Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

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Zak
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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#41

Post by Zak » Mon May 15, 2023 12:53 pm

5/15/23

Log
130/5
130/5
130/5
130/5
130/5

Bench
175/10
205/8
220/6
235/4
250/2
220/8

Incline DB Press
75/8
75/8
75/8

Sisyphus
150/9 trips (10 mins)


Beat goes on, solid day. Dragged ass a little but the bag work got easier as I figured out where to carry the thing/how to breathe. Have some changes to the template contemplated for the next wave, going to consolidate most of the pressing to one day, and use the fourth day for a little extra overhead and then starting to work the moving events a little bit.

Zak
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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#42

Post by Zak » Tue May 16, 2023 11:35 am

5/16/23

BW: 173.6

Squat
260/10
305/8
325/6
350/4
370/2
325/10

Lever Squat
205/10
205/10
205/10

Ring Pullup
B/8
B/8
B/12

Jump Rope
10 mins.


Notes:
-Moved some things around for the sake of low back recovery. Want to see how I feel consolidating most of the intensive low back work (deads, rows, frame pulls, bag over bar) on one day.
-Jumped rope in lieu of sandbag work today to give the low back a break. There were many many stops and starts in those ten minutes.

Zak
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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#43

Post by Zak » Thu May 18, 2023 12:31 pm

5/18/23

BW: 172.8

Axle C/P
130/5
130/5
130/5
130/5
130/5

MP
110/10
130/8
140/6
150/4
157.5/2
140/9

Viking
110/8
110/8
110/8

Supported RDR
10/40, 20, 15


Notes:
-Feeling extremely depleted. BW has to be near an all-time adult low. I am lean at this point but as everyone in the natural physique/bodybuilding world is quick to point out, you're never as lean at a given bodyweight as you think you'll be, basically subtract at least 10-20 lbs from whatever weight you think you need to hit to be peeled.
-The axle cleans/presses were all done from the hang again, they have what Mike Westerling refers to as a "long metabolic cycle," which means they drain the shit out of me. Was shaky by the time I moved on to presses, but performance on those was not really down.
-No bag work today, am going to hit some bag over bar after pulling tomorrow.

Zak
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Posts: 256
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#44

Post by Zak » Fri May 19, 2023 12:16 pm

5/19/23

BB Row
180/8
180/8
180/8

Deadlift
315/10
365/8
390/6
415/4
440/2
390/8

Frame
390/5
390/5
390/5
390/5

Airmail
150/5 (90s)
150/4 (60s)
150/2 (30s)


Notes:
-Bag/bar felt really good and got easier as I went. Of note, the 150 bag may be closer to 160, it was already a little bit over, and I added some sand today to fill the thing out/make it more stone-like. Measured the bar and it's right around 54" (I think contest height is 52") so this is looking up.
-Work was otherwise all miserable but nothing really at or too close to limit. Had may 2-3 in reserve on the (+) set of pulls.

Zak
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Posts: 256
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#45

Post by Zak » Mon May 22, 2023 11:32 am

5/22/23

Log (clean first rep/press away)
145/10x2 EMOM

Bench
175/10
205/8
220/6
235/4
250/2
265/1
235/5

Incline DB Press
75/8
75/8
75/8
75/8

Sisyphus
150/10x50ft (10 mins)


Notes:
-The time has come to extend the training week to 9 days. I'm not really eating much anything at this point, and am rounding the under recovery curve and possibly hurdling toward injuring something territory. The timed log work was just nasty, so had to knock out the other stuff already pretty cashed.
-That said, the bag work was ok. Like very hard, but the picks are getting better, the bag is a little heavier (probably closer to 160,) and I am lighter, so this is going in the right direction, albeit slowly.

Zak
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Posts: 256
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#46

Post by Zak » Wed May 24, 2023 1:30 pm

5/24/23

BW: 172

Squat
260/10
305/8
325/6
350/4
370/2
390/1
350/7

Lever Squat
220/10
220/10
220/10
220/10

Ring Pullup
B/8
B/8
B/8
B/15

Back Ext
B/25
B/25
B/25
B/25


Notes:
-Of note, the 350/7 is a double bodyweight plus squat for 7, which I think is the most I've done with 2xBW, something I've always kind of informally kept my eye on. Obviously easier to accomplish weighing 172 than it was when I was in the neighborhood of 200.
-The 100 back extensions are just there to pump some blood into the lumbars and accelerate the recovery there.

Zak
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Posts: 256
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#47

Post by Zak » Fri May 26, 2023 12:39 pm

5/26/23

Press
110/10
130/8
140/6
150/4
157.5/2
165/1
150/8

Viking
110/8
110/8
110/8
110/12

TRX Rear Delt/Curl Superset
2x12, 15


Notes:
-The last few weeks have taught me that log and axle cleans are nothing like barbell cleans. They're less technical and beat you up a lot more, and I think 1x/wk or thereabouts, alternating between the two will work for now.
-Still playing around with ideas for setup for the last "base" wave and the coming peak waves. Might stay with the 9-day week, might go something like Upper/Lower/Events rotated over a 4-day week. Not sure on this yet.

Zak
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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#48

Post by Zak » Sun May 28, 2023 5:11 pm

5/28/23

BB Row
185/6
185/6

Deadlift
340/8
395/5
435/3
405/6

Frame
390/6
390/6

Ring Pullup
25/7, 3, 2 (12r/p)


Notes
-Cutting the third wave short on deads and starting a new wave with a tweaked set/rep structure for the main work.
-Was planning to train Monday but family has a lot going on this weekend and I had the time this afternoon so snuck this in.
-Have been eating food the past few days, but calories are going to plunge again for a couple weeks, so training will be whatever I can manage.
-I am getting dog tired of the pyramids for the main work. One more wave and then a couple peak waves into the contest. Looking forward to handling some heavy weight.

Zak
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#49

Post by Zak » Tue May 30, 2023 9:15 am

5/30/23

Press
125/8
145/5
155/3
147.5/9

Axle Closegrip Bench
205/6
205/9

Viking
115/6
115/11

Landmine Ext. Rotation
Bar/10
Bar/10


Nice and easy today. Body is beat to shit, goal is just to get through the next couple weeks unscathed, taking a family vacation in late June, then reload for the August strongman comp.

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DCR
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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#50

Post by DCR » Wed May 31, 2023 12:38 pm

Zak wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 5:11 pm -Cutting the third wave short on deads and starting a new wave with a tweaked set/rep structure for the main work.
Zak, what are the percentages on this?

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but this doesn’t look peak-y so much, other than that it appears that you’ll be adding to the TM more often? Is the idea to keep the same principles (base building, touching heavy weights but while a bit fatigued), albeit with less volume because beat the fuck up?

Zak
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#51

Post by Zak » Wed May 31, 2023 3:55 pm

DCR wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 12:38 pm
Zak wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 5:11 pm -Cutting the third wave short on deads and starting a new wave with a tweaked set/rep structure for the main work.
Zak, what are the percentages on this?

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but this doesn’t look peak-y so much, other than that it appears that you’ll be adding to the TM more often? Is the idea to keep the same principles (base building, touching heavy weights but while a bit fatigued), albeit with less volume because beat the fuck up?
This isn’t the peak, this is for the final base wave. The percents I am using are: 65/8, 75/5, 82.5/3, (87.5/2, 92.5/1,) 77.5-82.5/rm for the backoff. Weeks 2 and 3 of wave in ().

Peak will look pretty different. Made this modification to survive this final wave but keep to the spirit of the program. It’s just a slight reduction in the amount of work/slight increase in intensity which I felt was needed.

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DCR
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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#52

Post by DCR » Wed May 31, 2023 4:08 pm

Zak wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 3:55 pm
DCR wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 12:38 pm
Zak wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 5:11 pm -Cutting the third wave short on deads and starting a new wave with a tweaked set/rep structure for the main work.
Zak, what are the percentages on this?

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but this doesn’t look peak-y so much, other than that it appears that you’ll be adding to the TM more often? Is the idea to keep the same principles (base building, touching heavy weights but while a bit fatigued), albeit with less volume because beat the fuck up?
This isn’t the peak, this is for the final base wave. The percents I am using are: 65/8, 75/5, 82.5/3, (87.5/2, 92.5/1,) 77.5-82.5/rm for the backoff. Weeks 2 and 3 of wave in ().

Peak will look pretty different. Made this modification to survive this final wave but keep to the spirit of the program. It’s just a slight reduction in the amount of work/slight increase in intensity which I felt was needed.
Yup, that’s all what I figured. Noted for the future, which for me should be awhile down the road, given my comparatively lower strength. Thanks for sharing it.

Zak
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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#53

Post by Zak » Thu Jun 01, 2023 9:32 am

6/1/23

BW: 173

Squat
285/8
330/5
365/3
340/6

Paused Front Squat
135/6
175/6
195/6
195/4 (couldn't keep it racked)

GHR
B/10
B/10

Plank
B/45s up, 15 down x 3


Notes
Decided to move to front squats b/c I have them planned for the peak waves and wanted to get some familiarity with a movement I haven't done much of over the past decade. Glad I did, because the rack was not really working out for me. Do not have the shoulder flexibility to rack with a clean grip, tried the Draper top squat which, as I already knew but I guess forgot, is a piece of shit and doesn't work for anything, and so settled on a bodybuilding-style cross armed grip like every other time in my life I have front squatted. Next week I will try the Duffalo bar which I think should make it a little easier to keep the bar from rolling off of me. For the peak waves I may do fronts from pins which is something I've liked in the (distant) past but for whatever reason got away from.

Otherwise solid day. The 340/6 was a very easy set, at least 3 in the tank. Might be starting to feel a little less beat up.

Zak
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Posts: 256
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#54

Post by Zak » Fri Jun 02, 2023 9:42 am

6/2/23

BW: 171.8

Log
120/1
140/1
160/1
170/1
180/1 and 1 miss
160/2
160/3

Farmer's (Rickshaw)
230/50'
320/50'
370/50' x 2 trips
410/50' x 2 trips

Arm over Arm
45/50' x 2 trips
90/50' x 2 trips
115/50' x 2 trips

Bag over Bar (EMOM, ladder)
150/1, 2, 3, 3


Notes
Need work figuring out how to push press the log. Also, walking with weight is harder than you might think. The arm/arm was pulling a sled through some fairly tall grass, will just try to augment the load a little each time.

Zak
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Posts: 256
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#55

Post by Zak » Mon Jun 05, 2023 10:50 am

6/5/23

BB Row
190/6
190/6
190/6

Deadlift
375/2
375/2
375/2
375/2
375/2

Frame
390/6
390/6
390/6

Rickshaw Shrug
320/6
230/15

TRX Curl
3x15


Notes:
-Audibled to speed doubles on my pulls today. Whether I'll hit a PB pyramid next week or do this again will depend on how beat down I still am. Will take a similar approach to squats.
-Two big issues are that the low back just is not recovering week-to-week and I feel like I may be close to popping a biceps. The latter is also why I skipped ring pullups today in favor of some shrugging and TRX stuff.
-Funny thing, I bought Mike Westerling's book a couple weeks ago, and when looking through his programming I was struck by how low the workload looks on paper. A lot of strongman stuff I've seen breaks down into either that category, i.e., low volume, low frequency, high variety; or higher volume but a lot of the work very very submaximal, and still low frequency and highly varied. I've had to get my hands dirty with loading and carrying every week to really understand why this is the case.
-In light of this insight I have a 3-day/week setup for the ~8 weeks leading into the contest that I am optimistic about.
-Next two weeks is all about staying afloat, touching the lifts and doing whatever the market will bear. BW is only around 171 and calories are very low. Will ramp these up soon and am looking forward to training with a full tank.

Zak
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Posts: 256
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#56

Post by Zak » Tue Jun 06, 2023 10:25 am

6/6/23

Press
125/8
145/5
155/3
165/1
150/7

Closegrip Axle
215/6
205/6
205/8

Viking
120/6
120/6
120/8

Plate Lateral
10/35

Zak
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#57

Post by Zak » Mon Jun 12, 2023 6:38 am

6/8/23

BW: 169.5

The air was unbreathable in the garage, so I drove over to Tyson's Playground and did...

Squat
worked up to around 365 (idk, used kilo plates), then did 3x3 pause squats with about 315. All crisp, easy work.

Sandbag Extensions
Used their heaviest bag, idk what it weighed but it was less than my 160. Did 3x5 picks/extensions because there was no bar or yoke I could use to load over.

Pendulum Squat
Couple hard sets. First time on this machine. If I had 5 grand to blow and twice the space to train, I'd pick one of these up.

Sissy Squat Machine
Also first time on this. Don't think I used it quite correctly, just one high rep set and moved on.

45-Degree Back Raise
Couple sets with a 45 behind my head. This machine kicked ass.

Weird Lat Pulldown-Type Thing Kind of to the Rear
IDK, this thing was a little odd but did give me a good lat feel.


Fun day overall, just kind of in a holding pattern until late June when we get back from a week-long vacation. Feeling awfully depleted at what I believe is an all-time adulthood-low bodyweight, but will just have a little more runway to gain. Spent the weekend at a beach soccer tournament in Va Beach with my kid, was a good weekend. Back at it later today.

Zak
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#58

Post by Zak » Mon Jun 12, 2023 1:01 pm

6/12/23

BW: 169.8

Log Clean/Press Away
70/5
110/3
125/3
140/1
155/2
155/4
140/7

Bag/Bar
150/3
150/3
150/3

N/G Pullup
10/10
10/10
10/15


Notes:
Just want to get some fairly easy work in this week, don't think I can count on getting to a gym next week so will probably bring along my rucksack and a couple small sandbags and do what I can. The log today was a shitshow. Almost fell over with the thing overhead on the first set with 155 and had to drop the log and bail. Redid the set and it was better. Otherwise just a clock-puncher kind of day.

Zak
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Posts: 256
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Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#59

Post by Zak » Tue Jun 13, 2023 12:55 pm

6/13/23

BW: 169.8

Deadlift
295/2
340/1
385/1
425/6

Viking
90/8
110/10

Farmer's Walk
230/60' (2)
320/60'
410/60'
430/60' (2)


Notes:
-This was a 2.5 x BW Deadlift for 6, which is a lifetime first and qualifies me as "strong" according to standards I established over a decade ago, and which are completely arbitrary. The others were squatting double bodyweight for 6, which I've done many times, benching 1.5 x BW for 6, which I have not done, and pressing BW for 6, which I'm not sure on but don't think I've quite hit either. Obviously the tugs for 6 are a lot easier when you weigh as little as I do these days, and 425x6 was a limit set. However, it was done the day after heavy log cleans and presses and sandbag over bar, so I think it's representative of every day base strength.

Zak
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Posts: 256
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Age: 43

Re: Old Age and Treachery Will Always Beat Youth and Exuberance

#60

Post by Zak » Mon Jun 26, 2023 11:28 am

6/26/23

BW: 170

Press
45/5
90/5
105/3
120/2
135/1
150/3
160/1
160/1
127.5/5
127.5/5

Closegrip Bench
160/5
185/5
210/5
210/5

T-Bar Row (Strict)
45/10
90/12, 4, 4, 4, 3 (myo)


Day 1 in the books. Took the past week off while on vacation, feeling very weak which is expected, but also achey and stiff which was not. Probably could have done with some more moving around, easy calisthenic-type stuff during the week off, but nevertheless very optimistic about the next couple months. Expecting very robust strength gains with the approach I have mapped out.

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