Taking the long way around

Charting my plans and progress over 2 years starting from beginning of August '15.

Workout Plans
1: 3 weeks mostly linear progression of the same movements ending Aug 22 (logging in the last week)
2: (2) 3 week cycles (descending reps, increasing weight) not logged
3: 30day plan (Oct 12 - Nov 11) walk everyday, “holds” progression, 3 on 1 off full body workouts of 30reps, squat, pull, push
***keeping the “rotation”, but changing to 1on 1off and extending through November (Nov. 2)
4: Starting 2/5/16. Verkhoshansky programming using old Olympic Training Center scheduling as a guide with the strength portions using a simple PL rotation. Using that setup as a GUIDE…3 days full body and 3 days recovery or in terms of hours per day (3, 1, 3, 1, 3, 2, off). Plugging and chugging Verk prescriptions into that format.
5. 5/9/16 Same as before but setting in stone…Day 1 and Day 5 will have 2 workouts per day (Complexes added - general prep, conditioning on Day 1 and Explosive Strength and Reactive Ability on Day 5)
Since February basically I have been doing a Complex-Parallel protocol. Plan to finish this up in June and have a good base point to start a “block”. Learning a lot about myself in the process. Its been a long time since I’ve been at this point. Knees feel good, ankle holding, shoulders doing good enough. Beginning to get my diet under control… Hopefully I can keep it going… My 1st log here started when I was 37…and I’m basically where I was then it seems. But I haven’t felt this good since I was 33-34 when I last really was able to train/compete at anything. Hopefully I can continue back up the ladder this time. somewhere after here things sort of fell off. Thinking back, work related mostly…

6 2.11.17 - Starting a Strength BlockWas in a holding pattern of sorts. Fell off the workout wagon before the holidays. Things have cleared up it seems and I’m making more time and can focus now…break in over. oh yeah, divorce, and other stuff
Can no longer keep a static schedule. So I’m trying a “moving” or dynamic one.
Linear periodization basically, and last half of this block incorporating a true plyo program.

5.17 Breaking in
7 7.24.17 3 week phase: multiple series of wave loading with very short rest intervals. Beginning to add some strength focused sets. Ending week with a workout consisting of complexes. 1 track workout running form drills, 1-mile focused workout, low volume.
8.29.17 Continuation Phase. cutting track work for now. just gym
9.21.17 Beginning last phase. — 9.26.17 cutting iso and beg plyo movement. keeping rest and using it with a mix of things plus the complex and intro track work. Going into more of a preparatory phase.
8. 10.23.17 (3 functional strength & power workouts a week using a system with some slight modifications taken from a Bill Starr 5x5 variation used by an NFL team in the 80s; 2-3 conditioning workouts a week (turned into mostly long walks).
9 3.15.18 Beginning a series of (3) 6-7 week “mesh” of strength endurance/hypertrophy emphasis and some strength focus with 4 week blocks of absolute strength focus then speed strength focus in between. 2 full body sessions a week with 3 conditioning workouts a week in the “mesh” and the reverse in the blocks. Conditioning during the “mesh” is more complex and varied with a gradual lean towards speed and speed endurance through the 3 phases. The conditioning during the blocks is primarily speed, explosive, and reactive strength focused. All a bit more madness than method but I should enjoy it more.
Beginning 2nd round of “varied” training phase, 3 weight workouts a week and 2 conditioning at least, maybe more.

Weight
2/5/16 203.8
5/8/16 186.0 bf estimate 12% (long way from days of 5-7 water tank measured)
2/11/17 192.5 - 36.5"
7/19/17 181 - 34"
9/18/17 183-185
9/27/17 180.8 (from here going for gains next few months or so)
10.23.17 190 11.25.17 189.6
3.13.18 191-193

3rd week
Sun 8.16.15

About 1.25 hours
Everything in intervals

Warmup stuff

Bike 10min
Walk 5 min

Sit-ups 125 (5)
Crunches 200 (5)
Leg Raises 65 (4)
Pullup Shrug Holds 120s (5) with 1 pullup at end

1: Bar Curl 70 60-reps in sets of 6
2: Tri Push Down 80 60-reps in sets of 6
Total time to complete: 8m59s

Recovery work for shoulders after

8.17.15
Weight 188.4

5 min bike
Lower body activation warmup

Squats 185 1x8 (forgot I was doing 10 reps), 2x10
Leg Curls 135 4x8
2min rest between all sets.
Total time 15.25m

Situps 115 in 5 sets
Crunches 190 in multiple sets
Leg raises 62 in 3 sets
Pullup Shrug holds 115 sec total in 6 sets

Bike intervals (5) 1min/1min
L13 all. 70reps by half min mark then control 100 rpm rest of 30sec

8.18.15
Weight 189.4

Short warmup

Bent Bar Row 155 3x10
Bench bar Press 135 3x10
DB Back Raise 50 2x8; 65 2x8
DB Over Press 35s 1x8; 40s 3x8
Total time 30.75m with 2min rest between all sets

10.12.15
weight: 192lbs

Workout A (No. 1)

Warmup

Squats 12m2sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
175 x 6, 6, 6, 7
5160lbs BW excluded

Pullups 10m27sec
130 pulldown machine warmup rep 2 sec hold at bottom, 4 sec eccentric
140 warmup rep
150 warmup rep
160 warmup rep
170 warmup rep
BW Pullups x 5, 5, 5, 4, 3, 3
5550lbs using BW as 192

Dips 10m, 1sec (spent a minute or two looking for a hook)
BW warmup rep
5 warmup rep
10 warmup rep
15 warmup rep
20 warmup rep
25 x 6, 6, 6, 7
6435lbs using BW as 192

Total time - 32m29sec
Total volume - 17145
Vol/time - 527.5lbs per min

1- 10sec pullup shrug hold to start hold progression

Situps 1x25
Light bar ab rotations 1x25

Evening:
29.5 min walk
15min one way
14.5min back
Basically setting a walking distance as a baseline

10.13.15

Workout B (No. 1)

Warmup

Squats 11m5sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
185 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5410lbs BW excluded

Bar Row 9m52sec
95 warmup rep 2 sec hold, 4 sec eccentric
115 warmup rep
135 warmup rep
145 warmup rep
155 warmup rep
155 x 6, 6, 6, 7
4520lbs

45d incline DB Press 11m54sec
25s warmup rep
30s warmup rep
35s warmup rep
40s warmup rep
50s warmup rep
60s x 6, 6, 5, 4, 4
3360lbs

Total time - 32m50sec
Total volume - 13290
Vol/time - 405lbs per min

12sec pullup shrug hold

Leg Raise 1x25
Situps 1x25

Evening walk:
1st leg 14m15s
2nd leg 14m
28m15s total

That’s an interesting approach to tracking progress, doing the total volume by weight moved and the workout density by weight/time. Excellent idea for measuring progress without focusing just on the weight on the bar. Good start to the log, but what happened in the gap from August-October?

I did (2) 3 week cycles

Essentially, a week at 4x8, then 4x5or6, then 4x4 with some various assistance work. 3 day a week basically.
Began adding weight to my dips. Started doing pullups which I hadn’t done in way over a year due to shoulder surgery, etc.
Hurt my other shoulder paddleboarding during this so bench fell off and I also didn’t workout much the last week and half.

Squats per week were something like 185, 195, 205, then 195, 205, 215. very manageable.
My last deadlifts were 245 reps of 5 from a deficit.
Dips reps of 5 with 50lbs.
Don’t recall much else.

10.14.15
Weight: 189.4

Evening

Workout C (No. 1)

Warmup

15sec pullup shrug hold

Squats 10m28sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
185 x 6, 6, 6, 7
5410lbs BW excluded
***went better than expected. A really hot chic in the next rack added more adrenaline I think…

Pullups 10m21sec ****Used thick bar which makes it a little more difficult
130 pulldown machine warmup rep 2 sec hold at bottom, 4 sec eccentric
140 warmup rep
150 warmup rep
160 warmup rep
170 warmup rep
BW Pullups x 5, 5, 5, 4, 3, 3
5475lbs using BW as 189

Overhead Press 11m10sec (didn’t learn my lesson, and this time couldn’t find a hook…spent 5 minutes before going with overhead press)
45 warmup rep
55 warmup rep
65 warmup rep
75 warmup rep
85 warmup rep
85 x 6, 6, 6, 7
2450lbs

Total time - 32m00sec
Total volume - 13335
Vol/time - 416.7 lbs per min

Light bar ab rotations 1x25
Leg Raises 1x25

Evening:
29 min walk
1st leg 14.35 with 55step jog at beginning
2nd leg14.25 with 110 step jog at beginning
A bit slower than should have been due to increased pedestrian traffic when walking…

Notes:
Was trying to have 2 Workouts (WO 1 and WO 2)… but throwing in the Overhead Press adds additional since I’m doing 2 pulls and 3 pushes… so I’ll be rotating between those. A little more difficult to monitor progress. Will see…

10.16.15

Workout B (No. 2)

Warmup

Squats 11m28sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
195 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5660lbs BW excluded

Bar Row 10m22sec
95 warmup rep 2 sec hold, 4 sec eccentric
115 warmup rep
135 warmup rep
145 warmup rep
155 warmup rep
165 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
4770lbs

45d incline DB Press 11m01sec
25s warmup rep
30s warmup rep
35s warmup rep
40s warmup rep
50s warmup rep
60s x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
3360lbs

Total time - 32m50sec (exact same time as No. 1)
Total volume - 13790 3.76% increase
Vol/time - 420lbs per min 3.7% increase

Situps 1x25
Bar Ab rotation 1x25
20sec pullup shrug hold

Treadmill for 30 min at 3mph pace on 0.5 incline
1.5+ mile

10.17.15

Workout A (No. 2)

Warmup

Squats 11m4sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
195 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5660lbs BW excluded

Pullups 9m4sec
130 pulldown machine warmup rep 2 sec hold at bottom, 4 sec eccentric
140 warmup rep
150 warmup rep
160 warmup rep
170 warmup rep
BW Pullups x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5475lbs using BW as 189

Dips 9m, 49sec (some equipment issues still)
5 warmup rep
10 warmup rep
15 warmup rep
20 warmup rep
25 warmup rep
25 x 6, 6, 6, 7
6370lbs using BW as 189

Total time - 29m55sec
Total volume - 17505lbs — 2.1% increase
Vol/time - 585.1lbs per — 10.9% increase

Leg Raise 1x25
Situps 1x25

1- 25sec pullup shrug hold

10.18.15

Evening

Workout D (No. 1)
*** Almost didnt workout today. Surprising results…

Warmup

Squats 9m4sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
195 x 6, 6, 6, 7
5660lbs BW excluded

Bent Bar Row 10m7sec
95 warmup rep
115 warmup rep
135 warmup rep
155 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
165 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
4790lbs

Overhead Press 9m31sec
45 warmup rep
55 warmup rep
65 warmup rep
75 warmup rep
85 warmup rep
95 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
2700lbs

Total time - 28m41sec
Total volume - 13150
Vol/time - 458.5 lbs per min

Assistance
Seated Cable V-handle row
110 2x10 2sec hold 4 sec eccentric

Ab Rotation with 8-lb medicine 1x25
Leg Raise 1x25

Handstand holds
30s, 25s, 20s (trying to catch up…havent done these)

5min treadmill

Pullup Shrug hold
2x15sec for 30sec total

10.20.15
Weight: 191.2

Workout E (No. 1)
Came into this one feeling tired. And my warmup reps were indicative of not having that “pop”. nevertheless, I bumped up the volume…
So, here I am at Day 9 of 30…and it looks like now, it begins.

Warmup

Pullup Shrugh holds
15s, 10s, plus 10s after the main workout for 35s total

Squats 12m33sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
205 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5910lbs BW excluded

Pullups 10m12sec
135 pulldown machine warmup rep 2 sec hold at bottom, 4 sec eccentric
145 warmup rep
155 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
175 warmup rep
BW Pullups x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5550lbs using BW as 191

45 degree incline DB Bench 10m34sec
25s warmup rep
30s warmup rep
35s warmup rep
45s warmup rep
55s warmup rep
60s x 6, 6, 6, 7
3380lbs

Total time - 33m17sec
Total volume - 14800lbs —
Vol/time - 444.67lbs per —

Situps 1x25
Light bar ab rotation 1x25

10.21.15

Workout F (No. 1)
***Still didn’t “feel” right coming into this one…but better than yesterday. Squat warmup reps felt better than yesterday. Apparently 205 on squats may be my pivot point here.

Warmup

Squats 12m12sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
205 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5910lbs BW excluded

Bent Bar Row 8m42sec
95 warmup rep 2 sec hold at top, 4 sec eccentric
115 warmup rep
135 warmup rep
155 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
165 x 6, 6, 6, 7
4790lbs

Dips 9m, 43sec (equipment issues still…really tried this time but lost hook in process)
5 warmup rep
10 warmup rep
15 warmup rep
20 warmup rep
25 warmup rep
30 x 6, 6, 6, 7
6555lbs using BW as 191

Total time - 30m36sec
Total volume - 17255lbs —
Vol/time - 563.89lbs per min —

Leg Raise 1x25
Situps 1x25

pullup shrug holds
8, 10, 10, 10 for 38sec total.
more sets due to clammy, sweaty palms

10.22.15
Weight: 191

Evening

Workout C (No. 2)

Warmup

Squats 11m11sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down deep (as usual), 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
205 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5910lbs BW excluded
***chipping away at the time here

Pullups 9m36sec
135 pulldown machine warmup rep 2 sec hold at bottom, 4 sec eccentric
145 warmup rep
155 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
175 warmup rep
BW Pullups x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5550lbs using BW as 191

Overhead Press 9m20sec
55 warmup rep 2 sec hold at top, 4 sec ecc, 2 sec hold at chin level
65 warmup rep
75 warmup rep
85 warmup rep
95 warmup rep
95 x 6, 6, 6, 7
2750lbs

Total time - 30m06sec
Total volume - 14210 ---- 6.56 % increase
Vol/time - 472.09 lbs per min ---- 13.29% increase

Light bar ab rotations 1x25
Leg Raises 1x25

30 min walk treadmill

42 sec total shrug pullup hold.
7sec, 35sec

***Missed a day due to traveling and attending a gymnastics event. Just picking up where I left off. Calling today Day 13, 1st of a 3 straight days full body workout

10.25.15

30 min walk midday

Workout B (No. 3) afternoon

Warmup

Squats 10m56sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
205 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5910lbs BW excluded

Bar Row 8m21sec
95 warmup rep 2 sec hold, 4 sec eccentric
115 warmup rep
135 warmup rep
155 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
165 x 6, 6, 6, 7
4790lbs

45d incline DB Press 9m29sec
25s warmup rep
40s warmup rep
45s warmup rep
55s warmup rep
65s warmup rep
60s x 6, 6, 6, 7
3460lbs

Total time - 28m45sec
Total volume - 14160 ----- 2.68% increase
Vol/time - 492.5lbs per min ---- 17.27% increase

Leg Raise 1x25
Situps 1x25

Pullup shrug hold
50sec total

Handstand Holds
40s, 25s, 12s, 10s
50s total plus catching up some lost days

10.26.15

Day 14

Workout A (No. 3)

Warmup

Squats 10m30sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
205 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5910lbs BW excluded

Pullups 8m43sec
135 pulldown machine warmup rep 2 sec hold at bottom, 4 sec eccentric
145 warmup rep
155 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
175 warmup rep
BW Pullups x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5525lbs using BW as 190

Dips 7m, 55sec (no equipment issues, just working “in”, so still not an accurate representation)
10 warmup rep
15 warmup rep
20 warmup rep
25 warmup rep
30 warmup rep
30 x 10, 8, 7
6520lbs using BW as 190

Total time - 27m08sec
Total volume - 17955 — 2.57% increase from No. 2
Vol/time - 661.73bs per — 13.1% increase from No. 2

light bar ab rotation 1x25
Leg raise 1x25

pullup shrug hold
20sec, 15sec, 15sec, 5 sec - 55sec total

30min treadmill

***Work related issues caused a rift in my 3day on 1 off plan. So I’m picking it back up today, finishing Day 15… then will adjust it to an every other day through the month of November plus add in some assistance lifts.

Also, don’t know if it was directly caused by the stress experienced at work, or the wear & tear overuse of 3on 1off squats (probably both)… but lower back finally said “enough”…so, another reason to go to an every other day from here. Also, will be varying the intensity of the squats from workout to workout.

I also ate mostly junk during that time off… so this workout didn’t feel so good.

11.02.15
Weight: 191

Evening

Workout C (No. 3)
***I couldn’t recall what my last sequence was when I got to gym, ended up doing this one, C.

Warmup

Squats 15m00sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down deep (as usual), 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
225 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
6410lbs BW excluded
***decided to see what 225 would do

Pullups 9m25sec
135 pulldown machine warmup rep 2 sec hold at bottom, 4 sec eccentric
145 warmup rep
155 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
175 warmup rep
BW Pullups x 6, 6, 6, 3-2-2
5550lbs using BW as 191
***pullups doing better, tried to go 6, 6, 6, & 7 but didn’t pan out completely. Want to hit that well before adding weight

Overhead Press 11m38sec
55 warmup rep 2 sec hold at top, 4 sec ecc, 2 sec hold at chin level
65 warmup rep
75 warmup rep
85 warmup rep
95 warmup rep
105 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
3000lbs

Total time - 36m04sec
Total volume - 14960 ---- 5.28 % increase
Vol/time - 414.79 lbs per min ---- 13.8% decrease (Back to No. 1 level)

Leg Raises 1x25
Situps 1x25

60 sec total shrug pullup hold.
10sec, 20sec, 15, 15

30 min walk treadmill

11.4.15

Midday
30min treadmill

Evening

Bastard Workout: Equipment issues cause a change in exercise midstream… so this one no true comparison to another previous.
***everything done on feel. No watch so Im not looking at time as I go, and wasn’t trying to “blow out”

Warmup

Squats 9m13s
95 warmup rep 4sec all the way down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
185 x 8, 8, 9
5410lbs BW excluded
***Low Intensity day

Bent Bar Row 10m37sec
95 warmup rep 2 sec hold at top, 4 sec eccentric
115 warmup rep
135 warmup rep
155 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
175 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
5040lbs

Dips plus Incline DB Press 14m, 56sec (hook broke on Dips)
10 warmup rep
20 warmup rep
25 warmup rep
35 warmup rep
45 warmup rep
45 x 5, 5
Incline DB Press
65s 5, 5, 5
5400lbs TOTAL using BW as 191 on Dips

Total time - 34m46sec
Total volume - 15850lbs —
Vol/time - 455.9lbs per min —

Situps 1x25
Side Crunches 1x25 each side

pullup shrug holds
10, 20, 20, 15 for 65sec total.

Assistance: all 4sec eccentric and 2 sec holds
Incline Back Raise 40 1x10
Cable Tri Pushdown 70 1x10
Bar Curl 60 1x10
Shrug 185 1x10

11.6.15
Weight: 191.6

Workout E (No. 2)
Late morning workout. ***Not easy. Sweated a lot, and had to push through the end some.

Warmup

Squats 14m58sec
95 warmup rep 4sec down, 2sec hold above parallel, then up
135 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
185 warmup rep
205 warmup rep
225 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
6410lbs BW excluded
***warmup reps felt real good on speed. didnt carry over into the 225 reps though. same as previous 225 day basically.

Pullups ~8m30sec
135 pulldown machine warmup rep 2 sec hold at bottom, 4 sec eccentric
145 warmup rep
155 warmup rep
165 warmup rep
175 warmup rep
BW Pullups x 6, 6, 6, 4-3
5550lbs using BW as 191

45 degree incline DB Bench 13m30sec
30s warmup rep
35s warmup rep
40s warmup rep
50s warmup rep
60s warmup rep
65s x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
3680lbs

Total time - 37m00sec
Total volume - 15640 — 5.68% increase
Vol/time - 422.7 lbs per — 5.2% decrease

***stopwatch reset on me before I could log it in, so these are close estimates.
***need to find or buy a new watch so I can monitor time a bit better, focus too