Monday, November 30, 2015

4th Cycle: Deload Week 4.1

I strained my neck at the gym yesterday doing shrugs.  Not sure how but it is still bugging me so I decided just to talk today and do some yoga.  Good timing for the deload week.

Walking

TimeSpeedIncline
30 mins3mph1

Yoga

Time
23 mins

Sunday, November 29, 2015

4th Cycle: 3.4

Squats (Max: 215lbs)
WeightReps
160lbs5
185lbs3
205lbs4

Barbell Shrugs

WeightSetsReps
140lbs210

Back Extensions

SetsReps
510

Sit Ups

SetsReps
510

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

4th Cycle: 3.3

Bench Press (Max: 195lbs)
WeightReps
150lbs5
165lbs3
185lbs5

Dumbbell Military Press

WeightSetsReps
30lbs510

Dumbbell Rows

WeightSetsReps
45lbs510

Ez Bar Curls

WeightSetsReps
50lbs510

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

4th Cycle: 3.2

Deadlift (Max: 175lbs)
WeightReps
135lbs5
150lbs3
170lbs10

Dumbbell Lunges

WeightSetsReps
30lbs55

Leg Curls

WeightSetsReps
80lbs510

Hanging Leg Raises

SetsReps
510

Pullups*

Reps
3

Monday, November 23, 2015

4th Cycle: 3.1

Military Press (Max: 135lbs)
WeightReps
105lbs5
115lbs3
130lbs5

Dumbbell Bench Press

WeightSetsReps
40lbs510

Lat Pull Downs

WeightSetsReps
100lbs510

Dips

SetsReps
210

Farmer Walks

WeightReps
552

Saturday, November 21, 2015

4th Cycle: Week 2 Weigh In & Review

Starting Measurements
Weight - 240lbs

Today's Measurements
Weight - 219lbs

I had a pretty good week.  Didn't lose any weight according to the scale but had a couple people this week tell me I am looking leaner.  I have to think its the creatine still, but who knows.  My diet was ok this week, but I can tell its getting to the tough stage.  I am getting tired of eating soup for lunch.  I need to find another healthy-ish option that I like to keep this going.

I've added a couple things this week to try to make myself 1% better.  I started taking ice baths (haven't gotten up to putting ice in yet, the cold water is pretty damn cold) and adding 1 set of pullups at the end of deadlift and squat days.  I signed up for the Savage Race and did a little reading about them and decided to add some more consistent conditioning to my weekly plan.  Not 100% sure on how often or when exactly I am going to do it, but I am starting to run 400m "sprints."  I use the quotes because its not really a sprint, especially at the end.  In the T Nation article, Running Man, they author talks about how the 400m will improve conditioning, lean you out and not take away from strength goals.

Gotta keep pressing forward.  Make savage the body.

Conditioning

DistanceReps
400m2

Friday, November 20, 2015

4th Cycle: 2.4

Squats (Max: 215lbs)
WeightReps
150lbs3
175lbs3
195lbs5

Barbell Shrugs

WeightSetsReps
140lbs510

Back Extensions

SetsReps
510

Sit Ups

SetsReps
510

Thursday, November 19, 2015

4th Cycle: 2.3

Bench Press (Max: 195lbs)
WeightReps
140lbs3
160lbs3
175lbs5

Dumbbell Military Press

WeightSetsReps
30lbs510

Dumbbell Rows

WeightSetsReps
45lbs510

Ez Bar Curls

WeightSetsReps
50lbs510

Farmer Walks

WeightReps
552

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Let's Go

I've been reading a bunch of stuff recently about making life uncomfortable so that you get comfortable being uncomfortable.  Two articles that really stuck me were Are You a Dangerous Man by Zach Even-Esh and Moderation Nation by Terence Mitchell.  The whole process of training and eating better is to obviously look better, but to also become more dangerous or more difficult to kill.  As a father and as a man, part of my role is protector.  What good am I to my family if I am fat and out of shape and can't defend myself or them.  What good am I to them if I am dead?

Train in a way that pushes you beyond the norms, beyond what other “normal” men would do. If you’re wondering WHY I keep training the way I do and why I am always driven for more, it comes back to being dangerous. Being dangerous for myself and for my family. -Zach Even-Esh
 I am training almost every day in order to improve my strength, my conditioning, my knowledge, my spirit.  Its something I am becoming obsessed with.  I think about it daily, especially on recovery days.  What can I do that will help my recovery or something that will help me get better without effecting my recovery?

The reason why I have such an issue with ‘Everything in moderation’ is because it negates the need for obsession. Obsession fuels legitimate change, both mental and physical self-advancement. Moderation is the antithesis of everything I strive to improve upon in my life.

Moderation is submission. Moderation is for those of weaker constitutions. Moderation is not for me and nor should it be for you. -Terence Mitchell
Every day I strive to be a better man.  Stronger, faster, smarter.  Some days its a bitch.  Hell yea I want to park my ass in front of the Oreos and clean them out, but I see my kids and know why I am doing what I am doing.


Challenge yourself every day.  Make yourself 1% better every day.  Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.


Yoga

Time
23 mins

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

4th Cycle 2.2

Deadlift (Max: 175lbs)
WeightReps
125lbs3
140lbs3
160lbs10

Dumbbell Lunges

WeightSetsReps
30lbs55

Leg Curls

WeightSetsReps
80lbs510

Hanging Leg Raises

SetsReps
510

Pullups*

Reps
3


*Read an article on Jim Wendler's website and it inspired me to add pull ups to workouts a couple days a week.

Monday, November 16, 2015

4th Cycle 2.1

Military Press (Max: 135lbs)
WeightReps
95lbs3
110lbs3
120lbs7

Dumbbell Bench Press

WeightSetsReps
40lbs510

Lat Pull Downs

WeightSetsReps
100lbs510

Dips

SetsReps
210

Farmer Walks

WeightReps
552

Saturday, November 14, 2015

4th Cycle: Week 1 Weigh In & Review

Starting Measurements
Weight - 240lbs

Today's Measurements
Weight - 218lbs


I didn't have a great week nutrition wise. I have a heard time when I get off my normal routine. I am not sure if the added weight is from a bad diet week or maybe water weight from the creatine.

I decided to take a break from alcohol until the end of the year. I read in a T Nation article that, "Calories aside, alcohol itself isn't so much a fat storer as it is a fat burning suppressor. If your goal is fat loss, getting yourself out of that mode for several hours isn't wise. And heavy drinking has several mechanisms that'll smash muscle protein synthesis (gainz, bro!) and recovery."

I set a goal of being at 200lbs by Jan 1 so I need to buckle down if I want to achieve that. I am also going to incorporate more conditioning and try to use the cold weather to activate my brown adipose tissue which targets fat to keep my body temperature normal.
Gotta keep making progress to become harder to kill by making savage the body.

Yoga
Time
23 mins

Friday, November 13, 2015

4th Cycle: 1.4

Squats (Max: 215lbs)
WeightReps
140lbs5
160lbs5
185lbs8

Barbell Shrugs

WeightSetsReps
140lbs510

Back Extensions

SetsReps
510

Sit Ups

SetsReps
510

Conditioning

Two-mile walk

Thursday, November 12, 2015

4th Cycle 1.3

Bench Press (Max: 195lbs)
WeightReps
130lbs5
145lbs5
165lbs5

Dumbbell Military Press

WeightSetsReps
30lbs510

Dumbbell Rows

WeightSetsReps
45lbs510

Ez Bar Curls

WeightSetsReps
50lbs510

Farmer Walks

WeightReps
552

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

4th Cycle 1.2

Deadlift (Max: 175lbs)
WeightReps
115lbs5
130lbs5
150lbs10

Dumbbell Lunges

WeightSetsReps
30lbs55

Leg Curls

WeightSetsReps
80lbs510

Hanging Leg Raises

SetsReps
510

Monday, November 9, 2015

4th Cycle 1.1

Military Press (Max: 135lbs)
WeightReps
90lbs5
105lbs5
115lbs6

Dumbbell Bench Press

WeightSetsReps
40lbs510

Lat Pull Downs

WeightSetsReps
100lbs510

Dips

SetsReps
210

Farmer Walks

WeightReps
552

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Strength Goals

Military Press
DecentGoodGreat
105lbs165lbs225lbs
0.60 x bw0.90 x bw1.25 x bw

Bench Press
DecentGoodGreat
225lbs315lbs365lbs
1.25 x bw1.50 x bw2.00 x bw

Squats
DecentGoodGreat
315lbs405lbs455lbs
1.50 x bw2.00 x bw2.50 x bw

Deadlift
DecentGoodGreat
315lbs405lbs495lbs
1.50 x bw2.00 x bw2.75 x bw

Push ups
DecentGoodGreat
306090

Pull ups
DecentGoodGreat
102030

Dips
DecentGoodGreat
204060

Taken from T-Nation article, Are You Strong.


Yoga
Time
23 mins

Saturday, November 7, 2015

3rd Cycle: Week 4 Weigh In & Review

Starting Measurements
Weight - 240lbs

Today's Measurements
Weight - 218lbs

This was my first week ever doing a deload week.  That combined with starting to take creatine I figured I'd maintain my weight from last week, if not put on weight, but I dropped 2lbs.

I did some light lifting this week and yoga and I am still sore from the yoga on Wednesday.  I need to continue doing that regularly, once or twice a week.

I am looking forward to getting back into the regular routine this week and continuing the process of making savage the body.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

3rd Cycle: Deload Day 3

Bench Press (Max: 190lbs)
WeightReps
75lbs5
95lbs5
115lbs5

Squats (Max: 205lbs)

WeightReps
85lbs5
105lbs5
125lbs5

Walking

TimeSpeedIncline
15 mins2.5mph1%

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

3rd Cycle: Deload Day 2

Yoga
Time
23 mins


Today was just a light stretching day.  I did Sean Vigue's Energizing Morning Yoga Flexibility Class.  I did this previously in the mornings before I went to work out and plan on doing it a couple times a week moving forward to improve my flexibility and hopefully prevent injury.

"Yoga hasn't been used for thousands of years by women only. It’s not just for old people that live in Asia. It’s actually a tool that’s helped millions of men, monks, and—yes—even elite athletes find their focus, get strong, and discover their ultimate ability.
-Yuri Elkaim"

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

The Deload Week

"The longer I train, the less and less shit I do. The less shit I do, the stronger I get. The more I emphasize recovery, the stronger I get." 
- Paul Carter

This is the first time I've done a deload week.  Read a lot about it but since I was a beginner, I figured I could skip it.  Over the weekend I knew this week was the deload week so I decided to do some research on it.  Found some good stuff which is why I am doing it this time around and will be going forward.

Jeff Barnett wrote an article giving the basics of a deload week and the reason for it. "Consistent training eventually builds a deficit that cannot be repaid in a single rest day. A deload week is a chance for your body to recover from that deficit. The deload week allows your body to catch up – to repair connective tissue and restore testosterone/cortisol ratios. Muscle can recover more quickly than connective tissue. A deload week keeps tendons and ligaments healthy. If you chronically develop tendonitis, then scheduled deload weeks are definitely part of the solution."

"I get asked a lot of questions about the deload and if it is necessary. Or 'Can I skip the deload? I’m a beginner.' Or if they can do dynamic barbell work in place of the normal training. I’d like to answer, 'If I didn’t believe in the deload, then I wouldn’t have written it.'" 

Monday, November 2, 2015

3rd Cycle: Deload Day 1

Military Press (Max: 130lbs)
WeightReps
55lbs5
65lbs5
80lbs5

Dead Lift (Max: 170lbs)

WeightReps
70lbs5
85lbs5
105lbs5

Walking

TimeSpeedIncline
15 mins2.5mph1%

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Mental Toughness


If you want to keep building your mental toughness, try mixing in any of the following:

  • Train alone, with no music and in an uncomfortable environment / time. 
  • Train earlier or later than normal. 
  • Train in the cold or the heat, temps that are not the norm for you. 
  • Do your durability work First and your Heavy lifting last. 
  • Train when you don’t want to train. 
  • Dedicate yourself to become good at something you normally avoid. 
  • “Be Tougher” – Jocko Willink
Check out more about overall toughness at Underground Strength.


Conditioning

Two-mile walk