but some quality pounds, as well as improve my ability to work in higher rep ranges with these same weights.
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If you train as consistent as you’ve done throughout the year, and you’re keeping DL in the mix of things, you’ll pull 4 plates within a year.
Nice to follow your log mate, it’s been a great ride to watch.
How are you going to attack the muscle building thing. Still 531 of some kind or something completely different.
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Thanks!
The current plan is to do two rounds of the 5/3/1 Rest Pause challenge at the start of the year (separated by a week-long business trip to London in February). That will take me through March. Not 100% on what I’ll start in April just yet. Both CT’s Strength Skill circuits and Built for Bad are tempting spring/summer programs. Then back to 5/3/1 Rest Pause challenges in September through year’s end.
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