Ben becomes a Marine

[Phaedrus49er]

Work:
--2 rounds of front/left/right planks, 30sec each hold, no RI btwn holds, 60RI btwn rounds

SMR work (10 reps each)
--foam roller - back, glutes, IT bands, quads, chest
--medicine ball - hamstrings, calves

Stretching (Core Performance protocol using rope for assistance):
--calves, 15sec each
--hamstrings, 15sec each
--adductors, 15sec each
--IT band, 15sec each
--quads, 15sec each
--triceps, 15sec each
--up-and-over chest stretch, 10reps
--side-lying internal shoulder rotation, 15sec each
--90/90 core twist, 15sec each
--quadruped rocking, 10reps



Notes:
--I actually did this yesterday but forgot to post. Too busy/manic trying to get packed and out the door. Is it sad that I'm a little more excited because it's deadlift day rather than because I'm at the beach on vacation?
--I'm thinking of retiring The Stick, at least this iteration of it. It's now too pliable for much good other than calves and some smaller targeted areas that can just as easily be done by medicine ball or tennis ball (The Stick itself didn't become more pliable; my soft tissue has just improved to that degree, or I could just be layering on the fat). I may get The Stiff Stick at some point, but for now, I can use the setup above.
--If the scales from Monday are to be believed (I don't see why they should be), I've gotten back to about an 8lb gain on this program, whether mostly good or mostly (likely) bad. I'll likely shed at least 5lbs of that in the next couple weeks.
--WTF is "hope out hope"? Apparently as my lifting has improved, my proofing skills have tanked (note the "quarter-squats" here that were actually rack pulls)

[Phaedrus49er]

Strength II, Workout C-4

Warm-up - CP1:
--forearm-to-instep lunge with rockback heel stretch, 5 reps each leg
--backward lunge with twist, 5 reps each leg
--calf stretch, 10 reps (2sec hold)
--forward inchworm, 5 reps
--inverted hamstring touches, 5 reps each leg

Work:
--deadlift (4/4/4/12, 201, 180RI) - 4 @ 225, 4 @ 245, 4 @ 265, 12 @ 135

--rack pull (3/3/3), 201, 180RI) - 3 @ 285, 3 @ 295, 3 @ 305

SUPERSET
--Bulgarian split squat (2 x 8-10 each leg, 201, 90RI) - 10 @ 25, 10 @ 25
--back extension (2 x 8-10, 20X, 90RI) - 10 @ BW, 10 @ BW

--hanging leg raise (2 x 6, 222, 90RI) - 6 @ BW, 6 @ BW



Notes:
--This was my last official deadlift day for at least a month with the change-up in training starting next week, so today's setting was damned near perfect. I'm in Myrtle Beach SC until Sunday on (another) vacation. There are a few mom-and-pop gyms around here, but I figured the Gold's Gym here would be fairly innocuous and have all the equipment I'd need (as opposed to running into a local version of Planet Fitness ). So I pull up to this nondescript, squat, square, emergency shelter-looking cinder block that, without the Gold's Gym logo on the front, would look like a strip club, adult video store, gun shop, or any other similarly slightly-less-than-mainstream establishment. Now, some of you may remember how I've gushed about the gym I had up in Richmond VA (Workout Wonder; 24-hour; nothing but old, used, but in-great-condition iron; never more than three other people there; best radio station ever always playing). This place was that place in another life: dark, crammed/cramped with useful equipment (even a lone Concept2D rower!), an aerobics studio with the floor space of perhaps a semi trailer, maybe ten people in there, and women. Hooooooooooly shit, women. All five of them. Maybe there's a good side to the Gold's Gym stigma--people who go there actually work, no pink dumbbells allowed, women included (or maybe it's just the gyms that are actual gyms and not "fitness centers"). That's not to say that I didn't see some eye-rolling stuff going on (three guys whooping it up doing Smith machine squats), but those women... wow... ranged from, I'd say, mid-20s to mid-50s, all with very slightly worn faces, solid bodies (under the lights in there, there was visible differentiation between delts and tris, for example), tasteful tattoos (that I could see), and doing serious work (with one exception, but she was the stoutest of them all, so I didn't mind)--intervals on the rower, a pretty bad-ass core circuit, lunges, etc. Every single one of them looked like she would've been right at home on her own Harley if not riding on the back of someone else's. Needless to say, even with the weight today, I absolutely tore through my workout. I won't say that sleeping without an alarm today or timing my coffee well or being at the beach on vacation or being in an AWESOME lifting environment didn't help (that's the kind of gym I want to open someday), but seeing women do some real work in the gym didn't hurt, either. I get to go back tomorrow for my final Phase II workout, so I'm looking forward to blasting my pull-up numbers so far
--Note to self: If you want to become an instant eye/chick magnet, be the new/random/passing-through-town guy on a Cosgrove-inspired strength program and move some serious f*cking weight. I swear I (figuratively) had no clothes on by the time I left. And I still have three days of vacation left

EDIT: Forgot to mention that there was a HYOOGE Rottweiler in and out of the place today (front doors were open because of the great weather). Apparently, it belongs to a staffer or regular member (someone was out playing with it in the field in front of the gym), so it was doing its own thing, not getting in anybody's way. This just added to how awesome the place is

[Phaedrus49er]

Okay, I think I've come up with a presentable program for this upcoming three-week mini-cycle, and I'd appreciate any feedback you might have to offer:



MONDAY - HIIT (ideally hill sprints)

TUESDAY - gym
power cleans
push-ups
step-ups
trunk flexion variation

WEDNESDAY - HIIT (ideally rowing)
core isometrics, SMR, stretching

THURSDAY - gym
BB thrusters
pull-ups
Bulgarian split squats
trunk torsion variation

FRIDAY - HIIT (ideally track sprints)

SATURDAY
5K
core isometrics, SMR, stretching

SUNDAY
beer



I say "ideally" on the HIIT options because they depend on weather/ground conditions: hill sprints (if dry ground/weather), track sprint drills (could be damp), rowing (if raining). Also, I tried to put together two full-body splits that involve the following progression:

dynamic warm-up (not noted, will be similar Core Performance stuff I've been doing)
explosive/Olympic lift (10-12 rep range, 3 sets, 120RI)
upper-body strength endurance (as many reps as possible, 3 sets, 120RI)
hip strength/stability (12-15 rep range, 2 sets, 90RI)
core kinetic strength (8-12 rep range, 2 sets, 90RI)

Hopefully, for a three-week mini-phase, this will (a) at least maintain my NROL gains so far, (b) add an overall strength endurance element to my conditioning, and (c) add a weight-bearing ballistic element to my conditioning. My only real concern is completely mental on my part, but I don't want a week where I end up sprinting the day after power cleans. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with it, but the day I blew my hamstring, I did a power clean et al workout that morning and sprinted that afternoon. I know I'm putting a day between the two, but still, I'd just like to avoid that order of events if at all possible. Also, I'll be foregoing the HIIT stuff on the Friday before the Saturday event and likely just doing some movement prep, SMR, and stretching work instead.

Now, tear it up

[Phaedrus49er]

Strength II, Workout D-4

Warm-up - CP2:
--hip crossover (Alwyn calls it "lower-body Russian twist"), 5 reps each side
--scorpion twist, 5 reps each side
--lateral lunge, 5 reps each leg
--crossover lunge, 5 reps each leg
--sumo squat-to-stand, 5 reps

Work:

SUPERSET
--wide-grip pull-ups (4/4/8/12, 201, 180RI) - 4 @ BW, 4 @ BW, 8 @ BW, 7/5* @ BW
--BB push press (4/4/8/12, 201, 180RI) - 4 @ 165lbs, 4 @ 165lbs, 8 @ 135lbs, 12 @ 95lbs

SUPERSET
--wide-grip seated cable row (4/4/12, 211, 90RI) - 4 @ 120lbs, 4 @ 140lbs, 12 @ 100lbs (note: on SINGLE-pulley station)
--DB incline bench press (4/4/12, 211, 90RI) - 4 @ 65s, 4 @ 65s, 12 @ 45s

SB Russian twist (2x6, 202, 90RI) - 6 @ 30lbs, 6 @ 30lbs

* denotes BW pull-ups / assisted BW pull-ups (used push press bar in rack hooks with feet on floor for least-possible help)



Notes:
--I didn't quite have the fire in me today that I had yesterday, but I still managed to bang out one extra rep of pull-ups on the last set. I'm really going to miss this phase of work as I've seen some noticeable gains, more so than in the previous phase (both raw and percentage), and I feel like I could just keep gaining if I stuck with it. Alas, no can do, but I'm looking forward to more HIIT as well as Olympic lifting starting next week.
--Those pull-ups were an extra bitch today as, in order to get a practical superset in, I had to use individually rotating hand holds attached to the quasi-squat rack. That was interesting.
--My girlfriend went with me today to do her NROL4W squat day. I caught hell for going to the gym yesterday without her (she had some schoolwork to do and so couldn't go; plus it wasn't her scheduled day, though I told her there's ALWAYS something that can be done at the gym). After making another HYOOGE progression in her squat today, she's decided enough's enough with breaking all my TheraBands, that she'll borrow a car until she gets her own, and that she's joining my gym next week. It's going to be so hard to do deadlifts with her in there now
--The rest of the view wasn't nearly as bountiful today, but she did mention on the way back to the condo that "any of those women in there could've kicked [her] ass." I hate I don't have that kinda gym anymore (you know, where if your MP3 player dies, you don't hate life because there's actual lifting music and not bubble gum pop to fight through as well). My long-term hope is to get a small house on at least a half-acre of land where I can put up a steel building at the back of the lot, run power and water out to it, and set up my home gym there.
--My PWO: some leftover pasta and two--well, now three beers. Hello vacation

[K-Court]

Working hard on your vacation, Ben. Awesome. Sounds like a great gym you've found there. Women seem a tad scary though ... did you have the Harley parked outside?

[Phaedrus49er]

Nah, I'm in the truck this week, which is next-best to a Harley. I made sure to blast some George Thoroughgood, though

[K-Court]

HAHA. Bad to the bone. So to speak.

[Phaedrus49er]

I am SO not making an obvious crack here. I'll leave that to the others who frequent this thread

[RacerBill]

Obvious crack:

[Phaedrus49er]

SMR work (10 reps each)
--foam roller - back, glutes, IT bands, quads, chest
--medicine ball - hamstrings, calves

Work:
--2 rounds of front/left/right planks, 30sec each hold, no RI btwn holds, 60RI btwn rounds

Stretching (Core Performance protocol using rope for assistance):
--calves, 15sec each
--hamstrings, 15sec each
--adductors, 15sec each
--IT band, 15sec each
--quads, 15sec each
--triceps, 15sec each
--up-and-over chest stretch, 10reps
--side-lying internal shoulder rotation, 15sec each
--90/90 core twist, 15sec each
--quadruped rocking, 10reps



Notes:
--Foam rolling + sunburn = FFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNN NNNNN!!! I just have to go burn my back now that the rolling is done so that front and back match.
--SMR was especially painful today, not just from the sunburn but also from the less-than-stellar bed in the room. I guess the copious amount of beer from (all day) yesterday didn't help my fatigue recovery much

[Phaedrus49er]

It feels REALLY weird to not be going to the gym today...

[K-Court]

You're from the South and you still haven't figured out how to avoid sunburns?

[Phaedrus49er]

Who said anything about avoiding them? I'm happy just to have an even color as opposed to a farmer's--or my developing trucker's--tan

[K-Court]

I just have to go burn my back now that the rolling is done so that front and back match.

So, I'm thinking the "even" thing didn't work out so well ....

[Phaedrus49er]

Not exactly--the front is quite a bit more parched than the back--but it's closer than what it was