Fossil's Training Log

[Fossil]

What is it?

A comically large dumbbell that can be loaded with just about anything - including water. It's not a thick handled and it's really the only "giant DB" I've ever seen that isn't specifically geared towards strongman. I initially wanted it because the shape of a globe would allow me to do swings properly with my left hand but the more I thought about it, the more I figured it would just be fun to have.
27 lbs empty, 85 filled with water and you could probably get it well over 150 with pea gravel, sand or steel shot.
I'm also curious to see if the slight instability does anything for my left shoulder.
Far from a necessary purchase, but I think it's an item that I'll definitely use.

[DCR]

What is it?

A comically large dumbbell that can be loaded with just about anything - including water. It's not a thick handled and it's really the only "giant DB" I've ever seen that isn't specifically geared towards strongman. I initially wanted it because the shape of a globe would allow me to do swings properly with my left hand but the more I thought about it, the more I figured it would just be fun to have.
27 lbs empty, 85 filled with water and you could probably get it well over 150 with pea gravel, sand or steel shot.
I'm also curious to see if the slight instability does anything for my left shoulder.
Far from a necessary purchase, but I think it's an item that I'll definitely use.

Awesome. I can’t see how getting super proficient with this thing wouldn’t confer benefits.

[MailmanMuscle]

That dumbbell seems interesting, in a very good way.

[Fossil]

Awesome. I can’t see how getting super proficient with this thing wouldn’t confer benefits.

That dumbbell seems interesting, in a very good way.

At the very least it'll be a *very* novel stimulus.

[Fossil]

With work ramping up and closing the deal on a property - something completely new and foreign to me - the last week has been a tornado.

One-Arm DB Overhead Press:
35 x 5 L/R
40 x 5 L/R
45 x 5 L/R
55 x 5 L/R
61 x 2 L/R

The way these OHPs felt affirmed my decision to switch programs next week. Inevitably your positioning gets more loose as the weight gets heavier.

Farmer's Walk:
65 L/R x 100m (5 trips)

[Fossil]

Not lifting related, but scored a huge career PR last night; I don't wanna dox myself, but if you were watching the Super Bowl last night you saw my work. I was told about a week ago that it would air but only if certain conditions were present... and against all odds, those conditions were met and my spot was aired.
A lot of extremely talented people in my field go their entire careers without getting a SB spot, so I feel extremely grateful not only that I did, but that the spot was my concept from the beginning and something the client hadn't asked for at all, let alone to air during the Super Bowl.
Funny how things work out like that.


Jump Rope:
5 minutes

Thought about it, and knowing me, if I don't jump rope to start a session it probably won't get done at all.
I might plan for a dedicated 10-20 minute block to jump rope, but realistically I won't do it, so it's back as a general warm-up.

3-Second Pause Front Squat:
135 x 1
165 x 1
185 x 1
195 x 1
205 x 1
215 x 1
175 x 6

Suitcase Carry:
55 L/R x 58m (3 trips)

Kinda forgot the game plan with these so I thought "I'll do 100m each hand" but reality had different plans. Then I remembered what I had planned to do and it was 40m with suitcase carries then the next lifting day use that weight for farmers walks. Not a big deal since this let me see where my limits are with unilateral carries.

[DCR]

Not lifting related, but scored a huge career PR last night; I don't wanna dox myself, but if you were watching the Super Bowl last night you saw my work. I was told about a week ago that it would air but only if certain conditions were present... and against all odds, those conditions were met and my spot was aired.
A lot of extremely talented people in my field go their entire careers without getting a SB spot, so I feel extremely grateful not only that I did, but that the spot was my concept from the beginning and something the client hadn't asked for at all, let alone to air during the Super Bowl.
Funny how things work out like that.

Super curious. In any event, congratulations - that's awesome.

[Fossil]

Super curious. In any event, congratulations - that's awesome.

Thank you!
I'm in the entertainment industry so the more eyes on our stuff the better; this game in particular had more or less the entire Western world watching, so it was a big deal on top of a big deal.

[Fossil]

1-Arm DB Military Press:
35 x 1 L/R
40 x 1 L/R
45 x 1 L/R
50 x 1 L/R
55 x 1 L/R
60 x 1 L/R

If you ever want to force your scapula to move as they were intended, try pressing with your heels together - it leaves you no choice but to press perfectly.
Left arm kinda stalled so the top set was probably a bit too heavy, but the right arm kept the weight moving.
Next time need to make smaller jumps towards the top set - at least one more "rung."

1-Arm DB OHP:
55 x 7 L/R

Went too heavy. Classic.
Don't have my BFD [Big F@$%ing Dumbbell] yet so using a fixed weight for the back-off set.

Farmer's Walk:
55 x 72m

Probably should have chalked up for those... and not done them with damp hands lol.

[Fossil]

Jump Rope:
5 minutes

3-Second Pause Front Squat:
135 x 1
165 x 1
185 x 1
195 x 1
205 x 1
215 x 1
175 x 7

It's much, much easier to start a program lower and add weight over the following 2-4 sessions than it is to be unsure for the first several.
Top set was fast - a lot faster than last week - but I can't help but feeling that I started slightly too heavy with both lifts. Going to keep the top sets the same for the next session or two.

Suitcase Carry:
55 L/R x 40 yards

These are pretty fun. I imagine the ceiling for poundage isn't too high so their progression was never planned to be an indefinite thing.
My original plan was to load the single-arm carries with whatever I military pressed the previous session and the FWs were going to be what I used for pause squats. Might be the better way to load them...

[Fossil]

Jump Rope:
5 minutes

1-Arm DB Military Press:
35 x 1 L/R
45 x 1 L/R
50 x 1 L/R
53 x 1 L/R
57 x 1 L/R
60 x 1 L/R

This week, the top set was significantly easier with the left but harder with the right. Go figure.

Got the giant dumbbell on Monday night but only today did I fill it with water. It's definitely something you fill once and keep it loaded, or add to it incrementally. With the funnel I have, it took forever to get a gallon into each end and it was quite the mess. I'm moving in the next few days but eventually I might get a 40lb bucket of pea gravel just to avoid the hassle of water.

1-Arm BFD OHP:
43 x 12 L/R

Really interesting stimulus. From a position standpoint, ressing an implement that large in some ways is easier than a more compact weight. The slosh of the water is subtle, but it started to get me as the reps went up; the bell wanted to tip way forward if I rushed the reps so I had to press with a measure of control, without any rebound whatsoever.

Farmer's Walk:
107.5 L/R x 29 yards

[Fossil]

After a really hectic week of moving across town during the work hours, I've finally got everything where it needs to be...
I've been working quite a bit on top of the move so I was exhausted and knew something along the lines of a Ken Leistner session was in order.
Felt great. Will probably continue this indefinitely.

1-Arm DB OHP:
10 x 10 L/R
40 x 8 L/R
55 x 5 L/R

Gonna put these second and probably ditch that first warmup - front squats warm up my RCs and serratus pretty well since I use a full grip.
Hit 8-10 then 3-5, depending on how things feel.

Front Squat:
135 x 5
155 x 3
175 x 8

Pull-Up:
BW x 3 + 1 + 1

Grip was the main factor. Super annoying but shows I have something new to work towards. Interestingly, the way the bar sits in my hands, it allows for more or less and even pull, something that isn't possible with just about any other pulling movement. Not sure why I never bothered to do these...

There's a pull-up bar at one of the fitness centers at my new place and given the newly acquired paranoia that comes with homeownership, I probably won't ever be doing and farmers walks inside this place lol. It was nerve-wracking enough to set up the squat stands. Will definitely be buying another mat and using primarily the bumper plates I've got.

[Fossil]

Enjoyable session, for the most part. I think the minimalist warm-up is better for me than ramping up with the same reps, at least for sets over three reps.

Jump Rope:
5 minutes

Front Squat:
135 x 5
155 x 3
180 x 8

Felt strong. All the reps were fast. Full grip rack felt great - finally nailed it (fingers crossed lol.)

1-Arm DB OHP:
45 x 10 L/R
55 x 5 L/R

Kinda rushed the presses - forgot how much different squatting first feels. Huge oxygen debt that I didn't really pay much mind to until I started feeling spacey during the warm-up set of presses.
That aspect always improves with time, so next session I'll rest a bit longer between lifts.

Pull-Up:
BW x 4 (Technically 4.75)

I could've probably grinded out another rep but my lats/triceps/rotator cuffs are still sore from the last session so I don't want to dig a hole and have these end up feeling awful right out the gate.
Grip feels strong than last time and I'm hoping this will be a trend that continues until it's a nonissue. For context, at one time, years ago, I could do twenty pull-ups, unbroken at only a slightly lighter bodyweight - 153lbs to my current 160ish.

[Fossil]

Jump Rope:
5 minutes

Using one of the closet-sized fitness centers in my new place. Nobody is ever in there and they have a few ancient dumbbell handles, a wall-mounted pull-up bar, a few benches, a really short exercise bar, maybe 50-100lbs of standard plates, collars and a lone 30lb kettlebell, among other odds and ends, and both rooms have a universal machine and cardio equipment. Already used the treadmills several times.

Front Squat:
135 x 5
155 x 3
185 x 8

Felt great. Strong throughout.

1-Arm DB OHP:
35 x 10 L/R
55 x 6 L/R

Tip: Choking way up as high as you can on the dumbbell keeps it from spinning outward and turning things into a side / bent press. If your plates are large enough, they'll rest on your forearms and you can just press and press without having to fight the bar path, and when you hit failure, you won't start leaning sideways.

Pull-Up:
BW x 4

I went with a "natural" grip in that I grabbed where my hands met the bar. It was easier to pull but made gripping [left hand] more difficult, but afterwards it felt like someone had unwound my entire left side - I guess from hip to shoulder had been so tight that I was basically corkscrewed that direction.
Might start using these interesting hook-straps my brother gifted me for Christmas... haven't used them yet but the shoulder benefits from this type of pulling is probably worth a short-term tradeoff in grip development.

[MailmanMuscle]

Might start using these interesting hook-straps my brother gifted me for Christmas... haven't used them yet but the shoulder benefits from this type of pulling is probably worth a short-term tradeoff in grip development.

If I had to pick between healthy shoulders and a strong grip, I would take the shoulders every day of the week. Ever since I tore the labrum in my left one back in 2011, neither of them have been quite right.

[Fossil]

Might start using these interesting hook-straps my brother gifted me for Christmas... haven't used them yet but the shoulder benefits from this type of pulling is probably worth a short-term tradeoff in grip development.

If I had to pick between healthy shoulders and a strong grip, I would take the shoulders every day of the week. Ever since I tore the labrum in my left one back in 2011, neither of them have been quite right.

I agree - grip can be trained fairly easily but shoulder mobility / function, that's a whole different story so it makes sense to prioritize.

[Fossil]

Jump Rope:
5 minutes

Sinus infection last two days. Felt pretty rough going into this and knew it wouldn't be a stellar session but I did what I could, given how the weights felt.

Front Squat:
135 x 5
155 x 3
190 x 5

5s are about as low as I want to take the reps on these, ideally.

1-Arm DB OHP:
35 x 10 L/R
56 x 4 L/R

Pull-Up:
BW x 5 [straps]

[Fossil]

Jump Rope:
5 minutes

Front Squat:
135 x 5
155 x 3
190 x 6

1-Arm DB OHP:
35 x 10 L/R
56 x 4 L/R

Faster than last time. I'll take it.

Pull-Up:
BW x 5 [straps]

Going to keep with 5 reps and make them look perfect. Want to get more of my chin over the bar.

[DCR]

Going to keep with 5 reps and make them look perfect. Want to get more of my chin over the bar.

I will never, ever understand how anyone can get their chin over the bar with pullups, forget about touch their chest. Chin ups, yes. Neutral grip pullups, yes. But regular pullups? I simply cannot figure out how to contort myself to make it happen.

[Fossil]

Going to keep with 5 reps and make them look perfect. Want to get more of my chin over the bar.

I will never, ever understand how anyone can get their chin over the bar with pullups, forget about touch their chest. Chin ups, yes. Neutral grip pullups, yes. But regular pullups? I simply cannot figure out how to contort myself to make it happen.

I was thinking about this today and part of me wonders if it has to do with how you hold your legs. I'm going to experiment and see if a straighter body position changes the difficult in clearing the bar.