11/6/18
God is a Beast - Anchor -C1/W2/D2
Warmup:
Pull aparts
Bar hangs
Press:
45x10
65x5
75x3
85x3
95x3
85x3
95x3
105x7
Pullups:
7x7
1x12
Deadlift:
45x10
135x5
185x5
225x5x5
GHR situps:
7x8
Tri pushdowns:
'60’x3x15
Went to a pretty awesome gym with a friend on the way home from a work trip. There’s a typical commercial gym floor, with a turf field. Then a whole backside with a CrossFit esque setup. Pricey, but I could see the value in such a place.
11/8/18
God is a Beast - Anchor - C1/W2/D3
Deadlift:
45x10
135x5
185x5
225x3
245x3
275x3
225x3
265x3
295x12
Planks:
9x15s
Football bar press: (outer grips)
45x10
65x5
75x5
85x5x5
Pullups:
5x8
3x7
Dips:
2x20
AMRAP dead lifts make the rest of the work out seem irrelevant, I think the biggest challenge is just completing the work afterwards rather than the work itself. Wanted to mention I had another 1-2 ugly reps left, upper back was shot so they’d have been pretty ugly so again, saving a little for the final week.
Was supposed to use 80 for the press but my small plates are still packed away somewhere so 85 it was. A little extra weight there couldn’t hurt. I’ll make next weeks session more difficult by doing dead stop reps instead of touch n go.
11/9/18
God is a Beast - Anchor - C1/W2/D4
Warmup:
Face pulls
Bench:
45x10
95x5
115x5
125x3
145x3
165x3
135x3
155x3
175x7
BB row:
45x10
95x8
115x8
125x5
145x3
165x3
135x3
155x3
145x10
Back squat:
45x10
115x5
135x5
165x5x5
Knees bent dragon flag:
8x5
Football bar front raise: (outer grips)
25x12
30x12
35x10
25x18
Bench felt pretty crappy. Got around the reps I figured I would but nothing about it felt right, like the left side of the bar was 20lbs overweight the whole time. Weird.
Are you sure you didn’t misload 
Sounds pretty weird Velvet. First time you’ve experienced this?
Yeah I’m pretty certain it wasn’t a misload, I think it’s just the new basement setup and getting used to the quirks that come with it. You know, uneven floors, pockets in the cement, haven’t benched on that setup in about a month. I figure next time will be fine.
11/11/18
God is a Beast - Anchor - C1/W3/D1
Warmup:
Lazy lifter
Back squat:
45x10
115x5
135x5
155x5
175x3
205x3
225x3
185x3
215x3
235x4
Plank:
10x15s
Bench:
45x10
95x5
115x5
145x5x5
BB row:
45x10
95x10
115x10
145x4x5
145x1x10
Bench felt much more normal tonight. Not thrilled with where my squat is at the moment, but I’m sure I’ll figure that out soon enough.
11/12/18
God is a Beast - Anchor - C1/W3/D2
Warmup:
Face pulls
Press:
45x10
65x5
75x5
90x3
100x3
110x4
95x3
105x3
115x4
Pullups:
9x7
Deadlift:
45x10
135x5
225x5
245x5x5
Dips:
5x10
Got a cramp in my quad on the top set of press. I think that means I figured out how to keep tight haha. Was hoping for 5 but the rep got out pretty far in front of me and there was no coming back.
11/14/18
God is a Beast - Anchor - C1/W3/D3
Warmup:
Airdyne
Deadlift:
45x10
135x5
225x5
245x3
275x3
305x3
265x3
295x3
325x7
Plank:
9x15s
Press:
45x10
65x5
75x5
85x5x5 (deadstop)
Pullups: (various grips)
8x7
I set a goal for 7 and hit that so I’m pleased there. Also kinda mad at myself for not getting 8 or 9. I felt like I had the strength and it was more of a conditioning fail. Duly noted.
Awesome Velvet.
One more workout on God is a Beast anchor?
What’s up next? and how did the program treat you.
Thanks man. Yeah one more workout, either today or tomorrow depending on after work plans. Nice to have a little flexibility there.
This has been a pretty good program for me. It feels like it kick started some actual progress for me for the first time in a while, aside from my squat, but that’s likely my own doing. I didn’t really do any conditioning work which was a fail on my part, and I think it would have gotten me an extra rep here or there but alas. @T3hPwnisher mentioned the PR’s just creep up on you with this program and it’s a pretty spot on assessment. There was a time when I thought I had made a mistake with it but seeing it through to the end paid off.
Caveat is that the second half of the leader cycle I modified it to fit my travel schedule. It’s supposed to be 1 main lift a day plus assistance, but I wound up doing 2 main lifts a day and then full assistance days afterwards. Seemed to work out fine but definitely not what’s prescribed.
I’m going to give some of Alpha’s programming a shot next. It should be a pretty big spike in volume compared to what I’m used to. I’m pretty set on starting with his linear program on YouTube, and just seeing where I’m at after those 12 weeks. It’ll be nice to take a break from percentage based work for a bit.
11/16/18
God is a Beast - Anchor - C1/W3/D4
Warmup:
Face pulls
Bench:
45x10
95x5
115x5
145x3
165x3
185x3
155x3
175x3
195x3
BB row:
45x10
95x10
115x10
145x3
165x3
185x3
155x3
175x3
195x3
Squats:
45x10
115x5
135x5
155x5
175x5x5
L sits:
9x10s
That marks the final GIAB workout. Solid program, would give it the thumbs up for anyone interested in giving it a shot.
Made a business decision on the top set of bench tonight. No spotter, and the safety catches on my bench are very short. I think if I was in the rack or had a spotter I could’ve gutted through the 4th rep, but if I didn’t make it it was coming back down on me fast, so I used my remaining energy to guide it back onto the catches and call it. Having never tested those catches, I was not stoked to try this haha.
You can always do the roll of shame
Nice job on the GIAB.
Have fun with Brians giant sets if that’s the next one to try.
The giant set thing jives with me pretty well so I’m not too concerned about that aspect. After the first week or two my conditioning shouldn’t be a limiting factor anymore, that tends to come back pretty quick for me.
The volume is going to be a killer I think, but in a good way.
11/20/18
Brian Alsruhe Linear Progression - P1/W1/D1
Warmup:
Shoveling snow
Airdyne
Pullaparts
MAIN GIANT SET
NG pullups: BWx8
Press: 65x8, 75x8, 85x2x8
Bent knee dragon flag: x10
SECOND GIANT SET
Overhand pullups: BWx8
Seated press: 65x4x10
Leg lifts: x10
ASSISTANCE GIANT SET
PJR pull over: 35x3x12
Bicep curl: 35x3x12
Football bar front raise: 25x3x12
First day on Brians program is done. Press felt like hell, not sure if it was from taking a long weekend off or the shoveling before hand. I swear I haven’t shoveled powdery snow since two winters ago. Nothing but slushy, mashed potato crap.
90 seconds rest between the first two giant sets and 60 between the assistance stuff. I’ll follow Brians suggestion of trying to beat the top set each workout for the main work, then the secondary and assistance stuff I’ll play around with for progression. Either adding more weight, sets, or reps depending on the situation.
Might take a little getting used to this style of program since I’ve been doing 5/3/1 stuff for the past year. The second and third blocks will feel more natural to me I think.
Took me 2-3 weeks to get used to giant sets. Then it levels out. Be willing to dump some of the assistance if it grinds you down.
Thanks for the heads up man. The giant sets I’m actually pretty used to, it’s more so the lack of a TM and predetermined weights to use. I made a pretty good guess today I think, so hopefully the rest of this first week follows suit and I can be comfortable with it.
11/21/18
Brian Alsruhe Linear Progression - P1/W1/D2
EMOM Warmup 10m:
Even minutes: 10 burpees
Odd minutes: 2 100lb sandbag to shoulder
MAIN GIANT SETS
Vertical jumps: x2
Back squat: 175x8, 185x8, 195x8, 195x6
Band chops: x5 each side
SECOND GIANT SETS
Vertical jumps: x2
Tempo squats: 155x2x5, 155x1x3
Band chops: x5 each side (facing anchor, not as good)
ASSISTANCE GIANT SETS
Bulgarian split squat: BWx3x10
Band GM: Green x3x10
Band hamstring curl: Black x3x10
Holy smokes. Had the second worst lower back pump I’ve ever had after this, had to lay down on the couch and promptly fell asleep until my phone buzzed.
Had trouble keeping tight throughout the sets, a conditioning issue for sure, so that should shore up quick. Legs felt good to keep pushing but my midsection was not having this. I had plans to use 175 for tempo squats but I’m glad I dropped the weight. Not sure if these are the right choice, but since I’m so bad at them I’ll keep them this time around at least.
Was ready to pack it in after the SGS, but I thought “man I’ve sucked tonight, Brian would punish himself for that” so I went ahead and forced myself to do some easy assistance. Plan is to use weights on this stuff so lets get that conditioning up.
Sounds like you are making the necessary adjustments to finish the program. You will adapt but don’t dig too deep a hole you can’t recover.
Yeah for sure, the plan is to ramp the volume/intensity up over these four accumulation weeks. It’s already more than I’m accustomed to so having a stepping stone each week seems like a good idea. Also going to up my portions on breakfast and second lunch which should help with adapting.
Once I get into the 5s phase I’ll kind of be back in my normal zone of operation, so definitely looking forward to that haha.
11/22/18
15 minutes with the foam roller. Been a while and with the DOMS I was feeling this.
Nice dinner. Pulled out a steak out for second dinner. Solid day, happy Thanksgiving everyone!