Flappinit's Metcon for Muscle Log

[flappinit]

Again - I very much appreciate @Tim_Patterson and @Christian_Thibaudeau, as well as anyone else involved, for letting me participate in the challenge.

If anyone’s known me on here, then they know it’s been a little while, but that my best training, best results, and most activity on here have all come when I choose and adhere to a program strictly, aiming for 100% compliance. I’ve had people disagree with me that this is a really important skill - some feel as if it is just mindless and easy, but I strongly disagree.

It shows and breeds discipline, it helps to combat program-hopping, and most importantly, it is really the only way to have a valid opinion about the author’s work. I can’t begin to count the amount of times I’ve seen somebody complaining about a program, only to find out that they’ve changed a TON of things to the point that the program is virtually unrecognizable.

I look forward to going all-in with this!

(P.S. my discount code isn’t working yet, but I just created a store account and I am assuming this log will be a prompt to link the accounts - just thought I’d point it out)

[Christian_Thibaudeau]

@flappinit

If anyone’s known me on here, then they know it’s been a little while, but that my best training, best results, and most activity on here have all come when I choose and adhere to a program strictly, aiming for 100% compliance.

I find that there are two kinds of people: those that need discipline and the rigor of a plan to get their best results and others who need the motivational boost of variation and experimentation. There is no wrong way to be. But once you understand how your brain and body works, you must act accordingly!

As such, it’s great to have you onboard. Don’t hesitate to ask me questions so that I can help you. Tag me so that I’m sure to see your questions.

[flappinit]

@Tim_Patterson @Jared_Maggard

The SURGEKIT code still isn’t working for me in the store - is there anything I’m doing wrong? I’m trying to order the kit (as well as some metabolic drive for the first time - figured I’d see what all the hype is about there too). Thanks in advance.

[Tim_Patterson]

Your forum email has to match your store account. It should work now.

[flappinit]

Thanks! Worked fine, and I got the metabolic drive with it. Excited to try it all out!

[flappinit]

@Christian_Thibaudeau

Just a couple quick questions before I start:

I just ordered the Surge kit - I’m leaning towards waiting until it gets here to start. I’m obviously excited to start, but seeing as the workout and the supplementation are working hand-in-hand, I don’t want to cheapen the experience. Would you agree that waiting until the Surge gets here is the right move?

And secondly for the leg workouts, I’ve been using a squat wedge recently (20 degree rogue) - it helps me bias my quads and has reduced some hip discomfort, but it obviously alters the movement pattern of my regular squat somewhat, so I just thought I’d ask if that’s something you’d recommend against.

[Christian_Thibaudeau]

@flappinit

I just ordered the surge kit - I’m leaning towards waiting until it gets here to start. I’m obviously excited to start, but seeing as the workout and the supplementation are working hand-in-hand, I don’t want to cheapen the experience. Would you agree that waiting until the surge gets here is the right move?

I would wait and probably just make sure that you can do all the exercises properly and take a few days to test yourself on them to have a solid idea of the weights to use once you start.

You can do a dry run, only doing 1 set per complex

[Christian_Thibaudeau]

@flappinit

And secondly for the leg workouts, I’ve been using a squat wedge recently (20 degree rogue) - it helps me bias my quads and has reduced some hip discomfort, but it obviously alters the movement pattern of my regular squat somewhat, so I just thought I’d ask if that’s something you’d recommend agains

Keep them in. I have no problem with small adaptations like that if it works better for you

[flappinit]

Thanks - makes sense, the shipping time gives me some time to dial in working weights so as not to waste any of the workouts. Nothing left to do but get after it.

[flappinit]

Kit arrives on Tuesday. Before pic coming Monday! Hit chest today and did some conditioning. We have a weekend of bowling, water parks, arcades, and dinners planned so I’m gonna just loosen up and not restrict myself from anything. Hoping for a nice and fluffy before pic, haha

[flappinit]

Kit arrived early! Program starts tomorrow, will throw up a pic later today. Let’s gooooo!

Just doing a bike ride with the family today and mowing the lawn, so perfect recovery day to prepare.

[flappinit]

Dang, bros.

Operation Fluff-Up-For-Before-Pic-To-Make-End-Pic-More-Impressive was a success.

Food highlights include -

Thursday: went to Friday’s, slammed mozzarella sticks, wings, a burger, and a Long Island iced tea.

Friday: Went to a water park, ate absolute junk all day, and in the evening cooked chicken Marsala and ate like 3 helpings

Saturday: 6 eggs, bacon, home fries for breakfast, pizza for lunch, grilled strip steaks and hot dogs with potato salad and asparagus for dinner.

Today: Bacon egg and cheese sandwich for breakfast, sonic cheeseburger for lunch, headed to a friends to eat BBQ’d pork chops and bringing pork sausages to cook with sauerkraut.

I worked out every day, and long story short this was time I took off with the family to decompress, and my wife wanted us to just do fun stuff with the kids and forget about any dietary restrictions, so I happily obliged. Bowling, movies, a long bike ride on a tough trail, hiking, a water park, and a couple BBQ’s.

And I put on 14 lbs in 4 days, lol.

Here’s the start pic, in all its glory.

I probably could have gotten a better looking one this morning but I figured immediately post-lunch and zero pump would be the most effective. It’s time to get back to it and hunker down with this challenge, but 225 pound me is a happy sonofabitch, y’all. I’ll see youse on the other side of 200 in a few weeks.

[flappinit]

Week 1, Day 1: Push

Above-Shoulder 2DB Walk:
Used the 20s. Dropped arms to 90 degrees 3 times, briefly - never went below or racked it. Nice pump, tough exercise, great way to start.

Complex A
Standing OHP
135 2x5
Lateral Raises
15s 2x15
OH DB Carry
15s 2x1min
Great circuit. I can go a bit slower on the lateral raises, and I can up the weight a bit on the OHP, but no need for much - I can focus on form a bunch here as it’s been a little while since I pressed standing.

Complex B
Bench
205 2x5
Pushups
2x15
Bear Crawl
2x1min
I spent a LOT of time last year and early this year doing a conditioning workout where I push a prowler with 2 plates on it and bear crawl back with a harness dragging it, and worked up to 3 plates for 10 there-and-backs, so the bear crawls were painful but I had no problem with them. What does that mean? I can do 225 on the bench and do dips to make it a bit tougher.

ISO dip hold
2min - I stopped 3 times and paused the clock when I did. This was pretty brutal - my palms also didn’t feel great but that’ll fix itself.

DB Loaded Stretch
2 min with 15# DBs - not heavy obviously, but this is a great exercise for discipline and MMC - it’s very easy to lose focus and let the joints handle the weight, so I really went in my head and just imagined the muscle stretching.

Overall, a great workout. The Surge wild Berry isn’t anything to gush over taste-wise but I had 0 problems drinking it and I’ve had WAY worse-tasting preworkouts. The workout was very tough - I think I can make some adjustments (in my weight selection and form, not the workout itself) to push myself that extra 1% - but even though I finished up pretty sweaty and tired after a LONG workday, a minute after finishing the DB stretch I felt good to go for more. Definitely credit the Surge with that.

I resisted the urge to add anything, went home and made a half-pound burger with 80-20 chuck, a slice of Swiss, no bun. Added 2 eggs and some leftover homemade guac.

Should have taken the pic before I cut it into a big pile of crap, but I wanted to get back logging my food more.

Great day 1.

[Christian_Thibaudeau]

Awesome recap. Thanks for the details and especially being intellectually involved with your workouts. I find that this is one of the real keys to training success.

[flappinit]

Long, brutal day at work. Got 2 20-minute brisk walks in. Home now, ate a burger patty with a little guac, mixed up some surge and the bottle will fit nicely in my bike rack as I do an hour ride with my wife and kids. After that will probably be some baked chicken, broccoli and peppers.

A pretty good recovery day, to be honest.

[flappinit]

Chicken seasoned with salt and pepper, baked in a glass tray with some chicken broth - a trick I learned from @robstein a few years back. It results in CRAZY juicy and lean chicken in about 14-18 minutes depending on how thick the chicken is. The peppers and broccoli I tossed with a little olive oil and more salt and pepper and air fried them.

[flappinit]

Leg extension machine is on the other side of the gym and there was basically a line for the squat racks so leaving to run across and ask to work in with the lady who sat on it for a literal half hour wasn’t happening today. Followed the “suckstitution” rule I always follow when I am forced to change something, meaning if you have to substitute something, it better be something that sucks a bit more. Bodyweight sissy squats using the squat rack to stabilize if needed fit the bill.

Week 1, Day 2: Legs

Prowler Push:
+4 plates, just a slow and methodical push. I push leaning forward, arms locked out, shoulders shrugged upwards, like an overhead press. Took the time to feel everything during the push. Finished with the beginnings of a sweat and a nice little pump.

Complex A
Squats on squat wedge
185 2x5 probably a 3 second negative, less than 1 second pause with hams touching calves, 1 second positive, immediately into a slow descent again.
Bodyweight sissy squats
2x15, another 3 second negative, pause on the last rep in the hole.
Backwards sled drag
2x1min +4 plates. Again, slow, methodical, focusing on starting the movement on ball of foot and extending the legs to focus on the quads instead of just walking backwards and dragging with my arms.

Complex B
RDLs
225 2x5 3 second negative until I feel the hamstring stretch, and a hip hinge.
Leg curls
90 2x15 first set was textbook, making sure to keep hips down. Second set the last 3 reps required a bit of a bounce and some hip-rise but perfectly safe and minimal form breakdown.
KB Swing
55# KB 2x1min (45, 42) knew this would be the worst - I’d be closer to the 80 to hit the 35% weight prescription but I want to work up to that. KB swings are brutal, and despite doing the 10K challenge it’s been a while. I knew this would be the worst part of the workout and it didn’t disappoint. Some other girl was doing them near me in the classic “why are these hurting my back” way, aka a squat and a front raise, instead of a hip hinge and a hip snap with legs barely bending and the hips getting the weight 95% of where it needs to be. I LOVE the hamstring pump from this complex, just brutal and miserable and totally worth it.

Goblet Squat 90 degree hold
50# DB, 3 breaks, paused time, got it done. Breaks may have been 10 seconds if that.

BSS hold
Left leg (weakest) first, took 3 breaks but never got out of position, and did the same with the other leg.

Fasted all day, broke fast at 3:30 with a shake with metabolic drive, half a frozen banana and a spoonful of natural PB.

Drank surge before workout, another dose during workout, another scoop of protein just with water after workout, and sushi for dinner - just the sushi deluxe, which is 10 pieces of raw fish with rice and a 6-piece tuna roll, so nothing but protein and rice, no tempura or fried rice or dumplings.

Todays workout did not disappoint. Not a lot of weight is needed to make it brutal. I have room to increase a couple weights on this, like the KB swings, but overall things are going very well.

[Christian_Thibaudeau]

Awesome. And I agree with the substitution you made for the leg extension.

[flappinit]

Yesterday was conditioning/cardio/recovery

10 minutes on this:

New gym stuff - get this, it’s a rower on an angle, where the foot platform actually raises up too when you pull. Basically you end up in a sort of full squat position every time, it’s tough to describe but it’s pretty miserable and I went at like 80% the whole time, had a nice little sweat.

Then the versaclimber for 15 minutes, as fast as I could handle, was pretty tired by the end.

Then just a seated exercise bike doing 1 minute balls to the wall, 1 minute slow and steady, for 20 minutes.

[flappinit]

Today was meant to be back day, but I had a pretty significant life event occur that involved a ton of stress and some planning for the future. Despite this, I do actually like to go to the gym in times of high stress because it helps me work through it, but I was getting ready to go and my wife asked me if I could put today off and go to the pool with her and the kids instead. Wasn’t gonna say no - I brought a bottle of Surge and did a bunch of laps in the pool. Back day will commence tomorrow, physical labor Sunday, and back to the push Monday. I know it’ll be consecutive days, but that’s just the nature of the beast - family comes first, always.