HIT Basic - week 3 ... Sic et Non...

Friday, 23 January 2015 
15 + 37 min., 231 lbs. 

[Wow, I'm startled that I've put on at least five pounds in the past couple weeks. I've even cut a little fat. #yayHIT]

warmup: elliptical machine, BATHROOM, stretching, BATHROOM (pre-race shakes, right?)

leg curl: 100 lbs. x 14c

leg extension: 100 x 16c

leg press: 250 x 13e

db pullover: 90 x 10c
[First time I have ever truly "failed" on a pullover, hooray! Progress...]

Hammer press: 200 x 9c

T-row: 125 x 8c

db MP: 45 x 9e

bb curl: 80 x 8e*
[Slight cheat on seventh concentric, total body English on eighth, eccentric FAIL.]

bb tricep extension: 65 x 9e**
[Last two concentric phases were all body English for good negatives.]

farmer carry: 85 x 73 steps, [unintended but interesting chat break], 62 steps

calf raise: 240 x 13e

+ + +

Had some interesting exchanges tonight, about which I would like to make a brief video soon. The title "sic et non" refers to how this was (yes) a high-intensity workout in terms of exertion, but was not (no) in terms of some delays I allowed myself.

I did take a little more time between exercises compared to last workout.

HIT is awesome!

I am very tired tonight. That's nice. Not mentally tired, just, I can feel the exertion still smoldering in my muscles.

Next week I'll do a MWF regimen, but will not go to failure (i.e. will go lighter) on Wednesday.

I think I'll invest in some protein powder here sooner or later, but it's no rush.

HIT update... Getting there... No one trains hard...

Monday, 12 January 2015 

30 minutes, 224 lbs 

I was feeling residual soreness from Friday's workout, which goes to show that even these "one set workouts" can really cut a groove into your muscular inroads--and in only half the time! Granted, Saturday I did an ab and forearm workout (space mace, CoC #1.5, perfect ab wheel, and ipsilateral/oblique kb lifts--about 30 minutes), but these workouts continue to benefit me as much as I exert myself in them. 

I continue to learn more about the HIT method, and apply small tweaks to each workout. On Monday, for example, I went for higher reps on lower body exercises, used a spotter on at least one exercise, and used some body English to overcome concentric failure to end on an eccentric negative. 

Tomorrow (Wednesday) I will be lowering my weight a little on lower body, in order to fail at a higher rep range, and going heavier on upper body, for the opposite goal. I will also shorten my concentric (flex) phase to about 2-3 seconds, while keeping my eccentric (release) phase a good 4-5 seconds. I don't find bent rows very gratifying for this kind of workout, so I may use a bench-assisted T-row instead, or just use a slightly more upright stance. 

Oh, also, one other change I will make is to give myself a little more rest between each exercise. By the leg press, my legs were trembling, and by the bb curl, almost my entire lower body was shaking, so much so that I gulped down a Cytomax to avoid "bonking". I love the strength/conditioning aspect of HIT, but I also realize that the conditioning intensity needs just as much time to develop as the strength component. So at least a water break between each exercise will be the order of the day. 

In any case...

leg curl: 100 lbs x 12 

leg extension: 100 x 11 

leg press: 200 x 13 

db pullover: 70 x 12 

db BP: 65 x 11 (with spotted failure) 

Pendlay row: 145 x 4 / 135 x 6 

db MP: 35 x 9/1 (exhausted pause before tenth rep) 

bb curl: 60 x 10 

db tricep extension: 50 x 8 

unilateral farmer walk: 80 x 71 steps (L), 73 steps (R) 

Coda: I was the only person who made any "noises" or showed real signs of exertion, for which I did earn the occasional "look". But hey--go big or go home, and why waste an hour when half an hour is enough? 

Re-building notes... gains... rest is so important...

Tuesday, 16 December 2014 
Ahnohld Three-Day Split, Day ___
60 min. 

warm-up: stretching, motions, etc.  

SQ: 12, 10, 8, 6 @ 225, 245, 265, 285 lbs. 

leg curl: 12, 10, 8, 6 @ 70, 80, 90, 100 

db floor press (with elevated feet): 12, 10, 8, 10 @ 65, 60, 70, 75
[An old-timer (sort of) saw me doing floor presses and suggested I throw-in leg raises while doing them, to activate my abdomen and destabilize my torso to enhance pectoral control. I like it. He then told me that he had a heart attack recently due, apparently, to a hypertrophic heart, after 36 years of heavy lifting. He said he is giving his doctor until the end of January to get things right, at which time, either way, he'll resume heavy training. Kind of creepy to get advice from a guy who might literally die under the bar in the next few weeks.] 

PU (supinated): 14, 9, 7 @ bdw  

db pullover-press: 12, 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 65, 70, 75  

EZ bar curl: 12, 10, 8, 6 @ 50, 60, 70, 80 

This was an abbreviated and more quickly done workout, which was fun, since I had to get my wife to a teacher function that evening. I drank two 500 mL bottles of Cytomax.

+ + +

Wednesday, 17 December 2014 
walking with double stroller 
2 miles, 30 min.

+ + + 

Thursday, 18 December 2014 
walking with double stroller
2.6 miles, 40 min.

+ + + 

Friday, 19 December 2014 
Ahnohld Three-Day Split, Day ___
80 min. 

SQ: 12, 10, 8, 6 @ 230, 250, 270, 295 lbs.  

leg curl: 10, 9, 8 @ 90, 100, 110  

calf press: 18, 16, 15 @ 255 (?)
[I'm never really sure how to tally a leg press machine. I guess you don't count the board itself.]  

db floor press (with elevated feet): 12, 10, 8, 8 @ 70, 75, 80, 85  

[PU (supinated): 15, 9, 8 @ bdw
[and
[db MP: 12, 9, 6 @ 45, 50, 55 

[In order to save time, I "intermeshed" one set of each exercise after the other.] 

[EZ bar curl (narrowish grip): 12, 10, 8, 9 @ 50, 60, 70, 80
[and
[db tricep press (supine, two hands on one db): 12, 10, 10 @ 70, 75, 80
[Ditto.]

I ended up talking for a few minutes with a couple guys about new exercises and programs they can try. I mentioned that I'll be doing a "high-intensity program" in the new year, and they said they wanted to try the same, "like Crossfit." Let's just say, though, that the HIT method I will be doing is much different from Crossfit/Insanity/PX-90-style intensity workouts. With my HIT goals, the maxim is, "Less is more", while those other intensity programs are driven by the idea that "more is never enough."

In any case, I felt much stronger on squats, and I was pleased to see my pullups and floor press improved. I once again drank two bottles of Cytomax. Originally I had planned to return on Thursday, but I wisely decided to give myself one more day of rest (and walking), which was a boon.

Next week I am partial to idea of going to the gym simply to do a baseline workout to prepare for my HIT program. That is, I will run through the exercises I'll be doing to establish roughly my 1RM for each, and then use a 75-80% "inroad" of that amount for the workouts themselves.

Then again, I realize that after a few days off, especially with the holidays looming, I may want to go for one more solid full-body workout and then use the first two weeks of the the HIT program to establish weights, rhythms, stations, etc. (which is kind of what Darden intends for the first two weeks, anyway).

I'm really itching to work in some grip training days again. Walking/Jogging with the kids will generally be my off-day activity for the foreseeable future.

Rebuilding program notes... a watermark...

Ahnohld Three-Day Split
12/12/14 (Day 11) 
80 min. 

warm-up: motions, stretching, scorpions, etc.

SQ: 10, 6, 2, 3 @ 225, 260, 295, 335 lbs.
[I knew tonight was a big step on my rebuilding path, so I was mentally unsteady during my warm up sets, feeling skittish about my foot placement, etc. When it came down to it, the belt was a good call and I'm pleased with my form on these. {When I first squatted and posted this, I thought it was 325, but in fact I had 335 on my back. Nice!}]

leg curl: 10, 8, 8, 10 @ 80, 110, 100, 90

calf press: 15 x 4 @ 225, 255, 245, 235

db floor press: 10, 10, 7, 6 @ 75, 80, 85, 90

[I saw a video recently (by the buff guy who always wear a hat {Ducky or something?} and he pointed out that there's no need for your elbows to go below your chest as on a conventional bench press, and that doing so only puts your shoulder at risk. So I shall be doing floor presses henceforth.] 

PU (supinated): 12, 8, 8 @ bdw

[Had a "mindblown" moment tonight. It was not until reading Ellington Darden's The New HIT Method that I gave supinated pullups much consideration. In my six years of crew, we exclusively used a wide, pronated grip. But Darden makes the case that a supinated grip gives a better lat stretch, so I have tried it out, and the difference did not blow me away until I was stretching between curl sets. My biceps were pumped and tight, so I tried a variety of hand widths and found that a wide grip really stretched the biceps, while a narrow, pronated grip really stretched my lats, and a supinated, narrow grip even more so!]

db pullover-press: 10, 8, 8 @ 70, 75, 80
[It's not hurting anymore, but I still wanted to give my elbow a break. Plus, I LOVE this exercise!!!]

EZ bar curl: 10, 6, 8, 11
[The warmup/pyramid-down rep scheme is gold. I tried it on other exercises, too.] 

+ + +

I have decided to do my Even Keel workout next week, which will effectively be like doing this Ahnohld workout on Tuesday and Thursday, instead of on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I was feeling very un-amped tonight, so, as I head into the holy days, it's time to give myself more reps as I prepare to begin my six-month HIT regimen.

Rebuilding program notes... getting there...

12/10/14 
Ahnohld Three-Day Split (Day 10) 
80 min. 

[Yeah, so I ended up taking Monday off, and then because I cut off some of my thumb tip and had a day-long ordeal with my ISP, I also took Tuesday off.] 

SQ: 10, 8, 6, 6 @ 225, 255, 285, 305 lbs.
[Oddly, the first two sets felt a lot harder than the last two. Or not oddly: they were higher volume and I still needed them to find my groove. I will be going for 325 this Friday.]

leg curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 80, 90, 100
[Felt some pain in my hamstrings so I took it easy on these.]

calf press: 15 x 4 @ 235
[Movin' on up. Broken toe no longer much of a problem.]

db BP: 10, 9, 9, 10 @ 70, 85, 80, 75
[A tried a new rep scheme, which I much prefer. Instead of wearing myself out before the heaviest weight, I used one set as a warm-up and then hit the heavier weights while I was fresher.]

PU (supinated): 12, 10, 8 @ bdw
[Less Body English, but still not beastly.]

db MP (split-leg): 5/5, 4/4, 3/3 + 3 @ 55, 50, 45
[I was thinking, who stands straight under some object while it's on top of them? So, instead I staggered one foot in front of the other, and then switched stance halfwway through the set. Meh. Better for core?]

EZ bar curl: 9, 9, 10 @ 90, 80, 70
[Same deal as with the BP, only my biceps had already been warmed up: from heavier to lighter.]

EZ bar skull crusher: 5, 5, 5 @ 90, 80, 70
[I have had some pain in my right elbow, so I took it easy here.]

Rebuilding program notes...

Ahnohld Three-Day Split - Day 9 
5 December 2014 - 65 min.

warm-up: motions, stretching, scorpions

SQ: 10, 8, 6, 4 @ 225, 255, 285, 315 lbs.
[I'm pretty sure I could have gotten a 5th rep. But slow and steady and all that.] 

leg curl: 10 x 3 @ 90

calf press: 15 x 4 @ 225

db BP: 10, 8, 6, 6 @ 70, 75, 80, 85

PU (supinated): 12, 7, 7 (?) @ bdw

[I forgot to do the db press. Meh.] 

EZ bar skull crusher: 10, 8, 6 @ 70, 80, 90

EZ bar curl: 6, 8, 10, 12 @ 90, 80, 70, 60
[This is the way I should train my biceps and pecs! Start strong and work down to more volume.] 

+ + +

I believe I shall take next Monday off. I am feeling incipient "overtraining", which is easy to do on a full-body, three-day split... with little kids and night-owl tendencies.

Truth be told, I'm tempted to finish out the year with my own Even Keel regimen, but I figure it builds character, or something, if I just stick to the original program until the new year, as I originally planned.

Three-day rebuilding program notes...

Three-Day Ahnohld Split 
Monday, 1 December 2014 
Day 7, 70 min. 

warm-up: motions, stretching, etc.

SQ: 10, 8, 6, 4 @ 215, 245, 275, 305 lbs.

leg curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 90, 100, 110

calf press: 15 x 4 @ 180, 190, 200, 210
[Gotta stretch the calf out on the eccentric. My small right toe now sits sideways basically, but at least it's not giving me much pain anymore.]

db BP: 10, 8, 8, 10 @ 70, 75, 80, 65

PU (supinated): 10, 8, 7, 5 @ bdw

unilateral db MP: 10/10, 8/8, 6/6 @ 40, 45, 50 (?)
[I think I did more, but I can't recall, so I'll assume I didn't.]

EZ bar curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 70, 80

EZ bar skull crusher: 10, 8, 6 @ 70, 80, 90
+
close grip EZ bar curl: 6 @ 90
[I transitioned right into these when I finished my skull crushers.] 

+ + + 

Well, I achieved my goal: 300 lbs SQ by December. Pretty high volume, over all, too. 305 was not anywhere near my 1RM, then, it seems. I don't "go for" 1RM, so I will just keep focusing on the numbers. To wit, I think I will go for 315 on Friday.

This Wednesday, I will force myself to perform a "light" workout. No pump sets. No body English. No big numbers on my usual lifts. Like so [what I ended up doing - 3 December 2015]:

SQ: 10, 8, 6 @ 245, 265, 285 lbs. 

leg curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 90, 100, 110 

calf press: 15, 15, 14, 14 @ 225 

db BP: 10, 8, 6 @ 75, 80, 85 

PU: 10, 7, 7 @ bdw

db MP: 10, 8, 6 @ 45, 50, 55 

EZ bar curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 70, 80 

EZ bar skull crusher: 10, 8, 6 @ 70, 80, 90 
+
close grip EZ bar curl: 6 @ 90 

Three-day split rebuild notes...

Friday, 28 November 2014
Three-Day Ahnohld Split 
65 min. 

warm-up: motions, stretching, etc.
[Felt what I think is an "adhesion" in my right thigh, so I spent a good 10-15 minutes warming up. It feels like the same spot that "poped open" back in June, so I'm being cautious. Will need to do some foam rolling.]

SQ: 10, 8, 6, 6 @ 225, 245, 265, 285 lbs.
[I feel very confident that I will put up 305 this coming Monday.]

leg curl: 10, 8, 6, 10 @ 90, 100, 110, 80

calf press: 15 x 4 @ 180

db BP: 10, 8, 7, 10 @ 70, 75, 80, 65

PU (supinated): 12, 9, 8/1
[Penultimate rep needed body English and the last rep was a negative.]

unilateral db MP: 10, 8, 6 @ 40, 45, 50
[I'm content sticking with the same poundage until I can 'crush' the final set and legitimately advance. Double progression. Unilateral lifts are great, and sorely neglected.]

EZ bar curl: 10, 8, 6, 10 @ 60, 70, 80, 50
[Same as with the MP.]

EZ bar skull crusher: 10, 8, 8 @ 60, 70, 80

+ + +

I have yet to invest in a "big tub of powdered protein" but I will do so soon. I may also get some creatine again, but for now my "supplements" are a gallon water a day, lots of greens, B-complex, fish oil, acai, and vitamin C.

Three-day split update...

Three-Day Ahnohld Split
26 November 2014
60 min.

warm-up: motions, stretching, etc.

SQ: 10, 8, 6, 4 @ 205, 225, 255, 275 lbs.
[Going for 300 lbs by December.]

leg curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 90, 100, 110 lbs.

seated calf press: 15 x 4 @ 180 lbs.

db BP: 10, 8, 6, 10 @ 70, 75, 80, 65 lbs.
[Yeah, I have never like the barbell BP. Dumbbells for the win.]

PU (supinated): 10, 7, 7, 6 @ bdw

db MP: 10, 8, 6 @ 40, 45, 50 lbs.

EZ bar curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 70, 80 lbs.
[Slow and tight. I will not raise the weigh until I can 'crush' 80 lbs.]

skull crusher: 10, 8, 6 @ 60, 70, 80 lbs.

Boxing... Sledge hammers... Rings...

Tuesday, 8 September 2014 

heavy bag: 2 min. 

1 min. rest

--------- 

x 6 

Friday, 12 September 2014 

12 lb. sledge hammer drills

----------

sagittal - 10

frontal - 10 

low-lateral - 10 

rest 1 min. 

---------

x 6 

[I lost a good bit of steam on my last set when I detected a blister on my left hand.] 

Saturday, 13 September 2014 

mid-air rows: 12, 12, 12, 12 

mid-air pushups: 12, 12, 12, 12 

eagle loop pullups: 12, 9, 8, 7* 

ring dips: 10, 9, 7/1, 3/1/1/1

L-sit: 13, 14, 15, 16 sec. 

[I took a minute of rest or more between exercises, in order to have power for every exertion. I also cut out the pistol squats this time, because I might do a lower-body workout tomorrow.]  

Shurg Rush (and, "I've really gone and done it this time!") - 14 May 2014

Wednesday, 14 May 2014 
Shurg Rush 
70 min., 224 lb. 
MOOD: A bit skittish at first, not knowing what I was going to go for on the squat. This workout took longer than usual due to a small amount of chatting with a gym buddy, and then a few minutes giving a trainer some tips on front squatting when she asked me for them!

FSQ: warmup, 8, 6, 4, 3, 3, 1, 1 @ 95, 145, 195, 215, 235, 255, 275, 285 lb.
[Yes, lady and gentleman, I have done it this time: I achieved my goal to front-squat 90% of my back squat. Granted, on a lark last week I did some back squats which edged my SQ up to at least 325 lb, which means I should go for 290 on the FSQ. Nonetheless, the original goal was based on an estimate of 15 lb. While I won't say it was easy, I will say that it wasn't nearly a gutbuster, especially considering how many reps I'd already done. My reward? Back squats tomorrow!] 

hypers: 12, 12, 12 @ + 25, 35, 45 lb.
[Should I do more reps next time, I hold more weight? I'll go for a 12/9/6 rep scheme next time with more weight and see what happens.] 

EZ-bar Kelso shrug: 15, 15, 15 @ 110 lb.
[Annoyed. Using a barbell worked better than dumbbells, but using a 110-lb bar was too light, and using a heavier bar in the dumbbell/bench-seat area is too cumbersome. So, next time, I shall simply take a slightly bent-row posture and shrug a properly loaded barbell. I need at least 135 lb.]

bench shrug: 12, 12, 12 @ 285, 305, 325 lb.
[These were gratifying because I got the bar off the break without a spotter.] 

standing "shrug" shrug*: 12, 9, 9 @ 315, 365, 395 lb.
[A loudmouth at the gym looked at me incredulously when he saw me approaching the machine for a second set, with close to 400 lb. in my sights. That's right, meathead, we don't all have to be beefy to be strong, or loud to be competent.] 

snatch shrug: 9, 8, 8 @ 195, 235, 255 lb.

+ + + 

I replaced dip shrugs for "shrug" shrugs this time, partially because using the gear for dip shrugs is time-consuming, and partially because I want to give my palms a little break. My cleans from the other day gave me a weird periostium bruise/strain on my right hand. I am thinking of doing SQ, chest, biceps, and neck tomorrow, and giving my wrist one more day to rest before I do a  grip workout on Friday. Stay tuned.

* 

AYCE notes... HI-TECH EDITION!

Friday, 4 April 2014 
44 min., 225 lbs. 

Warm-up (9 min.) - shaking, stretching, OHS

FSQ: 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2 @ 225, 235, 245, 255, 265, 275 lbs.

CL: 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 @ 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 185 lbs.

Abs (3 min.) - V-sits, Lateral crunches, hip crunches, bird dog

+ + + 

"How you feel is a lie."

I experienced this maxim today.

Today was the end of the third school quarter, so my stress levels were mildly higher than normal (I hate entering and verifying grades). Plus, it's tax season. I got home and felt pretty winded. Thought about taking a nap, but my wife's enthusiasm about some kb and core exercises I showed her, plus a little coffee, plus, really, the unblinking awareness that "I'm going to the gym," all gave me a second wind.

Or did it?

Even as I arrived at the gym, I felt a bit run down.

Meh.

"Gotta get it done."

Despite some aches and pains and the usual inertia, I ended up PR'ing on my FSQ, and felt satisfied for the first time that I'm doing the CL with basically correct form.

In other words, how I felt was a lie.





I'll be taking the weekend fairly easy; it's supposed to rain all weekend, so I might even get some reading done. Honestly, though, I feel a kb session in me, for Saturday, just to blow off some steam and grease the groove. "Healthy addiction," anyone?

Despite all this, I admit I felt a bit lost last night, pondering if I'm really grasping and following Perryman's ideas. I kept (and keep) wondering how to program AYCE better. I really like my... how should I say? Progress? No, it's more like putting on a nicely "broken in" pairs of shoes. I feel comfortable keeping up these daily sessions, don't feel dangerously run down, not at all--in fact, I feel very springy and vibrant. Yet, I still feel like I'm doing it wrong. My instincts have always been to do circuits of 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps, but I know that if I don't keep a tight rein on my accessory exercises after DLing and (F)Sqing, I'll run myself into the ground. At the very least, as Perryman does warn, I need some time to get accustomed to such an increase in frequency; I need time to get, to recall my favorite expression in Perryman's book, "fatigue-hardened".

So, as I was trying to get the big picture of my goals, and not simply turn "Squat Every Day" into a random fetish (which Perryman would completely reject, of course), I tried seeing my year cut up into three phases:

power (low volume, high frequency - "AYCE" from, say, January to April);

bodybuilding (high volume, lower frequency - "Even Keel" from April to August);

and calisthenic/bodyweight/boxing/kettlebell conditioning (high intensity, high frequency - "Met-Con" from August to December)

Obviously, I'm off-track with this idea, as I have been doing bulking, Even Keel, and now AYCE, since January--and summer is looming. "They say that" summer is the time to cut and winter is the time to bulk, so.... Either way, for now, my primary goal is to hit a FSQ of 285 x 4, at which point I'll bring back back SQ (heheh).

Last night I also realized that the DL is too important a lift to marginalize. Be bold! Don't hide behind "overtraining" in order to gild your cravings for the cool shade of mediocrity. Thus, as I continue to explore AYCE, here's the forecast: squatty with a burst of deadlift.

Monday: DL, DBP, abs
Tuesday: HSQ, Guillotine
Wednesday: FSQ, PU, abs
Thursday: FSQ, Dips/MP
Friday: FSQ, CL, abs
weekend: rest, foam roll, stretch, kb, etc.

When I step back and look at my progress over the past 4 years, I realize I'm more interested in strength and power than in "getting ripped" or "looking huge." My goals are more like a powerlifter's than a bodybuilder's, so I need to filter the noise through those standards:

SQ of 405 lbs
DL of 485 lbs
BP of 315 lbs

Wish me luck! Meanwhile, I love being the antithesis of a weekend warrior!

AYCE notes... (updated)

[4/1/14 - Projections for this workout....]  

Here's what I actually ended up doing:

AYCE Power 
Wednesday, 2 April 2014
50 min, 226 lbs. 

Warm-up (9 min.) - stretching, shaking, OHS

DBP: 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 4* @ 225, 235, 245, 250, 255, 260 lbs. [* My spotter urged me to go past two, but they turned out to be forced/helped reps, anyway. Seeee?!]

FSQ: 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2 @ 235, 245, 250, 255, 260, 265 lbs.

DL: 4, 3, 2, 2, 1* @ 285, 305, 315, 325, 335 lbs. [* With chalk and hook grip.]

+ + + 

A number of factors (from Perryman, Pavel, a buff Catholic dude at the gym, etc.) have combined to show me the advantage of doing a power/auxiliary split, which means that I'll do heavier lifts (BP/DBP, SQ/FSQ, DL/SDL/RDL) every other day, broken up by lighter "dynamically parallel" lifts, or even "just" kb or boxing on days I need a break from the gym. This does not mean I will do the DL every other day, of course! I'm not suicidal. I think doing the DL every fourth workout is a good policy until I discover otherwise. I may sometimes replace the DBP with db presses, flyes, or dips. On auxiliary days I'll do things like HSQ/OSQ/ZSQ/GSQ, CL, rows/PU, and presses.

SMILES: Going heavy on the DL was nice. Once I got home and ate, I nearly drifted off to sleep a few times, but I've got my second wind until bedtime. Also, DBP felt very good; a slightly wider grip works better.

FROWNS: I sometimes had trouble keeping my elbows high and tight on the FSQ.

AYCE notes...

AYCE Posterior
Tuesday, 1 April 2014 
40 min, 225 lbs

[I have no idea what's up with my weight. I've just taken too many inconsistent weighings over the past few months. I guess I should ratchet all my estimates down by 8 lbs. I don't even know. I was over 230 in February, but I drop weight very easily, and the body always tends to its natural functional weight. On the bright side, this means I'm that much closer to cleaning my bodyweight and that much closer to a double-bodyweight back squat! I got pretty close to a double-bodyweight deadlift back in Taiwan, if I did not in fact hit it. And then if I used straps...!] 

Warm-up (6 min.): motions, stretching, shaking

CL: 5, 4, 3, 2, 2 @ 155, 175, 185, 190, 190 lbs

MP: 5, 4, 3, 2, 2 @ 135, 140, 145, 150, 155 lbs

Pendlay row: 5, 4, 3, 2, 2 @ 155, 175, 195, 205, 215 lbs

CLSQSQ: 5 @ 135 lbs

+ + +

Compared to my projections from yesterday, I did one set less volume. I think next time I will do six sets via 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2 reps. "Large and low." I felt a bit distracted when I got started. Maybe I'd had too much coffee and vitamin B. Setting good form on the clean, however, is a great way to get focused. Posterior chain to the rescue! The "CLSQSQ" was something I threw on at the end, for kicks. I really liked the speed of banging out two FSQ after a CL.

SMILES: Felt good to go heavier on the row. I may have gotten a PR for the standing press. Meh.

FROWNS: I still struggled with getting my hips forward quickly enough on the CL. My years of rowing experience are helping me, though, since a clean is basically a vertical rowing stroke. Starting slowly from the floor actually helps (good video, great music). I was annoyed to find that no bar at the gym has freely rotating sleeves. That makes the plates stick and totter at times. I think I'll need to curtail my urge for MOAR WEIGHT in order to focus on speed and tight hip-extension.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose

I finally decided to go beyond the preview pages available via Kindle and purchase Matt Perryman's Squat Every Day. I like what I've read so far and am going to try the approach in conjunction with my Even Keel program. What tipped my hand is that they actually overlap in important ways: big, complex lifts at low volume + some accessory movements.

The only difference is the change in frequency. In the past couple weeks I've felt the urge to hit the gym more frequently; it really is a healthy addiction. So I'll simply limit the workouts to four, instead of five or six, lifts, and mix in some speed/power drills (box jumps, jump rope, medicine ball, bounding, short sprints, boxing, kettlebells, tire flips/rolls, etc.) on days I just don't want to be under the bar. That's a certainty, so I might as well plan around it in advance. Besides, as Perryman notes, the title of his book is not meant to be taken literally. Five, maybe even four, days a week is sufficient.

I am still not sure how to set up my programming as far as intensity goes. My understanding--or at least my working premise--is that I should work up to a 1RM every time I'm under the bar. Although I just tried out the rep scheme today, to get a feel for it, and paid no real attention to percentages of 1RM, 2RM, etc., I will shoot for four sets on "big lifts" scaled to a conservatively low 1RM:

80% x 5, 90% x 3, 100% x 1, 65% x MAX REPS

So, assuming I could 1RM 265 on the FSQ, I would do 215 x 5, 235 x 3, 265 x 1, and then max reps at 175 lbs. I think it would be similar for my DBP.

In any case, what I did today was...

All You Can Eat (AYCE) Heavy
44 min, 233 lbs

Warm-up
-
i) DBP: 225, 235, 245 x 3; 205 x 12
-
ii) FSQ: 225, 235, 245 x 3; 185 x 10
-
iii) Dip: 13, 10, 8
iv) Pull-up: 10, 7, 6

Tomorrow I will try the following:

AYCE Light

i) MP
-
ii) CL
-
iii) Gironda neck press: 
iv) Pendlay row:

As you might be able to tell, this second day is a lighter day. In a way, it's meant to be supplemental to the big lifts on the first day.

SMILES: Going heavier on the FSQ felt great in my quads! I did better on dips than I expected. I think letting my feet hang (knees pressed together), instead of lifting them to my waist, made it easier.

FROWNS: I felt some unusual stiffness/pain in my right wrist on the FSQ. I didn't feel as secure as normal on the DBP. It felt hard to set firmly and tightly on my traps and shoulder blades.

It's hemorrhoid-makin' time!

Fear not, I have not been so hobbled.

I am merely being "cheeky" about one of the all but inevitable side effects of Serious Squatting.

In my most recent post I noted that I am relieving myself of accelerated bulking, and am seeking to build on the plateau to which Mass Made Simple has brought me these past six weeks. The workout below is one I shall be using for the foreseeable future, with some tweaks, which I'll explain presently. Meanwhile, if you needed any proof that I am not giving up on bulking--I do still have until March 18!--be aware that after Mass tonight, I got a large fries and two 1/2 lb. burgers from Wendy's. (They were amazingly good. [As filling as they were, by the time I finished writing this post, I was hungry again. Oatmeal-apple-and-protein time!]) For the next week I shall be putting special effort into hydrating.

As for my workout today....

Saturday, 7 March 2014
235 lbs (?), 60+ min.

Warm-up

(I)
DBP: 2-3-5, 5-3-3 # 235, 225 lbs
CX: 8-6-4 # 115, 125, 135 lbs (CL/MP/FSQ)

(II)
PU: 10, 8, 6 # bdw*
*(I admit to cheating with a little body English. Naughty, naughty.)   
SQ: 10, 6, 3 # 225, 275, 315 lbs
(In a throwback to my old circuit-style of training, I alternated between pullup and squat sets, though next time I'll move pullups to part III.)

(III)
db-P: 10, 10, 6 # 65, 70, 75 lbs

+ + +

- Despite a twinge in my knee yesterday, I had a great workout today. KB motions generate very peculiar angles and stresses, so squatting did not aggravate the joint in the same way.

- Sure enough, I prefer the decline bench press. With the db presses at the end, here's to hoping that my pecs are actually sore for once! I made sure to lower the dumbbells closer to my sternum than my collarbone, so that the eccentric tension was more in my pectorals than my anterior deltoids.

- The complex felt great, though I would like to be clearer about my clean technique.

- I've neglected grip training for too long, so it was nice to feel my forearms "fried" a bit today due to the pullups.

- As mentioned, the sudden jump in weight on my squat left we with a certain "tingling" in my nether regions after I got home, but I will simply have to increase my fiber intake (Fruit! Kale! Oatmeal!) and focus on stabilizing my abdominals and lumbar better than ever as the weight goes up. What ruined me a few years ago when I attempted the "Squats and Milk" bulking routine, was the combination of internal stress and the amount of time I had to defecate and wipe my bum because of all the eating I was doing. There was just too much going on downstairs, and I hated feeling so full all the time, so I bailed on "SMR" about halfway through. This time bulking, however, a very high quality protein supplement allowed me to eat less food matter, which required less digestion, which produced less etc., and my bum has thanked me.

I did not even really "think" about my squat progression. I just threw the plates on, knowing that being able to do over 20 squats at over 200 lbs had equipped me to go significantly heavy for fewer reps. When I finished, another fellow gave me the thumbs up and remarked, "No belt? No knee wraps?" At that point we had a nice conversation, in which I mostly gave him some pointers and encouragement. If nothing else, I did my job by enlightening him to the much ignored good of goblet squats and overhead squats (on a Smith machine, if need be).

As mentioned above, I shall persist in this routine for a while, although next time I shall replace the complex with the deadlift, do dips instead of the DBP, and do front instead of back squats.** As such, this routine is so similar to my old Even Keel routine that I might as well call it that. (Welcome back, old friend!) I'm genuinely curious what I shall be able to "pull off" on the deadlift. It's been a while, and having neglected formal grip training for a season will, I suspect, be a limiting factor. Given the perhaps uniquely intense demands which deadlifts put on the CNS, I am considering a further guard against overzealous burnout by replacing the DL with a SDL on Even-Keel-B days if I feel overtaxed.

As for the progression on this Even-Keel-A workout, I will not increase weight until I can complete all the desired reps. (No duh, right?) I respond much better to quasi-bodybuilding high volume than to powerlifting intensity, so I will use reps rather than poundage as my index. For example, since I dropped down to 225 on my second set of DBP, next time I will try for as many reps as I can manage at 235, and only once I can do two legitimate sets of 2-3-5 at 235 will I add any weight (5 lbs) for the next workout. It follows that I will "reward" myself by adding 5 lbs to my complex and squat (the latter which I first envisioned as a 10-6-2 progression, but I couldn't resist that final, third squat).

My current goal for pullups is three sets of 10 "good" reps. I'm not interested in adding extrinsic weight until I can do three sets of at least 15 reps at bodyweight. As the rest of my body continues to grow due to the other exercises, this is no small challenge.

Lastly, my current goal for the dumbbell press is three sets of 10 at 65, 70, and 75 lbs, at which point I'll shoot for the same rep-scheme at 70, 70, and 75 lbs, until I eventually can do three sets of 10 at 75 lbs. After that, I shall start the cycle again scaled up by 5 lbs.

Say it with me now: Double Progression Is Your Best Friend--And All The Programming You Really Need.***

Well, that, plus confidence, patience, humility, and rest.

Stay tuned.

• ** Here's a summary of what I have in mind for the next several weeks: 

• EVEN KEEL "A" Warm-up & Stretch (I) DBP: 2-3-5, 2-3-5 # (II) CX: 8-6-4 # (III) [F]SQ: 10, 6, 2 # (IV) PU: # bdw db-P: 10, 10, 10 #

  EVEN KEEL "B" Warm-up & Stretch (I) Dips: # bdw (II) DL: 6, 4, 2 # (III) FSQ: 10, 6, 2 # (IV) Chin-ups: # bdw db-P: 10, 10, 10 #

• *** My "Double Progression" axiom is to be taken in a minimal sense. There is a vast array of progression methods, so I do not mean to say that double progression is all you would ever need (or want), only that, if you want to avoid complexities and overthinking, Double Progression is totally sufficient for making gains (all hail The "KISS" Principle). I am also aware that Jim "5/3/1" Wendler poo-poo's the triplet-style programming that I've shown above, and that Dan John highly praises the 5/3/1 program, so I really do want to get into it at some point. For now, though, I want to stick with a regimen that I know works for me, isn't as mentally distracting during Lent, and that I can do while (hypothetically) reading Wendler's book before diving into his program on the fly (which was my mistake with Mass Made Simple).

Mass Made Simple - Time to reassess...

Week 7 of Mass Made Simple is for assessing one's progress and recalibrating one's goals and methods going forward. By the end of MMS (Mass Made Simple), my immune system and sleep were getting a little buggy, Lenten fasting threw my nutrition routine off, and then I mildly strained my knee Thursday night doing some double-KB "recharge" work. (In fact, I had been doing KB drills since Tuesday. KB bench press rocks!) Basically, I hit a wall, and it's time to restrategize.

From early January till now I've been hitting the weights pretty hard and have put on a good 20 lbs of lean body mass, so the quest has hardly been a failure. Did I reach 240 lbs? No, but I am not done bulking. I am simply releasing myself from the accelerated pace at which I've been bulking for almost two months. Weight training itself (as opposed to "augmenting athletic training with weight resistance") is a mega-marathon type sport. Some of the savvier gurus on YouTube, for example, have been weight-training-itself for 15-20 years. I've been doing weight training for less than four years, with a fairly significant hiatus in year three. I've learned a lot and I've gained 50 lbs since I began, and have enjoyed very satisfying gains in the major lifts (MMS helped my otherwise always lousy bench press quite a lot). Now it is simply a time to learn more, and build on a plateau.

I know what movements I want to train, so it's just a question (as always) of effective programming. Each person must adapt successful principles to his own needs. For me, for instance, I need a lot of volume for my chest, whereas I need a lot of power for my back and legs. I also do not enjoy losing whole-body mobility and agility by letting weight training crowd out calisthenic and gymnastic training.

OHS: overhead squat
FSQ: front squat
SQ: (back) squat
DL: deadlift
SDL: snatch deadlift
CX: complexes
MP: military press
OAP: one-arm press
DBP/db-P: decline bench press OR flat dumbbell press
DIP: dips
PU: pullups
CL/SQ: clean/into-front-squat

The above are the motions I prefer and which I believe research will bear out as the most efficient. However, given the demands of the DL, I will only do it every other workout.

So, what will I try today, mainly to get my mind back in the game and climb over the wall of stalled motivation that I ran into last week? Depending how my knee responds....

DBP: 2-3-5 x 2 @ 235 lbs
CX: 8-6-4 [CL/MP/FSQ] @ 115 lbs
PU: bdw for reps
SQ: [will report after workout]
db-P: 10 x 3 @ 70 lbs

For now I’m in a free-flow mode, discerning which program I want to pursue next. I’ve been interested in the 5-3-1 program for a while, so we’ll see. One thing that I do want to restore, is my grip training regimen, with a strong bodyweight dimension to all my training. This video was very "moving" ;) to me when I watched it last night. Enjoy!

Mass Made Simple - Day 11

Sunday, 23 February 2014   
230 lbs, 60 min

Warm-up
-
BP : Max Double: 2*, 2* @ 255, 245 lbs 
          [First rep of each set was solid, but I needed help for the second reps. I'm supposed to do five doubles at 20 lbs below today's max double, so I'll shoot for five doubles at 235 lbs. I can already tell that will be fun.]
One/arm press : 2-3-5 x 2 @ 60 lbs
          [I switched arms for each sub-set (2/2, 3/3, etc.), mistakenly thinking Dan John had prescribed doing so for a change.]
Bat wings : 5 x 10 sec @ 70 lbs
         [Actually challenging, as/but I kept good form, really felt those rhomboids!]
[Bird-dog : 20 sec, 20 sec x 2 (tighter form)?]
-
Complex : 5 x 3 @ 115, 125, 135 lbs
          [These kicked my ass today! There's a real difference between doing five sets of two reps (last week) and three sets of five reps. My cleans at 135 lbs felt ragged, and by the time I got into front squats, my forearms were fried, so much so that I released them and went into the alternative hand posture... which was... ill advised, since I then had no way to get my hands back in place for the press without racking the bar. So... I broke the key rule of complexes and racked it before all the motions were complete. Then I also used a little body English for my presses at 135 lbs.]
-
SQ : 10, 3, 10, 16/12 @ 155, 185, 205, 225 lbs
          [In an otherwise very demoralizing workout, these were a source of some pride. Or, rather, a much needed proof of progress. Actually, only the complexes and bench press were demoralizing, and even with complexes I aimed rather high. Anyway, for squats today I totally concentrated on a tense core and posterior chain, and I hitched the bar lower on my traps than I've been doing the past few workouts. That really helped and I think it will prevent the neck strain I've felt. The last set was to-fifty, but you'll notice that not only did I do a set of 16, but I also ended with 12, just to push myself to 51!]

+ + +

A friend asked me why I'm going heavier for some exercises than Dan John technically advises in Mass Made Simple. The only reply I could think of was that standby, "Go big or go home." Will I reach 240 lbs by March 18? With only 3+ weeks left, it will be very, very tough. But it will be fun!

As for today's workout, while it was prudent of me to take an extra day off, it turns out that a single day of great sleep does not recoup three days of inadequate sleep. I got 16-18 hours of sleep from Wednesday night to Saturday morning, but then went to bed at 6 PM Saturday and woke up at 7:30 Sunday morning. It doesn't help, I guess, that I went kayak fishing with a buddy from 6 AM till noon on Saturday. It didn't leave me sore, but the paddling, exposure and general busyness of the outing left me a bit taxed for my workout today. Whatevs, it was a good time and a passable workout.

Patience, perseverance, humility, prayer.... Stay tuned.

Mass Made Simple - Day 10

Wednesday, 19 February 2014   
229 lbs, 60+ min

Warm-up
-
BP : 2-3-5, 2-3-5 @ 230, 225 lbs 
          [Had a little spotter help on the last reps of the first set, and not a little help {forced reps} on the last reps of the second set.]
One/arm press : 2-3-5 x 2 @ 60, 55 lbs
Bat wings : 5 x 10 sec @ 70 lbs
[Bird-dog : 20 sec, 20 sec x 2 (tighter form)?]
-
Complex : 2 x 5 @ 135 lbs
-
SQ : 10, 2, 10, 12, 12, 4 @ 155, 185, 205, 225 lbs

+ + +

Tonight was hard. I took a nap after work, so by the time I got to the gym, I was not really amped. I did not drink any coffee or Red Bull, but I did have a Cytomax during the workout, which seems to be some truly worthwhile stuff. It took me a while to get my head in the game. I felt a bit defeated, since over the past few days I've felt a little run down. Nonetheless, taking an extra day off was a smart move, since, while I didn't go quite as heavy on the bench, it did feel pretty good. It just takes time.

I was pleased to go heavier on the complexes, but by the time I got to the squats, I was really digging deep. My legs didn't want to give out, but erector spinae got the worst of it. Not "pain" as much as intense cranky tightening. Had to stretch it out! I need to activate my core more. The past couple days I did some KB drills, with not a few swings. Feels good in the obliques. My neck is no longer so strained but there is a slight resistance when I turn my head right and up. Riveting stuff, I know.

At the end of the day, all I can say is, I pushed through, my numbers keep going up, and even one of the main trainers tonight gave me The Nod, saying, "You're bulkin' up pretty good, man."

Good night.

Mass Made Simple - Day 8

Wednesday, 12 February 2014   
228 lbs, 55 min

Warm-up
-
BP : 2 x 5 @ 235 lbs
One/arm press : 2-3-5 x 2 @ 55 lbs
Bat wings : 5 x 10 sec @ 65 lbs
[Bird-dog : 20 sec, 20 sec x 2 (tighter form)?]
-
Complex : 2 x 5 @ 105, 110, 115, 125, 135 lbs
-
SQ : 10, 3, 3, [up-to-50] 17-13-4 @ 135, 185, 205, 225-225-225 lbs

----------------

For this workout, Dan John called for five doubles at 20 lbs lower than my Max Double from last time. Although I managed 2-3 reps at 245, and then two reps at 265 lbs, last time on the bench, tonight I didn't feel as "amped", so I stuck with 235. It felt decent enough.

It felt very good to go heavier on the complex, though admittedly they were only two-rep sets.

Squats were... brutal. I think I could have crushed out two sets of 17, but I was feeling a strong exertion headache after the first set of 17, so I "went easy" on myself by saving 4 for the end. As Dan John notes, the point is to get "up to fifty" any which way, so I didn't cheat. I just feel like I cheated. ;)

Last night I greased the groove with two sets of KB swings, cleans, clean-jerks, and snatches. I continue to put on weight, but I need to make more time for food prep on my rest day, and must drink more water every day! Good night, and stay tuned.